After Mary E J's mother died, she lived with her grandmother Martha Boardman Shackford, her aunts Elizabeth and Abby Shackford, and her uncle George S Shackford. Mary EJ lost her father when she was only 17 and unfortunately Mary was ill around age 21, wrote a very detailed will on October 17, 1864, and died on December 11, 1864.
Mary E J bought a lot in NewMarket cemtery, left her aunts Elizabeth B Shackford $1,000, Elllen P Champion $500, Abba A Benett $100, Ruth W Paul $100, Sarah Jane Wiggin $100, her cousin George Shackford Paul her watch, and her uncle William A Shackford $1.
We wish we knew more about this young lady who lost her parents at a very young age and while she was dying at the young age of 21 spent the time to remember many of her family members.
MARY ELLEN JANE WIGGIN'S WILL
Be it remembered that I Mary E J Wiggin of New-market, County of Rockingham and state of New Hampshire, being weak in body, but of sound and perfect memory, blessed be Almighty God for the same, do make and publish this my last will and testament, in manner and form following, that is to say,
First, I give and bequeath the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars towards buying and fitting up a lot in the New Market Cemetery.
Second, I give and bequeath unto my aunt Elizabeth B Shackford the sum of one thousand dollars.
Third I give and bequeath unto my aunt Ellen P Champion the sum of five hundred dollars.
Fourth I give & bequeath unto my aunt Abba A Bennett
the sum of one hundred dollars.
Fifth I give and bequeath unto my aunt Ruth W Paul the sum of one hundred dollars.
Sixth, I give and bequeath unto my aunt Sarah Jane Wiggin the sum of one hundred dollars
Seventh I give and bequeath unto my cousin George Shackford Paul my watch.
Eighth I give and bequeath unto my uncle William A Shackford one dollar.
All of which legacies or bequests above made are to be paid out of my estate by my executor hereinafter
named within one year after my decease, and if anything remaining of my estate, after paying all of said bequests and all my just debts & funeral charges, I give & bequeath said remainder to my aunt Elizabeth B Shackford.
And I hereby constitute & appoint my uncle George A Bennett, Executor to this my last will & Testament
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 17th day of October 1864
Signed, sealed, and declared by the above named Mary E J Wiggin to be her last will & testament in
the presence of us; who at her bequest and in her presence, have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto
Harry B Leighton
Charlotte E Leighton
Alice Brackett Mary E J Wiggin
SOURCES:
1850 United States Federal Census, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, population schedule, Newmarket, page 305 (penned), 158 (stamped), dwelling 671, family 743, Martha Shackford; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 13 December 2015).
1860 United States Federal Census, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, population schedule, Newmarket, Page No 8, dwelling 42, family 53, George S Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 16 February 2014).
Boardman Samuel Lane, 1836-1914, Family memorial: records of the Boreman, Bordman and Boardman families of New Hampshire and Maine (Augusta, Maine: no date given, before 1876), page 58; digital image, Archive.org (https://archive.org : accessed 18 May 2015.
"New Hampshire, Marriage and Divorce Records, 1659-1947," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 December 2015), Mary Ann Shackford m William H Wiggin.
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947, , Mary Wiggin d., 23 May 1849; digital images, FamilySearch, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947 (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 19 December 2013).
"New Hampshire, Wills and Probate Records, 1643-1982," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 December 2015), Mary E J Wiggin; Rockingham>Estate Papers, No. 19531-19585, 1864>Case No 19585>Image 1170