Welcome to Bidwell Lore number 158! This week we look at some land purchases Agrippa made in his late 50s in Stockbridge.
Agrippa Hull Purchases Land From Abraham Bennet
Rick Wilcox, 2022
We open this week’s installment with a passage from the book 1734 – Two Hundred Years of Christian Service – 1934 First Congregational Church of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, which provides us with some personal anecdotes about Agrippa as a person.
“We often hear of Peggy’s Brook — in a house near by lived Peggy Hull and Agrippa her husband. They were negros, but not slaves. He enlisted in 1777, and was for four years the body-servant of Koskiusko, the Polish general. After the war he returned to Stockbridge. He was well educated, very pious and witty. He and Peggy were in great demand as caterers at parties and receptions. I introduce them here for he was sexton of our church. It is said that one evening when the members were late in coming, he opened the prayer meeting himself, ‘Oh Lord, Thou knowest how I come here and rings the bell and rings the bell, and thy disciples halt by the way, paying no ‘tention to its solemn warning sound.’ As he was our sexton, and carter for a church ordination supper served in Lenox, May first, 1795, I am going to give you the menu for a company of twenty-three persons, just a reminder of the good old days. Two roast pigs, two turkeys, ten dozen eggs, twelve bottles of Madeira, two pints of brandy, four bowls of sling, eighteen large glasses of punch, eight bottles of sherry, and twenty-four glasses of bitters. Nineteen of the guests remained overnight, while horses were entertained in the stables.” [1]
Over the years Agrippa acquired 84 acres of land in Stockbridge. On March 21, 1817, Agrippa made a purchase of land from a man named Abraham Bennet:
A Bennet to A Hull}
TO ALL PEOPLE TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING. Know Ye, that I Abraham Bennet of Newtown in the County of Fairfield in the State of Connecticut Yeoman For and in consideration of the Sum of One thousand Dollars, to me in Hand paid before the Ensealing hereof by, Agrippa Hull of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Yeoman the Receipt hereof 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 Hull and to his Heirs and Assigns forever, One certain parcel of Land in Stockbridge aforesaid, bounded and described as follows to wit, beginning at a stake and stones in the South corner of Elisha Peek’s land on the town road near the house formerly occupied by Luther Landon; thence on said Peek’s land North thirty one degrees and forty five minutes West Sixty four rods and twenty links to a white pine tree thence partly on said Peek’s land and partly on Elijah Deming’s land North eighty eight degrees West eighty two rods & thirty one links to a stake and stones; thence on Archibald Hopkins land South eighty five degrees West, forty five rods and five links to a white birch tree marked; thence on Peter Perry’s land, South twenty two and a half degrees East, twenty four rods to a Walnut tree, thence by said Perry’s land South thirty one degrees West eight rods and eight links to a stake & stones on the Northeast corner of Henry W. Dwight’s land; thence on said Dwight’s land South twenty four degrees East about forty two rods to a stake and stones, thence on said Dwight’s land South eighty eight degrees East Sixteen rods & six links to a white ash stump. Thence on said Dwight’s land South twenty six degrees East fifty one rods and eighteen links to a stake and stones; thence by said Dwight’s land South thirty four degrees West four rods to a stake & stones; thence by said Dwight’s land South eight degrees forty minutes East fifteen rods to a marked tree, thence by said Dwight’s land & South eleven degrees East seven rods to a marked tree thence by said Dwight’s land South thirty two degrees East six rods & nineteen links to a stake & stones, thence by Rich and Roberts land West fifty nine degrees East twenty two rods to a stake & stones on the West side of the road; thence East on said road to the first mentioned bounds containing Seventy acres be the same more or less [2]
Only a few weeks later, Agrippa seemed to sell the land back to Bennet, at a loss, as shown in the Deed below:
Hull, Agrippa to Bennet, Abraham, Book 59, Page 242 (1817)
TO ALL PEOPLE TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING. Know Ye, that I Agrippa Hull of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire Yeoman For and in consideration of the Sum of Seven hundred dollars current money of the Commonwealth aforesaid, to me in Hand paid before the Ensealing hereof by, Abraham Bennet of Newtown in the County of Fairfield in the State of Connecticut 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 him the said Abraham & to his Heirs and Assigns forever, One certain parcel of Land in Stockbridge aforesaid, bounded and described as follows to wit, beginning at a stake and stones in the South corner of Elisha Peek’s land on the town road near the house formerly occupied by Luther Landon; thence on said Peek’s land North thirty one degrees and forty five minutes West Sixty four rods and twenty links to a white pine tree thence partly on said Peek’s land and partly on Elijah Deming’s land North eighty eight degrees West eighty two rods & thirty one links to a stake and stones; thence on Archibald Hopkins land South eighty five degrees West, forty five rods and five links to a white birch tree marked; thence on Peter Perry’s land, South twenty two and a half degrees East, twenty four rods to a Walnut tree, thence by said Perry’s land South thirty one degrees West eight rods and eight links to a stake & stones on the Northeast corner of Henry W. Dwight’s land; thence on said Dwight’s land South twenty four degrees East about forty two rods to a stake and stones, thence on said Dwight’s land South eighty eight degrees East Sixteen rods & six links to a white ash stump. Thence on said Dwight’s land South twenty six degrees East fifty one rods and eighteen links to a stake and stones; thence by said Dwight’s land South thirty four degrees West four rods to a stake & stones; thence by said Dwight’s land South eight degrees forty minutes East fifteen rods to a marked tree, thence by said Dwight’s land & South eleven degrees East seven rods to a marked tree thence by said Dwight’s land South thirty two degrees East six rods & nineteen links to a stake & stones, thence by Rich and Roberts land West fifty nine degrees East twenty two rods to a stake & stones on the West side of the road; thence East on said road to the first mentioned bounds containing Seventy acres be the same more or less, and being the same land conveyed to me by said Abraham Bennett by his deed. [3]
TO HAVE and to HOLD the before granted Premises, with the Appurtenances and Privileges thereunto belonging to him the said Abraham Bennet his Heirs and Assigns to his and their own proper Use Benefit and Behoof forevermore. And I the said Agrippa Hull for myself my Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, do Covenant, Promise and Grant unto and with the said Abraham 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 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 Agrippa Hull for myself my Heirs, Executors and Administrators, do hereby Covenant, Promise and Engage the before-granted Premises with the Appurtenances unto Abraham Bennet 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 our Hand and Seal this second Day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventeen Provided that whereas I the said Agrippa Hull have made and delivered to the said Abraham Bennet my six several promissory notes having date the nineteenth day of March with the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventeen payable to the said Abraham Bennett or his order with intent one of which notes is for the sum of two hundred dollars, payable on the first day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred & nineteen one half in current money & the other half in meat cattle at the appraisal of meats and grains at the market price in Stockbridge and the other five of said notes are for the sum of One hundred dollars each & payable severally on the first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & twenty, One thousand eight hundred and twenty one, One thousand eight hundred and twenty two, One thousand eight hundred and twenty three, & One thousand eight hundred and twenty four Amounting in the whole to the sum of seven hundred dollars – Now this Deed is upon condition that if I the said Agrippa Hull my heirs Executors Administrators or assigns shall pay to the said Abraham his Executors Administrators or assign the several sums mentioned in said Notes according to the true intent and meaning of said notes then this deed is to be void and of no effect, but otherwise to be & remain in full force and virtue. Signed sealed & delivered in presence of us Thomas Twining, Samuel Jones. Agrippa Hull & Seal
Berkshire SS April 2nd 1817
Agrippa Hull now present before me acknowledged the within Instrument by him subscribed to his free act and Deed Samuel Jones Justice of the Peace
Berkshire SS May 19.1817 Recd. and Recorded from the original Attest Joseph Tucker Regr.
By 1826, Agrippa was taking out a mortgage on some of his land in order to pay Bennet. Why he was in this position, we don’t really know. Below is a deed for three plots that Agrippa mortgaged to the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company.
Agrippa Hull to Mass Hospital Life Insurance Company, Book 68, Page 656 (1826)
{Agrippa Hull to Mass Hospt Life Insurance Co.} Know all men by these Presents, That I Agrippa Hull of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Yeoman for and in Consideration of three hundred & fifty Dollars to me paid by the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge have given granted bargained sold and conveyed and do hereby give grant bargain sell and convey unto the said Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company and their successors & assigns forever the following described parcels of Real Estate to wit A certain Tract of Land containing two and a half acres in Stockbridge aforesaid bounded West by the road leading to Great Barrington North by Konkapot Brook East by Lands of Luke Ashburner and Lewis Nash and South by land of Isaiah Byington. Also one other parcel of land in said Stockbridge, a highway passing over the same containing ten acres: bounded West by the road leading from the Factory to the Carter Farm so called North and East by Land of Archibald Hopkins and partly on the East by land of Betty Storing and South by Land of Henry W. Dwight. Also one other parcel of Land in said Stockbridge containing seventy two acres, bounded East by said road leading from the Factory to the Carter farm South by land of Henry W Dwight, West by land now or formerly of Elisha Peek, Elijah Deming, Archibald Hopkins & Peter Perry, and Northerly land formerly owned by Elisha Peek – For more particular description of the last described piece of land, reference is had to the deed of Abraham Bennet to me, the said Agrippa Hull dated March 31st 1817 – TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the afore granted Premises to the said Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company, their successors and assigns to their use and behoof forever. And I do hereby for myself my heirs executors & administrators covenant & engage to & with the said Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company, their successors & Assigns that I am lawfully seized in fee of the afore granted Premises: that – they are free of all incumbrances: that I have good right to sell & convey the same to the
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said Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company and that I will and my heirs Executors & administrators shall warrant & defend the same Premises to the said Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company their Successors and assigns forever against the lawful claims and demands of all Persons. Provided nevertheless That the said Agrippa Hull his heirs Executors, administrators or assigns pay to the said Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company, their Successors or assigns, the sum of three hundred and fifty dollars in five years from the date hereof with interest yearly then this deed, as also a certain note bearing even date with these Presents, given by the said Agrippa Hull to the said Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company to pay the same sum with interest as the time aforesaid shall be void & of no effect, otherwise shall remain in full force & virtue. And I Margaret Hull wife of the said Agrippa Hull for the consideration aforesaid do hereby remise, release and relinquish to the said Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company their Successors & assigns forever all right & Title to a Dower in & to the afore granted Premises. In Witness whereof the said Agrippa Hull and Margaret Hull have hereunto set our hand & seal this Eleventh day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand and eight hundred & twenty six.
Agrippa Hull & Seal
Margaret Hull & Seal
Signed sealed & delivered in presence of Sam Jones}
Henrietta Gilbert}
Berkshire SS July 11th 1826 – Personally appeared Agrippa Hull and Margaret Hull & acknowledged the above instrument to be their free act and deed before me Samuel Jones Justice of the Peace NB the name of the second witness Henrietta Gilbert
{Abraham Bennett release to Mass Hospt Life In Co} Know all men by these presents, that I Abraham Bennett formerly of Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire now of Newtown in the County of Fairfield in the State of Connecticut in consideration of the within mortgage of one dollar paid me by the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company do by these presents postpone the claim which I have upon the estate within described and every part thereof to the title of the said company within created and do release to the said company their Successors & assigns my title and demand in and upon the said Estate so that they shall hold the same pursuant to the within Mortgage discharge of the Mortgage which I hold thereof but retaining & holding my Security by virtue of said Mortgage against all other persons. Witness my hand & Seal the 29th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand and eight hundred & twenty six – Abraham Bennett & Seal
Signed sealed & delivered in presence of Laura Beers, Jacob Beers} State of Connecticut Fairfield County Newtown July 29th 1826 – Personally appeared Abraham Bennet Signer and Sealer of the foregoing instrument & acknowledged the same to be his free Act and Deed before me Jacob Beers Justice of Peace
Berkshire SS Augt 14th 1826 Recd. & Recorded from the original – Attest Joseph Tucker Regr.
Boston Feb 2.1832 the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company having received the amount secured by the within mortgage do hereby release forgive quit claim all their rights to the within described premises.
Nath Poisditet accountant & actuary & [illegible]
Attest M.L.Hale, Secty
Suffolk SS Boston Feb. 2d 1832
That the Nathanial Poisditet actuary of the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company per severally applied & acknowledged the above quit claim to be the free act and deed of said Company
Before me M. L. Hale Justice of the Peace
Berkshire SS Feb 22d 1832 Recd. & Recorded the above release from the original Attest Joseph Tucker Regr.
Next week, we will share a bit about what happened to Agrippa’s wife Peggy after his death in 1748.
1. 1734 – Two Hundred Years of Christian Service – 1934 First Congregational Church of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, By Anna C. Lufburrow, Page 15. Stockbridge Library Museum & Archives, m72.005.6 .
2. Abraham Bennet to Agrippa Hull, Book 59, Page 142, (1817) Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield.
3. Book 59, Page 142