Monday, September 18, 2023

Amanuensis Monday -- 1851 Will of Daniel Seaver (1767-1851) of Otsego County, New York

 This week's document for transcription is the 1851 will of Daniel Seaver, along with letters testamentary, in the Otsego County, New York Surrogate Court records.

Otsego County, New York Surrogates Court Records, Wills and Administrations, Book 9, Page 185, image 291 of 414:

Otsego County, New York Surrogates Court Records, Wills and Administrations, Book 9, Page 186, image 292 of 414:

The transcription of this two page document is:

Be it remembered that heretofore to wit on the thirtieth day of April in the year one thousand eight hundred
and fifty one Daniel H. Seaver executor named in the last will and testament of Daniel Seaver late of the town
of  Maryland in the County of Otsego appeared in open court before Hiram Kinne Surrogate of said County
and made application to have the said last will and testament  which relates to both real and personal
estate proved and on such application the Surrogate did ascertain by satisfactory evidence who were the
heirs and next of kin of the said deceased and their respective residences and some of them appearing to
be minors having no general Guardian a Special Guardian was appointed in due form of law to take
care of their interests in the matter of proving the said will by an order entered for that purpose
by said Surrogate and said Surrogate did thereupon issue a citation in due form of law directed
to the said heirs next of kin and Special Guardian by their respective names stating their respective
places of residence requiring them to appear before the said Surrogate at his Office in cooperation in
said County at ten Oclock in the forenoon of that day to attend the probate of the said will being
the sixteenth day of April June then next.  And on the said sixteenth day of June the hearing
of the said matter was continued and held open until the eighteenth day of June then instant.
And afterwards to wit on the said eighteenth day of June satisfactory evidence by affidavit
was produced and presented to the Surrogate of the County of Otsego of the service of the said Citation
in the mode prescribed by law and on that day no one appearing to oppose the probate of such
will such proceedings were thereupon had afterwards that the Surrogate took the proof of said
will hereinafter set forth on the day last aforesaid and he adjudged the said will to be a valid
will of real and personal estate and the proofs thereof to be sufficient which said last will and
testament and proofs are as follows that is today.

Will

I Daniel Seaver being weak in body but of sound & perfect mind and blessed be Almighty God
for the same do make and publish this my last will and testament.  I will and bequeath
to my two sons Zenas Seaver & Daniel H. Seaver all my real and personal property & to their heirs
forever this will is made on condition they pay the sum of one thousand two hundred dollars
to my heirs the real estate is the farm I now live on a lot in Spencer Patent & the village lot
1st to the heirs of my daughter Hannah two hundred dollars to be paid in five years
after my decease with int after one year from my decease.  2 To my son Richard Seaver
two hundred dollars to be paid in four years after my decease int an and after one year from
my decease.  3 to my daughter Leafy Boardman the sum of five hundred dollars to be paid
three years from my decease with interest after one year from my decease.  4 to Louise Van
Zant my daughter the sum of two hundred dollars in six years after my decease with inter-
est after one year from my decease.  5 To my son Isaac Seaver's heirs one hundred dollars
to be paid one year after my decease.  I hereby appoint Daniel H. Seaver executor to this 
my last will and testament.  Signed Sealed and delivered in presence of us this 30th
day of January 1851.                                                                      his
Moses Bennett                                                                     Daniel X Seaver   L.S.
Amos H. Brown                                                                            mark

In the matter of proving     }  Otsego County Ss  Amos H. Brown and Moses Bennett of the town
the last will and testament }   of Maryland in the County of Otsego being duly sworn and exam-
                    of                    }   ined before Hiram Kinne Surrogate of the County of Otsego so dep-
Daniel Seaver deceased     }   ose and say they were well acquainted with Daniel Seaver now
deceased that they were present and witnesses and did see the said Daniel Seaver subscribe his name
at the end of the instrument in writing now produced and shown to these deponents bearing date
the 30th day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty one purporting to be 
the last will and testament of the said Daniel Seaver deceased. That the said Daniel Seaver at the
time of making the said subscription declared the said instrument  to be his last will and testa-
ment and requested these deponents to sign their names as witnesses thereto.  Thereupon these de-
ponents accordingly signed the said instrument as witnesses at the end thereof.  These deponents
further say that the said Daniel Seaver at the time he so executed the said instrument was
a citizen of the United States of full age of sound mind and memory in all respects competent
to divide real estate and not under restraint.
Sworn before me this                                               A.H. Browne
18th day of June 1851                                             Moses Bennett
Hiram Kinne Surrogate

The source citation for this will is:

New York Surrogates Court, Probate files, Otsego County > "Wills and Administrations, Book 0008-0009, 1846-1853, Book 0009, pages 185-186 (images 291-292 of 414), Daniel Seaver will, written 30 January 1851
approved 18 June 1851, "New York, U.S., Wills and Probates, 1659-1999," digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 September 2023); Original data is from New York County, District and Probate Courts filmed by FamilySearch.

Daniel Seaver (1767-1851) was born 28 June 1767 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, the son of Norman and Sarah (Read) Seaver.  Daniel died 13 April 1851 in Schenevus, Otsego County, New York.  He married Sarah Chase (1773-1823) before 1799, probably in Otsego County, New York.  They had eight children:

*  Relief "Leafe" Seaver (1799-1871), married 1829 Ephraim Boardman (1807-1856).
*  Norman Seaver (1801-1834).
*  Zenas Seaver (1803-1882), married before 1842 Clarissa Kelsey (1806-1886).
*  Isaac Seaver (1805-1829)
*  Hannah Seaver (1807-????).
*  Daniel Hiram Seaver (1807-1875), married before 1839 Esther Charlotte Kelsey (1817-1874).
*  Richard Seaver (1812-????).
*  Sarah Louisa Seaver (1813-1891), married 1836 George Van Zandt (1809-1887).

Unfortunately, this record does not provide the names of the heirs of his son, Isaac Seaver.  However, son Richard Seaver was bequeathed money from the estate so he was still alive.  

Daniel Seaver (1767-1851) is my 4th great-grand uncle, the son of my fifth great-grandparents Norman and Sarah (Read) Seaver.

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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) 2023, Randall J. Seaver

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