Billerica Town (part 8 of 17)

Although Billerica}- cannot exactl}- boast of a Dick Whittington, a certain young man from the town did make his appearance in the great city of London about the middle of the fifteenth century, and, eml)arking in trade, he flourished, grew wealthy, received the honor of kuighthouil, and died Sir ,)ohii Bayly, Lord Mayor of London. In 1531, John Tyrel, of Billerk-a}', a tailor, appears among those who were apprehended for nonconformity. He was one of the early converts made b}' Hngh Latimer. During the terril)le persecutions under Queen IMary, Billericay had the honor of furnishing two victims to swell the noble army of mart^'rs. One was Thomas, or " Worthie, AV^attes," as he was called, a preacher who was repeatedly' summoned before Bishop Bonner for proclaiming his religious views. Li June, ir).'),";, he was conve3'ed to Chelmsford, where he was burnt. There were five martyrs together, and ha-\-ing i)artaken of a meal they knelt down and prayed, alter which "\\'atts went and prayed privately ))y himself, and then came to his wife and six children and said : Wife, and my good children, I must now depart from you. As the Lord hath given you to me, so I give 3'ou again unto the Lord, whom 1 charge vou see vou do obe}' and fear Him. . I shall anon, by God's grace, give my blood. Let not the nuu'dering of God's saints cause you to relent, but take occasion thereby to be stronger in the Lord's quarrel. I doubt not Lie will be a merciful Father unto .you." Two of his children offered to be burnt with him. After viewing the stake he spoke to Lord Rich, a fierce persecuter of the Protestants, and said : lord, beware ! beware! unless you repent of this, God will avenge it. You are the cause of this my death." The other martyr from Billericay was a humble woman, Jane Horns, "a maid," who appeared before Bonner the following year and was burnt at Stratford. Two other persons from Billerica}- during these trying times were sent n[) to Bonner - Jane, the wife of Hugh Potter, and James Harris, a stripling of seventeen years. The special crime with which the latter was charged was "not having come to his parisli church by the space of one year or more." This he admitted. Bonner now commanded him to go at once to confession. To this he consented, but when he came to the priest he stood still and said nothing. "Why," quoth the priest, " sayest thou nothing?" "What shall 1 say?" said Harris. "Thou nuist confess thy sins," said the priest. " M}- sins," said he, "be so many that thev cannot be numbered." With that tlie priest told Bonner what he had said, and he took the })Oor lad into his garden and thei'e, with a rod gathered out of a cherry tree, "did most cruelly whip him." Not long after this, Thomas Brice, author of the "Poetical Register" of sufferers for conscience' sake in the reign of Mar\', was driven out of the country, apparentl}^ from this neighborhood.

The Mother-Town Of P.Illekicay

Near the close of the reign of Elizabeth, Timothy Okeley, who had succeeded John Okeley as vicar of Great Burghstead, was himself succeeded by AYilliam Pease, who remained in office about fort}'' 3'ears. None of these ministers seem to have sympathized with evangelical religion ; and Pease, in particular, made it uncomfortable for all his parishioners who ventured to differ from him. In March, 1619, he summoned several of them before the Archidiaconal Court for nonconformit}'. Among them were Solomon Prower and Christopher JMartin, Avho were officiall}' "mouished" with the rest, and commanded to appear again in a month to be examined further. Prower and Mtirtin fled to Leyden, where the latter liecame a member of the church organi«;ed ))_y Jolm Roliinson, This JNIartin also victualled the Mayflower, in which lie sailed with his wife, son, and servant/ in 1(320, for New England, giving Billericay the honorable distinction of having furnished four out of the one hundred and one passengers on that memorable voyage.'* They were followed bv several other parishioners of Pease's, among whom, in 1635, are found the names of AVilliam Ruse, husbandman, and his wife Rebecca and their four children, Sarah, Maria, Samuel, and William. Ralph Hill and William Erench are supposed to have come about this time, and it was probal)l3' through their influence that the name of their English home was given to the new settlement in the Massachusetts Colon}', to which the}' contributed so much in its earl}' days.

The limits of this cha[)ter will not allow me to follow the fortunes of the mother-town further. Enough, however, has been said to show that some of the most notable events in English history are connected with the name of Billerica, a name which, as this volume shows, New England is destined to transmit with equal honor, and, it may be, with equal fame.

Chapter Xx Miscellaneous And Final

A FEW subjects not yet noticed must be grouped in a, brief and summary wa}'. Some of them might well have been expanded to cliapters did our limits permit. It would be a subject of special interest, to gather the names and follow the fortnnes of many who have gone from Billerica to hoiiies in other towns and States. Many towns in all parts of New P^ngland and the regions beyond may trace the lines of families who have contributed to their prosperity in the register of Billerica. It suggests something on this point to call attention to the fact that all families bearing the names of Farley, Farmer, Jefts, Kidder, Kittredge, Pollard, Shed, and Toothaker, whose lines in this country go back to 1700, find their American progenitor in Billerica. Not less numerous or important are the l)ranches here found of the C'ros])y, Danforth, French, Frost, Hill, Manning, Parker, Patten, Richardson, Rogers, Stearns, and Whiting families ; while to enumerate the significant names of families simply less numerous would be to repeat most of the names from the pages of the Genealogical Register. Any just presentation of this subject would develop facts of which the town might be })roud. She has never been populous: but her sous and daughtei's al)road are man}'.

Miscellaneous And Final

The record of the legiil profession in Billerica is brief, and I know of no names to be added to the list of 1855. {Bi-Centennial, p. 146.) William Crosby, 1800; Samuel Dexter; Timothy Farnham; Joseph Locke, 1801-33 ; Marshall Preston, about 1820-49 ; George H. Whitman, 1849. Of course, in the absence of lawyers who were such by profession, other well-informed citizens have often been called to aid their neighbors in legal matters. So nmch of this service devolved upon some of them, that practically- it would be just to mention in this connection such names as Jonathan Danforth, Joseph Tomiison, Oliver Whiting, Joshua Abbott, William Stickney.

Until 1824, the lunriber of selectmen annuallj' elected was five; except ill the' years 1720 and 1815-16, when three were chosen, and 176(), when the uuniher is foui-. In the latter case, I suspect the omission of Joshua Abbot's name is accidental, as with this exception he holds the office continuously, 17.37-80.

Soitii Iiiklkkica

The population of the town tit dittereut periods is u subject of interest, but tlie material for estimates at first is scanty. In 1051), there were '1') lainilies ; four years later, the nunilier had nearly doubled, judging from Mr. AVhiting's (p. IGf) above) ; but for the twelve next years tliei-e was small increase, exceiit as cliildren multiplied in Hie homes ab'cad3' f(iriiic(l. (|). li;!). The tax-list for 1()7!) {{). I'.i.'i) has only 17 names, but that for KI.S.S has 7.'} names, showing that a new impulse had followed tiie anxieties of Philip's War, and. in spite of llie Indian perils of the time, tiie progress continui'd, and, in 1707. tiie number of polls was 110."

The tax-list for 1 7.'5.") includes 'li>> names, but. in 17;!.j. when Tewksbiir\- had been taken out, the number was only 1.S7, which, in I75;j, had increased to "iOti. In 17C«r) a cai'eful eimmeratiou was made, showing for the first time the exact i)0[)ulation, when this town had l.'i.'iO. ()nly seven towns in Middlesex Coiuity then exceeded liillerica. In 177('> a census gave Hillerica a population of 1500, and the tax-list- for the same year contained 'll'.i names. In 177S there were 2.8(1 polls, but, in 1781, they had fallen to 271 l)olls, a decrease more tliaii explained b\- the loss of the Carlisle names, in 17'S0. Assuming an eciual niimiier of polls and names on

Tlie fart is signilieant liiat after 1800 tiiei'e was no inereasi' for more than thiity years ; and it seems to conlii'in tlie opinion that tlie Middlesex Canal, by preventing the use of the water power, exerted an unfavorable intluence upon the i)rogress of this town. A similar result has followed the deflection of the railroad line so far from tlie centre of the town.

A census taken in 17.54 brings out the curious fact that INIassachusetts had "2717 slaves. Of this number Billerica had eight, of whom five were females. In 1880, the census reports nine colored persons ; but the}' are not slaves.

The 2000 inhabitants of the town in June, 1880, were grou|)ed in 449 families, who lived in 43G houses. There were 1(')G2 over ten years of age, of whom 4(3 could not I'ead and .5() could not write ; of the latter, ,51 were foreigners. The nativity stands thus : Native I»orn, 15.52: foreign, 448; born in Massachusetts, 12.')7.

Of the whok' miinber there were 4(') whose mothers only were foreign born ; i')2^) whose fathers were horn in Ireland, and of 485 the mothers were born there also ; 246 whose fathers were born in Great Britain, and the mothers also of 191 ; 75 whose fathers w^ere born in British America, and the mothers of 59. The whole number whose parents were both foreign born was 807 ; partly foreign liorn, 121. The ages are as follows : -

The State Census for 1875 gi^^es the farming statistics in a more full and satisfactory' form than the National Census, and from that source I gather the following : -

The occupations of the people are thus repoi'ted : Wovien - Housewives, .')82 ; domestics, 40 ; nurse, 1 ; teachers,!;'); teacher of music, 1 ; dressmakers, 5 ; operatives, woolen-mill, CS ; operative, hosiery, 1; total, olT. Men - Clergymen, G; lawyer. 1; l)hysicians, 3 ; actor, 1 ; teachers, 2 ; chemists, '> ; domesiics, 2 ; nurse, 1 ; boarding-house kec[)er, 1 ; dealers in fish, 2 ; butclicrs, 3 ; grocers, 6 ; clerks in stores, 1 ; railroad ciii})loyees, 10 ; teamsters, 6 ; telegraph employees, 1 ; salesman, 1 ; peddlers, 2 ; milkmen, 2 merchants, lumber, 3 ; do., drugs and medicines, 1 ; manufacturing company official, 1 ; insurance official, 1 ; agent, I ; gardeners, 2 f\irm laborers, 117; farmers, 103; stock herder, 1 ; hostlers, 2 tiorist, 1 ; logwood-mill, 7 ; chemical works, S ; pianomakers, 2 building mover, 1 ; gluemaker, 1 ; machinists, 10; shoemakers, 7 printer, 1 ; painters, 7 ; masons, 6 ; carpenters, 22 ; cabinetmakers, 3 ; l»lacksmiths, 7 ; baker, 1 ; woolen-mill operatives, 90 ; wheelwright, 1 ; upholsterer, 1 ; paper hanger, 1 ; marble and stone cutters, 3 ; iron foundry operative, 1 ; gold and silver worker, 1 ; dyers, bleachers, and scourers, 12 ; builder and contractor, 1 : brass founder and worker, 1 ; medical student, 1 ; apprentice, 1 ; engineei-, 1 ; manufacturers, 7; laborers, 55; laborer in store, 1.

("all, Josei)h II. Call. Bol)ert ( 'allahan. Daniel ( 'allahan. John ( 'arne. John ( 'ame, AVilliani ( 'aniphell. Saiiniel ( ann. l?einard M. Carter. (ieori;e K. Casey. Frederic ( 'asey. ISIatliew < base. Seward S. ( hoate. William II.

Clough, IMoza A. Cobb. (;eoroe H. Cold), Mason F. <'ol)l). Nathaniel L. Coll'ey. Charles ( 'olby. Foster K. Coll)V, Harlow Coll/y, Homer IT. ( 'olhy. .lonathaii ( 'ole. Sanuiel Collins, Alfred S. Collins. Charles A. ( 'ollins. Thomas K. ( 'olson. (Jeoryt' l'\ ( 'olson. Israel A. ( 'onnelly. John

Kearney, Bernard Keating, Thomas Kershaw. Boltert Keycs. John Kimball, (ieorge A. Kimball, Ichabod (i. Kiud)all, Sanuud King. Herbert A. King. Sauuiel IL Kittredge. < liarles Kittredge, John Knowles. John Kohlrtiusch. Charles H. Kohlrausch. ( has. IL. jr,

'-The following list is the nnines of woiin'U who have u[)plie(l to be registered to A'ote for school eoinmittee " ; which a law recentlj' enacted authorized them to do. As the historian is not a prophet, it is not his business to predict whether the number of women wdio desire this opportunity will increase or (hminish.

Libraries. Mr. Farmer mentions the first "Social Library" in Billerica instituted in 1772 and one of the earliest in Massachusetts, and a Second Social Library was incoi'porated in 1807. One of these libraries apparently became the property of the First Parish, and the other of a Ladies' Sewing Society ; and for many years they have been kept, practically united, in a room of the First Church, in the care of Miss Sarah Annable as librarian, who, in 187G, reported seven hundred volumes. These have noAv passed to the custody of the new library.

It had long been felt that the provision for the needs of tlie town in this respect was inadequate ; and in 1880 the generous munificence of Mrs. Joshua Bennett laid the foundation for their better supply. The handsome building, of which we give a good illustration, standing just north of the First Church, has been erected at her expense and deeded to the Bennett Public Library Association ; and her daughters, Mrs. Holden and Mrs. Warren, have contributed $2000 to its furnishing and the purchase of books, a good beginning for the growth which time may be expected to bring. A fee of five dollars is received for membership, and twentyfive dollars constitutes a life member of the association ; ])ut the use of books, without other privilege, is granted for the annual payment of one dollar. The building contains a lil)rary, with capacity for ten or twelve thousand volumes, which ma^' be doubled l)y the use of alcoves ; a reading-room, a committee-room, and a handsome entrance hall and cloak-room. The reading-room is ornamented with a wide fireplace and beautiful mantel of unique design, contributed l)y AVilliam W. Warren, Es(i., and the front of the building is enriched b}- a fine rose-window, the gift of Mr. Joshua Iloldeu. Mr. William H. Osboru, of New York, also gave the lot on which

A similar service has been rendered at North liiUeiica by the Messrs. Talbot ; althongh the library which tliey have fonnded is intende<l primarily I'or their own employees, and its management is in their hands ; l)ut its nse for a small fee is ojjcn to all. Tliey erected, in 1880, a bnilding connectt'd with tlieir factory, shown in the ilhistration as :i front wing, the second story of wliich is devoted to the lil)rar3' and reading-room. It is sn[)plie(l witli nioi'e than a thonsaud volumes, a number which will be incieased and well used under the judicious care of the Talbot Lil)rai-v Association.

It is proper that record be made here of two historical incidents. In 1855 the town formally and fitly celebrated the two hundredth anniversary of its foundation. The Rev. Joseph Richardson, of Hingham, a lo3'al son of the town, gave a historical oration, which was published, with other proceedings of the da}", in a valnaltle l)aniphlet. That celebration had no little influence in awakening and stinudating the interest in the earl}^ life of the town, which has found expression in its repeated later action, looking to the publication of this volume and providing for it.

A similar event was the celebration held, 187(), July 4. The centennial year of the United States natural!}- awakened renewed interest in historical sulyects and led to many local connnemorations. The Rev. Iiilias Nason responded effectively to an invitation of citizens to give a historical oration in Billerica ; and the day will be long remembered by those who shared in the festivities in the beautiful grove southeast of the middle bridge. This oration also, with other record of the da}', has been published.

Some of the Indian names freciuently mentioned in this volume suggest an interesting question of their meaning. This (jnestion, rather than hazard conjectures, I have submitted to the Hon. J. H. Trumbull, of Hartford, Connecticut, the onl}- living man who can read Eliot's Indian r)ible, and who is recognized as the highest authority as to the meaning of Indian words. He writes under date, 5 May, 1882: -

-- Shair.shiii has lost an initial syllable or a single obsenre consonant. ]»robal)ly m or //. (i.e. v'slutii or Di'fihuii) \ i)ossil)l}' some other sound. It has no meaning in the form in Avhich it comes to us. If I were familiar with the topography of the township. I think tlie name would interpret itself; but. as I am not. I will not hazard a guess. Xor can I confidently give the signification of Naticook or Naticott.*' In a later note, he adds: --That there is any al&nity between the name C'oimerticut antl Xaticot or Naticook is Iiighly improbable. Such aliinity can not be established unless it l)e shown that Naticct has lost an initial sound of Co, or Qui, or Quo. Xaticook apparently is nearlj' related to Natick. tlie name of several localities in New England ; and perhai)s to Nantucket, formerly written Xatoclto. etc." NdCdok. the name of a brook in Dustable. must also be akin.

The r.sahnist sings of Jenisuleni us -'beautiful for situation," and the sons of Billerica, native or adopted, may justly speak her praise Avitli similar enthusiasm. She has rivers, and ponds, and hills, with mountains in the distant liaekgroinid, affording a i)i('tin'esque diversity of landscape. Tiic Shawsiiin winds dreamily lliroiigh its meadows on the east, and on flic west is the Concord, miicii larger, Init almost as sluggish, until it reaches the fordway and falls at North Ijillerica. West of the ConcoiMl is IJroad meadow, on (he north; (iilson Hill, with its tine oiitliiK' in the centre, and the beautiful ^^'inning's Pond in the south. Hanked by highlands towards the river, which were early known as "Farley" Hill. Still farther southeast, in Carlisle, is the ''long hill" of the lathers, with "long hill meadow," still partly, in Billerica. East of the Shawshiii, the head wati'rs of Ipswich Kiver are found, in Lubber's Brook, and Danfortii's "Stop" Brook is south of the AVoburn Koad, but no highlands find r<toin within the mile of breadth here belonging to liillerica. The central swell of laiid between the two rivers has southerly the picturesque Nutting's Pond, with Indian Hill on its northern side and on the east a plateau rising to the north, and, beyond a depression, terminating in Bare Hill. This hill is flanked by meadows, lieyond which is the elevated ground on which the village is built, sloping towards the Concord, at the Corner. Fox Hill stands guard on the northeast of the villaoe, -lescending rather abru[)tly to the lowlands and meadows along Fox

IJrook, oil Mic iiortliwi'st, and C'oiili'iit IJrook below as it winds toward the Sliavvsliiii, and welcomes the ''Little Content" on its way, the latter rising' east of Vox Hill. Another considerable brook rnns southeast from Fox Hill to the iShawshin ;^ and Web's Brook, rising northeast of Bare Hill, pnrsues the same course.

The swelling ground on which the village stands, while not very high, is suMk'icntly elevated to give a wide view of the country in all directions. It may have interest to survey the scene in imagination from the tower of tlie First Church. The spire of the North Tewksbury chnrcli is ver}- nearly nortli and may be our starting [loint. When the atmospheric conditions are verj^ favorable, a rounded suiuniit may be dimly seen, which is almost certainly (Juustock Mountain, south of Lake AVinnepesaukee, and sixty-five miles distant. J\It. Washington is in the same direction, and if it were otherwise possible to see this monarch of the White Mountains Gunstock would liide it. About twelve degrees east is Patuckawa, in Deerlield, New Hampshire, thirty-nine miles distant, and passing as much farther we come to Pros[)ect Hill, once a Billerica landmark and watch-tower in days of Lidian warfare. Tlien the village of Tewksbury and State Alms-house, and a little farther east a summit is to be seen, when the conditions favor, which may be Agamenticus, fifty-four miles away. The village and seminary buildings at Andover are hidden l)y Fox Hill, but Holt's Hill, southeast of Andover, marks the locality. Then coming almost to the east point we reach the vast Ituilding of the Insane Asylum, at Danvers. and passing the east point as far come to the tower of tiie church in AVilmington, and, a little farther, Heading ai)i)cars. A glimpse of the Woburn spires follows. aii<l tlicn the church in Ihiilington, but the Burlington highlands hide from view Bunker Hill jMonument and the State House. Next come Ailington Heights and Blue Hill in Milton, Lexington, and Bcdfoixl, which marks the south point. Concord then shows its spires, and after a wider interval, about ten degrees south of west, AVachusett lifts its rounded and conspicuous sunmiit. The spires of AN'estford cut the horizon as much north of west, and just beyond, in the distance, the singular head of Watatic, in Ashb}', appears. Then avc come to Gilson's Hill in the foreground, and, he^'ond and just south of it, Rol>in's Hill, in Chelmsford, and Kidder's Mountain, in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, thirty-four miles distant.

This brings us to tlu' iiiouarcb of the whole fii-cle, Monjuhiock, whose sharp and grand crest must not be mistaken for some hjwer heiglit less than forty-seA'en miles awa}". Farther north are two conspicuous and fine summits, called, on the recent official map of New Hampshire, Pack-Monadnock, but popularl} known as Temple and Peterborough mountains. North of the latter, and through a depression in the hills which gives the railroad a passage-wav, a rounded sunnnit may l»e occasionally seen with beautiful distinctness against the evening sky, which I suppose to be Bald Mountain, in Antrim. Lyndeborough JNIountain is succeeded by Crochet Mountain, in Francestown, vvitii its longer crest; then Jo English Hill and, near by, the village of Mont Vernon. Just- beyond, a very distant summit ma}' sometimes be seen, which is possibly Sunapee Mountain, sixty-eight miles distant, but probably some heiglit not quite so far; and the circle is rounded by the Uncanoonucks, in (ioffstowii, with North Chelmsford and Lowell in the foreground.

The chief interest of such an itinerary, if it has any, will be to those who may have opportunity to follow it for themselves and fill in the outline with other details. But it will serve to suggest to any one the broad expanse of hills, and plains, and streams, over which the eye travels to the distant summits. These, clothed in their ever changing attire of sunshine and shadow, aflbrd a panorama of peculiar beauty and grandeur. To watch the play of cloud and storm as they travel over such a range is instructive and delightful ; while the sunshine, with its shadows and above all its sunsets, is surpassing. The praises of Andover sunsets have been sung more widely, as generations of students have come and feasted and gone out OA-er the earth. But I have had opportunity to enjoy and stud}' both, and I do not look to see, this side of the gates of pearl, any similar vision UKjre indescribable in its beauty and glory than 1 have often witnessed in Billerica sunsets.

The End

The following record of families is desigiied to include all names and dates occuring in, the town records of births, marriages and deaths, prior to 1800. Since that date, records which have been furnished by families, continuations of earlier families, and such others as the compiler has been able to gather, are added, but with no attempt at completeness, which was for obvious reasons imi)racticable.

The three volumes of records of births, marriages and deaths before 1840, furnish the basis of this register. Additions and corrections have been gathered from various sources, of which the following should be mentioned : -

The plan of this record is simple, and the abbreviations used are common and self-explanatory. Successive families, bearing the same name, are numbered, and the same heavy-faced number is used after the name, where the person is previously mentioned as a child, and in connection with his marriage, elsewhere. When a son is afterwards mentioned as the father of a family, this reference figure following his name indicates the fact and the place where his family will be found, and if the figure does not follow a child's name, no family follows.

The completeness of such a record can he only approximate. The years of research. i"ei)resented by Bond's WotertoiDi and Wyman's Charlestov;n GeneaJogien, have not l)een at the connnand of this comi)iler. and he can only say that he has done the best he could, in the short time at his disposal. Some errors of the records and of previous explorers, he has corrected, and if he has not added more than his own share to the mistakes to which all such work is exposed, it is as much as he can hope for. Charity is a lesson which one must needs learn who delves in such records and labors, and it should not detract from the esteem, approaching reverence, in which Billerica properly holds the services of Jonathan Danforth, to note the fact that an error is found in his record of liirth of the fii'st son and the first daughter of the town. Trusting that this register will be found of value to the old town, to her sous and daugliters abroad, and to genealogical investigators, the author commits his work to their charitable judgment.

6. David, son of David, of Andover, who A\'as cousin of Joshua. 1, b. 1728, March 28; m. 1752, Dec. 28, Prudence Sheldon, dau. of Samuel. 3; lived in Andover, in Barton, Vt., in Salem, O., and 1775-8, in B., where was b. his youngest son; he had Ch. Hannah m. Aaron Parker. Campton, Quebec ; Elizabeth, Prudence, Josiah, Samuel, David. Benjamin. Olive, Dorcas m. John Snow, and Jeremiah, b. 1776. May 18. who lived in Gorham and Portland. Me. David Al)bot d. in B.. 1788, Nov. 1.

11. f^}^orge, son of Stei)hen, whose fatlier. Stephen, was brother of Joshua, 1, ni. 1779. V\pril 1. Kebecca Blanchard. dau. of Simon, 4. Ch. Samuel, b. 1779. Nov. 2; lived in St. Stephen. N. E.. and in Wilton or Salem, and had 7 ch. Rebecca. Sarah Stevens m. (ien. David Putnam. Georr/e. Ephraim. Elizabeth. Stephen, and Mar;/.

jeweller, on Winter street. Boston. Edirard Amos. b. 1837. Nov. 25. An early graduate of the Howe school. He was first, when the Eebellion arose, to volunteer for --three years or the war." from Billerica. He was active in raising the ([uota of the town, and did faithful sei'vice. until his death from woimds received near Petersburg. Va.. 1864. June 27. A fine portrait has been presented by his friends to the Howe school. Snsan.

ALLEN, 1. Samuel, prob. son and grandson of Samuel, sr. and jr., of Manchester; b. 1700. He was a merchant in Newliury and Manchester, before settling in Billerica. 1763. He m. Abigail March, dau. of Rev. Edmund, of Amesburj'. by whom he had 5 ch. ; and 2d, Hannah Godfrey, of Nevvburj\ by whom he had 14 ch. Only one daughter by the first wife lived to maturity, and several of the others died in infancy. His will is dated 1775. Feb. 3. and names ch. Thomas. Jeremiah. Abigail and Dorcas, and the daughters of Sanuiel. deceased. Ch. Abir/ail m. Lunt. of Newburyport." Sarmiel. 2. Joseph d. at sea. Michael, captured at sea and Impressed into the English service. Zadoc d. in B. Thomas. 3. Zerubbabel and Jeremiah. 4, b. 1752, Feb. 11. Dorcas m. Michael Parsons. Polley d. in B. Anney d. in Manchester.

ATHERTON, Dr. Benjamin, was son of Joshua, of Lancaster, and grandson of James, of Dorchester, who was brother of Gen. Humphrey Atherton. who once represented Billerica at the General Court. His father had a brother Peter, whose son, Joshua, H. C. 1762, was Attorney-General of New Hampshire, and father of Hon. Charles H. Atherton. of Amherst, N. H., a mendjer of Congress. Dr. Atherton m. 1733. Dec. 25. Mary Rogers, widow of John,,8, and d. 1739. Sept. 1. Ch. Mary. b. 1734, Sept. 12; was living- in 1783. Benjamin, b. 1736, Dec. 9; was brought up by his uncle. Col. Peter Atherton. of Harvard ; enlisteil in the French and Indian War. and before the Revolution, settled at Sht^ttield, N. B.. on the St. John river. Was the first coroner in that province, and register of wills and deeds. In 1780. he removed to the site of the city of Frederii'ton, and when that city was laid out, he was given hy the government a large farm in Prince William, twenty-five miles up the river. He m. 1773. March 30. Abigail Mores, and had a son, Isiael. Dr. Alfred B. Atherton, of Fredericton. is his gi-andson. He d. 1816. July 17.

BACON. 1. Michael, grandson of Michael, of Dedham. and son of Michael, jr., one of the first settlers of Woburn; was b. prob. in Charlestown. about 1640. He purchased. 1682, July 19, the farm of 500 acres, which had been granted by Canilnidge to the Rev. IVIr. Mitchell. It was situated on Shawshin river, alcove the ^^'yman farm, and in the north-east part of what became Bedford. Prol)abiy lie had held the farm by lease before the purcliase. as the births of his t-hildi'eu are recorded here after 1671. and he had a gnint, 1680, 31arch, of forty ai-res adjoining Mrs. Mitchell's farm, on the south-east of Shawshin river, and reaching- almost to John Wilson's saw ndll. He m. 1660, March 22, Sarah, dau. of Thomas

Bacon

BAILEY. 1. Jonathan, 1780-2 ; m. 1777, P>b. 20. Elizabeth Baldwin, dau. of Benjamin. 12. The name is on tax-list a few years, but no children are recorded.

3. John Barnard, a honueopathic physician; came to Billerica in 1870; b. ISl."). .June 1;:5 ; ni. Frances Woodbury Paterson; lives on the Lowell road, near the corner.

4. John Mason, sun of preceding; b. 1842. Feb. 15; m. 1877, Aug. 20. Fhebe J. tiaskill. dau. of LiUeus. of Woonsocket, R. I. He bought the farm- north-east of Winning pond, in 1872, and by the extent of his improvements and exi)eriments. "has given it celebrity as '- Winning farm." He has stocked it A\ith thorough-bred Jersey cattle, Cotswold, Oxfordshire. <ind Merino slieej), and Berkshire swine. Me was the first in this country to introduce the French system of ensilage, or the building of silos for the preservatitm of forage crops in their green state, and he is pul)lishhig ''The Book of Ensilage,'" a treatise on the system, with history and results of his experiments.

Baldwin

BEARD. 1. Andrew, was in Menotomy, [Arlington]. 1672. His son. Ebenezer, was b. in Charlestown. and that .John and Simon were his sons is probable. He was in Billerica as early as 1713; lived east of the Shawshin, in the part of the town annexed to Wilmington, in 1737. He d. 1717-8, Jan. 8, and his widow. Mary. m. James Frost, 5. Ch. John, 2. Simon, m. 1725, Jime 2, Sarah Hopkins, dau. of William. 1. Ebenezer. 3, b. 1701-2, Jan. 1. Jacob, 4, b. 1709. Dec. 26. Martha, b. 1714. Aug. 21 ; m. Jacob Manning. 9. Nathan had a guardian, 1719.

BENNETT. James, of Groton, (statement of his granddaughter, Mrs. McPherson, of Chelmsford,) was the father of Stephen. 1, and James, 2, who appear on the tax-list of Billerica in 1780. He had other sons, Jonathan. Thomas, and Joseph, and was prob. himself the son of Moses and Anna Blanchard Bennett, and b. 1736, Dec. 5. The father of Moses was prob. James, of Groton, in 1704, and of Scotch descent. The brothers, Stephen and James, settled near Burlington line, south-east of Shawshin school-house.

1. Stephen, {see above,) is prob. the same who, with wife Elizabeth, had John. b. in Groton, 1775, Dec. 25. Other ch. named by Mrs. McPherson were Stephen. Thomas. Frank, James. Samuel. Jonas. Keziah. Bannah. m. 1801, Sept. 3. Giles Alexander, Betsey, Sarah, and Rehecca, and two othei's. ,

Nevers. and lived in Burlington. Edward, m. 1806. June 8, Rebecca Richardson, dau. of Ebenezer. 18, and lived in Burlington. Joshua. 3, b. 1792. Nov. 27.

3. Joshua, son of James, 2, b. 1792. Xov. 27. He was for some years a teacher in Dorchester, and afterwards was in business in Boston, in the firm of Bennett & Felton. He accumulated a large propert3^ At his death he left legacies to the clmrches in town. He lived on the west side of Long street, "in the north part of the village, where his Avidow still has her home in a genial and beneficent old age. She has recently made proposals to thetown which will probably result in the founding of a public librar_y. He in. 1815, Oct. 8. Eleanor Richardson, dau. of Ebenezer. 18, and d. 1865, Aug. 6. Ch. Ellen, b. 1816, Feb. 15; m. George Holden. (see 2). Hehecca, b. 1818. June 19; m. 1837, Oct. 17, William Wilklns ^Varren, Avho was b. 1814; son of Isaac, of West Cambridge, whose wife Frances was dau. of Dr. William Wilkins, and granddaughter of Rev. Dr. Cumings. This volume is indebted to him for the portrait of Dr. Cumings. He was a merchant at St. Thomas. 1830-40; resides now in Boston.

BIRD, 8imon, came to Boston in 1635, aged 20. AVith five others, in October, 1635, he was, by the Court, oj-dered to be -'whii:)! for runing from their maisters, and for stealeing a boat and dyvrs other things." He lived at Chelsea, but in 1659, 3m, -I''-, he received from Billerica a ten-acre lot. His house lot contained "fifty-two acres lying noithward of the township, and on ye Avest of Chelmsford road, and southward of Abofs bridge, bounded by Chelmsford road on ye east ninety-five pole, and by John Rogers, sen., south, by John Bracket, north by ye great river west." Abot's bridge was at the brook by Mr. Burns" place, and Bird's lot included Mr. Stackpole's i)lace and a large part of the Dea. Amos Spalding- place. He d. l(i()(i. July 7. leaving no children, but a widow, Mary, who m. Henry .lefts. In 1(580. jiortions of liis land were deeded by .lefts, as administrator, under execution, to various creditors, among whom were the church and Jicv. Mr. Whiting.

. 7. Jeremiah, son of Samuel. 3, b. 1764. .July 10; m. 1795. June 17, Mary Going; he d. 1819, May 22 ; lived at the Odiorne place, now occupied by I)r. Noyes. Ch. Jeremiah, b. 1797. Jan. 26; d. 1820, Jan. 10. He was secretary of the first governor of Arkansas. John (ioven. h. 1799. .Jan. 30. Studeiit'at Harvard College. Went to Maryland and studied law. but never practiced that profession. Became an Episcopal clergyman in 1824. Rector of St. Anne's parish, Annapolis. 1826; m. 1826, .Jan. 5. Elizabeth Hance Philpot; d. 1834, Oct. He had ch. EUzabeth P., Edward Wyatt, a lawyer,

10. Isaac, son of Simon. 4, b. 1761, Jan. 15; m. 1782. Sept. 12. Ruth Duncklee. dau. of Nathaniel. He lived in Carlisle. The baptismal register gives the children. Isaac. Abijah. and Benjamin. 1788. Oct. 26. Cyrus. 1789, July 5. Rnthy. 1790. Aug. 1. Susannah. 1796, July 3. Simon. 1798^ May 27. Abigail, 1801, April 5. Bethiah Lincoln, 1803. Aug. 20. Isaac, jr., lived in C'liarlestown; town treasurer, custom-house officer, and deacon of 2d church. Of his children. Sarah Stoddard m. Henry K. Frothingham. Vrylena m. Richard Frothingham. tlie eminent historian. Isaac AV. was an officer of the Eagle Bank, and Sampson S. was i)resident of the Hamilton Bank.

BLOOD, John and Robert, brothers, were sons of James, of Concord. They b«Hu>iit. i'arl_v. the extensive <>'rants made by the General Court to Mr. Increasi* Nowell and Kev. Thomas Allen, of Charlestown. and Mr. Atherton Hough, of Boston. These farms were Avest of Concord river, and below Concord, --old line.*' and for some years their civil relations were uncertain. Committees to -perambulate' the town lines; went over the line --with the Bloods." but they were among the persons whose taxes were in default, after the troubles of 167G. and were ordered by the General Court to pay thi'Ui to Billerioa. A few years later, they made an agreement with Concord, and were atterw;u-ds held bv that town. John was not m., and il. KJD'i. Oct. :W. Kobert m. Elizal)eth Willard, dau. of Major Simon, and had 12 ch.. but none of their births are recorded here. He'd. 1701. Oct. 27.

BOHONAN, Ananiah,* son of Ananiah; b. in Salisbury, N. H., 1783, May 8; m. Lucy Stanley, and 1838, Oct. 28. Abby Spaulding, dau. of Benoni. She d. 185G. Aug. 24. anil he m. 18.56, Oct. 10, Almira Stratton Spalding, her neice. He d. 1859. May 23, aged 70, and she m. George Wilkins, of Carlisle. Ch. born in Salisl)ury. Suphia B., Benjamin Stanln/, 2, b. 1808, Betsey E., Peter Bartlett, 3, Sarah. Mark Morrill. Ahir/ail. WiJliam Brondstreet.

BOWERS. 1. Jonathan, ancestor of the family in town, was b. in Chelmsford. 1074. .Vpril 13. son of Jerathmeel. who was son of George, of Canibi'idge. and )j. lO-oO. May 2. He had bi-others Benanuel. who in. Elizabeth Dunster. cousin of President Henry Duuster. of Harvard College, and lived in Charlestown; and John, who graduated H. C. 1049, teacher in Plymouth and New Haven, minister in Guilford and Brandford, and pastor in Derby, Conn., 1677. until death. 1687. June 14. Capt. Jerathmeel Bowers, a brother of our Jonathan, lived in Chelmsford, near Pawtucket, and was a leading citizen. The children of Capt. Jonathan were all born in Chelmsford; he removed to Billerica before 1729, as his son Beniamin entered college from B. ; he m. 1699. May 17, Hannah Barrett, and d. 1744-5, Feb. 12. She d. 1765, Oct. 16. aged 86. Ch. Jerathmeel. b. 1700. Jan. 5; m. 1735-6. March 17. Elizabeth Farley, dau. of Timothy, 7. Jonathan, b. 1701. July 5; m. 1726. June 7, Mary Grimes. Hannah, b. 1703, Xov. 11. John. b. 1707. Sept. 20; m. 1733, Aug. 14. Anna Crosby, dau. of Josiah. 5 ; he then lived in Dracut. William. 2, b. 1709, Jan. 8. Sarah, b. 1712, Feb. 25. Benjamin, b. 1713. March 7; graduated H. C, 1733; ordained at Middle Haddan. Conn.. 1740, Sept.. and d. there in 1761. Jnsiah. 3, b. 1719-20. Jan 10.

7. Benjamin, son of Josiah, 3, b. 1754. Feb. 11; m. 1784, March 28, Silence Stickney, dau. of Jonathan, 7. She d. 1803. Oct. 16. Ch. Anna,, b. 1785, March 14; m. 1813, May 7, Eev. Joseph Eichardson, {see 17). Jonathan Stickney, 8, b. 1787. Feb. 1. Wilder, b. 1789. April 13; m. Sarah Thompson. Josiah, b. 1791, Sept. 1; graduated medical department, Y. C 1816. He settled in Huntington. L. I., where he gained high repute as physician and surgeon, and in Setauket and Smithtown, adjoining. In later life, adopted homceopathic practice, and was one of the original members of the American Institute of Homoeopathy. He was in New York, 1850-8. when he returned to Billerica ; d. 1868. Xov. 5 ; twice m. but had no ch. Joseph Tompsnn, 9, b. 1794, Sept. 21. Bi-njamin Frankli". b. 1796, Sept. 30 ; graduated 1819, Yale Medical School, and practised medicine

BOWMAN. 1. Francis, is on the tax-lists. 1768-78. He was born in Lexington. 1718. April 2; son of John,* (Francis.'' Francis. = Xathaniel,^ of Watertown and Cambridge Farms) ; m. 1756. June 24. Sarah Simonds, and liyed in Bedford, having ch. there. Sarah, b. 1757, April 4, and Hannah, b. 1760. Noy. 10. He liyed on the Lexington road, by the crossing of the Middlesex Turnpike. Name disappears 1778.

BRACKET. 1. Capt. Richard, lived in Boston. 1632-11. and after, in Bramtree. where he was town clerk, deacon, and leading citizen. His name often appears in Billerica records ; prob. he never lived in the town, but five of his ch. were among the first settlers here. His wife's name was Alice; she d. 1690, aged 76, and he d. 1691, March 5, aged 80. Ch. Hannah, bap. 1635, Jan. 4; m. Samuel Kingsley. Peter, 2, and John, 3, bap. 1637, May 7. Bachel, b. 1639, Nov. 3; m. Simon Crosby, 1. Mary, b. 1642, Feb. 1; m. Joseph Thompson. 1. James, b. (V). Josiah, 4, b. 1652. July 8. Sarah m. Joseph Crosby, brother of Simon, 1.

2. Col. Ebenezer, son of Eev. Ebenezer. of Chelmsford, who commanded a regiment at Bunker Hill, was in Billerica a few year before the Eevolution, a merchant, and commanded a company of minute men. He did not return after the War, and had no family here ; but he m. 1817, Sept. 17, Susan Hartvvell; then lived in Harvard.

BROWN. 1. Jacob. [In the early records, final -e' is often used] . Received in 1658 a grant of an eight-acre lot. His first alotment was "upon the township^ bounded by the river, west; John Rogers, north; George Willice. south; highway, east, and one highway passing through the upper part of the same, which is Concord road." .This lot was near or south of the Baptist church. He sold in l(i63, all his rights to John Stearns, and disappears from Biilerica. He m. 1661. Oct. 16. Mary Tapleafe.

2. John, "31, 10"\ 1683. At a meeting of y" Selectmen, John Browne being sumoned and appearing before y Selectmen to give an account of his coming to inhabit in our towne without liberty from the town first had and obtained according to our town orders. The Selectmen having received an evill report of y<^"s<i pson. they gave him Xotice of our towne orders, respecting y^ entertainment of persons into y« towne to be inhabitants, and that wee were not willing to entertain him as an inhabitant, and warned him forthwith to remove his family out of our towne on the penalty of our towne orders, which is twenty shillings per weeke. uidess he gave bond, with security, to content (within one week) that hee should not be chargeable to y^ towne, nor his family." George Grymes is also warned of the penalty he would incur "in case he suffers the s<i Brown to live in any of his housing or tenements more than one week longer." But this Browne did not leave in a week and the constable reported his tax. with others not paid in Dec, 1687. He m. 1682. April 22, Elizabeth Policy, dau. of George, of Woburn, and Savage names ch. John. 8, Elizabd'h. and Hannah, b. in Woburn.

Brown

6. William, son of George, 3, b. 1696. Oct. 21 ; m. ]\Iarv Baldwin, dau. of Jonathan. 3. Ch. William, b. 1724. March 27; d. Ai)ril 7. Mart/ and Esther, b. 1727-8. March 21. Mary m. Samuel Blanchard, 3, anil Esther m. Thomas Burtt. William, b. 1730-1, Feb. 24; m. JVIary Osgood, dau. of Christoplier. 1, and lived in Tewksbury; was a member of the Constitutional Conventi<m in 1780. Timothy, b. 1733, May 24; m. Dorcas Osgood and Rhoda Coburn; was a merchant .on the east side of the Concord river, in modern I^owell. '

9. Nathaniel. Name on tax-list, 1737-89, and liis lieirs, after. Birth of children not recorded, but baptisms are as follows : Sarah. 1755, April 6. Nathaniel, 1757. Oct. 22. Maniaret. 1759, Nov. Rhoda, b. 1762, April 18.

BURDIT, Jacob,- m. 1792, Sept. 27. Eliza Simonds. She may have been dau. of Jesse, whose name was for some yeans on tax-list. Ch. Jacob, h. 1793. March 30.

JohnHindes. Ch. John, b. 1677, July 22. Had 10 ch. b. in Woburn; but removed in 1721, to the part of Dunstable now Pelham, N. H. ; there d. 1759. Caleb the historian of Groton, was one of his numerous descendants. 3Iarv, b. 1679, July 11. Elenor, b. 1681, Sept. 13.

CARRIER, Thomas, "vulgarly called Morgan." was in town, 1674, "23, 1676. The Select n >n ordered the constable to give Notice to Thomas Carrier, alias Morgan. Welchman, that the town was not willing hee should abide here, as an inhabitant, and that he forthwith depart with his family, or give such securit,y as shall be to the content of the Selectmen, on peril of 20^. per week, while hee abide without leave, flrst had and olitaininl, W^" is acording to an ancient towne order amongst us.'' Very worthy men received such notice from some towns in later days. In 1677, November, he was assigned '-with his man, John lAwistone,"' to brush cutting in the south-east part of the town, and he took the "oath of fidelity," with twenty-four inhal)itants. 1677-8. Feb. 4. If he was, at first, in the the south-east part of the to\\'n, his later residence was just beyond North Billerica, west of the road "to Winthrop's farm," (see "Grants,"' Vol. 2. pps. 44 and 53.) and next to John Kogers. Between 1684-90, he removed to Andover, and there his wife Ijecame fatallj^ involved in the witchcraft tragedy, as elsewhere related. The welcome he met in Andover was not more cordial than he had found in Billerica. In 1690. his home was smitten with the small-pox, and the Selectmen notified his friends that the town was not responsible for aid, "for they took care, when first they came, to warn them out," and a few months later, poor Martha Carrier had a more peremptory 'warning out' from the Magistrates of Massachusetts, at Salem. She might well say the world was unfriendly. Afterwards, he removed to Connecticut, and with his family was among the pioneers of Colchester. The following extract from the records of that town embodies interesting traditions of this remarkable man : "Thomas Carrier had belonged to the body-guard of Charles 1st, of Great Britain, and was notorious for fleetness of foot, even after he was more than 100 years old. It is said that he killed the King of England. If so. he nuist have been the executioner of Charles 1st, A. d. 1648. It is said by his descendants that he was 113 years of age at the time of his death in 1735. He used to walk from Colchester to Glastonbury, carrying a sack of corn on his shoulders to be ground, walking very "fast, aiid stopping but once, for the whole distance of 18 miles." Families bearing the naine still live in the vicinity. He m. 1674, May 7, Martha, dau. of Andrew and Faith Allen, of Andover, sister of Dr. Roger Toothaker's wife. Her sister Hannah m. James Holt, and another sister m. Samuel Holt, of Andover, and she had brothers Andi-ew and John. Several of the family died of the small-pox in 1692. She was executed on gallows hill, Salem, 1692, Aug. 19. He died in Colchester. 1735, May 16. Traditions of his age dift'er. The N. E. Journal soon after his death says that he was 109 years old, and that he was not gray or bald, walked erect, and shortly ])efore his death walked six miles. (Savage). Qh.. Eichard, b. 1674, July 19; m. 1694, July 18, in Andover, Elizabeth Sessions, and had Elizabeth, b. 1695, June 18. John, b. 1697:

CHAMBERLAIN. 1. William, one of the earliest inhabitants. He was prob. from Woburn. and may have been a brother of Thomas. One of the three original purchasers of the Dudley farm, who afterwards lived in Chelmsford, and 1674. April 16, m. Mary, the widow of our Sergt. John Parker. According to Savage, the two older children of William were born in Concord. His house in Billerica was - on the farm ' prolwhly near the Woburn road, in the south part of the village. His wife's name was Rebecca. She died "in the prison at Cambridge,'' 1692, Sept. 26. possibly charged with witchcraft. (See what is said on that subject). He d. 1706, May 31, aged about 86. Ch. Timothy, h. 1649, Aug. 13. Isaac, b. 1650, Oct. 1, and d. 16S1, July 20. [These from Savage]. The following from Billerica Records: Sarah, b. 1655. May 20; m. John Shed, 3. Jacob., b. 1657-8, Jan. 18. Thomas, h. 1659-60. Feb. 20. Edmond. 3, b. 1660, July 15. [So tile Record .stand.s. One of the two dates must be in error]. Rebecca., b. 1662-3, Feb. 25; m. Thomas Stearns, 4. ^6?-a/(flm, b. 1664-5, Jan. 6. Ann. b. 1665-6, March 3. Clement, 4, 1). 1669, May 30. Daniel, 5, b. 1671. Sept. 27.

CHAMPNEY. 1. Elder Richard, of Cambridge. Avas a leading proprietor in Shawshin, and his sons Sanmel. 2, and Daniel, lived here for a few years. He bought in 1655, the farm of 500 acres, granted by Cambridge to Edward Collins, which was bounded N. E. by the W^oburn road, on both sides Shawshin. and here Samuel Champney lived until 1668, when he sold the place to Richard Daniel. He had also a share of the Dudley farm, occupied by his son Daniel, west of the Woburn road, and south of John Steams. He sold, and returned to Cambridge in 1670, or soon after, and in 1 672, surrendered certain town rights, for his arrears in ministers' rates. [See Paige's " Cambridge,'' for record of descendants].

CHANDLER. 1. John, Rev., the youngest of 12 ch. of Thomas Chandler, of Andover; was b. 1723, Dec. 14. Rev. James Chandler, pastor of Rowley, 1732-88, was his brother. Their father was son of William, of Andover. whose father, William, came to Roxbury in 1637. John C. grad. H. C, 1743; was ordained in Billerica, 1747, Oct. 21; dismissed 1760, June 5, and d. 1762, Nov. 10. He lived near Dr. Wilson's place, on the Boston road. He m. 1748, Nov. 3. Mary White, dau. of Dea. William,, of Haverhill. She d. 1757, June 28, and he m. 1759, Jan. 18, Elizabeth White, dau. of Samuel White, and her double cousin. She m. 1766, June 19. Dr. Robert Luscombe. of Taunton, and d. 1768. Oct. 11. Ch. Mary, b. 1749. Sept. 8; m. 1775. Oct. 26, her cousin, William White, of Haverhill. He was a merchant in Boston and in Rutland. Mass.. where she d. 1794. Feb. 21. Of her 5 ch., William Charles was "'a player, poet, advocate and author," and Moses Hazen, a business man of Rutland. His dau. Isabella Hazen. m. Frances Dana, M. i>., of Boston. H. C. 1831 ; and their son, George Haz^n Dana, was a Captain in the 32d Mass. Regiment, and on the Staft'of Gen. Dana, in the late War. John. b. 1752, May 9; d. 1760, Oct. 10. William, b. 1757, June 9; d. 1760, Oct. 26. Elizabeth, "h. 1760, Aug. 6; m. 1780. Sept. 12, Thomas Plunnner, of Rowley. She was a woman of talent and literary tastes; d. 1839, Jan. 11. Her son, Daniel Farnham Plunnner, had a great mechanical genius.

CLARK, Joseph, m. 1795, April 2, Rebecca Fuller, perhaps dau. of Silas. Elizabeth ui. 1803. Jan. 30, Thomas Stevenson, of Boston; PoUv m. 1803, Dec. 1. William Lund.

2. Samuel, was from Watertown; m. Mary Marshall, of Chelmsford; lives on the Bedford road, two miles from village. C'h. John Samuel, b. 1835, July 4; who lives in Hookset, N. H. Mary Elizabeth, b. 1837^ July 28; m. George W. Gragg.

3Icrcy, in. Jonathan Knapp, Sarah., m. 1774, May 19, Arch^laus Tay, of Wohnni. and 2(1, Williani Laws, havin": a dau. Sarah Tay; Sears, 2, wiio had tlic homestoad, and was exocutor and residuary legatee.

COWDRY, (COUDKE, the early form). 1. "John, "of Billerica," m. Hannah Davis, of Groton, 1744." 31ay 30. He was on tax-hst of 1746, only; liad cli. John, Jonathan and David bap. in Westford, 1750-6. ' '2. Joseph, son of Nathaniel, of Westford. b. 1781, March 19. His mother was Rebecca Parker, dau. of Samuel. 12. He m. Lucy Brown,

9. Francis Bacon, son of Joseph, 2, m. Lydia Baldwin, dau. of Benjamin, of Carlisle. He lives in West Billerica. on the south road to Chelmsford. Ch. Frank Edward, b. 1842, May IG. Elias Wilder, b. 1844. Jan. IG. 3Iary Amanda, b. 1845, June 27. Henrietta, b. 1847, July 4. Gxanvillc. Julia. Adelaide. Fostina. Chastina. Francis.

Crosby

14. Josiah, son of Josiali. 5, b. 1704, Aug. 5; m. 1729-30, Feb. 3, Elizabetli French, dau. of William, 7. She d. 1739, Nov. 27. He d. before 1743. Killed by the Indians says tradition. Ch. Josiah. b. 3730, Nov. 24. He was in the military service in 1747, on the C-onnecticut river, and narrowly escaped with his life by swimming the river from the anibusead(» in which French. Frost and Eichardson, from Billerica, were killed, and Osgood taken captive. He m. 1750, Aug. 23, Sarah Fitch, dau. of Joseph, 2, and settled in Monson, in the part now Milford, N. H. At Bunker Hill, he was a captain jn Col. Reed's regiment, and had four sons in the war. He was a millwright and an active and influential citizen. He d. 1793. Oct. 15, leaving ten children, all of whom had families, which gave liim eighty-five grandchildren. Of liis ch., Asa b. 1765. July 15, was an eminent phj^sician of Sandwich and Gilmanton, N. H., and the father of sons as eminent as Dr. Josiah Crosby, of Manchester, N. H. : Dr. Dixi Crosby, of Hanover; Hon. Nathan Crosby, of Lowell ; Alpheus Crosby, Greek professor in Dartmouth College, and author of a useful Greek Grammar and other works ; and Dr. Thomas E. Crosby, of Hanover. Judge Crosbj% of Lowell, published in 1877, '"A Crosby Family," giving full details of the descendants of Josiah Crosby. ' William, b. 1732-3. Feb. 16. Elizabeth, b. 1734-5, Jan. 9. and d. 1736. July 14. Esther, b. 1736. Sept. 17; m. Isaac Manning, (see 7). Alpheiis. h. 1739. April 22.

office until his death, 18(U, Dee. 30. In 1854, lie tendei'ed his resignation, which was not accepted ; but he was relieved by a colleague of his active charge, contiiuiing senior ])ast()r. Harvard College gave him the honorary ]). 1).. in 1853. He published an Eiectinn Sermon, 1830; a Dedication Sermon. 1843; a Semi-Centennial Sermon in 1800; and "Annals of ('iiarlestown.' in Vol. 1\ of the New Hampshire Historical Collections. Learned, genial, prudent, his long ministry is held in eminent honor. Mary. b. 17.54. May 10; m. Isaac Stearns, (see 8.) and lived in Ashburnhani. Isaac, bap. 1750, May 10. Susannah, bap. 1758, Feb. 12. William, bap. 1700. Feb. 3. A .son, "bap. 1701. Aug. 30. Sarah, bap. 1703, Dec. 25.

33. Josiah, son of Oliver, 24, b. 1777, Feb. 8; m. 1803, Oct. 16. Betsey Hartwell, of Littleton. He d. 1829, July 27. Ch. Elizabeth Heyichod, b. 1804, Aug. 12; m. 1826. Dec. 13, Rev. Bernard Whitman. He was brother of Kev. Nathaniel Whitman, b. 1796. June 8. Student at H. C. but did not graduate. Studied theology with Dr. Abbot, of Bevei-ly; was ordained at Waltham, 1826, June 8, and d. there, 1834, Nov. 5. He Avas an active and vigorous writer in the Christian Examiner ; editor of the Unitarian; and ]niblished a volume of 'Village Sermons," 1832; two letteis to Prof. Stuart, 1830; and a dozen sermons on various occasions. (See Am.

CUMINGS. John Cunuuings. of Rowley. 1667. perhaps son of Isaac, of Ipswich, m. Sarah Howlett, dau. of Sergt. Thomas, of Ii)swich. He remov(Hl to Dunstable, and was one of the leading men; selectmen and town-clerk. He had ch. John, Nathaniel, Sary, Thomas, Abraham. Isaac, and Ebeiiezf^r ; d. 1700, Dec. 1, and his wife, Dec. 7. John, his son, had seven ch. of whom Sanmel Avas b. 1680, Get. 6. and lived in Groton, \^'here liis son Jerahmael was b. 1711. Get. 10. Nathaniel lived in Dunstable and had a son Nathaniel b. 1699, Sept. 8 ; was prob. father of Nathaniel, of Billerica.

1. Nathaniel, (see above), m. 1749, Nov. 29, Kathrine Baldwin, dau. of John, 9. Her name takes the place of his on the tax-list, 1773. She d. in

2. Henry, Rev., son of Jeraliiuael, (above,) b. 1739, Sfpt. 16. His fathtn- lived in the west part of Dunstable, and was one of the petitioners in 1738. who oljtained the incorporation of the Parish of West Dunstable, which became the town of IloUis in 174G. His mother was Hannali Farwell, dau. of Henry. Jerahmael Cumings d. 1747, Oct. 21. and his widow m. Dea. Stephen Jewett. She liad five children by each marriage. Hannali Cumings, her oldest dau.. m. James Hol)art, who was one of the first settlers in 1764. of Plymouth, X. II. Her son James b. 1766, Aug. 2, was the first child born in the town. He grad. D. C, 1794; studied tlieology with Eev. Dr. Asa Burton, of Thetford; was ordained over tlie cliurch just organized in Berlin, Yt., 1798, Xov. 7. and so remained moi'e than tliirty years. He d. in Berlin, 1862. July 16, having devoted liis later years to missionary labors in Vermont and Xew Hampsliire. After he was 90 years old. hewalked on one Sabbath 12 or 15 miles and preaclied to three congregations. Jotliam, tlie only brother of Rev. Henry Cumings, was also one of the Plymouth pioneers, and has left a numerous posterity there. Henx-y Cumings grad. H. C, 1760; tauglit school in Reading, 1761 ; studied tlieology with Daniel Emerson, the eminent HoUis pastor, who preached his ordination sermon; was ordained in Billerica, 1763, Jan. 26, and d. in office, 1823. Sept. 5. The Rev. Mr. AVliitman had been his colleague fi-om 1814. Jan. 26. Harvard College gave him tlie honorary degree of D. D., in 1800. He was often called in council, and to preach on public occasions. The list of his publications, as revised by himself, for Mr. Farmer's Historical Memoir, is as follows: -

15. Right-Hand of Fellowship, annexed to the Sermon, preached at the ordination of Reverend Elijah Dunbar, at Peterborough, N. H., 23 October, 1799.

2. Isaac, sm of William. 1, b. 1777. Oct. 24; m. Lucy Farasworth. He cainc Iroiii Dracut about 1820. and lived near the " corner" bridg?; d. 182.J. Oct. 20. and liis wiilow d. 18;J4. April 12. aged 52. Ch. Lavina, m. Ebcnezer Avery, of Wilmington. Lncinda lives in Lowell. Aiidinv d. about 18(35. in New York. ]Vur"<'n, a prominent lawyer and citizen in St. Louis. Julia Ann. b. 1820. Julj- 15; ni. Abel Spalding, 13, Cfeurt/e Wdshiinitnn. d. 185;5. Aug. 27. au'ed ;^(i.

D.iNFORTH, Joualhan, youngest son of Nicholas and Elizabeth Daniorth, wash, in Frandingham, in High Suffolk, England, 1627-8, Feb. 29. His mother d. in England. 1629 ; his father, in Cambridge, 1638, April. His brother, Thomas, of Cambridge, was one of the most useful and eminent citizens of the colony ; selectman, 1645-71 ; town clerk, 1645-68 ; assistant, 1659-78. Deputy Governor. 1679-92. except during Andros' usurpation, after which, only the prolonged life of the veneiable Gov. Bradstreet prevented his election as Governor. He was President of the District of Maine. 1681-92; member of the Council, l(9]-9; Judge of Superior Court, after 1692; Treasurer of Hai-vard College, 1650-69; Treasurer of Middlesex County, and from 1648-86, Recorder. The acknowledged leader of the party which resisted the arbitrary proceedings of the King, and effected the counter-revolution in Massachusetts. He d. 1699, Nov. 5, aged 77. His brother, Samuel, grad. H. C, 1643; was ordained colleague with John Eliot, as pastor at Roxbury; d. 1674, Nov. 19, leaving an eminent reputation for scholarship and piety. His wife was Mary, dau. of John W'ilson, Boston's first pastor.

Our Jonathan Danforth was of worthy stock, and in view of his long life and many and varied services, he might be recognized as the father of the town. His nuirriage was the first on our records, though it seems to have taken place in Boston, as it was also recorded there. His skill as a surveyor, gave him employment far and wide. For forty years ho prcjbably surveyed every land grant in Billerica, and nmst have explored every nook and corner of the ancient town. His descriptions fill some 200 pages, in his own, very clear and handsome hand-writing, in the volume of Land Grants; and in locating grants and making surveys, as settlement went on, north and west, he was more frequently employed than any other. In Haverhill. Dracut, Dunstable. Groton, Towusend and as far as Amherst and Litchfleld. N. H.. his work is found. Many of his "plots '' are preserved in the State Archives. He was town-clerk, 1(565-86. Selectman. Representative, and Captain of the Militia company. His energy and wisdom made his counsel of value, and liis piety shone. He was tlie life-long and trusted friend of liis pastor, Mr. Whitinf, who survived him but five months. Mr. Farmer states that he left t\vo Ms. folios containing sermons and sketches of sermons for many years, together with the baptisms and admissions to the church. If any part of these valuable folios was in existence in Mr. Farmer's day, as he implies, it has since disappeared. Wide and careful searcli has detected no clue to them, or to the "ancient plan" of the to\\ii. in Mr. Fanner's po.ssession, of which he speaks. (Xote p. 1, of Hist. Memoir). This plan was sent to the Mass. Historic^al Society, but lias' unfortunately disappeared from its archives. Mr. Farmer has preserved lines taken from a poem, on ]Mr. Danforth's death, supposed to have been written by his nephew. Rev. John Danforth. of Dorchester, which are worthy of repetition here. "He rode the circuit, chain'd great towns and farms,

Gave him the lustre which .we most admire." An ac(;ount of his piety followed. The house which Mr. Danforth built and in which he lived and died is disappearing as we write, March. 1880, to give place to a new one. Mr. Martin Lane is its owner. A good picture of it is herewith presented. The wife of Mr. Danforth was Elizabeth Poulter. dau. of John and Mary. b. in Raleigh. Essex. 1633, Sept. 1. Her father is called '-Goodman Pouter," in the Boston record, and prob. d. in England. Her mother became the wife of Sergt. John Parker. This theory best explains the facts, which are, that Danforth calls Parker his "father-in-law," {Land Grants, p. 11. No. 3.) and Parker calls Danforth. "son-in-law." (see parchmejit deed, forming cover of "Births. Marriages and Deaths" Record.) and that after Mr. Parker's death, in 1667. his widow Mary m. Thomas Chamberlain, of Chelmsford, in 1674. Her name was therefore the same with that of Mrs. Danforth's mother, and her death. 1692. Feb. 8. is entered by Mr. Danforth, in Billerica Records, as of special significenee to the Recorder. Mr. Danforth was m. ''before Mr. Increase Nowell." 1654. Nov. 22. His wife d. 1689, Oct. 7; he m. 1690. Nov. 17. Mrs. Esther Champney, dau. of Elder Richard, of Cambridge, and widow of Josiah Convers. of Woburn. who d. a few months after her husband. 1713, April 5. He d. 1712. Sept. 7. Ch. 3Iani, b. 1655-6. Jan. 29; m. 1678. June 4. John Parker, of Chelmsford. Elizabeth, b. 1657. May 27; m. 1687, March 7. Simeon Heyvvood. of Concord. Jonathan. 2, b. 1658-9. Feb. 18. John. b. 1660-1. Jan. 23; d. Feb. 7. John. b. 1661-2. Feb. 22; d. June 4. Lydia. b. 1664. June 1 ; m. Edward AVright. of Concord. Samnd, 3, b. 1665-6, Feb. 5. Anna. b. 1667-8. March 8; m. Oliver Whiting. 3. Thomas, b. 1670. April 29; d. Julv 31. XirhoMs, b. 1671, July 1 ; d. 1693-4, March 8. Sarah, b. 1676, Dec. '23; m. William French. 7.

removed to Berkshire, Vt., and there died. Of his children, William and Jonathan were eleroymen. Isnac^ b. 176;i, Sept. 29. He was a physician in Barnard. Vt.. wliere he d. 1851. May 28. His ch. were (a) Perses Baker, who m. Kev. Joel Davis, minister in Barnard. (/>) Betsey Maria, (c) Isaac Emery, M. D. (d) Joseph Baker, member of Legislature and Judge of Pi'obate. (c) Solon, a leading citi/en of Barnard, menilier of Senate, Vt. (/) William Cullen. M. D. {(/} All)ert Harlow, an active citizen, and often in public office in Barnard and Claremont. N. H. ; now resident in Chicago. (h) Sanuiel Parkman. an eminent physician of his native town, and Koyalton; d. IH.")."); the father of Kev. 'William B. Danforth, who d. 1876. Elizabeth, b. 17(J.">, June 19. Jonathan, bap. 1708, March 4. Jo)iathan, b. 1769, Nov. 23; lived in Pomfret, Vt. ; d. about 1859. Sumud,, b. 1772, Aug. 30; a physician in Calais. Vt., where he d. 1812, April 12. Of his 7 ch., four are living in Ohio: Bernct. b. 1774. Oct. 2. Jamcs^ b. 1776, Nov. 8. Sally, b. 1777. Dec. 9. Hoslnj, b. 1779, Dec. i. The last four did not marry.

DANIEL, Richard, "of Edmonton. England. Gent., now in England," purchased, 1669, Nov. 12, for £220, the farm of 1000 acres belonging to the church in Cambridge, then leased, and afterwards sold to Thomas Bicliardson and Joseph Walker. Jan. 19, for £100, he also bought the 500 acre farm, of Samuel Champney. The Woburn road ran between these two farms, on both sides of Shawshin river, and as Champney then left town, Mr. Daniel, doubtless, lived on his place, on the south-west side of the road, not far from the river. He is mentioned by Gookin, in his Wamesit Narrative, as elsewhere quoted, and was allowed to fortify his own house, in 1675. In

1670, Dec. 5, at his request, a Committee was appointed to "settle the Country road, througli Shawshin f amies." Also the town " grant Mr. Daniel liberty to make a pue in the east end of y-' meeting house." and two weeks later "it is agreed that Mr. Daniel, gent., shal be set downe for the minister's rate, for this year, at five pound, fourteen shillings, for both farmes." His wife was of the nDbility, Mary, eldest daughter of Sir John Pye. of Derbyshire. He returned to England, prob. inlGSl.), and was living in London, 1700, Feb. 28, at which date he sold to Richartlsan and AV'alker, the church farm, and the ("hauipney farm to Thomas Ross and Hugh Ditson. Mr. Alexander Daniel, by -order' of the town, 1680, Sept. 20, was "to set in the front seat in y"^ front gallery." He was prob. a relative, possibly a son, of Richard.

DAVIDSDX. 1. Nathaniel, united with the church, on a letter from -- London Derry." His name is on the tax-list, 1733. His relation to William and Robert, who are on tax-list. 173J-1. is not known. A Jane Davidson m. 1733. May 3, Thomas Campble; Elizabeth m. John Gorrell, 1733-4, Jan. 21. Nathaniel was a merchant, and lived on Woburn street, not far from the connnon. Itis name disappears in 1772. His wife was Mary. Ch. NmluuiicU b. 1742, Sept. 28; d. 1744, Dec. IG. WilWim, 2, b. 1745-6, Jan. 5. 3Iun/, b. 1748, Oct. 26; d. 1749-.50, March 1. Mithanid, b. 1754, Sept. 15.

Siileni street church, Boston, and in Bangor, since 1864. is a son. Benjamin, b. 1789, Nov 1 ; niercliant and lianker in Augusta. Me. ; d. 1875. jNJarcli 18. Two sons. George W. and Benjamin (i.. are dead. C'athei'ine, h. 1791, Oct. 13; 111. Thomas J. Lee, a bank casliier, Calais, Me.; d. 1870, July 2. Anna, b. 1794, Mareli 10; m. 1813. June 14. John S. Kimball, merchant of Belfast. Me. ; d. 1827, May. Elizabeth, b. 179G. Dec. 5; m. 1827. May 7, Hon. Jacob Sleeper, of Boston. She d. 1833, July 20; he m. 1834, April 7, her sister. Maria. Mr. Sleeper is well and widelj" known as a business man of Boston. He lias been an alderman of the city, member of the legislature, and was three years in the (TOvernor's council, and has been often employed in the management of educational and philanthropic institutions. He lias had five ch. : Mary Elizabetli, who m. (4eo. W. Davis, her cousin, and lives a widow witli her father. Her son, George H. Davis, having just graduated at Harvard College. Abigail Patten, wlio m. Joseph W. Harper, of Harper & Brothers, New York. Julia Maria, who m. Edward F. Dutton, of E. P. Dutton & Co., publishers. New York. Caroline M.. who also ui. Mr. Harper, and Jacob H., who lives in Boston. Franklin, b. 1799. Jan. 2; d. 1801. Feb. 27. Maria, b. 1800, Dec. 24, in. {as above,) Mr. Sleeper; d. 1878. S<>pt. 24. Franklin, b. 1804, Jan. 30; in. Maria Seaman, of New York; d. aliout 1850.

2. Ebenezer, brother or son of John, of Woburn, who m. Mary Fanner, (see 1). He was in town in 1730, and m. 1732, Dec. 7, Mary Eogers, widow of Nathaniel, 9. His name disappears. 1735, perhaps with the Tewksbury list. Ch. Ebenezer, b. 1733, Oct. 7. Perhaps Sarah, who m. John Pollard, G.

DITSON. 1. Hugh, took the oath of fidelity. 1685, May 28. He was, doubtless, son of ''Sarah Didson, of Eedding, widow," who in. 1686, May 20, Thomas Patten, 1, and 1690, Thomas Richardson, 1. He

DIX, Joel, 1, and John, 2, brothers, came fi-om Chelmsford, 1820. They had sisters: Lucy, who m. 1823, Oct. 26; Jonathan Wilson, and Nancy, who m. John Mixer.

2. John had ch. John Adams, who lives in Chelmsford, near Lowell. Joel H.. 3. Andrei!} Newton, who lives in Waverly. Iowa. Jonathan. 3Iary Ann, \\\\o m. Babbitt, and Delia, who m. Martin.

3» Joel H. m. Emma Jane McLaren, of Gardiner. Me., who d. 1879, Aug. 18, aged 47. He is in business with his son, in Cliicago ; bought in 1875, the house built by Judge liOcke. on the north corner of West and Long streets, where his family reside. Ch. William Shakesjieare, b. 1849, Jan. 17. Georgianna T., b. in Burlington, Vt., 1850, March 11; m. James A. Yantis, and 1879, Samuel Pillsbury. Jennie B., b. 1853, July 13 ; m. L. M. Edwards, of Chicago.

DUMMER, Samuel, Esq., of Wilmington, m. 1737, May 31, Ehzabeth Euggles. dau. of Rev. Sauniel. Ht' d. and she m. Rev. Daniel Rogers, of Littleton. (;h. Elizabeth, b. 1738. March 25; d. young.

DUNKIN. 1. John, may have been son of Samuel, of Newbury He was granted. 1670, May 10, "'twenty and five acres of land. * * It lyeth on the right hand of y" way, before you enter the great plaine, as you go to Koger Toothalier's. It is bounded oia y*^ north partly by y« highway that leadeth over y*^ swamps towards Jeiff"'s Cove, and southward, p'ly by John Roger's meadow, by foxes," [ i. e. by Fox brook and farm.] "'and p'ly by Samuell Maning gratuity land, laid out at same time ; elsewhei-e. by ye comans, taking part of y*^ pine Hand beyond John liogei's' meadow aforesaid, boimded elsewhere bj^ comon land. This land was granted to y'= said Dunkin for a fatt oxe they bought of him to prsent to their Deputy of y"^ Genl. ('o.."' Mr. Humphrey Atherton. of Boston. 1673-4, Jan. 20, he was granted "all town rights and priviledges for y^ future, to the proportion of a five acre lot." This was the Eussell place, one-half mile south of North Billerica. He m. 1674-5, Feb. 23. Johanna Jefts, dau. of Henry, 1, and d. of small pox, 1690, Dec. 19. His widow m. Benjamin Dutton, 5, and was killed with two of her children by the Indians, 1692, Aug. 1 . C'h. M«rv, b. 1676, March 25 ; killed by the Indians. Jo/ut, 2, b. 1678, Oct. 28. 'johaana, b. 1681, April 9. Uannah, b. 1683, Nov. 21. Samuel^ b. 1686, "Ol, 04". Ddiverance, b. 1688, Aug. 21. Beiioni, b. 1690-91, Feb. 1 ; killed by the Indians.

DURRANT. 1. John, [now commonly Durant or Duren,] received a grant. 1659, Nov. His house-lot was '"twenty acres of land, more or less, lying on the north of the township, and on the west of y'' country road that leads to Chelmsford, beginning at a white oak, just beyond the next dirty place, beyond Abbot's bridge, and so reacheth to y"^ bounds of William Haile, who bounds him on the north ; bounded by y'= road on the east; by Concord river, on y« west; and by John Bracket, on the south." This "next dirty place," was the little brook b}^ the old cemetery at the corner. Mr. Anthony Jones' farm includes most of this grant to Durrant. He m. 1670, Nov. 16, Susan Dutton, dau. of Thomas, 1, who became his neighbor, on the east, in 1669. "John Durrant. Sen., dyed in prison, at Cambridge,"' 1692, Oct. 27. The date suggests Fanner's probable conjecture, that the charge against him was witchcraft. Ch. John^ 2, b. 1672. July 31. Thomas, 3, b. 1674-5, Jan. 7. Ahiijail, b. 1681, Sept. 24. Ilehitahle, b". 1687. April 20.

12. Reuben, son of Abraham. 5, b. 1747-8, Fel). 29; m. 1770. Jan. 11, Mary Gould, of Chelmsford. He lived in Bedford until 1792. when he purchased the tavern at the corner, and kept it several years. He was architect of churches and bridges; d. 1821. Jan. 4. His widow d. 1823, Oct. 16. aged 77. Ch. EU, b. 1770. Sept. 21; d. 1771, July 22. Mary, b. 1771, Dec. 7; m. Ste]ihen Parker. 18. Reuben, 13, b. 1775. Aug. 4. Asa, 14, b. 1778, May 11. Joel, 15, b. 1780, June 22. Nathaniel Gonld. b. 1781, Nov. 26; m. Sally Prichard. Changed his name to Nathaniel Duren fJould. 1806 ; lived witli his uncle, Nathaniel Gould, of New Ipswich ; widely known as a teacher of singing and writing. He was father of ^Vugustus Addison Gould, the eminent naturalist, and author of various important scientific works. Grad. H. C, 1825; d. 1S(JG. Charles D. Gould, another son, and Joshua Lincoln, who m. liis daughter Elizabeth, were long and widely known as Gould & Lincoln. ))ublishers and book-sellers in Boston. Joseph, b. 1784. July 30; m. Lucinda Clark; lived in Swanton and other towns in northeiii Vt. ; drew jiension for wound received in the War of 1812; d. in ^liddleburv. 1853. June 8. Elnathan. h. 1786. Oct. 8; m. 1811. Dec. 10. Elizabeth" Freeman. She d. 1815. Aug. 28; he m. 1834. Sept. 16, Mary Willard. lie lived in Boston. C^harlestown. N. II.. and other towns; spent his last years in Bangor. He had two sons. (1) Elnathan Freeman, b. in Boston. 1814. Jan. 14; has resided since 1834 in Bangor, a \\ell-known book-seller and publisher. (2) Charles, b. 1815. June 28; grad. B. ('., 1833; Bangor Theo. Sem.. 1839; ordained. 1841, Feb. 3; has been a Congregational minister in IVIaine. Minnesota and Vermont. Abel, b. 1788. .July 8; m. Nancy and Abigail Allen; d. 1829. Charles, b. 1791, Jan. 20; d. 1796. July 13.

DYAR, Lydia, widow, b. in Boston; came to B., 1775, "to escape ye abuse of y^' Ministerial troops sent by George, y 3d, to subject North America to slavery;"' d. 1776, July 28. aged 80.

ELLIOTT, George Perkins, son of John, who went from Boscawen, N. H., to Cliclsi'a. Vt.. where this son was b. 1804. Oct. 28; m. 1829, May. Elizabeth Tidd, dau. of John, of Lexington. Slie d. 1834, Jan. 9. and he m. 1841. Feb. 10. Mary Ann Whiting, dau. of Samuel. 12. She d. in Lowell. 1846. Sept. 25. and he m. 1848, Jan. 20. Ann Dalton Rogers, dau. of Col. Henry Newman Rogers, of Boston. He came to Billerica in 1833, but lived in Lowell. 1842-53, where he was a member of the city government, a corporator of the Central Savings Bank, and one of the founders of the Appleton Bank. He has been nearly 20 years a Trustee of the State Almshouse in Tewksbury; was a member of the Legislature in 1801. when the repeal of the law i-equiring the removal of the dam at North Billerica was secured. Ch. Georr/e Henry, b. 1830, March 28; grad. U. S. Military Academy, at West Point, ranking 4th in his class, 1855 ; 2d Lieut.. 1st Artillery, 1855-7, when he was transferred to the Corps of Engineers ; became Captain in 1863, and Major in 1867. In service on the frontier, 1855-7 ; on the Pacific coast, and especially the San Francisco defences, until 1870; Engineer Sc-eretaiy of the Light-House Board, 1870-4. and since. Assistant to the Chief of Engineers at Washington. He was in charge of the Washington Aciucduct, 1870-1. He published in 1S74, -* The Presidio of San Francisco. Cal." and '- Ijglit-House Establishments in Europe." embodying the results of an inspection in 1873. John. b. 1882. March 1 : d. in Boston, 1869. Jan. 31. EUzahdh. b. 1834. Jan. 2; d. May 2. Siiunn Ann Dultun Buyers, b. 1849. Oct. 15. 3Iartj Elizabt'lh, b. 1851. April 19.

FARLEY. 1. George, was early in "\\ oburn. and one of the first settlers of Shawshin. He bought the north-west lot of the Dudley farm, where he lived, near the Jaipiith place. He was a clothiei-; was one of the early Baptists, and a member of the church in Boston. He m. 1641, April 9. at Wobuin. Christian Births, and d. 1693. Dec. 27. Mrs. Farley d. 1702. March 27. Ch. Jam/s. h. 1643, Nov. 23; d. Dec. 10.' Caleb, 2, b. 1645. April 1. Manj. b. 1646-7. Feb. 27; m. John Sanders, 1. Samuel. 3, b. 1654, ^Nlarch. " las£ week." MehiitaheU. b. 1656. April. '' y^' last week," and d. 1672-3. Feb. 1. Probably Timothy was also his son. and b. in Woburn, who was killed by the Indians, at Brooktield, in 1675. Elizabeih was iu Billerica in 1677. probably another daughter.

3. Samuel, b. 1654. March. -- the last week," the first birth in town. This honor has been accorded to John Stearns, erroneously. Parker's original i-ecord, made at the time of his appointment as clerk, 1657. (Vol. I, Reverse, p. 2.) reads -- Samuel ffarley. the son of George ffiirley, and Christian, his wife, was borne in the last week of the 1th mo., 1654." Then after record of the birth of Mehittable Farley, and the marriage of John Trull, we find --John Sterne, the sonn of John Sterne and Sara, his wife, was borne the seconde week of May, 1654." In 1658, '-aliste of all," to that date, was delivered to the Recorder, who was Thouias Danforth, of Cambridge, and his copy of this return, made by Parker, is preserved among the Probate Records. The list includes eleven births, arranged in chronological order, and the first name is Samuel Farley, giving also the name of the'month. March, when he was born. The two prime authorities are thus concurrent and decisive.

It happens to be easy to trace to source of the error in this matter. When Jonathan Danforth 'became clerk, in 1664. he provided a new book for separate record of "Births, Marriages and Deaths," and to this voluuie transferred the records made by Parker. In this transcript. Parker's "1th mo.." of Farlev's birth, becomes "07"'." and makes it appear to come after Steam's birth, in May. Danforth either made a mistake or a correction. If the latter were* the fact, he would have made the case explicit, as he does in the previous entry of his own marriage which Parker had given as 1655. and Danforth changes plainly to 1654. The fact that he makes no similar correction of Farley's birth-date is proof that he saw no need of it. which indicates that the ' 7 ' was a slip of his pen and not a correction. This supposition is more credible than the other, M-hich assumes that Parker's record made seven years earlier, and carefully returned to the recorder, was wrong in the number and name of month and the order of nauies; and it is the more credible, because in the transcript of the fii-st female bli-th, Hannah Jefts, the '14' becomes "04."

But Danforth's record has been the authority for later explorers. Very few would diseover the earlier record of Parker, or if they did so. would uotiee the dittereuce ; aud thus Fanner and others have given Farley's place to Stearns, repeating Danforth's error.

Farmer

FARMER. 1. Edward. Our Record mentions the death of "Mrs. Isabell Wizsell, 21. 08. 1686," and John Farmer has added this '*Xote: Mrs. Isabella Wiswall. above mentioned, was wife of John Farmer, of Ausley. in the county of Warwickshii'e. and came to this country with some of her children, after his death, whicli occurred prior to 1669. It appears from original papers, that she was sister to Rev. Thomas Mustou. of Wykin. and afterwards, of Brinklow. in England. She m. Mr. Thomas Wis wall, whence she acquired the name.'" Mr. AViswall was ordained ruling elder, with John Eliot, jun., teacher of the church in Newton, at its organization. 1604, July 20 ; d. 1683. Dec. 6.

Mr. Farmer came to Billerica prob. in 1671. as the birth of his son, John, is recorded Aug. 19. of that year. The eminent antiquar}^ doubts this inference, but if lie is correct in affirming an older sister Sarah, it Avould seem that Danforth would have been as likely to record her birth, as that of John, if the latter did not occur in the town. Mr. Farmer was accepted as a citizen and granted a five acre privilege, 1672-3. March 24. (See Records. Vol. I, p. 107). His house-lot was cm the east side of Long street, extending north to tlie and remained in possession of the family until a recent date. The house was a garrison, and an interesting incident is recorded in the chapter on Indian experiences. Mr. Farmer cl. 1727. Mav 27, aged about 87; his wife, Mary, d. 1719, March 26, aged 77. Ch. Saralu b. about 1669; m. Thomas Pollard. 1. John, 2, b. 1671. Aug. 19. Edward, 3, b. 1673-4. March 22. Mary, b. 1675. Xov. 3 ; m. John Dean, of Woburn. Barbery, b. in AVoburn, 1677-8, Jan. 26; d. 1680-1, Feb. 1. Elizabeth, b. 1680, May 17; m. 1707, May 29. William Green, of Maiden, the son of William, who had m. 2d, Isabel, the sister of Edward Farmer, who m. 1st, David Wyman, of Woburn; and 2d. James Blood, of Concord; d. 1736-7, March 3. aged 85. Thomas, 4, b. 1683, June 8. Oliver, 5, b. 1685-6, Feb. 2.

20. Jotham, son of Simeon, (or ? Elijah.) of Chelmsford, m. 1794, June 24, Polly Gloyd, H(^ d. 1846, Feb. 24. aged 76. Ch. Benjamin, b. 1795, Oct. 16; m. 1827. Nov. 8, Lydia Richardson Mears; no ch. They live at the Davis place, north of Fox hill. Mary m. Aaron Maynard. John went to Vermont. Joseph, 21. William m. 1841. Dec. 19, Abigail W. Lyman. He was Idlled by a horse. Sarah m. Thomas Fasho. Phebe. unmarried. Eliza m. 1826, May 28, Paul Holt. Roxana m. Reed, of Burlington.

widow's name was Esther. He lived east of Kev. N. Bowes, on Lexington street. His son. Josiah. gave bonds, as administrator of estate, 1740, March IG. Ch. Josinh, b. 1714. July 11. Sarah, b. 1716, April 26. Mary, b. 1718, Sept. 5; d. 1720, May 8. John, b. 1720. April 1. He settled in Hardwick, and became a member of the Separatist Church. This church was practically the nucleus of the settlement of Bennington, Vt., in 1761, and John Fassett, clerk and deacon, was a leading man in that company of wise and brave pioneers who resisted the encroachments of New York, and laid the foundations of Vermont, making the name of ''Green Mountain Boys," famous. The early town nieetino's were held at his tavern. He was Captain of the first militia company ni 1764; one of the flrst town Kepresentatives. He d. 1794, Aug. 12. His dau. Sarah m. Dr. Jonas Fay, one of the Vermont leaders ; his son, John, was Captain. Representative, from Arlington, member of the Council, and Judge of the Supreme Court, 1778-86. Benjamin, b. 1721-2, Jan. 11. Mary, b. 1723, Oct. 17. Susanna, b. 1725. March 29. Bette, b. 1727, May 3. Amos, b. 1728. Aug. 8. Benjamin. John, Josiah and Peter Fassett were on Bedford tax-list in 1748. -

FISHER, -'Old Stephen, dyed 26. 10">, 82." The town was charged, 1668, Nov. 19, £5 for his "dyet." and he was, perhaps, the earliest recipient of the town's care. Of his history and claim, nothing is known. There was a Stephen Fisher early at Reading.

FITCH. 1. ^inuel, wa? ihe only son of Samuel, of Eeading. His father was son of Zethary. and b. 1645. Marvh 6. Zetharr's A\-ilT. 1662. names other eh.. Joseph. Benjamin. John. Jeremiah. Thomas and Sarah. wife ot John Wesson, of Salem. Samuel m. Sarah Lane. dau. of Job. 1. She d. 1679. Oet. 2. His will bears date. 16S4. May 10. and names wife Rebecca and son Samuel. The latter received from his grandfather. Job Lane, ont^fourth part of the Winthrop farm. His portion was in two parts : one in the nonh-east. comer of the farm, where his house stood, on tlie west side of the road, a half mile south of the present Bedford line. and the other, a strip extending from Concord river, eastward, nearly to Bedford villaire. along Concord old line. He ni. 1695-6. March 20. Elizabeth Walker, dau. of Joseph. 1. She d. 1716. Xov. 26: he m.

FOSTER. 1. Thomas, Sergt., was from Braintree. He was, perliaps, the same Thomas who was at Weymouth, and father of Dr. Tlionias. of Eoxburj^, whose widow m. Peter Bracket, 2. He received, l(w9, June, a grant of an eight acre lot. His home lot was "fifty acres," his liouse lot being part of it. lying on y" east end of Bare liill, bounded by Shawshin roail. on the west, ninety and foure pole ; by William Handet. on tlie nortli. one hundred and two poles ; by y^' comaus, east, ninety pole ; by a highway on the south-east, eightj'-six pole." Tliis place was near Mr. McKay's! He d. 1()S4, April 20, and his widow, Elizabeth. l(J94-5, Jan. 29. Ch.. perhai)S Thomas, b. 1640, Aug. 18, a plij^sician of Eoxbury and Cambridge, who m. Sarah Parlier. dau. of Robert. He d. 1679, Sept. 16 ; his w idow m. Peter Bracket. Perliaps Sarah, who m. Samuel

Hopestill. b. 1648, March 26; lived in Woburn. Joseph. 2, b. 1650, March 28. Perliaps Jonathan, 3. The will of Sergt. Foster names only son Joseph and James Frost, son-in-law. He certainly had two other ch.. Experience and Hopestill, and the absence of other names is not, therefore, proof that the above were not his children.

Foster

15. Levi, son of Joseph. 13, b. 1788, July; m. 1815. Aug. 27. Cile Davis, dau. of Timothy, 5. He lived in the pait of Chelmsford now Lowell, for st^'cral years ; later, near Fox hill, at the Holden place. He d. 1863, June 15. Ch. Laura m. Henry Blanchard, of Wilmhigton. Celia m. Amasa Holden. 4. Levi^ Thomas. 17. John d. 1851, Dec. 14. aged 23.

10. Dudley, son of Samuel. 14, b. 1809, Nov. 15; in. 1835, May 21. liOuisa Pollard, dau. of AVilliam. 11. He lives .near the Howe school, of which he has been trustee from the first, and is treasurer; has been town clerk and ti-easurer for 25 years; is a member of the Historical Connnittee, and renders important aid "in the preparation of this History. Ch. Francis Dudley, h. IS'M). Aug. 30; lives at North Andover. John Howard, b. 1844, March 9; m. and is a merchant in Springfield.

' FRENCH. 1. William, <>f Cambntlge. one of the first settlers of B. He came from Englaiul in iu;55. with Harhikenden and In Hhawshin he bought a part of the Dudley farm ; his house stood near the turnpike, east of the Bedford road, near Kalph HiU's, who calls him - brother,' in his will. He was the first Kepreseutative from B. in 1063-4 ; was Lieutenant and a leading citizen of the town. He m. in England,

3. Jacob, son of William, 1, b. 1639^0, Jan. 16. He lived near his brother John, on the east road. His house was one of the 'garrisons' of 1675, and nuiy be the same venerable building, with brick-lined Avails, in which Mr. James Fletcher now lives. He m. 1665, Sept. 7, Mary Champney. dau. of Elder Richard, of Cambridge. She d. 1081. April 1; he m. 1685,

French

25. Isaac, son of Samuel. 15, unless Isaac Barron was another person, as is suggested by the difference of 5 years in the age given by grave-stone. If so. the birth of this Isaac is not recorded. He m. Hannah

Note. - Of this loyal son of Billerica, and ex-Mayor of Lowell, we are liappy to give, herewith, an excellent portrait, and to condense from the --Contributions" of the Old Residents Historical Association of Lowell, pps. 151-4, farther notice of his active life.

At the age of eleven, he went to live with his uncle, attending school and working for his board, and the district school was his only educational advantage, "lie spent two ye:irs, 1S15-7, with another uncle in Salisbury, N. II.. and was two or three years in a country store, and a short time in Charlestown. In 1824. he i)ccame Deputy Sheriff of Middlesex county, and settled in Lowell, holding this office till 1830. From this time he became active in the great l)usiness of staging, owning laigely in the lines from Lowell to Concord, and others ; and was a niail contractor between Boston and Montreal. In building the Ogdensburg railroad, he was a large contractor, and he became President of the Northern (N. H.) Railroad in 1851. but resigned on the death, in 1853. of his brother, with whom he was associated in extensive railroad c(nitracts in Ohio, the management of which he then had to assume. About 1860. he became Agent of the AVinnipesaukee Lake Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company, at Lake Village, N. IL, and so remained for 12 years.

In Lowell he was active in 1826. in building the Central Bridge, and remained in the Company until it was made free by the city. He was one of the corpT)i'ators in 1828. and a Director of the Old Lowell Bank, and later, of the A])pleton Bank, of which he became President ; also of the City Institution for Savings. In 1835, he was Representative in the Legislature; member of the Counnon Oiuncil, 1836-42; Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, 1841 ; County Connnissioner. 1844-7 ; and Mayor, 1849-50. ''From the early history of Ivowell. his experience has been as successful, as honorable to himself and to his fellow-citizens, and his name in the years to come will occupy a prominent positiiju in the history of our, city."

FROST. Sauuiel. 1, and James, 2, were sons of Dea. Edmund, of Cambridge, and were accepted as inhabitants, 1663-4, Jan. About ten years passed, before Samuel settled in the town.

He bou2;ht land of John Marshall, and lived south-east of the Andover road, having a right to pass on John Sheldon's land, to the road. '-Dr. Samuel Frost departed this life," 1717-8, Jan. 7. Ch. iSamnel,

John, who lived in Sudliury; INIary. b. in Cambridge. 1657. Oct. 31; prob. Isaac, who was in the Falls tight. 1676. and lived in Enfield, and William,

Elizabeth, and 1690. Dec. 7. Isaac. Isaac m. Martha Livermore, of Watertown. and lived in Sudbury, and had a son. Isaac, who was father of our AVilliam. 1. Isaac, who kept a tavern in Waltham. Josiah, who lived in Chelsea, Joseph, who d. in the French War. and John, of AA'oburn.

2. Reuel, son of Thomas, 1, had ch. Hhoda. who m. 1820, JSTov. 30, Joshua Keed, of Burlington. Barbara ni. Daniel Richardson, (see 27). CaruUnc and ReneJ. who'd, about 1809.

5. John Theodore, son of Charles, 3, b. 1815, July 16; m. Mary Ann Winter, dau. of Stephen, 1. He went to California. Ch. Marii Elizabeth, h. 1845, Jan. 3.

GOSS, James, of Lancaster, ni. 1761, May 14, Mary Stickney, dau. of Daniel, 3. She m. 2d. William Gleason. 1. Only the birth of Jeremiah is recorded in Billerica. Ch. Mary m. Jonathan Buck ; lived in Windsor, N. H. James, a physii'ian in Gloucester ; Representative in 1832, and a useful citizen. lie d. 1842. Nov. 29, aged 79. Jeremiah, b. 1769, Sept. 3. Mehittable, who was admitted to full communion, 1796, Aug. 7, and soon dis. to West Cambridge ; but lived, after, in Windsor.

4. Joseph Dudley, son of Joseph Dudley, was b. in West Roxbury. 1835. Feb. 11. His grand-father Jacob m. Lucy Ruggles, dau. of Joseph, 3. His father was b. 1806, May 17, and d. 1879, April 19. Mr. Gould grad. from the Lawrence Scientific School, Cambridge, 1859, and has been in charge of the extensive Chemical Works at North Billerica. He m. 1866, March 28. Elvira Rogers, dau. of Calvin. 2.

GrRIMES, George, was in town, 1677, but it does not appear whence he came. He bought land of Tiuiothy Brooks, and lived on the Shawshin, near Concord line. He I'emoved to Lexington, after 1708, and d. there, 1716, July 28, aged 76. He m. 1675, April 15, Elizabeth Blanchard, dau.

HALE, WUliam. [Hail, Haile, often the form]. Was granted "onequarter of a ten acre lot" in 1659. His home-lot contained 24 acres, "by the east side of Concord river, on y" west side of the highway to Chelmsford, between the township and y« great bridge." This was the last lot this side the ford way, and was beyond John Durrant. He was the first person employed to "digg y« graves " in town. He m. 1662, Oct. 30, at Charlestown, Anna Case ; d. 1668, May 20, without issue. His widow m. Samuel Trull. His to\%'n right, and prob. his land, was in possession of Thomas Pollard, in 1708.

HAMLET. 1. William, was from Cambridge, and received a grant of a single share in 1656. His house-lot was 56 acres. -- lying at y'= northeast corner of Bare hill, and on y^ south of hogrooten meadow ; bounded by Simon Crosbee on the west, forty-nine poles: by Thomas Foster on j'* south, and liis owne out-let. one hundred and two pole ; and on ye north by Josei)h Tomson. sevent_v-tive i)ole ; and by Peter Bracket, sixty-five pole and a halfe; and by y^ eomons. east. This ])lace. now Crosbj''s. he exchanged in 10711. with Caleb F'arlev. of Woburn. and removed to that town. He was one of the early Baptists, and letters from him are quoted by Backus He Avas b. aliout 1()14; m. widow Sarah Hubl)ard. (Paige) who d. 1688. Jan. 18. aged J)0. His ch. bap. in Cambridge, AvereJacofc, 2, and Rebecca m. James Frost. 2.