Person:Benjamin Seaver (8)

Benjamin Seaver served in the Revolutionary War. He was a private in Captain Edmund Bemis's company in Colonel Asa Whitcom's 23rd Regiment, enlisting May 13, 1775, and was on the muster roll dated August 1, 1775 (service 2 months, 24 days). He was a Corporal on a company receipt for wages for August 1775, dated Camp at Prospect Hill. He was a Private on the company return (probably October 1775), and on a receipt for a bounty coat dated Westminster, November 20, 1775 ["Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War", Vol. XIII, Boston, 1905, p. 1002].

In a separate listing, Benjamin Sever of Sudbury was on the list of men raised agreeable for six months service to the resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Major Joseph Hosmer, Superintendent for Middlesex County by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated 8 July 1780 in Springfield by Brigadier General John Glover. He is described as age 23 years, stature 6 feet, light complexion. He was engaged for the town of Sudbury and marched to camp on 8 July 1780 under command of Ebenezer Kent, Esquire. He was also a Private in Captain Joseph Fox's Third company, 16th Massachusetts Regiment. He was on the pay roll for June and July, 1780 for 24 days of service. He was also on the list of men raised for the six months service and returned by Brigadier General Paterson as having passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway on October 25, 1780 ["Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War", Vol. XIII, Boston, 1905, p.1002].

He settled on his father's homestead in Westminster in 1787, having been granted two-thirds of the real property in his father's estate [Worcester County Probate Records, 24:358, LDS Microfilm 0,856,314].

In the 1790 US Census, Benjamin Seaver was a head of household in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The household included 1 free white male over age 16, one free white male under age 16, and three free white females (1790 United States Census, Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Page 243, FHL Microfilm 0,568,144).

He bought 1 acre in Westminster from Asa Taylor for 3 pounds on 13 December 1793 [Worcester County Deeds 203.366, recorded 10 May 1817, LDS Microfilm 0,845,600).

Benjamin Sever, yeoman of Westminster, bought 40 acres of land in Westminster (part of the 3rd division lot 67), from David Barnard, gentleman of Acton, on 1 January 1794 for 66 pounds [Worcester County Deeds 203.361, recorded 10 May 1817, LDS Microfilm 0,845,600].

He bought 12 and a half acres in Westminster from Zachariah Rand of Westminster on 16 January 1795 for 50 pounds [Worcester County Deeds 203.364, recorded 10 May 1817, LDS Microfilm 0,845,600].

Benjamin Seaver, yeoman of Westminster, sold 1/4 acre of land in the northerly part of Westminster to Zebina Spaulding, cordwainer of Westminster, for $5 on 5 January 1796 [Worcester County Deeds 130.303, recorded 13 March 1798, LDS Microfilm 0,844,348].

He and Joseph Spaulding of Westminster bought 60 acres of upland in the northerly part of Westminster, being half of the farm, from Ephraim Wetherbee of Westminster for $77.50 on 4 March 1800. The land was bounded by Alpheus Whitney, Lincoln, Lind and Kendall [Worcester County Deeds 139.566, recorded 9 April 1800, LDS Microfilm 0,844,352].

Benjamin Seaver and Joseph Spaulding agreed to buy 62 acres in the northerly part of Westminster from Ephraim Wetherbee, unless Ephraim Wetherbee or his heirs paid $43.34 in one year from 1 January 1800; on 14 April 1801, Benjamin Seaver and Joseph Spaulding declared that they received $43.34 and were held harmless [Worcester County Deeds 141.517, recorded 25 September 1800, LDS Microfilm 0,844,353].

In the 1800 United States Census, Benjamin Severs was a head of household residing in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The household included 2 males under age 10, 1 male aged 10-16, 1 male aged 26-45, 2 females under age 10, 2 females aged 10-16, 1 female aged 26-45 and 1 female over age 45 (1800 United States Census Population Schedule, Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Page 451, FHL Microfilm 0,205,617).

Farwell Jones, trader of Westminster, sold 34 acres, being part of lots 41 and 42 in Westminster, to Benjamin Seaver, yeoman of Westminster, on 11 January 1802 for $700. The land was bounded by Benjamin Howard and the county road [Worcester County Deeds 154.626, recorded 8 June 1804, LDS Microfilm 0,844,360].

Jarvis Pierce, blacksmith of Westminster, and his wife Rhoda, sold part of lots 41 and 42 in Westminster to Benjamin Seaver, farmer of Westminster, on 3 March 1806 for $700 [Worcester County Deeds 203.362, recorded 10 May 1817, LDS Microfilm 0,845,600]. 

In the 1810 United States Census, Benjamin Seaver was a head of household in Westminster town, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The household included one male under age 10, one male aged 10 to 16, two males aged 16 to 26, one male over age 45, one female under age 10, one female aged 10 to 16, one female aged 16 to 26 and one female over age 45 (1810 United States Census Population Schedule, Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Page 152, FHL Microfilm 0,205,630).

Josiah Kendall of Sterling sold one and a half acres in the Beech Hill part of Westminster to Benjamin Seaver on 28 November 1811 for $30 [Worcester County Deeds 203.364, recorded 10 May 1817, LDS Microfilm 0,845,600].

Luke Church of Hubbardston sold 49 acres of land in Hubbardston, part of the great farm number 7, to Benjamin Seaver, yeoman of Westminster, on 3 December 1814 for $246 [Worcester County Deeds 203.363, recorded 3 December 1814, LDS Microfilm 0,845,600].

Benjamin Sever, yeoman of Westminster, sold 26 acres and 56 rods of the lot in Hubbardston to Sewell Barnes, cooper of Westminster, on 22 January 1815 for $123. This was the southeasterly half of the great farm number 7 he bought from Luke Church [Worcester County Deeds 199.167, recorded 21 September 1815, LDS Microfilm 0,845,598].

The estate of Benjamin Seaver is in Worcester County Probate Records, Probate Packet 52865. His widow, Martha, was appointed administratrix on 16 July 1816 [Worcester County Probate Records, 202.253, LDS Microfilm 0,860,638]. Bond for $1,000 was granted to William Penniman and Merari Spaulding, sureties on the same date [Worcester County Probate Records, 172.259, LDS Microfilm 0,860,624]. A warrant of appraisal was also provided on that date [Worcester County Probate Records, 622.524]. On 1 October 1816, the inventory was appraised to be Real estate $4,626, and personal property of $1,082.78 [Worcester County Probate Records, 47.197, LDS Microfilm 0,856,326].

The inventory of the real estate included:

 *         the Home farm of 194 acres 38 rods                        $ 2321
 *         the Stearns farm of 86 acres and 75 rods                $ 1515
 *         the Willington pasture of 63 acres 22 rods                $ 660
 *         the Hubbardston lot of 26 acres and 56 rods             $ 100
 *         the Pew in meeting house                                            $ 30

A petition for partition of the estate was received on 9 April 1817. A warrant was issued to William Penniman, Merari Spaulding and Horatio G. Buttrick, who filed their report, which was allowed on May 22, 1817 [Worcester County Probate Records 48.493, LDS Microfilm 0,856,327]. The real estate was apprised at $4,560, and partitioned 1/3 to the widow ($1,520), and 1/10 shares to each child ($304) of the remaining 2/3, divided as follows:

• Widow Martha Sever received 72 acres of the Stearns lot, 26 acres of the Willington pasture, plus portions of the home lot for her use for a year, and the meeting house pew.

• Eldest son Job Sever received the remaining 13 acres of the Stearns farm, the Hubbardston lot, and he paying to his sisters Achsah Mosman $15 and Susannah Seaver $40.

• Son Benjamin Sever and daughter Abigail Fairbanks received 51 acres and 132 rods of the home farm, and equally paying the minor children $28 each.

• Daughter Achsah Mosman received 38 acres of the home farm plus $15 from Job Sever.

• Daughter Susannah Sever received 34 acres and 134 rods of the Willington pasture plus $40 from Job Sever.

• Minor children Martha, Silas, Isaac, Rozilla and Mary Jane Sever received 104 acres of the home farm with all the buildings thereon, and to receive from brother Benjamin Seaver and Jabez Fairbank $14 each.

The partition was agreed to and signed by Martha Seaver, Job Seaver, Benjamin Seaver, Achsah Mosman, Jabez Fairbank, Susanna Sever and Heman Ray (as guardian of Martha, Silas, Isaac, Rozilla and Mary Jane Sever) [Worcester County Probate Records, 48.493, LDS Microfilm 0,856,327].

Martha Seaver filed her account on 2 December 1817 with a balance of $43.26, which was allowed and awarded to her on 6 January 1818 [Worcester County Probate Records, 49.265, LDS Microfilm 0,856,327].

Heman Ray of Westminster was appointed guardian of children Martha, Silas, Isaac, Rozilla, and Mary Jane Sever. Heman Ray sold at auction the land in Westminster which was the minor children's portion to be used to secure the children for their benefit. Ethan Sever of Gardner was the highest bidder, but he refused to take the deed and give security. Heman Ray bargained with Benjamin Seaver, brother of the children, who agreed to buy the land for $1,480 on 14 January 1818 [Worcester County Deeds 246.50, recorded 5 July 1825, LDS Microfilm 0,845,760]. A similar bargain was struck for $32 for the one and a half acre parcel purchased by Benjamin Seaver from Josiah Kendall, with Samuel Whitney being the highest bidder and refusing to take the deed and give security, dated 14 January 1818 [Worcester County Deeds 246.48, recorded 5 July 1825, LDS Microfilm 0,845,760].

Job Sever received the Hubbardston lot as part of his legacy, and sold the 26 acres and 56 rods to his mother, Martha Sever, on 24 February 1819 for $550 [Worcester County Deeds 232.325, recorded 5 February 1823, LDS Microfilm 0,845,861].

Martha Sever, widow woman of Westminster, sold the 26 acres and 56 rods of land in Hubbardston (part of Great Farm No. 7)  to Artemas Baker, yeoman of Hubbardston, on 3 January 1823 for $150 [Worcester County Deeds 232.231, recorded 15 July 1823, LDS Microfilm 0,845,861].

Benjamin Seaver is buried in Plot 641 of Woodside Cemetery in Westminster. The stone says he died 20 June 1816, age 59. His wife, Martha, is also buried in the plot.

1. ↑ Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Sudbury, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1903)
   p. 130.

   SEVER, Benjamin, s. Norman and Sarah, [born] Apr. 21, 1757.

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, [died] June 24, 1816, a. 59. Revolutionary soldier. GS1