52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 29: EDWARD COLBOURNE REVISITED PT2

As I said in the previous post, I found Edward Colbourne's Probate file over at the
AmericanAncestors.org website. While there is an inventory of his estate and a list of debts
yet to be paid, there is no will. That's because Edward and wife Hannah had already divided
their land among there children by selling it to them  for amounts of money that could be paid
in installments, as described by Coburn descendant Frederick William Coburn in his History 
of Lowell:

"Edward Colburn's wife is known to have been named Hannah. Her maiden name is unknown—perhaps because the Ipswich town records were burned in 1831. His nine children were: Edward (16421675); John (1644-1695); Robert (1646-1701) ; Thomas (1648-1728); Daniel (1654-1712); Hannah (1656 ); Ezra (1658-1739); Joseph (1661-1733) ; Lydia (1666 ). This ample progeny of stalwart sons received allotments of land in the parts of Dracut which the father had acquired, each receiving a lot that bordered on the river. To John in 1671 was deeded one-eighth of the holding bought from John Evered, "right against the new barn bounded by Robert on both sides, the river south and highway north, reserving one-half acre about the new barn with convenient highway to new barn." The son did not receive this property as a gift, for he agreed to pay his father £55 sterling, in annual installments of £5. Deeds of property to other sons are on record, the latest being one of date 1690 to Joseph, who apparently had been selected to care for his parents in their later years. "For divers causes me thereunto moving," wrote Edward Colburn, "especially in consideration of that care to provide for me and for my dear wife so long as it shall please God to continue both or either of us in this life I do convey unto my son Joseph Colburn my old dwelling house in Said Dracut and upon my farm thereon, which was the Garrison House, and which he is actually possessed of. Together with a half part of my lot of land to said house adjoining to the land of my son Ezra Coburn, the said land lying northeast and up the river. It is the half part of that latter field which is commonly called the Barn Field." - pp32-33

History of Lowell and Its People, Volume 1 Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1920 - Lowell Ma

Joseph Coburn, who received the house and land in return for caring for his parents, was my
7x great grandfather.

To be continued.