A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
An article in TAG 71(1996):74, by Warren D. Buchanan, he cites Farmington, Connecticut Deeds 19:308, listing a Farmington land transfer on 27 Sep 1771 by Abel and Ruth Barnum, of New Fairfield. In the deed it says that the land was given to the wife of Abel by the Will of her father, John Brownson (Bronson) of Farmington. Also mentioned in the article was the fact that John Bronsons' will (made prior to his death in Farmington, 9 Aug 1749) noted his daughter as Ruth Barnum. This covers a period from 1749 through 1771.
A photocopy of John's handwritten will, dated 21 June 1749, is transcribed as follows (some punctuation and modern spelling added for clarity):
In ye name of God, Amen. This 21 day of June, 1749, I, John Bronson of Farmington in ye county of Hartford & Colony of Connecticut in New England, being of sound mind & memory, therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed unto man once to die, I do make & ordain this my last will and testament. First of all I give & recommend my soul into ye hands of God that gave it and my body to be decently buried, nothing doubting but at ye general resurrection I shall receive the same again by ye mighty power of God. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, I dispose of in ye following manner. First my will is that all those debts that are due from my estate to any person or persons shall be paid by my executors hereafter named:
Item: Unto my beloved wife Mary Bronson, I give one-half part of all my movable estate except particulars given to David & James Bronson and one-half of ye use of my house & barn & one-third of the use of all my improved land during her life.
Item: Unto my beloved son David Bronson, & to his heirs forever, my will is & I give unto him ye south half part of my whole lot with the house & barn and one-half of all my lands in Shettell Meadow Division & one yoke of cattle & half ye cart & all plow iron & team tackles & half ye tools & half ye swine with a gun and ammunition.
Item: Unto my son Jonathan Bronson my will is and I give unto him one pound money old tender besides what he already had.
Item: Unto my beloved son Joseph Bronson and to his heirs forever I give all my land at Misery Meadow.
Item: Unto my beloved son James Bronson my will is and I give unto him and to his heirs forever the north half part of my home lot and half my land in Shettell Meadow Division and half the cart and half ye carpenter's tools and half the other tools proper for his bounty.
Item: Unto my three daughters, namely: Rachel M. Ferry, Mary Peck and Ruth Barnum my will is and I give unto them and their heirs forever all my land in ye west woods with half of movable estate, my wife first having her part.
And I, John Bronson, do constitute and appoint my two sons David and James Bronson to be my executors to this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all those wills and testaments heretofore made by me and confirming this alone to be my last will and testament. Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of:
Jonathan Indrus, John Bronson, James Bronson, Sarah Peck, Thomas Hart
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
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