Petition of Joseph Prentice to the Massachusetts General Court
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
To the Honourable the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled
The petition of Joseph Prentice, son of Henry Prentice, formerly of Grafton humbly sheweth that David Abraham of the Hassanamisco Tribe of Indians, and formerly of Grafton, deceased, by his last will and testament,1 did give unto your petitioner all his share in the estate of one Joseph Anthony, late of Grafton, a deceased brother2 to the said David by the mother's side,3 that the said will has been duly proved and approved by the Judge of Probate for the County of Worcester,4 that the said David's share in the estate of said Joseph Anthony consisted in the reversion of one half of the said Joseph's share in the real estate of his mother Abigail, formerly wife of Fortune Burnee, a Negro man,5 late of said Grafton deceased, that it appears, by the settlement of the administration account of the said David Abraham's estate, there is a balance due to the administrator of thirty-eight pounds, six shillings, and eight pence, which, if paid at all, must be paid out of the aforesaid reversionary share in the estate of said Joseph Anthony. But as any transfers of real estate by said Hassanamisco Indians, other than to their own Nation, have not been considered as valid without the special interposition of the General Court; your petitioner, therefore, prays this Honourable Court would establish his title in and to the aforesaid real estate, he paying any debts that have, or may be actually due from the said David Abraham, which his other estate is insufficient to pay.
And as in duty bound shall ever pray,
Joseph Prentice
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Certification:
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We, the subscribers, Trustees of the Grafton Indians, hereby certify that by division of the real estate of Abigail Burnee, deceased, made by the direction of former Trustees, it appears that the said Joseph Anthony's rights in said estate consisted in the reversion of about thirty-five acres of land, the one half of which the said David Abraham was entitled to, as one of the heirs of the said Joseph, his estate to come in possession at the decease of Fortune Burnee, which6 took place during the last year / Benjamin Heywood, Isaac Harrington
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Endorsement:
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Joseph Prentice Petition
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Legislative Action:
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The Petition of Joseph Prentice / Mr. W Fisher / Mr. Ward / Mr. Marsh [ illegible ]
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The said
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Mr. Sprague / Mr. Hoar / Mr. Flag
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Leave to withdraw
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Docketing:
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4616.B
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- 1. David Abraham made out his will at Alstead, New Hampshire on December 11, 1778, while serving as a private in Captain Isaac Farwell's Company in the First Battalion of New Hampshire forces. He had been sick since November 29th and would be hospitalized until the end of January of the following year. He then returned to active duty and remained with his unit most likely when it was discharged in 1783. A copy of the will can be found at the Worcester County Probate Records 19:315-316. New Hampshire, 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, Ancestry. New Hampshire, First Regiment, Revolutionary War Service Records, Fold3. Frederic Kidder, History of the First New Hampshire Regiment in the War of the Revolution (Albany, NY: Joel Munsel, 1868), 162.
- 2. David Abraham was born (March 28, 1744) during Abigail Printer Anthony Burnee Abraham's marriage to Andrew Abraham, Jr., as were her other sons Jonas (May 8, 1742) and John (June 10, 1747). Joseph Anthony was born (December 24, 1753) during Abigail's marriage to William Anthony. Grafton Records: Marriages, Birth & Deaths 1: 192.
- 3. Abigail Printer was married three times, first to Andrew Abraham, Jr., second to William Anthony, and third to Fortune Burnee, Sr.
- 4. David Abraham's will proved and approved in Worcester on March 1, 1785.
- 5. Burnee was married to two Hassanamisco women, Sarah Muckamug and after her death, Abigail Printer.
- 6. Deleted Text: happened