ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Title
Probate, Last Will and Testament of Jonas Davis, 1813 

Collection Number
SC 486

OCLC Number
1432523420

Creator
Davis, Jonas (1776-1812)

Named Persons
Davis, Harriet (1809-unknown)
Davis, Isaac (1741-1814)
Davis, James Hervey (1806-1848)
Davis, Jonas (1776-1812)
Davis, Nancy (1811-1887)
Davis, Sabrina (1804-1880)
Elderkin, John  (1780-1837)
Floyd, Nicoll (1762-1852)
Rudyard, William (1765-1845)
Satterly, Isaac (1765-1859)
Williamson, Jedidiah (1757-1837)
Williamson, John M. (1787-1878)

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

Extent, Scope, and Content Note 
Physical description: 8 pages (some blank); 34cm x 21cm
Date: 1813

Abstract: The document consists of five pages of the last will and testament of Jonas Davis (1776-1812) 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 Jacquelyn Melillo, 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, 1813, 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.

The last will and testament of Jonas Davis for his daughters Sabrina, Nancy, and Harriet and his son James Hervey Davis. His executors were Isaac Satterly, William Rudyard, and Jedidiah Williamson. Jonas Davis was born on February 4, 1776 in Suffolk, New York, United States to Jonas Davis and Tabitha Norton. He married Sabra Brown (1776-1802) in 1798 and had one daughter, Nancy Davis (1799-1809), and one son Jason Brown Davis (1801-1802). After the death of Sabra in 1802 he married Elizabeth Williamson (1778-1853) in 1803 and had four daughters, Sabrina Davis (1804-1880), Clarissa Davis (1808-1808), Harriet Davis (1809-Unknown), and Nancy Davis (1811-1887), and one son, James Hervey Davis (1806-1848). The will is written and sealed by Nicoll Floyd, Esquire (1762-1852), surrogate for the Suffolk County Surrogate Court. 

Brookhaven was founded in 1655, when land agents from New England and Southold Township purchased an eight square mile tract of land from the Setalcott tribe. In 1666, after Long Island became part of the Colony of New York, Governor Richard Nicholl granted a Patent which established the name of Brookhaven. During the Revolutionary War many residents of Brookhaven participated in a spy ring that operated out of Setauket. This provided information for then General George Washington.

Surrogate: Nicoll Floyd, Esq. 

Geographical location:  Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York. It is approximately 531.54 square miles in total. It is bordered on its east side by Riverhead in the north, and Southamptom in the south. On the west side it is bordered by Smithtown on the north, and Islip on the south.

Sources

Entry for "Jonas Davis 4 February 1776-21 June 1812," FamilySearch, accessed March 2024.
https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LH8D-S2Z/jonas-davis-1776-1812

"Brookhaven, New York," Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, accessed March 2024.
https://www.achp.gov/preserve-america/community/brookhaven-new-york

Subjects
Davis, Jonas, 1776-1812 -- Estate.
Floyd, Nicoll, 1762-1852.
Davis, Sabrina, 1804-1880.
Davis, Harriet, b.1809
Williamson, Elizabeth, 1778-1853.
Davis, James Hervey, 1806-1848.
Davis, Isaac, 1741-1814.
Elderkin, John, 1780-1837.
Williamson, Jedidiah, 1757-1837.
Satterly, Isaac, 1765-1859.
Rudyard, William, 1765-1845.
Williamson, John M., 1787-1878.
Probate records -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.
Wills -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.
Decedents' estates -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.

TRANSCRIPTION

Page 1
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 the Day of the Date hereof,

before Nicoll Floyd Esquire, Surrogate of 

our said County, the last Will and Testament of Jonas Davis late 

of Brook Haven 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 Isaac Satterly 

And Jedidiah Williamson two   ___ ______

of the  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ____

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

and faithfully to administer the same, 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 

Esquire, Surrogate of the said County, at Brookha

-ven the fifth Day of January in 

the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen 

and of our Independence the Thirty Seventh

Nicoll Floyd

Page 2  

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 and sick in body but of perfect

mind and memory thanks be given to god therefor call

-ing to 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 hand of god who gave it and for my

body I recommend it to the earth to be buried in a

Christian like and decent manner nothing doubt

-ing but at the general resurrection I shall receive 

the same again by the mighty power of God and

as touching such worldly estate where with it hath

pleased God to bless me in this life I give demise and

dispose of in the following manner and form I

give and bequeath unto my daughter Sabrina the

sum of one hundred and fifty dollars lawfull money

of the United States I give and bequeath unto my

daughter Harriet the sum of one hundred and fifty

dollars current money of the United States I give and

bequeath unto my daughter Nancy the sum of one

hundred and fifty dollars likewise current money of

the United States It is my will and do hereby

Page 3

order that the above mentioned legacies be paid

to my daughters when they shall severally survive to the

age of eighteen years It is my will and do hereby 

order and impower my executors herein after named

to sell and dispose of my right in the two sloops one

named the Phebean the other the Triumph and the

monies arising therefrom to go towards defraying my

just and lawfull debts and if the monies should be insuf

-ficient to pay all my debts it is my will that so much

of my other estate either real or personal besold by my

said executors as will be sufficient to pay my just debts

It is my will and I do hereby order ample permission

for the bringing up and support of my wife and family

and as To The widow and remainder of my estate excepting

what is given to my daughters and so much as may

be consumed in the bringing up my family I give and

bequeath unto my son James Hervey Davis when he sur

-vives to the age of twenty one years and I do hereby order

my son James Hervey Davis to pay the above legacies to

my daughters and in case of his refusal to do the same

I do hereby empower my executors to sell so much of my

property as will be sufficient and pay the same to them

legally and lastly I make constitute and appoint

William Rudyard Isaac Satterly and Jedidiah Williams

-son executors of this my last will and Testament hereby 

Page 4

Revoking all former and other wills by me at any time

heretofore made in witness whereof I have hereunto set

my hand and seal the sixteenth day of may in the year 

of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and twelve

Signed Sealed published pronounced and declared by

the said Jonas Davis as his last will and testament in the

presence of the subscribers.                                          Jonas Davis (Initials beside name)

John Elderkin 

Isaac Davis

John M Williamson

Suffolk County} Be it remembered that on the fifth day

of January in the year one thousand eighteen hundred and 

thirteen personally appeared before Nicoll Floyd Esquire 

surrogate of the said County Isaac Davis of Brook Haven

in the County aforesaid and being duly sworn on his

oath declared that he saw Isaac Davis sign and seal

an instrument in writing purporting to be the will

of the said Jonas Davis bearing date the sixteenth day of

may in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred

and twelve the proceeding whereof is a true copy

and heard him publish and declare the same on and

for his last 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 deponent and that his name subscribed as a

witness to the said will is of his own proper hand

Page 5 

writing and that he saw John Elderkin and John M

Williamson subscribe their names as witnesses thereto at

the same time with him in presence of the testator.

Nicoll Floyd

Page 6 

Mr

Jedidiah Williamson

Or

Col. Satterly