M. after 21 Jan 1728 in Beverly, Massachusetts2
Wife: Anna Ober
D. 26 Feb 1787 in (probably) Tewksbury, Massachusetts3
James Thorndike was typical of men in 18th Century Massachusetts: he performed many hours of community work in the town where he lived. James was born in the coastal village of Beverly on January 11, 1706.1 His parents were John Thorndike and Joanna Larkin, and he was the third of their eight children. The house where James was born is still standing, although it’s been added onto many times. It was a classic New England “saltbox” that was built by his father a couple of years before his birth. After James’ mother died in 1716,4 his father remarried twice, and had three more children who were James’ half-siblings.5
When James was 22-years-old, he married a girl from Beverly named Anna Ober. The record of their wedding is missing, but a document shows that they made an intention of marriage on January 21, 1728.2 Between 1729 and 1746, they had nine children born in Beverly, five of whom seem to have died young. James sold his Beverly property on November 7, 1749, the same day that he bought 117 acres with a house in the town of Tewksbury.5 The property bordered on the Concord River, and he moved his family there soon after. One more child, a daughter, was born in 1751.6
During the period leading up to the American Revolution, the central authority in Boston had control over towns in Massachusetts, but most of the everyday issues were handled in a cooperative way by people in the towns themselves. Each man was expected to contribute their services to the common good based on their talents and skills — this was a system which was rooted in the Puritan settlement of New England. Meetings were held regularly to decide who did what. In Tewksbury, notes from the town’s official business have been preserved, and we can learn how each person was involved in the community.
Within a few years of his arrival in Tewksbury, James was one of the five selectmen who made up the town council. He served in this role during many of the years from 1756 to 1769,7 after which he was assigned to be a constable for a year or two.7 His main job in Tewksbury was as assessor, the man that kept records of who owed how much in taxes. This may have given him a status of importance in the community, and he was often referred to as “Mr. James Thorndike” in the meeting notes. One of the interesting bits of business during this time was that the town was required to take in a family of Acadian refugees. It was up to the selectmen to figure out how to support them, and James was sometimes mentioned in the financial aspects of this matter.7
Tewksbury town meeting notes from February 21, 1760/61. (Source: FamilySearch.org)
By the early 1770s, James’ name no longer appeared in the notes of the Tewksbury meetings, and it’s presumed this was because he was getting older. Later that decade, his son Paul, and his grandson Hezekiah, were said to have served in the American Revolution. James had already lost his son Hezekiah who died at sea in 1758, likely in the French and Indian War.8
James’ long life came to an end on February 26, 1787 when he died at the age of 81.3 His wife Anna died just a few weeks later on March 14th.9
Children:
1. Hezekiah Thorndike — B. 5 Jan 1729, Beverly, Massachusetts;1 D. 1758, at sea;8 M. Sarah Prince (1731-1806), 7 Sep 175010
2. James Thorndike — B. 21 Jun 1731, Beverly, Massachusetts;1 D. (possibly) 24 Nov 1741, Beverly, Massachusetts11
3. Jeremiah Thorndike — B. 16 Sep 1733, Beverly, Massachusetts;1 D. 5 Sep 1756, Tewksbury, Massachusetts3
4. Anna Thorndike — B. 17 Apr 1736, Beverly, Massachusetts;1 D. 26 Jan 1824, Tewksbury, Massachusetts;12 M. (1) John Wallis, 28 Nov 1754, Beverly, Massachusetts;13 (2) Thomas Kittredge (1731-1806), 24 Sep 1755, Tewksbury, Massachusetts12
5. Joanna Thorndike — B. 7 Jul 1738, Beverly, Massachusetts;1 D. 13 Oct 1815, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;5 M. Simon Moores (1732-1781), 17 Dec 1755, Tewksbury, Massachusetts14
6. Lucy Thorndike — B. 3 Feb 1740, Beverly, Massachusetts1
7. Paul Thorndike — B. 10 Apr 1742, Beverly, Massachusetts;1 9 Nov 1815, Beverly, Massachusetts;15 M. Olive Fletcher (1748-1816), 27 Feb 1772, Westford, Massachusetts16
8. Andrew Thorndike — B. 29 Apr 1744, Beverly, Massachusetts5
9. Herbert Thorndike — B. 20 Feb 1746, Beverly, Massachusetts1
10. Judith Thorndike — B. 13 May 1751, Tewksbury, Massachusetts6
Sources:
1 Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, Town Records of Families, image 498
2 Marriage record of James Thorndike and Anna Ober, Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924, FamilySearch.org
3 Tewksbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts Vital Records of Early Settlers: Deaths and Burials, p. 241
4 The Massachusetts Vital Records Project — Vital Records of Beverly, Massachusetts, V.3,. p. 577
5 Colonial Families in America, Ruth Lawrence, 1930
6 Birth record of Judith Thorndike, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
7 Tewksbury, Proceedings of town meetings, 1734-1860, FamilySearch.org
8 WikiTree listing for Hezekiah Thorndike
9 WikiTree listing for Anna (Ober) Thorndike
10 Marriage record of Hezekiah Thorndike and Sarah Prince, Mass. Marriages
11 Family Search listing for James Thorndike
12 WikiTree listing for Anna Thorndike
13 Marriage record of Anna Thorndike and John Wallis, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
14 Marriage record of Simon Moores and Joanna Thorndike, Mass. Marriages
15 Find-a-Grave listing of Paul Thorndike
16 Marriage listing of Paul Thorndike and Olive Fletcher, M.T.C.V. and T.R.
