USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Durham > History of the town of Durham, New Hampshire (Oyster River Plantation) with genealogical notes, Volume 2 > Part 1
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DEACON WINTHROP SMITH MESERVE
HISTORY
of the
TOWN OF DURHAM
NEW HAMPSHIRE (Oyster River Plantation)
WITH GENEALOGICAL NOTES
By EVERETT S. STACKPOLE and WINTHROP .S. MESERVE
1
₹, Fly : WW.0. VOLUMES
Volume Two GENEALOGICAL
RD
MF
Rumford
PUBLISHED BY VOTE OF THE TOWN
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 671421 ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS. R 1914 1
HOY
FOREWORD
The vital statistics of Durham, N. H., in both town and church records, are not plentiful. There are periods of many years in which nothing of this nature was recorded. The marriages and baptisms of the Rev. John Adams, never heretofore published, have been used in this work. The records of Province, State and County have been searched for marriages, wills, deaths, etc. The court files at Concord have been the "Happy Hunting Grounds," where something new and interesting can always be found. The kind helpfulness of attendants makes it a pleasure to search in the rooms of the Secretary of State. A large por- tion of this volume has been gathered by correspondence from private family records.
Many errors in dates will be detected probably, since some- times the town record, the family Bible and the tombstone may give three different dates for a birth, or a death. Correspond- ents often contradict themselves in such matters without knowing it, and they are sure afterward that they were not in error. The proofs have been read and criticised by three or more persons, and this is the best we can do, with present knowledge.
The usual genealogical abbreviations appear, b. for born, m. for married, d. for died, s. p. for sine prole, without issue, dau. for daughter, ch. for child or children, bapt. for baptized, 1. for lived, rem. for removed, est. for estate, adm. for administered, sometimes O. R. for Oyster River. The families are arranged alphabetically.
Statements are not made herein, unless the evidences are convincing, although all the evidences are not always stated, for lack of space. A probability, or a reasonable supposition, is followed by an interrogation point. Such suggestions are given as pointers for further researches by the reader.
If we care nothing for our ancestors, our descendants may care . nothing for us. We must know our relations in order to know ourselves.
GENEALOGICAL
ADAMS
Charles Adams, born about 1623, bought land at Oyster River of John Ault, 10 April 1645. He was taxed in 1648, and took the oath of fidelity 21 June 1669. Constable in 1662. He and four- teen others of his household were slain in the massacre of 1694, and his house was burned. The mound of earth marking their graves is very near the Mathes burial place, at Durham Point.
DELIVERANCE, named in Court record, 1679.
CHARLES b. 1668; m. Temperance Benmore.
MARY m. William Tasker.
SARAH m. Henry Nock, 10 Jan. 1691/2, (2) Eleazer Wyer. SAMUEL, slain with wife and children in 1694.
MERCY, or URSULA, b. 13 March 1674; captured 1694; bapt.
in Canada 6 April 1697, when she was recorded as dau. of Charles and Rebecca (Smith) Adams of Oyster River. She m. Charles Brisebois and d. before 1732, leaving at least two children.
Charles Adams (Charles), born 1668, administered his father's estate I April 1695, and the inventory of his own estate was rendered 9 Nov. of the same year. He married Temperance, daughter of Philip Benmore, who married, 28 Sept. 1669, Rebecca, widow of Thomas Nock, whose maiden name was Tibbetts. He left two daughters.
REBECCA m. Joseph Duda, or Durrell.
ESTHER m. Thomas Bickford.
ADAMS
On the 20th day of November, 1684, Timothy Prout, Edward Willey and Edward Willis became surety to the town of Boston for Richard Wilkins, William Stewarte, John Adams, John Lang- don, Samuel Gray, John Simons, Thomas Atkinson, and Archi- bald Eraskin [Erskine] and their families. [See report of the Record Commissioners of Boston, Vol. X, p. 75.]
It is known that Stewarte and Erskine were Scotchmen, and it is probable that all of this company were from Scotland. They had recently arrived and somebody had to be surety for them, lest they might come upon the town for support.
The above John Adams had wife, Avis, and the next event
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
recorded concerning his family is the birth of their daughter, Jane, in 1686. He bought a house of Nathaniel Williams, 20 Dec. 1688, and is called "cordwainer" in the deed. He sold "tenement and shop" to Abraham Blish, 19 Jan. 1690. The deed is witnessed by Peter Barber. June 20, 1693, Mary, widow of Henry Phillips, sold to John Adams, Sr., of Boston, cordwainer, a house occupied by Samuel Gray, doubtless the same person as the one named among those who arrived with John Adams in 1684. It was on the highway leading to Roxbury, bounded east by Bishop's Lane, which is now Hawley Street. William Gibbons was one of the witnesses. June 21, 1693, John Adams, Sr., cord- wainer, and Avis, his wife, mortgaged to John Richards the house last mentioned, "tenement occupied by Samuel Gray." The mortgage was discharged 23 Feb. 1693/4. The marriage bond of Peter Barbour, tailor and Sarah Willey, spinster, of Boston, was signed by John Adams, shoemaker, of Boston, 16 Nov. 1687. [See Court Files, Boston.] Peter Barbour was another Scotchman.
On 10 Feb. 1693, John Adams, Sr., cordwainer, and wife, Avis, deeded to Mathew Cary a tenement late in the possession of Mary Phillips and now in the tenure of John Adams. The deed was subscribed 9 March 1693/4. This same house was sold by Mathew Cary to Samuel Lynde, 15 Dec. 1694, "occupied by John Adams, Sr.," and 5 Jan. 1696/7 Mathew Cary sold to An- drew Belcher the same house, "now or late in the tenure & occu- pancy of John Adams, cordwainer."
The Superior Court of Judicature, Nov. 1699, had a case of Edward Gouge, plaintiff, and Anthony Checkley, defendant, "Whereas Edward Gouge recovered a judgment against John Adams of Boston, cordwainer, for £12 and costs of suit, and execution was returned to court with non est Inventus," etc. Anthony Checkley was surety for John Adams and pleaded that he never set hand to the bond, but the verdict was against Checkley and he paid the bill, which was receipted 20 Sept. 1704. It must have been John Adams, Sr., of whom it was said in 1699, non est Inventus, for John Adams junior was in Boston, 1699- 1705. John Adams, Sr., had died. Rev. Hugh Adams writes that in 1701 "four of my young brethren and sisters were orphans left to my brotherly care," and "my own godly mother the widow Avis Adams died" in 1699 as the result of a pestilential disease
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
contracted in nursing the Rev. John Cotton at Charleston, S. C.
John and Avis Adams had children as follows:
2. JOHN m. Hannah Checkley, 19 Oct. 1693.
3. HUGH b. 7 May 1676; m. Susanna Winborn.
4. MATTHEW m. (1) Katherine Brigdon, (2) Meriel Cotton. JANE b. 21 Feb. 1686; m. 20 July 1713, Joseph Harding, at Chatham, Mass.
16 ANN b. 20 Feb. 1688; m. (1) 13 Feb. 1706, Wm. Flay, (2) 23 Sept. 1714, William Ings of Boston.
WILLIAM bapt. 8 March 1690; d. young.
WILLIAM bapt. 12 Feb. 1692.
EBENEZER bapt. 23 Dec. 1694.
2. John Adams (John) married, 19 Oct. 1693, Hannah, daughter of Anthony and Hannah (Wheelwright) Checkley. Her father was attorney general. John Adams, Jr., was cordwainer, shopkeeper, captain and lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia. Jan. 8, 1700, the heirs of Henry Stevens convey to John Adams of Boston, shopkeeper, a house at the south end on highway leading to Roxbury, bounded east by Bishop's Lane, the same house that his father had once bought, lived in and sold. The next year John Adams sold this house and moved into a brick house adjourning, where he was a tenant of John Wainwright. Oct. 4, 1712, Thomas Newton wrote a letter to Capt. John Adams of Annapolis Royal saying that "Mr. Wainwright is now sueing out his mortgage of the house your aunt and I live in and the house your family lives in, and creditors have a deed of the Over- plus thereof when that and your mortgage are satisfied, and I am desired by the creditors to know what is due to you or yours, which I desire you will let me know by the next conveniency." [See Suffolk Court Files.]
John Adams was still at Annapolis Royal in 1718. In 1741 he was in Boston and was blind. He then sold to John Gibbons, at the end of a law suit, the brick house above mentioned, for £500. The deed is witnessed by his brother, Matthew Adams, and by Hannah Newton, who was daughter of this John Adams* and had married Hibbert, son of Thomas Newton above mentioned. .
* Several persons named John Adams have been confused by some genealogists. John, son of Alexander Adams, seems to have died before 1684. See Suffolk Deeds, XIII, 222. John Adams, malster, son of Joseph Adams, malster, married Hannah Webb and died a Nov. 1702. His widow married 12 Dec. 1705, Samuel Winkley, and died in 1707. This John Adams had children, (1) Samuel born 6 May 1689, who married 21 April 1713, Mary Fifield, and had son, Samuel Adams, the patriot, born 16 Sept. 1722; (2) Hannah who married 22 Sept. 1710, Samuel
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
By a further study of the records it appears that Ann, wife of William Gibbons was aunt of Capt. John Adams of Annapolis Royal, son of John and Avis Adams. "She was, therefore, sister to John Adams, Sr., or to his wife, Avis, or possibly William Gibbons was brother to Avis Adams. Capt. John Adams had children :
AVIS.
HANNAH m. Hibbert Newton.
ANNE.
REV. JOHN bapt. 26 March 1704/5; d. Jan. 1740, aged 36. [See N. E. Reg. Vol. XXXIII, p. 132.]
3. Rev. Hugh Adams (John), born 7 May 1676, graduated at Harvard in 1697. The next year he went to South Carolina, where he was pastor of several churches, and remained there till 1706. In a letter he states that "our precious godly mother Avis Adams departed this life October 6th last" (1699), This was at Charleston. [See Mass. Hist. Coll. Vol. VI., 5th series, p. 12.]
He married, 1701, as he himself writes, Susanna Winborn, undoubtedly daughter of the Rev. John and Elizabeth (Hart) Winborn, and granddaughter of William Winborn.t
Holbrook of Weymouth; (3) Abigail born 6 Oct. 1691, died 4 July 1712; (4) John born 4 Nov. 1693, bound out in 1707. He chose uncle Peter Adams for guardian; (5) Joseph born 20 Dec. 1695, bound out; (6) Mary born 20 Dec. 1695; (7) Bethiah born 20 Aug. 1697, died 8 Dec. 1702; (8) Thomas born 2 March 1700; (9) Abijah born II May 1702, who married 1725, Deborah Cutler, and later had second and third wife. He died 9 Feb. 1768, aged 66. I am indebted to Miss Virginia Hall, genealogist, of Boston, for much information about these often confused persons, named John Adams, of Boston.
t William Winborn signed the Exeter Combination of 1639 and was Clerk of the Writs in Exeter in 1643. He and wife, Elizabeth, lived in Boston, 1644-62. He was chosen town clerk of Manchester, Mass., in 1686, where his son, John, was preaching. William Winborn of Mal- den, Mass., and his son, John, with wife, Elizabeth, sold land in Malden in 1687. [See Middle- sex Deeds, VIII, 219.]
John, his son, was born in Boston 21 of 7th month, 1638, and married, 11 Sept. 1667, in Mal- den, Elizabeth, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Hart of Watertown, Lynn and Reading. She was born II Dec. 1651. Her father's will names daughter, Elizabeth Wenborne. Rev. John Winborn was minister of the church at Manchester, Mass., 1667-86. The town records show that he left Manchester between 1690 and 1693. He is said to have died in 1707. [See History of Essex County, II, 1283.] No record of his family has been found. He may have gone to South Carolina, and in that state only the name Winborn is found in the census of 1790.
Susanna Winborn had a brother, Ebenezer, of Boston, who married, 1I May 1706, Lydia Prince, born 1685, daughter of Joseph Prince of Hull, Mass., who married, 7 Dec. 1670, Joanna, daughter of Secretary Nathaniel Morton of Plymouth, Mass. Ebenezer Winborn was a watch- man in the south end of Boston from 1723 till 1758. He may have married (2) Elizabeth Gwinn, 24 Oct. 1744. He had children, Prince, who married 30 Nov. 1743 Mary Rogers and probably (2), 17 June 1765, Esther Johnson in Middletown, Conn .; Elizabeth who married 29 Oct. 1739, Bozoun Allen; Susanna who married 12 July 1734, Andrew Coffin; Joanna who married 29 Dec. 1736, Nicholas Foster, and Lydia born 13 Feb. 1706/7, who was living in 1739. This last is the maiden baptized in Durham by the Rev. Hugh Adams.
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
Under date of I May 1726, he records the admission to church of "Lydia Winborn, the maiden daughter of my wife's brother." April 6, 1718, he records the admission to church of "Susanna Adams, my wife. She was a member of the church in Carolina."
The Rev. Hugh Adams died in Oct. 1748, aged 72. [See chap- ter on History of the Church in Durham.] His widow, Susanna, was living in 1766.
Son, b. and d. at Ashley River, S. C. in 1702.
5. SAMUEL b. June 1705; m. (1) Phebe Chesley, (2) Rebecca Hall.
ELIZABETH b. 5 May 1713, in Chatham, Mass .; m. Joseph Drew.
WINBORN b. 19 April 1715 in Boston; schoolmaster in Dur- ham; "deceased in office," 1736.}
JOHN b. 13 Jan. 1718 in O. R .; m. in Boston 23 Dec. 1741, Anna Parker.
Avis b. 11 April 1723; m. William Odiorne.
JOSEPH b. 22 April 1725; prob. d. young.
4. Matthew Adams (John) was a merchant in Boston, "an ingenious and amiable man, who had a pretty collection of books" and loaned the same to Benjamin Franklin, as the latter writes. He died in March 1747/8. He married (1) Katherine Brigdon, 17 Nov. 1715, and (2) Meriel Cotton, 10 June 1734.
MATTHEW. KATHERINE.
6. JOHN b. 19 June 1725; m. Sarah Wheeler, (2) Hannah Chesley.
NATHANIEL b. 1726; d. 1766; m. (1) 1752, Deborah, dau. of Capt. John Knight, (2) 1755, Elizabeth Parker, dau. of Hon. William Parker of Portsmouth. She d. Nov. 1814, aged 80. He had son Nathaniel b. 1756, who wrote the Annals of Portsmouth and m. (1) Eunice Woodman and had 3 ch., (2) Martha Church and had 5 ch .; Mary b. 1758; Deborah b. 1759; John b. 1761; Anne b. 1763; and William b. 1765.
ELIZABETH b. 1732; m. 17 April 1749, Dea. Jeremiah Burn- ham; d. 2 June 1753.
Child by second marriage.
MERIEL m. (1) Winthrop Burnham, (2) Dea. Nathaniel Norton.
# There is in the library of the Mass. Historical Society a manuscript letter of Rev. Hugh Adams dated 22 April 1736, to Mr. Nathan Prince, Fellow of Harvard College in Cambridge, requesting the speedy return of his son, Winborn Adams, who had been sick. He says that in the space of seven months eighty-six person had died in Durham by a "pestilential fever and Quincey."
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
THIRD GENERATION
5. Dr. Samuel Adams (Hugh2, John1) born June 1705 at South Edisto River, S. C., spent his life as a physician in Durham. His father records, under date of II March 1721/2, "Then was received my son, Samuel Adams, to own his baptismal covenant and to be under the discipline of our church after his standing propounded 3 Sabbaths." There were admitted to the church in Durham, 7 April 1728, "Samuel Adams, my son, and Phebe Adams his wife." Circumstantial evidences are convincing that she was daughter of Lieut. Philip and Hannah (Sawyer) Chesley. The tombstone of "Phebe Adams the wife of Doct" Samuel Adams" may be seen on the hilltop back of the house in which she lived, in the Sullivan burial ground, showing simply that she died in 1743. Doubtless Dr. Samuel Adams and his father and mother were buried here, though no tombstones mark their graves. Samuel Adams m. (2) before 1747, Rebecca, daughter of Joseph Hall, Jr., and Mary his wife, of Exeter. His will, 22 June-28 July 1762, names wife, Rebecca, and children, Winborn, Phebe Drew, Sarah Swett, Mary Adams, and Josiah Adams. The inventory of his estate shows £5861-11-6.
SAMUEL b. 19 Aug. 1728; d. 26 Aug. 1728. PHEBE bapt. 31 Aug. 1728; m. Francis Drew.
7. WINBORN b. -; m. Sarah Bartlett.
SARAH m. 8 Aug. 1756, Dr. Stephen Swett; d. 3 May 1808, in Otisfield, Me.
Children by second marriage;
/
MARY m. 1769, Dr. John Marsters of Exeter. He m. (2) Elizabeth Shute.
8. JOSIAH b. 10 July 1748; m. Nancy Hill.
JOHN bapt. 24 Oct. 1749; d. young. REBECCA bapt. 26 Sept. 1756; d. young.
6. Rev. John Adams (Matthew2, John1) was born in Boston, 19 June 1725. He graduated at Harvard in 1745 and settled as minister at Durham in 1748. He married (1) 13 Oct. 1752, Sarah Wheeler, doubtless daughter of Dea. Joseph and Mary (Drew) Wheeler, who died 17 April 1753, (2) 19 Sept. 1754, Hannah Chesley, daughter of Thomas and Deborah, who died 26 March 1814. He removed to Newfield, Me., and died there 4 June 1792. [See Biographical Sketch.]
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
SARAH b. 14 July 1756; d. 7 Oct. 1757.
CATHERINE b. 26 Oct. 1758; m. John Morrill, or Merrill, and 1. in Parsonsfield, Me.
DEBORAH b. 26 July 1762; m. Jeremiah Allen of Limerick, Me .; d. Sept. 1846.
JOHN b. 30 April 1765; m. Betsey Gilpatrick; d. 27 Feb. 1851; 1. in Shirley, Mass.
DR. NATHANIEL b. 27 Aug. 1767; d. Sept. 1830.
THOMAS b. II Sept. 1769; m. March 1803, Sally Wilson; d. 21 Feb. 1856, in Newfield, Me.
HANNAH b. I Feb. 1771.
WILLIAM b. 22 Feb. 1772; Harvard, 1799; l. in Newbury- port, Mass.
ABIGAIL b. 12 April 1774; m. - Parsons of Newfield, d. 18 March 1842.
EBENEZER b. April 1777.
SAMUEL b. 19 Sept. 1778; d. 18 Nov. 1814; m. Elizabeth L. Prentice, dau. of Hon. John Prentice of Londonderry,
N. H. He 1. in Durham and Newburyport. He was killed in the War of 1812, in which he was an officer.
ELIZA b. I April 1780; d. 19 April 1784.
AMOS CHASE b. 8 June 1783.
FOURTH GENERATION
7. Lieut-Col. Winborn Adams (Samuel3, Hugh2, John1) was killed in the battle of Stillwater, called also battle of Bemis Heights, 19 Sept. 1777. He married Sarah, daughter of Capt. Israel and Love (Hall) Bartlett of Newbury, Mass., who was born in Nottingham 25 Nov. 1741. She is said to have married (2) Col, Hubbard. There was only one son. See biographical sketch.
9. SAMUEL bapt. 28 June 1726; m. Elizabeth Parker.
8. Josiah Adams (Samuel3, Hugh2, John1) born 10 July 1748, married, 21 Feb. 1772, Nancy Hill of Kittery, daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Neal) Hill, born 12 Nov. 1750. He was for several years town clerk of Newmarket, where he lived in a house known as the Elm House, on the east side of Main Street. He died 15 Sept. 1809. Besides seven children who died young he had the following. The family were buried in the cemetery near Rockingham Junction.
NANCY b. 2 July 1774; m. Thomas Folsom of Exeter; d. Sept. 1820.
MARY Neal b. I Feb. 1777; d. 5 Feb. 1858. Unm.
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
SALLY b. 25 Oct. 1780; m. Ephraim Coleman; d. 25 March 1863.
SOPHIA b. 1790; m. Rev. Alfred Metcalf; d. 14 Sept. 1812.
FIFTH GENERATION
9. Col. Samuel Adams (Winborn4, Samuel3, Hugh2, John1) married Elizabeth, daughter of the Hon. William Parker. In- tentions published in Exeter I May 1784. He died of yellow fever at Portsmouth, 2 Aug. 1802. She died in Boston, 23 March 1845. Children recorded in Exeter:
WILLIAM PARKER b. in Exeter 10 Oct. 1784; d. 18 Feb. 1827. SARAH b. in Durham 21 March 1785; d. 22 Sept. 1842. SAMUEL WINBORN b. in Durham 31 Oct. 1787; d. I Jan. 1831. ELIZA b. in Durham 7 July 1788; d. at Portsmouth 4 Aug. 1802.
JEREMIAH PARKER b. in Durham 16 May 1791; d. at Exeter 30 June 1822.
MARY SEWALL b. in Durham 21 Dec. 1793; d. at Exeter I June 1817.
ANNA MATILDA b. in Durham 30 June 1796; m. Ralph Smith of Boston.
CATHERINE P. b. in Durham 31 Aug. 1798; d. at Exeter 14 March 1804.
JOHN b. at Portsmouth 21 Nov. 1800; d. 17 May 1802.
NATHANIEL SHEAFE b. in Exeter 28 Nov. 1802; d. 14 Sept. 1849.
ADAMS
Rev. John Adams (John6, Dr. Joseph5, Rev. Joseph4, Joseph3, Joseph2, Henry1), whose great-grandfather, the Rev. Joseph Adams of Newington, was cousin to President John Adams, was born in Newington, 14 Feb. 1791. He married Sarah, daughter of Ste- phen and Mary (Dudley) Sanderson of Waterford, Me. Mary Dudley was descended from Gov. Thomas Dudley and Gov. John Winthrop of Massachusetts. He was known as "Reformation John Adams" and was a noted evangelist, serving many pas- torates in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He died at Newmarket 30 Sept. 1850.
His son, Joseph Martin Ruter Adams, was born in Durham, IO May 1838, and has long lived at Adams Point, the old Mathes Neck, at the entrance to Great Bay, where he now has a summer resort, delightfully situated. He married I Jan. 1860, Olive Esther Libby and has children as follows:
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
EDWARD HAMLIN b. 22 Oct. 1860; m. 9 Jan. 1885, Martha Frances, dau. of Matthew James Harvey of Epping. ALBERT HOWARD b. 18 Aug. 1865; m. 15 Dec. 1887, Maud Agnes, dau. of John L. Trefethen of Newington.
MARY ESTHER b. 28 March 1870; m. I Jan. 1892, Charles Samuel Langley of Durham.
ASH
Thomas Ash witnessed a deed in Boston 2 (12) 1652. Thomas Ash, perhaps the same, signed a petition from Dover, N. H., in 1689. He lived near the head of Johnson's Creek. He married (1) Hannah Chesley, daughter of Philip and Elizabeth, (2) Widow Mary Rollins, or Rawlins. His will, 1718, names wife, Mary, son, Thomas, daughter, Hannah Pierce, to whom he gave five shillings, and "other daughters." Hannah married Benjamin Pierce* 30 May 1714.
Thomas Ash, Jr., had wife Eleanor. She and children, Mary, Thomas, Judith and Benjamin were baptized in Dover 26 March 1736. In 1743 Thomas Ash and "Ellinor," his wife, sold to John Gage 25 acres with house, orchard, etc., on road from Dover to Cochecho Point. Judith Ash married John Ellis, 20 Dec. 1752.
Eleanor Ash married in Somersworth, about 1763, William Whitehouse, Jr. Benjamin Ash signed a petition from Lebanon, Me., in 1757.
Widow Mary Ash and Judith, her daughter, were baptized 28 Sept. 1718.
AMBLER
John Ambler bought, in 1703, the place that once was owned by John Hill, at Oyster River Point, on the shore of Little Bay. Aug. 7, 1717, he bought of Edward and Sarah Wakeham six acres formerly in the possession of Nicholas Done (Dunn), which Wake- ham bought of Widow Elizabeth Done. Other lands he bought of Joseph Kent and of Samuel Edgerly.
* Benjamin Pierce (Joseph3, Anthony2, John1) was born in Watertown, Mass., 25 March 1677. He removed to Dover and there married (1) 7 Sept. 1705, Elizabeth Hall, (2) 30 May 1714, Hannah, daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Chesley) Ash. Tate's Journal says that Han- nah Pierce died 16 Sept. 1777. Children were Benjamin born II Dec. 1706, schoolmaster in Somersworth in 1736; Joseph born 22 Oct. 1709; John born 19 May 1715; Elizabeth born 17 May 1717, who married James Stackpole, great-grandfather of the present writer; Ebenezer born 2 Feb. 1720/21; Israel born 16 Feb. 1723/4, who married 7 Jan. 1748 Elizabeth Curtis of York; Martha born 18 Oct. 1725, who prob. married 14 Sept. 1747 Daniel Goodwin; and Thomas born 15 May 1727, who married Hannah, daughter of James Heard.
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
John Ambler married (1) Hannah, widow of Robert Watson. Dr. Quint said she was daughter of Thomas Beard, but Hannah is not mentioned in Beard's will, and in the inventory of Robert Watson's estate she alludes to "brother Kent." She was prob- ably daughter of Oliver Kent. Robert Watson, born 1641, was slain in the massacre of 1694, and his wife and son, Joseph, were carried to Canada. Mrs. Hannah (Watson) Ambler died 8 April 1706, as Pike's Journal says.
John Ambler married (2) 6 Nov. 1706, Elizabeth Trickey of Newington. He married (3) 20 July 1725, Elizabeth, widow of Samuel Edgerly and daughter of Capt. John Tuttle. John Amb- ler lived on a point of land near Ambler's Islands, on the present farm.of Hon. Jeremiah Langley. He was constable in 1708, selectman in 1716, deacon in 1718, and elder in 1721. He was living in Durham 10 June 1739, and is mentioned as deceased 20 Dec. 1748. The following children appear on the Dover records:
MARY b. I Feb. 1709/10; m. 21 Nov. 1728, Ephraim Libby of Kittery.
JOHN b. II Feb. 1711/12; prob. d. young.
JOSEPH b. 9 Aug. 1714.
ABRAHAM b. 2 Sept. 1716.
HANNAH b. 24 Jan. 1718/9; m. John Edgerly, 1737.
JOSHUA bapt. 17 Sept. 1721; birth not recorded.
ELIZABETH b. 14 June; bapt. 21 June 1724.
BALLARD
Joshua, son of Timothy and Sarah (Abbot) Ballard of Andover, Mass., was born 10 Aug. 1760. He came to Durham when a boy and learned the hatter's trade of Thomas Pinkham, who married his sister, Sarah. He married Mrs. Lydia (Burnham) Emerson, widow of Moses Emerson. He built the house at the corner of the Madbury Road and the Mast Road, in Durham village. Lydia Ballard died 18 April 1826, aged 75. Joshua Ballard died 27 April 1844.
BETSEY b. 7 June 1786; m. 16 Sept. 1819, Hon. Valentine Smith.
SALLY b. 3 Feb. 1788; d. 23 Nov. 1825.
ABIGAIL b. 25 Aug. 1790; m. Cyrus Goss of Dover; d. 23 March 1824.
LYDIA b. 3 Jan. 1793; m. 28 June 1820, James Bartlett, Esq., of Durham.
MARY b. 16 July 1795; d. 6 Sept. 1800.
II
HISTORY OF DURHAM
BASFORD, BAMFORD
The History of Hampton says that Jacob and Elizabeth Bas- ford had five children. This family appears in Durham as Baf- ford and Bamford. The family lived in the vicinity of Chesley's mill. The following is all that the records of Hampton and Durham give us.
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