Person:Isaac Seaver (2)

Isaac Seaver was called Isaac Seaver 3rd throughout his lifetime because there were two other Isaac Seaver's in Westminster while he was a youth, including his uncle and step-father, Isaac Seaver 2nd, the second husband of his mother, Abigail (Gates) (Seaver) Seaver.

When he became able to choose his own guardian, he chose his uncle Jeremiah Knowlton Gates [Worcester County Probate Records, Probate Packet A-52855, Worcester County Probate Records, 205.462, LDS Microfilm 0,860,638]:

"To the Hon. Ira Barton Judge of Probate for the County of Worcester. This certifies that Isaac Seaver 3d a minor above the age of 14 years and son of Benjamin Seaver late of Westminster in said county deceased this day came before me the Subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace for said County and made choice of Jeremiah K. Gates of said Westminster to be his Guardian. Dated at Westminster the 19th day of February A.D. 1838." Simeon Henderson Justice of the Peace.

Isaac Seaver's first marriage to Juliet Glazier ended in tragedy when Juliette died soon after the birth of their child, Juliette, due to "brain fever", apparently a stroke or hemorrhage.

In the 1850 U.S. census, Isaac Seaver (age 26, a hay fork maker, born MA) is found residing in the house of Mr. Richards in Medfield, Norfolk County, MA. [1850 U.S. Census for Norfolk County, MA, LDS Microfilm 0,443,549, page 356, family #699]. His daughter, Juliette Seaver, was listed as Juliette Glazier in the 1850 census, age 3, living with her grandparents, Reuben and Catherine Glazier, in Rutland MA.

What took him to Medfield is unknown, but he soon met and married his second wife, Lucretia Townsend Smith of Medfield, in Walpole.

In the 1860 census, Isaac Seaver 3rd (age 36, born MA, blacksmith) and his wife Lucretia (age 32, born MA) were residing in Westminster, Worcester County, MA. The children were listed as Juliette G. (age 13, born MA), Frank W. (age 8, born MA), Benjamin (age 6, born MA) and Elizabeth L. (age 1, born MA). Isaac owned real property worth $1,800 and personal property worth $600. [1850 U.S. Census for Worcester County, MA, LDS Microfilm 0,803,531, p. 44, family #386].

During the Civil War, Isaac Seaver, blacksmith of Westminster MA, enlisted on 10 August 1864 as a Private in Company H of the 4th Regiment of Heavy Artillery of the Massachusetts Volunteers. He was honorably discharged on 17 June 1865 at Fort Richardson, VA. His personal description was "age 40 years, a blacksmith, eyes blue, complexion light, hair sandy, 5 feet 10-1/2 inches" [National Archives and Records Administration file 850,736].

In the 1870 census, Isaac Seaver (age 46, born MA, working in a fork shop) and wife Lucretia D. (age 42, born MA, keeping house) resided in Leominster, Worcester County, MA. Children listed were Frank W. (age 18, attends school, born MA), Benjamin (age 16, attends school, born MA), Elizabeth (age 11, attends school, born MA), and Ellen M. (age 8, attends school, born MA). Isaac had real property worth $2,000 and personal property worth 1,500 [1870 U.S. Census for Worcester County, MA, LDS Microfilm 0,552,153, p. 58 of Leominster, family #526).

In the 1880 census, Isaac Seaver (age 56, born MA, blacksmith) and Lucretia (age 52, born MA, keeping house) resided in Leominster MA. Only daughter Nellie (age 18, born MA) was at home with them. [1880 U.S. Census for Worcester County, MA, LDS Microfilm 1,254,565, page 533.]

Isaac Seaver married, thirdly, to Alvina Matilda (Bradley) Lewis by Rev. J.P. Dunham at St. Regis Falls, NY, widow of Joseph P. Lewis, who died 5 January 1882 at Worcester MA, a carpenter; he was the son of Nathaniel and Betsey Lewis of Sterling MA. and was age 49 years 7 months at time of death [National Archives and Records Administration file 850,736].

Isaac Seaver filed a Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892 [National Archives and Records Administration file 850,736], appearing before a Notary Public, who declared:

"State of Massachusetts County of Worcester, SS on this 11th day of June A.D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety two personally appeared before me, a Notary Public, within and for the County and State aforesaid, Isaac Seaver 3d aged 68 years, a resident of the town of Clinton, County of Worcester State of Massachusetts, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Isaac Seaver 3d who was enrolled on the 10th day of August, 1864, in Company H (private) 4th Reg't H'y Arty, Mass. Vols in the war of the rebellion, and served at least ninety days, and was honorably discharged at Fort Richardson, Va on the 17th day of June, 1865. That he is unable to earn a support by manual labor by reason of 'Varicose veins of both legs, Rheumatism, resulting heart trouble, trouble of the urinary organs having symptoms of enlarged prostrate gland and results of carbuncle on back of neck.' That said disabilities are not due to his vicious habits, and are to the best of his knowledge and belief permanent. That he has never applied for pension. That he has not been in the military or naval service of the U.S. since the 17th day of June 1865."

He apparently received approval, since the U.S. Pension Agency in Boston, Massachusetts stopped paying $8 a month due to his reported death.

In the 1900 US Census, Isaac Seaver (head, white, male, age 76, born Oct 1823, married 12 years, born MA, parents born MA, no occupation) and his wife Elvina Seaver (white, female, age 52, born Apr 1848, married 12 years, 1 child born, 0 living, born NY, parents born NY) resided at 7 Cedar Street in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [National Archives Microfilm Series T623, Roll 692, ED 1645, Sheet 19B, line 74].

Isaac Seaver is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Leominster, MA with his second wife, Lucretia (Smith) Seaver.

Isaac Seaver died testate, and his probate papers are in Worcester County Probate Records, Probate Packet B-27905. His will reads:

"Know All Men by These Presents, that I, Isaac Seaver of Leominster, in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

"First. I hereby appoint Hamilton Mayo of said Leominster, the executor of this will.

"Second. I give my beloved wife Alvina M. Seaver, the sum of Twelve Hundred Dollars; also all my household furniture and housekeeping effects of every name and nature. This legacy is given by me in lieu of all her rights in my real estate and personal property.

"Third. I give and bequeath to the child or children of my deceased son, Benjamin, the sum of one Dollar.

"Fourth. All the rest and residue of my estate I give, devise and bequeath in equal shares to my children, Juliette G. Bryant, Frank W. Seaver, Elizabeth L. Blanchard, and Nettie M. Seaver.

"Fifth. I authorize and empower my said executor to sell my real estate at public or private sale, and to pay from the proceeds thereof the above legacy to my wife, dividing the residue among my children above mentioned.

"In testimoney whereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal, and publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, in the presence of witnesses named below, this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year nineteen hundred and one."

                                                                             Isaac Seaver  (seal)

"Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Isaac Seaver as and for his last will and testament, in presence of us, who, in his presence and in the presence of each other, and at his request, have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto."

                     Hamilton Mayo
                     Andrew C. Belcher

Hamilton Mayo filed his affidavit on 22 March 1901, listing the heirs at law to be:

            Alvina M. Seaver of Leominster Mass, widow
            Juliette G. Bryant of Fitchburg Mass, daughter
            Frank W. Seaver of Leominster, son
            Elizabeth L. Blanchard of National City Ca, daughter
            Nettie M. Seaver of Leominster, daughter
            child of Benjamin Seaver, a deceased son, name and residence unknown.

As executor of the estate, Hamilton Mayo filed his account for the period of 9 April 1901 to 21 June 1901, showing that he charged himself with the amounts received from the estate, in the amount of $3737.88, and had disbursed the same amount to the creditors and heirs. The four living children signed a release of the account on 22 June 1901. The account was presented for allowance on 13 June 1916.

The inventory showed personal estate of $707.43, two debts due of $30, and the amount received by sale of the real estate as $3000, plus $0.45 interest, totalling $3737.88. Payments, charges, losses and distributions included $300 to Alvina M. Seaver for furniture, $1200 for her legacy, and $481.71 each to Juliett G. Bryant, Frank W. Seaver, Nellie M. Seaver and Elizabeth L. Blanchard.

Stories told by the family about Isaac Seaver included that he was a large man, with blue eyes and a fair complexion. He was a blacksmith and moved from Westminster to Leominster. His third wife, Alvina, was very clean and neat and would not allow Isaac to come in the house with his shoes on - he had to take them off outside and put on his slippers. When Isaac died, Alvina asked his sister Nellie if she could use the money until she died. Trusting Alvina, Nellie gave her control of the money and when Alvina died, it was left to her family.

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, Isaac, s. Benjamin and Abigail, [born] Oct. 16, 1823.