Richard Sperry

     Richard Sperry was born circa February 1605/6 at Thurleigh Parish, Bedfordshire, England.¹ He was the son of John Sperry and Mary (?)¹ Richard Sperry was baptized on 16 February 1605/6 at Thurleigh Parish, Bedfordshire, England.¹ He married Dennise (?) in 1647/48. Richard Sperry died in 1695 at Woodbridge, New Haven Co, Connecticut.
     Richard Sperry arrived on the 26th of June 1637 at Boston on the ship "Hector". Reverend John Davenport & Theophilus Eaton (who later became the English Colonial Governor) headed this group of colonists in Mass Bay Colony. Many of the families who would influence and marry into the Sperry also arrived on Hector - including Henry Peck. They & the other members of Rev. Davenport's Puritan congregation left Mass. in 1638 & founded New Haven Colony.¹
He left a will on 18 April 1693; I Richard Sperry sen'r of New Haven in New England being in Competency of health, and p'fect understanding and memory Calling to mind the transitory estate of men in this World and not Knowing how soone God may Call me away by death Doe so cause to make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manor and forme following, committing my Soule to God yt gave it and my body to the earth to be decently buryed according to the Discresion of my Executor and Executrix hereafter to be named. After all my just debts and funerall expenses Discharged my will is as to ye Dispose of ye portion of worldly estate wich ye Lord hath gratiously given me I Doe dispose of it as followeth.
Imprimis: I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Dennis Sperry all my moveable and stock of Cattle of all sorts to enable her to pay all my Just Debts and Expenses as aboves'd And for her owne Comfortable Subsistence and widowhood. And to dispose of among my Children as she in her prudence shall Judge ye necceseity of one or other of them may require. And further my will is considering my deare and beloved wife afores'd for her Comfortabel subsistence in her widowhood if she shall Remaine possessed of all such parts and parcells in housing and lands as are Reserved by C'vnt which my daughter in law, Relict of my son John Sperry dec'd. forever to my sd wifes Comfortable subsistence as by sd Covenant doth and may more fully Appear in Case she continue a widow bearing my name. But if she marry againe then my will is yt she shall have for her Improvement but one end of my Dwelling house and ye third part of my barne and yards. And yt ye Improvement only of ye third part of land reserved for my subsistence be in her hand during her n'rall life Leaving my sd Relict daughter in law and her Children without molestation to occupy to her and their set profitt the whole tract and tracts of land by Deed also granted unto them; as also yt my sd wife upon her Mariage shall have but her third part of my moveables and stock of Cattle as above my just debts being first pd. And this to be wholly at her owne dispose. And ye Remainder of my estate to be equally devided between all my Children.
Item my will is, and I have hereby give and bequeath to my Son Ebenezer Sperry the house, barne upland and meadow being in quantity fourteen acres be it more or less formerly in the possession of my son John Sperry estate Deccd with ye p'viledges and appurtenances thereof to be to him his Heires and assignes forever
Item my will is And I do hereby give and bequeath unto my Son Richard Sperry besides wt I have already given unto him and is upon Richard vizt twenty acres of upland be it more or less wch I doe hereby Ratify and confirm two acres of Meadow be it more or less lying upon the South side of Morrills rate to him his Heires and assignes for ever
Yt as for my son in law Benjamin Peck as I have given him twenty acres of land be it more or less being alsoe upon Record wch I doe now Ratify and Confirme, soe now I give unto ye sd Peck and Mary his wife and their Heires two Acres of Meadow be it more or less bounded upon my son Richards and my son Nathlls Meadow South, to be to them theire Heires and assignes for ever, the sd Mary being his p'sent wife and my daughter
Item my will is I doe hereby give and bequeath unto my son Nathll Sperry besides what I have given and Recorded to him already vizt twenty acres of upland two acres of wch lye in my ffeild wch I doe heereby ratify and confirme Alsoe five acres of meadow be it more or less lying on ye south of Morrells rate. Alsoe one acre adjoining unto yt two acres in ye feild above mentioned unles I see cause to make some other legall dispose thereof while I live All ye above mentioned p'cells to be to him his Heires and Assignes for Ever
Item my will is and I doe heerby give and bequeath unto my two sons Thomas Sperry and Daniell Sperry a p'cell of upland lying southward of ye Land given unto my son Nathll Contayning by estimation about thirty acres be it more or less to be equally divided betweene ym And I doe further give unto my son Thomas Sperry a p'cell of Meadow containing by estimation two acres be it more or less bounded by Meadow called Morrells rate south and meadow granted unto the Heires of my late dec'd son John Sperry -- on ye north the afores'd p'cells to be unto them their Heires and assignes for ever
Item my will is and I doe hereby give and bequeath unto my said son Danll Sperry the seal part of ye swamp I lately purchased of ye towne of Newhaven Alsoe one p'cell of Meadow land bounded by swamp land given unto Ebenezer south of the River East and land given to Nathll Sperry and Benjamin Peck North to be alsoe to him his Heires or Assignes for ever
Item I doe further give and bequeath unto my son Ebenezer Sperry a p'cell of ten acres of land lying at a pplace between ye live meadows on ye west side of ye River bed more or less to him his Heires and Assignes for ever
Item my will is and I doe heerby give unto my four sons Nathll, Thomas, Ebenezer and Daniell Sperry all my third division land lying at ye Round hills to be equally divided between them toy their Heires and Assignes for ever
Item my will is and I doe heereby give and bequeath unto my Son Ebenezer Sperry ye peece of land yt lyes Northnd of ye land graunted unto ye Heires of my sd son John Sperry dec'd between yt and what is above given unto him it being over upon the Rock or Hill to him his heires or Assignes for ever
Item my will is if any of my children shall see cause to sell any of the lands above granted unto ym if they shall first tender it unto their Brethern yt if they will give as much as another yt they shall have it before another
Item my will is yt the severall parcells of land given unto my sons shall Run to ye outside of my land westward
And lastly my will is and I doe heereby nominate constitute and appoint my deare and beloved wife Dennis Sperry soe long she Continues a widow and my son Nathll Sperry to be Executrix and executor of this my last will and testament But after the Decease of my sd wife (or mariage) if it soe fall out yt then my said son Nathll to be sole Executor of this my sd will And I doe heerby Revoak and Annull all other and former wills and declare this to be my sole Will and testament In witness whereof I have heerunto put my hand and seale this eighteen day of Aprell Ano Dni one thousand sic hundred ninety three
Richard (X) Sperry.²