1815 Will of Phineas Holcomb

Town of Warren

Herkimer County, New York

Contributed by Max Ward




Below is the will of Phineas Holcomb, first minister of the Jordanville Baptist Church and first minister in the town of Warren. This will was signed on 20 May 1815 and probated in Herkimer County on 22 August 1815 and is indexed as B-389.

Probate record, Will B-389 File 03318, Property left to Phineas Holcomb Wright, son of daughter Mercy, wife of John Wright.

Executor Jacob Robins

Signed in the Town of Warren May 20 1815

Witnesses: Rufus Crain, Allen Wightman, Philo Crain

Surrogate: Dan Chapman




In the name of God Amen. I, Phineas Holcomb of the Town of Warren County of Herkimer and State of New York being weak in body but sound and perfect in mind for which favor I thank God

The following is and I do make my last will and testament which is as followeth that is to say:

First, as soon as my natural body shall be interred that all my debts shall be paid

Second, that there be procured out of my estate two sets of gravestones of as good a quality as those of Phineas Peck deceased the one for myself & the other for my wife deceased and be placed at the heads and feet of us myself and wife within three months from my burial

Thirdly I give and devise all my land unto Phinehas Holcomb Wright the natural birth of the body of My Daughter Mercy now the wife of John Wright after he shall arrive to the full age of Twenty one, and if it should so happen that he should die at or before or after his lawful age without issue then the real estate shall be given & I do make then the other children the natural birth of her the said Mercy the real heirs of the land which would fall to him the said Phinehas in case he should live.

Fourthly I will that Mercy my Daughter have the use of the real Estate until the said Phinehas Holcomb arrives at twenty one years of age and then the one half of said land as long as she continues her natural life together with all the personal property after my death

Fifthly I do give and bequeath all my clothes ______ wearing apparel together with a Book called the rain of Grace

(Max Ward note - "I believe this book is actually The Reign of Grace.")

And Sixthly I do make and appoint Jacob Robins of the Town of Warren County of Herkimer and State of New York to be the Executor of this my Testament

Dated at Warren on this 20th day of May 1815 or in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen

Phinehas Holcomb L.S.

Signed sealed in Presents of

Rufus Crain

Allen Wightman

Philo Theto Crain

The foregoing is a true copy of the instrument purporting to be the last will and testament of Phinehas Holcomb deceased proved on the oath of Rufus Crain and Allen Wightman two of the witnesses to said will this 22nd day of August 1815

            Dan Chapman Surrogate




Note: some further commentary from Max: "I'm just thankful that Phineas left a will - it made it possible for me to tie together three generations of the family. The grandson that he left his property to was my ggg grandfather so this will extended that line back two generations.

One colorful and historical note from this will - the second clause says that Phineas Holcomb wanted two gravestones for himself and his wife "of as good a quality as those of Phineas Peck deceased". It turns out that Phineas Peck "died in consequence of a wound received from the discharge of a cannon at a meeting of the citizens of Warren on the 4th of July 1810". The Town of Warren cannon had been taken at British General John Burgoyne's surrender October 17, 1777 at Saratoga. The history of the Town Cannon of Warren was just documented by Mabel Harter and Carilyn Philbrook of the Town of Warren Historical Society, less that a month after I found this will - pretty ironic."


Coordinator's Note: full title of book is The Reign of Grace, from its Rise to its Consummation, by Rev. Abraham Booth (1734-1806).


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Created: 9/22/06
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