USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Rindge > History of the town of Rindge, New Hampshire, from the date of the Rowley Canada or Massachusetts charter, to the present time, 1736-1874, with a genealogical register of the Rindge families > Part 34
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1. Frances A., b. Sept. 30, 1831; md. Feb. 11, 1852, Philip S. Batcheller, Esq., son of Dr. James Batcheller, of Marlborough. She d. Dec. 28, 1871. Mr. B. resides in Fitz- william. Popular and respected, he has been frequently appointed to positions of trust. He was two years in the Legis- lature, and has been postmaster for the past twenty years.
2. Elliot M., b. June 8, 1834; md. Nov. 8, 1860, Jennie E. Lazilier; resides in Iowa.
3. Martha A., b. Oct. 1, 1842; md. Dec. 14, 1867, Charles Newton, of Fitzwilliam.
IV. Julia, b. Oct. 1, 1807; md. Aug. 8, 1826, Lyman Deeth.
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GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
475
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1. Moses Sumner, b. May 24, 1827; md. Oct. 24, 1848, Lois A. Ingalls, dau. of Josiah Ingalls, of Fitzwilliam Residence in Rindge. She d. 1870.
2. Julia Ann, b. Nov. 2, 1828; md. George A. Parker, son of Hon. A. A. Parker, of F.
3. Martha A., b. May 25, 1830; md. Samuel M. G. Colburn, of Rindge, g. v.
4. Lyman C., b. Jan. 6, 1832. Resides in Jaffrey.
5. Jane R., b. Oct. 4, 1833; md. William Newell, of Jaffrey. Resides in Sunder- land, Vt.
6. Martin S., b. Jan. 30, 1835 ; md. Jane E. Bent, dau. of Elisha Bent ; md. (2d) Addie N. Stiles.
v. Roxanna, b. Oct. 18, 1812; md. Nov. 27, 1833, Ephraim Whitney Weston, son of Dea. Stephen and Susan (Whitney) Weston, of Winchendon. He d. Oct. 29, 1854. She md. (2d) Oct. 16, 1861, Edwin Parks, son of Luke Parks, of Winchen- don. They now reside in Keene, N. H. By her former marriage she had one son :-
1. Irving E. Weston, b. May 11, 1835; md. Sept. 1, 1859, Hattie Mason, of Sullivan. They have three children, who are the sixth generation from Ebenezer Chaplin, of Rindge, whose name stands at the head of this family. Mr. Weston is engaged in manufacturing in Winchendon, and has efficiently served the town several years in the supervision of the public schools.
VI. Elisha, b. Oct. 27, 1816; md. Jan. 31, 1844, Sarah R. Marshall, dau. of Capt. Abel Marshall, of Jaffrey. A farmer in Fitzwilliam.
1. Martha Abbie, b. Jan. 4, 1854.
2. Marshall Elisha, b. Sept. 28, 1858.
VII. Martha, b. Dec. 19, 1823; d. unmd. aged 19. VIII. Moses, b. Sept. 22, 1828; md. Nov. 26, 1849, Abi- gail Marshall, dau. of Capt. Abel Marshall, of Jaffrey. He d. in Fitzwilliam.
1. Emma Frances, b. Feb. 4, 1854.
2. Julia R., b. April 26, 1856. 3. Winfield M., b. June 8, 1868.
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476
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
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JEREMIAH CHAPMAN, with wife Mercy, came to Rindge very soon after the date of incorporation. In early deeds he is styled a cordwainer, a name at that time applied to shoe-makers; but later he was engaged in some kind of manufacturing where are now the mills of A. S. Coffin, Esq. He probably d. in this town about 1793. His widow d. April 16, 1835, aged 90.
I. John, bap. 1775.
II. Amos, bap. 1777.
GEORGE CLARK was in town in 1770, and was md. by Enoch Hale, Esq., July 10 of that year. Two years later owned the covenant, and subsequently had three children baptized. William 1772, Hannah 1773, and Elizabeth 1775, This is the last heard of him. If he had remained in the town during the next few years, his name probably would have appeared upon the records.
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DAVID CLARK, son of David, was b. at South Danvers, Mass., Oct. 19, 1789; md. April 4, 1813, Rhoda Sprague. They removed to Rindge 1819, and settled in the south- east part of the town on the farm subsequently occupied by Dea. Adin Cummings. A short time previous to his death he built the house on the Jonathan Ingalls place, now occupied by Harris Hale. He d. Nov. 15, 1838, and his widow March 19, 1865.
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I. David Porter, b. Feb. 19, 1814. Although a mute, he is a man of intelligence, and is thoroughly informed of the current topics of the day. He md. May 7, 1840, Elvira Derby, of Lowell, Mass. She d., leaving one daughter, April 14, 1841 ; md. (2d) Feb. 22, 1844, Mary McVennan, who was the mother of four children, and d. Jan. 1, 1849; md. (3d) Oct. 1, 1857, Sophronia Titcomb, dau. of Capt. George Titcomb, of Falmouth, Me. Reside in Rindge.
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1. Elvira D., b. March 29, 1841; md. May 26, 1864, William D. Hickok.
2. Isabella L., b. Sept. 9, 1845; md. James P. Blair, of Peterborough, N. H., where they reside.
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3. Frank A., b. Nov. 3, 1847 ; d. Aug. 28, 1850.
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4. Clara M., b. April 16, 1851; d. Sept. 10, 1852.
5. George M., b. Feb. 27, 1856.
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II. Lavina, b. Dec. 31, 1815; d. unmd. Oct. 19, 1841.
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GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
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III. Henry, b. Dec. 31, 1817; md. Esther W. Gilbert, of Croyden. He d., s. p., Jan. 1, 1849. His widow md. (2d) E. D. Walton, son of Nathan Walton, q. v.
IV. Theodore, b. Dec. 26, 1819; md. Frances A. Fer- nald, and resides in Wilmot, N. H.
v. Augusta A., b. April 21, 1823; md., 1844, C. M. Beckley, of Providence, R. I. He d. Jan. 1, 1864, and she md. (2d) 1868, John A. Bishop. Reside in Pawtucket, R. I.
VI. Louensa B., b. June 20, 1825; d. Aug. 11, 1840.
VII. Louisa B., b. Jan. 14, 1828; md., 1848, Andrew W. Sawyer. Resides in Worcester, Mass.
VIII. Alfred, b. Nov. 30, 1829; md. July 23, 1848, Sarah M. Sawyer.
IX. Adolphus, b. Feb. 4, 1832; md. Oct. 9, 1860, Nellie Jewett. He has been in Europe several years, attending to the extensive business of the firm of Dows, Clark & Co., of which he is a member.
x. Jane E., b. Feb. 11, 1836 ; d. June 29, 1849.
1
JAMES CLAY, of Putney, Vt., and Rachel Prescott, dau. of Benjamin Prescott, Esq., of Jaffrey, were md. in Jaf- frey, Nov. 14, 1815, and settled in the north part of this town, near Long Pond, a few years later. He d. Jan. 4, 1838, aged 54. His widow, b. Aug. 30, 1783 -the oldest person in Rindge,-resides with her son, on the old place.
I. James P., b. -. Is a farmer in Rindge.
II. Rachel, b. April 15, 1819; d. unmd. about 1867.
III. Susan B., b. Feb. 13, 1826.
JOSIAH COBURN resided in the north-west part of the town, and afterwards upon the farm now of Addison Ban- croft. No record of his marriage has been received. A short time previous to his death he went to Hancock to reside with one of his children, where he d. 1835. His wife d. 1832.
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I. Josiah, md. March 10, 1803, Olive Pollard. Re- sided in Boston, and subsequently in St. Louis, Mo.
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II. Elizabeth, md. Maj. John Bancroft, q. v.
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III. Joshua, md. Sept. 21, 1808, Eunice Jones, dau. of Asa Jones, q. v. Lived and d. (1874) in Boston. His wife d. April 19, 1871.
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IV. Luke, unmd .; d., felo de se, June 2, 1816. v. Nancy, md. John Streeter, Jr., q. v. 61
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HISTORY OF RINDGE.
COFFEEN.
Families bearing this name were early in Rindge. They were not related to the more numerous Coffin family, of Newbury, and, later, of other New England towns. This name, on Topsfield and Lunenburg (Mass.), Rindge, Jaffrey, and Acworth (N. H.), Cavendish, and other Ver- mont records, has been spelled Coffeen, Coffien, Coffein, Coffen, and Coffin, and more rarely as Cuffeen; but the orthography here adopted invariably appears in original signatures of the family while resident in this town. Michael Coffeen, the father of those who resided in Rindge, was a native of Ire land, and of wealthy and respectable parentage. Emigrating to Ameri ca at the age of sixteen, four years later he md., and settled in Topsfield. In 1738, he and his wife Lydia were admitted to the church in Lunenburg, where they continued to reside for several years. They subsequently were found in Winchendon; but no record of their death, or removal from that town, has been discovered.
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1 JOHN COFFEEN, the eldest son of Michael, was b. in Topsfield. After following the seas for a few years, he md., about 1752, Susannah Goldsmith, of Boston, and came to Rindge in 1758, and possibly a year or two earlier. In 1755 he was in Middletown, Conn., but he did not long remain there, -nearly a year. He resided upon the farm now of Thomas and Charles G. Buswell, and was an active, enterprising citizen. In 1769 he removed to Cavendish, Vt., and was the first settler in that town. Mr. Coffeen was subsequently prospered in his worldly estate, and was honored with many promotions in civil affairs. He was the first representative from Cavendish in the Assembly, and held the office several years. There were several children, but the names of only two can be given.
I. Eleazer, bap. in Rindge 1766.
II. Lake, b. in Rindge about 1762. A graduate of Dartmouth College. Vide page 358.
HENRY COFFEEN, a brother of John, was b. in Lunen- burg April 6, 1738. He was also one of those who joined in the petitions concerning the minister tax. An equal of his brother in ability, he was prominent in the affairs of the proprietary and subsequently of the town. His house was near the Jaffrey line, and not far from the western extremity of Long Pond. He was selectman in 1770, and removed to Jaffrey a short time after, where he was select- man in 1774, a captain of the first military company, and otherwise honored by the citizens of that town. He removed to Acworth, N. H., in 1780, and was drowned, 1785, in a freshet which carried away his mill. He md. previous to 1765, Lucy Hale, dau. of Moses Hale, senior, q. v. At this date, Lucy, his wife, joins in the conveyance of a tract of land in this town. The date of her death is unknown, but probably about 1776. He md. (2d) Mehita-
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GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
479
ble Smith, of Acworth. "Moses, David and Lucy, children of Henry Coffeen, deceased," are named in Cheshire Pro- bate Records for 1785, and a guardian appointed. The six first named were children of the first wife.
I. Henry.
II. Nathan. Removed to State of New York.
III. Moses.
IV. David.
v. Lydia. VI. Lucy.
VII. Daniel, a son of the second wife, md. Polly Cur- rier. Resided in Acworth and in Johnson, Vt. Five of his ten children are now living, of whom Mrs. Lucy M. Tyler, of Cambridge, Vt., is the eldest.
ELEAZER COFFEEN was b. Sept. 14, 1731, and lived in Rindge about twenty years. In 1778 he removed to Cavendish, Vt. In 1771 he was not md.
12 13 PRISCILLA COFFEEN, a sister of John, etc., b. Sept. 2, 1742; md. Caleb Huston, of Rindge, q. v. 1 SILAS COFFIN, son of Dea. George and Abigail (Ray- mond) Coffin, of Winchendon, was b. June 27, 1792. He learned the trade of clothier in Marlborough, N. H. Thoroughly familiar with the early and laborious process of manufacturing woolen fabrics, he became one of the pioneers in the introduction of the power loom. He is the originator of the bobbin for holding the yarn which is employed with this class of machinery, and upon which its early success was greatly dependent. He soon became associated in the manufacture of woolen goods in Royalston, Mass., with Rufus Bullock, the father of Gov. Bullock. Their mill was burned in 1832. Eight years later Mr. Coffin removed to this town, and estab- lished the business now conducted by his son, A. S. Coffin, Esq. He md. Sally Rogers, dau. of John Rogers, of Marl- boro, N. H., who d. July 5, 1869, and he md. (2d) Charlotte (Moors) Raymond, widow of Charles Raymond, and dau. of Nathaniel and Lucy (Gary) Moors, of Jaffrey. His sons, Dr. Silas N., a physician of East Chatham, N. Y., Perley S., of Newport, and Samuel B., have not been permanent resi- dents of this town. Two daughters d. young.
I. George S., md. Sarah R. Scovill. Resided in Rindge 1840-42, and 1860-1864. For many years he has been a dealer in wool, and exten- sively engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods. Resides in Winchendon.
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480
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
II. Nancy M., md. Sept. 22, 1862, Francis W. Thissell, son of Richard Thissell. They reside in New- port, N. H.
3 4 III. Arba Sherwin, md. Nov. 10, 1857, Jeanette C. Billings, dau. of Thomas and Amy (Haskell) Billings, of Ludlow, Vt. He is a manufacturer in Rindge. 5 1. Willie H., b. May, 1864. 1 EBENEZER COLBURN md. Mercy Everett, and after a residence of several years in Natick, they removed to this town in the year 1779, where they lived to an advanced age. They were highly respected, and are still pleasantly remembered by not a few of the aged residents of the present time. He d. Sept. 17, 1824, aged 86; she d. March 25, 1828, aged 87. As far as known their children were : -
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I. Nancy, b. Sept. 16, 1763; md. Dr. Stephen Jewett, q. v. II. Ebenezer, b. April 2, 1765; md. Hannah Jewett. + III. Jonathan, b. in Rindge Feb. 9, 1780; d. 1798.
IV. Isaac, b. 1782; md. Feb. 2, 1808, Sally Putnam. He d. in Rindge, leaving four children, April 2, 1837.
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1. Luman, b. Nov. 21, 1808; md. Emeline Howe, dau. of Peter Howe, g. v., and lived upon the homestead of his father several years.
2. Elmira, b. Oct. 10, 1811.
3. Harriet, b. Sept. 28, 1814.
4. Ellis, b. June 30, 1818; d. in Boston about 1850.
v. Mary, -; md. April 29, 1813, Talmon Jennings. She d. Feb. 18, 1818; he d. Sept. 10, 1856, aged 91.
1. Mary, b. 1816; d. unmd. Nov. 22, 1841.
EBENEZER COLBURN md. Oct. 17, 1790, Hannah Jewett, dau. of Ezekiel, q. v. They resided in Rindge. He was familiarly styled Dea. Colburn in recognition of his blameless life and unimpeachable character. He d. May 1, 1822, and his widow md. (2d) March 9, 1826, George Buffum, of Richmond, N. H., where they resided until his death. She d. in Rindge May 20, 1856. The children of Ebenezer and Hannah (Jewett) Colburn were as follows:
I. Nahum, b. March 20, 1791; d. July 22, 1793.
II. Nancy, b. Nov. 7, 1792; md. Benjamin Davison, q. v.
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GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
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III. David, b. March 2, 1794; md. Lydia Sears; (2d) Mary E. Foster. He d. June 26, 1834. Of six children, the only one living is Lydia, wife of Marshall N. Cutter, Esq., a prominent citizen of Charlestown, Mass.
IV. Infant, b. March 2, 1795; d. same month.
v. Leonard, b. Feb. 29, 1796; md. Polly Corey ; (2d) Mrs. Wilder. +
VI. Infant, b. March, 1797; d. same month.
VII. Infant, b. March, 1798; d. same month.
VIII. John, b. March 15, 1799; md. Dec. 1, 1825, Lydia Beard, of Fitzwilliam. See Chaplin, No. 17. He d. in Richmond, March, 1870. Their children were : (1) John W .; (2) Ann E .; (3) Fanny ; (4) Charles O .; (5) Henry ; (6) Artemas B.
Ix. Abram, b. Oct. 2, 1800; md. Nov. 26, 1840, Mrs. Hannah Clough, of Salem, Mass. No children. He d. May 27, 1852.
x. Mercy, b. Feb. 9, 1802; md. Nathan Upton, of Peterborough, N. H. Removed to Columbus, O. She d. May 29, 1828, leaving (1) Julia A., (2) Mercy S.
XI. Hannah, b. Jan. 13, 1804; md. Nov. 2, 1845, John Walker. She d., s. p., Oct. 16, 1855.
XII. Isaac, b. Oct. 27, 1805; d. Oct. 16, 1806. XIII. Fanny, b. March 26, 1807 ; md. J. Lyman Wether- bee, q. v.
XIV. Norris, b. April 17, 1809; md. Martha L. Carter, dau. of Joseph Carter, of Fitzwilliam. He was killed by the Indians, between Santa Fe and St. Louis, April 5, 1847. Three children : -
1. George N.
2. Martha A., -; md. George A. Whitney, q. v. 3. Nancy D.
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xv. Clarissa, b. Dec. 9, 1812; md. Jan. 31, 1833, Eben- ezer Carter, son of Joseph Carter, of Fitz- william. Resides in Fitzwilliam. Nine children. 1, 2, 3, and 8 d. in childhood.
4. Henrietta C., b. Oct. 9, 1840; md. Whitney; md. (2d) Bethnel Ellis, Esq., of Winchendon.
5. Florence M., b. March 12, 1843; md. Fiske.
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6. Herbert E., b. Sept. 9, 1845.
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7. Norris C., b. Aug. 26, 1848.
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9. Sarah T., b. Feb. 16, 1854; md. Charles Whitcomb, son of Henry and Fanny (Buttrick) Whitcomb.
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482
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
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LEONARD COLBURN Ind. Polly Corey, of New York; md. (2d) Mrs. Currency Wilder, by whom he had six children. He resided many years in this town, where he d. July 7, 1859.
I. Samuel M. G., md. Martha A. Deeth, dau. of Lyman and Julia (Chaplin) Deeth.
II. Clarissa.
III. Hannah.
IV. Maria M., md. Charles D. Kimball, son of Samuel M. Kimball, q. v.
v. George.
VI. Estella.
ASA COLE md. Anna Goldsmith, and resided in Harvard several years previous to his removal to Rindge in 1796. He resided in West Rindge, and was active in securing the construction of the canal from Grassy Pond, which has greatly increased the value of the mill sites in that locality. He removed to Westmoreland about 1805, where he subsequently d. It was his eldest son, Asa Cole, who was taxed in this town a few years about 1830. Only one other of the sons has been permanently located here.
CAPT. CHARLES H. COLE, the youngest son of Asa Cole, senior, followed the seas for several years, and was sometime in command of a ship in the whaling service. He md. May 17, 1746, Caroline G. Cutler, q. v. He d. from wounds received on the sea from the bursting of a gun. His widow md. (2d) Oct. 4, 1854, Dr. Edmund Seyffarth, Vide Chap. XVII., who d. in Lawrence, Mass., July 21, 1874. Charles W. Cole, son of Capt. Charles, b. Oct. 23, 1848; md. Amy Hoag, of Barnard, Vt. Resides in Bos- ton, Mass.
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483
GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
IN DEO SOLO
CONFIDO
CONVERSE.
The original seat of the Converse family was in Navarre, France, from whence was Roger de Coigniers who emigrated to England near the end of the reign of William the Conqueror, and to whom the Bishop of Durham gave the Constableship of Durham. Among his descendants, Conyers of Horden, Durham, was created a baronet July 14, 1628. Sir Humphry, the eighth generation, wrote the name Coigners, and Sir Chris- topher, the twentieth generation, adopted the orthography of Conyers. In Navarre, in the sixteenth century, the residence of a family of this name was known as the Chateau de Coigniers. Those bearing the name were Huguenots, or French Protestants. In the massacre on St. Barthol- omew's day, in 1572, many of this family fell victims to the rage of the Papists, and Pierre Coigniers, who was attached to the Court of Henry IV. of France, having witnessed the assassination of his kinsman, Admiral Colligney, and fearful of his own safety, escaped with his wife and two infants to England, and settled in the County of Essex, where his son md. a lady of considerable possessions in that and an adjoining county. It was Ralph, a son of this marriage, who was created a baronet by King Charles II. From the same locality there possibly were other emigrations of members of this family to England, where the name was naturally changed to Conyers, corresponding with the English pronuncia- tion, and members of the family still spell the name in this manner, while others in the change of a single letter have taken the name of Con- vers. From some of these emigrations to England is descended the Converse family of this country. The name was spelled Convers for several generations after the emigration to New England. The Coat of Arms of Coigniers, Conyers, and Convers, is essentially the same, which sustains the tradition that all are of a common origin. The engraving which stands at the head of this paragraph was taken from an illustration received through the kindness of Rev. J. K. Converse, of Burlington, Vt. It presents the emblems of heraldry which for many generations have been associated with the family name, and is read as follows: Arms. Argent, upon Bend Sable between two Maunches Azure, Trefoils. On Crest an Arm in Armor out of a Mural Crown Gold. The term argent represents that the shield is white, and sable that the bend or belt is
484
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
black; the bend is a scarf of honor given for courage in battle; the trefoils are emblems of the Trinity, and were bestowed for service in the maintenance of the Church; the maunches or empty sleeves were added to the Arms of those who had been celebrated in the councils of the sovereign; the mural crown represents a battlement, and was bestowed on those who first mounted the walls and there lodged a standard; and the motto, In Deo solo confido, " In God alone I trust." Vide, Baronets of England. London, 1729, and Dictionaire de la Noblesse France et Navarre.
Dea. Edward Convers, or Converse, as the name is now written, with his wife, Sarah, and children, arrived in New England in the fleet with Gov. Winthrop, 1630, and settled in Charlestown. In 1631 a grant was made to him of the first ferry from Boston to Charlestown, of which he had the control for several years under the favor of the General Court. The same year he was admitted freeman, and was selectman 1635 to 1640. His name is first of seven commissioners appointed by the church in Charlestown for effecting the settlement of Woburn. Uniting with others, he removed thither, and ably assisted in the settlement of the new township, and after its incorporation he became one of its most useful and honored 'citizens. He was selectman of the town of Woburn from 1644 until his decease, and one of the Board of Commissioners for the trial of minor causes. He was also one of the founders of the church in Woburn, and a deacon for many years. The place of his residence is now included in Winchester, where he d. Aug. 10, 1663, aged seventy- three years. By his wife, Sarah, who accompanied him from England, Dea. Converse had three sons, Josiah, James, and Samuel, and a dau. Mary, who md., 1643, Simon Thompson, and (2d) 1659, John Sheldon, of Billerica. Sarah, the wife of Dea. Converse, d. Jan. 14, 1662, and he md. (2d) Sept. 9, 1662, Joanna Sprague, widow of Ralph Sprague.
James Converse, commonly styled Ensign or Lieutenant Converse, was b. in England, and emigrated to America with his father, Dea. Edward Converse. He md. Oct. 24, 1643, Anna Long, dau. of Robert Long, of Charlestown, by whom he had ten children. He d. May 10, 1715, aged 95. "Through a long life he was a very valuable and highly esteemed citizen, and was repeatedly honored by the town with the principal offices which it had to confer." (Sewall's " Woburn." ) Major James Converse, eldest son of Ensign James Converse, was b. in Woburn, Oct. or Nov. 16, 1645, and d. July 8, 1706, in the 61st year of his age. Not only prominent in civil affairs, he won considerable distinction in the war with the French and Indians. For his daring and successful defence of Storer's Garrison at Wells, in the year 1691, and during the war usually styled the "Ten Years " or " King William's War," he was promoted by Gov. Phipps to the rank of Major. Concerning this gallant exploit, a commendatory mention is found in "Belknap," Vol. 1, Chap. X., and in "Hutchinson," Vol. 2, p. 67, and an interesting account in Sewall's "Woburn." Major Converse was ten years a member of the General Court, and was three times elected Speaker of the House. He md. Jan. 1, 1668-9, Hannah Carter, b. Jan. 19, 1650-51, dau. of Capt. John and Elizabeth Carter, of Woburn. By her he had nine chil- dren, four of whom d. in infancy, or in youth unmd. John Con- verse, a son of Major James, was b. in Woburn, Aug. 22, 1673. He md. May 22, 1699, Abigail Sawyer, b. March 17, 1679, dau. of Joshua Sawyer, of Woburn. The births of their children, Joshua and Patience, are recorded in Woburn previous to 1708, and his name probably does not again appear upon the records of that town until July 31, 1728, when the birth of John, his son, is recorded. It is presumed that his residence during these twenty years had been elsewhere.
485
GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
Joshua Converse, their son, was b. in Woburn, June 3, 1704, but early in life he removed to Dunstable, and perhaps his father resided there also. He md. July 31, 1729, Rachel Blanchard, b. March 23, 1712, dau. of Joseph and Abiah (Hassel) Blanchard, and a sister of Joseph Blanchard, who was the agent of the Masonians, and who granted the charter of this township. Vide pp. 46 and 52. This marriage is recorded in "Woburn," and the parties are described as " both of Dun- stable." In the year 1739, or ten years after their marriage, they removed to lot Number 4, within the present town of Merrimac, N. H., then constituting a part of the tract lying both sides of the river, and known by the name of Naticook, or Litchfield. The records of this township for the period previous to the incorporation of Merrimac in the year 1746, are deposited in Litchfield, from which it appears that he was frequently elected to office, his name appearing as moderator, assessor, selectman, and upon several important committees. In 1744, he was drowned in the Merrimac River, and the succeeding year the homestead was taxed to his widow. From the Probate Records, it appears that administration was granted, April 11, 1746, to Joseph Underwood, of Westford, Mass., and in the return of an inventory of his estate, dated June 17, 1746, it is stated that "said Converse died in the year 1744." His estate, amounting to £1205 14s. 4d., was as follows : -
" His home place Lot No. 4, now in Merrymac town, £ 600 Os. 0d.
"Also his part of the farm called Tyness farm, bought of Mr. Jonathan Fox, of Woburn, exclusive of what Converse sold to Jonathan Bowers and the one-half of a saw-mill and irons belonging to the same, standing on said land on Penechuck Brook, in said town of Merrymac, 7
80 0 0
" Bonds due to him,
148 8 6
" Sundry notes due to him,
95 15 9
" Book debts owing him, &c.,"
136 12 4
Many articles of. personal property specified in the inven- tory amounting to
144 17 9
£1205 14s. 4d.
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