Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4
This Indenture made this first day of April in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and Eighty four between Leonard Vassal Borland1 of Boston in the County of Suffolk Merchant on the one part and Robert Treat Paine of said Boston Esqr. on the other part Witnesseth that the said Leonard Vassal Borland for and in consideration of one hundred and Seventy Sixty Pounds to him in hand paid before the ensealing hereof by the said Robert Treat Paine the receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge & fully Release discharge & acquit the said Paine from the same doth Bargain Sell and Demise to the said Robert Treat Paine all that Messuage & Dwelling house scituate in Milk Street at the Westerly corner of Long Lane in said Boston, with the Yards Garden Passages Stables & Outhouses thereto belonging with their Appurtenances, being now in the possession and Occupation of the said Paine To Have & to Hold the said Demised Premisses to him the said Robert Treat Paine his Executors Administrators & Assigns for and during the Term of Three Years from the date hereof and the said Robert Treat Paine for himself his Executors & Administrators covenants with the said Leonard Vassall Borland his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns, that at the End of the said Term he or they shall deliver to the said Leonard Vassal Borland his Heirs Executors Administrators & Assigns the peaceable Possession of the above demised Premisses and the said Leonard Vassal Borland for himself his heirs Executors Administrators & Assigns Covenants with the said Robert Treat Paine his Executors Administrators & Assigns that he and they shall peaceably enjoy the above demised Premisses free & unmolested by the lawful claims of all Persons whatsoever during the Term aforesaid and the said Robert Treat Paine further Covenants for himself his Executors & Administrators & Assigns that he & they shall pay all the Taxes that may be assessed on the same during the Term aforsaid and also be at the Expence of such Repairs as he & they may make on the same. In Testimony wherof the Parties above named interchangeably set their hands & Seals the day & year abovesaid
Leonard Vassall Borland (1759–1801), scion of a great landed family, attended Harvard with the class of 1778 but left Boston with his widowed mother and some of his siblings during the Revolution. He returned in 1782 and began to reclaim some of the family’s estates including the Braintree (now Quincy) property, which was eventually sold to John Adams, and the Boston house on Milk Street which RTP leased and later purchased. Borland died at sea while returning from a merchant voyage to Batavia (Sibley’s Harvard Graduates, vol. 20 [forthcoming]).
I am requested to write to you to know if you are Engaged in the Cause of Hampton & al. vs. Wm. Dennis at our Court—hope you’l write me word so that if you are not Engaged vs. Dennis I will Send you Some money to Engage you for him. Should be glad also to know whether you have heard anything of my Execution at the Eastward as you were kind enough to write me that you’d Enquire. I Suppose you are going this week the Western Cir Tour as I am to Plymouth I was at Worcester Court the week before last, at the request of Chapman, the Barr there gave their opinion that they could not recommend him upon which he is in a Sad Situation. His affairs being all dearranged in Such a manner that I believe him to be Compleatly ruined unless they Consider him in Worcester County. I Pity him & Cou’d wish him in some measure to be Indulged upon the principal of Pity. He requested me to write you & I was by his Importunity, Constrained to promise him that I would, what he wishes is your good word at Worcester in his favour.
I Consider myself Sir as Indebted to you for the Character you were so good as to put in the Paper, of Benja. Williams Esqr.1
And if it not too much trouble & it Should be agreeable to your Sentiment Should be glad of a Little of your Influence for the birth of Register of Probate in this County, George Leonard has Said that he’d accept of the office of Judge from wherefore I suppose he will have it. I Suppose as Mr. Fales does not make any application for it, that the Registers birth will rest between me, and Mr. Barns—I think if that is the Case that my right is fully Equal to his. Would have you however Act & do that which you think is right & proper about it—though I think it would Shagreene me to have Barns get it.
My little Boy has been about a fortnight verry ill with the Canker, but is now got almost well—hope you Mrs. Paine & good family are all well to whom please make my & Mrs. Padelfords Complts. Acceptable & believe me to be your Sincere Friend & Humbl. Servt.,
Benjamin Williams died at Taunton, aged sixty-three (Massachusetts Centinel, Apr. 3, 1784).