Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. 247
borhood, and owned the land bordering on Dexter's Lane ; but
whether his land extended so far east, I have no means of
ascertaining. The Rowley's who removed to Falmouth about the
year 1661, owned land in the vicinity. Dea. William Crocker
owned the land on the east at the settlement of the town, and it
was afterwards owned by his son John. The exact bounds of this
land it would perhaps be now difficult to ascertain.
This ancient mansion, while owned by Timothy Crocker,
Esq., was kept in good repair, and elegantly fuinished. His
family ranked among the aristocracy of those daj's. His
daughters were well educated and accomplished ladies, and his
house was the resort of the learned and the fashionable. The
husbands of all the daughters, excepting Martha, were men who
had been liberally educated. Martha had many suitors, and some
of the tea-table talk of those days is reported by her grandchildren.
She might have married one who was afterwards one of
the most distinguished and influential citizens of Barnstable.
Timothy Crocker, Esq., died Jan. 31, 1737, in the 57th year
of his age, and is buried in the West Barnstable grave yard. I
do not find the record of the death of his wife. She died a short
time previous to her husband. His will was made four days
previous to his "decease. He gave £10 to Rev. Jonathan Russell,
£10 to Mr. Joseph Crocker, Jr., and the same sum to the poor of
the town. He divides his estate equally among his daughters,
excepting to Jerusha, to whom he gave £10 over and above her
share. Mr. John Bursley was executor.
His estate was apprised at £6 607,7,2 in old tenor currency,
equal to about $3,000 in silver money. The merchandise in his
warehouse was apprised at £1,483,10; his homestead, including
all his buildings and lands, at £1,020, equal to only $460 in silver.
After the payment of his debts, there was only the real estate
and £1,949,14 2 of the personal estate remaining, equal to about
$300 in silver to each of the heirs.
In later times the north part of the house was owned by his
grand-daughter, Lucretia Sturgis, the school mistress, a maiden
lady who is kindly remembered by the aged at West Barnstable ;
and the south pari? by Nathan Foster.
Conclusion.—Here I rest ; not because my materials are exhausted,
but because I am. Respecting the early families I have
studied to be accurate, to the later families I have not given so
much attention. Respecting the "Crocker Quarrels," as they are
called on the records, I have endeavored to be impartial, and have
softened many harsh expressions that I found in my notes, and
have omitted some circumstances which perhaps others may think
t The vei-y low prices at which the real estate and the furniture was apprised, indicates
that a portion of the apprisal was in lawful money—that is, that the pound was equal to
^3,33 in silver. His plate and silver was apprised at £73,10, his looking glass and p 'tures
at £5,5, and his Indian girl at £5, about two dollars. If she was worth anything, it was a
very low price to apprise her at.