William Wells III

     William was born on Wednesday, 5 May 1660 in the Town of Southold, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. He married Elizabeth Tuthill 1 June 1681 at the Town of Southold. William & Elizabeth had children: William IV (3/30/1683- ), John (1/31/1689 - ), Henry (2/07/1690-1/--/1760) & Mary (1691/1692-12/19/1744). He made his will 25 September 1696 .

In ye name of God Amen-This 25th day of Sept. in ye year of our Lord Christ 1696 I William Wells of ye town of S'hold in ye County of Suffolk in ye Province of N. York in America Yeoman being sick in body but sound in mind thanks to Almighty God therefor and calling to mind ye uncertainty of this transitory life do make constitute ordain & appoint this to be my last Will & testamt. hereby utterly revoking disannulling & making void all & all manner of wills and testamts. whatsoever heretofore by me had made published & declared & that this only & none other shall be taken deemed or reputed for my last Will and testamt. in manner & form following
Imprimis-I bequeath my soul to Almighty God from whence it came and my body to ye Earth to be decently interred according to my degree & quality by my Executrix hereafter named
Item : I give & bequeath to my eldest son William ye farm I now dwell on called Quashnecke with all ye houses after my wife's interest in ye dwelling house is expired gardens orchards lands meadows feedings pastures & appurtenances w'soever thereunto belonging as likewise my neck of land commonly called little hog neck with half my meadow of Creekthatch adjoining to Pull's neck and also all my meadow situate & being on ye south side of Aquabogue River to have & to hold all ye sd houses as orchards lands & meadows to ye only use & behoof of my eldest son William & the issue of his lawfully begotten forever
-I give & bequeath to my second son John all my three lots of upland & meadow that lies ye north side new division within ye bounds of ye old town as also half my meadow lying & being at Kachogue Great Meadow & half my meadow of thatch adjoining to Pulls' neck and also half of Creekthatch yt was laid out to me in ye last division yt was in S'hold situate & being near Pulle's neck aforesd To have & to hold all ye said lands & meadows with all & every their appurtenances & priviledges to ye only use & behoof of my sd son John & ye issue of his body lawfully begotten forever
Item I give & bequeath to my third son Henry all ye resiidue of my town accomodations not before bequeathed with ye other half of my meadow of Creekthatch laid out to me in ye last division situate & being near Pull's neck as also one lot of undivided common
ye other half of my meadow lying & being in Karchague great meadow to have & to hold ye sd lands and meadow with their & every of ye priveleges & appurtenances to ye only use & behoof of my said son Henry and ye issue of his body lawfully begotten and also my meadow commonly called Ketcham meadow to my Sd son Henry & ye issue of his body lawfully begotten for ever
Item-I give to my daughter Mary twelve pounds current pay of this Province to be paid unto her ye sd Mary when she shall come to lawful age or be married, by my eldest son William or his heirs out of ye produce of ye lands & meadows before given & bequeathed to him ye said William Wells
Item-I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary when she shall come to lawful age or be married ye sum of eight pounds of ye like current pay to be paid to her ye sd. Mary by my second son Henry or his heirs out of ye produce of ye lands & meadows before given & bequeathed to my Sd son Henry Wells
I give to my well beloved wife ye full use of now dwelling house with all ye priveleges thereunto belonging for her my sd wife Elizabeth quietly & peaceably to enjoy & dwell in during her widowhood
Item- I give to my well beloved wife Elizabeth all my moveables both within doors & without and also all my stock of horse kind cattle sheep & swine to ye only use & behoof of my sd wife Elizabeth so long as she shall live a widow but in case she marry then I give ye one half of ye said moveables & stock to my sd wife Elizabeth forever, and half of ye said moveables & stock to my three sons to be equally divided among them forever
Lastly-of this my last Will & Testamt I do appoint & order my well beloved wife Elizabeth be Executrix & my son William to be executer.
In Witness whereof I have published & declared this to be my last will & testamt. and have thereunto set my hand & fixed my seal in my dwelling house on my farm of Quashnecke ye day & year above written - WILLIAM WELLS [Seal] - Signed sealed published & declared to be ye last will & testamt. of Wm Wells above mentioned in presence of Samuel Wines Wm Whitehair Deliverance Whitehair.²

William departed this life on Wednesday, 17 October 1696 in the Town of Southold at age 36 years, 5 months and 12 days. He was buried there in the First Presbyterian Church burying ground in the village of Southold. Near here lyes the body of Mr. William Wells The Oldest son of William Wells Esquie Who departed this life in October 1696 aged abour 37 years.³ His will was probated on 12 January 1697. By ye tenor of these presents Know ye that on ye 19th day of January 1697 at ye Manor of St. Georges in ye County of Suffolk before ye honable Col. Wm Smith judge of ye Prerogative Court in ye sd county was proved and approved ye last will & testamt. of ye sd William Wells deceased at S'hold on ye 17th day of October 1696 who by his sd last will did nominate & appoint Elizabeth his wife his executrix to whose care & trust was committed ye administration of all & singular ye goods chattels & credits of ye sd deceased to Execute & perform her duty herein according to law
In ye name of God Amen-ye I2th day of January
Dom 1697 & in ye 9th year of our Sovereign
William by ye grace of God of England.