Person:Benjamin Seaver (6)

Benjamin Seaver lived his entire life in Westminster MA. He apparently was a farmer or yeoman.

He enlisted as a Corporal in the War of 1812, serving in the 8th Regiment, Messenger's) of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia (List of Soldiers who served in the War of 1812, National Archives Microfilm Series M602, Roll 185).

Benjamin Seaver inherited a portion of his father's estate in 1817 (Worcester County Probate Records 48:493, LDS Microfilm 0,856,327).

As Benjamin Sever, yeoman of Gardner, he bought, for $32, the one and a half acres his father had purchased from Josiah Kendal, dated 4 January 1818 (Worcester County Deeds 246.48, recorded 5 July 1825, LDS Microfilm 0,845,760).

He bought, for $1,480, the land in Westminster which was the whole of the real estate apportioned to his minor siblings Martha, Silas, Isaac, Rozilla, and Mary Jane Seaver, who were represented by their guardian, Heman Ray, dated 4 January 1818 (Worcester County Deeds 246.50, recorded 5 July 1825, LDS Microfilm 0,845,760). In both of these transactions, the land was auctioned to the highest bidder with 30 days notice given in Westminster, Princeton and Worcester, but the highest bidder refused to take a deed or security, and the grantor bargained with the grantee and agreed to the price.

Benjamin Seaver, yeoman, with his wife Abigail signing, sold land in the northerly part of Westminster to his brother, Isaac Seaver for $780 on 19 April 1823. The land was bounded by land of Merari Spaulding, the heirs of Jabez Fairbanks, John Jackson, Asa Rand, Daniel Howe and Hannah Whitney (Worcester County Deeds 301.153, recorded 28 June 1834, LDS Microfilm 0,848,968).

In the 1820 United States Census, Benjamin Seaver was a head of household in Westminster town, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The household included one male aged 26 to 45, one female under age 10, and one female aged 16 to 26 (1820 United States Census Population Schedule, Westminster town, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Page 108, FHL Microfilm 0,193,743).

On 1 February 1825, he bought 15 acres and 22 rods of land in Westminster from Gilman Thurston, yeoman of Westminster, and Moses Thurston, yeoman of Cambridge VT, for $300. The land was part of a farm lately owned by Benjamin Bigelow, and bounded by land of Benjamin Seaver deceased, the county road to Ashburnham, Asa Rand, Jonas Whitney and Nathan Merriam (Worcester County Deeds 246.43, recorded 5 July 1825, LDS Microfilm 0,845,760).

Benjamin Seaver died intestate in 1825, and his probate papers are in Worcester County Probate Records, Probate Packet 52,866. Abigail Seaver petitioned the court to nominate John Jackson of Westminster as administrator of the estate on 8 June 1825 (Worcester County Probate Records, 205.460, LDS Microfilm 0,860,639) saying:

"The Petition of the Widow Abagail Seaver of Westminster in said County, humbley represents that her late Husband Benjamin Seaver of said Westminster is dead and that she is altogether unacquainted with doing business and besides she is left with four young children to take care of and that it will be impossible for her to administer upon said estate."

Bond of $10,000 was posted by Merari Spaulding and Daniel Howe, sureties [Worcester County Probate Records, 173.475, LDS Microfilm 0,860,624]. An inventory was taken by Edward Kendall, Zebina Spaulding and Daniel Howe on 5 July 1825, showing Real estate of $1000 (the Home Farm with the buildings thereon) and Personal estate of $996.10 [Worcester County Probate Records, 60.473, LDS Microfilm 0,856,333]. A warrant was issued to Daniel Howe, Zebina Spaulding and Benjamin F. Wood to set out the widow's dower rights, and they were granted to Abigail Seaver on 4 October 1825 (Worcester County Probate Records, 59.198, LDS Microfilm 0,856,332).

On 23 March 1826, the estate was represented as insolvent, and a commission of Edward Kendall and Simeon Sanderson was formed. A petition to sell the real estate to pay the debts was formed [Worcester County Probate Records, 263.275, LDS Microfilm 0,864,002]. Upon the bond of John Jackson, an affidavit was filed for the sale [Worcester County Probate Records, 202.249, LDS Microfilm 0,860,638]. An advertisement for the sale of the personal estate was printed 17 May 1827. A list of bills and the account of Abigail Seaver of the articles she took at the appraisal and what were sold at private sale was presented [Worcester County Probate Records, 263.339, LDS Microfilm 0,864,002]. John Jackson presented his account of the estate, which was allowed 17 May 1827, with a balance of $29.13 to be paid "to the Widow of said deceased to enable her to uphold life." (Worcester County Probate Records, 62.362, LDS Microfilm 0,856,334).

Abigail Seaver was appointed guardian of her four minor children on 1 April 1826 with Isaac Seaver, Nathan Wetherbee and Henry Collidge, Jr posting $5000 bond as sureties [Worcester County Probate Records, 194.33, LDS Microfilm 0,860,634]. An inventory of the property belonging to the four children included 13 and a half acres of pasture and woodland and a cider mill and house, amounting to $30, filed 6 October 1827 (Worcester County Probate Records, 63.427, LDS Microfilm 0,856,334).

1. ↑ Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Vital records of Westminster, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. (Worcester, Massachusetts: Franklin P. Rice, 1908)
   83.

   SEAVER, Benjamin, s. Benjamin and Marthy, [born] Nov. 15, 1791.

2. ↑ Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Vital records of Westminster, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. (Worcester, Massachusetts: Franklin P. Rice, 1908)
   p. 247.

   SEAVER, Benjamin, h. Abigail, [died] May 25, 1825, a. 33 y. 5 m.

3. ↑ Find A Grave: Whitmanville Cemetery, Westminster, MA, in Find A Grave
   Benjamin Seaver.

   BENJAMIN SEAVER
   died
   May 25, 1825,
   AE. 33.
   ---
   ABIGAIL,
   wife of
   ISAAC SEAVER,
   formerly wife of
   Benj. Seaver,
   died Jan. 4, 1867,
   AE. 69.