USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > Part 29
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
settled in Watertown, Mass .; he removed to Dedham in 1637, and died at Medfield, April 5, 1654. He brought with him from England his wife Elizabeth, who died June 20, 1654, also his son Joseph Morse, who was born in England in 1615, married Hannah Phillips of Watertown in 1638, and died in Dorchester in 1654.
Russell Morse of the sixth generation from the above Samuel Morse, was born July 12, 1786, probably at Hub- bardston; he married Betsey Waite July 30, 1807. They settled in the north part of Royalston on the place first settled by Thomas Perry, later the home of Ammi Faulkner, a leading town officer and moderator of town meetings.
He was a thrifty farmer and a man of prominence in public affairs, represented the town in the General Court three terms, was Selectman nine years, and Assessor seven years when the election to that office was not combined with that of Selectman. He died Oct. 27, 1869, and his wife Betsey died Nov. 13, 1869. They had seven children: Nelson, Esther, Caroline, Eliza, Russell, Mary and Emeline.
Nelson Morse, oldest son of Russell and Betsey (Waite) Morse, was born in Royalston Feb. 18, 1810, married Sarah Flagg and moved to Fitzwilliam, N. H., about 1840, and to Keene, N. H., about 1854, where he was for some years keeper of the Cheshire County jail, and afterwards engaged in the real estate and auction business. He was one of the founders of the St. James Episcopal Church in Keene. He died in Keene Jan. 3, 1883, and his wife Sarah also died there. They had two children, one of whom died in infancy.
Julius Nelson Morse, son of Nelson and Sarah (Flagg) Morse, was born in Royalston Aug. 5, 1840. When his parents removed to Keene in 1854 he entered the office of the Cheshire Republican and learned the printer's trade. After gaining some experience by working on other papers outside of Keere, in 1865 he became part proprietor of the Cheshire Republican, and a little later sole proprietor, and continued as owner and editor until 1878, when he retired from active business. He was an active participant in the affairs of St. James Episcopal Church, a member of the Masonic fraternity, trustee of a savings bank, and vitally interested in humanitarian work and matters pertaining to the improvement of the com- munity. He married Jan. 23, 1868 Elizabeth W. Poole, who
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THE MORSE FAMILY
died Sept. 28, 1869. He married (second) October, 1874 Anna M. Chase. He died Feb. 21, 1896.
Esther Morse, daughter of Russell and Betsey Morse, was born in Royalston Jan. 2, 1813. She married George Chase of Royalston in 1836. They had five children. She died Dec. 18, 1906 at the age of ninety-three years and eleven months. She was well preserved and did not appear to have a weakened sense, and had a glow in her open countenance seldom seen in one of her years.
Caroline Chase, daughter of Russell and Betsey Morse, was born in Royalston Nov. 15, 1808. She married Chauncy Chase Dec. 2, 1830 and their home was in Boston until 1859 when they removed to Royalston.
Mary Morse was born in Royalston May 6, 1824, married Benjamin Bachelder Bartlett May 23, 1843; they had two children.
Eliza Morse was born in Royalston Feb. 16, 1815; she married Elmer Bartlett; they had two children. She died in Cambridge Jan. 15, 1905.
Russe'l Morse, Jr., son of Russell and Betsey Morse, was born in Royalston May 17, 1819. He was interested in town affairs, was one of the building committee of the town hall, and a member of the committee of arrangements for the Centennial celebration of 1865. He married Mary Ann Stebbins of Vernon, Vt., Feb. 1, 1843. They had four children: Edmund Russell, Calista Stebbins, John Prescott and Jenner.
Emeline, youngest daughter of Russell and Betsey (Waite) Morse, was born in Royalston Feb. 17, 1827. She married Josiah Wilder Sept. 19, 1854; he was born in Winchendon March 4, 1826; later on he lived in Royalston for some time and went to Cincinnati, Ohio a few years before his mar- riage, where he engaged in business. He died July 11, 1888. They had nine children: Florence Louise, born Feb. 4, 1857, married Dec. 5, 1878 Julius Friedeborn; they have one child, Ida Belle born Feb. 13, 1859, married June 21, 1883 Samuel M. Goodman; they have three children. William Hamlin, born Dec. 16, 1861, married June 10, 1884 Ella Taylor, who died in September, 1899; they had one child. William married Dec. 25, 1907 Carrie Rothschild; they have two children. Nettie, born Nov. 8, 1863, married May 19, 1887 Howard Carey. Nellie,
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
born Nov. 8, 1863, married May 19, 1887 Lonsdale Green; they have three children. Carrie Chase, born July 4, 1866, married June 12, 1890 Albert Edward Brooks; they have four children. Emma Waite, born July 1, 1869; Mary Elizabeth, born June 23, 1871, died March 1874. Emeline (Morse) Wilder died Feb. 17, 1907 at the age of eighty years.
THE LEATHE FAMILY
Francis Leathe of Salem, a ship owner, is the immigrant ancestor of the family of that name in New England. He took the oath of allegiance at Topsfield or Rowley, Mass. in 1678. The first member of the family to come to Royalston was Benjamin Leathe of the fifth generation. He was a son of Francis Leathe of the fourth generation, and was born in Woburn, Mass. Nov. 14, 1753. He is said to have partici- pated in that historic "Tea Party" in Boston harbor, and was a soldier in the Revolution, serving in the company of Cap- tain Samuel Sprague, of Chelsea, at the Lexington alarm. He married Lois Walton of Reading. He was a cordwainer or shoemaker, by trade, and after residing in Reading for a time settled in Royalston in the north part of the town, on the farm now owned by Frank B. Frye. He died in 1831 and was succeeded by his son, Benj. Leathe, Jr. In 1805 he bought the Nathan Cutting place and settled his son John there, who died in 1885 and was succeeded by his son William H. Leathe, the present owner.
The children of Benjamin and Lois (Walton) Leathe were: Benjamin, born in Reading Oct. 25, 1781; Lois, born in Reading, May 13, 1783, died Aug. 6, 1789; John, born in Reading, Jan. 21, 1785, died Aug. 7, 1789; Betsey, born in Royalston, May 17, 1787; Benjamin Jr., born in Royalston, May 19, 1790; Lois, born in Royalston, June 29, 1792, married Joseph Day of Winchendon, Dec. 12, 1837; John, born Oct. 24, 1794 and Samuel, born May 21, 1800, and died June 1, 1881.
Benjamin Leathe, Jr., son of Benjamin and Lois (Walton) Leathe, was born in Royalston, May 19, 1790. He settled on the homestead deeded to him by his father in 1827. He married Paulina Chase, daughter of Silas and Diadama Chase,
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e
WILLIAM H. LEATHE
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THE LEATHE FAMILY
Aug. 11, 1814. Their children were: John Walton, born Jan. 22, 1815, married Polly Morse of Fitzwilliam, N. H., Nov. 15, 1828; William M., born March 22, 1821 of whom a sketch will be found in another chapter of this work; Paulina Ann born Aug. 8, 1826; Sarah Garfield, born June 11, 1823 and Benjamin Franklin, born Nov. 24, 1831. John Leathe, son of Benjamin and Lois (Walton) Leathe, was born in Royalston, Oct. 24, 1794. He lived on the place that he occupied at his death for more than seventy years. He was a man of great physical endurance, performing the most severe labor with no apparent fatigue until the approach of old age, and was an esteemed citizen of the town. He died in 1885 at the age of ninety-one years being at the time of his death the oldest person in town; he married Polly Morse of Fitzwilliam Nov. 15, 1828. The children of John and Polly (Morse) Leathe were: Mary E., born Nov. 23, 1829, married Amos Hubbard of Royalston; she died Aug. 16, 1900; their children: Eleanor M., born Sept. 5, 1849, married John McRae of Gardner; Elizabeth M., born Dec. 19, 1851, married Calvin W. Wilson of Gardner; Flora F. born Feb. 20, 1856, married Sidney B. Fairbanks of Gardner; Estella C., born Sept. 20, 1864, died Sept. 30, 1866; Betsey W., born Feb. 10, 1831, died Sept. 6, 1851; John F., born May 26, 1832, married Lucy L. Alger of Winchendon; their children are: Walter F. Leathe, born July 26, 1860, and Mary L., who married Everett Fisher of Royal- ston; Rebekah H., born Nov. 22, 1833, married Benjamin Alger of Winchendon; their son William B. Alger was born June 3, 1867; Martha F., born Dec. 15, 1835, married James S. Piper of Royalston; Elvira R., born Aug 18, 1838, married Elma L. Hale of Wincherdon; their daughter Alice E. Hale, born April 23, 1873, died! April 22, 1889. Mrs. Hale died June 21, 1895.
William H. Leathe, son of John and Polly (Morse) Leathe, was born in Royalston June 21, 1840, and succeeded his father on the farm which had come down from his grand- father and which has always been his home. He has always taken an active interest in town affairs, and was for many years on the Board of Assessors, serving from 1900 to 1913 continuously. He has always been deeply interested in the history of the town, and probably no man living today is better posted on the history of the past than he. It was at
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
his suggestion that the article regarding the publication of a town history was fiist put in town meeting warrant.
He married Frances R. Williamson of Royalston March 13, 1890. Their children are John H. Leathe, born Sept. 2, 1890, married Elsa Ruth Allsen of Boston, May 25, 1912; their home is in Royalston.
Herbert H. Leathe, born July 13, 1895, lives at home with his parents.
LYMAN STONE FAMILY
Lyman Stone, for many years a leading citizen and town officer of Royalston, was born in Dover, Vt. March 4, 1825, the youngest of the seven children of Jonathan and Sophia (Miller) Stone. His father died when Lyman was four months old, and the mother had a hard fight to bring up the family. When five years old he went to Fitzwilliam, N. H. to live, which was his home until he was twenty-one years old. In that time he had accumulated by hard work and saving, four hundred dollars, and owned three suits of clothes. This was his freedom capital, and with it he set up a sawmill on Otter brook, at a place where these animals had built a dam. It was formerly Lieut. Allen's mill and was established more than a century ago. He carried on business at this mill for more than half a century when he leased the mill to his son-in-law, Herbert O. Smith.
He was married Feb. 14, 1850 to Miss Marilla Amanda Waste, daughter of Ebenezer and Lucinda (Grant) Waste of Whitingham, Vt., and took his bride to a house that he had just built across the street from his mill, and which was their home until the death of Mr. Stone, and is still the home of Mrs. Stone, it having been sixty-five years since she came there as a bride. Their golden wedding anniversary was celebrated there Feb. 14, 1900, when a family dinner was served to which thirty-nine persons, being descendants and their husbands and wives, sat down, and in the afternoon a public reception was held which was largely attended by the townspeople. Mr. Stone was prominent in town affairs, having been selectman, assessor, school committeeman, high- way surveyor many terms. He never was a member of any
LYMAN STONE FAMILY
Standing, Left to Right : Clarence Stone, Marilla Stone, Lyman Stone, Edward L. Stone
Seated, Left to Right: Alice Smith, Cora Richards, Julia Parker, Hattie Carkin, Mary Hayden, Emma Thayer
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THE LEATHE FAMILY
club or secret society. The only business he was engaged in was lumbering and the turning out of chair stock in which he did a large business, employing a number of men and teams, and in which he was engaged for fifty-four years. He had traveled considerable, having been to California, the West and South, and to Nova Scotia. Mr. Stone died Sept. 21, 1900. They had nine children of whom eight are now living (1915). All were born in Royalston.
The children of Lyman and Marilla Amanda (Waste) Stone were Edward Lyman, born March 31, 1852; Clarence E., born Jan. 10, 1854, married Mary Isabel Averill of North Newcastle, Me. Jan. 10, 1876; Emma Marilla, born Nov. 24, 1855, married Sidney Thayer of Athol, Nov. 18, 1875; their home is in South Athol; Mary Lucinda, born Sept. 23, 1858, married James Orville Hayden of Boxboro, Mass .; they live in Somerville, Mass .; Hattie Maria, born Oct. 15, 1862, married George E. Carkins of New Hampshire July 4, 1882; Julia Lillian, born June, 4, 1866, married Alonzo Sanderson Parker of Athol; Cora Viola, born May 7, 1868, married George H. Richards Dec. 24, 1892; Lizzie Amelia, born Dec. 11, 1869, died Feb. 23, 1870; Alice Ella, born Jan. 11, 1871, married Herbert Oliver Smith of Troy, N. H. Nov. 24, 1898.
Edward Lyman Stone, oldest son of Lyman and Marilla (Waste) Store was born in Royalston, March 31, 1852. He attended school in the old No. 2 District, and also went for three Fall terms to the High School at Royalston Centre. At nineteen years of age he left school and went to work in his father's sawmill in Royalston. On March 31, 1875 he mar- ried Emma Frances Collins of Fitzwilliam, N. H., who was born in Warwick, Mass., Oct. 9, 1853. They lived in Royal- ston until Nov. 1, 1877, when they moved to Fitzwilliam Depot, N. H., where Mr. Stone became a member of the firm of Burbank & Stone, and started in the sawmill and grist mill business, cutting out pail stock, lumber, etc. In 1878 the partnership was dissolved, after which the business went under the name of E. L. Stone. In April, 1894 the mill was destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt the same year. He continued in the chair business and the getting out of lumber, boxes, etc., until May 1, 1913, when he transferred the business to his son, R. W. Stone, who has since conducted it.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Edward Lyman and Emma (Collins) Stone had two children: Robert Waldo, born Aug. 7, 1862 and Cora Viola Stone, born in Royalston, May 9, 1869, married in Royalston by Rev. A. M. Rice to George Henry Richards of Hubbard- ston, Mass., Dec. 24, 1891; they had four children born in Royalston, Fitzwilliam, N. H. and Athol. Mr. Richards died June 9, 1909. Mrs. Richards resides in Athol.
Julia Lillian Stone, born in Royalston June 4, 1866, married in Royalston by Rev. Milton Pond to Alonzo S. Parker of Athol, June 17, 1885; they had two children born in Royal- ston and Templeton.
ELDER WIGHTMAN JACOBS FAMILY
The Jacobs family of Royalston are descended from Nath- aniel Jacobs, who is believed to have been born in Bristol, R. I., July 6, 1683, and was married Oct. 22, 1713, to "Mary, sister of Rev. Valentine Wightman," who planted the first Baptist church in Connecticut in 1705. According to tradition he was descended from Edward Wightman, the last man burned for heresy in England in 1612.
Nathaniel Jacobs removed from Bristol to Woodstock, Conn., about 1730, and later to Thompson, Conn., in a section sparsely settled, bordering on primeval forest. His place be- came one for rest and refreshment to many travelers from Connecticut or Boston, and in later years became popular and widely known as the Half-way House between Boston and Hartford, and during the Revolutionary War the "Old Jacobs Tavern" entertained many well-known leaders and officers. Young Nathan Hale, on his journey to Boston one cold morning in the winter of '76, reports "breakfasting at Jacobs' Tavern." Its most distinguished guest was the first American, General Washington, who breakfasted at the house of "one Jacobs," when returning from Boston on the first Presidential Tour November 7, 1789. The old tavern had traditions of romance as well as of business and public affairs.
Wightman Jacobs, son of Nathaniel, became a leader among the Baptists when a young man, and was selected as their pastor, being formally ordained and installed in service in 1750, the first minister raised up in Thompson. He remained pastor of
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THE ELDER WIGHTMAN JACOBS FAMILY
this church nearly twenty years, and in 1769 removed to Royalston, Mass., and was the first settled pastor of the West Royalston Baptist church, being installed Dec. 13, 1870, and served the church as pastor for sixteen years. A part of this time his home was in the northerly part of Athol, on Chestnut Hill, being the farm now owned and occupied by Frank W. Whitney; while another place that was his abode for some time, was half way up "Jacobs' Hill" where Mr. Clement resided for many years. He died at the home of his son, Joseph, in Royal- ston March 28, 1801, from a fall. He was one of the strong and dominating characters of early Royalston history, and his in- fluence has been felt all through the years, his descendants having been prominent and useful citizens of Royalston and other towns and cities of New England and the country. Her- bert Adams, the well-known sculptor, is a descendant of Elder Wightman Jacobs in the fifth generation.
SIMEON JACOBS, JR., FAMILY
Simeon Jacobs, Jr., was born February 5, 1783. He married Molly Kenney April 10, 1805, and lived on the farm now owned by Myron W. Sherwood, where he was one of the old time land- lords, his home being one of the taverns of the town. He died Sept. 4, 1824, at the age of forty-one, leaving a family of nine boys, the oldest of whom was less than nineteen years of age, and the youngest a little over a year at the time of his father's death. The children were: Ira, born Dec. 17, 1805, married Emeline Cohen in 1829; Isaac, born Dec. 22, 1807; Moses, born Nov. 25, 1809, married Lydia Clark of Howard Patent, N. Y., in 1836; Sumner, born Jan. 12, 1812, married Susan Clapp in 1835, and second, Mary Higgins in 1845; Simeon, born April 11, 1814, married Ann Lomans of Columbia, Conn., and their descend- ants are now living in that vicinity; Horace, born April 5, 1816, married Emily Owen of Westfield, Mass., whose father owned a large part of Mount Tom. His early education was obtained in the schools of Royalston. He became an eminent physician of Springfield. His children were: Dr. Chauncy A. Jacobs and Mary Jacobs of Springfield; Horace Jacobs of Boston, Rachel B. Jacobs, who was one of the foremost women of Springfield, a graduate of Vassar College, for twelve years a member of
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
the school committee of Springfield and active in both church and charity matters; and Miriam Jacobs who married Rev. A. F. Rice, a prominent Methodist minister of the New England Conference; Enoch, born Feb. 5, 1819; and Alonzo, born in 1821; Philander Jacobs, the youngest member of the family born July 3, 1823, was adopted by a family by the name of Forristal and was thenceforth known as Philander Jacobs Forristal. He married Sally Ann Pitman of Boston March 26, 1846, and became a prominent merchant in Boston. He bought the old home of his father in Royalston for a summer residence, where his family spent their summers for many years.
FRANCIS JACOBS FAMILY
Francis Jacobs, son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Bennett) Jacobs, was born Aug. 13, 1807. He was a farmer, a man of sterling character, and was closely identified with the work of the Baptist church in West Royalston, being one of its deacons. He married Parney Goddard of Royalston Nov. 28, 1837. Their children were: Thomas A., born Sept. 21, 1838, he was drowned Aug. 8, 1860; Czaranina White, born June 8, 1841, married Erwin J. Fuller of Marlboro, N. H., Sept. 16, 1865; and Bela J. Jacobs, born Nov. 5, 1839. His early life was that of an ordinary farmer's boy. His education was received in the district school and Shel- burne Falls academy and Powers Institute, Bernardston, Mass. He worked on the farm summers and taught school winters for several years. In company with Erwin J. Fuller he went to Leominster in 1867, and bought out a drug store to which they afterwards added groceries. In 1881 he went to Natick and went into the hardware store of W. D. Parlin as salesman. He has been an active worker in the Baptist church and Sunday school in the different places where he has resided, and has been a teacher in the Sunday school almost continuously for over fifty years. After going to Natick he was chosen clerk of the church and one of the senior deacons. He married Mary A. Stowell of Claremont, N. H., Nov. 29, 1866. She died Nov. 1, 1870. They had two children: Etta M., born Feb. 27, 1868; and Irving S., born Nov. 1, 1870.
Etta M. married W. Cook of Natick, optician and jeweler.
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THE FRANCIS JACOBS FAMILY
Irving S., married Grace E. Mansfield of Everett. He is in the clothing business in Natick, firm name, Jacobs and Southland.
Bela J. Jacobs married (2) Josephine C. Walker of New Brunswick Oct. 10, 1871. Two children: Ernest L., born Jan. 19, 1873, and Helena J., born Nov. 10, 1874. Ernest L. married Ellen J. Hardie of Natick; he is in the dry goods firm of W. H. Colby and Co., Natick. Helena J. married Lloyd Brown of Keene, N. H., a graduate of Brown university, they live in Detroit, Mich.
Whitman Jacobs, son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Bennett) Jacobs was born Sept. 11, 1809, in West Royalston. The chil- dren of Whitman Jacobs were: Alonzo W. Jacobs, born Feb. 25, 1853; George D., who died in 1884; Rufus M., who lived in Putney, Vt .; and John T. of West Royalston.
Alonzo W. Jacobs was in the market business in Athol for a short time and then went to Greeley, Colorado, in 1878. He soon after started in the meat business which he continued in the same place for thirty-six years, being one of the oldest firms in the city. He retired from business in 1914 and is now looking after his extensive farming interests. He married Lillian Brock- way of New Brunswick, May 30, 1883. They had two sons.
THE CLEMENT FAMILY
The Clement family of Royalston are' descended from a Presbyterian minister of Scotland, who in a time when the Catholic religion prevailed, with his family and many others emigrated to Ulster county, Ireland, for the sake of religious liberty. He had three children, one of whom, James Clement, was the first one of the family to come to America. He married Lydia Harris and settled in Massachusetts.
William Clement, one of the early settlers of Royalston, settled on the road leading from Lieut. Jonas Allen's place to the common. He was a soldier of the Revolution and was in the battle of Bunker Hill. He married Anna Nichols, daughter of Henry Nichols, March 30, 1780. They had nine children, all born in Royalston, of whom two died in infancy: Isaac, born Oct. 16, 1780, married Mary Town, daughter of William Town, Aug. 9, 1801; Elizabeth, born April 5, 1782, married Asa
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Bacheller, son of Dr. Stephen Bacheller, Sen., June 2, 1805; Sally, born Dec. 24, 1784, married Oct. 10, 1803, Isaac Prouty, who bought the farm and tannery that was established by William Brown; Mercy, born March 17, 1789, married Ira Bragg Nov. 18, 1810; William, born Dec. 7, 1786; Dilly, born Oct. 4, 1794; and Charlotte, born Nov. 19, 1796. About 1810 William Clement, with a part of his family moved to Croyden, N. H., where he died at the age of eighty-five.
William Clement, Jr., who went to Croyden with his father, married Rosanna Cooper of Croyden and later returned to Royalston; had four children: Benjamin F., Sylvander, William and Jane R., who married Ebenezer Whitney, Aug. 13, 1848.
Benjamin F. Clement, son of William Clement, Jr., was born in Croyden, N. H., Aug. 29, 1812, and died June 8, 1851. He had five children: Henry S., born March 19, 1835; Will A., born Feb. 2, 1841, died Dec. 24, 1864; Edna, born Aug. 3, 1839, died Nov. 18, 1857; Asa B., born April 10, 1849, died Nov. 18, 1905; Dwight E., born Nov. 9, 1836.
Dwight E. Clement, son of Benjamin F. Clement, born Nov. 9, 1836. He lived in Royalston before his marriage and since then has lived in Tully where he has been engaged in farming. He had three children: Charles, born March 11, 1868, and died in July 1868; Cora E., born June 27, 1869; and Walter H., born Aug. 26, 1870.
William W. Clement, was born in Croyden, N. H., May 14, 1819. He came to Royalston with his father and was engaged in farming. He became prominent in town affairs serving on the board of selectmen from 1859 to 1865 inclusive, and was also on the board of assessors. He went into market gardening near Boston for a few years, but returned to Royalston and was again one of the selectmen from 1871 to 1875 inclusive and also an assessor. He also represented this district in the legislature of 1866. During the latter part of his life, his home was what has been known as the Joseph T. Nichols place on the common. He died Aug. 11, 1876.
THE ESTEY FAMILY
One of the most prominent families of the earliest settlers of Royalston was the Estey family, whose name is said to have
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THE ESTEY FAMILY
been derived from the colony of Padua, Italy, in the seventh century. The members of the family soon spread westward and now they are to be found in France, England and America.
The American branches of the family were said to have been planted by three brothers who came from England. Jeffrey Estey (or Easty as the name frequently appeared), was an early settler at Salem and Beverly. He was probably a Quaker. His wife, Elizabeth, bore him two children, Edward and Isaac. Isaac, known as Sergeant Eastey, lived in Topsfield, Mass., and was selectman of that town from 1681 to 1687. His wife, Mary, born in Yarmouth, England, who came with her parents, William and Joanna (Blessing) Towne, was a victim of the Salem witch- craft persecutions and was executed Sept. 22, 1692, as had been her sister, Rebecca Nourse, previously. Jacob, son of Isaac and Mary Eastey, the fifth son in the family of nine children, inherited the homestead and lived in Topsfield. He was select- man in 1725 and died in 1732. His wife, Lydia Elliott, bore him five children. Of these, Isaac, born in 1715, lived in Tops- field, Mass., until 1740, when he removed to Sutton, Mass., and subsequently settled in Royalston sometime before 1767, for that year he was one of the selectmen of Royalston. His aged mother came to town with him, and rode in a chaise, which it required several men to steady and help over the ob- structions of the way. She was the first adult female that died in Royalston. He settled the first place west of the common, near the foot of Jacob's Hill, so-called. He was one of the eight persons who "embodied" with the 1st Baptist church of Royalston in 1768, and became its first deacon. He was a man of considerable property and a highly respected citizen. He married Sarah Gould Nov. 1, 1743. He died in 1792. His wife, Sarah Gould, bore him two children, Jacob and Hepsibah.
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