Individual Details

Joseph Presbrey time line: All of which could appy to the elder Joseph Presbrey who married Martha Smith....
Joseph Presbrey
a. On 25 September 1714 as “Joseph Presbrey of Taunton” buys land in Norton, which he mortgages on 2 May 1715 as “Joseph Presbrey of Norton,” and ultimately sells on 22 June 1732 as “Joseph Prisbry of Taunton,” “Cordwinder”. A cordwainer is a shoemaker who makes the shoe originally rather than a cobbler who repairs them. This places Joseph’s birth date on or before 25 September 1693, as common law requires one to be over the age of 21 to transact land.
b. On 12 September 1722, Joseph Presbey of Taunton, cordwainer, bought 4 acres of land in Taunton from John Woodward of Taunton, within the boundaries of land identified on the west side of the Spring Brook from the way that leads by John Woodward’s house running along the brook to John Wilbour’s land and on “Whittington” Plain. The deed had the following provisions:
i. Joseph has the land surveyed,
ii. It was to be taken out of two pieces owned by John Woodward,
iii. Joseph was to get the land being nearest to the Spring Brook, and
iv. The acreage was to be as square as possible.
c. On 14 May 1738, “Joseph Presbry of Taunton Cordwainer” bought four acres of land of Morgan Cobb 2d on “the Great Plain” near Presbrey’s house.1
d. The last deed recorded 12 February 1763 to “Joseph Prisbrey of Taunton” dated 17 April 1729 was for nine acres from Alice Wilbore et. al., and it had, among others, boundaries described as “ye north west corner of John Woodwards land … eastward side of ye way that is from John Woodwards to Joseph Williss … a corner at ye head of Long Spring,” and “west ward side of ye highway that leads toward prospect hill.”
e. On 7 February 1765 Joseph gave his thirteen acres to his two sons William and Joseph by deed accounting for all but four acres of land listed above reserving the “improvement of ye same during my natural life and no longer”.2 The deeds clearly indicate that his lands only contained about 13 acres and give no additional indication of any other lands. But maybe the estimation of 13 acres was off, or there is an unrecorded deed, or the deed selling the 4 acres of land was recorded after the searched date range. The search was terminated in 1776 due to the number of deeds the younger Joseph (Jr.) transacted and the numerous listings for Joseph 2d, which in some cases was clearly Joseph, Junior.
f. On 9 December 1714 Joseph “Prisbery” married Martha Smith per the Norton vital records, and intentions were not recorded.3
g. On 1 October 1715 Hannah “Prisberry" daughter of Joseph was born.4 The Taunton vital records provide no indication regarding the origins of information, but the birth was found recorded in the Proprietor Records.5
h. Finally, Joseph’s death was recorded in Taunton vital records as “Presbrey, Joseph, Mar. 22 [dup. Mar. 23], 1771, a. 84. [Mar. 22, G.R.I.]” G.R.I. of the vital record refers to “gravestone record, Plain Burying Ground between Broadway and Washington Street, Taunton.” This matches the Presbrey biography indicating the first generation should be buried in that cemetery near the first generation’s residence.

Birth

Bef 1693

Father	Joseph Presbrey ( - 1772)
Mother	Martha Smith ( - 1773)
Sibling	WILLIAM Presbrey (1690 - 1771)
Sibling	Hannah Presbrey (1715 - )