This week's document for Amanuensis Monday is a 1787 deed of Ephriam Pratt Jr. of Gardner selling land in Gardner to Simon Gates of Gardner Massachusetts in the Worcester County, Massachusetts Land Records:
The transcription of this deed is:
[page 619 on right-hand page of image]
[in top margin]
Pratt Eph^m j^r to Simon Gates
[body of text, handwritten text in italics]
To all People to whom these Pres-
ents shall come, Greeting. Know ye That I Ephriam Pratt jn^r of Gardner in the
County of Worcester & Commonwealth of Massachusetts Cordwainer
For and in Consideration of the Sum of nine pounds
to me in Hand before the ensealing hereof, well and truly paid by Simon Gates of Gard-
ner in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, Yeoman
the Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, and my self therewith fully satisfied and contented; and thereof,
and of every Part and Parcel thereof, do exonerate, acquit, and discharge him the said Simon Gates, his
Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, forever by
these Presents: HAVE given, granted, bargained, sold, aliened, conveyed, and confirmed; and by these Presents, Do freely,
fully and absolutely give, grant, bargain, sell, aliene, convey and confirm, unto him the said Simon Gates his
Heirs and Assigns forever, A certain tract of Mea-
dow land lying and being in the Easterly part of the Town of Gardner
and contains three Acres & six rods and is part of lot N^o 72 third divi-
sion bound as follows beginning at a hemlock and runs Westerly
eighteen rods to a stake & stones, then turns & runs Southeasterly twenty seven
rods to a stake and stones, thence Northeastly eighteen rods to a stake &
stones, thence Northwesterly running twenty seven rods to a hemlock
to where it first began meaning the Northeastly corner of this a-
abovesaid lot N^o 72 containing the aforesaid sum of three Acres &
six rods be the same more or less.
To HAVE and to HOLD the said granted and bargained Premises, with all Appurtenances, Privileges and Commodities to
the same belonging, or in any wise appertaining to him the said Simon Gates his
Heirs and Assigns forever, to his and their
only proper Use, Benefit, and Behoof forever. And I the said Ephriam Pratt jn^r
for my Heirs, Executors
and Administrators, do Covenant, Promise and Grant, to and with him the ^said^ Simon Gates his
Heirs and Assigns, that before the ensealing hereof, I am
the true, sole, and lawful Owner of the above bargained Premises, and am lawfully seized and possessed of the same in my own
proper Right, as a good, perfect, and absolute Estate of Inheritance in Fee Simple: And have in myself good Right,
full Power, and lawful Authority, to grant, bargain, sell, convey and confirm said bargained Premises in Manner as aforesaid:
And that he the said Simon Gates his Heirs and Assigns, shall and
may from Time to Time, and at all Times forever hereafter, by Force and virtue of these Presents, lawfully, peaceably, and quietly
quietly Have, Hold, Use, Occupy, Posses and Enjoy the said demised and bargained Premises, with the Appurtenances, free and clear, and
freely and clearly acquitted, exonerated, and discharged of, from all and all Manner of former or other Gifts, Grants, Bargains
Sales, Leases, Mortgages, Wills, Entails, Jointures, Dowries, Judgments, Executions, or Incumbrances, of what Name or Nature
soever, that might in any Measure or Degree, obstruct or make Void this present Deed.
Furthermore, I the said Ephriam Pratt jn^r
for my self Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, do Covenant and Engage the above demised Premises to him
the said Simon Gates his
Heirs and Assigns, against the lawful Claims or Demands of any Person or Persons whatsoever, forever hereafter to Warrant, Secure
and Defend by these Presents. In witness whereof I have hereunto sett too my hand &
seal twenty seventh day of February in the year of our Lord
one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven
Signed Sealed & Delivered Ephriam Pratt jun^r {seal}
In presents of us } Worcester ss February y^e 27 1787 - Then
Nicholas Dike } personally appeared and the within named Ephriam Pratt
Sam^ll Dike } jun^r and acknowledged this Instrument to be his
free Act & Deed. Before me,
Nicholas Dike Just. Peace
Rec^d June 9^th 1787 Entered & Examined pr Dan^l Clap Reg.
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 13 January 2015), Worcester County, "Deeds, 1786-1787, Vol. 100-101," Volume 101, Page 619, image 672 of 694, Deed of Ephriam Pratt Jr. to Simon Gates, executed 27 February 1787, recorded 9 June 1787; citing records in land offices and county courthouses, statewide in Massachusetts.
This deed is for a tract of meadow land of 3 acres and six rods on lot 72 in the proprietor's books for Westminster (which later were in the town of Gardner). Simon Gates bought it for 9 pounds from Ephriam Pratt Jr. of Gardner.
Note that this particular record is on a printed form wherein the particulars are written in blank areas, which contributes to the "messy" transcription above. Some blank areas were not written in on some lines. The wording of this deed is much more complex than later deeds in the same County. With this form, a reader can see that there is punctuation and capitalization on the printed form.
Simon Gates (1739-1803), son of Amos and Mary (Hubbard) Gates, who married Susanna Reed (1745-1833) in 1766, is my 5th great-grandfather. I am descended from their son, Nathan Gates (1767-1830) who married Abigail Knowlton (1774-1855) in 1790.
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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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