John Ferris I

     John was born circa 1639 in Newtown, Fairfield County, Connecticut.^8,9 In 1657 [according to some family], John was accused of "bestiality" by Henry Ackerly and the court of New Haven, Connecticut ruled that John needed to be publicly whipped in New Haven. Once he healed from this ordeal, he was publicly whipped again in Stamford, Connecticut. Between the whippings, he was kept in prison and also had to pay 20 pounds. He was forced to wear a halter around his neck at all times. John begged the court to discontinue the wearing of the halter and they allowed it after two years of humiliation. Around 1665, he removed to Throgs Neck, Westchester County, New York. He was one of the largest shareholders in public lands in the town of Westchester. On 13 February 1667. John Ferris was one of five grantees (patentees) on the original Westchester Patent, granted by Governor Nichols from James, Duke of York and confirmed by William III, King of England the 16th April "in the eighth year of our reign". Governor Nichols evidently perceived the folly of having Westchester a portion of the Long Island jurisdiction, and granted to the people the first patent of Westchester. The boundaries were, on the west the Bronx River, on the east Ann's Hook or Pelham Neck, and on the north "into the woods without limitation for range cattle". The Governor gave the patentees all the rights and privileges of a township, and provided that the place should be called Westchester. This John Ferris was called John Sr. in 1683 when he was chosen fence-viewer. On 11 March 1686, John and other inhabitants of West Chester, in regards to the grant of 500 acres of land to John West, praying that the same may be revoked. In 1705, John gives his age as 65 years. He was a trustee in 1705. In later years he became a Quaker and he made provisions in his will for the Quaker Burying Ground on his land. John married Mary Jackson, daughter of Robert Jackson, before 21 February 1666 in New York.¹⁰ John's wife, Mary, died in 1704 in Throgs Neck, Westchester County, New York, leaving him a widower. John married Grace (?) in May 1706 in Westchester County, New York. In the 3rd month of 1706. John made his will on 9 May 1715 at Westchester, Westchester County, New York.

In the name of God, Amen. Ye Ninth Day of May in ye Year of Our Lord God One Thousand Seaven Hundred & ffifteen, I, John fferris of ye Borrough & Town of Westchester, being sick & weak of body but of perfect mind & memory, thanks be Given unto God Therefore, calling unto mind ye mortality of my body & Knowing it is Appointed for all men once to dye, do make and ordain this my Last Will & Testament in mannor & fforme ffollowing, (that is to say) ffirst & Principally, I Give my soul into ye Hands of God that Gave it me & for my Body I Commend it to ye Earth, to be buried in Christian & decent manner Hoping att ye General Resurrection I shall receive ye same again by ye mighty Power of God, And as Touching suching worldly Estate Wherewith it has please God to Bless me with, I dispose of in mannor and fforme ffollowing (vizt.) Imp. I give & bequeath unto my son John fferris ffive Shillings & to my other three sons, Samuel, James, & Jonathan fferris ye sume of ffive shillings a piece to be paid to Ym within one year after my Decease wch sd Legacies shall be paid by my Executors out of my personal Estate. Also I Will & bequeath unto my son Peter fferris all yt. my Houseing, Out Housing Harnes, Stables, Orchards, Gardens, &c., Together with my ffive home Lotts & all & singular ye meadows lying att ye Rear of sd Lott, as also ye Lott of Land Lying betwixt ye Highway yt leads to Thomas Haddens Mill & ye Way yt leads from Brunckes to Stoney Brook with a ffifty Pound Privilege of Commonidge. And Also all yt my Land at Brunckes Containing Seventy ffour Acres, be it more or less (But be it Provided Always) yt there shall be a Rodd Square ffree for all ffriends & ffriendly People to bury their dead in ye place where they formerly buryed without any Lett, Hinderance or molestation whatsoever, And Also, I do Appoint & Order yt my sd. son Peter or his Heirs or Assigns shall pay or cause to be paid unto my two Daughters Pheby Burlin & Hannah Mott or to yir Assigns ye full and just sumeof Twenty Pounds a piece of Current money of New York, in mannor and fforme ffollowing (vizt.) Unto Hannah Mott ye sume of Twenty Pounds within One Year after my Decease & unto my Daughter Pheby Burlin Twenty Pounds wthin two years after my Decease, and if it should so Happen yt either of my sd Daughters Pheby Burlin or Hannah Mott should Happen to dye before ye receipt of such Legacies, Then my Will & mind is yt. ye Legacies left to either of ym shall be Equally Divided Amongst her Children yt should so happen to dye, & if my sd son Peter or His Heirs or Assigns do neglect, Refuse or Delay to pay ye Legacies above specified to my sd. Two Daughters Pheby & Hannah, Then my Will and mind is yt ye Orchard & Meadow adjoining to ye Lott of Richard Ward shall be sould by my Executors so farr as will Extend to pay ye same wth Charges & no further; And my Will & mind further is yt my sd son Peter shall not sell or dispose of any parts or parcells of ye Housen Lands or Tenmnts without ye consent of my Executors or any two of ym, And also, I give and bequeath unto my son Peter fferris all yt my ffifty Acre Lott of Land Lying in Long Reach Lands so called (Provided he Defend it & not otherwways, & if in case my sd son Peter do Deny or Refuse to Defend sd land, yn my Will & mind is yt it shall be disposed of by my Exr. to any of my Children wch will appear to Defend ye same Gratis, & my Will & mind further is yt all my Debts & ffuneral Expenses be ffrst paid out of my Personal Estate by my Executors Hereafter named, Then my Will and mind is yt my beloved wife Grace fferris shall have ye Third Part of all my personal Estate both wthin doors & wthout, & all ye Rest & Residue of my Personal Estate to be devided Amongst my ffour Daughters (vizt) Martha, Pheby, Hannah & Sarah And I Do Nominate, Authorize & Appoint my three sons John, James & Jonathan to be my Executors, & in trust of This my Last Will & Testament, & I do Revoke, Disannull & make Void all fformer Wills by me made & this my Last Will & Testament to remain in ffull fforce & virtue In Witness whereof, I, ye sd John fferris, Senr., Have Hereunto put to my Hand & Seal This Ninth Day of May in ye ffrst Year of his Majesties Reign & in ye Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seaven Hundred & ffifteen.
John Ferris. (signed)
Signed, Sealed & Delivered, Published & Declared in the presence of us to be his Last Will & Testament.
Jeremiah Fowler. William (X) Guil. his mark. Dan'll Clark. William Smith.
Memorandum. Yt I John fferris, Senr. Testator to this my Last Will & Testament Do Give ffull Power & Lawfull Authority to my Executors mentioned in this my Last Will & Testament To sell & Alionate & Dispose off all yt my Land & Meadow Lying upon ye Head of ye Neck to ye Highest Bidder and when so sold to pay unto my Daughter Sarah Twenty ffive Pounds out of ye money & ye Rest to be disposed of Equally Amongst my ffour Daughters Martha, Pheby, Hannah & Sarah. In witness Whereunto I Have put to my Hand & Seal This Ninth Day of May in ye Year Annog Dm 1715.
John fferris.
Signed Sealed & Delivered
in the presence off us .... C. Glover. Underhill Barnes. Raynard (X) House his mark. Dan'll Clark. [NYHS Abstract of Wills Volume 26, page 163 - New York Wills Liber 8, page 448]^11,12,13

John departed this life on Saturday, 11 May 1715 in Westchester, Westchester County, New York. He was buried at Throgs Neck, Westchester County, New York. He was buried in a burial ground on the family farm. His will was probated on 25 February 1716.