ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Title
Probate, Last Will and Testament of Jonas Davis, 1794 

Collection Number
SC 487

OCLC Number
1433026803

Creator
Davis, Jonas (1744-1794)

Named Persons
Curtis, John 
Davis, Caleb
Davis, Charity (1791-1845)
Davis, Elizabeth
Davis, Jonas (1744-1794)
Davis, Jonas (1776-1812)
Davis, Sybil (1783-1826)
Davis, Tabitha Norton (1751-1819)
Floyd, Nicoll (1762-1852)
Hallock, Jonathan
Mills, George Phillips (1765-1846)
Mills, Tabitha Davis (1774-1830)
Smith, John

Provenance 
Gift of Cornell Jaray to Special Collections, Stony Brook University Libraries. 

Extent, Scope, and Content Note 
Physical description: 8 pages (several blank); 34cm x 21cm.
Date: 1794

Abstract: The document consists of five pages concerning the probate for the will of Jonas Davis (1744-1794) of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York. It is the official copy processed before Nicoll Floyd (1762-1852), Esquire, Surrogate of Suffolk County, and sealed by the Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court.

Arrangement and Processing Note
Processed by Jade Bowen, intern, Special Collections and University Archives, Stony Brook University, with Kristen J. Nyitray in March 2024.

Language
English      

Restrictions on Access
The collection is open to researchers without restriction.

Rights and Permissions 
Stony Brook University Libraries' consent to access as the physical owner of the collection does not address copyright issues that may affect publication rights. It is the sole responsibility of the user of Special Collections and University Archives materials to investigate the copyright status of any given work and to seek and obtain permission where needed prior to publication.

Citation
Probate, Last Will and Testament of Jonas Davis, 1794, Special Collections and University Archives, Stony Brook University Libraries.

Historical Note    
A will, or a last will and testament, is a legal document that describes how you would like your property and other assets to be distributed after your death. Probate refers to the legal procedure during which a will undergoes scrutiny to ascertain its validity and authenticity. 

Jonas Davis was born on December 3, 1744 in Stony Brook, New York to Obediah Davis (1704-1784) and Phoebe Norton (1706-17?). He was married to Tabitha Norton (1751-1819) and had six children; Tabitha Davis Mills (1774-1850), Jonas Davis (1776-1812), Sybil Davis (1783-1826), Anna Davis (1784-1785), and Charity Davis (1791-1845). His will assigned land, tools, and money to his daughters and his son, Jonas Davis. 

Surrogate: Nicoll Floyd, Esquire

Sources
Entry for "Jonas Davis 3 December 1744-16 July 1794," FamilySearch, accessed April 2024.
https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/GH4Y-HB8/jonas-davis-1744-1794 

Subjects
Davis, Jonas, 1744-1794 -- Estate.
Floyd, Nicoll, 1762-1852.
Davis, Jonas, 1776-1812.
Mills, George Phillips, 1765-1846.
Davis, Tabith Norton, 1751-1819.
Mills, Tabitha Davis, 1774-1850.
Davis, Sybil, 1783-1826.
Davis, Charity, 1791-1845.
Davis, Elizabeth.
Hallock, Jonathan.
Davis, Caleb.
Smith, John.
Curtis, John.
Probate records -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.
Wills -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.
Decedents' estates -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.

TRANSCRIPTION

The People of the State

Of New-York, by the Grace of GOD, Free

and Independent:-

To All to whom these Presents shall come, or may concern, 

Send Greeting : KNOW YE, That at Suffolk County

on this day of the date hereof before

Nicoll Floyd Esq. Surrogate of our said County, 

the last Will and Testament of Jonas Davis deceased

(a Copy whereof is hereunto annexed) was proved, and is now approved and

allowed by us ; and the said deceased having, whilst he lived, and at the 

Time of his Death, Goods, Chattels, or Credits within this State, by

Means whereof the proving and registering the said Will, and the granting

Administration of all and singular the said Goods, Chattels, and Credits, and

also the auditing, allowing, and final discharging the Account thereof, doth

belong unto us ; the Administration of all and singular the Goods, Chattels,

And Credits of the said deceased , and any Way concerning His Will is

granted unto Tabitha Davis Executrix and George Mills

Executor in the said Will named, they being first duly sworn well and

faithfully to administer the fame, and to make and exhibit a true and perfect

Inventory of all and singular the said Goods, Chattels, and Credits, and also

to render a just and true Account thereof when thereunto required. - IN

TESTIMONY whereof, we have caused the Seal of Office of our said

Surrogate to be hereunto affixed.- WITNESS Nicoll Floyd  

Esq. Surrogate of the said County, at Brook Haven the

Ninetenth Day of September in the Year of our LORD One 

Thousand Seven Hundred and ninety four and of our Independence

the eighteenth.

Nicoll Floyd, Surrogate

Page 2  
blank

Page 3
In the Name of God Amen, I Jonas Davis of the

town of Brook Haven County of Suffolk and State of New York

being weak in body but of sound mind memory and understand

ing, do therefor this twentieth day of March, in the year of

our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety four Make

and publish this my last will and testament in manner and 

form following that is to say First I give & Bequeath unto my

wife Tabitha Davis all my movable estates and Houshold 

furniture excepting such part of the same as I that hereafter

in this my will direct and order to my son Jonas Davis, there

above gifts to my wife Tabitha Davis I give and Bequeath

to her so long as she remains my widow and in case she

should marry after my decease I then order the same to be

equally divided to my Daughters Elizabeth Davis Tabitha 

Mills Sybil Davis and Charity Davis their Heirs and assign

forever also I give and Devide unto my son Jonas Davis and

and to his Heir and assigns forever all and singular my lands

meadows tenements & hereditaments that I am possessed of and

intitled to excepting the lot known by the name of the Big lot at

the west meadow which said lot I order my Executor to sell

and dispose of the money arising by such sale to be appropriated

towards the payment of the Legacies herein after mentioned

in this my will to my Daughter I also give and bequeath

unto my son Jonas Davis and to his heirs and assigns forever

a small strip of upland adjoining the meadow at the west

meadows extending in a right line from the little Lot from

to Jonathan Hallock's fence for the purpose of spreading hay

also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth

Davis and to her heirs & assigns forever the sum of thirty pounds current

Page 4
Current money of New York also I give and bequeath unto

My Daughter Tabitha Mills the sum of thirty pounds current

money of New York also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter

Sybil Davis the sum of thirty pounds current money of

New York also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter 

Charity Davis the sum of thirty pounds current money

Of New York to be paid to them repectively by my son Jonas

Davis in twelve months after my decease and in case that 

my said son Jonas Davis should refuse or neglect to pay

the above said Legacies to my Daughters then and in that care

I order and impower my Executor hereinafter named to sell

and dispose of so much of my lands and tenements as I

here in this any will given to my said son as will be

sufficient to pay and discharge the said Legacies to my

Daughters aforesaid I also order the money arising from the

sale of the Big Lot in the weat meadow to be paid to my 

four Daughters above mentioned share and share alike 

I also order and direct that my son Jonas Davis shall

maintain and keep my daughter Elizabeth Davis 

in my now dwelling House so long as she shall remain single

or unmarried I also give and bequeath unto my son Jonas 

Davis one yoke of oxen one horse bridle and saddle also all my

farming utensils and carpenter tools I also lastly nominate

And appoint my wife Tabitha Davis and my son in law 

George Mills Executors of this my last will and testament’

to see the same performed according to the true intent and

meaning thereof in witness whereof I have hereunto set my

hand and seal the day and year above written signed sealed

published and declared by the said Jonas Davis as and for

Page 5 

This last will and testament in the presence of as who

have hereunto subscribed our names as within hereunto in

The presence of said testator and in the presence of each other

Caleb Davis Jonas Davis

John Smith, John Curtis

 

Suffolk County; Be it remembered that on the nineteenth

day of September in the year one thousand seven hundred

and ninety four personally came and appeared before

me Nicoll Floyd Surrogate of said county Caleb Davis

of the county aforesaid yeoman and being duly sworn

on his oath Declare tho that he did see Jonas Davis sign

and seal an instrument purporting to be the will of the

said Jonas Davis of which the preceding is a true copy and

heard him publish and declare the same as and for his

late will and testament that at the time thereof he the 

said Jonas Davis was of sound disposing mind and 

memory to the best of the knowledge and belief of him

The disponent and that his name inscribed to the said

will is of his proper hand writing which the disponent

together with John Smith and John Curtis the other witnesses 

subserved as a witness to the said will in the testators

presence                   Nicoll Floyd Surrogate

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Probate of Jonas Davis

will