14 
 M4T4 
 
Class _-El4= — 
 

MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD 
 
 GUIDE BOOK TO ITS LOCALITIES 
 
 GREEN HARBOR 
 
 BY MARCIA A. THOMAS. 
 
 " Green are their bays, and greener still 
 
 Shall round their spreading- fame be wreathed; 
 And regions now untrod shall thrill 
 
 With reverence, when their names are breathed." 
 
 W. C. Bryant. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PRINTED BY DUTTON AND WENTWORTH, 
 
 No. 37, Congress Street. 
 
 18 54. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1854, 
 
 By Marcia A. Thomas, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 
 
THIS 
 MEMORIAL OF THEIR ANCESTRY 
 
 IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 
 
 TO THE 
 
 DESCENDANTS OF THE EARLY SETTLERS 
 
 QUEEN HARBOR, 
 
 COMPILER 
 
P HE FACE. 
 
 The following Memorials do not claim to be a systematic His- 
 tory of Marshfield, but are mere sketches of some of its localities 
 and early families. They are prepared for the united purpose of 
 perpetuating their memories and preserving their names in the 
 hallowed place of their sepulchres. Though the information pre- 
 sented has been collected with much care and labor, and with an 
 antiquarian taste, yet the compiler appears in print with much dif- 
 fidence, it being her first effort of the kind, and her time for its 
 compilation limited, amid o f her cares, to a few weeks. She begs 
 her friends and the public will look with favorable indulgence 
 upon her little offering. The materials from which she has 
 drawn, are ample for a larger volume, and she has found it no 
 easy task to select and abridge, to make a work, which it seemed 
 to her the occasion demanded. Errors may have occurred in the 
 selection and arrangement, but she trusts the credit may yet be 
 awarded her of a sincere desire to do the right thing from right 
 motives. 
 
 To those authors from whom she has made selections, and to 
 those who have generously aided her by their labors or otherwise, 
 she feels under great obligations. Her best thanks are hereby 
 offered to Mrs. Sigourney of Hartford, and Miss Caulkins of New 
 London, Conn., for their beautiful poetical contributions to her 
 work ; and for the gratuitous use of plates, to Messrs. Little, 
 Brown & Co., and James W. Paige, Esq., for that of the Webster 
 Mansion ; to Mr. Samuel G. Drake, for that of Josiah Winslow ; 
 and to Mr. William S. Russell of Plymouth, for that of the 
 Peregrine White apple tree ; and to Messrs. C. S. Francis & Co., 
 of New York, for that of the ancient Winslow House. 
 
 Marshfield, August 1, 1854. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Burying Hill and Surrounding Localities, . Page 8 
 
 Family Sketches, ....... 13 
 
 Pastors of the First Church, 13 ; Winslow, 17 ; White, 
 31 ; Adams, 36 ; Vassall, 37 ; Bourn, 38 ; Waterman, 40 ; 
 Snow, 41 ; Beadle or Biddle, 42 ; Branch, 42 ; Winter 
 and Hewet, 43 ; Goram, Gorum, [Gorham,] 44 ; Rouse, 
 46 ; Bompasse, Bumpus, Bump, 48 ; Pitney, 48 ; Lyn- 
 dall, Lindall, 49 ; Holmes, 50 ; Dingley, 52 ; Carver, 52 ; 
 Thomas, 53 ; Sampson, 71 ; Somers, 71 ; Foord, Ford, 
 73 ; Baker, 74 ; Williamson, 75 ; Howland, 75 ; Foster, 
 76 ; Walker, 77 ; Low, 77 ; Chillingsworth or Chilling- 
 worth, 77 ; Sprague, 78 ; Hall, 80 ; Stevens, 81 ; Dogget, 
 Doggett, 81 ; Keene, Kein, Keen, 82 ; Shearman, Sher- 
 man, 83 ; Phillips, 83 ; Shettle, Shirtley, Shurtleff, 84 ; 
 Little, 85 ; John Jones, 87 ; Chapman, 87 ; Webster, 88. 
 
 Peregrine White, — A Poem, by L. H. Sigourney, . . 34 
 
 The Marshfield Graves, — A Poem, by F. M. Caulkins, 89 
 
 Burying Hill, — Inscriptions and Memorials of Interments, 92 
 
BURYING HILL 
 
 SURROUNDING LOCALITIES 
 
 '•'Forget not all their sufferings, 
 
 Their sorrows and their prayers ; 
 This hard won heritage is ours, 
 The perils all were theirs." 
 
 The Ancient Burying Hill, successively of Green 
 Harbor, Rexham and Marshfield, is situated in sol- 
 emn seclusion, in the southeasterly part of this 
 Pilgrim settled township. There is no record pre- 
 served of the time when it was set apart as a place 
 of sepulture. The oldest memorial stone, now fallen 
 into fragments, is that of William Thomas, Esq., 
 within the limits of whose grant this cemetery was 
 located. 
 
 One half a mile southerly, environed with a variety 
 of rural beauties, rises the mansion house of the la- 
 mented statesman, the late Hon. Daniel Webster, be- 
 yond which is a ridge of broken highlands, on the 
 summit of which our fathers lit their beacon fires, 
 "in case of alarm from the Indian enemy." Through 
 an intervening valley a glimpse is caught of the blue 
 waters of the bay where the ev6r< memorable May- 
 flower cast its anchor, and on a solitary rock, still sa- 
 cred to their name, landed its pilgrim passengers, the 
 germ of this great republic. 
 1* 
 
8 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 From the southwest, Green Harbor River winds 
 its serpentine way through an intervale of meadow 
 land, and passing this hallowed hill near its northern 
 base, one mile easterly therefrom, mingles its waters 
 with the mighty ocean. 
 
 Over this river, with a background formed of the 
 unfading green of the native forests, the eye falls on 
 an extensive range of farms which the founders of 
 our "rustic" homes reclaimed from a mazy and 
 savage-trod wilderness. Reflecting on their sacrifi- 
 ces and sufferings we are led to say with the poet 
 
 " We have no title-deed to house or lands ; 
 Owners and occupants of earlier date 
 From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands, 
 And hold in mortmain still their old estates." 
 
 H. W. Longfellow. 
 
 In the semicircle before named the eye embraces in 
 the distance the ancestral lands of Clement King, 
 Richard French, James Pitney, Samuel Baker, John 
 Adams, William Ford, Philip Leonard, Wm. Haile, 
 Luke LUJy, Timothy Williamson, Roger Cook, Wm. 
 Hollo way, John Russell, John Walker, Arthur How- 
 land, Thomas Chillingworth, Edmund Hawes, Dan- 
 iel Cole, William Sherman and Peregrine White. 
 Within these, and nearer this consecrated spot, are 
 the ancient estates of James Lindall, William Holmes, 
 Robert Carver, John Dingley, Rev. Edward Bulkley, 
 John Somers, Anthony Snow, Thomas Bourn, Ken- 
 elm Winslow, Josias Winslow, Robert Waterman and 
 Joseph Beadle. From the last named estate, situated 
 at the northeast point of the cultivated lands within 
 
BURYING HILL. 9 
 
 the bounds of vision, extends Marshfield Beach on 
 the east to the mouth of Green Harbor River. 
 
 Near the southeast extremity of this beach are 
 two tracts of upland, early called " Governors and 
 Branch's Islands." The last was the abode of John 
 Branch, while on the first resided Mr. John Bradford, 
 eldest son of Gov. William Bradford, previous to his 
 removal to Norwich, Conn., between 1660-64 of 
 which place he was one of the thirty-five pur- 
 chasers. 
 
 Crossing Green Harbor River, from the southern 
 banks thereof extends the estate granted to Gov. 
 Edward Winslow, styled the founder of Marshfield. 
 Narrowing the vision to the vicinage around this 
 last resting place of our fathers, we view the ancient 
 estate of William Thomas, Esq. Mingled on its 
 surface in a pleasing variety are hills, valleys, wood- 
 lands, meadows and streams, now rich with the 
 charms of the experimental cultivation of the late 
 " Marshfield Farmer." 
 
 Between these old domains of Edward Winslow 
 and William Thomas nestled the homestead of John 
 Thomas, while the homes of Edward Bumpus, one 
 of the forefathers, and that of John Rouse, dotted 
 the valleys interspersed amid the southern hills. 
 
 Passing northerly, by the lawns of Careswell, we 
 again find the fields swelling into steeplands, on the 
 summit of which stands a flagstaff given by the 
 Hon. Abbott Lawrence, of Boston. From this, on 
 festal occasions, float the stars and stripes of the 
 
10 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 American Union. Near a hill of this range, yet 
 bearing his name, was the early colonial residence 
 of Capt. John Gorham, who sacrificed his life in 
 defence of the forest homes of our fathers. 
 
 Separated by a dale, from the westerly side of the 
 Gorham range rises another acclivity, called Cherry 
 Hill, memorable from the fact that Mr. Webster 
 addressed from thence, for the last time, a public 
 assemblage, on July 24th, 1852. He had been 
 escorted from the railroad station at Kingston, by a 
 committee of arrangements and other citizens of the 
 neighborhood in carriages, with a cavalcade of young 
 men, most of them doubtless of Pilgrim descent. 
 Mr. Webster and the Hon. Seth Sprague of Dux- 
 bury, were seated in a barouche, drawn by six grey 
 horses, driven by Jacob Sprague, "Esq." His ad- 
 dress on that occasion tells in his own language of 
 his associations with the people of Green Harbor 
 and vicinity, from which we offer the following 
 extracts : — 
 
 " Friends and neighbors, it is now about twenty years that I 
 have been in the midst of you, passing- here on the side of. the sea, 
 in your vicinity and presence, that portion of every year which I 
 have been able to enjoy from the labors of my profession and the 
 cares of public life. Happy have they been to me and mine, for, 
 during all that period, I know not of one unkind thing done, or 
 an unkind word spoken to me, or those that are near and dear to 
 me. Gentlemen I consider this a personal kindness, a tribute of 
 individual regard. I have lived among you with the greatest 
 pleasure and satisfaction. I deem it a great piece of good fortune 
 that, coming from the mountains, desirous of having a summer 
 residence on the sea coast, I came where I did and when I did. 
 
BURYING HILL. 11 
 
 Many, when they come down through these pine woods and over 
 these sandy hills to see us, wonder what drew Mr. Webster to 
 Marshfield. Why gentlemen, I tell them it was partly good sense, 
 but more good fortune. I had got a pleasant spot, I had lands about 
 me diversified, my fortune was to fall into a kind neighborhood 
 among men with whom I never had any difficulty, with whom I had 
 entered into a sort of a well understood covenant, that I would 
 talk with them on farming and fishing and of neighborhood con- 
 cerns, but I would never speak a word to them or they to me, on 
 law or politics. They have kept their side of the bargain and I 
 have kept mine. 
 
 Friends and neighbors, the time in which you offer me this 
 welcome is not inappropriate. I am not much longer to be 
 away from you for any purpose connected with public life or 
 public duty. The place which I now occupy in the councils of 
 the nation must of course ere long be vacated by me, and may 
 be vacated very shortly. 
 
 There is an end to all human labors and all human efforts. I am 
 no longer a young man. I am thankful that I have a good degree 
 of health and strength, and hope to enjoy your neighborhood and 
 kindness and the pleasure of seeing you often, for some years to 
 come, if such may be the pleasure of the Almighty. 
 
 Accept gentlemen; from the depth of my affection for you all, 
 my warm acknowledgments that you come here with countenances 
 so open and frank to give me this assurance of your regard ; I 
 return it with all my heart, I say again, my prayers are that the 
 Almighty Power above may preserve you and yours, and every- 
 thing that is near and dear to you, in prosperity and happiness." 
 
 Returning from, we trust, not an unwelcome 
 digression, we will now pass beyond the wooded 
 highlands which bound our vision on the north and 
 west. There spread the broad acres of the "North 
 River men," so called, from their settling on the 
 southern borders of that river, which is the division 
 line between Marshfield and Scituate. We find the 
 
12 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 following names among these settlers, for the first 
 half a century after the incorporation of the town- 
 ship, some leaving and others filling their places 
 during that period, viz. : Barker, Besbeech, Brooks, 
 Byram, Bangs, Bosworth, Beare, Brown, Bruff, Bar- 
 den, Cushing, Eames, Hincksman. Latham, Mendall, 
 Macall, Joice, Perry, Rogers, Sylvester and Taylor. 
 
 Lying between Green Harbor and North Rivers 
 were many miles of" dense forest land, and although 
 the respective settlers in each locality assembled to- 
 gether in meetings for public business, and perhaps 
 also, some of them for public worship, they do not 
 appear to have been in habits of intimate association. 
 
 Within this section many carried their children to 
 the second church in Scituate for baptism, which 
 was near, on the opposite side of North River, over 
 which was then a ferry place. 
 
 As we wend our way downward with this river 
 to the sea, the distance from Green Harbor is less- 
 ened ; this locality is now called East Marshfield. 
 Here dwelt William Macomber, Morris Truant, 
 Thomas Little, Francis Crooker, Richard Childs, 
 John Sawyer, Edward Stevens, John Jones, Ralph 
 Chapman, William Norcutt, Jeremiah Boroughs, 
 Thomas Howell, Thomas Tilden, John Phillips, 
 William ShurtlerT, John Strowbridge, and Mr. Ralph 
 Powell. 
 
 On the present westerly bounds of the township 
 is a tract of fertile land, two miles in length and 
 one in breadth, called the Two Miles. This was 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 13 
 
 granted to Scituate 1640. and in 1788 annexed to 
 Marshfield. It was settled by Richard Sylvester, 
 Robert Sproat, Thomas Rose, and the descendants 
 of Walter, son of Elder William Hatch of Scituate ; 
 Elder Hatch was from Kent County, England. He, 
 with his family, were passengers in the good ship 
 Hercules, 1635. Walter m. Elizabeth Holbrook of 
 Weymouth, 1650, and had Hannah, b. 1651; Sam- 
 uel, b. 1653 ; Jane, b. 1655 ; Antipes, b. 1658 ; and 
 Bethiah, 1661. Many descendants, bearing the fam- 
 ily name, are residents of the Two Miles. Luther 
 Hatch, Esq., long the respected Town Clerk of 
 Marshfield, is a descendant of Elder William Hatch 
 and his son Walter. 
 
 FAMILY SKETCHES. 
 
 " It is wise for us to recur to the history of our ancestors. Those who do 
 not look upon themselves as a link connecting the Past with the Future, do 
 not perform their duty to the world. 7 ' Daniel Webster. 
 
 PASTORS OF THE FIRST CHURCH. 
 
 It is inferred from olden records, with the fact of 
 his being an early resident at Green Harbor, that 
 Nehemiah Smyth was, perhaps, the first religious 
 teacher of its early settlers. It is believed also, that 
 Governor Edward Winslow might have occasionally 
 officiated in that office. There was, however, no 
 regular pastor until the Rev. Richard Blinman, a 
 2 
 
14 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Welch gentleman, removed thither, about 1642. He 
 was accompanied by Mr. Thomas and a number of 
 other " emigrants, from beyond the Wye." 
 
 Dissensions taking place, Mr. Blinman and most 
 of his countrymen soon removed to Gloucester, and 
 from thence, 1648-50, to New London. In 1658 
 he is at New Haven, from whence he returned by 
 the way of Newfoundland, to Bristol, England, 
 where he deceased, at an advanced age. 
 
 Soon after the removal of Mr. Blinman from 
 Marshfield, the Rev. Edward Bulkely, son of the 
 Rev. Peter Bulkely of Concord, was ordained pastor. 
 He appears to have held an estate independent of 
 the " minister's land," so called. His dwelling- 
 house stood not far from the site of the south dis- 
 trict schoolhouse. His father dying, 1659, he suc- 
 ceeded him as pastor of the church at Concord. His 
 children were, John, who deceased at Marshfield, 
 1655; " Jane, who m. Ephraim Flint, and Elizabeth, 
 who m. the Rev. Joseph Emerson." 
 
 " Tradition represents Mr. Bulkely as a man of 
 a feeble constitution ; he died while on a visit at 
 Chelmsford, 1696, and was buried at Concord. He 
 was greatly respected for his talents, acquirements, 
 irreproachable character, and piety." — Shattuck's 
 History of Concord. 
 
 Mr. Bulkely was succeeded in the pastoral office, 
 by the Rev. Samuel Arnold of Yarmouth, in 1657. 
 He deceased, 3 Sept., 1693, after a ministry of 39 
 years. His wife was Elizabeth ; they had Samuel, 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 15 
 
 born at Yarmouth, 1649; he, with a number of 
 others, from Marshfield and Duxbury, were original 
 proprietors of Rochester, Mass., over which people 
 he was ordained pastor, 1684. They had also Seth, 
 from whom the present families of the name, resi- 
 dent on the borders of Duxbury, descended ; and 
 Elizabeth, the wife of Abraham Holmes. 
 
 Edward Tompson, son of Deacon and grandson 
 of the Rev. William Tompson of Braintree, was 
 ordained fourth pastor of the Marshfield church, 14 
 Oct., 1696. He preached the sermon at his own 
 ordination, from Isai. c. ix, 10. He had, after 1690, 
 been teacher of the church at Newbury, and also a 
 teacher of youth. He suddenly deceased, 16 March, 
 1704-^5, aged 40. The following is extracted from a 
 tribute to his character signed by the clergymen of 
 his Association : — 
 
 " No minister could wish to leave behind him a more excellent 
 character than is testified of Mr. Tompson, by those who knew 
 him best. In conversation being holy, humble, meek, patient, 
 sober, temperate, blameless, diligent, useful, and going about 
 doing good ; so living desired, and dying lamented." 
 
 The wife of Mr. Tompson was Sarah. Their 
 children, born at Newbury, were Samuel, 1690, H. 
 C. 1710, ordained at Gloucester, 1716, d. 1724; 
 Edward, b. 1695, and perhaps others. They had at 
 Marshfield, William, b. 1697; John, b. 1699; and 
 Joseph, b. 1703-4. 
 
 It is believed that Mr. Tompson's family returned 
 to Newbury. The following marriages are from the 
 
16 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 records of that place, and probably were the chil- 
 dren of Edward Tornpson, as we learn from the his- 
 torian of that town that no other family of that 
 name were residents thereof till after the time of 
 their occurrence. 
 
 " Isaac Thomas of Marshfield and Ann Tornpson 
 of Newbury, m. 25 Oct., 1711. 
 
 Percival Clark and Sarah Tornpson, jun., m. 26 
 March, 1713. 
 
 Stephen Longfellow and Abigail Tornpson, m. 25 
 March, 1714. 
 
 Richard Pettingell, jun., and Elizabeth Tornpson, 
 m. 2 Aug., 1716. 
 
 Joseph Tornpson and Prise ilia Noyes, m. 7 Nov.. 
 1727." 
 
 Mr. Tornpson was succeeded in the ministry at 
 Marshfield, by the Rev. James Gardner, a native of 
 Scotland, who, it is inferred, was a merchant in 
 Marshfield, previously. He was ordained, 14 May, 
 1707, and deceased, 14 Sept., 1739. His wife was 
 Mary. Their children were, Jane, b. 1708; Mary, b. 
 1710-11, m. Rev. Benjamin Bass of Hanover, 1729; 
 Thomas, b. 1713; Elizabeth, b. 1715-16, m. Nathaniel 
 Thomas; Deborah, b. 1719, m. Michael Samson of 
 Kingston, 1739; Dorothy, b. 1721-22; James, b. 
 1724; and Lucy, b. 1729, deceased in the summer 
 of 1739. 
 
 The succeeding pastors of the first church, were, 
 Samuel Hill, Maiden, II. C. 1735, from 1740 to 
 1752; Joseph Green, Barnstable, H. C. 1746, from 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 17 
 
 1753 to 1759; Thomas Brown, H. C. 1752, from 
 1759 to 1763; William Shaw, D. D., Bridgewater, 
 H. C. 1762, from 1766 to 1816 ; Martin Parris, 
 Pembroke, B. U., from 1817 to 1838; Seneca White, 
 Sutton, D. C. 1818, from 1838 to 1850; Ebenezer 
 Alden, Randolph, A. C. 1839, installed 1850— the 
 present pastor. He is descended from the Pilgrim 
 John Alden ; his wife is Maria Louisa, dau. of Chris- 
 topher Dyer, Esq., of Abington, and a descendant of 
 the May Flower Pilgrims, William and Susanna 
 White, through their son Peregrine White and his 
 eldest dau. Sarah, wife of Thomas Young, &c, &c. 
 
 WINSLOW. 
 
 Mr. Edward Winslow was eldest son of Edward 
 Winslow, Esq., and his wife Magdelen, of Droit- 
 witch, Worcestershire, England. He joined the Pil- 
 grims at Leyden, with his wife Elizabeth, who 
 deceased, 24 March, 1621. On the 24th of the fol- 
 lowing May he was united in marriage to Susanna, 
 widow of Mr. William White ; Mrs. Winslow thus 
 became the first bride, having previously been the 
 first mother, among the first colonists of New Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Mr. Winslow was the third signer of the celebrated 
 compact subscribed in the cabin of the May Flower, 
 11 Nov., 1620. "An instrument establishing a prin- 
 ciple which is the foundation of all the democratic 
 institutions of America." 
 2* 
 
18 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 He removed to his estate at Green Harbor, 
 1636-37. On this he had erected a handsome resi- 
 dence, which, with the whole domain, was called 
 Careswell, after a seat of his ancestors in England. 
 He had occasionally sojourned at Green Harbor, 
 after 1632. Gov. Winslow was a man of extensive 
 usefulness in the colony, being agent for the same 
 at the court of England, in 1623, 1624, 1635, 1644, 
 and 1646. On his return, in 1624, he brought over 
 the broad Atlantic the first neat cattle that grazed 
 about the New England homes of our Pilgrim sires. 
 On his last named embassy to his native land, in 
 1646, being in high estimation at the court of the 
 Protector, he was invited to enter his service, and 
 was appointed First Commissioner of the Common- 
 wealth, to superintend the expedition sent to the 
 Spanish West Indies. 
 
 On this service, by more than ordinary fatigue, 
 the fever of the climate was induced, of which he 
 deceased, on shipboard, 8 May, 1655, aged 59 years 
 6 months and 18 days. His remains were consigned 
 to the deep waters of the ocean, with the honors of 
 war. His widow Susanna, it appears from the frag- 
 ment of an entry in the town records, survived him 
 until October, 1680. 
 
 The whole early history of our country bears am- 
 ple testimony to the excellence of the character of 
 Gov. Winslow. His children, Edward and John, 
 named at the "division of cattle, 1627," deceased, 
 doubtless, in early life. His son Josiah was born 
 
uJfv 4A) ) Tnxiji 
 
 i-X22&^> 
 
 ,:...: . . 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 19 
 
 1629, and subsequently he had a dau. named Eliza- 
 beth, m. firstly, to Gilbert or Robert Brooks, and 
 secondly, 1669, to Capt. George Corwin of Salem. 
 George and Elizabeth Corwin had Penelope, b. 
 1670, m. Josiah Walcott, 1676 ; and Susanna, b. 
 1682, m. to Edward Lynde and Benjamin Wads- 
 worth. 
 
 Josiah, son of Gov. Edward and Susanna (White) 
 Winslow, m. 1651, Penelope Pelham, dau. of Her- 
 bert Pelham, Esq., who was of Massachusetts Col- 
 ony, from 1645 to 1650. Their children were, Eliz- 
 abeth, b. 1664, m. Stephen Burton, 1684; Edward, 
 b. 1667, died early ; and Isaac, b. 1670. 
 
 Josiah Winslow, son of Gov. Edward Winslow, 
 was the first native-born Governor of the Old Col- 
 ony, to which office he was elected annually from 
 1673 to his decease. This included the calamitous 
 period of Philip's war. In a letter, written by him, 
 under date 1 May, 1676, he says, " I think I can 
 clearly say, that before these present troubles broke 
 out, the English did not possess one foot of land in 
 this colony but what was fairly obtained by honest 
 purchase of the Indian proprietors. We first made a 
 law that none should purchase, or receive by gift, 
 any land of the Indians, without the knowledge of 
 our court ; and lest they should be straitened, we 
 ordered that Mount Hope, Pocasset, and several 
 other necks of the best land in the colony, because 
 most suitable and convenient for them, should never 
 be bought out of their hands." 
 
20 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 In this war with King Philip, Gov. Winslow was 
 eminently serviceable. He commanded the English 
 army in the great swamp fight, 1676. His health, 
 habitually feeble, was much impaired by the fatigues 
 of this expedition ; and he was afterwards excused 
 from again going forth to war. In a letter written 
 by him to Gov. Leveret, July 26, 1675, he thus ex- 
 presses himself : 
 
 "My person has been much threatened; I have 
 twenty men about my house ; have sent away my 
 wife and children to Salem ; have flankered my 
 house, and resolve to maintain it so long as a man 
 will stand by me." This house was built by his 
 father, Gov. Edward Winslow, to which additions 
 had been made. It stood a little easterly from the 
 present mansion, erected about 1700 by Isaac Wins- 
 low, Esq. Two depressions in the surface of the 
 earth, distinctly visible, denote the exact location of 
 the cellars of this fortified and celebrated residence. 
 At an angle in the fence near by stood the sentry- 
 house, or watch-tower, and a short distance, south- 
 erly, is Long Tom Pond, which derived its name 
 from the circumstance of an Indian spy, bearing that 
 name, being shot, hid in an evergreen tree, which 
 grew on its borders. 
 
 Here was the Indian Chief Alexander, son of the 
 kind-hearted Massasoit, attacked by the fever which 
 terminated his earthly existence. He had been con- 
 ducted from Manponset Pond, by Maj. Winslow, 
 Maj. Bradford, and others, to Mr. Collier's, at Dux- 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 21 
 
 bury, for the purpose of treating on mutual colonial 
 difficulties. " The few magistrates who were at 
 hand, issued the matter peaceably, and dismissed 
 Alexander" on his way to his own forests. In two 
 or three days he came to Careswell, intending to 
 travel by the bay homeward. It is supposed the 
 wound his sensitive spirit had received induced the 
 physical disease abovenamed. The medical aid of 
 Dr. Fuller was called in, to which was added the 
 tenderest nursing, but he longed to be at his moun- 
 tain-home, and was conveyed by water to Maj. 
 Bradford's, thence on the shoulders of his men to 
 Tetiquit River, and thence in canoes to Mount 
 Hope, where, in a few days, he passed to the Great 
 Spirit land. 
 
 This is the substance of Maj. Bradford's statement 
 to the Rev. Mr. Cotton of Plymouth, respecting the 
 sickness and death of Alexander, and is, doubtless, 
 more authentic than the account thereof by Dr. I. 
 Mather of Massachusetts Colony. Would that we 
 could erase on the pages of the Old Colony's history, 
 the fact that his innocent nephew, son of Philip, and 
 grandson of Massasoit, the true friend of our exiled 
 fathers, was sold by their ungrateful successors into 
 slavery. 
 
 " Wo ! for the red man's wail 
 
 Sweeps o'.cr New England's hills 3 
 It rides her haughty ocean gale, 
 
 And tones her forest rills 5 
 One jarring echo in those grand old strains 
 That ne'er can die along her hallowed plains." 
 
 Mrs. Cass. 
 
22 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Gov. Josiah Winslow reached every elevation, at- 
 tainable, both civil and military, in his native col- 
 ony, and in history he stands preeminent for the 
 tolerance of his spirit, the mildness and courtesy of 
 his manners, and the hospitality of his home. " He 
 deceased at Careswell, 18 Dec, 1680, and was bur- 
 ied on the 23d, at the colony's expense, in testi- 
 mony of its endeared love and affection for him." 
 His widow, Penelope Pelham, survived him 23 years, 
 having deceased, 7 Dec, 1703. In person she was 
 strikingly beautiful. A portrait of her, taken in 
 early life, is in preservation. 
 
 Isaac Winslow, Esq., was the only son who ar- 
 rived at manhood, of Gov. Josiah Winslow. He m. 
 Sarah, d. of John and Elizabeth (Paddy) Wensley 
 of Boston, 11 July, 1700. She was a descendant of 
 Gov. Prince, his d. Rebecca, who m. Edmund Free- 
 man, being her great-grandmother. 
 
 Their children were Josiah, b. 1701, H. C. 1721. 
 He was killed by the Indians, in the memorable 
 battle at St. George's River, Maine, 1 May, 1724. 
 The preceding day opened with a beautiful morning 
 and Capt. Winslow, commander of the fort, with 16 
 men in two whale boats proceeded down to the 
 Green Islands in Penobscot Bay, a place of resort of 
 the Indians for fishing and fowling. They did not 
 on that day however, meet with any of these sons 
 of the forests. " On the following, while ascending 
 the river, they fell into a fatal ambush of these red 
 men cowering under its banks. They permitted 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 23 
 
 Winslow to pass and fired into the other boat com- 
 manded by Harvey, which was nearer the shore. 
 Harvey fell. Winslow observing the exposure of his 
 companions, though out of danger himself, hastened 
 back to their assistance. In an instant he was 
 surrounded by thirty canoes, filled with threefold 
 that number of armed savages. They made a deter- 
 mined and gallant defence, and when nearly all his 
 comrades had fallen, extremely exhausted and with 
 a fractured thigh, his shattered bark was set to the 
 shore; waylaid here, he fought a savage hand to hand, 
 then resting on his knee shot one ere they could finish 
 their death work on him. Thus fell, in the morning 
 of his life, this son of Green Harbor, the intrepid 
 Winslow, and all his brave companions except three 
 friendly Indians who were permitted to live to tell 
 the sad tale. Isaac and Sarah Winslow had also, 
 John, b. 1702, m. Mary Little ; Penelope, b. 1704, 
 m. James Warren, 1724; Elizabeth, b. 1707, m. 
 Benjamin Marston of Salem, 1729 ; Anna, b. 1709, 
 died at Boston, 1723; Edward, b. 1714, m. Mrs. 
 Hannah Dyer and resided at Plymouth ; he being a 
 loyalist removed to Halifax, N. S., early in the 
 American Revolution, where he died, 1784, aged 72. 
 His posterity have enjoyed high official distinctions 
 in that Province. 
 
 The Hon. Isaac Winslow, like his ancestors, was a 
 distinguished military character, Justice of the Court 
 of Common Pleas and Judge of Probate. He de- 
 ceased, at the seat erected by himself, December, 
 1738. "He was much given to hospitality and 
 
24 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 universally beloved." His widow, Mrs. Sarah Wins- 
 low, d. 1753, aged 80. 
 
 John, his eldest surviving son, succeeded to the 
 Careswell estate; he m. Mary, dau. of Capt. Isaac 
 Little, of Pembroke, 1725. In military affairs, at 
 least, he followed in the footsteps of his fathers. 
 He was Colonel in the expedition to Nova Scotia, 
 1755, and Commander in Chief at Fort William 
 Henry, on Lake Erie, 1756. His children were, 
 Pelham, b. 1737, m. Joanna White, — he was in the 
 royal interest, at the commencement of the revolu- 
 tionary struggle and resorted to the British for pro- 
 tection, — he died on Long Island, 1776 ; Isaac b. 
 1739, m. Elizabeth, dau. of the elder Dr. Stockbridge 
 of Scituate, 176S, and secondly, Fanny Gay of 
 Hingham, — he was a distinguished physician in his 
 native town, where he deceased 1819, aged 80, and 
 was the last of the name who permanently resided 
 at the Careswell mansion, — his grandson, Isaac Wins- 
 low of Boston, is the only adult male descendant 
 of the name, of this branch of the Winslow family 
 in New England. Gen. Winslow deceased at Hing- 
 ham, where he m. secondly, a widow Johnson, 
 1774; entombed at Marshfield. 
 
 As the name of Col. John Winslow is associated 
 with the removal of the Acadians from Nova Scotia, 
 and as enquires are often made respecting this lam- 
 entable outrage on an innocent people, we subjoin, 
 for the information of such, a few extracts respecting 
 the same, from standard historical works : — 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 25 
 
 " Nova Scotia, under the name of Acadia," was originally set- 
 tled by the French. In 1713 it was ceded to Great Biitain, when 
 many of the French inhabitants removed to Canada. Those who 
 chose to remain were permitted to retain their possessions 
 and allowed " Freedom to worship God" according to their own 
 religious belief, upon taking an oath of allegiance to the King of 
 Great Britian, with an understanding that they were not to be 
 requested to bear arms against the French or Indians. This 
 acquired them the name of French neutrals. After the com- 
 mencement of the settlement of Halifax, 1749, the Governor 
 required them to take the oath of allegiance again, witnout any 
 of the previous qualifications. This they objected to, as contrary 
 to the conditions upon which their fathers agreed to settle under 
 the British Government, saying, should they undertake to aid in 
 suppressing the Indians the savages would pursue them with unre- 
 lenting hostility, and that to bear arms against their courtry was 
 repugnant to the feelings of human nature. They therefore 
 requested to know if they might have permission to sell their 
 lands and effects. They were told in reply, " That by the treaty 
 of Utrecht, one year was allowed them for disposing of their 
 property, which period having elapsed they could neiiher part 
 with their effects nor leave the province." As a preparatory 
 measure they were disarmed, their records, title-deeds and other 
 papers taken from them, and after the Massachusetts troops under 
 Col. Winslow had taken Beau Segour, &c, the provincial gov- 
 verment secretly resolved to remove the whole body of the 
 neutrals from the country. 
 
 The reasons offered in justification of this cruel and unjust 
 measure, were, that the Acadians had refused to take the oath of 
 allegiance without the qualification above named, and that they 
 had furnished the French and Indians intelligence, quarters, &c. 
 The execution of this resolution was confided to Col. Winslow. 
 He issued a proclamation requiring the French inhabitants in the 
 various settlements to appear at several specified places on the same 
 day. One portion was to assemble in the Church, at Grand Pre, 
 Sept. 5th, 1755, at 3 P. M. In accordance with this summons, 
 four hundred and eighteen able bodied men entered the church at 
 3 
 
26 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 the appointed time and the doors were shut. The colonel then 
 addressed them : — " That the duty he was then upon was very 
 disagreeable to his make and temper, as he knew it must be griev- 
 ous to them, &c. It was not however for him to animadvert, but 
 to obey his orders," and he proceeded to inform them that " their 
 lands and tenements, cattle of all kinds and live stock of all 
 sorts, were forfeited to the crown, with all their other effects saving 
 their money and household goods and that they were to be re- 
 moved fiom the province." 
 
 The whole number who were entrapped in this way at 
 Grand Pre, and other places, with those who were hunted and 
 taken from their hiding places in the depths of the forests, were 
 7,000. The sufferings of these unfortunate and injured people 
 in the circumstances of their removal, in their passage to this 
 country, and in their separate and scattered condition here, 
 cannot well be conceived. From the enjoyment of a competency, 
 and in many instances affluence, in the beautiful prairies which 
 they had diked out from the sea and made fruitful and luxuriant 
 fields, they were at once reduced to abject poverty, and obliged 
 to depend in their dispersion in a strange land on public charity. 
 All suffered, but not alike. The case of one Rene Le Blanc was 
 peculiar. He had been a notary public in Nova Scotia. While 
 in the service of the government, he was taken by the Indians, 
 carried to a French fort and there held in captivity four years. 
 In a petition of the neutrals sent to Pennsylvania, to the King, 
 it was said of him : — " Father Le Blanc was seized, confined and 
 brought away among the rest of the people, and his family, consist- 
 ing of 20 children and about 150 grandchildren, were scattered 
 in the different colonies. He was put on shore at New York, 
 with only his wife and two youngest children, in an infirm state of 
 health; from whence he joined three more of his children at 
 Philadelphia, where he died without any more notice being taken 
 of him than any of us, notwithstanding his many years' labor and 
 deep sufferings in your majesty's service." The removal of the 
 Acadians, in the way it was effected, is considered an act of great 
 cruelty and injustice. It was the infliction of a terrible punish- 
 ment on a whole community, most of whom were innocent, for 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 27 
 
 the misconduct of a part. Well has it been said, that the reasons 
 of state upon which it was sought to be justified, "were never 
 more cheaply urged nor more odiously triumphant." Col. Wins- 
 low, in a letter to the Governor of Nova Scotia, dated Grand Pre, 
 Aug. 30, 1755, says, "As to poor father Le Blanc, I shall, with 
 your Excellency's permission, send him to my own place." What 
 prevented his coming to Green Harbor does not appear. The 
 family who filled the place intended for him bore the name of 
 Mitchell. To this family, Gen. Winslow and his descendants 
 were ever uniformly kind ; we well recollect the last living mem- 
 bers of this family and the pensive gentility of their deportment. 
 They were torn from an affluent home, and it is said a member in 
 after years returned in the vain search of treasure hidden by 
 them beneath their native soil. Their blood courses the veins 
 of respectable families bearing other names, both in Massachu- 
 setts and Connecticut ; among others, are included those of Drew, 
 Peters, Winslow and Thomas. 
 
 The town of Winslow, Me., incorporated 1771, 
 was named in honor of Gen. John Winslow. The 
 original grantees bore the old colony names of Brad- 
 ford, Otis, Winslow, Taylor, Howard and Warren. 
 
 Kenelm Winslow, b. at Droitwich, England, 1599, 
 followed his brothers, Edward, Gilbert and John, 
 to New England, about 1630; he m. Ellen, widow 
 of John Adams, 1634, supposed to have been the 
 Ellen Newton of the Pilgrims, (Mrs. Adams had two 
 sons, John and James, and a dau. Susan, when she 
 last married.) They settled on a gentle eminence 
 by the sea, near the extremity of a neck of land 
 lying between Green Harbor and South Rivers. 
 This tract of the township was considered the Eden 
 
28 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 of the region. It was beautified with groves of 
 majestic oaks and graceful walnuts, with the under- 
 ground void of tangled shrubbery. A few of these 
 groves were standing within the memory of man, 
 but all have now fallen beneath the hand of the 
 woodman. 
 
 The children of Kenelm and Ellen Winslow 
 were, Kenelm, b. 1635, removed to Harwich, Cape 
 Cod; Ellen, b. 1637, m. Samuel Baker; Nathaniel, 
 b. 1639, m. Faith Miller, and succeeded to the 
 homestead of his father; Job, b. 1691, removed to 
 Swansea or Freetown. Kenelm Winslow often rep- 
 resented the town in the court of the colony. He 
 died at Salem, and was buried there, 1672. His 
 widow deceased 1681, aged 83 years. 
 
 Nathaniel Winslow and Faith Miller m. 1664; 
 had Faith, b. 1665; Nathaniel, b. 1667, m. Lydia 
 Snow; James, b. 1669; Gilbert, b. 1673, m. Mercy 
 Snow; Kenelm, b. 1675; Eleanor, b. 1677, m. John 
 Jones; Josiah, b. 1681, d. 1682. The homestead 
 of Kenelm Winslow, sen., passed, after the decease 
 of Nathaniel, his son, to Kenelm, his son, who m. 
 Abigail Waterman ; then to their son Kenelm, who 
 m. Abigail Bourn of Barnstable, whose son Kenelm 
 was the last resident of the family name thereon. 
 He removed to Kennebec County, Me., where he 
 recently deceased. The families of this name, both 
 in Lincoln and Waldo Counties, are, with perhaps 
 others, descended from Kenelm Winslow, sen. On 
 this estate remains, in fine preservation, one of the 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 29 
 
 most ancient dwelling-houses in the township, now 
 the residence of Capt. Asa Waterman. 
 
 Capt. Nathaniel Winslow, b. 1667, agreeable to a 
 day-book of his, commanded, early in the last cen- 
 tury, the sloop Seaflower, engaged in freighting oak 
 wood from Careswell Creek to Boston. The price 
 then at Careswell was seven shillings per cord. 
 This was consigned to Philip Haskins, wharfinger, 
 Mr. Bird and Mr. Archer, at an advance of seven 
 shillings per cord. This post of maritime command, 
 we suppose, was as high as the charge of a clipper 
 ship to California is at the present time. 
 
 Josias Winslow, youngest brother of Gov. Edward 
 Winslow, was born at Droitwich, Eng., 1605, and 
 arrived in the colony with his brother Kenelm. He 
 settled on a lawn extending from the more elevated 
 lands of his brother Kenelm, southerly, to the north- 
 ern banks of Green Harbor River. He was often 
 employed in offices of public trust, was chosen town 
 clerk in 1646, which office he filled until his de- 
 cease, a period of nearly thirty years. He m. Mar- 
 garet, dau. of the venerable Thomas Bourn. They 
 had, Elizabeth, b. 1637 ; Jonathan, b. 1638 ; Mar- 
 garet, b. 1640; Rebecca, b. 1642; Susanna, b. 1644; 
 and Mary, b. . 
 
 Josias Winslow d. 1674. Margaret, his widow, d. 
 
 1683. Their only son, Jonathan, d. 1676, aged 38 ; 
 
 leaving a son John, b. 1664, m. Mary, and had 
 
 William, b. 1718, Eleanor, b. 1709, and Faith, 1706. 
 
 3* 
 
30 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 John, the last named, alienated the home of his 
 fathers, it is said, from fear ; fancying from its lawn- 
 like lands, and their contiguity to the sea, that it 
 would eventually sink beneath its storm-stirred 
 waves. He removed either to Bristol County or 
 the south part of the County of Plymouth. His 
 fears never became a reality ; the estate yet remains 
 above the level of the ocean, and has been owned 
 successively by four generations of the descendants 
 of the senior William Ford. 
 
 Returning to the ancestor of this branch of the 
 New England Winslow family, we find one of his 
 daus. m. to William Crow of Plymouth, another to 
 John Miller of Yarmouth, a third, Rebecca, m. 1661, 
 to John Thacher, also of Yarmouth, and Mary, m. 
 10 June, 1670, to John Tracy, who was one of the 
 first proprietors of Norwich, Conn. In the History 
 of Norwich, by Miss Caulkins, she is named as a 
 stately and beautiful woman. She deceased 1721. 
 Her dau. Elizabeth, b. 1698, m. Samuel Backus, 
 1716, who deceased 1740, leaving her a widow, with 
 eleven children. One of this number was the dis- 
 tinguished Baptist clergyman and church historian, 
 the late Rev. Isaac Backus of Middleborough, Mass. 
 Appended to a sermon preached by him on the 
 occasion of her decease, is a letter written by 
 herself, dated Norwich, 4 Nov., 1752. In this she 
 gives a graphic description of her own and her son 
 Samuel's imprisonment, together with others of her 
 venerable associates, for refusing to pay rates for the 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 31 
 
 support of a ministry they could not conscientiously 
 approve, and from whose church fellowship they 
 had withdrawn. On the preceding 15 October, on a 
 dark rainy night, she was taken from her home and 
 orphaned family to prison, in which she was im- 
 mured thirteen days. She writes, "Jesus was in the 
 midst of the furnace with me, and though I was 
 bound, yet I was loosed." Her son-in-law, Gen. 
 Jabez Huntington, without her knowledge or con- 
 sent, cancelled the debt thus claimed. 
 
 The lawgivers of the Old Colony are entitled to 
 the grateful remembrance of their daughters, that no 
 like persecutions are found written on their books. 
 
 WHITE. 
 
 Resolved White came to New England in the 
 Mayflower, 1620, with his Pilgrim parents, Mr. 
 William White and his wife Susanna. He was 
 born near the time they resolved to seek a new 
 home in the wilds of the Western world, and re- 
 ceived his name from that circumstance. He is 
 supposed to have been six years of age at the time 
 of the Mayflower's arrival. He m. Judith, dan. of 
 Mr. William Vassall of Scituate, and settled firstly 
 on an estate granted him in that town. In 1662 
 he removed to Marshfield ; here he owned a farm on 
 North River, which he sold to John Rogers, 1670. 
 He owned another on South River Brook, on which 
 he probably resided after leaving Scituate. In 1672 
 
32 
 
 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 he exchanged this farm with Samuel Baker, for his, 
 which is said in the deed is " adjoining," situated 
 "over against Mount Skirgo." No entry of his ever 
 alienating the last named is to be found on the records 
 of Marshfield. Resolved White was a freeman of 
 Salem, 1679-80, and was living in 1684. The date 
 and place of his decease is unknown. His farm 
 which he received of Samuel Baker, in exchange, 
 must, from its locality, have been the estate which 
 the four children of Thomas Ford divided, 1769 and 
 1761, calling it the homestead of their honored 
 father. Its present owners are Ichabod Wadsworth, 
 Peleg Kent and others. 
 
 The children of Resolved and Judith White were, 
 William, b. 1642, d. at Marshfield, 1695; John, b. 
 1644; Samuel, b. 1646, removed to Rochester, Mass. ; 
 Resolved, b. 1648, d. 1670; Ann, b. 1649; Eliza- 
 beth, b. 1652; Josiah, b. 1654; and Susanna, b. 
 1656. Mrs. Judith White d. 1670. 
 
 There was, early in the last century, a John White, 
 residing in Salem, who was b. 1696, and d. 1781. 
 He m. Rebecca Flint. They were grandparents of 
 the late Joseph White of Salem, whose tragic death, 
 April 6, 1830, at the age of 82, is well known. 
 This Joseph White stated to his niece, Mrs. Eliza 
 Story White of Boston, from a manuscript letter of 
 whose is derived this information, that his grandsire, 
 John, b. 1696, told him there were three distinct 
 families of the name of White in Salem. We have 
 no trace of Resolved White's son John, and he may 
 have been father or grandfather of John, b. 1696. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 
 
 33 
 
 There has been a tradition in this family that they 
 were of Mayflower descent. 
 
 Peregrine White, son of Mr. William and Mrs. 
 Susanna White, was born on board the Mayflower, 
 in Cape Cod Harbor, November, 1620, and derived 
 his name from their peregrinations, and was the first 
 native-born New Englander. He came to Green 
 Harbor, with the family of his stepfather, Gov. 
 Edward Winslow, after 1632. He m. Sarah, dau. 
 of Mr. William and Elizabeth Bassett, passengers in 
 the Fortune, 1621. He settled on an estate, given 
 him by his father-in-law, lying between North and 
 South Rivers, not far from their united outlet to the 
 ocean. This tract was early granted to Mr. Bassett 
 by the freemen of the colony. 
 
 The children of Lieut. Peregrine White were, 
 Sarah, b. October, 1663, m. Thomas Young of 
 Scituate, 1688, and deceased 9 August, 1755, in the 
 92 year of her age. "She enjoyed her senses and 
 health in good measure till towards her end, and left 
 four sons surviving." 
 
 Daniel, the eldest son of Peregrine White, suc- 
 ceeded to the paternal farm; m. Hannah Hunt, 
 1674, d. 1724, leaving seven sons, from whom the 
 family name has been extensively spread. He, 
 Peregrine, had also sons Jonathan and Peregrine, 
 who removed to Middleborough, Mass., and Silva- 
 nus, who deceased before his father. His youngest 
 dau. was Mercy, who m. William Sherman, 1697, 
 d. 1739. Peregrine White was often chosen to 
 offices of trust in the township. In 1660 and in 
 
34 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 1673 he was representative to the General Court. 
 He figured considerably in military affairs from his 
 youth. Of the forces raised in the colony, 1642, 
 commanded by Capt. Standish, Peregrine White is 
 called the "auncient bearer." He was called Lieut. 
 White until 1673, when he was chosen one of the 
 Council of War, and afterwards styled Capt. White. 
 "He d. of a fever, 20 July, 1704, vigorous and of a 
 comely aspect to the last." Mrs. Sarah White, his 
 widow, d. 22 Jan., 1711. 
 
 The homestead of Peregrine White is owned by 
 John A. and Sybil White, of the sixth generation 
 from the Mayflower Pilgrim. A part of their 
 dwelling-house was erected by his son Peregrine. 
 
 The following beautiful lines having been fur- 
 nished expressly for this work by the talented 
 authoress, it is deemed an appropriate place for their 
 insertion at the close of the sketch of this family : — 
 
 PEREGRINE WHITE. 
 
 BY MISS L. H. SIGOURNEY. 
 
 'Tis bleak and wild on old Cape Cod, 
 
 'Mid the fierce November gale, 
 While there the little Mayflower roamed 
 
 With a lingering stranger's sail ; 
 And close a fair young creature clasped 
 
 Her helpless infant's form, 
 And cheerily sang, 'mid the chilling blast, 
 
 " Oh ! a mother's heart is warm." 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 35 
 
 'Twas wintry cold on Plymouth beach 
 
 Where the log-reared cabins rose, 
 'Mid frowning rocks and howling storms 
 
 And the shaft of Indian foes, 
 'Mid dearth of bread and thick'ning graves, — 
 
 Yet hark to the tuneful song 
 That soothed the wail of a lonely babe, — 
 
 "Oh! a mother's heart is strong"." 
 
 She slept — and beside her pallet low 
 
 A being seem'd to stand, 
 Who chang'd the gloom of the dreary scene 
 
 With a wave of his spirit hand, 
 Spread cultur'd fields with golden corn, 
 
 Bade pleasant mansions rise, 
 And streets with busy people throng, 
 
 And church-spires woo the skies. 
 
 While moving on thro' Marshfield's vales, 
 
 'Mid the balm of her summer breeze, 
 With a peaceful smile on his honor'd brow 
 
 A fair old man she sees ; — 
 Full many a change in the Mother Land, 
 
 From the cottage to the throne, 
 As well as here, in this younger sphere, 
 
 That reverend sire hath known. 
 
 King James, the pedant, hath found a tomb 
 
 King Charles at Whitehall bled; 
 Stout Cromwell held his twelve years' lule 
 
 And slumbered with the dead; 
 The second Charles with gibe and jest 
 
 His royal realm surveyed ; 
 The second James in panic haste 
 
 Fled from the wreck he made. 
 
36 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 William and Mary hand in hand 
 
 The sceptre's sway sustain'd ; 
 Queen Ann, the last of Stuart's line, 
 
 In regal splendor reign'd ; 
 Seven sov'reigns from their palace proud 
 
 Had Death, the Spoiler, swept, — 
 Yet still his course erect and calm 
 
 New England's first born kept. 
 
 Then soft the guardian spirit said, 
 
 As he took his parting flight, 
 " Yon sage of fourscore years and fair, 
 
 With locks so silvery white, 
 Is he you bear with love and care — 
 
 Your baby — Peregrine White." 
 And the mother's heart was glad that day 
 
 From the dream that had cheer'd the night. 
 
 ADAMS. 
 
 John and James Adams were sons of the Pilgrim 
 John Adams and his wife Ellen. They probably 
 came to Green Harbor with their mother, who m., 
 after the decease of her first husband in 1633, 
 Kenelm Winslow, Esq. 
 
 James Adams m. Frances, dau. of Mr. William 
 Vassall, 1646. They had Anne, Richard, Mary and 
 Margaret. They resided on a farm, on the Marshfield 
 side of North River, nearly opposite Mr. Vassall's, the 
 father of Mrs. Adams. They worshiped with the 
 second church in Scituate, and their children were 
 carried thither for baptism. "James Adams died at 
 sea, on board the good ship called the James, of 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 37 
 
 London, 16 Jan., 1651." Did his widow Frances 
 m. John Rogers? 
 
 John Adams, Jr., son of the primitive John, m. 
 Jane James, 1654. He dwelt near Mount Skirgo, 
 an elevation on the Marshfield bounds of the forest 
 which lies between this town and Pembroke. They 
 had Joseph, Martha, and perhaps others. Joseph m. 
 Alice Dingley; and had, Joanna, b. 1705; Abigail, 
 b. 1709; Lydia, b. 1713, m. Elnathan Fish of 
 Kingston, 1739; Alice, b. 1716, m. John Allen, 
 1758; and Huldah, b. 1720, d. 1749. Joseph 
 Adams d. 1750, aged 83, and Alice, his widow, d. 
 1762, aged 82. The name has long been extinct in 
 Marshfield. 
 
 VASSALL. 
 
 Mr. William Vassall, the father of Mrs. Resolved 
 White and Mrs. James Adams, was probably the 
 most wealthy of the Plymouth colonists. He came 
 to New England with Gov. Winthrop, 1630, and 
 returned the same summer. In June, 1635, he 
 reembarked for New England in the ship Blessing, 
 Joseph Lecester, master, accompanied by his wife 
 Ann, and his children, Judith, Frances, John, Ann 
 and Mary, ranging from one to sixteen years of age. 
 
 "The Vassalls were of Italian origin. They 
 came to London in the reign of James and Charles 
 the First, and possessed great wealth and influence in 
 that city." They also held immense estates in 
 New England and the West Indies. 
 
38 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 William Vassall had lands both in Marshfield and 
 Scituate. He settled near the banks of North 
 River, on the Scituate side thereof. He denomi- 
 nated his plantation "West Newland," his house, 
 erected 1635, "Belie House," the whole neck of 
 land, "Belle House Neck," and a field on the north 
 side of the neck, "Brook Hall Field." In 1646 Mr. 
 Vassall returned to England, went from thence to 
 Barbadoes, where he deceased, 1655, aged 62. 
 
 The families of this name early in Massachusetts 
 Colony were descended from Samuel, the brother of 
 William Vassall, who was a merchant of London. 
 A monument to the memory of Samuel Vassall was 
 erected in King's Chapel, Boston, 1766, by his 
 great-grandson, Florentius Vassall of Jamaica. The 
 town of Vassalborough, Me., was named in honor of 
 the Vassall family, and was included with other 
 towns in an early grant to the same. 
 
 BOURN. 
 
 Mr. Thomas Bourn was the eldest of the Marsh- 
 field settlers, and a patriarch on its Eden. It is not 
 ascertained from whence he emigrated. Circum- 
 stances lead to the conclusion that he was one of 
 the "men of Kent." His home lands were situated 
 adjoining the estates of his sons-in-law, Josias Wins- 
 low, sen., and Robert Waterman, to whom he gave 
 of his own lands liberally. He was also a large 
 land holder in the south part of the Colony. He 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 39 
 
 and his Avife Elizabeth were passed life's meridian 
 when we find them at Green Harbor. He d. 1664, 
 aged 83. His wife d. 1660, aged 70. Their son 
 John succeeded to the homestead. He m. Alice, 
 dau. of Thomas Bebeech, 18 July, 1645, — the second 
 marriage found recorded in the town's books. They 
 had, Elizabeth, b. 1646, m. Josiah Bent; Thomas, 
 b. 1647, m. Elizabeth Rouse, 1681; Alice, b. 1649, 
 m. John Mann; Ann, b. 1651, m. John Baily; Mar- 
 tha, b. 1653, m. Valentine Decrow ; Mary, b. 1660, 
 and Sarah, 1663. The daus. of the ancestor Tho- 
 mas were thus m., Lydia to Elder Nath. Tilden of 
 Scituate, Martha to John Bradford, Margaret to 
 Josias Winslow, sen., 1636, Elizabeth to Robert 
 Waterman, 1638, and Anne to Nehemiah Smith, 
 1639. Messrs. Bradford and Smith, with their 
 households, were among the early settlers of Nor- 
 wich, Conn. 
 
 The present owner of the homestead of his 
 fathers is the venerable Mr. John Bourn, aged 95, 
 of the fifth generation from the primitive Thomas, 
 his physical and mental powers being in remarkable 
 preservation. He is the last survivor in the town- 
 ship of the patriotic band who were in the service 
 of their country during its struggle for independence. 
 He was, with others from Green Harbor, with 
 Gen. Thomas at Dorchester Heights on the mem- 
 orable night when its fortifications were erected. 
 
 " They're gone — those old men all are gone ! 
 Like autumn's latest leaves they passed j— • 
 Last of the band he stands alone, 
 Bending in age's wintry blast." 
 
40 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 WATERMAN. 
 
 Robert Waterman m. Elizabeth, dau. of Thomas 
 Bourn, 1638, and settled next north to his brother- 
 in-law, Josias Winslow, sen., on Marshfield Neck. 
 He had a brother Thomas of Roxbury, ancestor of 
 a part of the New England family of that name. 
 Robert and Elizabeth Waterman had, Joseph, b. 
 1639-40 j John, b. 1642; Thomas, b. 1644; and 
 Robert. Robert Waterman, sen., d. 1652, and Josias 
 Winslow and Anthony Snow were appointed guar- 
 dians to his children. 
 
 John, m. Ann Sturtevant, 1665 ; had Samuel, b. 
 1666, Elizabeth, 1669, Anna, 1671, Lydia, 1678, 
 Robert, 1681, and John, 16S5. John Waterman was 
 one of the purchasers of the township called Free- 
 town, where he probably removed. He sold his 
 Marshfield lands in 1686. Thomas was one of the 
 thirty purchasers of Norwich, Conn., where he re- 
 moved about 1660, and married Miriam, dau. of 
 Lieut. Thomas Tracy, 1668. Robert, the youngest 
 son, m. Susanna Lincoln, 1675. Joseph succeeded 
 to the homestead of his father. From conclusive 
 circumstances it appears he m. Sarah, dau. of his 
 guardian, Anthony Snow. Their children were, 
 Sarah, b. 1674, m. Solomon Hewet ; Joseph, b. 1676, 
 m. Susanna Snow ; Elizabeth, b. 1679, m. Ichabod 
 Bartlett ; N Abigail, b. 1671, m. Kenelm Winslow, jr. ;' 
 Anthony, b. 1684, m. Elizabeth Arnold ; Bethiah, 
 b. 1687, m. Samuel Dogget, 1710 ; Lydia, b. 1689, 
 m. John Thomas, 1714. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 41 
 
 SNOW. 
 
 Anthony Snow was at Plymouth 1638, where he 
 m. Abigail, youngest dau. of Richard Warren of 
 Mayflower memory. He was one of the early set- 
 tlers at Green Harbor. His estate was on the upper 
 part of Marshfield Neck. The location of his house 
 and well can be found near some old apple trees, on 
 the west side of a small oblong swamp, called 
 " Snow's swamp ; " the only relic left sacred to the 
 name of this useful man, who often represented the 
 town in the court of the colony, and was otherwise an 
 active man in town affairs. His children were, Josiah, 
 Abigail, Lydia, Sarah and Alice. Abigail, m. Michael 
 Ford. Anthony Snow d. and also his son Josiah, 
 Aug. 1692. Josiah Snow m. Rebecca Baker, 1669. 
 They had Lydia, b. 1672, m. Nathaniel Winslow ; 
 Mercy, b. 1675, m. Gilbert Winslow ; Deborah, b. 
 1677, d. 1681 ; Sarah, b. 1680, m. Samuel Baker ; 
 Susanna, b. 1682, m. Joseph Waterman and Thomas 
 Tracy : Abiah, the youngest, m. Nathan Thomas, 
 1716. The widow of Josiah Snow m. John Sawyer 
 1694, and deceased 1711. 
 
 Anthony Snow gave the town, some years previous 
 to his decease, a piece of land near the meeting- 
 house for a burying place. This was not used for 
 sepulchral purposes until 1721. It has recently been 
 enlarged, and called Cedar Grove Cemetery. 
 
 4* 
 
42 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 BEADLE OR BIDDLE. 
 
 Joseph Beadle was a carpenter ; he m. at Plymouth 
 the widow Rachel Deane, 1636; she was a passenger 
 to New England in the ship Planter, 1635. He was 
 a useful citizen in public matters of the township. 
 He deceased 1672, without children. He resided at 
 the extremity of Marshfield Neck ; and Beadle's 
 Rocks, on the beach which adjoined his farm, per- 
 petuate his name. His estate was appraised at over 
 £221. This, which was large for the colonists at 
 that period, he bequeathed to his wife, her dau. 
 Martha Deane, to the Rev. Mr. Arnold, to Jacob 
 Bumpus, his late servant, and to the town's poor. 
 His step-daughter, Martha Deane, m. James Clement, 
 1674; he d. the same year, and Martha Clement was 
 m. to Mr. James Powell in 1676. 
 
 BRANCH. 
 
 John Branch was an early proprietor of the islet bear- 
 ing his name. He was son of Peter Branch, carpen- 
 ter, of Kent County, Eng., who d. on board the ship 
 Castle, during her passage to New England, 1638. 
 It appears by his will, dated 16 June, 1638, that the 
 said John was his only child. He committed him, 
 with his estate, to the care of Thomas Wiborne, late 
 of Tenterden, Kent, for eleven years. In case of 
 his son's decease in that period, his estate was to go 
 ' : to the poor of the congregations of Scituate and 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 43 
 
 Concord, and that congregation that goes in the ship 
 called the Castle, if there be a company of them, if 
 not, to be divided between the aforesaid two," five 
 pounds excepted, which was given to the widow of 
 Stephen Igleden or her children. 
 
 John Branch m. Mary Speed, 1652. They had 
 John, who was slain with Capt. Pierce, near Reho- 
 both, 1076. Elizabeth, b. 1656, Peter, b. 1659, 
 Thomas, b. 1661, d. at Boston, 1683, and Mercy, b. 
 1664; John Branch d. 17 August, 1711. There ex- 
 ists a tradition that one of the last proprietors of the 
 island, of this family name, was drowned in swim- 
 ming his horse over Green Harbor River, on his 
 return from a visit to his friends at Plymouth. One 
 version of this disaster says his wife shared his sad 
 decease. Experience Branch and his wife Lydiad. 
 Nov. 1699 ; she on the 5th and her husband on the 
 14th. 
 
 WINTER AND HEWETT. 
 
 Christopher Winter succeeded Mr. John Bradford 
 in the occupancy of Governor's Island after 1660. 
 He was of Plymouth, 1639, " where he was fined 
 ten shillings for publishing himself in marriage to 
 Jane Cooper, contrary to order and custom of this 
 government," whether the said Jane ever became 
 Mrs. Winter, is not written. He had daus. Mary, 
 m. to John Read, 1668 ; Martha, m. to John Hewet, 
 1668, and Ann, m. to Robert Batson, 1676. 
 
 Christopher Winter d. 1683, and his son-in-law, 
 
44 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Hewet, succeeded to his island home. His children 
 were, Solomon, b. 1670, Bridget, b. 1673, Elizabeth, 
 b. 1675, Winter, b. 1678, Christopher, b. 1681, Marcy, 
 b. 1686, and Lydia, b. 1689 ; Martha, the mother, 
 d. 1691. 
 
 John Hewet was probably descended from Tho- 
 mas Huet, who came to New England with the 
 founders of the township of Hingham. 
 
 This island bore the name of He wet's Island, after 
 the decease of Winter. That resort of the sports- 
 men and fear of the mariner, " the Brant Rock," lies 
 extending into the sea, between this and Branch's 
 Island. 
 
 GORAM, GORUM, [GORHAM.] 
 
 The first inhabitant of the name found in New 
 England, is Ralph Gorram, Daxbury, 1637. From 
 that invaluable work, Savage's Gleanings, &c, we 
 trace his European descent on this wise: — Ralph 
 Gorram, b. 1575, was son of James Gorram of Ben- 
 efield, b. 1550, m. to Agnes Bernington, 1572, and 
 d. 1576. " This family was descended from the 
 De Gorrams of La Tarmiere, near Gorram, in Maine, 
 on the borders of Brittany, where William, son of 
 Ralph de Gorram, built a castle in 1128. A branch 
 came over to England with the Conqueror. 
 
 "John Gorram, one of the early settlers at Green 
 Harbor, was baptized at Benefield, Northamptonshire, 
 28 Jan., 1620-1 ; came to the old Colony with his 
 father, Ralph. He m. at Plymouth, 1644, Desire, 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 45 
 
 dan. of the Hon. John Rowland, of Mayflower 
 memory, andgrandanghter of John Carver, the first 
 governor of the colony. Their children were, De- 
 sire, b. at Plymouth, 1644; Temperance, b. 1646; 
 Elizabeth, b. 1648 ; James, b. 1650 ; and John, b. 
 1651, at Marshfield ; Joseph, b. at Yarmouth, 1653 ; 
 Jabez, b. 1656 ; Mercy, b. 1658 ; and Lydia, 1661, 
 at Barnstable."—! N. E. H. & G. Reg., 11, 67. 
 
 John Gorham resided at Green Harbor, near the 
 hill which bears his name ; an olden home-lot, very 
 apparent in its vicinity, was doubtless where his 
 dwelling-house stood. He was, while resident here, 
 often employed in public affairs, and was occasion- 
 ally connected with Joseph Beadle in the bridge 
 building business. Of these the settlers must have 
 stood in much need, having so many rivers coursing 
 their way through the settlement to the sea. Capt. 
 John Gorham d. at Swansey, of a fever, while in 
 command of a company in Philip's war. His widow 
 d. 13 Oct., 1683. 
 
 An anecdote connected with the marriage of Ly- 
 dia, the youngest dau. of Capt. Gorham, has been 
 preserved, as follows : " John Thatcher, while on 
 his return from Marshfield, to his home in Yarmouth, 
 in 1661, with his bride Rebecca, dau. of Josias 
 Winslow, sen., tarried for a night in Barnstable, at 
 the house of Capt. Gorham. In the merry conver- 
 sation with the happy pair, an infant was introduced, 
 and the night of her birth, named. Mr. Thatcher 
 observed it was the night of their marriage ; taking 
 
46 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 the child he presented it to his bride, saying, 'Here, 
 my dear, is a little lady, born on the night we were 
 married : I wish you would kiss her, for I intend to 
 make her my second wife.' 'I will,' she replied, 
 1 to please you, hoping it may be long before your 
 intention is fulfilled.' Then taking the babe she 
 affectionately kissed it and returned it to the nurse's 
 arms. This jesting prediction was eventually ful- 
 filled." Mrs. Rebecca Thatcher deceased in the 
 midst of her years, and Lydia Gorham became the 
 second wife of John Thatcher in 1684. The de- 
 scendants of Capt. John Gorham have been very 
 numerous and respectable. Gorham, Me., incorpo- 
 rated 1764, was named out of respect to Capt. Gor- 
 ham, whose descendants were some of the grantees. 
 The first English birth in this place was a dau. of 
 Capt. John Phinney, b. 13 Aug. 1736, and called 
 Mary Gorham ; she died, 1825, a lady of great piety, 
 the wife of Capt. James Irish. 
 
 ROUSE. 
 
 John Rouse settled early at Careswell Creek ; his 
 wife was Annis Pabodie, dau. of John and Isabel 
 Pabodie, original settlers at Duxbury. Mrs. Rouse 
 had a brother Francis, who settled at Topsfield ; m. 
 Mary, dau. of Reginald Foster, ancestor of all the 
 Peabody's in the country; and also John, of Dux- 
 bury, who m. Elizabeth, dau. of the primitive John 
 Alden, who is ancestor of all the Pabodies. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 47 
 
 The children of John and Annis Rouse were. 
 
 Anna, who m. Isaac Holmes, 1678 ; Mary, b. 1640, 
 m. a Price; John, b. 1643; Simon, b. 1645; George, 
 b. 1648; and Elizabeth, who m. Thomas Bourn, 
 1681. John Rouse, sen., d. at Careswell Creek, 1684. 
 John Rouse, jr., m. Mary Rogers, 1656, deceased, 
 1711. George and Simon were among the purcha- 
 sers of Little Compton, 1674 ; and probably removed 
 thither. The Careswell Creek estate came into the 
 possession of the dau., Elizabeth Bourn, or her 
 children. Dea. Rouse Bourn was the last hereditary 
 owner of said estate. He removed to Winthrop, Me., 
 before 1820, where he was recently living at an 
 advanced age. 
 
 The historian of Scituate calls John Rouse, sen., 
 the unfortunate man who was imprisoned and pub- 
 licly whipped for being a Quaker, on the accusation 
 of Christopher Winter. We believe some of the 
 family of John Rouse became Friends, but he was 
 not the subject of this inhuman persecution. In 
 Sewall's History of this injured people, he is called 
 the son of a gentleman of Barbadoes. We are 
 happy to think the government of Plymouth Colony 
 did not carry its severities to this people to the 
 awful extent it reached in Massachusetts; and we 
 are proud of Isaac Robinson, Timothy Hatherly 
 and James Cudworth, associates of our own Josias 
 Winslow, for refusing to sign the circular sent them 
 from the Massachusetts Colony recommending cap- 
 ital punishment for- worshiping God in a different 
 
48 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 form from their own ; — green as Green Harbor ever 
 be their memories ! 
 
 BOMPASSE, BUMPUS, BUMP. 
 
 Edward Bompasse, one of the first comers, a pas- 
 senger in the Fortune, 1621, lived in the neighbor- 
 hood of Careswell, near Duck Hill, so called. His 
 wife's christian name was Hannah. Their children 
 were, Sarah, who m. Thomas Durvam, 1649; Faith, 
 b. 1631; Elizabeth, b. 1633; John, b. 1636; Ed- 
 ward, b. 1638; Joseph, b. 1639; Jacob, b. 1644; 
 and Hannah, b. 1646. Edward Bumpus deceased 
 1693, and Hannah, his widow, followed him to their 
 spirit home in two days therefrom. 
 
 This family removed to the southerly part of the 
 Colony and Cape Cod. 
 
 PITNEY. 
 
 James Pitney, a freeman of the Colony 1643, was 
 a felt-maker. He had a number of tracts of land 
 granted him in the township; one at Mt. Skirgo, 
 which he sold to Baker and Adams, 1647; another 
 at Green Harbor, sold to James Lindall, 1646. He 
 removed to Boston after 1650. His will is found 
 on the probate records of the Old Colony, of which 
 he appoints his daughter, Sarah Thomas, executrix. 
 It is probable he returned to his daughter's, at Green 
 Harbor, prior to his decease. His wife Sara, aged 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 
 
 49 
 
 22; and his children, Sara, aged 7, and Samuel, 
 aged 1J years; together with Margaret Pitney, 
 probably a sister of James, aged 22; were passengers 
 to New England in the ship Planter. They were 
 from Sudbury, Suffolk County, England. 
 
 LYNDALL, LINDALL. 
 
 James Lindall had a garden place at Dnxbury, 
 1640, near the bounds of Marshfield. He purchased 
 lands, in 1646, on the west side of Green Harbor 
 River, Marshfield, of James Pitney. In 1648, a 
 tract of land adjoining his first purchase, extending 
 from the river up into the woods to Scituate Path, 
 which was first granted to John Cary, was instated 
 by the freemen on James Lindall ; — " Sd James 
 having promist to come and live on y e same, within 
 five or six years, or else build upon it and place 
 such a one as shall be approved ; and the sd James 
 Lindall doth promise yearly to pay to y e main- 
 tenance of y e ministry in the Church at Marshfield, 
 till he comes to live on y e sd lands, the sum of ten 
 shillings a year, and afterward more if God enable 
 him." 
 
 James Lindall's will is dated at Duxbury, 10 Aug., 
 1652, within the time allotted for his removal to his 
 Marshfield estate. He and his wife Mary both 
 deceased during that year; and it is conjectural, 
 from its vicinity and the connecting circumstances, 
 that their remains were interred on the ancient 
 5 
 
50 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 burying hill at Green Harbor. They left two 
 minor children, Timothy and Abigail, placed by 
 the court under the care of Constant Southworth, 
 the especial friend of their father. Timothy re- 
 moved to Salem, 1660, where he became a pros- 
 perous merchant and distinguished citizen. He d. 
 1698-9, aged 56 years and 7 months. Abigail m. 
 Capt. Samuel Wadsworth of Milton, who was killed 
 by the Indians at the Sudbury fight, 21 April, 1676. 
 
 HOLMES. 
 
 William Holmes, planter, was of Scituate as early 
 as 1641, where he had baptized — Abraham, 1641; 
 Israel, 1642; Isaac, 1644; Sarah, 1646; Rebecca, 
 1648; Josiah, 1650, and Mary, 1655; to which may 
 be added John, b. probably before their emigration 
 to New England. Mr. Holmes removed subse- 
 quently to Marshfield, and settled next south to 
 Goodman Carver and Goodman Dingley, near the 
 Lindall estate. He d. 1678, aged 86. His widow 
 Elizabeth d. 1697, at the same age. 
 
 John, their eldest son, succeeded the Rev. Ralph 
 Partridge as pastor of the church at Duxbury. He 
 m. Mary, dau. of John Wood of Plymouth, 1661, 
 and d. 1675. His widow became the third wife of 
 Maj. William Bradford. "Mr. Holmes as a preacher 
 was sincere, but mild and gentle, and endeared 
 himself to his flock by the meekness and lowliness 
 of his soul." — Winsor's Duxbury. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 51 
 
 Abraham, son of William, m. Elizabeth, dau. of 
 the Rev. Samuel Arnold. They had Elizabeth, 
 Isaac, Bathsheba, m. Samuel Doggett, 1691, and 
 Rose, who m. Thomas Blanchard of Andover, 
 1698-9. 
 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Holmes d. 1690 ; and Mr. Holmes 
 m. Abigail Nichols of Hingham, 1695. This family 
 removed to Rochester, Mass. 
 
 Israel, son of William, m. Desire, the widow of 
 William Sherman, 1684. Her maiden name was 
 Dotey. She was m. to William Sherman, jr., 1667; 
 he d. 1679; and she m. Israel Holmes, 1681, who 
 was drowned in Plymouth Harbor, 1684; after this 
 she became the second wife of Alexander Standish, 
 eldest son and heir of Capt. Miles Standish, and 
 mother of his three youngest children, Desire, Tho- 
 mas and Ichabod. She had five sons and daughters 
 by her first husband, two sons, Israel and John 
 Holmes, by her second, making ten children. She 
 d. January, 1731, aged 86 years, and a gravestone in 
 Cedar Grove Cemetery marks the spot of her inter- 
 ment. Her daughter, Experience Sherman, b. 1678, 
 m. Miles Standish, her step-son. He inherited the 
 celebrated homestead of his father at Captain's Hill, 
 where he d. 1739. His widow lived until 1744, 
 and is supposed to be the last occupant of the name, 
 of that elevated and beautiful peninsula. 
 
52 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 DINGLEY. 
 
 John Dingley came into Lynn, Massachusetts 
 government, 1637, from whence he went with a 
 colony to Sandwich, where he stopped a while ; but, 
 with his associate, Thomas Chillingworth, was at 
 Marshfield not far from the time of its incorporation, 
 where they permanently settled. It is believed that 
 some tie of consanguinity existed between these 
 families. The children of John and Sarah Dingley 
 were, John, d. 1655; Mary, who m. Josias, son of 
 Capt. Miles Standish, 1654, d. and was buried at 
 Duxborough, 1 July, 1655 ; Sarah, who m. William 
 Ford, 1658 ; Hannah, who m. Josias Keen ; and Jacob. 
 
 John Dingley, sen., d. 1658. He was often chosen 
 to officiate in town affairs. The family name is 
 found on the homestead. 
 
 CARVER. 
 
 Robert Carver had lands granted him at Green 
 Harbor. 1638. In 1643, a farm was given him 
 lying between the estates of Edward Winslow and 
 William Thomas. This had been given by Edward 
 Winslow to the town, for the better accommodation 
 of a neighborhood ; and was transferred, with Wins- 
 low's approval, to John Thomas, 1649, with the 
 housing and fencing thereon. Carver removed to 
 another grant, near Mr. Bulkely's and Goodman 
 Dingley's. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 
 
 53 
 
 Robert Carver d. 1680, aged 86, having outlived 
 his wife Christian, 22 years. They had one son, 
 John, who m. Mellicent Ford, 1658, and deceased, 
 1649, aged 42. His widow m. Thomas Drake of 
 Weymouth. 
 
 John and Mellicent Carver had, William, b. 1659, 
 John, Elizabeth, b. 1663, Robert, Eleazer, David, 
 Mercy, b. 1672, Anna and Mehetabel. 
 
 William, the eldest, succeeded to the homestead, 
 and m. Elizabeth, dau. of Deac. John Foster, 1682. 
 He died 2 Oct., 1760, aged 101 years 9 months 
 and 14 days. This farm is owned by descendants 
 of the name. 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 William Thomas, a Welch gentleman, one of the 
 merchant adventurers, came into the colony about 
 1630. Came to Green Harbor, with Mr. Blinman, 
 about 1641, and became a permanent settler there 
 1645. He acted in the public affairs of both town 
 and colony, and as late as the May prior to his de- 
 cease in August, we find him presiding at one of 
 these posts of duty. He deceased, August, 1651, 
 aged 77. Secretary Morton leaves us the following 
 tribute to his memory : — 
 
 " 1651. This year, Mr. William Thomas expired 
 
 his natural life, in much peace and comfort. He 
 
 served in the place of magistracy divers years ; he 
 
 was a well approved and well grounded Christian j 
 
 5* 
 
54 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 well read in the Holy Scriptures and other approved 
 authors ; a good lover and approver of godly ministers 
 and good christians, and one that had a sincere desire 
 to promote the common good both of church and 
 state. He died of consumption and was honorably 
 buried at Marshfield." 
 
 His son, Capt. Nathaniel, succeeded to the estate. 
 He was of transatlantic birth and in the prime of 
 manhood when he came to Green Harbor. He is 
 then called Lieut. Thomas, and commanded one of 
 the watches maintained there for fear of an attack 
 from the Indians, in 1643. In the course of this 
 year he was appointed, by the court, town's captain. 
 He d. 1674, aged about 68. His remains, with those 
 of his father, repose in brick graves, north of the 
 centre of the field which they had given to the dead 
 of Green Harbor. There can be found, with the 
 inscriptions now almost effaced, their fragmentary 
 memorial stones. 
 
 His children were, William, b. 1638, d. unmarried; 
 Mary, who m. Simon Ray, of Block Island ; Na- 
 thaniel, b. 1643 ; and Elizabeth, b. 1646, and per- 
 haps others. In 1652 he confirmed the gift of his 
 father of 100 acres of land for a parsonage. 
 
 Nathaniel Thomas, Esq., b. 1643, m. Deborah, 
 dau. of Nicholas Jacob, of Hingham, 1663; she d. 
 1696, and the widow of Capt. Tom Condy, of Boston, 
 was his second wife. He was an officer in Philip's 
 war, and the day after the commencement of hostili- 
 ties, addressed Gov. Winslow thus, by letter : — 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 55 
 
 Swanzey, June 25, 1675. 
 Right Honored Sir : 
 
 " A particular account of our arrival here, and the sad provi- 
 dence that, yesterday, fell out at Mattapoisett, of the loss of six 
 men, without doubt you have from our General, [Cudworth,] which 
 may 1 desire be an inducement to you to strengthen our towns, 
 that are weakened by our departure, since the Indians do their 
 exploits on outhouses and straggled persons. It is reported, cred- 
 ibly, that Uncas sent Philip twenty men last Saturday. Sennight 
 and Nanno sent him word that if he sent him six English heads, 
 then all the Indians in the country were engaged against the 
 English. Sir, our men are all well and cheerful, through God's 
 mercy. Send not your southward men to us, but secure your- 
 selves with them. Send us help from the Massachusetts, which 
 is our General's and Counsel's advice. The forces here are dis- 
 persed to several places of the town and some to Rehoboth, which 
 this day we intend to draw into a narrower compass ; in which, 
 when we have done, we intend to lay ambushment in the Indian's 
 walks, to cut off their men as they do cut off our men ; for their 
 present motion is to send forth scouts to lie in our walks, to make 
 discovery and cut off our men. I pray, sir, remember me to my 
 wife, and bid her be of good cheer ; the Lord is our keeper. Our 
 soldiers here desire to be remembered to their wives and friends. 
 Wili Ford is well of his ague. Thus desiring your honor's and 
 all God's people's prayers for us, 
 
 I remain, 
 
 Your honor's servant, 
 
 NATHANIEL THOMAS. 
 
 Nathaniel and Deborah [Jacobs] Thomas, had 
 Nathaniel, Joseph, Deborah, Dorothy, William, Eli- 
 sha, Joshua, Caleb, Isaac and Mary, bom from 1664 
 to 1686. 
 
56 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Nathaniel, son of Nathaniel Thomas, 2d, m. Mary 
 Appleton, 1694. They had three sons, John, Na- 
 thaniel, and Joseph. He d. and was buried at Ply- 
 mouth, 1738. His son John succeeded to the Green 
 Harbor estate, and m. Mary, dau. of Simon and Ju- 
 dith [Manwaring] Ray, of New London, 1724. 
 They had eight children, b. from 1724 to 1737. 
 John Thomas and his wife both deceased, 1737, 
 leaving at their departure but one surviving child, 
 Nathaniel Ray, who became the noted loyalist of 
 Marshneld. He was b. 1731, and d. at Windsor, 
 Nova Scotia, 19 Sept., 1787. 
 
 It is said that when Gov. Hutchinson exercised 
 his blandishments upon an individual, and applied 
 them in all their force, he seldom failed of prevailing, 
 and Nath'l Ray Thomas fell a victim to these allure- 
 ments. He was appointed a mandamus counsellor, 
 and his mansion house was converted into quarters 
 for British troops. He joined the British army at 
 Boston, and accompanied it to Halifax on its evacua- 
 tion thereof. His family returned to their home 
 after the retreat of the Queen's Guards therefrom, 
 having sojourned at a neighbor's during that period. 
 At the close of the war, this beautiful inheritance of 
 their father's, with the exception of one third, was 
 confiscated, and they joined, with one exception, viz., 
 the late Capt. John Thomas, their husband and 
 father, at Nova Scotia. Were not the sacrifices of 
 Nath'l Ray Thomas as great to royalty, as his neigh- 
 bors' and namesakes' were to liberty ? 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 57 
 
 Mrs. Thomas was the dau. of Henry and Elizabeth 
 Packer Deering, of Boston ; she left an excellent 
 character at Green Harbor. During the direful 
 " dearth of bread," at one period of the war, she fed 
 the very people from whom, in the warmth of party 
 feeling, she had met much indignity. She deceased, 
 1810, at Windsor, Nova Scotia, aged 78 years. The 
 following stanzas are extracted, from a tribute to her 
 memory, by Mrs. Cunningham, dau. of the late 
 Hon. Perez Morton : — 
 
 " Oh, snatched too soon ! ere love could find 
 
 One life bound hope decay, 
 Ere time or sorrow from thy mind 
 
 Could steal one charm away. 
 
 For though around thy fading brows 
 
 The wintry storms had prest, 
 Yet all, that cheerful summer knows, 
 
 Was pictured in thy breast. 
 
 Still flashed the eye — and sparkling played 
 
 More than could lips express, 
 And still the melting smile displayed 
 
 A soul of tenderness. 
 
 That soul by sense and judgment moved, 
 
 By virtue's self inspired, 
 Thou wert in every scene beloved, 
 
 Through every change admired. 
 
 Though at thy heart so oft were driven 
 
 The arrows of Despair, 
 The tearful eyes were raised to Heaven 
 
 And shielding Faith was there." 
 
58 
 
 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 The following extracts are from an historical let- 
 ter, and other papers, forwarded by John Thomas, 
 Esq., of Irvington, N. Y., which he received of Mrs. 
 Henry Ward, to whose husband the letter was ad- 
 dressed, when a boy at school of the age of 9 years. 
 
 Warwick, March 5th, 1793. 
 
 My father, grandfather, and great grandfather, were all named 
 Simon Ray. I shall distinguish them by first, second, and third ; 
 Simon Ray, 2d, came from England with his father, a lad of about 
 sixteen years, to Plymouth ; a very respectable family. Whether 
 his mother came or not, I do not know. But about the time 
 Simon Ray, 2d, grew up, his father married a widow George, 
 with ten children, which offended him, and he with seven others 
 went to Block Island, and purchased it ; and they had but one 
 cow to three families, and they used to catch fish called horse 
 mackerel, and make hasty pudding, and put the milk in as we do 
 molasses, that was their breakfast. They went four mile into the 
 neck to clear the land. At night, when they came home, that 
 was their supper, and they all lived in love and harmony, like so 
 many good brothers. After a while, a son of the George family, 
 having heard of the purchase S. Ray, 2d, had made, came to 
 Block Island to see him. It was rare to see visitors, and being 
 a connection of his father, and he of a benevolent make, and 
 land plenty, told him he would give him half of his purchase if he 
 would clear it, which he readily accepted ; and that is the land 
 owned by the Mitchells and Paines, at this time. 
 
 S. Ray, 3d, always kept them in fear of dispossessing them ; 
 but I believe he gave them a quitclaim before he died ; I don't 
 know at what age. But when Simon Ray, 2d, married a 
 Thomas, at Marshfield, of a very good family, and brought her 
 to Block Island, and had three daughters. Mary, the eldest, mar- 
 ried an Englishman, who carried her to England, and she was the 
 first American lady introduced to the king, and kissed his hand ; 
 the second were Saba, she married a Sands, on Long Island, and 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 59 
 
 that family were her offspring, Comfort and those at Block Island. 
 The 3d was Dorothy ; she married a Clapp, at Rye, — some of 
 them are living, — very clever people. Simon Ray, 3d, was their 
 only son ; I don't know his age when his mother died ; but although 
 he, S. Ray, 2d, was offended and left his father because he m. 
 a widow with ten children, he married a widow with eleven ; and 
 then Simon Ray, the 3d, left his father and went to New London 
 and married a Manovin ; by whom he had a Simon, Gideon, Na- 
 thaniel and Mary. Simon and Gideon were sea-faring men, of 
 excellent character ; Nathaniel was a tiller of the ground ; he had 
 one son, Simon Ray, and died. The son, Simon Ray, the 3d, 
 educated at New Haven College. His three sons, and grandson, 
 all died, I think, between the age of 20 and 23 years. Their sis- 
 ter, Mary, went to Marshfield to visit her relations, and there she 
 married into her own family, a Thomas ; she died young, leaving 
 an only child, Nathaniel Ray. He was left rich ; a farm that 
 would cut 100 loads of salt hay, well stocked house, well furnished 
 with everything. He was educated at Cambridge, and when he 
 was of age it was all wasted but the land. He married Sally 
 Deering, of Boston, a charming girl, and your grandma was at 
 the wedding ; had sack posset and a beautiful drest plumb cake 
 for supper. They had a large family of children ; and when the 
 war came he was chosen a mandamus councillor, and being badly 
 advised, accepted it, and went off with the regulars and died at 
 Halifax. His widow lives genteelly in that country on a farm. 
 Simon Ray, 3d, lived a widower twenty-one years ; had buried all 
 his sons, and his daughter lived so far from him, that he came to 
 Warwick and married my mother, a maiden lady of 37 years, 
 Deborah Greene, sister to Daniel and Phillip Greene, and daugh- 
 ter of Job and Phebe Greene. He was a councillor, had a large 
 landed estate. They went to Block Island, and had we four lovely 
 sisters ; Judith, who married a Hubbard; Ann, who married your 
 grandaddy, Samuel Ward ; Catharine, your grandma Greene, and 
 Phebe, who married a Littlefie — , probably Littlefield. 
 
 Now I must return to Simon Ray, 2d. He lived to be 101 years 
 1 month and 1 day old. He was blind and lame many years. In 
 the French war, a privateer landed and used the inhabitants very 
 
60 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 ill. He had a chest moved and they supposed it was money. 
 They tied him to a tree, and whipped him to make him tell, and I 
 think they left him for dead. After he was lame, he learned a 
 great deal of the Bible by heart ; he could say all the Psalms, the 
 New Testament, and a great deal of the Old. My father went 
 in one day and asked him how he did ; he said very poorly ; for 
 he made it a constant rule to repeat, I've forgot how many Psalms 
 and chapters in a day, and to-day I've only repeated fifty. He 
 asked my father one day how the season was. Oh ! said my father, 
 a very severe drought, and seemed to repine. He said, my son, 
 let God alone to govern the earth. I just remember him, sitting 
 in an arm chair, with white hair, and being pleasant ; and the night 
 he died he called us all to him, and told us to remember our Creator 
 in the days of our youth, and the advantage of living virtuous 
 lives and making God our friend, and the peace and happiness we 
 should enjoy in the other world. I remember my mother cutting 
 up plain cake and cheese at his funeral, and she cut it in a cheese 
 tub, and it was served in pewter platters ; he desired her to do it. 
 You are descended of reputable ancestors on all sides. You had 
 four grandaddy governors, and that you may be as worthy man 
 as they all were, is the sincere wish of 
 
 Your affectionate grandma, 
 
 CATY GREENE. 
 
 John Thomas, an orphan boy of 14 years, was a 
 passenger to New England, in the ship Hopewell, 
 1635. A tradition is transmitted to us, that a pater- 
 nal property had been lost to him by being improp- 
 erly entrusted. He was kindly taken under the care 
 and protection of Gov. Edward Winslow, and was 
 long the faithful steward at Careswell. His name 
 stands, next to Winslow's on the first list of those 
 who bore arms in the township. He m. Sarah, d. of 
 James Pitney, 1648. The farm which Gov. Winslow 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 61 
 
 gave for the better accommodation of a neighbor- 
 hood, was transferred to him 1649, where he lived. 
 He d. abont 1676, and Sarah, his widow, 1682. 
 
 Their children, were John, b. 1649, m. Sarah ; 
 
 Elizabeth, b. 1652. She was the female attendant 
 of the distinguished Pilgrim mother, Susanna White 
 Winslow, in her declining years ; and by her the 
 tradition of the dutiful deportment of her son Pere- 
 grine to her has been handed down. 
 
 Samuel, b. 1655, m. Mercy, dau. of Dea. William 
 Ford, 1680; Daniel, b. 1659, m. Experience, dau. of 
 Thomas Tilden, 1698 ; Sarah, b. 1661, m. Benjamin 
 Phillips, 1681 ; James, b. 1663, m. Mary, dau. it is 
 believed, of Stephen Tilden ; Ephraim, b. 1667-8, 
 a member of the emigrating party from Green Har- 
 bor to Little Compton ; and Israel, b. 1670, m. Be- 
 thiah Sherman, deacon of the First Church from 
 1734 to his decease, 1755. 
 
 John, jr., succeeded to the paternal home. He 
 was drowned, 1699, leaving no children. The 
 homestead was next transferred to John, eldest son 
 of his brother Samuel, who m. Lydia Waterman, 
 1714. They had Zeruiah, 1714, m. James Bradford 
 and removed to Plainfield, Conn, j Ann, b. 1717, d. 
 early ; Anthony, b. 1719, m. Abigail Alden ; John, 
 b. 1724 ; Sarah, b. 1726, m. Jeremiah Kinsman and 
 removed to Connecticut ; and Kezia, b. 1730, d. 
 1751. 
 
 John, son of John and Lydia Waterman Thomas, 
 m. Hannah, dau. of Nathaniel Thomas, Esq., of 
 6 
 
62 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Plymouth, a woman of intelligence and accomplish- 
 ments, who lived to an advanced age, dying 1819, 
 universally respected. He was a physician, having 
 studied medicine with Dr. Tufts, of Medford, and 
 commenced the practice of his profession in his na- 
 tive place, Green Harbor. In a few years he removed 
 to Kingston, near Plymouth, where he practised suc- 
 cessfully, except when connected with the army, 
 until his decease. 
 
 In 1746 he accompanied a body of troops to An- 
 napolis Royal, as second surgeon. In 1755 he was 
 appointed surgeon's-mate, in Shirley's Regiment, 
 but soon left the medical staff and was appointed a 
 lieutenant. In 1759 he received a Colonel's com- 
 mission, and continued with the Provincial Army 
 until the capitulation of Montreal, where he com- 
 manded the Massachusetts and New Hampshire 
 troops. 
 
 The commencement of the American revolution 
 found Col. Thomas engaged in the practice of his 
 medical calling, at Kingston, amid domestic happi- 
 ness, professional distinction, and military fame. In 
 September, 1774, a Congress of the County of Ply- 
 mouth, was held at Plympton, and by adjournment, 
 at Plymouth. John Thomas, Esq., was one of the 
 delegates from Kingston, and Col. Anthony Thomas 
 and Capt. William Thomas were the delegates from 
 Marshfield. The resolutions then adopted were con- 
 sidered well suited to the critical state of the times. 
 In Provincial Congress, February, 1775, Col. Tho- 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 63 
 
 mas was appointed one of the general officers of the 
 army. 
 
 Previous to the battle of Lexington, the said Con- 
 gress created the office of Lieutenant General, and 
 appointed him thereto. Soon after the Continental 
 Congress claimed the army at Cambridge as the army 
 of the United Colonies, and appointed general officers 
 to command the same. Thomas, by some precedence 
 in dates, was not appointed the first brigadier of the 
 army, to which command he was entitled, although 
 he was so called in the commission. Gen. Wash- 
 ington, in his first letter to Congress from Cambridge 
 Camp, dated July 10, 1775, regrets the steps which 
 had been taken in the appointment of general officers 
 in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and writes, "Gen. 
 Thomas is much esteemed, and most earnestly desired 
 to continue in the service. I must join the general 
 opinion, that he is an able and good officer, and his 
 resignation would be a public loss." 
 
 Washington, in a letter to Gen. Schuyler, says, 
 " The arrangement of the general officers in Massa- 
 chusetts and Connecticut has been very unpopular 
 and injudicious, and is returned to Congress for fur- 
 ther consideration, and has much retarded my plan 
 of discipline." 
 
 Congress passed a special resolve that Gen. Tho- 
 mas should have the precedence of all the brigadiers 
 in the army, in which decision the army and the 
 public fully acquiesced. But previous to the decision 
 of Congress, Thomas had withdrawn from his com- 
 
64 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 mand, at Roxbury, concluding that he could not, in 
 honor, serve in an army and be commanded by those 
 he had so recently in command. Efforts were made 
 in various quarters to retain him in the army, which 
 have no parallel in the military annals of this country 
 or Europe. The first letter of solicitation was from 
 James Warren, Speaker of the House of Represent- 
 atives, dated Watertown, 22 July. 1775 ; another, 
 under date of July 23, 1775, was from Gen. Lee, 
 said to be the first time in his life he ever conde- 
 scended to address any one in the language of en- 
 treaty. Under the same date is found a long letter 
 from Gen. Washington, soliciting, in the most forcible 
 language, his continuance in the army, from which 
 we make the following extracts. 
 
 After depicting eloquently the danger to his country 
 of his retiring from its service, he says : — 
 
 " I admit, sir, that your claims and services have not had due 
 respect ; worthy men of all nations and countries have had reason 
 to make the same complaint ; but they nobly stifled the dictates 
 of resentment and made their enemies ashamed of their injustice. 
 And can America show no such instances of magnanimity ? For 
 the sake of your bleeding- country, your devoted province, your 
 charter rights, and by the memory of those brave men who have 
 already fallen in this great cause, I conjure you to banish from 
 your mind every suggestion of anger and disappointment ; your 
 country will do ample justice to your merits ; they already do it 
 by the sorrow and regret expressed on the occasion, and the sac- 
 rifice you are called to make, will, in the judgment of every good 
 man and lover of his country, do you more honor than the most 
 distinguished victory. You possess the confidence and affection 
 of the troops of this province particularly. Before it is too late, 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 65 
 
 I entreat, sir, you would weigh well the greatness of the stake, 
 and upon how much smaller circumstances the fate of empires 
 has depended. As to myself, sir, be assured I shall with pleasure 
 do all in my power to make your situation easy and honorable, and 
 that the sentiments here expres ed flow from a clear opinion that 
 your duty to your country, your posterity, and yourself, most ex- 
 plicitly require your continuance in the service. 
 
 The order and rank of the commissions is under the considera- 
 tion of the Continental Congress, whose determination will be re- 
 ceived in a few days ; but, at all events, I shall flatter myself that 
 the result will be your resolution to assist your country in this day 
 of distress. That you may reap the full reward which such a 
 conduct deserves, is the sincere wish of 
 
 Sir, 
 You very 
 
 Obedient and most humble servant, 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
 " The Address of the Field Officers belonging to the Camp in 
 Roxbury. 
 
 To the Hon. John Thomas, Esq. : 
 
 Sir, — Your appointment as Lieutenant General by the Pro- 
 vincial Congress, in consequence of which you took the supreme 
 command in this camp, gave singular satisfaction to all acquainted 
 with your character, both on account of your inflexible attach- 
 ment to the liberties of your country, and your knowledge and 
 experience in military movements ; and to your vigilance, pru- 
 dence and skilful management is to be ascribed, in a great 
 measure, that order and regularity for which this camp has been 
 celebrated, and which are essentially requisite to the very being 
 of an army. To these important services you have the purest 
 incense to a great and good mind, the unfeigned thanks of the 
 officers and soldiers under your immediate command, as well as 
 of every friend to his country and the rights of mankind. We 
 6* 
 
66 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 are penetrated with the deepest concern that, by an unfortunate 
 concurrence of events, an arrangement is made which leads you 
 to think that you cannot continue in the army consistent with 
 those delicate and refined sentiments of honor which are pecu- 
 liarly characteristic of the soldier. We would not solicit you to 
 do anything- derogatory to your reputation, or the rank you have 
 formerly sustained ; but as no man has so much endeared himself 
 to the regiments which compose your brigade as yourself, we 
 earnestly request that you would assume the command of it; 
 that vast dignity and consequence of the cause we are contending 
 for, may be more than a counterpois to other considerations, of 
 what nature soever, that your country may still be advantaged by 
 your abilities ; and though mistakes are entailed to humanity, we 
 doubt not the gratitude and justice of your countrymen will 
 reward you in some degree adequate to your merit. 
 
 After all, we submit the matter to your Honor's decision, assur- 
 ing you that although we shall part with you with regret, yet we 
 will demean ourselves as becomes the soldier. 
 
 In behalf of the within mentioned officers, 
 
 THEO. COTTON, President. 
 Roxbury, July 25th, 1775." 
 
 John Thomas being an honest man, an ardent 
 patriot, and good officer, these petitions prevailed, 
 and he again resumed the command of the camp at 
 Roxbury. In the battle of Bunker Hill, in June, 
 Thomas took no direct part, although his post at 
 Roxbury was cannonaded during the whole day of 
 the battle, and the original plan of the British was 
 to approach his command and take Dorchester 
 Heights. From this time to March, 1776, Gen. 
 Thomas commanded the most exposed camp of the 
 besieging army at Roxbury, and by constant vigi- 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 67 
 
 lance preserved it from insult and injury. Among 
 his troops, composed of undisciplined countrymen, 
 he was the first to introduce order and regularity 
 without severity. 
 
 On Monday, the 4th of March, in the evening, 
 Gen. Thomas took possession of Dorchester Heights, 
 the incredible labor performed on the following 
 night under his care and direction. 
 
 The evacuation of Boston by the British can all 
 be found already written on the pages of our coun- 
 try's history ; thinking, however, it may be accepta- 
 ble to the reader, we will transcribe a letter written 
 to his wife at this period : — 
 
 Dear Mrs. Thomas: — 
 
 We have for some time been preparing to take possession of 
 Dorchester Point. On last Monday night, about 7 o'clock, I 
 marched with about three thousand picked men, beside three 
 hundred and sixty ox-teams and some pieces of artillery. Two 
 companies of the train of teams were laden with materials for our 
 works. About 8 o'clock we ascended the high hills, and by day- 
 light got two hills defensible. 
 
 About sunrise, the enemy and others in Boston appeared nu- 
 merous on the tops of the houses and on the wharves, viewing us 
 with astonishment, for our appearance was unexpected to them. 
 The cannonading which had been kept up all night from our 
 lines at Lamb's Dam, and from the enemy's lines likewise, at 
 Lechmere's Point, now ceased from these quarters, and the enemy 
 turned their fire towards us on the hills, but they soon found it 
 was to little effect. 
 
 About 10 o'clock we discovered large bodies of troops embark- 
 ing in boats with their artillery, which made a formidable appear- 
 ance. After some time they were put on board transports, and 
 
68 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 several of the ships came down near the castle, as we supposed 
 with a design to land on our shore. Our people appeared in 
 spirits to receive them. We were now in a good posture of de- 
 fence, and had two thousand men added to our number. The 
 enemy viewed us critically, and remained in that situation that 
 night. The next day they came to sail, and returned to town and 
 landed their troops. On Friday, about 2 o'clock, P. M., they 
 sent a flag of truce, with a paper, a copy of which I enclose. 
 
 I have had but very little sleep or rest this week, being closely 
 employed night and day. But now I think we are well secured. 
 I write in haste, thinking you may be anxious to hear, as there is 
 much firing this way. We lost but two men killed in all this affair. 
 How things are in Boston, or what loss they have sustained from 
 our shot and shells, at present we are not informed ; but I am 
 sensible we distressed them much, from appearances. I have 
 wrote yon enclosed by the same hand, and am in haste, 
 
 JNO. THOMAS. 
 
 Dorchester Hills, in a small hut, March 9, 1776. 
 
 Your son John is well and in high spirits. He ran away from 
 Oakely privately ; on Tuesday morning got by the sentries and 
 came to me on Dorchester Hills, where he has been most of the 
 time since. 
 
 The disobedient son John, left on Monday even- 
 ing at Roxbury, in charge of his colored servant 
 Oakely, was the late Col. Thomas of Kingston, and 
 was then but ten years of age, and fearless by the 
 side of George Washington and John Thomas did 
 he stand in those days of danger. 
 
 Gen. Thomas, while in his proud command at 
 Dorchester, was promoted and appointed by Congress 
 to a more important station, viz., Major General of 
 the troops led into Canada by Montgomery and 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 69 
 
 Arnold. A letter from Congress, written by John 
 Adams, to him, under date of March 7th, 1776, 
 says : — 
 
 " The delegates from your native province were much embar- 
 rassed between a desire to have you promoted and placed in so 
 honorable a command on the one hand, and a reluctance of losing 
 your services at Roxbury or Cambridge on the other. But all 
 agree you ought to be placed where you could do the most service, 
 and Canada was thought by some the most important post in 
 America." 
 
 After the British army had left his native province, 
 Gen. Thomas took his departure for Canada. With 
 great exertion, and worn down with the fatigues of 
 a long march through an unsettled country, he 
 reached the camp on the 1st of May. The army 
 then consisted of but two thousand, and the small 
 pox was raging in their midst, medicines and neces- 
 saries for the sick were wanting, and not more than 
 nine hundred men were fit for service. He was 
 well aware an attack from the British might be 
 expected, and on the 5th he called a council of war, 
 who determined they were not in a condition to risk 
 an assault, and that the sick should be removed to 
 Three Rivers. On the 8th he wrote the intelligence 
 to Gen. Washington of his having raised the siege 
 of Quebec and commenced his retreat. 
 
 They proceeded to De Chambeau, where another 
 council of war was held, when it was agreed to 
 retreat to the mouth of the river Sorel. While here, 
 anxiously awaiting reinforcements, he was attacked 
 
70 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 by small pox, of which he deceased, 2 June, 1776. 
 In his professional life he had been familiar and 
 successful with the disorder, yet had never taken it 
 by inoculation or otherwise. 
 
 His perfect collection and soundness of mind, to 
 the close of his last sickness, was noticed by all his 
 attendants, among which was the late Judge Joshua 
 Thomas, of Plymouth, then one of his aids. In 
 his person he was six feet high, erect and well pro- 
 portioned, and in appearance was commanding. In 
 his manners affable and of unaffected sincerity. He 
 never lessened his character or martial fame by 
 arrogance or ostentation. Granting to all the ap- 
 plause due to their merit, he enjoyed that due to 
 himself with universal assent. 
 
 The remains of this beloved son of Green Harbor 
 and of Liberty are resting on the frontiers of our 
 country in an unrecorded grave. 
 
 " He, midst the forests of our land, 
 By a dark stream was laid ; 
 The Indian knew his place of rest, 
 Far in the cedar shade.' 7 
 
 Mrs. Hemans. 
 
 Thomaston, Me., incorporated 1777, was named 
 in honor of Gen. John Thomas. 
 
 John Thomas, Esq., of Irvington, N. Y., is grand- 
 son of Gen. Thomas, from whom, in pamphlet form, 
 the materials for this memoir were received. 
 
 John Thomas, sen., was, it is supposed, from 
 Wales. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 71 
 
 SAMPSON. 
 
 Paul Sampson, a descendant of the Mayflower 
 Pilgrims, Henry Sampson and Miles Standish re- 
 moved from Duxbury to Marshfield about the middle 
 of the last century. He had Sylvia, Olive, Caleb, 
 Luther, Chandler, b. 1768, Calvin, b. 1770, Proc- 
 tor, 1772, and Martin, 1776. 
 
 Luther removed to Readfield, Maine, where he 
 founded the Wesleyan Seminary at Kent's Hill. 
 This locality was first settled by three young men 
 from Marshfield, viz. : Nathaniel Ford, Nathaniel 
 Thomas, and Nathaniel Kent ; this last named soon 
 deceased, and this far known place was named in 
 respect to his memory. 
 
 SOMERS. 
 
 John Somers lived on the farm west from the par- 
 sonage. His wife was Elizabeth. They had Eliz- 
 abeth, b. 1686 ; John, b. 1688 ; Mary, b. 1691 ; and 
 Nathan, 1693. This family removed to Rochester, 
 Mass. Dea. Israel Thomas was the succeeding 
 owner of this estate, in whose family it remained 
 for three successive generations. It is now the 
 country residence of John T. Dingley. Esq., of Bos- 
 ton. The house standing thereon was erected by 
 Dea. Israel Thomas, enlarged by his son, Dea. Nehe- 
 miah, a man of sterling worth in the township, who 
 rendered invaluable service in the American revolu- 
 
72 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 tion, as a counsellor, committee man, &c. He was 
 a member of the Provincial Congress which met at 
 Salem and at Concord, Oct. 1774, to ascertain what 
 would be the most wise and prudent measures to be 
 taken at this alarming crisis of their affairs. In 1775 
 he was a delegate to the Assembly held at Water- 
 town, and in 1776 he is again chosen to the Great 
 and General Court, held in the meeting-house at that 
 place. 
 
 While absent, on one of these occasions, the whigs 
 of the vicinity, in the ardor of their patriotism, took 
 from his house, contrary to his intention, a quantity 
 of tea, which had been seized by them and deposited 
 there. This was burnt on a rock, near the meeting- 
 house, with much eclat. This was known after- 
 wards as Tea Rock. Dea. Thomas passed to his 
 reward precisely six months prior to the signing of 
 the preliminaries of peace. The following inscrip- 
 tion is from his memorial stone : — 
 
 In Memory of Nehemiah Thomas, Esq. He Died 
 May 30th, 1782, in y e 70 th year of his Age, who 
 Sustained the Office of a Deacon in the First Church 
 of Christ in Marshfield, upwards of 30 years. 
 
 Here sleeps his dust beneath these speaking stones, 
 In whom each grace, each lovely virtue shone, 
 Remembrance weeps, our Zion drops a tear, 
 And sacred Friendship standeth Mourning here. 
 
 Dea. Thomas was town clerk from 1751 to his 
 decease. He executed most of the legal documents 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 73 
 
 needed in the township during that period. To 
 farming he added the occupation of a tanner, and his 
 account books show that his business was measurably 
 suspended during the revolutionary struggle. 
 
 North of the Dea. Thomas farm is another ancient 
 dwelling house, erected by Nathan Thomas, sen., a 
 tanner. His wives were Alice Baker, Abiah Snow, 
 and Sarah, dau. of " the pious Dea. Foster, of Ply- 
 mouth." His son William succeeded to the home- 
 stead. His wives were, Mary Hill, of Maiden, and 
 Abiah Thomas, of Duxbury. He held a captain's 
 commission under Gov. Hutchinson, given at Boston, 
 1772, twelfth year of the reign of George the Third, 
 probably the last military commission given under 
 the Provincial Government to the citizens of Green 
 Harbor. He fired the three signal guns from a high 
 hill, which were to inform the citizens of the com- 
 mencement of hostilities, the morning after the 
 battle of Lexington, a messenger having ridden all 
 night to bring the intelligence. 
 
 FOORD, FORD. 
 
 Widow Ford, with her children, arrived in the 
 Colony, in the Fortune, 1621. William Ford, early 
 of Marshfield, was probably her son. His wife, was 
 Anna ; the garden of Nathaniel Sprague identifies 
 their homelot ; he d. 1676, aged 72; his wife, 1684. 
 They had William, Michael, Margaret, and Melli- 
 cent. William m. Sarah Dingley, 1658. They had 
 7 
 
74 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 John, b. 1659 ; Mercy, b. 1662 ; and Josiah, b. 1664. 
 He d. 1721, aged 88; the first interment in Cedar 
 Grove Cemetery. His grave marks the site of the 
 deacon's seat which he occupied in an early meeting- 
 house ; his widow d. 1727, aged 78. 
 
 Michael, son of William, sen., m. Abigail Snow, 
 1667. Had Lydia, b. 1668 ; Hannah, b. 1670 ; Wil- 
 liam, b. 1672 ; James, b. 1675 ; Abigail, b. 1677, 
 and Patience, b. 1682. The mother d. 1682. He 
 m. secondly, Bethiah, dau. of Walter Hatch, 1683 ; 
 they had twelve children from that date to 1700. 
 Elisha, the youngest, m. Elizabeth Oakman ; their 
 son, Elisha, m. Elizabeth Tilden, who were grand- 
 parents of the well known commissioner of Plymouth 
 County, John Ford, Esq. 
 
 BAKER. 
 
 Samuel Baker, son, probably, of the Rev. Nicholas 
 Baker of Hingham, settled near Skirgo. He m. 
 Ellen, dau. of Kenelm Winslow, 1656, who d. 1676. 
 They had Kenelm, b. 1657 ; Lydia, b. 1659 ; Eliza- 
 beth, b. 1661; Mary, b. 1667. Samuel Baker, m., 
 secondly, Patience Simmons ; Eleanor, Samuel, and 
 Josias. 
 
 Kenelm Baker, jr., m. Sarah, dau. of Dep. Gov. 
 Bradford. They had Sarah, b. 1688 ; Alice, b. 1690 
 Eleanor, b. 1692 ; Abigail, b. 1693 ; Kenelm, b. 1695 
 Bethiah, b. 1699 ; Kezia, b. 1701 ; Samuel, b. 1702 
 William and Edward, b. 1705. The two last settled 
 in Boston and left families. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 75 
 
 WILLIAMSON. 
 
 In 1621, Master Williamson. Capt. Standish, and 
 Edward Winslow, made a journey to make a treaty 
 with Massasoit. He is called Master George, mean- 
 ing, probably, Master George Williamson. Timothy, 
 perhaps his son, a freeman of Plymouth Colony, 
 1646-7, settled in Marshfield, 1649. He m. Mary, 
 dau. of Arthur Howland, sen. They had Mary, b. 
 1654; Timothy, b. 1655, d. 1687; Joanna, b. 1657; 
 Experience, Martha, Abigail, George, and Nathan. 
 Timothy Williamson, sen., d. in Philip's War, 1676. 
 Mary, the widow, m. Robert Stanford, 1679, and d. 
 1690. 
 
 Nathan succeeded to the paternal home, and m. 
 Mary, dau. of secretary Sprague. George settled in 
 Middleboro' ; his son, Caleb, removed to Canterbury, 
 Conn. ; his son, George, m. Mary Foster. The late 
 Hon. William D. Williamson, historian of Maine, 
 was their son. 
 
 HOWLAND. 
 
 Arthur Howland, sen., m. the widow Margaret 
 Read. He d. 1675 ; his widow, 1683. They had 
 Arthur, Deborah, who m. John Smith, jr., of Ply- 
 mouth ; Mary, m. T. Williamson ; Martha, m. John 
 Damon ; and Elizabeth, who m. John Low. 
 
 Arthur Howland, jr., was fined £5, in 1660, for 
 proposing marriage to a daughter of Gov. Prince, 
 
76 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 without her parent's consent. He promised to omit 
 farther proposals, but it is written on the records of 
 the past, that Arthur Howland, jr., and Elizabeth 
 Prince, were m. 9 Dec , 1671. They had Ebenezer, 
 Thomas, Abraham and Prince. This family em- 
 braced Friends' principles. 
 
 FOSTER. 
 
 Thomas Foster, of Weymouth, had Thomas, b. 
 1640, a physician at Cambridge ; he d. 1679, aged 39-; 
 and John, b. 1642, an ordained deacon of the First 
 Church, at Marshfield. He m. Mary, dau. of Mr. 
 Chilling worth, and settled on her inheritance on 
 South River. He d. 1731, and she having d. 1702 ; 
 his second wife, Sarah, d. the same year with him- 
 self. Their children were, Elizabeth, b. 1664, m. 
 William Carver ; John, b. 1666, married Hannah 
 Stetson, he was the senior Dea. Foster of Plymouth ; 
 Josiah, b. 1669, m. Sarah Sherman, removed to 
 Pembroke ; Mary, b. 1671, m. John Hatch of Scituate ; 
 Joseph removed to Sandwich, d. 1750 ; Sarah, d. 
 1702 ; Chillingworth removed to Harwich ; James 
 b. and d. 1683 ; and Thomas, b. 1686, who inherited 
 the homestead. He m. Faith, [Oakman,] widow of 
 Benjamin White. They had Thomas, 1735, and 
 Deborah, 1736, who m. Anthony Waterman, 1760. 
 They both deceased 1758, and their son Thomas 
 alienated the homestead to his cousin, Nathan Tho- 
 mas, and removed to Middieboro'. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 77 
 
 WALKER. 
 
 John Walker m. Lydia Read, step-daughter of 
 Arthur Howland, 1654. They had Lydia, b. 1665 ; 
 John, b. 1657, and Isaac ; John Walker, d. 1663. 
 The name is yet on the homestead. 
 
 LOW. 
 
 John Low m. Elizabeth Howland. Had Arthur, 
 b. 1665, and Hannah, 1670. John Low was killed 
 at Rehoboth, in Philip's war, 1676. Arthur Low 
 m. Elizabeth Crooker, 1714. They had Hannah, b. 
 1717, m. William Winslow, of Middleboro', 1742; 
 Elizabeth, b. 1720; and Jeremiah, b. 1735, m. 
 Sarah Thomas, 1757. 
 
 CHILLINGSWORTH OR CHILLINGWORTH. 
 
 Thomas Chillingworth was of Lynn, 1637, sub- 
 sequently of Sandwich, and permanently settled at 
 Marshfield near the time of its incorporation. He 
 was quite a prominent man in public matters, but 
 physically infirm, and d. 1652, probably in the me- 
 ridian of his years. He was a large landholder. He 
 had Sarah, who m. S. Sprague ; Mary, m. to Dea. 
 John Foster ; Mehetabel, to Justus Eames ; and 
 Elizabeth, who d. 1655. Joane, his widow, m. 
 Thomas Dogget, 1654, d. 1684. The bible of Mr. 
 7 # 
 
<B MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Chillingworth is in preservation, printed by Christo- 
 pher Barker, 1589. 
 
 SPRAGUE. 
 
 Samuel Sprague a townsman of Marshfield, 1666, 
 was son of William Sprague, who came to Salem 
 with his brothers, Ralph and Richard, 1628-29. 
 These brothers were sons of Edward Sprague of 
 Upway, Dorset Co., England, and were the founders, 
 with a few others, of Charlestown, Mass., the same 
 year they arrived. In 1636 William removed to 
 Hingham with his father-in-law, Anthony Eames. 
 In 1650 Eames removed to Marshfield, and his 
 grandson, Samuel Sprague, followed him. He m. 
 about 1665-6, Sarah, dau. of Mr. Thomas Chilling- 
 worth, and settled on her paternal inheritance. He 
 was the fourth and last secretary of the Colony, from 
 1686 to 1692. He deceased, 1710, and his widow 
 after 1725. They had eight children, viz. : Samuel, 
 who m. Bethiah Thomas, lived in Duxbury. The 
 late Hon. Seth Sprague, father of the Hon. Peleg 
 Sprague, of Boston, was their grandson. John lived 
 in Duxbury, also. Nathan and James remained in 
 Marshfield. In 1727-8, James, who inherited the 
 homelot of the ancestor, alienated it to Nathan, and 
 purchased a part of the Baker estate, near Mt. Skirgo. 
 In the deed thereof given by Samuel Baker, the 
 second, it is called three-fourths of the homestead, 
 that was the estate of his father, Samuel Baker, sen. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 79 
 
 On this estate is now standing a dwelling-house of 
 the Pilgrim times. It is owned by an aged and 
 venerable matron, Mrs. Nellie Spragne, daughter-in- 
 law of James, jr., son of James Sprague the pur- 
 chaser. Her father-in-law, with whom she lived 
 under this roof some years, was ten years of age 
 when he removed with his parents thither, one hundred 
 and twenty-seven years since. He ever stated to 
 her it was then called a very old house. It conse- 
 quently, from comparison of deeds, &c, must be the 
 dwelling-house, with orchards, fields, &c, which 
 Resolved White exchanged, 1672, with Samuel 
 Baker, for his, "situated adjoining over against Skirgo." 
 This ancient dwelling has been, in succession, the 
 residence of Resolved and Judith [Vassall] White, 
 and Samuel and Ellen [Winslow] Baker. 
 
 With these memorials of its age, it is no stretch of 
 the fancy to picture to the eye of the mind, the 
 Pilgrim mothers, Susanna [White] Winslow, and her 
 sister-in-law, Ellen [Newton] Winslow, sitting in 
 Mayflower chairs by these capacious firesides, con- 
 versing of trans-atlantic times, with the daughter of 
 the wealthy Vassall. While gathering around stand 
 the grandchildren of these memorable mothers, list- 
 ening with astonishment to the tales they are telling 
 of the beautiful homes they had left for religious 
 freedom beyond the breaking waves of the broad 
 Atlantic. 
 
80 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 HALL. 
 
 Adam Hall, who came to Marshfield early in the 
 last century, was of trans-atlantic birth. He m. Sa- 
 rah Sherman, 1725, a grandaughter of Peregrine 
 White, and settled in the vicinity of his residence. 
 Their children were, William, b. 1726 ; Thomas, b. 
 1728 ; Adam, b. 1729 ; Joseph, b. 1733 ; Sarah, b. 
 1735 ; Mercy, b. 1739 ; and Levi, b. 1744, who re- 
 moved to Rhode Island. Sarah, wife of Adam Hall, 
 d. 1768, aged 68. 
 
 Adam Hall, jr., m. Kezia, dau. of Samuel and 
 Sarah [Rogers] Ford, 1752. They had Adam, b. 
 1757 ; Mercy, b. 1759, m. Andrew Keen and Pere- 
 grine White; Susanna, b. 1761, d. 1834, unmarried; 
 Kezia, b. 1764, m. Proctor Sampson ; Luke, b. 1767; 
 Samuel, b. 1770 ; and William, b. 1774. 
 
 Adam Hall, jr., was a mariner, and commanded 
 the packet sloop Dolphin, of North River. He d. 
 1806, aged 77. 
 
 Luke, son of Adam and Kezia Hall, was a ship- 
 master. He m. Anna, dau. of Barnard and Experi- 
 ence [Taylor] Tuels, and had Luke, William and 
 Samuel, b. 1800, the celebrated shipbuilder of East 
 Boston. The following epitaph is copied from a 
 monumental stone, erected by him, to perpetuate the 
 memory of his parents, at Church Hill Cemetery, 
 Marshfield : — 
 
81 
 
 FAMILY SKETCHES. 
 
 In Memory of 
 LUKE HALL, 
 
 Who died on Staten Island, 
 
 June 28, 1815, 
 
 Aet. 48 years. 
 
 MRS. ANNA, WIFE OF 
 
 Luke Hall, 
 
 Died at East Boston, 
 
 July 20, 1848, 
 
 Aet. 88 years. 
 
 STEVENS. 
 
 Edward Stevens, had Edward, William, Elizabeth, 
 and Patience, who m. John Phillips, 1710. 
 
 William, son of Edward Stevens, sen., m. Hannah, 
 and had Hannah, b. 1692, m. a Mr. Rider ; William, 
 b. 1694; Josiah, b. 1695, d. 1709; Lydia, b, 1697, 
 m. Ebenezer Cobb, of Kingston, who was 107 years 
 of age at his death in 1801 ; John, b. 1699, m. Eleanor 
 Jarman ; Abigail, b. 1702 ; Bethiah, b. 1703, m. 
 Caleb Oldham; Edward, b. 1706; Elizabeth, b. 
 1708-9; and Patience, b. 1712. 
 
 A number of families of this name are yet residing 
 on the ancient homestead of the ancestor. 
 
 DOGGET, DOGGETT. 
 
 " Thomas Dogget, in Concord, 1642, at which 
 date his wife died. He removed from thence." 
 
 A Thomas Dogget is early in Marshfield, who 
 settled on the estate granted, priorly, to Mr. Comfort 
 
82 
 
 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Starr, near the junction of North and South Rivers, 
 now the farm of Capt. Samuel Clapp. He appears 
 to have had a family of children when he came to 
 Marshfield, viz. : John, Samuel, Sarah, who. m. 
 Samuel Sherman, and perhaps others. He married, 
 in Marshfield, 1654, Joane, the widow of Mr. Thomas 
 Chillingworth, and had Rebekah, b. 1655. Joane, 
 the wife. d. 1684: he d. 1692. 
 
 His son, Samuel, m. Mary Rogers, 1682. She 
 deceased, 1690, leaving children, Samuel, Mary, and 
 Sarah. He m., secondly, 1691, Bathsheba Holmes, 
 a grandaughter of the Rev. Samuel Arnold, and had 
 Elizabeth, Ebenezer, Bathsheba, John, and Isaac, all 
 baptised in the First Church, 27 Sept., 1702 ; and 
 Lodiah, Persis, Seth, and Abigail, subsequently. 
 The name has long been extinct at Green Harbor. 
 
 KEENE, KEIN, KEEN. 
 
 Martha Keene, aged 60 years, was a passenger, 
 1638, in the good ship Confidence, of London, John 
 Jobson, master, to New England. She was accom- 
 panied by John Keene, aged 17 ; Eliza, Martha, 
 Josias, and Sarah Keene, probably her children. 
 
 Josias settled near Thomas Doggett, in Marshfield ; 
 m. Hannah, dau. of John Dingley, sen. They had, 
 John, b. 1661 ; Josiah, Matthew, Hannah, and per- 
 haps others. Hannah m. Isaac Oldham, 1695. 
 
 Josias Keene and his wife Lydia had nine children 
 baptised in the First Church, Marshfield, by Mr. 
 Gardner, 24 Oct., 1704. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 83 
 
 SHEARMAN, SHERMAN. 
 
 William Sherman had a garden place, at Duxbury, 
 1637, and lands towards Green Harbor, 1640. He 
 early settled on the north side of the highlands, called 
 on early records White's Hill, near Peregrine White's. 
 He had John, b. 1646, William, and perhaps others. 
 
 William Sherman, jr., m. Desire Dotey, 1667. 
 They had, Hannah, b. 1668 ; Elizabeth, b. 1670, d. 
 1675; William, b. 1672 j Patience, b. 1674; and 
 Experience, b. 1678. 
 
 John, son of the senior William Sherman, was m. 
 at Boston, to Jane Hatch, dau. of Walter Hatch, of 
 Scituate, 1677. 
 
 PHILLIPS. 
 
 John Phillips, Duxbury, 1640. Came early to 
 Marshfield and settled on a tract of land lying near 
 the united outlet of North and South Rivers. He 
 had, by his first wife, William, John, and Jeremiah. 
 He m., secondly, Grace, widow of William Hollo- 
 way, 1654. They had, Joseph, b. 1655, killed at 
 the Rehoboth fight, 1676 ; and Benjamin, 1658. 
 
 John, the second son of John, sen., was killed by 
 lightning, at the house of Mr. Bulkely, 1654. His 
 second wife, Grace, and his third son, Jeremiah, were 
 killed, with their neighbor and guest, William Shurt- 
 leff, 23 June, 1666, and all interred on the 24th. 
 
 In 1667, Mr. Phillips m. Faith Dotey, widow of 
 the Mayflower Pilgrim, Edward. She deceased, 1667. 
 
84 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 He survived until 1691, having numbered nearly 90 
 years. A man of many sorrows. 
 
 Mrs. Grace Phillips had two daughters by her first 
 husband, William Holloway, Hannah and Grace, 
 who m. Josiah Read, 1666. He was one of the 
 thirty-five purchasers of Norwich, Conn. 
 
 SHETLE, SHIRTLEY, SHURTLEFF. 
 
 1634. William Shetle, an apprentice to Thomas 
 Clark, carpenter, of Plymouth. Circumstances lead 
 to the conclusion that he was from Yorkshire, Eng. 
 William Shirtley removed to Marshfield about 1660. 
 He resided near John Phillips, and is named with 
 the freemen of Marshfield, 1664. He m. Elizabeth, 
 dau. of Thomas and Ann Lettice, of Plymouth, 
 1655, early comers to New England. Mr. ShurtlerFs 
 dwelling-house was destroyed by fire early in the 
 year 1666. He, with his family, found an asylum 
 at the dwelling-house of Mr. John Phillips after this 
 calamity. He was killed by lightning, while so- 
 journing there r June 23d, 1666. 
 
 The circumstances connected with this melan- 
 choly occurrence are described in a letter written by 
 the Rev. Samuel Arnold, to the Rev. Increase Mather, 
 Boston. 
 
 " Suffering from a dreadful dearth, the neighboring 
 congregations, on the 20th of June, observed a day 
 of Fasting and Prayer, as they were wont on such 
 occasions. On the 23d they were visited by a terrific 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 85 
 
 thunder storm ; during which the electric fluid struck 
 the house of Mr. Phillips, killing his wife and son, 
 with his neighbor, Mr. Shurtleff. Mr. Shurtleff left 
 two sons, William and Thomas, one of which was 
 in his arms, at this sad period, and remained unhurt. 
 A third, called Abiel, signifying, in Hebrew, "God 
 is my Father," was born shortly after his father's 
 decease. William Shurtleff is, probably, ancestor of 
 all bearing the name in New England. The distin- 
 guished antiquary, Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, M. D., of 
 Boston, is a descendant of William Shurtleff and his 
 son Abiel, to whose research I am indebted for a 
 part of this sketch. 
 
 LITTLE. 
 
 Thomas Little was in Plymouth after 1630, where 
 he m., 1633, Ann, one of the daus. of the Pilgrim 
 Richard Warren. He removed to Marshfield about 
 1650, settled in the easterly part of the township, a 
 locality since known as Littletown, in the surround- 
 ing region. 
 
 He had Thomas, killed by the Indians at the 
 Rehoboth fight, 1676; Samuel, who m. Sarah Grey; 
 Ephraim, who m. Mary Sturtevant, 1672; Isaac; 
 Hannah, who m. Stephen Tilden; Mercy, who m. 
 John Sawyer, 1666; Ruth, and Patience. 
 
 Thomas Little was probably a lawyer. He de- 
 ceased, 1671. Ephraim and Mary (Sturtevant) Little 
 had Ephraim, b. 1673, H. C. 1695, ordained as pas- 
 8 
 
86 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 tor of the Plymouth Church, 1699, and deceased, 
 1723, without children; Ruth, b. 1675, m. an Avery; 
 David, b. 1681, settled as a lawyer in Scituate; his 
 son Ephraim, H. C. 1728, was settled in the ministry 
 at Colchester, Conn.; John, b. 1683; Ann, who m. 
 Thomas Grey, and Mary, who m. an Otis. 
 
 Lieut. Isaac Little, son of the ancestor, purchased 
 the Biddle estate, (now owned by Mr. Waterman 
 Thomas,) on Marshfield Neck. He and his wife 
 Bethiah had Thomas, b. 1676, H. C. 1695, lawyer 
 and physician at Plymouth ; Isaac, b. 1677, removed 
 to Pembroke; Charles, b. 1685; Nathaniel, b. 1690, 
 died 1716; William, b. 1692, H. C. 1710. Lieut. 
 Little deceased, 1712. 
 
 John Little, Esq., son of Ephraim, m. Constant 
 Fobes of Little Compton, was a valuable and highly 
 useful citizen. They had eleven children, b. from 
 1708 to 1724. Their son Fobes, H. C. 1724, was a 
 physician at Little Compton. John, another son, 
 removed to Windham, and William to Lebanon, 
 Conn. Thomas, Ephraim and Lemuel remained on 
 the ancestral estate, where their descendants yet 
 reside. The late Capt. George Little and his brother 
 Capt. Luther Little, both of the U. S. naval service, 
 were grandsons of John Little, Esq. Edward P. 
 Little, late a representative to Congress, is a son of 
 the late Capt. George Little. 
 
FAMILY SKETCHES. 87 
 
 JOHN JONES. 
 
 John Jones was a grandson of Thomas Little, sen. 
 He m. Eleanor, dau. of Nathaniel and Faith Wins- 
 low, 1697. Their children were, Patience, who m. 
 William Stevens; John, b. 1701, m. Grace Cushing ; 
 Faith, b. 1704, d. early; Ebenezer, b. 1706, m. Jane 
 King; Anna, b. 1708, m. Bezaleel Palmer; Eleanor, 
 b. 1710; Nathaniel, b. 1713, and Joseph, b. 1715. 
 
 CHAPMAN. 
 
 Ralph Chapman, aged 20, ship carpenter, from 
 South wark, England, was a passenger in the ship 
 Elizabeth of London, 1635. He m. Lydia Wills, 
 1642, the earliest marriage extant on the records of 
 Marshfield. They had Mary, b. 1643, m. William 
 Troop of Barnstable; Sarah, b. 1645, m. William 
 Norcutt of Marshfield; Isaac, b. 1647, m. Rebecca 
 Leonard, and lived at Barnstable, and R,alph. 
 
 Ralph Chapman, sen., lived at the Ferry, which 
 he kept, but was excused from the duty, 1645, ex- 
 cept on special occasions. His family became 
 Friends. His son Ralph removed to Newport, R. I., 
 and his son John returned to the Old Colony. He 
 m., in Pembroke, Abigail Booth, 1630; and the 
 births of four sons and three daus. are found re- 
 corded on the books of the Friend's Society. The 
 daus. m. John, Wing, and Joseph Rogers, of the 
 family who early settled at Rogers' Hill, North 
 River. 
 
88 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 "John Chapman d. 3d. 1 m. 1811, and from the 
 most accurate accounts to be had, was 104 years, 
 2 months and some days old." — Friend Records. 
 
 WEBSTER. 
 
 The New England ancestor of the late Hon. 
 Daniel Webster was, it is believed, John Webster, 
 who came from Ipswich, Co. Suffolk, Eng., and 
 settled in Ipswich, N. E. ; freeman, 1635. His son 
 Thomas settled in Hampton, N. H. ; m., 2 Nov., 
 1657, Sarah Brewer; d. 5 Jan., 1715, aged 83. 
 Their son Ebenezer, b. 1 Aug., 1667; served in the 
 Indian wars; settled in Kingston, 1700; m. Hannah 
 Judkins, 1709. Their son Ebenezer m., 20 July, 
 
 1738, Susanna Bachelder; whose son Ebenezer, b. 
 
 1739, settled in Salisbury, and was distinguished in 
 the old French and Revolutionary war. His second 
 wife was Abigail Eastman. Their son, the late 
 Hon. Daniel Webster, was b. 18 Jan., 1782; d., at 
 his residence in Marshfield, Mass., 22 minutes before 
 3 o'clock, Sabbath morning, Oct. 24th, 1852. He 
 m., 10 June, 1808, Grace, dau. of the Rev. Elijah 
 Fletcher of Hopkinton, who deceased 1828. His 
 second wife was Caroline, dau. of Herman Le Roy 
 of New York, who survives him. 
 
 Mr. Webster made his first purchase in Marshfield, 
 about 1830, of the late Capt. John Thomas, which 
 consisted of the present Webster mansion, since 
 enlarged and improved, and that portion of the 
 
w 
 
THE MARSHFIELD GRAVES. 89 
 
 landed estate of his father, Nathaniel Ray Thomas, 
 the royalist, which was reserved unconfiscated, at 
 the close of the Revolutionary war, as a dower for 
 the widow. This mansion house, in 1774-5, was 
 the quarters of a detachment of British troops, called 
 the Queen's Guards, commanded by Capt. Balfour, 
 which were unnecessarily stationed here by Gen. 
 Gage, at the request of the royalists of the vicinity. 
 Of these troops, called the flower of the British 
 army, five only were left with Capt. Balfour at the 
 close of the memorable battle of Bunker Hill. 
 
 Mr. Webster added subsequently to his first pur- 
 chase, acres unto acres, until his estate amounted to 
 fifteen hundred or more, including therein that por- 
 tion of Careswell on which the present old Winslow 
 mansion is now standing. 
 
 THE MARSHFIELD GRAVES 
 
 BY FRANCES MANWARING CAULKINS. 
 
 Why meet we here on this memorial hill ? 
 
 Where is the glory that here walks abroad ? 
 What gives to yonder ocean its deep thrill, — 
 
 To* earth this silent worship of its Lord ? 
 
 By sacred feet this hill-top has been prest ; 
 
 The angels keep these sepulchres in view. 
 Here pilgrims worshipped and here pilgrims rest, 
 
 Sons of the Old World, fathers of the New. 
 8* 
 
90 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Here sleeps the bride, — first of these deserts drear,* 
 Ye daughters o'er the turf your garlands wave ! 
 
 And White,f New England's first-born son, lies here, 
 Move slow, ye bands, around the patriarch's grave ! 
 
 Here rest the Winslows, — names of old renown ; 
 
 Yon hawthorn bower the grave of Cushman shows : 
 And Webster, too, with tears we laid him down, — 
 
 Our Webster, 'mid his loved ones to repose. 
 
 These hills, these plains, are monumental ground ; 
 
 Yonder lies Pilgrim Rock and Plymouth Bay ! 
 The Carvers', Bournes', and Dingleys' dwelt around ; 
 
 Sprague, Bulkley, Tompson, trod the shining way. 
 
 Descend, O dart of heaven, — Muriel's spear ! 
 
 Unseal the doors of these grass-covered rooms, 
 And show the sons of pilgrims gathering here 
 
 The lights yet burning in their fathers' tombs : 
 
 These Mayflower lights, whose quickening rosy gleams, 
 So faint, at first, but growing like the morn, 
 
 Wide round the world now send their kindling beams 
 Of truth and freedom ushering in the dawn. 
 
 Take counsel of the fathers : this wild shore, 
 Their toil transfused into a flowery sod ; 
 
 For little as for much, they rendered more, — 
 Pains-taking people, — looking up to God. 
 
 ■* Susanna Winslow. The first marriage, in New England was that of 
 Edward Winslow to Susanna, widow of William White. 
 
 t Peregrine White, born at Plymouth, in November, 1620 ; died at Marsh- 
 field, July 22, 1704. 
 
THE MARSHFIELD GRAVES. 91 
 
 Children of faith, — they walked by future light ; 
 
 The glory not yet come, illumed their way ; 
 In truth's great conflict champions for the right, — 
 
 Tender yet stern they wrestled out their way. 
 
 Free worship and free thought, they claimed and found ; 
 
 Our larger golden freedom gathers rust ; 
 Too oft our banner stoops to kiss the ground ; 
 
 We have more sunlight, but 'tis flecked with dust. 
 
 Away with liberty that leaves man free, 
 
 Unlicensed on his fellow man to prey ! 
 When law, truth, virtue, are trod down by thee, 
 
 O faithless freedom ! we disown thy sway. 
 
 Call up the tenants of these tombs :— They rise, — 
 They speak not, but they fill the air with peace ; 
 
 Deep counsels dwelling in their earnest eyes, — 
 They seem to say — Cease, warring factions, cease ! 
 
 Land of our love ! Still may thy path ascend ;— 
 
 Fail not ;— fulfil the charter of thy birth ; 
 Freedom's great champion and Religion's friend ! 
 
 Behold thy title, flowing round the earth. 
 
 Ye sons, think deep ;— be strong in heart and hand ; 
 
 Remember God, who with his silver key, 
 Unlocked the western gates, and gave this land, 
 
 To freedom's sons and all whom truth makes free. 
 
 Fast rush the future ages into light, — 
 
 Come, halcyon peace, on that broad ocean sail ! 
 
 Long may the lamps in pilgrim tombs burn bright ; 
 Forever pilgrim principles prevail. 
 
92 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 BURYING HILL. 
 
 INSCRIPTIONS AND MEMORIALS OF INTERMENTS. 
 
 " They should not sleep forever 
 
 Unhonored in their graves, 
 Who braved for us the battle shower, 
 
 And walked the stormy waves. 
 Their dust is calling- from the ground, 
 
 With strong and steady cry; 
 For unlettered are their spots of rest, 
 
 And their names are passing by." 
 
 We have now introduced you, in our "rustic" 
 way, to homelots and households of your Pilgrim 
 ancestors, and are ready to retrace our mental wan- 
 derings with you to the " waste place of their 
 sepulchres." A little north of the present enclosure 
 stood the thatched-roofed temple, in which they 
 worshipped the Protecting Power which bore them 
 safely over the white-capped waves of yonder ocean. 
 And 
 
 " Here 'twas their will to sleep beneath the sod, 
 Which, when alive, their feet so often trod, — 
 To bend the grateful knee, and tune the lays 
 Of sweet devotion to their Maker's praise." 
 
 Parris. 
 
 Near the centre of the hill is the Winslow tomb, 
 supposed to have been constructed by Isaac Wins- 
 low, son of Gov. Josiah, whose remains were ex- 
 humed and deposited therein. There is no record 
 extant of all who have been laid therein; they 
 include the following, unnamed on the tombstone, 
 viz. : — Sarah, wife of Isaac Winslow, Esq. ; her dau. 
 Anna; Mary, wife of Gen. Winslow, and a Mrs. 
 
INSCRIPTIONS ON BURYING HILL. 93 
 
 Oliver; Capt. James Gooch and his wife Mary, of 
 Boston; Elizabeth, wife of Dr. Winslow; Capt. 
 Thomas Dingley and wife. 
 
 In March, 1692, the ship Columbia, Capt. Chauncy, 
 of Portsmouth, was stranded on this coast, and nearly 
 all on board perished, among which were two young 
 gentlemen of the name of Hildreth, with a large 
 property on board, from Birmingham, Eng. Their 
 remains were entombed here. A silver cup, with 
 this inscription, was presented to Dr. Winslow, by 
 their friends : — 
 
 From 
 
 Richard Hildreth, 
 
 of Birmingham, Great Britain, 
 
 To Dr. Isaac Winslow. 
 
 A Token of Gratitude. 
 
 WINSLOW TOMB STONE. 
 
 The Hon ble JOSIAH WINSLOW GoiF of New Plymouth 
 Dyed December y e 18* 1680 jEtatis 52. 
 
 PENELOPE ye widdow of Gou r Winslow dyed December 
 y e 9, 1703, .Etatis 73. 
 
 The Hon bIe ISAAC WINSLOW, Esq', December ye 14 1708 
 JEtatis 67. 
 
 HON JOHN WINSLOW Esq' 
 died April 17 1774, AET 72. 
 
 ISAAC WINSLOW M. D. 
 died Oct r 24 1819 aged 80. 
 
94 
 
 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 JOHN WINSLOW Esq' 
 died at Natchez August 24 1852 aged 48. 
 
 PELHAM WINSLOW, 
 died August 19 1&13 aged 23. 
 
 Here Lyes Buried 
 
 the Body of 
 
 Capt NATHANIEL 
 
 WINSLOW who 
 
 Dec d Decem ber the 
 
 1" 1719 in the 81»t 
 
 year of his Age. 
 
 HERE LYES Y E 
 
 BODY OF M R 
 
 NATHANIEL WINS 
 
 LOW WHO DYED 
 
 MAY Y E 13 th 
 
 1736. 
 
 Here lyes Buried y e 
 
 Body of M rs Faith 
 
 Winslow wife to Capt 
 
 Nathaniel Winslow 
 
 Who Dec d Novem br 9 th 
 
 Anno Dom in 1729 in y« 
 
 85 th Year of her Age. 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY OF 
 
 LYDIA WINSLOW 
 
 WIFE TO NATHANIEL 
 
 WINSLOW AGED 44 
 
 YEARS DIED APRIL 
 
 1716. 
 
 HERE LYES BURIED THE BODY 
 OF NATH L WINSLOW SON OF 
 
 M E KENELM & M RS ABIGAIL 
 
 WINSLOW He was drowned in 
 
 North River MAY Y E 24 th 1734 
 
 AGED 25 YEARS 11 MO 8 
 
 Here lies Buried 
 
 the Body of 
 
 KENELM WINSLOW Esq 
 
 of MARSHFIELD 
 
 who departed this Life 
 
 June 10* 1757 
 
 Aged 82 Years. 
 
 Here Lyes Buried y e 
 
 Body of M rs Abigail 
 
 Winslow wife to M r 
 
 KENELM WINSLOW 
 
 who Dec d Aug st 15 th 
 Anno Dom* 1729 Aged 47 
 Years 7 Months & 15 Days. 
 
INSCRIPTIONS ON BURYING HILL. 
 
 95 
 
 In Memory of 
 
 Kenelm Winslow Esq 
 
 who Died Aug Bt 
 
 y e 13 th 1780 
 
 In y e 63 rd year. 
 
 of his Age. 
 
 Here lies interred 
 
 Abigail Winslow — 
 
 Daughter of the Hon ble 
 
 Silvanus Bourne Esq 
 
 of Barnstable 
 
 and the wife of 
 
 Kenelm Winslow Esq 
 
 Born 21 June 1729 
 
 Died at Marshfield 21 Dec 1761 
 
 Aged 32 years and 6 months 
 
 HERE LYES 
 
 INTERRED Y E 
 
 BODY OF NATHAN 1 * 
 
 WINSLOW SON OF 
 
 M R JOHN WINSLOW 
 
 WHO DYED MARCH Y E 
 
 26 th 1723 AGED 10. 
 
 Eleanor Winslow 
 
 Daugh tr of 
 
 M r Kenelm & Mrs Abigail 
 
 Winslow Dec d April y e 
 
 12 1719 Aged 
 9 Months & 23 Days 
 
 HERE LYES BURIED 
 
 THE BODY OF 
 
 JOHN WINSLOW 
 
 SON OF M R JOHN 
 
 WINSLOW WHO DYED 
 
 AUGUST Y E 8 th 1724 
 
 AGED 18 YEARS. 
 
 HERE LYES 
 
 INTERRED Y E BODY 
 
 M R JOSEPH TAYLOR 
 
 WHO DYED SEPTE 
 
 MBER 13 th 1727 
 
 AGED 67 YEARS 
 
96 
 
 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 HERE LYES WHAT REMAINS 
 
 OF WILLIAM THOMAS ESQ 
 
 ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF 
 
 NEW PLYMOUTH COLONY 
 
 WHO DEC D IN Y E MONTH 
 
 OF AUGUST 1651 ABOUT 
 
 yE 78 th YEAR OF 
 
 HIS AGE 
 
 HERE LYES THE 
 
 REMAINS OF 
 
 NATHANIEL THOMAS 
 
 GENT WHO DEC D 
 
 Y E 13 th DAY OF FEBRUARY 
 
 1674 ABOUT Y E 68 th YEAR 
 
 OF HIS AGE 
 
 HERE LYES INTERRED 
 
 Y E BODY OF WILLIAM 
 
 THOMAS GENT M 
 
 WHO DEC D MARCH Y E 
 
 30 th 1718 
 
 IN Y E 80 th YEAR 
 
 OF HIS AGE 
 
 HERE LYES INTERRED 
 
 Y E BODY OF Y E 
 
 HONORABLE NATHANIEL 
 
 THOMAS ESQ R WHO 
 
 DEC D OCT Y E 22 1718 
 
 IN Y E 75 th YEAR 
 
 OF HIS AGE. 
 
 DEBORAH 
 
 Y E WIFE OF 
 
 NATHANIEL THOMAS 
 
 ESQ DEC D JUNE Y E 17 TH 
 
 1696 
 
 IN Y E 53 rd YEAR 
 
 OF HER AGE 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY 
 
 OF MRS ELIZ H THOMAS, 
 
 WIFE OF 
 
 NATHANIEL THOMAS 
 
 FORMERLY WIFE TO 
 
 CAP T WIL M CONDY DEC D 
 
 1713 IN Y E 61 st 
 
 YEAR OF HER AGE. 
 
INSCRIPTIONS ON BURYING HILL. 
 
 97 
 
 HERE LYES BURIED 
 
 Y E BODY OF MR 3 
 
 MARY THOMAS 
 
 WIFE TO M R 
 
 NATHANIEL THOMAS 
 
 ESQ R WHO DEC D 
 
 OCT Y E 7™ 1727 
 
 IN Y E 54 th YEAR OF 
 
 HER AGE 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY OF 
 
 M R SAMUEL THOMAS 
 
 AGED 65 YEARS 
 
 DECEASED SEPTEMBER 
 
 1720 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY 
 OF ALICE THOMAS 
 WIFE OF NATHAN 
 THOMAS AGED 25 
 
 YEARS DYED JUNE 
 Y E 14 1715 
 
 Here lyes y e Body of 
 
 M RS LYDIA THOMAS, 
 
 Wife to M' JOHN 
 
 THOMAS who Died 
 
 Jan r > y e 17 ,h 1750 
 
 Aged 60 Years 
 
 and 11 Months 
 
 9 
 
 HERE LYES INTER'D 
 
 THE BODY OF MR S 
 
 MARY THOMAS 
 
 WIFE TO JOHN 
 
 THOMAS ESQ 
 
 DIED MAY Y K 3 rd 
 
 17:37 IN THE 
 
 35 th YEAR OF HER 
 
 AGE 
 
 HERE LYES BURIED 
 
 Y E BODY OF 
 M RS MARCY THOMAS 
 
 Y E WIDOW OF 
 
 M R SAMUEL THOMAS 
 
 WHO DEC D SEPT 1741 
 
 AGED 79 YEARS 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY 
 
 OF ABIAH THOMAS, 
 
 WIFE OF NATHAN 
 
 THOMAS AGED 26 
 
 YEARS DEC D FEB RY 
 
 1 st 1717-18 
 
 Here lyes Buried 
 
 the Body of 
 
 M r JOHN THOMAS, 
 
 who departed this Life 
 
 April 14 th 1770 
 
 Ajred 86 Years & 5 Months. 
 
98 
 
 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 Memento Mori. 
 
 In Memory of 
 
 Col Anthony Thomas 
 
 who Died July y e 14 th 
 
 1781 Aged 62 Years 
 
 3 Months & 20 Days 
 
 John Thomas 
 Son of M r Anthony 
 
 & M rs Abigail 
 
 Thomas Dec d Nov r 
 
 11* 1748 Aged 5 
 
 Months & 5 Days 
 
 Here lyes y 9 Body of 
 
 Kezia Thomas Daug tr 
 
 of M^ John & M rs 
 
 Lydia Thomas who 
 
 Died Decem br 11 th 1751 
 
 Aged 21 Years 1 
 
 Month & 4 Days. 
 
 ANN THOMAS 
 DAU TO JOHN AND 
 
 LYDIA THOMAS, 
 
 DEC D THE 7 th DEC 
 
 1723 IN Y E 6 th YEAR 
 
 OF HER AGE. 
 
 In Memory of 
 
 Capt JOHN THOMAS 
 
 Born August 30 th 1764 
 
 Died July 27 1837 
 
 " For we know that if our earthly house of this 
 tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building 
 of God, an house not made with hands, eternal 
 in the heavens."— 2nd Cor. V, 1. 
 
 Erected 
 
 to the memory of 
 
 MRS LUCY THOMAS, 
 
 wife of 
 
 JOHN THOMAS 
 
 who died March, 13, 1849 
 
 Aged 78 years 
 
 My Mother 
 
 Sacred to the Memory 
 
 Mrs Lucy wife of 
 
 Capt John Thomas she 
 
 died August 30 th 1804 
 
 Aged 40 Years 11 Months 
 
 and 8 days 
 
 With love divine and pure delight 
 
 On faith's celestial wing 
 With sweet repose she took her flight 
 
 For death had lost its sting. 
 
INSCRIPTIONS ON BURYING HILL. 99 
 
 Beneath this 
 
 rest the ashes of 
 
 NATHANIEL RAY THOMAS 
 
 Son of John and Lucy Thomas, 
 
 Born at Marshfield June 9 1812, 
 
 Died at Washing-ton D. C 
 
 March, 17, 1840 
 
 aged 27 years 
 
 "And ye now therefore have sorrow} but 
 I will see you again." 
 
 HERE LYES Y E ASHES 
 
 OF Y E REVEREND LEARNED 
 
 & PIOUS M E EDWARD TOMPSON 
 
 PASTOR OF Y E CHURCH OF 
 
 MARSHFIELD WHO SUDDENLY 
 
 DEPARTED THIS LIFE MARCH 
 
 Y E 16 Tn 1705 
 
 ANNO AETATIS SUEE 40 
 
 HERE IN A TYRANT'S HAND DOES CAPTIVE LYE 
 
 A RARE SYNOPSIS OF DIVINITY, 
 
 OLD PATRIARCHS, PROPHETS, GOSPEL BISHOPS MEET, 
 
 UNDER DEEP SILENCE IN THEIR WINDING SHEET ; 
 
 HERE REST AWHILE IN HOPES AND FULL INTENT, 
 
 WHEN THEIR KING CALLS, TO MEET IN PARLIAMENT. 
 
 HERE LYES INTERRED 
 
 THE BODY OF 
 
 MRS ELIZABETH PELHAM 
 
 WHO DEC D APRIL 
 
 Y E 1 st 1706 
 
 IN Y E 84 th YEAR 
 
 OF HER AGE 
 
100 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 HERE LYES Y E 
 BODY OF DEACON 
 
 JOHN FOSTER 
 WHO DYED JUNE 
 
 Y E 13 th 1732 
 AGED 91 YEARS 
 
 HERE LYES Y E 
 
 BODY OF M RS 
 
 SARAH FOSTER 
 
 WIFE TO DEACON 
 
 JOHN FOSTER 
 
 WHO DYED MAY Y E 
 
 26 th 1731 AGED 85 YEARS 
 
 HERE LYES 
 
 Y E BODY OF 
 
 M RS DEBORAH FOSTER 
 
 WHO DYED NOVEMBER 
 
 Y E 4 th 1732 IN Y E 
 
 42 nd YEAR OF HER AGE 
 
 HERE LYES BURIED 
 
 Y E BODY OF ISAAC 
 
 LITTLE ESQ R AGED 
 
 ABOUT 53 YEARS 
 
 DIED NOVEMBER 
 
 Y E 24 1699 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY 
 
 OF MRS BETHIAH LITTLE 
 
 WIFE TO ASQUIR ISAAC 
 
 LITTLE WHO DYED SEP 
 
 TEMBER 23 rd 1718 
 
 AGED — YEARS 
 
 MARCY LITTLE 
 
 THE DAUGHTER 
 
 OF CA PT AS QUIR ISAAC 
 
 LITTLE WHO 
 
 DYED JULY 
 
 1724 
 
 AGED 9 YEARS 
 
INSCRIPTIONS ON BURYING HILL. 101 
 
 Thomas Bourn 
 
 Son of Thomas & Deborah 
 
 Bourn Dec d Sept 14 1723 
 
 aged 7 Years 3 Mo & 3 Days 
 
 Ebenezer Bourn 
 
 Son of Thomas & Deborah 
 
 Bourn Dec d Sept 20 1723 
 
 aged 3 Years 5 Mo & 16 Days 
 
 Deborah Bourn 
 
 Daug tr of Thomas & Deborah 
 
 Bourn Dec d Octo br 2 nd 1723 
 
 Aged 1 Year 9 mo & 
 
 15 Days 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY 
 
 OF M R JOSEPH 
 
 WATERMAN AGED 
 
 62 YEARS DYED 
 
 JANUARY THE 
 
 1 st 1711 
 
 HERE LYES BURIED 
 
 Y E BODY OF M RS SARAH 
 
 WATERMAN WIDOW 
 
 OF M B JOSEPH WATERMAN 
 
 WHO DEC D SEP T Y E 11 th 1741 
 
 AGED 90 YEARS & 
 
 3 MONTHS. 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY 
 
 JOSEPH WATERMAN 
 
 JUN R DIED DEC R 
 
 THE 23 rd 1715 
 IN THE 39 YEAR 
 OF HIS AGE. 
 9* 
 
102 
 
 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 HERE LYES Y E BODY 
 
 OF M R ANTHONY WATERMAN 
 
 WHO DYED APRIL Y E 
 
 1 st 1715 
 
 IN Y E 31 st YEAR 
 
 OF HIS AGE 
 
 JOSEPH SON 
 
 OF JOSEPH AND 
 
 SUSANNA WATERMAN 
 
 DIED MARCH 28 
 
 1715 IN Y E 3 YEAR 
 
 OF HIS AGE. 
 
 ERECTED, 
 
 in the memory of 
 
 THOMAS DINGLEY, 
 
 born May 22, 1761, 
 
 died Feb 21 1827. 
 
 and his wife 
 
 RUTH S WINSLOW 
 
 born Dec 17 1771 
 
 died Oct 20 1846. 
 
 This Stone is Erected 
 
 in Memory of 
 
 Deac n Thomas Dingley 
 
 who departed this life, 
 
 Sept 15 1806 
 
 Aged 74 Years 
 
 & 11 months. 
 
 He was Deacon of the first Church 
 in Marshfield 26 years to the 
 great satisfaction of the Church. 
 
INSCRIPTIONS ON RURYING HILL. 
 
 103 
 
 This Stone is Erected 
 
 in Memory of 
 
 M r John Dingley 
 
 Son of Dea Thomas Dingley 
 
 & Mrs Anna his wife 
 
 who departed this life 
 
 Aug 10 1806 
 
 Aged 41 years 
 
 HERE LYES Y E 
 
 BODY OF 
 
 JOHN ROUSE SEN 
 
 AGED 74 YEARS 
 
 DIED OCT Y E 
 
 3 rd 1717 
 
 HERE LYES Y B 
 
 BODY OF 
 
 JOHN ROUSE 
 
 AGED 26 YEARS 
 
 DIED MAY Y E 
 
 26 th 1704 
 
 IN MEMORY OF 
 M RS MARY BOURN 
 
 WIFE TO MR 
 
 JEDEDIAH BOURN 
 
 WHO DECEASED 
 
 JUNE Y E 28 th 
 
 IN Y E 44 TH YEAR 
 
 OF HER AGE. 
 
 Here lies buried 
 
 Mr Jedediah Bourn 
 
 who Dec J Oct r 
 
 ye 18'" 1765 
 
 In y e 74 th Year 
 
 of his ao-e 
 
 In Memory of 
 M rs Lucy Delano 
 
 wife of 
 
 Mr Joseph Delano 
 
 who died Aug sl 24 
 
 1789 In the 53 rd year 
 
 of her Age. 
 
 In Memory of 
 
 Capt Rouse Bourne 
 
 who Dec d June 
 
 y e 29 th 1768 In 
 
 29 th year of 
 
 his age 
 
 In Memory of 
 
 Nathaniel son 
 
 of Dea Rouse & 
 
 Mrs Hannah Bourn 
 
 he died Sept 17 
 
 1810 aged 3 Months 
 
 & 14 Days. 
 
104 
 
 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 In memory of 
 
 Miss Lucy Bourn 
 
 who died 
 
 December 14 th 1788 
 
 Aged 19 years 
 11 months & 12 days 
 
 In Memory of 
 Mr DANIEL WRIGHT 
 
 who died May 6 1829 
 AET 76 yrs. 
 
 Mrs SARAH wife of 
 
 Mr DANIEL WRIGHT. 
 
 died March 16 1822 
 
 AET 65 yrs 
 
 Here Lyes Buried 
 
 the Body of M r 
 
 WINTER HEWET 
 
 Who Deceased March 
 
 the 3 rd 1717-18 in y e 
 39 lh Year of His Age. 
 
 Here Lyes Buried 
 
 the Body of M r 
 
 SOLOMON HEWET 
 
 Aged 45 Years & 10 Days 
 
 who Deceased December 
 
 the 5 th 1717. 
 
 MARY. S. 
 
 wife of 
 
 Thomas Hewett 
 
 died May 4 1838 
 
 aged 20 Y'rs 
 
 5 mo's & 21 ds 
 
 MARY S. 
 
 died Jan. 14, 1843 
 
 AE 2 y'rs 6 mo's & 21 d's 
 
 ELLA J 
 
 died Aug. 6, 1845 
 
 AE 6 mo's & 5 d's 
 
INSCRIPTIONS ON BURYING HILL. 
 
 105 
 
 Emma 
 
 died Sept. 10, 1848 
 
 AE. 4 mo's & 5 d's 
 
 Children of 
 
 THOMAS & CRISSA 
 
 HEVVETT. 
 
 In memory of 
 Capt JOSEPH KENT 
 
 He Died Jan r ? 1^ 
 
 1801 Aged 83 Years 
 
 & 10 Days 
 
 Thomas Kent 
 
 son of 
 
 M r Nathaniel Kent 
 
 & Mrs Abigail his wife 
 
 died Dec br 2 nd 1792 
 
 Aged 4 Years 
 
 4 months & 
 
 26 days 
 
 In Memory of 
 Mr s Lydia widow of 
 
 Capt Joseph Kent 
 
 who died April 9 th 
 
 1810 Aged 89 years 
 
 1 Month 2 days 
 
 In Memory of 
 Nathaniel son of 
 
 Cap 1 Nathaniel 
 
 & Mrs Abigail 
 
 Kent he died 
 
 Dec r 13 1806 
 
 Aged 15 days. 
 
 AMANDA GEORGE 
 
 Daughter of 
 
 Henry L & Ann L 
 
 Delano died 
 
 Oct 15 1851 
 
 AE 6 yrs and 6 mos 
 
 In Memory of 
 
 M r JOHN MOOREHEAD 
 
 who died 
 
 June 13, 1836 
 
 aged 76 
 
 John Moorehead 
 
 born Oct 8 1821 
 
 died Dec. 27 1847 
 
 Here the weary are at rest 
 
106 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 ARTHUR MOOREHEAD 
 
 died March 14 1840 
 
 M 10 mo 8 & 24 days 
 
 Not lost but gone before. 
 
 Mary Winslow 
 
 widow of 
 
 Seth Winslow 
 
 died March 23 1827 
 
 aged 49 years 
 
 ROBERT CUSHMAN'S TOMB. 
 
 Robert Cushman born February 11, 1758, 
 Died September 11, 1837. 
 
 Persis (Phillips) Cushman wife of R. Cushman 
 Died October 25, 1819, aged 59. 
 
 Betsey (Gray) wife of Joseph P. Cushman 
 Died July 26, 1826, aged 41 
 
 Elizabeth Gray Cushman died 1825 
 aged 1 year 8 months. 
 
 ANDREW BRADFORD 
 
 H. C. 1771 quarter master in the Army of the 
 
 Revolution, d. in Duxbury 1 Jan 1836 aged 90. 
 
 Mrs. Mary (Turner) Bradford wife of Andrew Bradford 
 died June 10 1825, aged 73. 
 
INSCRIPTIONS ON BURYING HILL. 10< 
 
 DANIEL WEBSTER 
 
 Bora January 18 1782 
 
 Died October 24 1852 
 
 " Lord, I believe, help thou 
 mine unbelief." 
 
 Philosophical 
 argument, especially 
 that drawn from the vastness of 
 the Universe, in comparison with the 
 apparent insignificance of this globe has some- 
 times shaken my reason for the faith which is in me ; 
 but my heart has always assured and reassured me that the 
 Gospel of Jesus Christ must be a Divine Reality. The 
 Sermon on the Mount cannot be a mere human 
 production. This belief enters into the 
 very depth of my conscience. 
 The whole history of man 
 proves it. 
 
 GRACE FLETCHER 
 
 wife of Daniel Webster 
 Born, January 16, 1781 
 Died January 21, 1828 
 
 " Blessed are the pure in heart, 
 for they shall see God. 7 '" 
 
 JULIA WEBSTER 
 
 wife of 
 
 Samuel Appleton Appleton 
 
 Born January 16 1818 
 
 Died April 28 1848 
 
 Let me go, for the day breaketh. 
 
 MARY CONSTANCE APPLETON 
 
 Born Feb. 7, 1848 
 
 Died March 15, 1849. 
 
108 MEMORIALS OF MARSHFIELD. 
 
 MAJOR EDWARD WEBSTER, 
 
 Born July 20 1820, 
 
 Died at San Angel, in Mexico, 
 
 In the military service 
 
 of his country 
 
 Jan. 23, 1848. 
 
 A dearly beloved son and brother 
 
 CHARLES 
 
 Son of Daniel and 
 
 Grace Fletcher Webster 
 
 Born Dec. 31, 1821, 
 
 Died Dec. 19, 1824. 
 
 GRACE FLETCHER 
 
 Daughter of 
 
 FLETCHER and 
 
 CAROLINE S WEBSTER 
 
 Born at Detroit 
 
 Aug. 29, 1837 
 
 Died at Boston 
 
 Feb. 7, 1844. 
 
 HARRIETTE PAIGE 
 
 daughter of 
 
 Fletcher and 
 
 Caroline S. Webster, 
 
 Born Sept 6 1843. 
 Died March 2 1845. 
 



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