BASS, JOSEPH, was early a seafaring man and a ship-master in the West-India trade. He came from Plymouth County to Leicester with his family. His wife was mother of John Hobart, Esq. Their children were Manly; Matilda, m. a Reed; Saba, m. William Lynde; Warren, removed to Lisbon, New Hampshire; Betsey, d. unmarried. His wife d. 1816; he in 1829, aged seventy-five. He lived in the house opposite Mrs. Newhall’s.
BARTON, CALEB, brother of Phineas, came originally from Oxford. He lived in the south-west part of the town, and is mentioned among the soldiers of the Revolution. He had Caleb, jun. David. Charles, b. in 1795; now living in Leicester. Otis, who lives in Oakham. And Brigham N., now in business in Philadelphia. His daughters were Rebecca, who m. Knight Sprague, jun. Sally, m. J. Gilbert. Patty, m. Philip Earle. Roxa, m. Charles King; and d. 1843, aged fifty-three. Mehitabel, m. a Hixon of Medway. Hulddah, m. a Clark of Medway. Harriet, m. a Prentiss of Auburn. Adeline, m. a … Read more
BEERS, NATHAN, m. Betsey, dau. of Isaac Southgate, Mar. 4, 1790; and had Sally, b. June 17, 1790; m. Amos Warren, Esq., of Woodstock, Vermont, 1854. Melissa, b. Feb. 10, 1798; m. R. Bancroft, 1821. Horatio, b. May 10, 1802. Alphonso, b. Dec. 26, 1805; d. April 22, 1843. Almira, a twin; m. William Woodcock of Leicester, 1838. Albert, b. July 13, 1800; and Adeline, b. Nov. 4, 1813. Mr. Beers was a manufacturer of shoes; and, the latter part of his life, lived in Cherry Valley, in the house afterwards occupied by Moses Shepherd.
John Brown (nephew of Capt. Brown), born February 10, 1774, at Leicester, Massachusetts, married Miss Polly Green, of ,Spencer, Massachusetts, in 1797, and set out for the Ohio Company’s purchase in the autumn of 1801. He brought his young family and few effects over the mountains, with one horse, in a little wagon, and, when descending difficult places in the road, attached a small tree to the rear end of his wagon, to act as a break, or lock. When he reached Wheeling, on the Ohio river, after a most toilsome journey, he “swapped” his wagon for a canoe and … Read more
BOND, BALEY, m. Elizabeth Hopkins, 1740; and had Baley, b. Oct. 26, 1740. The families of this name came to Leicester from Beverly. BOND, BALEY, son of Benjamin, 2d; m. Elizabeth Charles of Brimfield, 1780; and had Charles, b. Feb. 18, 1781. John, b. April 18, 1783. Linus, b. Aug. 28, 1785. Mr. Bond, with his family, removed to Brimfield. BOND, BENJAMIN, 1st, son of Edward, m. Elizabeth, dau. of Nathaniel Harrod, 1765; and had Jacob, b. Dec. 2, 1766. Elizabeth, b. 1763; d. unmarried. Hannah; m. John Sargent, formerly of Hubbardston. David. George. Polly; m. John Boice. Benjamin, jun., … Read more
Capt. Benjamin Brown, father of General John, and of Judge A. G. Brown, and one of the most prominent among the early settlers of Ames, was born October 17, 1745, at Leicester, Massachusetts. His grandfather, William Brown, came from England to America while a youth, was the first settler in the town of Hatfield, on the Connecticut river, and was often engaged in the Indian wars of that period. Capt. John Brown, father of Benjamin, served with credit in the colonial army during the French war, and represented the town of Leicester in the Massachusetts legislature during, and for many … Read more
BELL, AARON. The name of his wife was Isabel. They had Mary, b. March 19, 1721. lMartha, b. April 1, 1724. Elizur, b. July 8, 1726. Sarah, b. July 4, 1728. He lived where there is now a cellar, south of Mr. Robert Young’s.
This post contains a brief outline of the history of the town of Leicester, Massachusetts. However, at the bottom of the page, it provides extensive additional free material on historical and genealogical research within Leicester Massachusetts. If you have ancestors in Leicester, do not miss this!
About the year 1792, Elihu Emerson, just then arrived at his majority, came to Norwich Vermont from Westfield, Massachusetts; followed in 1795 by Joseph and later by Thomas, two younger brothers. These young men became heads of families, and were prominent residents in town for many years. Elihu was a blacksmith by trade, and carried on business in a shop that he built a short distance north of his residence on “Norwich Plain” For his first wife Mr. Emerson married Thankful Grant, and for his second wife Cynthia Brooks. The first wife died in 1834, aged fifty-eight years, and the … Read more
The following genealogies represent an incomplete collection from the History of Leicester Massachusetts by Emory Washborn.
This is a collection of free vital records books, otherwise known as “Tan Books” for Massachusetts towns. Generally, these records go up to 1849/1850 at which, the genealogist can use the census records to assist in identifying the family connections further. Included with this article is an account of why and how these manuscripts were published along with links to all 198 books which can be freely read or downloaded.
BABBIT, SAMUEL. His first wife’s name was Abigail. They had Abigail, b. Sept. 8, 1762. His second, Bathsheba; and they had Silas, b. Oct. 1, 1764. Sanford, b. Dec. 17, 1765.
BALDWIN, BENJAMIN. His wife’s name was Betsey; and had Roxana, b. Dec. 15, 1811. Horace, b. Nov. 24, 1813. Nancy, b. April 17, 1816. Dexter, b. Sept. 2, 1818. BALDWIN, EBENEZER, m. Phebe Baldwin, 1772; and had Phebe, b. Dec. 7, 1774. Winnifred, b. Aug. 18, 1776. Mary, b. Aug. 26, 1778. Rebeckah, b. Jan. 22, 1781. Ebenezer, b. May 31, 1783. James, b. March 3, 1787. Aaron, b. June 25, 1789. BALDWIN, JAMES. His wife’s name was Lucinda. They had Lucy, b. April 16, 1807. John S., b. Sept. 26, 1808. BALDWIN, STEPHEN, m. Elizabeth Baldwin, 1759; and had … Read more
REV. ARTHUR BUCKMINSTER FULLER, the third son of Hon. Timothy Fuller, was born August 10, 1822. He was early instructed by his father and his sister, Margaret Fuller. At the age of twelve, he spent one year at Leicester Academy; and, subsequently, studied with Mrs. Ripley, the wife of Rev. Samuel Ripley, of Waltham. In August, 1839, he entered Harvard College, at the age of seventeen, and graduated in 1843. During his college course he united with the church connected with the University. Immediately on graduation he purchased Belvidere Academy, in Belvidere, Boone Co., Illinois, Which, assisted by a competent … Read more
ADAMS, EBENEZER, m. Alice Frink of Rutland, and had Amelia, b. June 2, 1796; m. Rev. Mr. Murdock, and d. in Portland, ME. Adeline A., b. Jan. 17, 1798; d. unmarried. John F., b. Nov. 3, 1799; m. Elizabeth, dau. of Hon. Lovell Walker; now lives in Washington, D.C., and is noticed in this work. Charles A., b. Oct. 2, 1801; d. in early life in Portland. Harriet R., b. Sept. 14, 1804; m. Hon. John Aiken, now of Andover; d. in Columbia, S.C., where she had gone for health, leaving two children, one a professor in Dartmouth College. Mrs. … Read more
Ames, Frank M., son of Oakes and Eveline (Gilmore) Ames, was born in North Easton, Bristol County, August 14, 1833. He was educated at Leicester and Andover academies. Upon leaving school he entered into the employ of the well-known firm of Oliver Ames & Sons, where he remained several years, and became practically acquainted not only with the mechanical part of manufacturing shovels, but also with the details of an extensive business. In 1858 he removed to Canton to take control of the business of the Kinsley Iron & Machine Company. At the present time he is one of the … Read more
Ames, Oliver, son of Oakes and Eveline (Gilmore) Ames, was born in Easton, Bristol County, February 4, 1831. He passed the usual public school course of his native town, and prepared for college in the academies at No. Attleborough and Leicester. His college course—a special one – was taken at Brown University, Providence, R. I. He began business life as an employee in the shovel works of Oliver Ames & Sons. He afterwards went on the road as traveling agent for the firm, of which he soon became an active partner. While engaged in the never-ceasing round of cares that … Read more
ALLEN, AARON, m. Catherine Cummings, July 10, 1739; and had Elizabeth, b. Oct. 4, 1739. ALLEN, JOSEPH, Hon., removed here from Boston, Nov. 17, 1771; m. Anne, dau. of Judge Steele, and had Thomas, b. Nov. 16, 1774; d. March 30, 1775. Mrs. Allen d. May 10, 1775, aged twenty-four. In 1776, Mr. Allen was appointed Clerk of the Courts of the County, and removed to Worcester. He is noticed in this work. He held many offices of honor and trust, — Councillor, Member of Congress, Presidential Elector, &c.; and d. Sept. 2, 1827, aged seventy-eight. ALLEN, LEWIS, m. Mary … Read more
BLAIR, WILLIAM. His wife’s name was Jane; and his children were Sarah, b. March 18, 1745. Hannah, b. Oct. 21, 1746.
John Wires came to this town, from Leicester, Mass., about the year 1790. In 1797, he married Miss Anna Walbridge, and shortly after purchased a farm on road 32, now owned by his son, Harlow, and where he spent the remainder of his life. He was for many years known as Gen. John Wires, having served at the battle of Plattsburgh, and also held offices in the home militia. He was high sheriff of Franklin county for twenty years, and also held other positions of trust. Of fourteen children seven are now living. Harlow, the youngest, born in 1830, and … Read more