Ancestor Report
Ancestor Report
Eighth Generation
192. Samuel FITCH12, 5G Grandfather, son of 384. Samuel FITCH & 385. Sarah LANE. Born 4 Mar 1673/4. Died on 4 Apr 1742.
Stearns12 reports the following details of Samuel Fitch’s life: “In addition to the estate of his father, he received from his maternal grandfather, Job Lane, one-fourth of the Winthrop farm, upon which he settled at the time of his marriage. (See Hazen’s Billerica, and Brown’s Bedford.) This farm was in Billerica, and in the incorporation of Bedford, 1729, it was included in the new town. His children were born in Billerica, but those who remained upon the paternal acres were residents of Bedford. He was a soldier in the Indian War, 1706; and many of his sons and grandsons were soldiers in the French and Indian War or in the Revolution. He was town clerk and selectman, and through life an intelligent and useful citizen.”
193. Elizabeth WALKER12, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 386. Joseph WALKER & 387. Sarah WYMAN. Born 13 Feb 1677/8. Died on 26 Nov 1716.
194. William GRIMES12,59, 5G Grandfather, son of 388. George GRIMES & 389. Elizabeth BLANCHARD. Born on 11 Nov 1677 in Billerica, Massachusetts. Died on 1 Jun 1719.
195. Mary SIMONDS107,4, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 390. Joseph SIMONDS & 391. Mary TIDD. Born on 15 Dec 1684 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Died bef 12 Mar 1759.
196. William LAKIN108, 5G Grandfather, son of 392. Lieut. William LAKIN & 393. Lydia BROWN. Born on 6 May 1655 in Reading, Massachusetts. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, on 18 Mar 1735.
According to Manning109 this William Lakin is often confused with his first cousin William, the son of Ensign John Lakin (d. 21 Mar 1697). Shattuck’s Memorials110 makes this mistake. Manning provides the following documentation to clarify the matter: “5. WILLIAM4 LAKIN (William3, William2, William1) was born 6 May 1655. For two generations he has been widely called the son of John3, not of William3; hence the evidence will be given in detail. First, William and John, brothers, each had a son William, one of whom died in 1672, ‘aged about nine years,’ while the other, the subject of this sketch, lived to old age. Secondly, in deed vol. 18, p. 279, in 1697, John called his son Joseph his ‘eldest’ son, proving that his child William was then deceased, but the subject of this sketch lived until 1735. Thirdly, in the settlement of the estate of William, in 1718, his ‘eldest’ son is given as William. Fourthly, in 1688 William Lakin and William Lakin, Jr., signed a note which was the cause of a lawsuit in 1711[original footnote: “Inferior Court, Green v. Lakin.”], at which time the older signer was dead. A clause in the note is: ‘And William Lakin, Jr., do bind myself with my father’ to pay the debt, and then follow the signatures of both men. Fifthly, in 1723 ‘William Lakin, Sr.,’ the subject of this sketch, sells land by deed vol. 32, p. 501, ‘being part of the 20 acre right which belonged to his father, William Lakin, deceased,’ and in deed vol. 34, p. 25, he calls Abraham and Jonathan Lakin his ‘brothers.’ He always lived in Groton. As early as 1730 he was blind.[original footnote: “Court of Sessions.”] He married at Chelmsford, 4 Jan. 1685, ELIZABETH ROBERTSON (also spelled Robyson and Robinson), daughter of James and Elizabeth (Farnsworth), born at Groton 3 Oct. 1668. She was living 1 May 1753.[original footnote: “Inferior Court for 1753, Lakin v. Lakin.”] William died 18 Mar. 1735. In his later years he conveyed various lots of his extensive land holdings to certain of his children, the homestead being deeded to Thomas 12 Apr. 1733. On the same day, the latter gave a bond [original footnote: “Ibid. for 1752, Lakin v. Lakin.”] to maintain his parents while they survived, and himself to live in the same house.” Manning continues with an account of William and Elizabeth (Robertson) Lakin’s children.
197. Elizabeth ROBERTSON32, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 394. James ROBERTSON & 395. Elizabeth FARNSWORTH. Born on 3 Oct 1668 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died aft 1 May 1753.
Elizabeth Robertson’s surname is also spelled Robyson and Robinson.
198. Nathaniel PARKER61,111, 5G Grandfather, son of 396. Joseph PARKER & 397. Elizabeth _____. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, on 6 Jul 1716.
According to Shattuck’s Memorials112: “(5.) NATHANIEL PARKER, s. of Joseph, (4) d. in Groton, July 6, 1716. He owned a large real estate in the vicinity of Babatasset Falls, appraised at £305, which was divided among the heirs in 1731. His brother Benjamin was administrator and guardian of his children, (Probate Records.) His widow LYDIA _____, m. 2, Feb. 10, 1718, Capt. Josiah Sawtell of Lancaster.” A list of the six children of Nathaniel and Lydia follows.
199. Lydia NUTTING113,61, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 398. James NUTTING & 399. Lydia LONGLEY. Born on 3 Jun 1686 in Groton, Massachusetts.
200. Eleazer DAVIS65, 5G Grandfather, son of 400. Samuel DAVIS & 401. Mary MEDDOWES. Born on 26 Jul 1680. Of Bedford, Massachusetts. Died on 10 Aug 1721.
201. Eunice POTTER114,64, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 402. Judah POTTER & 403. Grace BROOKS. Born on 10 Dec 1688 in Concord, Massachusetts. Died in Bedford, Massachusetts, on 17 Jul 1760. Buried in Bedford, Massachusetts.
Bond’s Watertown115 gives Eunice Potter’s birth date as 18 Dec 1688.
202. Joseph SMITH4, 5G Grandfather, son of 404. Thomas SMITH & 405. Mary HOSMER. Born on 19 Apr 1677 in Lexington, Massachusetts.
203. Mary RICHARDS4, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 406. William RICHARDS & 407. Mary _____. Born on 15 May 1680 in Lexington, Massachusetts. Died in Lexington, Massachusetts, on 16 May 1765.
204. Ephraim SAWTELL113,66, 5G Grandfather, son of 408. Obadiah SAWTELL & 409. Hannah LAWRENCE. Born abt 1685 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died on 8 Oct 1768. Buried in Groton, Massachusetts.116
According to Kellogg and Threlfall117, “9. EPHRAIM3 SAWTELL (Obadiah2, Richard1) was born about 1685; died 8 Oct 1768 in his 83rd year, per gravestone at Groton (V.R.). By deed of 8 Jan. 1711/12, Obadiah Satle gave land to ‘my dear and well beloved son Ephraim Satle, weaver,’ thus providing proof of Ephraim’s parentage. Wife Hanna concurred in the conveyance (Middlesex County Deeds, 17: 214). On 10 April 1713 at Concord (V.R.), Ephraim married ABIGAIL FARNSWORTH, daughter of John. She was born 17 Oct. 1687 at Groton, and died there 4 Dec. 1753 (V.R.). He married, secondly, 15 March 1755 at Groton (V.R.), HANNAH (FARWELL) GILSON, widow of Eleazer and daughter of Joseph. She died testate on 15 March 1762, ae. 60-10-9, per gravestone (ibid.). He married, thirdly, 30 Sept. 1762, MRS. HANNAH PARKER (Middlesex County Probate, Nos. 19957, 19959). In his will, Ephraim mentions daughters Eunis Farnsworth, Sarah Farwell (deceased), Hannah Lawrence, sons Uriah, Amos and John. Ephraim was called captain and was an early settler at Townsend, Mass., organized in 1732. He was moderator at several meetings of the proprietors. His house and land were on the north side of Harbor Pond, and he is described as ‘strictly puritanical in his views and acts.’ (Ithamar B. Sawtelle, History of the Town of Townsend, 1878, p. 61).”
Skeate gives Ephraim’s place of death as Townsend; Kellogg and Threlfall do not specify place of death, but give place of burial as Groton.
Full data on Ephraim’s children still to be entered from Kellogg & Threlfall part II.
205. Abigail FARNSWORTH113,66, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 410. John FARNSWORTH & 411. Hannah ALDIS. Born on 17 Oct 1687 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died on 4 Dec 1753. Buried in Groton, Massachusetts.118
206. Jonas FLETCHER119,120, 5G Grandfather, son of 412. Joshua FLETCHER & 413. Sarah WILEY. Born on 25 Dec 1694 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Died in Dec 1777. Buried in Groton, Massachusetts (Old Burying Ground).121
Skeate identifies the wife of Jonas Fletcher as Ruth Fletcher. The marriage date she gives for the couple (28 May 1751) cannot be correct if Elizabeth is their child. Email correspondents identify only one Jonas, who was the son of Joshua, and who m Elizabeth and had dau Elizabeth b 21 Oct 1723 at Chelmsford (although this is a bit off for the estimated birthdate of daughter Elizabeth); they have nothing on a Ruth. I am inclined to believe that Skeate is in error with respect to Ruth; I am following Jonas as the son of Joshua. More work is needed here.
http://vastpublicindifference.blogspot.com/2010/07...-jonas-fletcher.html
207. Elizabeth ROBBINS4, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 414. John ROBBINS & 415. Dorothy HILDRETH. Born on 29 Aug 1700.
210. Nathan RUGG4, 5G Grandfather, son of 420. Daniel RUGG & 421. Elizabeth PRIEST. Born on 14 Dec 1718 in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Died in Lancaster, Massachusetts, on 15 Sep 1786.68
A full listing of their several children could be assembled from Nourse.122
211. Zerviah FROST4, 5G Grandmother, daughter of 422. John FROST & 423. Ruth SCRIPTURE. Born on 20 Mar 1719 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died in Lancaster, Massachusetts, on 8 Apr 1807.
212. Robert/Robard HENRY42, 5G Grandfather. Born in Ireland/Scotland. Died in Leicester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, in 1748.42 Immigrated bef 1728.
“The Henry family of Worcester county is descended from several Scotch emigrants who came with the early Scotch-Irish immigrants to Middlesex and Worcester counties. We find Robert Henry in Leicester as early as 1728, when he bought a farm there; he married (intentions, March 7, 1730–31) Charity Tomson and they had: 1. Robert married (intentions January 12, 1765) Susannah Young, born in Worcester, October 9, 1741, daughter of William and Mary Young, and sister of Robert Young, who owned the farm at Leicester on which they lived; Washburn says that Robert Henry, Jr., removed to Charlestown, New Hampshire; he was living in Leicester in 1782; he had seven children. 2. Captain William, born 1735, died December 27, 1813, at Barre, aged seventy-eight years; married, April 17, 1760, Margaret Wilson. 3. Adam, married, July 3, 1766, Mary Willson, of Barre.” (Vol. 4, p 171 in: Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County (Ellery Bicknell Crane, ed.), New York: Lewis Publishing Company, 1907.)
“ROBERT1 HENRY was perhaps one of the signers of the Shute petition and came with the Scotch-Irish colonists in 1718. Some of them settled in Leicester, where the first record of Robert is found. He bought land there, in 1728, adjoining Daniel Denny. Intention of marriage to Charity Ash Thomson was published Mar. 7, 1730/1, but the marriage was recorded in Sudbury, Apr. 24, 1731.... In one branch of the family a tradition is recorded that Robert was born in Scotland and came to America after a short sojourn in Ireland; that he intended to settle in Virginia, where he had brothers living, but by some misunderstanding, was landed in Massachusetts, and settled in Leicester. He died in Leicester, in 1748, and Charity died in Rutland in 1809. Their children were all born in Leicester.”124
213. Charity Ash THOMSON42, 5G Grandmother. Born in Ireland. Died in Rutland, Massachusetts, in 1809.42 Immigrated bef 1731.
“She had come from Londonderry, Ireland, passage pre-paid, to marry Robert Henry, but the captain of the ship wrongfully claimed that her passage money had not been paid, and put her out to service. In some manner Robert learned of it, rescued his promised bride, and had the captain duly punished.”124
"It is said that Robert Henry, the grandfather of Mr. D. [William Duncan], sent to Londonderry, in Ireland, by one Capt. Ramsey, for Miss Charity Ash Thompson, who was his destined bride. The captain, on arriving at Boston, although he had received his passage money, sold the young woman to service, pretending he had received no pay. After a time, the news reached the ears of Mr. Henry, the expected wife was found, and the perfidious commander did not escape punishment." (Eaton, Francis Brown. 1852. History of Candia [New Hampshire]: Once Known as Charmingfare. Manchester, N.H.: Press of the Granite Farmer. Pg. 66.)
214. William YOUNG126,41, 5G Grandfather, son of 428. David YOUNG & 429. Martha BOYD. Born in 1714 in Taughboyne, Donegal, Ireland. Died in Worcester, Massachusetts, on 7 Jul 1795.127 Immigrated on 4 Aug 1718 to Boston.
“William Young, (1714-1795), was president of the Committee of Correspondence of Worcester county, 1774, and, 1776, he was elected magistrate with power to restore order and maintain law. He was born in Ireland and died in Worcester.” (DAR Lineage Book #17970, ancestry of Helen Eliza Nye Rupp, including her descent from William Young)
This is William Young the noted gravestone carver: “the Thistle-Carver of Tatnuck.” See Forbes for an extensive discussion of his life and work.128 More than 200 Worcester County gravestones carved by William Young are included in the Farber Collection: http://www.davidrumsey.com/farber/
If the immigration date of 4 Aug 1718 is correct, he arrived on either the Robert or the William from Coleraine on the north coast of Ireland. Both ships were carrying immigrants primarily from the Bann River region. For background on the Scots-Irish Presbyterian immigration of 1718 see http://www.1718migration.org.uk
