Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 18

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 924

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 18

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Cambridge which he sold March 19, 1671, and removed to Marlborough. His name is spelled "Farrabus" in the deed. He could not write and probably could not spell better than many of his neighbors. The early records give a multitude of variations in the spelling of the name, which in later generations has been spelled generally Forbush or Forbes.

Daniel Forbush settled in Marlborough not far from 1681. His wife died May 3, 1677, and he married ( second) May 23, 1679, Deb- orah Rediat, of Concord, daughter of John and Ann Rediat, of Sudbury. He died Octo- ber, 1687, at Marlborough, and his widow mar- ried (second) May 22, 1688, Alexander Stewart. Children of first wife, born at Cam- bridge: I. Daniel, March 20, 1664, married Dorothy Pray. 2. Thomas, March 6, 1667, mentioned below. 3. Elizabeth, March 16, 1669. 4. Rebecca, Concord, February 15, 1672, married Joseph Byles ; died January 28, 1768. 5. Samuel, 1674. Children of second wife: 6. John, 1681, married Martha Bowker. 7. Isaac, October 30, 1682. 8. Jonathan, March 12, 1684, married Hannah Holloway; died March 24, 1768.

(II) Deacon Thomas, son of Daniel For- bush, was born in Cambridge, March 6, 1667, died in May, 1738. He removed to Marl- borough and resided probably in that part of the town which was later set off as West- borough. He was one of the founders of the Westborough church, chosen deacon October 28, 1724, and signed the covenant next after Ebenezer Parkman, the minister. His wife was dismissed from the Marlborough to the Westborough church, July 25, 1725. His will was dated July 17, 1733, and allowed May II, 1738. He was elected one of the first selectman of Westborough in 1718, was moderator of the town meeting ; in 1721 was town treasurer ; in 1729 was one of the trustees to receive paper money for the colony and to loan it to the citizens. He married Dorcas Rice, born January 29, 1664, died March 24, 1753, daugh- ter of Edward and Anna Rice, and grand- daughter of Edmund Rice, the immigrant. Children : 1. Aaron, born April 3, 1693, mar- ried Susanna Morse. 2. Thomas, October 14, 1695, mentioned below. 3. Tabitha, April 6, 1699, married, February 2, 1727, Samuel Hardy. 4. Rebecca, February 25, 1701, mar- ried, January 29, 1720, Simeon Howard. 5. Eunice, February 13, 1705, married, August 22, 1727, Cornelius Cook.

(III) Deacon Thomas (2), son of Deacon Thomas (I) Forbush, was born in Marl-

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borough, October 14, 1695, and resided in Westborough. He died intestate before 1783, when the heirs agreed to a division of the estate. He was a leading man of the town, selectman many years, and town clerk several years. He was admitted to the church De- cember II, 1726, and his wife December 21, 1727. He married, January 6, 1719, Hannah Bellows. Children: 1. Samuel, born October 30, 1719, married Margaret 2. David, June 20, 1720, died young. 3. David, October 20, 1721, mentioned below. 4. James. 5. Hannah, August 4, 1723, married, June 19, 1746, Jonas Warren. 6. Thomas, April 23, 1725, died December 5, 1726. 7. Dorcas, Feb- ruary 28, 1727, married, December 18, 1749, Oliver Whitney. 8. Thomas, March 27, 1729, died February 22, 1731. 9. Ebenezer, April 27, 1731, married Lucy Bowker. 10. Hepzibah, June 5, 1733, died July 15, 1734. II. Eliza- beth, June 4, 1735, died August 1, 1736. 12. John, May 2, 1737, died November 24, 1743. 13. Abigail, July 27, 1739, died October 2, 1740.

(IV) David, son of Deacon Thomas (2) Forbush, was born October 20, 1721, died in September, 1787. He was brought up on his father's farm in Westborough, and soon after his marriage settled in Grafton where he bought the Ebenezer Flagg house on George Hill. In 1784 he erected a new house. During the revolution he was a member of the com- mittee of safety. He was in the train band in 1757, and April 19, 1775, was in Captain Aaron Kimball's company, Colonel Artemas Ward's regiment, which marched to Lexington on the alarm. His will was proved March 4, 1788. He married in Westborough, May 4, 1749, Anna Whitney, baptized March 29, 1730, died January 4, 1785, daughter of Nathaniel and Mary Whitney, and sister of Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton-gin. Children : I. Annah, born July 7, 1750, married, October 28, 1779, John Warren. 2. John, Upton, Decem- ber 20, 1751, died September 7, 1757. 3. David, April 18, 1754, married Deliverance Goodell. 4. Jacob, February 20, 1756, died March 3, 1756. 5. Abigail, May 2, 1757, married Leon- ard Brigham. 6. Lois, September 27, 1759, married Wright. 7. Jonathan, Febru- ary 22, 1762, married Betsey Hayden. 8. Jemima, May 21, 1764, married, May 5, 1791, Sylvanus Morse. 9. Silas, May 19, 1766, men- tioned below. 10. Joel, July 29, 1768, died September 20, 1776. 11. Ruth, November 15, 1770, died young. 12. Beulah, married, April 25, 1799, Silas Hardy. 13. Mary, born Sep- tember 2, 1776, married Daniel Leland.

(V) Silas, son of David Forbush, was born in Upton, May 19, 1766, died July 5, 1840. He resided on George Hill, Grafton. In 1804- 05 he was a member of Captain Joseph Merri- man's company of foot of the second regi- ment. He married, May 14, 1788, Rhoda Fisk, born 1767, died September 26, 1825, daughter of William and Jemima ( Adams) Fisk. Chil- dren: I. Prudence, born October 26, 1789, died unmarried April 13, 1865. 2. Joel, Octo- ber 29, 1791, married Ruth Eames. 3. Rhoda, October 20, 1793, married, May 31, 1819, Jud- son Southland. 4. Silas, November 17, 1795, married Clarissa Eames. 5. Nancy, Novem- ber 15, 1798, married, February 3, 1824, Nathaniel Smith. 6. Jonathan, March 10, 1802, mentioned below. 7. Calvin W., Sep- tember 8, 1805, married Elizabeth Fisk. 8. Mary Ann, July 8, 1810, married, September 21, 1832, Leland Bacheller.

(VI) Jonathan, son of Silas Forbush, was born in Grafton, March 10, 1802, died July II, 1882. He was brought up on the farm and attended the district school. Before the age of twenty he went south and was for some years engaged in business at Charleston, South Carolina. In 1828 he was engaged in the shoe and leather trade in Boston at 12 North Market street. He remained in Boston in this business for more than twenty years, being located in turn at I Vernon street, 2 Blackstone street, and residing at 23 Bowdoin street. He was one of the original directors and managers of the Shoe and Leather Dealers' Bank which was formed in 1836. He was an active mem- ber of the Bowdoin Street Congregational Church. In 1848 he purchased a large estate at Bolton from S. V. S. Wilder, and carried on this estate the remainder of his life. He was a man honored in the community for his high principles and strict integrity. He mar- ried (first) September 7, 1829, Louisa Wood, who died May 11, 1837. He married ( second) June 13, 1855, Carrie .Waters, born January 17, 1826, died August 7, 1886. Children: I. Theodore Henry, born October 15, 1831, died October 5, 1886. 2. Edward W., October 6, 1833, mentioned below. 3. Walter J., June 8, 1856, died June 16, 1860. 4. Caroline Louise, October 31, 1860. 5. Harriet W., June 10, 1865:

(VII) Edward W., son of Jonathan For- bush, was born October 6, 1833, died Decem- ber 18, 1880. He resided in Boston. He graduated at Harvard in 1854 and subsequently engaged in business until 1872. He was some- what of a journalist, and his contributions to

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several newspapers were scholarly productions. He married, November 8, 1858, Mary Jose- phine Faxon. (See Faxon VIII). Children : I. Ada, born August 28, 1859. 2. Josephine, March 3, 1864, married Samuel Johnson ( see Johnson VIII). 3. Katherine, November 23, 1865, died November 2, 1866. 4. Maria, Octo- ber 7, 1867.

Samuel Stowell, immigrant STOWELL ancestor, was born in Eng- land about 1620. He was mentioned in the famous Hobart Diary as liv- ing in Hingham, Massachusetts, as early as 1649, and was then a proprietor of that town. He married, October 25, 1649, at Hingham, Mary Farrow, daughter of John and Frances Farrow. He died November 9, 1683, and she married (second) October 10, 1689, Joshua Beal. Samuel Stowell's will was dated Octo- ber 27, 1683, and proved June 30, 1684. The inventory showed property valued at one hun- dred and eighty-five pounds. His home was on Fort Hill street. Children: I. Mary, born October 16, 1653, married, February 25, 1682- 83, John Garnet. 2. Samuel, July 8, 1655, resided at Hingham. 3. John, March 15, 1657- 58, resided in Hingham. 4. David, April 8, 1660, mentioned below. 5. Remember, April 22, 1662, married, March 16, 1687-88, Thomas Remington. 6. Child, September 5, 1664, died September 21 following. 7. William, Janu- ary 23, 1665-66. 8. Israel, April 27, 1668, died November 15, 1669. 9. Israel, August 10, 1670, settled in Newton; died 1725; weaver. IO. Elizabeth, June 7, 1673, married, December 14, 1699, George Lane. II. Benjamin, June 3 or 8, 1676, resided in Hingham.

(II) David, son of Samuel Stowell, was born in Hingham, April 8, 1660. He married there December 4, 1684, -, and removed to Cambridge. He married (second) at Cam- bridge, April 7, 1695, Mary Stedman, who died September 27, 1724. He afterwards set- tled in Newton, where he was known as "Old Stowell," and where he died. Children: I. David, married (first) Elizabeth - -; (sec- ond) Patience ; died at Newton, Octo- ber I or 21, 1724. 2. Benjamin, died at New- ton, November 29, 1729, unmarried. 3. Samuel, clothier : resided at Watertown ; died 1748. 4. Ruth, married Osborne. 5. John, men- tioned below. 6. Mary, married - - King.

(III) John, son of David Stowell, was born probably in Watertown, where his father lived, about 1690. He married, November 1, 1722, Sarah Ford, of Weymouth. He settled at

Watertown and was a constable there in 1737. He lived at Newton earlier and bought land on the Boston road at Newton of Obadiah Coolidge, March 5, 1718-19, removing to Watertown after 1723. Apparently he hesi- tated between Sturbridge and Worchester, about 1740. John Stowell, of Watertown, sold land at Sturbridge, December 2, 1742, to Amos Shumway ; also to John Rion (Ryan) of Stur- bridge, October 26, 1742. In 1744 he was of Worcester and sold more land at Sturbridge to his son-in-law, David Curtis, of Sturbridge, November 26, 1744. He bought his first land in Worcester in 1743 of Abisha Rice, who inherit- ed it from Thomas Rice. He mortgaged land to Elizabeth Dudley, widow of William Dud- ley, January 28, 1746, part of his Worcester property. He mortgaged land to John Chand- ler, April 13, 1754, at Worcester. Another deed or mortgage to John Chandler is dated at Worcester, July 23, 1757. The homestead at Worcester was deeded to his son Benjamin, who contracted to support and care for his father the remainder of his life for the prop- erty, July 18, 1759. John Stowell and Thomas Rice joined in a deed of ninety acres of land which they bought of John Barber, November 28, 1752. The land was in Worcester and was sold to Francis Cutting, of Shrewsbury. John Stowell was of Worcester when he died in 1762 and his eldest son, John, of Peter sham, was administrator of the estate. The inventory was made by Nathaniel Moore, Cornelius Stowell and Nathan Perry, December 3, 1762. As he had given away most of his property, the estate was small. Children, born at Water- town, except the eldest: I. Sarah, born at Newton, August 14, 1723, married, at Stur- bridge, 1744, David Curtis. 2. John (not given by Bond), 1726, settled in Petersham; mar- ried Sarah 3. James, born and died at Watertown, July, 1728. 4. Benjamin, May 4, 1730, married, at Worcester, October 23, 1755. Elizabeth Parker. 5. Hezekiah, December 25, 1732, mentioned below. 6. Jerusha, February I, 1734-35. 7. Jemima, baptized March 6, 1736-37. 8. David, baptized April 6, 1740.

(IV) Hezekiah, son of John Stowell, was born at Watertown, December 25, 1732. He married Persis Rice. Children : I. Levi, born at Worcester, January 8, 1759. 2. Elijah, Petersham, February 2, 1764. 3. Persis, Petersham, April 2, 1766. 4. Luther (perhaps at Brookfield ), mentioned below.

(V) Luther, son of Hezekiah Stowell, was living in Woodstock, Connecticut, at the time of his marriage. A branch of the Stowell

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family lived for several generations at Pom- fret, but Luther probably lived near the Stur- bridge line. He bought of Joseph Hyde, Jan- uary 12, 1801, a farm located partly in Stur- bridge, partly in the adjoining town of Brook- field. He was called of Brookfield, April 3, 1809, when he bought land of Amos Rice, of Brookfield, and May 9, 1809, when he bought of Daniel Hathaway, of Sutton, (mortgage) land on the west side of South pond. Luther Stowell deeded his farm to his son Luther Jr. in 1823 and 1839. He built the house on the homestead which is still owned by the family and the house kept in good repair. He was a farmer, and a leading citizen of the town. He died in 1854. His will was dated May 28, and allowed June 6, 1854. He married, March 12, 1796, Lucy Richardson, at Sturbridge. Chil- dren: 1. O'Shea, born at Sturbridge, Febru- ary 19, 1797. 2. Luther Jr., born December 22, 1798, at Sturbridge, died at Brookfield, August 5, 1865; a prosperous farmer ; repre- sentative to the general court in 1840 and 1860 and selectman of the town; married, May II, 1827, Sophia Barret, of Brookfield ; he left no children and his large estate went to his brothers and sisters. 3. Ephraim Childs, born June 17, 1802, mentioned below. 4. Edward T., born in Brookfield. 5. Lucy A., born in Brookfield, married John Jennings. 6. Harriet N., born in Brookfield, married William Mason.

(VI) Ephraim Childs, son of Luther Stowell, was born on the homestead at Brookfield, June 17. 1802. He was educated there in the public schools, and followed farming during his youth and early manhood. He removed to Chicago in 1839, and was one of the pioneers in that city. He bought a tract of land a few years later in what was then considered as the south- ern limit of the town, located on a canal con- necting with the Chicago river and upon this stream he built a saw mill and conducted an extensive lumber business. He bought real estate in other sections of the city and the increase in its value as the city grew made him wealthy. His business was prosperous also, and he continued until 1854, when failing health compelled his retirement. He then returned to Brookfield where he died March I, 1855. He was a very active and prominent member of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, of which he was one of the founders and to which he gave generously until the time of the anti-slavery agitation when the pastor, Rev. Dr. Curtiss, declared liis pro-slavery views in a sermon which caused a great sensa- tion among his parishioners, and caused a

large section of those holding anti-slavery views to leave the church and form a new society. This new society-Plymouth Church -was the first Congregational church of Chi- cago, and Mr. Stowell was one of the prime movers in its organization. He was foremost in the controversy that followed the pro-slavery sermon and he published a reply to Dr. Curtiss. The effect of this movement, which resulted in the establishment of Plymouth Church, was far-reaching in its effects upon public senti- ment. It helped greatly to crystallize the views of anti-slavery men. Mr. Stowell was equally prominent in the great temperance movement that swept over the country in the middle of the nineteenth century. He was zealous but never offensive in the support of his principles. He was respected by all who knew him, and especially by those associated in business with him. Of sterling integrity, upright character, sound judgment, attractive personality, he was an eminently capable and useful citizen. And in the family he was honored and loved as a kind, indulgent father. This is the heritage he left to his children, and they cherish his memory.

He married, May 29, 1828, at Brookfield, Mary Abbott, daughter of Captain Lewis and Polly (Nichols) Abbott. Children, born at Brookfield : I. Charles Abbott, born March 15, 1830, died in Shasta, California, January I, 1855. 2. Jane, born in Worcester, March 13, 1832, married, October 4, 1854, Dr. Samuel Rush Haven, surgeon in the civil war, of Chi- cago. 3. Mary Ellen, born October 4, 1834, died June, 1838. 4. Mary Ellen, born at Malden, August 23, 1838, married Hon. George W. Johnson, of Brookfield (see Johnson VII). 5. Clara, born in Chicago, March 13, 1844, died October 29. 1880; married S. G. W. Benjamin, an artist and writer, son of Rev. Nathan and Mary (Wheeler ) Benjamin, first minister appointed to Persia by the United States ; one child, Editlı, born in Salem, Mass- achusetts, October 20, 1869. 6. Edward Le Roy, born March 29, 1846, mentioned below. 7. Adelyn, born December 12, 1848, married John Roper, of Chicago; children: i. John Jr., coffee grower in Orizaba, Mexico; ii. Eleanor, librarian at College Point, New York ; catalogurer in Crerar Library, Chicago, many years ; iii. Julia Avery, an artist in New York City ; iv. Thomas Avery, student in Massachu- setts Institute of Technology, class of 1910. 8. Frederick B., born June 27, 1850, married Nellie Collar : six children, two of whom sur- vive, namely : i. William, married Marguerite

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White; one child, Jane Haven, born 1905; ii. Helen, married A. Bertram Garcelon; one child, Glenda Gay, born January 8, 1909; resides at North Lovell, Maine.

(VII) Edward Le Roy, son of Ephraim Childs Stowell, was born March 29, 1846, died July 18, 1899. He attended the schools of Andover, Wilbraham and Westfield, Massa- chusetts. He was with his uncle, Hanson Abbott, in Milwaukee when the civil war broke out and he enlisted at Madison, Wisconsin, September 8, 1864, in Company A, Thirty- eighth Regiment of Wisconsin, as a private soldier. He married, March 31, 1870, Jennie Cook, of Brookfield. They sailed almost immediately for Germany and lived in Tübinzen nearly three years, during' which time he studied medicine, but never practiced it. He was also a writer of some ability. Previous to this he had traveled some in Switzerland, Germany and England. Susequently Mr. Stowell purchased an orange grove in Anona, Florida, and cultivated it with great success ; his death occurred there, and shortly after- ward his widow, three daughters and youngest son, removed to Tampa, where they now (1909) reside. Children: I. Faith Haven, born in Tübingen, Germany. 2. Hanson Abbott, born in Tübingen, Germany, is an Episcopal clergyman and is settled at Bates- ville, Arkansas. 3. Jennie, born in London, England. 4. Mary, born in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, May 6, 1874, married Asa Lowe and they reside in Tarpon Springs, Florida ; chil- dren : Earl and Marion Lowe. 5. Edward, born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, September 25, 1875, died the following July. 6. Charles Edward, born at Maywood, Illinois, October 14, 1882, where his parents resided for five years, removing to Florida in January, 1883. 7. Katharine, born in Florida, December 26, 1887.

HOWE

John How Esq., of Warwickshire, England, was the ancestor of this branch of the Howe family in

America. According to Hudson, the Marl- borough historian, the English ancestor was descended from How, of Hodinhall, England, and related to Sir Charles How, of Lancaster, Lancashire, England, of the days of Charles I. The family name is certainly English, and the family itself very numerous and distinguished in the old country.

(II) John (2), son of John (I) How, was the immigrant ancestor and settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts, as early as 1639. For several generations the name was spelled without the

final "e," but the common spelling now is Howe. John How was selectman of Sudbury in 1642 and in 1655 was appointed by the minister and selectmen of that town "to see to the restraining of the youth on the Lord's Day." He lived in Sudbury nearly twenty years. He was one of the petitioners for the grant which constituted Marlborough, in 1755, and sent there to live in 1657, the first white man to make his home within the present city limits of Marlborough. His cabin was near the Indian Plantation, and as a neighbor he became well acquainted with the natives. Hudson states that he used to serve as arbitrator for them in cases of dis- agreement and dispute. He opened the first public house in Marlborough in 1670. He died there in 1687 and in his will bequeathed to his son Thomas among other items, "the horse he troops on." His dwelling house was situated a hundred rods from the Spring Hill meeting house, a little east of the present road from Spring Hill to Feltonville. His wife Mary died about 1687. Children: I. John, born about 1640, married, January 22, 1662, Elizabeth -; killed by Indians in King Philip's war. 2. Samuel, October 20, 1642, married, June 5, 1663, Martha Bent. 3. Sarah, September 25, 1644, married, June, 1667, Samuel Ward. 4. Mary, June 18, 1646, died young. 5. Isaac, August 8, 1648, married, June 17, 1671, Frances Wood. 6. Josiah, 1650, mentioned below. 7. Mary, June 18, 1651, married, September 18, 1672, John Witherby. 8. Thomas, June 12, 1656, married (first) Sarah Hosmer; (second) Mrs. Mary Barron. 9. Daniel, June 3, 1658, died 1661. 10. Alex- ander, December 29, 1661, died January fol- lowing. II. Captain Eleazer, January 18, 1662, in Marlborough.

(III) Josiah Howe, son of John (2) How, born in 1650 in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and died in 17II. His estate was administered by his widow. He was a soldier in King Philip's war, and was one of those who rallied in the defense of the town when attacked by the Indians. He married, March 18, 1672, Mary Haynes, daughter of Deacon John Haynes. She married (second) John Prescott. Chil- dren : I. Mary, born 1672, died young. 2. Mary, May 4, 1674, died young. 3. Josiah, 1678, mentioned below. 4. Daniel, May 5, I68I. 5. Ruth, January 6, 1684, married Bowker.

(IV) Josiah (2), son of Josiah (I) Howe, was born in 1678 in Marlborough and settled there. He married (first) June 14, 1706,

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Sarah Bigelow. He married (second) No- vember 22, 1713, Mary Marble. Children of first wife : I. Phineas, born December 4, 1707. 2. Abraham, April 6, 1709, mentioned below. 3. Rachel, November 30, 1710. Chil- dren of second wife: 4. Sarah, December 24, 1714. 5. Mary, May 22, 1716. 6. Josiah, De- cember 22, 1720, married Mary Goodale. 7. Jacob, November 25, 1724, married Ruth Swinerton.

(V) Abraham, son of Josiah (2) Howe, was born in Marlborough, April 6, 1709, died May 12, 1790. He settled in Brook- field. He married Martha Potter, born at Marlborough, 1711, died at Brookfield, December 20, 1791. Children, born at Brook- field : I. Ephraim, November 23, 1733, mentioned below. 2. Abraham, January 4, 1735, died January 20, 1756. 3. Abner, June 28, 1736. 4. Sarah, October 24, 1738. 5. Rachel, March 19, 1741. 6. Martha, May 15, 1744. 7. Persis, July 23, 1749, died Febru- ary 7, 1760. 8. Eli, March 18, 1752. 9. Abra- ham, March 4, 1758, died October 19, 1779.

(VI) Ephraim, son of Abraham Howe, was born at Brookfield, November 23, 1733. He married, September, 1757, Sarah Gilbert, of Brookfield. Children, born at Brookfield: I. William, November 15, 1759, mentioned below. 2. Molly, August 13, 1761. 3. Rachel, Octo- ber 6, 1763. 4. Sarah, January II, 1766, mar- ried Simon Crosby. 5. Martha, February 15, 1768. 6. Lucy, September 24, 1769, married Flavel Crosby. 7. Josiah, January 25, 1774, died in Maine.

(VII) William, son of Ephraim Howe, was born in Brookfield, November 15, 1759, died there December 15, 1843. He was a trader. His house was burned in January, 1798. He married, November 2, 1780, Abigail Crosby, born 1764, died February 14, 1816, daughter of Jabez and Mary Crosby, of Brookfield. Children, born at Brookfield: I. Sally, August 3, 1782. 2. Nancy, November 5, 1784. 3. Jabez C., February 5, 1787, married Lucretia Pope ; died September 7, 1869. 4. Otis, Octo- ber 27, 1788, died young. 5. Otis, January 10, 1790. 6. William, November 20, 1792. 7. George, April 9, 1795. 8. Amos, April 27, 1797, married Nancy Pope ; died November 23, 1828. 9. Francis, March 14, 1799. IO. Oliver, August 22, 1801, died November 3, 1872, unmarried. II. Charlotte Abigail, Sep- tember 27, 1804, died September 16, 1805. 12. Charlotte Abigail, January 19, 1807, married, June 30, 1825, Samuel Johnson. (See John- son VI).

William Blake, immigrant ances- BLAKE tor, was baptized at Pitminster, England, July 10, 1594, son of William Blake of that place. He married there, September 23, 1617, Agnes Band, widow. It is thought that she may have been widow of Richard Band and daughter of Hugh Thorne, of Pitminster, baptized January 12, 1594. In the same parish in England four of the chil- dren of William Blake were baptized, but from 1624 to 1636 his place of residence is unknown. He is believed to have come to America in the fall of 1635 or early in 1636, and remained at Dorchester or Roxbury, making the acquaintance there of William Pynchon and others who were considering a plan of settle- ment in the Connecticut valley. At any rate he was with Pynchon and his associates on May 14 to 16, 1636, when they drew up and signed the articles of the association at Aga- wam, now Springfield, and he was one of five to assign the lots and manage the affairs of the colony. He drew land there, but apparently decided to return to Dorchester and settle. He drew land in South Boston in March, 1637-38, and was admitted a freeman, March 14, 1638-39. He was a man of integrity and ability. He was constable in 1641, selectman in 1645-47, and in 1651 was on the committee to build the new meeting house. In 1656 he was elected town clerk and "clerk of the writs" for the county of Suffolk. These offices he held until within six weeks of his death, Octo- ber 25, 1663. He was also clerk of the train band. In his will he made a bequest for the repairing of the burying ground. Soon after his death his widow Agnes removed to Boston, probably to live with her son John or her only daughter, Anne Leager. She died in Dor- chester. William Blake's estate was appraised at two hundred and twenty-four pounds. Chil- dren: 1. John, baptized at Pitminster, Eng- land, September 6, 1620, died at Boston, Jan- uary 25. 1688-89. 2. Anne, baptized at Pit- minster, August 30, 1618, died at Boston, July 12, 1681. 3. William, baptized at Pitminster, September 6, 1620, died at Milton, Massachu- setts, September 3, 1703. 4. James, baptized April 27, 1624, mentioned below. 5. Edward, supposed to be the youngest child; died at Milton, September 3, 1692.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 18

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 924

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 924