Probate Record of Captain John Thayer, Jr.
Will dated 16 Oct 1765 proved 25 Mar 1768
Capt. John Thayer, Jr. was born 30 Jun1686, died about Mar.1768.
Married (1) 8 Apr 1714, Mary Wales, born Apr.1,1691, died Nov.25,1718, daughter of Elder Nathaniel & Joanna (Faxon) Wales.
Married (2) 4 Jun1719 at Boston, Lydia Copeland, born Apr.24,1692, died - buried Jul.15,1750 (Ch.Rec), daughter of John & Ruth (Newcomb) Copeland.
Married (3) 13 Nov 1750, Elizabeth (Faxon) Hayden, widow of Benjamin Hayden, born Apr.7,1702, died 1789, daughter of Josiah & Mehitable (Adams) Faxon.
Capt. John Thayer resided on Washington St. opposite or just north of Elm St. on his father's homestead. The house when pulled down in 1786 was called "a very old decayed house" (Probate Rec.).
Extract of his will dated Oct.16,1765, proved Mar.25,1768:
[T]o wife Elizabeth all goods she brought to me and a cow and improvement of the part of the house I now improve, half the barn and all lands lying at home except the yard north of the house and the orchard where I keep my hogs, she allowing my son John to mow annually one load of hay from the meadows below the house, and she to have 40 shillings annually.The last clause of his will caused much trouble. Division of the estate was made Nov.22,1790, "consisting of 8 acres 18 rods with a very old decayed house that has been pulled down since." At the decease of the widow there were 34 grandchildren who were heirs according to the will. (S.P. 90-43)To son Thomas in addition to what he has already by deeds œ13/6/ [sic].
To son Lemuel improvement of 1 acre of land where his house stands, where he now dwells, for life, and 20/8d.
To son John 10 shillings and improvement of that part of my house where he now dwells, for life, half the barn yard north of the house, the hog orchard & improvement of one load of hay from the meadows below the house during my wife's life, then at her - death improvement of half my home place for life.
To my three daughters Mary Vesey, Lydia Copeland, Judith Wild my household goods, to Mary & Judith all upland I may leave at French's, so called, they paying my wife 20 shillings each annually. To grandson Lemuel son of son Lemuel 1 acre where son Lemuel's house now stands to come into improvement of it at his father's decease.
To grandson John son of son John the north end of my house, half the barn & homeplace to come into improvement of it at his father's and my wife's decease.
To the grand children that survive my wife that part of the house I gave my wife for life, half the barn and homeplace, to be sold and divided among equally. Wife and son Thomas executors, wife to have a suit of mourning.
(Taken from Genealogies of Braintree Families by Waldo Sprague: Card #'s 4889-90 )