Monday, May 16, 2022

Amanuensis Monday -- 1856 Will of Jesse Seaver of Townsend, Massachusetts

This week's document for transcription is from the 1860 Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Court estate papers for the testate estate of Jesse Seaver of Townsend, Massachusetts. 

a)  Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records - Case File 41275, image 2 of 8:

The transcription of this page is:

a)  Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records - Case File 41275, image 2 of 8:

Be it remembered that I Jesse Sea-
ver of Townsend in the county of Mid-
dlesex being as I trust of sound dis-
posing mind & memory but mindful of
the uncertainty of life do make publish
& declare this my last Will & Testament
hereby revoking all former Wills by me
heretofore made, in manner following viz

1st. I order all my just debts & Funeral Ex-
penses & the expense of settling my estate
to be paid as soon as convenient after
my decease out of my estate.

2d. I give, devise & bequeath all the rest &
residue of my estate Real Personal & Mix-
ed of every kind & description wherever
situate & however bounded as described
unto my wife Elizabeth Seaver to have
& to hold the same to her, her heirs & as-
signs to her use & behoof forever.

3d. I constitute & appoint my wife Eliza-
beth Seaver sole Executrix of this my last 
Will & Testament.

In Witness whereof I the said Jesse Seaver have
hereunto set my hand & seal this nineteenth
day of December AD 1856.

Signed Sealed Published & Declared
by the said Jesse Seaver as his last
Will & Testament in Presence of us who     Jesse Seaver
in his presence & at his request
have set our hands as Wit-
nesses hereunto.
  Granville Wood
  Joseph Adams
  F.A. Worcester

The source citation for this probate record is:

Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Case file 41275 (8 images), Jesse Seaver of Townsend, 1860; "Middlesex County (Massachusetts) Probate File Papers, 1648-1871," digital images, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, American Ancestors  (https://www.americanancestors.org: accessed 15 May 2022).

Jesse Seaver was born 12 March 1786 in Townsend, Massachusetts, the son of Thomas and Hannah (Wood) Sever.  He married Elizabeth "Betsey" Warren (1786-1865) on 13 October 1810 in Mason, New Hampshire.  She was the daughter of Henchman and Esther (Taylor) Warren.  Jesse died on 18 December 1859 in Townsend, Massachusetts.  They had one known child:

*  Sarah E. Seaver (1832-????) who was in the 1850 census with her parents.

The 1830 and 1840 census had other young persons in the family who may have been children or perhaps boarders or employees.

In his will, he named only his wife as an heir.  Perhaps the daughter Sarah died after 1850 or married and moved away from Massachusetts, although we would expect her to be named if she was living in 1856.

The papers in the Probate File 41,275 in Middlesex County Probate Court records include:

*  10 January 1860:  Order by Probate Court to appear on the second Tuesday of February in Cambridge.  She appeared and made oath on 14 February 1860.

* 14 February 1860:  Elizabeth Seaver of Townsend, Middlesex MA, widow, filed the will of Jesse Seaver late of Townsend, yeoman.

*  14 February 1860:  Will presented, witnesses testified under oath, and will proved.

*  14 February 1860:  Bond of $8000 presented by sureties Elizabeth Seaver and William Adams.  

There is no inventory or account for this probate case.

Jesse Seaver was my 4th cousin 6 times removed, with our common Seaver ancestor being Robert Seaver (1608-1683) of Roxbury, Massachusetts.  

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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."

Read other transcriptions for records of my ancestors at Amanuensis Monday Posts.

Copyright (c) 2022, Randall J. Seaver

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