Person:Jabez Olmstead (6)

Working Timeline for Capt. Jabez Olmsted

• Apr 1709: "Jabez Olmsted, of Deerfield" joins a company of scouts under command of Capt. Benjamin Wright.
• 28 May 1709: ³ signs affidavit in Hatfield regarding scouting experiences and outcome. Signers include Benjamin Wright, Jonathan Hoyt, Jabez Olmsted and John Strong.
• 10 Jun 1709: granted bounty of £6 in addition to his regular pay by General Court (Mass. Archives, 33:55-56)
• Abt 1712: Marries Thankful Barnes, of Brookfield.
• 04 Sep 1713: ⁶ granted [?60 or ?80] acres of land in Brookfield, "in a valley between the two Mohawk hills and partly upon them".
• 1721: ⁶ granted more land (?81 acres) in Brookfield
• 22 Apr 1729: ⁴ buys land (500 acres) in Ware for £400 (originally the Hollingsworth grant). Moves to this land and builds a log house and grist mill at the Falls.
• 09 Jul 1729: ⁶ sells granted land (80 + 81 acres) in Brookfield to Gershom Keyes
• date unknown: ¹ builds a large frame house called the "Mansion House" which was still standing in 1821
• 27 Jun 1733: ¹ sells land in Ware, Massachusetts to Obadiah Wood of Hartford, Connecticut
• 1734: ⁶ inherits land (141 acres) in Brookfield after death of father-in-law Thomas Barnes
• 1735: ⁶ sells inherited land (141 acres) in Brookfield to Joseph How
• dates needed: deeds farms to his sons and lands to his daughters (recorded in Springfield, MA)
• 1736: ⁵ [Note: money troubles begin...] petitions court for more land, in consideration of his military service, and is granted 200 acres as long as he makes improvements and builds a house on the land
• 1738: ⁵ appeals to court for more time [Note: no records found to show grant was ever located.]
• May 1742: ⁴ signs petition to incorporate Ware as a separate township or parish. (Mass Archives 114:770-772) [Note: Supposedly signs as "Jabe Olmsted"- not confirmed.] Petition is originally denied, but Ware is eventually incorporated in 1761, at which time Simeon Olmstead (son of Israel) is the only Olmstead left in Ware.
• 20 Feb 1744: ⁴ commissioned Captain of the 10th Company in Col. Samuel Willard's (4th) Massachusetts Regiment
• 20 Mar 1745: wife Thankful dies
• 1745: ⁴ serves under Gen. Sir William Pepperell, in the Siege of Louisburg
• 1745: ⁴ per tradition, "On the return of the army to Boston from Louisburg, he [Olmstead] was invited with the officers to dine with Governor Shirley. The pudding he found to be too hot; and taking it from his mouth, and laying it upon the side of his plate, he said he would keep it to light his pipe with."
• 02 Feb 1748/49: marries Mrs. Martha (Wright) Old, widow of Jonathan Old of Springfield
• 24 Feb 1752: ² writes his Will
• 22 Mar 1753: ⁷ Will is presented for probate
• 29 Mar 1753: ⁷ widow Martha hires Job Lane, ? Davis and John Downing to appraise her husband's estate
• 10 Apr 1753: ⁷ Inventory of estate

29 Mar 1753 - Estate appraisal

1753 - Will of Jabez Olmstead

1753 - Inventory, p 1/2

1753 - Inventory, p 2/2

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Olmsted, Henry King (1824-1896), and George Kemp Ward (1848-1937). Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America: Embracing the Descendants of James and Richard Olmstead and Covering a Period of Nearly Three Centuries, 1632-1912. (New York: A. T. DeLaMare, 1912)
   390-394.

   pp 390-393 -
   CAPT. JABEZ OLMSTED, OF WARE, MASS. [presents and analyzes some theories at the time on his origin]
   
   p 393 -
   (Capt.) JABEZ OLMSTED, Ware River, Northampton [Hampshire] County, Mass.; will dated Feb. 24, 1752;
   m. (1) abt. 1712, Thankful Barnes ...
   (2) Feb. 2, 1748-9, Mrs. Martha (Wright) Old ...

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Will Transcript of Jabez Olmstead, in Newsletter of Jabez Olmsted of Ware
   2 (2), Apr 1999.

   [Will of Capt. Jabez Olmsted. Hampshire County, Massachusetts. 24 Feb 1752. 22 Mar 1753. (8:26-27) as transcribed by Betty McClusky.]
   
   In the Name of God Amen, I Jabez Omsted of Ware-River in the County of Hampshire and Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, being of lawful Age and Sound Mind, this Day calling to mind my own mortality, do make this my last Will and Testament, revoking all former Wills, or anything of that Nature or kind, by me heretofore made. And in the first place, I do commend my Spirit into the Hands of God who gave it, and my Body to a decent Burial, the rites of which to be performed in Such manner, as Shall be that to be best by my Excecutrix; and as to the Worldly with which God has blest me I do dispose of it in manner and form following.
   
   [Imprimis?] After my Debts and funeral Changes are paid, I do give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Martha, all my personal estate, of what nature or kind Soever, forever.
   
   Item I do give her the improvements of one third part of my real estate during her natural Life, and I do also give her the improvements of my whole estate, till my Son Moses comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give and bequeath to my Son Moses all my real estate upon his paying the legassies hereafter mentioned.
   
   Item. I do give and bequeath to my Son Jeremiah five Shillings lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give and bequeath to my Son Israel five Shillings lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give and bequeath to the Children of my Daughter Thankful Brawn deceased five Shillings lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give and bequeath to my Daughter Hannah Marsh five Shillings lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give end bequeath to the child of my Daughter Hammond deceased five Shillings lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give end bequeath to my Daughter Dorcas Wolcot five Pounds lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give and bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Marsh five Pounds lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give and bequeath to my Abigal Smith five Pounds lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age.
   
   Item. I do give end bequeath to my Daughter Prudence five Pounds lawful money to be paid by my Son Moses when he comes of age with the interest.
   
   And I do constitute and appoint my well Beloved wife Martha Omstead Executrix of this my last Will and Testament. In witness of all which, I have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal this Twenty fourth of Feb.[anno Domini] Seventeen Hundred fifty two.
   
   Jabez “X” Omstead
   
   Signed Sealed and Publisshed In Pressence of Job Lane John Downing
   
   Hampshire Js March 22nd 1753 [said] John Downing & on the 29th of the Same month Job Lane The Witnesses to the foregoing Will which was then presented for probate appearing made oath That They Saw Capt. Jabez Omstead The Testator Sign & Seal & Heard him pronounce & declare the Same to be his last Will and Testament & that he was of Sound Mind & Memory when he did it & that they Signed as Witnesses to the Same in the [said] Testators presence wherefore at a Court of Probate holden at Northampton within & for the County of Hampshire on the Second Tuesday of April being the 10th day of [said] month [anno Domini] 1753 [p] Timothy Dwighte Esq. Judge of [said] Court - The foregoing Will as ratified approved & Confirmed [P].

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Temple, Josiah Howard; George Sheldon; and Mary T. Stratton. History of the Town of Northfield, Massachusetts, for 150 years: with an account of the prior occupation of the territory by the Squakheags: and with family genealogies. (Albany, NY: J. Munsell, 1875)
   129, 130, 179, 193, 194, 208, 450-453, 505, 697.

   p 129 -
   ... About the middle of May 1709, Capt. [Benjamin] Wright started up the river at the head of another "war party." He had with him Lt. John Wells, Jona. Hoyt, Jabez Olmstead, Timothy Childs, John Burt, Eben^r Severance, of Deerfield, John Strong and Joseph Root of Northampton, Joseph Wait of Hatfield, and Thomas McCreeney. ...
   
   p 130 -
   ... On their return, the following affidavit was made:
   " We whofe names are under written being upon the Great Lake towards Canada, On the 20th of this inftant being in a fight with a party of the enemy come this way towards New England ; in which fight we judge we killed four of the enemy, and one in fpecial we got and fcalped him, which fcalp we now prefent and fhow to yourfelves at this prefent time, and do hereby teftify that this fcalp was of our enemy Indian killed in fight as aforefaid, to which we fubfcribe this 28th day of May 1709.
   Y^r humble ferv^ys
   BENJ. WRIGHT
   JONA. HOYT
   JABEZ OLMSTEAD
   JOHN STRONG”
   
   “ Sworn to before me.
   They alfo declare that they are very certain that they killed 4 as above; and that on French River they killed 4 more, making 8 in all. This they affirm to me. SAM^ll PARTRIGG."
   
   June 10, the General court voted a bounty of £12 to Capt. Wright, and £6 to each of the nine survivors. ...

4.   Hyde, William. An address delivered at the opening of the new town-hall, Ware, Mass., March 31, 1847: containing sketches of the early history of that town and its first settlers. (Brookfield, Mass.: Merriam and Cooke, printers, 1847).

   pp 11-12 -
   ... Tradition has always connected with this grant [to Richard Hollingsworth in 1673] an obligation to maintain mills at the falls, but the records disclose no such condition. The following deed copied from the Springfield Records will throw light on the earliest conveyances.
   
   "To all People unto whom this Present Deed of sale shall come, Jonas Clarke of Boston, within the County of Suffolk in New England, Mazier, Sendeth Greeting.
   Know Ye, that I the said Jonas Clarke, for and in consideration of the sum of Four hundred pounds to me in hand at and before the ensealing and delivery hereof well and truly Paid by Jabez Olmsted of Brookfield in the County of Hampshire* [*Worcester county was not established till 1731.] in New England aforesaid. Husbandman, the Rec't whereof I do hereby acknowledge, have given, granted, bargained, sold, conveyed, and confirmed, and by these Presents do give, grant, bargain, sell, convey, and confirm unto the said Jabez Olmsted, his heirs and assigns forever, all that my certain tract or parcel of land situate, lying and being within the Province of the Massachusetts bay, in the Road from Brookfield to Hadley, Containing by estimation five hundred acres more or less, as the same is delineated and decyphered in a Plan thereof on file among the Records of the General Court or Assembly of this Province, which said land, upon Wednesday, twenty-fifth day of May, was allowed and confirmed as the Five hundred acres of land granted unto Richard Hollingsworth, Anno. 1673, by the said General Court, and is the same land which the said Hollingsworth's heirs sold lately unto Samuel Prince, late of Rochester, Yeoman, who sold the same to Thomas Clarke of Boston aforesaid. Merchant, of whom I purchased the same land, together with all and singular the trees, woods, underwoods, profits, privileges, and appurtenances, to the said granted land belonging or in anywise appertaining, and the Reversion and remainders thereof." [Here follow the usual covenants of warranty.] "To Have and to Hold the said given and granted land and premises with the appurtenances, unto the said Jabez Olmsted his heirs and assigns forever, to his and their only proper use, benefit and behoof from henceforth and forever."
   "In witness whereof I, the said Jonas Clarke have hereunto set my hand and seal the second day of April, Anno Domini, one thousand seven hundred and twenty-nine, and in the second year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, King over Great Britain, &c.
   Jonas Clarke and seal.
   Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of Moses Rice. Benjamin Rolfe.
   
   Received the day and year above written, off the within named Jabez Olmsted, the sum of four hundred pounds, being the consideration money within expressed.
   JONAS CLARKE.
   
   Suffolk, ss. Boston, April 2, 1729. The above named Jonas Clarke personally appearing, acknowledged the above written instrument to be his act and Deed
   Before me, SAMUEL SEWALL, Jun., Just. Peace.
   Received, April 24, 1732, and recorded from Original."
   
   The south-east corner of this tract was near the north line of Hon. Joseph Cummings' farm, on the side hill, above
   Benjamin Eaton's. Thence the line ran north, taking in the lower falls, and extending to the farm now owned by Joseph Hartwell. Thence it ran west to the Read manor, and south, on its east line, to the south west corner on the plain west of muddy brook, between land of John Gould, and the farm formerly owned by Dea. Enos Davis, covering nearly the whole territory of what is now this village.* [*It appears by the Palmer records, that 100 acres adjoining Jabez Olmtead's farm, was granted to his eldest son.]
   
   Upon this tract, I suppose the first settlements in the town were made. Capt. Jabez Olmstead came here from Brookfield, probably in 1729, and built mills upon the falls. He erected a house east of the Bank. The well now used for the tenements next the Bank was dug for his house, which afterwards was a tavern. It was a large two story house, called "the Great House," and was standing when the first movements were made to erect factories here in 1813. Mr. Demond occupied it for a year or more, and it stood till 1821. ...
   
   pp 16-18 -
   [Jabez and sons Jeremiah and Israel sign a petition of 33 households requesting that they become a separate and distinct Township or Parish so that they can erect and maintain a church for public worship.]
   
   ... The following deed from Mr. Read, will show that he took some interest in establishing religious institutions here.
   "To all People to whom this writing shall come, I John Read of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, Send Greeting. Know Ye that for the founding and Indowment of a Parish Church on the Ten Thousand acres of Equivalent lands, lying on the East side of Swift River, upon the Road from Brookfield to Hadley, and now called the mannor of Peace, I do hereby give, grant, convey and confirm unto Jabez Olmstead, Gent, and Isaac Magoon, Yeoman, living near the said mannor, and William Blackmer, John Davis and Benjamin Lull of the said mannor, Yeomen, the Sixth lott of land from the North of the fourth Tier of lotts from the East in the mannor of Peace, Extending South on a four rod highway a hundred rod wide, and from thence West and by South half a mile long. Also, part of the fifth lot near against the middle of that extending west and by South on the Main road twenty rod wide and from thence North twenty four rod long with the appurtenances. To Have and to Hold the Sixth lot and part of the fifth lot aforesaid with the appurtenances to them the said Jabez Olmstead, Isaac Magoon, William Blackmer, John Davis and Benjamin Lull, and their heirs forever, in special Trust and confidence for the only uses, intents and purposes hereafter exprest, viz. for the use of the first minister of God's Holy word and Sacraments, who shall be freely chosen by the Inhabitants, free holders of the said manner and such others as the laws of the Government shall joyn in one Parish with them, or by the major part of them, and thereupon be lawfully Instituted and Ordained to that holy office there and such his successors forever, in pure and perpetual Almes, and for these special purposes, viz. the three acres, part of the fifth lot aforesaid, for the founding and continuance of a Parish Church and Christian Burying place forever : and the Sixth lot for a Glebe thereunto annexed for the improvement of such Minister and his Successors at their discretion towards their maintenance and support forever. In witness whereof I hereunto put my hand and seal
   this nineteenth day of September, Anno Dom. seventeen hundred and forty eight.
   JNO. READ, and Seal
   Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of JOSEPH AYERS, LEMUEL BLACKMER.
   
   Hampshire, ss. At an Inferiour Court of Common Pleas, held at Northampton by adjournment on the first Tuesday of March Anno Dom. 1757. Then Lemuel Blackmer one of the Witnesses to ye within written Instrument appearing, made solemn Oath that he saw John Read, Esq., now deceased, in his lifetime, sign, seal, and Execate the within instrument, as his act and deed, that he signed as a Witness to the same, and saw Joseph Ayres sign as a Witness also, at ye same time.
   Attest, J. WILLIAMS, CLERK.
   Rec'd. March 24th, 1757, and Recorded from the Original. EDW'D. PYNCHON, REG'R.
   
   The warrant for the first meeting of the precinct was issued Feb. 18, 1742-3 by William Pynchon, Esq. of Springfield. It will be remembered that the change from the old style to new was not recognized in this country until 1752. Previous to which the year commenced on the 25th March, and the dates upon our records, between the 1st of January and that time are double. The first meeting was March 15, 1742-3, at the house of Jabez Oimstead, near where the Bank now is, where they met for some years. ...
   
   p 42 -
   ... The falls at the village afford a fine power, the river falling more than seventy feet in less than that number of rods. On these falls mills were erected by Capt. Jabez Olmstead probably as early as 1730, or soon after. His heirs sold the property to Isaac Magoon; from him it passed to his son Alexander in 1765. At this time a grist mill and saw mill stood here which were extensively known as Magoon's mills.
   
   In April 1813, the mills with about 400 acres of the Olmstead tract, covering the whole territory of the village and West to Muddy Brook, was sold by James Magoon, a grandson of Alexander, to Alpheus Demond, Esq., and Col. Thomas Denny for $4,500. ...
   
   pp 46-47 -
   Capt. Jabez Olmstead is supposed to have come from Brookfield, and to have made the first permanent settlement here in 1729. Of his former history, I can learn but little. He must have been a man of property, as he paid £400 for the tract he purchased here, as appears by the deed. He is described as "of Brookfield, in the county of Hampshire." When that town was incorporated, in 1718, it was "agreed the said town to lye to the county of Hampshire," where it continued to belong, till Worcester county was established, in 1731. Tradition represents Capt. Olmstead to have been a man of great shrewdness and energy, and that Indian blood ran in his veins. [cos1776 Note: modern researchers assert that Indian blood is highly unlikely as he is known to have fought against the Indians and was commissioned a British officer which would not have been allowed for someone with Indian blood.]
   
   He was a mighty hunter, and is said to have been an officer in the expedition against Louisbourg, upon the island of Cape Breton, in 1745. The following anecdote is related of him. On the return of the army to Boston from Louisbourg, he was invited with the officers to dine with Gov. Shirley. The pudding he found to be too hot; and taking it from his mouth, and laying it upon the side of his plate, he said he would keep it to light his pipe with.
   
   He had two sons, Israel and Jeremiah. To the oldest, 100 acres of the Elbow tract was granted, adjoining his farm. They both married and had children, of whom I have no further knowledge. He had one daughter, Hannah, who married Judah Marsh. He does not appear to have taken a very active part in town affairs.
   
   John Post, the first Precinct clerk, was a relative of O1mstead, and lived upon the farm now owned by Joseph Hartwell, which was part of Olmstead's purchase. His wife's death is recorded here March 20, 1745. ...

5.   Newsletter Jabez Olmsted of Ware
   Vol 1, Issue 2, Mar 1998.

   ... In 1736, seven years after his removal from Brookfield to Ware, we find a petition of Jabez Omstead of Ware River praying for a grant of province land "in consideration for his good services in the late Wars against the French and Indians, and the Wounds he has received with the expense he has been at for the cure of them." It was ordered that 200 acres be granted him of the unappropriated lands, provided he returns a plot within twelve months for confirmation, and provided the petitioner, his heirs or assigns, " build on the premises within three years a house 18 feet square at the least, and 7 ft. stud, and break up or bring to English grass five acres, and fence the same." In 1738 Omstead [sic] prays for further time, "as through some disappointments he has not been able to lay out the same within the time limited." It was ordered "that the time be extended 12 months from the present, and two years to fulfill the conditions of the grant." I [researcher Arthur Chase] find no records to show that he ever located the grant. ...

6. ↑ Temple, Josiah Howard. History of North Brookfield, Massachusetts: preceded by an account of old Quabaug, Indian and English occupation, 1647-1783; Brookfield records, 1686-1783; with a genealogical register. (North Brookfield, Massachusetts: The Town, 1887).

   p 179 -
   ... "At a meeting of the Committee for Brookfield, Sept. 4, 1713, ... Granted to new comers, viz. Jeremiah How, George Hayward, from Concord, brother of John, Lieut. Thomas Baker, from Northampton, Jabez Olmstead (in a valley between the two Mohawk hills and partly upon them), and Josiah Bemin, 60 acres each ; ...
   
   p 193 -
   ... 1717 - The new comers this year were: ... James Aiken had a grant of 80 acres north of the Jabez Olmstead place ; ...
   
   p 194 -
   [LAND HOLDERS] "A Rate made this 22d day of April, 1717, for the paying the Minister of Brookfield & the Meeting-house & other Necessary charges in sd place, made the day above said by us the Committee for Brookfield:
   ... Olmstead, Jabez .. 1-5-4 [£-s-d] ...
   
   p 208 -
   ... Capt. Jabez Olmstead took part in this expedition [Siege of Louisburg]. He commanded the 10th Co. in Col. Samuel Willard's 4th Mass. regiment. ...
   
   p 450 -
   ... No. 12 - JABEZ OLMSTEAD. See No. 42.
   [cos1776 Note: lies next to No. 11, belonging to Thomas Barns.]
   
   p 451 -
   ... No. 23 - THOMAS BARNS. Granted at various dates from 1701-1721. On the death of Thomas Barns 1734, ... Jabez Olmstead took the part next north, a hundred and forty-one acres, which he sold 1735 to Joseph How. ...
   
   p 452 -
   ... No. 33 - JABEZ OLMSTEAD. Granted 1721 ; sold 1729 to Gershom Keyes, who sold 1737 to Thomas Cushing. ...
   
   p 453 -
   ... No. 42 - JABEZ OLMSTEAD. Granted 1714 and 1721. A house was built on this lot by Mr. Olmstead soon after his first grant ; he sold 1729 to Gershom Keyes, and Keyes sold 1739 to Ephraim Cuter, glazier, of Watertown. ...
   
   p 697 -
   OLMSTEAD, Jabez, was in Brookfield, 1713 ; received Aug. [Sep] 13, 1714, grant of eighty acres [cos1776 Note: previously said 60 acres - verification needed.], and later of eighty-one acres, and owned in all three hundred and fifty acres ; sold July 9, 1729, and removed to Ware, where he was a first settler, and built mill at the Falls. In Brookfield he lived on the Jason Bigelow place. He m. Thankful Barns, daughter of Thomas.
   Children:
   - Thankful, b. Feb. 15, 1712 ;
   - Jeremiah, b. Jan 6, 1713/14, m. Dec. 11, 1734, Elizabeth Litten ;
   - Israel, b. Mar. 24, 1715/16, m. May 12, 1737, Sarah Banister ;
   - Hannah, b. Apr. 22, 1718, m. Nov. 4, 1736, Judah Marsh ;
   - Martha, b. Sept. 16, 1721, m. Thomas Hammond ;
   - Dorcas, b. Apr. 15, 1724, m. Apr. 17, 1761, Abijah Scott ;
   - Sarah, b. May 24, 1726, m. Ephraim Marsh ;
   - Silence, b. Nov. 30, 1728 ;
   - Abigail, b. Mar. 24, 1731, m. Jan. 1, 1771, Nathan Hamilton ;
   - Prudence, b. Oct. 28, 1733 ;
   - Moses, b. Jan. 29, 1736.

7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Hampshire County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1660-1858. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives and the Hampshire County Court. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org)
   Hampshire Box 107-20:1-8.

   [digital images of Will, Inventory, Appraisement, etc.]