USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 17
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Mr. Parker married Nellie Frances Puffer, born in Springfield, Massachusetts, daughter of Herbert C. Puffer (see Puffer). Their home is at 115 High street, the old "J. G. Hol- land Place."
(The Puffer Line).
The surname Puffer, Poffer or Pougher, seems to be of German origin. The American immigrant, George Puffer, settled in Boston as early as 1639, unquestionably from Eng- land, among Englishmen. The only English family found after a careful search of avail- able English records is traced back to one William Pougher, or Puffer, born about 1690, died at Hart's Hill, near Atherstone, county Warwick, England. From the fact that he had a son George, and that no other family of the same name is to be found, it is reason- able to believe that George the immigrant was his brother. The family of Puffer was located in Hesse, Germany, before 1569.
(I) George Puffer, of Boston, Massachu- setts, had land granted to him for five head at Mount Wollaston. According to one account he died September 27, 1639, and record of him as living after that date has been found. He and his descendants lived in old Braintree nearly a century. The homestead was located about two miles east of the Old Colony rail- road station in Quincy, Massachusetts. His widow died February 12, 1677, at Braintree. Children: I. James, born about 1624; men- tioned below. 2. Matthias, married, March 12, 1662, Rachel Farnsworth. 3. Mary, died July 22, 1700.
(II) James, son of George Puffer, was born in England, about 1624, and came to Braintree with his father in 1639. He suc- ceeded to the homestead, and was also a boat- man, living at Ship Cove, now Quincy Neck. He also owned land at what is now Randolph. He died July 25, 1692. He married, February 14, 1656, Mary Ludden, born at Weymouth, December 17, 1636, daughter of James Lud- den. Children : I. Richard, born March 14, 1657. 2. Martha, December 28, 1658. 3. Mary, February II, 1659-60. 4. James, May 5, 1663. 5. Ruth, January 25, 1667. 6. Rachel, January 25, 1667 (twin). 7. Jabez, mentioned below.
(III) Jabez, son of James Puffer, was born at Braintree, February 4, 1672. He married
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there, December 3, 1702, Mary Glazier, and they joined the church at Braintree, May 21, 1704. He bought land in 1712 at Sudbury, whither he and his brother James removed. He became a prominent citizen there, was cap- tain of the militia company. He died Novem- ber 5, 1746, and his widow died January 2, 1749-50. Children: I. Martha, born Octo- ber 18, 1705. 2. Jabez, 1705. 3. Samuel, October 12, 1707. 4. Jonathan, November 2, 1709; died young. 5. Jonathan, born October 22, 17II. 6. Ephraim, July 22, 1716; mention- ed below. 7. William, February 25, 1720.
(IV) Ephraim, son of Jabez Puffer, was born at Sudbury, July 22, 1716. He married Mary, daughter of Joseph Darby, of Stow, and settled there about 1749. He died there in 1757. Children: I. Jonathan, born June 9, 1746; mentioned below. 2. Simon, Febru- ary 21, 1748. 3. Catherine, born at Stow, June 26, 1750; married John Gibson. 4. Ephraim, May 8, 1753.
(V) Jonathan, son of Ephraim Puffer, was born at Sudbury, June 9, 1746. He was in the revolution, in Captain William Whitcomb's company, Colonel James Prescott's regiment, in 1775. He married (first) Elizabeth Gib- son, of Stow; (second) Jemima Taft, and lived in Sudbury, where he died September I, 1817. He was a farmer. His will was dated June 28, 1814, and proved in November, 1818. Children, born at Stow: 1. Jonathan, August 2, 1774 ; died young. 2. Simon, April 30, 1777 ; mentioned below. 3. Jonathan, January 17, 1779. 4. Joseph Darby, died April 28, 1832. 5. Eunice, born December 5, 1780. 6. Peter, January 5, 1783. 7. Jemima, January 26, 1785. 8. Mollie. 9. Lois, August 14, 1791.
(VI) Simon, son of Jonathan Puffer, was born at Stow, April 30, 1777, and died in June, 1826. He was a farmer at Stow. He married (first) January 22, 1801, Mary Conant, who died March 8, 1821 ; (second) May 29, 1823, at Sudbury, Abigail Rice. Children: I. Dan- iel, born May 28, 1801. 2. Captain Reuben, April II, 1803; mentioned below. 3. Phineas (twin), April 11, 1803. 4. Mary, married Deacon Silas Hosmer, of Acton. 5. Cyrus, April 29, 1819. 6. Jonathan, March 4, 1825.
(VII) Captain Reuben, son of Simon Puffer, was born April II, 1803, in Sudbury, and died July 9, 1845. He resided at Stow, and mar- ried, May 18, 1832, Nancy Walker, born April 2, 1807, in Sudbury. Children: I. Albert Warren. 2. Sophia Elizabeth, married J. Lyman Smith. 3. Herbert Cyrus, mentioned below.
(VIII) Herbert Cyrus Puffer, son of Cap- tain Reuben Puffer, was born at Sudbury, February 3, 1842. He married, April 8, 1867, Elizabeth Wilder, of Stow, and resided at Springfield. Child: I. Nellie Frances, mar- ried Fordis Clifford Parker (see Parker ).
William Parker, immigrant an- PARKER cestor, was born in England about 1660 and came to Ports- mouth, New Hampshire, about 1703. He mar- ried, February 26, 1703, in England, Zerviah. Stanley, born 1665, who died August 18, 1718. Her gravestone was recovered in 1847 in an interesting way. While digging a drain in the vicinity of the old Parker farm, workmen found several gravestones which they made use of in their work. Afterward the incident was known and the stone that was set to mark the grave of Parker's wife was found where the workmen remembered having placed it. Tradition says that she was the daughter of the Earl of Derby, had married without her father's consent, and had abandoned her claims to nobility and with her husband fled to the new world. Portsmouth was their place of refuge and a lovely spot by the riverside was selected by them for their home, and here the fifteen remaining years of her life were spent. The tradition that she was a daughter of the . Earl is not substantiated by the records. The historian of Portsmouth (Brewster ) suggests that her name may have been changed or sup- pressed, or she was not legitimate. William Parker was a gentleman of education. He kept himself as obscure as possible, fearing, it is said, some act of vengeance on the part of his wife's father. He worked hard and was poor. He worked in a tannery near his home. Both he and his wife were buried in the garden of their farm, now the site of the Portsmouth Steam Factory. Children : I. William, born December 9, 1703; mentioned below. 2. John, left one son, Rev. Noah, raised by his Uncle William; married a Miss Ward; one child, Noah.
(II) Hon. William (2), son of William ( I) Parker, was born in Portsmouth, December 9, 1703. He was educated there in the public schools. He became a school teacher, then studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1732. He was appointed judge of probate by Governor Belcher. He was also judge of the admirality and for many years the only notary public in the province of New Hampshire. In 1737 he was clerk of the commissioners to settle the boundary line between New Hamp-
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shire and Massachusetts. From 1765 to 1774 he was a member of the provincial legislature and he was judge of the superior court of New Hampshire from August, 1771, until the revolution. After that he took no part in politics on account of ill health. He died April 29, 1781, aged seventy-seven. "He was esteemed a well-read and accurate lawyer and was fond of classic literature and belles lettres." Harvard conferred upon him the honorary degree of A. M. in 1763. He mar- ried (first) 1728, Elizabeth Russell. Married (second) Widow Coates. Children: I. Zer- viah Stanley, born 1728; died May, 1750; married William Earl Treadwell. 2. Cath- erine, died young. 3. William, 1731; died June 5, 1813 ; judge of probate ; married Eliza- beth Fogg. 4. John, November 16, 1732; sheriff of Rockingham, 1771; United States marshal of New Hampshire; died unmarried, October 4, 1791. 5. Elizabeth, 1734 ; died No- vember 20, 1815; married Captain Nathaniel Adams, of Portsmouth. 6. Lydia, 1737; died September, 1787; married Samuel Hale. 7. Mary, 1738; died May, 1788; married Hon. David Sewall, of York, Maine. 8. Catherine, 1744; died September, 1817. 9. Rt. Rev. Sam- uel, D. D., Bishop Eastern Diocese ; born Au- gust 17, 1745; died December 6, 1804; mar- ried, November 22, 1776, Anne Cutler. IO. Sarah, 1746; died July 26, 1837. II. Matthew Stanley, 1747 ; mentioned below.
(III) Matthew Stanley, son of Hon. Will- iam (2) Parker, was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 1747; died there in 1787. John Parker, his brother, was sheriff of the province of New Hampshire, later of the county of Rockingham ; never married but educated nine of his nephews and nieces, among whom was John Parker Hale, father of Senator Hale. Matthew S. Parker came into possession of the Wolfborough homestead, except the Lib- bey lot. He improved the property and erected buildings on it, then sold it to Jonathan Ed- munds and removed to Mills, where he occu- pied the Mills house. He was a miller and tavern keeper. He had charge of the Governor Wentworth farm. The advent of "Squire" Parker, as he was called, was a godsend to Wolfborough, according to the town history. His acquired abilities were far superior to those of any other citizen then living in the town, and rendered him well fitted to occupy any important position which the requirements of the town demanded. He was the only justice of the peace for many years, a just magistrate and well versed in the law. He was town
clerk in 1774, the year after his arrival; select- man in 1778 and held both offices almost con- . tinuously until his death in 1788. He died sud- denly while on a visit to his brother-in-law, Deering Stoddard, who lived in the northeast part of the town. He married Ann Rust, daughter of Colonel Henry Rust, of Ports- mouth, who moved to Wolfborough during the revolution. They were married at the home of Colonel Toppan, of Hampden, and he afterward educated their only daughter, Ann Rust Parker, who married Rev. Jaazaniah Crosby, of Charlestown, New Hampshire. Children, born at Wolfborough: I. Matthew Stanley, July 30, 1779; mentioned below. 2. Ann Rust, November 18, 1784; died at Charlestown, New Hampshire, December 9. 1813. 3. Samuel Hale, May, 1781 ; mentioned below. . 4. Henry Rust, died young. 5. Na- thaniel Adams, died young. 6. Henry Rust, farmer at Wolfborough; married Hannah Rust, 7. William Sewall, died 1835; married (first ) Mary Lord; (second) Delia Lord, her sister ; lived at Troy, New York, and owned a book store there. 8. John Tappan.
(IV) Matthew Stanley (2), son of Mat- thew Stanley (1) Parker, was born at Wolf- borough, New Hampshire, July 30, 1779, died at Boston, Massachusetts, January 9, 1866. He married (first) October 13, 1803, Ann Quincy, born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 16, 1780, died at Boston, September 5, 1852. He married (second) November 15, 1854, Martha Freeman, who died September 27, 1873. Children, all by first wife, born at Boston, Massachusetts: 1. Caroline, Septem- ber II, 1804; died September 18, 1808. 2. Charles Hamilton, March 17, 1806; mentioned below. 3. Eliza Ann, May 8, 1809; died Feb- ruary I, 18II. 4. William Henry, October 10, 18II ; died May 25, 1812. 5. John Stanley, August 17, 1813; died at St. Helena, July 5, 1870; married, January 18, 1843, Agnes Matilda Carroll. 6. Mary Ann, April 24, 1815; died October 16, 1818. 7. Sarah Ann, June 23, 1820; died May 8, 1904; married, July 17, 1845, Major General Samuel Andrews. 8. Ebenezer Francis, December 31, 1823; died at Nahant, August 15, 1896; married, April 3, 1862, Elizabeth Clapp Stone.
(V) Charles Hamilton, son of Matthew Stanley (2) Parker, was born at Boston, March 17, 1806, died there February 3, 1874. He was baptized Charles, and took his middle name by act of the Massachusetts legisla- ture, February 5, 1825. He married, October 3, 1832, Catherine Snow Francis, born Feb-
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ruary 16, 1810, died October 11, 1878. Chil- dren: I. Mary Francis, born December IO, 1833; died unmarried at Brookline, August 26, 1887. 2. Catherine Stanley, Boston, De- cember 6, 1835; married, October 18, 1866, Rev. William Rufus Nicholson. 3. Charles Edward, August 8, 1839; mentioned below. 4. Alice Quincy, June 25, 1843. 5. James Lawrence, April 10, 1845; died May 20, 1846. 6. William Lincoln, Boston, March 23, 1848; mentioned below.
(VI) Charles Edward, son of Charles Hamilton Parker, was born August 8, 1839, died at Brookline, February 7, 1884. He married, November 9, 1871, Mary Tilden Phillips. Children : James Phillips, see for- ward; Alice Elizabeth; William Stanley, with the firm of Augustin Heard & Company, of China.
(VI) William Lincoln, son of Charles Hamilton Parker, was born at Boston, March 23, 1848. He was educated at Chauncy Hall School and Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard, 1865-67. He engaged in business as merchant, entering the old house founded by Augustus Hemenway and becoming partner in succeeding firm of Wessel Duval & Com- pany, New York and Valparaiso. Residence Boston and Cohasset. Member of Century Association of New York, Union Tavern, St. Botolph and Country clubs, of Boston. Thir- teen years service in First Corps of Cadet, 1867 to 1880, resigning as captain. He mar- ried, January 31, 1883, Elizabeth Bowditch Frothingham, born at Salem, January 27, 1850, daughter of Rev. Octavius Brooks and Caro- line Agey (Curtis) Frothingham. Child, Curtis, born at Boston, April 5, 1887, died at Rollinsville, Colorado, July 3, 1907.
(VII) James Phillips, eldest child of Charles Edward and Mary Tilden ( Phillips) Parker, was born in Hong Kong, China, September 5, 1874. He studied at the public and private schools of Boston, having been brought to that city at the age of three years, entered Har- vard University in 1892, and was graduated from that institution in the class of 1896 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. While at the university he took the highest honors in Mili- tary Science, having studied under the precep- torship of Lieutenant Wirt Robinson, United States army. For three years, 1897 to 1900, he held a position as clerk with the City Trust Safe Deposit and Surety Company of Phila- delphia. In 1900 Mr. Parker became a part- ner under the firm name of Taft & Parker, in the insurance business, at 23 Central street,
Boston, and they were managers of the above company until 1905, when he was appointed general manager for the Empire State Surety Company of New York, remained with them three years, and was then appointed manager for the United States Fidelity & Guarantee Company of Philadelphia. His military rec- ord is as follows: September 8, 1891, enlist- ed in Company C, Naval Battalion ; September 8, 1894, re-enlisted, appointed coxswain, and later quartermaster ; September 8, 1895, re- enlisted, assigned to Signal Corps; June 26, 1896, transferred to petty staff as chief quarter- master of signal corps; September 8, 1896, re-enlisted as chief-quartermaster; March 6, 1897, appointed signal officer on staff of Cap- tain J. W. Weeks, Naval Brigade, with rank of lieutenant (J. G.) ; April 22, 1898, detailed as commanding officer first district, coast sig- nal service, United States navy ; May 9, 1898, commissioned lieutenant (J. G.) United States navy, and assigned to first district signal ser- vice; August 9, 1898, detached from coast signal service and ordered to United States Steamship "Marcellus" as navigator ; Septem- ber 16, 1898, honorably discharged from United States navy ; October 15, 1898, appoint- ed adjutant on staff of Captain J. W. Weeks, of Naval Brigade, with rank of lieutenant; September 17, 1900, resigned ; May 28, 1903, appointed ordinance officer on staff of Cap- tain G. R. H. Buffinton, Naval Brigade, with rank of lieutenant ; January 4, 1906, appointed on staff of Governor Curtis Guild, Jr., of Massachusetts, as naval-assistant-inspector- general, with the rank of commander; March 15, 1907, appointed adjutant-general of Mass- achusetts, by Governor Guild ; January 1, 1908, resigned as adjutant-general and was placed on the retired list as major-general; June, 1908, appointed chief of Naval Bureau, Naval Militia of Massachusetts, with the naval rank of captain. Captain Parker is associated with the following organizations: B. A. A., Ex- change, Puritan and Tedesco Country clubs ; Harvard clubs of New York and Boston ; Army and Navy Club of New York; Naval and Military Order of the Spanish-American War, is past commander of the Massachusetts Commandery, and an officer of the National Commandery ; member of the Wardroom Club. He married, October 17, 1900, Emmeline Eames Williams, daughter of Joseph S. and Annie (Fay) (James) Williams. Children : Katharine Williams, born August 16, 1901 ; James P., Jr., January 8, 1906.
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(For early generations see preceding sketch).
(IV) Samuel Hale, son of Mat-
PARKER thew Stanley (1) Parker, was born at Wolfborough, in May, 1781, died at Boston, December 25, 1864. He was a book publisher of Boston, and the first to publish the Waverly novels of Sir Walter Scott in this country. He married, June 13, 1814, Sarah Parker, born 1787, died Novem- ber 15, 1867, his cousin. Children: I. Anna Elizabeth, born June 20, 1815 ; died December 24, 1879; married, August 15, 1842, Dr. John Winthrop Taylor, brother of Marston Taylor, surgeon general in the United States navy. 2. George Stanley, April 18, 1817; died October 26, 1873; married, November 7, 1864, Alice Nisbet. 3. Louisa Maria, December 9, 1819; died September 10, 1887; married, August 10, 1842, Thomas Marston Taylor. 4. William Sewall, November 20, 1821; died February 15, 1822. 5. Mary Hamilton, October 3, 1823 ; died at Providence, Rhode Island, March 26, 1856. 6. Samuel Hale, February 23, 1826; died February 26. 1829. 7. James Cutler Dunn, June 2, 1828.
(V) James Cutler Dunn, youngest child of Samuel Hale and Sarah ( Parker) Parker, was born in Boston, June 2, 1828. He was a student at the Boston Latin School, then enter- ed Harvard College, from which he was grad- uated in the class of 1848 with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts. He commenced the study of law in the offices of Samuel D. Parker, but at the expiration of two years adopted music as his profession and spent three years in Germany, studying under the most distinguished masters in this art. Upon his return to his native land he began to teach music and appeared in concerts. He was appointed organist of Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church while Phillips Brooks was rector and officiated at the organ when Dr. Brooks was consecrated bishop of Massachu- setts. His family had been closely associated with this church for a number of generations, his father having been senior warden at one time. Mr. Parker has been officially connected with the New England Conservatory of Music for many years, at first as a teacher, later as class inspector and superintendent of examina- tions, and many of his compositions have been published. He is a member of the Harvard Musical Association and the St. Botolph Club. He resides in Brookline. He married, Septem- ber 6, 1859, Maria, born January 10, 1834, daughter of John and Rebecca (Punchard) Derby, of Andover, Massachusetts. Children :
I. Hamilton Derby, born September 27, 1860, died in May, 1869. 2. James Cutler, May, 1864, died May, 1869. 3. Philip Stanley, see forward.
(VI) Philip Stanley, youngest child of James Cutler Dunn and Maria (Derby) Parker, was born in Boston, January 13, 1868. His early school training was received in the public schools of Brookline, and he was then graduated from the Boston Latin School, and later from Harvard University with the de- gree of Bachelor of Arts; he then pursued a course of study in the Harvard Law School, from which he was graduated in 1895 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and was ad- mitted to practice at the Suffolk bar in the same year. He immediately commenced to practice in Boston and has been actively en- gaged in the legal profession since that time. He is a special justice of the municipal court of Brookline, has been a member of the board of selectmen of Brookline since 1906, and is one of the trustees of the Corey Hill Hospital. He is treasurer of the. Boston Dispensary, director of the Brookline Friendly Society, member of the Union Club of Boston, and is interested in a number of charitable organiza- tions. In politics he is a Republican, and in religious faith an Episcopalian. He married Eleanor, daughter of Gilbert R. Payson (see Payson family ). Children : I. Philip Stanley, Jr., born April 8, 1897. 2. Grace Hamilton, January 15, 1900. . 3. Eleanor Gilbert, October 3, 1902. 4. Frances Lawrence, March 28, 1906.
The name of the family of NICKERSON Nickerson appears to have been spelled in various forms by the early generations of this family. We find it spelled in some of the early records under the form of Nichelson, Nicholson, Nich- olsons, Nick, Nickason, Nickleson, Nickels- son, Nickerson, Nickesson, Nickilson, Nickin- son, Nickilson, Nickolson, Nickorson, Nicki- son, Nickson, Nicholson, Nicorson, Nikelson and Ninkerson.
The first of this family to come to America was William Nickerson, whom it is believed was a descendant of William Nickerson, Lord Bishop of Derry, Ireland, whose coat-of-arms. hanging in the hall of the home of Captain Phineas Adams Nickerson in Winchester, Massachusetts, is: Azure two bars ermine, in chief three suns, and is attested as follows : (This writing was found on the back of the original picture in Boston, 1802) From the
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beginning of the settlement of this family in this country, the members thereof have figured prominently in its commerce and trade during the colonial period, and they also asserted their patriotism during the struggle for independ- ence ; in Massachusetts alone we find that sev- enty-two of the name of Nickerson served in the army and navy during the revolution.
(I) William Nickerson was among those who suffered persecution for conscience sake in Ipswich, England. He was born in Nor- wich, England, 1604-6. He sailed from Nor- wich, England, in April, 1637, either in the ship "John and Dorothy" of Ipswich, or the "Rose" of Yarmouth, in company with his wife, her parents, her brothers and sisters, and his four children. He landed at Boston, June 20, 1637, and lived in Boston, Watertown and Plymouth. He was next heard of at Yar- mouth in 1641, and was selectman there in 1643. He was deputy to the general court in 1655. While at Yarmouth he was fined for "contempt for religion," probably meaning contempt for Father Mather, as there appears no reason to doubt that he was a man of recti- tude, upright, and of good moral character. He was next heard of in Monoyick (now Chat- ham) where he purchased of John Quason, chief of the Monoyicks, that territory compris- ing Chatham, Orleans, Harwich and Brewster, for the price of twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, twelve knives, twelve homespun suits, twelve shillings in English money, twelve shillings in
wampum "and sundry other articles." This purchase was made by Nickerson without the consent of the government at Plymouth, which held grants from the Crown, and much legal strife was caused thereby. The matter was later amicably adjusted to the satisfaction of all concerned, Nickerson remaining in pos- session of the land purchased. He founded the town of Monomoy (now Chatham) where he exercised the office of religious teacher for many years prior to the coming of Rev. Mr. Vickery, he also figured largely in court pro- ceedings, chiefly concerning titles to lands. He was selectman in Eastham in 1670 and was there noted for being foremost in enterprise and public spirit. William Nickerson was born in Norwich, Norfolk county, England, in 1604, and died in Massachusetts between August 30, 1689, and September 8, 1790, at which latter date his daughter refers to him as being deceased. He married, in England, Anne (who was living as late as 1686), daugh- ter of Nicholas and Bridget Busby. Children, of whom four were born in England: Nich-
olas, Robert, Anne, Elizabeth, Samuel, Will- iam, mentioned below; Joseph, John, Sarah.
(II) William (2), fourth son and sixth child of William (I) and Anne ( Busby) Nick- erson, was born in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, where he was baptized, June 1, 1646. He lived in Chatham, Massachusetts, near the site of Hotel Chatham. He held the office of clerk and treasurer of the first public meeting held in Chatham, May 12, 1694, and was a soldier in King Philip's war in 1676. Administration was allowed on his estate in April, 1719. He married, November 30, 1668, Mercy, daugh- ter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Tate) Williams, her death occurring in Chatham, April 7, 1739. Their children of whom we have positive in- formation were: William, Thomas, Robert. Mercy, Elizabeth, Judith and Nathaniel.
(III) Thomas, son of William (2) and Mercy (Williams) Nickerson, was born in 1670, and died in 1735-6. He was known as "Lieutenant Thomas," and was selectman for two years about 1700. He lived in Brewster, Massachusetts. He married Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Mayo) Bangs; she was born in Eastham, Massachusetts, April 14, 1671, the exact date of her death being unknown. Their children, who were all bap- tized in Brewster, Massachusetts, October 9, 1709, were: Jonathan, Mercy, Thomas, Will- iam, Ebenezer, Edward, Nathaniel, Mary and Thankful.
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