USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Boxford > The history of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, from the earliest settlement known to the present time: a period of about two hundred and thirty years > Part 3
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
took the family to his home, and supplied them with the necessaries of life during the winter. We know no more of him. Robert,2 jun., m. Bethiah Gatchell of Seekonk, 20 April, 1 -- ; lived in Boxford, and had children. John 2 m. Priscilla Kimball of Bradford, - Nov., I -- , by whom he had seven children ; lived in Boxford, where he was a worthy citizen. Joseph 2 m. Jemimah -, and died 27 Dec., 1753, at the age of seventy-three years. Of his nine children, two of his sons, Jacob 3 and Jonathan,3 settled here. The cellar over which stood the house in which Jon- athan 3 lived is plainly visible on the road between the two parishes, not far from the corner near the residence of Capt. Enoch Wood. Jonathan's wife was Elizabeth Blunt of Andover. By her he had, among other children, a son Jonathan, who married a young wife, and resided with his parents in the above-mentioned house. After being married but a little while, the young bride very mysteriously and suddenly died, and was buried ; but was exhumed, as murder by poisoning was suspected. The body was brought to the house, laid on a table, and every one who was present was requested to lay their hand on her face, as the belief then was, that when the guilty hand touched her flesh blood would issue forth. This Jonathan's mother refused to do ; whereupon she was committed to jail, and in her sleep was heard to mutter: " Don't tell on me, Jonathan. If you do, I shall be hanged." The family were rich, and it is said that money saved her life. This occurred in 1769. The name has been extinct here for about a century ; but there is a possible chance of its being re-established by the family of Mr. John C. Ames.
WILLIAM FOSTER, from Ipswich, settled in Rowley Vil- lage in 1661. The old house that stood, some years ago, on the site of the late residence of Mr. Dean Andrews, de- ceased, was undoubtedly his residence. The first town- meetings were held in his house ; and in it was also kept,
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
for several years after the incorporation of the town, a kind of tavern, called, in the language of those days, an ordinary. Mr. Foster was one of the principal men in the Village, as the numerous offices of trust of all kinds held by him fully prove. He was born in England in 1633, and was son of Reginald and Judith Foster, who emigrated (from Exeter, Devonshire, Eng., says tradition) to Ipswich, Mass., bringing William with them, he then being but five years of age. While of Ipswich, 15 May, 1661, he married Mary, daughter of William and Joanna Jackson of Rowley, who was born 8 Feb., 1639. He died 17 May, 1713, at the age of eighty years. Their children were: I. Mary,2 b. 16 March, 1661-62 ; m. Samuel Kilburn of Row- ley, November, 1682. 2. Judith,2 b. 19 June, 1664 ; m. John Platts of Rowley, 13 April, 1693. 3. Hannah ; 2 m. Theophilus Rix of Wenham, II May, 1710. 4. Jonathan,2 * b. 6 March,
* The following is the line of descent of the present Foster residents of Boxford from William's son Jonathan : -
Jonathan2 m. 14 Dec., 16-, Abigail, daughter of John and Sarah Kimball, - early settlers of Boxford, - and d. 21 May, 1730. Ch. : I. Jonathan,3 b. 15 Sept., 169 -. 2. Abigail,3 b. 22 Nov., 1697 ; m. Jacob Tyler of Andover, 13 July, 1727. 3. Zebadiah,3 b. 28 Sept., 1702; m. Margaret Tyler, 30 Jan., 1723-24 ; lived in Boxford, and had nine children ; d. 21 Feb., 1772.
Jonathan 3 m. Hannah, dau. of William and Hannah (Hale) Peabody of Boxford, who d. I June, 1769, a. 76. Ch. : I. Oliver,4 b. 17 Aug., 1719, in Boxford. 2. Hannah,4 b. 15 Dec., 1721, in Boxford ; d. in Boxford, 22 Jan., 1760, unm. 3. Jonathan,4 b. 11 Oct., 1727, in Haverhill. 4. William,4 b. 9 Nov., 1729, in Haverhill. Richard,4 b. 20 Feb., 1732-33, in Boxford.
Jonathan 4 m. Rebecca, dau. of John and Rebecca (Smith) Dorman of Boxford, 28 June, 1764, who d. 16 Oct., 1794, a. 62. He was a captain in the Revolution, and d. 28 July, 1813. Ch. : I. Israel,5 b. 16 March, 1765; m. Mehitable Carleton, 17 April, 1794; lived in Boxford, and had children. 2. Charles,5 b. 26 April, 1767,; m. Lucy Austin of Andover, 20 March, 1796; had children. 3. Betsey,5 b. 12 March, 1769. 4. Amasa,5 b. 8 May, 1771 ; pub. to Betsy Poor of Rowley, I Oct., 1792. 5. Jonathan,5 b. 3 Feb., 1774. 6. Phineas,5 b. 27 July, 1776.
Richard4 m. Elizabeth Kimball of Andover, 19 Nov., 1761. Ch : I. Jedi- diah,5 b. 25 Nov., 1762. 2. Phineas,5 b. 10 Aug., 1764. 3. Asa,5 b. 29 April,
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
1667-68. 5. William,2 b. 1670. 6. Timothy,2 b. 1672. 7. David,2 b. 9 May, 1679. 8. Samuel,2 b. 20 Feb., 1681-82. 9. Joseph,2 b. 168 -. William 2 married Sarah Kimball, sister of his brother Jonathan's wife, and settled in Boxford. He removed to Andover after the births of two of his children. Timothy 2 m. Mary Dorman and Ruth Andrews. He was a worthy citizen of Boxford, where he had several children born. David 2 m. Mary Black, and in 1705 or 1706 removed to Haverhill. Samuel 2 m. Mary Macoon of Cambridge, and settled in Boxford, where two of his sons also lived. This branch of the Foster family fully sustained the high character of its ancestors and other branches.
ROBERT SMITH, another early settler, born in 1623 or 1626, was an inhabitant of Boxford as early as 1661. He was a rather quiet man, and a friend to the advancement of the settlement. He died 30 Aug., 1693, leaving an estate valued at about two hundred pounds. He died intestate ; and the administration of the estate was granted to his son Samuel, 3 Oct., 1698. By his wife Mary, he had the
1766. 4. Benjamin,5 b. 17 June, 1769. 5. Dorcas,5 b. 3 Dec., 1772. 6. Betty,5 b. 11 June, 1775. 7. Hannah,5 b. 2 Sept., 1777.
Jonathan 5 m. Mary Kimball, 24 Dec., 1800, and d. 17 Nov., 1856. Ch. : I. Mary,6 b. 12 Oct., 1801. 2. Eleanor,6 b. 26 Feb., 1804. 3. Asa Kimball,6 b. 20 Feb., 1807 ; d. 18 Nov., 1835. 4. Eliza Augusta,6 b. - Nov., 1810; d. 6 May, 1835. 5. Jonathan Edwards,6 b. 9 May, 1815. 6. George Noyes,6 b. 31 March, 1817.
Asa 5 m. Dolly Morrill of Salisbury, 20 Jan., 1802. He d. - Dec., 1831. Ch. : I. Archelaus Morrill,6 b. 10 March, 1803; d. 24 March, 1827. 2. Asa,6 b. 10 Nov., 1806; d. insane, 22 April, 1835. 3. Richard Kimball,6 b. 21 Aug., 1809.
Jonathan Edwards 6 m. Susan R., dau. of Benjamin and Rachel (Hunt- ing) Peabody of Boxford, 10 Jan., 1843. He died of small-pox, 28 Jan., 1867. Ch. : I. Thomas Peabody,7 b. 30 Oct., 1843. 2. Reginald Dana,7 b. 18 Feb., 1848. 3. Eliza Edwards,7 b. 23 Nov., 1850. 4. Fannie Florence,7 b. 3 Sept., 1855; d. of consumption, 23 Aug., 1878.
Richard Kimball6 m. Elizabeth Webb. Ch .: I. Richard Allen,7 b. 15 Nov., 1843. 2. Elizabeth A.,7 b. 19 March, 1846; m. L. H. Cheney. 3, William Webb,7 b. 24 Oct., 1848; d. I May, 1849.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
following children : I. Phebe,2 b. 26 Aug., 1661. 2. Ephraim,2 b. 29 Oct., 1663. 3. Samuel,2 b. 26 Jan., 1666. 4. Amye,2 b. 16 Aug., 1668. 5. Sarah, b. 25 June, 1670 ; d. 28 Aug., 1673. 6. Nathaniel,2 b. 7 Sept., 1672. 7. Jacob,2 * b. 26 Jan., 1674. 9. Mariah,2 b. 18 Dec., 1677. Ephraim 2 m. Mary, dau. of John and Elizabeth (Perkins) Ramsdell, - early settlers of Boxford, -6 Sept., 1694 ; by whom he had several chil- dren. He lived in Boxford, where also several generations of his posterity resided. Samuel 2 resided in Boxford, until he removed to Topsfield in 1693 or 1694, and married Phebe Howe of that town. He married, second, Rebecca Curtis of that place, of whom was born Samuel Smith, great-grand- father of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon faith, who was born at Sharon, Vt., 26 Dec., 1805; lived at Pal- myra and Manchester, N.Y., and Nauvoo, Ill., and was killed
* The following is the line of descent of the present Smith residents in Boxford from Robert's son Jacob : -
Jacob2 m. Rebecca Symonds. Ch .: I. Rebecca,3 b. 30 Jan., 1707-08 ; m. John Dorman, 28 Jan., 1729-30. 2. Jacob,3 b. 20 Oct., 1709. 3. Joseph,3 b. 23 May, 1713. 4. Kezia,3 b. 30 April, 1716; m. Jacob Baker, 5 Aug., 1736. 5. Moses,3 b. 13 June, 1718. 6. Ruth,3 b. 21 Sept., 1721. 7. Nathaniel,3 b. 5 Aug., 1724.
Nathaniel 3 m. Sarah Burpee of Rowley, 23 May, 1751. Ch. : I. Anna, 4 b. 25 June, 1752. 2. Jacob,4 b. 28 Nov., 1753; d. 30 June, 1829. 3. Mer- riam,4 b. 28 April, 1755. 4. Nathaniel,4 b. 30 Dec., 1756; m. Mary Hood, 2 Feb., 1778. 5. Ruth,4 b. 25 April, 1758 ; d. 5 Nov., 1759. 6. Sarah,4 b. 28 Aug., 1759. 7. Ruth,4 b. 20 April, 1761. 8. Ebenezer,4 b. 9 Jan., 1763. 9. Rebecca,4 b. 17 Sept., 1764. 10. Moses,4 b. 6 July, 1766. 11. Hepzibah,4 b. 9 April, 1768. 12. Joseph,4 b. 27 Feb., 1771.
Joseph 4 m. Ist, Hepzibah Chapman, 24 Dec., 1799; m. 2d, Kezia Gould, 17 Dec., 1805, who d. 23 Aug., 1842. He d. 10 Dec., 1826. Ch., by Ist wife : I. Elizabeth Chapman,5 b. 3 Dec., 1800. 2. Charles,5 b. 6 May, 1802. By 2d wife : 3. Ruthy Ann,5 b. 4 Nov., 1806; m. Hiram Perley. 4. Nathaniel,s b. 24 June, 1808; m. Martha Pearce ; d. 17 April, 1879; no issue. 5. Cal- vin,5 b. 27 Aug., 1809.
Calvin5 m. Elizabeth Pearce, 1833, and d. 18 Nov., 1870. Ch. : I. Elizabeth Matilda,6 b. 7 April, 1834. 2. George Cheever,6 b. 17 March, 1836. 3. Mary Priscilla,6 b. 5 July, 1838. 4. Joseph H. H.,6 b. 3 March, 1841. 5. William Arthur,6 b. 18 Dec., 1844. 6. Charles L.,6 b. 2 July, 1846. 7. Jose- phine.6 8. Benjamin P.,6 b. 24 April, 1852. 9. Walter,6 b. 19 Oct., 1855.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
at Carthage, Ill., 27 June, 1844. The Smith residents in Boxford at the present time can claim kinship with the " prophet."
ZACCHEUS CURTIS lived first in Reading, then moved to Gloucester, where he had a daughter, Mary, born 12 May, 1659. He removed to Rowley Village (Boxford) shortly after ; being of the village in 1663, 8 June, when Zaccheus Gould of Topsfield deeds to him a parcel of land lying on the south side of Fish Brook, and also gives said Curtis liberty to pasture as many cattle upon Gould's common- land as he (Curtis) could raise fodder enough on the bar- gained premises to "winter" from year to year, and also a highway for Curtis to go to Topsfield in on the east side of Robert Andrews' house, &c. Mr. Curtis' residence was about half a mile directly west from the residence of the late Francis Curtis, where the cellar is still pointed out. His wife was Joanna. His children, besides the above Mary (who m. Jonathan Look, 19 Nov., 1678 ; lived in Tops- field), were undoubtedly, Zaccheus,* Ephraim, Abigail,
* The following is the line of descent of the present Curtis residents in Boxford from Zaccheus' son Zaccheus : -
Zaccheus2 m. Mary, dau. of George and Dorothy Blake of Gloucester (afterwards early settlers of Boxford), 4 Dec., 1673, and died in the summer of 1712. Ch. : I. Mary,3 b. 10 Feb., 1674 ; d. 31 Dec., 1674. 2. Sarah,3 b. 27 Dec., 1675; m. James Scales (her cousin) of Rowley, 10 March, 1703-04. 3. Mary,3 b. II Nov., 1677; d. 21 Oct., 1683. 4. Zaccheus,3 b. 4 Jan., 1679; d. 7 Nov., 1683. 5. James,3 b. 12 Dec., 1681. 6. Abigail,3 b. 21 Oct., 1683. 7. Mary,3 b. I March, 1684-85. 8. Ruth,3 b. 26 April, 1686. 9. Zachariah, b. 26 July, 1688. 10. Prudence,3 b. 24 Sept., 1689. 11. Joseph,3 b. II March, 1692. 12. Mercy,3 b. -- , 1694. 13. Deborah,3 b. 25 May, 1696.
James3 m. Eleanor, dau. of Francis Jafford of Casco Bay. Ch. : I, James, 4 b. about 1712.
James 4 m. Sarah Buswell, (pub.) I Oct., 1731. Ch. : I. Sarah,5 b. 8 Oct., 1733; m. Ebenezer Ingalls of Andover, 29 Jan., 1765. 2. Daniel,5 b. 23 Jan., 1735-36; m. Mary -, and lived in Boxford. 3. Eleanor,5 b. 7 Aug. 1738. 4. John,5 b. 20 April, 1741. 5. Asa,5 b. 1744. 6. Moses,5 b. 24 Feb., 1747. 7. Hannah,5 b. II Jan., 1750; m. Pelatiah Day of New Salem, 14 Oct, 1773.
John5 m. Ruth Peabody of Middleton, 8 Oct., 1765, and d. 12 July,
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
Sarah, and perhaps John of Topsfield. Sarah m. James, son of William and Ann Scales of Rowley, 7 Nov., 1677, whose son (James) m. Sarah, daughter of Zaccheus Curtis, jun., and resided in Boxford. Ephraim married Elizabeth Kil- burn of Rowley, by Mr. Payson, 6 Sept., 1693, and had several children, who continued to reside on the original homestead, - it having been bequeathed to Ephraim, after his mother's death, by his father's will, which was made upon his death-bed in 1682. Zaccheus, jun., built his house on the site now occupied by the late residence of Francis Curtis, deceased, who was a lineal descendant. April 12, 1682, the town of Topsfield voted to give Zaccheus Curtis enough clapboards and shingles to cover his house, &c., if it don't take over fifteen hundred: this was when he built his house probably.
Capt. JOHN PEABODY was son of Lieut. Francis and Mary (Foster) Peabody, and was born in 1642. He was the first of the name born in America. In 1665 he took to himself a wife from the Village, having settled here two years pre- viously. His house stood where the barn stands at the
1783. She m. 2d, Bartholomew Trask of Beverly, 2 May, 1796, and d. 22 March, 1829, a. 85 years. Ch .: 1 John,6 b. 19 June, 1766; m. Eunice Harris of Ipswich, (pub.) 25 June, 1785. 2. Ruth,6 b. I March, 176S. 3. Francis,6 b. 11 Jan., 1770; d. y. 4. Sarah,6 b. 30 March, 1772. 5. James,6 b. 25 Jan., 1774. 6. Peggy,6 b. 7 Sept., 1775. 7. Francis,6 b. 6 Oct., 1777. 8. Betty,6 b. 1779. 9. Elizabeth,6 b. 28 April, 1781. 10. Rebecca,6 b. 26 March, 1783.
Francis 6 m. Mary Killam, 18 Jan., 1798, who d. 31 Dec., 1847. He d. II Oct., 1829. Ch .: I. Betsey,7 b. 18 March, 1798. 2. Polly,7 b. 4 Nov., 1799 ; m. John Gould. 3. Cynthia,7 b. 18 May, 1803. 4. Francis,7 b. 21 April, 1805. 5. John,7 b. 25 Aug., 1814 ; lives in Middleton ; m. - Killam.
Francis7 m. Lorintha Davis of Reading, Vt. He d. 11 Sept., 1878. Ch. : I. Francis,8 b. II July, 1836. 2 George,8 b. 28 Sept., 1837. 3. Oscar F.,8 b. 2 Jan., 1839. 4. Lucy D.,8 b. 1841. 5. Marietta,8 b. 8 July, 1843. 6. Francelia,8 b. 16 April, 1845 ; m. Daniel Fuller of Topsfield. 7. Irene W., 8 b. 27 March, 1847; m. Edward B. Lowe of Lynn, 9 June, 1872. 8. Christopher L.,8 b. 22 Dec., 1851 ; d. 28 March, 1878. 9. Justin,8 b. 23 June, 1855.
Justin 8 m. Ella M. Gould, 16 Dec., 1876. Ch. : I. Justin,9 b. 31 July, IS77. 2. Nellie Marietta,9 b. 12 May, 1879.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
summer residence of the late Hon. Julius A. Palmer, - Mr. Palmer's wife being a lineal descendant of Mr. Pea- body. The old house was standing until about fifteen years ago, when it was razed to the ground by Mr. Palmer. It was a large, two-story, square mansion, and, as was the custom in early times, the walls were filled in with brick. On the front the second story projected about a foot over the lower story. While in the last days of its existence it presented a most forlorn and dreary appearance. It stood in an open field alone ; and in front, near the road, was an old tumble-down wall over which the blackberry and other vines had trailed themselves in labyrinthian texture. For many years a selectman, and twenty-four years town-clerk, he was the principal town officer. Most of the early town records are in his handwriting, and, for those days, the chirography is very good. John Forabody 1690 His autograph is here given, as written by him in 1690. In the militia, he had attained to the degree of captain, which appellation he bore till his death. Among his descendants are the late George Peabody, Esq., the well-known London banker ; Josiah® Greenough Peabody, mayor of Lowell, 1865 and 1866; and many other noted persons. He married Ist, Hannah, daughter of Robert and Grace Andrews- early settlers of Boxford, - 23 Nov., 1665 ; who died 4 Dec., 1702, and was buried in Malden, where her gravestone is yet pre- served. He married, secondly, Sarah Mosely of Dorches- ter, 26 Nov., 1703; and died 5 July, 1720. His children (all by first wife) were: I. John,2 b. 28 Aug., 1666; d. unm. in Caess, Spain, 4 March, 169 -. 2. Hannah,2 b. 8 May, 1668 ; m. Joseph Buckman, 24 Feb., 1690. 3. Thomas,2 b. 22 July, 1670; d. in Boston (?) unm., 30 Nov., 170 -. 4. Mary,2 b. 4 April, 1672 ; m. Richard Hazen. 5. Lydia,2 b. 10 March, 1673-74; m. Jacob Perley, 6 Dec.,
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
1696. 6. Francis,2 b. I I March, 1677 ; d. in France, - Dec., 1704. 7. David,2 * b. 12 July, 1678. 8. Elizabeth,2 b. 13
* The following is the line of descent of the present Peabody residents in Boxford from John's son David : -
David2 m. Sarah Pope of Dartmouth, and d. 4 Sept., 1726. "Ensign " in the militia. Ch. : I. Thomas,3 b. 22 Sept., 1705. 2. Hannah,3 b. 14 Oct., 1707. 3. Sarah,3 b. 26 Sept., 1709; d. 18 May, 1788. 4. Marcy,3 b. 23 Jan., 1712-13; d. 26 Sept., 1798. 5. John,3 b. 7 April, 1714 ; d. 27 April, 1765. 6. Deborah,3 b .- Sept., 1716; d. 21 Aug., 1736. 7. Rebecca,3 b. 8 Dec., 1718 ; d. 25 Feb., 1798. 8. Susanna,3 b. 27 July, 1721 ; d. - Oct., 1794. 9. David,3 b. in Boxford 4 Oct., 1724 ; lived in Andover and Haverhill ; m. Mary Gaines of Ipswich, Mass., who d. at Newburyport, - April, 1806, a. 77 ; he d. 16 Aug., 1774. [Thomas,4 son of David,3 b. in. Andover, 7 Sept., 1762 ; m. Judith, dau. of Jeremiah and Judith (Spofford) Dodge of Rowley, - Dec., 1788 ; lived in Haverhill and Danvers; d. 13 May, 1811; she died at Lockport, N.Y., 22 June, 1830, a 60. Their son George,5 the celebrated London banker, b. in Peabody, Mass., 18 Feb., 1795, and d. 4 Nov., 1868.] 10. Mary, 3 b. I Nov., 1726; d. in Ipswich, 2 Sept., 1736.
Thomas3 m. Ruth Osgood of Andover, 21 Nov., 1738; and d. I April, 1758. Ch. : I. Susanna,4 b. 7 Feb., 1738-39. 2. Thomas,4 b. 28 Sept., 1740. 3. Ebenezer,4 b. 7 Dec., 1742. 4. Sarah,4 b. 16 Dec., 1744; d. 20 Oct., 1747. 5. Ruth,4 b. 9 Dec., 1746. 6. Sarah,4 b. 5 Oct., 1748. 7. Rebecca,4 b. 3 Jan., 1750-51. 8. Seth,4 b. 14 April, 1753. 9. Nathan,4 b. 31 Aug., 1756; d. in Boston, 1798.
Lieut. Ebenezer4 m. Ist, Elizabeth Pearl, 9 Feb., 1764, who d. 11 March, 1776, a. 32. He m. 2d, Sarah Pearl, 18 March, 1780. He d. - Jan., 1829. 'A Revolutionary officer, suffering the trials and privations of war during the entire seven years. Ch. by Ist wife : I. Lois,5 b. 6 Aug., 1764. 2. Eben- ezer, b. 13 Feb., 1767. 3. Thomas,5 b. 4 Feb., 1769. 4. Stephen,5 b. 24 Aug., 1771. 5. Sarah,5 b. 20 Aug., 1773; d. 12 Feb., 1776. Ch. by 2d wife : 6. Seth,5 b. 21 Feb., 1782. 7. Sarah,5 b. II Sept., 1783. 8. Hannah,5 b. 8 Dec., 1785. 9. Betsey,5 b. 6. Oct., 1787. 10. Benjamin,5 b. 2 Nov., 1789. II. Isaac.5 b. 14 March, 1791. 12. Daraxa,5 b. 2 Dec., 1794; m. John Bacon.
Benjamin 5 m. Rachel Hunting of Boston, 26 March, 1815. He d. 10 April, 1879. Ch .: I. Susan Rachel,6 b. in Boston, I Feb., 1816; m. Jona- than Edwards Foster. 2. Sarah Ann,6 b. in Boston, 16 Feb., 1818; m. John P. Foster. 3. Thomas Isaac,6 b. 29 Aug, 1820; was out in Boston Harbor, sailing with the boatman and twenty scholars of the Farm School there, of which he was teacher, when the boat was upset and all drowned, in 1842. 4. Caroline Amelia,6 b. 3 July, 1822 ; m. S. H. Batchelder. 5. Eliza Osgood,6 b. 8 Oct., 1824; m. Isaac W. Andrew, brother to Gov. John A. Andrew; resides in Boxford. 6. Louisa Jennette,6 b. 24 June, 1827. 7. Benjamin Franklin,6 b. 15 Jan., 1832. 8. Ada Byron,6 b. 10 May, 1836, m. William P. Cleaveland.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
Aug., 1680; m. David Andrews, 12 Feb., 1702. 9. Nathan,2 b. 21 July, 1682. 10. Ruth,2 b. 13 Nov., 1684; m. John Wood (father of Hon. Aaron Wood). II. Moses,2 b. 27 Feb., 1687 ; d. in Cocheco (now Dover, N. H.), 21 March, 170 -. Several of his sons settled in Boxford, where many of their posterity were also worthy citizens.
SAMUEL SYMONDS was born in January, 1638; m. Eliza- beth, daughter of Robert and Grace Andrews - early settlers of Boxford, -and settled here in 1663. He was made a freeman, 22 March, 1689-90. . After serving the town as selectman, and many other ways, for several years, he died 14 Aug., 1722, at the age of eighty-four years and seven months. His widow died 17 March, 1725, aged eighty-three years. The residence of this settler was undoubtedly situated. westerly of the dwelling-house of Mr. George W. Twitchel, where the ancient cellar is yet discerned. His children were: I. Elizabeth,2 b. 12 July, 1663. 2. Hannah,2 b. 27 Dec., 1665 .. 3. Grace,2 b. 14 Oct., 1667 ; m. Zerubabel Endicott, an early settler of Boxford. 4. Mary,2 b. 26 Feb., 1669 ; m. Joseph Peabody of Ipswich, 1693-94. 5. Samuel,2 b. 6 April, 1672. 6. John,2 b. 29 March, 1674. 7. Ruth,2 b. 24 Dec., 1676; m. Andrew Elliot of Boston, 19 July, 170 -. 8. Rebecca,2 b. 31 May, 1679 ; m. Jacob Smith, and lived in Boxford. 9. Phebe,2 b. 2 Oct., 1682; m. John Fuller of Salem, 9 June, 17 -. 10. Joseph,2 b. 24 May, 1685. II. Nathaniel,2 b. 26 Jan., 1687. Of these sons, Samuel 2 resided in that part of the town which was afterwards included in the town of Middleton. He was a deacon of the church in Middle- ton for many years. He married three wives, and, after being the father of more than a dozen children, died 7 July, 1755, at the age of eighty-four years. John 2 m. Hannah, dau. of Thomas and Mary (Howlett) Hazen, - early set- tlers of Boxford, and had a large family. He lived in Boxford, as also his brother Joseph,2 who married Mary
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
Peabody, and settled on the old homestead, where his descendants have resided until within half a century. Nathaniel 2 also lived here, but was never married.
Before the land in the Village was laid out, Abraham Redington, Robert Stiles, Joseph Bixby, John Cummings, William Foster, and John Peabody, six of the early settlers of whom we have been speaking, bought of Joseph Jewett of Rowley, three thousand acres of the Village lands. Soon after, the town of Rowley laid out twelve hundred acres of it to the several owners, which was bounded south by Fish Brook; east by " Abel Langley's farm ;" * north by Northend's and Dickinson's farm, which was in the vicinity of Reyner Pond ; and west by a tract of land belonging to Samuel Pickard of Rowley. This last line was probably in the vicinity of the match-factory. As will at once be recognized, these twelve hundred acres were laid out so as to enclose the plain on which the East Parish village is situ- ated. Six house-lots of thirty acres each were laid out, on which the proprietors built their houses and settled down upon the plain, thus becoming the first residents of Rowley Village. A road was laid out from east to west, "as near Fish Brook as possible," and another highway, twelve rods in breadth, leading from this road to "the hills on the north side of the plain," for " the cattle to go and come in." The undivided land, lying in front of the post-office at the present time, was made common May 2, 1710, for the neighborhood to pasture their " cattle and other creatures " in. Also, on the side of the highway in the west part of this tract of land, as much land was left common as there was in the other common just mentioned, for the same purpose. Eight hundred acres more were laid out on the west of Pickard's farm, shortly afterward, in which high-
* This "farm," which merely means land, was situated on the west side of Pye Brook, and contained eighty acres. Langley belonged to Rowley.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
ways were laid out for the cattle to go and come in, in 1710 .*
Until 1666 or 1667, most of the land in the Village, with the exception of some of the tracts already mentioned, lay common. Then the town of Rowley appointed two men, - Ezekiel Northend and John Pickard, - who laid the land out to those who owned shares in these lands by right of purchase, and to owners of house-lots in Rowley. The size of the tracts granted to the last-named class was in proportion to the size of their house-lots ; those owning a two-acre house-lot obtained two hundred acres, and a one- and-a-half-acre house-lot, only sixty-seven acres. Where other men obtained larger tracts, it was because of some business contract, or as in the case of John Pickard, who owned several house-lots. We insert a list of the several tracts, to whom laid out, size, &c. :-
" To Zacheus Gould, thirty-two hundred acres ; bounded south by Ipswich river, west by the town line that runneth from the river to the eight-mile tree, north and east by Fishing brook and various persons' lands, including the John Endicott farm [see p. 21] of five hundred and fifty acres within its boundaries.
"To the town of Rowley, three thousand acres. The right to this land was sold by Zacheus Gould to Joseph Jewett, for the benefit of such as employed him to make the purchase, for which Jewett paid ninety pounds. Jewett, by agreement with the town, received in ex- change nine hundred and sixty acres in the neck, by Merrimack river, and forty acres of meadow, in three pieces, in the village lands. The three thousand acres were bounded north by the line dividing the village lands from the Merrimack lands, east by the line which parts Rowley lands from village lands, south by the pond called Elder's or Baldpate pond, in part, and part by undivided lands.
"To Lieut. John Remington, eighty acres ; bounded east by Tops- field line, west by Goodman Gould's land.
"To John Lambert, eighty acres; bounded west by Goodman
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