Monday, February 8, 2016

Amanuensis Monday - Post #306: 1788 Inventory of Norman Sever (1734-1787) Estate

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 1788 Inventory of the estate of Norman Sever (1734-1787) in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts:

[images 16-17, some overlap]


[image 18]


The transcription of this inventory is (transcribed line by line):

[images 16-17]

The Inventory of the Estate of Cap Norman Sever
late of Westminster in the County of Worcester and
Commonwealth of Massachusetts deceased died seized
and possessed of viz:

The House Lot containing one hundred
and Six Acres with the building appraised at
£ 212 ~ “ ~ “
A piece of Land lying in common with      
Timothy Hayward Sam'l Miller Wm Murdock
      3 ~ “ ~ “
To Wearing Apparrel       2 ~ 7 ~ 6
Two Oxen     13 ~ “ ~ “
The black Stear £10 Red Do £9     19 ~ “ ~ “
Two Red Cows £7 ~ 4 two brow Cow £6         13 ~ 4 ~ “
One red Heifer £2~11 the Beef Heifer £ 1~12       4 ~13 ~ “
Three Yearling Heifers £ 4 – two Cattle £1-12       6 ~12 ~ “
One Horse £10 one Mare £10     20 ~ “ ~ “
2 Bushels Rye 8/ 50 Bushels Corn £7~10       7 ~18 ~ “
60 Bushels Portatoes £3 one Bushel Flax seed       3 ~ 4 ~ “
1 Cart £2~14 Six Tons English Hay £8     10 ~14 ~ “
4 Tons Medow Hay       4 ~ “ ~ “
2 Axes 4/ one Shovel 4/6 three Hoes 2/       “ ~11 ~ 6
1 Pick Axe 3/ one Chain 4/6 one Steel Trap 4/11       “ ~11 ~ 6
Bedle and Wedges 2/ dung Fork 4/       “ ~ 6 ~ “
1 Scythe 1/6 2 Sets of Scythe tackling 3/       “ ~ 4 ~ 6
2 Plow Shares £1~2 two Iron Bars £1~2       2 ~ 4 ~ “
1 Set of Stone tackling 12/ old Barrels 5/       “ ~17 ~ “
1 Stone Hammer 1/6 Slate 1/6 old Pails 1/6       “ ~ 4 ~ 6
1 Grind Stone 4/ Trowels 3/4 Brick 8/       “ ~16 ~ 4
1 Hay putter 1/ pair of Span 1/ Pitch forks 3/       “ ~ 5 ~ “
1 Bed and Bedding       3 ~ “ ~ “
2 old Beds and Furnature for the Same       2 ~14 ~ “
6 sheets £1~4 three old Towels 4/6       1 ~ 8 ~ 6
1 Case of drawers £1~16 one Chest 3/       1 ~19 ~ “
2 Looms and Furnature for the Same       1 ~12 ~ “
2 Pewter Platters 8/ Six puter Plates 4/6       “ ~12 ~ 6
3 Pewter Basons 3/ Six Spoons /8       “ ~ 3 ~ 8
1 pewter Plater 4 old Pewter 5/       “ ~ 9 ~ “
Knives & Forks 3/ 1 Flatiron 2/       “ ~ 5 ~ “

£ 337 ~16 ~ 6

[image 18]

Brought over £ 337 ~16 ~ 6
To 1 Meatbag 1/6 one old Table 2/6        “ ~ 4 ~ “
1 Pair Tongs 2/ Gridirons 3/ eight Chains 8/       “ ~13 ~ “
1 Iron Pot 6/ old Iron Kettle 2/ Brass Kettle 6/       “ ~14 ~ “
1 Tea Kettle 3/ large Iron Kettle 7/       “ ~10 ~ “
2 Saddles & Bridles £3~17 two old Guns 15/       4 ~12 ~ “
2 old Yoaks 6/ Shop Tools £1~6~4       1 ~12 ~ 4
30 lbs of Flax       “ ~15 ~ “
Notes Due   £ 28 ~ 2 ~ 11

£ 374 ~ 9 ~ 9
                                                                                             Real    215

   159 ~ 19 ~ 9

Westminster 1 May 1788
                                              William Edggel  }
                                              Jonas Puffer       } Appraisers
                                              Edward Jackson }

Jany 3d 1792
Sarah Seaver Adm'r Sworn
in ????????
      Before
Worcester ?? Jan 3d 1792 Personally appeared Sarah
Sever Adm'r on the Estate of Norman Sever late of
Westminster dec'd and made Oath to the within Inventory
in due and usual form.
                                  Coram Jos. Dorr J. Prob.

The source citation for this record is:

Worcester County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Case file 52914, Norman Sever, 1788 inventory (images 16-18 of 25); "Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881," digital images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org: accessed 2 January 2016); citing original records from Worcester County (Mass.) Probate Court.

The inventory monetary values are in English pounds - shillings - pence; 12 pence make a shilling, and 20 shillings make a pound sterling.  

Norman Sever died at age 53, in the prime of his life, by falling off the roof of the new Westminster meetinghouse.  He had a wife and 11 living children, aged 7 to 32, at the time.  This inventory is part of the 25 page probate packet in the Worcester, Massachusetts Probate Court files.  

The inventory indicates that he had some livestock, lots of tools, some provisions, some furniture, some kitchen utensils and pots, etc.  He had a 106 acre homestead with timber and meadows and access to a stream on Beech Hill in the northern part of Westminster.  

Norman and Sarah (Read) Seaver are my 5th great-grandparents through their son Benjamin Seaver (1757-1816), who married Martha Whitney (1764-1832).

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Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

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