Rowland Sturtevant Bumpus (1804-1853) is my fourth great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis' side of the family. He was from Wareham, Plymouth Co., Mass., the son of Jonathan and Martha (Chubbuck) Bumpus. He married Lucy Nye Pierce and they had 10 children, three of whom died young. I wrote an entry about him
here. I have finally gotten around to transcribing his probate file. I find reading the old handwriting to be tedious but the end result is worth it. Any errors are likely an error on my part in trying to decipher the words and numbers. It is Plymouth County probate file 3299. Thomas Savery of Wareham, Esquire and Justice of the Peace, was Executor of the estate.
Rowland had gone to California in search of gold, so I wonder if he contracted consumption/tuberculosis there. Rowland's will (his name is spelled Roland and Rowland in the papers):
On back: 3299 Will of Rowland S. Bumpus
Recorded Book 95, page 319
By GS Beal, reg’r
Be it remembered, that I Rowland S. Bumpus of the town of
Wareham, in the County of Plymouth in the state of Massachusetts, yeoman,
considering the uncertainty of this life, being of sound mind and memory, do
make and publish and declare this my last will and testament.
First I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Lucy the use
and improvement and income of my dwelling house, barn and all the outbuildings,
furniture and all my real and personal property including two lot Of woodland all situated in Wareham aforesaid to have and
to hold the same for and during her natural life.
Second I give and bequeath to my son Frederick Adams the
sum of one dollar and I also give devise and bequeath to my daughters Adeline,
Lucy, Caroline, Mary, Lucretia one dollar each to be paid to them by my
executor hereinafter named from and after the decease of my beloved wife Lucy.
Third I give bequeath and devise to my son Nathan, my
youngest child, the aversion(?) the remainder of my house, barn and all the
outbuildings, furniture, and all my real and personal estate as named above
situated in the town of Wareham aforesaid and all profits, income and advantage
that may result therefrom, from and after the decease of my beloved wife Lucy
to have and to hold the same to him and his executors and administrators and
unsigns(?) forever.
Fourth And I do appoint Thomas Savery Esq of Wareham
aforesaid to be my sole executor of this my last will and testament in witness
whereof I have hereunto this 16th day of April in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty three.
Signed Roland S. Bumpus
Signed published and declared by the said Roland S.
Bumpus as his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence
and in the presence of each other have hereunto set our names as witnesses
Signed: George Cryer
Obed
Griffith
John
F. Bourne
 |
| Rowland's signature on his will (not spelled Roland) |
It's interesting that his will went against the laws of the time. I'm not sure if it was unintentional or a purposeful attempt to take care of his wife. I like to think it was intentional. He wanted to leave everything to Lucy, with no clause about widow's thirds or to be hers until she remarried. Lucy had to sign something for the probate court waiving the clause in the will pertaining to her inheritance. She wrote a letter of waiver which she signed.
 |
| Lucy Pierce Bumpus' signature |
Wareham 4th July 1853
Dear Sir,
The subscriber respectfully represents that she waives
the provision made her in the last will of her late husband Rowland S. Bumpus
of Wareham; and instead thereof will take what the law will allow her to
receive of her late husband’s estate.
Yours Respectfully, Lucy Bumpus (her signature)
To
Hon Aaron Hobart
Judge of Probate for the
County of Plymouth
Reverse side reads:
3299
Rowland S. Bumpus
Widow waives provision of will
Recorded book 95, page 324
By GS Beal Regr
The following is a correct list of the estate and affects
of Roland S. Bumpus, late of Wareham, deceased, as appraised by us, July 25,
1853.
Homestead $800
Lot of woodland, 7 ½ acres of woodland below Jonathan
Gibbs, as ___ $37
Lot of woodland at Muddy Cove his right in common and
undivided with others $10
$847
Personal Estate
4 beds & bedding 23.00
2 clothes chests .50
7 parlor chairs 5.60
1 parlor table 3.50
1 sofa 11.00
1 bureau 7.00
1 looking glass 3.00
1 parlor carpet 3.00
Window curtain .75
4 pictures, rug, cricket__? 1.50
1 lounge .25
13 kitchen chairs 3.90
1 dining table 1.00
1 __ stand .50
1 looking glass .50
1 wooden clock 1.00
1 bureau 1.00
___
$67
Second Column: Amount Bought up $67
1 table $1.00
1 cooking stove 2.50
Crockery, glass, tin 3.00
1 air tight stove 2.00
1 market basket .50
1 rag carpet 2.50
Set farm tools 2.00
1 wheelbarrow .50
Lot refuse wood 9.00
2 lamps (glass) .50
___
$90.50
Signed Samuel Shaw Jr, George Cryer, Albert Ellis
On the back of the inventory:
3299
Inventory of Rowland S. Bumpus
Recorded book 95, page 321
By JS Beal Reg’r
Handwritten (difficult to read):
Plymouth SS
At a court of probate holden at Middleborough on the
first Tuesday of August 1853 by Thomas Savery executor of the ___ named Roland
S. Bumpus deceased made oath that the foregoing inventory contains the whole
the estate of the said deceased so far as is the same has come to his hands or
knowledge. It is therefore ordered that the same be accepted and recorded.
Aaron Hobart J. of Probate.
One thing on my to do list is to find the location of Rowland and Lucy's home. Below gives a nice clue that it was near Agawam Iron Works.
Plymouth SS November 18th, 1853, Personally
appeared the above named Lewis Kinney, Albert S. Hathaway, and Charles FA
Weston and made oath that they would faithfully and impartially, according to
their best skill and judgment, perform the duty assigned them by the foregoing
warren. Before me Thomas Savery J. Peace.
Pursuant to the foregoing warrant, we the commissioners
therein named, having been first sworn as therein directed, and given notice to
all persons known to be interested, have appraised all the real estate of which
the said Rowland S. Bumpus died seized, at the sum of eight hundred and forty
dollars.
And we have assigned and set off to the said Lucy Bumpus
the widow of said deceased, as her dower therein, the following described
parcels, to wit
The whole of the main bodely(?) dwelling house, the porch
excluded. Together with the following described land.
Beginning at the northeast corner of the house, thence
south 45 degrees east, one rod and twenty links to the road leading from Agawam
Iron Works into Agawam Neck, thence in the line of said road south forty four
and a half degrees three rods and six links to a gate post, thence north forty
five degrees seven rods and five links to a stake, thence north forty four and
a half degrees east, one rod and twenty and a half links to a stake, thence
south forty five degrees east, six rods and nine links to the dwelling house,
thence running northerly and easterly by said house to bound first mentioned,
together with the privilege of going to and from and drawing water from the
well on the porch.
Signed Lewis Kinney, AS Hathaway, CFA Weston
On back of page:
3299
Affidavit of Notice of Appointment
Roland S. Bumpus
Recorded book 8, page 514
JS Beal Reg’r