History and Genealogy

History and Genealogy OF DEACON .JOSEPH EASTMAN of Hadley, Mass., Grandson of ROGER EASTMAN of Salisbury, Mass. By GUY S. RIX, Concord, N. H. WITH PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION BY M. EMILY EASTMAN, Who has re-compiled it, adding all records sent to her Published and for sale by M. EMILY EASTMAN, Westfield, Mass. MRS. R BLAIR EASTMAN SEE 22B THE MOTHER OF THE PUBLISHER Publisher's Preface DEAR COUSINS: r am not going-to-write a lengthy preface, but will just tell you how I started in on this work. First,. I found a package of old and yellowed papers, tied carefully together, which, on opening, I found to 'be the Key to the answer to a question I had often asked my father when I was a child; it was, "Haven't you some cousins, papa?" (None were ever known to me.) His answ,er always was what a busy man's usually is, and suggested he didn't have time to explain, "Yes, lots of them, but they're away out West." By the contents of this package I found father had four uncles and three aUllts who married. That suggested there might have been lots of cousins, and I made the-endeavor to find out about them and succeeded far beyond my expecta tion. You will find the result if you begin at the family of Benjamin2 and follow it out. Only one own cousin of his was then (1903) living. In that search Mr. Rix helped me, as he has also helped in the records of this book by compiling and sending· me all that he had of this branch of the family. I have added many new ones found in the last six months, and where corrections were sent have corrected if they were not previously done by Mr. Rix. Some Records that I found could not be verified, as I have been unable to get the famili«;ls interested. Such have, there fore, been compared with other collected records of the family and will be indicated as shown in the list of abbreviations on page 5. I trust you will glean from the following pages as much pleasure and encouragement as I have in this work, to be (what I feel sure Grandpa Dea. Joseph J:t;astman would say to us to be) "Quit you like men, be strong," and I am sure we have many examples of brave, sturdy men, who have proved ·it is possible for us to be helpers and workers in Life's great battlefield. Let us hope that the Circle gathered above this world may know even now that we are true to the trust they have in us, for we know that our dear ones will eagerly push aside the veil that hides them from our view when we come to leave this world, and by and by take us to see dear Grandpa and Grandma Eastman, who joined hands November n, 1711, for, as every father and mother knows, they love the grand children. No matter how many generations removed, we are all their grandchildren still. Sincerely your cousin, M. EMILY EASTMAN. List of Abbreviations c. children no c. no children daug. daughter b. born m. married unm. unmarried bapt. baptized d. died abt. about H.S. High School Sem. Seminary P.S. Public Schools A. Academy C. College Univ. University Theol. S. Theological Seminary Grad. Graduated Prof. Professor Dea. Deacon Capt. Captain Lieut. Lieutenant Col. Colonel x preceding number, indicates a further record. v preceding number, verified and new, that is, furnished by some member of the family to the publisher. t preceding number, from town records by publisher. :j: preceding number, compared with other collected records by publisher, of which are the Kelloggs, Field's, Adams' and Dwight's. Introduction In this Introduction, of what one thing to tell you of Hadley I hardly know. It is so closely associated with the early home of our ancestors, and it has, to me, a certain charm. I know not how to express, as of one long absent returning to his .own old home. There is rest and peace and content in the very air. It is surrounded by hills, not the least of which is Mt. Tom, that stands like a sentinel on guard, keep ing watch over the towns that look out all the beautiful summer-time, and see at night the lights that shine far from its topmost point. In the years long, long ago· no lights shone there, but a band of sturdy, brave-hearted men came hither seeking a home in the wilderness. A wild country it was, with dangers from natives and beasts of prey. Their first petition for this home was made May 20, 1658; the Agreement or Engagement April 18, 1659. Of these men three were our ancestors Peter Tilton, Lieut. Samuel Smith and William Partridge. To these three only will I refer you, though many of those named in this work claim ancestors in other members of that· band of fifty-nine Engagers. All thf:se who are descendants of Dea. Joseph Eastman and wife are through them descend ants of these three men, and as I know you will want to know of the first Eastmans I have also added that. What I have of the first three families is mostly gleaned from the History of Hadley, a book well worth owning, and still to be secured from the. reprint published in 1905, by Huntting & Co., of Springfield. 1. Hon. Peter Tilton came to Hadley from Windsor, Conn. The place he occupied in the town and surrounding towns was one of the first. He took the freeman's oath March rn INTRODUCTION 26, 1661; was Recorder, or Town Clerk, in Hadley from 1661- 1693; Deputie, or Representative, to the State, 1665, 1666, 1668-1670-1680; Townsman, or Selectman, 1670, 1674, 1677, 1679, 1687. In 1663 he is referred to as Deacon. On the 26th of March, 1669, he, with .Nathaniel Dickinson, was chosen to be one of the five trustees of Hopkins School of Hadley., a position which he resigned before 1686. This was a school· donated to the town by Edward Hopkins, Esq., who died in March, 1657, and had by his will left a portion of his estate to trustees "to be disposed of by them, to give some encour agement in these foreign plantations for the breeding up of hopeful youths in a way of learning, both at the GrammB;r School and College, for the public service of the country in future times." In 1669 he was first chosen School Com mittee. He was the second Associate Judge from Hadley, chosen in 1680, which place he held for three years, and County Treasurer for about ten years. In the words of Lucius Root Eastman in his Genealogy of the Eastmans, published in 1867, Hon. Peter Tilton• was one of which can be said, "Few men had greater influence in Church or State. He was a man of God and one of the few who dared to conceal two of the Regicide Judges of Charles the, First," an account of which can be found in the History of Hadley, in the Intro duction by George Sheldon, which has also been published separately. The will of Peter Tilton can be found at Northampton in the Probate Registry room, the original paper bearing his signature; it was made April 4, 1694. His property inventory is dated July 1\5, 1696, valued at £300 19s. 9d. There were fifty-one books valued at f:,6. 7s. 6d. Among them were a Dalton's book, an old Law book, one Hildersham's book, one Senod book, one Rastell, one English Liberties, one Dictionary, one on Cotton on ye Canatels, one Locker's book, one Resolves, one Prophecy on Dan, one Exposition of Gat, one Pemble's book, one great Bible, one Bible, one Concordance, one Pilgrim, one Foxes book, one INTRODUCTION 11 Zealanders, one Annotations on ye Psalms, a Bible and Psalm book. · In those days books were not so easily obtained as now. He was married three times. His children by first or second wife, Mary or Elizabeth: 2. i. Elizabeth 2 , bapt. June 19, 1642; d. 1655. x, 3. ii. Mary 2 , bapt. Feb. 18, 1643; married Joseph East man of Suffield, Conn. No. 34 in Introduction. 4. iii. Peter2 , bapt. Dec. 5, 1647; d. unm. From which it will be seen that all the descendants of Peter Tilton were those of his daughter Mary. We have seen that Peter Tilton was a godly man. In a letter to his wife dated 18d, 3 mo., 1672, he closes with these words: "Remember me t_o mine and thine, with my love to all with you. I cannot forget you before the Father of Spirits night and day. The good will of Him that dwelt in the bush be with you, cause His face to shine upon you all, and give you peace. So prayeth still, Yours unfeignedly to love, Peter Tilton." In a postscript he adds: "My dear ones, forget not him who ha.th you all on his heart, and whose desire it is to leave himself and his all with that merciful high-priest who hath the keys of life and death. Farewell, Farewell.'' And, dear cousins, would he not say these same words to us now if here with us? His home was occupied later by his grandson, Dea. Joseph Eastman•, who died there in 1769. In 1770 Dea. Joseph Eastman's son John2 lived there in a new house.

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