The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Weston, Thomas.       

Title:               Papers

Dates:             1751-1792

Call No.:         Col. 455

Acc. No.:        74x114.2a-q

Quantity:        16 items

Location:        34 J 2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Thomas Weston was a house carpenter and yeoman who lived in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, in the 18th century.  He was born in 1726, the son of Mercy Peterson and Joseph Weston.  He was married twice, first to Mary Southworth (1723-1765) and then to Martha Chandler.  He had several children by each wife, and they are named in his will.  Thomas Weston died on May 16, 1776.

 

Thomas’s son Joseph Weston (1751-1814) married Rebecca Thomas (1758-1825).  A list of their children is in the collection.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

This collection contains receipts, promissory notes, bills, land deeds, a genealogy, and a copy of the will of Thomas Weston.  The items indicate that he owned a fair amount of land.  Several of the bills were to Weston's estate.  The will states that half of Weston's land would go to his wife Martha, and the other half to his sons.  His daughters received cash.  Personal belongings mentioned include tools, clothes, and silver items.  The genealogy lists the births of the children of Thomas’ son Joseph’s children.  Several of the deeds refer to Thomas Watson as a house carpenter, but in his will, he calls himself a yeoman.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

Items are in accession number order.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

 

Purchased from N. D. Scotti. 

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

            People:

                        Weston family - Genealogy.

 

Topics:

Carpenters - Massachusetts - 18th century.

Decedents' estates - Massachusetts - Duxbury - 18th century.

Genealogy - Massachusetts - Duxbury.

Land titles - Massachusetts - Duxbury.

Wills - Massachusetts - Duxbury.

Promissory notes.

Invoices.

Receipts.        

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 34 J 2

 

 

All accession numbers begin with 74x114.

 

.2a       William Southworth of Duxborough conveys part interest in a sawmill to house wright Thomas Weston; William had inherited the mill from his uncle John Southworth, but his uncle had verbally commanded William to give part interest to Weston; the mill was located on Philips Brook, dated Dec. 6, 1751;

            Witnessed by Nathaniel Simmons and Micah Soule;

            With added note dated June 15, 1776: William Southworth acknowledged;

 

.2b       William Comer’s deed to Thomas Weston, a house carpenter: Comer is selling a house lot of land, about half an acre, with buildings, which he had purchased from William Southworth; gives the boundaries; dated April 29, 1754;

            Witnessed by Mary Southworth and Jonathan Peterson;

            Signed William Coomer, and with the mark of Mabel Coomer;

            On back: notes about recording of deed;

 

.2c       William Southworth’s deed to Thomas Weston, 1763: Southworth, a yeoman, sells to Weston, a house carpenter, a parcel of salt marsh; gives boundaries; dated Jan. 1, 1763; signed by William Southworth;

            Witnessed by Benjamin Simmons and Jonathan Peterson;

            With notes about recording of deed, 1770, 1779;

 

.2d       Southworths’ deed to Thomas Weston, 1764: William Southworth and Edward Southworth, both yeomen, sell to Weston, a parcel of salt meadow; dated April 20, 1764; signed by both Southworths;

            Witnessed by Thomas Southworth and Jasper Southworth;

            With notes on back about recording of deed, 1770, 1779;

 

.2e       copy of last will and testament of Thomas Weston, original dated April 2, 1776: Weston called himself a yeoman, not a house carpenter; names as heirs his wife Martha; children by first marriage: Joseph, Thomas, Mary and Jane; and also children Peleg, Mercy, and Rebecca; names son Joseph and wife Martha as executors; the will was witnessed by William Simmons, Abel Chandler, and Judah Delano;

            Will chiefly mentions real estate and cash, but sons also to receipt tools and his clothing

                       

.2f        “Duxborough [sic], July 13, 1767, Mr. Ichabod Weston pledge to pay your brother Thomas Weston one pound four shillings old tenor it being for sawing sundreys of plank and cart tungs [tongues] and his recit [receipt] shall be your [illegible]change; signed Reuben Peterson[?]”

 

.2g       request from Edward Southworth to Jasper Southworth: please pay Thomas Weston a certain sum; Duxborough, June 11[?], 1770

 

.2h       bill: estate of Thomas Weston owes to estate of John Winslow, for bushels of rye, purchased 1771-1772; with credit given for sundries from Thomas’ book and for cash paid by Joseph Weston; signed Isaac Winslow, administrator

 

.2i        receipt: William Thomas paid Thomas Weston, Duxbrough, November 25 1771;

                        On back: calculations; and notes about payments received in 1771, 1772, 1773

 

 

.2j        receipt: William Thomas paid Thomas Weston, Duxbrough, January 3d, 1772;

                        On back: calculations; and endorsement: Thomas Weston’s recate [receipt]

 

.2k       receipt: William Thomas paid Thomas Weston, Duxbrough, May 13, 1772;

                        Endorsed on back: Thomas Weston’s recate [receipt]

 

 

.2L       promissory note: Zebeliel Weston promises to pay Thomas Weston a sum of money, Duxborough, August 1d, 1774;

            On back: notes about payments received in 1783 and 1789

 

.2m      bill: from Isaac Winslow to estate of Thomas Weston: for visit and consultation with Doctors Harlow and Stockbridge, and medications [named], from May 20, 1770 to April 28, 1776; with credit given by sundries on Weston’s book and by cash paid by Joseph Weston

 

.2n       one side: April 17[?], 1773: unnamed person settled with Thomas Weston, and still owes Weston money; with another note dated Nov. 13, 1773, about cash;

Other side: Receipt: William Thomas paid Thomas Weston, Duxbury [spelled Duxbrough), Feb. 1d, 1777

 

.2o       receipt: Joseph Weston paid Simeon Soul the legacy for Weston’s sister Jeen [i.e. Jane], Duxborough, April 20, 1778

 

.2p       accounts of Ichabod Weston, Thaddeus Peterson, estate of Thomas Weston, William Simons, and Elezer Haller[?], all with Marther [sic, Martha] Weston, widow of Thomas Weston, 1776-1779;

            Mentions milk, bee hives, candles, corn, cider, thick cloth, turnips, a plow, salt, linen cloth, butter, cheese, pork, ect.; plus cash paid Esther Soule, Wrestling Alden,  Asa Soule (for grave stone), William Thomas, Joseph Weston (for recording deeds); and cash received from Seth Bradford, Joshua Stanford, the estate, Ezekiel Bradford, Jacob Peterson, George Partridge, and Ezra Weston; plus other names difficult to read

 

.2q       list of births and deaths:

Thomas Weston (April 8, 1777-Sept. 25, 1778);

Thomas Weston (born Dec. 3, 1778);

Polly Weston (born Jan. 16, 1781);

Joseph (born Jan. 29, 1783);

Joshua (Feb. 3, 1785-April 1, 1787);

Peleg (born Feb. 25, 1787);

Mary (born Feb. 8 [Jan. added in pencil], 1789;

Lewis (born Jan 2, 1791);

Rebecca (born Aug. 4, 1793);

Juditch (born Feb. 2, 1796);

Rufus (ditto);

Joshua (born Oct. 5, 1798)

 

            [note: Thomas Weston (1726-1776) had a son named Joseph Weston (1751-1814); Joseph married Rebecca Thomas (1758-1825); the note above is a list of their children; Juditch is actually named Judith; Polly is a nickname for Mary]