Ancestor Report
Ancestor Report
Ninth Generation
384. Samuel FITCH12, 6G Grandfather, son of 768. Dea. Zachary FITCH & 769. Mary _____. Born 6 Mar 1644/5. Died in 1684.
Samuel Fitch “was a farmer in Reading. A facsimile of his signature is found in the REGISTER, Vol. ii., page 234.”12 According to Eaton’s Reading,166 in 1666 the town of Reading ordered “‘that the “Great Swamp,” and all other Swamps that are wett and fitt to make meadow, shall be (divided) quantity and quality considered, to every man, according to each man’s proportion.’ Names of the inhabitants that drew land in the ‘Division of the Great Swamp,’ with their minister rates in the preceeding year” included Samuel Fitch. Further,167 in 1677 the town of Reading “ordered and agreed ‘that all the privileges of land, timber, and commons shall belong unto the present houses, now erected, and to no other, that shall be erected hereafter.’ There was at this time, already erected, fifty-nine houses” one of which was owned by Samuel Fitch.
Eaton also reports168 that “It appears that the towne of Reading purchased of the Indians the territory of Reading some years prior to this date [1689], for the sum of about ten pounds; but it had not been paid for. This year an assessment was laid to pay the money; and...a ‘coppie of A Rate made to be payd in money, to be payd to the Indians for the purches of the town’s land’” included Samuel Fitch, assessed at 10d. In 1692, according to Eaton169, “there was another general Division of lands, on the Easterly and Westerly sides of the town. The list of the names of the Drawers..., with their respective minister taxes, for the purpose of showing who were residents of the town at this date, and their relative pecuniary reputation,” included Samuel Fitch, assessed at 16s. 7d.
Only one of Samual Fitch’s children, his first child Samuel, survived beyond infancy, and this son was orphaned when he was about 10. “In his will [Samuel Fitch] commits his only surviving child, Samuel, to the care of Robert Avery, who married a sister of his first wife.”12
385. Sarah LANE12, 6G Grandmother, daughter of 770. Job LANE & 771. Sarah BOYER. Died on 2 Oct 1679.
Eaton’s Reading170 gives her name as “Sarah Low.”
386. Joseph WALKER171, 6G Grandfather, son of 772. Samuel WALKER & 773. _____ _____. Born on 10 Oct 1645 in Reading, Massachusetts. Died in Billerica, Massachusetts, in Jul 1729.
Notes taken by RJO in Amherst from J.B.R. Walker (1861: 404) identify the children of Joseph and Sarah (Wyman) Walker as: Joseph b1670, Joseph b1673, Sarah b1675, Elizabeth b1677/8 (m. Samuel Fitch), and Hannah b1679. This differs almost completely from the children included here from the Wyman website, and requires further investigation.
387. Sarah WYMAN172,171, 6G Grandmother, daughter of 774. Lieut. John WYMAN & 775. Sarah Ruth NUTT. Born on 15 Apr 1650 in Woburn, Massachusetts. Died in Billerica, Massachusetts, 26 Jan 1728/9.
388. George GRIMES173,174, 6G Grandfather. Born abt 1640. Died in Lexington, Massachusetts, on 28 Jul 1716.175 Of Lexington, Massachusetts. Of Billerica, Massachusetts. Of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Immigrated in 1673 from Nevis.
Wyman’s Charlestown176 provides the following information (with square brackets in the original): “GRIMES George 1. Billerica &c.; ae. 35, 1684; m. Elizabeth Blanchard [2] 15 (2) 1675, who was living 1710. Arrived from Nevis, a. 16 mo. prior to Aug. 26, 1674; living at Goodman Tufts, Mystic side. Had money from his sister living at Mr. Howard’s in Chas. -- counterfeit money passed by Joseph Blanchard (per Court record). Issue. -- William, and perhaps Ruth, who m. James Tufts.”
“He served in King Philip’s War, in Capt. Samuel Moseley’s company in 1675, and is also credited with service under the same captain, 29 Feb. 1675-76.”177
Some sources identify two William Grimes as sons of George and Elizabeth Grimes. The second William, b. 28 Jun 1679, seems to be a copying error for Elizabeth, born on that date; it is cited in the Billerica VR as an “M.C.” record, meaning it is found only in the derivative Middlesex County transcript, and not in the original town records.62
There is some question as to whether this Elizabeth is the daughter of George Blanchard (as Wyman reports), or whether she was the daughter of a John Blanchard. This requires further investigation. (See Hills Family Genealogical & Historican Association, 12th Annual Report, Boston, 1906, p. 9.)
390. Joseph SIMONDS4, 6G Grandfather, son of 780. William SIMONDS & 781. Judith PHIPPEN. Born on 18 Oct 1652 in Woburn, Massachusetts. Died in Lexington, Massachusetts, on 12 Aug 1733.
More data from http://sml.simplenet.com/smlawson/simonds.htm to be entered.
391. Mary TIDD4, 6G Grandmother, daughter of 782. John TODD (TIDD, TEAD) & 783. Rebecca WOOD. Born on 13 Nov 1656 in Woburn, Massachusetts. Died in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on 4 Jan 1732.
392. Lieut. William LAKIN108, 6G Grandfather, son of 784. William LAKIN & 785. Mary _____. Born abt 10 Jun 1623 in England. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, 22 Feb 1700/1. Immigrated abt 1644.
Lieut. William Lakin and his brother Ens. John Lakin, both original proprietors of Groton, Massachusetts, emigrated to New England with their mother Mary and stepfather William Martin about 1644. Richardson in 1995108 published a comprehensive study of their English origins which supersedes all earlier work on that subject, much of which was confused, and Manning in 190932 reported on William and John’s descendants.
According to Richardson, this William Lakin “was born in England about 10 June 1623. He died at Groton, Massachusetts, on 22 February 1700/1 (VR, 2: 238). By the terms of his father’s will, he was to receive his inheritance at the age of 23. He apparently reached this age on or about 10 June 1646, at which time he gave a receipt for £20 to his stepfather, William Martin, this being payment for a legacy owed to him from his late father, William Lakin Sr., estate. A 1623 birth date for William is supported by a deposition given by him in 1694, at which time he was reportedly 70 years old (or born about 1624) (NEHGR 63 [1909]: 319).”179
According to Butler’s History of Groton180 the brothers Lieut. William and Ens. John Lakin “each had a twenty acre right, as original proprietors of Groton. William’s house lot was on both sides of the road leading to Hawtree-meadow, (probably Chicopee row, or somewhere in that direction,) and John’s was at Nod. John also had ninety acres at the ‘sledges,’ [Butler’s footnote: “This word seems to signify strips of meadow, or parcels of low lands, abounding in iron ore.”] afterwards the homestead of David Green. From these two militia officers, it is believed, sprung all the families of Lakins in this and the neighboring towns.”
393. Lydia BROWN181, 6G Grandmother, daughter of 786. Abraham BROWNE & 787. Lydia _____. Born 22 Mar 1631/2 in Watertown, Massachusetts. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, bet 1694-1707.
James Robertson was an original proprietor of Groton, Massachusetts.
“Mr. Whitney and Mr. Robertson ... were among the earliest settlers of the town; living here before its destruction by the Indians in the year 1676.”184
Website http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/1662/shattuck/g0000423.html#I4419 (under the spelling James Robinson) gives his dates as abt 1632 - 8 Dec 1720 (d. Groton).
395. Elizabeth FARNSWORTH32,92, 6G Grandmother, daughter of 790. Matthias FARNSWORTH & 791. _____ _____. Born abt 1647. Died on 22 Dec 1729.
396. Joseph PARKER61,92, 6G Grandfather, son of 792. Capt. Joseph PARKER & 793. Margaret PUTTOW. Born on 30 Mar 1653 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Died abt 1725.
According to Shattuck’s Memorials112: “(4.) JOSEPH PARKER, probably the only surviving s. of Joseph, b. March 30, 1653, (stated above,) was first an inhabitant of Dunstable, where he succeeded his father as constable in 1683, but was subsequently considered as of Groton, where he d. about 1725, leaving a large estate. He m. 1, ELIZABETH _____. He m. 2, Nov. 19, 1684, HANNAH BLOOD. The names of 3 of his children by his first, and 4 by his second wife (who survived him and administered on his estate,) have been ascertained” and are listed by Shattuck. Green’s Epitaphs185 reports substantially the same information.
But on what basis does Shattuck identify Hannah as Hannah Blood? Who were her parents? Butler lists her only as Hannah _____ (and provides a somewhat different listing of Joseph Parker’s children from Shattuck). Some data to be entered from Torrey, who has no clearer information on Joseph Parker’s wives.
398. James NUTTING186, 6G Grandfather, son of 796. John NUTTING & 797. Sarah EGGLESTON. Born on 30 Jun 1653 in Woburn, Massachusetts. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, in 1732.
The Nutting Genealogy187 reports that James Nutting was born at “Woburn, 1653. At Chelmsford and Groton with his parents until the attack. At Concord during the dispersion, but returned to Groton, and later removed to his lands west of the River, in what became Pepperell. m (at Groton, or perhaps recorded during the dispersion) Lydia _____.”
400. Samuel DAVIS65, 6G Grandfather, son of 800. Dolor DAVIS & 801. Margery WILLARD. Born abt 1640. Died aft 1714. Buried in Concord, Massachusetts. 21 Mar 1689/90. Of Concord, Massachusetts. Occupation: husbandman, yeoman.
Horace Davis writing in 1881190 reports that Samuel Davis “settled in that part of Concord which afterward became Bedford, and his homestead is owned by his descendants to-day. He is my lineal ancestor, and I visited his farm on the back road from Concord to Bedford, about three miles from Concord, on the edge of the river meadow. A well is there which he is said to have dug. Mr. Benjamin J. Davis, the owner of the property, kindly loaned me some ancient deeds, dating from 1694 to 1712, and containing signatures of Samuel Davis and some of his family. From these I learned that he was still living March 15, 1714, and had already settled upon his sons most of his land during his own lifetime. His name sometimes appears on the Concord records, but he took little part in public affairs. In his deeds he styles himself husbandman and yeoman. The date of his death and place of burial are unknown.”
There is confusion in the literature over which of Samuel Davis’ daughters, Mercy or Mary, married John Stearns on 26 Apr 1699. Here I follow Horace Davis, who says daughter Mercy died as an infant, and Mary married John Stearns.191 Other sources192 say John Stearns married a Mercy Davis, but give the same birthdate for Mercy as is given here for Mary.
401. Mary MEDDOWES65, 6G Grandmother, daughter of 802. Philip MEADOWS & 803. Elizabeth IGGLEDEN. Died in Concord, Massachusetts, on 3 Oct 1710.
Some sources193 give her surname as Meads.
402. Judah POTTER171,194, 6G Grandfather, son of 804. Luke POTTER & 805. Mary EDMUNDS. Born abt 1657 in Concord, Massachusetts. Died in Concord, Massachusetts, on 20 Jun 1731.
According to Threlfall’s GMC26195, Judah Potter “burned to death in his house 20 June 1731.”
Threlfall’s GMC26195 gives the marriage date of Judah Potter and Grace Brooks as 2 Dec 1686; Bond’s Watertown115 gives 6 Dec 1686.
403. Grace BROOKS196,197, 6G Grandmother, daughter of 806. Joshua BROOKS & 807. Hannah MASON. Born 10 Mar 1660/1 in Concord, Massachusetts. Died in Concord, Massachusetts, on 20 Apr 1753. Buried in Concord, Massachusetts.
404. Thomas SMITH4, 6G Grandfather, son of 808. Thomas SMITH & 809. Mary KNOPP. Born on 26 Aug 1640 in Watertown, Massachusetts. Died in Lexington, Massachusetts, on 25 Dec 1727.
