USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 15
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(V) Daniel Fitz, son of Richard Fitz (4), was born in South Hampton, New Hampshire, September 25, 1729, and was baptized in Salis- bury West Church, October, 1729. He mar-
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ried Abigail Currier, daughter of Samuel Cur- rier, of South Hampton, and settled at San- down, New Hampshire. He cleared his farm there in the wilderness. His will was dated at Sandown, July 21, 1783, and presented for probate June 15, 1785. Children, all born in Sandown except the eldest: I. Hannah, born in South Hampton, September 21, 1756, mar- ried Stephen Holt, of Poplin, New Hampshire. 2. Richard, born August 8, 1758, mentioned below. 3. Sarah, born June 23, 1761, married Noah Scribner, of Raymond. 4. Samuel Cur- rier, born August 1, 1763, died January 20, 1841. 5. Betsey, born January 26, 1766, mar- ried Winthrop Sanborne, of Salisbury, New Hampshire. 6. Daniel, born June 18, 1768, died January 30, 1841. 7. Abel, born March 28, 1771, died March II, 1826. 8. Nancy, born June 29, 1773, married Thomas Quimby. 9. Ezekiel, born August 5, 1775, drowned at Ver- gennes, Vermont, May 8, 1826, unmarried. IO. Mary, born January 29, 1779, married William Bagley, of Candia; married (second) Baron, of Thornton, New Hampshire.
(VI) Richard Fitz, son of Daniel Fitz (5), was born at Sandown, August 8, 1758. He married Dorothea Kimball, of Fremont, New Hampshire, and settled in his native town. He was one of eighteen who protested February 2., 1795, against certain details of the settle- ment of Rev. John Webber at Sandown. He deeded land at Sandown to Daniel Fitz, of Boston, October 28, 1796. He died December 9, 1826, aged sixty-eight. His epitaph :
"A tender husband, father dear, A much lamented friend lies here ; When Christ returns to call him forth, The rising day will show his worth."
Letters of administration on his estate were granted January II, 1827, to Cyrus Fitts. The inventory amounted to $1,264.97. His widow died January 4, 1848, aged eighty. Nathaniel Fitz was administrator. Epitaph :
"And art thou gone my mother dear? And has thy spirit fled And left its earthly dwelling here To mingle with the dead?"
Children, born at Sandown: I. Daniel, born March 7, 1789, settled in Salisbury, New Hampshire, and afterward at Boscawen, New Hampshire, where he died July 13, 1865 ; mar- ried Abigail Mitchell, of Sandown, November 12, 1812; (second), March 17, 1846, Sarah Ann Weeks, of Hopkinton. 2. Richard, born December 6, 1790, married Mary Blanchard, daughter of Hon. Joseph Blanchard, of Ches- ter; (second) Maria Stevens ; he died in Bos- cawen, January 10, 1846. 3. Nancy, born March 2, 1792, married John Tibbetts and
lived in Charlestown, Massachusetts. 4. Abel, born October 26, 1793, mentioned below. 5., Mary, born May 29, 1797, married Nathaniel Abbot, of Boscawen, December 3, 1827; he was born August II, 1796, the son of Joseph Abbot, a soldier of the Revolution. 6. Cyrus, born August 24, 1798, died unmarried, Decem- ber 24, 1845. 7. Nathaniel, born September 28, 1800, married Rhoda Purington, who was born April 6, 1801, and died November 20, 1848 ; settled in Sandown where he died March 14, 1867. 8. Sally, born June 8, 1802. 9. Hi- ram, born October 30, 1807, married Mary Jane Currier, of Hampstead, July 28, 1842; she was born September 18, 1816, died March 12, 1854, daughter of John and Hannah Cur- rier. Io. Cynthia, born November II, 1809, second wife of David Lane, of Chester.
(VII) Abel Fitz, son of Richard Fitz (6), was born in Sandown, New Hampshire, October 26, 1793. Married, April, 1820, Sally Locke, of Lexington, Massachusetts, who was born May 26, 1792, died August 2, 1865, buried in Mount Auburn. He was an able business man, residing in Lexington, and later in Somerville, Massachusetts, where he was assessor several years; acquired in the grain business an estate exceeding $100,000 in value. Children: I. Sarah Ann, born February I, 1821, married Daniel Pratt. 2. Mary Jane, born September 28, 1822, married Nathan Tufts. 3. Charlotte Temple, born June 10, 1824, married Gilbert Tufts. 4. Harriet Eliza- beth, born July II, 1828, married Charles Augustus Jenks. 5. Nathan Everett, born Feb- ruary 24, 1830, mentioned below. 6. George Hammond, born May 24, 1833, married Re- becca S. Moulton, in 1856; she was a native of Freedom, New Hampshire; one child named Alice, who married Isaac B. Kendall, of Som- erville, Massachusetts.
(VIII) Nathan Everett Fitz, son of Abel Fitz (7), was born in Charlestown, Massachu- setts, February 24, 1830. He was educated at the Bunker Hill school and a private school in Charlestown. His father carried on the grain mills at Charlestown until 1840, when he re- moved to Mt. Vernon street, now Somerville, Massachusetts. At the age of sixteen Mr. Fitz entered the employ of William B. Rey- nolds & Company, commission merchants on Commercial Wharf, Boston, and was a clerk for this firm from 1846 to 1850,' when he be- came bookkeeper for his brother-in-law, Na- than Tufts, Jr., at the grain mills previously operated by his father, Abel Fitz. In 1864 he embarked in the coal and wood business in Charlestown. His firm during the first three
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years was Fitz & Winslow, for eight years Fitz & Todd, then N. E. Fitz & Company for twenty-five years. He remained in business until the city of Boston took the land for a playground at Sullivan Square, Charlestown. This destroyed his shipping facilities and in 1904 he retired from business. His business sagacity and foresight as well as integrity and square dealing were known in business circles and among his customers. Mr. Fitz was a member of the Boston Coal Club. He is a Re- publican in politics, and a Unitarian in re- ligion. Since his marriage he has resided in his present home, 335 Broadway, Somerville.
He married, July 23, 1857, Harriet A. Ma- goun, born April 28, 1837, daughter of John Calvin and Sarah Ann (Adams) Magoun. Josiah Magoun, father of John Calvin Ma- goun, married Annie Sleeper; children : Ste- phen, Benjamin, Nathaniel, Mehitable, Luther, John Calvin, Aaron and Josiah.
The children of John Calvin and Sarah Ann (Adams) Magoun : i. Amelia L., married N. C. Hawkins ; children : Ida A., Edward, Ar- thur, Everett, Annie and Frank Hawkins. ii. John A. Magoun, lives in Sioux City; chil- dren : John A., Jr., Harriet and Walter Ma- goun. iii. Ann S., married David A. Sanborn ; children : Addie L. and J. Walter. iv. Lucy A., married H. F. Woods; children : Nellie, Edward, Carlton; resides on Rowell street, Brookline, Massachusetts. v. Harriet A., born in 1837, married N. Everett Fitz, mentioned above. vi. Helen, married Charles Heald. vii. Charles C., resides in Chicago, Illinois. Two died in infancy.
Mrs. Fitz is a descendant of Anne Adams Tufts, for whom the local Daughters of the American Revolution named their chapter, dis- tinguished for her substantial aid to the sol- diers after the battle of Bunker Hill. When Mrs. Fitz was seven years old her parents removed to the Magoun house in Winter hill, Somerville, where she passed her girlhood, at- tending the old Prescott School which stood on Broadway near Franklin street. She was one of the first graduates of the Somerville high school. Mr. and Mrs. Fitz celebrated their golden wedding on the evening of their fiftieth anniversary, July 23, 1907, with a very happy family gathering. The Somerville Journal in its report of the event said : "The gathering was delightfully informal. An or- chestra furnished music and a collation was served during the evening. The couple were handsomely remembered by gifts of gold and flowers. Many congratulatory letters were re-
ceived during the day from relatives at a dis- tance who were unable to be present."
Children of N. Everett and Harriet A. (Ma- goun) Fitz: I. Fred C., born December 29, 1861, was educated in the public and high schools of Somervlile, was with the firm of Rice & Hutchins, shoe manufacturers, as as- sistant bookkeeper three years, and has since 1885 been with the Boston Plate and Window Glass Company as traveling salesman; mem- ber of De Molay Commandery, Knights Tem- plar, of Somerville, and other Masonic bodies in that city, and of Aleppo Temple, Order of the Mystic Shrine of Boston; married Sarah Battelle, daughter of Charles and Josephine (Walker) Battelle, of Glen street, Somerville ; they reside at 33 Browning Road, Somerville ; children : i. Harold, born 1898; ii. Mildred, born 1899. 2. Cora L., born October 19, 1863, educated in the public and high schools of Somerville; married Rolla J. Butman ; child, Helen Butman, born at Somerville, April, 1891. 3. Harriet G., born December 21, 1865, edu- cated in the public and high schools of Som- erville ; married Herbert W. Doten ; children : i. Marion, born February, 1895; ii. Everett, born May, 1897; iii. Franklin, born July 25, 1902. 4. Charles E., born March 19, 1867, educated in the public and high schools ; mes- senger three years in the Bank of the Republic, Boston, then bookkeeper ; at present a member of the firm of Nathan Tufts & Sons. 5. Mabel, born August 15, 1876, graduate of the Somer- ville high school and of Boston University, taking the degree of Ph. B .; taught seven years in the Fitchburg high school ; since 1906 teacher in the Girls' high school, West Newton street, Boston.
The surname Morse is an old MORSE English family name, occurring as early as 1358 in the reign of Edward III when Hugho de Mors undertook a journey to France during a truce with that country and the captivity of her king. The name is found still earlier in Germany.
(I) Anthony Morse, the immigrant, and his brother William Morse, were early settlers in Newbury, Massachusetts. They came from Marlborough, Wiltshire, England, in 1635. Anthony was a Puritan who tried to continue in the established church until his emigration to New England. Rev. Abner Morse says of him: "That he was a man of moral courage, energy and perseverance; that he was enter- prising and capable in business, and laid the foundation of the competence and wealth of
N
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his family ; that he was called to public trusts of civil and sacred character ; that he reared pious and distinguished children; led a long life of strict integrity and humble piety, fear- ing God and loving his people, no one can doubt who attends to the records of the com- munity in which he lived and died." He set- tled about half a mile south of the most an- cient cemetery in Newbury, on a slight emi- nence in a field owned lately by Michael Little and still called the Morse Field, where the trace of his house, a few rods from the road, was visible in 1850 and later. His will was dated April 28, 1680, and is on file, but was never proved. He bequeathed to his son Joshua ; son Robert; son Benjamin; daughter Stickney ; daughter Newman and others. He died March 9, 1679-80. He married (first) Mary -; (second) Anne Chil- dren : I. Robert, settled in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, about 1667. 2. Peter, settled in Eliza- bethtown, New Jersey. 3. Joseph, died Janu- ary 15, 1678-79. 4. Anthony, mentioned be- low. 5. Benjamin, born March 28, 1640, mar- ried, August 26, 1669, Ruth Sawyer. 6. Sarah, born at Newbury, May I, 1641, died December 9, 17II. 7. Hannah, born about 1642, died November 26, 1703; married Francis Thorlo. 8. Lydia, born May, 1645, died young. 9. Lydia, born October 7, 1647. 10. Mary born April 7, 1649, died June 14, 1662, aged thir- teen. II. Esther, born May 3, 1651, married Robert Holmes. 12. Joshua, born July 24, 1653, died March 28, 1691-92.
(II) Anthony Morse, son of Anthony Morse (I), was born probably in England, possibly at Marlborough ; married, May 8, 1660, Eliza- beth Knight, who died July 29, 1667. He married (second), November 10, 1669, Mary Barnard, who survived him. He was lieuten- ant of his military company. His will is dated February 23, 1677-78, and he died before his father ; he signed his will "Anthony Mors, Jun." He mentions his wife and children in his will. Children, born at Newbury : I. Ruth, born May 20, 1661, died July 24, 1666. 2 Anthony, mentioned below. 3. Joseph, born July 29, 1665, died January 15, 1689-90 ; mar- ried Lydia Plummer. 4. Elizabeth, born July 29, 1667, died February 25, 1677-78. 5. John, born September 13, 1670, died October 30, 1721, of small pox, at Woodstock, Con- necticut, where he settled; married Hannah Williams. 6. Mary, born August 31, 1672, married 1692, Jabez Corbin. 7. Peter, born November 14, 1674, died November 2, 1721, of small pox ; married Priscilla Carpenter. 8. Sarah, died July 7, 1677.
(III) Anthony Morse, son of Anthony Morse (2), was born at Newbury, Massachu- setts, January 1, 1662-63, and lived there all his life; was ensign of the military, company ;. married February 4, 1685-86, Sarah Pike. Children, born in Newbury: I. Sarah, born I686. 2. Sarah, born 1687-88, died young. 3 .. Anthony, born 1690, married, 1717, Elizabeth Little; (second) Sarah Illsley. 4. Sarah, born. April 4, 1692, married Daniel Parker, of Bradford, November 26, 1713. 5. Joseph, born April 3, 1694, married, 1721, Rebecca Adams; (second) Mary Jackman. 6. Stephen, mentioned below. 7. Elizabeth, born Novem- ber 3, 1697. 8. Timothy, born September 14, 1699, married, 1721, Dorothy Pike. 9. Thomas, born 1702. IO. Mary, born 1704, married, 1730, Lydia Kelley.
(IV) Deacon Stephen Morse, son of An- thony Morse (3), was born at Newbury, Mas- sachusetts, in 1695; married Elizabeth Worth. He was a prominent citizen of Newbury ; dea- con for many years of the Second Church of Newbury, now known as the First Church of West Newbury. Children, born at Newbury : I. Thomas, born June 30, 1726, married, May 20, 1747, Elizabeth Bartlett ; a weaver, resided at Bradford. 2. Stephen, born 1727-28, died June 1, 1753; married, May 26, 1749, Judith Carr. 3. Elizabeth, born in 1730. 4. Judith, born in 1732. 5. Sarah, born in 1734. 6. An- thony, mentioned below.
(V) Anthony Morse, son of Deacon Ste- phen Morse (4), was born at Newbury in . 1736. He resided in Allenstown, Chester and Pembroke, New Hampshire. He married, February, 1758, Betsey Platts, sister of the wife of Jacob Hills, of Chester, New Hamp- shire. His home was in Chester, where Daniel McFarland formerly lived and where Peter Hills and G. W. Hook have since lived. From Chester he removed to Northfield, New Hamp- shire, later to Pembroke, where his son Rich- ard settled. Children: I. Richard, mentioned below. 2. Betty, born August 23, 1760, died 1776. 3. Judith, born November 25, 1762. 4. Margaret, born January 25, 1765, died April 28, 1766. 5. Susannah, born June 10, 1769. 6. Sarah, born April 1, 1774. 7. Anthony, born July 24, 1776. 8. Susannah, born Decem- ber 9, 1778. 9. Hannah, born December 9, 1778 (twin) ; married Moses Hills, son of Jacob Hills, of Chester, New Hampshire. 10. Eunice, born September 9, 1782. II. Samuel, was a school teacher ; was lame.
(VI) Richard Morse, son of Anthony Morse (5), was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, October 31, 1758. He was lame from child-
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hood, but was an active and prominent citizen ; raised and educated a large family ; was a merchant at Pembroke. He married, January 25, 1791, Sarah Sargent, who died April, 1820. He resided in Chester after his marriage until 1796, when he settled in Pembroke, New Hampshire. Children (first three born in Chester ; the others in Pembroke: I. Cyrus, born July 14, 1791, resided in Canada, West Potten. 2. Stephen Noyes, born April II, 1793, resided at Holderness, New Hampshire ; married, December 28, 1819, Betsey Gordon ; children : i. Climena B., born September 30, 1821, married William B. Dana; ii. Rufus William, October 4, 1823, married, 1849, Lu- cinda B. Cox; iii. Stephen A., of Boston, born May 28, 1827, married, December 16, 1849, Adeline Plaisted; iv. Elizabeth A., March 22, 1829, died April 22, 1846; v. Herman L., April 19, 1831 ; vi. Sophia Ann, November 2, 1833. 3. Richard, mentioned below. 4. Jacob, born January 8, 1797, married Moulton ; re- sided in Java, New York ; children : i. Thomas, ii. Richard, iii. Sarah T., iv. Benjamin, v. Sam- uel M., vi. Oliver P. 5. Molly Ambrose, born December 1, 1798. 6. Thomas, born March IO, 1801, died September 23, 1803. 7. Benja- min Willis, born November 1, 1803, resided at Java, New York; married, 1830,
Nichols; children : i. Sophia, ii. Oscar, iii. Charles. 8. Sally, born August 16, 1807, died young. 9. Sally or Sarah Willis, born January 5, 1808; resided at Bedford; married, 1830, Loammi Saunders; children: i. Sarah H. Saunders, died December 8, 1830. 10. Sophia, resided at Strikersville, New York, born Oc- tober 14, 18II.
(VI) Richard Morse, son of Richard Morse (5), was born at Pembroke, New Hampshire, February 1, 1795. He was educated in the common schools. Early in life he came to Newton, Massachusetts, where he served a seven year apprenticeship in the paper mills of Asa Lowe. At that time all paper was hand- made, and each sheet handled separately. The process was slow and costly but required great skill on the part of the mechanics. He went from Newton to Bradford, Vermont, where he became superintendent of the paper mills at that place and where he made his home for more than forty years. He built a residence in Bradford in 1830. He retired from active labor some twenty years before his death. He was a man of small stature; of quiet, retired disposition, and sterling character. He died at Bradford. He was a Universalist in re- ligion, a Whig and later Republican in politics.
He was elected to many positions of honor and trust by his townsmen in Bradford. He was a volunteer in the War of 1812, enlisting when only fourteen of age and was assigned to fron- tier duty. Late in life he was given a pension on account of this service. After the war he rose to the rank of captain of his company and was always known as Captain Richard.
He married (first), February, 1818, Sarah Jenkins, of Bradford, Vermont, born February 14, 1799, and died May 9, 1833. Children : I. Sophia, born June 1, 1818, died March 27, 1861 ; married, March 6, 1839, Azro Burton, of Norwich, Vermont; she died July 3, 1901 ; children : i. Adeline Delight Burton, born July 21, 1841, married, January 16, 1862, Edward R. Kent, and had Annie Kent, Emily Mann Kent, Nellie Burton Kent, Elizabeth May Kent, Mabel Mann Kent, Margaret Kent; ii. Emily Sophia Burton, born February 29, 1844; iii. Ella Maria Burton, born January 6, 1849, died December 7, 1850. 2. Mary S., born at Bradford, February 18, 1820, died at Wake- field, Massachusetts; married, 1846, Stephen Paine, of Stoneham; no children. 3. Rebecca Kennedy, born March 8, 1822, married, 1840, William W. Farr, of Bradford; resided at Stoneham, Massachusetts ; children: Charles Farr, Emma Farr. 4. Harry Lord, mentioned below. 5. Richard J., born May 3 or 8, 1826, married (first), May, 1853, at Charlestown, Massachusetts, Heleb Riblet, of Charlestown ; child : i. Arthur Bancroft, born March, 1855, died August following. Richard J. married (second), January 8, 1858, Emily Jane Flan- ders, of Warren, New Hampshire ; children : ii. Mary Emily, born August 31, 1859; iii. Evelyn Sophia, born December 22, 1863, mar- ried, May 6, 1886, Herman Underwood, and have Richard Morse Underwood, born No- vember 19, 1888. 6. Charles W., born April 1828, died January 25, 1829. 7. Chaing the born August 2, 1830, resided at Somerville Vermont. 8. Stephen Ambrose, bo his home 5, 1832, married (first) - Banon council ond) Children of Richai, a trustee, his second wife, Susan Jenkins (Senvestment Morse, sister of his first wife, born Cents Sav- 1796. 9. Sarah M., born March 28, ?rotective April 26, 1850. 10. Ella F., born Felthe Som- 1840. `e of the
(VII) Harry Lord Morse, son of f Soley Morse (6), was born at Bradford, Vnerville May 16, 1824. He received his education active in the common schools, attending the zacon terms, and at other seasons working isom- father's paper mills. He left home when nic
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was twenty years of age and came to Concord, Massachusetts, where he worked about a year in one of the hotels, and then went to Stone- ham where he found employment in Searles's livery stable. He then learned the currier's trade and was employed in Tidd's shop in Stoneham. He lived on Pine street, Stoneham, the remainder of his life, except for a short time, when he lived with his son, Charles R. Morse, of Woburn. During the last years of his life he was afflicted with creeping paralysis and was an invalid for seven years. He died in Stoneham. He was a Universalist in re- ligion, a Republican in politics. He was a member of Columbian Lodge, No. 29, Odd Fellows, of Stoneham. He married Caroline Twiss, of Peabody. Children : I. Ella, born at Stoneham. 2. Charles Richard, mentioned be- low.
(VIII) Charles Richard Morse, son of Harry Lord Morse (7), was born in Peabody, Massachusetts, October 13, 1851. When he was six months old his parents removed to Stoneham, where he was educated in the pub- lic schools. When he was sixteen he entered the- employ of Emerson & Jones, shoe manu- facturers, and worked in the finishing depart- ment for nine years. Then he entered the em- ploy of William Tidd, currier, and later of Captain J. P. Crane, currier, in Woburn. After a short time he went to True & Skinner's shop and worked two years. In 1876 he made his home on the farm he still conducts. After a time he gave up his position in the shop and devoted all'his attention to market gardening, in which he has had a large measure of success. The farm contains about forty acres. He raised large quantities of lettuce and squash for the Boston market. From 1893 to 1896 he con- ducted an extensive retail milk business. He me vrecently sold his farm to Thomas Little, Februarhester. Mr. Morse is a member of the father ; he Episcopal church; a Republican in Jun." Hel has been a delegate to many nom- his will. Gventions of his party. He is well born Mayıbly known in the community and Anthony, eemed by his townsmen.
July 29, I'ried, July 7, 1874, Sarah Babbidge ried Lycorn in Woburn, Massachusetts, No- July 29, 19, 1852, daughter of Jesse and Lydia John, br (Babbidge) Cutler, of Woburn. Her 30, 172 Jesse, was a farmer. Children: I. necticu Warren, born July 4, 1880. 2. Lydia Willia, born October 16, 1882, married, 1901, marrih A. Videtto, of Woburn; children: i. Novren Albert Videtto, born August 19, 1902 ; ii. Joseph, born July 9, 1904; iii. Son, born January, 1907.
Edward Starbird or Star- STARBIRD buck, as he was more com- monly known, came from Derbyshire, England, about 1640 and settled in Dover, New Hampshire. He was born in England in 1604. On August 30, 1643, he was granted forty acres of land on each side of Fresh river at Cocheco above John Baker's farm at the little brook. He had also a grant of marsh land that year. In 1650 he was granted a mill privilege at the second falls in partnership with Thomas Wiggins and also the timber necessary to run the mill. He was a representative to the general court in 1643- 46. He was an elder in the church until he became a Baptist about 1659, the year when he went off with others of his faith to seek a new home. He set sail in an open boat and finally landed at Nantucket at a place called Matical, later Cambridge. He located there in 1660 and returned to Dover for his family. His children were grown up. Sarah and Abi- gail were married and remained in Dover. His wife Katherine and children, Nathaniel, Jethro and Dorcas, went with him to Nantucket, which has ever since then been known as the home of the Starbuck family. Starbuck was prosecuted for embracing the Baptist faith, at Dover ; after a few years he became a Quaker. He died June 12, 1690. He married Katherine Reynolds, said to be a native of Wales. Chil- dren: I. Nathaniel, born in England in 1636, sold his estate in Dover in 1661, and removed where his father had gone, to Nantucket, where his descendants have been numerous. 2. Jethro, mentioned below. 3. Sarah. 4. Abi- gail. 5. Esther. 6. Dorcas, removed to Nan- tucket ; married William Gayer.
(II) Jethro Starbird, son of Thomas Star- bird (I), was born in England probably about 1638. He went to Nantucket with his father and was killed by accident soon afterward. The names of the children of Thomas Starbird (3) lead us to believe that this Jethro was his father. Very little is known about Jethro.
(III) Thomas Starbird, or Starboard, as the name is also spelled in the Maine records, was doubtless grandson of the immigrant, Ed- ward, and probably son of Jethro. He was born about 1660. It is likely that when the father was killed the child or children of Jethro remained in Dover and were brought up by one of the aunts, the father's sisters. He married in Dover Abigail Damm, daugh- ter of John Damm, January 4, 1687-88. The descendants of her family still vary the spelling of the name ; some have it Dam, others Dame. Abigail, widow, was baptized at Dover, August
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