1828 Original Last Will & Testament, Joseph Whipple (1751–1832), Coventry, R.I. For Sale

This remarkable manuscript documents the estate of Joseph Whipple, a Coventry farmer and fifth-generation descendant of Captain John Whipple (c.1617–1685), one of the founding settlers of Providence, Rhode Island. Through this Rhode Island Whipple line, the family is also connected to the distinguished colonial Whipple family that produced merchants, deputy governors, and, through Captain John Whipple's daughter Abigail, the family of Declaration signer Stephen Hopkins.

The will was executed 27 June 1828 and proved in the Coventry Probate Court on 26 May 1832, remaining complete with the original witness signatures and probate endorsement.

The will identifies numerous members of one of Rhode Island's best-documented colonial families, including:

• Joseph Whipple (1751–1832), farmer of Coventry and descendant of Captain John Whipple.
• Alice (Knight) Whipple, wife, who received livestock, household furnishings, a life estate in portions of the property, and farm income.
• William W. Whipple, son, inherited the northern portion of the family farm.
• John Whipple, son, inherited land and his father's wearing apparel.
• Eleazer Whipple, son, later became a prominent Methodist circuit minister in New York.
• Thomas Whipple (1787–1859), son, who received only the family Bible because he had previously received his share of the estate. Thomas later became Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island (1849–1851) and was a respected manufacturer and public official.
• Christopher C. Whipple, son, inherited the remainder of the estate and served as executor.
• Five granddaughters and grandson William Whipple, each receiving monetary legacies.

The will also references neighboring landowners Joab Wood and James Potter, preserving valuable early Coventry boundary descriptions.

Beyond its genealogical significance, this manuscript illustrates early nineteenth-century New England inheritance customs, including:

• Division of farmland among sons.
• Lifetime support for the widow through a life estate.
• Small cash bequests to grandchildren.
• The symbolic gift of the family Bible.
• Complete probate recording by the Coventry Probate Court.

• James Battey
• Myrtilla Battey
• Pardon Tillinghast (member of one of Rhode Island's oldest colonial families)

Probate recorded by Asa Stone, Coventry Probate Clerk, on 26 May 1832.

This is an outstanding original Rhode Island family document combining colonial genealogy, early American legal history, and later political significance through Lieutenant Governor Thomas Whipple. Complete multi-page manuscript wills from prominent New England colonial families are increasingly difficult to locate and are highly desirable to collectors of Americana, Rhode Island history, genealogy, and manuscript archives.

Estimated market value: With the documented lineage to Captain John Whipple and the connection to future Lieutenant Governor Thomas Whipple, I would estimate $800–1,500, with the potential to exceed that if marketed to Rhode Island historical collectors or Whipple family descendants.