In the name of God Amen. I Mary Halsey late relict of Thomas Halsey of ye town of S'hampton late deceased being very sick & weak in body but in sound memory Expecting every day to put off this mortal body do make & ordain this to be my last will & testamt. in manner & form following -
I give & freely bequeath my soul to God who at first gave it to me and my body after decent buriel to ye earth from whence it was taken and for my worldly estate I dispose of it as followth, (viz) -
1st I give & bequeath unto my grandson Ammy Resco one two year old heifer & four sheep -
2nd I give & bequeath unto my four grandaughters namely Mary Hand, Eunice Howell, Elizabeth Moore & Zerviah Howell each of them twenty shillings in money one silver spoon one pr. of sheets one pewter plate two napkins one pillow drawer and one sheep -
3rd I give & bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Moore ye best rug & a white kersey blanket & a new chest -
4th I give & bequeath unto my daughter Hannah Howell a brass kettle, hetchill, Iron skellit, a green rugge a white fitted blanket, a pr. of stillyards & an iron bound chest -
5th I give & bequeath unto my daughter Phebe Halsey three pound in money one silver spoon one pewter plate one sheep one pr. of sheets one pillow drawer two napkins and nine of ye fifteen cattle in ye hands of my son Nathaniel Halsey in proportion for value that is to say nine fifteenths of the sd fifteen cattle and two beds and two bolsters and two pillows of one of the beds she hath in possession and the other feather bed I now lie on and great bedstead a green rug a great iron Kettle and peile trammell & warming pan and iron mortar & a frying pan a brass skillet & a great chest and a little chest & a pair of tongues -
6th I give & bequest unto my daughter Abigail Howell three pounds in money one silver spoon one pewter plate & one sheep one pr. of sheets one pillow drawer two napkins a brass pot and a trammell & peile in Nathaniel's hands the two last particulars -
7th I give & bequeath unto my son Nathaniel Halsey one feather bed one iron pot and cupboard & a great table and half ye grindstone all in his hands already the other half of the grindstone I give unto my son Josiah Halsey -
8th I give unto my five sons namely Josiah, Isaac, David, Jeremiah and Nathaniel Halsey five cattle in ye hands of the sd Nathaniel Halsey to be equally divided between them and my timber chain to be used amongst them five -
9th my will is yt. all other household stuff belonging to me of what nature or kind and wheresoever to be found to be divided between my daughter Phebe Halsey & Abigail Howell equally and that my wearing apparel linen & woolen & silk to be equally divided among my five daughters namely Mary Howell, Sarah Moore, Hannah Howell, Phebe Halsey & Abigail Howell -
10th I do by these presents constitute ordain & appoint my sons Isaac & David Halsey Executors of this my last Will & testamt. to receive all my estate & first pay all my just debts and then the abovesd brequests and legacies and the rest of my estate to be divided equally between my two Executors four pound of the sd money above bequeathed is in ye hands of my son Nathaniel Halsey -
And for ye full confirmation of this my last will & testamt I have hereunto set my hand & seal in S'hampton aforesd this 18 day of December Anno Dom 1699.
Mary Halsey (her mark) [Seal]
Signed sealed & declared to be her last Will & testamt. in presence of Christopher Foster, Benjamin Howell, Matthew Howell.
By the tenor of these presents know ye that on ye 21 day of May Anno Dom 1700 at ye Manor of St. Georges in ye County of Suffolk before the Honorble Coll. William Smith Judge of the Prerogative Court in ye sd County was proved & approved the last will & testamt. of Mary Halsey late of S'hampton in ye sd. County deceased on ye 20th day of Dec. Anno Dom 1699 who by her said Will & testamt. did nominate & appoint her sons Isaac & David Halsey her Executors to whom was granted the administration of the goods & chattels of ye sd deceased.
(Source: Early Long Island Wills of Suffolk County, 1691-1703; An Unabridged Copy of the Manuscript Volume Known as "The Lester Will Book"; Being The Record Of The Prerogative Court Of The County Of Suffolk, New York, published by Francis P. Harper in 1897.)