About Horton's Deed

About John Horton's Deed

If you which to skip this narrative, click here to read the deed. Click here to see the Cemetery.

John Horton's deed, dated Jan. 13, 1779, is a good example of the information that can be gleaned from a deed. For example:

The deed gives the name of John Horton's wife, Elizabeth.

It identifies his neighboring property owners: Nathaniel Horton on the North, Job Randal on the West, Joseph Round on the South, and George Westcott on the East.

It identifies a highway running through the farm - the highway that led from Amos Hammon's property to Job Shippee's property - identifying two more neighbors.

It retains John Horton's ownership in the "Burying Place Two Poles Square."

Deeds of this nature give us the little bit of extra information we might need to identify relationships in a family. Actually, Nathaniel Horton was John Horton's son. Amos Hammon and Joseph Round were his sons-in-law. The other neighbors may have also been related to him, as well as the witnesses on the deed - Waight Wood and Caleb Arnold.

The town of Foster was formed from Scituate in 1781. This property is located in the present town of Foster. The "Burying Place" described in the deed is Rhode Island Historic Cemetery # 4, which is located about one-quarter mile south of the border between the towns of Foster and Glocester on the east side of the present Rhode Island State Highway 94. John Horton is buried there, as are Amos Hammond and his wife Mehetable (Horton) Hammond, and other members of the Hammond family.

The deed itself was recorded on a pre-printed form characteristic of the forms for deeds used at that time. In order to preserve some of the character of the original deed, I have presented the transcribed deed in black print for the pre-printed portions and green script for the portions of the recording of the deed that were completed in the handwriting of the town clerk.

Read the deed

View pictures of the Cemetery, including gravestones of John Horton, Amos Hammond and Mehetable (Horton) Hammond

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Email: ljacobs@arq.net