Records of the Trustees of the Charity of Edward Hopkins

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Three-page handwritten document detailing a chronology of events relating to the legacy of Edward Hopkins between 1657 and 1709 and two questions regarding rights to the bequest and recovery of the funds, followed by the opinions of Sir Peter King (signed December 9, 1708) and T. Vernon (signed December 16, 1708).

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Seven-page handwritten copy of the order of the Lord Chancellor referring the case to Thomas Gery, a Master of the Court, to collect further information on the assets held by Exton and whether there existed New England schools like those described in Hopkins' will.

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One-page handwritten letter from William Ashurt to President Leverett discussing the annual payment on an unspecified donation, and the progress of the Hopkins' bequest recovery. The folder also contains a handwritten 19th century copy of the letter.

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Four-page handwritten copy of the report of the Master General Thomas Gery outlining the status of the assets remaining from the Hopkins' bequest and describing Harvard College in fulfillment of the July 9, 1709 order of the Court of Chancery.

Scope and Contents Thirteen-page handwritten copy of the decree, based on a December 1712 report of the Attorney General Edward Northey, signed on March 19, 1712/13 by Symon Lord Harcourt, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of Great Britain. The decree set forth the responsibility of Exton to satisfy the Hopkins' bequest and directed the purchase land in Massachusetts as an investment to support the study of divinity at Harvard College and a Cambridge grammar school. The document specifies the apportionment and use...

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Petition by William Ashurst and John Gunston to Lord Chancellor Symon Harcourt on behalf of Jeremiah Dummer and Henry Newman. The petition requests disbursement of the Hopkins' funds to Ashurst and Gunston for remittance to the Trustees to purchase land. Labeled on the verso as document "C."

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Handwritten copy of Edward Hopkins' 1657 will. Labeled on the verso as document "B."

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3-page handwritten document by Lord Chancellor Symon Harcourt ordering the remittance of the Hopkins' legacy. Labeled on the verso as document "D."

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2-page handwritten letter from William Ashurt to Samuel Sewall alerting Sewall to his past letter with funds from the Hopkins' bequest enclosed, and discussing matters regarding the Company for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England.

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19th century handwritten copy of the minutes of a meeting of the Trustees outlining the plan of action in purchasing land from the Natick Indians. The copyist described the document as a "Copy of what appears to be an original record of a meeting in Samuel Sewall's handwriting--probably having escaped the notice of the writer of the present Book of Records. It as at least a certified copy of a vote thereat."

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3-page handwritten copy of a proposal outlining the investment of the Hopkins' bequest, disbursement of income, and the duties of the Trustees, to be reported by the Attorney General to the Lord Keeper. The proposal was submitted by Jeremiah Dummer and Henry Newman on the order of the Company for Propagating the Gospel in New England.

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Draft of a report outlining the dispersal of the Hopkins' funds in purchasing and surveying the Hopkinton land. Labeled on the verso as document "G."

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Draft of a letter by Edward Hutchinson, Treasurer to the Trustees, written to "Jeremiah Dummer & Henry Newman Esqr to be Communicated to the heires of the late Honble Sr. William Ashurst Knt." referring the effort of the Trustees to certify that the stipulations of the 1712/3 decree had been properly fulfilled. Labeled on the verso as document "H."

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This folder contains abstracts and copies of early legal records including the Decree in Chancery, the will of Edward Hopkins, and a statement of facts.

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Handwritten copy of a deed between grantor John Owosamog and grantees Moses Parker, Nathaniel Morse, Nathaniell Johnson, and Jonathan Fairebanks for land between "Sherborne, Mendham, Hassnamisko, Marlborrough, and Framingham."

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One-page handwritten affidavit by Indians Peter Ephraim, John Acquitticus, Peter Paggatock, and James Spoon testifying that John Owonsamog is "the rightful and proper Sagamore" of lands between "Sherborne, Mendham, Hassnamisko, Marlborrough, and Framingham."

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One-page handwritten petition to the Trustees signed by Natick Indians expressing unwillingness to sell their lands.

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Large handwritten deed between the "Committee or Agents for the Indian Proprietors of the Plantation of Natick" and the Trustees for 800 acres of land in Middlesex County known as Magunkaquog, bordered in part by Mendon and the Sudbury River. The document represents one part of the indenture and is signed by Thomas Waban and Benjamin Tray and with the marks of Samuel Abraham, Solomon Thomas, Abraham Speen, Thomas Pegun, and Isaac Nehemiah.

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Four-page 18th century handwritten copy of the deed between the "Committee or Agents for the Indian Proprietors of the Plantation of Natick" and the Trustees for 800 acres of land in Middlesex County known as Magunkaquog.

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Handwritten copy of a deed between Moses Parker and the Trustees for the land originally purchased by Parker, et al. from John Owosamog in 1700.

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One-page letter to Samuel Sewall from Harvard President John Leverett informing Sewall of the completion of the land purchase with Moses Parker. The verso includes the note "No. 8 See Receipt Book."

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One-page handwritten letter signed by Thomas Waban, Solomon Thomas, and Benjamin Tray regarding a "settlement in ye Gospel ministry, among us in our town of Natick."

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One-page handwritten petition to the Massachusetts General Court on behalf of "Indian inhabitants in Punkapaugue" regarding help with their "lands, and especially as to our orchards, meddows, and to look after our timber, which has been shamfully cutt down, and carried away to our great damage."

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Handwritten indenture between grantors Anthony Blount and John Jones, and the Trustees as grantees for a parcel of land originally included in Mr. Savill Simpson's farm.

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One-page handwritten 18th century extract of a March 25, 1699 lease between Thomas Danforth and Joseph Buckminster for land "commonly called Framingham."