Ebenezer Spinney

• General Notes
  • Ebenezer was probably a fisherman and at sea most of the time for there are a very few printed records of him. With the exception of the church records and his mention in the will of his uncle David Spinney, whose estate he was to have by "entail" I can find but one other, taken from the "Acts and Resolves of the Province of Mass. Bay 1769 - 1780 Vol. 5 where his name appears with others to "prevent seining of shad, alewives and other small fish in Spruce Creek" 25 Feb 1772 and the names of John Spinney ye 3rd and John Sinay, with others appear on a counter petition of remonstrance to the above.
    He evidently did not get the estate mentioned in his uncle David's will, according to all tradition, and probably had little property as he left no will or an administration of an estate.
    Ebenezer and his father Jonathan were on the 3rd Parish Tax LIst in Kittery in 1763.
    We find in the Will of David Spinney who was brother to Jonathan, that Ebenezer was the son of Jonathan. In this will he gives all his household goods and personal estate, and the use and improvement of all his lands buildings and appurtenances to his wife Jerusha during her lifetime.
    Jerusha was sister to Rober Cole whose daughter Phoebe married Ebenezer Spinney; she had no children by David so he left his property in "Entail" in the following manner: "after the decease of my said wife Jerusha Spinney, I give and bequeath all my lands and buildings, with all and singular of the appurtences to the same belonging, to my brother Samuel Spinney, and the Eldest son lawfully begotten of his body, forever, and if my said brother Samuel should decease without having a son or male heir, I give all my said lands and buildings to my Brother Jonathan Spinney, and to his son Ebenezer Spinney, forever, and if Ebenezer should decease before his said father, then I give said land and Premises, to the next son in age to Ebenezer, and if the said Jonathan Spinney should decease and his sons before my said wife, then I give my said lands and buildings to my Brother Nathan Spinney and his eldest surviving son forever, it being understood that the entail is to run to the eldest son of each mentioned herein and so on in the same tenor forever."
    He appointed his wife Executrix, and the will was dated 20 Feb 1744/5, probated 14 jan 1745/6
    Inventory Returned - 27 Jan 1745/6 at 769 lbs. 9:4