Isaac Seaver was also called Isaac Seaver 3rd throughout his lifetime because there were two other persons named Isaac Seaver in Westminster while he was a youth, including his uncle and step-father, Isaac Seaver 2nd, the second husband of his mother, Abigail (Gates) (Seaver) Seaver.
When he became able to choose his own guardian, he chose his uncle Jeremiah Knowlton Gates (the brother of his mother) [13]:
"To the Hon. Ira Barton Judge of Probate for the County of Worcester. This certifies that Isaac Seaver 3d a minor above the age of 14 years and son of Benjamin Seaver late of Westminster in said county deceased this day came before me the Subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace for said County and made choice of Jeremiah K. Gates of said Westminster to be his Guardian. Dated at Westminster the 19th day of February A.D. 1838." Simeon Henderson Justice of the Peace.
Isaac Seaver married Juliet Glazier on 17 September 1846 in Rutland, Massachusetts [6, 27]. The marriage record in the Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915 has this information:
* Date 17 September 1846 in Rutland by Daniel R. Casey a Clergyman in Rutland Ms.
* Groom: Isaac Seaver 3d, Single, Age 22, a blacksmith, born Westminster, parents Isaac and Abigail Seaver
* Bride: Juliet Glazier, Single, age 20, born Rutland, parents Reuben and Catherine Glazier
Isaac Seaver's first marriage to Juliet Glazier ended in tragedy when Juliet died soon after the birth of their child, Juliette, due to "brain fever", apparently a stroke or hemorrhage. The child survived.
On 22 October 1847, Isaac Seaver 3rd purchase land in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts from Samuel A. Monroe for $900. The land was 50 acres of land in the northerly part of Gardner [14].
In the 1850 U.S. census, Isaac Seaver (age 26, a hay fork maker, born MA) resided in the house of Mr. Richards in Medfield, Norfolk County, MA [7]. His daughter, Juliette Seaver, was listed as Juliette Glazier in the 1850 census, age 3, living with her grandparents, Reuben and Catherine Glazier, in Rutland MA.
What took him to Medfield is unknown, but he soon met and married his second wife, Lucretia Townsend Smith of Medfield, in Walpole [28-29]. The marriage record in the Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915 record collection has this information:
* Date: Sept. 4 1851 in Walpole
* Groom: Isaac Seaver, resident of Medfield, age 27, a Blacksmith, born Westminster, parents Benj & Abigail Seaver, Second marriage
* Bride: Lucretia Smith, resident of Medfield, age 23, born in Medfield, parents Alpheus & Eliza Smith, First marriage
* Officiant: Rev. Geo. R. Newhall
In the 1855 Massachusetts State Census, the Isaac Seaver family was enumerated on 14 September 1855 residing in Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts [8]. The household included:
* Isaac Seaver - age 31, male, a machinist, born in Mass.
* Lucretia T. Seaver - age 28, female, born Mass.
* Juliette G. Seaver - age 8, female, born Mass.
* Frank W. Seaver - age 3, male, born Mass.
* Benjn Seaver - age 1, male, born Mass.
On 16 June 1858, Isaac Seaver 3rd bought land from Luke Bigelow for $25 for a piece of land in Westminster on the road to Ashburnham [15].
In the 1860 census, this family resided in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [16]. The household included:
* Isaac Seaver 3rd -- age 36, male, blacksmith, $1800 in real property, $600 in personal property, born MA
* Lucretia Seaver -- age 32, female, born MA
* Juliette G. Seaver -- age 13, female, born MA, attended school
* Frank W. Seaver -- age 8, male, born MA, attended school
* Benjamin Seaver -- age 6, male, born MA, attended school
* Elizabeth L. Seaver -- age 1, female, born MA.
On 6 February 1861, Isaac Seaver 3rd sold three lots in Westminster for $1000 to James R. Bruce [17]. He then bought them back in a separate deed [18].
Isaac Seaver 3rd registered for the Civil Wart draft in June 1863. His entry noted [32]:
* Residence: Westminster
* Name: Isaac Seaver 3rd
* Age 1 July 1863: 39
* Race or Color: White
* Profession, occupation or trade: mechanic
* Place of birth: Massachusetts
During the Civil War, Isaac Seaver enlisted in Company H of the 4th Regiment of Heavy Artillery of the Massachusetts Volunteers. The information on this record is [19, 33]:
* Name and Rank: Isaac Seaver
* Age: 40
* Bounty: 198.66
* Residence or place credited to: Westminster
* Date of Muster: Aug. 20 '64
* Termination of service and cause thereof: June 17, '65, expiration of service
The above information was also obtained from the Civil War Pension File for Isaac Seaver [19, 20]. It noted that he was honorably discharged on 17 June 1865 at Fort Richardson, VA. His personal description was "age 40 years, a blacksmith, eyes blue, complexion light, hair sandy, 5 feet 10-1/2 inches."
The 1865 Massachusetts State Census entry for the Isaac Seaver family in Westminster includes [9]:
* Isaac Seaver - age 41, male, born Westminster, Mass., married, a blacksmith, ratable polls checked, legal voter checked
* Lucretia T. Seaver - age 37, female, born Medfield, Mass., married, a housekeeper
* Juliet G. Seaver - age 17, female, born Westminster, Mass., single, a domestic
* Frank W. Seaver - age 13, male, born Medfield, Mass.
* Benjamin Seaver - no age, male, born Medfield, Mass.
* Lizzie L. Seaver - age 6, female, born Westminster, Mass.
* Nellie M. Seaver - age 4, female, born Westminster, Mass.
In the 1870 US census, this family resided in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [21]. The household included:
* Isaac Seaver -- age 46, male, white, works in a fork shop, $2000 in real property, $1500 in personal property, born MA
* Lucretia D. Seaver -- age 42, female, white, keeping house, born MA
* Frank W. Seaver -- age 18, male, white, attends school, born MA
* Benjamin Seaver -- age 16, male, white, attends school, born MA
* Elizabeth Seaver -- age 11, female, white, attends school, born MA
* Ellen M. Seaver -- age 8, female, white, attends school, born MA
At some time, Isaac purchased property on the corner of Cedar Street and Lancaster Street in Leominster and resided there for the remainder of his life.
In the 1880 census, the Isaac Seaver family resided in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [22]. The family included:
* Isaac Seaver -- white, male, age 56, married, born MA, blacksmith, parents born MA
* Lucretia Seaver -- white, female, age 52, wife, married, born MA, keeping house, parents born MA
* Nellie Seaver -- white, female, age 18, daughter, single, attended school, born MA, parents born MA.
Lucretia (Smith) Seaver died on 24 March 1884 in Leominster, Massachusetts.
Isaac Seaver married, thirdly, to Alvina Matilda (Bradley) Lewis [30, 31]. The marriage record in the Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915 collection includes this information:
* Date/Place: September 15 1888 in St. Regis Falls N.Y.
* Groom: Isaac Seaver, resident of Leominster, age 64, a Blacksmith, born in Westminster, parents Benj. & Abigail, 3rd Marriage
* Bride: Alvina M. Lewis (maiden name Bradley), resident of Clinton, age 40, a Weaver, born in Dickinson, N.Y., parents Harvey H & Sarah F. Bradley
* Officiant: Rev. J. P. Dunham, St. Regis Falls, N.Y.
Alvina was the widow of Joseph P. Lewis, who died 5 January 1882 at Worcester MA, a carpenter; he was the son of Nathaniel and Betsey Lewis of Sterling MA. and was age 49 years 7 months at time of death.
Isaac Seaver filed a Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892, appearing before a Notary Public, who declared [19, 20]:
"State of Massachusetts County of Worcester, SS on this 11th day of June A.D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety two personally appeared before me, a Notary Public, within and for the County and State aforesaid, Isaac Seaver 3d aged 68 years, a resident of the town of Clinton, County of Worcester State of Massachusetts, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Isaac Seaver 3d who was enrolled on the 10th day of August, 1864, in Company H (private) 4th Reg't H'y Arty, Mass. Vols in the war of the rebellion, and served at least ninety days, and was honorably discharged at Fort Richardson, Va on the 17th day of June, 1865. That he is unable to earn a support by manual labor by reason of 'Varicose veins of both legs, Rheumatism, resulting heart trouble, trouble of the urinary organs having symptoms of enlarged prostrate gland and results of carbuncle on back of neck.' That said disabilities are not due to his vicious habits, and are to the best of his knowledge and belief permanent. That he has never applied for pension. That he has not been in the military or naval service of the U.S. since the 17th day of June 1865."
He apparently received approval, since the U.S. Pension Agency in Boston, Massachusetts stopped paying $8 a month due to his reported death.
In the 1900 US Census, this family resided at 7 Cedar Street in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [10]. The household included:
* Isaac Seaver -- head, white, male, age 76, born Oct 1823, married 12 years, born MA, parents born MA, no occupation
* Elvina Seaver -- wife, white, female, age 52, born Apr 1848, married 12 years, 1 child born, 0 living, born NY, parents born NY
Isaac Seaver died 12 March 1901 in Leominster, Massachusetts [25, 26]. The death record in the Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915 collection has this information:
* Date/Place: 12 March 1901, Leominster, Mass.
* Isaac Seaver 3rd, Male, Married, age 77-4-26 at death, cause was Cancer of Stomach, resident of Leominster, died in Leominster, a Blacksmith, born in Westminster, father Benjamin Seaver, father born in Westminster Mass., mother Abigail (Gates), mother born in Gardner.
* Recorded 12 March 1901.
Isaac Seaver is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Leominster, MA with his second wife, Lucretia (Smith) Seaver [5]. The gravestone inscription of Isaac Seaver, two of his wives, and two children in Evergreen Cemetery in Leominster, Massachusetts reads:
1823 Isaac Seaver 1901
1826 Juliett his wife 1847
1828 Lucretia T. his wife 1884
1854 Benjamin Seaver 1894
1861 Nellie M. Seaver 1931
Isaac Seaver died testate, and his probate papers are in Worcester County (MA) Probate Records, Probate Packet B-27905, accessed at the Worcester County Courthouse in Worcester, Massachusetts [4]. His will reads:
"Know All Men by These Presents, that I, Isaac Seaver of Leominster, in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.
"First. I hereby appoint Hamilton Mayo of said Leominster, the executor of this will.
"Second. I give my beloved wife Alvina M. Seaver, the sum of Twelve Hundred Dollars; also all my household furniture and housekeeping effects of every name and nature. This legacy is given by me in lieu of all her rights in my real estate and personal property.
"Third. I give and bequeath to the child or children of my deceased son, Benjamin, the sum of one Dollar.
"Fourth. All the rest and residue of my estate I give, devise and bequeath in equal shares to my children, Juliette G. Bryant, Frank W. Seaver, Elizabeth L. Blanchard, and Nettie M. Seaver.
"Fifth. I authorize and empower my said executor to sell my real estate at public or private sale, and to pay from the proceeds thereof the above legacy to my wife, dividing the residue among my children above mentioned.
"In testimoney whereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal, and publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, in the presence of witnesses named below, this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year nineteen hundred and one."
Isaac Seaver (seal)
"Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Isaac Seaver as and for his last will and testament, in presence of us, who, in his presence and in the presence of each other, and at his request, have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto."
Hamilton Mayo
Andrew C. Belcher
Hamilton Mayo filed his affidavit on 22 March 1901, listing the heirs at law to be:
Alvina M. Seaver of Leominster Mass, widow
Juliette G. Bryant of Fitchburg Mass, daughter
Frank W. Seaver of Leominster, son
Elizabeth L. Blanchard of National City Ca, daughter
Nettie M. Seaver of Leominster, daughter
child of Benjamin Seaver, a deceased son, name and residence unknown.
As executor of the estate, Hamilton Mayo filed his account for the period of 9 April 1901 to 21 June 1901, showing that he charged himself with the amounts received from the estate, in the amount of $3737.88, and had disbursed the same amount to the creditors and heirs. The four living children signed a release of the account on 22 June 1901. The account was presented for allowance on 13 June 1916.
The inventory showed personal estate of $707.43, two debts due of $30, and the amount received by sale of the real estate as $3000, plus $0.45 interest, totalling $3737.88. Payments, charges, losses and distributions included $300 to Alvina M. Seaver for furniture, $1200 for her legacy, and $481.71 each to Juliett G. Bryant, Frank W. Seaver, Nellie M. Seaver and Elizabeth L. Blanchard.
Stories told by the family about Isaac Seaver included that he was a large man, with blue eyes and a fair complexion. He was a blacksmith and moved from Westminster to Leominster. His third wife, Alvina, was very clean and neat and would not allow Isaac to come in the house with his shoes on - he had to take them off outside and put on his slippers. When Isaac died, Alvina asked his sister Nellie if she could use the money until she died. Trusting Alvina, Nellie gave her control of the money and when Alvina died, it was left to her family.
The probate record for Isaac Seaver seems to prove that story wrong, or at least confusing. Isaac did bequeath $1200 to Alvina and she, apparently, received the money. Alvina died in 1923 in Clinton, leaving an estate to her siblings and their children..
5) SOURCES (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
1. Systematic History Fund, Vital Records of Westminster, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Worcester, Mass.: F.P. Rice, 1908), Births, page 83: Isaac Seaver entry.
2. Westminster, Massachusetts, Copy of Record of Birth, Isaac Sever, 16 October 1823; City Clerk's Office, Westminster, Mass. (certificate dated 17 September 1990).
3. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), Westminster, page 246, Family of Benjamin and Abigail Sever, Isaac Seaver entry.
4. "Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records" (Worcester County Probate Courthouse, Worcester, Mass.), Probate Packet B-27905, Isaac Seaver (1901).
5. Evergreen Cemetery (Leominster, Mass., on Main Street), Isaac Seaver gravestone.
6. Systematic History Fund, Vital Records of Rutland, Massachusetts to the end of year 1849 (Worcester, Mass.: Franklin Pierce Rice, 1905), page 190, Isaac Seaver and Juliet Glazier entry.
7. 1850 United States Federal Census, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Medfield town, page 356, dwelling #699, family #699, Lewis M. Richards household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 Mar 2011), citing National Archives Publication M432, Roll 331.
8. "Massachusetts State Census, 1855," indexed database and digital image, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org), Norfolk County, Medfield, page 19 (penned), Dwelling #55, Family #55, Isaac Seaver household.
9. "Massachusetts, State Census, 1865", indexed database and digital image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org), Worcester County, Westminster, Page 30 (penned), Dwelling #272, family #310, Isaac Seaver household.
10. 1870 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster: Page 284, dwelling #398, family #526, Isaac Seaver household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M593, Roll 654.
11. 1900 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster: ED 1645, Sheet 19B, lines 74-75, Isaac Seaver household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives Publication T623, Roll 692.
12. Massachusetts, Town Records, 1620-1988, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); "Westminster Births, marriages and deaths", page 246 (penned), image 223, Family of Benjamin and Abigail Sever, Isaac Seaver entry.
13. "Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records", Volume 205, Page 462, Isaac Seaver Nomination of Guardian, accessed on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 0,860,639, original paper filed in Probate Packet A-52855 (for Abigail Seaver).
14. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Worcester County, "Deeds 1847-1848, Vol. 428-429," image 415/416 of 684, in Volume 429, Pages 137-138, Samuel A. Munroe to Isaac Seaver 3d deed in Gardner, Mass., 1847.
15. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Worcester County, "Deeds 1858, Vol. 595-596," image 538 0f 681, in Volume 596, Page 382, Luke Bigelow to Isaac Seaver 3d deed in Westminster, Mass., 1858.
16. 1860 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Westminster: Page 94, dwelling #354, family #386, Isaac Seaver household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M653, Roll 531).
17. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Worcester County, "Deeds 1861 Vol. 637-638," images 229-230 0f 679, in Volume 637, Pages 439-440, Isaac Seaver 3d to James R. Bruce deed in Westminster, Mass., 1861.
18. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Worcester County, "Deeds 1864, Vol. 692-693," images 252-253 0f 702, in Volume 692, Page 468-469, James R. Bruce to Isaac Seaver 3d deed in Westminster, Mass., 1861.
19. Civil War Pension Application Files, Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892, National Archives and Records Administration, Isaac Seaver, Pension File No. 1,117,272.
20. Civil War Pension Application Files, Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892, National Archives and Records Administration, Pension File No. 1,117,272.
21. 1870 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Westminster: Page 284, family #526, Isaac Seaver household; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M593, Roll 654).
22. 1880 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster: Page 533C, dwelling #493, family #621, Isaac Seaver household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T9, Roll 565.
23. Civil War Pension Application Files, Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892, National Archives and Records Administration, Pension File No.1,117,272.
24. Civil War Pension Application Files, Invalid Pension Award on 21 February 1893, National Archives and Records Administration, Pension File No. 1,117,272.
25. "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915," indexed database and digital images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Deaths: Volume 507, Page 371, Leominster, 1901: Isaac Seaver 3d entry.
26. Leominster, Massachusetts, Death Certificate, Certificate of Death, Isaac Seaver III, 12 March 1901; City Clerk's Office, Leominster, Mass. (certificate dated 17 Septermber 1990).
27. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915, digital images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Marriages,, Volume 25, Page 191, Rutland, 1846; Isaac Seaver 3d and Juliet Glazier entry.
28. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915, indexed database and images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Marriages: Volume 55, Page 214, Walpole: Isaac Seaver and Lucretia Smith entry.
29. Walpole, Massachusetts, Certificate of Marriage, Isaac Seaver and Lucretia Smith, 4 September 1851, Town Clerk's Office, Medfield, Mass. (certificate dated 7 October 1994).
30. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915,indexed database and images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Marriages: Volume 390, Page 326, Leominster: Isaac Seaver and Alvina Matilda (Bradley) Lewis entry.
31. Leominster, Massachusetts, Certificate of Marriage, Isaac Seaver and Alvina M. Lewis (Bradley), 15 September 1888, City Clerk's Office, Leominster, Mass. (certificate dated 17 September 1990).
Copyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver
