at the above-mentioned date to Governor Endicott for one hundred and sixty pounds.  In 1653, John Endicott, Jr., the eldest son of the Governor, married Elizabeth, daughter of Jeremiah Houchins, an eminent citizen of Boston, who had before resided in Hingham, which place he represented as deputy for six years.  The name was pronounced “Houkins,” and so perhaps was finally spelled “Hawkins.”  By agreement, or “articles of marriage contract,” Endicott bestowed the farm upon his son.  “Present possession” was given.  How long, or how much of the time, the young couple lived on the estate, is not known.  Their principal residence was in Boston.  The General Court, in 1660, granted John Endicott, Jr., four hundred acres of land on the eastern side of the upper part of Merrimac River.  After the purchase of the farm from Chickering, the Endicott property covered nearly a thousand acres in one tract, extending from the arms of the sea to the centre of the present village of Tapleyville.  On the 10th of May, 1662, the Governor executed a deed, carrying out the engagements of the marriage contract, giving to his son John, his heirs, and assigns for ever, the Bishop farm.  Governor Endicott died in 1665.  A will was found signed and sealed by him, dated May 2, 1659, in which, referring to the marriage gift to John, he bequeathes the aforesaid farm to “him and his heirs,” but does not add, “and assigns.”  Another item of the will is, “The land I have bequeathed to my two sons, in one place or another, my will is that the longest liver of them shall enjoy the whole, except the Lord send them children to inherit it after them.”  Unfortunately, there were no witnesses to the will.  It was not allowed in Probate.  The matter was carried up to the General Court; and it was decided Aug. 1, 1665, that the court “do not approve of the instrument produced in court to be the last will and testament of the late John Endicott, Esq., governor.”  In October of the same year, John Endicott, Jr., petitioned the General Court to act on the settlement of his father’s estate; and the court directs administration to be granted to “Mrs. Elizabeth Endicott and her two sons, John and Zerubabel,” and that they bring in an inventory to the next county court at Boston, and to dispose of the same as the law directs.  Upon this, the widow of the Governor, and his son Zerubabel, again appeal to the General Court; and on the 23d of May, 1666, “after a full hearing of all parties concerned in the said estate, i.e., the said Mrs. Elizabeth Endicott and her two sons, Mr. John and Mr. Zerubabel Endicott, Mr. Jeremiah Houchin being also present in court, and respectively presenting their pleas and evidences in the case,” it was finally decided and ordered by the court, that the provisions of the document purporting to be the will of Governor Endicott should be carried into effect, with these exceptions:  that the Bishop or Chickering farm shall go to his son John “to him, his heirs and assigns for ever;” and that Elizabeth, the