Amanuensis Monday -- 1795 Deed of Zachariah Rand Selling 12.5 Acres of Land in Westminster, Mass. to Benjamin Seaver

 This week's document for transcription is the 1795 land record for Zachariah Rand, gentleman of Westminster, Massachusetts, selling 12.5 acres of land in Westminster, Massachusetts for £50 to Benjamin Seaver, yeoman of Westminster: 

[Worcester County, Mass. Deed - Volume 203, Page 364]:

The transcription of the deed is (from near the bottom of the left-hand page of image):

To all people to whom these presents shall come Greeting

Know ye that I Zachariah Rand of Westminster in the County

of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Gent'm for

and in consideration the sum of fifty pounds to me in hand

before the ensealing hereof well and truly paid by Benjamin

Seaver of said Westminster in the County and Commonwealth

abovesaid Yeoman.  The receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge

and myself therewith fully satisfied and contented and thereof and

of every part and parcel thereof do exonerate acquit and discharge

him the said Benjamin Sever and 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 alien convey and confirm unto him the

said Benjamin Seaver and his heirs and assigns forever a certain Mes-

suage or tract of upland situate lying and being in the northerly part

of said Westminster and is a peice of land a part of the farm I purchased

of Michael Gill Esq'r containing twelve and one half beginning at

a heap of stones at said Seavers line running on said line eighty rods

to a heap of stones then running twenty five rods on Benj'a ?????s land

then turning Northeasterly to Asa Taylors land from thence twenty five

rods on said Taylors land to where it first began containing twelve acres

and one half.                       To have and to holdthe said granted and bar-

gained premises with all the appurtenances privileges and commodities to the

same belonging or in any wise appertaining to him the said Benjamin

Seaver and his heirs and assigns forever to his and their only proper use

benefit and behoof forever and I the said Zachariah Rand for my myself heirs

Executors and Administrators do covenant promise and grant to and with

the said Benjamin and his heirs and assigns that before the ensealing

hereof I am the true sole and lawful owner of the above bargained prem-

ises and 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 me good right full power and lawful authority to grant bar-

gain sell convey and confirm said bargained premises in manner as aforesaid

and that the said Benjamin Seaver & 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 have hold use occupy

possess and enjoy the said demises and bargained premises with the appur-

tenances free and clear and truly and clearly acquitted exonerated and

discharged of from all and all manner of former or other gifts grants

bargains sales leases Mortgages with entails jointures dowries judgments Exec-

utions or incumbrances of what name or nature forever that might in any

measure or degree obstruct or make void this present Deed.  Furthermore

I the said Zachariah and for myself heirs Executors and Adminis-

trators do covenant and engage the above demised premises to him the said

Benjamin Sever & his heirs and assigns 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 set my hand

and seal this sixteenth day of January in the year of our Lord seventeen

hundred & ninety five.                                Zachariah Rand   {seal}

Signed sealed and delivered  }    Worcester ss Westminster  Jan'y y'e 15'th 1795

in presence of us    }    personally appeared Zachariah Rand the Grantor

Abner Holden     }       and acknowledged this instrument to be his free

Abner Whitney   }       act and Deed before Abner Holden  J. Peace.

Rec'd May 10, 1817  Ent'd & Exam'd pr  O. 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 364 (image 544 of 705), Zachariah Rand to Benjamin Seaver, executed 16 January 1795, recorded 10 May 1817; citing original records in County Courthouses, and on FHL Microfilms.

This deed is for a 12.5 acre parcel of land in Westminster, measuring about 80 rods (1280 feet) by 25 rods (400 feet).  For 50 pounds for 12.5 acres (£4 an acre), it probably does not have any buildings or improvements on it.  Without a lot map it is difficult to determine the location of this property, although it is adjacent to existing property of Benjamin Seaver.

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 eleven years after his marriage, and seven years after his father died and he received land from his father's estate.

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."

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