Monday, April 16, 2018

Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records for Estate of Edward Richmond (1632-1696) of Little Compton, R.I.

This week's documents for Amanuensis Monday are from the Bristol County, Massachusetts Probate Court records for Edward Richmond (1632-1696) of Little Compton, Rhode Island:

a)  Bristol County (Mass.) Probate Packet 21,447, image 2 of 2:




The transcription of this record is:


Know all men by these presents that we Edward Richmond of
Little Compton in the County of Bristoll in the Province of the Masa-
chusett Bay & Jabez Howland of Bristoll Blacksmith & Joseph Sadie
of said Bristol Mason
Do stand and firmely Bounden and obliged unto John Saffin Esq^r
in the sum of Six Hundred Pounds Currant money in New England
to be payd to him the said John Saffin or to his Successor in
the office of Judge of probate of wills ect^a within the County
aforesaid to which payment well & truly to be made we
Bind our selves Either of us by himself Joyntly & Severally
for and in the whole our & Either & Every of heires Executors
& Administrators firmely by these presents sealed with the seals
Dated at Bristoll this Eight Day of Decemb^r 1696 In the
Eight~ year of his Majesties Reign ect^a

The Condition of this present obligation is such that whereas Admini-
stration is Granted unto the above Bound Edward Richmond upon
the Estat of Cap^t Edward Richmond late of Little Compton Dec^d Iss therefore y^e
said Edward Richmond Administor shall with all Convinient Speed
Bring into the Regist^y office of said County a true & perfect Inventory
of the Estate of the said Dec^d & shall well & truly Administer upon
& Duely & faithfully dispose off all & Singular the goods Chattles
Creditts & Estate left by the said Dec^d unto all & Every person and
persons to whom it Doth of Right pertained in all Reports as the law
directs and shall Render & Exhibit a Just & true account of his
Administraton & Doing therein to the said office at or before the
Tenth Day of January 1697 Then this obligation to be Null
and voyde or Else to stand abide & Remaine in full force power
and vertue.
                                                                   Edward Richmond
Signed sealed & Delivered
in the presence off us Viz.
Christopher Allen
Jabez Howland
       signum
Joseph S Sadie

The source citation for this record is:

Bristol County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Case File 21447 Edward Richmond of Little Compton; "Bristol County (Massachusetts) Probate Records, 1636-1899," digital images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org: accessed 15 April 2018).

b)  Bristol County (Mass.) Probate Court Records (Volume 1, pages 175-177):



The transcription of these records is:


[Volume 1, page 175]


An accompt of debts of my father Capt Edward Richmond which I
have payde, and stand Engaged to pay Since his Decease.

[NOTE:  I did not transcribe the long list of very small debts and estate charges]

The debts and charges totaled 64 pounds, 0 shillings, 7 pence.

The Accompt of Edward Richmond Administrator to the Estate of
Cap^t Edward Richmond late of Little compton Dec^d Exhibbited this
Nineteenth Day of May 1697 and it is as followeth:

[Volume 1, page 176]

Edward Richmand Debt^r to said Estate
as by Inventory 350=06=0

Memorandum that on the Nineteenth
Day of May 1697 Edward Richmond
Administ^r to the Estate of his father
Capt Edward Richmond late of Little compton
Deceased Made oath to the truth of y^e
within written accompt y^e p^r^ticulars
whereof are written on both sids of this
paper & Broght to a Ba?? as in y^e
Contra the day & year above written
Coram me                                John Saffin
John Gary Regis^r

Edward Richmond Contra ????

By Debts payd out of the Estate to severall
persons Claiming for other Necessary
Charges ….............................................. £ 64=00=07
And for severall parts of y^e s^d Estat
Delivered to the several Children
the sum amouting to …............................................ 287=19=10
as under their hands & seales may
appeare                                   Sum Totall 351=19=10
                                                                  Inventory 350=06=00
                                                  over payd 001=13=10


John Saffin Esq^r Commissionated by his Ex^cy S^t Wm Philpot Kn^t Capt. Gen^ll &
Govern^r in Chieffe in & over his Majesties Province of the Masachusett Bay in
New England with the Advise & Consent of the Councell for the granting of probate
of will & Letters of Admist^con within the County of Bristoll. To all to whom these
presents shall Come Greeting. Know yee That it hath been Made appear before
Me that Edward Richmond Son to and Administrat^r of all & Singular the Goods
Chattels Rights & Credits of his father Cap^t Edward Richmond late of Little comp-
ton Dec^d which he had whilest he lived and at the time of his Death that have
Come to his hands & Possession of the said Administrator, And hath made & Render-
ed a plaine & true accompt of his said Administration upon Oath Annexed to
these presents In full of the Inventory of the same by him Exhibitted into
the Court and Remaineing in the Registry thereof I Do therefore Discharge the
said Administ^r from all other Accompts or Reconing in this behalfe to be Rendered or
Given so far as it Concerns my office And so far & so long as he shall Remaine
Inconvirt of any fraud or Deceit Et Salvo jure ??????? I Do finally Dismiss him
by these presents. In Testimony whereof I have Caused the seale of the s^d Court to be
hereunto affixed. Dated in Bristoll the Nineteenth of Day of may 1697 In the
Ninth year of his Majestyes Reigne.                              John Saffin
John Gary Regist^r
Thus Entered & Recorded May 19 1697 By John Gary Regist^r.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Joynt Agreement of the Divission of Capt. Edward Richmond, late Deceased
his Estate among his Children as followeth. Every one fully Satisfied Contented
therewith and hereby Joyntly & Severally for our Heires Executors Administrators
Do Exonerate acquitt & Discharge each other for ever. In witness whereof we have
hereunto sett our hands & seales this Tenth Day of December one Thousand six
Hundred Ninety Six 1696.

Edward Richmond for Lands ...................................................................... 36-03-04
for moveables .......................................................................... ..........................27-16-06
John Richmond in his own Right & the Right of his Sister Abigail Remanton lands .. 36-03-04
for moveables .......................................................................... ..........................27-16-06
William Palmer for lands ...................................................................... ......18-01-08
for moveables .......................................................................... ..........................13-18-03
John Palmer for lands ...................................................................... ............18-01-08
for moveables .......................................................................... .......... ...............13-18-03

[Volume 1, page 177]

Silvester Richmond for lands ............................................................. .........18-01-08
for moveables .................................................................. ..................................13-18-03
Sarah Richmond for lands ............................................................... ............18-01-08
for moveables ......................................................... ........ ..................................13-18-03
Thomas Burge for lands ........................................ ...................... ...............18-01-08
for moveables .................................................................. ..................................13-18-03
                                                                                                                    -------------
                                                                                                ..                     287-19-03

Memorandum y^t on y^e 19^th Day of may 1697 that
above written Instrument under y^e hands and                                Edw^d Richmond   {seal}
Seales of the persons herein Named (being
all of them Children of Cap^t Edward Richmond                            John Richmond      {seal}
Late of Little compton Deceased) was Exhibitted                                     Signum
into the Registers Office for y^e County of                                     William W Palmer  {seal}
Bristoll Containeing a Divission of the Estate
of the s^d Edward Richmond, And p^r^sented                                John Palmer            {seal}
unto John Saffin Esq^r Judge of Probates
ect^a within the County afores^d and by s^d                                  Silvester Richmond {seal}
Judge Examined was approved and allowed
& by him ordered to be put upon Record. In                                   Thomas Burge        {seal}
Testimon whereof he hath hereunto Sub-                                                Signum
scribed In the ninth year of his Majesties                                        Sarah S Richmond  {seal}
Reign                                     John Saffin
John Gary Regist^r.

Thus Entered & Engrossed May 19^th 1697 By Jn^o Gary Record^r.

The source citation for these records is:

"Probate Records, 1687-1916; Index, 1687-1926 [Bristol County, Massachusetts]", digital microfilm images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 15 April 2018),"Probates, v. 1-4 1687-1723 Vol. 3 ends p. 337 (1710-1716), Lacking 1717-1720. Vol. 4 begins 1721" (US/CAN microfilm 0,461,882)," Volume 1, pages 175-177 (images 96-7 of 745), Edward Richmond administration papers.

Edward Richmond (1632-1696) married (1) Abigail Davis (1637-1682) in 1658 in Newport, and they had eight children born between 1658 and 1672.  He married (2) Amy Bull (1632-1696) in 1678, and they had two children.  Edward Richmond died in November 1696, and his wife Amy died in December 1696.

It is not known if son Edward Richmond received all of the estate and had to pay all of his siblings their share, or if the real estate and personal estate were sold and Edward divided the proceeds between the children, after paying the debts and charges.  Note that Edward made an error in the account and overpaid the heirs by 1 pound, 13 shillings, 10 pence.

The heirs to whom the estate was distributed were:  Edward Richmond, John Richmond (who claimed his sister Abigail Remington's portion also), William Palmer (husband of daughter Mary Richmond), John Palmer (husband of daughter Elizabeth Richmond), Silvester Richmond, Thomas Burge[ss] (husband of daughter Esther Richmond), and Sarah Richmond (an unmarried daughter in 1697?).  There is no mention of the children, Ann Richmond and Henry Richmond that Edward Richmond had with Amy Bull, although they were living in 1697.  

Edward Richmond received a double share of the estate as the oldest son, according to Massachusetts Bay Colony laws.  John Richmond received his own share and his sister Abigail (Richmond) Remington share.  Why?  Perhaps it was because Abigail Richmond had married John Remington (1650-1688) in 1679 and resided in Kingstown, Rhode Island in 1697.

The eldest son, Edward Richmond, was named the administrator of the intestate estate.  Apparently, The inventory is not included in any probate record.  The bond and letter of administration is in the Bristol County, Mass. probate case file.  The list of debts, account, and division of the estate are listed in the Bristol County, Mass. Probate Court clerk volumes.  

Edward Richmond was a resident and property owner in Little Compton, now in Bristol County, Rhode Island.  In 1697, the Bristol County, Massachusetts probate court handled the Edward Richmond estate, and probably the estates of other Little Compton residents.

Interestingly, these two sets of probate records do not contain the records in the other set.  There was no index entry for Edward Richmond for 1697 in the Ancestry.com index (which is not surprising - Ancestry did a poor job of indexing the wills and probate records).  

Edward and Abigail (Davis) Richmond are my 9th great-grandparents.  I descend through their daughter, Abigail (Richmond) Remington (1656-1744), who married John Remington (1650-1688).


==============================================

NOTE:  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 URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/04/amanuensis-monday-probate-records-for_16.html

Copyright (c) 2018, Randall J. Seaver


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