Welcome to Bidwell Lore number 155! This week we continue to look at the deeds for Agrippa’s land purchases in Stockbridge.
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The Deed History of Agrippa’s Land, Continued
Rick Wilcox, 2022
As we said in our last installment, this week we will continue to share the chain of deeds related to Agrippa’s land in Stockbridge. First up is the deed showing the sale of land from Amos Hager to Agrippa Hull in 1789. As you may remember, Hager purchased this land from John Konkapot in 1785.
Hager, Amos to Hull, Agrippa, Book 28, Page 436 (1789)
{Amos Hager to Agrippa Hull} TO ALL PEOPLE to Whom these Presents Shall come Greeting Know Ye that I Amos Hager of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire Yeoman – For and in Consideration of the Sum of four Pounds Current Money of the Commonwealth aforesaid, to me in hand, Paid before the Ensealing hereof by Agrippa Hull of said Stockbridge a Negro Man & Labourer the Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and am fully Satisfied contented and Paid have given granted bargained Sold aliened released conveyed and Confirmed and by these Presents, do freely, clearly and Absolutely give grant Bargain Sell Aliene release convey and Confirm unto him the said Agrippa his heirs and Assigns forever A certain Tract of Land lying in Said Stockbridge and is part of the Same on Which Johannis Mtohhsin late of Stockbridge Deceased lived and is that Part of said Farm that the said Johannis gave to his Daughter Jane by his last will and Testament, and is bounded as follows (viz.) beginning on the South line of the aforesaid Farm about five rods East of Mrs. Thayer’s [1] Northwest Corner, then to Extend westwardly in the line of the aforesaid Farm Sixteen rods then to Extend northwardly in the Same width twenty Rods to Contain two Acres –
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the before granted Premises with the Appurtenances and Privileges thereto belonging, to him the said Agrippa his heirs and Assigns to his and their Proper use Benefit & Behoof forevermore. And I the said Amos Heirs Executors & administrators, do Covenant, Promise and grant unto and with the Said Agrippa Heirs and Assigns forever that before and until the Ensealing hereof I am the Sole Proper and Lawful owner and Possessor of the before granted Premises with the Appurtenances and have in me good right full Power and Lawful Authority to give grant Bargain Sell Aliene release, convey and Confirm the same as aforesaid and that free and clear and Clearly executed, acquitted and Discharged of and From all former Gifts Grants Bargains Sales Leases Mortgages wills Entails Jointures Dowries Thirds Executions and incumbrances whatsoever And Furthermore I the said Amos Hager for my self my heirs Executors and Administrators do hereby Covenant Promise & Grant the before granted Premises with the Appurtenances unto Agrippa his heirs and Assigns forever to Warrant Secure and Defend against the Lawful Claims or Demands of any Person or Persons Whatsoever –
In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal this Second Day of December in the year of our Lord 1789 Amos Hager & Seal
Signed Sealed and Delivered in presence of Ephraim Williams, Theodore Sedgwick
Berkshire SS 2nd December 1789 Amos Hager aforesaid acknowledged the foregoing Instrument to be his deed. Before Theodore Sedgwick Justice Peace
December 10th 1789
Received and Recorded from the Original by Moses Hopkins Regr.
Agrippa eventually sold some of his land to Theodore Sedgwick and you can see the 1792 deed for that transaction below.
Agrippa Hull to Theodore Sedgwick, CBRD Book 37, page 206 (1792)
To All People to Whom These Presents Shall Come Greeting Know That I Agrippa Hull of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts yeoman for and in consideration of the sum of four pounds of the lawful money of the Commonwealth aforesaid to me in hand paid before the ensealing hereof by Theodore Sedgwick of Stockbridge in the County & Commonwealth aforesaid Esq., the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and am fully satisfied, contented & paid. Have given, granted, bargained, sold, aliened, released, conveyed & conveyed land by theses presents do freely, clearly, and absolutely give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, convey and confirm unto him the said Theodore heirs and assigns, a certain tract of land lying in said Stockbridge and is part of the on which Johannis Mtocksin [2] late of Stockbridge deceased lived and is that part of said farm which the said Johannis gave his daughter Jane by his last will and testament and is bounded as follows, beginning in the South line of the aforesaid Farm about five rods east of Mrs. Thayers [3] Northeast corner, then& extends westerly in the line of the aforesaid Farm sixteen rods, then extends northwardly the same width twenty rods to contain two acres. To have and to hold the before granted premises with the appurtenances and privileges thereto belonging unto him the said Theodore his heirs and assigns to his & their own proper use benefit and behoof forevermore and I the said Agrippa for myself my heirs and executors administrators and assigns do covenant, promise & grant unto and with the said his heirs and assigns forever, before and until the ensealing hereof I am the sole proper and lawful owner & proprietor of the granted premises with the appurtenance and have in myself good right full power and lawful authority to give grant bargain sell alien release convey & confirm the same as aforesaid & that free and clear is freely and clearly acquired & discharged of and from all former & other gifts grants bargains sales leases mortgages wife intails jointures dowries thirds executions encumbrance whatsoever – And furthermore I the said Agrippa for myself my heirs executors & administrators hereby covenant promise & engage the before granted premises with the appurtenances to Warrant secure & defend against the lawful claims or demands of any person or persons whatsoever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this fifth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & ninety-two. Agrippa Hull & seal. Signed, seal & delivered in the presence of us Ephraim Williams, Eli Ashman – Berkshire SS Nov 5, 1792. Personally appeared Agrippa Hull & acknowledged this instrument to be his act & deed. Henry W. Dwight [4], Justice of peace.
Received October 5, 1798 and recorded from the original witness Samuel Quincy, Reg [5]
Going back to April of 1789, Agrippa again enlarged his home lot, purchasing just over 1 ½ acres from John Taylor. The land was south of his first purchase on the opposite bank of Konkapot Brook. [6] The deed reads in part: {John Taylor to Agrippa Hull} TO ALL PEOPLE to Whom these Presents Shall come Greetings Know Ye that I John Taylor of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Gentleman, For and Inconsideration of the Sum of thirteen pounds Current Money of the Commonwealth aforesaid to me in hand paid before the Ensealing hereof by Agrippa Hull of Lenox [7] in said County Yeoman…” [8]
The land below is on the south side of Konkapot Brook and encompasses what is now 1 Goodrich Street, the location of Agrippa’s first house. It is also the house Margaret (Peggy) Hull lived in after Agrippa’s death. (North of the brook was formerly the land of Chief John Konkapot and his son Robert. Also purchased by Agrippa Hull)
John Taylor to Agrippa Hull, Book 28, Page 437 [1789]
[John Taylor to Agrippa Hull] TO ALL PEOPLE to whom these Presents Shall come. Greetings Know Ye that I John Taylor of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Gentleman, For and in Consideration of the sum of thirteen pounds Current Money of the Commonwealth aforesaid same in hand paid before the Ensealing hereof by Agrippa Hull of Lenox in said County Yeoman.
The receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and am my self fully Satisfied Contented & Paid, Have, given, granted, bargained, Sold, aliened, released, conveyed and confirmed and by these Presents do fully, clearly and absolutely give, grant, bargain, Sell, aliene, convey and confirm unto him the Said Agrippa his heirs and Assigns forever, A certain Parcel of land Situate in Stockbridge aforesaid and bounded as follows to Wit beginning at a Stake and Stones Standing in the Southwest corner of a piece of land now owned by the Said Agrippa and Lying Directly South of a brook (So-Called Konkapot Brook) and the East Side of the Road leading from Stockbridge to Great Barrington thence Southerly in the line of the Said Road 10 Rods to a Stake and Stones thence Easterly Eighteen Rods & fifteen links.
438
Links to a Stake and Stones Standing in an Old fence thence Northeasterly fourteen Rods to a Butternut tree Marked thence in the same course one rod to the Brook, thence down the Brook in the line of low Water Mark and in the Said Agrippa’s line to the first Mentioned bounds it contains one acre and a half and twelve Rods.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the before granted Premises, with the appurtenances and Privileges hereto belonging to him the Said Agrippa Heirs and Assigns forever to his and their own Proper, Use Benefit and Behoof forevermore and I the Said John Heirs Executors and Administrators do Covenant & Promise and Grant unto and with the Said Agrippa his heirs and assigns forever, that before and until the Ensealing hereof I am the True Sole, Proper and Lawful owner and possessor of the before Granted Premises with the Appurtenances and Have in my self good right full Power and Lawful Authority to give, grant, Bargain, Sell, aliene, release convey and Confirm the Same as a foresaid and that free and Clear and freely and Clearly, executed, acquitted , and Discharged of and from all former Gifts, Grants, Bargains, Sales, Leases, Mortgages, wills, Entails, Jointures, Dowries, Thirds, Executions, and Incumbrances Whatsoever – And Furthermore I the Said John for my self heirs Executors and Administrators do hereby covenant therein and Engage the before granted Premises with the Appurtenances unto him the Said Agrippa his heirs and Assigns forever to Warrant & Secure & Defend against the Lawful Claims or demands of any Person or Persons Whatsoever –
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Fifteenth Day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand seven hundred and eighty nine
Signed, Sealed and Delivered in Presence of Jah Woodbridge, Edward Edwards
John Taylor & Seal
Berkshire SS Apr 15th 1789
Personally appeared John Taylor and acknowledged the above Instrument to be his free act & Deed
December 10th 1789 Before Jah Woodbridge Justice Peace
Received and Recorded from the Original by Moses Hopkins, Reg
Taylor, John to Hull, Agrippa, Book 30, Page 44 (1790)
{John Taylor to Agrippa Hull} TO ALL PEOPLE, to whom these Presents shall come Greeting –Know Ye, That I John Taylor of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Yeoman – For and in consideration of the Sum of Four Pounds Current Money of the Commonwealth aforesaid to me in hand, paid before the Ensealing hereof by Agrippa Hull of Stockbridge aforesaid Yeoman the Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and am fully satisfied, contented and Paid, have given, granted Bargained, sold, aliened, released, conveyed, and confirmed and by these Presents do freely, clearly and absolutely give grant, bargain sell, aliene release convey and confirm unto the said Agrippa Hull his heirs & Assigns forever, one certain Tract of Land lying in Stockbridge & is bounded as follows (viz.) Beginning at Stake & Stones at the South corner of the said Agrippa’s home lot [9] running thence Eastwardly seventeen rods to a black Ash Staddle [10] marked on the bank of the brook, thence down the said brook to a butternut tree marked, thence to the first mentioned bounds containing seventy one rods of Land. [11]
TO HAVE & TO HOLD, the before granted Premises with the Appurtenances & Privileges thereto belonging to him the said Agrippa Hull his Heirs & Assigns to his & their own proper use, Benefit and Behoof forevermore. & I the said John Taylor for my self my Heirs, Executors & Administrators do covenant, promise and grant with and with the said Agrippa Hull his Heirs & Assigns forever before and until the ensealing hereof, I am the true, sole, proper & lawful owner & Possessor of the before granted Premises, with the Appurtenances. And have in my self good right full Power & Lawful Authority to give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, release, convey and confirm the same as aforesaid and that free & clear & freely and clearly released acquitted and discharged of an from all former & other Gifts, Grants, Bargains, Sales, Leases, Mortgages Wills, Entails, Jointures Dowries, Thirds, Executions and Incumbrances whatsoever. And furthermore I the said John Taylor for myself my Heirs, Executors & Administrators, do hereby covenant, Promise & Engage the before granted Premises, with the appurtenances unto him the said Agrippa Hull his Heirs and assigns forever to Warrant secure and Defend against the Lawful Claims or Demands of any Person or Persons whatsoever. In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this first day of November in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety. Signed Sealed and Delivered in Presence of us Stephen Willard, Sarah Taylor} John Taylor & Seal
Berkshire SS 13th Dec: 1790 John Taylor aforesaid acknowledged the foregoing to be his Deed. Before Theodore Sedgwick Justice of the Peace
April 9th 1791 Received and Recorded from the original by Caleb Hyde, Junr. Regr.
Next week will talk more about Agrippa Hull’s land purchases in Stockbridge.
1. Ephraim Williams, Sr.’s daughter.
2. Also, Mtohksin received a 60 acre grant from the Indian Proprietors in 1763.
3. Judith Williams Thayer 1728-1801 daughter of Col Ephraim Williams, Sr. Cherry Cottage is believed to have been built by her c. 1782. 1793 Cherry Cottage and 25 acres purchased by Theodore Sedgwick.
4. Theodore’s brother-in-law.
5. Agrippa Hull to Theodore Sedgwick, CBRD Book 37, page 206 (1792).
6. Mohican name for the brook was Taupaugoh.
7. I have not been able to find any information to support Agrippa living in Lenox. His first wife was a runaway slave from Lenox and his attorney was Theodore Sedgwick’s son Charles, who lived in Lenox.
8. John Taylor to Agrippa Hull, Book 28, Page 437, Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield.
9. Goodrich Street on the west side of Konkapot Brook aka Peggy’s Brook.
10. Upright stone or wood property marker.
11. 44.38 acres.