Monday, July 18, 2022

Amanuensis Monday -- 1802 Will of Anna Seaver (1759-1802) of Cambridge, Massachusetts

This week's document for transcription is from the 1802 Middlesex County, Massachusetts will of Anna Seaver (1759-1802) of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

a)  Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records - Case File 20053, image 2 of 12:

b)  Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records - Case File 20063, image 3 of 12:

The transcription of this handwritten will is:

In the Name of God Amen.  I Anna Seaver of
Cambridge in the County of Middlesex, Single Woman,
being weak in body, but of Sound and disposing mind
and memory, blessed be God for the same, do make
and publish this my last will and Testament in Man-
ner and form following (that is to say) First I give
and bequeath unto the Reverend Joseph Grafton, Pastor
of the Baptist Church in Newton (of which I am a
member) the Sum of thirty Dollars to be paid him
by my Executor hereinafter named as soon as Conve-
niently may be after my decease.  Secondly to my
Brother Ebenezer Seaver, I give the improvement of
my half of the dwelling house in which he now lives,
and all my part of my land which lies on the Westerly side
of the proprietors way leading by said house, 
during his natural life.  Also, the present years rent of all
my Real Estate (ending in April next) And it is
my will that if my said Brothers present wife Should 
Survive him, that she shall have the improvement
of the same premises during her natural life free
of any Rent.  Thirdly All my other Estate
whether Real personal or mixed wheresoever the same
may be found, I give, devise and bequeath to my brothers
John Seaver & Richard Seaver and to my Sisters Eliza-
beth Burrage, Jerusha Park, Sarah Whitney, Abigail
Seaver, Mary Seaver, and Hannah Adams, in Equal
Shares.  Finally I do hereby Constitute 
and Appoint John Kenrick Jr. of Newton in said
County Gentleman Sole Executor of this my last
Will and Testament hereby Revoking all former
wills by me made.  In Witness Whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and Seal this Twenty ninth day
of October in the year of our Lord one Thousand
eight hundred and two.
                                          anna Seaver
Signed Sealed pronounced and
declared by the said Anna
Seaver to be her last will
and testament, in the presence 
of us Who have hereunto Sub-
scribed our names as Witnesses
in the presence of the testator.
    Stephen Dana
    Samuel Sparhawk
     Ebenezer Hovey

The source citation for this probate record is:

Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Case file 20063 (12 images), Anna Seaver of Cambridge, 1802; "Middlesex County (Massachusetts) Probate File Papers, 1648-1871," digital images, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, American Ancestors  (https://www.americanancestors.org: accessed 17 July 2022).

The estate file for the testate probate of Anna Seaver (1759-1802) contains 12 images, including:

*  images 2-3 - Will of Anna Seaver
* image 4 - 8 December 1802:  Letters testamentary by John Kenrick Jr. and witnesses
*  image 5 - 13 November 1802:  Affidavit approving the will by Sarah Whitney, Mary Seaver, Abigail Seaver and John Seaver
*  image 6 - 8 December 1802:  Bond of John Kenrick Jr., Stephen Dana and John Seaver of $30,000.
*  image 7 - 8 December 1802:  Order to Stephen Dana, Samuel Sparhawk and Nathaniel Champney to take an inventory.
*  images 8-9 - 16 December 1802:  Inventory by subscribers - personal estate of $135.71 and real estate of $485.00.
*  image 10 - 8 December 1802:  Affidavit of John Kenrick Jr. that he posted notice in the newspaper for 3 weeks starting 15 December 1802.
*  image 11 - 7 March 1804:  Account of John Kenrick Jr., showing credits of $170.71 and Debts or charges of $181.23, leaving the estate $10.52 short.
*  image 12 - 8 October 1803:  Affidavit of Joseph Grafton offering to repay the $30 bequeathed to him in case the estate was insufficient.

Anna Seaver was born 9 August 1759, the 11th child of Andrew and Elizabeth (Boylston) Seaver of Cambridge.  She died before 13 November 1802 in Cambridge.  She did not marry or have children.

Anna Seaver (1759-1802) is my 3rd cousin 7 times removed.  Our common Seaver ancestor is my 9th great-grandfather, Robert Seaver (1608-1683).

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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.

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