Monday, February 20, 2012

Amanuensis Monday - Deed of Alpheus B. Smith to Simeon Richardson in Medfield in 1834

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started his own Monday blog theme many months ago called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is the deed for land in Medfield, Massachusetts sold by Alpheus B. Smith (1802-1840) to Simeon Richardson.  This deed is in:

Norfolk County (Massachusetts) Register of Deeds, "Land Records - Deeds, 1793-1890," Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, on 373 microfilm reels.  Volume 104, Page 165 (accessed on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 841815), Deed, Alpheus B. Smith to Simeon Richardson, dated 21 June 1834.




The transcription of the deed is (handwritten portions underlined and in italics):


Know all Men by these Presents
THAT I Alpheus B. Smith of Medfield in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts yeoman


in consideration of three hundred and fifty dollars
paid by Simeon Richardson of the same Medfield Cooper


the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged & do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said Richardson his heirs and assigns forever a tract of land lying in said Medfield at the southerly part thereof containing twenty acres be the same more or less with a dwelling house barn & other buildings standing thereon and bounded westerly on the road leading to Walpole southerly on land of Asa Hamant easterly on land of David Smith & northerly in part on land of the heirs of Eliakim Morse decd in part on land of the heirs of Elias Mann decd and in part on land of Elisha Clark or how otherwise bounded it being the homestead of the said Smith.


TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the afore-granted promises with the privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging, to the said Richardson his heirs and assigns to his and their use and behoof forever.  And I the said Smith for myself and my heirs, executors and administrators, do covenant with the said Richardson his heirs and assigns that I am lawfully seized in Fee of the afore-granted Premises: that they are free of all Incumbrances: That I have good Right to sell and convey the same to the said Richardson as aforesaid.


And that I will, and my heirs, executors and administrators shall, warrant and defend the same premises to the said Richardson his heirs and assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.  Provided nonetheless that if the said Smith his heirs exers or adminrs shall pay unto the said Richardson his heirs exers adminrs or assigns the sum of three hundred and fifty dollars in one year past the date of this and with interest on said sum at the rate of six per cent per annum payable annually then this and as also  a certain note on hand bearing ??? date with three ?????? signed by the said Smith ?? hereby he promises to pay to the said Richardson the said ?????? & interest at the times aforesaid shall both be absolutely ???? to all intents & purposes.


In Witness Whereof, I the said Alpheus B. Smith together with Eliza Smith wife of the said Alpheus in testimony of his ???? I quitclaim of use right of ???? in ???? ??????


have hereunto set our Hands and Seals this twenty first day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty four.


Executed and delivered
In presence of us,
Daniel Adams  ............... }
Harriet Adams .............. } .............................. Alpheus B. Smith {seal]
Aaron Smith Jr. ............. } ................................... Eliza Smith [seal]


COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS .............. }
Norfolk SS. June 21 18 34 Then .................................... }
personally appeared the above named ......................... }
Alpheus B. Smith .............................................................. }
acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act }  DEDHAM, August 29 1834
and deed -- before me, .................................................... }  Received, entered  and examined by
Daniel Adams } Justice of the Peace ............................. }  Enos Town Reg.


Unfortunately, the image on the microfilm was not very clear and I had difficulty reading the words in the handwritten portions of the document.  I am not real conversant with the legal terminology used in deeds in this period and place.  


However, it is clear that Alpheus and Eliza Smith are selling their homestead to Simeon Richardson for some reason.  It would not surprise me if they are then renting it from Simeon Richardson for some period of time.


The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2012/02/amanuensis-monday-deed-of-alpheus-b_20.html


Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2012.

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