Individual Details

Marriage

Samuel was a clothier:[7] a cloth merchant or manufacturer, less probably at this time a clothing merchant. Margaret, as his widow and the administrator of his estate, paid at least one of his debts in "cloth and other things."[8] In addition, another receipt Margaret received during her administration of the estate was dated 16 Sep 1742, for rents to date on a "fuller mill."[9] Thus, he was probably involved in both the manufacture and sale of cloth.
Samuel Stacey died intestate, probably in Ipswich in early 1742, since his widow, Margaret, signed the administration and inventory bond for his estate on 31 May 1742. Standing surety for her on the bond were Joseph Abbe, a blacksmith, and John Baker, a joiner, both of Ipswich.[10]
Margaret's father, William Baker, a glover in Ipswich, wrote his will on 14 June 1731 and proved 19 September 1743, naming his wife Anna, sons William Baker and John Baker, and his remaining children Sarah White, Mary Heard, Thomasin Abee & Margaret Stacey.[11]
The "Widow Margt Stacey" and Thomas Safford, Jr., had marriage intentions posted at Ipswich on 3 Dec 1748.[12] Margaret was Thomas' third wife. It appears they had no children.
Probably in anticipation of her remarriage, the probate court ordered an appraisal of Samuel Stacey's real estate in order to determine the boundaries of Margaret's dower portion. That appraisal was made on 29 Nov 1748.[13]
On 15 Feb 1752, the probate court ordered that, since a new assessment[14] of the real estate portion of Samuel Stacey's estate showed that it was too small to allow physical division of two-thirds of the assets (left after removal of Margaret's dower share) without compromising the value of the whole, the entire two-thirds should go to Samuel's eldest surviving son (Samuel) and that he should pay his siblings L6 s6 d11 1/2, plus interest, for their portions. The court order listed the siblings: Joseph, John, William, Philemon, and Sarah.[15] The bond of Samuel Stacey, the son, a clothier, to abide by this court order is also dated 15 Feb 1752. His sureties were Jonadab Waite, a cooper, and Anthony Loney, a yeoman, both of Ipswich.[16]
On 21 Mar 1759, Thomas Knowlton and Sarah "Knolton" signed a receipt, indicating that Sarah's brother, Samuel, had paid them in full for Sarah's portion of their father's estate. Daniel Heard witnessed the receipt.[17] Joseph Stacey also signed a receipt for his portion on 21 Mar 1759.[18] That same day, Daniel Heard, as guardian, signed for John Stacey, a minor, that he also had received his portion of the estate.[19] A fourth receipt was signed by Edmund Heard, guardian of William and Philemon Stacey, also on 21 Mar 1759.[20]
Margaret Baker Stacey Safford died at Ipswich on 01 Jan 1764.[21]
In the wake of her death, on 23 Apr 1764, the probate court ordered a new assessment of Samuel Stacey's estate, focusing on Margaret's dower portion.[22] A court order, dated 24 Apr 1764, assigned the whole of Margaret's third to her son, Joseph, a cordwainer now living in Exeter in New Hampshire, with the provision that he was to pay the other heirs in compensation: L5 s11 to Samuel, resident of Hopkinton, and L2 s15 d6 each to William, Philemon, John, and Sarah Knowlton.[23]