M. 4 Aug 1691 in Billerica, Massachusetts
Wife: Sarah French
D. before 1759 in (probably) Massachusetts
Joseph Crosby became the owner of vast amounts of land as a member of one of the founding families of Billerica, Massachusetts. And this land became a means of support during his later years.
Joseph was born in Billerica on July 5, 1669 to Simon Crosby and Rachel Brackett. He was the fourth of nine children. His father built the log house where Joseph was born, and ran a tavern there. Throughout his childhood, Joseph’s home was often used by town leaders to discuss business, and during King Philip’s War, a few soldiers were billeted there. In 1678, a larger house replaced the original cabin, and the Crosby family’s inn remained in business for many years.
One day in June 1683, Joseph was out working with his older brother Thomas when they became witnesses to an altercation involving their father. A neighbor named Thomas Richardson was the aggressor, and later the two brothers appeared in court to testify to what they saw:
As we were together roaming homewards from the sawmill, and coming by Thomas Richardson’s field, we saw our father and Thomas Richardson together, and we saw Thomas Richardson lay hands on our father, and struck at him with his feet. And threw out father down and kept him down for some time. And saw Thomas Richardson hold up his hand against our father while he was down. We were not near enough to understand any words that were said at first, but afterwards we heard Thomas Richardson calling our father to fight, and _____ his fist at him. Sometime after this, as we were at work in one field, some of Thomas Richardson’s hogs came into the field, and all of them unyoked and one of them un____ed. And we set the dog upon them to scare the, and Thomas Richardson came up to us with a long ____ behind him. while he came right to us. Then he left it up at us and threatened us, i.e. …”
The court records unfortunately don't reveal the outcome of this case; it’s easy to imagine that there was another side to the story from the viewpoint of Mr. Richardson.
As we were together roaming homewards from the sawmill, and coming by Thomas Richardson’s field, we saw our father and Thomas Richardson together, and we saw Thomas Richardson lay hands on our father, and struck at him with his feet. And threw out father down and kept him down for some time. And saw Thomas Richardson hold up his hand against our father while he was down. We were not near enough to understand any words that were said at first, but afterwards we heard Thomas Richardson calling our father to fight, and _____ his fist at him. Sometime after this, as we were at work in one field, some of Thomas Richardson’s hogs came into the field, and all of them unyoked and one of them un____ed. And we set the dog upon them to scare the, and Thomas Richardson came up to us with a long ____ behind him. while he came right to us. Then he left it up at us and threatened us, i.e. …”
The court records unfortunately don't reveal the outcome of this case; it’s easy to imagine that there was another side to the story from the viewpoint of Mr. Richardson.
After Joseph came of age, he married a woman from another of Billerica’s founding families, Sarah French. Their wedding took place on August 4, 1691. She brought property into the marriage which she inherited from her father, William French, who had been an old man when Sarah was born, and had died ten years earlier. The newlyweds had their first child in September 1692, and would have eleven more by 1713. Only the youngest seems to have died as a child.
Along with farming his land, Joseph supplemented his income as a tailor. He didn’t seem to hold any civic offices, though, except for an assignment as a constable in 1696. It’s thought that he served in that role to relieve his aging father from the duty, or perhaps to offer protection to the area around his home. Joseph’s father helped him to build his house on property he gave him next to his own. In 1712, Joseph was granted a place in the Billerica meetinghouse to build his pew “behind the women’s seats.” It was common for New England men to be responsible for their bench at Sunday services, and this is where he must have sat from then on.
At some point during his adult years, Joseph seems to have decided to use his land as a source of income. Between 1708 and 1728, he appeared as the seller in 16 Billerica land transactions. The amounts of land he sold at a time varied, but typically was about 20 acres. Only in 1723 was he shown to have purchased land, and it was in the town of Lancaster, not Billerica. In addition to the acreage Joseph got from his father, the land came from grants by the town when they divided new tracts among its citizens. He sold most of his land by the time he reached old age.
Joseph’s wife Sarah died in July of 1727, leaving him a widower at age 58. A few years later, with most of his land gone, he formally asked that his children support him by petitioning the court to order it. The document dated August 31, 1736 stated that he was “unable to support himself by business of any sort.” It’s thought that in his old age he may have had a physical disability that caused him to seek the help of his children. The petition was never tried in court and was likely settled by the family outside of court.
It’s uncertain what became of Joseph after the date of the petition. There is some speculation that he went to live in the household of one of his married children, possibly in another town. Joseph died sometime between about 1737 and 1759.
Children:
1. Joseph Crosby — B. 3 Sep 1692, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. about 1744, Worcester, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Maynard (1694-?), 21 Apr 1714, Marlborough, Massachusetts
2. Sarah Crosby — B. 12 Jun 1694, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) Thomas Hunt (1689-1709), 22 Jul 1709, Providence, Rhode Island; (2) Ephraim Abbott (1682-1748), 6 Jan 1716, Andover, Massachusetts; (3) John Dane (1692-1763), 1 Aug 1749
3. Rachel Crosby — B. 18 Apr 1695, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 18 Jan 1757, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) Samuel Stearns (1693-1730), 1719, Billerica, Massachusetts; (2) Thomas Wyman (1687-1760)
4. William Crosby — B. 13 Feb 1698, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1 Jan 1754, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Ross (1702-1756), 1720, Billerica, Massachusetts
5. Mary Crosby — B. 12 Jan 1700, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1738, Dedham, Massachusetts; M. Eleazer Ellis (1692-1745)
6. Thomas Crosby — B. 12 Oct 1701, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 7 Dec 1745; M. Hannah Parker (1692-1729)
7. David Crosby — B. 27 Mar 1703, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1750, Middletown, Connecticut; M. Sarah Foster (~1709-~1751)
8. Prudence Crosby — B. 11 May 1705, Billerica, Massachusetts; 26 Oct 1750, Needham, Massachusetts; M. Jeremiah Fisher (1701-~1766), 20 Jan 1725, Needham, Massachusetts
9. Hannah Crosby — B. 9 Mar 1707, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) John Peploe (~1707-?); (2) Samuel Watts
10. Deborah Crosby — B. 23 Jul 1709, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. Nov 1759, Litchfield, New Hampshire; M. Peter Russell (1700-1759), 21 Mar 1727, Andover, Massachusetts
11. Robert Crosby — B. 20 Jul 1711, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 10 Sep 1743, Townsend, Massachusetts; M. Mehitable Chandler (1709-1768)
12. Peletiah Crosby — B. 5 Nov 1713, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. (probably) young
Sources:
Simon Crosby the Emigrant: His English Ancestry and Some of His American Descendants, Eleanor Francis Crosby, 1914
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