Person:David Butterfield (1)

The records concerning David are confusing, made more so by what should be the authoritative source for this family, but which has too many errors to fill that role, namely, Gordon's "The Butterfields of Middlesex"^[2].

The only things that seems clear cut are that David was the son of Jonathan, he married Keziah, and he died in 1763^[3] [4].

The mysteries include when was he born, who was his mother, when was he adopted by his uncle Samuel, and how old was he when he died.

Birth Record

David appears to be born in either 1702 or 1712. The choice would appear to suggest whether he was a child of Jonathan's first wife, or second.

The recorded birth for David to Jonathan and Jane is Dec. 1700^[1], but the compiler apparently found some unspecified evidence that it was intended to say 1702. But the death record calculates to a birth in 1711^[3], so one questions if this is the correct David? No other David is mentioned for any of the Butterfield families, especially with a father Jonathan^[2]. A marriage record is found in Dunstable for a Jonathan Butterfield and "Jane Peirce alias Parris" in January 1702 (is this why the compiler thought the year should be 1702?)

Gordon says Jonathan's first wife was Elizabeth, but his reason for this is not clear: she is not named in any birth record, and the will only mentions a first wife, without naming her. It seems likely, based on previous experience with his work, that this is an erroneous and misleading assumption of Gordon's based on the name of the daughter.

Gordon lists the 1702 birth for son David when covering the parents. But if he did not see the birth record naming the mother as Jane, then it is not clear where he got 1702. Further, he puts David with the second wife. A birth in 1702 is incompatible with the second wife, since it is almost certain Elizabeth was born after this date, and she belonged to the first wife. The oldest child known to belong to the second wife is born 1713/14, so clearly a child born in 1702 belonged to the first wife.

But the death record says David was born in 1711, and when Gordon covers David's own children, he gives the father's birth date as 1712. If David was born then, he probably did belong to the second wife. Unfortunately, Gordon could not manage to communicate a consistent story and so has only added confusion to an already confusing situation.

Adoption

There is a potentially useful clue in Jonathan's will, where he states "the Reason why I give David no more is because I gave him to my Brother Samuel Butterfield at fourteen years of age and he has had his service this twelve years and is to give him a portion for the same as by promise".

The will was dated 1728, and so it appears to imply that 12 years ago, when David was 14, he was adopted by Samuel. This implies a birth in 1702.

But Gordon manages to add confusion here too. He says Samuel adopted David in 1724, which if it occurred when David was 14, implies a birth in 1710. But this date is contradicted by Jonathan's phrase "he has had his service this twelve years".

Conclusion

There are several qualitative facts that suggest the 1702 birth date is correct:

• David married in 1731, and to be of legal age, he would have needed to have been born at least by mid-1710.
• Unlike Jonathan's other sons, David is not indicated as under 21 in his father's will.
• It is more understandable to allow a brother to adopt an older son from a previous marriage, who perhaps doesn't get along with his step-mother, than the eldest son of a current marriage, who should be in line to be the main heir and needed in the fields at home.

It may be possible to find an indenture or record for the adoption which may give a confirmation of when it occurred. It may be possible to investigate original records to see if they were misread (i.e., the birth 1700 was really 1710 or some other year). Pending all that work, which is beyond the scope of the current researcher, and given the sloppy work throughout Gordon's article, the situation that seems most reasonable is that David was b. 1702 to first wife Jane, adopted at age 14 by Samuel (and received Samuel's entire estate when Samuel died in 1742), and died in his 62nd year (perhaps misread as 52) in 1763.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex Institute, 1914)
   p. 33.

   BUTERFEELD, David, s. Jonathan and Jane, [born] Dec. 16, 1700. [1702?]
   [It is not clear why the compiler added 1702. What appears to be the older record (though it may be a copy) actually says 1706 (thought the surrounding records are 1702), while the town copy says 1702.]

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Gordon, George A. The Butterfields of Middlesex. (Unknown, 1889).

   [Vol. 44, p. 37]
   Children of Jonathan Butterfield and 2d wife Elizabeth Chamberlain: David, b. 1702.
   [Vol. 44, p. 41]
   David Butterfield, s/o Jonathan, was born in Chelmsford in 1712. In 1724, he was adopted by his uncle Samuel who was childless, and in 1742 inherited his whole estate. He married Kezia, who, with his adopted mother, Tabitha, were widows on the estate at his decease in 1764.
   [See comments in the narrative]

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex Institute, 1914)
   p. 372.

   BUTTERFIELD, David, [died] Dec. 3, 1763. [a . 52 y. CR1]
   [Birth about 1711. Note comments in the narrative.]

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 FHL Film 386047 Cases 3705-3780, in Massachusetts. Probate Court (Middlesex County). Probate records, 1648-1924. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1964-1967)
   Case 3715: David Butterfield 1764.

   18 Jan 1764: Bond of Keziah Butterfield Widow, sureties Ephraim Spaulding and James Parkhurst, all of Chelmsford to administer on "Estate of her late husband David Butterfield late of Chelmsford aforesaid Deceased Intestate".
   8 Mar 1764: "Inventory of the Estate of David Butterfield late of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex Yeoman Deceased"
   16 Apr 1764: "The Petition of Keziah Shed Widow, Jean Butterfield, Esther Butterfield, Jacob Manning and Sarah Manning My Wife, Children and Heirs of our Honoured Father Mr David Butterfield Late of Chelmsford Deceased Humbly Sheweth that your Petitioners Said Father Had in his Life time a pritty comfortable Estate both Real and personal and Died So Seized therefor: and our Mother Mrs Keziah Butterfield Administred on Said Estate and we fear is like to Ruin and Waste the Same for that we have a Sister who is Married to one Dennis MacLane who is not a very good Husband whom our said Mother hath Taken in to Mannage the Place Contrary to our minds, who we fear will utterly Ruin the Same - Wherefore your Petitioners Humbly prays that your Hon'r would be pleased to order our said Mothers Thirds to be Sett of to her So as she may have the Improvement of that only, and that the other Two thirds may be Lett out to the best advantage to good Husbandry untill our Brother (for we have but one) comes of age to settle it; or any other way that your Hon'r in your Wisdom Shall think proper so that the Said Estate may not be wasted or spent, and your petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall ever pray. [Signed] Keziah Shed, Jean [her mark] Butterfield, Esther [her mark] Butterfield, Jacob Manning, Sarah [her mark] Manning.
   5 Dec 1764: Set off to "Keziah Butterfield the Said deceasts widow for her Dower or Thirds".
   16 Jan 1770: Bond of Samuel Butterfield Yeoman to fulfill decree in exchange for 2/3 of real estate of David Butterfield late of s'd Chelmsford Yeoman deceased intestate. [Terms of decree not in file]