New Bedford Massachusetts Genealogy

Dwelly Family of Fall River, MA

DWELLY (Fall River family). The name Dwelly is an uncommon one and the family not numerous in New England annals. The Fall River Dwelly family is a branch of the Rhode Island family and it of the Scituate (Mass.) family, the immediate Fall River family here considered being that of Dr. Jerome Dwelly, who for some threescore or more years has administered to the ailments of humanity in and about Fall River, where he has most surely been to this people the “beloved physician” and one of the city’s substantial men. In the succeeding generation, one of his sons – … Read more

Flint Family of Fall River, MA

JOHN DEXTER FLINT (deceased), merchant, trader, philanthropist and churchman, of Fall River, was in many ways a most remarkable man, one that perhaps crowded more into his three-score years of active business life in the city of his adoption than any of his contemporaries; among the foremost leaders in business lines of those who wrought with him, he no doubt was first in generous gifts to religious and church work and lines akin to it. Born April 26, 1826, in the town of North Reading, Mass., Mr. Flint was a son of Henry and Mary (Sanborn) Flint, most estimable people but of limited means. The Flints were of good Puritan stock, the North Reading family descending from (I) Thomas Flint, who, with his brother William, was here in New England probably before 1642. William became a large land owner in the vicinity of Flint street, Salem, while Thomas was one of the first settlers in that part of Salem Village which became Danvers, buying land there as early as 1662.

Lawton Genealogy of New Bedford Massachusetts

The branch of the Lawton family so long resident in New Bedford, and in each generation active in public affairs, but recently represented by the late Charles H. and Horace A. Lawton, well known druggists, the former long prominent in the government of the town and an important factor in the financial and commercial life, is descended from George Lawton, a brother of Thomas and possibly of John also, all of Newport as early as 1638 or 1639. George and Thomas were among the twenty-eight signers of the Compact, April 30, 1639, for the formation of a “civil body politicke.” George Lawton was made a freeman in 1655; member of the Court of Trials, 1648; deputy, 1665-72-75-76-79-80; assistant, 1680-81-82-83-84-85-86-89-90. He and five other assistants, with the deputy governor, wrote a letter to their Majesties, William and Mary, congratulating them on their accession to the Crown, and informing them that since the deposition of Governor Andros the former government under the charter had been resumed. He seems to have been prominent in all the Colonial affairs of his time. He died Oct. 5, 1693, and was buried in his orchard at Portsmouth. He married Elizabeth Hazard, daughter of Thomas and Martha Hazard.

Cushman Family of Acushnet, MA

For perhaps fifty years there has lived in what is now Acushnet and figured largely in the industrial life of the locality a branch of the ancient and historic Cushman family of the Old Colony, in the immediate family of the late Emery Cushman, whose early life was passed in Duxbury; himself the founder of an enterprise here in which he was succeeded by his son and the latter by his sons, all of whom contributed through the manufacturing plant to the material progress and welfare of their locality.

It will be remembered that Robert Cushman was one of the most active and influential men in all of the preliminary movements of the Pilgrims in going to Leyden and thence to New England, he the ancestor of the Cushman family here in question, the marriage of whose son into the Howland family further identifies it with the “Mayflower” party.

There follows the history and genealogy of this Acushnet Cushman family in chronological order from this first American ancestor.

Ancestry of Capt. Jacob Taber of New Bedford, Massachusetts

Capt. Jacob Taber, late of New Bedford, and long successfully engaged as a master mariner in the whaling industry, was a descendant of an early settled New England family. He was a direct descendant of Philip Taber, who was at Watertown in 1634, and contributed toward building the galley for the security of the harbor, was made freeman in that same year, and was later at Yarmouth among the first settlers and deputy to Plymouth, 1639-40. Still later he was at the Vineyard, and afterward at New London, Portsmouth, and at Providence and Tiverton, respectively, being a representative from Providence.

Hussey and Morgan Families of New Bedford MA

HUSSEY-MORGAN (New Bedford families). These families, while not among those early here, are of approximately a hundred years’ standing in this community, and with their allied connections are among the very respectable and wealthy families of the locality, the heads of two of these families here considered being the late George Hussey and Charles Wain Morgan, who were extensively engaged in whaling and shipping interests here in New Bedford through much of the first half of the nineteenth century. Here follows in detail arranged chronologically from the first American ancestor the Hussey genealogy, together with that of some of its … Read more

Clifford Family of New Bedford, MA

Among the most prominent law offices in southern Massachusetts is one which by lineal succession has existed for nearly, if not quite, a hundred years, and in which three generations of the Clifford family have been represented. The members of the Clifford family who have been such important factors in this old and prominent law firm came of a distinguished ancestry. The late John H. Clifford was a direct descendant in the eighth generation from George Clifford, who came with his wife Elizabeth and son John from Arnold village and parish, Nottinghamshire, England, to Boston in 1644.

Taber family of Dartmouth and New Bedford, Massachusetts

The Taber family of Dartmouth and New Bedford, one of the oldest families in southeastern Massachusetts, is descended from Philip Taber, who according to Savage, was born in 1605, and died in 1672. He was at Watertown in 1634, and he contributed toward building the galley for the security of the harbor. He was made a freeman at Plymouth in 1639. In 1639-40 he was a deputy from Yarmouth, and was afterward at Martha’s Vineyard, and from 1647 to 1655 was at Edgartown, going from there to New London in 1651, but probably returning soon. He was an inhabitant of Portsmouth in February, 1655, and was a representative in Providence in 1661, the commissioners being Roger Williams, William Field, Thomas Olney, Joseph Torrey, Philip Taber and John Anthony. Later he settled in Tiverton, where his death occurred. He married Lydia Masters, of Watertown, Mass., daughter of John and Jane Masters, and his second wife, Jane, born in 1605, died in 1669.

Descendants of Daniel Wilcox of Dartmouth MA and Tiverton RI

This article briefly deals ith one branch only of the New England Wilcox family – with some of the descendants of Daniel Wilcox, who had a grant of fifteen acres of land at Portsmouth, R. I., Dec. 10, 1656, and who later, in 1664, bought a house in Dartmouth, and was constable there in the year following. Mr. Wilcox later became a resident of the town of Tiverton, being an inhabitant there on the organization of the town, March 2, 1692.

Ivers Family of Dedham, MA

IVERS (New Bedford family). The name Ivers seems one uncommon in New England annals and the family by no means numerous. At Dedham are fragmentary records of the Ivers family name, but nothing of an early date.

William and Gregory Ivers, brothers, appear in Boston in the early part of the eighteenth century. They are said to have come about 1720 with the pioneer Scotch settlers from the North of Ireland. William Ivers married in Boston April 28, 1724, Jane Barber, the ceremony being performed by a Presbyterian minister. Jane Ivers died at Boston in 1789; her will, made April 29, 1776, proved April 13, 1789, Capt. Job Prince, executor, mentions sons James and Thomas, probably the only ones living at the date of making the will.

Howland Family of Duxbury, MA

HOWLAND. Arthur and Henry Howland are believed to have come to America together and probably before 1625; they appeared in Plymouth Colony in the early days of its settlement. They were members of the Society of Friends and most of their descendants for many generations were, and many at the present time are, Friends. Arthur lived for a few years in Plymouth, then became a landholder and resident of Marshfield; while Henry, the progenitor of the Ancient Dartmouth Howland family, the branch here specially considered, lived at Duxbury. The first mention of him in New England is that made in … Read more

Descendants of Jonathan P. Lund of New Bedford, MA

For two hundred and more years, since toward the close of the seventeenth century, the Lund family has played its part in Massachusetts-New Hampshire history, the changing of the line between the two Commonwealths in the middle of the eighteenth century transferring them to New Hampshire. Reference is made to the Old Dunstable, Mass., Nashua, N. H. family of the name, and to the especial branch of the latter family which in the early years of the century but recently closed removed to Acushnet, in the town of New Bedford, this State. The head of this latter family was the late Jonathan P. Lund, who some three-quarters of a century ago established the hardware and tin business, which was long carried on by him, assisted in time by his son, the present venerable Parkman Macy Lund, who later succeeded the father, the two being among the substantial men and worthy citizens of this community.

Biographical Sketch of Silas Bowerman

(IV) Silas, son of Thomas (3) Bowerman, was born about 1720 in Falmouth. He removed to New Bedford and thence to Dover, Dutchess county, New York, in 1780. In 1790, the first federal census shows him living at Pawling, Dutchess county, with three males over sixteen, one tinder sixteen and seven females in his family. His second wife was Lydia Gifford. His three sons were Silas, Malthiah and Macy. Malthiah settled in Lafayette and built a house there where the hotel later stood and is ancestor of the Milan Bowermans, leaving sons Joseph, Esek, Otis and Sands. Macy settled on … Read more

Descendants of Captain Michael Pierce

The Pierce family is one of the ancient Colonial families of the Commonwealth, the forerunners of the name playing a conspicuous part as masters of vessels bringing hither emigrants from England. For several generations there has lived in New Bedford a branch of the old Rehoboth and Swansea Pierce family, descendants of Capt. Michael Pierce, who have been leading-spirits in the community — names especially conspicuous in the industrial life of the town and vicinity. Reference is made particularly to some of the descendants of the late Otis Norton Pierce, whose son, the late Hon. Andrew Granville Pierce, was for … Read more

Swift Family of New Bedford, MA

SWIFT. For a hundred years and more the Swift family in and about New Bedford has been one of prominence, wealth. and influence, not only in the several local communities in which its members have resided but out through the Commonwealth and into the nation, where their extensive enterprises have extended. These Acushnet-New Bedford Swifts, a branch of the Cape Cod family, brought to their new field of effort that activity, industry, ability and honesty that had for generations characterized their forefathers and also the line of business that had enriched earlier generations in the old home section – the … Read more

Descendants of Rev. James Keith in Bridgewater, Massachusetts

The Keith family is one of the oldest of southeastern Massachusetts. Its founder in America was Rev. James Keith, born in 1644, who came to America, landing in Boston in 1662. He became minister of the Bridgewater Church, where he administered to the spiritual needs of the people for half a century. He died July 23, 1719. He was twice married. His first wife was Susannah Edson, daughter of Deacon Samuel Edson.

Ancestry of Hon. Willard Nye of New Bedford, Massachusetts

Nye (New Bedford family). The family of this name in New Bedford, the head of which was the Hon. Willard Nye (deceased), one of the successful business men and substantial citizens of the city, prominent in public affairs, at one time mayor, is a branch of the ancient Nye family of Sandwich, Mass., where members in the line of the deceased just alluded to were long prominent. A sketch of Mr. Nye, with his Nye lineage, traced back to the immigrant settler, follows.

Jackson Family of Fall River, MA

Here in this article it is the purpose to treat of but one branch or family of the Massachusetts Jacksons – the family of John Jackson, who was a descendant of the Middleboro settler of the name, one John Jackson, and who in time removed to the State of Maine, the home State for several generations of the Fall River Jacksons in question. The first John Jackson came from England to New England and settled in Middleboro, where in May, 1714, he was married to Mary Smith. They had two children (if not more), John and Cornelius, the latter of whom was born in Middleboro Sept. 11, 1716. The father died in 1731.

Ancestry of Dr. Charles Richard Hunt

Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts

Dr. Charles Richard Hunt is descended on the paternal side from William Hunt, of Concord, and on the maternal side from Sir Thomas Hayward, one of the early settlers of Duxbury, Mass., both of Puritan families.

Vigneron Family of Newport, Rhode Island

The Vigneron family to which Mr. Spare belongs in the maternal line is descended from Norbert Felician Vigneron, who was baptized June 6, 1670, in the town of LaVentie, Province of Artois, Diocese of Arras, in the French Netherlands. He was the son of Anthony and Anne Therese (de Beaussart) Vigneron. The date of his coming to this country is uncertain, but his marriage to Susanna Peirce, daughter of Joanna Peirce, of Newport, took place in Newport, R. I.