Individual Details

Probate

In his will, Robert Russell has bequests to the following persons: dear and loving wife, son Thomas, son Benjamin, son James, son John, daughters Mary, Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth, and grandson Robert Holt. Son James is named executor. He signed his will by mark.

Probate
https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/essex-county-ma-probate-file-papers-1638-1881/image/?volumeId=13855&pageName=24415:1&rId=247754567

I Robert Russell of Andover in the County of Essex in New England through the goodness of God of sound mind and memory, yet through age and infirmityes of body being put in mind of my mortality, have thought meet to make this my last will and testament. I committ my soul into the hands of God and my body to a decent burial. And for the(unreadable) my outward estate which god hath given (unreadable) my will is as follows viz.
1. I give to my dear and loving wife fourty shillings in money yearly & all my household goods during her life, also I give her two cows, and six sheep. Also I give her twelve barrels of corn, the one half in English and the other half in Indian corn, and a good hog, and two barrels of cider, and two bushels of malt all this to be payd her yearly by my two sons James and John or their heirs. Also I give her use of the east room of my house,and the use of a horse when she hath occasion. My will is that the forementioned money and provisions shall be payd to my wife yearly only during her widowhood.
2. I give to my son Thomas thirty acres of plowing and mowing ground adjoyning to my homestead as it is now bounded. And a piece of meadow that he has improved many years according as is already bounded.
3. I give to my son Benjamin the land both upland swampland and meadows which he hath for some years improved according as it hath been formerly bounded.
4. I give to my son James the one half of my homestead both orchards, plowing ground and meadows, except what I have given to my sons Thomas and Benjamin aforesaid. Also I give him a piece of meadow which I bought of Samuel Holt commonly called Bald hill meadow and my will is that when my homestead meadow is equally divided that my son James shall have his choice. (There is here an unreadable section due to damage related to the dwelling house except what is given to his wife and his daughters.) My will is that my son James shall pay to his mother yearly the one half of what I have given her in my will and shall winter a cow and six sheep for his mother.
5. I give to my son John half my homestead both orchards,plowing and mowing ground and half my meadows except what I have given to my other sons and half my stock except what I have otherwise disposed of. And my will is that my son John shall pay to his mother yearly one half of what I have given her by my will, and to winter a cow for her.
6. I give to my daughters Mary, Sarah and Hannah each of them a cow (unreadable) formerly given them according to my (unreadable).
7. I give to my daughter Elizabeth twenty pounds to be payd her out of my household goods after her mother’s decease.
8. I give to my grandson Robert Holt a Pair of steers of four years old or two cows which he shall choose, provided he shall live with one of my sons James or John till he is of the age twenty one years, and if he so shall do, my will is that my son that he shall live with shall teach him a trade.
I constitute my son James to be the sole executor of this my last will and testament. And I do hereby revoke and dissannull all and every other former testaments wills by me made ratifying and confirming this to be my last will and testament, In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this twenty fifth day of August Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and seven. Robert Russell his mark R. Witnessed by John Abbott, John Chandler, and George Abbott
                The will was proved 1 January 1710/11. On 24 January 1715/6, daughter Elizabeth Russell signed that she had received from her brother James her full settlement from the estate. This acknowledgement was one week before her marriage to Moses Holt.[1]
 

[1] Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers,1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. Case 24415

probate index
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9Y5-1ZLW?i=70&cat=412735

Biography

Freeman in Andover in 1691
https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/new-england-historical-and-genealogical-register/image?volumeId=11713&pageName=351&rId=245498346

first burial in South Church burying yard
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yale.39002008485931&view=1up&seq=66&q1=robert%20russell

From Cutter
https://books.google.com/books?id=FM8UAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA2180&lpg=PA2180&dq=john+russell+sarah+chandler&source=bl&ots=P1Tp4r4lKS&sig=ACfU3U1LAXcFbMWPV7QxANwVI1ezOCLNfQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_oIratKrkAhWQm-AKHb8kDYQ4ChDoATAKegQIBBAB#v=onepage&q&f=false

Property

On 30 April 1684, Robert Russell acquired from Daniel Chace of Newbury 20 acres of upland lying between Robert’s current holdings and the land of Samuel and Henry Holt which was part of the great division of Nicholas Holt.[1]  

[1]Massachusetts Land Records, Essex County, 6:129

Russell land index grantee
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89ZZ-BKF?i=121&wc=MCBL-FPJ%3A361613201%2C361762101&cc=2106411
 
Russell land index grantor
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9ZZ-BVM?i=349&wc=MCBL-YM9%3A361613201%2C361828601&cc=2106411

On11 July 1747 (recorded 30 October 1765), son John Russell of Andover conveyed property that he inherited from his father Robert Russell to his kinsmen(nephews, sons of his brother James) James Russell and Thomas Russell both of Andover. This property was the share of the inheritance due to John’s brother James who died in 1717.[1]

[1] MassachusettsLand Records, Essex County, 124:49