B. 6 May 1692 in Haverhill, Massachusetts
M. 18 Jun 1713 in Boston Massachusetts
Wife: Elizabeth Ayers
D. before 11 Sep 1739 in (probably) Boston, Massachusetts
During the first few decades of the 18th century, Boston was one of the most important ports in the English colonies. And its location made it a base of supplies for military efforts against the French in and around Maine. For David Franklin, this was an opportunity to make a living for himself and his family.
David was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts on May 6, 1692 to Jonathan and Sarah Franklin, the youngest of three sons. Haverhill was on the border with New Hampshire, then considered a frontier, and sometimes a dangerous place. When David was a baby, an Indian raid took the life of his father. His mother remarried a year later on August 30, 1694 to a man named John Field of Boston. From there, the records don’t say if the family remained in Haverhill or moved south to the Boston area. But it seems likely they relocated to the safer location, and David did indeed end up in Boston as an adult.
A document dated June 8, 1708 reveals a few details of David’s circumstances at age 16. It’s a letter of guardianship, signed by David saying that he chose his “honored uncle, John Smith of Roxbury” as the person who would look after him until he reached a legal age. Roxbury was just south of Boston, so this places David at least in the area. And the fact this was a guardianship meant that his mother was deceased.
But who was John Smith? Besides having the most common name in Anglo-America, he was also living in a densely populated area. It’s been assumed that he was the brother of David’s mother Sarah (making her last name Smith), but this is far from a proven fact. John Smith of Roxbury did write a will dated November 21, 1728 which names David and his brothers as heirs. This might mean he was indeed the brother of their mother, and in looking at family records, we find that he had a sister named Sarah. But at the time of John and Sarah’s father’s will in 1695, she was clearly not married to anyone named Franklin, so the mystery remains
What is certain is that on June 18, 1713, David got married. His bride was Elizabeth Ayers of Boston, and the wedding was officiated by Reverend Benjamin Colman. Reverend Colman was a prominent minister in Boston, said to be greatly influenced by “Cotton Mather and Ezekiel Cheever.” He was associated with the Brattle Street Church at the time David got married, so this may be where the wedding took place. We know that David later had a pew at the Old South Meeting House, and one source says that “in 1711, when the Old South Church meeting-house was destroyed in the Great Fire of Boston, it was with Brattle Street Church that they gathered for worship until May 1713.” The church was a “plain unpainted meeting-house” at the time David and Elizabeth would have been married there.
Where did David live during this time? Several sources say he was a sailor from Hull, a small town located at the tip of a narrow peninsula marking the entrance to Boston Harbor. The main reason for anyone to live there was to use it as a place for boats to land, and people made a living by fishing, transporting goods, and repairing ships. David’s connection to this place makes a lot of sense — it would seem he may have lived here (or kept his boat here) until he could acquire property in Boston. Meanwhile, he and Elizabeth started a family in 1714, with a total of 8 children born to them by 1735. All were recorded as being born in Boston, so perhaps he kept his boat in Hull and had a house in Boston at the same time.
During these years, Boston harbor was a busy place, and one of the main activities was to run supplies up the coast for English military forces dealing with the French. A series of wars took place in the first couple of decades of the 18th century, with French using Indian allies to harass and raid any English settlers they felt were encroaching on their territory. The English in turn felt the French were making false claims on Maine, which was then part of Massachusetts. The conflict flared up from 1722 to 1725 in what became known as “Dummer’s War,” named for the governor of Massachusetts. As troops from England and New England carried out military activities in Maine, small ships based in Boston delivered basic supplies to the men — food, ammunition, and other goods.
David was known to have been a part of this effort. A record dated November 15, 1725 shows that he was the captain of a sloop called George, and commanded four seamen who worked for him. A sloop was a single-masted sailboat, generally with one sail in front of the mast and one behind. The simple design meant that it took fewer sailors to handle, but the size was limited, and David’s sloop weighed 60 tons. George was also said to be was armed with four guns; whether or not this was used during David’s ownership isn’t known, though he was sailing into a war zone.
Around this time, David had both his home and boat in Boston. On June 26, 1726, he purchased property on the waterfront that included “beach and flats,” plus a small wharf that was shared with someone else. The lot was described as being on “Sea Street,” which is an archaic designation believed to be Federal Street. The exact location is today no longer at water’s edge because Boston’s coastline has been completely transformed by landfill over the years. The records also show he deeded the property to another man less than two years later, but later records show him with the same or similar property.
Boston newspapers offer a glimpse into David’s travels as a mariner. Each day the paper would report on the comings and goings in the Boston customs house, and David was mentioned at least 19 times. Between the years 1729 and 1733, he took his ship to such places as North Carolina, Virginia, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; there was even a trip to Antigua in the Caribbean. In 1734, David seems to also have acquired a license to operate a tavern. Whether he put this to use or not isn’t known. It’s easy to imagine that he used the location of his residence to start this sort of business.
One of the dangers of raising a family on a busy waterfront was shown on May 11, 1739 when one of David’s children died in the harbor. The May 14th edition of the Boston Post reported it this way, “Last Friday, a little boy, son of Capt. David Franklin, was drowned near a wharf at the South End.” It isn’t certain if this was one of David’s known children, which would have to be William age 12. The death notice seems to suggest it was a much younger child; perhaps it’s one that’s missing from records.
David didn’t live very long after that event. Sometime before September 11th, he passed away of an unknown cause. He died intestate and this produced an extensive probate file. His estate inventory included his pew at Old South Meeting House valued at £12, as well as “a house, land, old wharf and barn.” David’s wife Elizabeth remarried in 1742. Information about David’s children is incomplete. We do know that his son John followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a mariner. By virtue of working on ships, he would wind up in Virginia and North Carolina, bringing a massive amount of descendants into a different part of the American story.
Children:
1. Elizabeth Franklin — B. 15 Jun 1714, Boston Massachusetts; D. 1739; M. Samuel Wiswell (1700-?), 17 Oct 1733, Dorchester, Massachusetts
2. Anna Franklin — B. 18 Sep 1715, Boston Massachusetts; D. 1739; M. Benjamin Hart (1715-?), 18 Sep 1735, Boston, Massachusetts
3. David Franklin — B. 24 May 1719, Boston Massachusetts
4. Jonathan Franklin — B. 21 Jan 1721, Boston Massachusetts; D. before 24 Oct 1734, (probably) Boston Massachusetts
5. John Franklin — B. 6 May 1725, Boston Massachusetts; D. before 2 Jun 1729, (probably) Boston Massachusetts
6. William Franklin — B. 7 Feb 1727, Boston Massachusetts
7. John Franklin — B. 2 Jun 1729, Boston Massachusetts; D. about 1818, Burke County, North Carolina; M. Phoebe ______ (~1735-1820), about 1759, (probably) Hardy County, (West) Virginia
8. Jonathan Franklin — B. 24 Oct 1734, Boston Massachusetts
Sources:
Showing posts with label Lived in New England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lived in New England. Show all posts
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Monday, August 11, 2025
The Path to East Hampton — Stephen Hand
B. about 1635 in (probably) Tunbridge, Kent, England1
M. (1) 1660 in (probably) Long Island2
Wife: Sarah Stratton
M. (2) before 17 May 1688 in East Hampton, New York1
Wife: Rebecca ________
D. 15 Apr 1693 in South Hampton, New York1
Stephen Hand left his legacy all over the region where he lived on Long Island with a road that bears his name in a somewhat unique style.
Stephen’s family was from Kent, England, where he was likely born in about 1635.1 This isn’t certain because that is also the year his parents John Hand and Alice Gransden migrated to New England,3 and some researchers believe he was born after his parents left. Whatever the case, Stephen earliest memories were in the town of Lynn, Massachusetts, the second child in a family of at least nine children.
Lynn is located on the coast of New England north of Boston, and many men, including Stephen’s father, were involved in the whaling industry. This was what brought the family to settle on eastern Long Island in about 1644 in a new settlement called Southampton. In about 1660, Stephen married Sarah Stratton,2 the daughter of John Stratton, who was one of the founders of East Hampton. Eventually they settled at a place at the head of a creek which would be called “Hand’s Creek,” in the present-day community of Wainscott.4 Sarah passed away before 1684,3 and Stephen remarried to a woman named Rebecca.1 Stephen had at least eight children, but it’s uncertain if they were from different wives.
As a Puritan settlement, East Hampton men were expected to perform civic duties, and Stephen served as town constable in 1674 and again in 1680.4 He was one of a handful of men assigned to choose who would represent them in the first Colonial Assembly in 1683 in Albany.4 And his name is listed on the official patent for East Hampton issued in 1686.4
Stephen’s claim to fame comes from a document dated November 3, 1668 establishing the location of a new road.3 When English colonial settlements were formed up and down the East Coast, they usually started out as patchworks of farms, with no plan for how people traveled between places. So roads were an afterthought, and some landowners were asked to sacrifice a bit of their property for the good of all. The order regarding Stephen’s land was as follows:
“Stephen Hand hath grant that the town shall have a highway for one cart to go through his lot in the woods lying on the west side of George Miller’s lot by the mill plain. The highway is to be 12 feet in breadth and the length of the lot, and it is only to drive carts and oxen in the yoke, and to ride or lead a horse through, and not to drive cattle out of the yoke. And for that highway the town doth grant that Stephen Hand shall have one acre of land, which acre it was said lay by John Osborne’s land at the end of Thomas Osborne Sr.’s addition which Stephen should have.” 3
As a result, Stephen gained immortality, at least for future residents of Long Island. The road was designated “Stephen Hand’s Path,” and the name remains to this day.
Stephen passed away on April 15, 1693 at South Hampton.1 He is the direct ancestor of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt and all of his illustrious descendants.3
Children of Sarah Stratton:
1. Stephen Hand — B. about 1661, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;5 D. 13 Nov 1740, Wainscott, New York;5 M. Esther Osborn (1666-1738), about 16865
2. Joseph Hand — B. about 1664, (probably) East Hampton, New York;6 D. 26 Jan 1713, New Jersey6
Children of an unidentified mother:
1. (probably) Sarah Hand — B. about 1666, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 D. 1735; M. Thomas Howell7
2. (probably) Alice Hand — B. about 1670, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 M. William Shipman, 16907
3. Samuel Hand — B. about 1672, (probably) East Hampton, New York; D. 1735, (probably) East Hampton, New York; M. Elizabeth ______
4. (probably) Esther Hand — B. about 1674, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 M. Samuel Mulford7
5. (probably) Abigail Hand — B. about 1676, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 M. Jacob Griswold (1675-?), 30 Nov 16967
6. (probably) Elizabeth Hand — B. about 1678, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 D. 1711; M. Daniel Osborn7
Sources:1 Find-a-Grave listing of Stephen Hand
2 Marriage record of Stephen Hand and Sarah Stratton, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Ancestry.com
3 Genealogy of the Hand-Bradley-Churchill and Related Families, B.G. Richmond, 1982
4 Longhouse Reserve (website)
5 Find-a-Grave listing of Stephen Hand (younger)
6 “Records of Marriages, Baptisms, and Deaths in Easthampton, L.I., from 1696 to 1746,” recorded by Rev. Nathaniel Hunting, New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, V. 34, p. 143
7 Hand, Sisson and Scott: More Yeoman Ancestors, Carol Clark Johnson, 1981
M. (1) 1660 in (probably) Long Island2
Wife: Sarah Stratton
M. (2) before 17 May 1688 in East Hampton, New York1
Wife: Rebecca ________
D. 15 Apr 1693 in South Hampton, New York1
Stephen Hand left his legacy all over the region where he lived on Long Island with a road that bears his name in a somewhat unique style.
Stephen’s family was from Kent, England, where he was likely born in about 1635.1 This isn’t certain because that is also the year his parents John Hand and Alice Gransden migrated to New England,3 and some researchers believe he was born after his parents left. Whatever the case, Stephen earliest memories were in the town of Lynn, Massachusetts, the second child in a family of at least nine children.
Lynn is located on the coast of New England north of Boston, and many men, including Stephen’s father, were involved in the whaling industry. This was what brought the family to settle on eastern Long Island in about 1644 in a new settlement called Southampton. In about 1660, Stephen married Sarah Stratton,2 the daughter of John Stratton, who was one of the founders of East Hampton. Eventually they settled at a place at the head of a creek which would be called “Hand’s Creek,” in the present-day community of Wainscott.4 Sarah passed away before 1684,3 and Stephen remarried to a woman named Rebecca.1 Stephen had at least eight children, but it’s uncertain if they were from different wives.
Settling at a creek in East Hampton. (AI-generated image)
As a Puritan settlement, East Hampton men were expected to perform civic duties, and Stephen served as town constable in 1674 and again in 1680.4 He was one of a handful of men assigned to choose who would represent them in the first Colonial Assembly in 1683 in Albany.4 And his name is listed on the official patent for East Hampton issued in 1686.4
Stephen’s claim to fame comes from a document dated November 3, 1668 establishing the location of a new road.3 When English colonial settlements were formed up and down the East Coast, they usually started out as patchworks of farms, with no plan for how people traveled between places. So roads were an afterthought, and some landowners were asked to sacrifice a bit of their property for the good of all. The order regarding Stephen’s land was as follows:
“Stephen Hand hath grant that the town shall have a highway for one cart to go through his lot in the woods lying on the west side of George Miller’s lot by the mill plain. The highway is to be 12 feet in breadth and the length of the lot, and it is only to drive carts and oxen in the yoke, and to ride or lead a horse through, and not to drive cattle out of the yoke. And for that highway the town doth grant that Stephen Hand shall have one acre of land, which acre it was said lay by John Osborne’s land at the end of Thomas Osborne Sr.’s addition which Stephen should have.” 3
As a result, Stephen gained immortality, at least for future residents of Long Island. The road was designated “Stephen Hand’s Path,” and the name remains to this day.
Stephen passed away on April 15, 1693 at South Hampton.1 He is the direct ancestor of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt and all of his illustrious descendants.3
Children of Sarah Stratton:
1. Stephen Hand — B. about 1661, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;5 D. 13 Nov 1740, Wainscott, New York;5 M. Esther Osborn (1666-1738), about 16865
2. Joseph Hand — B. about 1664, (probably) East Hampton, New York;6 D. 26 Jan 1713, New Jersey6
Children of an unidentified mother:
1. (probably) Sarah Hand — B. about 1666, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 D. 1735; M. Thomas Howell7
2. (probably) Alice Hand — B. about 1670, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 M. William Shipman, 16907
3. Samuel Hand — B. about 1672, (probably) East Hampton, New York; D. 1735, (probably) East Hampton, New York; M. Elizabeth ______
4. (probably) Esther Hand — B. about 1674, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 M. Samuel Mulford7
5. (probably) Abigail Hand — B. about 1676, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 M. Jacob Griswold (1675-?), 30 Nov 16967
6. (probably) Elizabeth Hand — B. about 1678, (probably) East Hampton, New York;7 D. 1711; M. Daniel Osborn7
Sources:
2 Marriage record of Stephen Hand and Sarah Stratton, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Ancestry.com
3 Genealogy of the Hand-Bradley-Churchill and Related Families, B.G. Richmond, 1982
4 Longhouse Reserve (website)
5 Find-a-Grave listing of Stephen Hand (younger)
6 “Records of Marriages, Baptisms, and Deaths in Easthampton, L.I., from 1696 to 1746,” recorded by Rev. Nathaniel Hunting, New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, V. 34, p. 143
7 Hand, Sisson and Scott: More Yeoman Ancestors, Carol Clark Johnson, 1981
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Dorchester Soldier and Selectman — John Tolman
B. 8 Apr 1642 in Dorchester, Massachusetts1
M. (1) 30 Nov 1666 in Lynn, Massachusetts2
Wife: Elizabeth Collins
M. (2) 15 Jun 1692 in Dorchester, Massachusetts3
Wife: Mary Breck
D. 1 Jan 1725 in Dorchester, Massachusetts1
John Tolman was typical of New England men of his time — he served his community in various roles over a long life. John was born on April 8, 1642 in Dorchester, Massachusetts to Thomas and Sarah Tolman,1 the sixth of their eight children. The Tolman family had come from Lancaster, England during the Great Migration; it’s thought that they had arrived in about 1635.4
After John came of age, he traveled north to the town of Lynn, and married Elizabeth Collins on November 30, 1666.2 They settled in Dorchester and began a family with the birth of a daughter the following year.3 John and his wife would have a total of nine children, with the youngest born in 1687.3 He was said to have made a living as a wheelwright.5
Dorchester was near the heart of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; today it’s incorporated into the city of Boston. For some settlers, it was a first stop before moving further inland, but John lived there his entire life, and town records showed that he performed his share of civic duties. John was appointed constable in 1678,1 a position he held for many years, and during the years 1693 to 1695, he was one of Dorchester’s selectmen.1
John’s home was on land that is today part of Garvey Playground in Dorchester.5 The property was said to have been passed down among his descendants for 200 years, but no trace of his house has survived. Garvey Playground features recreational facilities, including a baseball diamond, basketball court, and ice rink.
During the 1670s, John took part in King Philip’s War, a rebellion of indigenous people in the Massachusetts area. John served in a force headed by Captain Daniel Henchman, who defended an area near Worcester in May of 1676.6,7 When Captain Henchman received information that some warriors were fishing on a small lake nearby, he led a sneak attack on them, killing seven and taking 29 prisoner. One captive was the wife of an important sachem, and she was sold into slavery in the West Indies — a cruel tactic sometimes used by the English. It seems fairly certain that John was present at this military action.
John’s wife Elizabeth passed away on October 7, 1690,3 and he remarried to a local widow named Mary (Breck) Paul on June 15, 1692.3 Mary died in 1720,3 and John passed away on January 1, 1725 at Dorchester.1 He was an ancestor of actor George Kennedy.8
Children (all by Elizabeth Collins):
1. Elizabeth Tolman — B. 14 Dec 1667, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. (probably) before 1719;9 M. Moses Ayers (1667-?), 28 Oct 1692, Dorchester, Massachusetts10
2. John Tolman — B. 8 Apr 1671, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. 23 Oct 1759, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. (1) Susanna Breck (1678-1713), 1 Feb 1696, Dorchester, Massachusetts;11 (2) Elizabeth White (~1679-1768), 1 Apr 1714, Dorchester, Massachusetts12
3. Joseph Tolman — B. 6 Sep 1674, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. 26 Jan 17605
4. Benjamin Tolman — B. 6 Dec 1676, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. (1) Ruth Fletcher ~1680-1705), 28 Dec 1703, Dorchester, Massachusetts;13 (2) Elizabeth Perry (1682-?), 4 Aug 1709, Scituate, Massachusetts14
5. Henry Tolman — B. 4 Mar 1679, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. 18 Sep 1759, Attleboro, Massachusetts;5 M. Hannah Fairweather (~1684-1735), 1705, Dorchester, Massachusetts5
6. Anne Tolman — B. 2 Mar 1681, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. Caleb Ray, 8 May 1704, Boston, Massachusetts15
7. Ebenezer Tolman — B. 27 Mar 1683, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. (1) Mary Chamberline (~1683-?), 31 Aug 1704, Dorchester, Massachusetts;16 (2) Rebecca Burroughs (1674-1730), 18 Aug 1716, Dorchester, Massachusetts17
8. Ruth Tolman — B. 1 Jul 1685, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. (1) Joseph Butt (1684-1713), 18 Jan 1711, Dorchester, Massachusetts;18 (2) John Robinson, 20 Jan 1715, Dorchester, Massachusetts5
9. William Tolman — 2 Sep 1687, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. before 24 Dec 1722;5 M. (1) Lydia Farr (1687-?), 2 Jul 1713, Boston, Massachusetts;19 (2) Experience ______ (~1687-?)5
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing of John Tolman
2 Marriage record of John Tolman and Elizabeth Collins, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital And Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3 “Tolman Genealogy,” The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol. 14, 1860
4 History of the Town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, 1856, p. 101
5 “Thomas Tolman (1608-1690) of Dorchester, Massachusetts,” 29deadpeople.com
6 Soldiers in King Philip’s War, George Madison Bodge, 1991
7 The Worcester Magazine and Historical Journal, Vol. 2 , 1826
8 FamousKin.com listing of John Tolman
9 Deed of Moses Ayers Jr. dated 10 Jan 1719 implies his mother is deceased.
10 Marriage record of Moses Ayers and Elizabeth Tolman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
11 Marriage record of John Tolman and Susanna Breck, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
12 Marriage record of John Tolman and Elizabeth White, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13 Marriage record of Benjamin Tolman and Ruth Fletcher, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14 Marriage record of Benjamin Tolman and Elizabeth Palmer, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Marriage record of Caleb Ray and Anne Tolman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16 Marriage record of Ebenezer Tolman and Mary Chamberline, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17 Marriage record of Ebenezer Tolman and Rebecca Fowles, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18 Marriage record of Joseph Butt and Ruth Tolman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19 Marriage record of William Tolman and Lydia Farr, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
M. (1) 30 Nov 1666 in Lynn, Massachusetts2
Wife: Elizabeth Collins
M. (2) 15 Jun 1692 in Dorchester, Massachusetts3
Wife: Mary Breck
D. 1 Jan 1725 in Dorchester, Massachusetts1
John Tolman was typical of New England men of his time — he served his community in various roles over a long life. John was born on April 8, 1642 in Dorchester, Massachusetts to Thomas and Sarah Tolman,1 the sixth of their eight children. The Tolman family had come from Lancaster, England during the Great Migration; it’s thought that they had arrived in about 1635.4
After John came of age, he traveled north to the town of Lynn, and married Elizabeth Collins on November 30, 1666.2 They settled in Dorchester and began a family with the birth of a daughter the following year.3 John and his wife would have a total of nine children, with the youngest born in 1687.3 He was said to have made a living as a wheelwright.5
Dorchester was near the heart of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; today it’s incorporated into the city of Boston. For some settlers, it was a first stop before moving further inland, but John lived there his entire life, and town records showed that he performed his share of civic duties. John was appointed constable in 1678,1 a position he held for many years, and during the years 1693 to 1695, he was one of Dorchester’s selectmen.1
John’s home was on land that is today part of Garvey Playground in Dorchester.5 The property was said to have been passed down among his descendants for 200 years, but no trace of his house has survived. Garvey Playground features recreational facilities, including a baseball diamond, basketball court, and ice rink.
During the 1670s, John took part in King Philip’s War, a rebellion of indigenous people in the Massachusetts area. John served in a force headed by Captain Daniel Henchman, who defended an area near Worcester in May of 1676.6,7 When Captain Henchman received information that some warriors were fishing on a small lake nearby, he led a sneak attack on them, killing seven and taking 29 prisoner. One captive was the wife of an important sachem, and she was sold into slavery in the West Indies — a cruel tactic sometimes used by the English. It seems fairly certain that John was present at this military action.
John’s wife Elizabeth passed away on October 7, 1690,3 and he remarried to a local widow named Mary (Breck) Paul on June 15, 1692.3 Mary died in 1720,3 and John passed away on January 1, 1725 at Dorchester.1 He was an ancestor of actor George Kennedy.8
Children (all by Elizabeth Collins):
1. Elizabeth Tolman — B. 14 Dec 1667, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. (probably) before 1719;9 M. Moses Ayers (1667-?), 28 Oct 1692, Dorchester, Massachusetts10
2. John Tolman — B. 8 Apr 1671, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. 23 Oct 1759, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. (1) Susanna Breck (1678-1713), 1 Feb 1696, Dorchester, Massachusetts;11 (2) Elizabeth White (~1679-1768), 1 Apr 1714, Dorchester, Massachusetts12
3. Joseph Tolman — B. 6 Sep 1674, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. 26 Jan 17605
4. Benjamin Tolman — B. 6 Dec 1676, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. (1) Ruth Fletcher ~1680-1705), 28 Dec 1703, Dorchester, Massachusetts;13 (2) Elizabeth Perry (1682-?), 4 Aug 1709, Scituate, Massachusetts14
5. Henry Tolman — B. 4 Mar 1679, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. 18 Sep 1759, Attleboro, Massachusetts;5 M. Hannah Fairweather (~1684-1735), 1705, Dorchester, Massachusetts5
6. Anne Tolman — B. 2 Mar 1681, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. Caleb Ray, 8 May 1704, Boston, Massachusetts15
7. Ebenezer Tolman — B. 27 Mar 1683, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. (1) Mary Chamberline (~1683-?), 31 Aug 1704, Dorchester, Massachusetts;16 (2) Rebecca Burroughs (1674-1730), 18 Aug 1716, Dorchester, Massachusetts17
8. Ruth Tolman — B. 1 Jul 1685, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 M. (1) Joseph Butt (1684-1713), 18 Jan 1711, Dorchester, Massachusetts;18 (2) John Robinson, 20 Jan 1715, Dorchester, Massachusetts5
9. William Tolman — 2 Sep 1687, Dorchester, Massachusetts;5 D. before 24 Dec 1722;5 M. (1) Lydia Farr (1687-?), 2 Jul 1713, Boston, Massachusetts;19 (2) Experience ______ (~1687-?)5
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing of John Tolman
2 Marriage record of John Tolman and Elizabeth Collins, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital And Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3 “Tolman Genealogy,” The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol. 14, 1860
4 History of the Town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, 1856, p. 101
5 “Thomas Tolman (1608-1690) of Dorchester, Massachusetts,” 29deadpeople.com
6 Soldiers in King Philip’s War, George Madison Bodge, 1991
7 The Worcester Magazine and Historical Journal, Vol. 2 , 1826
8 FamousKin.com listing of John Tolman
9 Deed of Moses Ayers Jr. dated 10 Jan 1719 implies his mother is deceased.
10 Marriage record of Moses Ayers and Elizabeth Tolman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
11 Marriage record of John Tolman and Susanna Breck, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
12 Marriage record of John Tolman and Elizabeth White, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13 Marriage record of Benjamin Tolman and Ruth Fletcher, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14 Marriage record of Benjamin Tolman and Elizabeth Palmer, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Marriage record of Caleb Ray and Anne Tolman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16 Marriage record of Ebenezer Tolman and Mary Chamberline, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17 Marriage record of Ebenezer Tolman and Rebecca Fowles, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18 Marriage record of Joseph Butt and Ruth Tolman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19 Marriage record of William Tolman and Lydia Farr, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Welfare Case In Colonial New England — John Jefts
B. 11 Mar 1651 in Woburn, Massachusetts1
M. 6 Apr 1688 in Billerica, Massachusetts2
Wife: Lydia Fish
D. 28 Sep 1712 in Billerica, Massachusetts3
One day in 1697, three men presented themselves before the town council in Billerica, Massachusetts. Each showed they were in financial trouble, and they asked for public assistance. One of these men was John Jefts.
John had spent nearly his entire life in Billerica. Born in Woburn, Massachusetts to Henry Jefts and Hannah Births on March 11, 1651,1 the family was among the first settlers in Billerica when John was a small child. He had three younger sisters and one younger brother, but his mother died when he was about 10-years-old, and John’s father remarried in 1666.4 On April 6, 1688, John married Lydia Fish,2 a young woman who had been raped about ten years earlier. Their first child was born early the following year,5 and they went on to have six more by 1703.
Billerica, like all New England towns, had a strong sense of community. Each month, the men of the town met to organize the common efforts needed to run their everyday lives. There were men who rose to prominence at these meetings, serving as selectmen, surveyors or officers in the militia; their names appeared year after year in the town notes. But there were also others who were rarely mentioned. By the late-1690s, John seemed to only have been recognized twice: in 1687, he was paid a couple of shillings for having worked on a new road, and in September 1694, he was on a list of 10 men who were to have money paid to them for “work preparing staging for the meeting house and other works.” His payment was only 2 shillings, the smallest amount on the list.6
In January 1697, the Puritan leaders in Boston declared that the entire colony was to hold “a day of humiliation” as atonement for the Salem witch trials,7 which had condemned so many innocent people to death. On a day of humiliation, “people were expected to search themselves for sin and to repent in order to appease God's wrath. Everyone between the ages of sixteen and sixty was expected to spend the entire day in fasting, church attendance, listening to sermons of exhortation and meditating on their sin.”8
On Billerica’s observation of the day, the town leaders decided they needed to show concern for the poorer members of the community. The three men identified as being in need were John, Edmund Chamberlain, and Daniel Rogers.6 A collection was taken, and a total of 14 shillings and 6 pence was donated; this was divided equally among the three men. In addition, it was decided that each of them would get a bushel of “Indian corn” or grain, and arrangements were made to deliver it to their farms. But the town authorities also assigned three other men to make sure the recipients of the charity were being truthful about their hardship. The town notes stated that they each were to “see these persons be diligent and the persons contributed unto to give an account of their time weekly to them.”
There was no follow-up about John and the others in Billerica’s meeting notes, so it’s presumed that the distribution of the town’s welfare went as planned. A couple of years later, John served as one of Billerica’s “fence viewers,” a job for which he received a small amount of pay in 1699, 1700 and 1701.6 This was a civic duty somewhat unique to New England; a fence viewer was to inspect fences and settle disputes regarding escaped livestock.
Then on October 14, 1700, a new incidence of John’s poverty came to light in the meeting notes: “…John Jefts was called to attend the selectmen who [were] informed that Jefts had been too slack in providing for the comfort of his wife and children. His apology was that he had been endeavoring what he could and had put some land upon the sale for his present relief, etc. He was advised speedily to provide otherwise than he had done, otherwise he must expect to be complained of unto authority.”6 It was an unusual act for a New England town to publicly shame a man for being down and out, and seemed to blame John for his own condition.
John wasn’t mentioned in the meeting notes again until March of 1711, when he was named as one of Billerica’s tithingmen.6 This had been a post frequently held by his younger brother Henry. Since Henry’s name returned the following year, replacing John’s, it suggests that he was a temporary substitute for his brother. John and his wife Lydia both died during September 1712, with Lydia passing away on the 8th and John on the 28th.9,3 Their youngest children were underage, so oldest son Henry was appointed as guardian to them.6
Children:
1. Henry Jefts — B. 16 Jan 1689, Billerica, Massachusetts;5 D. 19 Aug 1772, Billerica, Massachusetts;9 M. (1) Elizabeth Hayward (~1689-1735), 10 Jul 1716, Billerica, Massachusetts;10 (2) Dinah Brown (1706-1764), 13 Nov 1735, Billerica, Massachusetts11
2. Alice Jefts — B. 7 Sep 1691, Billerica, Massachusetts;12 M. Joseph Baker (1696-1761), 11 Dec 1716, Concord, Massachusetts13
3. Hannah Jefts — B. 18 Aug 1694, Billerica, Massachusetts;14 D. 2 Jul 1712, Billerica, Massachusetts15
4. John Jefts — B. 19 Dec 1696, Billerica, Massachusetts;16 D. 8 May 1725, Billerica, Massachusetts17
5. Nathaniel Jefts — B. 29 Mar 1699, Billerica, Massachusetts;18 after 28 Sep 171219
6. William Jefts — B. 17 Mar 1701, Billerica, Massachusetts;20 D. 30 Sep 1738, Billerica, Massachusetts21
7. Ebenezer Jefts — B. 28 Jan 1703, Billerica, Massachusetts;22 M. Elizabeth Farnsworth (1707-1781), 30 Dec 1729, Groton, Massachusetts23
Sources:
1 Birth record of John Jefts, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of John Jefts and Lydia Fish, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
3 Death record of John Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
4 Marriage record of Henry Jefts and Mary Bird, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
5 Birth record of Henry Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
6 Town records 1685-1779 Billerica, Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986, FamilySearch.org
7 Days of humiliation and thanksgiving (Wikipedia article)
8 Death record of Lydia Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
9 Death record of Henry Jefts (younger), Vital Records of Billerica, MA, to the year 1850, 1908
10 Marriage record of Henry Jefts and Elizabeth Hayward, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
11 Marriage record of Henry Jefts and Dinah Brown, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
12 Birth record of Alice Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13 Marriage record of Joseph Baker and Alice Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14 Birth record of Hannah Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Death record of Hannah Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16 Birth record of John Jefts (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17 Death record of John Jefts (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18 Birth record of Nathaniel Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19 Nathaniel wasn’t mentioned in the guardianship action after his father’s death
20 Birth record of William Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
21 Death record of William Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
22 Birth record of Ebenezer Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
23 Marriage record of Ebenezer Jefts and Elizabeth Farnsworth, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
M. 6 Apr 1688 in Billerica, Massachusetts2
Wife: Lydia Fish
D. 28 Sep 1712 in Billerica, Massachusetts3
One day in 1697, three men presented themselves before the town council in Billerica, Massachusetts. Each showed they were in financial trouble, and they asked for public assistance. One of these men was John Jefts.
John had spent nearly his entire life in Billerica. Born in Woburn, Massachusetts to Henry Jefts and Hannah Births on March 11, 1651,1 the family was among the first settlers in Billerica when John was a small child. He had three younger sisters and one younger brother, but his mother died when he was about 10-years-old, and John’s father remarried in 1666.4 On April 6, 1688, John married Lydia Fish,2 a young woman who had been raped about ten years earlier. Their first child was born early the following year,5 and they went on to have six more by 1703.
Billerica, like all New England towns, had a strong sense of community. Each month, the men of the town met to organize the common efforts needed to run their everyday lives. There were men who rose to prominence at these meetings, serving as selectmen, surveyors or officers in the militia; their names appeared year after year in the town notes. But there were also others who were rarely mentioned. By the late-1690s, John seemed to only have been recognized twice: in 1687, he was paid a couple of shillings for having worked on a new road, and in September 1694, he was on a list of 10 men who were to have money paid to them for “work preparing staging for the meeting house and other works.” His payment was only 2 shillings, the smallest amount on the list.6
At a Billerica town meeting, John was assigned to dig holes for constructing the meetinghouse.
In January 1697, the Puritan leaders in Boston declared that the entire colony was to hold “a day of humiliation” as atonement for the Salem witch trials,7 which had condemned so many innocent people to death. On a day of humiliation, “people were expected to search themselves for sin and to repent in order to appease God's wrath. Everyone between the ages of sixteen and sixty was expected to spend the entire day in fasting, church attendance, listening to sermons of exhortation and meditating on their sin.”8
On Billerica’s observation of the day, the town leaders decided they needed to show concern for the poorer members of the community. The three men identified as being in need were John, Edmund Chamberlain, and Daniel Rogers.6 A collection was taken, and a total of 14 shillings and 6 pence was donated; this was divided equally among the three men. In addition, it was decided that each of them would get a bushel of “Indian corn” or grain, and arrangements were made to deliver it to their farms. But the town authorities also assigned three other men to make sure the recipients of the charity were being truthful about their hardship. The town notes stated that they each were to “see these persons be diligent and the persons contributed unto to give an account of their time weekly to them.”
Day of Humiliation in Billerica. (AI-generated image)
There was no follow-up about John and the others in Billerica’s meeting notes, so it’s presumed that the distribution of the town’s welfare went as planned. A couple of years later, John served as one of Billerica’s “fence viewers,” a job for which he received a small amount of pay in 1699, 1700 and 1701.6 This was a civic duty somewhat unique to New England; a fence viewer was to inspect fences and settle disputes regarding escaped livestock.
Then on October 14, 1700, a new incidence of John’s poverty came to light in the meeting notes: “…John Jefts was called to attend the selectmen who [were] informed that Jefts had been too slack in providing for the comfort of his wife and children. His apology was that he had been endeavoring what he could and had put some land upon the sale for his present relief, etc. He was advised speedily to provide otherwise than he had done, otherwise he must expect to be complained of unto authority.”6 It was an unusual act for a New England town to publicly shame a man for being down and out, and seemed to blame John for his own condition.
John wasn’t mentioned in the meeting notes again until March of 1711, when he was named as one of Billerica’s tithingmen.6 This had been a post frequently held by his younger brother Henry. Since Henry’s name returned the following year, replacing John’s, it suggests that he was a temporary substitute for his brother. John and his wife Lydia both died during September 1712, with Lydia passing away on the 8th and John on the 28th.9,3 Their youngest children were underage, so oldest son Henry was appointed as guardian to them.6
Children:
1. Henry Jefts — B. 16 Jan 1689, Billerica, Massachusetts;5 D. 19 Aug 1772, Billerica, Massachusetts;9 M. (1) Elizabeth Hayward (~1689-1735), 10 Jul 1716, Billerica, Massachusetts;10 (2) Dinah Brown (1706-1764), 13 Nov 1735, Billerica, Massachusetts11
2. Alice Jefts — B. 7 Sep 1691, Billerica, Massachusetts;12 M. Joseph Baker (1696-1761), 11 Dec 1716, Concord, Massachusetts13
3. Hannah Jefts — B. 18 Aug 1694, Billerica, Massachusetts;14 D. 2 Jul 1712, Billerica, Massachusetts15
4. John Jefts — B. 19 Dec 1696, Billerica, Massachusetts;16 D. 8 May 1725, Billerica, Massachusetts17
5. Nathaniel Jefts — B. 29 Mar 1699, Billerica, Massachusetts;18 after 28 Sep 171219
6. William Jefts — B. 17 Mar 1701, Billerica, Massachusetts;20 D. 30 Sep 1738, Billerica, Massachusetts21
7. Ebenezer Jefts — B. 28 Jan 1703, Billerica, Massachusetts;22 M. Elizabeth Farnsworth (1707-1781), 30 Dec 1729, Groton, Massachusetts23
Sources:
1 Birth record of John Jefts, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of John Jefts and Lydia Fish, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
3 Death record of John Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
4 Marriage record of Henry Jefts and Mary Bird, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
5 Birth record of Henry Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
6 Town records 1685-1779 Billerica, Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986, FamilySearch.org
7 Days of humiliation and thanksgiving (Wikipedia article)
8 Death record of Lydia Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
9 Death record of Henry Jefts (younger), Vital Records of Billerica, MA, to the year 1850, 1908
10 Marriage record of Henry Jefts and Elizabeth Hayward, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
11 Marriage record of Henry Jefts and Dinah Brown, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
12 Birth record of Alice Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13 Marriage record of Joseph Baker and Alice Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14 Birth record of Hannah Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Death record of Hannah Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16 Birth record of John Jefts (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17 Death record of John Jefts (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18 Birth record of Nathaniel Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19 Nathaniel wasn’t mentioned in the guardianship action after his father’s death
20 Birth record of William Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
21 Death record of William Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
22 Birth record of Ebenezer Jefts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
23 Marriage record of Ebenezer Jefts and Elizabeth Farnsworth, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
Monday, April 21, 2025
83 Years in Colonial Chelmsford — Tabitha Parker
B. 21 Feb 1658 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts1
M. 18 Nov 1676 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts2
Husband: Stephen Peirce
D. 31 Jan 1742 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts3
As the Puritans who settled in colonial Massachusetts spread to its outskirts, some trailed north of Boston. This is where Tabitha Parker spent her entire life. She was born on February 21, 1658 to Jacob and Sarah Parker,1 two early settlers of the village of Chelmsford. Tabitha was the fifth of their nine children; her father was the town clerk, but sadly he passed away when she was 17.4 A little more than a year later, on November 18, 1676, Tabitha married Stephen Peirce,2 who was new to the town. Their first child was thought to be born in about 1677,5 and by 1689, they had four more.
In 1686, some Chelmsford men formed a group to buy land directly from a local tribe.6 The plots were located just to the north of the town, also known as the Wamesit Purchase, and this is where the Peirce family settled. Tabitha faced certain dangers while raising her family there with fears of invasion by Indians who lived nearby, and in 1697 the men wrote a petition to the authorities in Boston asking for assistance.6 The families also struggled to grow crops, and it was said that many hay stacks caught fire, causing some to leave the area, but Tabitha and Stephen stayed.
Another issue about where Tabitha lived was that it was a long distance from the nearest meetinghouse. Every Sunday meant traveling on wilderness roads by horse or cart to the all-day services at Chelmsford’s church. In 1719, Stephen was one of several men who asked for a stable to be built at the meetinghouse to accommodate his family and neighbors.6
The town records reported in 1728 that Stephen was “impaired in his reasoning,” which caused him to be removed from a town committee.6 Tabitha likely became his caretaker as he lived out his final years, dying on June 10, 1733.7
Tabitha wrote a will on November 18, 1735,8 and in it we can see a glimpse of her life at the time. She was “sick of body, but of sound mind and memory,” and had specific ideas of who should get her humble possessions. She left many items to her granddaughter Sarah Wheeler, including “my best bed & furniture, & warming pan, & iron kettle, & pottage pot, & half a dozen pewter plates, & two pewter platters, & my [tramels?] & box irons.” To her youngest daughter Tabitha, she offered “my other bed & furniture, … my brass kettle & box of drawers & … case on my chest of drawers.” Tabitha made her mark on the document, indicating she was illiterate.
On January 31, 1742, Tabitha passed away in Chelmsford at the age of almost 84.3 Some of her descendants would eventually migrate north, and great-grandson Benjamin Pierce became the governor of New Hampshire.9 His son was President Franklin Pierce,9 and further down the line were Barbara Bush and George W. Bush as niece and nephew relationships9 — quite a legacy for a woman of colonial Chelmsford.
Children:
1. Jacob Peirce — B. about 1677, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;5 D. 20 Sep 1749, Westford, Massachusetts;5 M. Mary Whittaker (~1689-1761)10
2. Stephen Peirce — B. 10 Apr 1679, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;11 D. 9 Sep 1649, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;11 M. Esther Fletcher (~1685-1767), 5 Jan 1707, Chelmsford, Massachusetts12
3. Benjamin Peirce — B. 4 Jun 1682, Chelmsford, Massachusetts13
4. Sarah Peirce — B. 25 Mar 1686, Chelmsford, Massachusetts14
5. Tabitha Peirce — B. 24 Feb 1690, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;15 D. 6 Feb 1742, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;16 M. William Fletcher16
Sources:
1 Birth record of Tabitha Parker, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Stephen Peirce and Tabitha Parker, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
3 Death record of Tabitha Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
4 Parker in America 1630-1910, Augustus G. Parker, 1911, p. 532
5 WikiTree listing of Jacob Peirce
6 History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Wilson Waters, 1917
7 Death record of Stephen Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
8 Tabitha Peirce will, United States, Massachusetts, Middlesex – Probate Records, FamilySearch.org
9 FamousKin.com listing of Stephen Pierce
10 Marriage record of Jacob Peirce and Rachel Batchelder, New England Marriages prior to 1700, p. 582
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Deacon Stephen Peirce
12 Marriage record of Stephen Peirce and Esther Fletcher, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13 Birth record of Benjamin Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14 Birth record of Sarah Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Birth record of Tabitha Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16 Death record of Tabitha Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
M. 18 Nov 1676 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts2
Husband: Stephen Peirce
D. 31 Jan 1742 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts3
As the Puritans who settled in colonial Massachusetts spread to its outskirts, some trailed north of Boston. This is where Tabitha Parker spent her entire life. She was born on February 21, 1658 to Jacob and Sarah Parker,1 two early settlers of the village of Chelmsford. Tabitha was the fifth of their nine children; her father was the town clerk, but sadly he passed away when she was 17.4 A little more than a year later, on November 18, 1676, Tabitha married Stephen Peirce,2 who was new to the town. Their first child was thought to be born in about 1677,5 and by 1689, they had four more.
In 1686, some Chelmsford men formed a group to buy land directly from a local tribe.6 The plots were located just to the north of the town, also known as the Wamesit Purchase, and this is where the Peirce family settled. Tabitha faced certain dangers while raising her family there with fears of invasion by Indians who lived nearby, and in 1697 the men wrote a petition to the authorities in Boston asking for assistance.6 The families also struggled to grow crops, and it was said that many hay stacks caught fire, causing some to leave the area, but Tabitha and Stephen stayed.
Another issue about where Tabitha lived was that it was a long distance from the nearest meetinghouse. Every Sunday meant traveling on wilderness roads by horse or cart to the all-day services at Chelmsford’s church. In 1719, Stephen was one of several men who asked for a stable to be built at the meetinghouse to accommodate his family and neighbors.6
The town records reported in 1728 that Stephen was “impaired in his reasoning,” which caused him to be removed from a town committee.6 Tabitha likely became his caretaker as he lived out his final years, dying on June 10, 1733.7
Tabitha wrote a will on November 18, 1735,8 and in it we can see a glimpse of her life at the time. She was “sick of body, but of sound mind and memory,” and had specific ideas of who should get her humble possessions. She left many items to her granddaughter Sarah Wheeler, including “my best bed & furniture, & warming pan, & iron kettle, & pottage pot, & half a dozen pewter plates, & two pewter platters, & my [tramels?] & box irons.” To her youngest daughter Tabitha, she offered “my other bed & furniture, … my brass kettle & box of drawers & … case on my chest of drawers.” Tabitha made her mark on the document, indicating she was illiterate.
Tabitha’s 1735 will.
On January 31, 1742, Tabitha passed away in Chelmsford at the age of almost 84.3 Some of her descendants would eventually migrate north, and great-grandson Benjamin Pierce became the governor of New Hampshire.9 His son was President Franklin Pierce,9 and further down the line were Barbara Bush and George W. Bush as niece and nephew relationships9 — quite a legacy for a woman of colonial Chelmsford.
Children:
1. Jacob Peirce — B. about 1677, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;5 D. 20 Sep 1749, Westford, Massachusetts;5 M. Mary Whittaker (~1689-1761)10
2. Stephen Peirce — B. 10 Apr 1679, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;11 D. 9 Sep 1649, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;11 M. Esther Fletcher (~1685-1767), 5 Jan 1707, Chelmsford, Massachusetts12
3. Benjamin Peirce — B. 4 Jun 1682, Chelmsford, Massachusetts13
4. Sarah Peirce — B. 25 Mar 1686, Chelmsford, Massachusetts14
5. Tabitha Peirce — B. 24 Feb 1690, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;15 D. 6 Feb 1742, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;16 M. William Fletcher16
Sources:
1 Birth record of Tabitha Parker, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Stephen Peirce and Tabitha Parker, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
3 Death record of Tabitha Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
4 Parker in America 1630-1910, Augustus G. Parker, 1911, p. 532
5 WikiTree listing of Jacob Peirce
6 History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Wilson Waters, 1917
7 Death record of Stephen Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
8 Tabitha Peirce will, United States, Massachusetts, Middlesex – Probate Records, FamilySearch.org
9 FamousKin.com listing of Stephen Pierce
10 Marriage record of Jacob Peirce and Rachel Batchelder, New England Marriages prior to 1700, p. 582
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Deacon Stephen Peirce
12 Marriage record of Stephen Peirce and Esther Fletcher, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13 Birth record of Benjamin Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14 Birth record of Sarah Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Birth record of Tabitha Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16 Death record of Tabitha Peirce, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Mother of Concord’s Colonial Inn — Rebecca Wheeler
B. about 1666 in Concord, Massachusetts1
M. about 1684 in (probably) Concord, Massachusetts2
Husband: James Minot
D. 23 Sep 1734 in Concord, Massachusetts1
In the historic New England town of Concord, Massachusetts, sits a landmark house now known as the Colonial Inn. The place has seen much over the years, but it began as a home belonging to James Minot and his wife Rebecca Wheeler.
Rebecca was born in Concord in about 1666 to Timothy Wheeler and Mary Brooks,1 the third of their three girls; she also had a half-sister from her father’s first marriage. As one of Concord’s founders, Rebecca’s father was prominent in the town, serving as the captain of the militia.3 He also owned vast amounts of property in and around Concord. By early 1684, Rebecca married James Minot,2 an accomplished man from Dorchester who worked as a physician and teacher in Concord. They began a family with the birth of a daughter in February 1685,4 and over the next 21 years their family grew to having ten children. During Rebecca’s childbearing years, James held many offices in Concord including justice of the peace, and like her father, he became captain of the militia.5
At the time Rebecca’s father passed away in July 1687, all three of her older sisters were deceased, and she became his primary heir along with her mother. In his will, Timothy Wheeler wrote, “To my Daughter Rebecca Minot, I give & bequeath after thee decease of my beloved wife, viz. my Homestead in Concord that is my house & Barn, with all thee appurtenances 'that' is joined to it, & also all my meadow in 'ye Great meadow', also I give to my Daughter Rebecca, my Mill in Concord, with all thee privileges of thereunto pertaining.”3 When Rebecca’s mother wrote her will in 1691, she specified that her daughter would receive “one silver cupp without letters, a standing cupp and a bible with silver clasps.”3 She left “land at the east end of town” to Rebecca’s three oldest children, girls who were born by the time the will was written. The old woman also gave 23 acres of land in Charlestown to Rebecca’s oldest son who was not yet born.
Some of the property described in Rebecca’s father’s will was in the heart of Concord, and at some point, likely after 1700, she and her husband James built a house there which survives to this day as part of the Colonial Inn.6 The earliest record of the building came when James and Rebecca deeded the house to their son James in 1716,6 and this is often credited with when it was built, but it may have been before that year. While the exact year of the house’s construction isn’t established, it’s likely that James and Rebecca lived there; the transfer of it to their son seems to have come at the time of his marriage.7
The house in Concord went on to have some notoriety. Rebecca’s son James passed it along to his son Ephraim, then to a cousin Timothy Minot, who worked as a doctor.6 On April 19, 1775, the “shot heard ‘round the world” marking the beginning of the American Revolution happened nearby, and Dr. Minot treated the wounded who were brought into the house.6 An addition to the house was said to have been used to store ammunition supplies, which was the reason the British marched into Concord. A generation or so later, the house came into the possession of the Thoreau family, and Henry David Thoreau lived there for a time in the mid-19th century.6
In 1897, the house was converted to what became known as the Colonial Inn.6 By then, a neighboring house was joined to the original Minot house with its addition to make a decent-sized hotel that’s still in operation today. Famous guests over the years have included John Wayne, Arnold Palmer, Jackie Kennedy, and F.D.R.8 The Colonial Inn is also known for having a ghost problem; over the years many have reported strange sightings in the rooms believed to have been used for wounded soldiers during the American Revolution.9
Rebecca passed away on September 23, 1734,1 and she was buried with a gravestone that has a long inscription: “Rebeckah Minott ye vertuous Consort of James Minott Esq'r. A daughter of Capt. Timothy Wheeler, she was a person of serious piety and abounding charity, of great usefulness in her day, a pattern of patient Holy submission under a long confinement & resigned her Soul with Joy in death Sept. 23d 1734.”1 James survived her by one year, dying in September of 1735.10
Children:
1. Rebecca Minot — B. 9 Feb 1685, Concord, Massachusetts;4 D. 23 Jun 1738, Concord, Massachusetts;4 M. Joseph Humphrey Barrett (1678-1763), 27 Dec 1701, Concord, Massachusetts11
2. Lydia Minot — B. 12 Mar 1687, Concord, Massachusetts;12 D. 14 Feb 1743;12 M. Benjamin Barrett (1681-1728), 3 Jan 1705, Marlborough, Massachusetts13
3. Mary Minot — B. 16 Nov 1689, Concord, Massachusetts;14 D. 3 Sep 1760, Concord, Massachusetts;14 M. Ebenezer Wheeler (1682-1748), 26 Sep 1706, Concord, Massachusetts15
4. Timothy Minot — B. 18 Jun 1692, Concord, Massachusetts;16 D. 30 Nov 1778, Concord, Massachusetts;16 M. (1) Mary Brooks (1699-1760);16 (2) Beulah Brown17
5. James Minot — B. 17 Oct 1694, Concord, Massachusetts;18 D. 6 Feb 1759, Concord, Massachusetts;18 M. (1) Martha Lane (~1695-1735), 14 Nov 1716, Concord, Massachusetts;7 (2) Elizabeth Merrick (~1694-1746), 173618
6. Elizabeth Minot — B. 29 Jan 1697, Concord, Massachusetts;19 D. 12 Nov 1764, Lincoln, Massachusetts;19 M. Daniel Adams (1690-1780), 23 Apr 1715, Concord, Massachusetts20
7. Martha Minot — B. 3 Apr 1699, Concord, Massachusetts;21 D. 18 Jan 1738, Bedford, Massachusetts;22 M. James Lane, 30 Apr 1719, Billerica, Massachusetts23
8. Mercy Minot — B. 15 Apr 1702, Concord, Massachusetts;24 D. 25 Jul 1793, Sudbury, Massachusetts;25 M. Samuel Dakin (1700-1758), 13 Dec 1722, Concord, Massachusetts26
9. Love Minot — B. 15 Apr 1702, Concord, Massachusetts;27 D. 21 Oct 1772, Lincoln, Massachusetts;27 M. John Adams, 13 Dec 1722, Concord, Massachusetts28
10. Samuel Minot — B. 25 Mar 1706, Concord, Massachusetts;29 D. 17 Mar 1766, Concord, Massachusetts;29 M. (1) Sarah Prescott (1712-1737);30 (2) Dorcas Prescott (1714-1803), 173831
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Wheeler) Minot
2 Estimated marriage date based on birth of oldest child Rebecca
3 The genealogical and encyclopedic history of the Wheeler family in America, Albert Gallatin Wheeler, 1914, pp. 134-141
4 Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Minot) Barrett
5 A History of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Lemuel Shattuck, 1835
6 Historic Buildings of Massachusetts: Concord’s Colonial Inn (1716)
7 Marriage record of James Minot and Martha Lane, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
8 New England’s Colonial Inns & Taverns: Centuries of Yankee Fare and Hospitality, Maria Olia, 2016, p. 8
9 The Ghosts of Concord’s Colonial Inn
10 Find-a-Grave listing of James Minott
11 Marriage record of Joseph Barrett and Rebecca Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
12 Find-a-Grave listing of Lydia (Minot) Stow
13 Marriage record of Benjamin Barrett and Lydia Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
14 Find-a-Grave listing of Mary (Minot) Wheeler
15 Marriage record of Ebenezer Wheeler and Mary Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
16 Find-a-Grave listing of Timothy Minot
17 Marriage record of Timothy Minot and Beulah Brown, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
18 Find-a-Grave listing of Col. James Minot
19 Find-a-Grave listing of Elizabeth (Minott) Adams
20 Marriage record of Daniel Adams and Elizabeth Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
21 Birth record of Martha Minot, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1815, FamilySearch.org
22 Find-a-Grave listing of Martha (Minott) Lane
23 Marriage record of James Lane and Martha Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
24 Birth record of Mercy Minot, Concord Births – Massachusetts Vital Records Project
25 Death record of Mercy (Minot) Dakin, Concord Deaths – Massachusetts Vital Records Project
26 Marriage record of Samuel Dakin and Mercy Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
27 Find-a-Grave listing of Love (Minott) Flint
28 Marriage record of John Adams and Love Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
29 Find-a-Grave listing of Deacon Samuel Minott
30 Marriage record of Samuel Minot and Sarah Prescott, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
31 Marriage record of Samuel Minot and Dorcas Prescott, Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925, FamilySearch.org
M. about 1684 in (probably) Concord, Massachusetts2
Husband: James Minot
D. 23 Sep 1734 in Concord, Massachusetts1
In the historic New England town of Concord, Massachusetts, sits a landmark house now known as the Colonial Inn. The place has seen much over the years, but it began as a home belonging to James Minot and his wife Rebecca Wheeler.
Rebecca was born in Concord in about 1666 to Timothy Wheeler and Mary Brooks,1 the third of their three girls; she also had a half-sister from her father’s first marriage. As one of Concord’s founders, Rebecca’s father was prominent in the town, serving as the captain of the militia.3 He also owned vast amounts of property in and around Concord. By early 1684, Rebecca married James Minot,2 an accomplished man from Dorchester who worked as a physician and teacher in Concord. They began a family with the birth of a daughter in February 1685,4 and over the next 21 years their family grew to having ten children. During Rebecca’s childbearing years, James held many offices in Concord including justice of the peace, and like her father, he became captain of the militia.5
At the time Rebecca’s father passed away in July 1687, all three of her older sisters were deceased, and she became his primary heir along with her mother. In his will, Timothy Wheeler wrote, “To my Daughter Rebecca Minot, I give & bequeath after thee decease of my beloved wife, viz. my Homestead in Concord that is my house & Barn, with all thee appurtenances 'that' is joined to it, & also all my meadow in 'ye Great meadow', also I give to my Daughter Rebecca, my Mill in Concord, with all thee privileges of thereunto pertaining.”3 When Rebecca’s mother wrote her will in 1691, she specified that her daughter would receive “one silver cupp without letters, a standing cupp and a bible with silver clasps.”3 She left “land at the east end of town” to Rebecca’s three oldest children, girls who were born by the time the will was written. The old woman also gave 23 acres of land in Charlestown to Rebecca’s oldest son who was not yet born.
Some of the property described in Rebecca’s father’s will was in the heart of Concord, and at some point, likely after 1700, she and her husband James built a house there which survives to this day as part of the Colonial Inn.6 The earliest record of the building came when James and Rebecca deeded the house to their son James in 1716,6 and this is often credited with when it was built, but it may have been before that year. While the exact year of the house’s construction isn’t established, it’s likely that James and Rebecca lived there; the transfer of it to their son seems to have come at the time of his marriage.7
The house in Concord went on to have some notoriety. Rebecca’s son James passed it along to his son Ephraim, then to a cousin Timothy Minot, who worked as a doctor.6 On April 19, 1775, the “shot heard ‘round the world” marking the beginning of the American Revolution happened nearby, and Dr. Minot treated the wounded who were brought into the house.6 An addition to the house was said to have been used to store ammunition supplies, which was the reason the British marched into Concord. A generation or so later, the house came into the possession of the Thoreau family, and Henry David Thoreau lived there for a time in the mid-19th century.6
The Colonial Inn.
In 1897, the house was converted to what became known as the Colonial Inn.6 By then, a neighboring house was joined to the original Minot house with its addition to make a decent-sized hotel that’s still in operation today. Famous guests over the years have included John Wayne, Arnold Palmer, Jackie Kennedy, and F.D.R.8 The Colonial Inn is also known for having a ghost problem; over the years many have reported strange sightings in the rooms believed to have been used for wounded soldiers during the American Revolution.9
Rebecca passed away on September 23, 1734,1 and she was buried with a gravestone that has a long inscription: “Rebeckah Minott ye vertuous Consort of James Minott Esq'r. A daughter of Capt. Timothy Wheeler, she was a person of serious piety and abounding charity, of great usefulness in her day, a pattern of patient Holy submission under a long confinement & resigned her Soul with Joy in death Sept. 23d 1734.”1 James survived her by one year, dying in September of 1735.10
Rebecca’s grave. (Source: Find-a-Grave)
Children:
1. Rebecca Minot — B. 9 Feb 1685, Concord, Massachusetts;4 D. 23 Jun 1738, Concord, Massachusetts;4 M. Joseph Humphrey Barrett (1678-1763), 27 Dec 1701, Concord, Massachusetts11
2. Lydia Minot — B. 12 Mar 1687, Concord, Massachusetts;12 D. 14 Feb 1743;12 M. Benjamin Barrett (1681-1728), 3 Jan 1705, Marlborough, Massachusetts13
3. Mary Minot — B. 16 Nov 1689, Concord, Massachusetts;14 D. 3 Sep 1760, Concord, Massachusetts;14 M. Ebenezer Wheeler (1682-1748), 26 Sep 1706, Concord, Massachusetts15
4. Timothy Minot — B. 18 Jun 1692, Concord, Massachusetts;16 D. 30 Nov 1778, Concord, Massachusetts;16 M. (1) Mary Brooks (1699-1760);16 (2) Beulah Brown17
5. James Minot — B. 17 Oct 1694, Concord, Massachusetts;18 D. 6 Feb 1759, Concord, Massachusetts;18 M. (1) Martha Lane (~1695-1735), 14 Nov 1716, Concord, Massachusetts;7 (2) Elizabeth Merrick (~1694-1746), 173618
6. Elizabeth Minot — B. 29 Jan 1697, Concord, Massachusetts;19 D. 12 Nov 1764, Lincoln, Massachusetts;19 M. Daniel Adams (1690-1780), 23 Apr 1715, Concord, Massachusetts20
7. Martha Minot — B. 3 Apr 1699, Concord, Massachusetts;21 D. 18 Jan 1738, Bedford, Massachusetts;22 M. James Lane, 30 Apr 1719, Billerica, Massachusetts23
8. Mercy Minot — B. 15 Apr 1702, Concord, Massachusetts;24 D. 25 Jul 1793, Sudbury, Massachusetts;25 M. Samuel Dakin (1700-1758), 13 Dec 1722, Concord, Massachusetts26
9. Love Minot — B. 15 Apr 1702, Concord, Massachusetts;27 D. 21 Oct 1772, Lincoln, Massachusetts;27 M. John Adams, 13 Dec 1722, Concord, Massachusetts28
10. Samuel Minot — B. 25 Mar 1706, Concord, Massachusetts;29 D. 17 Mar 1766, Concord, Massachusetts;29 M. (1) Sarah Prescott (1712-1737);30 (2) Dorcas Prescott (1714-1803), 173831
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Wheeler) Minot
2 Estimated marriage date based on birth of oldest child Rebecca
3 The genealogical and encyclopedic history of the Wheeler family in America, Albert Gallatin Wheeler, 1914, pp. 134-141
4 Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Minot) Barrett
5 A History of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Lemuel Shattuck, 1835
6 Historic Buildings of Massachusetts: Concord’s Colonial Inn (1716)
7 Marriage record of James Minot and Martha Lane, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
8 New England’s Colonial Inns & Taverns: Centuries of Yankee Fare and Hospitality, Maria Olia, 2016, p. 8
9 The Ghosts of Concord’s Colonial Inn
10 Find-a-Grave listing of James Minott
11 Marriage record of Joseph Barrett and Rebecca Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
12 Find-a-Grave listing of Lydia (Minot) Stow
13 Marriage record of Benjamin Barrett and Lydia Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
14 Find-a-Grave listing of Mary (Minot) Wheeler
15 Marriage record of Ebenezer Wheeler and Mary Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
16 Find-a-Grave listing of Timothy Minot
17 Marriage record of Timothy Minot and Beulah Brown, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
18 Find-a-Grave listing of Col. James Minot
19 Find-a-Grave listing of Elizabeth (Minott) Adams
20 Marriage record of Daniel Adams and Elizabeth Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
21 Birth record of Martha Minot, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1815, FamilySearch.org
22 Find-a-Grave listing of Martha (Minott) Lane
23 Marriage record of James Lane and Martha Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
24 Birth record of Mercy Minot, Concord Births – Massachusetts Vital Records Project
25 Death record of Mercy (Minot) Dakin, Concord Deaths – Massachusetts Vital Records Project
26 Marriage record of Samuel Dakin and Mercy Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
27 Find-a-Grave listing of Love (Minott) Flint
28 Marriage record of John Adams and Love Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
29 Find-a-Grave listing of Deacon Samuel Minott
30 Marriage record of Samuel Minot and Sarah Prescott, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
31 Marriage record of Samuel Minot and Dorcas Prescott, Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925, FamilySearch.org
Monday, December 30, 2024
A Scot Among New England Puritans — John McDuffee
B. about 1690 in (probably) Londonderry, Ireland1
M. before about 1720 in (probably) Boston, Massachusetts2
Wife: Mary _______
D. Jul 1752 in Rochester, New Hampshire1
The Scots-Irish people who came to America in the 18th century moved to places that were away from the coast because land was more plentiful. For those who landed in New England, that meant going up north to New Hampshire. This is where John McDuffee settled and raised his family.
The timing of John’s birth almost dictated his path in life. He is believed to have been born in Londonderry, Ireland in about 1690, and his parents were John and Martha McDuffee (also spelled McAfee),1 who were known to have at least six other children. The Scottish people who had come to live in Ireland had been there for a couple of generations, and when William of Orange became King of England in 1688, it initiated a period of persecution of the Scottish people. A siege took place in Londonderry during 1689 that caused a famine, but John’s mother Martha was said to have saved enough food in her storage that she kept many people from starving.3
In the decades that followed, many in the Londonderry region were looking to get out. Some were part of a congregation of a minister named James McGregor, and in 1718, he brought a shipload of families to Boston.3 It’s possible that some of the McDuffee family including John and three of this brothers were part of this group, but this is uncertain. What is known is that they took the same path, spending a couple of years in Boston in the 1720s,1 then heading up to new settlements in New Hampshire; John ended up in the town of Rochester in 1729, where he acquired 85 acres.4
Meanwhile John got married somewhere along the way to a woman named Mary, possibly with the last name Daniel. They were likely married in Boston around 1720,2 and would have a family of at least eight children born between about 1720 and 1738. All but one of John’s children were known to have reached maturity; one son was a hero in the American Revolution, serving as a lieutenant colonel.5
While Rochester, New Hampshire had people like John’s family who were Scottish, many were descendants of the English Puritan settlers who came to New England in the 17th century. The town itself operated in the same way as all New England communities, with the men gathering each month to take care of civic matters. The town meeting notes mentioned John in a few places, paying various required fees and serving on committees. John seemed to be chosen for taking care of financial matters, as on November 24, 1746, he worked with two other men to examine the accounts of the town and “settle with the Reverend Mr. Amos Main according to the forgoing notification…”6
John wrote his will on June 4, 1751, describing himself as weak and sick at the time.7 In it, he named his wife and eight children, with a curious bequest to each of his daughters to receive a “mourning gown.” Also mentioned were several bibles that he owned, and these he specified for various sons. John died in about July 1752, when his burial was noted in the records of Rochester’s cemetery;1 his wife Mary survived until 1780.1 Their farm remained in the family at least until 1882.4 Today there’s a McDuffee Street in Rochester — a lasting legacy of one of the town’s earliest settlers.
Children:
1. Jean McDuffee — B. about 1720, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 M. ______ Hayes, before 4 Jun 17518
2. Mary McDuffee — B. about 1720, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. 2 Dec 1751, Newport, Rhode Island;9 M. Charles Roger, 12 Nov 1747, Rochester, New Hampshire8
3. Matthew McDuffee — B. about 1721, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. 15 Apr 1799, Bedford, New Hampshire;8 M. (1) Nancy Aiken (?-~1757);8 (2) Susannah Morrison (1731-1799)8
4. John McDuffee — B. about 1724, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. 15 Oct 1817, Rochester, New Hampshire8
5. James McDuffee — B. about 1726, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. 1800, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 M. Mercy Young (1726-1801), Mar 1762, Rochester, New Hampshire8
6. William McDuffee — B. before 1 Sep 1728, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 D. 9 Jul 1804, Dover, New Hampshire;8 M. Martha Allen (1729-1808), 22 Apr 1752, Rochester, New Hampshire8
7. Sarah McDuffee — B. about 1735, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 D. after 4 Jun 17517
8. Daniel McDuffee — B. 28 May 1738, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 D. 26 Feb 1807, Rochester, New Hampshire;5 M. (1) Abigail Young (1746-1786), 1 Nov 1764, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 (2) Betty Nock (1770-1824), 19 Jul 1787, Rochester, New Hampshire8
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing for John McDuffee
2 Source of marriage year for John McDuffee based on rough age of oldest child
3 Find-a-Grave listing for John McDuffee (Sr.)
4 History of Rockingham & Strafford Counties, New Hampshire, 1882, p.743
5 Find-a-Grave listing for Capt. Daniel McDuffee
6 Town Records of Rochester, New Hampshire, 1737-1801, FamilySearch.org
7 Probate record of John McDuffee
8 Five Northern McDuffee Families, Giles F. Carter, 1998, pp. 3-9
9 Find-a-Grave listing for Mary (McDuffee) Rogers
M. before about 1720 in (probably) Boston, Massachusetts2
Wife: Mary _______
D. Jul 1752 in Rochester, New Hampshire1
The Scots-Irish people who came to America in the 18th century moved to places that were away from the coast because land was more plentiful. For those who landed in New England, that meant going up north to New Hampshire. This is where John McDuffee settled and raised his family.
The timing of John’s birth almost dictated his path in life. He is believed to have been born in Londonderry, Ireland in about 1690, and his parents were John and Martha McDuffee (also spelled McAfee),1 who were known to have at least six other children. The Scottish people who had come to live in Ireland had been there for a couple of generations, and when William of Orange became King of England in 1688, it initiated a period of persecution of the Scottish people. A siege took place in Londonderry during 1689 that caused a famine, but John’s mother Martha was said to have saved enough food in her storage that she kept many people from starving.3
In the decades that followed, many in the Londonderry region were looking to get out. Some were part of a congregation of a minister named James McGregor, and in 1718, he brought a shipload of families to Boston.3 It’s possible that some of the McDuffee family including John and three of this brothers were part of this group, but this is uncertain. What is known is that they took the same path, spending a couple of years in Boston in the 1720s,1 then heading up to new settlements in New Hampshire; John ended up in the town of Rochester in 1729, where he acquired 85 acres.4
Meanwhile John got married somewhere along the way to a woman named Mary, possibly with the last name Daniel. They were likely married in Boston around 1720,2 and would have a family of at least eight children born between about 1720 and 1738. All but one of John’s children were known to have reached maturity; one son was a hero in the American Revolution, serving as a lieutenant colonel.5
While Rochester, New Hampshire had people like John’s family who were Scottish, many were descendants of the English Puritan settlers who came to New England in the 17th century. The town itself operated in the same way as all New England communities, with the men gathering each month to take care of civic matters. The town meeting notes mentioned John in a few places, paying various required fees and serving on committees. John seemed to be chosen for taking care of financial matters, as on November 24, 1746, he worked with two other men to examine the accounts of the town and “settle with the Reverend Mr. Amos Main according to the forgoing notification…”6
John wrote his will on June 4, 1751, describing himself as weak and sick at the time.7 In it, he named his wife and eight children, with a curious bequest to each of his daughters to receive a “mourning gown.” Also mentioned were several bibles that he owned, and these he specified for various sons. John died in about July 1752, when his burial was noted in the records of Rochester’s cemetery;1 his wife Mary survived until 1780.1 Their farm remained in the family at least until 1882.4 Today there’s a McDuffee Street in Rochester — a lasting legacy of one of the town’s earliest settlers.
Children:
1. Jean McDuffee — B. about 1720, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 M. ______ Hayes, before 4 Jun 17518
2. Mary McDuffee — B. about 1720, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. 2 Dec 1751, Newport, Rhode Island;9 M. Charles Roger, 12 Nov 1747, Rochester, New Hampshire8
3. Matthew McDuffee — B. about 1721, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. 15 Apr 1799, Bedford, New Hampshire;8 M. (1) Nancy Aiken (?-~1757);8 (2) Susannah Morrison (1731-1799)8
4. John McDuffee — B. about 1724, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. 15 Oct 1817, Rochester, New Hampshire8
5. James McDuffee — B. about 1726, (probably) Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. 1800, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 M. Mercy Young (1726-1801), Mar 1762, Rochester, New Hampshire8
6. William McDuffee — B. before 1 Sep 1728, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 D. 9 Jul 1804, Dover, New Hampshire;8 M. Martha Allen (1729-1808), 22 Apr 1752, Rochester, New Hampshire8
7. Sarah McDuffee — B. about 1735, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 D. after 4 Jun 17517
8. Daniel McDuffee — B. 28 May 1738, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 D. 26 Feb 1807, Rochester, New Hampshire;5 M. (1) Abigail Young (1746-1786), 1 Nov 1764, Rochester, New Hampshire;8 (2) Betty Nock (1770-1824), 19 Jul 1787, Rochester, New Hampshire8
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing for John McDuffee
2 Source of marriage year for John McDuffee based on rough age of oldest child
3 Find-a-Grave listing for John McDuffee (Sr.)
4 History of Rockingham & Strafford Counties, New Hampshire, 1882, p.743
5 Find-a-Grave listing for Capt. Daniel McDuffee
6 Town Records of Rochester, New Hampshire, 1737-1801, FamilySearch.org
7 Probate record of John McDuffee
8 Five Northern McDuffee Families, Giles F. Carter, 1998, pp. 3-9
9 Find-a-Grave listing for Mary (McDuffee) Rogers
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Daughter of a New England Preacher — Lydia Miller
B. 2 Feb 1640 in Rowley, Massachusetts1
M. about 1656 in Sandwich, Massachusetts2
Husband: Nathaniel Fish
D. after 14 Mar 1694 in (probably) Sandwich, Massachusetts3
Lydia Miller was very young when she got married in the mid-17th century, but she had a pre-nuptial agreement, and this may have been because her father was the town minister.
Lydia was born on February 2, 1640 to John Miller and his wife Lydia,1 the third of eight children. Her father was a preacher who was sought after by many towns in early Massachusetts, and he had settled for a time in Rowley, where Lydia was born. Within a couple of years, Reverend Miller was recruited by the new settlement of Sandwich, located on Cape Cod in the Plymouth Colony, and the family relocated there.4
Sometime during the mid-1650s, Lydia got married to a man named Nathaniel Fish;2 this happened no doubt when she was in her mid-teens. He was about 20 years older than she was, and he had a need for Lydia after the death of his first wife left him to raise three young boys. These children now became her charge; she added to the family with about six children of her own, the youngest born in August 1668.
Part of the marriage arrangement was that if Nathaniel died, Lydia would receive a minimum of £66 from the estate.3 It’s easy to imagine that the difference in age between bride and groom caused a need for this protection, but perhaps the status of Lydia’s father being the town minister played into this as well. Their marriage seemed to have some challenges — in 1677, their daughter Lydia was raped by one of Nathaniel’s sons from his first marriage.5 The son was found guilty and was publicly whipped, but he was set free after that. Young Lydia went to live in another town where she eventually got married.6
Nathaniel passed away, and on March 14, 1694, the pre-nuptial agreement was implemented.2 Unfortunately, Lydia only got £31 because that was all the money in his estate. Her brother John joined her in administering the probate. Lydia’s situation was described as, “He had left only a two-room house, five acres of upland, three acres of meadow, an ox, a cow, an old sword, a few books, and a few household items.” Because the cash fell short of the money that was promised, Lydia got everything in the inventory.
Nothing more is known of Lydia as to when and where she died. Some have said she was alive until about 1729, but there is no original source cited for this.3
Children:
1. Lydia Fish — B. about 1657, (probably) Sandwich, Plymouth Colony;7 D. 8 Sep 1712, Billerica, Massachusetts;7 M. John Jefts (1651-1712), 6 Apr 1688, Billerica, Massachusetts6
2. (probably) Mercy Fish — B. (probably) during 1660s, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony;8 D. 29 Mar 1734, Sandwich, Massachusetts;9 M. Joshua Blackwell (1653-1737), about 1681, Sandwich, Massachusetts8
3. Nathan Fish — B. (probably) during the 1660s in Sandwich, Plymouth Colony;10 M. Deborah Barrows (~1668-?), 20 Dec 1687, Plymouth, Plymouth Colony11
4. Jonathan Fish — B. about 1662, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony12
5. Thomas Fish — B. about 1665, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony;13 D. 1736, Duxbury, Massachusetts;14 M. Margaret Woodworth (1673-1723), 10 Jan 1697, Marshfield, Massachusetts15
6. Samuel Fish — B. 10 Aug 1668, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony16
Sources:
1 Birth record of Lydia Miller, Vital Records of Rowley, Massachusetts to the year 1849, 1928
2 Marriage year is based on the idea she wasn’t married before age 16, but daughter Lydia wasn’t named as a minor in 1677 court case, so probably was born no later than 1657.
3 WikiTree listing for Lydia (Miller) Fish (1640 - abt. 1729)
4 WikiTree listing for John Miller (1604-1663)
5 Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691, Eugene Aubrey Stratton, 1986, pp. 198-199
6 Marriage record of John Jefts and Lydia Fish, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
7 WikiTree listing for Lydia Fish
8 WikiTree listing for Mercy Fish
9 Death record of Mercy Blackwell, Vital Records of Sandwich, MA to 1885, 1996
10 WikiTree listing for Nathan Fish
11 “Nathan and Deborah (Barrows) Fish of Falmouth, Massachusetts,” Robert E. Bowman, The American Genealogist, V. 80, 2005
12 WikiTree listing for Jonathan Fish
13 WikiTree listing for Thomas Fish
14 Index of Obituaries in Boston Newspapers 1704-1795, Ogden Codman, 1968
15 Marriage record of Thomas Fish and Margaret Woodworth, “Marriages from the Early Records of Marshfield, MA,” The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, V. 6
16 The Fish Family in England and America, Lester Warren Fish, 1948
M. about 1656 in Sandwich, Massachusetts2
Husband: Nathaniel Fish
D. after 14 Mar 1694 in (probably) Sandwich, Massachusetts3
Lydia Miller was very young when she got married in the mid-17th century, but she had a pre-nuptial agreement, and this may have been because her father was the town minister.
Lydia was born on February 2, 1640 to John Miller and his wife Lydia,1 the third of eight children. Her father was a preacher who was sought after by many towns in early Massachusetts, and he had settled for a time in Rowley, where Lydia was born. Within a couple of years, Reverend Miller was recruited by the new settlement of Sandwich, located on Cape Cod in the Plymouth Colony, and the family relocated there.4
A house in Sandwich that dates back to 1675.
Sometime during the mid-1650s, Lydia got married to a man named Nathaniel Fish;2 this happened no doubt when she was in her mid-teens. He was about 20 years older than she was, and he had a need for Lydia after the death of his first wife left him to raise three young boys. These children now became her charge; she added to the family with about six children of her own, the youngest born in August 1668.
Part of the marriage arrangement was that if Nathaniel died, Lydia would receive a minimum of £66 from the estate.3 It’s easy to imagine that the difference in age between bride and groom caused a need for this protection, but perhaps the status of Lydia’s father being the town minister played into this as well. Their marriage seemed to have some challenges — in 1677, their daughter Lydia was raped by one of Nathaniel’s sons from his first marriage.5 The son was found guilty and was publicly whipped, but he was set free after that. Young Lydia went to live in another town where she eventually got married.6
Nathaniel passed away, and on March 14, 1694, the pre-nuptial agreement was implemented.2 Unfortunately, Lydia only got £31 because that was all the money in his estate. Her brother John joined her in administering the probate. Lydia’s situation was described as, “He had left only a two-room house, five acres of upland, three acres of meadow, an ox, a cow, an old sword, a few books, and a few household items.” Because the cash fell short of the money that was promised, Lydia got everything in the inventory.
Nothing more is known of Lydia as to when and where she died. Some have said she was alive until about 1729, but there is no original source cited for this.3
Children:
1. Lydia Fish — B. about 1657, (probably) Sandwich, Plymouth Colony;7 D. 8 Sep 1712, Billerica, Massachusetts;7 M. John Jefts (1651-1712), 6 Apr 1688, Billerica, Massachusetts6
2. (probably) Mercy Fish — B. (probably) during 1660s, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony;8 D. 29 Mar 1734, Sandwich, Massachusetts;9 M. Joshua Blackwell (1653-1737), about 1681, Sandwich, Massachusetts8
3. Nathan Fish — B. (probably) during the 1660s in Sandwich, Plymouth Colony;10 M. Deborah Barrows (~1668-?), 20 Dec 1687, Plymouth, Plymouth Colony11
4. Jonathan Fish — B. about 1662, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony12
5. Thomas Fish — B. about 1665, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony;13 D. 1736, Duxbury, Massachusetts;14 M. Margaret Woodworth (1673-1723), 10 Jan 1697, Marshfield, Massachusetts15
6. Samuel Fish — B. 10 Aug 1668, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony16
Sources:
1 Birth record of Lydia Miller, Vital Records of Rowley, Massachusetts to the year 1849, 1928
2 Marriage year is based on the idea she wasn’t married before age 16, but daughter Lydia wasn’t named as a minor in 1677 court case, so probably was born no later than 1657.
3 WikiTree listing for Lydia (Miller) Fish (1640 - abt. 1729)
4 WikiTree listing for John Miller (1604-1663)
5 Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691, Eugene Aubrey Stratton, 1986, pp. 198-199
6 Marriage record of John Jefts and Lydia Fish, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
7 WikiTree listing for Lydia Fish
8 WikiTree listing for Mercy Fish
9 Death record of Mercy Blackwell, Vital Records of Sandwich, MA to 1885, 1996
10 WikiTree listing for Nathan Fish
11 “Nathan and Deborah (Barrows) Fish of Falmouth, Massachusetts,” Robert E. Bowman, The American Genealogist, V. 80, 2005
12 WikiTree listing for Jonathan Fish
13 WikiTree listing for Thomas Fish
14 Index of Obituaries in Boston Newspapers 1704-1795, Ogden Codman, 1968
15 Marriage record of Thomas Fish and Margaret Woodworth, “Marriages from the Early Records of Marshfield, MA,” The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, V. 6
16 The Fish Family in England and America, Lester Warren Fish, 1948
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Common Name in Early Massachusetts — William Baker
B. about 1658 in (probably) Concord, Massachusetts1
M. 5 May 1681 in Concord, Massachusetts2
Wife: Elizabeth Dutton
D. 8 Jun 1702 in Concord, Massachusetts3
The ancestors of people who trace back to Puritan New England are often shadowy because they had a common first and last name. For William Baker, there’s only certainty about where he lived, when he married and when he died — and the many descendants he produced. Sloppy research has led to mixing him up with another man by the same name, William Baker born on October 19, 1655 in Ipswich, but that was definitely a different man.
The William Baker of this biography was born sometime during 1650s, likely in Concord, Massachusetts.1 His parents were William and Mary Baker who lived in Concord by 1656. William Sr. was missing from a list of Concord residents dated March 6, 1654,4 and this has led some to jump to the conclusion that he must have migrated from England between the two dates. But this is highly unlikely since Puritans pretty much stopped leaving England during the 1650s; the persecution against them took a break while the Cromwells were in power. More plausible is that William Sr. was elsewhere in Massachusetts in March 1654, or he was left off the list by mistake. As for his origins in England, he’s impossible to trace because of his name.
After William came of age, he got married to a woman named Elizabeth Dutton, with the wedding taking place on May 5, 1681 in Concord.2 William and Elizabeth had seven children between 1682 and 1696, two of whom died as infants. All of these births were noted in Concord records, which don’t offer up many more details of the family.
The period of time when William was farming his land and raising his family was fairly uneventful in that part of Massachusetts. King Philip’s War had ended Indian aggression there, and the 1680s and 1690s were peaceful in Concord. William seems to have kept a low profile; a 1689 list of freemen in the town (those eligible to vote on local issues) do not include his name. Likewise, his name doesn’t appear in town histories, and he probably had little to do with civic matters in the community.
When William’s wife Elizabeth died on April 7, 1698,5 four children were still underage, and this is likely the reason he remarried. There is some confusion, though, over whether he had one or two more wives. Some think he had a brief marriage with a woman named Sarah; a town record stated, “Sarah the wife of William Baker died September 1, 1699.” Other researchers say that William married a woman named Abigail Ballard, but there’s no record of that marriage either. William passed away at Concord on June 8, 1702.3
Children:
1. Mary Baker — B. 28 Mar 1682, Concord, Massachusetts;6 M. Thomas Whitney (1681-1747), 26 Jul 1704, Concord, Massachusetts7
2. Elizabeth Baker — B. 15 Sep 1684, Concord, Massachusetts;8 D. 23 Jan 1757, Concord, Massachusetts;9 M. (1) John Woolly, 29 Nov 1711, Concord, Massachusetts;10 (2) Joseph Stow, 16 Jul 1719, Concord, Massachusetts11
3. Susannah Baker — B. 25 Aug 1686, Concord, Massachusetts;12 D. 5 Jun 1748, Plainfield, Connecticut;13 M. Samuel Spaulding (1686-1749), 22 Oct 1705, Concord, Massachusetts14
4. Thomas Baker — B. 25 Jun 1689, Concord, Massachusetts;15 D. 9 Dec 1690, Concord, Massachusetts16
5. John Baker — B. 6 May 1692, Concord, Massachusetts;17 D. 3 Aug 1692, Concord, Massachusetts18
6. Sarah Baker — B. 15 Aug 1693, Concord, Massachusetts;19 D. 16 Feb 1743, Concord, Massachusetts;20 M. Nathaniel Bell (1692-1749), 31 May 1711, Concord, Massachusetts21
7. Joseph Baker — B. 8 Jan 1696, Concord, Massachusetts;22 D. 3 Sep 1761, Littleton, Massachusetts;23 M. Alice Jefts (1691-?), 11 Dec 1716, Concord, Massachusetts24
Sources:
1 Estimated birth data based on age at marriage and place of marriage
2 Marriage record of William Baker and Elizabeth Dutton, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3 Death record of William Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
4 The History of Concord, Massachusetts, Volume 1, Alfred Sereno Hudson, 1904
5 Death record of Elizabeth (Dutton) Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
6 Birth record of Mary Baker, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850, 1891
7 WikiTree listing for Mary Baker
8 Birth record of Elizabeth Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
9 Find-a-Grave listing for Elizabeth Stowe
10 Marriage record of John Woolly and Elizabeth Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
11 Marriage record of Joseph Stow and Elizabeth Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
12 Birth record of Susannah Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
13 WikiTree listing for Susannah (Baker) Spaulding
14 Marriage record of Samuel Spaulding and Susannah Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Birth record of Thomas Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
16 FamilySearch listing of Thomas Baker
17 Birth record of John Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
18 Death record of John Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
19 Birth record of Sarah Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
20 WikiTree listing for Sarah (Baker) Ball
21 Marriage record of Nathaniel Bell and Sarah Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
22 Birth record of Joseph Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
23 Death record of Joseph Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
24 Marriage of Joseph Baker and Alice Jefts, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
M. 5 May 1681 in Concord, Massachusetts2
Wife: Elizabeth Dutton
D. 8 Jun 1702 in Concord, Massachusetts3
The ancestors of people who trace back to Puritan New England are often shadowy because they had a common first and last name. For William Baker, there’s only certainty about where he lived, when he married and when he died — and the many descendants he produced. Sloppy research has led to mixing him up with another man by the same name, William Baker born on October 19, 1655 in Ipswich, but that was definitely a different man.
The William Baker of this biography was born sometime during 1650s, likely in Concord, Massachusetts.1 His parents were William and Mary Baker who lived in Concord by 1656. William Sr. was missing from a list of Concord residents dated March 6, 1654,4 and this has led some to jump to the conclusion that he must have migrated from England between the two dates. But this is highly unlikely since Puritans pretty much stopped leaving England during the 1650s; the persecution against them took a break while the Cromwells were in power. More plausible is that William Sr. was elsewhere in Massachusetts in March 1654, or he was left off the list by mistake. As for his origins in England, he’s impossible to trace because of his name.
After William came of age, he got married to a woman named Elizabeth Dutton, with the wedding taking place on May 5, 1681 in Concord.2 William and Elizabeth had seven children between 1682 and 1696, two of whom died as infants. All of these births were noted in Concord records, which don’t offer up many more details of the family.
The period of time when William was farming his land and raising his family was fairly uneventful in that part of Massachusetts. King Philip’s War had ended Indian aggression there, and the 1680s and 1690s were peaceful in Concord. William seems to have kept a low profile; a 1689 list of freemen in the town (those eligible to vote on local issues) do not include his name. Likewise, his name doesn’t appear in town histories, and he probably had little to do with civic matters in the community.
When William’s wife Elizabeth died on April 7, 1698,5 four children were still underage, and this is likely the reason he remarried. There is some confusion, though, over whether he had one or two more wives. Some think he had a brief marriage with a woman named Sarah; a town record stated, “Sarah the wife of William Baker died September 1, 1699.” Other researchers say that William married a woman named Abigail Ballard, but there’s no record of that marriage either. William passed away at Concord on June 8, 1702.3
Old Burying Ground in Concord where William was likely buried. (Source: Find-a-Grave)
Children:
1. Mary Baker — B. 28 Mar 1682, Concord, Massachusetts;6 M. Thomas Whitney (1681-1747), 26 Jul 1704, Concord, Massachusetts7
2. Elizabeth Baker — B. 15 Sep 1684, Concord, Massachusetts;8 D. 23 Jan 1757, Concord, Massachusetts;9 M. (1) John Woolly, 29 Nov 1711, Concord, Massachusetts;10 (2) Joseph Stow, 16 Jul 1719, Concord, Massachusetts11
3. Susannah Baker — B. 25 Aug 1686, Concord, Massachusetts;12 D. 5 Jun 1748, Plainfield, Connecticut;13 M. Samuel Spaulding (1686-1749), 22 Oct 1705, Concord, Massachusetts14
4. Thomas Baker — B. 25 Jun 1689, Concord, Massachusetts;15 D. 9 Dec 1690, Concord, Massachusetts16
5. John Baker — B. 6 May 1692, Concord, Massachusetts;17 D. 3 Aug 1692, Concord, Massachusetts18
6. Sarah Baker — B. 15 Aug 1693, Concord, Massachusetts;19 D. 16 Feb 1743, Concord, Massachusetts;20 M. Nathaniel Bell (1692-1749), 31 May 1711, Concord, Massachusetts21
7. Joseph Baker — B. 8 Jan 1696, Concord, Massachusetts;22 D. 3 Sep 1761, Littleton, Massachusetts;23 M. Alice Jefts (1691-?), 11 Dec 1716, Concord, Massachusetts24
Sources:
1 Estimated birth data based on age at marriage and place of marriage
2 Marriage record of William Baker and Elizabeth Dutton, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3 Death record of William Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
4 The History of Concord, Massachusetts, Volume 1, Alfred Sereno Hudson, 1904
5 Death record of Elizabeth (Dutton) Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
6 Birth record of Mary Baker, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850, 1891
7 WikiTree listing for Mary Baker
8 Birth record of Elizabeth Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
9 Find-a-Grave listing for Elizabeth Stowe
10 Marriage record of John Woolly and Elizabeth Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
11 Marriage record of Joseph Stow and Elizabeth Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
12 Birth record of Susannah Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
13 WikiTree listing for Susannah (Baker) Spaulding
14 Marriage record of Samuel Spaulding and Susannah Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Birth record of Thomas Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
16 FamilySearch listing of Thomas Baker
17 Birth record of John Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
18 Death record of John Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
19 Birth record of Sarah Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
20 WikiTree listing for Sarah (Baker) Ball
21 Marriage record of Nathaniel Bell and Sarah Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
22 Birth record of Joseph Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
23 Death record of Joseph Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
24 Marriage of Joseph Baker and Alice Jefts, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
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