Description:

Colonial New York
New York, NY, August 10, 1669
Father of Declaration-Signer Translates Seventeenth-Century Dutch 1669 Will in New York
MD
[NEW YORK.] Philip Livingston, Manuscript Document, Translation/Copy of William Bogardus, Will of Thomas Hall, August 10, 1669, New York Colony; copy, ca. 1705-1749. 3 pp., 8.25" x 13". General toning and some soiling; minor edge tears.

Merchant, slave trader, politician, and second lord of Livingston Manor Philip Livingston (1686-1749) prepared this translated copy of the will of Thomas Hall, a British brewer who had become wealthy in the Dutch colony of New Netherland before it became the British colony of New York in 1664. Livingston was the father and namesake of Philip Livingston (1716-1778), who signed the Declaration of Independence. William Bogardus, who held several offices in both the Dutch New Netherland and British New York colonies, wrote and signed the original will. This copy may have been submitted as evidence in some later legal matter.

Complete Transcript
In the Name of the Lord Amen
Be it Known to all Men That in the Year of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Anno 1669 on the Ninth of August about Ten of the Clock before Noon, Personally appeared before me William Bogardus Notary Publick Residing in New York Admitted by the Right Nobel and Worshipful Lord Francis Lovelace Esqr deputed Governour Generall by His Royall Highness James duke of York of all his Teritories in America, Mr Thomas Hall Brewer and Citizen of this City Known to me and the Subscribing Witnesses, Being Sick in Bed yet Enjoying his Understanding, Memory and Speech perfectly to all outward appearance and as Far as we Could Judge, Makeing Mention of the Frailty of Humane Nature and his Sicness, The Certainty of Death and the Uncertainty of the Hour Thereof, and Being Unwilling to depart this Life Without Makeing a Will, hath in the best and most Sure Manner of his Free & Voluntary Will (as he Said) Ordered his disposall by Will in the manner Following,
First, Recommending his Soul to the Almighty God and his Body When Separated from the Soul to the Earth by a Christian like Burial, Revoking and Annulling by these Presents all Former Wills and all Other Testamentory Deeds made by Himself a Part, or Jointly with Others, and Declaring them Void and of no Further Effect, and this only to be of Force. And as to the Disposition of His Worldly Goods Which he Shall leave behind him, out of the Extraordinary Love & Affection which his present and lawfull Wife Anne Medfort hath shewed to him and if it Please God may yet Show him in the Matrimonial state, He hath Nominated and Constituted her his only and Universall heir of all his Goods which he shall leave behind him Real and Personall Rights and Credits, Gold and Silver Coined or not Coined Linnen and Woolen Nothing Excepting of what Sort the Same may be and where Scituated, to take the Same into her possession Immediately after his death and to use the Same all the days of her Life and to do and act therewith as with her own free Goods to which no one hath Any Right but she only without being Obliged to give any State Account or Inventory of the Personall Estate to anyone.
All what is above Written the Testator declared to be his last and Final desire, Willing and desiring that the Same may as Such or at least as a Codicil gift in Case of death, take its full Effect, although all the forms Required by law were not observed herein. Holding the Same to be Inserted in the Strongest Manner, Derogating by these Presents all ordinances, laws and Customs which are Contrary to his the Testators Last and Final desire, Consenting that hereof Instruments in proper form Should be made and delivered.
This done and passed in presence of Messrs Cornelis Steenwyck Mayor of this city, Johs Van Brugh and Jan Vingie Called as Evidences hereof and have as Well as the Testator Subscribed Hereto in New York aforesaid day month and year as above.
We the Subscribers Certify and declare for truth That the Testator Thomas Hall did declare What is above Written to be his last and Finall desire and was willing to Confirm it by Signing the Same, but by the Weakness in his Hand was not able to Accomplish it. The which we are Ready if Occasion Requires further to Confirm upon Oath, done in New York the Tenth Day of August 1669.
Was Signed
Cornelis Steenwyck
Johannis Van Brugh
(Under Was Written) J. Vinge, 1669
Which Evidence was Subscribed
W. Bogardus Nots pub.

[File Note:]
No. 4 / Translation of Thomas Hall's Will by Mr Philip Livingston
W 10th of Augt 1669: ye oridgenall of this will is in ye Secretarys office: Loeft by itself & not recorded in ye Books

Willem/William Bogardus (1639-1711) was born in New Amsterdam (New York) to Rev. Everardus Bogardus (1607-1647), the pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church in New Amsterdam, and his wife Anneke Jans Bogardus (1605-1663), who had been born in Norway. In 1656, William Bogardus served as the clerk of the secretary of New Netherland and by 1663 had advanced to first clerk. He married Wyntie Sybrants in 1659, and they divorced in 1669. After the governor granted him permission to marry in 1669, Bogardus married widow Walburga de Sille (1639-1739). He had ten children from the two marriages. He served as inspector of windmills (1656), great burgher (1657), notary public for the Dutch-speaking population of the colony (from 1668), treasurer (1674-1686); collector of taxes (1683), and postmaster of the province of New York (1687).

William Halen/Haal/Hall (1614-1669) was born in Gloucester, England. He migrated to America as an indentured servant in 1635 and was part of an attempted British settlement on the Delaware River. In 1639, he received a Dutch grant for land on Manhattan Island to establish a tobacco plantation. He married Anne Mitford/Metford/Metfort (1620-1687) in 1641. That same year, he sold his interest in the tobacco plantation and moved to New Amsterdam, where he owned a large farm and operated a brewery. In 1666, he took an oath of allegiance to the British Crown in New York.

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