USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881 > Part 128
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UNDERWOOD, GEORGE DWIGHIT 8 (Gen. Orison,7 Joseph,6 David,5 Joseph, 4 Joshua,8 Joseph,2 Joseph 1), b. in Mil., Dec. 18, 1837; m. Faustina Aurena Gove, dr. of Jacob and Abigail Hook (Sanborn) Gove, b. Aug. 14, 1834; cer. in Milford, N.H., June 1, 1859, by Rev. Jacob Gove. Chn .:-
1081
UNDERWOOD AND VANT.
ADA GUERNSEY, b. July 21, 1861; d. Oct. 1 ensuing.
FRANK HAMILTON, b. April 6, 1865.
EDITH RENA, b. Sept. 2, 1869; d. Aug. 26, 1870.
GEORGE AMORY, b. Sept. 23, 1871.
JAY GOVE, b. April 22, 1873.
The family res. here till Nov., 1872, since then in Newtonville; the hus. and father doing business in Boston. George D. did not enjoy the ample educa- tional advantages of his elder and younger brothers, though decent ones for his chosen sphere in life. Martial daring, trials, and fame did not lie in his pathway, nor the success to which he aspired in the pecuniary field. But in respect to usefulness, substantial competency, and respectable social standing, he and his family have a creditable record. They are also good Episcopalians. Mrs. Faustina d. at Newtonville, Dec. 5, 1880, and left a precious memory.
UNDERWOOD, MELVIN AUGUSTUS 8 (Gen. Orison,7 Joseph,6 David,5 Joseph,4
Joshua,3 Joseph,2 Joseph 1), b. in Mil., April 17, 1844; grad. H. U. 1866; a man of letters and æsthetic taste; in business pursuits much employed in insurance affairs about Boston; res. Newtonville. After living a circum- spect bachelor to the prudent age of 35, he m. Clara Isabella Babbitt, dr. of Nathan E. and Hannah (Guernsey) Babbitt of Springfield; cer. at the parental res. in Mil., Jan. 15, 1880, by the writer. Position and prospects auspicious.
UNDERWOOD, ALVAN G., pedigree not given; b. in West Woodstock, Ct., April 15, 1808, son of Alvan and Margaret (Smith) Underwood, both decd .; m. Emily Amanda Guild, dr. of Ebenezer and Hepsey (Russell) Guild, both decd., b. in Wrentham, July 28, 1812; cer. at Upton, April 9, 1833, by Rev. Benjamin Wood. Child, ALBERT GALLATIN, b. Mendon, Dec. 28, 1833; m. Sarah S. Wight, Oxford, May 15, 1854.
Chn. of Albert Gallatin and Sarah S. Wight Underwood : -
Herbert W., b. Oxford, Feb. 28, 1855.
Frank G., b. Oxford, Sept 12, 1856.
These parents, I believe, are of the Cong. church, and had honorable stand- ing in Oxford. Mr. Underwood was for some years cashier of Milford National Bank, and a commissioned justice of the peace. He has retired from active business, and the family are in easy circumstances.
UNDERWOOD, DANIEL PECK; ancestry not traced, but presumed to be a descendant of Joseph of Hingham and Watertown; b. in Troy, N.H., Sept. 10, 1843, son of John and Eliza (Peck) Underwood; horse-dealer. His father, John Underwood, was publicly known for many years as driver of the stage from Medway to Boston. He was either sole or co-proprietor of that line, and extended it to Woonsocket, R.I. Daniel P. m. Nellie Eugenia Maynard, dr. of Rev. Lyman Maynard and wf. Elizabeth, b. in Needham, Dec. 30, 1848; cer. at Hopedale, Feb. 15, 1872, by the writer. No chn. Long res. in town, and worthy people.
Other Underwoods, formerly and new res. in town, ought perhaps to receive my attention in this connection; but, having obtained no intimation of their wish to see their family records appear on these pages, I shall doubtless be excused, in the hurry of closing my work, for any seeming neglect.
VANT, JOHN, and wf. Relief (Tracy) Vant, were of Sutton, and afterwards of Upton. They had 3 sons that became res. in Mil. ; viz., -
SAMUEL AUSTIN, b. Sutton, June 1, 1811; m. Mary Ann Stearns, April 2, 1835.
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BIOGRAPHICO-GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
MELBOURNE, b. Sutton, 1813; d. in infancy.
ARTEMAS BULLARD, b. Sutton, Sept. 19, 1815; m. Izanna E. Parkhurst, Sept. 6, 1837.
CHARLES AUGUSTUS, b. Sutton, 1816; d. at Gen. O. Underwood's Nov. 20, 1832, a. 16 yrs.
Nothing further given concerning John Vant's chn. or the death of the parents, except that the fr. d. in 1818, and the mr. m. a 2d hus. She d. some yrs. ago.
VANT, SAMUEL AUSTIN2 (John 1), b. in Sutton, June 1, 1811; bootmaker and farmer; m. Mary Ann Stearns, dr. of Alexander and Sarah Brownell Stearns, b. in Providence, R.I., March 8, 1814; cer. in Mil., April 2, 1835, by Rev. D. Long. Issue : -
ELBRIDGE AUSTIN, b. Mil., Oct. 5, 1836; m. Sarah Jane Hunt, Oct. 4, 1860. MELBOURNE ALEXANDER, b. Mil., Dec. 17, 1838; m. Lavinia Nelson, Jan. 28, 1862.
Samuel A. came into town from Upton in March, 1822, then a boy not 11 yrs. old. His folks were poor, and he came on the spur of his own enterprise to seek his fortune and find a home. He engaged himself to Caleb Cheney, and lived in his family several yrs. Later he learnt the bootmaking trade, and so grew up to manhood. Mrs. Mary Ann, his wf., had an orphan's experience. Her parents d. when she was a mere babe; and she was taken to the home of her uncle, David Stearns 2d, in this town. He and his wf. both d. while she was a child only 2 or 3 yrs. old. She went next into the care of Samuel McFar- land and wf., where she remained till about 5 yrs. of age. Thence her uncle Jonathan Stearns, who had been appointed her guardian, placed her in the family of Joel Day. There she was kindly and carefully brought up to mar- riageable womanhood. Thus, through many adversities, a now worthy and comfortably circumstanced family gained their foothold in our community. Their res. is on Purchase St., just above Pearl.
Grandchn. :-
Walter Austin Vant, son of Elbridge and Sarah J., b. June 1, 1866. Alice Nelson Vant, dr. of Melbourne A. and Lavinia, b. Dec. 28, 1866.
VANT, ARTEMAS BULLARD 2 (John1), b. Sutton, Sept. 19, 1815; m. Izanna Eames Parkhurst, dr. of Otis and Sarah (Jones) Parkhurst, b. Mil., April 22, 1815; cer. Mil., Sept. 6, 1837, by Rev. Horace W. Morse. Issue :-
ADELAIDE VICTORIA, b. June 26, 1838; m. Theodore E. Stacy, Feb. 3, 1859; she d. Aug. 30, 1859.
CHARLES AUGUSTUS, b. Dec. 8, 1839; m. Anna C. Whitmore, Aug. 20, 1863. DEXTER PARKHURST, b. Oct. 3, 1842; m. Emma J. Gould, Oct. 4, 1865. JOHN LEMUEL, b. Aug. 28, 1848; d. Aug. 12, 1849.
A family of good standing in the various circles of society. Mr. V. came up out of trying early adversities. He was left fatherless at 3 yrs. of age, and had hard youthful struggles to pass through. He came into town in 1832, and worked his way up from apprenticeship into successful management of the boot business. He continued in that management for 22 yrs., but has latterly been engaged in carrying on a laundry establishment, which is both useful and profitable. He is a reliable and trusted citizen. He has a handsome and con- venient mansion 47 Pearl St. The only serious drawback to the family pros- perity has been a visitation of severe sickness experienced by Mr. V. within the last few yrs., from which he has hardly yet fully recovered.
Grandchn. :-
- --
1083
VICKERY, WADSWORTH, WAIT, WAKEFIELD.
Arthur Vant, son of Charles A. and Anna C., b. June 27, 1866.
Adelaide Vant, dr. of Dexter P. and Emma J., b. Sept. 24, 1866.
Irving A. Vant, son of Dexter P. and Emma J., b. Feb. 13, 1871.
Mark W. Vant, son of Dexter P. and Emma J., b. April 2, 1874.
VICKERY, BENJAMIN, ancestry not traced; presumed to have been born in
Bridgewater; m., 1st, Mary Allen, 1737, who soon d. He m., 2d, Mary Kingman, 1739. They moved to our Easterly Precinct, and were recd. from the 3d ch., Bridgewater, into our Cong. ch., Sept. 29, 1763. I think they must have brought 6 or 7 chn. with them, and dwelt in the easterly part of our territory. Their chn. were, -
MARY, b. prob. in Bridgewater, 1740; m. Jonathan Hayward, jun., 1769.
ELIZABETH, b. prob. in Bridgewater, 1743; untraced.
ELIAB, b. prob. in Bridgewater, 1745; untraced.
BENJAMIN, Jun., b. prob. in Bridgewater, 1749; m. Rhoda Holbrook, Dec. 12, 1776.
OLIVE, b. prob. in Bridgewater, 1753; untraced.
HULDAH, b. prob. in Bridgewater, 1759; untraced.
There was a Lydia Vickery, who m. Josiah Corbett; cer. Jan. 12, 1758, by Rev. A. Frost.
Also a Melatiah Vickery, that d. in town, Nov. 4, 1799.
I suspect that Lydia and Melatiah belonged to the above family, but how related I find no indication. No Vickerys appear on our records after 1799.
WADSWORTH, JONATHAN, and wf. Rebecca, once resided a while in our Pre- cinct in its early times. But whence they came, where they dwelt, how long they remained, or whither they went, is not indicated on our records. They had 3 chn. bap. by Rev. Mr. Frost; viz., -
MARY, April 15, 1744.
BENJAMIN, April 20, 1746.
REBECCA, July 3, 1748.
WAIT, DANIEL, and wf. Abigail, were warned out of town in 1791. They tben had 4 chn. with them; viz., JOSEPH, LYDIA, BETSEY, and HANNAH. They came into town May 3, 1787, taken in by Adams Chapin. No further traced.
WAKEFIELD, Rev. LEONARD, son of Daniel and Anna (Keeney) Wakefield, b. in Manchester, Ct., July 29, 1803; m. Nancy Carroll, dr. of Jesse and Mary (Mann). Carroll, b. in Smithfield, R.I., Sept. 30, 1804; cer. Smithfield, R.I., Nov. 2, 1827, by Rev. Elisha Frink. Their chn. :-
JULIA A., b. Oct. 26, 1828; d. soon after birth.
URANAH MOWRY, b. May 31, 1830; m. William E. Tower, res. in Hop.
DANIEL AMOS, b. March 31, 1833; m., name not given; res. in No. Purchase. ANNA MARIA, b. June 8, 1835; d. young.
LAROY SUNDERLAND, b. April 8, 1837; m., name not given; res. in No. Purchase.
CHARLES LEONARD, b. May 7, 1839; d. young.
FRANCES CATHERINE DORR, b. June 26, 1841; d. young.
OSMOND b. April 26, 1844; d. within a week after birth.
OSGOOD
(triplets), b. April 26, 1844; d. within a week after birth.
OSCAR b. April 26, 1844; d. within a week after birth.
Rev. Mr. Wakefield left an interesting life-record, the main points of which he gave me a few months before his decease. They are as follows: Left an orphan by the death of his father at the age of 2} yrs., the youngest of 4 chn. ;
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BIOGRAPHICO-GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
at the age of 17 went to Smithfield, R.I., and was employed as a farmer-boy till he learned the coopering business; at 21 became a convert to personal religion under Methodist preaching; was soon after appointed a class-leader, and at 22 commenced preaching as an Episcopal Methodist, having had but small common-school privileges, and only the Bible for his library, yet conscious of a divine call and inspiration for his mission; found plenty of open doors and willing hearers for his voluntary gospel, and probably small pecuniary rewards; about this time joined the Masonic Fraternity, to which he was ever after faith- fully attached, becoming eminent in its varions grades np to Knighthood; m. at 24, and began to raise up a family, yet zealously pushed his work of the ministry, preaching, as a sort of local volunteer, for different lengths of time in Blackstone, Slaterville, Woonsocket, Albion Village, on Cumberland Hill, and occasionally in many towns of Mass. from Wellfleet and Truro westward to Ct. River. About 1850 he came to our No. Purchase, where he closed his ministry of 54 yrs., throughout which he officiated at a large number of funerals.
He was naturally endowed with good mental abilities, much energy, and strong will-power; was an independent, original thinker, self-taught, and toughened by hard discipline in the school of trying experiences. But he was persistent and indomitable, as well as conscientious, in all he undertook; industrious, economical, and always making the most of a little. He said he put Christianity first, Masonry second, and civil liberty third. In politics he was a stanch Democrat of the Jeffersonian school; and in R. I. was a warm Dorrite suffragist, at considerable discomfort to himself and some sacrifice, though he came out of the embroglio without dishonor, and with the general credit, from all parties, of being a well-intentioned, honest man. In his palm- iest days, on Cumberland Hill, R.I., where he res. 12 yrs., he kept a variety store; was post-master, secretary of the school committee, member of the town council, justice of the peace, etc., at the same time preaching on Sundays, and frequently ministering at funerals. After taking up his abode here, he preached a few yrs., mostly in No. Purchase, and then, as age crept on, betook himself to boot-making, till his health finally failed, and he gradually ripened for transi- tion to the immortal world. His Masonic brethren were mindful of his needs, solaced his last days with comforting donations, and gave their ever-faithful brother a worthy burial. I visited him on his dying bed, found him in full spiritual preparation for his departure, and received his request that I would unite with his Methodist pastor in the funeral services over his remains. He d. very calmly and hopefully, Nov. 27, 1879, a. 76 yrs. and 4 mos. His vener- able wid. enjoyed tolerable health for a time, but was found dead in her bed, Sunday morning, May 30, 1880. I had hoped to be furnished with the family records of their chn., to whom I sent blanks; but, fearing I shall be disap- pointed, I will close with the mention of their grandchn. and gt. grandchn., as given by himself. "We have had 14 grandchn., of whom 10 are living; gt. grandchn., 7, all living but 1." I have received nothing more from this family.
WALES. I have tried in vain to trace the ancestry of our Wales families to their European origin. I presume pains and cost enough would show that Nathaniel Wales of Dorchester, known to be there in 1636, was their common immigrant ancestor. This, however, I must leave unsettled, and deal with them as they report themselves. .
WALES, JOHN,1 b. about the yr. 1750, came from parts unknown, and set. in
Hop. as early certainly as 1774. He m. Abigail, dr. of William Andrews of
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WALES FAMILIES.
Hop., in 1775. About the yr. 1794 he set. on our extreme northern bound- ary, on a farm, which, when the crooked line between Hop. and Mil. was finally straightened, over 40 yrs. ago, was ceded to Hop. He had numerous sons and daughters. Among the sons were JOHN, LUKE, FREEBORN, and WAINWRIGHT: but his family record has not been furnished, as I would gladly have had it; and I must content myself with what has been given me. He d. Oct. 14, 1809, and his wid., Mrs. Abigail, in 1833.
WALES, JOHN 2 (John 1), eldest son, b. Hop., 1781; m. Mary Madden, a twin dr. of Michael and Mary (Bullard) Madden, b. Feb. 3, 1784; cer. Dec. 5, 1805, by Rev. David Long. They res. in Mil. Their cbn. :-
AMOS, b. July 9, 1806; m., 1st, Emily Cheney, April 31, 1831; 2d, Rachel Corbett, 1852.
REUEL, b. Nov. 27, 1807; m., 1st, Chloe B. Proctor, April 7, 1834; 2d, Betsey D. Walker, 1854.
SYLVESTER, b. May 28, 1809; m. Lydia M. Cheney, Sept. 12, 1833.
JOHN MADDEN, b. Sept. 23, 1811; d. unm., I think, Oct. 7, 1832.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, b. April 19, 1817; m. Lucy M. Fairbanks, 1841.
The worthy parents always lived in the same honse from 1806 till death. Mrs. Mary d. Ang. 23, 1840. He m., 2d, Eunice Ormes, Oct. 21, 1841; cer. by Rev. William Tozer. He d. in 1857.
WALES, AMOS 3 (John,2 John 1), b. Mil., July 9, 1806; m., 1st, Emily Cheney, dr. of Alexander and Lovice (Bowker) Cheney, b. Mil., Aug. 26, 1808; cer. in Mendon, April 21, 1831, by the writer. Their chn. : -
MARY M., b. June 18, 1832; m. Simon Woodbury of Vt., Jan. 8, 1852; she d. April 22, 1878.
LYDIA M., b. Dec. 16, 1833; m. Luther P. Jones, May 17, 1853.
HENRY ALEXANDER, b. Jan. 2, 1835; m. Nettie L. M. Wheeler of Kala- mazoo, Mich., dr. of John Wheeler, Esq .; cer. Oct. 23, 1862. He d. in Lake City, Minn., Nov. 24, 1864. No issue reported.
Mrs. Emily, the beloved wf. and mr., d. Oct. 6, 1850, a. 42 yrs. The hus. m., 2d, Rachel Corbett of Westboro', ptge. and other particulars not given; cer. Jan. 29, 1852. No issue reported. He has been an honest common laborer through life.
WALES, REUEL & (John,2 John 1), b. Nov. 27, 1807; m. Chloe Brown Proctor, dr. of Benjamin and Chloe B. (Hedding) Proctor, b. Hop., June 2, 1815; cer. Hop., April 7, 1834, by Rev. Jeffries Hall. Their chn. :-
MINERVA, b. Hop., March 8, 1835; m. Jedediah Adams, Dec. 11, 1854; she d. April 29, 1857.
MARIA, b. Hop., Aug. 29, 1837; m. Otis Bliss, Nov. 19, 1853; d. May 2, 1878. SARAH, b. Feb. 15, 1840; d. July 18, 1853.
Mrs. Chloe d. Sept. 23, 1852. The hns. m., 2d, Betsey D. Walker, dr. of Samuel and Martha (Belknap) Walker, b. Hop., March 3, 1810; cer. May 18, 1854, by Rev. J. C. Webster. She also d. April 29, 1877. Thus bereavement has followed bereavement with sad frequency. Mr. Wales still survives, with two grandchn .; viz., -
FRANK B. BLISS, b. Hop., Feb. 27, 1855.
FRED W. ADAMS, b. Ashland, Feb. 17, 1856.
He has followed the business of farming, formerly in Ifop., but latterly in Ashland.
WALES, SYLVESTER8 (John,2 John1), b. May 28, 1809; m. Lydia Mellen Cheney, dr. of Asa and Roxana (Pitman) Cheney, b. April 26, 1815; cer.
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BIOGRAPHICO-GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
Sept. 12, 1833, by Rev. Joseph Snelling. Their chn. : -
CATHERINE AUGUSTA, b. Feb., 1834; d. July 17, 1834, a. 5 mos.
CHARLES AUGUSTUS, b. Jan., 1836; d. Jan. 29, 1841, a. 5 yrs.
ELIZA, b. July 7, 1838; d. May 30, 1839, a. 11 mos. nearly.
The hus. and fr. d. of consumption, Jan. 22, 1840. Mrs. Lydia M., his wid., m., 2d, Charles F. Blood; cer. April 17, 1842, by Rev. William Tozer. Thus the family of Sylvester Wales became extinct.
WALES, THOMAS JEFFERSON 8 (John,2 John1), b. April 19, 1817; m. Lucy M., dr. of George Fairbanks, b. 1825; cer. in Thompson, Ct., 1841, by Rev. David Dow. Their chn. : -
JENNIE A., b. May 5, 1842; m. George C. Sawyer of Worcester, 1866.
MADORA A., b. June 5, 1844; m. Edwin M. Wheelock of Mendon, 1868. ADELAIDE E., b. 1847; d. 1847.
Worthy and reputable family.
WALES, JOSHUA, son of John Hancock Wales; mr.'s maiden name Fanny G. Tower; b. Canton, the part formerly Stoughton, April 3, 1826; m. Laura Ann Kendall, dr. of Jonas and Betsey (Webber) Kendall of Kendall's Mills, Fairfield, Me .; cer. at Kendall's Mills, Me., Feb. 11, 1845, by Elder Cressey. Their chn .:-
JOHN H., b. Kendall's Mills, Me., Dec. 19, 1845; d. there, March 19, 1847, a. 15 mos.
JOHN HANCOCK, b. Stoughton, March 19, 1848; m. Phebe Ann Bunker, Feb. 12, 1869.
LAURA A., b. Stoughton, Ang. 11, 1849; d. Sept. 15, 1851.
JOSHUA RUFUS, b. Stoughton, June 8, 1851; m. Orrisa Jane Burrell, March 4, 1875.
The parents have res. in Mil. since July 26, 1862, laudably industrious in useful pursuits, and worthy people.
WALES, JOHN HANCOCK 8 (Joshua,2 John Hancock1), b. Stoughton, March 19, 1848; m. Phebe Aun Bunker, dr. of William B. and Susanna (Eldridge) Bunker, b. Nantucket, 1850; cer. at Hopedale, March 13, 1869, by the writer. Their chn. : -
JAMES H., b. March 6, 1870.
CHARLES WORTH, b. Sept. 13, 1872.
GEORGE W., b. Sept. 20, 1874.
WILLIAM CLARK, b. Feb. 10, 1879.
Promising family.
WALES, JOSHUA RUFUS 8 (Joshua,2 John Hancock1), b. Stoughton, June 8, 1851; m. Orrisa Jane Burrell, dr. of Alfred A. and Emily L. (Cilley) Bur- rell, b. So. Woodbury, Vt., 1853; cer. at Hopedale, March 4, 1875, by the writer. Issue :-
ALFRED AUGUSTUS, b. March 28, 1876.
LAURA EMELINE, b. Feb. 4, 1877; d. same day.
ETHEL MARION, b. Sept. 19, 1878.
Also a promising family.
WALKER. The Walkers were not among our earliest inhabitants. Thomas of Hopkinton is the first of the name mentioned in our records. It seems that he m. Bethiah Chapin, a dr. of the first Dea. John and his wf. Dorcas. She was b. in 1774, and m. April 12, 1750, by Rev. Mr. Frost. How long the parents dwelt here in the Easterly Precinct, I am not informed: but the ch. records show that they had 4 cbn. christened; viz., Thomas, June 2, 1751; Nathan,
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WALKER FAMILIES.
Oct. 25, 1752, O. S .; Samuel, Aug. 29, 1756, N. S .; and David, June 4, 1758. Prob. they had other chn. in Hop., but I have not further traccd them. After- wards, scarcely a Walker appears to have dwelt on our territory, except tran- siently, for more than 60 yrs. ; though there were considerable numbers of them in Hop., Up., and other neighboring towns. Soon after 1820 they began to flow in, and several branches of the general stock have since been represented in our population. I thought, at first, I might be able to trace them all back to their immigrant ancestors, but found the name so ubiquitous, like Smith, Jones, etc., that I concluded to do the best I could in the wilderness of their genealogy, and let the uncertainties go. Mr. Samuel Walker placed in my hands an interesting genealogical document, prepared for him by Rev. Elias Nason, which purports to give a consecutive lineage from "Capt. Richard Walker" down through 8 generations. I will present the substance of this document : -
WALKER, Capt. RICHARD,1 from Eng., set. in Lynn, 1630; made freeman, 1634; left 2 sons, RICHARD and SAMUEL.
SAMUEL 2 set. in Woburn as a maltster and innkeeper; d. Nov. 6, 1684, a. 79 yrs., leaving sons Samuel, Israel, John, and Joseph.
ISRAEL 8 m. Susannah, and had 11 chn. Among them 4 sons survived; viz., Henry, b. Feb. 1, 1678-79; Nathaniel, April 15, 1682; Israel, July 26, 1684; and Edward, Nov. 6, 1690. Israel3 d. at Woburn, April 20, 1719; and his wid. d. 1724.
HENRY 4 m. Ruth, and had 5 chn., among them 3 sons; viz., Henry, b. Aug. 15, 1701; Josiah, May 11, 1705; and Israel, Nov. 6, 1709. This family mvd. to Hop. prior to 1725. HENRY,5 wf. Mary, had Henry, b. Jan. 17, 1724; Josiah, Feb. 17, 1727; and Ebenezer, Oct. 17, 1731. By 2d wf., Elizabeth Frail, whom he m. Jan. 5, 1737, he had Solomon, bap. June 3, 1739; and Joseph, June 14, 1741. Henry 5 and his son Henry, with 11 other Hop. men, enlisted in the unfortunate expedition to Cuba in 1740. Of these 13 Hop. men all perished save Henry the son, of whom no more is known. Ebenezer Walker, son of Henry,5 set. in Up. His son Ebenezer in. Molly Wood, and had Ebenezer Wood Walker. Our present Chester W. Walker of Up. is the son of Ebenezer Wood Walker, and gt. gt. gd. son of Henry Walker.5 Most of the Up. Walkers are descendants of Ebenezer, son of Henry.5
WALKER, SOLOMON,6 m. Sarah Bullard of Framingham. Their chn. were, - JOSEPH, b. 1760; m. Mebetabel Gibbs, Jan. 1, 1784.
SARAH, b. 1762; m. Aaron Fairbanks, Jan. 1, 1784.
BETSEY, b. 1764; m. William Chamberlain, Aug. 15, 1782.
HENRY, b. 1766; m. Polly Desner, Sept. 7, 1787.
POLLY, b. 1768; m., 1st, Dr. William Nutt, May 6. 1792; 2d, Daniel Bullard. ANNA, b. 1770; m. Phinehas Freeland, June 27, 1793.
COMFORT, b. 1772; m. Charles Stimson, March 1, 1795.
JOSIAH, b. 1774; m. Sally Jenkins.
SOLOMON, Jun., b. 1777; m. Mary Washburn.
LYDIA, b. 1779; m. Samuel Hemenway, Dec. 28, 1797.
ASENATH, b. 1781; m. Aaron Harrington.
EBENEZER, b. 1786; d. unm.
SALLY, b. -; m. Charles March.
The two last-named chn. were by his 2d wf., Ann Lovering, whom he m. Dec. 9, 1784. Solomon 6 became a soldier, as his fr. had been. He spent 3 yrs.
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BIOGRAPHICO-GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
in the old French war, in which he had his thigh and three ribs broken. He was once taken prisoner, and doomed by the Indians to torture. One of the savages came into camp to seize him; but he tore himself from the Indian's grasp, and ran back among his fellows. He was seized again by two Indians, and hurried off; but, as they attempted to wrench his musket from him, he came well nigh killing one of them. He then broke away from the other, and rushed into a thicket; then, though badly wounded and almost breathless, he ran for "dcar life," plunged into a small pond margined by brush, and se- creted himself. He eluded his hunters a while: but they took a straggling white in the near vicinity, and at length espied Solomon ; a race and scuffle ensued, in which he barcly escaped their tomahawks. But he shot one of them dead, and the other fled. The result was, that he and the other white man escaped in the darkness, and had the good luck to reach an English fort. So Solomon lived.
As Dexter Walker was long a respected citizen of Mil., and several of his relatives have dwelt among us for longer or shorter periods of time, it seems proper to present their parental family record. WALKER, JOSEPH7 (Solomon,6 Henry,5 Henry,4 Israel,8 Samuel,2 Capt. Rich- ard1), b. Dec. 26, 1760; m. Mehetabel Gibbs, who was b. April 31, 1766; cer. Jan. 1, 1784; res. mostly in Hop. Their chn. : -
SALLY, b. Nov. 3, 1784; m. John McFarland of Hop. ; she d. June 7, 1810. LOVETT, b. Jan. 31, 1787; m. Sophia Perry of Worcester; he d. June 22, 1859.
LEONARD, b. April 9, 1789; m. Eliza Curtis, Newton Lower Falls; he d. April 17, 1863.
BETSEY, b. April 16, 1791; m. Cromwell McFarland; she d. Oct. 11, 1869.
PHINEAS, b. May 3, 1793; m. Maria Williams of Claverack, N.Y .; he still survives.
POLLY, b. April 22, 1795; m. Nathaniel Parker, May 31, 1813.
DEXTER, b. Feb. 6, 1798; m. Ruby Chapin of Milford; he d. June 3, 1870.
MEHETABEL, b. Feb. 14, 1801; m. Luther Eames of Hop., then N.Y .; res. Brooklyn, N.Y.
JOSEPH, b. March 18, 1804; m. Hannah Thayer Chapin of Mil. ; res. Newton- ville.
EMILY, b. April 25, 1809; m. Alonzo Keith; she d. March 2, 1857.
The parents had an arduous domestic struggle to rear up this large family, sometimes hardly knowing whence the next month's supply could be expected. But persistent industry, ingenuity, and frugality carried them through. Mr. Walker has the honor of being the first in this country, perhaps in the world, to use wooden pegs, instead of waxed thread, in the manufacture of boots and shoes. It was his own invention; and he made the pegs by hand, till a machine was invented to turn them out by the thousand. He d. Jan. 9, 1852. Mrs. Mehetabel had preceded him, having d. Sept. 26, 1849.
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