Charles Sacket

Charles Sacket, son of Ezra Sacket and Lydia Lovering, was born in Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts^G, on 6 December 1783.^1,2,3 He died there aged 52 on 13 December 1835⁴ and was buried at Pine Hill Cemetery, Westfield^G.⁵ He married at the First Church, Westfield^G, on 9 February 1804, Abigail Otis, daughter of James Otis and Sarah Holmes.^3,6,7,8 Abigail was born in Westfield^G on 12 June 1783.⁹ She died aged 81 in Westfield^G on 20 September 1864¹⁰ and was buried at Pine Hill Cemetery^G.⁵
     Charles was listed in the census in 1820 and 1830 as a householder in Westfield^G.^11,12
     Charles was named as a beneficiary in his father's will made in Westfield^G on 1 March 1834. He was to share with his brother Roland all the real estate. However, the estate was found to be insolvent and it would appear that the land would need to have been sold to meet the claims of creditors. Charles's wife Abigail was left her father-in-law's brass kettle.¹³
     Charles did not long outlive his father. He died intestate. His widow Abigail petitioned the Springfield Probate Court on 5 April 1836 for the grant of a widow's dower. Charles had owned land in Westfield and Russell, but Abigail "hath nothing". Charles's financial affairs were complicated, with claims from more than forty creditors totalling some $800. Among the claimants were Martin Sacket ($8.33), Harriet Sacket ($11.24), Mariam Sacket ($22.47), and Roland Sacket ($16.47). Charles's personal estate was not sufficient to meet these debts, leaving a substantial shortfall. The homestead of 42 acres was valued at $1,200 and a 10-acre "pasture upon the mountain" at $100.
     An administrator, appointed by the Court, determined that two tracts of land together with the dwelling house would have a value of $433, and would represent a reasonable dower. Abigail appealed to the Court for further assistance as the residue of Charles's personal estate "will be very inconsiderable" and "wholly inadequate to the comfortable subsistence" of herself and four children. She was granted the right to select articles of his personal estate up to a value of $150.
     The remainder of Charles's land was sold for $610. This sum together with the residue of his personal estate, sold at auction for some $360, was sufficient to pay his creditors.
     Not all documents were dated, but the estate would appear to have been finally settled by January 1838.¹⁴
     In 1850 Charles's widow Abigail was living in Westfield^G in the household of her daughter Sophia and son-in-law John Mallory, and was recorded in the census as Abigail Sacket, aged 66.¹⁵The Sacketts of America