Ruth's will reaffirms that she was the wife of John Shackford of Newmarket who was deceased. It also lists her four living children: Seth Ring Shackford, Samuel Shackford, Benjamin Adams Shackford, and John Downing Shackford. We know from other sources that son John had was baptized and died Jan 1781, daughter Elizabeth who married George Dennett had died in 1803 and daughter Abigail who married John Leighton had died in 1820)
Ruth's will tells us a bit about her - she cherished her belongings and described with precise language to whom each item was to go after her death - her sheep to be divided amid her four sons, a feather bed and blue and white curtains to her son Samuel, her gold necklace, two pail brass kettle and gold rings to daughter-in-law Lydia, silver teaspoons to granddaughter Ruth Webb, and gold ear nubs and silver thimble to granddaughter Martha. A grandson Jeremiah Dennett received her second best bed and bedding. She also decided which son received her red lined cow (Samuel) and which her red cow (John D.). Interestingly she appointed her second eldest son, Samuel Shackford to be her executor, not her eldest son Seth Ring Shackford
Will of Ruth W Shackford
late of NewMarket decd
proved by oath of B Brackett
* Wm Tenney no ?????? ????
Jany 20th 1826
In the name of God Amen - I Ruth Webb Shackford of Newmarket in the County of Rockingham and state of New Hampshire widow of John Shackford late of said Newmarket deceased - being weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory do make and publish this my last will & testament; and therein and thereby dispose of all my world estate in manner following - to wit
Firstly - I give & bequeath, to my four sons Seth R Shackford, Samuel Shackford, Benjamin A Shackford, and John D Shackford all my sheep to be equally divided between them.
Secondly I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Shackford my best feather bed with all the bedding there to belong and checked blue and white bed curtains - also my red lined back cow.
Secondly I give and bequeath to Lydia Shackford wife of my son John D Shackford my gold necklace and two pail brass kettle and gold rings.
Thirdly I give and bequeath to Ruth Webb Shackford daughter of my son Seth R Shackford my silver teaspoons.
Fourthly I give and bequeath to Martha Shackford daughter of my son Seth R Shackford my gold ear nubs and silver thimble.
Fifthly I give and bequeath to my grandson Jeremiah Dennett my second best bed & bedding.
Sixthly I give and bequeath to my son John D Shackford, my two looking glasses my red cow and the rest residue and remainder of my estate, he paying all my just debts and funeral expenses.
Seventhly and lastly I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my son Samuel Shackford to be executor of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and annulling all former wills be heretofore made
In testimony whereof I the said Ruth Webb Shackford have to this my last will and testament set my hand and seal this sixth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty five. Signed with Ruth Webb's mark
Signed, sealed published and declared by the above named Ruth Webb Shackford as and for her last will and testament in presence of us who at her request, in her presence and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto
Benja Brackett sworn
Joshua B Wiggin
Wm Temey sworn
SOURCES:
Adams Andrew N., A Genealogical History of Henry Adams, of Braintree, Mass., and His Descendants also John Adams, of Cambridge, Mass., 1632-1897 (Rutland, Vt: The Tuttle Company, 1898), page 420; digital images, HathiTrust (http://babel.hathitrust.org/ : accessed 1 June 2015
Hardon Henry W, Newington, New Hampshire Families in the Eighteenth Century (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc, 1991), page 168
New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, Ruth W Shackford Case 11157; "New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, 1769-1936," digital images, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 26 August 2013); Rockingham, Case no 11142-11224 1826, Images 213-.
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Birth Records, 1659-1900, , Ruth Web Adams, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 July 2014); “New Hampshire, Birth Records, through 1900.” Online index and digital images. New England Historical Genealogical Society. Citing New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records, Concord, New Hampshire
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947, , Elizabeth Dennett, 21 February 1803; digital images, FamilySearch, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947 (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 1 June 2015).
Whittemore H., History of the Adams Family with Biographical Sketches of Distinguished Descendants of the Several American Ancestors, Excluding Collateral Branches (New York: Willis McDonald & Co, 1893), page 18; digital images, Hathi Trust (http://babel.hathitrust.org/ : accessed 4 July 2015