Edward Fifield
Captain
Born: January 27, 1678/79 Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
Married:ca. 1703 New Hampshire
Died: Before April 30, 1766 (Will Proved) Stratham, New Hampshire
Father: Benjamin Fifield b.1648
Mother: Mary Colcord b.1649
Wife: Elizabeth Leavitt b.c.1685 Will of Edward Fifield: In the name of God, Amen,- The sixteenth day of February Anno Qui Dominch, One thousand seven hundred and fifty
four, I, Edward Fifield of Stratham, being well and in bodily health, and of a disposing mind and memory, Thanks be
given unto God, Therefore calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once
to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, That is to say principally and forst of all I give and
recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent
Christian Burial at the discretion of my Executor. Nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the
same again by the mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly estate wherein it has pleased Got to bless me in
this life, I give, devise and dispense of the same in the following manner and form after my debts and funeral charges are
paid -- Witnesseth-- I give unto Elizabeth, my dearly beloved wife, the improvement of one-half of all my land in
Stratham, aforesaid, both orchard and orchard liand, with mowing, pasturing and pasture lands and the improvements
of four acres and a half of salt marsh, I have in Hampton in said Province and the use of my creatures of every sort, all
so long as she remains a widow, and in case it should so happen that she sould marry again, then to have the
improvement of but one-third of said land, marshland and creatures, And I give unto my said wife the largest lower
room at the east end of my dwelling house and one-third part of my cellar under said house with a privilege in the ovens
in said house, and one quarter part of my barns so long as she remains my widow and should it so happen that she
should marry again after my decease and become a widow again and should have occassion, she shall have the
improvement of said house as aforesaid so long as she lives and I also give unto my said wife the whole use and
improvement of all my household goods during her natural life.
Item-- I give unto my beloved son, Edward Fifield, one-fifth part of my wearing apparel "besides what I have given him
by deed of gift."
Item-- I give unto my beloved son, John Fifield, one-fifth part of my wearing apparel, "besided what I have given him
by deed of gift."
(note, this should have been placed before Jonathan in position.)
Item-- I give unto my beloved son, Joseph Fifield, his heirs, and assigns all my homestead-viz- my dwelling house and
barns in Stratham aforesaid and all my land adjoining thereto, be it more or less, and also four acres and a half of salt
marsh in Hampton aforesaid which I now improve "also a quarter part of my Gilmanton right" and also all my stock of
creatures of every sort, excepting only the improvement which his mother, my said wife, is to have as aforesaid and
after she has done with them as aforesaid, then he, my said son Joseph, to come into quick posession of all his mother
did improve.
I also give unto my said son Joseph, my carts, sleds, plows, chains, and all other of my husbandry tools and all the
implements of every sort, whatsoever, and also one fifth part of my wearing apparel. He, the said Joseph, paying all my
lawful debts, doctor's and funeral charges and also paying all the legacies I shall here-in-after mention.
Item-- I give to my daughter, Dorothy Fifield, thirty pounds in Bills of credit of the old tenor, as old tenor now goes, to
be paid her out of my estate by my said son, Joseph Fifield, within five years after my decease, besides what I have
already given her at the time of her marriage and also one third part of my household goods after my said wife's
decease.
Item-- I give unto my beloved daughter, Elizabeth, thirty pounds in Bills of credit of the old tenor as old tenor now
goes, to be paid her out of my estate by my son, Joseph Fifield, within five years after my decease besides what I have
already given her at the time of her marriage and also one-third part of my household goods after my said wife's
decease.
Item.-- I give unto my Grandson, Stephen Fifield, his heris and assigns, my fifty acre lot in Brentwood in said Province
which I bought of William Long. He, the said Stephen, to come into posession of it when he arrives at the age of twenty
one years, His mother, the widow of my son, Moses Fifield deceased, to have the improvement of one third part of
said fifty acres of land during her widowhood, he the said Stephen paying forty pounds in Bills of credit, old tenor, as
old tenor now goes or other money equal to it to each of his sisters, viz- "Mehitable", "Martha", Abigail", "Mary" and
"Elizabeth", that is to say, To the said Mehitable, the said forty pounds within one year after he, the said Stephen, is
twenty one years of age and to the other four sisters aforesaid, their said forty pounds, each to be paid by the said
Stephen, within one year after they be eighteen years of age, which said sums I give unto said sisters.
Item- I give unto my Grandson, Thomas Eastman, thirty pounds of Bills of Credit, of old tenor, as old tenor now goes
or in other equal to it, to be paid out of my estate by my son, Joseph Fifield, when he, the said Thomas, comes to be of
age of twenty one years.
Item- I give unto my two Grand Daughters, Sarah and Mary Eastman, one third part of my household goods to be
equally divided between them after my said wife's decease and if one of my said granddaughters should die before whe
comes of age (18 years), the surviving Grand daughter to have the other part of said household goods.
Joseph, his son, is appointed Executor and the will is witnessed by
Richard Rust,
Samuel Philbrick
Samuel Lane.
Children:
Edward Fifield b.1704 m. Elizabeth Veasey
Mary Fifield b.1705 m. Thomas Eastman
Benjamin Fifield b.1707 m. Sarah
Moses Fifield b.1709 m. Abigail Fifield
Jonathan Fifield b.1711 m. Miriam Veasey
Dorothy Fifield b.1713 m. John Fifield
Elizabeth Fifield b.1716 m. Joseph Robinson
John Fifield b.1718
Lt. Joseph Fifield b.1721 m. Hannah Coker
Notes:
-Born in Hampton Falls, he moved to Kingston, and later Stratham 1706/1708. He was Captain of Company #13 in Colonel Shelburn's Regiment in the Queen's service for an extended time. His will was written Jul 25, 1765, and proved April 30, 1766.
Sources:
-Birth Source: "Royal Families, Vol 1"-Watson; New Hampshire Vital Rec
give Benjamin and Mary as parents.
-Marriage Source: "Royal Families, Vol 1"-Watson
-Death Source: "Royal Families, Vol 1"-Watson; Tunbridge. New Hampshire Probate Records;
E-mail Joe C. for any additions/questions!