USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Shirley > History of the town of Shirley, Massachusetts, from its early settlement to A.D. 1882 > Part 30
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(4.) Lorintha, b. Feb. 4, 1840. She has been twice m., (first) William Russell, Sept. 28, 1856. He d. a soldier in the service
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GENEALOGY .- DAVIS.
of the United States, during the war of the Rebellion, m. (second) Rev. Billings Clapp, who d. Feb. 4, 1873. She d. Nov. 21, 1875. Had seven children : 1. "Ida ;" 2. "Albert ;" 3. "Lena ;" 4. "Lena ;" 5. "Joseph ;" 6. "Lula ;" 7. "Sammie."
(5.) Lucy D., b. Aug. 9, 1841. She was twice m., (first) to George Hobson, March, 1860, who d. Oct. 24, 1862; m. (second) Albert B. Holmes, July 15, 1873. She has had one child : I. " Albert."
(6.) Marietta, b. July 8, 1843, m. Frank Wheeler, June 8, 1875. Francelia M., b. April 16, 1845, m. Daniel Fuller, Oct. 9, 1864. She has had one child : I. "Genie," b. Aug. 30, 1869.
(8.) Irene G., b. March 24, 1847, m. Edward Lowe, June 9, 1872.
(9.) Christopher L., b. Dec. 22, 1851.
(10.) Justin, b. June 23, 1855.
12. LUCY, b. Oct. 26, 1814, m. William G. Grandy, Feb. 6, 1847. She had six children, and d. Feb. 6, 1876.
(1.) Benjamin E., b. June 25, 1850. 1.2 Ella B., b. Sept. 29, 1851. m. R. D. Briggs, March 24, 1873. Had one child : I. "William R.," b. May 23, 1875.
(3.) Orwald, b. Aug. 12, 1853, d. Jan. 4, 1854.
(4.) Alma E., b. Jan. 1, 1855.
(5.) Elvira L., b. Nov. 14, 1856.
(6.) Myron H., b. Aug. 26, 1859.
VII. THANKFUL, b. Aug. 21, 1772, m. Ezekiel Palmer, d. July 8, 1858.
VIII. ELIAKIM, b. March 1, 1775, m. Olive Hawthorn of Read- ing, Vt., 1798. He resided in Reading for many years, and there all his children were born. Later in life he removed to Sterling, Mass., where he d. Feb. 14, 1850. . He had eight children :
1. PHILOMA, b. March 13, 1799, m. John Rice of Reading. She lived in Reading until after the birth of all her children, when she removed to Sterling, where she passed the residue of her life, and d. Feb., 1872. She had three children :
(I.) Alzamond D., b. Nov. 24, 1828.
(2.) Rosalia, b. March 8, 1830, m. Chester N. Bruce of Ster- ling, Mass., April 20, 1854. She has had two children : I. " Alvin C.," b. Nov. 24, 1862 ; 2. "Mary Ella," b. Aug. 27, 1867.
(3.) Annette C., b. March 24, 1832, m. William Johnson, July 4, 1861, r. Milton, Florida (1876). She has had five chil- dren : I. " Sarah M ," b. June 7, 1862 ; 2. "Annie R.," b. April 5, 1864 ; 3. "Nellie F.," b. Sept. 11, 1865 ; 4. "Wil- liam," b. Oct. 16, 1871 ; 5. "Emma," b. Sept. 20, 1874.
2. ()LIVE, b. Feb. 17, 1800, m. John Wait of Reading, Vt., 1832, and had one child :
(1.) Adelaide S., b. Dec. 12, 1836, m. Loren Button, Nov. 16, 1853. She has had five children: I. "Florence A.," b.
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382
HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
Sept. 19, 1854 ; 2. "Orville O.," b. Oct. 26, 1855 ; 3. "Helen E.," b. Aug. 19, 1857; 4. "Francis E.," b. Feb. 13, 1860; 5. "Loren E.," b. March 26, 1862.
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3. SOPHRONIA, b. March 12, 1803, m. James Maywell of Errol, N. H., 1834, d. at Errol, June, 1839. She had five children : (I.) Alvin. (2.) Luther. (3.) Almira. (4.) Alzamond. (5.) Harris.
4. SAMUEL A., b. March 11, 1810. He has been twice m., (first) to Mary Partridge of Rockingham, Vt., March 25, 1834; m. (second) Charlotte E. Keys of Sterling, Mass., Dec. 31, 1848. He is a clergyman, r. Hartford, Conn. (1876.) He has had ten children, five by each wife, all but one of whom lived to woman- hood.
(I.) Minnie Skimes, b. at Baltimore, Md., March 25, 1835, unm., is the author of "Marion Foster," "Clinton Forest," "Rosilie," etc., etc.
(2.) Mary Josephine, b. at Pittsburg, Penn., Aug. 12, 1837, m. Thomas Bissell of Hartford, Oct., 1865. She has had two children.
(3.) Eudora Adelaide, b. at Akron, Ohio, Aug. 6, 1839, m. William R. Adams of Bethel, Vt., Dec. 1, 1856. She has had eight children.
(4.) Isadore Francis, b. at Quincy, Mass., June 18, 1844, unm. (1876.)
(5.) Florence Annette, b. at Quincy, May 17, 1848, d. June, 1856.
(6.) Lizzie Estelle. (7.) Agnes Georgia. (8.) Idella Grace.
(9.) Marion Lee. (10.) Carrie Belle.
5. ELMIRA, b. March 9, 1812, m. Ira Holden of Reading, Vt., Jan. 20, 1839, r. Perkinsville, Vt. (1876.) She has had six children :
(I.) Rosaltha, b. Nov. 8, 1840, d. Oct. 28, 1842.
(2.) Corrisande L., b. July 28, 1842. She has been twice m., (first) to Chandler Wells, Nov. 14, 1859 ; m. (second)
Brewer. She has had two children: I. "Leonard R.," b. May 3, 1860 ; 2. "Bessie," b. Nov. 1, 1872.
(3.) Rosabelle V., b. Dec. 16, 1844, m. Henry L. Stetson of Winchester, N. H., Jan. 27, 1866. She has had one child : I. "Elmer Alvaro," b. May 11, 1868.
(4.) Auverne L., b. Nov. 1, 1846, m. Carrie E. Owens, of Dixon, Ill., March 18, 1871. He has had two children : I. " Ray Auverne L.," b. Oct. 26, 1871 ; 2. "Ira Leander," b. March 18, 1873.
(5.) Izona C., b. Feb. 4, 1849, m. Edward E. Stimpson of Springfield, Vt., Jan. 11, 1871, d. April 13, 1872.
(6.) Romaine L., b. Dec. 9, 1852, m. Alma S. Lockwood, Dec. 30, 1871.
6. LURINTHA, b. May 9, 1814, m. Philemon Holden of Grafton, Vt., 1836. She has had six children :
(1.) Alzamond D. R. (2.) Lestina P. (3.) Adelbert D.
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GENEALOGY .- DAVIS.
(4.) Katie Annie, m. Myron Covey, and had two children : I.
"Bertie M. ; " 2. "Leon Clifford."
(5.) Ella V., m. Ferdinand L. Cobb, has had one child : I.
" Josiah."
(6.) Caroline R., m. Alvester Richardson.
7. LYSANDER MASON, b. April 7, 1816, m. in South Carolina, 1842. Has had several children, is a lawyer by profession, and his r. Wilcox county, Alabama (1876).
8. SETH LEANDER, b. June 6, 1818, m. Joanna Brown of Errol, N. H., 1847, d. Feb., 1874. He had eight children :
(1.) Amoretta P., m. Henry Swett, had two children : I. "Chester Henry ;" 2. "Isora May."
(2.) Quincy B., m. Ella Annis.
(3.) Ella S., m. S. J. Hanscomb.
(4.) A. L. (5.) Voina S. (6.) Rosa May. (7.) Norah G ..
(8.) Adelia Belinda.
IX. JONATHAN, b. Oct. 11, 1776, m. Sally Francis of Lexing- ton, Mass. He purchased a farm of wild land in Windsor, Vt., which was his home for life. He had six sons and five daughters, and d. April 11, 1865.
X. LEVI, b. Oct. 15, 1777, was twice m., (first) to Jemima Hib- bard, (second) to Sally Allen, r. Brookfield, Vt., where he d. May 9, 1861.
Davis, Silas, a brother of John, Sen., m. Ruth Page, by whom he had five children, all of whom were b. at Shirley. He was one of the volunteers to Cambridge on the alarm of the 19th of April, and was afterwards in the Continental service three years and seven months. He lived on a farm in the western section of the town, his land being intersected by the boundary line running be- tween Lunenburg and Shirley. His residence-not a remnant of which is left-was always supposed to stand in Shirley, and he always acted as a citizen of Shirley, though the true boundary was at that time unknown.
I. SILAS, b. May 3, 1767.
II. ELIAKIM, b. Sept. 19, 1769.
III. DANIEL, b. May 3, 1772.
IV. ELISHA, b. March 22, 1774, d. July 23, 1777.
V. RUTH, b. April 16, 1778, m. Melvin Harris, a colored man, had two children, and d. March 2, 1849.
1. CHLOE, b. Jan. 16, 1797. In early life she became a member of the Shaker community, and continued in that faith, an active and devoted believer, always industrious and obedient ; and had her fidelity rewarded by the care she received from her asso- ciates in her years of age and infirmity. She d. Jan. 9, 1878.
2. SOLOMON, b. Jan. 18, 1801, d. at the state almshouse in Tewksbury, Mass., Aug. 13, 1873.
384
HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
Babis, Jonathan, brother of John, Sen., and Silas, with Elizabeth, his wife, and one son, became inhabitants of Shirley, June I, 1773. No farther notice of them appears upon the town records. He was a volunteer to Cambridge on the alarm of the 19th of April. He also served in the eight months enlistment, and subsequently three years and seven months as a Continental soldier.
Davis, Rebecca, a widow, with three children, viz. : Rebecca, Elijah and Abijah, removed from Leominster to Shirley, July 10, 1782. The selectmen of the town forbade them citizenship. Rebecca Davis, Sen., d. at Shirley, Nov. 30, 1782. Her daughter, , Rebecca, d. Dec. 6, 1782. Both d. within four or five months of their settlement here.
Davis, Mary, removed from Westford, Mass., and became a resident of Shirley, Jan., 1773.
Davis, Elisha, removed from Lancaster, Mass., to Shirley, with the family of Ensign John Field, March 18, 1784.
DAY.
Among the Puritan passengers that came to this continent from England, in the ship Hopewell, under command of Captain Bardock, from London, in 1635, was Robert Day, who settled in Ipswich, Mass. With other children he had a son-Thomas by name-who was b. at Ipswich, in 1643, and who d. in 1718. He left a son- Thomas, Jr .- who was b. in 1677, and who d. in 1750. He had a son-Jeremiah-who was b. 1713, and d. in 1788. He had a son who became a resident of Shirley in 1779.
Day, Nathaniel, son of Jeremiah,4 (Thomas, Jr.,8 Thomas,? Robert,1) was born at Ipswich, Mass., Dec. 8, 1747, m. Sarah Chap- man, March 13, 1774. He owned and occupied a farm, in the easterly part of the town, now the home of Melzor V. Farnsworth, and d. at Shirley, July 22, 1824. Mrs. Day d. Jan. 10, 1813. Both lie buried in the old cemetery. They had ten children :
I. NATHANIEL, b. at Ipswich, April 15, 1775, d. at Shirley, Sept. 8, 1789.
II. SARAH, b. at Ipswich, July 22, 1776, d. at Shirley, May 12, 1859, unm.
III. MOSES, b. at Ipswich, Feb. 1, 1778. He was twice m., (first) to Jane Park of Groton, Jan. 1, 1800, m. (second) Anna L. Hobert of Groton, Dec. 11,' 1817, d. at Nashua, N. H., Aug., 1839. He had eleven children :
1. MOSES, b. at Groton, Nov. 17, 1800, m. Pamelia Sawtell of Groton, May 28, 1819, d. July 31, 1838.
2. JANE S., b Jan. 1, 1803, m. Reuben Stimpson, April 26, 1834, r. Medway, Mass. (1876.)
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GENEALOGY .- DAY.
3. NATHANIEL, b. Sept. 17, 1805, d. Jan. 16, 1831.
4. SARAH C., b. Dec. 21, 1807, d. Dec. 8, 1815.
5. AN INFANT, b. July 27, 1813, d. same day.
6. SARAH ANN, b. April 10, 1819, d. Dec. 8, 1822.
7. NANCY, b. Aug. 26, 1821, d. Dec. 18, 1848.
8. ELIZABETH, b. Nov. 19, 1823, d. Oct. 13, 1839.
9. SAMUEL S., b. March 3, 1826, d. April 5, 1832.
10. AUGUSTA, b. Jan. 2, 1829, m. Harvey Mason, Feb. 12, 1872. · Her husband d. May 9, 1872 ; r. Nashua, N. H., widow (1877).
11. JOSEPHINE, b. May 24, 1831, d. Sept. 3, 1850. The children of Moses Day were all b. at Groton.
IV. AMOS, b. at Shirley, May 29, 1780, was twice m., (first) to Lydia Garfield of Harvard, Mass., March 27, 1810 ; she d. March 9, 1836 ; m. (second) Lucy Blanchard of Boxboro', Mass., Jan. 8, 1839 ; she d. Dec. 21, 1856. He d. Jan. 26, 1859. He had five children, all b. at Shirley :
1. NATHANIEL, b. Jan. 21, 1813, m. Harriet Gray, Sept. 2, 1855. In a few years he buried his wife, and has since had no fixed residence.
2. AMOS BOWMAN, b. Nov. 23, 1814, has been twice m., (first) to Eunice Holbrook of Boston, Dec. 25, 1845, m. (second) Lizzie M. Whitney of Fitchburg, May 6, 1871, r. Fitchburg, Mass. (1882.)
3. JAMES ORSAMUS WILLARD, b. Oct. 16, 1817, d. Jan. 23, 1851, unm.
4. SAMUEL L., b. Feb. 10, 1820, m. Frances Stirling, d. Dec. 16, 1855. He had one child :
(1.) Nathaniel, b. March 4, 1848, d. March 1, 1854.
5. LYDIA, b. July 22, 1822, m. Franklin Haskell of Leominster, Jan. 31, 1849, r. Leominster, has had four children :
(I.) Sarah J., b. at Leominster, Aug. 12, 1851.
(2.) Howard Day, b. at Leominster, Oct. 14, 1854.
(3.) Samuel James, b. at Leominster, Nov. 7, 1860.
(4.) Jesse Fremont, b. at Leominster, June 28, 1864, d. Sept. 16, 1864.
V. EDWARD, b. at Shirley, March 18, 1782, d. March 22, 1782. -
VI. BENJAMIN, b. at Shirley, Sept. 26, 1783, m. Mary Barret of Beverly, Dec. 27, 1809, d. Jan. 17, 1855. He had nine children :
1. BENJAMIN, b. Dec. 4, 1810, d. July 1, 1813.
2. ELIZABETH B., b. April 8, 1813, r. Salem, Mass. She resides with her widowed mother who is living in the enjoyment of a green old age (1877).
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386
HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
3. MARY, b. Jan. 5, 1815, m. Philip Attleton of Springfield, Mass., d. June 15, 1865.
4. SARAH H., b. April 21, 1817, m. Joseph C. Danks of Spring- field, 1853, r. Cleveland, Ohio (1875).
5. BENJAMIN B., b. Feb. 7, 1819, d. Nov. 19, 1821.
6. THOMAS C., b. Dec. 16, 1820, m. Elizabeth B. Hartwell of Groton, 1844, had four children, and d. Sept. 19, 1873.
(I.) Thomas H., b. Sept. 5, 1845, d. Nov. 3, 1875.
2.) William F., b. Sept .; 1848, d. 1851.
.3.) Mary E., b. June 11, 1853.
(4.) Arthur B., b. June 20, 1855.
7. MARTHA, b. Dec. 18, 1822, d. Nov. 17, 1824.
8. JANE A., b. Nov. 29, 1824, m. Abner Wheeler of Shirley, June 25, 1868, r. Ayer, Mass.
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9. REBECCA, b. July 7, 1827, d. Nov. 11, 1833.
VII. MARY, b. at Shirley, July 27, 1785, d. March 18, 1829, unm. VIII. BECCA, b. at Shirley, July 26, 1787, d. July 30, 1787.
IX. JOSEPH, b. at Shirley, Nov. 24, 1788, m. Nancy Dike of Westminster, Mass., pub. April 29, 1820, d. at Shirley, July 14, 1847. He was industrious, honest, and useful.
X. REBECCA, b. at Shirley, Aug. 30, 1792, d. at Leominster, Sept. 28, 1869, unm.
The Day families of the second generation, generally, passed their lives in the town of their birth, or in its vicinity. They pursued the safe, peaceful, and profitable calling of agriculturists ; were enabled to enjoy the various comforts of life without incurring debt, and without encumbering their estates ; they were charitable according to their means, and not ambitious of distinction, but were satisfied with that medium position which patient industry and a consistent economy will rarely fail to secure ; they were satisfied with that dis- tinction which eventually comes to those who ever aim to carry the scales of justice evenly balanced. Some of them were occasionally called to discharge the duties of town officials, which they did with personal credit, and to the advantage of their fellow-citizens. They. have generally found graves within the cemeteries of their native town, but their posterity has entirely passed away from the homes of their fathers.
DICKERSON.
Dickerson, James, b. at Harvard, Mass., March 4, 1 748, came to Shirley a young man, and was a carpenter by trade. In con- nection with Francis Harris, he erected the second saw-mill that was
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GENEALOGY .- DICKERSON.
set up in the town. He was one of the principal workmen in build- ing the second meeting-house in town, which for correct taste and architectural finish was a model, for the time. He was a volunteer to Cambridge on the alarm of the 19th of April. He at length be- came proprietor of the farm east of the common in the center of the town, where he kept a public house, and where his children were b. The last years of his life were passed at the house of his son-in-law -Francis Balch-where he d., a devoted Christian, April 2, 1836. He m. Priscilla Harris of Shirley, and had nine children :
I. SUSANNA, b. at Shirley, Sept. 6, 1774, m. Jacob Phelps of Shirley, Nov. 29, 1798, d. Dec. 10, 1855.
II. JAMES, b. Nov. 19, 1775, d. Dec. 11, 1784.
III. PRISCILLA, b. at Shirley, Feb. 18, 1778, m. John Farns- worth of Shirley, June 11, 1797, d. at Shirley, April 15, 1859.
IV. HANNAH, b. at Shirley, Oct. 5, 1779, m. William Warren of · Shirley, Nov. 4, 1798, d. at Marietta, Ohio, July 21, 1853.
V. LEAH, b. at Shirley, April 5, 1783, was twice m. (first) to Joel Page of Shirley, Jan. 19, 1803, m. (second) Thomas Peabody of Shirley, May 12, 1848, d. at Shirley, Sept. 7, 1861.
VI. JAMES, b. at Shirley, Aug. 24, 1785, d. Aug. 30, 1785.
VII. DILLY, b. at Shirley, Aug. 4, 1786, has been thrice m., (first) to Nathan Holden of Shirley, July 8, 1804 ; he d. April 13, 1807 ; m. (second) Luther Holden, a brother of Nathan, her former hus- band, pub. April 19, 1812, who d. Sept. 18, 1830; m. (third) Luther Hartwell, Sept. 10, 1840, and d. at Woburn, at the house . of her son, Oct. 12, 1870.
VIII. SARAH, b. at Shirley, Jan. 24, 1790, m. Francis Balch, Feb. 7, 1811. They lived on the farm at the east part of the town, now the property of John E. Gardner, where she d. Dec. 28, 1871. Had four children :
1. DORCAS, b. at Shirley, Nov. 26, 1811, m. George Rice, April 14, 1833. The present r. of Mrs. Rice is at North Leominster, Mass. Had one child :
(1.) Sarah Zipporah, b. at Northboro', Mass., Aug. 17, 1836, d. at Shirley, Aug. 21, 1849.
2. FRANCIS, b. at Shirley, March 10, 1814, m. Eliza Butler of Shirley, April, 1837, had three children, and d. at Leominster, Nov. 22, 1876.
(1.) Oscar A., b. Jan. 25, 1838, m. Julia Ann Norris, Oct. 30, 1861, r. Ayer, Mass.
(2.) Ellen Maria, b. at Shirley, July, 1844, m. George S. Pierce of Leominster, Sept. 1, 1870, r. Leominster.
(3.) Revilla M., b. at Shirley, Jan. 10, 1846, r. Leominster.
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HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
3. SARAH, b. at Shirley, May 14, 1818, m. Oliver F. Lawrence of Harvard, Mass., Dec. 1, 1841, r. Shirley, had six children :
(I.) George F., b. at Fitchburg, Nov. 1, 1843, m. Ann M. Wil- lard of Harvard, May 20, 1866. He has had two children :
I. "George F. K.," b. July 22, 1867 ; 2. "Lizzie V.," b. May 20, 1869, d. June 15, 1870.
2.) Edward H., b. April 24, 1845, d. Sept. 21, 1847.
3.) Sarah E., b. at Shirley, Feb. 2, 1848, d. Aug. 14, 1849.
4.) Edward A., b. at Shirley, Oct. 21, 1851, m. Fannie M. May of Fitchburg, July 3, 1872, r. Fitchburg (1877). Has one child : "Glennie M.," b. March 26, 1875.
(5.) Herbert E., b. July 21, 1854, m. Ellen F. Hastings of South Lyndeboro', N. H., Feb. 17, 1875.
(6.) Austin E., b. at Shirley, Feb. 22, 1856, m. Addie Norris of Boston, Nov. 23, 18.76.
4. CHARLES, b. at Shirley, Dec. 12, 1820, m. Lucena O. Bliss of Royalston, Mass., May 9, 1847, had one child :
(1.) Emma Lucena, b. at Shirley, Oct. 12, 1850.
IX. LUCY, b. Aug. 4, 1792, m. David Sawtell, Oct. 10, 1813, d. at Shirley, Feb. 25, 1876. She had nine children :
1. JOHN, b. at Shirley, March 20, 1814, m. Susan Bathrick, Dec. 29, 1834. Had two children, both b. at Shirley :
(I.) William, b. May 1, 1835, m. Eliza A. Balcom of Shirley, May 17, 1863, d. March 30, 1865.
(2.) James, b. at Shirley, May 12, 1838, d. 1865. The two brothers were soldiers in the war of the rebellion, and both among the victims of that war.
2. WILLIAM, b. at Shirley, March 20, 1816, m. Nancy E. Fletcher of Groton, Feb. 19, 1843, r. Shirley.
3. JEROME, b. at Shirley, Dec., 1819, d. Jan. 24, 1821.
4. HARRIET, b. at Shirley, Dec. 18, 1821, m. Thaddeus Balcom, Nov. 28, 1858, r. Shirley.
5. JANE, b. at Shirley, July 20, 1825, m. Sumner Hopkins of Shirley, May 4, 1843, d. Oct. 12, 1847.
6. ELIZABETH, b. at Shirley, March 20, 1828, m. Emery Williams of Shirley, June 23, 1847, r. Shirley. She had one child :
(1.) Augusta J., b. at Shirley, Jan. 6, 1848, m. Homer Wilson, Dec. 16, 1868, d. Dec. 15, 1872.
7. ANGELINA, b. at Shirley, May 15, 1831, d. at Shirley, May 28, 1866, unm.
8. CHARLES, b. June 21, 1833, m. Charlotte Scadling of Lowell, May 31, 1862.
9. HENRY, b. at Shirley, Dec. 19, 1836, m. Betsey E. Cowdrey of Lunenburg, May 8, 1855.
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389
GENEALOGY .- DIGGINS-DODGE.
DIGGINS.
Diggins, Dames, and his wife, Lydia, with their children, SALLY and MOLLY, came from Lancaster to reside at Shirley, Sept. 1, 1773.
DODGE.
Bodge, Joseph, lived in Shirley before its incorporation, and was one of the signers of the petition for its separation from Groton. He lived in the vicinity of the farm now owned by Abraham Fair- banks, and sold his property to Joshua Longley in 1781, when it is presumed he removed from town. He left upon the records of the town birth-dates of six children :
I. MOLLY, b. Sept. 4, 1769.
II. JOSEPH, b. Aug. 14, 1770.
III. HANNAH, b. Feb. 18, 1772.
IV. THOMAS, b. Aug. 14, 1773, m. Hannah Kezer of Shirley, July 1, 1799.
V. MOSES RITTER, b. May 25, 1775.
VI. JOHN, b. May 8, 1777.
Dodge, Sewall, and his wife, Martha, and their two sons, ELISHA and SAMUEL, became residents of Shirley, having re- moved here from Lunenburg, under the auspices of William Little, Aug. 19, 1773. Their third son, BARZILLA, was b. at Shirley, Feb. 29, 1774.
Dodge, Elisha, was a son of Job and Judith [Frost] Dodge of Littleton, Mass., and was b. in that town, July 4, 1769. He was a grandson of Nehemiah Dodge, who was b. Jan. 17, 1698, m. Sarah Dennis, Oct. 26, 1724, lived in Wenham, Mass., for a time, but eventually settled in Littleton with his family, where he remained for life.
Elisha came to Shirley in early life, lived in the center of the town, was a blacksmith by trade, and there wrought in his professional calling. He builded and partially finished the house now owned and occupied by Mrs. Lucy Holden, but did not make it a perma- nent residence. He then purchased and enlarged the house, now the home of Albert Adams and family, where he remained until age and infirmity required him to discontinue hard labor. He d. at Shirley, Jan. 19, 1838. Mr. Dodge was twice m., (first) to Eunice Farnsworth of Shirley, May 11, 1794, m. (second) Susanna Dwight of Shirley, Jan. 4, 1813. He had five children :
I. JOSIAH, b. at Shirley, Nov. 21, 1794, d. Nov. 11, 1795.
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HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
II. BETSEY, b. at Shirley, Oct. 16, 1796, d. Dec. 15, 1816.
III. ELISHA, b. at Shirley, Feb. 28, 1799.
IV. JEFFERSON, b. at Shirley, March 8, 1801.
V. SUSAN, b. at Shirley, March 3, 1814, m. Wilder S. Thurston of Lancaster, Sept. 29, 1852, r. Lynn, Mass. (1882.)
DOLE.
Dole, Amos, was a son of Dea. Enoch and Rachel [Jewett] Dole of Littleton, b. at Littleton, Jan. 11, 1733, m. Molly Page of Groton, May 29, 1755, removed to Shirley about the year 1760. He had ten children :
I. LEMUEL, b. at Littleton, April 4, 1756.
II. BENJAMIN, b. at Littleton, Nov. 13, 1757. £ He was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775.
III. AMOS, b. at Littleton, Sept. 19, 1759, d. Feb. 11, 1786. He was in the Continental service three years and six months.
IV. MARY, b. at Shirley, Oct. 15, 1762, d. Aug. 3, 1781.
V. RACHEL, b. at Shirley, Feb. 12, 1764.
VI. ENOCH, b. at Shirley, Jan. 7, 1766.
VII. LUCY, b. at Shirley, June 4, 1768.
VIII. SARAH, b. at Shirley, May 23, 1769.
IX. JOHN, b. at Shirley, Dec. 21, 1772.
X. BENJAMIN, b. at Shirley, Nov. 10, 1775.
DRURY.
Drury, Samuel, m. Susanna Wilson of Shirley, pub. Sept., 1782. Had one daughter b. in town :
I. SUSANNA, b. March 28, 1783.
DUNN.
Dunn, Edwin, owned and occupied the farm, in a southern section of the town, now the home of Samuel H. Clark. He d. leaving the farm encumbered with a life maintenance of his widow, who d. Jan. 12, 1820. They had one son b. in town :
I. ANDREW, m. Mary Lawrence of Shirley, Dec. 19, 1799.
The family removed from town during the early years of the present century.
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391
GENEALOGY .- DWIGHT.
DWIGHT.
Persons of this name have been somewhat numerous in this country. An extended genealogy has been published of one branch of the name-the descendants of John Dwight, who settled first at Watertown, 1636, but within the year removed to Dedham, and d. there, probably about 1658. (See Bond's History of Watertown -from which source many dates and facts in the following Dwight registry of Shirley have been derived.)
Dwight, John, b. at Boston in 1740. He was a son of John Dwight, who was a seaman by profession, and who sailed from Boston, first as a common sailor, and afterward as master of a vessel, and who was lost by shipwreck in 1 744.
John, Jr., came to Shirley when a young man, and was soon the proprietor of a farm, the same formerly owned by John Whitney, situated in Mulpus valley, which estate was afterwards converted into a home for the paupers of the town, but has since been reconverted into a private establishment. He was one of the Cambridge volun- teers at the alarm of the 19th of April.
He was a stone-cutter by trade, as well as a farmer, an honest, industrious man, and in good pecuniary circumstances. Sometime previous to the year 1770 he was m. to Mrs. Susanna Moore of Shirley, widow of John Moore, and daughter of Francis Harris, Esq.
He served for a time in the war for independence, and received a wound in the head at the battle of White Plains, which impaired his hearing for life. His wife d. Sept. 6, 1816. He d. Oct. 2, 1816. Within six weeks' time, John Dwight and his wife, his son Francis and wife, all living under the same roof, d., one after the other, hav- ing been poisoned by some corned beef of which they ate, that was diseased. He had eight children, all b. at Shirley :
I. SUSANNA, b. Dec. 2, 1771, m. Elisha Dodge of Shirley, Jan. 4, 1813, d. at Shirley, Dec. 22, 1838.
II. JOHN, b. Dec. 22, 1773. He had four children :
1. JOHN SULLIVAN, b. at Boston, May 13, 1813, graduated at Cambridge in 1832, studied divinity in that university, and entered upon the duties of the Christian ministry. He was ordained over the Second Congregational Church at Northamp- ton, May 20, 1840, preached there a few years, but soon left the ministry and devoted himself to other and more congenial lit- erary pursuits.
He had always a great passion for music, "believing it con- nected itself, in all its relations, large and small, with the destinies of this country, and the higher instincts and senti- ments of our common nature, and of all true religion." He has given several courses of public lectures on music, and pub- lished a volume of select minor poems of Goethe and Schiller, translated by himself.
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