Sunday, August 19, 2007

Sherebiah Ballard, grandson of William

Willington deeds document that Sherebiah was of Andover when he purchased 210 acres of Fenton's River 7 September 1749. On 8 February 1750/51, then of "Willington," he sold two pieces of land to John and Jonathan Ballard, not mentioning that they were his sons; on 2 January 1755 Jonathan, now back in Andover, sold his piece, on the "northwest corner of my... father Sherebiah's land" to John. Sherebiah sold 65 acres on 24 December 1759 to "Sherebiah Ballard Junr of sd Wellington" who the next day leased it back to his father and mother so long as either would live. On 28 November 1759, Willington Congregational Church records listed Sherebiah and Lydia Ballard among those in full communion. A number of other deeds were recorded. The picture, however, is complicated by the coming of age of his grandson, another Sherebiah, the son of John, born in 1745. On 14 April this third Sherebiah discharged Johathan Kingsbury (his stepfather) "my late gardeen," giving a receipt for the sum of 4 pounds. On 21 January 1768 "Sherebiah Ballard Jr. of Willington son to Mr. John Ballard late of Willington deceased" sold a piece of land to Timothy Pearl, a neighbor and frequent party to Ballard land transactions. As it was not Sherebiah, the son of John who was "Jr.," the eldest Sherebiah presumably had died. Unfortunately no probates are recorded for Sherebiah, Sr. or Lydia.

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