vital records sources
go to Elizabeth Edward's page

 A tax record in Beverly, Massachusetts, dated 5 February 1760 provides an interesting clue about his childhood.(1) Capt. Robert Haskell had part of his 1759 taxes abated with the explanation that Nathaniel Haskell had moved to Manchester, Massachusetts, the previous March. Circumstantial evidence indicates that Nathaniel's father, Robert's son Benjamin, died about 1746. Robert certainly had the financial means to keep Nathaniel and his brothers Benjamin and Joseph, probably moreso than their stepfather Josiah Ober of Wenham, who didn't leave any real property when he died. Why Nathaniel was moving back to Manchester (Capt. Robert lived in Beverly) is hard to say, given that he was only 18 the previous year. The record continues to be cryptic in saying that "half of poll of Haskell he being a crippell." Perhaps this is a reference to Robert, who was about 67. This is all the more plausible given that Nathaniel was private in Capt. Andrew Marsters' company of Minutemen in the Revolution, organized to respond to the alarm at Lexington. He was paid 9 shillings for a 29 mile march to Medford, at which point their service was found to be no longer required.(2) This is very unlikely service for someone disabled. Andrew Marsters was their uncle and brother-in-law, somewhat. He was about 20 years younger than their mother Hannah, and he married his nephew Joseph's widow. Joseph also served in the Revolution, but under a different captain. Nathaniel also served in Capt. Joseph Whipple's company, raised in Manchester about 15 July 1775 in defense of the town's coastline. They were reimbursed on 27 September 1775 for a month of "billeting," a term used for lodging in private quarters.(2.1) They served to 31 December of that year.(2.2)
     In December 1767 he was chosen to serve on the Essex County Court of Common Pleas.(3) He served the Town of Manchester as a hogreave with his brother Benjamin on 7 March 1774,(4) further suggesting he wasn't disabled. Nathaniel, Elizabeth and their children evidently moved to Beverly by September of that year, but maintained their membership at the Manchester church. Nathaniel, Jr.'s, birth in 1774 is the oldest recorded in Beverly as part of a family group, and he is the first not to appear in the Manchester birth records, but all his siblings, with the possible exception of the youngest, were baptized in Manchester. 1775 Manchester tax records show he was a resident there, having a poll tax, but were these assessed for the year before? He was not assessed a pole tax in 1776, but there were taxes on real (he had a wood lot in Manchester) and personal estate.(4.1) A tax record in Beverly says that he was abated his "soldier tax" for 1777, "he Being in the Continental Army."(5) He had also been overtaxed 12 shillings for his personal estate by mistake. There isn't anything found to suggest he was serving in the army in 1776 or 1777.
     Although he appears to have moved to Beverly before, his residence there was built on land chosen by committee to divide the real estate of his grandfather Robert on 30 August 1777. Benjamin Haskell's heirs were given parcels on the north and south side of what is now Hale Street. Joseph had probably died by then, but he had children and brother Benjamin (Jr.) was also alive and living in Manchester. There are no deeds in which they gave up their right to this property to Nathaniel, but he was the sole owner. His house still stands at 684 Hale Street, although with changes and additions.
     Nathaniel died of dropsy, which is "an acute condition of fluidal swelling at the connective tissues."(6) He and Elizabeth are buried in Hale Street Cemetery (now a section of Central Cemetery), Beverly. Their stones were carved by the shop of Benjamin Day of Lowell.(6.1)
     Nathaniel didn't make a will before he died, leaving it to the administrator of the estate (Nathaniel's son-in-law Ebenezer Ray) and the probate court to make a settlement.(7)
Although he died in July of 1816, probate didn't begin until October of the following year. This may have been related to widow Elizabeth dying in August of 1817, but none of the administration accounts mention her or costs accrued for her maintenance.
     It was decided that Nathaniel's real estate holdings couldn't be equally divided "without prejudice" to the heirs, so Nathaniel Jr. was given the real estate and was, by bond, obliged to compensate the other heirs. The seven children (the two surviving and the five representatives of the families of the others) each received $188.28. Aside from usual expenses in settling estates, there was a doctor's bill from Abner How from Nathaniel's "last sickness" and paying Benjamin Day for the gravestones. Prominent local lawyer Nathan Dane was likely consulted about a legal matter, and appears on the list of estate debts.

His personal estate was valued as follows:

1 buro 2"50 light stand "50     3
2 pine tables 1"25 close [clothes] chist 1"0    2.25
17 chairs 3"45 1 table 1"30    3.75
1 old case of draws "75    .75
1 father bead [feather bed], boilsters & pillows    7.50
part of case & bottels "30 chist "28    .55
1 [cubbord? i.e. cupboard] 2"[?] seachist "30    2.30
1 pr bellos "25 close hors "30    .55
Shovel & tongs 1"50 brush "10    1.60
2 flatirons "75 2 small glasses "75    1.50
2 pr handires [andirons] "75 warming pan "50    1.25
2 reakettles 1"00 2 pots 1"00    2
2 dishkettles "75 spider & "35    1.10
water bucket "14 coffy mil "40    .54
salt morter "50 10 nifs & forks "75    1.25
earthen ware "50 tin ware 1    1.50
glass ware "70 1 teapot "40    1.10
10 junk bottes "50 2 baskets "20    .70
1 cart 10"00 suny [sundry] old tubs & [bl-?]    11
2 chains 2"00 small brass kettle "75    2.75
1 ax 1 lot of old iron "35    1.35
meal bages "30 spinning wheel "20    .50
5 small silver spoons 2"50    2.50
22 sheats 17"5 12 pillow cases 3    [20.05]
10 napkens 1 6 table cloths 2"80    3.80
the deceast wareing apparel    28.90
3 quilts 6"40 2 blankets 1    7.40
2 rugs 1"75 2 underbeads 1    2.75
part of a [barrel] soap    1
31 1/2 pork 6"20 bills & other books 1"50    7.70
shaving apperaters earthen wear    1.87
1 plow "50 2 yokes 1"00 forks & "75    2.25
cheas press "75 handsaw "12    .87
1 slead 1"50 peises of plank &     3.75
[horse?] chane "20 2 ladders "50    .70
2 cords of [pine] wood    5.00
110 booshels of [prob. potatoes]    20
5 booshels barly 3"75 apples "60    4.35
5 booshels of corn    6
lot of hay    14.50
2 small father beads    7.75
[total]$189.93

     This itemized auction record of his personal estate shows that the above account is very vague. It gives a much better idea of what was in the house when his widow died. "Sundry wearing apparel," and "coat, stockings, etc" were bought by Betsy Woodbury and Lydia Knowlton, implying they belonged to Elizabeth (Edwards) Haskell. Other articles of clothing, some obviously Nathaniel's, were bought by men.

one bureau Isaac Ober 2.50
one case draws Benj Preston .40
one cloths chest Ben Preston 1.30
one table Nathl Haskell .25
one card table Nathl Haskell 1.90
one small table Anna Millar .20
4 green chairs Benjn Preston 1.20
4 red chairs Hepzh Woodbery 2.00
5 black chairs Isaac Ober .50
2 rocking chairs Anna Millar .76
1 small rocking chare Hepzh Woodbery .40
one great chair Nathl Haskell .10
one light stand Sally Ober .45
one long cupboard Benja Preston 1.50
one meal chest Benja Preston .35
1 old chest Abraham Trowt .20
1 clothes horse Betsy Z Woodbery .60
1 long brush Anna Woodbery .29
1 old sieve Saml Haskell .03
1 pr bellows Israel Lovett .31
1 pr shovel tongs Nathl Haskell 1.75
1 pr shovel tongs Isaac Ober .25
1 pr flat irons Eben Ray .72
one small glass Polly Ober .41
one small glass Eben Woodbery .42
1 pr andirons Sarah Elliott .80
1 pr andirons Anna Woodbery .17
candlesticks & lamp & Eben Ray .06
1 warming pan Major Conant .65
one toaster Samuel Haskell .10
one iron tea kettle Abraham Trowt .20
one copper kettle Wallis Brown .45
1 iron pot Nathl Haskell .50
1 large pot Anna Millar .54
one dish kettle Nathl Haskell .55
1 small kettle Anna Millar .35
1 spider Abraham Trowt .45
1 tin pail Rebekah Elliott .23
1 wooden pail Timoh Standly .20
1 coverd do Rebecca Ellio0tt .30
1 salt mortar Nathl Haskell .55
8 knives & forks Eben Ray .90
1 box basket & Majr Conant .30
1 cannister & pot Saml Haskell .15
1 quart & coffee pot Major Conant .35
1 ponger dipper & skimr Eben Ray .28
1 coffee pot & Betsy Woodbery .30
6 pans 1 basket Isaac Ober .30
3 plates 1 pan Polly Ober .10
3 pots 2 pans Anna Millar .05
2 pots 3 bottles & Abraham Trowt .07
case & bottles & small bottles & Stephen Lovett 1.03
7 junk bottles Sam Haskell .20
plates platters & Betsy Woodbery .17
old cups saucers & Anna Woodbery .08
1 coffee mill [Rebba?] Haskell .35
2 jugs Eben Ray .10
pr[?] dezer cups & saucr Rebecca Eliott .25
6 do do Polly Ober .50
9 green edge plates Isaac Ober .31
6 do do Nathl Foster .30
5 do do David Larcom .40
4 bowls plates dishes Eben Ray .30
lot old crockery Nathl Foster .31
tea pot jug Abraham Trowt .60
4 tumblers Saml Haskell .35
8 do 3 wine glasses Hepzh Woodbery .52
2 glass mugs 1 decanter Anna Millar .51
1 churn Isaac Ober .50
1 iron crow Ezra Foster .60
5 small silver spoons Saml Haskell 1.60
1 pr sheets Major Conant .80
1 do do Rebecca Elliott 1.24
1 do do Wallis Brown 1.30
1 do do Eben Ray 1.24
1 pr sheets Isaac Ober 1.60
1 do do Major Conant 1.28
1 do do Wallis brown 1.10
1 do do Polly Ober 1.04
1 do do David Larcom .84
1 do do Ezra Foster 1.00
1 do do Priscilla West 1.30
1 sheet Eben Ray .30
1 pr pillow cases Major Conant .32
1 do do Eben Ray .34
1 do do Major Conant .20
1 do do Betsy Woodbery .16
1 do do Eben Ray .26
1 do do Pollly Ober .24
1 pr pillow cases Betsy Z Woodbery .30
1 do do Ezra Foster .24
1 do do Major Conant .22
1 do do Major Conant .22
1 do do Polly Ober .20
1 table cloth Rebeca Haskell .35
1 do do Nathanil Haskell 1.05
1 do do Polly Ober .40
1 do do Ezra Foster .26
1 do do Betsy Haskell .31
1 do do Betsy Z Woodbery [1 or 0].45
1 do do Betsy Ober .26
1 towel Nathaniel Haskell .17
1 do Betsy Obear .42
2 towels Ezra Foster .36
2 do Rebecca Haskell .26
2 do Betsy Ober .32
2 do Stephen Lovett .28
2 do Eben Ray .12
2 do Hitty Foster .14
6 old cloths Major Conant .12
some old cloth Eben Ray .08
old rags Major Conant .06
needles and buckels Eben Ray .07
1 bible & other books Anna Millar 2.35
1 blanket Neheh Standly .40
1 do Rebekah Haskell 1.25
1 rugg Anna Woodbery .80
1 old quilt Anna Woodbery.20
1 [gutt? or quilt?] do Eben Ray 3.25
1 do Polly Ober 2.35
1 woolen quilt Anna Woodbery 2.80
1 under bed Abraham Trowt .50
1 do do Polly Ober .52
1 feather bed & 58 1/2 lbs Suky Woodbery @ 30 cts 17.55
1 rug Nehemh Standly .26
1 bed 27 lbs @ 30 cents pr Nathl Haskell 8.10
1 rug Wallis Brown 1.25
1 bed sted Nehemh Standly .55
1 ox chain Nathaniel Haskell .85
1 ox chain Nathl Roberts .85
2 meal bags Polly Larcom .34
1 half bushel Nathaniel Haskell .20
one axe Wallis Brown 1.55
some old iron Samuel Cole .10
1 brass kettle Anna Woodbery 1.15
1 chopping knife Nathaniel Haskell .12
2 old wheels Nehemiah Standly .25
15 bushels red potatoes Nathanil Haskell @ 20 cts 3.00
5 do do Abrahm Trowt @ 19 cts .95
24 1/2 do do Timothy Standly @ 19 cts 4.65
10 bushels white do Nathaniel Haskell @ 21 cts 2.10
10 do do Hezekiah Foster @ 20 cts 2.00
5 do red do Hezekiah Foster @19 cts .95
20 do white Samuel Haskell @20 cts 4.00
12 1/2 do do Samuel Haskell @ 22 cts 2.75
2 tubs 13 & Asa Ober .40
1 basket bench & barrel Samuel Haskell .30
9 bushels corn in the ear Nathaniel Haskell @ 40 cts 3.60
1 ox cart & rigging Nathl Haskell 5.50
1 do sled Nathl Haskell 1.30
1 cheese press Nathl Haskell 1.30
2 [nebs?] timber Jonathan Foster .70
2 cord pine wood William Standly @ 2.90 5.80
1 ox yoak Asa Ober .67
3 old yokes Nathaniel Haskell .40
1 plow Eben Ray 1.60
1 fork Nathaniel Haskell .40
2 do Nathaniel Haskell .50
1 hand saw Nathaniel Haskell .36
1 long fork Nathaniel Haskell .15
3 pieces timber David Larcom .60
1 bed sted Nehemiah Standley .26
lot of old stuff Eben Woodbery .21
1 pr sled sides Eben Woodbery 1.05
1 ladders Nathl Haskell .70
Some timber & [pole?] Nathaniel Haskell .36
horse tackling Major Conant .20
16 c [hundredweight] 0 qr [quarters] 16 lbs English hay Nathaniel Haskell @61 cts 9.85
some fresh hay Timothy Standly 2/22
9 c 2 qr 1 lb salt hay Timothy Standly @ 42 cts 4.00
12 lbs salt pork & barrel Nathaniel Haskell 3.16
3 1/4 bushels barly Nathaniel Haskell 2.53
part of a barrel soap Nathaniel Haskell 1.12
13 lbs of salt pork Eben Ray 3.09
sundry wearing apparel Betsy Woodbery 6.38
great coat waistcoat & Samuel Haskell 7.87
shirts & garments William Standley 2.73
4 shirts & Isaac Ober 5.64
1 coat stockings & Lidia Knowlton 2.89
lot sundry garments Nathaniel Haskell 2.79
coat waistcoats & Eben Ray 4.48
1 feather bed Eben Ray 8.00
total 219.89

The following is an account of Nathaniel's real estate:

...dwelling house and barn and the other buildings together with about forty poles of land under and adjoining the same bounded southerly by the highway, westerly by land of William Haskell, northerly by land of James Haskell, easterly by land of the hiers of James W. Haskell as the wall stands, also about nine acres and one hundred poles of pasture tillage and marsh land bounded northerly by land of William Haskell, westerly by land of the heirs of Henry Larcom and by land of Andrew Larcom, southerly by a creeck, easterly by lands of David Larcom and James Haskell, also about five acres of tillage land and marsh bounded westerly by the land of Isaac Miller, northerly by land of Liberty Perry, easterly by the sea, southerly by land of Daniel Appleton, also one acre of land and the beech adjoining the same bounded northerly by the highway, westerly by land of Isaac Haskell, southerly on the sea, easterly by land of Isaac Haskell, also two acres of tillage and meadow land bounded southerly by the highway, westerly by land of Isaac Haskell, northerly by land of Timothy Marshall and James Woodberry, easterly by land of Timothy Marshall, also one acre of marsh bounded southerly by land of Daniel Appleton, westerly on the creeck, northerly by land of Isaac Miller and easterly by said Miller's land, also two acres of woodland bounded easterly by land of Abraham Knowlton, southerly by land of Peter Ober, westerly by land of late Robert Patches, northerly by land formerly Jeremiah Woodberrys (all the properties being in Beverly). Also, five acres of woodland situated in Manchester...bounded easterly by land of Hasadiah Smith, northerly by land formerly William Standleys, westerly by land of Jeremiah Foster, southerly by land of Asa Ober.

The value of all was appraised at $1318.

children of Nathaniel Haskell and Elizabeth Edwards (town names indicate location of record):

i. Elizabeth b. 30 November 1765 (Manchester), bap. 8 December 1765 (Manchester)
ii. Hannah b. 1 January 1768 (Manchester), bap. 3 January 1768 (Manchester)
iii. Anna b. 23 August 1770 (Manchester), bap. 26 August 1770 (Manchester)
iv. Lydia b. 14 September 1772 (Manchester), bap. 20 September 1772 (Manchester) d. 26 February 1773 (Manchester, last name mistakenly given as "Marsters")
v. Nathaniel b. 26 September 1774 (Beverly), bap. 2 October 1774 (Manchester)
vi. Daniel b. 26 March 1777 (Beverly), bap. 30 March 1777 (Manchester)
vii. Samuel b. 15 June 1779 (Beverly), bap. 20 June 1779 (Manchester)
viii. Joseph, b. 15 June 1779 (not recorded), bap. 20 June 1779 (Manchester), bur. 12 Oct 1779 (Beverly, age 4 mos)
ix. Abigail/Nabby, b. 15 October 1784 (Beverly), bap. 10 October 1784 (Manchester)
x. daughter, unnamed, b. abt April 1791, bur. 17 May 1791 (Beverly, age 1 mo)8

vital records sources:

1. Beverly, MA, town records, tax accounts, .
2. "Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," [hereafter MTVR], database online (Provo: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011), Manchester, images 47-48, appended in a volume of Civil War soldiers.
2.1. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War, 7:442. An account of fellow soldier Henry Witham gives the specific dates of service, ibid, 17:669. MTVR, Manchester, images 46-47, says it was Nathan Haskell, that the company was raised from Manchester and Gloucester, and with the date 7 Jan. Gloucester had a contemporaneous but different company to serve that town's coastline under Capt. David Warner. Even though there may have been a Nathan Haskell living in Gloucester at the time (although he appears to have moved to Maine by then), the men in that co. are not otherwise named in the Manchester record. The latter was likely a list of signatures on a pay receipt.
3. Town Records of Manchester: From 1718 to 1769, etc (Manchester, MA:1891), 114.
4. Ibid, 142.
4.1. MTVR, Manchester, multiple images of local, state and province taxes.
5. Beverly, MA, town records, tax accounts, 14 May 1778.
6. Vital Records of Beverly, Massachusetts, to the year 1849 (Topsfield Historical Society, Topsfield, MA:1907) 2:465, from a First Parish Unitarian Church record. 6.1. Essex County probate file #12788.
7. Ibid.
8. Her burial record does not give her a name. Teunis Garret Bergen, Genealogies of the State of New York, etc., 2:784, says Nathaniel and Elizabeth had daughters Lucinda and Sophia, both died in infancy. He doesn't list Lydia or Joseph as children, but Lydia died young and may have been misnamed by Bergen's source as Lucinda. The daughter who died in 1791 was only a month old, which would explain why she didn't have a name. The baptisms in Manchester for April and May appear to be missing. It's likely that the confusion with Lydia and Lucinda also happened with Joseph and Sophia, Joseph having died as a baby older than the girl in 1791, and was named in his baptism and burial record. Lydia is named as such in her birth and death records. The First Church in Manchester didn't record burials.