Monday, December 26, 2022

Amanuensis Monday -- 1842 Will of Molley Seaver (1766-1845) of Gardner, Massachusetts

 This week's document for transcription is the will of Molley Seaver of Gardner, Massachusetts, in Worcester County estate file 52911, written in 1842 and proved in 1845. 

Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records - Case File 52912 image 3 of 22:

Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records - Case File 52912 image 4 of 22:

The transcription of this will is:

I Molley Seaver of Gardner County of Worcester
and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, considering
the uncertainty of this mortal life do make and
publish this my last will and Testament in manner
and form following viz.  I give to Louisa Wife of
Aaron Seaver my plaid shawl, and one half of
all the remainder of my wearing apparel; the 
remaining half of my wearing apparel I give to my
Daughter in law Lydia Bancroft.  I also give to 
said Lydia my large rocking chair, and my
red chest with two drawers that stands in the 
chamber.  I further give and bequeath to
Louisa Wife of Aaron Seaver all my househ-
old furniture not previously disposed of in this
my will of whatever name or kind.  I five and 
bequeath to Fanny Daughter of Aaron Seaver my
gold necklace, her mother to take the charge 
of it untill she is of proper age to take care of
at herself.  My gold ring and nubs I give and be-
queath to Louisa wife of Aaron Seaver.
I give and bequeath to Aaron Seaver my great
Bible and also a set of measures consisting of half
bushel peck, half peck, and two quarts.
I give and bequeath to Joseph son of Aaron
Seaver my steers two years old last spring.  I 
will and order that Aaron Seaver keep and work
these as long as he wishes to keep them for their work
on condition that he shall use them well, when
he does not wish to keep them longer for their work
I will and order that they shall be sold, the money
is to be put into some trusty mans hands for safe
keeping, till Joseph is twenty one years of age then
to be paid over to him.  I give and bequeath my
heifer, a year old last spring to Louisa wife of
Aaron Seaver.  The residue and remainder of my
property I will and order that my Executor here-
after named shall sell and pay my just debts,
funeral charges, and other expenses, an whatever
may then be left I give and bequeath to Louisa
wife of Aaron Seaver.
I appoint Charles W. Bush sole Executor
of this my last will and Testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and seal this thirteenth day of October in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two.
Signed sealed published and declared   }              her
by the above named Molley Seaver       } Molley + Seaver
to be her last will and Testament.          }              mark
in the presence of us who have hereunto
subscribed our names as witnesses
in the presence of the testatrix.
David Parker
Washington Nichols
Lucinda Nichols

The source citation for this probate case file is:

Worcester County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Case file 52911 (22 images), estate of Molley Seaver of Gardner, 1845, "Worcester County (Massachusetts) Probate File Papers, 1731-1881," digital images, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, American Ancestors  (https://www.americanancestors.org: accessed 25 December 2022).

Molley (Bancroft) Seaver was born on 5 November 1766 in Sutton, Massachusetts, the daughter of Moses and Elizabeth (Lamson) Bancroft.  She died on 4 February 1845 in Gardner, Massachusetts.  She married Persis (Howe)  Seaver (1790-1872) was born on 25 January 1790 in Northborough, Massachusetts at age 78, She married Ethan Seaver (1765-1823), as his second wife, on 18 December 1806 in Sutton, Massachusetts. He was born 24 September 1765 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, the son of Norman and Sarah (Read) Seaver.  Ethan Seaver died 29 September 1823 in Gardner. They had no children.  

Molley wrote her will on 13 October 1842, and named Charles W. Bush as the executor of her last will and testament.  The will was proved on the first Tuesday of March 1845 in Worcester County Probate Court.

Aaron Seaver (1800-1848) was the son of Ethan Seaver (1765-1823) and his first wife Lydia Bond.  Aaron married Louisa Fairbank (1816-1887) on 9 February 1832 in Gardner.  Aaron and Louisa (Fairbank) Seaver's three living children in 1842 were Fanny (1834-1890), Joseph (1835-1907) and Lucy (1842-1907).  Lydia Bancroft (1798-1854) was the daughter of Ethan and Lydia (Bond) Seaver, and the wife of Moses Bancroft (1786-1857), and was Molley's step-daughter.

Ethan Seaver (1765-1823) is my 4th great-granduncle.  Our common Seaver ancestor is my 5th great-grandfather Norman Seaver (1734-1787).

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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 of records of my ancestors at Amanuensis Monday Posts.

Copyright (c) 2022, Randall J. Seaver

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