son of Samuel & Sarah (Colton) Keep
md. Abigail, dau. of James & Mary (Moody) Munn
As early as September, 1700, his father, Samuel Keep, had, with others of Springfield, petitioned the General Court for a grant of a new town easterly from Springfield. Various causes hindered the settlement and it was not until March 16, 1731, that the first town meeting was held in Brimfield. John Keep had settled in the town immediately after his marriage. He located on the westerly side of King's Hill, which is about one mile east of the present village of Monson. The town of Brimfield originally included what is now the town of Monson.
In 1731 at the first town meeting in Brimfield, John Keep was appointed a fence viewer. In May 1732, he was on a committee to lay out the cedar swamp. In 1735 he was Assessor and served as Selectman in 1735, 1749 and 1754. He was a large land holder in the town having in addition to his own right, purchased the right of Ezra King. John Keep died July 28, 1757, and his widow, Abigail survived until October 5, 1787. They are both buried in the cemetery at Brimfield.
In seating the new church in 1757, Widow Abigail Keep is seated
"in the pew on the left hand of the fore door."
The will of John Keep is as follows: —
In the name of God, Amen. The eighteenth day of June, Anno Dom., 1757, I John Keep, of Brimfield, in the County of Hampshire, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, Yeoman, being sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind & memory, thanks be given unto God. Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will & testament. That is to say, principally and first of all I give & recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting 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 has pleased God to bless me in this life I give, devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form. Imprimus. I give and bequeath to Abigail my dearly beloved wife one third part of my buildings & the use and improvement of one third part of my Real Estate during her natural life & also one third part of my moveable Estate forever.
Item. I give to my beloved sons Jabez Keep, Simeon Keep & Caleb Keep my homestead and all the lands adjoining thereunto, being in the whole about 284 acres & also 4 acres of Meadow lying in the Meadow on Chequapee brook & 20 acres in the sixth Division on my right (not yet laid out) & all the after Divisions which I own, belonging to or which may be drawn from or upon the right originally Ezra King's right throughout all the Common lands in said Brimfield that are yet to be drawn for & divided & also all my personal estate (except what I have willed to my beloved wife as aforesaid). And my will is that my three sons (viz.), Jabez, Simeon & Caleb as above said shall each one of them pay an equal share of my Debts & funeral charges & after that my will is that my said sons Simeon Keep & Jabez Keep shall each of them have fifty five pounds apiece out of the estate above mentioned & then the remaining part to be equally divided amongst them (viz.) : To Jabez, Simeon & Caleb. Furthermore I do will my son Jabez Keep 40 acres of land out of the Sixth Division (so called) belong to my own right.
Item. I give to my beloved Daughters Elizabeth Keep alias Elizabeth Dart wife of John Dart, Abigail Keep alias Abigail Boardman wife to Stephen Boardman, Sarah Keep, Eunice Keep and Mary Keep, Two hundred and Four acres of land lying in Said Brimfield & Lyeth Southerly from the Cedar Swamp 96 acres thereof second Division land, 60 acres being the 4th. Division on my right & 48 acres being the 4th Division on Ezra King's right & my will is that three of my said Daughters (viz.): Sarah, Eunice and Mary shall each of them have eight pound apiece out of the above said Two hundred & four acres & then the remaining part to be equally divided between my said five Daughters, that is to Elizabeth, Abigail, Sarah, Eunice and Mary.
I do likewise constitute, make and ordain my two sons Jabez Keep & Simeon Keep to be my sole executors of this my last will & testament & I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannull all and every other former Testaments wills legacies & bequests & executors by me in any ways before named willed & bequeathed, ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my last will & testament. In witness whereunto I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
The inventory of the estate of John Keep shows him to have been a thrifty, well to do farmer. The inventory is very complete, consisting of about two hundred and twenty-five items ranging in value from a tract of land valued at Three hundred pounds down to a tin pepper box of the value of four pence; the sum total of the estate being £690 7s 4p.
Children:
1. John b. 15 Mar. 1725
2. Elizabeth b. 6 Aug. 1726
3. Jabez b. 2 Mar. 1728
4. Abigail b. 28 Mar. 1730
5. Sarah b. 27 Sep. 1732
6. Eunice b. 9 Sep. 1734
7. Eunice b. 3 Jan. 1736
8. Simeon b. 15 Feb. 1737
9. Mary b. 28 Jan. 1739
10. Caleb b. 10 Dec. 1741
11. Seth b. & d. 28 Sep. 1747
__________________________________________
md. Abigail, dau. of James & Mary (Moody) Munn
As early as September, 1700, his father, Samuel Keep, had, with others of Springfield, petitioned the General Court for a grant of a new town easterly from Springfield. Various causes hindered the settlement and it was not until March 16, 1731, that the first town meeting was held in Brimfield. John Keep had settled in the town immediately after his marriage. He located on the westerly side of King's Hill, which is about one mile east of the present village of Monson. The town of Brimfield originally included what is now the town of Monson.
In 1731 at the first town meeting in Brimfield, John Keep was appointed a fence viewer. In May 1732, he was on a committee to lay out the cedar swamp. In 1735 he was Assessor and served as Selectman in 1735, 1749 and 1754. He was a large land holder in the town having in addition to his own right, purchased the right of Ezra King. John Keep died July 28, 1757, and his widow, Abigail survived until October 5, 1787. They are both buried in the cemetery at Brimfield.
In seating the new church in 1757, Widow Abigail Keep is seated
"in the pew on the left hand of the fore door."
The will of John Keep is as follows: —
In the name of God, Amen. The eighteenth day of June, Anno Dom., 1757, I John Keep, of Brimfield, in the County of Hampshire, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, Yeoman, being sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind & memory, thanks be given unto God. Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will & testament. That is to say, principally and first of all I give & recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting 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 has pleased God to bless me in this life I give, devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form. Imprimus. I give and bequeath to Abigail my dearly beloved wife one third part of my buildings & the use and improvement of one third part of my Real Estate during her natural life & also one third part of my moveable Estate forever.
Item. I give to my beloved sons Jabez Keep, Simeon Keep & Caleb Keep my homestead and all the lands adjoining thereunto, being in the whole about 284 acres & also 4 acres of Meadow lying in the Meadow on Chequapee brook & 20 acres in the sixth Division on my right (not yet laid out) & all the after Divisions which I own, belonging to or which may be drawn from or upon the right originally Ezra King's right throughout all the Common lands in said Brimfield that are yet to be drawn for & divided & also all my personal estate (except what I have willed to my beloved wife as aforesaid). And my will is that my three sons (viz.), Jabez, Simeon & Caleb as above said shall each one of them pay an equal share of my Debts & funeral charges & after that my will is that my said sons Simeon Keep & Jabez Keep shall each of them have fifty five pounds apiece out of the estate above mentioned & then the remaining part to be equally divided amongst them (viz.) : To Jabez, Simeon & Caleb. Furthermore I do will my son Jabez Keep 40 acres of land out of the Sixth Division (so called) belong to my own right.
Item. I give to my beloved Daughters Elizabeth Keep alias Elizabeth Dart wife of John Dart, Abigail Keep alias Abigail Boardman wife to Stephen Boardman, Sarah Keep, Eunice Keep and Mary Keep, Two hundred and Four acres of land lying in Said Brimfield & Lyeth Southerly from the Cedar Swamp 96 acres thereof second Division land, 60 acres being the 4th. Division on my right & 48 acres being the 4th Division on Ezra King's right & my will is that three of my said Daughters (viz.): Sarah, Eunice and Mary shall each of them have eight pound apiece out of the above said Two hundred & four acres & then the remaining part to be equally divided between my said five Daughters, that is to Elizabeth, Abigail, Sarah, Eunice and Mary.
I do likewise constitute, make and ordain my two sons Jabez Keep & Simeon Keep to be my sole executors of this my last will & testament & I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannull all and every other former Testaments wills legacies & bequests & executors by me in any ways before named willed & bequeathed, ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my last will & testament. In witness whereunto I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
The inventory of the estate of John Keep shows him to have been a thrifty, well to do farmer. The inventory is very complete, consisting of about two hundred and twenty-five items ranging in value from a tract of land valued at Three hundred pounds down to a tin pepper box of the value of four pence; the sum total of the estate being £690 7s 4p.
Children:
1. John b. 15 Mar. 1725
2. Elizabeth b. 6 Aug. 1726
3. Jabez b. 2 Mar. 1728
4. Abigail b. 28 Mar. 1730
5. Sarah b. 27 Sep. 1732
6. Eunice b. 9 Sep. 1734
7. Eunice b. 3 Jan. 1736
8. Simeon b. 15 Feb. 1737
9. Mary b. 28 Jan. 1739
10. Caleb b. 10 Dec. 1741
11. Seth b. & d. 28 Sep. 1747
__________________________________________
son of Samuel & Sarah (Colton) Keep
md. Abigail, dau. of James & Mary (Moody) Munn
As early as September, 1700, his father, Samuel Keep, had, with others of Springfield, petitioned the General Court for a grant of a new town easterly from Springfield. Various causes hindered the settlement and it was not until March 16, 1731, that the first town meeting was held in Brimfield. John Keep had settled in the town immediately after his marriage. He located on the westerly side of King's Hill, which is about one mile east of the present village of Monson. The town of Brimfield originally included what is now the town of Monson.
In 1731 at the first town meeting in Brimfield, John Keep was appointed a fence viewer. In May 1732, he was on a committee to lay out the cedar swamp. In 1735 he was Assessor and served as Selectman in 1735, 1749 and 1754. He was a large land holder in the town having in addition to his own right, purchased the right of Ezra King. John Keep died July 28, 1757, and his widow, Abigail survived until October 5, 1787. They are both buried in the cemetery at Brimfield.
In seating the new church in 1757, Widow Abigail Keep is seated
"in the pew on the left hand of the fore door."
The will of John Keep is as follows: —
In the name of God, Amen. The eighteenth day of June, Anno Dom., 1757, I John Keep, of Brimfield, in the County of Hampshire, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, Yeoman, being sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind & memory, thanks be given unto God. Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will & testament. That is to say, principally and first of all I give & recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting 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 has pleased God to bless me in this life I give, devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form. Imprimus. I give and bequeath to Abigail my dearly beloved wife one third part of my buildings & the use and improvement of one third part of my Real Estate during her natural life & also one third part of my moveable Estate forever.
Item. I give to my beloved sons Jabez Keep, Simeon Keep & Caleb Keep my homestead and all the lands adjoining thereunto, being in the whole about 284 acres & also 4 acres of Meadow lying in the Meadow on Chequapee brook & 20 acres in the sixth Division on my right (not yet laid out) & all the after Divisions which I own, belonging to or which may be drawn from or upon the right originally Ezra King's right throughout all the Common lands in said Brimfield that are yet to be drawn for & divided & also all my personal estate (except what I have willed to my beloved wife as aforesaid). And my will is that my three sons (viz.), Jabez, Simeon & Caleb as above said shall each one of them pay an equal share of my Debts & funeral charges & after that my will is that my said sons Simeon Keep & Jabez Keep shall each of them have fifty five pounds apiece out of the estate above mentioned & then the remaining part to be equally divided amongst them (viz.) : To Jabez, Simeon & Caleb. Furthermore I do will my son Jabez Keep 40 acres of land out of the Sixth Division (so called) belong to my own right.
Item. I give to my beloved Daughters Elizabeth Keep alias Elizabeth Dart wife of John Dart, Abigail Keep alias Abigail Boardman wife to Stephen Boardman, Sarah Keep, Eunice Keep and Mary Keep, Two hundred and Four acres of land lying in Said Brimfield & Lyeth Southerly from the Cedar Swamp 96 acres thereof second Division land, 60 acres being the 4th. Division on my right & 48 acres being the 4th Division on Ezra King's right & my will is that three of my said Daughters (viz.): Sarah, Eunice and Mary shall each of them have eight pound apiece out of the above said Two hundred & four acres & then the remaining part to be equally divided between my said five Daughters, that is to Elizabeth, Abigail, Sarah, Eunice and Mary.
I do likewise constitute, make and ordain my two sons Jabez Keep & Simeon Keep to be my sole executors of this my last will & testament & I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannull all and every other former Testaments wills legacies & bequests & executors by me in any ways before named willed & bequeathed, ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my last will & testament. In witness whereunto I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
The inventory of the estate of John Keep shows him to have been a thrifty, well to do farmer. The inventory is very complete, consisting of about two hundred and twenty-five items ranging in value from a tract of land valued at Three hundred pounds down to a tin pepper box of the value of four pence; the sum total of the estate being £690 7s 4p.
Children:
1. John b. 15 Mar. 1725
2. Elizabeth b. 6 Aug. 1726
3. Jabez b. 2 Mar. 1728
4. Abigail b. 28 Mar. 1730
5. Sarah b. 27 Sep. 1732
6. Eunice b. 9 Sep. 1734
7. Eunice b. 3 Jan. 1736
8. Simeon b. 15 Feb. 1737
9. Mary b. 28 Jan. 1739
10. Caleb b. 10 Dec. 1741
11. Seth b. & d. 28 Sep. 1747
__________________________________________
md. Abigail, dau. of James & Mary (Moody) Munn
As early as September, 1700, his father, Samuel Keep, had, with others of Springfield, petitioned the General Court for a grant of a new town easterly from Springfield. Various causes hindered the settlement and it was not until March 16, 1731, that the first town meeting was held in Brimfield. John Keep had settled in the town immediately after his marriage. He located on the westerly side of King's Hill, which is about one mile east of the present village of Monson. The town of Brimfield originally included what is now the town of Monson.
In 1731 at the first town meeting in Brimfield, John Keep was appointed a fence viewer. In May 1732, he was on a committee to lay out the cedar swamp. In 1735 he was Assessor and served as Selectman in 1735, 1749 and 1754. He was a large land holder in the town having in addition to his own right, purchased the right of Ezra King. John Keep died July 28, 1757, and his widow, Abigail survived until October 5, 1787. They are both buried in the cemetery at Brimfield.
In seating the new church in 1757, Widow Abigail Keep is seated
"in the pew on the left hand of the fore door."
The will of John Keep is as follows: —
In the name of God, Amen. The eighteenth day of June, Anno Dom., 1757, I John Keep, of Brimfield, in the County of Hampshire, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, Yeoman, being sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind & memory, thanks be given unto God. Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will & testament. That is to say, principally and first of all I give & recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting 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 has pleased God to bless me in this life I give, devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form. Imprimus. I give and bequeath to Abigail my dearly beloved wife one third part of my buildings & the use and improvement of one third part of my Real Estate during her natural life & also one third part of my moveable Estate forever.
Item. I give to my beloved sons Jabez Keep, Simeon Keep & Caleb Keep my homestead and all the lands adjoining thereunto, being in the whole about 284 acres & also 4 acres of Meadow lying in the Meadow on Chequapee brook & 20 acres in the sixth Division on my right (not yet laid out) & all the after Divisions which I own, belonging to or which may be drawn from or upon the right originally Ezra King's right throughout all the Common lands in said Brimfield that are yet to be drawn for & divided & also all my personal estate (except what I have willed to my beloved wife as aforesaid). And my will is that my three sons (viz.), Jabez, Simeon & Caleb as above said shall each one of them pay an equal share of my Debts & funeral charges & after that my will is that my said sons Simeon Keep & Jabez Keep shall each of them have fifty five pounds apiece out of the estate above mentioned & then the remaining part to be equally divided amongst them (viz.) : To Jabez, Simeon & Caleb. Furthermore I do will my son Jabez Keep 40 acres of land out of the Sixth Division (so called) belong to my own right.
Item. I give to my beloved Daughters Elizabeth Keep alias Elizabeth Dart wife of John Dart, Abigail Keep alias Abigail Boardman wife to Stephen Boardman, Sarah Keep, Eunice Keep and Mary Keep, Two hundred and Four acres of land lying in Said Brimfield & Lyeth Southerly from the Cedar Swamp 96 acres thereof second Division land, 60 acres being the 4th. Division on my right & 48 acres being the 4th Division on Ezra King's right & my will is that three of my said Daughters (viz.): Sarah, Eunice and Mary shall each of them have eight pound apiece out of the above said Two hundred & four acres & then the remaining part to be equally divided between my said five Daughters, that is to Elizabeth, Abigail, Sarah, Eunice and Mary.
I do likewise constitute, make and ordain my two sons Jabez Keep & Simeon Keep to be my sole executors of this my last will & testament & I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannull all and every other former Testaments wills legacies & bequests & executors by me in any ways before named willed & bequeathed, ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my last will & testament. In witness whereunto I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
The inventory of the estate of John Keep shows him to have been a thrifty, well to do farmer. The inventory is very complete, consisting of about two hundred and twenty-five items ranging in value from a tract of land valued at Three hundred pounds down to a tin pepper box of the value of four pence; the sum total of the estate being £690 7s 4p.
Children:
1. John b. 15 Mar. 1725
2. Elizabeth b. 6 Aug. 1726
3. Jabez b. 2 Mar. 1728
4. Abigail b. 28 Mar. 1730
5. Sarah b. 27 Sep. 1732
6. Eunice b. 9 Sep. 1734
7. Eunice b. 3 Jan. 1736
8. Simeon b. 15 Feb. 1737
9. Mary b. 28 Jan. 1739
10. Caleb b. 10 Dec. 1741
11. Seth b. & d. 28 Sep. 1747
__________________________________________
Inscription
In Memory of
Mr.John Keep
who died
July ye 28th
1757
Aged
59 years
& 25 days
Gravesite Details
John, h. Abigail, July 28, 1757. [a. 59 y. 25 d. ]
Family Members
Siblings
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