USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity, Vol. II > Part 79
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JOHN DAVIS PUTNAM. John Putnam (1) was the emigrant ancestor of John Davis Putnam, of Webster, Massachusetts, and ancestor of all the old Putnam families of Worcester county. He came from Abbotsason, Buckinghamshire, England, where he was probably born about 1500. He came early to Salem, Massachusetts, and settled. He was a planter and yeoman, and had grants of land in
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1640 and at various times later. Ile was admitted to the church at Salem, April 4. 1647, and his wife Priscilla was admitted March 21, 1640-41. His sons John, Nathaniel and Thomas also came to Salem to live, and became enterprising and prominent citi- zens. Ile gave lands to his sons John and Nathan- iel, the latter deed being dated March 3, 1753. He died December 30, 1662. Children of John and Pris- cilla : 1. Jolin, born 1617, at Abbotsason, England, married, September 3, 1652. Rebecca Prince. 3. Nathaniel, born at Abbotsason, England, 1620, mar- ried Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Hutchinson. 3. Thomas, see forward. No daughters are given in the records.
( 11) Thomas Putnam, son of John Putnam (I), born at Abbotsason, England, about 1622; mar- ried, October 17, 1643, Ann, daughter of Edward and Prudence Holyoke. Edward Holyoke came from Tamworth, England, in 1630, and was admitted a freeman at Lynn, March 14, 1638-9. He was granted power to manage the land of Lord Brooke, March 13, 1638-9, by the general court. He was one of the adventurers in the Piscataqua Plantation, sell- ing his share to Robert Saltonstall, October 25, 1644. He was deputy to general court from Springfield in 1650, though not a resident. He died at Rumney Marsh, May 4, 1660, and among others mentions in his will son-in-law Putnam, sometimes read Prenam ; he was an ancestor of President Holyoke, of Harv- ard College, and of Edward Holyoke, who died in Salem. March, 1829, aged one hundred years. The names Edward and Holyoke are still re- tained among the Sutton family of Putnams. Ann ( Holyoke) Putnam died September 1, 1665. Thomas Putnam married (second), November 14, 1666, Mary Wren, a widow. He was admitted a freeman in 1642 and to the church in Salem April 3, 1643. Thomas and Ann had three sons and five daughters, the names of the daughters being unknown. Of the sons, Thomas, married Ann Carr, September 25, 1678; had one son and four daughters, names not known. Edward, married Mary Hale, June 14, 1681 : has many descendants in Sutton and Worcester county.
(II) Nathaniel Putnam, son of John Putnam (1), born in Abbotsason, England, 1620, came in 1639 to Salem, probably with his father's family. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Hutchinson. of Salem. Richard Hutchinson was a yeoman, a proprietor of Salem as early as 1636, was admitted to the church April 4, 1647. He bought a farm in 1648, half of which he sold in 1651 to his son-in- law, Nathaniel Putnam. Ile was born in England in 1600 or 1601. His wife Alice joined the church before 1636. He married (second), October, 1668, Susanna Archard, who died November 26, 1674. He married (third) Sarah Standish, widow of James Standish. Children of Richard Hutchinson: I. Abigail, baptized December 25. 1636 married An- thony Ashby. 2. Hannah, baptized January 20, 1638-9, married Daniel Boardman. 3. John, born May, baptized July. 1643. 4. Joseph. 5. Elizabeth, married Nathaniel Putnam. 6. - - married Thomas Hale. 7. married James Hadlock. ( See genealogy in Essex Inst. Coll. ix.) Children of Na- thaniel and Elizabeth Putnam: Samuel, John, Jo- seplı, Nathaniel, Benjamin.
(III) Benjamin Putnam, son of Nathaniel Put- nam (2), born July 11, 1664; married Sarah Holton, August 25, 1686. They had seven sons and one daughter. Sarah Holton was probably daughter of Joseph Holton, of Salem, where the Putnams were then living. Joseph Holton was born in England in 1621. Besides Sarah, Joseph and Sarah Ilolton had : Joseph, baptized May 15, 1653. 2. Benjamin, born
February 14, 1657-8. 3. Henry, baptized May 24, 1663. 4. James, baptized May 20, 1666. 5. John. 6. Elizabeth, married -. Buxton. His will men- tions Sarah Putnam, his daughter. Some of the children of Benjamin and Sarah Putnam, born at Salem, Massachusetts, were: I. Tarrant, born April 12, 1688, whose son Tarrant and many of his de- scendants lived at Sutton. 2. Cornelius.
(1V) Cornelius Putnam, son of Benjamin Put- nam (3), born at Salem, September 2, 1702; mar- ried Sara -, who died June 9, 1741. He married (second) Elizabeth Perkins, widow, of Salem, No- vember 12, 1741, after he had lived some years at Sutton. He settled about 1729 among the pioneers of that town. The house which he built in Sutton was occupied in 1879 by the widow Persia Putnam, and is still standing. A part of the old house was imoved from a site in what is known as the Dresser pasture, just north of the Captain Hall site farm recently owned by Peter H. Putnam. Cornelius Putnam and his wife Sarah joined the church in 1729. Seven of his children were born to Sarah, the remainder to his second wife. The children of Cornelius were: I. Sarah, born January 3, 1726, died May 30, 1738. 2. Bethia, born December 18, 1728. 3. Cornelius, born May 23, 1730, married Elizabeth Perkins, August 2, 1753- 4. Benjamin, born May 13, 1732. 5. Nathaniel, May 3, 1734. 6. Tar- rant, March 28, 1736. 7. Bartholomew, April 19, 1739, died young. 8. David (twin), born May 31, 1741. 9. Sarah (twin), born May 31, 1741, died young. 10. Sarah, born March 18, 1743; married Captain Archelaus Putnam, October 16, 1765. 11. Bartholomew, born April 21, 1745. 12. David, born May 14, 1747. 13. Elizabeth, born September 28, 1749. 14. Amma, born November 21, 1754.
(V) Bartholomew Putnam, son of Cornelius Putnam (4), born April 21, 1745. Sutton, Massachu- setts; married first, Mary Putnam; married (sec- ond) Hannah Axtell. Mary Putnam was daughter of Edward Putnam. He settled on part of his father's homestead and resided in Sutton. He was a private in Captain Jonathan Woodbury's company, Colonel Davis' regiment, of Sutton, 1780. His chil- dren were: 1. Bartholomew, born July 13, 1774. 2. Lucy, born July 18, 1779. 3. Edward, born Janu- ary 26, 1782. 4. Prudence, born November 13, 1784; married Daniel Hathaway. 5. Phebe, born October 10, 1787 ; married Captain Elijah Bigelow. 6. Lewis, born July 15, 1796. 7. Cynthia, born August 27, 1804.
(VI) Bartholomew Putnam, son of Bartholo- mew Putnam (5), born July, 13, 1774, Sutton, Mas- sachusetts ; married, September 4, 1801, Ilannah, daughter of Tarrant Sibley, and settled in Sutton. He was a farmer. His children were: I. Russell, born 1802. 2. Polly, April 4, 1804, married Bethuel Leonard, August 8, 1826. 3. Clark, February 18, 1806. 4. Prudence, February 19, 1808. 5. Leonard, April 26, 1810. 6. Zilpha, April 8, 1812.
(VII) Russell Putnam, son of Bartholomew Putnam (6), born at Sutton, 1802, died 1890. He married Adeline Buss of Holden. He was a shoemaker and farmer at Sutton. They had nine children: I. Russell B., born at Sutton, April 4, 1825, resides in Webster, Massachusetts. 2. Lushan D. (Lucian), born at Sutton, July 24, 1827; resides in Charlton. 3. Silas, born at Sutton, July 19, 1830, resides at Rockville, Connecticut. 4. Leonard, born April 27, 1833, at Sutton, died 1882. 5. Henry C., born March 7, 1837, at Sutton, resides in Charlton. 6. John D., see forward. 7. Hannah J., born at Charlton, November 11, 1841, married Jackson Phelps, and resides at Auburn, Massachusetts. 8. Mary E., now deceased, born at Charlton, April 27,
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I845; married Charles Lamb, resided in Charlton, Massachusetts. 9. Sarah S., born at Charlton, Sep- tember 2, 1849; married Baxter Davis, resides in Charlton.
(VIII) John Davis Putnam, son of Russell Put- nam (7), was born in Charlton, Massachusetts, May 31, 1840. He attended the Charlton schools and worked until he was twenty-one with his father on the farm. Then he went to Rockville, Connecticut, to learn the millwright's trade with his brother Silas. At the age of twenty-five he rturned to Charl- ton, and later in the year worked at Webster at wood turning and kindred lines of work. In 1870 he went into business for himself, purchasing the sash and blind factory of Palmer & Kent. He added to the business wood turning, stair building and cabi- net making, and built up a very large and success- ful business, Two years after he started he had a setback in the forin of a disastrous fire that destroyed his entire plant, but he set to work forthwith to replace the equipment, and soon had regained the lost ground. In 1902 he was again entirely burned out, and partially in 1905. He makes builders' fin- ish and boxes a specialty. He employs from twenty- five to fifty hands in the manufacture of building materials at his factory on Chase avenue. He took his son Henry into partnership in 1902, and the son is now the manager of the business. He was a mem- ber of the Universalist society, and for three years was on the parish committee. He is a Republican in politics. Mr. Putnam is counted among the busi- ness men of sound judgment and sterling charac- ter; one of the best citizens in every sense of the word. Mr. Putnam married, April 27, 1865, Saralı F., daughter of Varanus and Sarah ( Wallace) John- son. Mr. Johnson was a farmer at Charlton, Massa- chusetts. Children of John Davis and Sarah Put- nam: I. Henry, born January 15, 1868. 2. Freder- ick W., June 28, 1877.
(IX) Henry Putnam, son of John Davis Put- nam (S), was born at Charlton, January 15, 1868. He attended the Webster schools and graduated from the high schools. He married Annie, daughter of Charles R. Stobbs, of Webster. He is manager of the business established by his father, with whom lie is in partnership. He has two children: Ethel Frances, born August 25, 1898, and Charles, born May 22, 1902.
(IX) Frederick W., son of John Davis Put- nam (8), was born in Webster, Massachusetts, June 28, 1877. He is a graduate of the Webster high school and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is professor of designing in the Agricultural College at Storrs, Connecticut. He married Edith, daughter of the late Albert Smith, of Worcester, Massachu- setts, and they have one child, Dorothy, born Sep- tember, 1903.
FREEMAN FAMILY. Ralph Freeman (1), the immigrant ancestor of Sanford Myron Freeman, of Webster. Massachusetts, was born in England about 1630. The first record of him in America is at Dedham, where he probably settled first about 1650. He was admitted a townsman there January I, 1651, and signed the famous Dedham Covenant. He was a taxpayer for many years in Dedham. He had a grant of land, February 20, 1656-57, amounting to two acres and a quarter and thirty-six roods of land. He signed the petition of proprietors in 1662 asking for a grant of land to the westward of the adjoin- ing town of Dedham. He signed an important peti- tion May 3, 1665. His children settled at Rehoboth and Attleborough, Massachusetts, and Ralph Free- man probably spent his last years with his children therc. He died at Attleborough, May 25, 1718. He
married Katherine Their children: 1. David, married, at Rehoboth, April 4, 1683, Margaret In- graham, who was buried February 16, 1688-89, and they had: Ebenezer, born April 13, 1684; Hannah, born April 24, 1686; Margaret, born February 9, 1688-89; David married (second) Marcy, who died 1723, and (third) Elizabeth, who died at Attle- borough, April 8, 1742. 2. Jonathan, born at Ded- ham, January 13, 1653, sce forward. 3. Mary, born at Dedham, October 5. 1654, probably married, Au- gust 4, 1690, at Rehoboth, Samuel Leonard. 4. Ralph, Jr., born at Dedham, April 2, 1662, married Sarah Day and had: Jeremiah, born August 7, 1689, died young ; Jeremiah, born September 28, 1692; Benja- min, born July 6, 1693; Sarah, born May 6, 1700; Ralph, Jr., born May 20, 1703; all born at Dedham ; Ralph, Sr., died at Attleborough, August 25, 1725. 5. Martha, married, at Rehoboth, December 27, 1686, Samuel Ormsbee.
(II) Jonathan Freeman, son of Ralph Freeman (I), was born in Dedham, Massachusetts, January 13, 1653, died at Attleborough, April IS, 1718. He was a soldier in King Philip's war in Woodcock's Garrison-on the road from Dedham to Rehoboth, September 3, 1675. He was of Captain Moseley's famous company of Rangers of Dedham, October 9, 1675. His brother David, then of Dedham, was also in this war and is on a payroll dated August 24, 1676, for one pound, three shillings, sixpence.
Jonathan married, at Rehoboth, July 1, 1689, Mary Woodcock, daughter of John Woodcock, one of the interesting men of that section in the pioneer days. Mary died at Attleborough, March 4, 1762, aged one hundred years, making her birth year 1662. John Woodcock, of Wrentham and Rehoboth, was first at Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1638, where he was largely in trade. He is probably the same man who came from Weymouth. England, before March 20, 1635, and who sold land with houses at Rox- bury, one to Joseph Holmes, June 6, 1651, the other to John Gore, March 25, 1651. He removed to Dedham in 1642 and thence to Rehoboth before 1673, living much at Wrentham. In King Philip's war. his house was the only one on the road from Ded- ham to Rehoboth and was well garrisoned and fortified. It was perhaps within the bounds of Attleborough, near the Wrentham line. Jonathan Freeman was one of this garrison and probably met his future wife when he was a soldier fighting Indians. Woodcock had two of his family slain April 26, 1676, and another son wounded by Indians. He was deputy to the general court in 1691. Be- sides Mary hc had a daughter Sarah, who married Alexander Balcom, and a son John, Jr., who be- came a prominent citizen of Rehoboth and Attle- borough, married, February 26, 1674, Sarah Smith; a son Nathaniel killed April 28, 1676.
Children of Jonathan and Mary (Woodcock) Freeman, all born at Rehoboth, were: William, March 1, 1689-90; Mary, October 4, 1691: Jonathan, February 8, 1693. see forward; Mercy, March 25, 1696. died at Attleborough, May 17, 1725: Samuel, April 13, 1699, died April 21, 1699; Anne, April 4, 1700: David, May 6, 1704.
(III) Jonathan Freeman, son of Jonathan Free- man (2), of Attleborough, Massachusetts, was born February 8. 1693, at Rehoboth. He settled in Attle- borough. Among his children was a son, Joseph, see forward.
(IV) Joseph Freeman. son of Jonathan Free- man (3), was born in Attleborough, about 1725. He married. December 7, 1760. Ithamar Fuller. Her name is also spelt Tamer. He bought of Phillip Freeman, of Boston, a farm lying partly in Dud- ley, Massachusetts, and partly in Thompson, Con- necticut. He settled there about 1769. Children of
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Joseph and Tamer Freeman : Jonathan, born at Attle- borough, February 14, 1764; Joseph, born at Attle- borough, December 30, 1766; Tamer, born at Attle- borough, February 3, 1768; Chloe, born July 17, 1770; David, born October 21, 1778; Samuel, born November 9, 1781, see forward.
(V) Samuel Freeman, son of Joseph Freeman (4), was born at Dudley or Thompson, where his birth is recorded, November 9, 1781. He resided in Dudley, Massachusetts. He married Arminda Foster, October 20, 1805, at Dudley. (See sketch of Foster family. ) She died August 8, 1852, aged seventy years. He died January 22, 1831, aged forty- nine years. Their children: I. Betsey, born July 28, 1806, dicd February 28, 1868, married Orin Ray- mond, of Webster. 2. George, born November 9, 1807, see forward. 3. Dyer, born March 29, 1809. died December 26, 1876; married Mehitable Spencer. 4. Wealthy, born August 5, 1811, died July 24, 1879; married Benjamin Jennings, of Thompson, Connecti- cut. 5. Caroline, born May 17, 1813, died January 6, 1897; married Chester Converse, of Schrom, New York. 6. Rufus, born March 4, 1815, married Clarissa Phipps. 7. William, born March 31, 1817, died February 1, 1872; married (first) Lydia Starr; (second ) Sarah Miller. 8. Chloe, born May 31, 1819, married James Underwood, of Thompson, Con- necticut. 9. Samuel F., born November 15, 1821, died April 21, 1886; married Nancy L. Richardson, resided at Southbridge, Massachusetts, had three sons : William Freeman, of Worcester ; Henry and Herbert, of Southbridge; two daughters : Fannie and Sarah. IO. Charles, born June 7, 1827, died un- married at Worcester.
. (VI) George Freeman, son of Samuel Freeman (5), was born in Dudley, Massachusetts, November 9, 1807, died March 20, 1881. He was educated in the common schools of Dudley and Webster, and learned the trade of fuller or finisher of cloth. He carried on a farm and also worked in the woolen mills of the vicinity at wool sorting. He had part of his father's homestead, on which he built his ·house. He was a quiet, respectable citizen, stand- ing well in the community. He was a strong anti- slavery man and voted with the Free Soil and Re- publican parties. He married, at Webster, March 4, 1867, Adeline Towne, daughter of Alvin and Martha (Haskell) Towne, of Cumberland, Rhode Island. Their children: 1. Sarah, born October 8, 1837, married Ira Plympton ; resides at Detroit, Minne- sota ; has son, Julius Plympton. 2. Daniel, served in civil war. Company I, Fifteenth Regiment, Mas- sachusetts Volunteers, was wounded in the battles of Antictam and Gettysburg; his death was caused by an elevator accident in Boston, 1899; married Marion Wellman and they had one child, Bertha Freeman. 3. Justina, married James H. Leland, of Sherborn, and had six children-Percy F., real estate agent, Boston; Robert H., lawyer of Boston, grad- uate of Harvard; has been representative to the general court ; Sanford, manufacturer of shoe ma- chinery; Freeman, farmer on Sherborn homestead ; Lillis, married Daniel Whitney, of Sherborn; Mary, resides in Holyoke, Massachusetts, is a stenographer. 4. Sanford Myron, see forward. 5. George, born June 20, 1843, has represented district in New Hamp- shire legislature, resides at Manchester : has two chil- dren : Lillis (Freeman) Burke and Don Freeman. 6. Julius P., born July 10, 1846. resides at Win- chester, Massachusetts. married Susan Logee and has one child, Alice ( Freeman) Hersey.
(VII) Sanford Myron Freeman, son of George Frecman (6), was born in Webster. Massachusetts, May 22, 1841. He was educated in the public schools
of his native town and graduated from the Webster high school in 1858. He learned the trade of wool sorter in his youth, and for a period of thirty years made wool sorting his principal vocation. He worked in woolen mills in Putnam, Connecticut ; Manchester, New Hampshire; Webster, Dudley and Southbridge, Massachusetts; and other places, but principally at the Slater mill in Webster and the Perry mill in Dudley. He began when a young man to buy wood lots, cutting the timber and marketing it. This busi- ness grew until in 1893 he gave his whole attention to it. He has done an extensive business in lum- ber since then, having a number of portable saw mills at work all the time. His place of business is at liis residence, School street, Webster. Mr. Freeman has always been a Republican and takes a lively interest in town affairs. He served the town of Webster two terms as assessor, and in 1890 was a member of the board of selectmen.
He married, May 7, 1873, Adelaide Elizabeth Bixby, born in Webster, Massachusetts, September 28, 1845, daughter of Arthur and Nancy ( Sibley ) Bixby. Their children: 1. Josephine, born April I, 1874, widow of Arthur Warner, broker, of Essex, Connecticut, who died November 19, 1901, leaving no children; she resides with her parents at Webster. 2. Myron Sanford, born December 30, 1885, grad- uate of the Webster high school, 1903, now a student in the Philadelphia Textile School, class of 1907.
(1) Timothy Foster, immigrant ancestor of San- ford Myron Freeman, of Webster, Massachusetts, was probably born in Devonshire, England. He mar- ried (second), in England, Mrs. Eglin (Hatherly) Hanford; she married (third), in America, Deacon. Richard Scales, who died at Scituate, 1656. She was sister of Timothy Hatherly, who came to Plym- outh on the ship "Ann" in 1623. The children of Timothy Foster: Edward, born 1610, see forward; Eglin, married Isaac Robinson, Jr., grandson of Rev. John Robinson, of Leyden.
(II) Edward Foster, son of Timothy Foster (I), was born in Kent, England. He was a lawyer by profession, but after he came to New England fol- lowed husbandry. He settled in Kent street, Scituate, in 1633, and was taxed there June 2, 1633. He was one of the founders of the church Janu- ary 8, 1635, was deputy to the general court 1639. and 1640. His will was dated November 24, 1643. He married, April 8, 1635, at Scituate, Lettice Han- ford. Children: Timothy, baptized March 7, 1636, buried December 5, 1637; Timothy, baptized April 22, 1638, died young; Timothy, baptized 1640, see forward: Elizabeth, born 1644, married, 1666, Ephraim Hewitt, of Hull.
(III) Sergeant Timothy Foster, son of Edward Foster (2), was born in Scituate, Massachusetts, 1640. He married, October 13, 1663, Mrs. Ruth (Tileston) Denton, of Dorchester, daughter of Thomas Tileston, and widow of Richard Denton. She died December 5, 1677. He married (second), March 9, 1680, Mrs. Relief ( Holland) Dowse, widow of John Dowse. His children: Ruth, born September 4, 1664; Elizabeth, born October 8, 1667, died September 15, 1676; Naomi, born February II, 1668, married John Davenport ; Hatherly, born Sep- tember 22, 1671; Rebecca, born September 12, 1675; Timothy, see forward; Edward, born January 22, 1682; Thomas, born November 3, 1686; Elizabeth, born October 13, 1688; Prudence, born December 3, 1689, married Captain Ebenezer Swan.
(IV) Timothy Foster, son of Sergeant Timothy Foster (3), was born in Dorchester, January 8, 1681, married, 1705, resided at Walpole. Children : William, born 1706, married, January 10, 1733, Hul-
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dah Holland; Hannah, born 1708, married Joseph Hartshorn; Lydia, born 1710, married, January 10, 1733, Joseph Willett; Timothy, see forward.
(V) Timothy Foster, son of Timothy Foster (4), was born at Walpole, Massachusetts, about 1715. He married, 1739, Molly May: (second), May 17, 1754, Keziah Lyon; (third), 1735, Mary Payson. He was a cordwainer in Walpole and Oxford, Mas- sachusetts. He bought land in the southeast part of Dudley in 1747. He and thirteen sons served in the revolution, aggregating over sixty years of serv- ice. The father had been in the colonial service in the French wars. His will was proved May 5, 1795. His children: Ebenezer, born January I, 1740, married Mary Jenkins; Timothy, born June 20, 1741; John, born April 10, 1743, died before 1762; Richard, born November 24, 1744, married, December 6, 1770, Lydia Titus; Samuel born Dc- cember 4, 1746, killed; Mary, born June 5, 1748; Hannah, born March 18, 1750, married, March 10, 1768, Amos Hooker; Jonathan, born August 19, 1752, in revolution; Benjamin, born December 13, 1754; Jacob, born August 27, 1756, married Susan- nah Fairbanks; Aaron, born October 10, 1758, mar- ried Sarah Town; William, born July 26, 1760, see forward; John, born April 29, 1762; Joseph, born April 29, 1762, married Chloe White; Samuel, born April 30, 1764, married Dolly Davis; Sarah, born March 21, 1766, married, June 26, 1790, Ephraim Upham, of Thompson; Rebecca, born November 19. 1768, married, March 20, 1790, Gamaliel Newell, of Woodstock.
(VI) William Foster, son of Timothy Foster (5), was born in Dudley, Massachusetts, July 26, 1760. He settled there and married, February 8, 1781, Mary Brown, who married (second) Josiah Perry. Children of William and Mary Foster : Alvan, born August 28, 1780, died young ; Arminda, born May 23, 1783, see forward; Perley, born July I, 1785, married Mary Willard; Betsey, born 1788. (VII) Arminda Foster, daughter of William Foster, was born at Dudley, May 23, 1783, married Samuel Freeman, mentioned above.
JOHN HERBERT FITTS. The family of Fitts, or Fitz, is one of great antiquity, and accord- ing to Charles Edwin Fitz, of New Orleans, Louisi- ana, the names of three or four of its members ap- pear on the roll of Battle Abbey. The name Fitz was doubtless derived from the French word "fils" (Norman French "fiz") signifying son.
John Fitz, bencher, of Lincoln Inn, was born at or near the town of Tavistock, Devonshire, Eng- land, famous for producing many sages in the law, the study of which he sedulously followed and be- came so expert that he was accounted one of the most illustrious lawyers of his day. He reared his family to wealth and greatness, a position held by his descendants, as will be shown, down to the emi- gration to America. John Fitz was in the prime of life in 1428. He established a country home about a mile from the town of Tavistock, but within the parish. One of his descendants, also named John Fitz, buried 1539 or 1559, is commemorated by a stone in the Tavistock Church. There are the fig-
ures of a knight and lady on the stone, showing that he was a soldier. His arms also were inscribed on the stone. The sous of John Fitz were: John, inherited his father's estate, but died without issue; Walter, who after his brother succeeded to the es- tate; Roger. (The English history of the Fitz fam- ily was taken from the history written by Mr. James Harris Fitts, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.)
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