Treasure Chest Thursday: 1757 Death Record of Sarah (Collins) Richards in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay Colony

It's Treasure Chest Thursday - an opportunity to look in my digital image files to see what treasures I can find for my family history research and genealogy musings.

The treasure today is the 1757 death record of Sarah (Collins) Richards in the Lynn, Massachusetts Bay Colony vital records book:

The snippet for the Sarah Richards death:

The extracted information for this death record is:

"[RICHARDS] Sarah, 'old', June 23, 1757. P.R. 5"

The source citation for this record is:

Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849 (Salem, Mass. : The Essex Institute, 1906), 2 Volumes, Deaths, page 580, Sarah Richards death entry, 23 June 1757.

This is a Derivative Source record, with Primary Information and Direct Evidence of the death date and place of Sarah Richards.  This book was compiled from original handwritten and/or copied Lynn town records by the book's authors.

Sarah Collins (1678-1757) was born 10 August 1678 in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay Colony, the daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Silsbee) Collins. She married Crispus Richards (1681-1763) on 21 December 1702 in Lynn.  Sarah died 23 June 1757 in Lynn.

Crispus and Sarah (Collins) Richards are my 7th great-grandparents through Joseph Richards (1703-1748) who married Mary Bowden in 1726.

                              ===========================================

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/06/treasure-chest-thursday-1757-death.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

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52 Ancestors - Week 406: #629 Sarah (Collins) Richards (1678-1757) of Lynn, Massachusetts

Sarah Collins (1678-1757)  is #629 on my Ahnentafel  List, my 7th great-grandmother, who married #628 Crispus Richards (1681-1763)   in 1702 in Lynn, Essex County,  Massachusetts Bay Colony.

I am descended through:

* their son #314 Joseph Richards (1703-1748) who married #315 1726 Mary Bouden (1705-1755).

* their daughter #157 Mary Richards (1733-????). who did not marry #156 Isaac Buck (1732-????).

*  their son #78 Isaac Buck (1757-1846) married #79 Martha Phillips (1757-1830) in 1791.

* their daughter #39 Sophia Buck (1797-1882)married #38 Lambert Brigham (1794-1834)  in 1817.

* their daughter #19 Sophia Newton (1834-1923) married #18 Edward Hildreth (1831-1899) in 1852.
* their daughter #9 Hattie Louisa Hildreth (1857-1920) married #8 Frank Walton Seaver (1852-1922) in 1874.
* their son #4 Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942) married #5 Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962) in 1900.
* their son #2 Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983) married #3 Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002) in 1942.
* their son #1 Randall Jeffrey Seaver (1943-living)

=====================================================

1)  PERSON (with source citations as indicated in brackets):  

*  Name:                           Sarah Collins[1–4]

*  Alternate Name:           Sarah Richards[5–6]

*  Sex:                              Female

*  Father:                         Joseph Collins 1643-1724

*  Mother:                       Sarah Silsbee 1646-1682

2)  INDIVIDUAL EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

*  Birth:                           10 August 1678, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States[1,3]

*  Distribution:                2 November 1724 (age 46), father's will proved, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States[5]

*  Death:                          23 June 1757 (age 78), Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States[6–7]

3)  SHARED EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

*  Spouse 1:                      Crispus Richards (1681-1763)

*  Marriage:                      21 December 1702 (age 24), Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States[2,4,8]

*  Child 1:                        Joseph Richards 1703-1748

*  Child 2:                        Esther Richards 1705-1805

*  Child 3:                        John Richards 1707-1758

*  Child 4:                        Sarah Richards 1709-    

*  Child 5:                        Hannah Richards 1711-1740

*  Child 6:                        Mary Richards 1713-1758

*  Child 7:                        Deborah Richards 1715-1756                        

   

4)  NOTES (with source citations as indicated in brackets):  

A well-sourced account of the Henry Collins family of Lynn, Massachusetts by Caroline Martino and Marcia Lindberg was published in The Essex Genealogist periodical in 1990[1].

Sarah Collins was born 10 August 1678 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay, the daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Silsbee) Collins[1,3].

Some genealogies say she is the widow of Joseph Elliot of Boston, and had four children by him before he died in 1702.  If this were so, the marriage record with Crispus Richards should have called her "Sarah Elliot."

She married at age 24 to Crispus Richards (1681-1763) on 21 December 1702 in Lynn[2,4.8]. He was the son of John and Mary (Brewer) Richards. 

Crispus and Sarah (Collins) Richards had seven children, all born in Lynn but the births were not recorded in the town record books[1-2]:

*  Joseph Richards (1703-1748), married 1726 Mary Bouden (1705-1755).

*  Esther Richards (1705-1805), married 1723 Aaron Estey (1699-1783).

*  John Richards (1707-1758), married (1) 1733 Lydia Phillips (1714-1753); (2) 1756 Katherine Burchstead (1732-????).

*  Sarah Richards (1709-????), married 1734 Henry Ingalls (1701-1796).

*  Hannah Richards (1711-1740), married 1738 John Stocker (1713-1810).

*  Mary Richards (1713-1758)

*  Deborah Richards (1715-1756), married 1739 William Briggs (1715-1769).

The will of Sarah's father, Joseph Collins, was written on 16 May 1724 and proved in Essex County Probate Court on 2 November 1724[1,5].  In his will, he bequeathed to his daughter Sarah:

"It. I give to my Daughter Ann Ingols Twelve Pounds, I give to my Daughter Dorothy Gray Six Pounds and unto my Daughter Sarah Richards Six Pounds."

In 1727, Crispus and Sarah Richards were one of the heirs that filed an affidavit stating that ",,,their legacies from the estate of their honoured father, Joseph Collins, housewright of Lynn, had been received to their full satisfaction.'[1,5]  

Sarah Richards died "old" at age 75 on 23 June 1757 in Lynn, Massachusetts[1,7].  There is no known burial record, and there is no known probate record in Essex County records.  

5.  SOURCES

1. Caroline Martino and Marcia Lindberg, "Henry Collins of Lynn and his Descendants" The Essex Genealogist, starting Vol. 10, #3-4 (1990), Vol 11, #1-3 (1991), Vol 12 #4 (1992). (Lynn, Mass.: The Essex Society of Genealogists, 1990-1992), Volume 10, number 4 (November 1990), page 204, Sarah Collins birth entry, 10 August 1678.

2. Winifred Lovering Holman, "Edward Richards of Lynn", The Essex Genealogist, Volume 13, Number 1 (February 1993), pages 29-33, Crispus Richards sketch.

3. Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849 (Salem, Mass. : The Essex Institute, 1906), 2 Volumes, Births, page 118, Sarah Collins entry, 1 Aug 1678.

4. Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849, Marriages, page 326, Crispas Richards and Sarah Collins entry, 21 December 1702.

5. Essex County, Massachusetts, Probate Records and Indexes 1638-1916, Family History Library (Salt Lake City, Utah), on 280 FHL microfilm reels, Volume 315, pages 143-4, Joseph Collins of Lynn, accessed on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 0,875,129.

6. Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849, Deaths, page 580, Sarah Richards entry, "old," 23 June 1757 .

7. Caroline Martino and Marcia Lindberg, "Henry Collins of Lynn and his Descendants," The Essex Genealogist, starting Vol. 10, #3-4 (1990), Vol 11, #1-3 (1991), Vol 12 #4 (1992)., Volume 10, number 4 (November 1990), page 204, Sarah Collins death entry, 23 June 1678.

8. Caroline Martino and Marcia Lindberg, "Henry Collins of Lynn and his Descendants," The Essex Genealogist, starting Vol. 10, #3-4 (1990), Vol 11, #1-3 (1991), Vol 12 #4 (1992)., Volume 10, number 4 (November 1990), page 204, Sarah Collins marriage entry, 21 December 1702.

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NOTE: In 2014, Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme of "52 Ancestors" in her blog post 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on the No Story Too Small blog. I have extended this theme in 2021 for an eighth year to 416 Ancestors in 416 Weeks. The list of 52 Ancestors biographies from my great-grandparents to the 7th great-grandparents (in work) is in https://www.geneamusings.com/p/ancestor-biographies.html.

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2021/11/52-ancestors-week-406-629-sarah-collins.html

Copyright (c) 2021, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Treasure Chest Thursday -- 1678 Birth Record of Sarah Collins (1678-1774) in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay

 It's Treasure Chest Thursday - a chance to look in my digital image files to see what treasures I can find for my family history and genealogy musings.

The treasure today is the 1678 birth entry for Sarah Collins in the Lynn, Massachusetts town vital records book:

The birth entry is near the bottom of the page in the list under the "Collins" surname:

The transcription of this record is:

"[COLLINS] Sarah, d. Joseph and Sarah, Aug. 1, 1678"

The source citation for this record is:

Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849 (Salem, Mass. : The Essex Institute, 1906), 2 Volumes, Births, page 118, Sarah Collins entry, 1 Aug 1678.

This is an entry in a transcribed and alphabetized Lynn, Massachusetts town vital record book.  It is a Derivative Source record with Primary Information and Direct Evidence of the birth of Sarah Collins on 1 August 1678 in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay.

   

Sarah Collins (1678-1774) was born 1 August 1678 in Lynn, the daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Silsbee) Collins of Lynn.  She married Crispus Richards on 21 December 1702 in Lynn.  Crispus Richards (1681-1763) was the son of John and Mary (Brewer) Richards of Lynn.  

Crispas and Sarah (Collins) Richards are my 7th great-grandparents through their son Joseph Richards (1703-1748) who married Mary Bouden (1705-1755) in 1726 in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay.

                                   ===========================================

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2021/11/treasure-chest-thursday-1678-birth.html

Copyright (c) 2021, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Treasure Chest Thursday -- 1702 Marriage of Crispas Richards and Sarah Collins in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay

  It's Treasure Chest Thursday - a chance to look in my digital image files to see what treasures I can find for my family history and genealogy musings.

The treasure today is the 1702 marriage entry for Crispas Richards and Sarah Collins in the Lynn, Massachusetts town vital records book:

The marriage entry is at the bottom of the page in the list under the "Richards" surname:

The transcription of this record is:

"[RICHARDS] Crispas, and Sarah Collins, Dec. 21, 1702*"

The source citation for this record is:

Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849 (Salem, Mass. : The Essex Institute, 1906), 2 Volumes, Marriages, page 326, Crispas Richards and Sarah Collins entry, 9 January 1709-10.

This is an entry in a transcribed and alphabetized Lynn, Massachusetts town vital record book.  It is a Derivative Source record with Primary Information and Direct Evidence of the marriage of Crispas Richards to Sarah Collins on 21 December 1702 in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay.

   

Crispas Richards (1681-1763) was the son of John and Mary (Brewer) Richards of Lynn.  He married Sarah Collins (1678-1757) on 21 December 1702 in Lynn.  Sarah Collins was the daughter of Jseph and Sarah (Silsbee) Collins of Lynn. 

Crispas and Sarah (Collins) Richards are my 7th great-grandparents through their son Joseph Richards (1703-1748) who married Mary Bouden (1705-1755) in 1726 in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay.

                                   ===========================================

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2021/11/treasure-chest-thursday-1702-marriage.html

Copyright (c) 2021, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

52 Ancestors - Week 404: #627 Ruth (Collins) Graves (1685-1715) of Lynn, Massachusetts

 Ruth Collins (1690-before 1715) is #627 on my Ahnentafel  List, my 7th great-grandmother, who married #626 Thomas Graves (1686-1756)  in 1710 in Lynn, Essex County,  Massachusetts Bay Colony.

I am descended through:

* their daughter #313 Ruth Graves (1711-????) married #312 Isaac Buck (1706-1780) in 1729. 

* their son #156 Isaac Buck (1732-????) did not marry #157 Mary Richards (1733-????).

*  their son #78 Isaac Buck (1757-1846) married #79 Martha Phillips (1757-1830) in 1791.

* their daughter #39 Sophia Buck (1797-1882)married #38 Lambert Brigham (1794-1834)  in 1817.

* their daughter #19 Sophia Newton (1834-1923) married #18 Edward Hildreth (1831-1899) in 1852.
* their daughter #9 Hattie Louisa Hildreth (1857-1920) married #8 Frank Walton Seaver (1852-1922) in 1874.
* their son #4 Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942) married #5 Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962) in 1900.
* their son #2 Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983) married #3 Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002) in 1942.
* their son #1 Randall Jeffrey Seaver (1943-living)

=====================================================

1)  PERSON (with source citations as indicated in brackets):  

*  Name:                            Ruth Collins[1–2]

*  Sex:                              Female

*  Father:                          Joseph Collins 1643-1724

*  Mother:                        Mariah Smith 1664-1734

2)  INDIVIDUAL EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

*  Birth:                            26 October 1685, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States[1]

*  Death:                           before 22 February 1714/5 (before age 28), Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States[3]

3)  SHARED EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

*  Spouse 1:                      Thomas Graves(1686-1756)

*  Marriage 1:                   9 January 1709/10 (age 24), Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States[2]

*  Child 1:                        Ruth Graves (1711-????)   

   

4)  NOTES (with source citations as indicated in brackets):  

Ruth Collins was born 26 October 1685 in Lynn, Massachusetts, the eldest child and daughter of Joseph and Mariah (Smith) Collins of Lynn[1].  She lived her whole life in Lynn.

She married Thomas Graves (1686-1756) at age 24 on 9 January 1709-10[2]. He was the son of Samuel and Sarah (Brewer) Graves of Lynn. They had one child, born and recorded in Lynn:

*  Ruth Graves (1710-????), married Isaac Buck (1706-1780) in 1729 in Reading, Massachusetts.

Ruth (Collins) Graves died at about age 29 in Lynn before Thomas married his second wife, Ruth Taylor, on 22 February 1714/5 in Lynn[3].

There is no death record or burial record for Ruth (Collins) Graves.  

5.  SOURCES

1. Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849 (Salem, Mass. : The Essex Institute, 1906), 2 Volumes, Births, page 188, Ruth Collins birth entry, 28 October 1685.

2. Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849, Marriages, page 161, Thomas Graves and Ruth Collins marriage entry, 9 January 1709/10.

3. Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849, Marriages, page 161, Thomas Graves and Ruth Taylor entry, 22 February 1714/5.

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NOTE: In 2014, Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme of "52 Ancestors" in her blog post 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on the No Story Too Small blog. I have extended this theme in 2021 for an eighth year to 416 Ancestors in 416 Weeks. The list of 52 Ancestors biographies from my great-grandparents to the 7th great-grandparents (in work) is in https://www.geneamusings.com/p/ancestor-biographies.html.

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2021/11/52-ancestors-week-404-627-ruth-collins.html

Copyright (c) 2021, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Treasure Chest Thursday -- 1710 Marriage of Thomas Graves and Ruth Collins in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay

 It's Treasure Chest Thursday - a chance to look in my digital image files to see what treasures I can find for my family history and genealogy musings.

The treasure today is the 1710 marriage entry for Thomas Graves and Ruth Collins in the Lynn, Massachusetts town vital records book:

The marriage entry is in the list under the "Graves" surname:

The transcription of this record is:

"[GRAVES] Thomas, and Ruth Collins, Jan. 9, 1709-10*"

The source citation for this record is:

Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the Year 1849 (Salem, Mass. : The Essex Institute, 1906), 2 Volumes, Marriages, page 161, Thomas Graves and Ruth Collins entry, 9 January 1709-10.

This is an entry in a transcribed and alphabetized Lynn, Massachusetts town vital record book.  It is a Derivative Source record with Primary Information and Direct Evidence of the marriage of Thomas Graves to Ruth Collins on 9 January 1709-10 in Lynn, Massachusetts Bay.

   

Thomas Graves (1686-1756) was the son of Samuel and Sarah (Brewer) Graves of Lynn, Massachusetts Bay.  He married (1) Ruth Collins (1685-1715) on 9 January 1710 in Lynn.  Ruth Collins was the daughter of Joseph and Mariah (Smith) Collins of Lynn. Thomas and Ruth (Collins) Graves are my 7th great-grandparents through their daughter Ruth Graves (1710-????) who married Isaac Buck (1706-1780) in 1729 in Reading, Massachusetts Bay.

                                   ===========================================

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2021/11/treasure-chest-thursday-1710-marriage.html

Copyright (c) 2021, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Surname Saturday -- LNU (Anne, wife of Henry Collins, England to colonial Massachusetts)

It's Surname Saturday, and I'm "counting down" my Ancestral Name List each week.

I am working in the 9th great-grandmothers by Ahnentafel number, and I am up to Ancestor #2509 who is Anne LNU (1605-1691). [Note: the more recent ancestral families have been covered in earlier posts.]

My ancestral line back through one generation in this LNU family line is:

1. Randall J. Seaver

2. Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983)
3. Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002)

4. Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942)
5. Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962)

8. Frank Walton Seaver (1852-1922)
9. Hattie Louise Hildreth (1857-1920)

18.  Edward Hildreth (1831-1899)
19.  Sophia Newton (1834-1923)

38.  Thomas J. Newton (1800-????)
39.  Sophia Buck (1797-1882)

78.  Isaac Buck (1757-1846)
79.  Martha Phillips (1757-1830)

156.  Isaac Buck (1732-????)
157.  Mary Richards (1733-????).

312.  Isaac Buck (1706-1780)
313.  Ruth Graves (1711-????)

626. Thomas Graves (1686-1756)
627.  Ruth Collins (1685-1715)

1254.  Joseph Collins (1643-1724)
1255.  Mariah Smith (1664-1724)

2508.  Henry Collins, born 1606 in Stepney, Middlesex, England; died 20 February 1687 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.  He married about 1627 in probably Stepney, Middlesex, England.
2509.  Anne LNU, born about 1605 in probably Stepney, Middlesex, England; died 29 September 1691 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.

Children of Henry Collins and Ann are:
*  Henry Collins (1629-1722), married Mary Tolman (1630-1723).
*  John Collins (1632-1679), married Abigail Johnson (1634-1680).
*  Hannah Collins (1632-1719), married 1657 Nathaniel Ingersoll (1632-1718).
*  Margery Collins (1633-1702), married 1656 Isaac Willias (1629-1696).
*  Mary Collins (1641-1682), married 1664 Samuel Johnson (1640-1723).
*  Joseph Collins (1643-1724), married (1) 1669 Sarah Silsbee (1646-1682); (2) 1684 Mariah Smith (1664-1724).
*  Riall Collins (1645-1681).
*  Elizabeth Collins (1647-1690), married 1666 John Tolman (1636-1725).
*  Benjamin Collins (1648-1711), married (1) 1673 Priscilla Kirtland (1648-1676); (2) 1677 Elizabeth Leach (1651-1729).

In some online family trees, Anne LNU is named as Ann Riall, daughter of Edmund Ryall and Ann Tealby of Herefordshire or Hertfordshire, with three children born in Norfolk.  That may be, but I have seen no record that names the Anne who married Henry Collins and was recorded as the mother of three of her children in Stepney, Middlesex as Anne Riall.

Information about the Collins family was obtained from:

*  Caroline Martino and Marcia Lindberg, "Henry Collins of Lynn and his Descendants," The Essex Genealogist, Volume 10, numbers 3 and 4 (1990), Volume 11, numbers 1-3 (1991), Volume 12, number 4 (1992), 53 pages.

*  Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration, Immigrants to America, 1634-1635, Volume II, C-F (Boston, Mass. : NEHGS, 2001), pages 164-169, Henry Collins sketch.

I have done no original research on this LNU, Riall, or Collins line.

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The URL for this post is:   https://www.geneamusings.com/2019/11/surname-saturday-lnu-anne-wife-of-henry.html

Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook,  or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Amanuensis Monday - Agreement by Sons of Henry and Ann (--?--) Collins in 1694.

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is an agreement between three brothers in the probate file of Henry Collins (1606-1687) of  Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts.  As background, Henry married Ann --?-- in about 1629, and they had nine children:

*  Henry Collins (1629-1722), married Mary Tolman (1632-1723)
*  John Collins (1632-1679), married Abigail Johnson (1644-1680)
*  Margery Collins (1633-1702), married Isaac Williams
*  Hannah Collins (1635-????), married Nathaniel Ingersoll (1632-1718)
*  Mary Collins (1641-1682), married Samuel Johnson (1640-1723)
*  Joseph Collins (1643-1724), married (1) Sarah Silsbee (1646-1682), and (2) Mariah Smith (1664-after 1724)
*  Riall Collins (1645-1681)
*  Elizabeth Collins (1647-1690), married John Tolman (1635-1725)
*  Benjamin Collins (1648-1711), married (1) Priscilla Kirtland (1648-1676), and (2) Elizabeth Leach.

I posted the will of Henry Collins in Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of Henry Collins (1606-1687) of Lynn, Mass. (posted 1 July 2013), and the will of Ann (--?--) Collins in Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of Ann (--?--) Collins (1605-1691) of Lynn, Mass. (posted 8 July 2013).

Three years after the death of Ann Collins in 1691, the three surviving sons made an agreement on 27 November 1694 to divide the lands left to them by their father.   The agreement reads (from Essex County [Mass.] Probate Records, Probate Packet #6,057, transcribed from the Probate Court copy book Volume 305, page 066, accessed by Randy Seaver on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 0,860,486):

"This indenture, covenant and agreement made between Henry Collins, senior, Joseph Collins & Benjamin Collins, sons to Henry Collins deceased of Linn in the County of Essex in Their Maj-ties province N England.  Witnesseth that wheras our Honoured Father in his Last Will and Testament left us our several portions or proportions of land & meadow or marsh undivided, leving also his sollemn dying charge that love & unity & peace may be maintained & continued amongst his children to avoid therefore any difference that may for the future arise either among ourselves or posterity in succeeding generations with reference to the devisions or bounds of the several tracts or parcels of land or meadow willed and bequeathed to us by our honored Father.  We have therefore mutually agreed and consented to and accepted of our several divisionall parts & parcels of land & meadow or marsh with their limitts and bounds settled & firmly agreed upon forever therwith, to rest satisfied & contented & we doe therefore by these presents firmly & for ever bind our selves our heires executors and administrators to accept of and forever to rest satisfied with the several divisional parts & parcels of land & marsh or meadow & whatsoever Specified & Expresed in this present Indenture with the bounds & limitts & priviledges and commodities of the said tracts of land or meadow or marsh or their bounds and limitts Respectively allotted laid out & bounded to said Joseph Henry and Benjamin Collins according as is herewithin written and Subscribed.

"Henry Collins, Sen-r, his divisionall part.  Eighteen acres of upland more or less lying or being in his Fathers land or pasture bounded southeast by his own land and so butting upon the tenn acre lotts eastwardly, west by an apple tree; southwest to a stake in the field and so on to an heap of stones in the fence westerly, & from thence to a Walnut tree marked in the mill pasture with an heap of stones about it, and so from thence east north east to an heap of stones at the corner of a swamp, the said tract of land containing in it the five acres towards payment of said Henry Collins thirty pounds willed to him by his father.

"Item:  one third part of the meadow in Rumny Marsh staked out bounded on the river west and northeast, bounded on the marsh of his brother Joseph Collins & so as it is staked out.

"Item:  Three acres in the fresh meadow be it more or less bounded upon Crispus Brewar on the southeast, northwardly upon the brook, west northwest upon the meadow of Joseph Collins, southwest upon the common and as it is staked out.  Also in the Towne Marsh 2 acres towards his thirty pounds willed to him and one acre more as his divisionall part bounded on the south upon the river, west upon the marsh of Benjamin Collins & as it is staked out also to said Henry is allotted two thirds of the westerly end of the old barne with the orchard adjoyning.

"Joseph Collins, his divisionall part allotted to him:  Fifteen acres of upland more or less from the ten acre lots westerly to three rocks and so along to his couzen Joseph Collins his land and southwardly bounded upon Benjamin's line.  Also one third part of the marsh in Rumny Marsh bounded on the marsh of his brother Henry southwardly, westerly on the River, northwardly on Benjamin Collins his marsh, eastwardly to a stake.  Also in the Towne Marsh one acre adjoyning norwardly to Benjamin, southward bounded by the River as it is staked out, west on Mr. Cobbits Marsh.  Also in the fresh meadow three acres more or less bounded southwardly on Henry Collins meadow, norward upon the brook, west upon the common as it is staked out.

"Benjamin Collins, his divisional part allotted to him:  Twenty eight acres more or less comprehending his ten acres by his deed of gift, bounded southward by the land of his brother Henry, norward by the ten acre lotts, norwest upon his brother Josephs land to three rocks and so along to his kinsman Joseph Collins his land.  Also all Tailors rocks in lewe of the Cows leases & from thence to Henry Silsbe his land and from thence to an heap of stones in the fence adjoyning Henry Collins his land & from thence westward to a Walnutt tree in the mill pasture and all the land of Henry Collins deceased in said Mill Pasture on the norwest side of his brother Henrys bounds & so downe to the fresh marsh excepting an highway through the said pasture.  Also Eight acres more or less of fresh meadow containing the five acres given to him by his father, southward bounded by the highway, norwardly by the brook, norwest by Crispus Brewar, westward by towne common. 

"Also allotted to Benjamin in Rumny Marsh one third of his Fathers marsh as it is staked out bounded upon the river west south upon the marsh of Joseph Collins & east upon the marsh of John Burrill Sen-r.  Also in the towne marsh one acre more or less bounded upon the River southward upon the marsh of his brother Henry westward upon the marsh of his brother Joseph & as it is now staked out.  Also the orchard adjoyning to Benjamins dwelling house up to his Fathers barn & to have the east bay of the old barn & liberty to thresh on the floor & liberty of carting to the barne through the yard only care to be taken for putting up the barrs for the security of the said yard.

"And we the said Henry Collins, Senr Joseph Collins & Benjamin Collins, sons to said Henry Collins dec-d doe by these presents firmly freely truly & really covenant promise indent bind & oblige our selves & our heires for ever to stand to these promises the divisional tracts & parcells of land & marsh & meadow and whatever els according as they are here bounded & stated never to molest each other in the free enjoyment theirof.  In Witness whereof the said Henry Joseph and Benjamin have to these presents set our hands & afixed our seals this Twenty Seventh day of November Anno Domo 1694 and the Sixth year of the Reign of King William and Queen Mary.

"Signed Sealed & Delivered                                Henry Collins (by mark)
in the presence of us                                          Joseph Collins
Jeremiah Shepard                                               Benjamin Collins
John Floyd
Mary Shepard "

Written along the side of the document was:

"Memorandum:  We mutually agree that whereas there is about 2 acres of land within the bounds of Benjamin Collins over and above his share and division of true intent and meaning is that said 2 acres being near the saw mill in Lynn shall be common for free use of all parties hereunto subscribing."

The agreement was accepted by the Judge of Probate, Bartholomew Gedney, on 22 July 1695, with all three sons appearing before the Court.

It appears from this record that these three sons amicably sorted out the grants of property left by their father in a reasonable manner.  We'll likely never know if there was disagreement or enmity between them.  If they did settle this amicably and equitably, then it is a tribute to their negotiating skills and sense of fairness.  

The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/07/amanuensis-monday-agreement-by-sons-of.html

copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of Ann (--?--) Collins (1605-1691) of Lynn, Mass.

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is the probate file of Ann Collins (1605-1691) of  Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts.  She married Henry Collins(1606-1687) in about 1629, and they had nine children:

*  Henry Collins (1629-1722), married Mary Tolman (1632-1723)
*  John Collins (1632-1679), married Abigail Johnson (1644-1680)
*  Margery Collins (1633-1702), married Isaac Williams
*  Hannah Collins (1635-????), married Nathaniel Ingersoll (1632-1718)
*  Mary Collins (1641-1682), married Samuel Johnson (1640-1723)
*  Joseph Collins (1643-1724), married (1) Sarah Silsbee (1646-1682), and (2) Mariah Smith (1664-after 1724)
*  Riall Collins (1645-1681)
*  Elizabeth Collins (1647-1690), married John Tolman (1635-1725)
*  Benjamin Collins (1648-1711), married (1) Priscilla Kirtland (1648-1676), and (2) Elizabeth Leach.

Ann Collins died testate, having written a will dated 8 September 1690, and proved 24 November 1691 at the Probate Court in Salem.  The will reads (transcribed by Randy Seaver from Essex County [Mass.] Probate Records, Volume 303, page 064, accessed on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 0,860,485), with some words or phrases not readable:

"Ann Collins of Lynn,the 8 day of Septr 1690 In the name of our Lord god everlasting amen.

"I Ann Collins of Lynn in the County of Essex in New England widow and the relict of Henry Collins Senr of Lynn afores^d  deceased.  I the said Ann being very aged and my tyme of departure out of this world most uncertain and may be very sudden as I have cause to think by reason of ... ... providences of god in visiting me with some touches of his hand upon my frail body and hath taken away my naturall fright(?) I thought ... to ... be the present by me the lord affords me and comes through mercy free from my paines and distempers and in my perfect memory and clear understanding to make my last will & testa^t And dispose of what estate the lord hath afforded me of wt was left unto me by the last will of my husband aboves^d deceased.

"First I therefore Commend and committ my Spirit into the hands of my dear lord Jesus Christ In whom I doe believe only for eternal life & Salva^n, on whom alone I trust and Rely, Renouncing wholly my own righteousness believing his to be alsufficient and yt I shall be covered yrwt and so accepted of god my hear only father through Jesus Christ my blessed mediater and redeemer, In which faith I w.. & trust that after breath is spent and natural life is gone from me I shall ascend in my Spirit unto god.  And therefore I ... commit my body to the grave there to rest till the glorious resurrection of the dead by Jesus Christ Comitting my dearly beloved children and grand children all of ym to the grace of god in Jesus Christ, humbly desyring his peace and love may be bestowed on them soe as it may keep them in his ... and in love & peace one wth another continually Amen.

"As for my temporall estate that god of his mercy hath ... to me to dispose of, I give and bequeath to be devided & disposed of after my decease as hereafter foloweth Renouncing all former wills.

"It.  I gr.. my eldest Sone Henry Collins my horse.  Item  I give to my grandson Nath^ll Collins a cow and a young mare, and after my decease, twenty shillings out of my estate then left if it will ... do and so I  leave that to my executors.  Item I give to my grandchildren viz those children of my Son John Collins deceased & not named in my will viz Elizabeth Mary Daniel Hannah Loice the Sume of three pound to be pd to each and soe much out of my estate if it will reach yrunto as a testimony of my love to them who were suddenly deprived of their father & of their estate.  Item I give to my two grandsones the sones of John Collins deceased viz Samuel and Joseph Collins ... the sume of five shillings to each of ym after my decease And so to Abigail now Townsend.  Item I give to Susannah Collins the daughter of Benj^a Collins twenty shillings.

"I doe ordain & appoint my sone Henry Collins and my sone Joseph Collins to be my two executors of my estate and unto this my last will & testat and to make me a comely and decent buriall and to performe all my just and honest paymt & legacies according to my will Satisfying all their and my necessary charges And well consider what my estate will beare in honesty and honour.

"Moreover I give unto my grand children Johnsons viz Mary Richard Ruth Samuel to each one the sume of twenty shillings after my decease that is as is expressed for all if my estate shall reach to perform all moreover I doe ordain & defyne my well respected and trusty friends Mr Jeremy Shepherd pastor of the church of christ in Lynn and Oliver Purchase to be my overseers to see this my last will and testa^t to be performed and fullfilled.  And now that ye promisses yt are contained & expressed in this sheat of paper is my last will & testa^t for confirmation of the same that it is soe I the said Ann Collins widow & relict of Henry Collins Sen^r deceased affix and set my own hand & seale hereunto, as also that I have pd unto Elizabeth Collins now alias Basset soe much of my legacie to her in Indian corne the sume of 21s.

Signed Sealed & Delivered in the presence of                       The Signe of
these undernamed                                                                         Ann   N  Collins & a seale
Henry Silsbey
Oliver Purchase
Henry Collins junr."


The inventory of the estate of Ann Collins, with 7 cows the only asset listed, was apprised by Jer. Shepard and Henry French to be 17 pounds, 10 shillings (at 2 pounds 10 shillings per cow).  The inventory was presented by Henry Collins as a full and perfect inventory of the estate of Ann Collins deceased, and he said that if more comes to his hand, he will add it.  The inventory was recorded by the Court on 6 December 1692 (Essex County [Mass.] Probate Records, Volume 303, page 095, accessed on FHL Microfilm 0,860,485).

Note that, other than the horse for her son Henry, she did not bequeath anything to her three living sons, Henry, Joseph and Benjamin.  She did bequeath money or livestock to her grandchildren by her deceased son John and her deceased daughter Mary (who married Johnson).

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/07/amanuensis-monday-probate-records-of.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

Surname Saturday - COLLINS (England to Colonial Massachusetts)

It's Surname Saturday, and I'm "counting down" my Ancestral Name List each week.  

I am in the 7th great-grandmothers, I'm up to Ancestor #629, who is Sarah COLLINS (1678-1757) [Note: the earlier great-grandmothers and 7th great-grandfathers have been covered in earlier posts].

My ancestral line back through three American generations of this COLLINS family line is:

1.  Randall J. Seaver (1943-living)

2. Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983)
3. Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002)

4. Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942)
5. Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962)

8. Frank Walton Seaver (1852-1922)
9. Hattie Louise Hildreth (1857-1920)

18.  Edward Hildreth (1831-1899)
19.  Sophia Newton (1834-1923)

38.  Thomas J. Newton (ca 1800 - ????)
39.  Sophia Buck (1797-1882)

78.  Isaac Buck (1757-1847)
79.  Martha Phillips (1757-????)

156.  Isaac Buck (1732-????)
157.  Mary Richards (1733-????)

314:  Joseph Richards (1703-1748)
315.  Mary Bowden (1705-????)

628.  Crispus Richards, born 20 October 1681 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died 17 May 1763 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.  He was the son of 1256. John Richards and 1247. Mary Brewer.  He married 21 December 1702 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.
629.  Sarah Collins, born 10 August 1678 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died Bef. 23 June 1757 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.  

Children of Crispus Richards and Sarah Collins are:
*  Joseph Richards (1703-1748), married 1726 Mary Bowden (1705-????)
*  Esther Richards (1705-????0, married 1723 Aaron Estes.
*  John Richards (1707-1758), married (1) 1733 Lydia Phillips (1714-17534), and (2) 1756 Katherine Burchstead (1732-????).
*  Sarah Richards (1709-????), married 1734 Henry Ingalls .
*  Hannah Richards (1711-1740), married 1738 John Sticker.
*  Mary Richards (1713-1758)
*  Deborah Richards (1715-????).

1258.  Joseph Collins, born about 1643 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died Bef. 02 November 1724 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.   He married in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.
1259.  Sarah Silsbee, born About 1646 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died 25 February 1681/82 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.  She was the daughter of 2518. Henry Silsbee and 2519. Dorothy.

Children of Joseph Collins and Sarah Silsbee are:
*  Sara Collins (1669-1669)
*  Joseph Collins (1671-1695)
*  Henry Collins (1673-1721)
*  Ann Collins (1675-1754, married 1691 Nathaniel Ingalls (1660-1737)
*  Dorothy Collins (1676-1730), married 1700 Robert Gray (????-1731)
*  Sarah Collins (1678-1757), married 1702 Crispus Richards (1681-1763)
*  Ester Collins (1680-????)

2516.  Henry Collins, born 1606 in Stepney, Middlesex, England; died 20 February 1686/87 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.  He married before 1629 in probably Stepney, Middlesex, England.
2517.  Ann, born 1605 in probably Stepney, Middlesex, England; died 29 September 1691 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.

Children of Henry Collins and Ann are:
*  Henry Collins (1629-1722); married Mary Tolman (1632-1723)
*  John Collins (1632-1679); married Abigail Johnson (1644-1680)
*  Margery Collins (1633-1702); married 1656 Isaac Williams.
*  Hannah Collins (16356-????); married Nathaniel Ingersoll (1632-1718)
*  Mary Collins (1641-1682); married 1664 Samuel Johnson (1640-1723)
*  Joseph Collins (1643-1724); married (1) 1667 Sarah Silsbee (1646-1682); (2) 1684 Mariah Smith (1664-1724).
*  Riall Collins (1645-1681).
*  Elizabeth Collins (1647-1690); married 1666 John Tolman (1635-1725)
*  Benjamin Collins (1648-1711); married (1) 1673 Priscilla Kirtland (1648-1676); (2) 1677 Elizabeth Leach 

Astute readers will notice that the COLLINS surname was also last week's post - that's because 1258. Joseph Collins (1643-1724) married twice - first to Sarah Silsbee, and second to Mariah smith, and I have ancestry through both wives.

Information on these Collins families was obtained from:

1)  Caroline Martino and Marcia Lindberg, "Henry Collins of Lynn and his Descendants",The Essex Genealogist, starting Vol. 10, #3-4 (1990), Vol 11, #1-3 (1991), Vol 12 #4 (1992), 53 pages.

2)  A sketch for Henry Collins was published in the book by Robert Charles Anderson,The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, Volume II, C-F (Boston: NEHGS, 2001), pages 164-169; it contains original source references.

The URL for this post is:  

copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver