Early Generations of the Founders of Old Dunstable
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Glass Book EARLY GENERATIONS Founders of Old Dunstable THIRTY FAMILIES EZRA S. STEARNS, A. M. AUTHOR OF HISTORY OF RINDGE, N. H. ; HISTORY OF ASHBURNIIAM, MASS. HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH, N. H. PUBLISHED BY GEORGE E. LITTLEFIELD, BOSTON 1911 d SENTINEL PRINTING CO FITCHBURG, MASS. CONTENTS. Acres Family, . Beale 1 Family, . 1 Blanchard Family, Cooke 3 Family, . 14 Cromwell Family, 16 Darbeyshire Family 17 French Family, 18 Galusha Family, 21 Gould Family, . 25 Harwood Family, 27 Hassell Family, Honey 29 Family, . 31 Lovewell Family, 33 Lund Family, 47 Marks Family, 55 Parris Family, 56 Perry Family, 59 Read Family, 60 Robbins Family, 62 Searles Family, 64 Smith Family, . 65 Swallow Family, 67 Taylor Family, 74 Temple Family, 81 Tyng Family, 82 Usher Family, . 88 Waldo Family, 90 Warner Family, Weld 91 Family, . 91 Whiting Family, 93 PREFACE. PV UNSTABLE was granted by Massachusetts and was a *-J part of that province until 1741, when a revision of the province line transferred the greater part of the original grant to the jurisdiction of New Hampshire. The early families of this ancient town at the time it was cut in twain were living in Nashua, and parts of Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield and Merri- mack in New Hampshire and in Dunstable and Tyngsborough in Massachusetts. The early records of legislation, civil and military appointments, land titles and probate court are pre- served in the archives of Massachusetts. The condition of jurisdiction and the division of the original grant into several townships will find frequent application in the following pages. I have read Fox's History of Dunstable many times and with unfailing interest. It is a vivid portraiture of an ancient and prominent town. It was written sixty-five years ago and at a time when little attention was given to genealogy. A regret that Fox did not extend the family records is attended with gratitude that he saved so much from the accumulating chronicles of oblivion. At the beginning of King William's War, on account of a well founded fear of the Indians, a majority of the families of the settlement, about 1695, fled from Dunstable to the older and better fortified towns. In some instances it was a tem- porary absence, but John Acres, Samuel Beale, Benjamin Beale, Andrew Cooke, John Lovewell, senior, Joseph Love- well, Patrick Marks and Christopher Read subsequently sold their farms and did not return to Dunstable. This fact ac- counts for the brevity of the record of several families. Genealogies of the Adams, Cummings, Danforth, Fletcher, Hunt, Richardson and Whitney families are published and are easily accessible to all. For this reason these families are not included in this volume. The New England Historic Genealogical Register contains sketches of four Dunstable families; reference is made to "The Butterfields of Middlesex," vi Preface. by George A. Gordon, A. M., Register, 1890; "Captain Edward Johnson of Woburn, Mass., and his descendants," by Hon. Ed- ward Francis Johnson, Register, 1905; "John Solendine of Dunstable" by Ethel Stanwood Bolton, B. A., Register, 1906; "The Woods Family of Groton, Mass.," by Henry Ernest Woods, A. M., Register, 1910. In the preparation of this volume a constant effort has been made to collect and transcribe the date of births and deaths and the record of marriages, but the sketches of individuals are purposely very brief. A fitting biography of several of the persons named in these pages would fill a volume. To Otis G. Hammond of the State Library, Edward N. Pearson, Secretary of State, Dr. Irving A. Watson, Register of Vital Statistics, all of Concord, I plead guilty to a chronic obligation. Their willing and frequent assistance has renewed and strengthened the friendship of many years. For the register of the Blanchard family, Mrs. Louisa Bethune of Buffalo, New York, and for the record of the descendants of Joseph Lovewell, Prof. Samuel Harrison Love- well of Quincy, Illinois, have made valuable contributions which will be appreciated and esteemed by the readers of this volume. Joined with these, whom I recall with gratitude, are George S. Stewart, an accomplished genealogist, Rodney P. Wright of Cambridge, Mass., and Rev. Thomas M. Corson of Salem, Mass., who have cheerfully responded to many inquiries. With a voice of thankfulness these lines are spoken. EZRA S. STEARNS. Fitchburg, Mass., 1911. THIRTY DUNSTABLE FAMILIES. 1. John Acres in 1664 was living at Muddy River, an ancient name of Brookline, and then a part of Boston. A way passing through the land of Tohn Acres was confirmed July 31, 1671. Against his name on the tax list of Muddy River in 1674, is written "Gone," but his name appears in a list of residents dated in August of the same year. He married Desire Y e Truth Thorne, baptized in Roxbury, March 23, 1644, a daughter of William and Mary Thorne of Muddy River. She was admitted to the church in Roxbury, July 8, 1666. The family ' removed to Dunstable before 1680. A few months after a church was gathered "Sister Accor" was dismissed from the church in Roxbury to the church in Dunstable, April 4, 1686. In 1682, Tohn Acres was chosen "to pound, youke and Ring the hogs of Dunstable three months ould and upward." He lived in Dunstnblp about fifteen years and acquired a considerable quantity of land. He returned to Boston about 1695. The name in early records is written Acres, Acrees, Accor, Acker and Akers. Six children were baptized at Roxbury, the birth of three of these is on record at Boston and the two young- est were born at Dunstable. i Elizabeth, born May 18, 1664; baptized July 15, 1666- died July 24, 1666. H. Desire Y<> Truth, born March 9, 1665-6 ; baptized July 15 1666. in. Elizabeth, born November 24, 1668; baptized November 29 1668. iv. Deborah, baptized, February 26, 1670-1. v. John, baptized August 10, 1673. vi. William, baptized May 29, 1679. vii. Mary, born May 26, 1682. viii. Joanna, born January 10, 1684-5. 1. William Beale, born about 1628, was a prominent citizen of Marblehead, Mass. He died 1694. His will Thirty Dunstable Families. proved May 21, 1694. dated January 4, 1693-4, was and sold many parcels He was a miller and he bought a tract of land in land. At an early date he owned of improved by two Dunstable, which was occupied and 0f S n S Bradstreet, born 1632, daughter He m°a rried Martha Bradstreet of Ipswich. She of Humphrey and Bridget second December 16, died April 6, 1675; he married, of Edmund Jackson. 1676, Elizabeth Tackson, widow married, third March She died November 5, 1683, he Samuel Hart, fourteen 4 1683-4, Mary Hart, widow of William were residents children, of whom Samuel and of Dunstable. (Bradstreet) Samuel Beale, son of William and Martha 1654. He Beale, was born in Marblehead, July 15, Patience Lovewe , married in Lynn, March 28, 1682, Lcwevvel, daughter of Tohn and Elizabeth (Sylvester) removed to Dunstable see At the time of marriage he factor of the and while he remained he was a prominent and prom- settlement. He was town clerk, selectman proprietors. It is evident inent in the affairs of the measure of his time. that he was educated beyond the are con- His ornate handwriting and accurate diction Dunstable^ spicuous features of the early records of he Returned 1693 and during King William's War In widow, Marblehead where he died 1699. Patience his to Ferguson. married second, August 19, 1708. Archibald Marblehead He was a scrivener. They were living in death is not found, hour in 1722. A record of their children of Samuel and Patience Beale. married baptized in Marblehead, April 19, 1685; Li Elizabeth born Marblehead. December 23, 1703 John Grant at Susannah (Combs) August 31, 1682, son of Francis and Grant of Marblehead. Dunstable, July 3, 1685, died young. ii. Samuel, born at 1687-8. Sidney m. Ebenezer, born at Dunstable, January 30, he was a mariner Perley, in Essex Antiquarian, says 1723 was in London, living at Marblehead in 1709, and in England. 1696-7 She Patience, baptized at Marblehead, February 21 IV. They lived married Joseph Selman, a native of England were Archibald, Joseph in Marblehead. Their children Patience, and Samuel, Lovewell, Beale, William, John, Mary. Thirty Dunstable Families. 3 3. William Beale, son of William and Martha (Brad- street) Beale was born in Marblehead, August 24, 1659. He married Elizabeth Lovewell, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Sylvester) Lovewell, see. He came to Dunstable 1684, and lived here about ten years, returning to Marblehead at the beginning of King William's War, when the settlement was nearly deserted. He died 1711. His will dated May 9, 1711, was proved June 27, 1711. Twelve children of William and Elizabeth Beale. i. Elizabeth, baptized, Marblehead, September 7, 1684; died young. ii. William, born, Dunstable, March 12, 1684-5; baptized May 24, 1696. iii. Elizabeth, born, Dunstable, November 16, 1686; baptized May 24, 1696. iv. Zaccheus, baptized May 24, 1696. v. John, baptized, May 24, 1696. vi. James, baptized, May 24, 1696. vii. Bridget, baptized, May 24, 1696. One Bridget Beale married Peter Honey of Dunstable, see. viii. Martha, baptized May 24, 1696. One Martha Beale married Andrew Cooke, see. ix. Anna, baptized, March 28, 1697. x. Joseph, baptized September 11, 1698. xi. Patience, baptized November 16, 1701. xii. Sarah, baptized March 14, 1702-3. Dea. John Blanchard. It has been stated in print many times that Dea. John Blanchard of Dunstable was a son of Thomas Blanchard, the American ancestor of a numerous family. A son John is not named in the will of Thomas, and evidence recently discovered establishes the fact that Dea.