JOHN GRENAWAY.

ABSTRACTS OF DEEDS (1650) FROM JOHN GRENAWAY TO HIS CHILDREN. SUFFOLK DEEDS, BOOK FIRST, PAGES 199-202.

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Communicated by WILLIAM B. TRASK, Esq., of Boston.

O all true Christian people to whom this p'sant writting shall Come, John Greeneaway* * of dorchester in New England, milwright, sendeth greeting, whereas Vrsula Greeneaway, the daughter of the said John Greeneaway hath alwayes ben an obedient, loving, dutifull and faithfull daughter and servant vnto her aged father & mother, the said John Greeneaway and his wife & more especially in their weakeness and old age which is now Come vppon them. Now knowe yee me the said John Greeneaway for the Considerations before expressed and as a reward and Requittall vnto my said daughter Vrsula, for her love, dutie and service shewed to me & my wife, as also in Consideration of hir future maintenance & lively hood, Hath Given and absolutely give & Confirme vnto the said Vrsula, all that home & parte of my dwelling howse that lyes at the southwest end of my dwelling wherein the said Vrsula doth vsually lye To have & to hold the said Roome and part of my said dwelling howse, during the life of the said John Greeneaway and Mary Greeneaway his wife, without any lett or mo

• John Grenaway came to this country, it is supposed, in the ship "Mary & John," which arrived at Nantasket, now Hull, May 30, 1630. He was one of the 108 persons from Boston, Salem, Dorchester and elsewhere, who, on the 19th of October of the same year, desired to be made freemen. They were the first applicants to a position requisite toward becoming members of the body politic. In company with 117 others, he, on the 18th of May, took the freeman's oath. The name of his wife was Mary. It has been generally known that they had four daughters: Ann, who married Robert Pierce; Ursula, the wife of Hugh Batten; Mary, the wife of Thomas Millett; and Katharine, who married William Daniel. The documents before us, however, add two more to the list, namely, Elizabeth Allen, probably the wife of John Allen, and Susannah Wales, doubtless the wife of Nathaniel Wales, senior.

John Grenaway was one of the twenty men chosen by the town, on the 2d of January, 1637, to arrange the affairs of the plantation. At this meeting the following among other orders were passed: "It is ordered Good. Greenway shall haue all the vpland one the pine necke for his great lott except 4 acres belonging to Good. Binham & six Acres bought of Moses Mauericke." "It is ordered that Mr. Holland haue all the rest of the marsh joyneing to the pine necke after 4 akers graunted to Good. Greenway and one aker more to be reserned to the disposall of the Plantation. Mr. Glouer & Good. Gaylor to lay it out." The conveyances hereby made to his children partake of the nature of bequests. The probability is that he did not long survive, though the time of his death and age are unknown. His wife died Jan. 23, 1658-9. Mr. Grenaway was a man of good repute among his neighbors and townsmen. He was a millwright by trade. His residence was said to be near the burying place. The names of Mary Grenaway, wife to John Grenaway, and four of her daughters, Ann Pierce, Mary Millett, Katharine Daniel, and Susanna Wales, are appended to petitions from Dorchester, about 1648, in favor of a noted midwife, Alice Tilley, wife of William Tilley. In the Dorchester petition of February 12th, 1641, Mr. G. wrote his name "Grenaway." It is often written by others, "Greenway."

+ Ursula did not come with her parents, John and Mary Grenaway, to this country, but in 1635, in company with brother-in-law Thomas Millett, aged 30, her sister Mary, wife of Thomas, aged 29, and their son Thomas, aged 2 years, embarked on board the Elizabeth, William Stagg, master, the certificate from the minister of St. Saviors, Southwark, England, of their conformity, bearing date April 12th. Ursula was at that time 32 years old. She afterwards married Hugh Batten, who was of Dorchester 1658, died June 8, 1659. The inventory of his estate was taken July 19th. Amount, £144. 04. 07. His widow Ursula deposed Nov. 26th. Mention was made of land and goods which were Ursula's before marriage, namely, house and land that was John Greenway's, valued at £19. "wah she is to haue during life, wah is well known, as by deed bearing date 5: 12: 1650, it doth fully appear." See REGISTER, ix. 348. The year of her husband's death she applied to the town for "a plot of land" for a barn. Ursula Batten died Dec. 19, 1682.

lestation. Vnto the said Vrsula, all my said dwelling howse out howse Barne garden & orchards, conteynning five acres, more or lesse, between George weekes on the west and Richard Leeds on the east and also three acres of meadow bee it more or lesse lying in the meadow called the Calves Pasture,* between the meadow of Thomas Jones on the south side and george dier on the north side, And also three acres of meadow, more or lesse, lying neere the creeke called the old harbor,† between the meadowes of george dier on the north side and Captaine Humphrie Atherton on the south side, also, one lott in the letle and greater necke,‡ conteining by estimation five acres and half be it more or lesse, of which said lott fower acres and half lyes in the greate necke and about one acre in the litle necke; also, all my Comons of wood timber and land lying on this north side of Naponsett Riuer, whereof three lotts are divided & laid out, the Rest lyes above the Cowe walkes & vndevided To have and to hold all the before Recited p'misses, after the deaths of the said John Greeneaway and Mary Greeneaway, for euer. (If Vrsula have no children, the premises after her decease, said Greeneaway gives] vnto my kinsman & servant Thomas millett, the sonne of Thomas & mary Millett|| my sonne in Lawe & daughter, To have and to hold, he paying tenn pounds for fower yeares, fourty pounds, tenn pounds pr Annum, vnto my daughter Ann Pearse & hir children, thirty shillings, vnto my daughter elizabeth Allen and her children three pounds, to my daughter mary millett & hir other children thirty & five shillings, vnto my daughter susanna wales** & her children, if shee have any, one pound seventeene shillings & sixepence & vnto my daughter kath

* The Calves' Pasture, as we understand it, lay between Savin Hill on the south, and Old Harbor on the north, the sea bounding it on the east and the "Cow walk" on the west. Calves' Pasture bar, or, as it was often called, "Cow Pasture," which is entirely bare at low water, extends to the channel of the Neponset, while the noted "Farm Bar" juts out in another direction, giving a zigzag form and course to the bed of the river. These bars have long been celebrated for clams, many bushels of those shell fish having been drawn from their hiding places in the mud and sand.

† Old Harbor, strictly speaking, we suppose to have been the harbor or bay which makes up toward the Little Neck, now Washington Village, where vessels of moderate tonnage, at proper times of the tide, can unload their freights. Many of the first settlers located in this neighborhood, inland, along the curve from "the Neck" to "Rocky Hill," since "Old Hill," now Savin Hill.

‡ The "letle necke" probably had, with some of the marsh adjoining, less than one fourth the quantity of land that the "greater necke," now South Boston proper, contained. The latter, in 1636, was by measurement about 480 acres.

The serpentine "Cow walke" of the past, on Boston Street, between little neck and "the dyke meadow," has been changed. The city authorities have within two years raised the grade and straightened the crooked but solid highway of our boyhood. The "causeway as of old, is no more known among us.

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|| Thomas Millett joined the church at Dorchester in 1636, the year after his arrival ; was made freeman May 17, 1637, in company with George Proctor, whose daughter Mary married Thomas Pierce, the son of Robert and Ann. William Sumner and Thomas Deeble, also of Dorchester, took the freeman's oath the same day. Thomas Millet had a grant of two acres, three quarters and four rods in Dorchester Neck, March 18, 1637, and the same quantity in other lands. Mr. M. was born in 1605, and his wife Mary (Greenway) Millett in 1606. His house was burned in 1657, and a portion of the Records of Dorchester kept there were destroyed. The children of Thomas and Mary were: Thomas, who came from England with his parents, as before related; John, Jonathan, Mary and Mehitable.

Sept. 1, 1634. "It is ordered that Bray Clarke and John Allen "-probably the husband of Elizabeth-" shall build an house upon the Rocke, by John Holman." Also, these two, with others, had a grant of "3 acres apeece, upp Naponset."-REGISTER, Xxi. 274.

** Nathaniel Wales, a weaver, husband of Susannah, was a passenger in the James, of Bristol, in 1635, with Rev. Richard Mather, who gives us the name of Mr. W. in his Journal. They had children Timothy, John and Nathaniel. See abstracts of the wills of Nathaniel, senior, proved Dec. 3, 1661, and that of his son, Nathaniel, junior, a shipwright,. proved May 27, 1662, in REGISTER, xi. 37, 169,

erine daniell & to her children one pound seventeen shillings & sixpence, and so yearely vntill the said terme of fower yeares be expired and the said fortie pounds be fully paid. If the said Thomas millett die before he Come to enjoy the same & have not heires of his body Then his brother John Millett or other sonne of Thomas millett the father shall have the said p'misses to him and his heires for euer, paying whatsoeuer Thomas millett his brother should have paid. And whereas I have expressed nothing for the heires of my daughter Vrsula to pay if she have any heires I enjoine him hir or them for pay only twenty pounds in the same manner Thomas Millett should have donne if it had Come to him, that is to say, To the said Tho. millett my kinsman & servant eight pounds, to Anne Pearse two pounds, to Elizabeth Allen three pounds, to mary millett two pounds, to susanna wales three pounds & vnto katherine daniell two pounds, at the times of payment above expressed, by equall portions. In witness whereof, I the said John Greneaway, have hereunto put my hand & seale, the fifth day of the twelf month annoj domi 1650.

In the presence of

JOHN GRENEAWAY & a seale.

Humphry Atherton, Thomas Millett, Robert Haward.

Humphry Atherton & Rob Howard deposed before William Hibbins, 6 mo. 1652.

Entred & Recorded 7 May 1652

P EDWARD RAWSON, Recorder.

I, John Greeneaway of dorchester in New England for diuerse good Cawses and Considerations me therevnto mooving and specially for the great love and fatherly Affeccon that I beare vnto my sonne in law Robert Pearse and Ann Pearse my daughter, now wife of the said Robt Pearse, hath given unto the said Robert Pearse and Ann his wife all that my land scittuate in the Pine necke,† in dorchester, six acres whereof was purchased of moses mauericke, together with the meadow in the said necke be

• It has been repeatedly stated that Robert Pierce, the husband of Ann (Grenaway) Pierce, came to Dorchester in 1630. We can find no evidence-after a thorough and continuous research-that he was here until several years subsequent to that time. The first appearance of his name on the town records is under date of Oct. 31, 1639. "It is ordered y Robert pierce shall be a Commoner." He seems to have been the only one mentioned on the record in that manner. So far as we can learn farther than the above, he had no grants of land, held no town office, his name was not appended to the famous Dorchester petitions of 1641 and 1664, nor does his name appear again on the town books, excepting on the birth of his youngest daughter Deborah, in February, 1639-40-who died in less than three months-his admission to the church in 1640, and that of his death-" Robert Pierce of the great lots died 5th buried 7th 11 mo. 1664." Ann, his widow, died Dec. 31, 1695, says the grave-stone, "Aged about 104 Year." Their son Thomas, acording to the inscription on the stone, died Oct. 26, 1706, aged 71. If the family tradition is correct, Robert, the father, has left some visible token of his presence with us in the house he built, and the bread, "the remainder biscuit," that he brought with him to these shores.

+ Pine Neck is situated on the Neponset River, north and east of the Old Colony Railroad, and near the Neponset station. Within the memory of many still living, the lower part, at least, of this now compact settlement was covered with a dense grove of pine trees.

† Moses Maverick moved to Salem. He was there in 1634, engaged in the fishing business; in 1637, joined the church at S., but soon after removed to Marblehead, where he continued to reside. He died June 28, 1686, aged 76. On the 6th of January, 1633, it was ordered by the town of Dorchester that he should have the lot of land "that was alloted for Edward Ransford." Maverick, it seems by the above document, sold his land to John Greenway. Dr. Harris made the name of Edward Raynsford read Edward Raymond, in his transcript of the town records, which we followed in REGISTER, XXI. 165. The original reads Ray; the rest of the word is gone. In the History of Dorchester, page 78, it says: "Edward Raymond was in Dorchester early; probably in 1630. He did not remain

longing vnto the same, together wth the Comons appertayning to the six acres afore mentioned To have and to hould vnto the said Robert Pearse and Anne his wife, from the day of the date heereof, during their lives, and to the longest liuer of them, and After their decease to Thomas Pearse the only sonne of the said Robert and Anne and to his heires, and if the said Thomas dye wthout Issue then the said land to Remaine vnto mary Pearse and Sarah Pearse daughters of the said Robert and Ann æqually to be divided and to their heires for euer, and if either of these said daughters dye without Issue the surviver to have the others portion.

In witness whereof I the said John Greeneaway have here vnto put my hand and seale this first day of the twelf month 1650.

In the p'sence of vs,

JOHN GREENEAWAY & a seale.

Humphry Atherton, Thomas Millett, Rob Howard.

Humphry Atherton & Robrt. Howard deposed 6 of the 3d mo. before me William Hibbins.

Entered & Recorded 7th May 1652.

P EDWARD RAWSON, Recorder.

This deed made the tenth day of the sixth month, 1650, Betweene John Greeneaway of dorchester in New England mill wright of the one partie and william daniell & katherine his wife the daughter of the said John Greeneaway of the other partie Witnesseth that the said John Greeneaway for and in Consideration of the greate love & fatherlie Affection he hath vnto the said william & katherine his sonne in law & daughter & for their better livelyhood & maintenance doe give vnto the said william daniell & katherine his wife all that his proprietie & Right in the land & Comons lying on the south side of Neponset Riuer, that is to say, one lote lying in the first lote in the three divisions already laid out, which said lote Containes thirteene acres or thereabouts, be it more or lesse, bounded with the lote of Edward Bullocke lying on the west side of the said lote and the lote of Robert Pearse lying on the east side of the said lote, and the rest of his propriety of Comon Right lying above the said three devisions, and also one peece or p'cle of meadow lying on that south side of naponset Riuer being salt marish meadow, which meadow conteines three acres be it more or lesse bounded with a p'cle of meadow John Gills lying on the east side of it and a p'cle of meadow of Henry Woodworth one the west side of the same & Naponsett Riuer one the North and m2 wilsons vpland belonging to his farme on the South To have and to hold vnto the said william daniell & katheren his wife from the day of the date hereof during their lives, and after their decease vnto the heires & children of the said william & katheren

long." This account was based, we presume, on the conjectural name given by Dr. Harris, and is doubtless erroneous.

As it is not likely it will ever be known just what matter was contained in the first four pages of the missing record of 1630-1632, it may be well to give from "The Table "-as he calls it of James Blake, made in 1745, what he has entered as the principal subjects of pages three and four. As Blake makes no allusion to pages one and two of the record, we may naturally infer that the first leaf was gone when he made his "table," or index.

On page 3. The land from Mr Sanfords to Mr Walcotts to lye Common. Fields to be kept in severalty. Newton John, to have ye first lot beyond yo 24 Brook. Upsal Nicholas, his grant of an Acre on Rockey Hill.

On page 4. Crab John, his Lot granted to Mr Denslow. Marsh at y higher end of Neponsit, who to have it. From y Plantation to Strawberry hill, who to have it. Grant to Mr Ludlow 4 acres. Rositer Mr, his grant of 6 acres of land. Greenway John, to have y 8 acres granted to Rainford in ye neck in case.

for euer. In wittnes whereof I the said John Greeneaway have heere vnto put my hand and seale on the day & yeere first above written.

Sealed & deliuered

in the p'sents of vs

JOHN GREENEAWAY & a seale.

Humphry Atherton

Thomas Millett

Robert Howard

Humphry Atherton and Robert Haward deposed 6. 3a mo. 1652,

before me

WILLIAM HIBBINS.

Entred & Recorded 8th May 1652.

p' EDWARD RAWSON, Recorder.

LETTER OF PAUL RICHARD TO JACOB WENDELL, 1746.

PAUL

Communicated by JEREMIAH COLBURN, A.M., of Boston.

AUL RICHARD, or Richards, the writer of the following letter, was the eldest son of Stephen Richard, whose father Paul Richard settled in New York as early as 1667. A genealogical account of this family forms chapter viii. of the third volume of the late Rev. Abner Morse's "Descendants of Ancient Puritans." With his brothers he succeeded to the mercantile business of his father, which they greatly extended. He was mayor of New York from 1735 to 1739, and was elected to represent that city in 1743, in the provincial legislature, and continued a member till his death. He opposed the administration of Gov. Clinton, and was an intimate friend of Chief Justice Delaney. He married Elizabeth Bache, sister of Theophilate Bache, but left no descendants. He died December, 1756, aged 56.

An abstract of his will, which is in the New York Surrogate's office, lib. xx. fol. 151, is given by Morse (Anc. Pur., iii. 172). See New York Colonial Documents, vol. vi. p. 119; Smith's History of New York, vol. ii. 142.

Coll Jacob Wendell

New York y 12th May 1746.

ST I recd Y' favour of the 5th Instant on the same Sheet of paper of a Letter of the Same Date of His Excelley Gov' Sheerly with regard to Some Enlisted men here for his Regiment, for Answer to him begg youll make my Copplements to his Excelly and tender him my hest Services in any shape I am Capable of, as to the Eight men, I Yesterday after Church went to Sergant Ramsey's and was Informed from his wife that her husband with the Eight recruts where gone to Philledelphia, and that She by the post the Night before had a Letter of him that he had Delivered the Recruts to Cap Procter one of Go' Sherly's recruting Officers their with