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 30
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When the direet tax of 1798 was assessed Aaron Boardman was occupant and owner of the house abovementioned, one half of which was valued at $121, " the other Half of the House Lying in Lynn & owned by the same Man." It was of two stories and was " Verry Old "; the half in Boston covered 600 feet and had nine windows. Aaron Boardman owned 140 acres lying between William Board- man and the Lynn line, with Phillips Payson to the south ($1400) ; also 60 acres of woodland ($480), and six acres of salt-marsh ($90). At the death of Aaron Boardman the Lynn side of the house was set off to his widow. A conveyance dated in 1806 shows that the house stood on the north side of the road from Malden to Lynn, while the road from Reading to Lynn passed the farmn to the east of the house. Elias Bryant of Stoneham with his wife Mary, James Floyd of Chelsea with his wife Eunice, Lydia Board- man of Chelsea single, and Joseph Cheever of Lynn with his wife Huldah, - all daughters of Aaron Boardman, - quitclaimed to Abijah Boardman their rights in the estate of their mother, Mary Boardman. April 13, 1754, the intention of marriage of Aaron Boardman of Chelsea and Mary Cheever of Lynn was filed at
Suff. Prob. Rec., L. 59, f. 19; Mass. Archives, xcvi. 114, 298, 492; xcvii. 106; xliv. 1. See also xcix. 26, 69, 77, 368, 370.
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Chelsea. They were married September 26, 1754. She was the daughter of Thomas and Eunice Cheever, was born May 4, 1732, and died September 14, 1805.26
In 1798 William Boardman owned 49 acres lying between Aaron Boardman and the Malden line, with Phillips Payson on the south and Thomas Hills on the north ; also a house, which covered 1238 feet, had two stories and 19 windows, and was " Verry Old "; also a barn 30 × 28. The total valuation of house and land was $898.
To return to the seventeenth century and Samuel Bennett's farm, on December 5, 1665, " Jnº Gifford Aged 40" or therc- abouts deposed that about the year 1663/4 at the request of his kinswoman Mrs. Hargrave, wife of Captain William Hargrave, mariner, of " Horsley downe neere London," he inquired of Sam- uel Bennett what estate he would settle upon his son Samuel in case he married her daughter. Bennett replied that he would " possess him wth that estate that now he is dwelling in; in the road way Betweene Boston & lynne which was worth as he then sajd cight hundred pounds, and also he would add fower score pounds stocke of Catle," on condition that Samuel Bennett, Jr., should not alienate the lands, and should engage to pay said Samuel, Sr., an annuity of £20 if the latter "stood in need thereof." December 7, Samuel Maverick deposed that Bennett promised to convey the house "wth barnes stables & all other outhouses orchards gardens, & all the vpland & meadow feneed in belonging at present to the aforesajd farme wth seuerall akers of woodland adjacent & eighty pound worth of stocke" with the same conditions as above. These depositions were recorded at the request of Samuell Bennett, Jr.27
October 16, 1666, Samuel Bennett of Boston, gentleman, con- veyed the lands above promised to Samuel Bennett, Jr., and his wife Sarah, daughter of Captain William Hargrave of London, for life, then to the " male heirs of his body lawfully begotten " with reversion in case of failure of such heirs to said Samuel Bennett, Sr., and the " male heirs of his body being lawfully begotten vizt: John Bennet & Elisha Bennet & their Male heirs . . . & soe from Generation to Generation for Ever." He conveyed "his now Dwelling house wth the barns out houses garden Orchards with a feild inclosed of corne land & a parcell of Salt Marsh in the Same feild, & containing about fifty Aeres be it more or lesse,
26 Suff. Deeds, L. 218, f. 72, November 10, 1806; L. 133, f. 175. See also L. 193, ff. 90, 91.
27 Ibid., L. 4, f. 328.
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as also a parcell of upland or Pasture land adjoyning thereunto upon the North West . . . of about five hundered Acres more or less," - Rumney Marsh Creeke lying S.E., Malden common S.W., a spruce swamp N.W. From the swamp the line "goeth to the place where wilkinson Set up his hay Stack fro whence it goeth by a Small Brooke or Runn that goeth into the Swamp, that lyeth before the Now dwelling house of Richard George, on of the said Bennets Tennants bounded on the North-East, with bridge brooke at the foote & upwards with the lands of William Edmands in part, & with the farme of Edward Baker in part, & with the farme of William Merriam all upon the North-East side," that is, in Lynn. This deed was recorded Jan. 20, 1670/71; from the endorsements thereon it appears to have been produced in court.28
March 1, 1671/2, Samuel Bennett with his wife Sarah conveyed to his son John Bennett for £100 their farm of 700 acres " Layed out as it was formerly vnto my soñ Samuell Bennett." This deed was proved by the testimony of witnesses February 4, 1673/4; re- corded February 12, 1673/4, and, according to a marginal record, acknowledged by Samuel Bennett March 7, 1673/4.29 In the meantime, June 28, 1673, Samuel Bennett with his wife Sarah conveyed the same farm of 700 acres to Elisha Bennett. It was described as bounded S. by a salt water creek ; W. by Benj. Muzzey, Brian Bradeene and the Malden line; N. by Long pond & John Wilkinson; ranging down from said Wilkinson by the brow of an hill to land of Tego Barrow, and being also bounded on the E. by William Merriam, Edward Baker and William Edmonds (i. e. by Lynn) to "Bridges brooke." This deed was recorded July 2, 1673.30 March 19, 1673/4, John Bennett of Rumly-marsh, mariner, conveyed to Elisha Bennett, mariner, one half of this farm. The saltwater creek to the south of the farm was said to run from Brides Brooke to Captain Caines (Keayne's) bridge. On the east the line ran from John Wilkinson's land "partly by a Swampe or brooke that runs downe to an house that is now or late in the tenure and occupation of Thomas Stocker," and by Merriam, Baker, and Edmunds to " Brides brooke." Both John and Elisha Bennett mortgaged their lands that year.31
February 2, of the same year, Samuel Bennett granted to his son John Bennett his " Six Oxen, and Six Cowes now vpon my farme
28 Suff. Deeds, L. 7, ff. 76-78.
29 Ibid., L. 8, f. 294.
30 Ibid., L. 8, f. 188.
31 Ibid., L. 8, ff. 339, 388, 396-398.
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where J live, and all my vtensells, as Carts ploughs, yoakes, chaines, wheels &e all which said vtensells are to be vallued by Two indifferent men, the price of which said vtensells the said John Bennet is forthwith to pay his said father "for ... the a foresaid Oxen & Cowes to be at his free and full dispose." 32 John Bennett leased the farm and stoek to Dr. Waldron. In 1676 a lawsuit arose, during which Elizabeth George, aged about 50, testified that she was " present at M' Waldrons farme house, when m" Samuel Bennet tooke a paire of Jron Doggs out of his house " and " from offe mr Waldrons farme, Three Oxen Two Cowes, & two heifers," that "neither she nor any other of mr Waldrons Servants . . . did ... assist him or them," and " that mr Waldron her master was not then present, neither did he give any order to her, or any other of his Servants in writeing, or send any as he was wonted to do, if he desired any considerable thinge to be done, and furthermore she testifyeth, that after the Cattle was taken away she happened to see John Bennet, & told him that the Cattle was gone as abouesaid, and desired to know of him what he would do about them, his answer was they was mr Wal- drons, and that he would require them at his hands, and therefore would not stirr a step after them, so after this diseourse she told her master how things was and further saith not." 33 Benjamin Mussy and John fflood (Floyd) assisted Bennett to drive the eattle to " old Goodman Chaddoeks pasture." The andirons were earried to the house of Benjamin Muzzy. A suit for them was instituted in the County Court, and carried by appeal to the Court of Assistants, although Muzzy asserted that " those And- irons or sueh like [never] sould att the Jron workes where they were made for above thirty shilling in Comon pay." Also if Waldron was absent it was because after he " had bid said Bennet take away said Dogs; said Waldron went to his owne ffarme 34 to order goodm : George to bring away the two oxen hee had there at worke And to deliver them to said Bennet." 35 What chiefly impressed Samuel Bennett was that he got no money either for the andirons or for the oxen. When he arrived with the latter at Goodman Chaddock's, " Joseph Armitage, to whome he delivered
32 Chamberlain MSS., iii. 196; a certified copy. According to an en- dorsement the signature of Samuel Bennett was sworn to by one of the witnesses, November 28, 1676.
33 Ibid., iv. 7.
34 Dr. Waldron had purchased from John Bennett a farm near Reading line.
35 Reasons of Appeal of Benjamin Muzzy, February 27, 1676/7. D. S. Chamberlain MSS., iv. 5. The judgment was reversed. Records of Court of Assistants, i. 79.
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the abovesd oxen said, that whereas he was indebted to him lie would have the Two Oxen for it. So that if he did sell them he had nothing for them." "" During a lawsuit about an imper- feet land-title John Floyd said it was well known that Samuel Bennett, Sr., " sold everything he could for drink." 37
May 19, 1671, Samuel Bennett for £5 in cash and £25 to be paid conveyed to Brian Bredane of Malden 10 acres bounded E. by a hedge on said Bennett's land, N. by "a cart way that goes downe to the Brooke neer to ye white oake marked with a letter M. on the .one side and B. on the other," W. by the Malden line. He was given permission to cart wood to the said Bennett's landing place in winter. December 25, 1672, Bennett gave possession on the premises ; July 8, 1674, the witnesses to the delivery of possession made oath thereto, and the deed was recorded.38 July 3, 1704, Elisha Bennett, then owner of the entire farm, quoting his father's deed, quitclaimed to Bryan Bredeane this land, "where the said Bredane now lives." East of where the old hedge stood in 1671 was the land of John Waite. The conveyance mentions the cart way and the " white oak formerly marked." 39 In the return of the perambulators of the Boston and Malden bounds in 1732 and 1735 one boundary-mark stood near "Mr. Bredeens fence." Berry owned land to the north and Samuel Jenkins that across the line in Malden.
The will of Briant Breeden of Rumney Marsh, dated April 17, 1716, was probated September 26, 1720. He gave to his daughters, Abigail and Mary Breeden, his personal estate within doors, a cow, twenty pounds, and the right to live in the east end of the house so long as they remained unmarried, and to cut fire wood from the farm. To his sons, James and Samuel Breeden, he gave the remainder of his estate, except the land he had already given to his son Samuel by deed of gift. If one son sold, he was to sell to the other, " and not to sell out of the name of the Breedens." 40 The witnesses were Hugh and Benjamin Floyd, John Leath. The births of two children were recorded as of Malden, Elizabeth in November, 1668, Samuel in 1671. September 22, 1720, James
3G Certified copy of Bennett's testimony in Waldron vs. Bassett. Cham- berlain MSS., iv. 8; Records of Court of Assistants, i. 78. The judgment in favor of Waldron was affirmed, presumably because the conveyance from Samuel to John Bennett mentioned cattle but not household utensils. 37 Suff. Early Court Files, 26,191; Middlesex County Court Records (1671-1681), 158; ibid., Suff. County (1671-1680), 406, 407.
38 Suff. Deeds, L. 8, f. 439.
89 Ibid., L. 21, f. 680.
40 Suff. Prob. Rec., L. 21, f. 810.
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Breedeane of Kittery, York County, Maine, quitclaimed to his brother Samuel Breedeane of Boston his right to his father's real estate and out-of-door moveables. The consideration was ten pounds, and the payment of their father's debts and legacies. This was acknowledged at Lynn on the same day.41 The land con- tinued in the possession of the family until March 27, 1786, when it was conveyed by Jacob Breden of Chelsea to Edward and Caleb Pratt for thirty pounds lawful money. There were ten acres " with a dwelling house and hovell on said land." The abutters were Samuel, Joseph, David, and John Waitc, Benjamin Hender- son and widow Farrington in Rumney Marsh; and Daniel Chad- wick, William Harris, and Benjamin Waite on the Malden line.42 Edward Pratt and Caleb Pratt 3d were taxed for this land in 1798. It was described as "pine land " and "verry poor," and was valued at $100. No buildings were listed. Presumably it was the land in the extreme N. W. corner of Revere assigned on Hopkins' Atlas to Pratt and to W. O. Hall.
May 6, 1672, Samuel Bennett for £35 conveyed to Benj. Muzzey the " further pasture," bounded S. W. by the ereek and N. W. by the Malden line, touching at one end the bridge across the creek on the road from Winnisimmet to Lynn. July 16, additional land adjoining thereto was conveyed. The latter was described as " Land on the high Rocks . .. about the place comonly called written trees," and was bounded W. by said Muzzey and the Malden line to Bredane's Land; N. by land of Brian Bredane " formerly bought of mee the sd Bennet as the old Logg fence now is to a gapp or old cart way leading to clapboard Swamp"; E. by land of said Bennet "by a Cart way"; S. by the " Country way," that is, the road from Winnisimmet to Lynn. October 13, 1674, John Bennett quitclaimed to Muzzey both parcels.43 The creek mentioned above separated the first parcel from the Keayne farm, of which Muzzey was at one time tenant.44 There was a house on this farm, of 40 acres according to a conveyance of November
41 Suff. Deeds, L. 34, f. 261.
42 Ibid., L. 156, f. 113. Breeden sold a wood lot of six acres to John Batts, L. 157, f. 232. It was bounded east by Samuel Berry, north by Mr. Henderson, south by Daniel Chaddock, west by Samuel Wait on Malden line. According to the conveyance to Bryant Bredean from Elisha Bennett, January 17, 1708/9, this lot measured forty poles on the Malden line. L. 30, f. 202; L. 157, f. 233. According to the Chelsea Town Records, Jacob Breedeen died March 14, 1787, aged 76, according to the church records. His wife Hannah died in January, 1780, aged 68.
43 Suff. Deeds, L. 9, ff. 420, 421.
44 Infra, chap. xix.
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19, 1696, from Elisha Bennett to John Waite, son-in-law of Benj. Muzzey.45 John Waite owned land also in Malden, where he was born. His father, John Waite, and his grandfather, Joseph Hills, were the most prominent citizens of Malden, rep- resenting it in the General Court for the first thirty-four years of its existence as a town.4G The name of David Waite appeared on the direct tax of 1798 as owner of a portion of this land. Adjacent owners were Joseph Wait and John Wait, Jr. This was the land assigned to J. H. Ricker and. T. Horley (or T. Hurty) on Hopkins' Atlas, the land north of Black Ann's Corner on either side of Salem Street, including the land on which the schoolhouse stands.
June 12, 1672, Samuel Bennett for £6 cash and £54 to be paid later conveyed to Teague a Barrow of Rumney Marsh, 30 aeres bounded N.E. by the Lynn line, " Namely the Line Last run & is called by the name of the parralell Line," beginning in said line at the field of Goodman Mirriam's; N.W. by said Bennett, the line crossing from the Lynn boundary W. towards the " Rocks " to a walnut stump; S.W. by said Bennett, " there beeing seuerall trees marked on the Sides of the Rocks," to a great red oak "by the brooke that runs downe to Goodman Mirriams feild "; S.E. by said Bennett. He excepted land S.W. of said parallel line be- longing to Goodman Mirriam (of Lynn). He granted rights of common for cattle and for firewood for life; also a right of way through Bennett's lands, " and a Cartway to the Creeke or water side at the vsuall Landing place through the sd Bennetts Marsh both in Winter & sumer tymes." He gave possession on the premises in the presence of John Wayte, John Dowlittle, and Ben- jamin Muzzy June 12, 1672 ; and acknowledged the deed Novem- ber 15, 1672. June 9, 1674, John and Elisha Bennett quitelaimed this land to Teague a Barrow. The deed recites that Samuel Bennett before the date of his deed to Barrow had conveyed the farm to his son John, and said John had since granted one half the farm to his brother Elisha.47
July 29, 1674, John and Elisha Bennett of Rumly Marsh, mar- iners, for £180 conveyed to Nathaniel Greenwood of Boston, ship- wright, and John White of Boston, joiner, 200 acres more or less, bounded S.W. by land of said John and Elisha, land of John Wilkinson, and the Malden line; N.W. by land of Thomas Brattle
45 Suff. Deeds, L. 14, f. 443; L. 17, f. 325; L. 35, f. 163. See also infra, the appendix to chap. xxi.
46 Corey, Malden, 165-185; N. E. Hist. and Gen. Reg., xxvi. 82.
47 Suff. Deeds, L. 8, ff. 344, 420. See infra, p. 287.
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and land of William Bartholmew; N.E. by "Land that belongs to the owners of the Iron workes at Linne " and by Lynn com- mon; S.E. by land of Joseph Jenkes; also 10 acres of salt marsh meadow " neere unto the dwelling house of the sd John Bennet & Elisha Bennet," bounded S. by a salt water creek, etc .; also one half of " Squires " meadow in Malden, seven acres. This deed was acknowledged January 22, 1675/6.48 March 30, 1702, the heirs of John White for £300 conveyed to Jeremiah Beleher this farm of 200 acres, citing the earlier deed and repeating bounds therein given. April 1, 1702, Samuel and Ebenezer Stocker, at the request of Jeremiah Belcher and the heirs of John White, accompanied by witnesses, pointed out the bounds of the farm as they had been shown to their father by Samuel Bennett. On the north the line was "by the brooke there running beginning at the Land of Mr. Samuel Jenkes and Ending at the Land of Mr. Bartholomew now in the possession of Daniel Hutchins and the land of Mr Thomas Brattle." Possession of the house and land by twig and turf was delivered by two of the heirs, Edward Martyn (by right of his wife Sarah) and Edward White. The farm was " lately in the occupation of Thomas Townsend," tenant preceding Thomas Cheever on the Parker farm of the Vane allotment.49 May 29, 1708, Joseph Burnap divided the farm be- tween Edward, Joseph, and Ebenezer Beleher, sons of Jeremiah Belcher.5º Dee. 22, 1708, Jeremiah Belcher of Hog Island and his wife Sarah 51 executed a deed of gift of one third of this farm to Joseph Belcher. This third was " to lye on the Northerly side of sd farm according to such bounds as the above named Joseph Belcher and his brothers Edward Beleher and Ebenezer Belcher haue with mutual consent agreed shall be the parting bounds of said farm between them." Jeremiah signed the deed; Sarah, his wife, made her mark. The witnesses were Thomas Cheever and Nathaniel Oliver. It was acknowledged December 22 before Nicholas Paige, J.P. 52 By deed signed on the same day before the same witnesses Edward Beleher of Lynn, yeoman, with his wife Mary, for £25 4s. conveyed to Joseph Belcher of Hog Island, 24 acres lying at the upper end of the land given the said Edward by his father, Jeremiah Belcher, next unto Boardman's land.
48 Suff. Deeds, L. 9, f. 288. June 8, 1680, Nathaniel Greenwood of Boston, shipwright, with his wife Mary conveyed to John White of Boston, joiner, for £104 his rights in the farm. Ibid., L. 14, f. 140.
40 Ibid., L. 21, ff. 1-3, 50.
50 Ibid., L. 28, f. 136; L. 35, f. 95.
51 Infra, chap. vii.
52 Suff. Deeds, L. 24, f. 167.
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February 13, 1719/20, Joseph Belcher and his wife Hannah con- veyed this 24 acres to Ebenezer Merriam and Theophilus Mer- riam.53 August 2, 1714, Ebenezer Beleher and his wife Ruth conveyed to Joseph Belcher of Hog Island for £250 current money his third of this farm. The witnesses were John Floyd, Thomas Berry, and Thomas Cheever. Ebenezer signed; Ruth made her mark.54 August 1, 1720, Joseph Belcher of Hog Island and his wife Hannah conveyed to Thomas Cheever of Lynn (son of Rev. Thomas Cheever), two thirds of the farm, estimated at 218 acres, and two thirds of the saltmarsh; also marshland in Lynn.55 The farm which lay to the north of this land was owned by Cheever's brother-in-law, William Boardman. Cheever had already pur- chased 84 aeres in Rumney Marsh, but his dwelling-house and tan yard were across the boundary in Lynn. Apparently his sons, among whom these lands in Chelsea were divided, lived also in Lynn. Buildings were mentioned on the 80 acres which his grand- son Thomas, son of Thomas, mortgaged October 20, 1762. Aaron Boardman reported to the selectmen that Thomas Cheever with his wife Mary and five children, Mary, Thomas, John, Sarah, and Abiah, and a nurse child, John Berry, removed from Lynn to Chelsea early in October, 1768. They were warned by the select- men to depart.56
August 25, 1674, Samuel Bennett for £6 10s. cash and £6 10s. to be paid on the twenty-fifth day of August every year for life, " if liueing in New England," conveyed to John Bennett a farm of 200 acres, bounded N.E. by John Jjffard; 57 W. by the Malden
83 Suff. Deeds, L. 24, f. 166; L. 39, f. 231.
54 Ibid., L. 28, f. 136.
55 Ibid., L. 35, f. 144.
56 According to the law of that day a man might live during the greater portion of his life in a town and pay taxes there, yet if he had been legally warned to depart within twelve months of his arrival, he could not acquire a legal residence there, and if he became later a public charge, he was returned to his earlier home. For a curious instance of the working of this law see Chelsea vs. Malden (4 Mass. Rep., 131), where Jacob Breden, who was born, and had lived during the greater part of his life, in Malden, was decided to be chargeable upon Lynn because twelve years before his birth his father, Joseph, lived six years in Lynn without being warned out of town. For the conveyances from Thomas Cheever to his sons, etc., see Suff. Deeds, L. 88, ff. 33, 35; L. 94, f. 275; L. 99, f. 229. March 2, 1774, Joshua Cheever of Lynn for £93 6s. 8d. conveyed 50 acres, woodland and pasture in Boston and Lynn, to Phillips Payson, to whom it was assigned in the tax list of 1798. In 1774 the lands of William and Aaron Board- man bounded it on the north, and Abner Cheever on the south. L. 125, f. 160.
57 Giffard in L. 9, f. 246.
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line; S.E. by Thomas Brattle and William Bartholmew; N.W. " reaching unto the uttermost extent of Boston Bounds." This deed was acknowledged November 13, 1674, and recorded July 13, 1675. On August 9, 1675, John Bennett for £80 conveyed the same to Isaac Waldron of Boston, physician.58 September 26, 1695, John Usher as administrator of the estate of Isaac Waldron, reciting that the deceased had died " indebted unto several persons as well in England as in this country farr beyond what his whole Estate both real & personal would reach to satisfy," conveyed the farm, estimated at 200 acres, to Daniel Smith of Charlestown for £46.59 January 2, 1700/01, Daniel Smith of Charlestown with his wife Elizabeth for £50 conveyed to Thomas and Richard Upham, brothers, both of Malden, weavers, " a small house," and "about Sixty acres of land," in the improvement of Thomas Williams. The land was bounded W. by the Malden line; N. by the Reading line; E. by the Lynn line; S. by lands late in the possession of William Boardman deceased, and were stated to be the lands " wch I form'ly purchased of John Usher Esq". of Boston " and " com- monly called Dr Waldron's Farm." 60 Apparently after the boun- daries of Lynn, Reading, and Malden were settled the farm was found to contain less than 200 acres.
April 1, 1678, John Bennett of Boston, mariner, being "now shortly to take a voyage and to leave his wife," etc., executed for the benefit of his " now wife Aphra Bennett and their two Children John Addams and Sarah Bennet " a deed of gift of his half of the farm then in the joint possession of John and Elisha Bennett " each Brother an halfe part of the houses as aforesd (except the great dwelling house wholy the 'sd. John Bennets)." The farm was bounded "South-Eastwardly by the great Creeke or River that cometh up from between Lyn and Boston, North- Eastwardly by the bounds between Lyn and Boston from the Meddow to the Lands of Edward Baker Senior and of William Mirriam both of Lynn and then by them and their Lands unto a Brooke that cometh before Richard Gorges house and runneth down towards Mirriams Land aforesd. and so goeth up by that brooke on the North-East side to the Lands of John Wilkinson, Southwestwardly by Malden Line, onely excepting the Lands of Teague Barrow & Benjamin Muzzey Senio" and Bryan Bradeen."
58 Suff. Deeds, L. 9, ff. 225, 246.
50 Ibid., L. 18, f. 261. The petition of John Usher and Priscilla Waldron, administrators, for power to sell is in Mass. Archives, xvi. 361.
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