Monday, April 21, 2025

Amanuensis Monday -- 1770 Deed of Michael Metcalf to Josiah Richardson for Land in Cheshire County, New Hampshire Colony

 This week's document for transcription is the 1770 Deed between Michael Metcalf and Josiah Richardson selling property in Keene, Cheshire County, New Hampshire Colony.

*  Cheshire [New Hampshire]. Deeds 1772–1777, 1774–1777 - pages 485-486, image 257 of 599:



*  Cheshire [New Hampshire]. Deeds 1772–1777, 1774–1777 - pages 487-488, image 258 of 599:


The transcription of this document is (based on the FamilySearch Full-Text Search, with corrections as required, including line breaks):

In the right-hand margin on page 486:

Metcalf To

Richardson

In the main body of the deed starting near the bottom of the right-hand page (page 486):

Know all men by these Presents that I Michael
Metcalf
of Keene in the Province of New Hamp.
Gentleman for and in Consideration of the sum of
one Hundred and Fifty five pounds Lawfull Money

of s'd Province To me in hand Before the Delivery
hereof well and Truly paid by Josiah Richardson of
Leominster in the County of Worcester & Province of y'e
Massachusetts Bay Taylor the Rec't whereof I Do
hereby acknowledge have given granted Bargained
and Sold and By these Presents Do give grant bargain
Sell Aliene ^enfeoff^ Convey and Confirm ^unto^ y'e s'd
Josiah Richardson his Heirs and Assigns Forever

[page 487]

The following Parcels of Land lying in Keene
aforesaid To wit my Homestead, Place Consisting of two 
Pieces of Land I Purchased of my Father one of which 
Pieces of s'd Homestead as part of an Hundred acr Lot Laid out
To David Morse lying on the Plain Called the Saw 
Mill Plain near the House Lotts in s'd Town and is
Bounded as follows Begining at a heap of Stones near 
the Meeting House and runs as ye Fence now Stands to
 the Road that Leads To the Sawmill then runs upon 
the road aforesaid To Land Belonging to John Adams then 
runs Westward by S'd Adams Land to the road that Leads up y'e
River then runs by s'd Road to the aforesaid Heap of Stones 
Where it Began the other Piece of S'd Homestead is a Peice
Containing ^By Estimation^ about three Acres Be the Same more or less 
Being part of the same hundred acre Lott above mentioned 
lying on the South Side of the road that Leads To Ash Swamp 
and Bounded as follows Begining at ye Northwest Corner 
of Land Belonging to the heirs of John Bullard and 
Extending westwardly upon y'e road that leads To Ash Swamp 
To a Certain Pitch Pine Stump which stands on y'e Corner 
of s'd Metcalfs Field then runs Southerdly to the Publick Lot 
and Bounded there by a white pine Tree then runs Easterly 
on S'd Publick Lotts To Land Belonging to John Bullards
Heirs then runs northward upon said Bullards Land
To the Corner where it first Began the whole of sd Homestead 
Contains thirty acres by Estimation be the same more or less
and also one other piece of Land lying in S'd Keene being
one thirty acre Lott laid out in the Second Division of upland 
To the Right of Samuel Flood and is Lott No Twenty one 
on the East Beech Hill and is Butted and Bounded as the 
Propricton Book of Records Do Show

To Have and To Hold the s'd granted Premises with 
all the Priviledges and appurtenances to the Same appertaining
To him the said Josiah his Heirs and Assigns to his 
only proper use and Benefit forever and I the s'd Michael 
for my self my Heirs Executors and Administrators Do 
Hereby Covenant Grant and agree to and with the S'd Josiah 
his heirs and assigns that until the Delivery hereof I 
am the Lawfull owner of the Sd Premises and am Law-
fully Seized and possessed thereof in my own Right in 
Fee Simple and have full power and Lawfull authority 
To Grant and Convey the same in manner aforesaid 
that the said Premises are free and Clear of all and 
every Incumberance whatsoever and that I the said 
Michael for my self my heirs Executors & Administrators 

[page 488]

Shall and will warrant the same to his the S'd Josiah his 
Heirs and assigns against the Lawfull Claim and Demands 
of any Persons whomsoever Executing the rents that shall 
hereafter Be Due to his Majesty his heirs or Successors . 

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand 
and Seal this 15'th Day of January in the Tenth 
Year of his Majestys Reign Anno Domini 1770
Signed Seald & Deliv'd  }        Michael Metcalf    {LS}
in Presence of us            }         
James Richardson       }        Province of New Hamp'r
Jon'a Whitcomb           }       Keene ye 16'th Day of January 
1770 Then the above named Michael Metcalf 
Personally appearing acknowledged y'e above written 
Instrument to be his Voluntary act & Deed before 
                                      Me Tho's Frink Justice of Peace 
Rec'd 29'th Dec'r 1773 Recor'd & Exam'd 
                                     Josiah Willard Reco'r

The source citation for this deed is:

Cheshire [New Hampshire] Deeds, 1760-1786, deed, Michael Metcalf to Josiah Richardson, dated 15 January 1770, recorded 29 December 1773; imaged,  FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS3L-R9QR-Z?view=fullText : May 14, 2024); "Cheshire. Deeds 1772–1777, 1774–1777 - pages 486-488, images 257-258 of 599;  original records at Cheshire County courthouse, Keene, New Hampshire.

This is a Derivative Source (because it is a court clerk's transcription of the original deed with Primary Information and Direct Evidence of the names of the two parties, and the dates of the deed execution, signing and recording.   

The deed transcription was difficult for Full-Text Search - there were many errors of word omission and spelling due to the handwriting and downward slope of the lettering from left to right, plus the interlining of some words.  My estimate is that it transcribed about 70% of the words correctly, and it missed many word capitalizations.  

Michael Metcalf (1706-1771) was born 12 August 1706 in Medfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, the son of Michael and Lydia (White) Metcalf.  Michael died after 2 September 1771 in Keene, New Hampshire Colony. He married Melatiah Hamant (1704-1751) on 2 July 1728 in Medway, Massachusetts Bay Colony.  They had 8 children.  Michael and Melatiah (Hamant) Metcalf are my 6th great-grandparents, through their son Burgess Metcalf (1741-1816)  who married Jerusha --?-- (1759-1817) in 1770.


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

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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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