USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 19
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(11) James, son of William Blake, was born in England and baptized at Pitminster, April 27, 1624. He came to New England with his father and married ( first) about 1651, Elizabeth Clap, daughter of Deacon Edward and Prudence (Clap) Clap. He married (sec-
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ond) in Rehoboth, September 17, 1695, Eliza- beth (Smith) Hunt, widow of Peter Hunt and daughter of Henry and Judith Smith, from county Norfolk, England. James Blake lived in the north part of Dorchester. His house, built about 1650, was of such substantial char- acter that the town voted to model the par- sonage after it in 1669 and it remained in the Blake family until 1825. In. 1895 it was removed from the original location on Cottage street to Richardson Park, and the Dorchester Historical Society secured possession of it and have fitted it up for their purposes. Mr. Blake was a busy man. From 1658 to 1685 there is scarcely a year that he did not serve the town in some official capacity. He was selectman thirteen years, later constable, deputy to the general court, clerk of the writs, recorder, sergeant of the militia. He was deacon of the Dorchester church for fourteen years, and ruling elder the same length of time. He was often called upon as administrator and to settle estates. He died June 28, 1700, leaving a will dated two days before his death. His estate was valued at four hundred and sev- enty-three pounds. ; He and his wife are buried in the old graveyard at Dorchester, and the stones that mark their graves are in excellent condition. Children : I. James, born August 15, 1652, mentioned below. 2. John, March 16, 1656-57. 3. Elizabeth, October 3, 1658. 4. Jonathan, July 12, 1660, died No- vember 10, 1660. 5. Sarah, February 28, 1665, died May 22, 1666. Joseph, August 27, 1667.
(III) James (2), son of James (I) Blake, was born at Dorchester, August 15, 1652, died October 22, 1732. He married (first) Febru- ary 6, 1681, Hannah Macey, who died June I, 1683, aged twenty-three years, daughter of George and Susannah Macey, of Taunton. He married (second) July 8, 1684, Ruth Bachellor, born in Hampton, New Hampshire, May 9, 1662, died in Dorchester, January II, 1752, daughter of Nathaniel and Deborah (Smith) Bachellor. There has long been a tradition in the family that the first house upon Dor- chester Neck (now South Boston) was erected by James Blake. An investigation made a few years ago brought to light evidence that Cap- tain James Foster had a dwelling there as early as 1676, but Blake's house was without doubt the second, built on the peninsula about 1681. Although isolated from the village of Dor- chester the house was beautifully situated to command a view of the harbor and shore. It was on the road to Castle William, later Fort Independence, and at times it became a sort of
house of entertainment for the English officers at the fort. His new house was almost entirely destroyed by the British troops, February 13, 1776. Mr. Blake was a farmer. He was deacon of the Dorchester church twenty-three years. Children: I. Hannah, born Septem- ber 16, 1685, died October 2, 1686. 2. James, April 29, 1688, married Wait Simpson; died December 4, 1750; author of "Blake's Annals," the original of which is in posession of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. 3. Increase, June 8, 1699, mentioned below.
(IV) Increase, son of James (2) Blake, was born at Dorchester, June 8, 1699. He married, in Boston, July 23, 1724, Anne Gray, born March 16, 1704-05, died June 20, 1751, daughter of Edward and Susanna ( Harrison) Gray. He shared with his only brother James in his father's estate in 1732, but soon after- ward sold all his share of the real estate. He resided in Boston where all his sixteen chil- dren were born, probably in the vicinity of Milk and Batterymarch streets. He was a tin plate worker, and his trade was followed by several of his sons and grandsons. He was an innholder on Merchant's Row in 1740. From 1734 to 1748 he was sealer of weights and measures. In 1737 he leased of the town of Boston one of the shops on the town dock at an annual rental of thirty pounds, and in 1744 requested a renewal. He died probably in 1770. It is stated that he was buried in the Gray and Blake tomb, No. 74, at the Granary burying grounds. Children : I. Ann, born May 8, 1725, married Thomas Andrews ; died June 2, 1752 (Granary burying ground inscription). 2. Increase, October 28, 1726, mentioned below. 3. Edward, July 9, 1728, married Rebecca Hallowell. 4. James, March 20, 1730. 5. Harrison, September 10, 1731. 6. William, September 14, 1732, married Dorcas Ward. 7. Hannah, September 9, 1733, married Colonel Thomas Dawes. 8. Susannah, October 14, 1734, married Captain Caleb Prince. 9. John, June 22, 1736, married Anne Clarage. 10. Thomas, January 14, 1737-38. II. Benjamin, May 9, 1739, married Elizabeth Harris. 12. Joseph, July 5, 1740, married Sarah Dawes. 13. Nathaniel, September 28, 1741, died October 15, 1741. 14. Ellis Gray, September 9, 1743, married Jane Cook. 15. Mary, August 17, 1745, married Simon Whip- ple. 16. Sarah, August 18, 1746, married Joseph Bachelder.
(V) Increase (2), son of Increase (I) Blake, was born in Boston, October 28, 1726, and married there, April 18, 1754, Anne Crafts,
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born January 10, 1734, died March 21, 1762, daughter of Thomas and Anne (White) Crafts. A few years ago a gravestone with her name and date of death was found on Boston Common. He married (second) De- cember 7, 1762, Elizabeth Bridge, born 1731, perhaps daughter of Ebenezer and Mary Bridge, of Boston. She died of small pox in Worcester, November 22, 1792, aged sixty- one years, and was buried in a pasture in the northern part of the city, near what is now Nelson place. An obituary notice in the Spy of December, 1792, refers to her as "one of the noblest women earth was ever blessed with." "A living Christian." Mr. Blake was a tin plate worker in Boston, having a shop on King street, now State street, near the old State House. He is said to have supplied the Provincial troops with canteens, cartridge boxes and the like, but on refusing to make them for the British troops was driven from town. His wife was equally patriotic. Her Bible, which is owned by Mrs. E. A. Knowl- ton, of Rochester, Minnesota, gives evidence of an encounter she had with a British soldier. One day when sitting in front of her door reading her Bible, she was asked by a soldier as he passed what she was reading. She replied, "the story of the cross," upon which he answered that he would fix her Bible so she would always remember the cross; and with his sword he made a deep cut across the page through many leaves. The story has several forms as it has been handed down, but the Bible, the cut and the sword of the British soldier are undoubtedly realities. When forced to leave Boston, just after the battle of Bunker Hill, he removed his wife and seven children to Worcester, sacrificing nearly all of his Boston property. He opened a shop in Worcester at Lincoln Square and worked at his trade. In 1780 and for a number of years he was jailer. He died in Worcester, Febru- ary 28, 1795. His estate was appraised for forty-two pounds and proved to be insolvent. The claims amounted to $91.49, the net assets were only eleven shillings, six and a half pence-$1.92-to be divided. Twelve of his children were born in Boston, the thirteenth at Worcester. Children of first wife : 1. Anne, born August 9, 1755, died December 6, 1760. 2. Thomas, December 20, 1756, died young. 3. William, March 12, 1758, died September 7, 1759. 4. Elizabeth, died March 7, 1760. 5. James, died January 22, 1762. 6. James, born January 29, 1762, married, July 14, 1784, Rebecca Cunningham. Children of second
wife: 7. Mary, November 5, 1763, married, September 15, 1797, Andrew Tufts. 8. Persis, March 31, 1765, married, December 8, 1790, Samuel Case. 9. Thomas Dawes, October 23, 1768, mentioned below. 10. Ebenezer, May 31, 1771, supposed to have been lost at sea. II. Sarah, November 25, 1772. 12. Susanna, April 4, 1774, married, August 3, 1800, George Anson Howes. 13. Dorothy, June 15, 1781.
(VI) Dr. Thomas Dawes, son of Increase (2) Blake, was born in Boston, October 23, 1768, died in Farmington, Maine, November 20, 1849. He spent his early days in Wor- cester and attended Dr. Payson's celebrated school from which he graduated with the high- est honors of his class. He practiced for a short time as a physician at Petersham, Mass- achusetts, but in 1799 settled in Farmington Falls, Maine. He was a ripe scholar, and to quote the history of Farmington, "possessed of those strong virtues acquired during the troublous times in which his early life was spent." He married, January 3, 1802, Martha Norton, born May 1, 1786, died September 30, 1873, daughter of Cornelius and Lydia (Clag- horn) Norton, of Vineyard Haven, Massachu- setts. Children, all born in Farmington: I. Cordelia, April 19, 1804, died May 24, 1808. 2. Adeline, September 16, 1806, married, April 9, 1835, John F. W. Gould. 3. Martha, No- vember 12, 1808, married, April 27, 1828, David C. Morrill. 4. Thomas Dawes, Febru- ary 4, 18II, married, May 13, 1841, Hannah D. Norton. 5. Increase, December 8, 1812, married, September 26, 1844, Sarah Farns- worth. 6. Cornelius N., February 8, 1815, died August 29, 1827. 7. Ebenezer Norton, July 30, 1817, married, February 16, 1843, Harriet Cummings. 8. George Fordyce, May 20, 1819, mentioned below. 9. Jotham Sewall, February 6, 1821, died March 5, 1881. 10. Freeman Norton, June 1, 1822, married Helen S. Baker. (VII) George Fordyce, son of Dr. Thomas D. Blake, was born May 20, 1819, at Farming- ton, Maine, died in Boston, July 22, 1905. He began his business carcer at an early age, and before he was thirty held a responsible posi- tion as mechanical engineer at the Cambridge brick-yards. His mechanical skill led him to devise several useful inventions, among which was a water meter which brought his name into public prominence. His greatest achieve- ment, however, was the Blake steam pump, which hie devised originally for use in his own business. This pump was so successful that he devoted most of his time and energies to its manufacture and improvement. He must be
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counted as one of the great mechanical inventors of the nineteenth century. Unlike many of them he reaped richly of the fruit of his invention. The Blake pump is now manu- factured by a corporation known as the George F. Blake Manufacturing Company. Mr. Blake made his home at various times in Cambridge, Medford, Belmont, and lastly in Boston. He married (first) at Lynnfield, Massachusetts, January 1, 1845, Sarah Silver Skinner, born in Lynnfield, June 18, 1821, died in Boston, October 14, 1856, daughter of William and Lucy (Aborn) Skinner. He married (second) at North Sandwich, December 24, 1857, Mar- tha J. Skinner, born June 24, 1835, died June 2, 1897, a sister of his first wife. Children of first wife: I. Thomas Dawes, born at Cambridge October 25, 1847, married, May 18, 1870, Susan P. Symounds. 2. Sara Augusta, Cambridge, December 6, 1853, married, October 21, 1885, Roland H. Boutwell; died February 27, 1891. Children of second wife: 3. George Fordyce, Medford, February 9, 1859, married, April 29, 1885, Carrie H. Turner. 4. Grace Bertha, Medford, August 30, 1863, died there Feb- ruary 29, 1868. 5. Jennie Maria, Medford, April 29, 1869, married Arthur Stoddard John- son. (See Johnson VIII). 6. Alice Norton, Belmont, July 6, 1872, married James M. Newell, June 6, 1901.
ATHERTON The Atherton family of England had its seat in Lancashire, and in their manorial estate the town of Atherton lies ten miles northwest of Manchester. Their lands included rich coal mines and quarries, iron works, and is the wealthiest cotton manufac- turing district in the world. The family had immense possessions, and was one of the wealthiest of the commoners of England. The coat-of-arms of the family were: Gules, three sparrow-hawks, argent. Crest : a swan argent. Another crest : on a perch a hawk billed proper. These arms hang in the private chapel of the Athertons in Leigh, in the family vault.
(I) Robert de Atherton lived from i199 to 1216, and was high sheriff of the county under King John. He held the manor of Atherton of the Barons of Warrington.
(II) William de Atherton held the manors of Atherton and Pennington in 1251. By inter- marriage with the Derby family the title is now vested in that line.
(III) William Atherton of Atherton in 1312, married Agnes -.
(IV) Henry Atherton of Atherton from 1316 to 1330, married, in 1387, Agnes
(V) Sir William Atherton, knight, married (first) Jane, daughter of William and sister of Sir Ralphe, Woberly, knight; (second) Mar- gerie, a widow, in 1396.
(VI) Sir William Atherton, knight, born 1381, died 1416, married Agnes, only daugh- ter and heiress of Ralphe Vernon, Baron of Shipbroke.
(VII) Sir William Atherton married (first) Elizabeth, daughter of John Pilkinton, knight.
(VIII) Sir William Atherton married Mar- garet, daughter of Sir John Byron, knight, and died 144I.
(IX) John Atherton had a son George, mentioned below.
(X) George Atherton was born 1487, and married Anne Ashton.
(XI) Sir John Atherton, knight, was born 154I, and married (first) Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Alexander Ratcliffe, knight. The mar- riage was recorded in the visitation of 1533, where the arms were also entered. He mar- ried (second) Margaret, daughter of Thomas Caterall. He was high sheriff under three sovereigns, in 1551, 1555, and 1561, and com- mander of the Military Hundred in 1553.
(XII) John Atherton Esq. was born 1556. He was high sheriff in 1583, and married (first) Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Byron, knight; (second) Katherine, daughter and co-heiress of John, Lord Convers, of Hornby Castle.
(XIII) John Atherton was son of John and Elizabeth Atherton. He had a half brother John, daughter of Katherine.
(XIV) John Atherton, son of John the elder, died 1646. He married Eleanor, daugh- ter of Sir Thomas Ireland, of Beansey, knight.
(I) General Humphrey Atherton, son of Edmund Atherton, was undoubtedly of the ancient English family whose pedigree is given above. He is the first in the American line. He was born about 1607-8, and lived in Win- wick, Lancashire, England. He came to New England in 1635 in the ship "James," with his wife and three children, and settled in Dor- chester. He signed the covenant of the Dor- chester church in 1636, and was admitted a freeman May 2, 1638. He was deputy to the general court that year, also from 1639 to 1641, and in 1653 from Springfield, when he was chosen speaker. The next year he was chosen assistant, and soon after major-general. He was much employed in negotiations with
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the Indians, and made use of his influence with them in a great purchase in Rhode Island. He was thrown from his horse, by riding over a cow, and died the next day, at Boston, Sep- tember 17, 1661. The manner of his death is made a matter of comment by Hubbard as one of the judgments of God. He was captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1650. He married Mary, sister of Nathaniel Wales, and probably daughter of John Wales, of Idle, England. She died in 1672. He is buried in the old Dorchester cemetery. His epitaph reads :
"Here lies our Captain & Major of Suffolk was withal; A godly magistrate was he, and Major General;
Two troop horse with him here comes, such worth his love did crave
Ten companies of foot also mourning march to his grave, Let all that read be sure to keep the faith as he has done With Christ he lives now around his name was Humphrey Atherton."
Children : I. Elizabeth, baptized at Win- wick, England, September 28, 1628; married, 1650, Timothy Mather. 2. John, baptized at Winwick, December 26, 1629. 3. Isabel, bap- tized at Winwick, January 23, 1630; married Nathaniel Wales Jr. 4. Jonathan, soldier in King Philip's war. 5. Consider, mentioned below. 6. Mary, born about 1647, married, April 9, 1667, Joseph Weeks. 7. Margaret, married. December 30, 1659, James Trow- bridge. 8. Rest, baptized, May 26, 1639; mar- ried, March 15, 1661, Obadiah Swift. 9. In- crease, born January 2, 1641-2; lost at sea about 1675. 10. Thankful, born April 29, 1644: married, February 2, 1665, Thomas Bird, of Dorchester. 11. Hope, baptized Au- gust 30, 1646; graduated at Harvard 1665; married Sarah Hollister. 12. Watching, bap- tized August 24, 1651 ; married, January 23, 1677. Elizabeth Rigby. 13. Patience, born April 2, 1654; married July 7, 1685, Isaac Humphreys.
(II) Consider, son of Humphrey Atherton, was born in Dorchester, and married there, December 19, 1671, Ann Annable ; (second) Hannalı who died April 26, 1687. Children, born at Dorchester : 1. Humphrey, born January 26, 1672; mentioned below. 2. John, born May 5, 1677 ; died June 22, 1679. 3. Anna, born February 17, 1679. 4. Sarah, born May 8, 1683.
(III) Humphrey, son of Consider Ather- ton, was born January 26, 1672, and died at Stoughton, February 2, 1748. He married Elizabeth ---- , who died at her son's house in Dorchester, December 24, 1765, in her nine-
tieth year. Children, born at Dorchester : I. Elizabeth, April 14, 1701. 2. Captain Humph- rey, June 5, 1707; died November 17, 1786. 3. Anna, May 3, 1710. 4. John, May 13, 1714, mentioned below. 5. Consider, February 9, 1716-17.
(IV) Deacon John, son of Humphrey Ather- ton, was born May 13, 1714. He married, Jan- uary 26, 1741, (intentions dated October 10, 1740), Rachel Wentworth, of Stoughton, born March 13, 1714-5, died August II, 1798. He died at Stoughton, October 4, 1785. Chil- dren : I. Elizabeth, born May 20, 1744; mar- ried - Tucker, of Milton. 2. John, born July 21, 1747; mentioned below. 3. William. 4. Samuel.
(V) Deacon John (2), son of Deacon John (I) Atherton, was born at Stoughton, July 21, 1747, and died there July 3, 1825. He mar- ried there, July 27, 1768, Mary Adams, born February 21, 1751, died June 26, 1843, daugh- ter of Rev. Jedediah Adams, and second cousin to President John Adams. He was a soldier in the revolution, sergeant in Captain Peter Talbot's company, Colonel Lemuel Robinson's regiment, answered the alarm at Lexington, April 19, 1775 ; also corporal in Captain Robert Swan's company, Colonel Benjamin Gill's regiment, in 1777, on duty at Squantum when the British fleet left Boston harbor. Children : I. John, born December 2. 1769 ; married Feb- ruary 9, 1797, Sally Bird; died at Savannah, Georgia, September 21, 1824. 2. Jedediah, born March 3, 1772; married Hannah Drake. 3. Humphrey, born January 20, 1774; died August 31, 1778. 4. Mary, born March 21, 1776; died August 20, 1778. 5. Rachel, born May 3. 1778; married Abraham Capen. 6. Elijah, born July 25, 1780: married April 19, 1803, Ruth Tisdale; (second) Harriet Crane ; (third) Laura Gilmore. 7. Samuel, born Sep- tember 19, 1784; mentioned below. 8. Mary, born December 1, 1786 ; married May 29, 1810, Abiezer Packard; died June 17, 1840. 9. Nathan, born October 25, 1788; married July 6, 1823, Amity Morton ; died 1858.
(\'T) Samuel, son of Deacon John (2) Atherton, was born September 19, 1784, and lived on the homestead at Stoughton. He married, February 28, 1811, Abigail Pope, born December 5, 1785, died March 19, 1868,daugh- ter of Ralph and Abigail (Soran) Pope, of Stoughton. He was of an energetic tempera- ment, cheerful disposition, and a good con- versationalist when impediment in his speech permitted, being afflicted with stammering, and as he had a good voice and car for music,
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often sang what he wished to say, when he found himself unable to talk well. He took an active part in politics, and was selectman of the town. He voted at every election from 1805 until 1876, when his last vote was for the Hayes electoral ticket. He was a success- ful farmer, and at one time owned the largest amount of land in the town. He and his brother Nathan were among the founders of the Stoughton Musical Society. Children : I. Mary, married William Balcher. 2. Vashti, married James Swan. 3. Samuel, born Janu- ary 26, 1815: mentioned below. 4. Abigail, married Joseph Swan. 5. James, born May 6, 1819; mentioned below. 6. William.
(VII) Samuel (2), son of Samuel (I) Atherton, was born in Stoughton, January 26, 1815, and was educated in the common schools. Until twenty years of age he remained on the homestead, and in 1835 went to Boston as clerk for William Capen, shoe and leather dealer. Two years later he took a position as bookkeeper with Prouty & Company, Com- mercial street, wholesale hardware, for one year. He then established himself in business as a retail dealer in boots and shoes on Wash- ington street, in company with Edwin Battles, under the firm name of Battles & Atherton. The firm was dissolved the next year and Mr. Atherton was employed by Caleb Stetson, wholesale shoe and leather dealer, corner of Broad and Central streets. On January I, 1842, he was admitted into partnership, the new firm being C. Stetson & Company. Three years later Mr. Stetson retired from the firm, still being a special partner, however, and the business was conducted under the name of Samuel Atherton. Three years later Mr.Stet- son again took an active interest, the name being S. Atherton & Company, and two years later, Atherton, Stetson & Company. In 1852 James and William Atherton were admitted as partners, and continued the Stoughton man- ufactury as their part of the work. In 1861 Samuel and James Atherton withdrew from the firm, and soon afterward George E. Ather- ton, son of Samuel, was taken into the firm. The business was one of the most successful in its line in Boston. Mr. Atherton married (first) September 16, 1841, Temperance Hol- brook, who died February 24, 1849, daughter of Colonel Joseph and Mary ( Rich ) Holbrook, of Boston. He married ( second) July 3, 1856, Susan Baker, died May 18, 1858, daughter of Captain Richard and Jerusha (Rich) Baker. He married (third) October 6, 1869, Mrs. Susan M. Holton, daughter of Joseph and
Margaret (Richardson) Bassett. He resided a, part of his married life in Charlestown, and removed to Dorchester, where he occupied a beautiful residence. He was director in the New England Bank, Prescott Insurance Com- pany, Massachusetts Loan and Trust Com- pany, president of the Dorchester Gas-Light Company, and connected with various other corporations. In politics he was a Republican, and a member of the legislature of the state in 1867-70-77. In religion he was a Unitarian. He was a man of eminently social qualities, and had many warm friends. By his enter- prise and business sagacity he won a high place in the financial circles of Boston. Chil- dren of first wife: I. Thomas H. 2. George Edward, born May 2, 1845 ; mentioned below. 3. Charles Francis, born May 2, 1847. - 4. Sarah Ann, born November 6, 1848; married George P. Sewall, of Boston, and had Ather- ton and Mabel A. Sewall. Children of sec- ond wife: 5. Helen L., married Edward H. Hawes, of Boston. 6. Susan H., married W. Morton Robinson, of Lynn.
(VIII) George Edward, son of Samuel (2) Atherton, was born May 2, 1845 and died October 29, 1905. He was a member of the firm with his uncles and father. He married (first) Emma Coffin; (second) Isabelle (King) Ray. Children of first wife: I. George Edward Jr., married Corinne Mack ; resided in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2. Edith, married, February 19, 1906, Philip S. Johnson (see Johnson). 3. Emma, married John S. Lawrence, nephew of Bishop Lawrence, and had Eloise Lawrence.
(VII) James, son of Samuel Atherton, was born at Stoughton, May 6, 1819. He had a common school and academic education, and remained with his father until he was of age, teaching several winter terms in the village school. Soon after marriage he began the manu- facture of boots and shoes with his brother William, under the firm name of J. & W. Atherton. This firm was finally merged with the firm of Atherton, Stetson & Company, the Athertons being the brothers James, William and Samuel. On account of failing health he retired from active business in 1867, his con- nection with the company ceasing in 1861. Although his health was never robust, he was a man of energy, and devoted his time to his business with zeal. He was a quick and ready speaker, and in early life took great interest in debating societies. He was a great reader, and kept abreast of the times. In politics he was a Whig and later a Republican. He
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attended the Universalist church. His business was conducted with system and order, and all his dealings were characterized by honesty and justice. He married (first ) May 5, 1853, Phebe Reed, born February 9, 1831, died March II, 1868, daughter of John and Phebe Reed, of Boston. Her father was a civil engineer of Boston for many years. He married ( second) June 1, 1869, Mary B. Marshall, of Boston, who died February 5, 1880. Children, all by first wife: I. James, born July 26, 1854 ; edu- cated at public schools and Dean Academy. 2. William, born April 30, 1859; educated in public schools and commercial college. 3- Walter, born March 18, 1863; educated in public schools and Phillips Andover Academy ; graduated at Harvard 1885; took degree of C. E. in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1886; then special course in architecture ; worked as draughtsman five years, then studied architecture in Europe two years; started to practice his profession in 1895; is a Republi- can in politics and Unitarian in religion.
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