Little Compton, Rhode Island, Wills, 1747-1875

According to Little Compton Families, published by the Little Compton Historical Society, the earliest settlers of the Plymouth Colony, seeking to expand their boundaries, discovered a "garden spot" called Sogkonnet, meaning "haunt of the black goose" in the language of the inhabitants, the Sogkonitte tribe of Indians. The land was later called Sakonnet until 1682, when it was incorporated by Plymouth Colony and renamed Little Compton. In 1747, the town, along with Barrington, Bristol, Cumberland, Tiverton, and Warren was ceded by Massachusetts to Rhode Island, and Little Compton became an incorporated town of Rhode Island.

These wills were abstracted from the probate records of Taunton, Massachusetts, where they are recorded up to 1747. Also included are all wills from the Little Compton probate records from 1747 to 1875. These records were abstracted by Little Compton resident Benjamin F. Wilbour in 1945. He notes that "All names of persons, relationships, places and dates are given and many of the gifts are mentioned, but not all gifts are given, as this is not a verbatum [sic] copy."

The original abstracts are kept in the R. Stanton Avery Collections at NEHGS, call number MSS A 801.

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