Monday, August 15, 2016

Amanuensis Monday - Post 334: Estate of Peter Adams (1622-1690) of Medfield, Mass.

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent  TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday."  John offers this definition for "amanuensis:" 

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

The subject today is the bond and distribution of the estate of Peter Adams (1622-1690) of Medfield, Massachusetts:




The transcription of these records is:

[page 185, image 100 of 615, right hand page, lower portion]

Peter Adams Sr. Bond
Case No. 1770

Know all men by these presents that we Peter Adams
of Medfield, James Alby of Mendon, and Nathaniel Fox
of Boston in the County of Suffolk in New England
are holden & firmly bound unto Mr. Adam Winthrop
Treasurer of the County of Suffolk aforesd in the sum
of foure hundred pounds currant money of New England
to be payd unto him sd Adam Winthrop his Succes^rs in

[page 186]

that office or Assignes To the true paym^t of w^ch said
Sum we bind o^r selves o^r heires Execut^rs & Adm^rs joint-
ly & severally firmely by these presents Sealed with o^r
Seales dated in Boston December the fourth Anno Dni
1690, Annoqe R-R^s et Reginair Guilielmi et Mariae Angliae
&c secundo.

The Condition of this obligation is such that whereas Adm^con
to the Estate of Peter Adams late of Medfield dec^d dying
intestate was granted to Peter Adams of sd Medfield
son of the dec^d. If therefore the above bound Peter Adams
do make and exhibit a just & true Inventory of all the
goods, chattles rights & Credits of the dec^d upon oath and
do well & truly administer the same presenting unto the
County Court for Suffolk a true account of his Adm^con
and shall likewise be accountable to sd Court for sd Estate
when called thereunto so farre as the law will charge
him therewith then this present obligation to be voyd
& of none effect otherwise to remaine in full force and
virtue.
Sealed & delivered                   Petter Admes (Seal)
in presence of us                             Signum
Thomas Savage                        James T. Alby (Seal)
Joseph Webb                                  Signum
                                                 Nath^ll F. Fay (Seal)

Agreem^t for Distribu^t Medfield Aprill the 1, 1691

Wee the Children of Peter Adams of Medfield in the
County of Suffolk in New England Deceased Doe here-
by Each one own and acknowlidge our Selves fully Sat-
isfyed and Contente with the Division of the Estate of our
Said father Peter adams having Each one Received our
part as here followeth humbly Craveing the honnered
Courts Exceptation of said Division and Confirmation
and Setleing said Estate accordingly as wittnesse our
hands and seals.

To Peter Adams 19 acres of land and Swampy meadow
on the west side of Charles River and fourteen acres of
woodland on the west side of Charles River and 7 acres of
woodland more on said side the River and 2 acres of
meadow and halfe in grape medow and one horse one
steer and a blankitt all Estimated att £54 00s 00d.

To John Fisher and hanah his wife one fourth part
of the buildings and Land and meadow in the lower side

[page 187]

of the way and one 4th part of a litle prcell of Land on
the North side of the way and five acres of pine Swamp
and halfe that Lot in bridgstreet plain Lying between the
Lots of Edward Adams and Alexander Lowell one cow
and calfe bedstead teekins pillow sheets ax Jacks sythe
forks hows and sickells all Estimated att £27 00s 00d.

To John Adams one fourth part of the buildings and Land
and meadow on the lower side of the way and one 4th part
of a little prcell of Land on the North side of the way and
one acre and halfe of Swamp by harbor Iland 2 acres on
bridgstreet plain and halfe Stop River wood lot and
halfe 7 acres and one Rood of Land in Reversion to be laid
out one ox one chain and Cart Rope all Estimated att £27 00s 00d.

To Joseph Adams one fourth part of the buildings and
land and mead Dow the lower side of the way and one
4th part of a litle prcell of land Lying on the North sid
of the way and one acre and halfe of Swamp by har-
bor Iland and two acres of land on bridgstreet plain
and halfe Stop River wood lot and halfe 7 acres and
a Rood of Land in Reversion to be laid out and one ox
yoaks plow and bridle all Estimated att £27 oos 00d.

To Mary Adams one fourth part of the buildings and
Land and meadow on the lower side of the way and one
4th part of a litle prcell of Land Lying on the North side
of the way and ten acres Land at Long plaine feather
bed great Kitle and other houselstoof one Cow and one
Swine                               all Estimated at £27 00s 00d.

To Ruth Adams one hundred and one acres of Land
att the New grant and bed and beding brasse Kitle and
other houselstoof one horse and two swine
                                       all Estimated att £27 00s 00d.

To Ensigne Edward Adams Gardian for Sam^ll adams
one of the heirs of said Estate two acres and halfe of
meadow in the uper broad meadow and one wood lot
Northward of said Town and two acres of upland
in bridgestreet plaine on that side Next allexander
Lowells Land and five acres of pine Swamp and
five acres of Land on the west side of Charls River one
Cow and steer and other moveables.
                                     All Estimated att £27 00s 00d.

Further wee the said Subscribers
Doe hereby bind and ingage Peter Adams (seal)

[page 188]

our Selves heirs and Assigns that
in case any more Debts apeer Due
from said Estate then wee                     John Fisher {Seal)
will Each on bare our Equall share      Hannah h Fisher
in paying Such Debts according          John Adams (Seal)
to our interest in said Estate and          Joseph Adams (Seal)
also to bare our share in paying          Mary A Adams (Seal)
what Debts now appere in case
there be not Estat Left undivid                hir mark
in said Estat to pay them                    Ruth R Adams (Seal)
Sealed in the presence of us.                  Signum.
Georg Fairbanks                                Edward Adams (Seal)
Joseph Wheeler                                as Guardian of
                                                          Sam^ll Adams

Boston, April 3th 1691
Peter Adams, John Fisher & Hannah Fisher one of the
daughters of Peter Adams, John Adams, Joseph Adams
Mary Adams Ruth Adams Edward Adams as Guard-
ian of Samuel Adams, the Children of Peter Adams
late of Medfield dec^d did all personally appeare before
the County Court then sitting in Boston and did
all acknowledge their severall hands & seales and that
it was their Act & Agreem^t for the settling of the Estate of
their late Father Peter Adams and that they were
there w^th content desire mss. msg firme the same
which was accordingly done.
                                              Attest: Joseph Webb Cler.


Know all men by these presents that I George fair-
bank of Medfield in the County of Suffolk in New England
having formerly married the Daughter of Peter Adams
of said Medfield in said County and having issue
by her and said Peter Adams my father in Law Die-
ing in intestate and upon Division of Said Estate
Said George fairbanks having Received fourteen Pounds
of said estate and also considering what I formerly
Received of my said father in law whear with I ack-
nowlidge myselfe well Sattisfied and Contented,
have and hereby Doe for my Selfe heirs Executors
administrators and Assignes forever Aquitt Discharg
and Exhonnerate the heires executors administrators
and Assignes of Said estate and also Doe hereby bind
and ingage my Selfe heires Executors administrators

[page 189]

and assigns that I or any of them shall not make
any other Claime of any part or Demand of any in-
terest in said Estate and also to warrant and Defend
the same against the lawfull Claims of mine or any
under them as witness my hand and Seal this
tenth Day of January Sixteen hundred ninety ninety
one.
Signed Sealed and Delivered
in the presence of
Edward Adams                     Georg fairbank (Seal)
Sam^ll Barbur
George Fairbank came into Court April 5 1691 and
owned this to be his Act & deed.
                                          Attest. Joseph Webb Cler.

The source citation for this record is:

Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991, indexed database with digital images,Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), citing Suffolk County [Mass.] Probate Records, 1636-1899, "Probate Records, Vol. 3-4, 1636-1776," Volume 3, pages 185-189, Peter Adams of Medfield Estate, 1691.

In the distribution of the intestate estate of Peter Adams (1622-1691) of Medfield, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, the following heirs were named:

*  Peter Adams (son)
*  John Fisher and Hannah Fisher (daughter of Peter Adams)
*  John Adams (son)
*  Joseph Adams (son)
*  Mary Adams (daughter)
*  Ruth Adams (daughter)
*  Samuel Adams (son, Edward Adams his guardian)

George Fairbank may have married either Mary Adams or Ruth Adams after the distribution was decided upon, and received £14 as a share (although Mary and Ruth each received £27 pounds as their share).

Note that the son, Peter Adams, received £54 and the other named heirs received £27, indicating that Peter Adams was the eldest son and received a double share.  

This record as presented above and found in the Ancestry Massachusetts Wills and Probate collection is definitely a probate court clerk's transcription of an earlier record, and may even be a second or third transcription.  As such, it is a Derivative Source record, with Primary Information and Direct Evidence for the heirs and their shares of the estate of Peter Adams of Medfield.

Peter Adams (1622-1690) and Rachel Newcomb (1654-????) of Medfield, Massachusetts are my ninth great-grandparents.  I am descended through their daughter, Hannah (Adams) Fisher (1654-1746), wife of John Fisher (1652-1727), also of Medfield.  

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