The first century of the history of Springfield; the official records from 1636 to 1736, with an historical review and biographical mention of the founders, Volume II, Part 42

Author: Springfield (Mass.); Burt, Henry M. (Henry Martyn), 1831-1899, ed; Pynchon, William, 1590-1662
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Springfield, Mass., H.M. Burt
Number of Pages: 734


USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > The first century of the history of Springfield; the official records from 1636 to 1736, with an historical review and biographical mention of the founders, Volume II > Part 42


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Hannah, b. December 24, 1679, m. Hezekiah Parsons. Eliakim, b. March 19, 1681, m. Griswold Beckwith.


Samuel, b. November 30, 1683, m. Mary Clark. Mercy, b. April 26, 1698, m. John Morgan.


Daughter, b. July 19, 1694, d. August 9, 1694.


DANIEL COOLEY.


Daniel Cooley, son of Benjamin, married December 8, 1680 Elizabeth Wolcott, daughter of Simon Wolcott of Windsor. His wife died January 31, 1707, and he married Widow Lydia Burt, June 17, 1709. He died February 9, 1727, and his widow January 31, 1739. His children, all by his first wife, were :-


Benjamin, b. October 8, 1681, m. Margaret Bliss. Daniel, b. March 23, 1684, m. Jemima Clark. Simon, b. March 6, 1687, m. Elizabeth Gunn of Hatfield. John, b. February 23, 1689, m. Mercy Gunn. Thomas, b. June 23, 1693, m. Rebecca Elmer. Elizabeth, b. July 23, 1696, m. Joshua Field. William, b. August 12, 1698, m. Elizabeth Clark.


JOSEPH COOLEY.


Joseph Cooley, son of Benjamin and Sarah, married Mary Griswold, January 22, 1684. He moved with his son Jo- seph to Somers, Conn., about 1730. His wife died July 13. 1739, and he died May 20, 1740. Their children were :-


Mary, b. October 1, 1685, mn. Joseph Loomis. Joseph, b. January 31, 1686, m. Mary Dorchester. Deborah, b. February 29, 1691, m. Joshua Loomis. Abigail, b. February 29, 1691, mn. Daniel Parsons. George, b. January 27, 1698, d. May 22, 1704.


553


BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.


THOMAS COOPER.


Thomas Cooper, frequently mentioned in the records as Ensign or Lieut. Thomas, married before he came here Sarah -. He came from England in the ship "Christian," arriv- ing in Boston in 1635, at the age of 18 years. He went to Windsor in 1641 and came here in 1643. He built the first meeting-house in Springfield in 1645, for which the town agreed to give him "four score pounds." He was chosen on the first Board of Selectmen and served seventeen years. He was elected a Deputy to the General Court in 1688, serving one year. His homelot was the one granted to John Cable, who sold it to the town on his departure for Fairfield, Conn. Cooper purchased it of the town in 1643 for £25. It was 14 rods wide and extended from the river eastward across the wet meadow and thence upon the highland, eighty rods be- yond. It was situated next north of William Pynchon's homelot, and was where the railroad now crosses Main Street. Cooper in May, 1654, sold from this purchase the "Hassky" meadow containing 2 acres lying between the street and the upland to the east, for 30 shillings to John Pynchon.


It has been inferred that Thomas Cooper's wife was before marriage Mary Slye. In the 50th volume, page 355, of the Historical and Genealogical Register, is the will of Capt. Rob- ert Slye of Bushwood, St. Mary's County, Md., in which un- der certain contingencies he deeded lands to "my nephews Timothy and Thomas Cooper, both of Springfield in New England." Captain Slye may have married a sister of Lieut. Thomas Cooper. If not, then Thomas's wife was a Slye.


He served on many important committees of a public na- ture, and was appointed by the General Court to be one of the Commissioners to establish the bounds of Hadley, and also to lay out the town of Suffield.


He was an active business man for that period and had ex- tensive dealings with Pynchon, of whom he bought trading cloth and other goods which he exchanged with the Indians for beaver skins. In May, 1652, Pynchon made this entry in his books: "Sold him the Comoditys here following, to


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THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.


be pd in Bever at currant prices or in good wampum Some- time wthin ye yeare." In this purchase was 107 yards of Red Shag Cotton at 3s pr. yd., £16 Is; "Blew" trading cloth. 206 yards, £90 18s gd. In the credits were 206 lbs. of bea- ver at 9s, £92 148; 399 I-2 lbs. of beaver at IOS, £199, 15S. Under date of February 14, 1658, is this entry: "I Thomas Cooper Doe hereby acknowledge to have Recd of Mr. Jolin Pynchon a psell of English goods as they cost in England to ye Sum of Seventeene pounds, wch sum of Seventeene pounds sterling I ingage to pay in England by michalstide next, to whom Mr. John Pynchon shall appoint me in London in England, I ingage to make such allowance as is fit & meete & hereto set my hand this 14th Febr 1658. Thomas Cooper."


Below in Pynchon's hand, as was the above agreement, is this: "Acots concerning this £17 were examined & set to rights by Brother Holyoke & Deacon Chapin, & all differen- ces & offences have Issued & satisfied, I abated 20s & ye rest is pd me this 17 of January, 1660."


The balance in the accounts against Cooper in 1653 was £262, in 1655 £391, in 1658 £682, but sale of beaver and work performed at different times reduced them to a much smaller amount at some period in the year. There does not appear to have been any stated time with Pynchon for settlement with any of his customers, the amount of the account ap- pears to have determined the time of striking a balance to which the debtor set his hand.


The killing of Thomas Cooper by the Indians when they burned Springfield, October 5, 1675, which has been told in the previous volume, must have caused a great shock to the community and his tragic death brought a realizing sense of the defenseless condition of every settlement exposed to a treacherous foe. That Thomas Cooper should have had per- fect confidence in his ability to dissuade the Indians from hos- tile intentions is not strange. He had been among them for many years and must have been on familiar terms with all the leading Indians within many miles of Springfield. Below is the record of his family :-


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BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.


Sarahı, b. before coming here, m. Thomas Day, October 27, 1659.


Timothy, b. April 26, 1644, m. Elizabeth Munson.


Thomas, b. July 3, 1646, m. Desire Lamberton.


Elizabeth, b. February 23, 1648.


Mary, b. May 15, 1651, m. Isaac Colton.


John, b. April 12, 1654, d. -.


A child, b. - , d. April 17, 1656.


Rebecca, b. May 15, 1657, m. John Clark of Northampton.


John, b. April 9, 1659, went to Newark, N. J.


TIMOTHY COOPER.


Timothy Cooper, son of Thomas, married Elizabeth Mun- son, October 19, 1664. The date of his death is not on re- cord. He succeeded to his father's homelot and engaged with John Pynchon in trade at Albany, N. Y., where he was not successful, or died not long afterwards. One of his sons, John, went to Newark, New Jersey. The widow deeded her dower in lands in Springfield, Fort Albany, and in New Jer- sey in 1680, and he may have died soon after beginning trade in connection with Pynchon. In his account book Pynchon made this entry of an agreement: "April 28, 1675. An agreement with Timothy Cooper to carry on trade together at Albany for 7 years or more If we Se Cause, is: That we goe Joint Partners in ye Trade, I to p'vide & furnish ye sd Timothy wth Goods, £300 or £400 at p'sent, & afterwards £500 or £600 pr annum, more or less, as falls in, He answer- ing the Principall, being yearly to make venture to Boston in ye adventure, & whereof we run halves, being Joint in ye p'fit & loss of the whole trade in wch Timothy Cooper buys goods [if] I have them, & in consideration of his Paines, tyme & expenses & care in managing of ye Trade there at Albany, Besides my taking care of p'viding & suiting him wth Goods, I also at my charge to p'vide him a house of mine for him to dwell in & trade in, he keeping it in repare as also to allow & pay him fio the first yeare, the 2d yeare £20 & so £20 a year to ye end of ye tyme."


5,56


THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.


Timothy had an open account with Pynchon before mak- ing the above agreement, and rum and sugar were impor- tant items in the charges, indicating that he was fond of tipling, or was buying to sell. Under the agreement he pur- chased a quantity in which £5 were charged "for copper lace, £2 2s for 2000 steel Mackrill hooks, 7s 6d for 3 doz Cod- hooks, £1 4s for 2 doz Tin shows," [shoes] and also £305 6s Id "To a psell of Goods Bought at Boston of Mr. Usher & Mr Sergant with wine Rum &c, all as pr acot in my Pocket Booke." His latest purchases as shown in the accounts were made in November, 1675. After his death Pynchon ob- tained judgment against his estate and took possession of the homelot, which he sold to Cornet Joseph Parsons, under date of November 20, 1679. In 1680 the widow of Timothy Cooper deeded to Pynchon her dower in lands at Springfield, at Fort Albany and in New Jersey. In 1686 the widow brought suit against Joseph Parsons' estate to recover her thirds, but the jury found for the defendant. The children of Timothy and Elizabeth were :-


Sarah, b. March 17, 1666.


Thomas, b. January 12. 1667.


John, b. January 24, 1670, went to Newark, N. J.


Elizabeth, b. January 21, 1672.


THOMAS COOPER. JR.


Thomas Cooper. Jr., married Desire Lamberton, August, 1667, daughter of George Lamberton, who was lost at sea in 1647, and whose mother married Stephen Goodyear. Thomas went to Middletonn, Conn., and was a resident there in 1705 when he and his wife deeded property to Samuel Cooper of Springfield. Their children were :-


Samuel, b. June 7, 1673, m. Dorothy -, Mary Rogers and Mary Ashley.


Thomas, b. September 4, 1678.


Desire, b. February 14. 1684.


Child, b. and d. January 26, 1686.


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BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.


JOSEPH CROWFOOT.


Joseph Crowfoot married Mary Hilliard, April 15, 1658, possibly a daughter of John Hilliard of Windsor. He died at Northampton and his widow married John Mathews, the John who used "to beat the drum for Sunday meetings and lecture days." Their children were :-


Joseph, b. June 29, 1660, went to Wethersfield.


Mary, b. December 4, 1661.


John, b. August 2, 1663, m. Sarah Kent.


Samuel, b. October 13, 1665, m. Mary Warner, daughter of Isaac Warner of Northfield. He d. February 10, 1733, his wife d. April 9. 1702.


James, b. January 23, 1667, went to Danbury, Conn.


Daniel, b. January 23, 1669.


Matthew, b. April 5, 1672, m. Hannah Knowlton, Jr. He had no children, d. July 16, 1718.


David, b. October II, 1674.


Sarah, b. August 13, 1677, d. March 28, 1678.


ROBERT DAY.


Robert Day of Hartford was the father of Thomas Day, who settled in Springfield. Robert came from Ipswich, England, in the Elizabeth, to Boston in 1634. He was ac- companied by his wife, Mary, and they first settled in Cam- bridge. He was made a freeman May 6, 1635, and in 1639 was a resident of Hartford. He appears to have married in Hartford a second wife, Editha Stebbins, a sister of Deacon Edward Stebbins of Hartford, by whom he had four chil- dren, two sons and two daughters. He died at Hartford in 1648, aged 44 years. His widow married Deacon John May- nard of Hartford, and in 1658 she married Elizur Holyoke of Springfield. Holyoke died February 6, 1676 and she died October 24, 1688. The children of Robert Day, by his sec- ond wife, were :-


Thomas, m. Sarah Cooper of Springfield.


John, m. Mary Maynard.


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THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.


Sarah, m. Nathaniel Gunn of Hartford, September, 1658; second, Samuel Kellogg of Hatfield, November 24, 1664; slain by the Indians with her son Joseph, September 19, 1677.


Mary, m. Samuel Ely of Springfield, October 28, 1659; second, Thomas Stebbins, April 12, 1694; third, Deacon John Coleman of Hatfield, December II, 1696, d. in Hatfield in 1725.


THOMAS DAY.


Thomas Day, son of Robert Day of Hartford, married Sarah Cooper, daughter of Lieut. Thomas Cooper, who was born before her father came to Springfield. He died De- cember 27, 17II, and his widow died November 21, 1726. Their children were :-


Thomas, b. March 23, 1662, m. Elizabeth Merrick.


Sarah, b. January 14, 1664, m. John Burt.


Mary, b. December 15, 1666, m. John Merrick.


John, b. February 20, 1668, d. August 6, 1670.


Samuel, b. May 20, 1671, m. Marah Dumbleton.


John, b. September 20, 1673, m. Marah Smith and Widow Hannah Kent.


Ebenezer, b. February 18, 1675, d. June 12, 1676.


Ebenezer, b. September 5, 1677, m. Mercy Hitchcock.


Jonathan, b. August 8, 1680, m. Mercy Burt.


Abigail, b. 1683, m. Samuel Warriner.


THOMAS DAY, JR.


Thomas Day, Jr., married Elizabeth Merrick, January 28, 1685, daughter of Thomas Merrick. They went to Colches- ter, Conn. Their children were :-


Elizabeth, b. February 28, 1687. Thomas, b. October 23, 1689. Sarah, b. September 30, 1691. Ebenezer, b. August 1, 1694. Jonathan, b. May 20, 1697.


Deborah, b. September 14, 1699. Nathan, b. November 5, 170I.


559


BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.


DANIEL DENTON.


Daniel Denton was admitted as an inhabitant in 1675, and for a time was the schoolmaster. He served for a short time as Town Clerk and in 1681 was elected a Selectman. He married Hannah Leonard, daughter of John and Sarah. This was his second or third marriage. Their children were: Hannah, b. August 5, 1677.


Samuel, b. September 29, 1679.


Sarah, b. - , d. November -, 1681.


ANTHONY DORCHESTER.


Anthony Dorchester and his wife, Sarah, came here from Windsor and brought three children John, James and Mary. His wife died here November 9, 1649, and he married Widow Martha Kritchwell, January 2, 1651. She died December 17, 1662. He married third the widow of John Harmon, and and died August 28, 1682, or 3. His widow, Elizabeth, died May 16, 1699, aged 92. His children by the first wife were:


John, b. at Windsor, November 5, 1644, m. Mary Harmon. James, b. - , m. Sarah Parsons.


Mary, b. - , m. John Harmon.


Children by the Second Wife.


Benjamin, b. October 9, 1651, m. Sarah Burt.


Sarah, b. October 16, 1653, m. Joseph Stebbins.


Hester, b. October 25, 1656, d. November 17, 1662.


JOHN DORCHESTER.


John Dorchester, son of Anthony, married Mary Harmon, daughter of John Harmon. April 20, 1671. They had no children, and he died October 5, 1705.


JAMES DORCHESTER.


James Dorchester, son of Anthony, married Sarah Par- sons, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah, March 1, 1677. He


560


THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.


died November 10, 1732. His widow, Sarah, died June 27, 1740. Their children were :-


James, b. February 27, 1678, d. December 29, 1679.


James, b. December 14, 1679. d. March 15, 1681.


Rebecca, b. February 27, 1680.


John, b. September 30, 1682.


James, Jr., b. September 15, 1685, m. Lydia Preston.


Joseph, b. October 21, 1688.


Sarah, b. March 2, 1692, m. Thomas Bliss, 3rd.


Mary, b. September 30. 1694, m. Joseph Cooley.


HUGH DUDLEY.


Hugh Dudley came from Barnet, England, and was here in 1650. He married Mary Copsey, who was in the employ of John Pynchon, October 30, 1656. His homelot was be- tween the present Auburn and Seventh Streets. He had 110 children born here and his name disappeared from the re- cords. At one time he was a resident of Westfield. He had several grants of land, the title to which passed to John Pyn- chon to satisfy sundry store debts. His wife was a servant in Pynchon's family, and evidently her labor went to Pyn- chon in payment of her expenses to this country. In his ac- count book is this entry: "Agreed with Mary Copsey to take wages instead of finding her clothes. I am to allow her 50 shillings a year, her year to begin in September, 1653." A few days later she gets charged to her at the Pynchon store, shoes, stockings and a black hat, the latter costing £I. In 1656 she was owing Pynchon £4 6s 8d, but he enters this: "I have abated of this debt to Mary £I Ios, So it is but £2 16s 8d. which I have posted to Hugh Dudley, his reckoning." September 28, 1656: "Hugh Dudley rests indebted to Mr. Pynchon 4s 6d. More which Mary Copsey owed me & he engages to pay me £2 16s 8d. Also he owes me for Marys tyme which I release to Hugh Dudley upon his paying me £4. Ye whole debt to me is £7 Is 2d."


"October 9th, 1656, Hugh Dudley his debt to me in all is


561


BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.


seven pounds one shilling. He p'mises to pay it to me, or my assignes ye one half by ye Ist of September next, & for your sure and true performance hereafter ye sª Hugh doe hereby ingage his land to Mr. Pynchon for his securing, viz: IO acres in homelot, wet meddow & woodlot & 10 acres over ye river in ye 3ª division." To this Hugh Dudley set his hand and Thomas Cooper was witness to the same.


Hugh received £5 from his mother in England and Pyn- chon discounted £2 and remarks: "So of yt debt on ye other side, of £7 Is 2d, there is due to me but Is 2d." In 1669 he was owing Pynchon £12 7s and more lands were put up as security. On November 16, 1669, Hugh and Mary, his wife, signed a mortgage deed conveying the same to Pynchon, for which he enters in his accounts: "Received by land for this debt of twelve pound seven shillings. Hugh Dudley, his wife acknowledging consent thereto, doth Ingage & make over to me for my security his 3ª division Lot over ye Great River, containing ten acres lying betwixt ye Towne Lot & Benjamin Mun, & also five acres within ye fence, Lately giv- en him by ye Towne, both wch p'sells of Land are to stand firmly engaged to me for this debt, only it is conditioned yt if he pay it in England, or at his return hither, p'vide it be Two years after this tyme, then he is to have his Land: other- wise it is to answer this debt."


Dudley appears to have gone to England at a previous date and Pynchon paid his passage for which he took of him "a ring as he considers Gold, 8s 6d, and 20 shillings which I allow you on ye land I have of you in ye 3ª Division, 10 acres & six acres within ye fence." Whether Hugh and his wife finally returned to England or not it is not known. His last settlement with Pynchon is under date of January 26, 1676. The store accounts appear to have been his misfor- tune and they swallowed up his landed interests about as fast as he could get grants from the town, and John Pynchon added them to his own estate.


562


THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.


JOHN DUMBLETON.


John Dumbleton and his wife, Mercy, were here in 1650. He died July 27, 1702, and she died July 4, 1704. Their children were :-


John, b. January 2, 1650, m. Lydia Leonard. He was killed by the Indians October 27, 1675. His widow m. Jo- seph Bedortha.


Mercy, b. March 1, 1652, m. Samuel Bedortha, d. in 1689.


Sarah, b. January 5, 1654, m. Josiah Leonard.


Samuel, b. May 12, 1657, d. June 10, 1657.


Samuel, b. May 15, 1658.


Lydia, b. April 16, 1661, m. first, Jonathan Burt, and sec- ond, Daniel Cooley.


Nathaniel, b. June 10, 1664, m. Hannah Allen.


Rebecca, b. October 4, 1667, m. Joseph Leonard.


Mary, b. - , m. Joseph Bedortha, d. 1676.


Elizabeth, b. -. m. Nathaniel Burt.


Hannah, b. -. m. Thomas Merrick, Jr.


NATHANIEL DUMBLETON.


Nathaniel Dumbleton, son of John and Mary, married Hannah Allen of Northampton, December 29, 1696. He died February 13, 1737. Their children were :-


John, b. October 27, 1697, d. November 28, 1697.


Elizabeth, b. March 20, 1699, m. Zachariah Walker, and second, Lieutenant Benjamin Sheldon.


Hannah, b. November 20, 1704, m. Lamberton Cooper.


John, b. June 10, 1701, d. April 22, 1756.


Nathaniel. b. July -, 1706, d. September 3, 1706.


Mary, b. February 9, 1708, not married in 1758, d. January 19, 1779, at Wilbraham.


Nathaniel, b. - , d. December 8, 1711.


Samuel, b. June 21, 1713, m. Mercy. Tousley.


563


BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.


ALEXANDER EDWARDS.


Alexander Edwards came from Wales to this country and after settling in Springfield married Sarah Searle, the widow of John Searle, April 28, 1642. He had born here seven children and then went to Northampton in 1654 or 5. From him have descended the large number who bear the family name in this region and the many who have gone to other parts of the country. The children born here were :-


Samuel, b. September 1, 1643.


Hannah, b. February 18, 1645.


Joseph, b. August 8, 1647.


Mary, b. September 20, 1649, m. John Field.


Benjamin, b. June 24, 1652.


Sarah, b. October 21, 1654.


DANIEL ELMER.


Daniel Elmer married Mary Parsons, daughter of Eben- ezer and Margaret, December 31, 1713. He had a son Dan- iel, born here October 25, 1715. He went to Westboro, and was back here in 1724. He was also for a time a resident of Brookfield, and went to Newark, N. J., afterward. He was a minister.


NATHANIEL ELY.


The Ely Genealogy states that Nathaniel came in the bark Elizabeth from Ipswich, England, to Boston, in 1634, and first settled in Cambridge, where he was made a freeman in 1635. In June, 1636, he was one of Rev. Thomas Hooker's colony which went from Cambridge to Hartford. In 1639 he was made a Constable in Hartford and in 1643 and 1649 was one of the Selectmen. In 1649 he and Richard Olm- stead petitioned the General Court for leave to make a settle- ment in Norwalk, which was granted. In 1650 he removed to that place. In 1659 he sold his interest in lands there and came to Springfield. He was keeper of the "ordinary" and was licensed "to that work as also for selling wines and strong liquors, for ye year ensuing, Provided he keep good


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THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.


rule and order in his house." He continued to keep the "or- dinary" up to his death in 1675. He was before the courts for violating the law once for "selling four quarts of cider to the Indians," and in 1674 he was presented "for not keeping beer in his house according to law, after the rate of 4 bush- els of good barley malt to ye hhd, and further he said he would not be turned out of his way; whereupon ye Court fyned him 40s for ye use of the County, all persons also judg- ing this beere farr below that rule in ye law." He said of late he had kept only table beer, but could not say it was ac- cording to law.


He was chosen Selectman in 1662 and held that office five years. He came to Springfield about 1660, and he and his son Samuel were admitted as inhabitants that year. He died December 25, 1675, and his widow October 23, 1083. He had two children, as follows :-


Samuel, who married Sarah Day, of Hartford.


Ruth, who married Jeremy Horton.


SAMUEL ELY.


Samuel Ely, son of Nathaniel, married Mary Day, daugh- ter of Robert Day of Hartford, October 28, 1659. He died March 17, 1692. His widow married Thomas Stebbins, who died December 7. 1695, and she married Deacon John Cole- man. Sr., December 16. Her daughter, Mary, married Dea- con Coleman's son. Their children were :-


Child, b. - , d. May 3, 1660.


Samuel, b. March 1. 1662, d. March 22, 1662.


Joseph, b. August 20. 1663. m. Mary Riley, daughter of John Riley. .


Samuel, b. November 4, 1664, d. February 18, 1665.


Mary, b. March 29. 1667, d. November 1I, 1667.


Samuel, b. May 9, 1668, m. Martha Bliss.


Nathaniel, b. January 18, 1671, d. March II, 1671. Jonathan, b. July 1. 1672, d. July 10, 1672.


Nathaniel, b. April 25. 1674, d. May -, 1689.


565


BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.


Jonathan, b. January 24. 1676, d. February 27, 1676. Martha, b. October 28, 1677, d. November 25, 1677. John, b. January 28, 1679, m. Mercy Bliss. Mary, b. June 20, 1681, d. December 21, 1681. Jonathan, b. January 21, 1682, m. Lydia Burt. Mary, b. February 29, 1684, m. Nathaniel Coleman. Ruth, b. - , 1688, m. Ebenezer Warner.


RICHARD EVERETT.


Among those who witnessed the signing of the deed con- veying the lands in and about Springfield from the Indians to William Pynchon, Henry Smith and Jehu Burr, July 15, 1636, was Richard Everett. He was a young man and eight years afterwards he married Mary Winch, who had come in the ship Francis from Ipswich, England, to this country, in the family of Rowland Stebbins, in 1638, at the age of 15, and came to Springfield with Stebbins's family. On June 29, 1643, she married Everett, who did not remain here long af- ter that event. His biographer claims that he was previous- ly married and had several children by his first wife. He went to Dedham from here and made there a permanent home. He has had a long line of distinguished descendants in the vicinity of Boston, among them Edward Everett, President of Harvard College and a United States Senator in Congress. Mr. Edward F. Everett, A. M., member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, one of Rich- ard's descendants, has written by request an extended ac- count of him during his residence in Springfield and in Ded- ham, which follows :-


No definite information has yet been obtained of the arri- val of Richard Everett in New England, nor from what part of England he came. From the fact that he was for several years in the employ of William Pynchon, that Pynchon him- self was connected by marriage with the Everard family of County Essex, England, and that Richard was a very con- mon baptismal name in the same Everard family, it is sur- mised that Richard Everett was born in County Essex.


566


THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.


In the book, "Descendants of John Dwight, of Dedham, Mass.," it is stated, in a foot note, that "Richard Everett and wife, Mary, came in the same ship with original John Dwight," but no authority is given. The same book says that John Dwight came in 1634-5, from Dedham, England.


Tradition says that he first settled in Watertown, Mass., but no record has been found showing this to be a fact; neith- er is there any record of his marriage to his first wife, Mary -, or birth of his first two children, John and Israel.


In the "Note Book kept by Thomas Lechford, Esq .. " the first lawyer in Boston, 1638-1641, is a copy of a mortgage, given by "Richard Evered, of Dedham, in New England, Pharier," on the "16th day of March A. D., 1638," to "Thomas Nelson of Boston in New England, gent." for "tenne pounds on his house and lott, lying in Cambridge in New England, and 6 acres of arrable land thereto adjoyning and 5 acres of medowe thereto belonging, wth the appurte- nancies." This mortgage does not appear on any registry of deeds, neither do the "Proprietors records of the town of Cambridge" mention any grant of land to him; yet this shows that he owned property there, and would tend to the belief that he first settled there; it may have been near the dividing line of Watertown, and in changing that line he may have been changed from one town to the other.




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