Caesar Toney is my 5th great-grandfather. He married Margaret (Peggy) Romsor of Worcester on 7 September 1756 in Upton, MA. Peggy and Caesar had two sons Caesar Jr. and Abraham. Caesar Jr. and Abraham married two Narragansett sisters, Susannah and Mary Harry.
Caesar and Peggy and their family lived on their own farm in Upton, MA – a bit unusual for people of African descent in 1700s New England. John Hazelton (who founded a few Massachusetts towns before moving to Vermont) both sold and gifted land to Caesar in 1754. The deed and it’s transcription are below.
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Transcription of Quitclaim Deed
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Hazeltine to Toney Worcester County, Massachusetts Bay Colony Drawn 10 December 1753, Recorded 12 April 1754 Worcester County, MA Registry of Deeds Book 35, Page 20
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[Marginal Notation]
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20
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Hazeltine to
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Cesar Tony
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“To all People To whom these Presents shall come Greeting Know ye that I John Hazeltine of Sutton in the County of Worcester & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in new England Esq For and in Consideration of the Love and good Will I do bear to Cesar Tony hereafter more fully mentioned and discribed [sic] as also for and in consideration of the Sum of Twenty Two Pounds Eight Shillings Lawfull money of this Province to me in hand well and truly paid by the said Cesar Tony of Upton in the County of Worcester and Province aforesaid Negroman Laborer the Receipt where of I do have by acknowledge and my self therewith fully Satisfied and contented and thereof and of every part and parcel thereof do Exonerate acquit and discharge him the said Cesar Tony his heirs Executors and admd forever by these Presents have given Released Quitclaimed granted bargained aliened conveyed & confirmed and by these Presents do give Release and and quit claim and freely fully and absolutely give grant bargain aliene convey and confirm unto him the said Cesar Tony and his heir forever a Certain Tract of Land Scituate [sic]in Upton aforesaid near the �Dwelling [“now” inserted above Dwelling] House of John Clemons Containing Twenty acres fourteen acres of which I the said John Clemons Hazeltine sell to the said Cesar Tony for the sum of money above mentioned and the other six acres I the said John Hazeltine do freely give and quitclaim to him the said Cesar Tony as aforesaid to Encourage him to be a good Husbandman and I bound and discribe the whole twenty acres to him the said Cesar Tonny [sic]as follows [illegible] beginning at a heap of stones northwesterly Corner of the land of John Clemons aforesaid and from thence it runs Westerly Twenty Six Rod to a heap of stones and thence it runs Southerly to a heap of stones and so continuing near or the same Course in all tell one- hundred and Twenty Six Rod is near out to Henry Walkers Land then it [inkblot] Turns and Runs Easterly on said Walkers Land Twenty Six Rod to John Clemons Land aforesd and thence northerly and by said Clemons Land one hundred and Twenty Six Rod to the Bounds first mentioned To have and to Hold the said given and quitclaimed granted & Bargained Premises with all the appurtenances Priviledges [sic] and Comodities [sic] to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining to him the said Cesar Tony
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and his Heirs forever to his and their own proper use benefit & behoof forever and I the said John Hazeltine for my self my heirs Executors and Adms do Covenant promise and grant to and with him the said Cesar Tony and his Heirs that before the Ensealing hereof I am the True sole and Lawfull owner of the above quitclaimed and bargained premises and am lawfully Seized and Possessed of the same in my own proper Right as a good and perfect Estate of Inheritance in fee simple and have in my self good Right full Power and Lawfull authority to grant bargain sell convey and confirm said bargained and quit claimed Premises in manner as aforesaid and that the said Cesar Tony and his heirs shall and may from Time To Time and at all Times forever hereafter by force & Virtue of these presents Lawfully peaceably and quietly have hold use occupy possess and enjoy the quitclaimed [crossed out-illegible] demised & Bargained premises with the appurtenances free & clear & freely & clearly acquitted Exonerated and discharged of from all and all manner of former and other gifts grants bargains Sales Leases Mortgages
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Wills
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Page 2
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Wills entails Jointures Doweries Judgements Executions or Incumbrances of what Name or Nature that might obstruct or make void this present Deed
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Furthermore I the said John Hazeltine for my self my Heirs exet and adms do covenant and engage the above quitclaimed & demised to him the said Cesar Tony & his heirs against the Lawfull Claims or Demands of any Person or Persons forever to – Warrant Secure and defered by these Presents. In Witness to all above written I have hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of December one thousand seven hundred and fifty three and in the Twenty Seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second of great Brittain France and Ireland King [illegible] John Hazeltine (seal) Signed Sealed & Delivd in presence of Alexander Clayton J[illegible] Aldrich Worcester Ss February 7th 1754 the within named John Hazeltine acknowledged the within written Instrument to be his free Voluntary act & deed
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Before me Charles Brigham Justice of the Peace April 12th 1754 Recd & accordingly entered & Examd J Chandler Reg”
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Until next time,
Cher
Cheryll Toney Holley 