David Hoyt's Estate Settlement
David Hoyt settled in Deerfield, Massachusetts, around 1682. He was married three times and had eight children. Hoyt and several members of his family were captured during the 1704 Deerfield raid. He was taken by the Pennacooks directly to Cowass (today, Newbury, Vermont) where he died of starvation in June of 1704 at age 53. This document, prepared by administrator Samuel Partridge, is the settlement of his estate. Hoyt's third wife, Abigail, was captured in 1704 but was redeemed and returned to the colonies. In the settlement, Abigail is awarded her "widow's third," that is, a third of the entire estate during her lifetime, the customary inheritance of widows. Only four of David Hoyt's children survived after 1704; two had escaped capture during the Deerfield raid and two returned following their captivity.
Date: 1706
Topic: Historic
Materials: Paper, ink
Dimensions: H: 12.5 in.(31.7 cm.), W: 8 in.(20.3 cm.)
Accession #: L99.067