Amanuensis Monday - Post 278: 1811 Division of Lands of William Sever (1729-1809) of Kingston, 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 1811 division of the Real Estate of William Sever (1729-1809) of Kingston, Plymouth County, Massachusetts:

The transcription of this division of Real Estate is:

[image 1812]

To the Hon. Joshua Thomas Esqr Judge of Probate within & for the County of Plymouth

pursuant to your Warrant to us directed, we the Subscribers have taken a view of the

following pieces or parcels of Real Estate whereof the Hon. William Sever late of Kingston

in said County Esqr deceased died seized in his Mansion house with the Lands ad-

joining and Buildings thereon – the Dwelling house improved by the Widow

Nancy Sever with the Land adjoining, and the Stores & other Buildings thereon -

a House=Lot about one third of an Acre lying in a triangular form & adjoin-

the southerly side of the road leading from said Mansion house to Kingston Meet-

ing house; a large Tract of upland & Salt Marsh lying between Jones River and

the Lands belonging to the Heirs of Isaac Brewster deceased in the north easterly side

of the County road containing Seventy two acres more or less all under Improve-

ment; A Tract of improved Land on the South westerly side of the County road

and adjoining the same lying directly opposite to the last mentioned Tract of seventy two

acres containing sixteen acres more or less; a Tract of pasture Land at the

lowest point of Rocky Nook on the westerly side of John Watson's land containing

twenty four acres more or less; about one acre and a quarter of Salt Marsh

at rocky nook adjoining Jones River, & lying westerly of Pasture Land belonging

to the Heirs of Isaac Brewster deceased; and a Woodlot containing twenty acres

of Land lying about half a Mile north westerly from Kingston Meeting house

& is he same Land the said William Sever Esqr purchased of Sarah Chipman

& William Ripley; all lying & being in said Kingston; and after taking

into consideration the quantity & quality of the several Lots, their respective

Situations, the Buildings, Fences & orchards attached to the same with whatever

use we conceived would increase or diminish their relative value We have

according to our best Judgment made an equal Division thereof & have

assigned & set off to James Sever Esqr one Moiety thereof & the other Moiety to

the Heirs of John Sever deceased in Manner following, viz:

To James Sever Esqr the aforesaid Mansion house and all that part of

the Lands adjoining that lie westerly of a dividing Line, beginning at a stake

easterly of said Mansion house by the road two feet eastward of a poplar Tree and

fourteen rods & two Links Eastward of the south east corner of the School house lot

and from said Stake running North eight degrees west through an apple Tree

to a Stake by the fence in the Line of Land belonging to the Heirs of James

Drew deceased including all the Buildings and privileges & appurtenances

to said Land belonging.

Also thirty six acres and an half of the aforesaid seventy two acre Tract

on the westerly & southwesterly side of the following dividing Line be the

same more or less; beginning at a Stake & Stones by the County road

standing twenty four rods westerly from the south west corner of the Land

belonging to the Heirs of Isaac Brewster deceased, and from said Stake

[image 1813]

running north thirty five degrees east about seventy nine rods

to a Stake & Stones thence north thirty eight degrees west forty seven

rods and an half to a stake by a Stone wall, thence north thirty one

degrees west forty Eight rods & seventeen Links to a large

White oak tree marked on two sides near the Salt Meadow & continuing

the same course through the Tree, thence from the north westerly side

of said Tree north forty six degrees east about nine rods & twenty one

Links to a stake by the side of a small rock & about four or five feet from

the north westerly side of a large Rock near the Salt Meadow thence across

the Salt Meadow north twenty eight degrees and an half west about twenty

two rods to a Stake by the river – including the Barn standing on said

Land and all the privileges & appurtenances to the same belonging;

also that part of rocky nook pasture Land aforesaid that lies westerly

of the following dividing Line viz beginning at a Stake & Stones near the

south easterly corner ^thereof^ in the Line of the Land belonging to the Heirs of Isaac

Brewster deceased & one rod from the Line of Watson's pasture thence

north seven degrees &an half west by a Lot ^of three rods of land^ left undivided for a common

passage way; two rods to a Stake & Stones ^thence south seventy eight degrees east three quarters of a rod to Stake & Stones^ thence north thirteen degrees

west fourteen rods & seven Links to a Stake & Stones thence north about

twenty four degrees west about twenty two rods & an half across the

watering place to a Stake & Stones on the Highland thence north forty

six degrees west forty six rods & seven Links over the easterly part

of a Rock to a Stake and Stones near the same by the Edge of the Bank

near highwater mark thence north seventy eight degrees west to

Jones River, containing twelve acres & fifty nine rods of Land more

or less, together with the privileges & appurtenances to the same

belonging.

Also the ^whole of the aforesaid^ piece of Salt Meadow at Rocky Nook lying between

the pasture Land of the heirs of Isaac Brewster deceased and Jones

River containing one acre & a quarter more or less with the

privileges & appurtenances to the same belonging.

All which we assign & set off to the said James Sever Esqr

his Heirs & assigns to have & to hold the same in severally forever as his

full share of the several Pieces of Real Estate by us

viewed as aforesaid.

[image 1814]

To the Heirs of John Sever deceased a Lot of Land containing one

acre more or less lying opposite to the aforesaid Mansion house, bounded

southerly by the Land of Elisha Stetson & easterly northerly &

westerly by road or Highways with the Dwelling house occupied by the

Widow Nancy Sever the Stores & all other Buildings thereon standing

belonging to the ^Estate of the^ said William Sever Esqr deceased with the privileges &

appurtenances to the same belonging.

Also a piece of Land adjoining the Lot on which the Mansion house of the Hon. Williasm Sever deceased stands &

Also that ^part^ of the Mansion house Lot or Lands adjoining that lies

lying easterly of the following dividing Line ^viz^ beginning at a Stake by the

road eastward of the Mansion house, two feet eastward of a poplar

tree & fourteen rods & two Links eastward of the southeast corner of the

School house lot & from said Stakes running north eight degrees west

through an apple tree to a Stake by the fence in the Line of the Land

belonging to the Heirs of James Drew deceased, with the privileges & appurte-

nances to the same belonging, containing one acre more or less.

Also the trinagular piece of Land or House lot lying on the

southerly side of the road leading from said Mansion house to Kingston

Meerting house containing about one third part of an acre ^more or less^ with

the privileges & appurtenances to the same belonging.

Also a woodlot containing twenty acres more or less lying about

half a mile north westerly from Kingston Meeting house & is

the same Land the said William Sever Esqr purchased of Sarah

Chipman & William Ripley with the privileges belonging to the same.

Also that part of the Seventy two acre Lot aforesaid lying easterly

of the following dividing Line beginning at a Stake by the County road

twenty four rods westerly from the south west corner of Land belonging

to the Heirs of Isaac Brewster deceased & from said Stake running north

thirty five degrees east about seventy nine rods to a Stake & Stones, thence

north thirty eight degrees west forty seven Rods & an half to a Stake by

a stone wall, thence north thirty one degrees west about forty eight rods

& seventeen Links to a large white oak tree marked on two sides near the

Salt meadow & continuing the same Course through the Tree & from the north

westerly side of said Tree north forty six degrees East about nine rods and

twenty one Links to a Stake by the side of a small Rock about four or five

feet from the north westerly side of a large rock near the Salt Meadow, thence

across the Salt Meadow north twenty eight degrees ^and an half^ west about twenty two rods to

a Stake by the River containing thirty five acres & an half ^more or less^ with its privileges

& appurtenances.

[image 1815]

Also the Tract of improved Land aforesaid lying on the south westerly

side of the County road & opposite to the said seventy two acre Lot &

contains sixteen acres of Land more or less with its privileges & appurtenances

& is bounded as follows – beginning at Col Thomas north west corner by

the County road thence by said Thomas land South thirty six degrees west

sixty two rods to Evensons Land & to the fences that separates said improved

Land from woodland thence in the Line of said fence north thirty seven

degrees & an half west fourteen rods thence still in the Line of said fence

north thirty nine degrees west forty eight rods & seven Links to the Lane

leading to the Woodland thence northerly by said Lane & easterly & northerly

by the Land of Elisha Washburn Constant Sampson & the Heirs of Nicholas

Davis junr deceased to the aforesaid County road Thence by said road ^easterly^ thirty

nine rods & seven teen & an half twenty Links to the Bounds first mentioned.

Also that part of the aforesaid twenty four acres of pasture Land lying

at rocky nook that lies eastward of the following dividing Line beginning

at a Stake & Stones in the Line of Watson's pasture two rods northerly from

the land of Isaac Brewster's Heirs thence running north seventy eight degrees

west three quarters of one rod to a Stake ^& Stones^ which also is the second ^third^ bound in

the dividing Line of the western share having two rods three rods of common

Land to be improved by each ^the owners of each share^ as a passage way to their respective Lots;

thence from said the Stake & Stones forming said second bound ^of the eastern & third bound of the western share^ running north

thirteen degrees west fourteen rods & seven Links to a Stake & Stones thence

north about twenty four degrees West across the watering place twenty two

rods & an half to a Stake & Stones on the Highland thence north forty six

degrees West forty six rods & Seven Links over the easterly part of a rock

to a Stake & Stones near the same by the Edge of the Bank near highwater mark

thence north twenty eight degrees west to Jones River, containing

eleven acres & Twenty rods of Land be the same more or less with the

privileges & appurtenances to the same belonging. All which we

assign to set off to the ^said^ Heirs of John Sever deceased their Heirs & assigns

to have & to hold the same in severalty forever as their full share in

the several pieces & parcels of Real Estate by us viewed as aforesaid.

N.B. Liberty is hereby reserved to the Heirs of John Sever deceased to pass & repass over the

Lands assigned to James Sever Esqr for the purpose of carrying of one half of the manuse

now collected thereon.

Kingston May 11^th 1811 Geo. Partridge

Jed^h Holmes

Beza Hayward

Plymouth Ss July 30^th 1811 The foregoing Division of the Estate of the Hom William Sever deceased

having been sworn by Geo. Partridge, Jed^h Holmes & Beza Hayward Esquires above named & the same

having been duly examined ?????????????????????????????????????? the same is hereby ratified & confirmed

Joshua Thomas JProb

The source citation for this record is:

Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Probate estate files, Case No. 17735-17853: Case File 17842, images 1812-1815 of 2015, division of land of William Sever of Kingston, 1811; in "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Estate Files, 1686-1915," digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 14 July 2015); citing Probate Court, Supreme Judicial Court, Boston, Mass.

William Sever died 15 June 1809 in Kingston, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, having written a will in 1802.  His second wife, Mercy (Foster) (Russell) Sever, died 9 February 1810 in Kingston.  The 1802 will of William Sever bequeathed money to the heirs of his three deceased children, and left the remainder of his estate to his two sons, James and John, who were living in 1802.  John Sever died 7 November 1803 in Kingston, leaving his wife Nancy (Russell) Sever (1767-1848) and six children.

The subscribers of the document above divided the six tracts of land essentially equally - several parcels went half to James and half to the Heirs of John, with the dividing line listed in detail.  James received the Mansion house on the North side of the road leading to the Kingston meeting house, and John's heirs received the land, and dwelling house, on the south side of the road, where Nancy, the widow of John, resided.  One of the tracts divided was the Mansion house lot - the dividing line was two feet east of the Mansion house.

My hope was that this description of the Real Estate of William Sever would define how he obtained the Mansion house, or at least identify the neighbors to the Mansion house land.  One neighbor, the heirs of James Drew was to the north of the Mansion house. 

 I still don't know for sure how or when William Sever acquired the land where the Mansion house stands.  It could have been from his father, Nicholas Sever, who was listed as a neighbor in an earlier land record, but I have not found a deed or probate record to confirm that.  It may be that William Sever built the Mansion house on land owned by Nicholas Sever, and that he received it when Nicholas died in 1764 without a specific accounting, since William was the sole heir and executor of the estate of Nicholas Sever.

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Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver

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