Ancestor Report (Continued)
Ancestor Report (Continued)
Eleventh Generation
1797. Elizabeth HILDRETH, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 1660. Richard HILDRETH & 3595. Elizabeth HINCHMAN. Born on 21 Sep 1646 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Died in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, 17 Jan 1717/8.
1798. Samuel SNOW, 8G Grandfather, son of 3596. Richard SNOW & 3597. Anis Avis BARRAT. Born on 28 May 1647 in Woburn, Massachusetts. Died in Woburn, Massachusetts, on 28 Nov 1717.
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/6059/homepage/gedpages/fam00908.htm and http://members.aol.com/sargen2/g0000087.htm#I4435
Data from Savage to be entered.
He married Sarah WILSON, 8G Grandmother.
They had one child:
899i.
Sarah, 7G Grandmother (1672-1737)
1799. Sarah WILSON, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 3598. John WILSON & 3599. Hannah JAMES. Born in 1648 in Woburn, Massachusetts. Died in Woburn, Massachusetts, on 15 Jun 1686.
http://members.aol.com/sargen2/g0000087.htm#I4435 and http://www.ourancestry.com/gedcom/d0004/g0000092.html#I64904 provide additional data.
Data from Savage to be entered.
1812. Sgt. John SHATTUCK475, 8G Grandfather, son of 3624. William SHATTUCK & 3625. Susanna HAYDEN? Born on 11 Feb 1647 in Watertown, Massachusetts. Died in Charlestown, Massachusetts, on 14 Sep 1675.
According to Shattuck’s Memorials476, “JOHN SHATTUCK, s. of William, (p. 61,) was b. in Watertown, Feb. 11, 1647; and, according to the records of that town, ‘was drowned as he was passing over Charlestown Ferry, the 14th Sept. 1675,’ ae. 28 y. 7 m. 3 d. He had lands granted to him in Groton in 1664, but it does not appear that he was an inhabitant of that town for any great length of time, if at all. He was a carpenter, and resided principally in the Middle District -- the present village of Watertown; where he was employed by the town, in 1669 and subsequently, to keep the town mill, then situated near the present bridge leading to Newton Corner.
“The year 1675 is well known in history as the commencement of the most disastrous war with the Indians that ever occurred in New England. It has been entitled ‘Philip’s’ war, from the name given to the notorious Metacom, the principal leader of the [p. 69] different tribes. It was undoubtedly the intention of King Philip to destroy all the white inhabitants; and at one time fears were entertained that he would carry his designs into execution. Many of the frontier towns were burned and deserted by the new settlers. Among other places early attacked were the remote settlements on the Connecticut River. As a means of protection a military company was organized under Capt. Richard Beers, a distinguished citizen of Watertown, of which young John Shattuck was appointed sergeant,* [original footnote: “* In the books of the Treasurer of the Colony, now in possession of the Genealogical Society, are several entries of payments for the services of John Shattuck as sergeant in this expedition.”] and proceeded to Hadley. Hearing that Squawkeague, now Northfield, had been attacked, they marched, on the 4th of September, 1675, to its relief; and while on their route a large force of Indians who lay concealed, suddenly rose and fell upon them with overpowering fury. Of thirty-six men of whom the company was composed, sixteen only escaped death. Capt. Richard Beers was killed. Sergeant Shattuck, one of the sixteen whose lives were preserved, was immediately despatched as a messenger to the Governor of the Colony to announce the result of the expedition. On the 14th of September, ten days after the battle, as he was crosing the ferry between Charlestown and Boston, he was drowned. Gookin, (Trans. Am. Antiquarian Society, Vol. II., p. 466,) describes this event as follows: --
“‘About this time a person named Shattuck, of Watertown, that was a sergeant under Capt. Beers, when the said Beers was slain near Squakeage, had escaped very narrowly but a few days before; and being newly returned home, this man being at Charlestown, in Mr. Long’s porch, at the sign of the Three Cranes, divers persons of quality being present, particularly Capt. Lawrence Hammond, the Captain of the town, and others, this Shattuck was heard to say to this effect: “I hear the Marlborough Indians, in Boston in prison, and upon trial for their lives, are likely to be cleared by the court; for my part,” said he, “I have been lately abroad in the country’s service, and have ventured my life for them, and escaped very narrowly; but if they clear these Indians, they shall hang me up by the neck before I ever serve them again.” Within a quarter of an hour after these words were spoken, this man was passing the ferry between Charlestown and Boston; the ferry boat being loaded with horses and the wind high, the boat sunk; and though there were several other men in the boat and several horses, yet all escaped with life, but this man only. I might mention several other things of remark here that happened to other persons, that were filled with displeasure and animosity against the poor Christian Indians, but shall forbear, lest any be offended.’
“[p. 70] It is proper to remark, in explanation of this narrative, that a painful suspicion was entertained at the time that some of the half christianized Indians in the settlements were privy to and partners in the conspiracy of Philip. Gookin did not share this suspicion, and he therefore opposed the war and those engaged in it. He had acted as counsel for the Indians then on trial; and he considered it criminal in any one to speak against them, notwithstanding some of them were convicted and were afterwards executed for murder. Whether Mr. Shattuck made the remarks, in ‘effect,’ as here given, or whether they were a mere heresay report, is uncertain; but Gookin seems to have considered his accidental drowning a special Providence, executed upon him as a punishment for his honest but fearless expression of opinions on subjects which he had just discussed with ‘divers persons of quality’! This judgement, however, if indeed it was one, did not occur alone; others happened to other persons for similar acts. Mr. Shattuck, as an honest, independent young man, having opinions of his own, and not afraid to express them on a proper occasion, would not be very likely to speak in the most mild and friendly terms of an enemy that had, only ten days before, betrayed and killed twenty out of thirty-six of his companions in arms; and he is to be commended for his conduct, and her his exhibition of a characteristic trait of the family.
“He m. June 20, 1664, in his eighteenth year, RUTH WHITNEY, b. in Watertown, April 15, 1645, dau. of John Whitney [a footnote on the descent of Ruth Whitney from John Whitney of England appears here]. On the 6th March, 1677, eighteen months after the death of Mr. Shattuck, she m. 2, Enock (or Enosh as often written) Lawrence, b. March 5, 1649, s. of John Lawrence; and in 1678, they removed to Groton, with several of his relatives, at the re-[p. 71]settlement of that town, taking with him the four young children by her first husband; and they probably occupied the land granted to Mr. Shattuck, in 1644. From this family the Shattucks of Groton and Pepperell originated. Mr. Lawrence d. in Groton, Sept. 28, 1744, ae. 95 y. 6 m. 23 d. The date of her death has not been determined.”
1813. Ruth WHITNEY477, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 3626. John WHITNEY & 3627. Ruth REYNOLDS. Born 15 2mo 1645 in Watertown, Massachusetts.
Lemuel Shattuck478 gives further details on the ancestors of Ruth (Whitney) Shattuck and on her children by her second husband Enock Lawrence.
1815. Elizabeth LONGLEY150, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 798. William LONGLEY & 799. Joanna GOFFE. Died in Lynn, Massachusetts, in Dec 1676.
Child:
914i.
Thomas, 7G Grandfather (->1721)
1832. John HARTWELL146, 8G Grandfather, son of 3664. William HARTWELL & 3665. Susan (Jazan) _____. Born on 23 Dec 1640 in Concord, Massachusetts. Died 12 Jan 1702/3.
According to the Hartwell Genealogy352, John Hartwell “served in King Philip’s War, reported by Capt. Thomas Wheeler as a member of his company which marched to the defence of Quaboag, now Brookfield. His estate was settled by agreement between his heirs, Middlesex record VI, 553. He was made a freeman of the colony Mar. 21, 1689-90. The exact place of his residence is unknown, as he owned several small tracts of land scattered over the town, vaguely described and bounded by similar tracts owned by other men. In the apportionment of the grant of lands in Concord Village, now Acton, he was allowed one right. On Apr. 19, 1697, he was one of a committee to run lines between Blood’s farms and the Chelmsford line, ‘from a stake at Hill’s ordinary with Chelmsford line to Walter Powers’ hill.’ In 1698 and 1702 he was a tythingman. In Jan. 23, 1699-1700 he deeded to John Fasset, late of Billerica, husband of his niece, Mary Hill, a ‘meadow and uplands, formerly belonging to William Hartwell, decd.’ in Shawshine corner, now a part of Bedford.” John Hartwell died of smallpox, 12 Jan 1702/3.
The parentage of John Hartwell’s two Wright wives, Priscilla and Elizabeth, is sometimes given as John and Priscilla (Byfield) Wright, and sometimes as Edward and Elizabeth (Mellows) Wright; sometimes Priscilla and Elizabeth are given different parents, sometimes the same. This requires further investigation.
1834. John SMEDLEY4, 8G Grandfather, son of 3668. John SMEDLEY. Born on 31 Oct 1646 in Concord, Massachusetts. Died in Concord, Massachusetts, on 6 Feb 1717. Buried in Concord, Massachusetts (Old Hill Burying Gound).
His rough gravestone in the Old Hill Burial Ground in Concord reads:
Her Lys The
Body of Joh[n
SMedly Died
[the remainder is below ground]
John Smedley’s house lot in Concord is now the site of the Elisha Jones House on the grounds of Minuteman National Park:
http://www.nps.gov/mima/parkmgmt/upload/Text.pdf
1835. Sarah WHEELER4, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 3670. Thomas WHEELER & 3671. Sarah MERRIAM. Born on 10 Jul 1649 in Concord, Massachusetts. Died in Concord, Massachusetts, in 1718.
1836. Stephen HOLDEN198, 8G Grandfather, son of 3672. Richard HOLDEN & 3673. Martha FOSDICK. Born say 1660.
According to Virginia (Woods) May11, Stephen Holden was the son of Richard Holden (an original proprietor of Groton) and Martha Fosdick. May assigns two wives to Stephen: Elizabeth _____, and Hannah Lawrence, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Morse) Lawrence. May contradicts herself in identifying which of these wives was the mother of John Holden (she identifies both Elizabeth and Hannah as his mother), but Green’s Epitaphs353 says Hannah was John Holden’s mother.
He married Hannah LAWRENCE197,479, 8G Grandmother by about 1685.
They had one child:
918i.
Lieut. John, 7G Grandfather (1684-1753)
1837. Hannah LAWRENCE197,479, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 3674. Nathaniel LAWRENCE & 3675. Hannah (Anna) TARBELL. Born on 26 Apr 1687 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died on 30 Jun 1707.
Bond identifies her husband as Samuel Holden, not Stephen Holden. Are they the same? This requires further investigation.
Her birthdate given here must be incorrect, maybe from my error; check against Bond.
1838. John DAVIS480,11, 8G Grandfather, son of 3676. Samuel DAVIS & 3677. Mary WATERS. Born 10 Mar 1664/5. was baptized on 10 Nov 1665. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, on 25 Oct 1704.
Pages in Ancestral File identify this Mehitable Shedd as daughter of Daniel Shed, Jr., son of the immigrant Daniel Shed. The Shed genealogy does not list her as a child of Daniel, Jr., and the records seems to be comprehensive, although there is a four year gap between Daniel, Jr.’s second and third children, Daniel and Abigail, into which Mehitable could fit if born about 1674. This requires further investigation. Torrey481 records this marriage as “DAVIS, John & Mehitable [?SHEDD]; b 1683; Groton” (with square brackets in the original), so it is possible that the surname Shedd for John Davis’ wife is not correct.
1840. Richard BLOOD150, 8G Grandfather, son of 3680. Richard BLOOD & 3681. _____? LAKIN. Born abt 1617. Will dated at died intestate. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, on 7 Dec 1683. Immigrated by 1642.
The origin of the several Massachusetts Blood immigrants has been very confused in the literature, and merits study by a professional genealogist. Richardson has proposed that James, Robert, John, and this Richard Blood may all have been brothers and sons of an earlier Richard Blood of Nottingham, England, who married into the Lakin family.108 Earlier authors (including Butler,325 Shattuck,61 and Green92) believed that the immigrant James Blood of Concord, Massachusetts, was father to Robert, John, and Richard, but this appears to be incorrect.
This Richard Blood “was one of the original petitioners for Groton, and its largest proprietor, having owned a sixty acre right. He resided [p. 369] near Hollinsworth’s paper-mills, where he d. intestate, Dec. 7, 1683. His estate was valued at £180.11. He was one of the selectmen many years, and was town clerk in 1668. No record of his family has been found; and as he died without a will, the names of all his children may not be known.”482 Green’s Epitaphs483 says that he “lived in the district called ‘Nod.’”
And Butler’s History of Groton484 reports the following about Richard Blood: “Of all the original proprietors, Richard Blood was the largest. He owned a sixty acre right. The next highest was a fifty acre right. Either by accident or for some cause now unknown, the lands of the Bloods are not recorded in the Indian Roll or in the book transcribed from it by John Morse, in 1683. They are for the first time described by the proprietors’ committee, in 1739, and afterwards recorded. Richard lived at the place called ‘Nod.’ He was son of James Blood of Concord [not correct; see above], and from him probably descent most of the Bloods in Groton and Pepperell. He died at Groton, 7d. 10mo., 1683, (not 1692, as stated by Farmer.) A large number of families are recorded. They resided in the north part of the town, and many of them were included in Pepperell and Dunstable, in the divisions of the town.”
There has also been considerable confusion in the literature about whether this Richard Blood had a daughter Elizabeth who married Thomas Tarbell on 1 Dec 1686; apparently he did not have such a daughter, and the marriage of Thomas Tarbell on 1 Dec 1686 was to Elizabeth Wood, not Elizabrth Blood. Shattuck’s Memorials361 has her married to Thomas Tarbell, and provides full details on their family. Butler’s History of Groton325 on p. 440 and Green’s Epitaphs92 on p. 256 also identify her as the wife of Thomas Tarbell. But Green on p. 28 identifies Thomas Tarbell’s wife as Elizabeth Woods, not Elizabeth Blood. Here I follow Skeate367 who writes in a footnote: “Middlesex Ct. of Sessions, V. 1, p. 302, contains a petition of Thomas Tarbell, stating he had supported his father-in-law, Samuel Woods, and asks that the other children help with his support. Several sources which say he M. Elizabeth Blood are wrong.” And yet the account of Elizabeth Blood’s family with Thomas Tarbell in Shattuck’s Memorials is seemingly comprehensive. The situation requires careful investigation.
See also the item from Shattuck’s Memorials485 under Elizabeth Blood’s putative mother, Isabel Wilkinson, in which Shattuck notes that Elizabeth may have been the granddaughter of Richard and Isabel (Wilkinson) Blood, rather than their daughter.
Groton VR486 also identfies Thomas Tarball and Elizabeth Wood as marrying 1 Dec 1686, supporting Skeate’s position. Butler may be the source of this error, which is repeated in Shattuck. Harris221 supports this position also, asserting “that the claim that Joseph Blood had a daughter Elizabeth who married Dec 1, 1686 Thomas Tarbell is erroneous. It was Elizabeth Woods, rather than Elizabeth Blood. (Mdlsx Court of Sessions Vol 1 p. 302: Dec 14, 1714. Petition of Thomas Tarbell of Groton stating that for two years he had supported his father-in-law, Samuel Woods, an aged man in a very helpless condition and asking that the other children help support him.)”
1841. Isabel WILKINSON?150, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 3682. Henry WILKINSON & 3683. Mary WATKINSON. Born on 23 Dec 1621.4 Immigrated ? .
According to Harris,487 Isabel _____ and Richard Blood were married prior to 25 Nov 1642 when she is mentioned in the will of Henry Wilkinson of Nottingham, England. “As a cousin (prob niece) of Henry Wilkinson her own name may or may not have been Wilkinson. No connection has been found to the widow Isabel Wilkerson of Cambridge as sometimes inferred. The date of her death is not known, [p. 165] however her son-in-law, Joseph Parker, in 1705 petitioned for permission to sell her lands.”
This petition was reproduced in an appendix to Shattuck’s Memorials:485 “The following document, containing some definite information concerning the family of Richard Blood, [which] was discovered just as this sheet was going to the press: --
“‘To his Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esq Govr In Chief over her Majesty’s province of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England & Honrbl Counsell & Representatives assembled in Genl Court ye 5th Sept. 1705.
“‘The Humble petition of Joseph Parker of Grotton is as followeth. May it please yor Honrs to take notice of ye suffering estate of Issable Blood widow & Relict of Richard Blood of sd Towne (who dyed intestate) and had three sons & one daughter who I married unto, two of which sons dyed & left small Children and the other, living being decriped and unable to manage his own affairs & sustaine his family, were not able to keep his sd mother: so yt I was, as it were, constrained to take the whole care of her, & the lands being situate out of town I could make little Improvement of them. Sd widow being about 99 yrs of age, & having lost her sight & unable to doe any thing towards a livelyhood I have kept now about 14 yrs: She always intending to make me Recompence out of her lands desired me to goe to ye Judge of probate yt she might be allowed to sell the land her husband dyed seized of for yt end: sd Judge informed yt her sail would not be called valled without an act of this Court allowing and empowering thereof: whereupon sd widow desired me in her behalf to petition yor Honrs for liberty to sell sd land for to satisfie for her keeping hitherto; and what further she may still need; as also for her funeral expenses; she having noe other way to discharge the same; or be kept from becoming a town charge.
“‘Your petitioner humbly prays that yor Excellency & Honrs would in your wisdom & prudence
pass such an act as yt sd widow may be enable to make me such Recompense as may be thought just & Right; by selling such part of ye land as shall answer the ends aforesd.
“‘Yor Excellency & Honrs
“‘Most Humble Servts
“‘Joseph Parker.’
“In answer to this petition the General Court passed the following Resolve, June 13, 1706: --
“‘Resolved, That the Justices of the Superior Court at the next session in the County of Middlesex summon all persons concerned to appear before them and examine into the matter of this petition, and report the same to this court at their next session.’
“We have discovered no account of the final action of the court in this matter. [But see below for further from Harris.] The names of the three sons given, (p. 369,) were obtained from the records of the Superior Court in Middlesex, (vol. iv., p. 97,) and are the same as here stated. Joseph was probably the oldest son, and had either been murdered like his brother James, or died early from some other cause. Nathaniel, also, appears to have been wounded and disabled. Their sister Hannah m. Jospeh Parker, Jr., (p. 376,) and if she was the only daughter as here intimated, Elizabeth, who m. Thomas Tarbell, (p. 369,) was not a daughter of Richard, but a granddaughter, and probably the daughter of Joseph. This family seemed to have suffered very severely in their persons and property from the Indian depredations.”
Harris did discover the successful outcome of this petition: “In 1706 ‘In answer to the within petition. Resolved that all the lands which Richard Blood, late of Groton decd died seized of lying in the sd town be given and granted to Joseph Parker, the petitioner... in consideration of the charge that sd Parker has been at in the maintenance of the within mentioned Isabel Blood for fourteen years last past. Provided that the Sd Parker give her also a neet and comfortable maintenance during her natural life and a decent funeral at her decease. Sent up for Concurance ****** July 12, 1706 In the House of Representatives. Read & Passed.’”488
Website http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/jennin/igmget.cgi/n=Jennings?I1313 says Isabel Wilkinson was born 6 Jan 1619 at Kildwick on Craven, England, and died 17 Jul 1706 at Groton. Other websites give a variety of birth and death dates. These recent sources need to be verified.
Savage identifies Samuel Kemp as a “kinsman” of the immigrant Edward Kempe of Dedham, but their exact relationship is not known.489
1843. Sarah FOSTER490, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 3686. Andrew FOSTER & 3687. Ann _____. Born on 23 May 1642 in Andover, Massachusetts.
Birthdate from website http://www.sisna.com/users/ryoung/perry/wga11.html#I1358 which gives information on ancestry, but recognizes that there seems to be a generation missing in the line.
1852. Thomas WILLIAMS357,358, 8G Grandfather. Born abt 1645. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, on 5 Aug 1704.
An original proprietor of Groton, Massachusetts. According to Skeate, Thomas Williams and Mary Holden had six children, born at Groton and Woburn. Butler names on four, listed here, all born at Groton. The birthdates here are given from Butler, and the dates in Skeate seem to be a bit confused, the older and younger Thomases being mixed together.
The Holden genealogy492 reports: “Thomas Williams in 1686 was in possession of the Graves farm in Woburn, probably as a lessee, when Dr. Thomas Graves sold his farm of 360 acres to Nathaniel Richardson. [original footnote: “Middlesex Deeds, 10:524.”] This farm was composed of five lots, four of which were purchased by the elder Thomas Graves of Waterfield Proprietors, and adjoined his own grant in West Rockfield, extending from the Charlestown (Stoneham) line on the east beyond the [p. 49] Aberjona River, and included grants to the wife of John Harvard, Abraham Palmer, James Matthews and John Stratton. On the southeast it was bounded by the 40-acre lot of Stephen Fosdick upon which John Holden lived for a time.”
1853. Mary HOLDEN198, 8G Grandmother, daughter of 3672. Richard HOLDEN & 3673. Martha FOSDICK. Born say 1648. Died in Woburn, Massachusetts, on 4 Aug 1705.
With respect to Mary Holden, the Holden Genealogy493 reports: “according to Wyman she died at Woburn, being of Groton (Woburn records are silent). Administration on her estate was granted 10 Aug., 1722, to John Williams, her second son, the eldest son being deceased.”
