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Continued: Sometime ago, I found the following transcript on the Internet. Of course, this piqued my interest considerably.
Found at Database: New York City Wills, 1706-90 - Ancestry.com
"In the name of God, Amen. May 29, 1728. I Eda Van Scoy of Oyster Bay. in Queens County. being very sick, I leave to my wife Mary, the use of all lands, improvements,and moveable estate while she remains my widow, and my son Cornelius shall live with his mother in order to carry on my farm. I leave to my son Francis, 5 shillings, with what he has had already. I leave to my son Aaron, 5 shillings, with what he has had already. I leave to my son Cornelius, after the death of my wife, all my lands and buildings. If he dies without issue, then to my sons Stephen, Jacob and Timothy. I leave to my daughters, Rachel and Mary, 10 pounds each. My two younger sons are to be put to trades as soon as they are fit in years. I make my wife and Joseph Rogers and Abiel Titus executors.
"Witnesses. Nathaniel Ketcham, David Rogrers, John Morgan"
Being unable to find out anything additional, I hired a New York State genealogist to see if he could find out what happened to Eda's will. He eventually did find the will at the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. It is not a transcript...it is a copy of Eada's (not Eda) handwritten will written in English, not Dutch. I have thouht for some time that this Dutch family was probably bi-lingual, since they consistently married into English families, not Dutch, and they did not move in the same circles as other Dutch families. The following is my transcription of the handwritten will. I transcribed it as I found it. The capitalization of some words is unusual (Eada capitalized the word Amen, but not the word god). The paper is filled with many ink blots, making it difficult, or impossible, to transcribe certain sections. He might have been quite ill (with tremors?), making the writing with a quill pen and bottle of ink difficult. In addition, he writes his surname as Van Scoy (two words) Vanscoy (one word) and VanScoy. He signs the will as Van Scoy. The handwriting in places is quite beautiful (like calligraphy). I have not found any documentation that this will was ever filed with the court.
Last Will and Testament of Eada Van Scoy "In the name of god Amen the Twentyeth Ninth Day of May in the Year of our Lord 1728, I Eada Vanscoy of the Township of Oyster Bay, in Queens County, on _____________ Long Island (?) in the Province of New York, being very sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto god, therefore calling into mind the mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die, Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament, that is to Say, principally and first of all, I give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of god that gave it and for my Body, I Recommend it to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian Like and Decent Manner at the Discretion of my Executors nothing Doubting but in the general Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mighty power of god and as touching such worldly Estate wherein it hath pleased god to bless me in this Life, I give, Devise and Dispose of the same in the following manner and form after my Just and Due Debts are paid.
Imprimis, I give and Bequeath to Mary my Dearly Beloved Wife the whole use and Benefit of all my Lands and Improvements with all my moveables Estate During the time She continues my ___________(?). my will is that my Son Cornelius VanScoy live with his Mother in Order to carry on upon my farm _______________(?) my will is that my Son Francis Van Scoy Shall have five Shillings with what he had aleady.
My will is that my Son Aaron Van Scoy Shall have the sum of five Shillings with what he had already. I will unto my Son Cornelius VanScoy after the Decease of his Mother or her Changing from her widowhood all my Lands and Buildings to him and his heirs For Ever.
If my Son Cornelius Van Scoy shall Die without an heir or issue after his Coming in possession of the Estate or before his possession, that the Lands and Buildings Shall be Equally Divded among my three sons, that is to Say, Stephen Van Scoy, Jacob Van Scoy and Timothy Van Scoy. Further if Either of my three youngest sons_____________________ (?) [ I think he means his sons Stephen, Jacob and Timothy, not his two youngest sons] without an issue that the two surviving brothers Shall have the part equally Divided between them and for their use and their heirs forever.
I will unto my Daughter Rachel Van Scoy, the Sum of Ten pounds or what my executors or Executrix deem convenient.
I will unto my Daughter Mary Van Scoy Ten pounds or what my executors deem convenient. My will is that my Two Youngest Sons shall be bound out to trade as Soon as they are fit in years. I appoint Joseph Rogers and Abiel Titus and my wife my Sole Executors and Executrix of this my Last Willl and Testament and I Do hereby utterly Disallow, Revoke all and every former Testaments, wills and legacies and Executors by me in any Days before this time __________________________(?) Ratifying and Confirming this and No other to be my Last Will and Testament. In Witness Whereof I have hereto Set my hand and Seal the day and year above written. The word will and the words Shall have are written before Signing or Sealing this will.
_______________________________________________________________________(?) before _______________________(?) the Sealing of this Instrument.
_____________________________ Eada Van Scoy
Signed, Sealed, published, pronounced and Delivered by me, Eada Van Scoy as his Last Will and Testament in ____________________________(?)
[Witnesses:]
Nathaniel Ketcham David Rogers John Morgan
I do not believe that Cornelius was the oldest son. If he were, he would have been in his mid-thirties, when Eada died in 1728, and would be living with his own wife and children. Instead, Cornelius was unmarried in 1728 when Eada composed his will, and was still taking care of his parents' farm. When Cornelius married Patience Barnes in 1729, after Eada had died, he was 21 years old. As to Francis and Aaron, Eada helped them in their beginning years, but they were now properous farmers with their own wives and children and needed no further help from their father.
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