Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 99

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 99

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ten are charged thirteen shillings each for "not traininge ;" Billerica being a frontier settle- ment there was great fear of the Indians and much dread of an attack from them. In 1675 an order was passed by the selectmen and committee of the militia appointing garrison houses and assigning citizens to them. An ex- tract from the order is as follows: "5. They appoint Thomas Pattin's house, for garrison and to entertain Goldin Moore, Samuel ffrost, Jno. Kidder, Roger Toothaker & John Trull; seven soldiers and five families." In the same order overseers were appointed for each garri- son, whose duty it was to regulate the work of the garrison and determine what should be done for fortifying them. Orders were also issued putting strict regulations on the conduct of citizens, and giving instructions as to what be done in case of an attack by the Indians. A master was also appointed for each garrison, Thomas Patten being appointed for his house. January 14, 1690, Patten made a will of which his wife and his son William were joint exe- cutors. The inventory of his property, filed the March following, amounted to three hun- dred and eight pounds. Thomas Patten mar- ried, April 1, 1662, Rebecca Paine, of Dedham, . born October 19, 1642, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Paine. She died May 19, 1680. He married ( second) May 20, 1686, Sarah Dunton, of Reading. Her name by some authorities is given as Didson or Ditson, but the name of Dunton is that given by the Biller- ica records. She married ( second ) December 29, 1690, Thomas Richardson. Thomas and Rebecca were the parents of : Mary, Thomas, Nathaniel, William, Rebecca, Sarah, Elizabeth, Mehitable and Kendall.

( III) Nathaniel, second son of Thomas and Rebecca (Paine ) Patten, was born in Billerica, September 14. 1668, died April 2, 1718. He was a thrifty man and left what was for that time a good estate. He married, December 6, 1695. Hannah Ross, born March 31, 1679, daughter of Thomas Ross. She married (sec- ond) May 19. 1726, Joseph Emerson. The children of Nathaniel and Hannah were : Han- nalı, Nathaniel and John.

(IV) Nathaniel (2), son of Nathaniel (1) and Hannah ( Ross) Patten, was born in Bil- lerica. September 10, 1707. died November 25. 1756. December 7, 1720, Nathaniel Patten, cooper, and Mary, his wife, convey land and mill in Oxford to Joseph Reed, of Leicester. The following year they convey land also in Oxford to Benoni Twitchell. They are after- ward reported to have gone to Windham,,Con-

Dyn Patton www . tomeal Pub co

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necticut, where their children are said to have been born. but on the Windham records the birth of Mary alone appears. He afterward went to Stratford, Connecticut, where he re- mained till his death. His grave and that of his wife Mary may be seen there at the present time. At a term of probate court held at Hart- ford, September 5, 1757, the following entry was made: "It was certified to this Court by Zebulon West, Esq., Justice of the peace, that Sarah Patten a minor thirteen years of age, daughter of Nathaniel Patten, late of Tolland, deceased, before him made choice of Nathaniel Woodward of Coventry in the Court of Wind- ham, to be guardian, which choice the Court allows." At the same session of the court "Nathaniel Woodward of Coventry, adminis- trator in right of the wife Mary, the Relict of Nath'l Patten, late of Stafford, deceased, hav- ing settled their account of administration on said estate then move to the Court for dis- tribution." The decree of distribution gives "to the Rellict of said Dec'd now the wife of Nathaniel Woodward one third of the movable estate, exclusive of Debts and charges and one third of the Real Estate for her Improvement during life and to Nath'l Patten, eldest son a Double share and to John Patten, William Pat- ten, and to Mary Patten, Hannah Patten and Sarah Patten, children of the deceased each of them a single share." Nathaniel Patten married Mary Kidder, daughter of Enoch and Mary ( Hayward) Kidder. They are thought to be the ones who were living in Oxford in 1729. After the death of her first husband, Mrs. Patten married Nathaniel Woodward. She died November 30, 1789, aged eighty-eight years. The children of Nathaniel and Mary ( Kidder ) Patten were: Mary (died young), Hannah, Nathaniel, Mary, Sarah, John and William.

(V) John, second son of Nathaniel (2) and Mary (Kidder) Patten, was born in 1747. March 18, 1778, he took the oath of fidelity appointed to be taken by the state of Connec- ticut and at a freeman's meeting held in Staf- ford, Connecticut, April 8, 1782, John Patten took the oath required by law for freeman. He was a soldier of the revolution in Colonel Spencer's Second Connecticut Regiment, Third Company. Captain Roger Enos, of Windham. He served from May 9 to December 18, 1775. On a list of soldiers from Tolland county who served in the campaign against Burgoyne in 1777 appears the name of John Patten, cor- poral. On a monument in Portland, Connecti- cut. is this inscription: "John Patten, buried

at West Springfield, August 13, 1800, aged fifty-three years. Hannah, wife of John Pat- ten, died May 17, 1816, aged sixty-three years." John Patten by his wife Hannah, daughter of Seth Johnston, had five children: Seth John- ston, Lydia, Robert, Hannah and John.

(VI) Seth Johnston, eldest child of John and Hannah (Johnston) Patten, was born in Stafford, Conecticut, February 18, 1775, died in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, April 24, 1855. The name of Seth J. Patten appears on the roll of Connecticut militia in the war of 1812, his service being from August 6, 1813, to Sep- tember 16, of the same year. He married, November 27, 1800, Huldah Warner, born January II, 1779, died in South Wilbraham, April 4, 1859. Their children, born at Ware- house Point, Connecticut, were : Seth J. (died young ), Adeline, Eliphalet Warner, Huldah, John, Emeline, Robert, William, Seth J. ( died young ) and Mary A.

(VII) William (2), fifth son of Seth J. and Huldah ( Warner) Patten, was born at Ware- house Point, Connecticut, October 25, 1819, died in Springfield, Massachusetts, November 30, 1898. In early life he changed the spelling of the name to Patton. He was educated in the common schools of Enfield and Warehouse Point and for a time taught penmanship in the common schools. He then became a peddler of notions and from his cart sold wares in various parts of New England. In this busi- ness he was a success and accumulated money. Seeing how he could make his business more extensive and more profitable, he came to Springfield November, 1848, and opened a store where he sold general notions, small wares, arms, etc., and kept a number of men on the road selling from wagons and distributing goods all over New England, except Rhode Island. Later these peddlers were succeeded by com- mercial travelers of the modern type, and he employed about fifteen men, clerks and trav- elers. This enterprise was very successful and Mr. Patton cleared a large amount of money before January II, 1875, when he sold out his business to D. Frank Hale. He was engaged in the real estate business from an early date, and built up much in Springfield. He made his first purchase at the corner of Hampden and Main streets, February 16, 1857. In 1864 he built at 270-276 Main street, corner of Hampden, a building four stories high of sev- enty-five feet front and eighty feet depth, a large business structure for Springfield in those days. In this building he had his store from January, 1865, to January, 1875. In 1870 he

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built behind this block of stores another on Hampden street; and in 1874 another block on Hampden street which has recently been taken down by William Patton, Jr., and on the site he is now erecting a much handsomer and more costly building. Foreseeing the inevit- able extension of Springfield toward the north, Mr. Patton bought part of a piece of land then used as pasture, and two years later bought the remainder extending from Main to Chest- nut streets, two blocks wide through the center of which he laid out Patton street. Continuing to indulge his penchant for architecture, he began to build residences on this tract in 1878, when he erected two houses. Continuing he crected four houses in 1879, four in 1880, six in 1881, two in 1886, one in 1887, six in 1888, and many others in the years following till the time of his death, covering the land he had bought with well-built, two-story houses, a total of fifty-eight. all but two of which he continued to own and rent. He made large real estate deals, in which he was a gainer, and at the time of his death his property had vastly increased in value. Mr. Patton was a Repub- lican. For many years he was a member of Christ Church ( Episcopal) and one of its vestrymen. He was a Mason and a member of the Winthrop Club. Mr. Patton was twice abroad, his first visit to Europe including Eng- land. Scotland and France ; and the second Hol- land. Belgium and Germany. He was an en- thusiastic sportsman and greatly enjoyed hunt- ing and fishing. He traveled much over the United States and spent winters in Florida where he found ample opportunity to indulge his desire to fish and hunt. Mr. Patton was not wholly absorbed in the pursuit of business and money getting in which he was so very successful, but was one of the best informed men in history, mythology, as well as general literature, a deep thinker, a great student and a pleasing conversationalist.

William Patton married, in Suffield, Con- necticut, April 2, 1846, Caroline E. Sikes, born April 6, 1825, daughter of Amos and Anne ( Northam) Sikes, of Suffield. She died Janu- ary 19, 1888. Two children were born to them : Carrie E. and William. Carrie E., born May 7, 1849: married, May 11, 1870, William S. Greene, and resides in Springfield (see Greene XX1). To Mr. and Mrs. Greene was born one child, Harrie W., October 9, 1872.

(V111) William (3), only son of William (2) and Caroline E. (Sikes) Patton, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Angust 4, 1855. He attended the public schools of Springfield

until he had completed a year in the high school and then went to Williston Seminary, East Hampden, where he took two years of the three years scientific course. His service in his father's store then began and this continued until the latter sold out his mercantile business. The following nine years he was in New York city as a clerk with John B. Alden & Company, then a famous publishing house. In July, 1888, he returned to Springfield and from that time had the chief care of his father's realty and real estate business. By the death of his father, he has become a large holder in real property which he has managed with skill and profit. At the present time ( 1909) he is about to finish a handsome building on Hampden street. He is the owner of one-half of the property on Patterson street. He has a handsome residence at 80 Cornell street. In politics he is a Re- publican. In foreign travel he finds entertain- ment and instruction, and the art galleries of the old world have much that he admires. He has made six tours to the countries of South- western Europe.

RICHARDSON The origin of the name Richardson dates back centuries, and came from the name Richard, Richardson meaning son of Richard. This tradition was a matter of course, and the name has been widely spread in Eng- land. Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Among the name are found men of letters, barristers, clergymen, baronets, bishops, painters, authors, statesmen, professors, merchants and manu- facturers. The different family seats bore arms, and it would be impossible to correctly give a coat-of-arms that would apply to all the different families, as few if any of the immi- grants had the same.

(I) Samuel, one of the three noted Richard- son brothers who were among the earliest set- tlers of Woburn, Massachusetts, was baptized at West Mill, county Herts, England, Decem- ber 22. 1602 or 1604, and died in Woburn, Massachusetts, March 23, 1658. He was son of Thomas and Katherine (Durford) Rich- ardson, of West Mill, who were married Au- gust 24. 1590. He was second in age of the three brothers. Ezekiel, Samuel and Thomas, and the last of the three to come to New Eng- land. His wife Joanna, surname unknown, probably died in 1678. She was living as late as December 10, 1677, when she is mentioned as receiving fifty-five acres of land at a meet- ing of the proprietors held that date. Her will dated 20tl, 4th, 1666, mentions sons John,

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Joseph, Samuel and Stephen; and daughters Elizabeth and Mary Mousall. Elizabeth and Mary married brothers, sons of Ralph Mousall, of Charlestown, Elizabeth marrying John, and Mary marrying Thomas. Samuel Richardson was executor of his father's will in England, dated March 4, 1630, and inherited his mother's part of his father's estate. The will was pre- sented at court in 1634 by Samuel Richardson. Samuel was married before he left West Mill, and two of his children were baptized there- Samuel, 1633, and Elizabeth, 1635. It was after 1635 that he and his brother Thomas sailed for New England. In 1636 he located in Charlestown. He was a selectman of Wo- burn, 1644-46-49-51, and his name appears on the first tax list of Woburn in 1645. He was one of the signers of Woburn town orders of 1640. He released certain lands, with his brothers, to the inhabitants of Woburn in 1644, and helped found the first church of Woburn in 1642. His estate was located on the "Rich- ardson Row Road" of early times, and an estate known a century ago as the Job Miller estate, on present Washington street, in the present limits of the town of Winchester, was the more modern equivalent. This estate de- scended in a direct line from Samuel (I), to Samuel (II), thence to Jonathan (III), and thence to Jonathan (IV) Richardson. The last Jonathan bequeathed it to his niece, Sarah Miller, wife of Job Miller. Jonathan Richard- son (IV), who was born in Woburn, had lived elsewhere during a part of his life, and return- ing in his latter days to Woburn, died in his native town October 31, 1798. Job Miller that year occupied the house, which was a very old one at that time, thirty-six by eighteen feet in lateral dimensions, and two stories high. The adjoining farm contained fifty acres. The family of Samuel Richardson (II) was attack- ed by Indians on this place, April 10, 1676, and three of the family were killed. The father was at work on the afternoon of that day, with a young son for company, in his field. He noticed a commotion at the house, and hastening there found his wife Hannah and his son Thomas had been slain by a band of skulk- ing Indians, so called, who after robbing some gardens of linen articles, at Cambridge, had on their retreat performed this mischief and slaughter. A further search revealed the fact that his infant daughter Hannah had also been killed. Her nurse had fled with her in her arms in the direction of a neighboring garri- son house, and being closely pursued by the Indians. in order to save herself, she dropped

the child, which the Indians dispatched. The father pursued the Indians with a rallying party, and coming upon them seated beside a swamp in the woods, the party shot at them and hit one of them fatally, as the body was found afterwards in the woods, buried under leaves where his associates had laid him. The fact of his being wounded was proved by traces of blood which were found in the woods from the point where he was first after he was shot : at this place the Indians left behind a bundle of linen in which was found wrapped up the scalps of one or more of their victims. The Smith place represents the original estate of Job Miller. Prince avenue traverses the original Samuel Richardson estate. The estate of the first Samuel extended from the present tracks of the Boston & Maine railroad, near Nathaniel A. Richardson's house, to the Stone- ham and Winchester town line, the homestead being on the estate known to many of the present generation as the Josiah F. Stone place. A part of the lands now owned by Nathaniel A. Richardson were included in the original estate. The Miller house was built by the second Samuel, but the first Samuel is sup- posed to have lived on the other side of the present Washington street, and opposite the Miller place. His house stood in a little valley, and disappeared before the year 1800.

Children : 1. Samuel, baptized at West Mill, Herts, England, July 3, 1633. 2. Elizabeth, baptized at West Mill, May 22, 1635 ; married John Mousall, of Charlestown ; died at Charles- town, August 16, 1685. 3. Mary, baptized at Charlestown, February 25, 1637-8; married Thomas Mousall, of Charlestown. 4. John, baptized at Charlestown, November 12, 1639; married (first) October 22, 1658, Elizabeth Bacon ; (second) October 28, 1672, Mary Pier- son ; (third) Margaret Willing. 5. Hannah, born at Woburn, March 8, 1641-42, died April 8. 1642. 6. Joseph, born July 27, 1643 ; mar- ried, November 5, 1666, Hannah Green. 7. Samuel, born May 22, 1646. 8. Stephen, born August 15, 1649, mentioned below. 9. Thomas, born December 31, 1651, died September 27, 1657.

(II) Stephen, son of Samuel Richardson, was born at Woburn, Massachusetts, August 15. 1649. died there March 22. 1717-18. He resided in Woburn which then included Burl- ington, a part of Wilmington, and his land ex- ten ed into Billerica which then joined Wo- burn. He was a freeman in 1690. His will was dated August 15, 1713, and proved April 22, 1718 ( see Middlesex probate records, vol. 15.

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pp. 157-163). In it he mentions as living wife Abigail, daughters Abigail Vinton and Pru- dence Kendall, sons Stephen, William, Francis, Timothy, Seth, Daniel and Solomon. He mar- ried, January 2, 1674-75, at Billerica, Abigail Wyman, born 1659, died September 7, 1720, daughter of Francis and Abigail ( Read) Wy- man, the former of whom was one of the first settlers of Woburn and one of the largest land- holders of Woburn. Children : 1. Stephen, born February 20, 1675-76, died January 14, 17II- 12. 2. Francis, born January 19, 1677-78, died January 27. 1677-78. 3. William, born De- cember 14, 1678; mentioned below. 4. Fran- cis, born January 15, 1680-81 ; married Sarah Houghton. 5. Timothy, born December 6, 3682, died January 18, 1682-83. 6. Abigail, born November 14, 1683, died June 21, 1720; married John Vinton, Esq., March 9, 1702. 7. Prudence, born January 17, 1685-86; married Samuel Kendall. 8. Timothy, born January 24. 1687-88; married Susanna Holden. 9. Seth, born January 16, 1689-90; married Mary Brown. 10. Daniel, born October 16, 1691, died April 20, 1749 : married Joanna ( Mousall ) Miller. II. Mary, born May 3, 1696, died before 1713. 12. Rebecca, born June 10, 1698, died December 6, 1711. 13. Solomon, born March 27, 1702; married Abigail Evans.

(III) William, son of Stephen Richardson, was born at Woburn, Massachusetts, December 14, 1678, but the time of his death is not recorded. He was a husbandman, and resided in Woburn until 1709 or 1710, when he re- moved to Charlestown End, or the present town of Stoneham, incorporated as such De- cember 17, 1725. His land bordered on that of his brother-in-law. John Vinton, Esq., and he owned several lots in common with him. On March 22, 1710, land in Charlestown was conveyed to John Vinton and William Richard- son. There are three other deeds dated 1700, 1709, 1712, by which land in Charlestown (cast side of Spot Pond in Stoneham) was conveyed to them also. On March 26, 1715. William Richardson sells land to John Vinton, Esq. About 1718 he removed to Attleboro, Massachusetts. He bought land there of the proprietors, December 25, 1710. His wife Re- becca is mentioned in her mother's will dated April 21, 1729. He married, September 15, 1703, at Woburn, Rebecca Vinton, born March 26, 1683, died after 1729, daughter of John and Hannah ( Grren ) Vinton, of Woburn. Chil- dren: 1. Rebecca, born August 4, 1704, died at almshouse, April 11, 1788. 2. Hannah, born October 28, 1706. 3. Abigail, born April 18,

170), died November 23, 1730; married, Au- gust 8. 1728, John Shepard. 4. William, born April 17, 1712: married Mary Coy. 5. Ste- phen, born September 7, 1714; married, No- vember II, 1736, Hannah Coy. 6. Mary, born April 18, 1717, died November 1, 1797, unmar- ried. 7. John, born November 27, 1719 ; men- tioned below. 8. Joanna, born September 17, 1722.

(IV) John, son of William Richardson, was born at Attleboro, Massachusetts, November 27, 1719. He received his name John out of regard to John Vinton, Esq., of Stoneham, his mother's brother. He was private in Cap- tain Stephen Richardson's company of minute- men which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, service nine days. There is a copy of an order on Ephraim Newell, town treasurer of Attleboro, dated July 5, 1776, for wages due said Richardson and others for service on the alarm caused by the battle of Bunker Hill. He married Elizabeth Wyman. Children: I. Lucy, born December 5, 1742. 2. John, born May 24, 1744, died June 2, 1811 ; married Ruth Woodcock. 3. Wyman, born May 13, 1746, died October 14, 1839: married, October 31, 1771, Ruth Lane. 4. Betsey, born April 7, 1748. 5. Joel, born October 10, 1750; men- tioned below. 6. Henry, born August 7, 1752, drowned November 4, 1827, aged seventy-five ; married, June 23, 1774, Olive Blackinton.

( \) Joel, son of John Richardson, was born at Attleboro, Massachusetts, October 10, 1750, died at Belgrade, Maine, January 7, 1819. Abort 1795 he removed his family from Attle- boro to Belgrade, Maine, with his brother Henry's family, where they all settled. He was a farmer and owned large tracts of land in Belgrade. He was married at Belgrade, Maine, they being the first couple to be married in that town, having previously gone there, but returned to Attleboro. He married, 1776, Sarah Wyman, died December 10, 1845, daughter of Simon Wyman. Children : 1. Joel, born May 11. 1777; mentioned below. 2. Henry, born April 28, 1779. 3. Daniel, April 8, 1781. 4. Elizabeth, June II. 1784. 5. Sarah, February 27, 1787. 6. Ariel, June 17, 1789. 7. Silas, October 6, 1796. 8. Stephen, May 30, 1799.

(VI) Joel (2), son of Joel (1) Richardson, was born at Belgrade, Maine, May 11, 1777, died at Canaan, Maine. He received his edu- cation in the district school, and assisted his father on the farm. lle later settled at Hart- land, Maine, as a farmer and storekeeper. His wife Temperance was said to have been a very capable woman. Both Joel and his wife were

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members of the church, and he was strong in his convictions, industrious, honest and frugal in his living. He owned considerable property at one time. He married, at Belgrade, Maine, December 8, 1797, Temperance Crowell, died September 5. 1841, and buried at Canaan, Maine, daughter of Levi and Deborah ( Bax- ter ) Crowell. Children : 1. Joel, married Mary Danforth ; children: Charles, Miller, Ralph, Julia, Temperance, Sybil. 2. David, married Lorinda Gale ; children : David, Jr., Marcia, Angelica. 3. Bryant, married Rachel children : Joel. Stephen, Eugene, Josephine. 4. Miller, married, and had children : Emogene, Sarah. 5. Stephen, mentioned below. 6. Sally, married Ellis. 7. Deborah, married ( first ) a Gleason : (second) Elkanah Miller ; children : Annie Maria, Sylvia, Leonard, Nancy, Isabella, Elizabeth, Frances, Stephen. 8. Nancy, married Joel Lambert. 9. Sylvia, married Gale.

(VII) Stephen (2), son of Joel (I) Rich- ardson, was born at Belgrade, Maine, about 1825, died and was buried at Forestville, Son- omo county, California. 1880. He was reared on his father's farm and in his father's store, acquiring a good education in the district school, being a fine penman and above the average of his associates in learning. He also worked in his brother's general store at Canaan, Maine. At the age of nineteen years, having acquired a knoweldge of the general store business, he set up in business with Hartwell Merrow at Hartland. Maine. His books show that he sold rum, furs, groceries, jewelry, farm pro- ducts and such supplies as are sold in an inland town. He was also the postmaster of the place, and conducted a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, also the village hotel for a time. He was also town clerk and held other important offices. In 1852 he sold his interests to his partner, and with the impression that he was to buy goods in New York, shipped via Cape Horn for Cali- fornia during the gold excitement. He was not engaged at mining, but was steward and supply agent, also clerk for one of the com- panies then operated in the gold fields. In later years he was engaged as an exchange dealer and trader. It was reported that he was killed by Indians in 1880. He was a Dem- ocrat in politics, following in the footsteps of his forefathers, who were all Democrats. He was a brilliant man in conversation, genial in disposition and generous among his friends. He married, November 18, 1846, at Augusta, Maine, Harriet Miller, born in Sidney, Maine, November 10. 1826. died in Franklin, Massa-

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 99

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