B. Nov 1641 in Abbotsbury, England
M. 26 Dec 1671 in Beverly, Massachusetts
Wife: Abigail Woodbury
D. 6 Mar 1716 in Beverly, Massachusetts
Richard Ober once sued another man for failing to deliver the clothes he needed to go fishing. He was born in Abbotsbury, England in November 1641 to parents John Ober and Elizabeth Butcher. Little is known about Richard’s family, but it’s thought that the name Ober was a variation of the name ”Aubert,” and that the family traced back to a French Huguenot man who moved to England.
By the time Richard was in his early twenties, he had migrated to the Massachusetts colony and was working as a fisherman in the Salem area. In November 1664, Richard had an incident with another man who was supposed to deliver a chest of clothes from Boston to Marblehead. The items never arrived and Richard missed going out to sea to fish that day, so he took the man to court. In his complaint, he said, “For want of my clothes, I were not able for to go to sea, by which means the boat was forced to lay ashore, to their great damage, while another boat in the meantime went to sea.” The other boat made a huge catch, and Richard felt that he was entitled to one-fourth of the profits. It’s not clear from the court record if the ruling went in his favor.
Richard settled in the town of Beverly, and on December 26, 1671, he married Abigail Woodbury. They had nine children, born between 1673 and 1693, all of whom survived to adulthood. Richard continued to work as a fisherman to support the family, but also acquired a farm of 22 acres, and some swampland on Plum Island. Richard held many offices in Beverly, including tithingman, constable, tax collector and surveyor of highways.
Richard died on March 6, 1716 in Beverly. His estate was worth over £654 in property and over £109 in goods. Abigail survived him, and died at the of 86 in 1742.
Children:
1. John Ober — B. 23 Nov 1673, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 29 May 1744, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Woodbury, 5 Jul 1694, Ipswich, Massachusetts
2. Anna Ober — B. 26 Jul 1675, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 2 Apr 1702, Beverly, Massachusetts
3. Elizabeth Ober — B. 9 Dec 1677, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 28 Jun 1730, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. John Balch (1673-?), 5 Oct 1700, Beverly, Massachusetts
4. Abigail Ober — B. 1679, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 3 Jan 1752, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Samuel Butman (?-1751), 26 Jun 1706
5. Hezekiah Ober — B. 9 Nov 1681, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 26 Nov 1739, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Ann Morgan (1685-1774), 5 Nov 1702, Beverly Massachusetts
6. Richard Ober — B. 1 Mar 1683, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 2 Aug 1725; M. Priscilla Woodbury, 15 Jan 1706, Beverly, Massachusetts
7. Nicholas Ober — B. 7 Sep 1686, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 9 Jun 1739, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Abigail
8. Benjamin Ober — B. 14 Apr 1689, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 17 Nov 1723, Berwick, Maine
9. Samuel Ober — B. 13 Jun 1693, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 26 Sep 1725, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Elizabeth Stone (1699-1747), 1719
Sources:
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Volume III, edited by George Francis Drew, 1913
Find-A-Grave
Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Volume 2, William Richard Cutter, 1913
England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-1936, FamilySearch.org
