On January 11, 1773, William added a codicil to his will making more specific provisions to his beloved Children Samuel, Josiah, and Abigail. He leaves his son Samuel 1/2 of the estate in Newington, 1/2 the estate in Portsmouth, 1/2 of 1/2 of the Pew in the North Meeting House in Portsmouth leaving a seat there for his wife Eleanor. Samuel receives 1/2 of the personal estate in Newington, a gun, the pistols & Burkets, the annotated Bible(!!!!), a watch, all of William's wearing apparel, and 1/2 of his right in Nottingham. William makes a point that his son Josiah did not have any children at the time and left him the other half of the real estate in Portsmouth & Newington, 1/2 of his personal estate, the other 1/2 of 1/2 of the Pew at the meeting house and the other half of the right in Nottingham, the best bed and bedding, furniture, a looking glass, many belongings. William leaves his daughter Abigail Cooper his Negro Woman named Venus and sixty acres of Land.
William's will was proven on February 26, 1773 indicating that he died sometime between Jan 11 and Feb 26, 1773.
Finding slaves in the SHACKFORD family was an uncomfortable surprise. Since slavery is not a topic we know much about, we did some quick reading and found many articles saying that it is not uncommon for people to be surprised to learn that slavery existed among Portsmouth families. While it was not nearly as common as in the south, according to an article written by Doughas Harper, a historian, entitled SLAVERY in NEW HAMPSHIRE, there were about 674 slaves in New Hampshire in 1773 (in a population of about 87,000). While this overall number is small it is still sad to learn that these two individuals were considered part of William's property. Not only are they found in the will but both Venus and Bess were included on William's probate property list which ensured an equal distribution of William's assets. They each were recorded with a value of 15L, the same value as the 1/2 rights of the 1/2 right to the Nottingham property.
WILLIAM'S WILL
in the County of Rockingham & Province of New Hampshire Esq.
Being weak in Body, but of perfect mind & Memory. Do
make, ordain and publish this my last Will & Testament
Imprimis, I resign any Soul to God and commit my Body
to the Earth to be buried at the Discretion of my Executrix
herein after appointed. Being desirous to secure to my
dearly beloved Wife Eleanor everything that came to me
by her at & since our Marriage, which shall remain at
my Decease. I do therefore hereby give and bequeath unto
my said Wife for her use and Benefit forever, all the ????
household furniture and personal Estate of every kind, which
the said Eleanor brought to me at Marriage, or which at any
Time since were given her by her father, Nathaniel
Mendum in his last Will & Testament or otherwise.
The whole of the above mentioned things that shall be left
at my Decease I give her. I also give her the use of
a Seat in my Pew in the north meeting house in said
Portsmouth during the said Eleanor's natural Life. Also
the use of the third part of all my real estate wherever
the same is situate to hold to her the said Eleanor during
her natural Life. I likewise give to my said Wife all
the Provision of every kind that shall be in my now
dwelling hour in said Portsmouth at my Decease
for her own Use. Item I give to my said Wife the use of my
Negro girl named Bess during the natural Life of my
said Wife and after my Wife's Death, I give & devise the
Negro Girl to my son Josiah Shackford & to his Heirs &
assigns forever. Which said ?????? devised and given
bygone to the said Eleanor shall be in full satisfaction
In Bar of her Dower or Third in the whole of my other Estate
real and personal. And whereas I have given my
Security to be accountable for all the things & personal
Estate which were given the said Eleanor in her said
father's last Will and Testament, which same ?????,
and personal estate for which I gave Security as afores,
I have here in bequest to my said Wife. Therefore
I will and order my said Wife to take up said Securety
was given shall be vested in her. I order my Debts
and funeral charges to be paid by my Sons Saml
Shackford and Josiah Shackford out of my other
Estate not herein disposed of. My other Estate both
real and personal I leave and ???? and undisposed
of, to be divided and distributed as tho I had died Intestate
except only with respect to my said Wife's Dowery thirds
as before mentioned. I hereby appoint Eleanor my
said Wife Executrix of this my final Will & Testament
ratifying this and no other to be my last Will as Sealed
with my seal the 26th day of December 1772
Signed sealed published and
declared by this Wm the Testator Wm Shackford
to be his last Will & Testament
in the Presence of us who have
hereunto set our names as Witnesses
in the presence of said Testator.
John Marshall
???? Avant?
Abner Blaisdel
Sam Hutchngs?
Rockingham ss Febry 26th 1773
This Will was proved by the ???
of all the witnesses in common
Form & is therefore allowed
??? John Wentworth
Image 1467
In the name of God amen Whereas I William Shackford of
Portsm. in the County of Rockingham Esq being of sound dis-
posing mind & memory Thanks be given to God therefor have
made my last Will & Testament as appears on the other side
dated the 26th Day of Decem. 1772 Having made no particular
provision therein for my beloved Children Samuel, Josiah and
Abigail do make this codicil to the said last Will and Testamt.
With Imprivis I give devise & bequeath unto my son Samuel the
one half of my real Estate in Newington & also one half of my
Real Estate in Portsmouth to him his Heirs & assigns forever
also one half of my half of a Pew in the North Meeting House in
said Portsm reserving unto my Wife a Seat therein during her life
also one half of my Personal Estate in Newington also my Gun
& my Pistols & also my Burkets Annotations on the Bible & also my
Watch & all my wearing apparel. Further I give unto my said
son Samuel one half my right in Nottingham to him his heirs and
assigns forever.
Item I give devise & bequeath unto my son Josiah the other half
of my real estate in Portsm & Newington & in default of heirs of
his Body lawfully to be begotten I do give & devize the same unto my son Samuel & unto the right heirs of him forever. also I give unto my said son Josiah the one half of my Personal Estate in Newington afore
with the one other half of my afore half Pew serving as afore. My
Wife Seat during her Life also I give & devize unto my son Josiah
the other half of my right in Nottingham in the same manner as I have
given unto him my half farm in Newington Provided nevertheless I will and
order that my son Josiah shall have ful Liberty to sell & dispose of the same
real estate before given unto him as tho he was ???? of the same in
fee simple also I give unto him my said son Josiah my best bed & bedding
& furniture my large looking glass large black walnut Table & Tea
Table any Silver Tank & Silver Pepper last with me half fozen?
of my best chain my ????? Kettle & Tramisel? either pair of And Irons
that he shall choose one case of Drawers to him his heirs & Assigns
forever - Provided never the less it is my will that the afores. Samuel and
Josiah shall pay & discharge all my just Debts & personal charges out of
their Parts if my Debts are not sufficient therefor which I hereby give
unto them recording it unto my beloved wife to empower them
to sue for & recover them if necessary.
Item I give & devize unto my Daughter Cooper my Negro Woman
named Venus with sixty acres of Land in the first division in B????
having sufficiently fitted her out at her marriage all the household
furniture I give to her equally divided between Samuel, Josiah &
my daughter Abigail Cooper not already disposed of by my will.
Also my Will is that nothing before devized shall exten to barr
my Wife of her Dower & power of third, or any any way infrindge
the afores. Will respecting what is given unto her
In witness thereof I have hereunto fit my hand and
seal this Eleventh Day of January AG 1773
Wm Shackford
Signed sealed published &
declared by the sd Wm Shackford
as a codicil to his afore last will
& Testament in the presence of us
who signed our names in the presence
of this William Shackfords in the
Presence of each other the Day & year
afore
Deborah Marshall
her
Nanny Partridge
mark
Saml Hal Jun
REFERENCES:
New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, William Shackford Case 3981; "New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, 1769-1936," digital images, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 25 April 2014); Rockingham, Case no 3836-3988 1771-1773, Image 1460-1474
Harper, Douglas, SLAVERY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE (http://slavenorth.com/newhampshire.htm)