Welcome to Bidwell Lore number 157! We took a short break but are back to continue sharing Agrippa Hull’s story. But, before we get into that we have a brief sideline this week to look at a property owned by Elizabeth Freeman.
The House of Elizabeth Freeman
Rick Wilcox, 2022
We are back this week with a small sideline in the Agrippa Hull story as we briefly focus on the home of Elizabeth Freeman, who eventually became Agrippa’s neighbor. Those of you who have been reading Bidwell Lore for a while will remember that Freeman, also known as Mumbet, was enslaved by Colonel John Ashley of Sheffield. She was enslaved with her sister and, after an incident in the Ashley household where she had to defend her sister from mistreatment, she decided to sue for her freedom. Theodore Sedgwick of Stockbridge, a familiar name in Bidwell Lore, was her lawyer and in the end, she won her freedom. It was then that she chose the name Elizabeth Freeman and eventually went into paid service with the Sedgwick household in Stockbridge.
Over the years, Elizabeth Freeman was able to acquire land in Stockbridge, and during my research, I found a number of deeds for her purchases. We will talk about two of those purchases this week. Below is the Deed for her first purchase in 1803:
Peters, Thomas to Freeman, Elizabeth & C, Book 41, Page 277 (1803)
TO ALL PEOPLE to whom these PRESENTS shall come GREETING; Know Ye, that I Thomas Peters of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire Commonwealth of Massachusetts For and in consideration of the Sum of Seventy five dollars in Hand paid before the Ensealing hereof by, Elizabeth Freeman and Jonah Humphrey both of Stockbridge aforesaid the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and are 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 them the said Elizabeth & Jonah their Heirs and Assigns forever, a certain Tract of Land Lying in Stockbridge aforesaid on which Elizabeth and Jonah now dwell – containing by estimation five acres and twenty three rods – bounded & described as follows (viz.) beginning at the north east corner thereof an the road leading westerly towards Clark Mill thence running north eighty five degrees west on said road, nineteen rods, hence north sixty eight degrees west on said road, sixteen rods, to the Land of Agrippa Hull, [1] thence South thirty five degrees west twenty nine rods to a Stake thence South eighty Seven degrees east fifty four rods & twenty three links to a heap of stones, and thence an direct course Sixteen rods to the place of beginning – being the Same Land which Enoch W. Thayer [2] conveyed to me by his deed bearing date the seventh day of October in the year one thousand and Seven Hundred and ninety five –
TO HAVE and to HOLD the before granted Premises, with the Appurtenances and Privileges thereunto belonging to them the said Elizabeth & Jonah their Heirs and Assigns to his and their own proper Use Benefit and Behoof forevermore. And I the said Thomas for my self and Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, do Covenant, Promise and Grant unto and with the said Elizabeth & Jonah their 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 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 freely and clearly executed, acquitted and discharged of and from all former and other Gifts, Grants, Bargains, Sales, Leases, Mortgages, Willis, Intails, Joyntures, Dowries, Thirds, Executions and Incumbrances whatsoever.
AND FURTHERMORE, I the said Thomas for myself my Heirs, Executors and Administrators, do hereby Covenant, Promise and Engage the before-granted Premises with the Appurtenances unto Elizabeth and Jonah their 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 twenty-fifth Day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and three. Signed, Sealed, and Delivered, in Presence of Ephraim Williams} Thomas (his mark) Peters & Seal.
Above is the home lot of Elizabeth Freeman, mentioned in the above Deed. The house looks to be 20th century. If allowed to view the interior we may be able to judge if some part of the house is 18th century. Freeman moved into an existing house around 1802, a year before she purchased the house and land in 1803. Dendrochronology would be able to date the beams in the basement if the original framing was left.
On the first day of December in 1807 Elizabeth Freeman purchased from the estate of John Taylor:
“Now therefore Know Ye That I the said Ephraim Taylor in pursuance of the power & authority in me vested in & by the said last Will & Testament of the said John for the purposes before mentioned & expressed & inconsideration of the sum of forty nine dollars to me in hand paid by Elizabeth Freeman of Stockbridge aforesaid Spinster the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge have in any said capacity of Executor as aforesaid Granted Bargained sold & conveyed & by these presents do give grant bargain sell Convey unto her the said Elizabeth Freeman her heirs and assigns forever “A certain tract of land lying in Stockbridge aforesaid containing by estimation Twelve & a half acres it being part of Taylor’s Negro pond [3] lot there so called it is thus described, beginning on the North line of said lot thirty rods & five links from the north east corner of said lot thence Southerly a parallel line with the East line of the said lot thirty one rods thence westerly a parallel line with the North line of said lot sixty nine rods to the west line thereof and to bound northerly & westerly on the North and West lines of said lot –” [4]
Land purchases around Lake Agawam were most often made to obtain wood lots as the town was rapidly being stripped of trees. In addition to wood for house building and heating, the colonists brought to America the English practice of having every piece of land, no matter how large or small, fenced in. Unfenced land was unimproved land and, unless otherwise agreed upon, there for the taking.
Below is the deed for Freeman’s purchase from the heirs of John Taylor:
{Ephm. Taylor to Elizabeth Freeman} To all people to whom these presents shall come GREETING. Whereas John Taylor late of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire & Commonwealth of Massachusetts Gentleman deceased, in and by his last Will & Testament bearing date the sixteenth day of August 1796 and which has been duly proved, approved allowed & recorded in the Registry of Probate for said County of Berkshire did authorize and inpower Ephraim Taylor of Stockbridge aforesaid Yeoman sole Executor of the said last Will & Testament of the said John to sell & convey such part of the real Estate of the said John as should be necessary to pay his just debts and funeral charges in case he personal Estate of the said John should be found to be insufficient and to make good and valid deeds of the Same in law as if done by him the said John in person, and whereas it is found that the personal Estate of the said John is insufficient to pay his just Debts and personal charges and that it is necessary that the following described tract of land being part of the real Estate of the said John should be sold to complete the payments of said debts, Now therefore Know Ye That I the said Ephraim Taylor in pursuance of the power & authority in me vested in & by the said last Will & Testament of the said John for the purposes before mentioned & expressed & inconsideration of the sum of forty nine dollars to me in hand paid by Elizabeth Freeman of Stockbridge aforesaid Spinster [5] the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge have in any said capacity of Executor as aforesaid Granted Bargained sold & conveyed & by these presents do give grant bargain sell Convey unto her the said Elizabeth Freeman her heirs and assigns forever “A certain tract of land lying in Stockbridge aforesaid containing by estimation Twelve & a half acres it being part of Taylor’s Negro pond lot there so called it is thus described, beginning on he North line of said lot thirty rods & five links from the north east corner of said lot thence Southerly a parallel line with the East line of the said lot thirty one rods thence westerly a parallel line with the North line of said lot sixty nine rods to the west line thereof and to bound northerly & westerly on the North and West lines of said lot – To have and to hold the before granted premises with the appurtenances thereby belonging to her the said Elizabeth Freeman her heirs and assigns to her and their proper use & behoof forever And I the said Ephraim Taylor in my said capacity do hereby covenant grant & agree to & with the said Elizabeth Freeman her heirs Executors administrators and assigns that the said John Taylor did lawfully seized of the said granted premises that I am lawfully authorized & impowered to sell & convey the Same by the aforesaid last Will & Testament for the purpose aforesaid that it is necessary that the same should be sold for the payment of the Debts of the said John Taylor deceased and that the Same are free of all incumbrances – And Furthermore I the said Ephraim Taylor in my said capacity do covenant with the said Elizabeth Freeman her heirs Executors, administrators & assigns, That I will Warrant, secure and defend the before granted premises to her the said Elizabeth Freeman her heirs and assigns forever by these presents –
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this first day of December in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred & seven – Ephm. Taylor & Seal
Signed Sealed & delivered in presence of us Erastus Sergeant, John Sergeant
Berkshire SS January 29th 1808 The within named Ephraim Taylor now before me acknowledges the within Instrument by him executed to be his free act & deed Joseph Woodbridge Justice of the Peace
Berkshire SS March 9th 1808 Recd. and Recorded from the Original Attest Joseph Tucker Regr.
1. Hull land is at the northeast corner of Cherry Hill and Castle Hill Roads.
2. Owner of Cherry Cottage at the north side of Cherry Hill and Cherry Street intersection.
3. Now Lake Agawam, it was formerly Negro Swamp and Negro Pond. When purchased by Timothy Edwards from the Stockbridge Indians the English called it Muddy Brook Swamp, see Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds Book 19, Page 415. Sometimes confused with Clark Pond, which did not exist until after 1900.
4. Ephraim Taylor to Elizabeth Freeman, Book 46, Page 98 (1811) Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield.
5. Elizabeth Freeman had a daughter named Elizabeth Freeman causing some confusion regarding deeds. This deed was for Elizabeth Freeman the elder.