The history of Milton, Mass., 1640 to 1877, Part 55

Author: Teele, Albert Kendall, 1823-1901 ed
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: [Boston, Press of Rockwell and Churchill]
Number of Pages: 776


USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Milton > The history of Milton, Mass., 1640 to 1877 > Part 55


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65


5. Anna, b. May 20, 1737. 26, 1766.


6. Seth, b. Dec. 3, 1740.


11. Mary, b. Dec. 21, 1753.


1 Andrew, the fourth child of John, married Ruth Wadsworth, of Milton, and settled, first, in Milton, and then in Pelham, N.H.


" In Lancaster, N.H., 14th April, 1833, died Andrew Adams, Esq., aged 98 years ; an officer of the Revolution; formerly of Milton, Mass. Mr. Adams held a commission under George III., dated 1761, Coroner for the County of Suffolk in our Province of Massachusetts Bay." - Norfolk Advertiser, May 4, 1833.


556


HISTORY OF MILTON.


Lemuel, the ninth child of John and Sarah Adams, was born in Milton Dec. 1, 1748, and married Hannah White, of Wey- mouth, June 6, 1776. He was deacon of the Milton Church, and lived through his whole life in the house built and occupied by his grandfather, Edward, and his father, John, and died there Dec. 8, 1833, aged eighty-five years. In his will the homestead in Milton was devised to his son Charles. His wife, Hannah, died in Milton Nov. 1, 1834, aged eighty years. Their children were : -


1. Hannah, b. April 1, 1777 ; m. E. Davenport, of Milton ; d. Sept. 23, 1804.


2. James, b. Nov. 8, 1778 ; d. June 24, 1856.


3. John, b. Dec. 1, 1780 ; d. 1854.


4. Lemuel, b. March 16, 1783; d. Jan. 25, 1796.


5. Seth, b. Aug. 10, 1784; d. Jan. 26, 1796.


6. Charles, b. Sept. 21, 1787; d. Sept. 20, 1839.


7. Jonathan, b. Jan. 30, 1790.


8. Seth, b. Nov. 3, 1798.


Charles Adams, son of Lemuel and Hannah, was born Sept. 21, 1787, at Milton, in the house occupied by his great-grand- father, his grandfather, and his father. He married Sarah Wheeler, of Thomaston, Me., May 7, 1812, and died Sept. 20, 1839. He was buried in a new tomb built for him in the Mil- ton burial-ground, into which were also removed, at the same time, the bodies of his two children, Sarah Ann and Albert. His wife, Sarah, died Oct. 16, 1856, aged sixty-nine years and seven months. Their children were : ---


1. Charles Berry Franklin, b. Feb. 11, 1813; d. Sept. 17, 1873.


2. Sarah Ann, b. Oct. 27, 1814; d. May 21, 1837.


3. George Washington, b. Feb. 10, 1817.


4. Albert, b. Aug, 21, 1820, d. July 12, 1821.


The only male members of this line of the Adams family now living in Milton are Edward H. Adams, the son of James, who was the eldest son of Lemuel; and Charles H. Adams, nephew of Edward H.


Deacon Samuel Adams, the long-honored and respected citi- zen of Milton, was also of the lineage of the first Henry Adams of Wollaston, but through his son Henry, and John, the son of the second Henry, then John, the son of John, and Captain Michael, son of the second John, whose son, Dr. Samuel Adams, the father of Deacon Samuel, of Milton, was born in Killingly, Conn., Jan. 28, 1745. Deacon Adams was born in Ipswich, Mass., March 11, 1791, and died in Milton Jan. 3, 1879.


557


EARLY FAMILIES.


BLAKE FAMILY.


William Blake, the son of Giles and Dorothy (Twedy) Blake, of Little Baddow, Essex, England, emigrated to America in 1630, with his wife Agnes and five children, -four sons and one daughter. They came in the ship "Mary and John," Captain Squeb, arriving at Nantasket May 30, 1630, and with the com- pany settled in Dorchester.


Their children were : -


William, b. 1620; d. in Milton, 1703. James, b. 1623; m. Elizabeth Clap. Edward, b. about 1625 ; died in Milton, 1692. John, b. -; died in Boston, 1688. Ann, b. -; m. Jacob Legare, of Boston.


By the allotment of the territory belonging to Dorchester south of the Neponset, called the Sixth Division, in 1660, William Blake, Sr., became the proprietor of Lot No. 43, and William Blake, Jr., of Lot No. 20, the latter reaching from Can- ton avenue over Brush Hill to the river. Soon after incorpora- tion, and perhaps before, William Blake, Jr., became a resident of the town. "Sergeant Blake," supposed to be the said William, Jr., was one of the first board of selectmen in 1668; he filled the same office in 1671 and 1690. He was Milton's deputy to the "Great and General Court" in 1680, 1683, 1690, and 1697. He was evidently an active and useful citizen through the first forty years of the town's existence, dying here in 1703.


ABSTRACT OF THE WILL OF WILLIAM BLAKE OF MILTON.


My wife to have the use of the Chamber in the new End of my house so long as she continues my Widow & dwell in the same and no longer, she shall not sett or hire out the same. Also to have the wood that grows upon one acre of Land between George Lyons and Deacon Sumner's at the upper end of the Lott next the plaine. I give unto my son Samuel Blake a piece of land about One hundred acres, more or less, lying in Dorchester, near the house of Eben" Billings. I give unto my two sons Nathaniel Blake and Edward Blake all Lands whatever in Milton or Dorchester, (except the 100 acres above,) and all my movables within doors and without, also Nathaniel & Edward to be Executors, & they shall pay unto my Doughters, in good pay, to my Dau. Ann Gilbert Five & twenty pounds-to Mary Willis Twenty five pounds -to Experience Carter Fifteen pounds - and to Mehettable Briggs Twenty pounds.


The children mentioned in the above will are found in the Dorchester Record of Births, except Mehettable, who was born after Milton was set off from Dorchester.


Edward Blake, the third son of William and Agnes, is first


558


HISTORY OF MILTON.


mentioned in the Dorchester Records in 1652, credited with " a load of wood for ould Barthol." In 1656 he was appointed a fence-viewer. Widow Jane Pope calls him her son-in-law in her will bequeathing property to her daughter, Patience Blake (plainly his wife), and to her three children, Mary, Sarah, and Jane. After administering on the will of his mother-in-law, he removed to Boston, where we find him admitted an inhabitant " the 27 of the 2d month 1657," his brother John going the bond required in the case. Henceforward the births of his children are recorded in Boston.


Jane, of Edward and Patience Blake, b. Sept. 29, 1658. Susanna,


66 b. July 21, 1661. Abigail, 66 66 b. Nov. 10, 1663.


Edward, 66 66 b. Oct. 16, 1666.


Mercy, 66


b. March 26, 1670.


The Boston Records show hini to be a cooper, and in 1670 licensed " to keep hous of publique entertainment." The Dor- chester Church Records then furnish the following brief com- mentary on his family history in the list of baptisms : -


Jonathan, son of Edward Blake 7:5:72, his father being formerly a member of this church, and after joyned to ye second church in Boston & now dwelling in Melton.


The Dorchester Death Records also contain one item: -


Edward the son of Edward Blake died September 30th 1676.


Two years later Edward Blake was one of the seven brethren who united in forming the Milton Church.


His will, dated August 31, 1692, speaks of his eldest son, Jonathan, "who hath been a long time lame;" his son Solo- mon, born in Milton ; five daughters, "Mary Picher," " Sarah Talley," "Jane Kelton," "Susanna Wales," and "Abigail Blake ; " also his two sons-in-law, Richard Talley and Nathaniel Wales, whom he appointed his executors.


Some years later the Suffolk files show us a deed, dated Dec. 6, 1720, which traces two of these children : ----


Jonathan Blake cordwainer, and Solomon Blake cooper of Boston, with their wives Elizabeth and Abigail convey lands inherited from their grand- father William Blake late of Dorchester deceased.


We are thus able to identify the personnel of the following item in Boston Records : -


559


EARLY FAMILIES.


Jonathan Blake and Elizabeth Candage were married by Mr. Cotton Mather Feb. 16, 1699.


Edward Blake became a citizen of Milton before 1672, and was contemporary with his brother William. He died in Milton, 1692. We find him on the Board of Selectmen in 1678. In the formation of the Milton Church, April 24, 1678, he united from the Second Church of Boston, and William from the Church of Dorchester. These two brothers were co-workers in the town and church two hundred years ago, and through the last quarter of the seventeenth century. Peter Thacher found them earnest workers and noble Christian men, always ready to support him in his great work. He refers to them many times in his journal.


June 28, 1680. This morning Goodman Tucker the two Blakes, Mr. Holman Goodman Sumner Thos Swift and another of the church came to give me thanks for my labors and to request me to settle amongst them.


September 11th Mr Lawthrope came thither to see us this morning, we came to the ministerial house, the two Blakes lodged there all night to secure the goods, divers hands came to help us.


Nov 5 1683. We chose William Blake Deputy.


The homestead of the Blakes was on the north side of Brush Hill Road, north-east of the estate of Deacon Amariah and Nathan Tucker, standing higher on the hill, near the house of Mr. White. The house of Edward Blake, afterwards occupied by Ziba, disappeared many years ago. The family was repre- sented here for nearly a hundred and fifty years, and held real estate in almost every section of the town. Ziba Blake was collector of the town in 1773. Amariah was town-clerk, 1768 -- 85; town-treasurer, 1775; and collector, 1779. He died May 19, 1792, aged sixty years.


CLAPP FAMILY.


In the year 1630 Roger Clapp came from England in the ship " Mary and John," and settled in Dorchester. He was a man of great energy of character and rare ability. For sixty years he was almost constantly engaged in the civil, military, and ecclesiastical matters of his town and of the province. In 1635 he was followed by his elder brother Edward and his cousins Nicholas and Thomas, who also settled in Dorchester. Thomas removed to Scituate, and was the progenitor of the Clapp family in that town.


Edward Clapp was selectman in Dorchester for many years, and also deacon of the church for more than a quarter of a


560


HISTORY OF MILTON.


century. In the church records is the following notice of his death : -


The 8th day of the 11th mo. 1664 being the Sabbath day Deacon Edward Clapp departed this life and now resteth with the Lord, there to spend an eternal Sabbath with God and Christ in Heaven after that he had faithfully served in the office of a Deacon for the space of about five or six and twenty years.


Edward Clapp owned land in Milton, which at his decease de- scended to his eldest son, Ezra. Ezra Clapp was born May 22, 1640; he removed to Milton as early as 1667, and married Abigail Pond, of this town. He lived in the Pond house, which was next to the house of Rev. Peter Thacher, and thus he be- came the true and loving neighbor and friend of his pastor. About 1712 he erected a corn-mill on the Neponset at Matta- pan. By his first wife he had seven children. Mary married Nathaniel Pitcher of Milton, and lived in the old Academy house. Edward went to Canada in the disastrous expedition of Sir William Phipps, and never returned. There was no knowledge of his fate. Twenty-seven years later his father left by will a portion of his estate to his son Edward, "if he ever returned." Ezra died in Dorchester. Abigail married Mr. King. Sarah married John Vose, of Milton. Judith married Joseph Tucker. Elizabeth married John Rice, Jr., of Sudbury. Abigail, wife of Ezra, died Oct. 12, 1682. He married again, May 22, 1684, Experience Houghton, and had seven children. William died young; Jane married Eben- ezer Tucker; Nehemiah, Ezra, Ebenezer; Hester married James Endicott, of Dorchester ; Susanna married George Sum- ner, of Milton.


Ezra Clapp, of Milton, died Jan. 23, 1717. Nehemiah seems to have been the only son of Ezra, who passed his life in Milton. He married Lydia Tucker, of Milton, Aug. 16, 1716. He was for many years deacon of the Milton Church, and died July 18, 1743. His children were, 1st, Hannah, who married Stephen Badlam; 2d, Stephen, b. April 17, 1724, m. Mary -; he lived in Milton and died here ; 3d, Nehemiah, - he had two sons who died in early life, and a daughter, who mar- ried Ebenezer Swift; also a son Joseph, born June 7, 1726. Nehemiah was deacon of the Milton Church, and resided here till about fifty-five years of age, when he removed to Sterling. When in Milton he occupied the house on Brook Road now owned by J. H. Dudley, Jr. He died Jan. 30, 1799, aged seventy-three years. Nehemiah had nine children.


561


EARLY FAMILIES.


Rachel married Stephen Babcock, of Milton ; Nehemiah married Jerusha Vose, of Milton, and removed with his father to Sterling ; Joseph, Catherine, Abigail, Jerusha, Lydia, Stephen.


The family of Edward is now extinct in Milton, in the male line, as also, it is believed, in Dorchester, and almost so else- where.


CREHORE FAMILY.


Teague Crehore, the earliest known person who bore this name, appeared in Milton or Dorchester, it is stated, some time during the decade of 1640-50.


Family tradition affirms that he was a "mere child at the time," and had been "stolen from his parents in Ireland." The name has no correspondence, orthographically, with any Irish name ; but, phonetically, the old-fashioned pronunciation, aspirating the "h" and placing the accent on the last syllable, corresponds closely with that of the Irish surname Krehan or Krahan. A recently adopted pronunciation, the reverse of the old, corresponds with Creagh.


The earliest documentary evidence relating to Teague Crehore seems to be an unrecorded deed from John Gill to him of a piece of salt marsh, December, 1660. In 1670 he sold to Robert Badcock a piece of land near Paul's bridge, described as purchased by him from John Smith. His deed to Badcock is upon record, Suffolk Records, Lib. 7, fol. 281. This land was near Paul's bridge. He married - probably about 1665 - Mary, said to have been the daughter of Robert Spurr, of Dorchester. His death is recorded in Milton Records, Jan. 3, 1695, aged fifty-five years. His widow administered, and the inventory, etc., are found in Suffolk Probate Records, Lib. 10, fol. 723. She married subsequently, May 14, 1697, Matthias Puffer, of Stoughton.


Teague left five living children: Timothy, the ancestor, probably, of all bearing the name, born Oct. 18, 1666, who married, Feb. 10, 1688, Ruth Riol (Ryall?), of Dorchester. He died Aug. 15, 1739, and his headstone is in the Crehore lot, Milton Cemetery. Another son, Benjamin, also survived Teague; but there is no record of his having married. Three daughters, Ann, Rebecca, and Mary, married respectively Ebenezer Maxwell, of Bristol, Robert Pelton, of Dorchester, and Henry Glover, of Bristol. In 1714 the four last named united in a conveyance of their share of the paternal estate to their brother Timothy. (Suff. Rec., Book 29, fol. 186.)


Timothy, to judge from the records, added considerably to the paternal estate. He had a numerous family, ten in all,


562


HISTORY OF MILTON.


only two of whom seemed to have continued the name, - Timothy, 3d, and John. The latter, who bore the title of " Captain," was the head of a single line of males, all bearing the same name, who lived upon a portion of the paternal estate, terminating in the sixth generation (from Teague) with the death of John Ames Crehore, who died Jan. 21, 1877, leaving no issue.


Timothy, 3d, "Deacon Timothy," like his father, was the ancestor of all now bearing the name of Crehore. He was born Dec. 3, 1689; married, Dec. 24, 1712, Mary Driscoll, of Dorchester; and died Dec. 26, 1755. He lived as a farmer upon a portion of his father's property bordering the river, near Paul's bridge, and is buried in Milton Cemetery. He had three daughters, two of whom died young; the other, Hepsibah, with his sons, Jedediah and William, inherited his property, and the deed of partition - tripartite - is still in possession of the family.


Jedediah remained on the estate, which came into the hands of his third son, John Shepard, whose sons, Charles C. and Jeremiah, occupied it as late as 1844. The house now owned by Mr. Lyman Davenport, the one by Mrs. Green, and the next, adjoining the Bent property, are all of them situated upon this estate.


William also had a number of descendants, one of whom, Mr. Thomas Crehore, lived in Milton, and was a well-known citizen.


There are now, it is believed, none bearing the name who are residents of the town.


DAVENPORT FAMILY.


John Davenport, whose father, Thomas, was the first in this line of the family in New England, was born in Dorchester, Oct. 2, 1664, and died in Milton March 21, 1725. He came to Milton in 1706, purchasing land in the westerly part of the town, on the south side of Canton avenue, now embraced in the Hem- menway estate; there he built a house, which was occupied by his descendants for several generations.


His son Stephen was born Oct. 8, 1703; published to Thank- ful Bent, of Stoughton, Nov. 10, 1734, and died in Milton March 2, 1784.


His children were : -


William, b. Aug. 11, 1736 ; d. July 9, 1738.


Hannah, b. April 4, 1739 ; d. May 28, 1752.


Thomas, b. Dec. 27, 1742 ; died the day of his birth.


563


EARLY FAMILIES.


William, b. July 28, 1744; pub. to Avis Stone, March 17, 1780. Lydia, b. April 17, 1747 ; pub. to John Bradley, Oct. 14, 1769. Mary, b. Oct. 9, 1750 ; pub. to Eben Glover May, 14, 1785. Joseph, b. Nov. 16, 1753.


Benjamin, b. Nov. 1, 1758.


William Davenport was for a long time schoolmaster in Milton. He used to be called Master Willie. He was highly successful in his profession, and was much respected.


His children were : -


Hannah, b. Feb. 21, 1781 ; m. Phinehas Davenport, May 23, 1802.


Enoch, b. Aug. 30, 1782; d. Nov. 26, 1783.


Francis, b. Sept. 12, 1784; pub. to Abigail Whiting, March 30, 1810. Lydia, b. Nov. 4, 1786.


William, b. Aug. 12, 1789 ; pub. to Sally Shaller, May 19, 1827. Sarah, b. Aug. 5, 1792.


Francis Davenport was an active and useful citizen. He represented the town of Milton at the General Court for three years, 1826-28.


The children of Francis and Abigail Davenport were : - .


Charles F., b. July 18, 1812 ; pub. to Abigail T. Wentworth, Feb. 6, 1836. Joseph, b. March 9, 1819. William R., b. April 26, 1825. Hannah E., b. Dec. 12, 1827. Joseph, died unmarried.


The other three children removed to Taunton.


Ann Elizabeth Davenport, born June 14, 1829, the daughter of William and Sally Davenport, is now residing in Milton.


Samuel Davenport, son of John, and elder brother of Stephen, was born Oct. 20, 1697, married Rebecca Holbrook, of Milton, and lived on the estate of his father; five of his children were born here. When his eldest son, Samuel, Jr., became of age he gave him the homestead, and removed with the other children to Mendon.


Samuel Davenport, Jr., was, born in Milton Sept. 1, 1720, and died here Dec. 6, 1793. He was a silversmith by trade, and carried on his business partly in Milton. He was on the jury that tried Captain Preston, in the case of the Boston Massacre, Nov. 27, 1770.


All his children were born here : -


Lemuel, b. March 10, 1742. Sarah, b. July 29, 1744; m., 1761, John Crehore. Nathaniel, b. April 13, 1747.


Abigail, b. Aug 16, 1749 ; m., July 6, 1769, Lemuel Gay.


564


HISTORY OF MILTON.


Rufus, b. Jan. 19, 1752; d. April 12, 1752.


Isaac, b. Nov. 12, 1753.


Mehitable, b. April 14, 1759 ; m., Sept. 1777, John Vose, of Milton.


Nathaniel Davenport, the third child of Samuel, married Lydia Stone, February, 1767 ; he died in Milton June 13, 1813.


He was a butcher, and occupied a stall in Boston.


His children were : -


Samuel, b. April 9, 1769 ; died young.


Phinehas, b. March 9, 1772.


Avis, b. -; died young.


Avis, b. May 3, 1779 ; m., Dec., 1794, Dr. Benjamin Turner, of Milton. Nathaniel, b. March 7, 1781.


Isaac Davenport, the sixth child of Samuel, and brother of Nathaniel, died in Milton April 20, 1828. He married Mary, daughter of Samuel May, of Boston. She died Nov. 20, 1853.


Their children were : -


Mary, b. Dec. 21, 1795; m., Oct. 24, 1816, Joseph H. Heywood; she died July 30, 1843.


Louisa Goddard, b. Feb. 7, 1808; m., Dec. 7, 1841, Dr. Samuel Wiggles- worth. She died July 17, 1859.


Much might be said of this enterprising citizen and his family. For many years he was a merchant in Boston, in partnership with John McLean. Dr. Morrison says : -


He left but two children, both daughters. Louisa was much younger than her sister, and usually spent her winters in Boston. But her carliest associations bound her to Milton, where every knoll and stream and tree was dear to her. She loved the place for its own sake and for her father's sake. She was a liberal benefactor to the church. She knew something about all the old Milton families, and kept up her interest in them as long as she lived.


Her eyesight failed, and she passed the last fifteen years of her life in darkness. But nothing could quench the light and joy of her soul. She continued to bear every burden meekly and cheerfully, and to shed brightness over the pathway of all her friends, until the effulgence of heavenly light opened upon her spiritual vision.


Phinehas Davenport, the second son of Nathaniel, was born in Milton March 9, 1772, and died here Jan. 31, 1840. He married, May 23, 1802, Hannah Davenport, daughter of William, a school- master and store-keeper of Milton.


Their children were : -


565


EARLY FAMILIES.


Sarah, b. Sept. 9, 1802; d. March 7, 1838.


Francis William, b. Feb. 16, 1804; d. Feb. 4, 1857 ; he married, Jan. 24, 1837, Betsy, daughter of the Hon. John Ruggles, of Milton.


Phinehas Davenport was an excellent citizen, greatly beloved by the entire community. In the early part of the present century there were four noble men residing in the West District, who seemed to give character to that section of the town : Phinehas Davenport, John Crehore, William Crehore, and John Ruggles. They were men of good judgment and of excellent spirit, and always enjoyed, in an uncommon degree, the confidence of their fellow-citizens.


Nathaniel Davenport, the youngest son of Nathaniel, and brother of Phinehas, was born in Milton March 7, 1781, and died May 5, 1863. He married, Jan. 1, 1801, Nancy Daven- port, daughter of Jesse. She died March 1, 1865. He was for a time a student at Phillips Academy, Andover.


His children were : --


Nancy, b. March 31, 1801; m., Jan. 11, 1821, Jason W. Houghton, of Milton.


George, b. Feb. 3, 1805 ; m., Nov. 31, 1828, Harriet C. Davenport, dau. of Elijah.


Lewis, b. Sept. 25, 1808; m., Dec. 9, 1834, Margaret L. Babcock, of Milton.


Nathaniel T., b. Jan. 8, 1811; m., Jan. 29, 1834, Sarah Dunbar, of Milton.


Lydia, b. Feb. 22, 1814 ; m., July 20, 1837, James Breck, of Milton. Henry Seth, b. June 27, 1819 ; unmarried.


Fred. Jason, b. Jan. 5, 1824; m., Oct. 26, 1845, Hannah M. Cutting. Edward, m., Sept. 27, 1855, Sarah M. Edwin, twins, b. Aug. 21, 1816, Sampson.


m., Feb. 14, 1855, Ellen M. Bennett.


Lyman, b. June 26, 1829 ; m., Nov. 29, 1855, Harriet L. Blaney.


The Davenports have been residents of Milton for nearly two centuries, and some of them have always lived on or near the land purchased by their ancestor in 1707, a portion of which remains in the family. Several families of the original stock are still with us; while, by intermarriage, the family is repre- sented in almost every section of the town. They are chiefly engaged in floriculture, in which business they have attained great skill and remarkable success.


HOUGHTON FAMILY.


Ralph Houghton was born in Lancashire, England, 1623. It is said that he was the son of Sir Richard Hoghton, of Hoghton


566


HISTORY OF MILTON.


Tower, Lancashire, who was created a baronet, by James I., upon the institution of the order, May 22, 1611.


Ralph Houghton came to America on account of his religious and political opinions. He had fought under Cromwell against Charles I., though he had been previously knighted by the king for service to his person. He landed at Charlestown between 1645 and 1647. Soon after he removed to Lancaster, Mass., and with twenty-four others founded that town in 1653. He was chosen the first town recorder, and one of the six prudential managers. He was representative of the town, 1673, and again in 1689, and held various other offices.


Lancaster having been destroyed by the Indians in 1675, Mr. Houghton removed to Woburn, Mass., and in 1682 to Milton, Mass. He returned to Lancaster three years after, and remained there until 1690, when he came again to Milton, and settled at "Scott's Woods, nigh unto Brush Hill," building the homestead occupied by his descendants for seven generations. He died there April 15, 1705, aged eighty-two years.


Joseph Houghton, son of Ralph, and Jane his wife, was born at Lancaster July 6, 1657, and died in the homestead at Milton March 22, 1737. He married, first, Jane Vose, and, second, Mar- garet Reding. Ebenezer Houghton, son of Joseph and Jane, was born in Milton Aug. 25, 1695; he married Sarah Evans Sept. 17, 1722, and died here Jan. 24, 1783. In 1722 Joseph Houghton conveyed to Ebenezer, his son, a tract of one hundred and fifty acres of land, embracing what is now known as Hough- ton's farm. Ralph Houghton, son of Ebenezer, was born in Mil- ton Feb. 20, 1729, married, first, Ruth Wadsworth Feb. 15, 1759, second, Waitstill Gulliver Feb. 3,1792. Jason, son of Ralph and Ruth, born Aug. 25, 1768, married Caty Wild Dec. 25, 1788, and died in Milton Sept. 16, 1843. He was a school-master, and was known as "Master Houghton." He taught the Scott's Woods school twenty-eight years. Later in life he was called Deacon Jason. He had fourteen children, all born in the "Houghton house." Jason Wadsworth Houghton, his son, born June 12, 1793, married Nancy Davenport, of Milton, Jan. 11, 1821, and died in Milton Dec. 13, 1867.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.