ROGER CONANT IN THE FUR TRADE PT3: "...A GREAT FARDEL OF BEAVER...'

In the conclusion of the dispute between my ancestor Roger Conant and his partners had with Francis Johnson, Roger presented a final argument to the court. Frederick Odell Conant reprinted that document in his book A History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America, Thirteen Generations, 1520-1887:

"ffor awnswer to mr. Johnsons declaration we desire the court and Jury to have knowledge

"1 that as for the matter of these bills it was never denied, only on of them was lost 2 And as for the quantity of the bill lost none of vs can affirm, neither can mr. Johnson, but only by supposition, but whether the bills be or were more or less, we suppose it littell to the purpose or to what we looke after wch is our pts of that beaver and otter wch mr. Johnson hath received as witness his two letters dated long after the bills. ;3. As ftor the twenty three pounds wch we accounted due to each of vs, it was so much disbursed by each of our pticuler statements so must our disbursements even in the trad weh was long before the time that mr. Johnson received this forementioned beaver & otter, and for what might be further due by lulls if it came to hand to be equally divided among vs. 4 for the fowerth pticular there is no need of awnswer to it. 5 As for the arbitrators of Boston they did fully considder and debate of the bill lost, and of what mr. Johnson had rendered of our joynt debt, and of what mr. Johnson had pmised to mr. ffoxwell of land and house to be secured, proofs being produced to the arbitrators by ffoxwels agent.
Roger Conant
Peter Palfrey
Nathaniel Pickman"

The verdict was as follows:
"At a Court held in Salem ye 27th  9 mo 1655. Mr. Roger Conant Peter Palfrey and Nathaniel Pickman ptfs. against Mr. Francis Johnson defendt: in an action of the case for detaining a parcel of Beaver cont. 141 1/2 lbs and a parcel of otter nere as bigg in bulke, wch he received twenty yeers since wth due damages for forbearance. Jury finds for the plt's, in the hands of the defendt 141 lbs of Beaver vallued at 70 lbs 10s and 70 lbs of otter at 5s per lb: 17 lb 10 sh. three parts whereof we find for the pits, bothe of the beaver and the otter wch. 3/4 amounts to 66 pounds, and costs of Courts wch is 36s 2d"-pp112-113

A History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America, Thirteen Generations, 1520-1887: Containing Also Some Genealogical Notes on the Connet, Connett and Connit Families, private printing, Portland, Maine 1887 

There was an image of the original handwritten document included in the book but unfortunately it didn't reproduce too well in the e-book version and the text has all faded away,

But at least we have the statements from the court record which shows how valuable the fur trade and beaver skins were to the colonists of  the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

ROGER CONANT IN THE FUR TRADE PT2: "...A GREAT FARDEL OF BEAVER...'

Depositions by two more witnesses in a court case involving my ancestor Roger Conan, the fur trade and payment of a debt:

DEPOSITION OF TABITHA PITTMAN.
"This I Tabitha Pittman doe testify that at my husband Dikes last going away from me when he was taken away att Cape Codd by the hard winter being the last words he ever spake to me, he said 'wife when thee hast paid Peter Palfrey such a sum (but att present I know not the amount) then there is due to thee from Richard Foxwell onn the bills, three and twenty pounds or thereabouts and all for each partner and that itt was due and oweing to them at the time of the date of the bills."
"Taken upon oath 30: 1: 1657 before me Edmond Batter."

Francis Johnson deposed "that about twenty-four or live years since Mr. Roger Conant, Peter Palfrey, Anthony Dike and myself formed a partnership for a trade to the eastward in which trade they left, the sole business of management unto me Francis Johnson. * * * At the end of three years or thereabouts I sold unto Mr. Richard Foxwell all the interest in the house with the Debts due from the Indians, household stuff and trading goods for all which I took t wo bills of debt under his hand payable at two set days one in December the other June after. As 1 do remember some time after I sold to said Foxwell a small parcel of goods and took his bill for that sum, so that there were three bills of debt made in my name and pertains to what sum I know not. Sometime after the sd. Foxwell sends some beaver and otter by a boat which I received debts to our selves and other men which the trade was indebted to, this beaver and otter was disposed of for that. Two or three or more years after seeing no more pay came from the said Foxwell the above said parton'rs came to account to see how they stood upon which we found Mr. Foxwell so much indebted to us as amounted to 23 lbs. or thereabouts to every partener. the bills which we accounted desperate were delivered into the hands of Peter Palfrey at that time (being in my hands before) by Mr. Conants desire and our consent. * * *"
-p112



 A History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America, Thirteen Generations, 1520-1887: Containing Also Some Genealogical Notes on the Connet, Connett and Connit Families, private printing, Portland, Maine 1887

I'll conclude in the next post with a response to these depositions made by Roger Conant

To be continued...

ROGER CONANT IN THE FUR TRADE PT1: "...A GREAT FARDEL OF BEAVER...'

Recently a pair of beavers has been spotted building a lodge in the state park here in town. This was exciting because there have been no beavers here in about a century. Now I knew that at one time the survival of the settlers of Massachusetts depended to some extent on the trade in beaver pelts, and I wondered how many of my colonial ancestors may have taken an interest in that trade. Because of my recent research of my Conant ancestors I knew of at least one who did, Roger Conant.

I found an account of a court case involving him and some partners in a court case involving beaver pelts, and a debt. It's from Frederick Odell Conant's  A History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America, Thirteen Generations, 1520-1887... .

 At about this time he formed a partnership with Peter Palfrey, Anthony Dike and Frances Johnson, for trade with the Indians along the coast. They had a station or truck-house, as it was called, at Blue Point, near Saco, which was afterwards sold to Richard Foxwell, together with certain debts due from the Indians. Dike was lost in a storm off Cape Cod while on a trading trip. There was a disagreement among the partners in settling their affairs, as in 1655 Conant, Palfrey, and Nathaniel Pickman as successor to Dike, brought suit in the court at Salem against Francis Johnson to recover the value of a quantity of beaver and otter skins, sent by Foxwell to Johnson, and not accounted for by him. The following testimony is found on the Court files of Essex county. Johnson wrote Foxwell Feb. 12, 1635, acknowledging the receipt of the beaver, otter, etc "Geo. Taylor sworn June 18 1654 saith that about eighteen years since I dwelling with Mr. Cleeves in Casco bay. Mr. Richard Tucker and I was going to Boston ward, and at Sako, we met with Mr. Richard Foxwell, he desired me and Mr. Tucker to carry a great packet of beaver and otter for him to Mr. Francis Johnson, which we did deliver him in the bay."

Richard Tucker of Falmouth (now Portland) deposed July 1, 1654, that "about eighteen or twenty years since Mr. Richard Foxwell delivered me in my boat then bound for Massachusetts, a great fardel of beaver and another of otter, value to the best of my remembrance seventy or eighty pounds sterling."

DEPOSITION OF LOT CONANT.
"This deponent testifieth that about Seven veers since that going eastward I was desired to carry a letter by Nathaniel Pickman to Mr. Richard ffoxwell of blue point. This deponent testifleth that afors'd ffoxwell had read ye letter that was sent to him by Nathaniel Pickman and answered that he owed nothing to Nathaniel Pickman but what he owed to Mr. Johnson and to Anthony Dike and it was for goods he had of them at ye trading house.
By me Lot Conant.
Testified upon oath ye 14: 5 mo. 1654.
Before me John Endecott, Deputy Governor."
 
On 24: 1 mo: 1655-6 Lot Conant testified
"That he heard his father Mr. Roger Conant and Mr. Francis Johnson speaking about the business between Mr. Foxwell and them about putting it to arbitration, but they both declared not by any means to put bills of Debt to arbitration."-p110-111

A History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America, Thirteen Generations, 1520-1887: Containing Also Some Genealogical Notes on the Connet, Connett and Connit Families, private printing, Portland, Maine 1887

Two notes on the testimony:
John Endecott was my 10x gread grandfather.
A "fardel" is an old English word for a bundle of something.

There is more testimony which will be in the next post.

To be continued...

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2017 WEEK 16: ROGER CONANT OF SALEM, MA. PT2

I found a transcription of Roger Conant's will and estate inventory in a book, The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts Vol III. It was presented at the Essex Court in Salem in 1679, and by that time the two of his children I am descended from had pre-deceased Roger.  8x great grandfather Lot Conant died in 1674, and 8x great grandmother Sarah (Conant) Leach had been dead for nearly twenty years:

Estate Of Roger Conant Of Salem.
"The Last will & testament of Roger Conant dated the first day of the first month 1677 I Roger Conant aged about eightie fiue yeares being of perfit understanding though weake & feeble in body doe heerby declare my will and minde wherein in the first place I doe bequeath my soule unto God that gaue it & my body to the graue in hope of a blessed Resurrection: & for my outward estate & goods I giue unto my Sonne Exercise one hundred & fortie acres of Land lyeing neere adjoyning unto the new towne of Dunstable as part of two hundred acres granted me by the Generall Court also I giue & bequeath unto him ten acres of Land next adjoyning unto his present homelot and land Lying by the side of william Dodgeses his land & butts one the land of Thomas Herrick: also I giue him two acres of marsh at the south End of the great pond by whenham or if my daughter Elizabeth Conant will Exchang to haue so much at the great marsh neere wenham: also I giue him my swamp at the head of the railes which is it undevided betwixt me and Benjamin Balch adjoyning unto william Dodgeses' swamp: also I giue him my portion of land Lying by Henry Haggats on wenham side: now out of this forementioned Land he is to paye seaven pound toward the discharge of such Legassis as I haue giuen & bequeathed according as is heere after set down More I giue unto my grand child John Conant sonne of Roger Conant ten acres of Land adjoyning to his twenty acres by the great ponds side he paying twenty pounds for the same towards the payment of legassis as after mentioned more I giue unto my grand child Joshua Conant seaventeen acres of Land Lying by the south side of the great marsh neer wenham and bounding unto the land of Peter woodbery: and the rest to returne to my Executor.

"Also I giue unto my daughter Sarah two acres of Land lying between the head of the railes & Isack Hull his ground as part of six acres twixt me and Benjamine Balch this to her and Ilher|| children also sixtie acres of Land out of my farm granted me by the generall Court neere the new town of Dunstable I giue and bequeath into the hands of Captain Roger Clap of the castle neer Dorchester for the use of a daughter of one MHi Pits deseased whose daughter now Liueth in Culli- ton a town in Devon in old England & is in lue for certaine goods sold for the said Mrii Pits in London and was there to be paid many yeares since but it is alleged was neuer paid and the foresaid Captaine Clap to giue a discharge as there atturny according as he is impowered and intrusted in theire behalfe further more as legassis I doe giue unto my sonne Lot his ten children twenty pounds to be equally devided to my daughter sarahs children to John fiue pound to the foure daughters fiue pound between them To my daughter Mary Dodge her self fiue pound and fiue pound to her fiue children equally devided To Exercise his children foure pound betwixt them To adonirum Veren three pound and to his sister Hannah twenty shillings and her two children each ten shillings. To my Cosen Mary Veren wife to Hellier Veren three pound as also three pound unto the daughters of my Cosen Jane Mason deceased to be devided amongst them including Loue Steeuens her children a share my wearing apparrill I giue and houshold impelments not otherwise disposed of and my gray horse and cattle to my sonne Exercise one sheep I giue to Rebacka Connant my grand child and one sheep to Mary Leech.

"And whereas there remains in my hands a certaine portion of cattle belonging unto on mr Dudeny in England and by him assigned unto his nephew Richard Conant valued at twenty fiue pounds and now left in the hands of my sonne Exercise Conant that there be a rendering up of such cattle or theire valuation mentioned unto the said Richard Conant upon seasonable demaund he giueing a full discharge for the same And further my will is that my sonne Exercise be my Executor to this my will and Testament and for further help in seeing these things performed I desire my sonne William Dodge and my grandchild John Conant senior to be overseears of the same. In witness whereof I haue heerunto sett my hand the day and yeare aboue written."

Roger (his R C mark) Conant (seal)
Witness: John Bennet, Benjamin Balch.
Proved in Salem court 25: 9m: 1679, by the witnesses.
Inventory of the estate of Roger Conant, taken Nov. 24, 1679, by John Rayment and William Rayment: 200 Acors of land, 60li.; Liing at Dunstable not improved mor land sould to Elizabeth Conant & not payd for, 40li.; mor land 10 acors, 20li.; land 10 Acors, 20li.; land 23 Acors, 59li.; 2 Acors of medow, 10li.; 2 Acors of land, 5li.; swampy land, 1Li.; more land, 1Li.; 2 cows and a hors, 10li.; more cattell, 15li.; 4 sheep, 1Li. 10s.; a bed & furnytur, 5li.; wareing closse and 1inin, 91i.; a Chest, trunck and box, 1Li.; other things, 1Li.; total, 2581i . 10s.
Attested in Salem court 28: 9m: 1679, by Exercise Conant, the executor.
pp335-337

The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts: 1675-1681 (Google eBook) Vol.III1675-1681 Essex Institute Salem, Ma. 1920

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2017 WEEK 16: ROGER CONANT OF SALEM, MA. PT1

My 9x great grandfather Roger Conant is one of those people who were important figures in the early history of Massachusetts but aren't well know today. There's a statue of him in the city he helped to establish, Salem, Ma., but tourists are probably more interested in the Salem witches.

Here's the entry for the Conant famliy in one of William Richard Cutter's  regional genealogies.I've included the entries for his father and grandfather which helped me push my family tree back a few more generations:

John Conant lived in the parish of East Budleigh, Devonshire, England,  probably born about 1520 at Gittisham, an adjacent town; was a taxpayer at East Budleigh, 1571, and in 1577 warden of the church there; was buried March 30, 1596, probably son of John Conant, who died September, 1659, at Gittisham.

(II) Richard Conant, son of John Conant, was born at East Budleigh about 1548, and in 1588 was assessed for land there; church warden in 1606 and 1616. He married, February 4, 1578, Agnes, daughter of John Clarke Sr., of Collyton, who married, June 9, 1544. Anne, daughter of William Macy, of Collyton.. Richard and Agnes Conant were buried September 22. 1630. Children: John, Richard, Robert, Jane, John, Thomas, Christopher, Roger, mentioned below.

(III) Roger Conant, son of Richard Conant, was the immigrant ancestor. He was baptized at East Budleigh, April 9, 1592, and received a good education. He married, November, 1618, and had probably been seven years in London as an apprentice to a salter, doubtless living  there until 1623, when he came to America. He was first at Plymouth, but owing to differences in religious beliefs he followed Rev. John Lyford to Nantasket (Hull). It was probably while there that he used Governor's Island, which was known for some time as Conant's Island. In 1624-25 he was chosen by the Dorchester Company as governor of the Cape Ann colony, and after a year there he moved with those who did not return to England, to Naumkeag, later Salem, Massachusetts; his house was the first built there. Although he is not universally recognized as the first governor of Massachusetts, he is fairly entitled to that honor, for the colony of which he was the head was the first permanent settlement in the Massachusetts Bay territory. Roger Conant was admitted a freeman, May 18, 1631, and held many important offices; justice of the quarterly court at Salem three years: selectman 1637 to 1641, 1651 to 1654, 1657 and 1658; in 1667 he was an original member of the Beverly church. He had large grants of land in Salem, Beverly and vicinity. He died November 19, 1679. He married, November I1, 1618, in the parish of Blackfriars, London, Sarah Horton. Children: Sarah, Caleb, Lot, mentioned below; Roger, Sarah, Joshua, Mary, Elizabeth, Exercise.p-98

New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 1  Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, New York   1915

Roger's occupation as salter would have been an important one in colonial New England. He would have been involved in the process of salting fish and meat, a common way of preserving food, something vital to the survival of the colonies.

To be continued...

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2017 WEEK 15: THE QUESTION OF SARAH CONANT

I haven't seen much for  8x great grandfather John Leach. There's actually more about his wife Sarah, because she was the daughter of Roger Conant, one of the founders of Salem Ma. While I haven't found any record of a marriage, it seems to have been accepted by many genealogists. Author Frederick Odell Conant lays out the argument for it in his A History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America, Thirteen Generations, 1520-1887:

4. Sarah" {Roger), born about 1628; married John, son of Lawrence and Elizabeth Leach. Although there is no direct documentary evidence to prove that she married John Leach, the circumstances indicating such a marriage are considered sufficient to warrant the statement; viz.: 1st, John Leach's wife was named Sarah; 2nd, there is no record of the marriage of either of them to anyone else; 3rd, John Leach was a near neighbor of Roger Conant; 4th, John Leach's eldest surviving child was John, and there were at least four daughters, one of wThom was named Mary, who, at the time of Lot and Roger Conant's death, was unmarried; 5th, in Lot Conant's will Mary Leach is called kinswoman; and in Roger Conant's will she is mentioned in connection with his granddaughter, Rebecca; he also mentions his daughter, Sarah, and her son, John, and four daughters. Lawrence Leach came to New England in the fleet with Higginson, in 1629; took the freeman's oath 18 May, 1631, and died June, 1662, aged about 82.

John Leach had a grant of land 1637, and was made freeman 1681 (Savage).
 
Sarah Leach was admitted to the First Church, 1648, and dismissed to the Beverly church, 1667; she died about 1681.

Children of John and Sarah (conant) Leach:
i. John, bapt. 3 Sept., 1648;
ii. John  twins bapt. Nov., 1648 , married and had family.
iii.Sarah twins bapt. Nov., 1648
iv. Rachael, bapt, 6 Apr., 1651.
v. Sarah, bapt. il June, 1652.
vi. Elizabeth, bapt. 27 Nov., 1653.
vii. Mary, bapt. 8 Sep., 1654; m. 2 Mch., 1080, Thos, Field, and probably then received the cow or heifer left her by Lot Conant, 1674, "at her being married or leaving my wife."
viii. Richard, bapt. 15 June, 1656, d. y.
-pp135-136
A History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America, Thirteen Generations, 1520-1887: Containing Also Some Genealogical Notes on the Connet, Connett and Connit Families Private print. [Press of Harris & Williams],  Portland, Me. 1887

The marriage is also listed in the profile for Roger Conant in The Great Migration Begins page 454

I have a double descent from Roger Conant through his son Lot, who is my 8x great grandfather through my Perkins>Packard>Dunham line. My 2x great grandparents Asa Freeman Ellingwood and Florilla Dunham were 6x cousins through their shared descent from Roger Conant.