American colonists continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 (orli) equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency.
Middlesex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643. The county originally included Charlestown, Cambridge, Watertown, Sudbury, Concord, Woburn, Medford, Wayland, and Reading.
Mary Waters Davis was born on January 27, 1637/38 in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Lawrence Waters and Ann Linton.
She married Samuel Davis Sr. in 1656 in Lancaster. Their children and life together are described in detail in the section on Samuel and Mary Waters.
Mary Davis was buried in Charlestown on October 13, 1713. The inventory of Mary's estate "late of Charles." was exhibited on October 13, 1713 by Joseph Whittemore and Isaac Fowle and amounted to 24.12.6. Charged against the estate were a payment of 16 shillings, 4 pence to Dr. Graves and 4.10.0 to "Elizabeth Davis for nursing ye sd Decd.in her long sickness."
Watertown was settled in 1630 by English Puritans in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
ye is an archaic spelling of "the."
Estate inventories give us a glance into the home life of Colonial Americans.
