Monday, May 24, 2021

Amanuensis Monday -- 1794 Deed of David Barnard Selling 40 Acres of Land in Westminster, Mass. to Benjamin Seaver

 This week's document for transcription is the 1794 land record for David Barnard, gentleman of Acton, Massachusetts, selling 40 acres of land in Westminster, Massachusetts for £66 to Benjamin Seaver, yeoman of Westminster: 

[Worcester County, Mass. Deed - Volume 203, Page 363]:

The transcription of the deed is (from top of the right-hand page of image):

Know all Men by these presents that I David Barnard of Acton
in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Gentle-
man.  In consideration of Sixty six pounds paid to me in hand by Benja-
min Seaver of Westminster in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth
aforesaid Yeoman  the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge do hereby give
grant sell and convey to him the said Benjamin Sever his heirs and assigns
forever a certain tract or parcel of land lying in Westminster in the Coun-
ty of Worcester containing forty Acres be the same more or less bounding as
follows viz.: it being Lot N'o. sixty seven in the third division originally
bounded Northardly and Eastwardly on said division Southwardly on lot
No. 68, Westardly on lot N'o. 63 or however otherways bounded or reputed
to be bounded.  To have and to hold the same to the said Benja-
min Sever his heirs and assigns forever to their use and behoof forever and
I do covenant with the said Sever for my heirs and assigns that I am lawfully
seized in fee of the premises that I have good right to sell and convey the same
to the said Benjamin Sever and that I will warrant and defend the same
to the said Benjamin Sever his heirs forever against the lawful claims
and demands of all persons.  In witness whereof I the said David
Barnard together with Hannah my wife have hereunto set our hands &
seals this first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and ninety four.                                 David Barnard    {seal}
Signed sealed and delivered                           Hannah Barnard  {seal}
 in presence of  }    Middlesex Ss  January y'e 1st 1794 personally appeared the above
Jonas Davis     }    named David Barnard and acknowledged the above written
Henry Woods  }    Instrument to be his free act and Deed - before
                                                                        Francis Faulkner  Justice Peace
      Rec'd May 10'th 1817  Ent'd & Exam'd  pr  ? Fiske Reg'r

The source citations for this land record is:

"Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 23 May 2021), Worcester County, "Deeds 1816-1817, vol. 202-203," Volume 203, Page 361 (image 545 of 705), David Barnard to Benjamin Seaver, executed 1 January 1794, recorded 10 May 1817; citing original records in County Courthouses, and on FHL Microfilms.

Since the only bounds are lot numbers, David Barnard probably bought this land after the third division in Westminster was surveyed.  In this 1794 deed, he sells the 40 acre Lot 67 to Benjamin Seaver of Westminster.  It is probably close by the land that Benjamin received from the estate division of his father, Norman Seaver (1734-1787) of Westminster.

Benjamin Seaver (1757-1816) of Westminster, Massachusetts married  Martha (Whitney) Seaver (1764-1832) in 1783, and they had ten children between 1784 and 1812.  Benjamin bought this land soon after his marriage, and before his father died in 1787 and left him more property.

Benjamin Seaver (1757-1816) and Martha Whitney (1764-1832) are my 4th great-grandparents, and Benjamin Seaver (1791-1825) and Abigail Gates (1797-1867) are my 3rd great-grandparents through their son Isaac Seaver (1823-1901).  

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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."

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2021/05/amanuensis-monday-1794-deed-of-david.html

Copyright (c) 2021, Randall J. Seaver

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