Papers, 1713-1815.

ArchivalResource

Papers, 1713-1815.

This collection consists of legal documents, for the period 1713 to 1815, including land deeds for property in Dedham, Milton, and Stoughton, Mass., involving such individuals as Nathaniel Kingsbury (1697-1775) and Ebenezer Knap (1703-1777), indentures relative to land sales and the marriage contract between Sprague and Esther Harrison, and deeds concerning property transferred to Sprague in lieu of payment for medical debts. There are also many bills, receipts, promissory notes, accounts, and inventories, including a list of Sprague's losses during the blockade of Boston, 1775-1776, and extensive papers dealing with the estate of John and Esther Harrison Sprague, 1797-1811. These include several inventories with a full listing of Sprague's personal (including his library) and property holdings with a schedule of debts due the estate. The collection also contains papers concerning the lengthy court battle in 1797 among family members after Sprague died in testate. Included are Esther Harrison Sprague's appeals against sharing the administration of her husband's estate with her stepsons Edward Sprague (1750-1817) and Dr. John Sprague, Jr. (1752-1800), their counter-appeals, and the final disposition of the estate. The collection also includes Esther Sprague's will, 1811, the bills of her wealthy first husband Charles, of Dedham, 1766-1769, inventories of her estate and that of Rebecca Sprague (1755-1813), the wife of John Sprague, Jr., and the extensive legal papers of John and Esther Sprague's attorneys and beneficiaries, Fisher Ames (1758-1808) and Samuel Swett (1744?-1853?). There is also an oversized ledger, 1750-1773, containing brief accounts of debts that Sprague held against various people, with the entries frequently including the individual's occupation, name of spouse, or family origin. Included are merchants, ship's captains, widows, retailers, carpenters, and lawyers. The entries contain only the names, date and amount of debt, settlement date, and method of settlement, i.e., by work or cash.

2 boxes.1 v. (238 p.) ; oversize.

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6958069

Gadsden Public Library

Related Entities

There are 9 Entities related to this resource.

Kingsbury, Nathaniel, 1697-1775.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68s66cx (person)

Sprague, John, 1718-1797.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63f66j5 (person)

John Sprague (1718-1797) was a distinguished physician in Boston and Dedham, Mass., an extensive landowner, and a successful businessman. He married Elizabeth Dalhonde ( -1757) in 1745 and Esther Harrison (1728-1811), the widow of Charles Harrison ( -1769), in 1770. From the description of Papers, 1713-1815. (American Antiquarian Society). WorldCat record id: 191289129 ...

Sprague, John, 1752-1800.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68p7hj7 (person)

Sprague, Edward, 1750-1817

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6b00nzb (person)

Knap, Ebenezer, 1703-1777.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kd3g22 (person)

Ames, Fisher, 1758-1808

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61265f0 (person)

Massachusetts attorney elected to first four Congresses; Federalist and supporter of Hamilton's fiscal program. From the description of ALS : Philadelphia, to Colonel Joseph Ward, Boston, 1791 Feb. 16. (Boston Public Library). WorldCat record id: 37601637 Member of the 1st-4th Congresses from Massachusetts. From the description of ALS : New York, N.Y., to John Lowell, 1789 Apr. 8. (Rosenbach Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122645434 Lawyer and...

Harrison, Charles L.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68c9x5x (person)

Sprague, Esther Harrison, 1728-1811.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61v6xx9 (person)

Swett, Samuel, 1774-1853

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6qr67qh (person)

Samuel Swett (1774-1853), the son of William and Mary (Torrey) Swett, was a merchant and ship-owner of Boston and Dedham, Mass., and played a prominent part in the development of the merchant marine in Boston. He also owned extensive real estate in Boston and Dedham. Swett married four times with his first two wives being the daughters of Dr. John Sprague, Jr. (1752-1800). He married on 7 May 1797, Esther Sprague (1777-1799). They had two sons: Edward Sprague Swett (1798...