Person:Joseph Barrett (26)

There are two Joseph Barretts of Malden having children at about the same time. The births are distinguished by the mother's names instead of the more typical Sr. and Jr., until they both end up with wives named Martha at which time the town clerk does resort in some cases to adding "Jr." to some records.

The lack of identification has caused Cutter (and others) to mismatch the wives of Joseph. In part this appears due to the added confusion that the younger Joseph married before he reached legal age, and the unrecorded death of the first wife of the older Joseph. So, the typical interpretation of the raw records would, indeed, be that the older Joseph, having very young children to care for, remarried with little or no mourning period, and most of the children belong to him. That is, until the "Joseph, Jr." is found on the death record of Joseph Sr.'s purported 2nd wife Sarah, apparently contradicting this nice arrangement (as noticed by an astute Internet researcher).

As is often the case when available, the probate files of the two men make the answer clear. They have been abstracted in some detail on both pages.

1. ↑ Corey, Deloraine P., Compiler. Births, Marriages and Deaths in the Town of Malden, Massachusetts, 1649-1850. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Printed at the University Press for the City of Malden, 1903)
   p. 4.

   Barrett
   [147] Joseph, s. of Ebenezer and Elizabeth, [born] June 27, 1744.

2. ↑ Corey, Deloraine P., Compiler. Births, Marriages and Deaths in the Town of Malden, Massachusetts, 1649-1850. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Printed at the University Press for the City of Malden, 1903)
   p. 330.

   Barrett
   [229] Joseph, 56 y. [g.s. 57 y.], [died] July 7, 1800.
   [birth about 1744.]

3. ↑ Film 386013 Files 1208-1268, in Massachusetts. Probate Court (Middlesex County). Probate records, 1648-1924. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1964-1967)
   File 1232: Joseph Barrett 1800.

   Will of "Joseph Barrett of the Town of Malden ... yeoman", dated 4 Apr 1794, names wife Martha [executor], "give to my Said Wife the Improvement of all my Estate Real and Personall for to Enable her to Bring up my children til my Son ebenezar Shall come of age" then "one half of my Land to be equaly Divided Between my wife and Son", daughter Polly Elianandor [married], daughter Betty, daughter Nancy [under age], reserving East chamber for "Nease Phebe Barrett that is unmaryed" and daughters Betsey and Nancy.
   3 Sep 1800: proved and letters issued to Martha Barrett.
   19 Nov 1800: Inventory of the Estate of the Late Joseph Barrett of Malden Deceased: $773.49.
   10 Nov 1809: Receipt for "legacies bequeathed us in the Will of said testator from Martha Barrett, the Executrix" signed by William Alexander, Mary Alexander, Nancy Barrett, Stephen Bucknam, Betsey Bucknam.
   20 Dec 1810: Petition of Martha Barrett of Malden "That she is the widow of Joseph Barrett late of said Malden, yeoman, deceased, testate; ... certain goods and chattels, which are now in common and undivided between her and the heirs of Ebenezer Barrett late of said Malden, yeoman, deceased, intestate, a son of said deceased" and prays for appointment of persons to divide these goods and chattels.
   20 Apr 1811: Division of personal estate, signed by Martha Barratt, widow of Joseph Barret; Martha Barrat, William Alexander, Ann Barrett, Stephen Bucknam } heirs of Ebenezer Barret. [note: widow is also heir of Ebenezer]
   20 Apr 1811: Division of real estate: set off to "Martha Barrett the widow", set off to "the heirs of Ebenezer Barrett", signed by same.