from Henry Collins of Lynn
Ezekiel Collins (Joseph, Henry) was born at
Lynn February 17, 1697-8. He married May 12, 1721,
Rebekah Graves.
The following abstracts show all his sales of land in
Lynn:
Ezekiel Collins, of Lynn, husbandman, with his wife
Rebecca, sold land in Lynn to Henry Silsbee, November
4, 1724.
They sold to Samuel Graves land and buildings
with fruit trees, etc., adjoining his own land, May 10,
1727: and another tract of land to Crispus Graves,
March 22, 1728-9.
They sold to Nathaniel Collins a
tract of land originally laid out to Joseph Collins, September 11, 1729.
"Ezekiel Collins, of Lynn, housewright,"
sold 25 acres of land with buildings, ''on the road to
Lynn North Precinct," April 5, 1731.
Then, January 3,
1731-2, he sold for 150 pounds to Samuel Hallowell of
Lynn, his house, barn and seven acres of land in Lynn,
"bounded westerly on the town Common."
Thus he disposed of all his holdings in his native place
and prepared to remove to a point in the interior of the
province. On the records of Worcester County we find a
purchase deed which carries his history over from the
shore to the highlands:
"Ezekiel Collins of Lynn" bought of Thomas Bellows of Southborough, housewright, for 50 pounds, about 13
acres of land in Southborough, August 25, 1733.
This
is the first of a number of real estate transactions, covering a period of more than twenty years, the records of
which are found in Worcester County deeds. In 1745 he
bought land in Westborough for 400 pounds, and in 1750
he sold land in that town to William Upham for 600
pounds and he and Rebekah signed the deed.
In 1765
Ezekiel Collins, yeoman, deeds to Mark Collins, yeoman,
for 200 pounds, land "with dwelling house on same
where said Ezekiel and Mark now dwell," and Rebekah's
signature as well as his own is affixed to the deed. Mark
was probably the son of Ezekiel and was going to "carry
on the place" and "look after the old people," as it is
stated in the deed that "it is the design and true intent
and meaning of said Ezekiel, Rebekah and Mark that
the said Ezekiel and Rebekah shall have the full free
and absolute liberty, privilege etc. during both and each
of their natural lives."
If we are right in concluding that Mark was the son
of Ezekiel and Rebekah, they had at least three children.
Children:
4. i. William date of birth unknown, but he was probably
older than Mark, as he had a son born in May, 1749.
5. ii. Mark, died in Southborough Aug. 20, 1803, a. 74, so
he was born about 1729.
iii. Meriah, b. Nov. 3, 1739; m. Apr. 23, 1760, Ebenezer
Collins.
