Amanuensis Monday - 1809 Deed of Zachariah Hildreth to Zachariah Hildreth Jr. in Townsend, Mass.

This week's document for Amanuensis Monday is the 1809 deed of Zachariah Hildreth of Townsend, Massachusetts to Zachariah Hildreth Junior of Townsend in the Middlesex County, Massachusetts Land Records:

The transcription of this deed is:

[Volume 189, page 31]

Know all men by these Presence that I Zachariah Hildreth of Towns-
end in the county of Middlesex and commonwealth of Massachusetts, 
Gentleman, in consideration of one thousand two hundred dollars paid by 
Zachariah Hildreth Junior of the same Townsend aforesaid, yeoman, 
the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give, grant, sell and 
convey unto the said Zachariah Hildreth Jun^r his heirs and assigns forever
one third part of the said Zach^h Hildreth landed property containing
in the whole about two hundred acres, also one third part of all the build-
ings said Hildreth owneth in Townsend, excepting the dwelling house which
the said Hildreth dos not deed away, the said Zachariah Hildreth Jun^r
is to have one third part of all the farming untenels, and one third part
of the Pew in the meeting house, and one third part of all the live stock
of all kinds excepting the swine, all of which lyeth in Townsend afore-
said, and the land is bounded as follows, viz.: the home sted begining
at the southwest corner of s^d farm and a corner of Nathan Scales land
thence northerly bounding westerly by s^d Scales & Eben^r Ball, northerly
by Isaac Kidder, easterly by Isaac Wallis, Isaac Kidder, and Sarah Green
and southerly by said Sarah Greens land to the first mentioned bounds.
The other lands lyeth in three pieces to wit: Wood, Plain and meadow land
which there is to be had refference to said Hildreth's old deeds as the
 bounds are expressed in said deeds.  To have and to hold the above
granted premises to the said Zachriah Hildreth Jun^r his heirs and
 assigns, to his and their use and behoof forever, and I do covenant with
the said Zachriah Hildreth Jun ^r his heirs and assigns, that I am
lawfully seized in fee of the aforegranted premises, that they are free
of all incumbrances, that I good right to sell and convey the same

[Volume 189, page 32]

to the said Zachriah Hildreth Jun^r ^in manner^ as above expressed, and that I will
warrant and defend the same premises to the said Zachriah Hildreth
Jun^r his heirs and assigns, forever, against the lawful claims and demands
of all persons.  In Witness whereof I the said Zachriah Hildreth with 
Nabby my wife, she releasing her wright of dower or thirds have here-
unto set our hands and seals this twenty forth day of November
 in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine.  
(the word "land" interlined before signing) Zachariah Hildreth and 
seal.  Nabby Hildreth and seal.  Signed sealed and delivered 
in presence of us Josiah Richardson, Fanny Hildreth, Middlesex 
Ss November 24^th 1809.  then the above named Zachariah Hildreth
acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and deed
before me Josiah Richardson, Just of Peace.
                                   Middlesex Ss Cambridge, 7th May 1810.
Received and Entered  by      Samuel Bartlett Reg^r.

The source citation for this recorded deed is:

"Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 23 September 2018), Middlesex County, "Deeds, 1810-1811, Vols. 188-190," Volume 189, page 31 (image 293 of 821), Deed of Zachariah Hildreth to Zachariah Hildreth Jr., executed 24 November 1809, recorded 7 May 1810.

Zachariah Hildreth Junior (1783-1857) was the son of Zachariah Hildreth (1754-1829) and his first wife, Elizabeth Keyes (1759-1793).  This is the second land transaction for Zachariah Junior in the Middlesex County Deed index for 1800 to 1835.

The land sold was one third of 200 acres which is all the Zachariah Hildreth Senior's holdings in Townsend, and does not include his dwelling house.  The bounds provided are, I think, for the entire parcel and not for the one third portion.  Zacharih Senior may have sold other parts of his land during his lifetime to other sons.


A location of this land in Townsend is not provided; perhaps an earlier deed to Zachariah Hildreth Senior mentions the location.  There is no probate record for Zachariah Hildreth, Senior.

Zachariah Hildreth Sr. (1754-1829) is my 4th great-grandfather, and Zachariah Hildreth Jr. (1783-1857) is my third great-grandfather, who married Hannah Sawtell (1789-1857) in 1810.  I am descended through their son, Edward Hildreth (1831-1899) who married Sophia Newton (1834-1923).

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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."

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