2. Thomas Seymour

2. THOMAS² SEYMOUR (Richard¹), of Norwalk, Conn., baptized at Sawbridgeworth, co. Herts, England, 15 July 1632, died at Norwalk, Conn., between 22 Sept. 1712, the date of his will, and 15 Oct. 1712, when the inventory of his estate was taken. He married first, at Norwalk, 5 Jan. 1653/4, HANNAH MARVIN, born in co. Essex, England, about Oct. 1634, living in 1680, daughter of Matthew¹ and Elizabeth; secondly, between 1690 and 1697, SARAH, widow of Thomas Wildman of Bedford, N.Y.; and thirdly, ELIZABETH.

He was brought to New England by his parents about 1638-9, when he was about six years old, lived with them at Hartford, Conn., until about 1651, and then removed with them to Norwalk. As his mother remarried very soon after his father's death in 1655 and removed with her younger children to Farmington, Conn., and as he was the only one of the children who was of age at that time, he succeeded to his father's lands in Norwalk, and lived there until his death. He was freeman in 1668, one of the patentees in 1686, and a deputy from Norwalk to the Connecticut General Court in 1690.

The will of Thomas Seymour, copied verbatim from the original in the files, follows. The inventory of his estate, taken 15 Oct. 1712 by John Raymond and Samuel Smith, showed property appraised at £351.5s.

In the Name of God Amen the Tweenty second Day of September In the Year of our Lord 1712 I Thomas Seamer of Norwalk in ye County of Fairfield of the Colony of Connecticut in New England, being Verry sick and Weak in Body, but of perfect Mind & Memory thanks be given unto God; therefore Calling to mind the mortallity of my Body, and Knowing that it is appointed for men once to dye, Do Make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament, that is to say principally and first of all, I give and Recomend my Soul into y^e hands of God that gave it, Hopeing through the Merrits, Death and passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins, and to Inherit Everlasting Life; and my Body I Comit to the Earth to be Decently Buried at y^e Discretion of my Execut^rs here after Named, Nothing Doubting but at y^e Generall resurrection I shall Receive y^e same again by the Mighty power of God. - And As Touching Such Worldly Estate Wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life, I give Demise and Dispose of y^e same in y^e following maner & form-That is to say, first I Will that all those Debts and Duties as I do Ow in Right or Consience to any Maner of person or persons Whatsoever, shall be Well and true Contented & paid or Ordained to be paid in Convenient time after my Decease by My Execut^rs hereafter Named. -

Item: I Give and bequeath to Elizabeth Seamer my dearly beloved Wife, all & whatsoever of goods or Estate that she Brought with her and one pair of Curtains that she made since her liveing with me and one of my Cows as she may Chose forever. -

Item I give to my said Wife the Use and Improvement of my House & Barn, Half my Orchard & the West End of my Home Lott from the swamp, with also all of my Meadow Land on stony Hill (as may be Sufficient to aford Hay for y^e Keeping one Cow or more) also my Bed Beding & Bedsted, my Copper Kettle and all other such Necessary Houshold Utansels as may be for her Comfort and all this Dureing her Continuance my Widdow. Also I give to my said Wife What provision shall be found Lay'd in for y^e families Use at my Decease, - also I give to my said Wife My New Bible:

Item I give to my Son John Seamer the Use & Improvement of the other half of my Orchyard Dureing my Wifes Continuing my Widdow And to my sons Matthew & John Seamer y^e Use of my Kill & malt House -

Item I give and bequeath to my Well beloved Grand son Thomas Seamer my House Barn Home Lott & Orchyard Upon my afor said Wife Decease or Marriage to be to him his heirs and Assigns forever.

Item. I give and bequeath to my Well beloved Sons viz Matthew Seamer & John Seamer the Rest of my Lands and Meedows whatsoever & Moveable Estate that I have in Norwalk or Else where to be Divided Equally between them and my Will is that my Son John Seamer Have In part of his part my Barren Marsh Meedow Joyning to his own Land

Item My Will is that my said sons Matthew and John Seamer shall in some Conveniant season after my Decease pay to Each of My Surviveing Daughters four pounds in provision pay apiece Except my Daughter Elizabeth Knap they paying to her y^e sum of tweenty shillings in pay abovesaid -

I likewise Constitute make and Ordain My said sons Matthew Seamer & John Seamer Executers of this my Last Will and Testament And I do hereby Utterly Dissalow Revoke and dissanul all and Every Other former Testaments Wills & Leagacies Bequests and Execut^rs by me in any Wayes before this time Named Willed & bequeathed Rattifying and Confirming this and no Other to be my Last Will & Testament -

In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and Seal the Day and year above Written.

The foregoing original will of Thomas Seymour may be seen in the probate files in the State Library at Hartford, with the original seal charged with the two ,wings conjoined in lure, forming the paternal coat of the Seymours of Penhow. It is small, of crumbling reddish brown wax, and evidently an impression from a well-worn signet, undoubtedly brought from England by his father. Photographs of the will itself and of the seal enlarged will be found in the present volume.

October the 15^th: 1712

An Inventory of the Estate of Thomas semer Late of norwalk dececed Taken by us whose names are under written: as followeth in primes

January 7^th 1712/13

Ensign Mathew Semer and John Seerner appeared in y^e prerogative Court held in Fairfield Jan^ry 7^th 1712/13, and gave oath to the truth of the aboue Inuentory and if any thing shall after appear they will Cause the same to be inserted

(<-- 1. Richard(1) Seymour) (Back to Start) (3. John(2) Seymour -->)

Thomas has been memorialized as a founder of Norwalk with 29 other men and Widow Morgan, although Richard is not since this was taken from a list of inhabitants in 1655 just after he died, also note John Ruscoe, related to Richard’s wife and Thomas’ mother Mercy: