James Brintzinghoffer ← Theodore Clarence Brintzinghoffer ← Theodore Canfield Brintzinghoffer ← Margaret Hays ← Addis Hays ← George Lambert ← Henry Hays ← Willem Hees

William Hays, Grantee. Robert Ridgway, Grantor. Conveyance in Burlington City, Burlington County. 16 MAY 1738. Reference A-B : Folio 321.

William Hays is my 6th Great-grandfather on my maternal grandfather’s side. This is a transcription of a property sale on his move to Burlington County in 1738. Notes: Capitalization and punctuation are as given. Nouns and the start of sentences seem to be capitalized. Abbreviations or unreadable text is noted in brackets. A chain is a unit of measurement –  66 ft, or 22 yards, or 100 links.

This Indenture made the Sixteenth day of May and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred & thirty Eight Between Robert Ridgway of the City of Burlington and Province of West Jersey Yeo. [yeoman] of the one part, and William Hays of the County of Bergen in the Eastern Division of New Jersey, Yeo. [yeoman] of the other part Witnesseth that Whereas the said Robert Ridgway being lawfully seised and possessed of a certain parcel or tract of Land Containing about two hundred and ninety Acres be the same more or less situate lying and being within the Limits of the City of Burlington, and fronting on the River Delaware, and adjoining on the River to the land of Samuel Auldall[?] on the East, and the Land of WIlliam Culter’s[?] on the West and by a Survey thereof it with thus bounded Beginning at said River at an Old dead Black Oak a Chestnut being marked by H for a corner and from there by a line of Old marked Trees South Easterly ~ eighty two Degree sixty six Chains to a Black Oak Corner Thence South about half a point East twenty six Chains to another Black Oak Corner Then East twenty four chain and twenty five Links to another Black Oak Corner Then North twenty eight Chain and fifty Links to a Stake corner Then North Westwardly twenty five Degrees Eighteen Chains and twenty five Links to a large Black Oak Corner Then down by a line of Marked Trees N. Westwardly forty eight Degrees seventy eight Chains to the said River and from thence Bounded down by the same to the corner first named, it being the same Piece of Land and Premises that he the said Robert Ridgway purchased of Joseph Gardiner by virtue of one Indenture bearing date the [blank space] day of December, Anno 1734 and is also the same Land Plantation and Premises that he the said Joseph Gardiner purchased of Joseph Latham & Jane his wife by one Indenture bearing Date the twenty sixth of August Anno [Anno Domini] 1734 Relation being there unto had it doth and may more at large appear Now this Indenture further Witnesseth that the said Robert Ridgway for and in Consideration of the Sum of one hundred & nineteen pounds proclamation Money to him in Hand paid by the said William Hays at and before the Sealing and Delivery of these presents, the Receipt whereof is hereby owned and Acknowledged and thereof and of every part thereof doth fully and freely acquit, Exonerate, release and discharge the said William his Heirs, Execs [Executors] & Admins [Administrators] and every of them forever by these presents hath granted bargained Sold, and by these presents doth grant bargain and Sell unto the said William Hays his Heirs & Assigns forever, the one Moiety or half part of the aforesaid two hundred and ninety Acres of Land as above mentioned and to be laid off on the North Easterly part [?] of next to the above of Samuel Auldall, by a Line from the River to [?] back to divide the aforementioned Plantation into two equivalents Together with all the dwelling Houses and Improvements upon the same and all the Mines Minerals Woods Ways Waters Fishings Fowlings Huntings Hawkings and all other Royalties Powers Profits Commodities Hereditments [?] and Appurtenances [?] whatsoever unto the said Moiety of said Plantation above recited belonging or appertaining and also all the Estate Right Title Use Possession Property Claim and Demand of him the said Robert Ridgway either in Law or Equity assign to or out of the said granted and bargained Premises To have and to hold the said One Moiety or half part of the aforementioned Plantation with the Appurtenances thereunto belonging unto the said William his Heirs and Assigns forever to the proper Use and Behalf of him the said William his Heirs and assigns forever more And the said Robert Ridgway for himself his Heirs Exes [Executors] and Admins [Administrators] doth Covenant Promise Grant and Agree to and with the said William Hays his Heirs and Assigns by these presents that at the time of the Ensealing hereof he the said Robert Ridgway is the true and lawful owner of the above bargained Premises and stands lawfully seised and possessed of the same in his own right as a good perfect and absolute Estate of Inheritance in Fee Simple. And that he hath in himself good right full Power lawfull and absolute Authority to grant bargain & sell the same unto the said William Hays his Heirs and Assigns for ever And that the said William Hays his Heirs and Assigns shall & may  from time to time and at all times forever hereafter by virtue if these Presents lawfully peaceably and quietly have hold use occupy possess and enjoy the same free and clear & freely and clearly acquitted Exonerated released and discharged of and from all former and other Gifts grants bargains Sales Leases, Intails, Jointures, Dowers, Judgements, Eatents[?], Executions, Incumbrances or Troubles whatsoever And the said Robert Ridgway doth further Covenant and bind himself his Heirs Executors & Administrators to Warrant and the above bargained Premises and every part thereof unto the said William Hays his Heirs and Assigns forever against the just and lawful Claim or Claims of any person or persons whatsoever In Witness thereof of the said Robert Ridgway hath set his Hand and Seal the day and year above written 1738. Robert Ridgway [SEAL] Signed, Sealed and Delivered in the presence of Joseph Govett. Thomas Leathergood. Sam Leathergood. Personally appeared before me John Allen Esq. one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Supreme Court for the Province of New Jersey. Joseph Govett one of the witnesses to the within Indenture who being duly affirmed according to law did Declare that he was present and saw Robert Ridgway the Grantor in the within Indenture named Sign Seal and Deliver the same to the within named William Hays for the uses and purposes within mentioned. Jos. Govett affirmed this ninth day of May Anna Domini 1737 Before me. John Allen.