John Seamans (1695 - 1791)

Born 17 Jan 1695 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Priscilla (Wood) Seamans — married 22 Aug 1718 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 9 Feb 1791 at age 96 in Foster, Providence, Rhode Island, United States

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Biography

John Seamans was born in Swansea, Massachusetts in 1695, the son of Thomas and Susannah (Salisbury) Seamans. He married Priscilla Wood in Swansea in 1718. According to Lawton's book, their children were all born in Swansea, and then they moved to Rhode Island and lived in Scituate and in Foster. From the same source, these children were

• William b. 2 January 1720/1721
• Susannah b. 16 August 1723
• Penelope b. 2 March 1725/1726
• John b. 4 October 1728
• Priscilla b. 15 July 1731
• Tabitha b. 4 December 1733
• Anna b. 19 January 1735
• Lydia b. 19 January 1737
• Benjamin b. 26 June 1740
• Daniel b. 8 December 1742

He states further that John gifted deeds to several of these children in Scituate starting in 1748, so the move seems to have occurred in the 1740s.

Research

John appears as head of household in Scituate in the 1774 census of Rhode Island^[1]. The age/sex distribution and inferred attributions are

• three white males over 16: John and unknown
• two white males under 16: unknown
• four white females over 16: Priscilla and unknown
• two white females under 16: unknown

It appears that the household of a younger couple may have been living with John.

Deed Records

James and Tabitha Seamans, of Swanzey, to John Seamans, of Swanzey, January 7, 1742/3. Acknowledged January 7, 1742/3. Recorded November 18, 1745, Bristol County.

Swansea

To All People to Whom these Presents Shall Come Greeting Know Ye that I James Seamans of Swanzey In ye County of Britol In ye Province of ye Massachusets Bay In Nw England houswright & tabitha my Wife for & In Consideration of ye Sum of one hundred & twenty Seven Pounds ten Shillings In Bills of Publick Credit of ye old tener Recd. of our Brother John Seamans of Swanzey aforsd. Yeoman to our sole Content & Satisfaction Have Given Granted Bargained Sold Aliened Conveyed & Confirmed & by these Presents do freely fully & absolutely Give Grant Bargain Sell Aliene Con:vey & Confirm Unto him ye sd. John Seamans his heirs & assigns forever the Westerly half of all that our twenty one acres & one Quarter of Land Lying in Swansey aforsd Bounded as followeth :Vizt: Begining at a heap of Stone In ye Southwest Corner of Pelatiah Masons Land then ranging Westerly to a Stake In ye Northwest Corner of ye Land we lately Sold to michael Smith then Ranging Northerly by ye Land of ye sd. John Seamans to a Stake In ye Southwest Corner of ye Land which Caleb Cole Lately Purchased of us ye sd. James & tabitha then runing Easterly to a Stake & heap of Stones In ye Southeast Corner of sd. Caleb Coles Land then ranging Southerly to a Butten wood tree then Running on a Straight Line to ye heap of Stones first mentioned With all ye Rights member Privilidges & appurtenances to ye Before Granted half of ye above Described twenty one acres & one Quarter of Land Belonging and ye Revoitions & Remainder thereof to have & to hold ye sd. Granted & Bargained Premices with all ye appurtenances Privilidges & Commodotes to ye Same Belonging or In any wise appertaining to him ye sd. John Seamans his heirs & assigns forever to his & their only Proper Use Benefit & Behoof forever & I ye sd James Seamans & tabitha my Wife for our Selves our heirs Exts. and adms. do hereby Covenant Promise & Grant to & with ye sd. John Seamans his heirs & assigns yt Before ye Ensealing hereof We are ye true Sole & Lawfull owners of ye above Barg:ained Premices & are Lawfully Seized & Possessed of ye Same In our own proper Right as a good perfect & absolute estate of Inheritance In fee Simple & have In our Selves Good Right full power & Lawfull authority to Grant Bargain Sell Convey & Confirm sd. Bargained Premices In manner as aforsd. & yt he ye sd. John Seamans his heirs & assigns Shall & may from time to time & at all times forever hereoften by force & Virtue of these Presents Lawfully Peacably & Quietly have hold use occupy Possess & enjoy ye sd. Demised & Bargained Premices With ye appurtenances free & clean & freely & Clearly acquited Exonerated & Discharged of from all & all manner of former or other Gifts Grants Bargains Sales Leases Mortgages Wills entails Joyntures Dowries Judgments Executions or Incumbr:ences of what name or nature Soever that might In any measure or Degree Obstruct or make Void the Present deed Furthermore I ye sd. James Seamans & tabitha my Wife for our Selves our heirs Exts. & adms. do Convenant & engage ye above Demised Premices to him ye sd. John Seamans his heirs & assigns against ye Lawfull claimes or Demands of any person or Persons Whatsoever forever hereafter to Warrant Secure & Defend by these Presents In Witness Whereof We have hereunto Set our hand & Seals this Seventh day of January Anno Domini one thousand Seven hundred & forty two three & In ye Sixteenth year of his majesties Reign

James Seamans {S}

of ye mark + tabitha Seamans {s}

In Presence of

Pelatiah Mason

Peres Bradford

Bristol Sst. Swanzey January ye 7th 1742/3 The Within Name James Seamans & tabitha his wife personally appeared & severally Acknowledged ye Within Written Instrument to be their free Act & Deed Before me Peres Bradford Justices of ye Peace

Recd. Novr. ye 18th 1745 And Recorded Pr Thos. Throope Jur Regr^[2]

(Bristol County, Deed Records, Book 34, p. 111).

Sources

1. ↑ 1774 Census
2. ↑ Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986, images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9ZS-T9S7-C?cc=2106411&wc=MCB2-JNL%3A361612901%2C361625901 : 22 May 2014), Bristol County, Deed Records, 1744-1748, vol 34, p. 110, image 63 of 673; Bristol County courthouse and office, Massachusetts.

• Lawton, John Julian. The Seamans Family in America as Descended from Thomas Seamans etc., privately published in Syracuse, NY, 1933.

• 1774 Rhode Island Census, Scituate, Page 2, Entry 36-- John Seamans; citing transcription by Linda L. Mathew in Rhode Island Roots 32 p.140, September 2006.

• SAR Application; online at ancestry.com, citing U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970, Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.

• Book A, records of the town of Swansea, 1662 to 1705 Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.Original data - Book A, records of the town of Swansea, 1662 to 1705. East Braintree, Mass.: A.H. Mason, 1900. Includes indexes.
• Author: Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Title: Massachusetts Marriages, 1633-1850 Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Publication: Name: Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004
• Family Data Collection - Individual Records Publication: Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Individual Records. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000
• Family Data Collection - Marriages Publication: Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Marriages. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2001
• Family Data Collection - Births Publication: Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Births. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001.
• Family Data Collection - Deaths Publication: Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Deaths. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2001.
• Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Jon Myers for creating WikiTree profile Seamans-43 through the import of MYERS-EVEY Family WikiTree.ged on Apr 18, 2013.