[Editor's note: We are delighted to have readers of the Plymouth Colony Archive Project who participate in its development by contributing information and transcriptions of original documents. Our thanks to Ron and Anna Lahti for providing us with the will and probate inventory for Lieutenant Joseph Rogers.
Mr. Lahti transcribed the text of these court records from a reproduction in Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Volume 2 [Thomas Rogers], pp. 156-157, published by the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, and compiled by Alice Wilma Andrews Westgate. These documents were first transcribed from the original records by George Ernest Bowman, and published in the Mayflower Descendants, Volume 3, pp. 67-71.
Lt. Rogers died at Eastham. His will was initially executed on January 12, 1677/1678, and sworn to in court on March 5, 1677/1678. An inventory of his estate was made on January 15, 1677/1678. He apparently died within a few days of making his will. His oldest son, Thomas, who was named in the will as executor, and his youngest son, James, both died shortly thereafter. John, Lt. Rogers' only remaining son, and Captain Jonathan Sparrow were appointed administrators to settle the estate (Mayflower Descendants, Vol. 3, p. 67).]
An Inventory of the estate of Leift: Joseph Rogers of Eastham Lately deceased exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift of March 1677/1678 on the oath of Thomas Rogers of Eastham.
Item to Clothing 07 10 07
Item to Armes Amunition 01 16 00
Item one bed and furniture 05 04 00
Item to Table linnine and linine Cloth 01 06 06
Item to Cattle of all sorts 00 18 00
Item To one bed and beding and bedsteds
Tables Chests pewter and brasse and Iron and bookes and other Lumber in the house and yarne and fflax 14 12 10
Item 2 Canooes 01 10 00
Item to Corne of all sorts 03 12 00
These goods and Chattles were aprised according to our best Judgement by us the 15th of January 1677
Jonathan Sparrow
Daniell Done
These Testimonies following were appointed by the Court held att Plymouth the fift of March 1677/78 to be heer entered
I Jonathan Sparrow being desired by Thomas Rogers for to give in some Testimony of words which; Leiftenant Rogers declared to mee some few dayes before his death; the words are as followeth; hee desired mee to beare witnes that hee did give unto Beriah higgens his best suite of Apparrell because hee had lived with him a Great while; and hee had promised him for to buy him a suite of Clothes; & and did alsoe declare that it was his will that Beriah higgens should have the bed, that his daughter hannah did lye upon, and a blankett or two; hee further 20121 mee that hee did Intend for to have put it in his will, but had forgott it; I told him that if it was his will that it should be soe; hee were best, for to enter it in his will before the prsons that were witnesses to his will hee told mee that his will was att Mr Treates and hee was loth to trouble him for to Come up to him, soe soone; being hee had bine there soe lately; But hee further told mee that if it pleased God for to Give him an oppertuity hee would enter it in his will; but if hee had not an oppertunity; I should see that the thinge was don; for hee had tould his Children of it;
The Testimony of Samuell Berry aged 22 yeers or therabouts
I being att he house of Leift: Joseph Rogers one evening some few* days before hee died; I heard the above said Rogers say That hee Intended to buy Beriah higgens a Cloth Coate and because hee had not done it, Beriah higgens should have his best Cloth suite att his decease and a bed which hannah lay on; and a blanket or two; and I heard that above said Rogers say, That this was his will That Beriah should have these things above mensioned; and that hee Intended to have put them Into his Will; but they sliped his Memory; and if hee Lived to have oppertunity, hee would put them into his will; and if hee had not oppertunity, hee disred Capt Sparrow that hee should see that Beriah had them;
[* "three" was written first, but crossed out.]
Wheras Thomas Rogers of Eastham Adminnestrator to the estate of Leift Rogers his father deceased Ended his life before his said Adminnestration was Compleated; This Court Impowers Capt: Sparrow and John Rogers to Compleate and finally end the said Adminnestration
1635/1636, March 2. "At the same Court, A Jury of twelve being impaniled and charged in the moneth of ffebr foregoing to enquire after that death of John Deacon in the behalfe of our Soveraigne Lord the king, gaue in their verdict as followeth in their owne words and under their hands, vizt
"Having searched the dead body we finde not any blowes or wounds or any other bodily hurt. We finde that bodily weakenes caused by long fasting & wearines by going to & for wth extream cold of the season were the causes of his death.
"Their names were John Jenny John Cooke Will Basset Joseph Rogers William Hoskins, Thomas Cushman George Partridge Stephen Tracy Abraham Peirce Richard Cluffe Tho. Clarke Phineas Pratt."
The 24th of July 1662
Memorandum that Mannasses Kemton of the Towne of Plymouth in the Jurisdiction of Plymouth in New England yeoman Doth acknowlidge that for and in Consideration of a valluable sume for the payment wherof hee hath Received a bill of Leiftenant Josepth Rogers of Eastham in the Jurisdiction aforsaid; hee hath freely and absolutely bargained allianated and sold enfeofed and Confeirmed and by these prsents Doth bargaine sell enfeofe and Confeirme unto the said Leiftenant Josepth Rogers forty acrees of upland lying and beinge att a place Called the Barly necke in the Township of Eastham aforsaid To have and to hold; the said forty acrees bee it more or lesse of upland lying att the said place Called the Barly necke with all and singulare the appurtenances belonging therunto with all the said Mannasses Kemton his Right title and Interest of and into the same; unto the said Leiftenant Josepth Rogers to him and his heires and assignes for ever; The said prmises with all and singulare the appurtenances privilidges and munities belonging therunto; to belong and appertaine unto the onely proper use and behoofe of him the said Leiftenant Josepth Rogers hee his heires and assigns for ever;
The second of June 1669
Nathaniel Morton John Morton and Leiftenant Ephraim Morton Came before Captaine Southworth and Captaine Bradford & owned that the bill above expressed is fully payed and that they have received theire prtes therof
Witnes our hands:
Nathaniel Morton *
John Morton *
Ephraim Morton *
[Editor's Note: The following is another transcription of this inventory from the Plymouth Colony Wills.]
An Inventory of the estate of Leift: Ioseph Rogers of Eastham Lately deceased exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift of March 1677/78 on the oath of Thomas Rogers of Eastham
L s d
Item to Clothing 07 10 07
Item to Armes Amunition 01 16 00
Item one bed and furniture 05 04 00
Item To Table linine and linine Cloth 01 06 06
Item to Cattle of all sorts 20 18 00
Item To one bed and beding and bedsteds
Tables Chests pewter and brasse and Iron and bookes and other Lumber in the house and yarne and Flax 14 12 10
Item 2 Canooes 01 10 00
Item to Corne of all sorts 03 12 00
The totall is fifty six pound 9 shillinges & eleuen pence 50 09 11
These goods and Chattles were aprised according to our best Iudgment by vs the 15th of Ianuary 1677
Ionathan Sparrow
daniell done
Plymouth Colony Wills, Vol. III, part 2, f.104.
1 of 1
1. Cited in the Plymouth Colony Probate Guide (1983: 90) as being Joseph Rogers Senior, of Eastham, Lt. who came out on the Mayflower with his father Thomas Rogers. His 1677 will, sworn 1677/78, names wife Hannah. 1678 administation see PCR 5: 271.