Amanuensis Monday -- 1802 Personal Inventory of Estate of Phineas Brigham (1755-1802) of Westborough, Mass.

This week's document is the 1802 Inventory to appraise the intestate estate of Phinehas Brigham (1755-1802) of Westborough, Massachusetts in Probate Packet 7,427 in Worcester County, Massachusetts.  

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The transcription of this personal Inventory  is:

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An Inventory of the Estate of Phinehas Brigham late of Westborough in the county of Worcester deceased appraised upon oath by us the subscribers, duly appointed to that service by the Hon. Nathaniel Paine Esq'r Judge of Probate of wills for said County, Viz. A Dwelling house Situate and being on the Land of Jon'a Forbes which we appraise at by the consent of the said Forbes	$ 20 . 00
Personal Estate we Appraise as followeth viz.	Dol . Cents
1 Bed with the beding & curtains & the stead & bed cord @	13 . 00
I other old Bed with all the beding stead & cord @	11 . 00
3 old sheets 3.50 A pair of pillar cases 1.50	5 . 00
3 Table cloths 2.66 5 Towels 1.25	3 . 91
2 Platters 6 plates 1 Tea pot 16 Table and Tea spoons	3 . 40
1 q't Pot 1 ponger 1 Tea cannister & pepper box	0 . 40
Glass and Crockery ware 1.50 one case of Draws 6	7 . 50
Looking glass .50 one case of old bottles .75 old Juggs .40	1 . 65
Old iron ware 1.50 gridiron .75 bread trough & sive .50	2 . 75
Tin ware .40 wooden boxes & Bellows 1.00 flat iron .50	1 . 90
Fire stirr .75 skimmer lid pan & burning iron .50	1 . 25
½ case of knives & forks .40 a basket o& a number of old knives .50	0 . 90
Old basket .33 spools o& 4 shuttles 1.33 Cloath basket full of Rags And 1 pair of Cards & one old bed pan .75	2 . 00
13 Skaines of tow yarn and some Old bags .58	0 . 58
4 red Chairs 1.50 two Old Chairs .50 an old loom & warping band 1.50	3 . 50
A Large fire settle 1.00 Six Cyder Barrel 2.00	3 . 00
7 Dry carts 1.00 one meat tub .83 quill wheel real old Iron .75	2 . 58
A large Baize gown 1.50 one straight bodied Coat 1.00	2 . 50
A waistcoat 1.00 one Jackcoat .50	1 . 50
2 pair small Cloathes .92 three pair of Overhalls 1.66	2 . 58
3 pair of Socks .34 three flannel shirts 2.25	2 . 59
	$ 84 . 55
Carried forward

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Personal Estate Brought over	Dol Cents $ 84 . 55
1 pair of mitts 1 old blanket and an old hat	1 . 16
1 Kitchen Table 1.00 one raisor .25	1 . 25
A number of pieces of sole & upper leather	0 . 66
1 swine a year old	10 . 00
Total personal estate	$ 97 . 62
1 Iron ???? and Share at 1.33 added	1 . 33
	$ 98 . 95
` David Fay } Jonathan Fay } Appraisers Westborough Aug't 12 1802 Thos Smith }

The source citation for this probate record is:

Worcester County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Probate Packet 7427 (16 pages) intestate estate of Phineas Brigham of Westborough, 1802; "Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881," digital images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org: accessed 15 March 2020); Original records in Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Phineas Brigham (1755-1802) died on 12 August 1802 in Westborough, Massachusetts, leaving his second wife Hannah (Jackson) Brigham and five of his seven children between the ages of 8 and 22, all children of his first wife, Lydia Batherick.  

In the intestate estate, Eli Brigham, the eldest son, declined appointment as administrator of the estate of his father.  The widow, Hannah (Jackson) Brigham accepted appointment as administratrix with  Joseph Jackson, probably Hannah's brother, on 1 September 1802.  They posted bond of $2000 on 1 September 1802, backed by David Nelson and Nathan Jackson.

The Inventory was taken on 12 August 1802 by David Fay, Jedidiah Fay and Thomas Smith, all gentlemen of Westborough who were appointed by the probate court.  There was no real property in the estate, and the inventory showed $98.95 of personal property.  The administrators charged themselves with the personal property, paid off debts totaling $92, and requested $18.25 in administration costs and fees on 3 April 1804, which was approved by the Court.  

The inventory reflects a very poor couple in 1802, with personal property of some furniture, some clothes, some kitchen items, and one swine.  Where are items for the five living children?  Perhaps the children were taken in by a Brigham or Batherick sibling.

Phineas and Lydia (Batherick) Brigham are my probable 4th great-grandparents through their son Lambert Brigham (1794-1834) who married my Sophia Buck (1797-1882) in 1817 in Sterling, Massachusetts.  I am descended through their apparent daughter, 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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