USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Chelsea > Documentary history of Chelsea : including the Boston precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624-1824, vol 1 > Part 22
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James Bill's
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PLAN OF THE BI FARM BY WILLIAM JOH ON. 1690.
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APPENDIX 10
JANUARY 4, 1657/8, Gibbons' administrators sold for £200 to James Bill " one Tennement or farme house wth one hundred and ninety acres of land more or lesse being in a place called . . . Pullin Pointe " together with all his lands "lying at a place Called . .. by the name of Hogg Island being part meadow and part vpland." (Suff. Deeds, L. 3, f. 92.) [In the inventory of Gibbons' estate taken December 30, 1654, " ye farme house & 4 acres of Land at hog Island " were valued at £50. Other items at the farms were 2 oxen, 6 steers, 7 cows and heifers, a mare, a colt, a calf, 25 hogs and pigs, 7 ewes and a ram, 9 cocks and hens, farming implements, 2 guns, pewter dishes, etc., "Corne in ye barne unthreshed," a bed and its furnishings "in the porch Chamber "; barley, peas, etc. "in the Chamber," a bed and its furnishings "at James Bills house," and another "at' John Brownes." (Suff. Prob. Rec., L. 2, f. 147.) This shows that James Bill was a resident of Pullen Point in 1654, notwithstand- ing his sale to Bernard Engles in 1645.] For the continuation of Gibbons' allotment in James Bill, and additions to it, I am indebted to David Floyd, Esq., of Winthrop, and especially for a copy of a plan of the Bill estates in that town October 21, 1690, by William Johnson, surveyor, the original of which, - last known in the possession of the late John W. Thornton, - cannot now be found. But a tracing of it by Judge Edwin Wright, a most accurate conveyancer, has been preserved, and a copy of this with its projection on a modern plan of the town, as I have said, has been given me by Mr. Floyd; both are here presented. I am also indebted to Mr. Floyd for copies of The Visitor, - published in Winthrop, August 23, 1895, March 27 and May 1, 1896, - con- taining valuable historical papers, upon which I have drawn with confidence and without verification, as I understand they are based upon examinations of titles by experts.
James, son of John and Dorothy Bill, was born in England, in 1615, and with his parents came to Massachusetts before 1635. His wife Mary was born in England in 1613. He bought an estate in Boston, on or near Sudbury Street, as early as 1639.
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[Boston Town Records, Jan. 27, 1639/40; also Jan. 21, 1638/9.] He appears to have been part owner of Spectacle Island, and, in 1645, to have sold land at Pullen Point. [Suff. Deeds, L. 5, ff. 45, 46.] He worshipped in the Mather church, and died Feb- ruary 1 (one account says, August 9), 1687/8. He was buried on Copp's Hill, where his gravestone still stands. [As deciphered thereon, the date of his death was February 1, 1687/8. His will, dated January 31, 1687/8, was probated February 22 of the same year. His wife Mary died August 29, 1688.] He and Deane Winthrop (whose farm in 1690 included Point Shirley, Great Head, and the beaches) at one time owned nearly all of Winthrop. It is thought that he lived in the Gibbons house, though one, if not all his three sons, lived in the old Bill house now standing on Beal Street. In the next century [the Gibbons house was] owned and occupied by Deacon John Chamberlain, a man of con- siderable importance, and after his death in 1753, by his widow. [The house on Beal street] is now owned by Mrs. Hanley. A second [the Gibbons] house stood in the vicinity of Thornton Station, and a third, near Johnson Avenue. It is not certain which of these houses was occupied by James Bill; their locations are shown on Johnson's Plan.
The estate at Winthrop was divided among James Bill's three sons. (Suff. Deeds, L. 16, f. 59.) To James was set off the land extending easterly from Cottage Park, including the Washington Avenue section. He died in 1718, and by will gave his property, subject to his wife's life interest, to his daughters Mehetable Bill and Rebecca Saunders, who married John Tenney. Mehetable, his widow, Thomas Selby and his wife Mehetable, and North Ingham and his wife Abigail (a daughter of James Bill), sold their interest to John Tenney and his wife. (L. 37, f. 17.) They sold to John Chamberlain (Suff. Deeds, L. 40, f. 195 [103 acres, October 26, 1726]), who died in 1753, leaving [as his heirs] a widow, Mary, and [his daughters] Susanna Sargent, Sarah Hallowell, Abigail Eustice, Hannah Burnap, and [the children of] Mary Hasey [deceased]. In 1758, two thirds of the real estate were set off to John Sargent ; and on the death of John Chamberlain's widow the other third was set off in 1783 to Samuel Floyd, who married Susanna, daughter of John Sargent. John Sargent thus acquired sixty-seven acres on the easterly side of the Chamberlain farm, and Samuel Floyd the westerly part [including] sixteen acres [of upland]. John Sargent died January 12, 1776, leaving a widow, Susanna, and children, William, who died unmarried, Elisabeth, who married David Belcher, Susanna, who married Samuel Floyd, and Mary, who married James Tewksbury. [By
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deed of release from Mary and Elizabeth, and deed of sale from Elizabeth, Samuel Floyd became owner of about 32 acres, James Tewksbury holding about 13 acres. (Suff. Deeds, L. 189, f. 190; L. 195, ff. 1, 2.) ] By will probated February 11, 1805, Samuel Floyd gave his real estate to his wife, Susanna, for life, and after her death, one half to his son Samuel (2), and the other half to his daughters, Susanna, who married Henry Tewksbury, and Hannah B., who married Washington Tewksbury [son of James and Mary Tewksbury mentioned above]. These three children were heirs of their mother Susanna, who died in 1830. Samuel (2) Floyd died February 16, 1829, leaving children, Josiah, Samuel (3), Sally Ann, [Emeline], and Susanna S. In Lib. 357, f. 299 (and see L. 616, f. 250), is a [division of the farm], by order of court, [between] the children of Samuel (2) Floyd and Henry Tewksbury and his wife, Susanna, in her right, Washington Tewks- bury and Hannah, his wife, in her right. [See in Suff. Deeds, L. 619, f. 279, a plan of the lands of Samuel (2) Floyd as divided among his children. The house located on this plan was then (1850) owned by Josiah Floyd and Washington Tewksbury.] May 31, 1841, Henry Tewksbury quitclaimed to Washington Tewksbury [the southerly part of] the easterly portion of this farm, and the same day Washington Tewksbury quitclaimed to Henry Tewksbury another portion (see also L. 1040, f. 34). Samuel (3) Floyd, quitclaimed to Josiah Floyd all the real estate inherited from his father. (L. 559, f. 52.) April 1, 1850, the children of Samuel (2) Floyd, quitclaimed their interest in a part of the farm to Washington and Henry Tewksbury. (L. 616, f. 250.) Henry died intestate in 1853, leaving a widow, Susanna, and children Susanna, Henry (2), and Eliza. Eliza married Josiah Floyd and died intestate, leaving Samuel (4) and Eliza F. who married Benjamin D. Chapman.
About 1855, Susanna, widow of Henry Tewksbury, senior, died [giving her lands to] Susanna (?) and Henry (2), [and legacies to the children of] Eliza, mentioned above. In 1856 Washington Tewksbury died, and later Susanna, her share passing to her brother Henry and the children of her sister, Eliza Floyd. In 1866, Hannah B., widow of Washington Tewksbury, died, leaving children Lorenzo C., George W., Samuel H., Hannah B., wife of Thomas J. Belcher, and Sally, wife of David Floyd. In March, 1871, the heirs of [Washington and Henry Tewksbury] released to each other all the land described in the partitions above referred to. (L. 1040, f. 34.) In January, 1873, Henry Tewksbury sold to J. Wingate Thornton, the land now known as Thornton Park, and the land owned exclusively in 1867 by the heirs of Washington
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[CHAP. VI
and Hannah Tewksbury, now belongs to many people whose houses are on Washington Avenue, Elmwood and Lewis Avenues, and River Road.
The Will of James Bill, Sent
In the Name of God Amen I James Bill Sen' of Pudden Point within the Precincts of Boston in New England yeoman Being wcake in body But sound in my Vnderstanding and memory And being Conscious of my Mortallity Itt being appointed for all men once to Dye And being willing to sett my house in Order before my Decease have and hereby Doe Constitute Ordaine and make this to bee my Last will and Testament; Nulling and revoakeing all other wills by me formerly made of what kind soever In manner following Impris I Commiti my Soule into the hands of God my Creato! hopeing & beleiveing to Obtaine the Pardon of all my Sinns and the Acceptance of my person vnto Eternall Life through the alone Merritts and Mediation of my Onely Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And my body to the Grave Descently to be Interred att the Charge and according to the Descretion of my Exer's here- inafter named And as for what worldly Estate God of his good- nesse hath Lent vnto mee and bestowed vpon mee my minde and will is that it should be disposed of as followeth First I give and bequcath vnto my Three Sonns James Bill Jung Jonathan Bill and Joseph Bill All that farme web I bought of Sam Burnell Lyeing and next adjoyning to M' Deane Winthrops farme Item I give and bequeath vnto my Said Three Sonn's James Jonathan and Joseph all that peece or percell of Land Lyeing att the North end of Boston and is Seituate att the Southerly Side of Mr William Dorees his Dwelling house the wch farme and peece of Land are equally to be Divided among my Said Three Sonns Item I give and bequeath vnto my Said Three Sonns All that my halfe part of my Sloope called Triall Burthen Thirty and five Tunns or thereabouts with all the appurtenanees therevnto belonging equally to be Divided betweene them Alsoe I give vnto my. said three Sonnes my two Negroes James and Jack equally to be Divided amongst them Item I give and bequeath vnto my Daughter Mary Smith as a token of my Love the summe of ffourty pounds In money to be paid vnto her within Three yeares next after my Decease by my Executors And the reason why I give her noe more now is because I have given Largely to her already. Item I give and bequeath vnto my Daughter Hannah Kent as a token of my Love Twenty shillings in money to be paid her wthin two Moneths next after my Decease by my said Executors I haveing given her formerly
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very Considerably Item I give vnto my Daughter Sarah Chivers the Summe of One Hundred pounds in money to be paid vnto her by my Executors wthin Three yeares next after my Deeease and is to bee at her Sole Disposall thereof. And as for all other of my estate whether itt be in Bonds Bills Householdstuffe Debts goods or any other kind whatsoever I give and bequeatlı the same vnto my said Three Sonns James Bill Jonathan Bill and Joseph Bill equally to be divided betweene them whome I Doe make and Constitute to be the Exeeuto's of this my Last will and Testa- ment And in Testimony that this is my Last will I have herevnto Sett my hand and Scale the Last day of January Anno Dni 1687 Annog RRs Jas Seedi Angl &c tertio 1687 Signed by ## the marke of James Bill wth his Seale and Signed Sealed and De- clared by James Bill Sen! to be his Last will & Testamt In the prsence of vs Deane Winthrop John Henery Burehstead & by R the marke of Robin Rannells./
By his Excellency
The within written Deane Winthrop John Henery Burehstead & Robert Rannells wittnesses to the within will psonally appeared before me and made Oath that they Saw the within named James Bill Sen: Signe & Seale & heard him declare the same as his last will & Testament And that when hee did ye same hee was of sound minde & vnd'standing to the best of their peeiveing. Sworne ye th : ffebry . 1687 [1688] Before Me E Andros.
John West D. Secry (Suff. Prob. Ree., L. 10, f. 229. The will is in Files No. 1620.)
AN INVENTARY OF THE ESTATE REALL AND PSONALL OF JAMES BILL LATE OF PULLEN POINT DECEASED
Wearing Cloathes 15li : Two Negros 40 !! £55 : - :-
A Parcell of Land Lyeing att Pullen point 140 : - : -
House Lott att Boston 80li halfe the Sloope & a Boate 39li
119 : -: -
Two Barrells of Beefe 54s
2 :14
Grayne Indian Corne Barley & Rye 36 : 18 : 4
Debts Oweing to the estate Desperate 66 : 14 : -
420 : - 6 : 4-
Apprized by vs whose names are vnder written Deane Winthrop by O the marke of Aron Waye Wm Ireland. ffebry . 22th: 1687
James Bill Jonathan Bill and Joseph Bill Exee's: to the estate of James Bill their father Deced Exhibited the above Inventary
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wch Containes a true & Just account of all the estate of the said Deceased that they know off or is come to their hands. Wittnesse our hands &cª James Bill Jonathan Bill and Joseph Bill.
(Suff. Prob. Rec., L. 10, f. 232.)
[In addition to the eonveyanee from the administrators of the estate of Edward Gibbons mentioned above, James Bill and his sons recorded in the Suffolk Registry of Decds the following eon- veyances ; the bounds are of interest as giving clues to early owners and residents.
Harlakenden Simons of Gloucester, gentleman, and his wife Elizabeth, for £122 to James Bill, January 16, 1664/5, " all that theire ffarme house at Pulling point " and seventy acres bounded " wth ye Lands of Capt Edward Hutchinson Southwardly, The other side with ye Lands sometimes John Ollivers now deceased Northerly & in part East, one end butts vpon the Lands of Dcane Winthrop, in part East & in part North a little Creeke goeing out of fisher Creeke so Called running betweene, also bounded with ye Land formerly William Burnells Northerly, with a Cove west, & with a Creeke running out of Said Cove west & by North," it being the farm of Wentworth Day " sometimes " of said Boston, deceased, father of the said Elizabeth. (Suff. Deeds, L. 4, f. 261.) Presumably this farm contained the allotments of William Bren- ton and William Stitson, less land sold to James Bill before 1645, and, possibly, to Edward Hutchinson. September 22, 1640, Mr. Wentworth Day, a single man, was admitted to the Boston church. September 26, 1641, his daughter Elizabeth, eight days old, was baptized, and August 13, 1643, a son Wentworth, aged about six days. His wife Elizabeth was the daughter of the widow Story who married (2) Rev. John Cotton, and (3) Riehard Mather. Aceording to Savage, Day was a surgeon, saved a Cambridge patient from the charge of witeheraft in 1652, and was living in London in 1661. Harlakenden Symonds was a son of Samuel Symonds, Deputy-Governor 1673-78.
June 2, 1666, Edward Jackson of Cambridge, and his wife Eliz- abeth (widow and exeeutrix of the estate of John Oliver of Boston, gentleman, deceased), for £330, conveyed to James Bill " All that their Messuage, Tenement or ffarme Situate and Being at pulling point aforesaid, late in the occupation of the aforenamed John Oliuer, or his assignes, now in the tenure & oeeupation of the sd James Bill. And all Edifiees, Buildings, Barns houses ... which sd ffarm & its Vpland & meadow is Bounded with the Land of Wm Burnell Deceased Easterly & with the Marsh of Edward Huehinson North & By East, & with the Land of the sd James
?
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Bill, fformerly the Land of Wentworth Day West, & South, & with the Creek Coming out of the Coue northerly." (Suff. Deeds, L. 5, ff. 43, 44.) John Oliver died in 1646, but his estate was not settled until 1663. (Suff. Prob. Rec., L. 4, f. 140.) From the inventory of his estate taken in 1646 (Prob. Files, 60) it would appear that he resided sometimes at Pullen Point. For his service as a preacher there, see infra, chap. xxvi.
A TRUE INVENTORY OF SUCH GOOD & CHATTELLS AS JOHN OLIVER LEFT AND WAS PRISED THIS 23th OF 2 MO : 1646 BY JAMES PENN AND NATHANELL WILLIAMS.
Imprimus six Cowes a 51 n cow 030 - 00 - 00
It tow Oxen : 141 : & tow 121 026 - 00 - 00
It one stocke of bees 001 - 10 -00
It tow ketles 2 skilletts or possnets 001 - 09 - 00
It tow Iron Pottes & a small kettill 000 - 18 - 00
It a Spitt tonnged fire Pann 2 tramells
000-10 -00
It in Pewter seuen platters 2 baisons
001-08-00
It six Porengers 4s a salt 3s a flagon & a pott 5s a candle- sticke & a halfe Pint Pott & a small cup 4s tow tinn Panns 2s tow small dishes 2s . 001 -00-00
It a siluer boule or cup & a siluer spoune 03- 00 -00
It a warmeing Pan 6s : 8ª a brass morter & Pestle 2s : 8d 00-09- 04
It : A feather Bed & boulster 03- 00-00
It A Rudge and a paire of blankets 02- 00 - 00
It 3 Pillowes 15s & a still 16s 01-11-00 It 3 paire of sheetes 02-05 - 00
It a paire of Pillow beares . 00- 16-00
It a dosen of nap kines & a board cloath 01-04-00
It in the seruants Beding 02 - 00-00
It in a forme A table 3 stooles & a cheare a bedsted table & chest . 01-04-00
It in 3 Cushings & tow wheeles 00 - 12-00
It the farme containeing eaighty Acers: 30 marsh 16 tilage with a dwelling house & Oarchard 100 - 00-00
It the barne built since 020 - 00 - 00
It for a carte & chaines & plows & other tackling 04-00 -00
It by a cuber [blot] 00 - 04 - 00
It a paire of land Irons 00- 06- 00
Sum in total : is : 205 : 6 : 4.
James : Penn : Nathanell Williams
The inventory appears to be in the handwriting of Williams with the autograph signature of Penn, who owned the farm across the creek in what is now Beachmont.
February 28, 1671/2, James Bill to his four sons, James, Jona-
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than, Joseph, and Joshua Bill, " cheefely in respect of my deare Affection & Loue," and also in consideration of £300 to be paid himself if he demanded it, and £100 to be paid his wife after his deccase, " his farme & farme houses," bounded with " the Land of Capt. Edward Hutchirson toward's the South in part & a great Couc towards the South & East & a crceke called ffisher's creeke towards the East running Northward, & a Little creeke running out of that sd. ffisher's creeke still Northward & by Land of Mr. Dane Wintrop still Northward & by the Lands of Sam. Burnells towards the North & East. & by the medow of sd. Capt. Hutcherson towards North & East. & the westerly part thereof bounded by a great Coue & a great Salt Creecke running Northward, Eastward & Westward Excepting onely a small parcell of Land of about fourteene rod's over. Viz. fourtecne Acres belonging to the sd. pcell of Capt. Hutcherson wch. runeth betweene the sd. Lands abouesaide, & alsoe a pcell of land at hodg Iland denominated to bee ten acres . . . " and his stock, household stuff, and farming implements, - the conveyance to take effect on the death of James Bill Sr., or the payment of the abovementioned £300. (Suff. Deeds, L. 6, f. 309.) This description shows that Edward Hutch- inson had purchased the allotment of Edward Baytes, owned by Captain John Leverett when Bill purchased the Gibbons farm, and that of Ralph Hudson, inherited by the children of Captain Leverett. The deed from Hutchinson confirms this impression. (See infra, p. 201.)
Samuel Burnell of Boston, with his wife Ann, December 31, 1674, for £180, conveyed to James Bill, their farm of thirty-six acres, bounded by Deane Winthrop east and northeast, and on all other sides by James Bill. (L. 9, f. 146.) By his last will and testament James Bill gave this to his sons James, Jonathan, and Joseph Bill. This farm was given to Samuel Burnell by the will of his father, " William Burnell of pulling point." This will was dated April 16, 1660, presented for probate July 12, and confirmed by the County Court August 3. Of the two witnesses, Thomas Laughton and Deane Winthrop, the latter only took the witness' oath. William Burnell appointed his wife Sarah executrix, and "my Loving freind James Bell [ Bill] of pulling point & John Dow- little of Rumney Marsh " overseers. He gave to his " sonne John Burnell my house & ground Lying in Boston to possesse it when he is at age of one & twentie yeares provided he is not Corrupted with that opinion Comonly Called ye Quakers, but in case he should be Ledd aside by yt opinion of Quakers & remaine so then my minde is yt he shall have but fifte pounds & thus to be payd
1
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unto him five pounds when he is at ye age of one & twentie yeares, & so five pounds a yeare untill ye some of fiftie pound be payd him." £40 was to be paid his daughter Sarah when twenty-five years of age; this was secured on the farm at Pullen Point given to his son Samuel. The " house and land at pullin point " was valued at £100 by Mr. Winthrop and John Grover; the Cattle and other goods at Pullen Point at £27 by James Bill and John Southricke; the house and land in Boston at £30. (Suff. Prob. Rec., L. 1, f. 341; L. 4, f. 20. See also N. E. Hist. and Gen. Reg., x. 270; ix. 230.)
The Executors of the estate of Captain Edward Hutchinson con- veyed to James, Jonathan, and Joseph Bill, May 14, 1690, three parcels of land " together with the Dwelling house, outhouses & all other buildings on ye Same." The (1) was bounded S. and W. by the salt water; N. by Jonathan Bill, and E. by James Bill; the (2) " butted at ye Western end upon ye line of ye former tract & runneth through ye land of Jonathan Bill & Joseph Bill adjoyn- ing on the South Side to ye land of Robert Reynolds & so running downe to ye Creeke upon which it butteth at ye Eastwd end "; the (3) was meadow land bounded E. and N. by land and meadow of Deane Winthrop; S. and W. by land and meadow of Joseph Bill. (Suff. Deeds, L. 16, f. 247.) According to the will of Captain Edward Hutchinson he rented his farm at Pullen Point to James Bill, Sr., and Jr., for £30 a year, and another piece of land there to Barnard Engles for 30s. a year. He also mentions in the will the "rent of my Island that lyeth before my farm" (Snake Island), and of 45 sheep James Bill " hath of mine." Accord- ing to the inventory of his estate, the " farme & land at pullin- point " was valued at £400; the "little Jland about 6 Acres " at £30, and 45 " sheepe at pulinpoint" at £11 5s. (Suff. Prob. Rec., L. 5, f. 287; L. 6, f. 95.) Presumably the house on this farm, conveyed by the deed of May 14, 1690, above cited, was the S. W. house on the plan of William Johnson, October 21, 1690, - the one on land assigned to Joseph Bill. The Hutchinson farm included, apparently, the Elias Maverick, Valentine Hill, Ralph Hudson, and Edward Bayts allotments, and the marsh of at least John Sanford, possibly of Thomas Fayreweather and John Winthrop.
The land of Robert Reynolds mentioned in bounding Hutchin- son's farm has the following history. April 10, 1645, James Bill conveyed to Bernard Engle for £10 "all my Land at Pulling Point wch I purchased of Mr Wentworth Daye, there inhabiting with all the Housing upon it . . . except the Corne ground, (al-
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HISTORY OF CHELSEA
[CHAP. VI
ready sowne in the feild there adjoining) for this erop next ensu- ing. the sd Land being in quantity Six acres, be it more or lesse, bounded towards the North & South wth the Land of the sd Mr Wentworth Daye, with the Land of Serj Major Gibbons toward the West, with the Land of John Euererd of Boston toward the East." Confirmed by deed from James and Mary Bill, dated February, 1664/5; signed July 6, 1666; delivered to Captain Hutchinson for Engle August 26, 1667. In 1665 the land was bounded S. by Captain Edward Hutchinson; E., W. and N. by said James Bill. (Suff. Deeds, L. 5, ff. 45, 46.) May 1, 1682, Bernard Engles of Pullen Point conveyed it, bounded as last deseribed, to Robert Reynolds. (L. 12, f. 250.) By will dated May 29, 1705, and probated December 20, 1708, Robert Renalls of Pulling Point, yeoman, gave his " house & Land lying & being upon Pulling Point " ete. to his wife Elizabeth for life; at her death to be equally divided among his "Children Surviving," vizt. Elizabeth, Anne, Mary, Sarah, John and Abigail Renalls. The witnesses were Obadiah Parry, John Parry (?) and John Gyles Scr. Robert Renalls made his mark. The widow was appointed sole exeeutrix by the Court. Apparently he had a son Robert, who died a fortnight before this will was drawn, as May 13, 1705, administration on the estate of Robert Reynolds of Boston, brazier, a bachelor, had been granted to his father Robert Reynolds. (Suff. Prob. Ree., L. 16, ff. 11, 510.) February 1, 1708/9, Elizabeth Rennalls of Pulling Point, widow, conveyed the six aeres for £23 to Joshua Bill of Pulling Point. It was bounded " upon a Square line Northerly, by the land of Joseph Bills and by a Copse of M" Deane Winthrop's deceased "; E., S. and W. by Joseph Bill, " being the land of Robert Renalls's late of Pulling Point deced intestate " (sic). (Suff. Deeds, L. 24, f. 126.) Joshua Bill was the son of Jonathan, and grandson of James, Bill. March 12, 1708/9, Joshua Bill, with his wife Sarah, conveyed the same for £27 to his uncle Joseph Bill. (Ibid., L. 24, f. 193.) At the April term of the Suff. Co. Court of Common Pleas in 1724, Thomas Smith of Boston, sawyer, in the right of his wife Ann, daughter of Joseph Bill of Pullen Point deceased, brought suit against Joseph and Jeremiah Bill of Pullen Point to recover one seventh of one fourth of the above 6 aeres. Joseph Bill, father of the said Ann, by will dated January 31, 1717/8 had, the complainants stated, given the 6 acres to his four sons Joseph, John, Josiah, and Jeremiah. Josiah died on or about January 3, 1721/2 with- out issue, and his one fourth should " be divided among the rest of [Joseph Bill's] Surviving Children equally," that is one seventh
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