The Howards of Pontiac:Information about Stephen [2] Sly

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Stephen [2] Sly (b. 3 Apr 1718, d. 30 May 1773)

Stephen [2] Sly (son of Stephen [1] Sly and Experience Albee) was born 3 Apr 1718 in Smithfield Providence Co.,R.I., and died 30 May 1773 in Dudley Mass. (burial Springfield Mass.). He married Sarah Sprague on 15 Oct 1738 in Smithfield R.I., daughter of Capt.William Sprague and Alice Browne.

Notes for Stephen [2] Sly:
Owner of Negro slave "Prince"

Resided in Franconia,Grafton Co. New Hampshire.(2 of family at home 1790) Later lived and died in Dudley,Mass.
Owned land in Dudley (willed to son David)
Killingly (willed to son Nathan)
Smithfield (willed to son William)
Stephen died at Dudley Mass and was buried in Smithfield R.I. His will is dated March 30,1772 and was probated June 28,1773. It mentions Sarah,his wife,his five sons and five daughters. He also names his slave Prince,who,according to the will,was to be given his freedom by son John. Prince married Jemima Minto on October 23,1778 at Worvhester Mendon Mass. and in the census of 1790 had a household of seven. Stephen mentions the burial ground at Smithfield,R.I. The estate was appraised at $36,250.00

Stephen and Sarah Sprague were married in Smithfiels R.I. Records there show they had twelve children although the Sprague Genealogy states that they had fifteen.

Last Will and Testament of Stephen Sly - Dudley,Worcester Co. Mass.

In the name of God,Amen, this thirteenth day of March 1772, I, Stephen Sly of the county of Worcester and the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, being in good health and of sound mind and memory, thanks be given unto God. But calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed to all men to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament. That is to say, principally and first of all I give and recomend my soul into the hands of God that give it, and my body I commit to earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors hereafter maned and as touching such worldly estate as where with it hath pleased God to keep me in this life; such I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner, viz.-

Impris: - I give and bequeth unto my beloved wife, Sarah, my best feather bed, and all the furniture and two good cows; and my riding horse to be at her disposal and she shall have one-third of my real estate during her remaining my widow and she shall have all that her honored father gave her in this year 1772 to be at her disposal.

Item: - I give and bequeath to my three sons, Stephen,Nathan and David all my buildings and lands in Dudley snd Killingly; snd all my farm tools and utensils as carts,plows,chain, etc., to be divided equally between them, David himself,or his guardian having first choice and Nathan second.

Item: - I give and bequeath to my son William, my land in Smithfield where the negro man, Pero, now dwells and my burying place in Smithfield I give to my relations as a burying place.

Item: - I give and bequeath to my daughters, Patience and Joanna, to each of them 30 pounds to be paid by my executors out of my personal estate and if there be any personal estate left, it shall be equally divided between my five daughters, Mary,Sarah,Mercy,Patience and Joanna excepting I first give to my son John 3 pounds.

Item: - -I give and bequeath to my son William all my wearing apparel at my decease and the reason that I do not give more in my last will and testament unto my sons William and John and my daughters, Mary,Sarah and Mercy is because I have given them so much in times past.

Item: - My will is that my negro boy, Prince, if he behaves himself pretty well,be set at liberty and go free when he shall be of the age of twenty one,until which time he shall serve my wife. But said Prince, shall,after he is set free,pay unto my son John,yearly and every year, ten spanish milled dollars which is able to labour and if he fails in so doing one year, my son John, shall take him into custody to make him a slave one year and then set him at liberty again and if said Prince shall fail a second time as before, then my son John, shall take him and sell him for life and the money for which he is sold shall be given to my five daughters above named, equally devided between them. And I constitute and ordain in my beloved wife,Sarah, and my son John, my executors of this my last will and testament and they shall pay my just debts and funeral charges out of my personal estate and I hereby utterly disallow, disavow, and disannul all and every other and former testaments, wills, or executors by me in any way named or willed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.
signed
Edward Davis Stephen Sly
Nathaniel Davis
Charles Gleason

More About Stephen [2] Sly and Sarah Sprague:
Marriage: 15 Oct 1738, Smithfield R.I..

Children of Stephen [2] Sly and Sarah Sprague are:

Mary [1] Sly, b. 6 Jul 1744, d. date unknown.
Phebe [1] Sly, b. 7 Feb 1741, d. 3 Apr 1742.
+William [2] Sly, b. 28 Apr 1742, d. date unknown.
+John [2] Sly, b. 12 Jun 1746, Smithfield Providence Co.,R.I., d. Mar 1831, Ryegate,Caledonia Co. VT.
Sarah [2] Sly, b. 28 Mar 1748, d. date unknown.
+Stephen [3] Sly, b. 3 Mar 1749, d. date unknown.
+Mercy Sly, b. 3 Jan 1752, d. date unknown.
Patience Sly, b. 14 Apr 1754, d. date unknown.
Joanna Sly, b. 13 Jun 1756, d. 8 Apr 1823, Franconia,Grafton Co.,NH.
+Nathan (1) Sly, b. 26 Jul 1762, Smithfield Providence Co.,R.I., d. date unknown.
+David [1] Sly, b. 30 Jul 1764, Worcester, MA, d. 1829, South Crosby, Ontario.
"Prince" slave boy, d. date unknown.

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