USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Westminster > History of Westminster, Massachusetts (first named Narragansett no. 2) from the date of the original grant of the township to the present time, 1728-1893, with a biographic-genealogical register of its principal families > Part 71
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38. LUCY A.3, b. June 13, 1814; m. Nelson Parmenter; res. W., Gr., Fg .; 3 chn .; d. 1890. [Feb. 8, 1858.
39. ORANGE G.3, b. March 1, 1817; m. Martha J. Hayward; res. Fg .; 3 chn .; d.
40. SARAH M.3, b. Sept. 15, 1819; living unm. at Fg.
[13.] COWEE, FARWELL3, s. of David and Milicent, m. 1817, Abigail, dau. Nathan and Abigail (Holden) Merriam. He was an active, enterprising, public spirited man, but unsuccessful as a business manager in W. He started in trade on the No. Com- mon, going thence to the Center and forming a partnership with Timothy Doty. They built the so-called Doty store and run it for some years. Dissolving this connection, Mr. C. went into company with his bro .- in-law, Ebenezer Jones, under the style of "Cowee & Jones." They engaged largely in the business of transportation, running stages, and otherwise serving the public, with an appearance of wealth and prosperity which won the con- fidence of the people at large and secured for them abundant means for carrying their inflated purposes and plans into effect. All this resulted in the most unexpected and disastrous business
593
THE COWEE, CRUSE, AND CUMMINGS FAMILIES.
catastrophe the town ever experienced. Many of the citizens lost heavily, several of the more forehanded and honorable of them being so deeply involved as to be financially ruined. Mr. Cowee left the place for Troy, N. Y., where he engaged in hotel keeping and where he d. in March, 1837. His w. Abigail d. Sept. 15, 1830, and he m. (2) Eliza Dole in 1832. By the first he had 5 chn. and by the last 2, as follows :
41. DAVID4, b. W., June 16, 1818; m. Elizabeth Young; res. Troy; 5 chn .; d. Nov. 22, 1887. A prosperous merchant and much-esteemed citizen.
42. FARWELL M.+, b. W., Jan. S, 1820; m. Sarah E. Godfrey; res. Berlin, N. Y .; 7 chn .; living.
43. MILICENT+, b. W., June 22, 1822; m. James Pierpont; res. Troy; 3 chn .; d. Aug. 25, 1856.
44. ABIGAIL+, b. W., April 24, 1824; d. April 6, 1830.
45. ANN ELIZA4, b. T., July 19, 1829; m. Daniel Judson; res. Lansingburgh, N. Y .; 4 chn .; living.
46. GEORGE R.4, b. T., 1833; d. Albany, 1862.
47. Mary4, b. T., 1835; m. Edgar T. Wait; res. Troy; 2 chn .; d. Nov. 27, 1887.
[39.] COWEE, ORANGE G.3, s. of Pearson and Susannah, m. Oct. 5, 1853, Martha J. Hayward of Surrey, N. H. He res. W. a few yrs. and rem. to Fg., dying Feb. 8, 1858, a. 40. Chn .:
48. MARY H.4, b. Feb. 17, 1855; d. July 27, 1856.
49. FLORENCE M.4, b. Dec. 14, 1856; m. Myron N. Benjamin; res. Fg .; I chd.
50. FRANKLIN4, b. June, 1858; d. when 6 mos. old.
I. CRUSE, JOHN T. G., s. of Robson and Christiana, b. Falmouth, Eng., May 2, 1816, came to W. in early manhood and m. (1) Jane, dau. Wm. and Lydia (Hager) Wiswall, Aug. 17, 1839. Much of his life was spent here. His w. Jane d. June 24, 1862, and he m. (2) wid. Esther L. (Clark) Russell, Nov. 13, 1862. He d. at Ash., where he had res. a few years, April 28, 1892, a. 75. Chn .:
2. WILLIAM H., b. March 3, 1842; res. So. Ash .; in civil war. (See p. 406.)
3. GEORGE E., b. July 17, 1844; d. Feb. 22, 1859.
4. ROBSON, b. Dec. 4, 1845; res. So. Ash.
5. JOHN F., b. Sept. 6, 1850; d. Jan. 5, 1852; enld. in war. (See p. 406.)
CUMMINGS.
Isaac Cummings1, or Comings, as the name was spelled in the olden time, is reported to have come from Scotland, but whether a native of that coun- try or not does not appear. He settled at Ipswich as early as 1638, was made freeman there in 1642, and d. May, 1677. The name of his wife has not been found. His son Isaac2, b. prob. beyond the sea, m. Mary Anderson and resided in Topsfield, where he died Jan .. 1721-2. His son Thomas3, b. 1670, lived and died in Boxford, originally called Rowley Village. By his w., Mehitable Porter, he had Samuel4, b. 1706, who m. Sarah Hastings and went to Lunenburg, being the third resident in the township. Among the chn. of this pair was Thaddeus5, b. June 16, 1746, whose wife was Katharine Good- ridge, also of Lunenburg. They lived near the Fitchburg line and had 7 chn.
I. CUMMINGS, JOSHUA6, one of the seven, was b. Aug. 5, I792. He m. (1) Sally Nichols of Royalston, Aug., 1817, and
38
594
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
set. in that tn. His w. lived but a short time, and he m. (2) May 3, 1820, Hepzibah Hale of Leom. In the spring of 1837 he rem. to W. in order that his chn. might share better educa- tional advantages than were available in their early home, pur- chasing and locating upon the former Sydney Smith place, on which J. Hervey Miller now res. He remained there till his death, which occurred Aug. 23, 1861. His wid. passed away 18 months afterwards, Feb. 21, 1863. Chn .:
2. CHARLES7, b. Royalston, Feb. 26, 1821; m. Elizabeth B. Reynolds; res. Brattle- boro', Vt .; d. Sept. 30, 1864.
3. HENRY7, b. Royalston, Sept. 12, 1823; m. Mary A. Beaman; living.
4. ELLIOT7, b. Royalston, Oct. 16, 1825; d. Sept. 16, 1828.
5. SARAH7, b. Royalston, Sept. 16, 1827; m. Clinton Warner, M. D .; res. W .; 1.
6. ISAAC™, b. Royalston, Aug. 2, 1832; d. unm. Dec. 16, 1868.
7. ISRAEL™, b. Royalston, Aug. 2, 1832; m. Angenette Chandler; res. Fg .; 2 chn .; d. Dec. 4, 1863.
This family of children, though not b. in W., was yet well-known by its inhabitants and for many years was identified with some of its more important interests. It is worthy of special note for its literary tastes, ambitions, and attainments. The chn., after leaving the district school, attended the Academy. where three of the sons fitted for those higher institutions of learning, to which they were afterward admitted, and whence they went out to the more active duties of their respective professions in life.
Charles Cummings7 (2) entered the Vt. Medical School at Woodstock, gradu- ating in 1847. After practicing awhile as physician at Brattleboro', Vt., he became interested in journalism and finally gave himself wholly to that calling. From being a contributor to various papers and periodicals, he became at length editor- in-chief of the Brattleboro' Eagle, a position in which he displayed unusual ability, and from the duties of which he was released only by death. Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion, he entered the ranks of the Federal Army and remained in the service, so far as his health would allow, as long as he lived. (For a full notice of his honorable military career, see Chap. XX.) He m. June 27, 1857, Elizabeth, dau. of Brewster and Betsey Reynolds of Boston, by whom he had three chn. He d. near Petersburg, Va., Sept. 30, 1864.
Henry Cummings7 (3) was a graduate of Amherst College in the class of 1847, and of Andover Theological Seminary, after a three years course of study, in 1850. He was ordained to the work of the Christian Ministry under the auspices of the Trinitarian Congregationalist denomination, and installed pastor of the church of that order at Newport, N. H., July 16, 1851. He has served in his profession successively at Newport, Rutland, Mass., and Stafford, Vt., where he now resides. He m. Sept. 9, 1851, Mary A. Beaman of Princeton, by whom he has had five chn. Some of these have served with great efficiency in foreign mission fields. The en- tire family is still living (1892).
Sarah Cummings7 (5), the only dau. of her parents, after acquiring her education, m. Clinton Warner, M. D., of W., and has ever resided in town. Of her five chn., three d. in infancy, while the other two were spared, becoming graduates of Mt. Holyoke Seminary and teachers in the higher grade of schools; of excellent repute. Since the death of her husband, in 1870, Mrs. Warner has devoted herself to the care and education of her surviving chn., to charitable and other activities con- nected with the First Cong. Church, and to the interests of the Public Library, of which she has been one of the trustees and the librarian since it was adopted as a town institution. In these several capacities, as in other less conspicuous ones, she has rendered valuable service, for which she is held in high esteem by the en- tire community, as she is also for her personal worth and Christian character.
Isaac Cummings7 (6), after leaving W., entered the Medical Department of Dartmouth College at Hanover N. H., and grad. in 1857. He located in the city of N. Y., where, after a successful practice of his profession for ten years, he d. Dec. 16, 1868. He was never married.
CURTIS.
This family descended from William CurtisI, who arrived at Boston in the ship Lyon Sept. 16, 1632, and settled at Stony River, now in the Roxbury
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THE CURTIS FAMILY.
district, Boston, where his son Isaac2 was b. in 1642. Isaac2 had Samuel3. the father of Philips, who was educated for the Christian ministry and set- tled in Massapoag, now Sharon, in 1743. He was the first minister of the township, and continued in the office there more than half a century, or until 1797. His wife was Eliza Bass.
I. CURTIS, FRANCIS5, s. of the couple just named, was b. in Sharon, Sept. 26, 1769. Under the direction of his f. he prepared for college and entered Harvard with the view of qualifying himself for a literary or professional career. But a serious accident prevented him from carrying his plans into effect. During one of his vacations, while assisting in making some improvements on his f.'s farm, the premature discharge of a rock permanently injured his eyes, obliging him to turn his attention to some other calling in life. After due delibera- tion he chose that of farming as best suited to his taste and the changed circumstances in which he was situated. Looking about for a place in which to locate, he came to W. in 1799 (his son Alonzo says), though he seems not to have been taxed till 1807. In 1806 he purchased lot No. 48, 2d Div., of Stephen Bemis, whose f., Zaccheus Bemis, first redeemed it from the primeval wilderness. He m. (1) Mary Billings of Sharon, who d. in a few yrs. leaving no issue. His second w. was Mary Gil- bert of Walpole, whom he m. in 1799. He d. Oct. 3, 1828, a. 59; she d. April 12, 1869, a. 92. Chn .:
2. FRANCIS6, b. Sept. 22, 1800; d. 1842.
3. MARY6, b. May 10, 1802; m. Daniel Miles; res. W.
4. LYDIA6, b. April 3, 1805; m. Alonzo Mason; res. So. Venice, N. Y .; 8 chn .; 1.
5. Infant6, b. 1807; d. 1808.
6. NELSON6, b. Dec. 17, 1809; m. Mary S. Hyde; res. Boston; no chn .; d. Sept. 16, 1882.
. 7. EZRA6, b. March 17, 1812; m. Milesa Hastings; res. Leom .; 9 chn .; d. 1863.
8. JOHN6, b. Aug. 13, 1814; m. Jane Close; res. Auburn, N. Y .; 2 chn .; d. Sept. 2, 1885.
9. GEORGE6, b. Sept. 3, 1817; m. Martha Upton; res. Boston; no chn .; living.
10. Unnamed6; d. Oct., 1820.
11. ALONZO6, b. Aug. 27, 1822; m. Mary B. Lothrop; res. W.
Of the above chn., Nelson res. in Roxbury and Boston, where he operated largely as contractor and builder. He acquired great wealth, was Director for many years in the People's Bank, and also served repeatedly as Alderman of the city of Roxbury before its annexation to Boston. His bro. George also located in Roxbury, and was engaged in the same business, which he carried on very success- fully in connection with an extensive lumber trade. He was Alderman of the city of Roxbury four years, and of Boston afterwards three years, and also served three terms in the lower house of the Legislature of Mass.
[II.] CURTIS, ALONZO6, the youngest s. of Francis and Lydia (Gilbert) Curtis, and the only one who remained perma- nently in W., m. Mary B. Lothrop of Sharon, Jan. 2, 1850, suc- ceeding to the est. of his f., which he still occupies. Chn .:
12. FREDERICK7, b. Jan. 2, 1851; d. Sept. 9, 1852.
13. WALFRED FLETCHER7, b. Aug. 12, 1853; d. Nov. 9, 1878. He was a grad. of Mass. Agric. Coll., and served on the Sch. Committee of W.
14. FRANK ABBOT T.", b. Aug. 7, 1857; m. and res. W .:
15. L. EUGENE7, b. Dec. 1, 1860; d. Oct. 9, 1866.
596
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
[14] CURTIS, FRANK A. T.7, s. of the last, m. June 7, 1883, Jennie E., dau. of Henry and Jane Lucas, and set. near his f., with whom he is associated in farming. Their chn. are :
16. MARY FLORENCES, b. April 12, 1884. 17. WALFRED A.8, b. Sept. 9, 1885.
18. HERMAN N.8, b. Nov. 4, 1888. 19. HENRY L.8, b. June 24, 1891.
20. CURTIS, WILLIAM, ptge. and lineage unascertained, but prob. a distant relative of the preceding, bought the easterly part of lot No. 110 (the Garfield estate), of John Bigelow, Dec. 28, 1807, upon which he erected a ho. and res. ab. 17 yrs. The site of the building was in the present open field some 30 rds. S. E. of the dwelling of Patrick Bresnahan. Mr. Curtis sold his place to Daniel Miles, removing hence to Stoughton. Nothing is kn. of his subsequent history; nor of his w. and chn., if he had them.
21. CURTIS, THEOPHILUS, was tythingman in 1806 and paid taxes for a few yrs. ab. that date. Nothing further ascertained.
22. CURTIS, CHANDLER, whose lineage has not been traced, was b. in Wallingford, Conn., May 7, 1795. He was educated for the Baptist ministry and spent many yrs. of professional life in the far West. He came to W. in 1843 and set. as pastor of the church and society of his own distinctive faith, a position which he held for 2 yrs. He made this place his home ever afterward, although he spent considerable time elsewhere, either in supplying vacant pulpits or in lecturing upon the subject of "Roman Catholicism," with a view of refuting its errors and of preventing its extension and influence in the country. He was a man of much ability and acquired scholarship in his chosen field of inquiry, and an author of some standing in the theologi- cal world. He had a strong personality, was somewhat dog- matic in spirit, and possessed many eccentricities which no doubt detracted from his popularity and usefulness, both as a man and as an ambassador of Christ. He m. July 24, 1836, in the Indian Territory, where he then res., Mary A., dau. of Jonas and Hannah (Gamwall) Colburn of Leom. He d. July 27, 1881, a. 86; she d. Aug. 3, 1879, a. 71. They had 3 chn .:
23. AMANDA, b. Omaha, Neb., Jan. 8, 1838; m. J. Avery White; res. Fram.
24. SAMUEL. b. Bellevue, Neb., May 22, 1839; d. Feb. 16, 1840.
25. ANN, b. Griggsville, Ill., Oct. 19, 1841; m. John P. Roper; res. W .; 3 chn.
CUTLER.
The immigrant head of this family was James Cutler1, b. in Eng. ab. 1606., who m. Anna -, prob. before leaving his native land. He was an original proprietor of Watertown and had a residence there in 1635. Some twelve years afterward he purchased lands in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), and took up his abode there. His son James2 m. Lydia Wright and had Thomas3, whose wife was Sarah Stone. They were the parents of David4, the father of Thomas5, whose son Thomas6. m. Abigail Reed. These several genera- tions resided in Lexington.
597
THE CUTLER AND CUTTER FAMILIES.
I. CUTLER, JONAS7, s. of the last named Thomas6 and Abi- gail (Reed) Cutler, was b. March 3, 1782, and m. Martha, dau. of Amos Marritt, a gd .- nephew of David Dunster, elsewhere spoken of. He came to W. ab. 1812, purchasing, Jan. 13 of that year, of Levi Holden, lot No. 40, on which his s. of the same name recently res. Later on he was for some time joint owner of the so-called Raymond sawmill. He d. Jan. 29, 1830, a. 47 : his wid., Martha, d. Nov. 20, 1852, a. 67. Chn .:
2. JONAS8; m. Martha Hager; res. W .; no chn .; d. 1892.
3. AMOS MARRITT8, b. 1816; m. Mary Barnes; res. W .; 2 chn.
4. MARTHAS, b. 18t -; m. Sanford Sawyer; res. W.
[3.] CUTLER, AMOS MARRITT8, s. of the last, m. Mary, dau. of Sullivan and Lydia (Hoar) Barnes, 1840 (pub. Aug. 21). He located in the central village of W., where he established a livery business which he has continued to this day. Chn .:
6. MARY A.9; m. George S. Brooks; res. W .; chn. 5. ABBIE M.9; m. Marcus M. Miller; res. W .; chn.
7. CUTLER, CHARLES, s. of Isaac G. and Nancy, and a descendant of the immigrant James1, named above, by the fol- lowing line : - Thomas2, James3, Rev. Robert4, Dr. Robert5, Dr. Isaac G.6,- was b. at Amherst ab. 1827. Coming to W. he m. April 4, 1852, Harriet Ann, dau. of Charles and Lydia M. (Spalding) Coolidge, and res. in tn. some yrs., where a son was b. and whence he rem. to Brattleboro', Vt., and thence subse- quently to Grand Haven, Mich. He d. Sept. 16, 1881, in con- sequence of injuries received by the explosion of illuminating gas. His wid. still res. at Grand Haven, as does also his only chd., whose name is :
8. CHARLES LYON&, b. W., May 19, 1862; unm. at last advices.
CUTTER.
Two distinct families of this name have resided in W., the descent of only one of which has been determined. It is to be presumed that the other came of the same ancestral stock, though the connection has not been traced and no mention whatever is made of it in the large volume purporting to give a full account of those bearing this patronym in America. It is a mat- ter of record that Elizabeth Cutter1, with two, and perhaps more, chn., came to N. E. ab. the year 1640, and resided with her dau. Barbara2, who m. Elijah Corlet. a distinguished school-master of Cambridge at that early date. Her son Richard2 m. Frances Amsden and lived also in C. They had Nathaniel3, the father of a second Nathaniel4, one of whose sons, also named Nathaniel5, m. Submit Whitcomb and settled in Sudbury. The following extract from the Court records of the Co. of Middlesex which relates to this couple may be of interest as an illustration of one of the common customs of those early times :
" Middlesex Ss. Anno Regni Regis Georgii Secundi Magna Brittan- nia. Francia et Hibernia Vicessimo Septimo: At a Court of General Ses- sions of the Peace, begun and held at Charlestown within and for the Co. of Middlesex on the second Tuesday of Dec. being the IIth day of said month Annoque Domine 1753. The Selectmen of Sudbury are allowed to enter their caution against Nath1. Cutter and Submit Cutter his wife; his last
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HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
proper place of residence was in Charlestown and hers in Southborough, who come into the town of Sudbury within the space or term of a year past. They having been warned to depart as by warrant and return thereon on file. A copy of record. Attest :
ABRAM. BIGELOW, Clerk."
I. CUTTER, JOSIAH6, s. of the before-named Nathaniel5 and Submit (Whitcomb) Cutter, was b. Sudbury, May 7, 1763. Ab. the year 1789 he came to W. and m. Sarah, dau. of Norman and Sarah (Reed) Sever, on the 27th of March. His exact place of residence has not been learned. There is no proof that he owned any real est. After the birth of 3 chn. he left his fam. and wandered about the country for many yrs., having no local habitation. Subsequently to his disappearance his w. had a fourth chd. who took the family name as appears in the reg- ister herewith given. Joaiah Cutter d. Watertown, May, 1833, a. 70. Chn .:
2. NATHANIEL8, b. June 5, 1789; m. Abigail Taylor and had 4 chn.
3. SALLYS, b. Aug. 9, 1792; m. Peter Parmenter; res. Marlboro'.
4. PEGGY8, b. June 8, 1798; m. Merrick Divol; res. W .; 2 chn.
5. JOSEPH8, b. Sept. 9, 1810; m. twice; res. Ash .; 1 chd.
[2.] CUTTER, NATHANIEL", s. of the preceding, m. Abigail, dau. of Samuel and Prudence (Winship) Taylor, March 23, 1813. He seems to have l. for a time on the place originally improved and occupied by his w.'s f., but moved thence to Ash. and from there to Fg. He d. Worc., Sept. 27, 1880, a. 91 ; his w. d. Fg., Aug. 22, 1861. Chn .:
6. NATHANIEL FLINT, b. W., Sept. 26, 1815; m. twice; res. Ash. and Worc .; I chd-
7. ABIGAIL P., b. Ash., Sept. 18, 1817; m. Joseph Smith; res. Ash.
S. SARAH A., b. Ash., July 18, 1820; m. Charles Leland; res. Milford; 4 chn.
9. LOUISA MARSYLVIA, b. Ash., April, 1824; m. Warren Ellis; res. Milford; 3 chn.
10. CUTTER, MARCUS, familiarly called Mark Cutter, descent, as stated, unkn. He m. Abigail G. Wheeler of Sudbury, from which fact it may be assumed that he was nearly related to Josiah (1). He came to W. ab. 1814, and located in the extreme north corner of the tn., on a part of lot No. 112, 2d Div., and adjacent lands, his est. bordering on both Ash. and Fg. lines. No doubt he erected the farm buildings formerly standing there- on, the site of which is still easily recognized. (See A. H. No. I.) He d. July 9, 1847, a. 63, leaving a will which distributed his property between his wid. and 2 sons. The place and date of his wid.'s death has not been fd., though her last days were prob. spent in Fg. Chn .:
11. ABBIE, b. 1812; d Aug. 8, 1829, a. 17.
12. JAMES M., b. 1816; m. Sophronia S. Burrage; res. Fg .; d. W.
13. MARY G., b. 1818; d. Aug. 26, 1829, a. 11.
14. ABIGAIL W., b. 1822; d Aug. 25, 1829, a. 7.
15. CALEB W., b. June 3, 1826; m. Abbie B. Hadley; res. W.
[15.] CUTTER, CALEB WHEELER, the last named, m. Abby B., dau. of Cummings and Sally B. Hadley, lived in W., where he had 2 chn. and perhaps more. He d. Nov. 13, 1864, a. 38. 16. ABBIE J., b. Aug. 17, 1857; d. May 20, 1868, a. 10.
17. Unknown; d. April 28, 1865, a. I.
599
THE CUTTING FAMILY.
CUTTING.
Richard Cutting1, a lad eleven years of age, came to this country from Ipswich. Eng., with an older brother, William, in the ship Elizabeth, in the year 1634. He settled at Watertown, where he carried on the trade of a wheelwright as an occupation and means of subsistence. He d. March 21. 1695-6, leaving several children, among whom was John2, a soldier in the war with King Philip, and as such entitled to a right, with other Watertown men who had been engaged in the same service, in the township designated as Narragansett No. 2. But having died before that township was estab- lished, by grant of the Genl. Ct. his claim was represented by his son John3, known as Lieut. John, who, in the first division of lots, drew No. 45, and therewith all the subsequent divisions of upland and meadow belonging to it. Lieut. John Cutting3 had but one child, a dau., who m. John Clark, and became the mother of a long line of worthy descendants. He had, however, a brother George3, whose son Josiah was a favorite of his, as appears from the phrase- ology of certain title-deeds conveying lands to him, and from repeated acts indicative of kindly interest and special regard.
Whether or not the Josiah Cutting who settled upon lot No. 45, and who became the ancestor of all the W. Cuttings, was the "beloved son" of George3, as Lieut. John calls his nephew, has been a matter of much doubt. Bond, the eminent genealogist, in his " History of the Watertown Families" states that Josiah Cutting, son of George, m. Persis -, and settled in the town of Shrewsbury. That there was a Josiah in that place, a contemporary of Josiah of Narragansett, is undoubtedly true. But the writer of this sketch is persuaded that Bond is in error respecting the ancestry of the Shrewsbury settler, ascribing to him a parentage belonging to his namesake of the neigh- boring township, and giving him a place in the family line to which he has no rightful claim. The reason for the conclusion thus indicated seems to him convincing and satisfactory. It is a matter of record that Lieut. John Cutting3. one of the grantees of Narragansett No. 2, sold all the after drafts of Lot No. 45 to Josiah Cutting+, the "beloved son " of his brother George3. It is also of record that after the death of Josiah of Narragansett (then Westminster). in 1775. his heirs conveyed certain portions of those same after drafts (3d and 4th Div. lots), to Nathan Cutting and John Fessenden respec- tively. It is altogether probable that the Josiah Cutting who received the lands in question in 1750, and the Josiah Cutting whose heirs disposed of those same lands in 1775, were one and the same person. Moreover, in an old deed. dated 1770, Josiah Cutting of W. refers to " our late gd.f., Capt. John Cutting of Waltham." On the strength of such evidence it is the writer's judgment that the descent of the Westminster Cuttings. from Richard1 of Watertown, was as follows :- John2, George8, Josiah+, etc.
I. CUTTING, JOSIAH4, s. of George3 and Mary (Brown) Cut- ing, was b. April 21, 1727. He m. Lydia, dau. of Thomas and Tabitha (Stone) Merriam of Lexington, the sister of Nathan, Thomas, and Samuel Merriam who set in the south part of the tn. He was in the place as early as 1751, when he had cleared 4 acres and was building a ho. His lot, No. 45, was the north- westerly portion of the present farm of George W. Whitney, and the site of his dwelling was a little way over the summit of the hill in the direction named from Mr. Whitney's residence. He was a well-to-do citizen, worthy of the respect and honor which were cheerfully accorded him. He held the office of Selectman in 1772, and filled other places of public trust. He d. April 18, 1775, a. 48; his w. d. ab. a yr. bef., April 21, 1774, a. 46. Their chn. were :
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HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
2. LYDIA5, b. Aug. 19, 1755; m. Samuel Miller; res. W .; 8 chn .; d. Dec. 18, 1793.
3. MARY5, b. May 15, 1757; m. Peletiah Everett; res. W .; 7 chn .; d. April 28, ISoo.
4. EUNICE5, b. Dec. 1, 1758; prob. d. young.
5. JOHN5, b. Feb. 22, 1761; d. Aug. 17, 1778 ?.
6. JOSIAH5, b. Nov. 11, 1762; taxed 1784, but soon disappeared.
7. NATHAN5, b. May 7, 1765; res. Pn. and Hub .; d. April 3, 1803.
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