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 8
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" Without the wall a birch-tree shows Its drooped and tasselled head ; Within, a stag-horned sumach grows, Fern-leafed, with spikes of red.
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" There, sheep that graze the neighboring plain Like white ghosts come and go, The farm-horse drags his fetlock chain, The cow-bell tinkles low.
" Unshaded smites the summer sun, Unchecked the winter blast ; The school-girl learns the place to shun, With glances backward cast.
"For thus our fathers testified - That he might read who ran - The emptiness of human pride, The nothingness of man.
"Above the graves the blackberry hung In bloom and green its wreath, And harebells swung as if they rung The chimes of peace beneath.
" With flowers or snowflakes for its sod, Around the seasons ran, And evermore the love of God Rebuked the fear of man."
The stones are fast yielding to the hands of time. Their once upright forms are now leaning; many are already gone, and leaving no trace by which the future historian can discover that this was once-a long while ago-a "city of the dead."
The imagination dwells with an ever-increasing interest upon the private history of the early settlers of New Eng- land. We would love to be able to follow them in their daily lives ; all through the new and interesting scenes which made up each day, each month, each year: in spring, while sowing their seeds; in harvest, when gather- ing in their crops ; in winter, suffering from the cold, and in danger from the wild animals; and minutely following them in their daily actions, studying their manners and customs, and learning from them self-denial, prudence, wisdom, godliness, industry, and simplicity. The annals of
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history that relate to that epoch which comprises the set- tlement of New England are so full of novelty, experience, and danger, that it is a subject upon which the descend- ants of the early settlers love to speak and contemplate. Truly may we quote the words of the Rev. Mr. Gammell : " All honor to the fathers and mothers of New England ! may their deeds never want appreciation ; and may God keep, in the hearts of their descendants, their memory forever green !"
The earliest houses in town were probably with frames ; although, we doubt not, there were log cottages, the chinks of which were filled with clay, and thus made very com- fortable. Down to 1700 the large, square style of archi- tecture prevailed. The long, sloping-back roof next be- came popular, and that style continued for many years. The chimneys were built, in colonial days, of stone and lime, on the outside of the house. The furniture in the house was only sufficient for comfort; and the stoves of the present day have been substituted for the fireplaces of our ancestors.
As to the necessaries and comforts of life, they were pretty equally divided among the colonists. As the neces- saries were of the cheapest and simplest kind, being mostly the fruit of the soil, they were very easily supplied by the industry of the inhabitants. New clothes were a luxury to the colonists ; and they believed, as one of their contem- poraries sang, that
". . . patched clothes were warmer Than single whole clothing."
What foolishness the early colonists would deem the daily newspapers of the present day! Their medium of dispensing and gathering news was oral; and probably a general circulation only occurred on Sunday, when they met together at the church. A newspaper was probably an unknown luxury here until years after the time of which we are writing.
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In regard to other customs of the early settlers the inter- ested reader can find full information in the written ac- counts and traditions which have come down to posterity, and which are embodied in many valuable volumes that are the product of years of labor and research.
After Boxford was incorporated several families came here almost immediately, and began long lines of descendants which have spread all over the world, and can be numbered by thousands. One of the first of these was
WILLIAM PEABODY. He was a brother of Capt. John Peabody of Boxford, and was born in 1646. He married Hannah Hale of Newbury, -sister to Joseph Hale, who shortly after resided here, - 14 Aug., 1684, and built a house where now is a small grove of gilead trees near the west corner of the late Samuel Peabody's house in the East Parish. Shortly after his settlement he erected a saw and grist mill, - one of which was supposed to stand near the summer residence of William A. Herrick, Esq., and the other farther down the stream at the foot of the meadow. He had lost the use of one of his arms, which somewhat disabled his working abilities. He had a servant, by name John Norman, letters of administration on whose estate were granted to his master, 5 Sept., 1698. Mr. Peabody was made a freeman 21 July, 1685. He served as select- man in the town in 1689, 1696, 1697, and 1699, and died at the age of 53 years, 6 March, 1699-1700. He died intestate, and letters of administration were granted to his widow 3 June, 1700. Amount of inventory of his estate, £913 8s. 7d .; debts due from the estate, only £3 9s. His widow died 23 Feb., 1733. Among their de- scendants is their son Oliver Peabody, a noted preacher at Natick, and his son Oliver, a minister at Roxbury ; Dr. William Peabody of Corinth, Me .; Hon. Oliver Peabody of Exeter, N.H., President of Senate, Treasurer of State, &c .; Rev. Stephen Peabody of Atkinson, N. H .; William Pea-
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body of Milford, N. II., a magistrate and representative to State legislature for many years; Samuel Peabody, Esq. ; Charles Augustus Peabody, judge of the Supreme Court of the State of New York; Rev. Ephraim Peabody, pastor of King's Chapel in 1846; and many other noted men. William Peabody's children were : I. Stephen,2 * b. 5 Aug., 1685. 2. Mary,2 b. 1I April, 1687; m. Joseph Symonds
* The following is the line of descent of the present Peabody residents of Boxford from William's son Stephen : -
Capt. Stephen2 m. Hannah Swan, who d. 17 April, 1764, a. 75 years He d. 7 June. 1759. Ch .: I. Hannah,3 b. 1 Feb., 1709. 2. Richard,3 b. 29 May, 1711 ; d. 11 Oct., 1711. 3. Mary,3 b. 29 Dec., 1713; d. 12 June, 1714. 4. William,3 b. 29 June, 1715. 5. Hephzibah,3 b. 14 Feb., 1718; m. Ephraim Dorman. 6. Priscilla,3 b. 22 Nov., 1719; m. John Hale. 7. Francis,3 b. 12 Feb., 1721-22 ; one of the first English settlers of New Bruns- wick. 8. Stephen,3 b. I Oct., 1724. 9. Richard,3 b. 13 April, 1731.
Capt. Richard,3 m. Jemima Spofford, who d. 19 Dec., 1811, aged 78, years. He d. 7 June, 1820. Lived on his father's homestead. Ch .: I. Hannah,4. b. 18 Feb., 1758; d. 17 Dec., 1832. 2. Hephzibah,4 b. 13 April, 1759. 3. Stephen,4 b. 27 Aug., 1760. 4. John,4 b. 24 July, 1762. 5. Richard,4 b. 16 April, 1764. 6. Oliver,4 b. 6 March, 1766. 7. William,4 b. 10 Jan. 1768 ; a doctor in Corinth, Me .: see his biography. 8. Priscilla,4 b. I Feb., 1770. 9. Francis,4 b. 7 June, 1771. 10. Samuel,4 b. 15 Sept., 1772 ; d. y. II. Samuel,4 b. 30 Jan., 1775. 12. Joseph Spofford,4 b. 30 Jan., 1779.
Stephen,4 Esq., m. Anna Killam of Boxford, 13 Dec., 1785, who d. 28 Dec., 1843. He d. 22 July, 1830. He was a J. P., and was some- what noted in his day. On his marriage he purchased the house of Mr. Thomas Wood, that previously stood where the Third-District school-house now stands, and, after residing in it a few years, removing it to its present site (near the late residence of Mr. C. C. Stevens), he took away the large and low back-rooms, and, raising the building higher, made it as it now exists. Ch .: 1. Stephen,5 b. 17 Oct., 1787; d. 19 July, 1806. 2. Samuel,5 b. 6 Nov., 1788. 3. Nancy,5 b. 28 Aug., 1796; d. 5 April, 1854, unm.
Joseph Spofford4 m. Hannah Foster, 25 Dec., 1800, who d. 1I May, 1849. He d. 17 May, 1846. Ch .: I. Lavinia,5 b. 20 Sept., 180 1; m. Peter Johnson ; d. I Sept., 1864. 2. Lucy,5 b. 27 Sept., 1802 ; m. Aaron Richardson ; d. 27 Aug., 1825. 3. Dorothy,5 b. 15 June, 1804; m. Joseph Brown ; d. I Jan., 1850. 4. John,5 b. 19 Sept., 1806. 5. Eliza,5 b. 2 July, 1808; d. unm. 12 April, 1826. 6. Salome,5 b. 24 July, 1810; m. Stephen Small; d. 12 June, 1845. 7. Clarissa,5 b. 20 June, 1812. 8. Joseph,5 b. 4 Feb., 1815; m. Lydia Hilton ; d. 14 Feb., 1858.
Samuel5 m. Ist, Mary Bradstreet of Danvers, 30 April, 1818, who d. I
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of Boxford. 3. Ephraim,2 b. 23 April, 1689. 4. Richard,2 b. 17 Feb., 1691 ; m. Ruth Kimball, in Bradford, 7 March, 1716. 5. Hannah,2 b. - Aug., 1693; m. Jonathan Fos- ter. 6. John,2 b. I Aug., 1695. 7. Abiah,2 b. - , 1697 ; m. Joseph Kimball, 19 Jan., 1724. 8. Oliver,2 b. 7 May, 1698 ; whose biography is given in this work. Stephen 2 erected the old mansion which has for several years been used by William Aug. Herrick, Esq., as a summer resi-
Jan., 1836; m. 2d, Mary Spofford of Boxford. He d. I Sept., 1862. He resided on his father's place, and was a butcher. "He was prosperous in business, and a man of remarkable integrity of character." Ch. : I. Ste- phen,6 b. -; d. y. 2. Samuel Porter,6 b. 27 Nov., 1820. 3. Stephen,6 b. 25 Jan., 1822 ; m. Ist, Maria F. Cummings of B., 25 Dec., 1849, who d. 15 Dec., 1858 ; m. 2d, Tammy B. Smith of Newburyport, 26 Nov., 1863, where they now reside. He was educated at Phillips Academy, Andover, People's Gym- nasium Academy, Pembroke, N. H., and at Topsfield Academy; taught school twenty-five years or more, chiefly in Newburyport. 4. Mary Ann, 6 b. I Sept., 1823; d. 22 Jan., 1865, unm. 5. Melissa,6 b. 2 Nov., 1824 ; m. John Q. Batchelder. 6. Caroline Eliza,6 b. 21 April, 1826; d. I April, 1869, . unm. "Mary Ann and Caroline E. were sisters, ... and they both trusted in Christ alone for eternal life." - Monument. 7. Albert Bradstreet,6 b. I Nov., 1828 ; minister in Stratham, N. H. : see his biography.
Capt. John 5 m. Ist, Henrietta S. Baker of Georgetown, 27 Sept., 1831, who d. 16 June, 1874; m. 2d, Mrs. Elizabeth Clark. Ch. : I. John Perley,6 b. 18 June, 1832; m. Sarah A. True of Amesbury, 14 July, 1858. Lives in Salem; editor, publisher, and proprietor of the Fireside Favorite, an extensively circulating monthly periodical; dealer in fancy goods, &c., in which business he has been very successful. 2. Hannah Elizabeth,6 b. 16 Feb., 1834; m. Hosea W. Carr. 3. George Washington, 6 b. 26 Feb., 1836; m. Cynthia G. Covert ; painter in Chelsea. 4. Richard,6 b. 18 April, 1838 ; d. 16 May, 1838. 5. Charles William,6 b. 20 (30?) March, 1840; m. Annie M. Allen of Salem; d. 25 March, 1879; was a popular fancy-goods dealer in Newburyport. 6. Eliza Ann,6 b. 2 Feb., 1842; m. James E. Sheen of W. Peabody. 7. Sarah Lavinia,6 b. 10 Feb., 1844; m. Asa Gentis of Haverhill. S. Matilda H.,6 b. 18 Dec., 1845; d. 27 Sept., 1848. 9. Stephen,6 b. 17 Nov., 1849.
Samuel Porter6 m. Mary Jane Bunker, 29 April, IS47, who d. 17 Sept., 1860, aged 31 years. Ch .: I. Mary Abbie,7 b. 9 May, 1848; m. Henry A. Long of N. Andover, 6 Aug., 1872. 2. Clara Jane,7 b. 18 July, 1849 ; m. Oscar Fellows, 22 Nov., 1877. 3. Samuel,7 b. 19 Sept., 1850. 4. Porter Bradstreet,7 b. 21 March, 1854; m. Harriet L. Fish of N. Andover. 5. Elisha Bunker,7 b. 7 March, 1858.
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dence. This was built about 1707; and it has been occu- pied by his lineal posterity until about half a century ago. All the other sons married ; and all but Oliver settled here, and helped to perpetuate the name for several generations.
JAMES TANT (Taunt), in 1682, was living with Henry Lake in Topsfield. Shortly after he was living in Boxford, where he was taxed in 1687 one shilling. He owned no property here, probably, and was one of the roving char- acters of the seventeenth century.
FRANCIS HEATH (or, LEATH), by his wife Mary, had a daughter Mary born in Boxford, Dec. 23, 1686; which is all we know of him.
WILLIAM WATSON was in Boxford in 1687 and before. He was chosen selectman in that year, and also held other minor offices. He probably came from Ipswich. He mar- ried Ist, Sarah, daughter of Allan Perley, the immigrant, in 1670, by whom he had two daughters - Mary, born in 1671, and Sarah, 2 Nov., 1672. His wife dying, he married 2d, Mary, widow of Thomas Hale of Newbury (who, with her son Joseph Hale, had just taken up their residence in Boxford), 5 Feb., 1694-95. In 1692, April 26, Mr. Wat- son made a deposition, in which he agreed to give his daughter Mary half of his property if she would marry Joseph Hale, to which she consented; and they were joined in wedlock, Dec. 15, 1693. Mr. Watson died June 27, 1710. His widow survived him till Dec. 8, 1715, when she died at the age of 85 years. None of the name have since lived in the town.
JOHN CHADWICK was first chosen selectman in 1688, and he probably settled here shortly before. After 1692 he is styled " Sergeant." He was a prominent man in the town, at different times holding various offices of trust. "Widow Chadwick" - probably widow of the above John - was taxed 1714, 1715. A John Chadwick, perhaps their son, married Mehitable -, about 1705. She " suddenly " died
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17 Jan., 1748-49, aged 62 years. Her husband survived her till 16 Feb., 1756, when he died at the age of 79 years. They resided in the West Parish. Their children were : Mehitable, Sarah, Ephraim, Thomas, Mary, David, and John. The four sons married and settled in Boxford, where their descendants have also resided almost to the present time. Thomas was deacon of the Second Church for many years. The present Chadwick families of Boxford are of Bradford origin, although perhaps their ancestors were of this family.
NATHANIEL BROWN is first mentioned on the town- records in 1687, - he then being chosen surveyor. He was made a freeman, October, 1690. He was also a select- man in 1690. This is all we know of him.
TIMOTHY DORMAN, born Dec. 12, 1663, in Topsfield, was son of Thomas and Judith (Wood) Dorman. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Knowlton of Ipswich, Nov. 15, 1688, who was born March I, 1659. He came here imme- diately after his marriage, and settled on undivided land of his father's. A large part of the original mansion which he erected for his dwelling is yet standing, and retained in the family, though it has been so altered its present out- ward appearance bears very little, if any, resemblance to the original. The westerly part, now standing, was built by Timothy's son John about 1729 ; a one-story extension on the east end was torn down in 1829, and a new addition was built in its place ; and in 1850 the east end of the main part was torn down, and the house enlarged into its present form by its late owner. In this ancient edifice, from the date of its erection in 1688 or 1689, to the death of the late Thomas P. Dorman, Esq., five generations of his ances- tors have lived and died under its parental roof. Mr. Tim- othy Dorman was a selectman in 1703, and held other minor offices. He died about 1740, at the age of 76 years. Ch .: I. Timothy,2 b. 18 Sept., 1689; d. 27 Feb., 1701-02.
DORMAN HOMESTEAD.
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2. Elizabeth,2 b. 7 Dec., 1691 ; m. John Dagget. 3. Mary,2 b. 26 Oct., 1693; m. Joseph Stanley of Topsfield. 4. John,2* b. 9 Feb., 1696. 5. Hannab,2 b. 22 Dec., 1698; m. Israel Dagget. 6. Sarah,2 b. 7 Feb., 1701-02 ; m. John Peabody. John 2 settled on the old homestead.
Ephraim and Jabez Dorman, cousin and brother of Tim- othy, also settled here. By his wife Martha, Ephraim had children : Ephraim, Mary, Elijah, Samuel, John, and Sarah. Jabez married Hepzibah Perley, and had Jabez, born 25
* The following is the line of descent of the present Dorman residents of Boxford from Timothy's son John : -
John2 m. Rebecca Smith, 28 Jan., 1729-30; and d. 5 Feb., 1775. Ch. : I. Timothy,3 b. 23 Dec., 1730; m. Eunice Burnham of Lunenburg ; d. 6 June, 1764. 2. Rebecca,3 b. 26 Oct., 1732; m. Jonathan Foster. 3. John,3 b. 12 July, 1735; d. 22 Oct., 1737. 4. John,3 b. 2 Oct., 1738. 5. Elizabeth,3 b. 17 May, 1740; m. Ezra Towne; d. 27 June, 1767.
Deacon John3 m. Hannah Jackson of Rowley, 8 May, 1762, who d. 20 Nov., 1822, aged 87 years. He d. 2 April, 1792. Ch. : I. John,4 b. 18 June, 1763; married Hannah Andrews ; d. 25 Dec., 1857. 2. Moses,4 b. 12 Oct., 1765. 3. Hannah,4 b. 23 Aug., 1767 ; d. 9 Oct., 1828, unm. 4. Jesse, 4 b. 23 March, 1769; d. 24 May, 1841. 5. Elizabeth,4 b. 30 July, 1773; d. 3 Sept., 1843, unm. 6. Mehitable,4 b. 5 March, 1775; d. 9 Jan., 1858, unm.
Moses,4 Esq., m. Huldah, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Towne) Gould, 30 June, 1801, who d. 26 Oct., 1846. He d. 13 Feb., 1850. He was one of the most prominent men that Boxford ever numbered among its inhabitants. Ch. : I. Huldah,5 b. 6 April, 1802 ; d. 28 Sept., 1804. 2. Moses,5 b. 25 Sept., ISO3. . 3. Huldah,5 b. 25 March, 1805; m. Benj. Pike of Topsfield ; d. 24 June, 1867. 4. Achsah,5 b. 2 May, 1808; m. Benj. French of Boxford ; d. 31 Aug., 1851. 5. Ancill,5 b. I April, 1819; m. Hannah, dau. of John and Matilda Ann (Bailey) Hale of Boxford, 28 Oct., 1847 ; justice of the peace ; resides in Boxford.
Moses,5 Esq., m. Ist, Huldah Gould, I April, 1828, who d. 3 Feb., 1839 ; m. 2d, Phebe Perley of Boxford, 6 Nov., 1839, who died 30 Aug., 1848 ; m. 3d, Mary N. Foster, 27 Feb., 1851, who resides on the old place. He d. 26 July, 1877. A justice of the peace, and a prominent man in the town. Ch. : I. Huldah Elizabeth,6 b. 9 Aug., 1829; m. Joseph H. Janes. 2. Moses Horace,6 b. 10 March, 1841 ; m. Sarah Cheever of Danvers ; merchant in New York City. 3. Harriet Andrews,6 b. 20 March, 1843; m. John Everett Herrick of Peabody. 4. Franklin Webster,6 b. 28 Dec., 1844; m. Isabelle W. Taylor ; merchant in New York City. 5. Thomas Perley,6 b. 4 Feb., 1847 ; d. 17 April, 1877, unm .; law-student.
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January, 1715-16, who died 25 March, 1716. The mother died nine days after the child was born ; and he married secondly Abial Foster, and had another son of the same name. Dorman has always been a noted name in the town, especially in the last hundred years of its existence ; but the name will undoubtedly be extinguished with this gene- ration.
ZERUBABEL ENDICOTT, born 14 Feb., 1664, was son of Dr. Zerubabel and Mary Endicott of Salem, and grandson of Gov. John and Elizabeth (Gibson) Endicott. He mar- ried Grace, daughter of Samuel Symonds of Boxford, July, 1690. He d. 1706, aged forty-two years. Ch .: I. Grace,2 b. 10 April, 1691; m. Samuel Killam of Wilmington, 21 Dec., 1715. 2. Zerubabel,2 b. 10 Dec., 1692. 3. Eliza- beth,2 b. 8 May, 1695, in Topsfield; m. John Perkins of Ipswich. 4. John,2 b. 22 Dec., 1697, in Topsfield ; d. 2 Feb., 1697-98, in Topsfield. 5. Mehitable,2 b. 14 Aug., 1699, in Topsfield ; m. John Hart of Lynn. 6. Phebe ; 2 m. Ebenezer Jones of Wilmington. 7. Hannah ; 2 was never married. The son Zerubabel married Elizabeth (Phillips), widow of his cousin Robert Edwards Endicott, and died 16 May, 1737, childless. His sisters inherited his property ; and thus all the land left by the governor and his son, the doctor, in Topsfield and Boxford, went out of the name of Endicott. His wife died before him. On the death of Zerubabel (the son), there were living in New England only his cousin Samuel and his family (by the name of Endicott), descendants of the governor.
JOSEPH HALE came with his widowed mother from Newbury about 1691. He was born in Newbury 20 Feb., 1670-71, and was son of Thomas Hale. His mother was Mary, daughter of Richard and Alice (Bosworth) Hutchin- son, who was baptized at North Muskham, Nottshire, Eng., 28 Dec., 1630. The widow, in 1693, owned two hundred and eighty acres of land in Boxford, half of which she agreed
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to give her son Joseph, if he would marry Mary Watson, which he afterwards did (see WILLIAM WATSON, P. 95). The land where the Third-District schoolhouse now stands was carly in his possession, and he probably settled near there. He owned considerable land here, and was a man quite prominent in the business of the town, serving as sc- lectman, representative to the General Court, &c. He was successively ensign, lieutenant, and captain in the militia, and on the early records is termed "Clerk of the Band." He m. Ist, Mary, dau. of William Watson of Boxford, 15 Dec., 1693, who d. I Feb., 1707-08. He m. 2d, widow Joanna Dodge of Ipswich, (pub.) 19 Sept., 1708. He d. 13 Feb., 1761, lacking only seven days of completing his nine- tieth year. He was the ancestor of all the Hales that ever resided in Boxford, and of thousands in this and other States. Their large family of fifteen children was as follows : I. Joseph,2 * b. 23 Aug., 1694. 2. Jacob,2 b. - Aug., 1695; m. Ist, Hannah Goodhue; 2d, Mary Harri- man of Rowley ; d. 17 April, 1731. 3. Mary,2 b. I Oct., 1697; d. 28 Aug., 1722. 4. Ambrose,2 b. 10 Feb.,
* The following is the line of descent of the present Hale residents in Boxford from Joseph's son Joseph : -
Joseph2 m. Ist, Mary Hovey, 5 Dec., 1723, who d. 25 May, 1753, aged fifty-seven years. He m. 2d, widow Sarah Hovey, 20 Sept., 1753. He m. 3d, widow Lydia Brown, 1759. He m. 4th, Susanna Fellows of Ipswich, 1771. He d. 5 Oct., 1778 ; was deacon of the First Church. Ch .: I. Mary,3 b. 14 Jan., 1724-25. 2. Jonathan,3 b. 5 Dec., 1729 ; d. 24 June, 1731. 3. Sarah,3 b. 6 Feb., 1731-32 ; m. Thomas Baker, jun., of Topsfield. 4. Jona- than,3 b. 14 Feb., 1733-34 ; d. of smallpox, Feb., 1757. 5. Joseph,3 b. 14 Sept., 1727. 6. Susanna 3 (by second wife), b. 2 Dec., 1756; m. Joseph Symonds.
Joseph 3 m. Sarah Jackson of Topsfield, 7 Dec., 1749, who d. 24 April, 1813, at the age of eighty-four years. Ch .: 1. Sarah,4 b. 13 Nov., 1751 ; m. John Platts of Bradford. 2. Mary,4 b. 22 May, 1754; m. Levi Good- ridge. 3. Joseph,4 b. 5 July, 1756; d. 9 Nov., 1758. 4. Hannah, b. 31 Oct., 1758; m. Caleb Jackson of Rowley. 5. Joseph,4 b. 5 June, 1761. 6. Mehitable,4 b. 14 Nov., 1763; m. John Merrill of Rowley.
Joseph4 m. Martha, dau. of John and Hannah (Wells) Friend of Wen- ham, 6 Oct., 1796; and d. 12 May, 1818. Ch .: I. Sarah,5 b. 18 April,
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1698-99 ; m. Joanna . Dodge and Hannah Symonds. 5. Moses,2 b. 25 Dec., 1701 ; first minister in Chester, N. H. (see his biography). 6. Sarah,2 b. 6 April, 1704; m. Jacob , Kimball. 7. Abner,2 b. 2 Aug., 1706; m. Ruth Perkins. 8. Hepzibah,2 b. 29 Sept., 1709; m. John Curtis of Middle- ton. 9. Lydia,2 b. 23 March, 1710-II ; m. Nathan Perley. IO. Margaret,2 b. 23 Feb., 1712-13 ; m. Amos Kimball. II. Thomas,2 b. 8 Jan., 1714-15 ; m. Mary Kimball : father of Dr. William Hale. 12. John,2 b. 12 July, 1717; m. Priscilla Peabody : built the Lowe mansion. 13. Hannah,2 b. 27 April, 1719; . m Benjamin Batchelder. 14. Benja- min,2 b. 2 March, 1721-22 ; d. 4 Jan., 1722-23. 15. Mary,2 b. 14 Jan., 1724-25. Most of the sons settled here, and had numerous descendants. Dr. Joseph Hale of Miller's Corners, Ontario County, N.Y. ; Hon. Eugene Hale (A.M. at Bowdoin, 1869), M. C. from Maine; Hon. Artemas Hale of Bridgewater, Mass., M. C. from Massachusetts, - are descendants.
EPHRAIM SHELDON (or Shalton, as it is spelled on the town-records) married Jane Peard in Lynn, 30 April, 1694. He immediately settled in Boxford, where the following 1798 ; lives in Boxford, unm. 2. Martha,5 b. 14 Dec., 1799; d. 12 March, 1808. 3. John,5 b. 9 Aug., 1801. 4. Hannah,5 b. 13 Aug., 1803; d. 3 March, 1823. 5. Joseph,5 b. 26 Sept., 1805; m. Martha W. Reed; d. 29 April, 1872. 6. Daniel,5 b. 25 July, 1807 ; d. 17 Sept., 1831. 7. Martha,5 b. 10 July, 1809; m. Israel Dwinnell of Rowley. 8. Israel,5 b. 18 Jan., 1812 ; m. Fannie A. Holmes. 9. Isaac,5 b. 5 May, 1814; m. Margaret Howe of Ipswich ; d. 26 Oct., 1875.
John5 m. Matilda Ann Bailey of Wenham, 24 Nov., 1825. Ch. : I. Hannah,6 b. 3 Oct., 1826; m. Ancill Dorman, Esq. 2. Matthew,6 b. 16 April, 1828. 3. Alfred,6 b. II Nov., 1829. 4. John,6 b. 22 Aug., 1831. 5. William,6 b. 7 Oct., 1833; d. 4 Dec., 1862. 6. Matilda Ann,6 b. 12 April, 1836; m. Daniel W. Conant. 7. Amanda,6 b. 19 June, 1838; m. Alfred Kimball ; d. 27 May, 1860. 8. Harrison,6 b. 8 Oct., 1840; d. unm., in the Rebellion, 6 Feb., 1863. 9. Isaac,6 b. 6 Aug., 1844; m. Mrs. Martha A. Walker. 10. Daniel,6 b. 12 June, 1846. 11. Mary Jane,6 b. 24 May, 1850.
Matthew6 m. Sarah S. Janes, 23 Nov., 1852; and d. in the Rebellion, 15 Aug., 1863. Ch. : 1. Ellen Maria,7 b. 21 Nov., 1855. 2. Lewis Dayton,7 b. 7 Feb., I857.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
children were born: I. William, b. 13 Jan., 1694. 2. Rebecca, b. 20 May, 1697. 3. Ephraim, b. 13 June, 1699. 4. - (son), b. 5 Sept., 1701. 5. - (dau.), b. I Sept., 1703. 6. - (son), b. 13 Feb., 1706. Nothing more is known concerning this family ; probably removed to Maine.
ROBERT WILLIS married Eunice Stiles, 15 Dec., I -. Ch., born in Boxford : I. Sarah, b. 13 Dec., I -; " Sarah, daughter of Goodwife Willis," baptized in Topsfield church, 29 April, 1694. 2. Robert, b. 27 March, 16 -; baptized 23 May, 1697. The family became dependent upon the town for the necessaries of life. Among similar records we find that, 20 Jan., 1731-32, Stephen Peabody and Thomas Redington were chosen to supply Robert Willis and his wife with "necessaries for their comfortable sub- sistance."
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