Watertown Massachusetts Genealogy

Descendants of William Swift of New Bedford, MA

For an hundred years and more the Swift family in and about New Bedford has been one of prominence, wealthy and influential not only in their several local communities 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 dealing in live oak timber and its manufacture into water craft, in shipbuilding for not only the United States government, but for those across the water. Reference is here made especially to some of the sons, grandsons and great-grandsons of William Swift, of the town of Falmouth, this Commonwealth, among whose sons were Hon. Elijah, Thomas, William, John and Reuben E.; and among the sons of the latter Rodolphus Nye and William Cole Nye Swift, who with their sons together and in turn figured most prominently in and about New Bedford and abroad, as intimated; and some of their sons are yet active here and in the Massachusetts metropolis.

The ancestry of Joshua Dow of Avon, Maine

The ancestry and posterity of Joshua Dow of Avon, Maine traces from John Dow and Johan Coop of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. The first descendant in America, Henry Dow, came from England to America in 1637 with his wife, four children, and a maid. He first settled at Watertown, Massachusetts before relocating to Hampton, New Hampshire. He wrote his surname variously as Dow, Dow and Doue. One of the first Dow to settle in Avon, was Joshua, son of John and Betsey (Strout) Dow, who moved from Portland to Avon soon after his brother and sister, and settled before 1828 near Mt. Blue and Mt. Blue Pond.

Surnames: Briggs, Bryon, Crockett, Davenport, Dickey, Doue, Dow, Dowe, Dresser, Dunham, Esty, Hall, Harnden, Harradon, Hinkley, Kinney, Kittredge, Ladd, McLaughlin, Mitchell, Orberton, Pettingell, Richardson, Ross, Sampson, Sedgeley, Stinchfield, Vining, Walton, Webber, and Worthley.

Hubbard Genealogy

George Hubbard George1 Hubbard was first in Watertown, Mass., about 1633; m. Mary Bishop, who d. at Guilford, Conn., Sept. 14, 1675. She was dau. of John and Ann Bishop, who moved to Guilford in 1639, where he, Bishop, was one of the seven prop. of the town, and d. there, February, 1661. On May 6, 1635, permission from the General Court of Massachusetts was granted to the inhabitants of Watertown “to remove themselves to any place they shall think meet to make choice of, provided they still continue under the government.” Among these immigrators was George Hubbard and family … Read more

Descendants of Thomas Boyden of Bridgewater, MA

BOYDEN (Walpole-Bridgewater family). For a half century – for fifty and more years: – the name Boyden has stood in the town of Bridgewater, Mass., as a synonym for the highest type of useful, ennobling and elevating citizenship, as exemplified in the life of the now venerable principal emeritus of the Bridgewater State Normal School, Prof. Albert Gardner Boyden, who for the long period of fifty and more years has been identified as student, teacher and principal with the noted institution of learning alluded to, and has reared a son who has taken up the work so recently laid down … Read more

Pierce Family of North Bridgewater, MA

The Pierce families of this country are and have long been very numerous. Early in the settlement of New England came representatives from England, most of them not related, so far as now known. Among them were Abraham, of Plymouth, 1623, who became one of the original purchasers of Bridgewater in 1645; Daniel, of Newbury, blacksmith, who came from Ipswich, County of Suffolk, in 1634, aged twenty-three years; John, of Dorchester, mariner from Stepney, Middlesex, before 1631; another John, of Dorchester and Boston; John, of Watertown, 1638; Capt. Michael, of Hingham and Scituate; Richard, of Portsmouth, R. I.; Robert, of Dorchester; Thomas, of Charlestown, who was admitted to the church there in 1634; and Capt. William, of Boston, who was a distinguished shipmaster of his time.

Abbot Family of New England

A genealogical dictionary of the first settlers of New England vol 1

Arthur Abbot, Marblehead Perhaps removed to Ipswich, joined Winthrop 1634, in the settlement of that town, was living in 1671, and probably died before 1679. We know of issue, only Philip, whose descendants have tradition that he came from Totness in County Devon, where he left good estate of which for several years after migration the income was enjoyed by him. Arthur Abbot, Ipswich Perhaps son of the preceding in 1671 made freeman then called Jr. and, in 1674, 35 years old; by wife Elizabeth who died 17 Feb. 1738, aged 90, had Elizabeth born 6 June 1686, and probably … Read more

Descendants of Richard Kimball of Ipswich MA

KIMBALL. Richard Kimball, of the parish of Rattlesden, County of Suffolk, England, with his family, came to New England in the ship “Elizabeth” in 1634, arriving at Boston, and thence went to Watertown, Mass. He soon became a prominent and active man in the new settlement, was proclaimed a freeman in 1635, and was proprietor in 1636-37. Soon thereafter he removed to Ipswich, where he passed the remainder of his life. His services as a wheelwright were very much appreciated. Mr. Kimball married Ursula, daughter of Henry Scott, of Rattlesden, and (second) Oct. 25, 1661, Mrs. Margaret Dow, of Hampton, … Read more

Descendants of William Eddy in New Bedford, Massachusetts

p. 102 of the 1877-8 Greenough's Directory of the City of New Bedford, Massachusetts

Descendants of William Eddy. William Eddye, A. M., vicar of the Church of St. Dunstan in the town of Cranbrook, County of Kent, England, is the English ancestor of the Eddy family here treated. He was a native of Bristol, educated in Trinity College, Cambridge, England, and was vicar of Cranbrook from 1589 to 1616. He married (first) Nov. 20, 1587, Mary Fosten, who died in July, 1611, and he married (second), in 1614, Elizabeth Taylor, a widow. He died Nov. 23, 1616.

Richard Wait Genealogy

Richard Wait Richard1 Wait, b. at Watertown, Mass., 1637; farmer in Watertown; m. Mary ; d. at Watertown, Jan. 16, 1668-9; wid. Mary d. at Watertown, Jan. 21, 1678. Thomas Wait Thomas2 Wait, b. at Watertown, March 3, 1641-2; m. Sarah, dau. of James Cutler of Lexington, Mass. Thomas Wait was a farmer; d. at Weston, Mass., Jan. 3, 1722-3; wid. Sarah d. at Weston, Jan. 17, 1743-4, aged 91. Joseph Wait Joseph3 Wait, b. at Watertown, Feb. 4, 1682-3; m. Sarah, wid. of Joseph Stone; in Sudbury, Mass., 1715; constable 1735; removed to Worcester, Mass., 1743; d. at Worcester, … Read more

Genealogy of the Fox Family of Taunton, Massachusetts

The Connecticut-Massachusetts branch of the earlier family of this name of the old Bay State is one of long and honorable standing in New England, and as well of historic connection. The especial family here considered, and which for designation is styled the Taunton family, is that of pome of the descendants of Capt. Jabez Fox, of Berkley, Mass., one of whose sons was the late Henry Hodges Fox and the latter’s son the present Hon. William Henry Fox, lawyer and judge, who for forty and more years has been judge of the First District court of Bristol county and otherwise prominently identified with the public affairs of the city of Taunton.

Rev. George Phillips Genealogy

Rev. George1 Phillips, the first settled minister at Watertown, came to New England in ship Arbella, with his friends Gov. Winthrop and Sir Richard Saltonstall. He was grad. of Gaius Coll., Cambridge, A.B. 1613, A.M. 1617; landed at Salem, Mass., June 12, 1630; wife Elizabeth [Sergent] Phillips d. soon after arrival, and was buried in Salem by the side of Lady Arbella Johnson. Mr. Phillips was minister at Watertown fourteen years; d. at Watertown, July 1, 1644. “A godly man, specially gifted and very peaceful in his place.” (Winthrop.) Samuel Phillips Samuel2 Phillips, b. at Boxstead, England, 1625; grad. Harv. … Read more

John Lawrence Genealogy

The Lawrence family, in New England, claim to be related to the George Washington family in England. This is probably correct, as the Christian Register, cautious in its statements, indorses it as a fact. John Lawrence John1 Lawrence was first at Watertown, Mass., where he was freeman 1637, afterwards at Groton, Mass., where he was a leading citizen; m. in England Elizabeth , by whom he had eleven children; she d. at Groton, Aug. 29, 1663; m. second Susanna Batchelder. By her he had two daughters. John Lawrence d. at Groton, July 11, 1667; wid. Susanna d. July 8, 1668. … Read more

Early Records and Notes of the Brown Family

This is not a compiled genealogy, but rather, a compilation of notes, facts, and genealogies concerning the various early Brown families of the towns of Andover, Ipswich, Hamilton, Reading, Boston-Tewksbury, Cambridge, Charlestown, Chelmsford, Gloucester, Hampton NH, Haverhill, Salem, Watertown, Rowley, Sudbury, and Salisbury. Charlotte Helen Abbott compiled a series of volumes on early families of New England called the “Abbott Genealogies.” This is volume 7 of the series.

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.

Genealogy of the Hitchcock family

The genealogy of the Hitchcock family who are descended from Matthias Hitchcock of East Haven, Conn. [1651], and Luke Hitchcock of Wethersfield, Conn., [1653]. Compiled and published by Mrs. Edward Hitchcock, Sr. Arranged for the press by Rev. Dwight W. Marsh, D. D. Amherst, Mass. : Press of Carpenter & morehouse, 1894. 8 vo, 555 pages, portraits, indexes.

Descendants of Philip Taber of New Bedford, MA

The Taber family of Dartmouth and New Bedford is descended from (I) 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 that same year. 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.

Biography of Rev. Arthur Buckminster Fuller

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

Genealogy of the Whitney Family of New Bedford, Massachusetts

The Whitney family of New Bedford, of which the late Amasa Whitney, one of the well known citizens of that place, was a worthy member, is one of the oldest and best known of the early families of America. Its members in every generation here from the Colonial ancestor have been noted for high attainments, vigorous intellect and the qualities which make for influential citizenship. Notable among the descendants of John Whitney, the emigrant ancestor, are Eli Whitney, whose fame as the inventor of the cotton gin and no less in other lines has won a place in the hall of fame; the late William Collins Whitney, lawyer and politician, famous as corporation counsel of New York City and secretary of war, 1885-89; and Henry M. Whitney, of Boston – illustrious names Which have added to the glory of their country as well as to the fame of an honored race.

Descendants of John Folger

John Folger, b. 1590, d. 1660. He came from Norwich in Norfolk in 1635 on the “Abigale” and settled in Dedham, Mass., in 1638, and in Watertown, Mass., in 1640, then went to Martha Vineyard. He married Merible Gibbs. ISSUE: (2) Peter b. (England) 1617, d. Nantucket 1690; m. Mary Morrill in 1640. She was from Salem, Mass.; she came over in the same ship with Peter. (She died in 1704.) ISSUE-(10 children; see Folger Genealogy). One of their sons was John Folger (3), b. 1659; d. Aug. 23, 1732; m. Mary Barnard, daughter of Nathaniel Barnard. John and Mary … Read more

Lewis Jones Genealogy

Lewis Jones Lewis1 Jones, b. at Watertown, 1651; d. at Watertown, April 11, 1684. Will, dated Jan. 7, 1678-9, mentions wife Anna and son Josiah. Josiah Jones Josiah2 Jones, b. at Roxbury, Mass., 1642; admitted freeman, at Watertown, April 18, 1690; m. at Watertown, Oct. 9, 1667, Lydia Treadway; selectman at Watertown six years; removed to Sudbury, Mass.; selectman; d. at Sudbury, Oct. 9, 1714; wid. Lydia d. Sept. 18, 1743. Lydia Treadway, dau. of Nathaniel Treadway, 9 yrs. selectman at Watertown. Treadway m. Sufferance Haynes, dau. of Walter’ Haynes, settled in Sudbury, Dec. 22, 1639; freeman 1640; selectman 10 … Read more