William Roberts (abt. 1640 - aft. 1706)

Descendants

Died after 1706 after about age 66 in Kittery, York, Maine [uncertain]

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Biography

William is often listed as a child of Robert Roberts of Ipswich, however, there is no proof that he was connected with that family other than the fact that son George moved there. In 1715 Ephraim Roberts was appointed the administrator of Robert Roberts' estate as the only surviving heir, despite the fact that William had heirs. This point alone makes me believe that William is not Robert's son, however, one does have to wonder if there was a close family connection between the two families.

William was a fisherman and lived on Crockett's Neck in Kittery but, he was in Arundel in 1660. He signed a petition that Thomas Wells be permitted to preach among them 10 Nov. 1673.(1) Also in 1673 he was fishing for Roger Kelly and then shipped with Hugh Aland of the Isles of Shoals in 1674.

"Know All men by these present that I Anne Jeffry Relict And Administratrix of Thomas Crockitt Late of ye Town of Kittery Deceased with the ffree Consent of my husband Digory Jeffrey & ye more in order to fullfill ye mind of my Late Husband Thomas crockett aforesd Have given granted & Confirmed unto my Son In Law William Roberts and Anne his Now wife & doe by these presents Give grant & Confirm all that Tract of Land... being on that Neck of Land Called Crockets Neck Near unto ye Homestead of ye sd Crockett & is bounded Southward with a Little Creek & Land of John Parrott & of Lands of my Deceased Son Ephraim Crockett Northward Eastward and westward it being ye homestead of ye sd Roberts with an adition of Land Six Acres to his whome bounds Layed there unto by my free Consent and... by ye free Consent of my sons Hugh & Joseph Crockett & my Daughter in Law Anne Crockett... this Twenty second day of June one Thousand Six hundred ninty five.
ye Sign of
Anne A Jeffry
In presents of us
Nicholas Tucker
Joseph I Crockett
Wm Godsoe...

Recorded According to ye Original March 12th 1715/6".(6)

William had a town grant of 40 acres in 1699 which he sold to Sir William Pepperrell on 18 June 1702: "At a Legall Town Meeting held at Kittery May 24th 1699- Granted unto William Roberts forty Acres of Land to him and his heires & assignes for ever if he can find it Clear of former grants.... Know all men by these prsence that I William Roberts above named for a valluable sum of money to me in hand paid by William Pepperrell Esqr doe Assigne & make over unto ye sd William Pepperrell of Kittery.... all my right title & Interest of and in ye above mentioned grant of forty Acres of Land Witness my hand and Seal this Eighteenth day of June 1702.
William Roberts
his W mark
in presence of us.
Joshua Downing
Jos. Hamond Junr..."(2)

On 10 Apr. 1702 Elizabeth Roberts was a witness to a deed from Thomas Spinney to James Fernald of Kittery of eleven acres in Kittery.(5)

William mortgaged his homestead in Kittery to his son George of Ipswich: "Ipswich in ye County of Essex in New England Septembr 23rd 1706 Know all men by these presents that I William Roberts of Kittery... in Consideration of ye Sum of Thrity two pounds in good Currant lawfull Silver money of New England in hand paid me by my Son George Roberts of Ipswich... have... Sold unto sd George Roberts a Certain tract of upland lying & being in ye township of Kittery... by Estimation Sixteen Acres... bounded Southwest on Spruce Creek Northwest on land of John Parrat Northeast on land of Richard Crocket & Southeast on land of sd Crocket & Henry Barter together with all ye houseing on ye sd land & fences orchard trees timbr wood Springs mines minerals with all prividedges & Appurtenances to ye Same any ways belonging... and also one Shallop with all her Appurces to her any ways belonging... it is to be understood that if ye sd William Roberts Shall Save harmless & indemnifie ye sd George Roberts... from a bond this day Delivered ffrancis Wainwright of Ipswich... wherein sd George Roberts hath bound himselfe Joyntly & Severally with ye sd Wm Roberts for ye payment of thirty pound & ten shillings in good Currat Lawfull Silver money... with Lawfull Interest upon or before ye Last day of June... 1708 which money is Justly owning from sd Wm Roberts- Now if sd Wm Roberts shall pay sd money to sd Wainwright... by ye last of July following sd day in June 1708 then ye above deed of Sale to be Voyd otherwise to be of full force-
mark of
William W Roberts
In prsence of
Caleb Hobbs
Francis Wainwright...

The deed was not recorded until 11 June 1710, probably after William died.(3) On 17 July 1708 George mortgaged the property to Sir William Pepperrell:

"Know all persons by these prsents that I George Roberts of Ipswich... for ye Sum of Sixteen pounds Seventeen shillings to me in had paid by Wm Pepperrell Esqr of Kittery... doe... Mortgage... ye sd granted premises... Witness my hand & Seale this Seventeenth of July 1708.

The Condition of this Obligation is that if ye abovesd George Roberts or his father Wm Roberts doth well & truly pay until ye sd Wm Pepperrell Esqr... before ye Seventeenth of July... one thousand Seven hundred & Eleven with ye Lawfull Interest thereof in Good Lawfull money at Six p cent ye aforesd Sum of Sixteen pounds Seventeen shillings then ye Above to be voyd Else to remaine in force Memo: It is agreed before ye Signing & Sealing hereof that ye within house land & prmises shall not be Claimed by ye sd George Roberts... without ye Consent of his father ye sd William Roberts and his now wife Anna Alias Nan Roberts or ye Surviver of Either of them.
Signum
George X Roberts
Sealed in presents of
Henry Barter
Roger Dearing Junr."(3)

This mortgage was not recorded until 17 July 1710. William died before 30 Aug. 1715 as Sir William Pepperrell levied an execution:

"To ye Sheriff of our Court of york his undr Sheriff or Deputy Greeting Whereas Wm Pepperrell of Kittery... by ye Consideration of our Justices of our Inferior Court of Comon pleas holden at york... on ye first Tuesday of July Last past recovered Judgmt against ye Estate of Wm. Robert Late of sd Kittery decd for ye Sum of fourteen pounds Thirteen Shillings & 5d dept & one pound Eight Shillings & 4d Cost of Suit... Wee Command you therefore that ye godds Chattells or Lands of ye sd William Roberts decd within yor precinct you Cause to be paid & Satisfied unto ye sd William Pepperrell At ye vallue thereof In Money ye afore Said Sums being Sixteen pounds one Shilling and nine pence in ye whole with Two Shillings more for this writt... at wells ye 19th day of August... 1715...

Then pursuant to ye within Execution made distress and Received of anne Roberts Widow & Relict unto ye Estate of ye within named Wm Roberts fourteen acres of Land and a Dwelling house Lying & being within the Township of Kittery... which Said Roberts died in possession of and as ye widow Saith always was Intended to Satisfie within Specyfied Debt which Land and house accordingly Delivered to ye within Named Wm. Pepperrell Esqr in full Satisfaction to him... which Land is butted... on ye South west by a Crik cuming out of Spruce Creek in breadth fifty three poles & on ye South East by ye Land of Henry Barter... Octobr 4th 1715"... pr me Abraham Preble Sheriff".(4)

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.^[1] It's a rough draft and needs to be edited.

Prior to import, this record was last changed 22 SEP 2013.

Sources

1. ↑ Roberts-11825 was created by David Sylvester through the import of Marr-Spinney.ged on Dec 31, 2014. This comment and citation can be deleted after the biography has been edited and primary sources are included.

• (1) Mass. Archives- Vol.10, p.300
• (2) York Deeds- Vol. VI, folio. 139
• (3) Ibid- Vol. VII, fol. 146-7
• (4) Ibid- Vol. VIII, fol. 127
• (5) Ibid- Vol. VI, fol. 134
• (6) Ibid- Vol. VIII, fol. 145

• Old Kittery and Her Families- Everett S. Stackpole, Lewiston Journal, 1903- p.701
• Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire- p.590