1693, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Captain Nathaniel Southworth, Signed Land Lease For Sale

---

Lt. Nathaniel SOUTHWORTH was born in May 1648 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. He died on 14 Jan 1710/11 in Middleboro, Plymouth, MA. He was buried in Nemasket Cemetery, Middleborough, Plymouth, MA.

Nathaniel Southworth was elected Constable of Plymouth on June 5, 1678,and remained there until after all his children were born. At some point thereafter, he moved to Middleborough. By 1708 he was definitely "of Middleborough." He was a Lieutenant in the Massachusetts Militia. He was surveyor of highways in Plymouth in 1673 and was fined in 1675 for refusing to aid the constable in the execution of his office. He was selecman for Plymouth, 1689 and 1691. He owned land in Tiverton, R.I. For many years the Southworth family owned large tracts of land in Middleboro; some of the richest and most valuable land in that town belonging to them. Lt. Nathaniel SOUTHWORTH and Desire GRAY were married on 10 Jan 1670/71 in Plymouth, MA.

She was born there, 6 November, 1651, and died there, 4 December, 1698. They had six children, recorded at Plymouth: Constant, born 12 August, 1674; Mary, born 3 April, 1676 ; Ichabod, "born Aboute the midle of march 1678" ; Nathan- iel born 18 May, 1684, and baptized in 1685; Elizabeth, baptized in 1687 ; Edward, baptized in 1698.

Edward Gray, father of Nathaniel's wife, Desire, was born in Apr 1623 in Stapleford Tawney, England. He died on 30 Jun 1681 in Plymouth, MA. Edward arrived in Plymouth ca. 1643 with his brother Thomas and became amerchant, among the wealthiest in Plymouth Colony. He was a constable in Plymouth in 1666, was freeman in 1670, deputy for Plymouth 1676, 1677 to 1679.

In 1665 Edward Gray married Dorothy, a daughter of Thomas and Ann Lettis . Thomas Lettis had deceased leaving to Ann the mother valuable lands, also on Main street in Plymouth, and the mother conveyed these to the daughter, so that Edward Gray would have controlled most central estates on both sides of Main street, was very prominent and was also considered to be a wealthy citizen, he was deputy to the general court fro m Plymouth in 1679 and 1680 ; he died in June 1681, so that he probably never visited the Pocasset lands.

Edward and Dorothy left minor children at Edward' death. Minors Edward Gray and Hannah (Susanna) Gray, their son and daughter , chose Captain Nathaniel Thomas as their Guardian. It is most likely that Southworth is paying Edward Gray a lease for a farm in the Pocasset and Puncatest lands, a large tract of land in Plymouth.

Please view the other historical and Civil War related documents I'll be listing this week.SEE SCAN.I now accept PAYPAL but PREFER other forms of traditional paper payment. Buyer pays shipping(usually FREE within the US and $8 for International),payment must be received within 5 days.

This item has been shown 263 times. 1693, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Captain Nathaniel Southworth, Signed Land Lease: $389