Hi,
Below is a deed from the Bristol County Land Court, Taunton, MA. The buyer,
and later the seller, was one of my ancestors, Stanley CARTER (1760-1844).
His first wife was Bethiah LEONARD (1764-1804), while his second wife was
POLLY KNAP (1781-?). Both women were b. in Raynham. Bethiah d. in Raynham,
while Polly d. in Fairhaven, MA.
Stanley CARTER has always been a mystery. Although some say he was b. in
Raynham, there is no proof. We simply do not know where he came from. He
did d. in Raynham in 1844, but we have never found where he was buried. His
father-in-law was part of the iron-related LEONARDs, and at c. 1800, he was
listed as a "founder."
Acc. to these deeds, he lived in Foxborough (MA) in 1795, and Norton (MA) in
1796. Perhaps he did not move at all at that point -- the boundaries may
have just changed.
If anyone can help with this deed, this would be great! My main question:
Does anyone recognize this land (in the deed), i.e., does anyone know where
the GODFREYs of Norton, MA, lived? Or where the "ROAD" was? Might it have
been (now) Route 140?
I live near that area, and would love to find where he once owned this land.
I have only one other deed from Stanley, later in life, and it was in
Raynham. There are no probate entries in Bristol County for him.
Finally, I'll list the names of his children (all b. 1789-1815, all b. in
Raynham, MA). If anyone has any info on what happened to his children,
please write! If anyone needs dates for the children, I'll be glad to share
that info. His children:
Sarena CARTER, Alanson CARTER, Menzies CARTER, Stillman CARTER, Diadamia
CARTER, Maria CARTER, Leonard CARTER, Philander CARTER, Clarissa CARTER (my
ancestor, m. Henry WALDRON of Fall River), Eliza CARTER, William CARTER,
Franklin CARTER, Clothier CARTER & Charlot CARTER. I have a feeling the
children moved far away, so they could be anywhere.
Thank you! Betty G., Middleboro
Land Court
Taunton, Bristol, MA
Book 74/P. 508
Deed - Land in Norton, Bristol, MA
From EZRA & MOLLY GODFREY to STANLEY & BETHIAH (LEONARD)
CARTER
Know all Men by these presents that we, EZRA GODFREY, of Norton, in ye County
of Bristol, yeoman, & MOLLY GODFREY of ye Town & County aforesaid (Taxoris?)
for & in consider ( ) of ye sum of thirty one pounds & ten shillings will &
truly paid to us by STANLEY CARTER of Foxborough in ye county of Suffolk,
yeoman, the receipt is here fore & hereby acknowledge do hereby give, grant,
bargain, sell & convey to him ye said STANLEY CARTER & to his heirs & assigns
forever a certain tract or parcel of Land lying in Norton, aforesaid, &
containing four acres & a half excepting twenty two rods taken out by ye
Road, reference must be had for ye Bounds of sd Land to a deed of ye above sd
Land that RICHARD GODFREY of town (Norton?), Esqr., gave to his son EZRA
GODFREY of Norton, dec'd, together with all ye Buildings, privileges &
appurtenances thereunto belonging, to have & to hold ye same & we do by these
presents covenant to & with ye said STANLEY CARTER, that we are lawfully
seize of ye sd (premises?) and that they are free & clean of all encumbrances
& that (I do?) by these presents persons warrant to same & defend ye same to
him ye said STANLEY CARTER & to his heirs & assigns forever against the
lawful claims of any persons whatsoever. Further, I MARY GODFREY, Norton,
Widow, do by these presents (promise?), release & forever quit claim &
(yield?)(up?) to him ye said STANLEY CARTER all my right of dower or power of
these in or to ye aforesaid premises in Witness whereof we have hereunto set
our hands and seals this Fifteenth Day of April, Anno Domini One Thousand
Seven Hundred & Ninety Three.
Page Two
(Top of this page is completely black)
EZRA GODFREY (seal)
MOLLY GODFREY (seal)
MARY GODFREY (seal)
(?)in presence of:
WM. BURT, JUNR.
WM BURT
EBENEZER NELSON
Bristol Ss March ye 10th 1795
Personally MARY GODFREY & MOLLY GODFREY, I acknowledged the within
Instrument by them Subscribed to be their free act & deed before SETH SMITH,
JR. Justice Peace.
Providence Ss.
In Providence, May 5th, 1796. Personally appeared EZRA GODFREY Subscriber to
ye within written Instrument & acknowledged ye same to be his free act & deed
with his hand & seal thereto affixed before me, GEO TILLINGHAST Just Peace.
Received May 6th 1796 and Recorded by JAMES WILLIAMS, Register.
(Next Section, same page)
Know all Men by these Presents that I, STANLEY CARTER of Norton, in ye County
of Bristol, yeoman, for & in consideration of Three Hundred Dollars paid me
DINAH BURT of Taunton in ye County Aforesd, Widow, the receipt whereof I do
hereby acknowledge to hereby give, grant, convey, sell & deliver unto ye said
DINAH her heirs & assigns forever, a certain tract or parcel of Land lying in
sd Norton, containing four acres be ye more or less and is all ye Land
northerly of ye Road that I bought of EZRA GODFREYs' heirs and is the Land
MAJOR RICHARD GODFREY gave to his son EZRA, bounding Easterly & Northerly by
JOSEPH GODFREY's Land, Westerly by SAMUEL GODFREY's Land, & Southerly by ye
Road. To have & to hold ye same, I do covenant with said Dinah that I am
lawfully seized of ye same in fee and that I have good right to sell & convey
ye same as aforesaid and that ye said DINAH shall hold ye same her heirs &
assigns as above & free of all encumbrances, and that I will warrant & defend
ye same to ye said DINAH her heirs & assigns forever, against the lawfull
claim or demand of any person or persons, whatsoever. In Witness whereof we
have hereunto set our hands & seals, this Sixth Day of May, in the year of
our Lord 1796.
STANLEY CARTER (seal)
BETHIAH (LEONARD) CARTER (her mark) (seal)
… Sealed & Delivered in presence of us:
DAVID LINCOLN
SIMEON LINCOLN
Bristol Ss, May ye 6th 1796
Then STANLEY CARTER Signer to this above instrument personally knowledge ye
same to be his act & deed before me.
JAMES WILLIAMS, Justice ye Peace
Received May 6th 1796 and recorded by JAMES WILLIAMS, Register.