Daniel Noyes

Daniel Noyes

1780-12-19

I Daniel Noyes of Ipswich in the County of Essex of lawful Age, Testify and say, That on the fourth Day of August last, I heard John Peters of Middleton in the County aforesaid, Husbandman, declare to the Hon’ble Benjamin Greenleaf Esqr. that Benjamin Wilkins was the Person to whom, he chose Administration of the Estate of John Wilkins late of Middleton aforesaid deceased should be granted before any other Man, meaning Benjamin Wilkins jun[io]r who was named Executor in the last Will and Testament of said deceased, as I understood him. [A]nd further saith not. [Daniel Noyes, signature] [The deposition is in Noyes’ hand.]

Ipswich December 19th, 1780

Essex Ss. Ipswich Dec. 19th. Then the Above Deposition by Daniel Noyes Subscribed was Sworn to, After Being Caution[e]d to speak the Truth, the whole truth, & nothing but the Truth, Before John Baker J[ustice of the]Peace

The above Deposition was taken By the Request of Major Ezra Putnam By Order of the Governor & Council, to be Used before the said Governor an[d] Council, on an Appeal from the Court of Probate in said County to the Supream Probate Executive Court, by John Peters of Middleton in the said County of Essex, Labourer, in an Affair Respecting the Estate of Lieut. John Wilkins late of Middleton Deceased

The Adverse Party was Notified and Present, At the takeing the Above Deposition.

At the taking of the Above Deposition, the following Questions were put by the said John Peters to Mr Daniel Noyes, viz [the interrogatory is in the hand of Justice Baker]

Question Whether he Remembered his Asking the Judge, who the Administration on John Wilkins’s Estate belonged to.

Answer yes: that the Judge, said that it belonged to Benjamin Wilkins.

Question — Do you Remember my Objection to the Old Ladies takeing the Administration, or her Attorney on the Estate of her late Husband, John Wilkins Deeased.

Answer Yes

Question Do you remember the reasons of my Objecting against her attorney:

Answer Yes, Because he had the Charector of being a dishonest man in the Town, meaning the Town of Middleton.

Question Do you remember the Judges Asking Benjamin Wilkins whether he Presented Lieut. John Wilkins’s Will for Probate -

Answer Yes — as it lays in my Mind; And his Answer was, that he did not present it for Probate, & did not mean to have any thing to do with it Because he was in a bad state of health.