Married ca. 1743
John's will:
"1808 John's will (#8781 - Monmouth County New Jersey. The will was dated
February 15, 1790, and was amended by codicil on May 5, 1807. Rebekah Platt, "my
Dearly Beloved Wife", is to receive "one-third of said plantation and two north
rooms below stairs in the house, during her life, then to return to my son Abel
Platt", also "one-third of all my moveable estate with paying one-third of said
Debts and Legasys". Abel Platt is appointed "hole and sole executor", and is to
receive "All my Homestead Plantation whereon I now dwell with all my other
Lands, with paying two-thirds of Debts and Legasys"-- To each of his other
children John's will leaves the sum of five shillings. They are listed in order
as follows" son Levi Platt; son Abraham Platt; son John Platt: son Francis
Platt; daughter Jane Platt now Southard; daughter Silance Platt now Bennet;
daughter Jemima Platt now Horner; son Joseph Platt. The bequests of "one-third
of said plantation" to his wife and "all my Homestead Plantation" to his oldest
son Abel seem to overlap and conflict, but Rebecca's death in September, 1805
would appear to leave the entire plantation and "all my other lands" to Abel
without question. John decided after some months to clarify the status of his
"moveable estate" by the "Caudisel" of May 5, 1807: "A Caudisel to my will
annexed - This may certify that I John Platt, Senior of the Township of Dover
and County of Monmouth and Eastern Division of the State of New Jersey, being
sound in mind and memory, Do give to my son Abel Platt all my Moveable Estate
wich I had willed to my wife, for his tender care over his Mother while helpless
and myself blind for a number of years. Given under my hand and seal May the 5th
Eighteen Hundred Seven 1807."
It is of interest to note that John signed his
original will in 1790 in his own hand, but signed the codicil in 1807 by mark,
perhaps because of the blindness to which he refers." [6]