THE HUMBLE PETITION OF THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM TOWNE

I posted a few days ago why I love probate files. Here's an example why:

While searching through the Essex County Massachusetts Probate files on
AmericanAncestors.org I found a file for my 10x great grandfather William
Towne of Topsfield, Ma. William died intestate around 1672, and the estate
was left unsettled and in the hands of his widow, Joanna (Blessing) Towne.
When she died ten years later in 1682 their children presented the following
petition to the Essex County Court. I transcribed it as best I could, leaving
the original spelling and punctuation. There are some words I could not
decipher and they are replaced by (?) in the document. 
 

(( Source: Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)




To the Honored Court now seeting(?) in Ipswich
The Humbell Petision of us as here Named as under written(?) in way of the
Seatallment of a small estate left to us by our Honored father deceased about
ten yeres a goe who died and left no will of disposall of his estate but left the
estate in the hands of our Honored. thair was then an Inventory taken of what
estate was left and presented to the Next Court but the Honored Court did not
so cause at that time to doe anything in way of settlement of the estate only
entered the widow (unreadable) and so it remained till(?) her death unsattled
and the estate to this time not disposed of: Now your Humbel peticioners
Request is at this Honored Court  (?) (?) that the Estate may be sattled at as we
have unanimously Agreed which is as forthwith; viz: first that the lands both for
quality and quantity shall be equaly divided to his three sons:  Edmond Jacob and
Joseph : and the movabells (?) to the daughters Rebacka Mary and Sarah already
been given it shall (?)  in the (?); all so this that we at this time doe from the Estate
and what Claims shall after a Rise in aways of fulfillment of the estat to be equaly
born by all the six children both sons and daughters
Dat this 17 of January
Signed in the presence of us
witnesses:
John Howe
John Pritchet
Later I found this summary from the Court record in The Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society, Volume 25

Petition for settlement of a small estate left the undersigned by their father, who died ten years ago leaving no will, but left his estate in the hands of their mother who was appointed administratrix and the estate remained unsettled until her death, and now they desire that the following division may be allowed: the land to be divided equally to his three sons, Edmond, Jacob and Joseph and the moveables equally to the three daughters, Rebecka, Mary, and Sarah; also the three brothers to pay all debts now due and what charges shall after arise in settlement of the estate to be equally borne by all six.

Dated Jan. 17, 1682.
Signed by Mary (her mark) Towne relict of Edmond,
Jacob Towne,
Joseph (his mark) Towne,
Francis (his mark) Nurs with the consent of Rebeka,
Mary (her mark) Estey formerly Mary Towne,
Sarah (her mark) Bridges.
Signed in the presence of us
Witness:
John How, John Pritchet.

Allowed by the court at Ipswich Apr. 10,1683. Ipswich Deeds, vol. 4, page 515.
p-111 The Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society, Volume 25 (Google eBook) printed by the Society, Topsfield Ma. 1920

Now besides the personal significance to my own family history, this document has some
historical significance as well because of two of the signers of the petition. One is my 9x great grandmother Mary(Towne) Estey, the other her sister Rebecca (Towne) Nurse.

Ten years after their petition to the Court to settle their parents' estate, Mary Estey and Rebecca
Nurse were hung as witches in Salem, Ma. 

THE HAUNTED BOOKS STORE3

As I’ve mentioned before, whenever a book comes into the store
that covers the colonial and 19th century American historical
periods, I look through it to see if a relative might be mentioned
in it.

One such book is Stephen Hawley Martin’s “A Witch in the
Family: an award-winning author investigates his ancestor‘s
trial and execution.”

I have two Salem witches among my ancestory, Mary Townes
Estey (or Eastey) and Rebecca Blake, so I was naturally
interested in the book. Mr. Martin’s Salem ancestress was
Susannah North Martin who was hung on June 29th, 1692.
Apparently her story was well known in his family so his
book is not a genealogical investigation so much as one of the
whole Salem witch trial phenomenon, and while I don’t find
myself agreeing with some of his views, they are interesting .
The Appendix contains documents from Susannah North
Martin’s case, such as the arrest warrant and testimony at her
trial and also the text of Cotton Mather’s tract on witchcraft,
“Memorable Providences”.

One jarring note: the blurb on the outside rear book cover refers
to the Salem Witch Trials as the “ultimate reality show.”
Another book on witches is Edward Lodi’s “Witches of Plymouth
County”. Although the events in Salem and Connecticut are more
notorious there were people believed to be witches in the
Plymouth area as well, and some of their stories are here. Mr.
Lodi has written quite a few books on occult events, such as “The
Haunted Pram” and “Ghosts From King Philip’s War”, and along
with tales of actual people there is sometimes a eerie short story
or two set in the locale.


Finally, there are the books of author Joseph Citro, such as
“Passing Strange” and “Cursed in New England: Stories of
Damned Yankees”. He also writes horror fiction but his occult
books have been fairly popular in our store, and the best selling
one is “Weird New England” , part of a series of books written by
different authors that are guidebooks to the more offbeat travel
destinations nationwide. ( “Weird New York”, “Weird Michigan”,
etc.). It’s the only hardcover out of all the books I’ve mentioned
so far and it’s sold the most copies.

As I’ve said, most of these books are paperback with prices under
$20 and there are others out there like them written about other
parts of the country. Go haunt a bookstore for them!

The “Haunted Bookstore” will conclude with a post on one of my
favorite local authors, Edward Rowe Snow.