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Rev. Daniel Breck.

1748-1845.

Ordained over the church in Topsfield, Nov. 17, 1779; dismissed May 26, 1788.

From an oil portrait in the possession of Judge Charles H, Breck.

THE

HISTORICAL

COLLECTIONS

OF THE

TOPSFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY

VOL. XI

1906

TOPSFIELD, MASS. Published by the Society 1906

GEORGE FRANCIS DOW

Editor

THE MERRILL PRESS

£o^0ft

CONTENTS.

THE NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE, BY H. FOLANS- BEE LONG, ---------

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX CO., MASS., BY WALTER DAVIS, JR., ---------

LETTER FROM DR. NEHEMIAH CLEAVELAND, 1 8 1 5 ,

ESSEX REGISTRY OF DEEDS AT TOPSFIELD, - LETTER OF REV. JEREMIAH HOBART, 1 686, - - - -

LOCALITIES AND PLACE NAMES IN TOPSFIELD, BY J. PORTER GOULD, ---------

CAPT. JOHN GOULD’S PETITION IN 1 694, - - - -

EARLY RECORDS OF THE TOWN OF TOPSFIELD, TRANSCRIBED BY H. FOLLANSBEE LONG, - -

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF NEHEMIAH KNEELAND, PIONEER OF TOPSFIELD, MAINE, ------

NECROLOGY:

MRS. ELLEN A. (HOOD) WELCH, -

ALBERT WEBSTER, -------

HARRIET E. TODD, -------

IRA PERLEY LONG, -------

JOHN AVERELL GOULD, -----

SARAH PERKINS DWINELL, - TOPSFIELD VITAL STATISTICS, 1905, - - - - -

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS, 1905, ------

BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED, 1905,

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77

78

79

81

100

101 i73

176

176

177

178

179

180

181 184 184

THE NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

BY H. FOLLANSBEE LONG.

At the beginning of the 19th century, commerce was mak- ing rapid strides in Massachusetts. Better communication between the inland towns was needed, and the first step towards a closer relation was the building of toll bridges over the large rivers, thus doing away with the slow, dan- gerous, and expensive system of ferries. Soon after came the demand for better roads. As the towns were not able to expend the large amounts of capital required to con- struct such roads, and as the cost was greater than any sin- gle individual cared to assume, a corporation for each en- terprise was created by legislative authority. Frequently the “ turnpikes ” proved themselves to be poor investments for capital, and to the promoters and to those who contrib- uted funds and labor, must be given credit for a great deal of courage, a large degree of public spirit, or a misplaced confidence in the soundness of their investments. Without doubt, however, some of the earlier turnpikes turned out to be paying investments, as they opened up a large part of the country not before in direct communication with the centres of trade. This probably accounts for the increase of road-building, for in less than ten years after the first turnpike was chartered (1796) forty-two companies were created and empowered to build roads in Massachusetts proper, or in Maine, then a part of the State. The con- struction of these roads and the ease of communication over them were such an improvement over the old “town ways,” that the people not only willingly paid toll to be allowed travelling privileges, but in a great many instances

(1)

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NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

gave assistance by grants of land and by requiring the Uni- ted States mail to be carried over them.

The first turnpike corporation in Massachusetts was chartered in 1796 and was formed for the purpose of build- ing a road from the town of Western, now Warren, to Palmer. The Act sets forth that no good highway existed and that the towns could not afford to build a proper road. The company was given the right to charge travellers, in exchange for performing a work which was apparently re- garded as a public necessity. On the State records, the first seventeen turnpikes are known only by numbers, first, second, third, etc. Afterwards they were given names in- dicating the localities through which they passed. The books of these corporations were at all times open to the inspection of the Governor and Council, and the Legisla- ture. The Legislature could dissolve any corporation, so formed, after twenty years, if it was shown that the in- come of the road had compensated the corporation for its expenditures together with twelve per cent interest. It is very doubtful if there was case where this power was ex- ercised. The usual width of the roads was four rods or sixty-six feet. It is interesting to note that the subject of wide tires, as road inprovers, was then considered, and tolls were only half as great for vehicles having tires six inches or more wide, while with tires three and one-half inches wide and carrying a load of forty-five hundred pounds a toll three times the regular sum was demanded.

In general, the phraseology of all the petitions for turn- pike roads was the same, namely, the great expense of keep- ing ordinary roads in good repair, and the relief it would be to taxation if those who wished better roads should themselves pay the cost of building and maintaining them. But when Micajah Sawyer, William Coombs, Nicholas Pike, Arnold Welles, William Bartlett, John Pettingill, William Smith, John Codman, and James Prince petitioned the “Great and General Court” for a turnpike road to be laid out between Newburyport and Chelsea Bridge, said company to be known as the Newburyport Turnpike Cor- poration, they based their claim upon an entirely different reason — “ the advantage of connecting our own town with

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the capital of the state by an “air line” — the shortest possi- ble route. As a matter of fact none of this road was laid out in Newburyport, but was built in the town of Newbury, but now a part of Newburyport. While the plans for its construction did not assume definite form until 1800, the subject of such a road was agitated some time before. March 8, 1803, Caleb Strong, then Governor of Massachu- setts, approved the charter of the corporation. This was the first road of its kind to be chartered in eastern Massa- chusetts. The Salem turnpike, chartered about the same time, was the first to be opened. The critics maintained that it was a much wiser plan, to build the road from New- buryport to Salem, thus connecting with the turnpike which was to be built from there to Boston. The proposed road was to start from the head of State street, in what is now Newburyport, and run in as nearly a straight line as possible, to Chelsea Bridge. We may all agree with the words of the corporation’s first president after being told of the proposed route, when he said, — “A herculean un- dertaking.” The engineer was instructed to point the telescope of his transit South 24° West, and to follow that course as directly as possible to Chelsea Bridge. As the road stands today, in the distance of thirty-two miles it deviates only eighty-three feet from a straight line, and most of this deviation is at the ledges in Saugus, near the Lynnfield woods, where a great deal of heavy blasting was necessitated, in order to get through at all. The cost of the road was nearly half a million dollars ; far greater than any public improvement in New England up to that time. It surely was a wonderful piece of work, — “ a monument,” says Caleb Cushing, “ of the enterprise and perseverance of its projectors.” Even at the time when this road was in process of construction, successful experiments were being made with locomotives. Possibly the builders of railroads, one hundred years from now, when they are su- perseded by airships, may be looked upon in much the same way that we now look upon the promotors of the old turn- pikes.

The stock of the corporation consisted of one thousand shares, more than half of which, or five hundred and ninety-

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NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

eight shares, was held in Boston. Newburyport men held two hundred and ten shares, James Prince having ninety- eight and Captain Israel Young, thirty shares while Nico- las Pike, William Bartlett, Jonathan Gage, and Micajah Sawyer held ten shares each. “ Lord ” Timothy Dexter, “ the Wonder of the East,” strange to say was not inter- ested in this enterprise. Perhaps his holdings in the Essex Merrimack Bridge, which was more than one-half of the original number of shares, satisfied his desires in this line of public improvement. One hundred and forty shares of the turnpike stock were held in Gloucester, nine in Danvers, seven in Cambridge, and five in York, Me. With the exception of Danvers, the citizens living in the towns through which the road was to pass took no stock in the road, either actually or metaphorically. The first meeting of the corporation was held in Boston, April 14, 1808, notification of the meeting appearing in the New England Palladium, a paper published in Boston, and also in the Newburyport Herald. On April 20, 1808, the di- rectors met and chose the following officers : — “ Judge ” William Tudor, of Boston, President; Gorham Parsons and James Prince, Vice Presidents, and Enoch Sawyer, Treas- urer, all of Newburyport. During the summer, the di- rectors, with their engineer, travelled on foot three times over the entire distance. “ Rocky heights, bogs, briars, thickets, and all the unpleasant obstacles of an unfre- quented tract of country, rendered these pedestrian jour- neys slow and fatiguing.” The survey required three week’s time, the expense being about two hundred and fifty dollars, including five dollars paid Michael Hodge for making a plan of the road. Theophilus Parsons was paid two hun- dred and fifty dollars for legal services, such as drafting the papers, looking after the legislators, and influencing the Justices of the Court. The settlement of the land damages was not an easy matter for those who derided the scheme were not averse to plundering its promoters. Very few there were, whose lands they were compelled to intersect, but expressed their vexatious submission to the law which they could not control, and all demanded a triple compensation for the land they were compelled to

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part with.” In seventeen cases the owners of the land re- fused to accept the price fixed by the commissioners and appealed to a jury who awarded them twenty per cent more.

Work on the turnpike was begun August 28, 1803, on High street in Newbury port. Messrs. Prince and Young, two Newbury port men, had charge of the building of the first eleven miles, reaching from the head of State street to Peabody’s mills in Topsfield. They received 118,850. for their part of the road. Capt. Jonathan Ingersoll had charge of the next nine miles to Malden, and Gorham Parsons su- perintended the construction of the bridge over the Parker river. The building of the roadbed was in general given to contractors, who, in many cases, hired men from each locality for the work in their vicinity and often times these men furnished their own wheelbarrow, cart, or pick and shovel, as the case might be. Peleg Slocum of Lynn, built three and one half miles of road from Peabody’s mills to Joseph Chaplin’s house in Rowley, for eight thousand dol- lars and a hogshead of rum. The grade was not to exceed one foot in twenty and the road was to be covered with gravel ten inches deep. For building another part of the road, Richard and Ebenezer Kimball, both of Lebanon, N. H., agreed to furnish sixty men, blacksmiths, five yoke of oxen, and ten horses. They were to work as many days on the road as the Directors thought necessary, until J uly 1, 1805. Each man was to receive one dollar a day and board, and half a pint of West India rum. The Company itself was to furnish “ two or three ox carts, and so many horse carts and wheelbarrows as are necessary.” Those men not working under contract received $1.25 per day, for ditching ; a laborer with pick and shovel received 5 or 6 shillings, and $1.57 was paid for a man, cart and oxen. Masons, carpenters and painters, employed in constructing the toll-houses, hotels and bridges, received an average of nine shillings per day. These days of course were reck- oned from “ sun to sun.”

At one place near the Newburyport end, the road was made twenty feet high and twenty-five rods long, far above the mud of the swamp through which the road

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NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

passed. The workmen at the close of the last day’s labor, on this part of the road, looked with a sigh of relief on the well finished roadbed, but to their surprise on the follow- ing morning when arriving at the scene of their previous day’s labor, a great embankment was not to be seen but an enormous hole thirty-six feet deep and twelve rods in length. The slippery mud of the meadow had allowed the heavy mass of gravel piled upon its surface to settle until its downward course was stopped either by the hardpan of clay or by the rocky crust of the earth. The accident however turned out better than was anticipated, for the big hole furnished an excellent depository for the vast amount of dirt and rocks removed from the neighboring hills which otherwise would have been difficult to dispose of, finally making an excellent and solid foundation for the road across the swamp. The construction of bridges over the rivers and brooks was an item of great expense in building the road. Sixty-two bridges were built by Prince and Young over the first dozen miles between High street in Newburyport and Peabody’s mills in Topsfield, and sixty-nine other bridges were necessary in the remaining distance. A large number of these so called bridges were nothing more than culverts, three or four feet wide, but several expensive bridges were built over the rivers which the road crossed. At Little river in Newbury, a bridge of timber thirty feet in length was required, built upon stone abutments ten feet high with wings of stone one hundred and thirty feet long and six feet high. Another expensive bridge was erected over the Parker river. The construction of this bridge entailed an expense of seven thousand dollars. The bridge over the Ipswich river, with a span of seventy feet, was built at a great cost, owing to the hill on the south and the long marsh on the north, and three hundred feet of abutments were constructed. The only entry in the Topsfield town records concerning the turnpike appears under date of Apr. 1, 1805 when it was voted, “To grant liberty to the Newburyport Turn- pike Corporation to erect a dry bridge across the road near Joseph Andrews, provided it is done to the reasonable satisfaction of the Selectmen and Sylvanus Wildes, Isaac

NEWBURVPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

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Averill and Joseph Andrews and all persons immediately concerned or the major part of them.”

Work on the turnpike began Aug. 23, 1803, and was continued until November of that year. Four miles of road had been built during this time. In the spring of 1804 it was deemed advisable to push the work ahead with rapidity and accordingly five hundred men with oxen and horses, were employed. The most expensive as well as the most difficult part of the road was from Peabody’s mills to Malden. This section of the road was under the direction of Capt. Jonathan Ingersoll, one of the Directors. In this section sixty-nine stone culverts, and six wooden bridges, from eight to seventy feet in span, were built. Nine hills were cut down varying depths from twelve to twenty-five feet, and many smaller hills from six to twelve feet. Eighteen causeways from four to twenty-five feet in height, and with a total length of two hundred and fifteen feet, were required to fill up the deep depressions on the road bed. For blasting the rocks and ledges used for culverts, bridge abutments, etc., three hundred pounds of gunpowder were used, while fifty casks were required for the same purpose on other parts of the road. To complete this sec- tion three hundred men, eighty yoke of oxen and twenty horses were employed for seven months, through the sum- mer and autumn of 1804. Accidents were frequent on this section of the road, two fatalities occurring on River hill in Topsfield. In the Salem Gazette under date of July 19, 1804, it is recorded that Jonathan Hoyt, aged twenty, of Concord, N. H. , was instantly killed by the falling of earth. Again under date of July 26, 1805, it is reported that “Francis Skerry, aged fifty, was killed by the falling of a large quantity of earth from the bank at Topsfield hill while at work upon the turnpike road.” The account goes on to say that “ Another man was much hurt at the same time so as to be obliged to have a leg amputated. One man was killed and two wounded, at the same place, and in the same manner last summer.” At the close of 1804 the road was completed to Malden and early in the next year the work was extended to a mass of rock in Malden, called in good reason, as the turnpike men thought, Tophet ledge.

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NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

While the charter of the Company called for a road to Chelsea Bridge, the damages seemingly were to be so ex- cessive that some other means of reaching Boston was sought. The first plan, which was strongly contested and at last rejected by the Legislature, was to construct a bridge across the Charles river to Barton’s point. Then another petition was presented whereby the Newburyport Turnpike Corporation were to join with the proprietors of the Middlesex Canal and build a bridge over the Charles river, the last named Company to use the bridge as a tow path. This also was refused. But February 2, 1805, an Act was passed allowing the corporation to build to J enkin’s Corner, so called, in Malden, from Malden Bridge, instead of to Chelsea Bridge.

Not only were men employed upon the roadbed, but a large number were employed in other work connected with the turnpike, which progressed rapidly as the roadbed was completed. Three toll houses were constructed, with large gates which swung across the way, as reminders to the traveller that he must help pay for the road. The first house was in Newbury, and is still standing. Another was erected in Topsfield, and a third one in Chelsea. February 2, 1805, by a special Act of the Legislature, the proprietors were given the right to collect toll on parts of the road already completed. According to the requirements of first charter they were not allowed to collect tolls until the road was finished, but as a part of the road then was being used they thought it their right to collect. In Lynnfield, fifty-three acres of land were purchased, and a large hotel constructed at a cost of $19,347.00. Ice houses, stables, a blacksmith shop, and other out-buildings necessary for an establishment of this nature were built in addition. The Company also furnished the hotel. The Topsfield Hotel was built at a cost of $22,296.00. The lot on which it was located contained four and one-half acres of land, and buildings similar to those at Lynnfield were built in connection with the hotel. Mention of some of the famous gatherings at this Topsfield Hotel may not be out of place. In 1808 a great Caucus was held to denounce the Embargo. In 1829, the County Convention

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which established Lyceums met there. The Essex Agri- cultural Society was organized there in 1818, as were the annual meetings of the Society for the years 1820, ’22, ’28, ’24, ’25, ’37 and ’38. The Essex County Natural History Society was formed there in 1834, and its parlors were frequently the scene of County Conventions and similar gatherings.

The turnpike having been completed to Malden, was opened for public travel on Febuary 11, 1805. At this time, the cost of the road, with its fences, bridges, three toll gates, tools, etc., was 8282,936.88. Another item of ex- pense was the cost of constructing a road from the hotel in Topsfield to the meeting-house, a further outlay of 81,878.00, and also 8560.00 expended for five acres of addi- tional land in Topsfield. The furniture for the hotel cost 8713.00, not an extravagant sum and the buildings were rented at the rate of 8400.00 per annum. The Leg- islature by a special grant, allowed the corporation to lay the road only three rods wide at Malden, thereby saving the expense of moving walls.

The first man to collect toll at the Newbury gate was Peter Flood. He was succeeded by James Merrill, and he in turn by a Mr. Page. Moses Pillsbury was the first man at Topsfield, and was followed by Leonard Cross and Moody Morse. At the Chelsea gate David Williams was the first man. He was succeeded by Daniel Collins and Cornelius Conway Felton. A half-gate, where only half -toll was taken, was erected at Ipswich where John Brown collected toll. Another half-gate was erected in Rowley, and still another at Trotter’s bridge in Newbury. Peter Flood was allowed 8240.00 a year and house rent and Moses Pillsbury was given the same. David Williams received 8200.00 a year, but was not allowed house rent. These toll collectors were each required to furnished bonds at one thousand dollars. After it was discovered that the road would not pay large dividends, the toll collector’s salaries were reduced to 8100.00 a year. The toll rates for each person passing over the turnpike were one and sixpence, or twenty-five cents, for a carriage with four wheels and drawn by four horses. Carts and wagons with

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NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

two horses paid half this amount, or nine pence. A one horse chaise paid ten cents ; a man on horseback five cents ; neat cattle, one cent and sheep and swine, three cents a dozen. According to the general turnpike laws no toll could be collected from a passenger on foot. At the time of the “ Irish famine,” a great many Irish immigrated to this country, and in order to save the charge of immigra- tion, which was so much a head, they shipped to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick ; crossed the line into Maine and then made their way to Newburyport. As the turn- pike was the direct way to Boston, parties of ten or twelve, men, women and children, passed over it, stopping at the farm houses along the way wherever night overtook them, in this way avoiding the entrance fee into the coun- try. No toll could be collected from anyone going to or from public worship within the limits of any town, nor from any person passing to his daily labor or upon the or- dinary business of family concerns, nor from a person passing on military duty. This law gave the people in any town the right to travel anywhere within the limits of the town free of charge. These privileges were surely very liberal when the amount of money expended in build- ing the road is considered. Without doubt both corpora- tion and public evaded the law. The town of Danvers, feeling aggrieved at the excessive tolls that were demand- ed, held a special town-meeting and appointed a commit- tee of three to wait upon the Directors of the road, with a complaint that the proceedings of the toll gatherer at the Danvers gate had been such that “ they had been injured in their rights, not even the minister being permitted to visit his people when they were sick without paying toll ; also others are required to pay toll while engaged in their common ordinary business or domestic affairs.”

There were three full gates between Newburyport and Malden, and the owner of a four-horse carriage, when travelling the entire distance, paid “ four and six” or seven- ty-five cents, and the one-horse chaise even with the deacon in it, paid “ two and three-pence ” or thirty-seven and one-half cents. Human nature was the same then as now, and the people of that day were not adverse to

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cheating the corporation whenever the chance presented itself. Owing to the thirty-eight public roads which the turnpike crossed, it was not very difficult to avoid toll and to stop this leak the half-gates were erected. The fine for evading a toll was from ten to fifty dollars. Occasionally a man was caught evading the law, but the case was usual- ly settled outside of court, as the culprit was generally u a respectable citizen,” in his own opinion at least. In 1808, “ a respectable citizen ” of Ipswich, passing on horseback, attempted to avoid toll in order to save the sum of five cents. Being detected he tried to pacify the toll collector by the offer of two dollars, but Peter Flood was not to be bribed, whereupon the offender wrote a pathetic appeal to the President of the corporation, in which, after offering many excuses, he begged for mercy. After some little difficulty he succeeded in getting off, no doubt at the last satisfied that it did not pay to be “ penny-wise and pound foolish. ”

Unfortunately, the happy day never came to the stock- holders of the turnpike, when the tenth section of their charter should endanger the reaping of the profits from the road. This section provided that when the company had received toll sufficient to cover the cost of the road together with twelve per cent interest, this road should be- come the property of the Commonwealth. However, it is said, that the Salem turnpike paid the principal in full. From a financial point of view the turnpike was doomed from the start. This was largely due to the excessive demands for land damages and also to the unexpected diffi- culties encountered which made the final cost far exceed the original estimate. The funds for constructing the road were obtained by twenty-six assessments upon the shareholders. The first assessment was made on April 20, 1803 and was §5,000.00. Those that followed were for §10,000.00 ; $15,000.00 ; and $20,000.00 ; the last one being levied in October 1806. The total amount raised by the assessments was $439,000.00. This sum paid for only twen- ty-eight miles of the road ; that part which was construct- ed in Malden cost about $35,000.00 in addition. Other ex- penses necessary for its completion brought the total cost

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NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

of the road well up to half a million dollars. The total amount of capital stock was one thousand shares, and each share represented an outlay of about five hundred dollars. In order to pay six per cent on this great cost, a gross income of more than thirty thousand dollars a year would have been required, while to pay the twelve per cent net profit, allowed by section ten of the charter, together with the first cost, would have demanded a steady stream of travel, day and night.

The hotel at Topsfield was twelve miles from Newbury- port and being a very convenient building was considered the best tavern on the “Eastern” roads. It was ex- pected that this hotel would be rented at eight hundred dollars per year. The Lynnfield hotel was only ten miles from Charles River bridge and being a roomy house and well situated it was expected to attract large numbers of people from Boston and Salem, more especially during the summer months. This hotel was to be rented at four hun- dred dollars a year. Neither of these hotels were a source of profit. The rent of each was reduced from time to time to a low figure and finally they were sold for a fraction of their cost.

The first toll was taken at the Newbury gate, now New- buryport, on Feb. 11, 1805. The amount taken at all the gates during the first twelve months was $2,485.00. The second year it was $8,150.00, and the gross amount re- ceived for toll from the time of the opening of the road until 1818, was $51,612.00. The care and maintenance of the road cost from two thousand to three thousand dol- lars each year, so that the net income for the first fifteen years was only about four hundred dollars a year. For six months in 1805, the toll taken at Newbury amounted to $2,909.00 ; at Topsfield it was $251.00 ; and at Chelsea, $420.00. For six months in 1819, the gate at Newbury paid $518.00 ; the Ipswich half-gate, $560.00 ; the Danvers half-gate, $820.00 ; and the Chelsea gate, $680.00. In 1829 the Newbury gate paid five dollars a week; the Row- ley gate, seven dollars and a half ; the Topsfield gate, five dollars ; and the Chelsea gate, three dollars and a quarter. In 1830, Ipswich half-gate paid $237.00 ; in 1840 it paid

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$131.00 ; and in 1841, only $86.00. With receipts coming in at this rate the prospects for the owners of the road were not exceptionally good. It is the general impression that dividends were never paid by the corporation, but this is erroneous. The first dividend was paid January 6, 1806, upon the earnings for nine months, and was at the rate of $2.25 per share, less than half of one per cetit. The second years’ dividend of $2.00 a share was declared July 17, 1806. The third dividend, of $2.70 a share, was declared January 5, 1807 and was the largest of any paid. In 1819 the nineteenth dividend was declared for the amount of $2.50 a share and in 1820 the twenty-second divi- dend of fifty cents a share was declared. In July, 1823, the hotels were sold and five dollars a share was returned to each shareholder. The Lynnfield hotel brought $2,550.00, and Cyrus Cummings of Topsfield paid $3,035.00 for the hotel in that town.* There were very few transfers of stock and they were mostly forced sales made necessary by the settlement of estates. In 1814, two shares sold for $63.00 each; in 1831, fifty shares brought $525.00, that is, $10.50 a share ; and in 1841, seven shares sold for fifty-seven cents a share.

The stage coaches which ran over the turnpike were not owned by the corporation and great difficulty would have been experienced in paying the running expenses had it not been for the tolls collected from “The Eastern Stage Company.” The old line of mail stages started by Ezra Lunt in 1774 was succeeded in 1794 by Jacob Hale’s four-horse coach, which was run until the Eastern Stage Company was incorporated in June, 1818. Starting from Newburyport the stage line followed the old post road which wound about from one post office to another, forty- three miles to Boston, and required eight hours to pass over its devious route. Later the time was shortened to six hours. The owners of the turnpike saw that the carry- ing of mail over their road would be an item of income so

*The Topsfield hotel was kept by Mr. Cummings for a number of years. In 1844 it was taken down and removed to the beach at Clifton, where it was rebuilt substantially as before. It was rented as a summer resort, and during the season a steamboat made regular trips to and from Boston, landing the passengers in boats. The venture was not a financial success and on January 1, 1846, the build- ing was totally destroyed by fire.

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in 1817, Nicholas Pike and others sent a petition to the Postmaster General, stating that the Newburyport Turn- pike Corporation had built a turnpike from Newburyport to Boston, at a cost of nearly half a million dollars, “ gen- erally supposed to be the best in the United States, by which they had shortened the distance between these towns about eight miles. By the present mail route six hours are required for the passage of mail, by the Turnpike it can be done in four,” said the petitioners. Another ap- peal to Congress was made in 1818, setting forth that the road was a great public convenience, but that the cost of building had been so large that the owners had suffered great loss from the investment and asking assistance from the general government. It was a great question, which for many years was a bone of contention between political parties, whether Congress had the right to spend any part of the revenue of the country upon “ internal improve- ments,” such is canals, roads, bridges, etc.. It was within the power of Congress to help, however, to the extent of ordering the United States mail to be carried over this turnpike, which was finally done. This was brought about by the organization of the Eastern Stage Company of which Dr. Nehemiah Cleveland of Topsfield was the first Presi- dent. The toll paid by the Company for the privilege of passing the Newbury gate was $865.00 a year, which gave the use of the road as far as Topsfield where the stage turned off at “ the half-way house ” in order to collect mail in other towns. As the business of the stage coach in- creased the toll paid for the use of the road also increased. In 1824 the Company paid $800.00 ; in 1830, the sum of $900.00; and in 1834, the charges were increased to $1000. a year. But this included the privilege to run all sta- ges, carriages, post chaises, and wagons, over the entire length of the road. The great ridges at Topsfield were very trying to the strength of weary horses, as well as dan- gerous to passengers. Accidents were not uncommon and some of the best stage drivers refused to drive coaches over the turnpike. Some of the best known drivers, over this route, were Ackerman, Barnabee and Forbes. The stage that carried “ the great eastern mail, ” at first turned off

NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

15

at the “ half-way house ” in Topsfield, thence going to Dan- vers and to Salem, but afterwards it followed the “air line ” to Boston. This coach ran light. In the ordinary coach there was always room for one more ; in the mail stage only four passengers were allowed to be carried. The fare from Boston to Newburyport was two dollars by the ordinary stage, but by the mail stage it was two dol- lars and fifty cents. The stage company carried the mail from Portsmouth to Boston and a passenger travelling between these points paid four dollars for his transpor- tation. Drivers of the old stage coaches, to be accom- modating, sometimes carried express parcels, but after some owners had tried to obtain damages from the Company for parcels which had been lost it was voted at a meeting of the Directors that “drivers are expressly prohibited from carrying any money or packages not accounted for to the company’s agent,” and at a later meeting it appeared that a “committee is considering the subject of drivers carrying provisions from sundry places to Boston for sale, contrary to a vote of the directors.” In April 1819 the following was recorded : “the company do not consider themselves accountable for the loss of any baggage, bun- dles or packages whatever, committed to the care of the drivers, or otherwise put into their stages.” The Eastern Stage Company was very prosperous and paid good divi- dends on its stock, which in 1884 was worth over two hundred per cent. In 1825 the company owned two hun- dred and eighty-seven horses, thirty-five coaches and twelve chaises. The stables and workshops were located in New- buryport and covered a large area. The Wolfe Tavern, at Newburyport, was purchased by the Company in 1828 and became the head quarters and starting point and also the home station of the coaches of the Company. The Eastern Stage Company flourished for about twenty years. After the advent of the railroad the coaches became few in number and at last, “ Major ” Samuel Shaw put on a coach with the fare at one dollar and fifty cents to Boston, and the stage company ran a coach in opposition with the fare at one dollar.

The necessity for the turnpike having passed away, be-

16

NEWBURYPORT AND BOSTON TURNPIKE.

fore long it seemed desirable that portions of it should be- come public highways and therefore in 1850 the County of Essex paid to Richard Stone, the last treasurer of the corporation, the sum of one thousand dollars and in 1851, twelve hundred dollars was also paid for a portion of the turnpike which was laid out as a county road. That part of the road extending from Rowley to Lynnlield, was ac- cepted as a County road on May 10, 1849. The tollhouses were sold prior to 1851 and probably no toll was taken after 1847.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

BY WALTER DAVIS, JR.

1 William Wild is first mentioned in connection with the New World on the passenger list of the ship “ Elizabeth,” of London, which sailed for New England in the spring of 1685. With him came Alice Wild, aged forty years, whose relationship to him is uncertain, and his brother, John Wild, aged seventeen. This list of passen- gers, which is among the records of the London Custom House, shows that he was thirty years of age in 1635, from which the year of his birth may be approximated as 1605. William Wild settled in Ipswich before 1638, when his name first appears on the records of the town in a grant of land to Henry Wilkinson, dated July 25, 1638.

“ Granted to Henry Wilkinson by the company of free- man 1635 three acres of planting ground on the south syde the Towne River. Also hee is possessed of three acres adjoyning unto the same, the which latter three acres hee bought of Robert Hayes, and was granted unto ye sayde Robert Hayes at the same tyme the whole six acres, having a planting lott of Robert Cross on the East, and a house lott of John Dayne’s on the West, also on the same syde a planting lott of William Wildes, buting upon the North end upon the river. Also three acres of planting ground lying upon Sogamore Hill, having Andrew Story’s lott on the Southeast, and Michaell Williamson’s lott on the Northeast.”

No record of grants of land to William Wild in Ipswich can be found, but from a deed made by his nieces in 1685, the following is learned concerning his Ipswich property. “ One dwelling house wch said William Decd out of with all buildings Edifices yr upon & Rights of Comons yr unto belonging ye said house lott being one acre more or les with all ye trees & fences appertaining & belonging also five acres or six acres or thereabout being more or less

(H)

18 THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

bounded by the land of Aaron Pengry So-west & Goodwife Quilters & Henry Osburnes also Bounded No-west by Moses Pengry land Northerly by Thomas Medcalfs land No : East by land in possession of Caleb Kimball which is Scituate in ye comon feild upon ye north side of Ipswich river.” (Essex Deeds, Vol. 15, leaf 119.)

In 1648, the town records of Rowley show that a house lot on “ Bradford streete,” was granted to William Wild, “ containing an Acree and an halfe bounded on the South side by Thomas Palmers house Lott : part of it lying on the West side and part of it on the East side of the streete.” In the same year he received grants of forty- eight acres of pasture land, marsh and upland in Rowley. He accumulated a large estate in Rowley as the following deeds show.

William Wild'' of Rowley, carpenter, sold to James Barker, tailor, “ five acres of land ... in Bradford streete lotts . . . bounded by ye land of William Jackson toward the north and the land of Thomas Palmer toward the South having the highwaye on the east & the common on the west.” April 16, 1652. (Ipswich Deeds, Vol. 1, p. 126.)

William Wild of Ipswich, sold to George Hadley of Rowley, all the “ accomodations granted unto him by the towne of Rowley at Merrimack river nere Haverill, viz : all his house and barne & fifteen acres of land about it, lying & being by Merrimack river, having the land of Robert Hazeltine toward the east & the town pasture toward the west : alsoe twenty eight acres, be it more or less, lying at the end of the aforesaid land . . . alsoe two hundred acres, be it more or less, having the land of Robert Hasseltine toward the east, Rowley comon toward the west & the land last mentioned toward the north & Rowley comon toward the south.” Dec. 17, 1655. (Ipswich Deeds, Vol. 1, p. 182.)

William Wild of Ipswich, sold to Robert Andrews “ a parcell of land being part of the village land of Rowley conteining seaventy acres ... as it lyeth bounded by other land of the Said Robert Andrews wch he purchased of John Lambert toward the southeast & Southwest, the land of Abel Langley toward the norwest shooteing down to

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY. 19

Pye brook toward the northeast.” July 26, 1661. (Ip- swich Deeds, Vol. 2, p. 49.)

William Wild of Ipswich, sold to William Boynton of Rowley “all my land lying upon Merrimack river, with the privilidges thereof as it lyeth bounded, the vilage land eastward, the land of Thomas Palmer southward, Merri- mack river westward and the land of William Jackson northward.” Oct. 26,1661. (Ipswich Deeds, Vol. 2, p. 90.)

William Wyld of Rowley was made a freeman, January 31, 1646.

The above records show that Wild returned to Ipswich about 1655, where he practiced his trade of carpentering. It is recorded in January, 1656, that the selectmen de- termined to build a wharf for the use of the town, and “ for the oversight and caring on of the cappenters worke. have named and apoynted Henry Pindar and William Wild.” William Wyld was also appointed a fence viewer in 1658. He died in Ipswich between May 6 and Sept. 80, 1662, leaving his estate to his widow Elizabeth. Al, though he was not among the wealthiest men in the colony, he had a large estate for the times. His will and inventory- both on file in Salem, follow :

“ I william wild of Ipswich in the county of Effex in New England being at prefent Sicke and weake of body but through Gods mercye Inioyeing my vnderstanding and memory doe make & ordaine this my last will and Testa- ment first I giue my soule into the hands of Jefus christ my Redeemer my Body to be defently buried And for my outward estate which the Lord hath beene pleafed to giue I difpofe of as followeth After my debts & funerall ex- pences are difcharged I doe giue and bequeath vnto my beloued wife Elizabeth wild my dwelling houfe and all my land for the toorme of her natural Life and after her de- ceafe I giue all my fayd houfe and Land I doe giue vnto John wild the sonn of John wild of Topffield my Kinfman Item I doe giue and bequeath vnto my Kinfman John wild Senior of Topffield tenn pounds wch he the sayd John wild hath in his hands of myne & doe order the bond I haue of him for it to be rendered up vnto him after my deceafe Item I doe giue vnto Robert Ames the sum of five pounds

20 THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

to be payd by my executrix within one yeare after my death Alfoe I giue vnto marke Warner the Summ of five pound Alfoe I giue vnto Hanah Lampfon the summ of ten pounds to be payd by my executrix as my Overffeers shall apoynt and the rest of my estate I leave vnto my beloued wife Elizabeth wild whom I make sole executrix of this my last will and testament And I doe defire my Loueing friends Theophilus willfon william white & Robert Lord senior to be my overfeers to fee that this my last will be pformed according to the true intent & meaneing there- of And it is my will and mynd that If my Kinfman John wild Junior depart this life before he come to age or before the fayd houfe & Land comes into his poffefion that then it be devided among the children of John wild senior vnleff the Sayd John leaue heires then to be vnto them In wittnes that this is my last will & testament I haue heervnto fett my hand the Sixt day of may in the yeare one thoufand Six hundred sixty two 1662 william wild did subfcribe this & declare

it to be his last will William Wild

in the prefence of vs

Theophilus wilfon

William White

Robert Lord

qpved in court held at Ipfwich the 30th of September 1662 by the oath of Theophilus willfon & Robert Lord to be the last will and testament of william wilde to the beft of there knowledge

p me Robert Lord cleric

An Inventory of the estate of william wyld of Ipfwich lately deceafed taken the 26 of June 1662 Imprimus the dwelling houfe orchyard

ground about it & 6 acre planting lott 46 - 0-0

Itt a mare and three colts 31 - 0-0

It. two cowes & 2 yearlings 11 - 0-0

It. three oxen 18 - 0-0

It. 6’hoggs & 3 piggs 04-10-0

It. in the hall 2 little tables 0 - 6-0

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

21

It. 3 chaires 2 formes & a stoole 0 - 7-6

It. a Cubberd 2 chests & a box 1 - 4-0

It a kneading trough one tub two keelirs

5 trayes 2 beere veffels & pails 0-12-0

It one poudering [torn] & od wooden things 0 - 6-0

It. In earthern ware 0 - 5-0

It. one chamber pott & other pewter 0-13-0

It. a. braf kettell skillett & warming pan 1 - 4-0

It. 2 Iron potts & other Iron things 1 - 4-0

It. 6 old axes 3 old fickles 3 wedges one

broad how 2 beetell rings & a hammer 1 - 2-0

It. In weareing apparrell one cloake

Jackett Breeches & hatt 6-14-4

It. a fearge sute 1-10-0

It a cloth coat & fute & other old apparell 1-10-0

It 2 paire of shoes & 4 paire of stockens 1-00-0

It one yard & halfe of woollen cloath 0 - 4-6

It 7 yards of cotton & wooleing cloaths 1 - 1-0

It a payr of sheets & table cloaths [torn] 5 - 0-0

It half a dozen of Napkins 0 - 9-0

It 7 shirts 1-15-0

It three cuf hons 0 - 5-0

It one bedsted 1 - 0-0

It. for curtaines & valance 1-15-0

It. a fether bed boulster & three pillows 4-10-0

It. a blankett coverlet & Rug 3 - 0-0

It. one bedsted strawbed flock boul- ster blankett & coverlett 1-15-0

It. in drest hempe 0-10-0

It. barke tubs 0-05-0

It. in sheepe woole 0 - 5-0

It. coslett pike and sword 1 - 4-0

It. a tub with 4 bushells of wheate 1 - 1-0

It. one ewe lamb -10-0

It. fowling peece 0-18-0

It. a crofe cut Saw 0-05-0

It. by debts owing to the estate 71-10-6

Summa Tottalis 225 - 14 - 6 debt oweing from the estate about 5-00-0

Theophilus wilfon Robert Lord Jnior

22

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

Alice Wild, whose name was on the passenger list of the Elizabeth, is not mentioned on New England records, so far as yet discovered. It seems probable, however, that she may have been the first wife of William and that she died soon after their arrival. Elizabeth Wild is first mentioned as the wife of William Wild, in 1652, when she consents to a transfer of land (Ipswich Deeds, Vol. 1, p. 126.) After her husband’s death in 1662, she married Richard Moore of Lynn, on November 6, 1662. Her agreement with Moore concerning her estate is recorded in Ipswich Deeds, Vol. 2, leaf 224, as follows : —

“ Know all men by these presents that there being a marriage intended between Richard Moore of Lynn and Elizabeth Wild of Ipswich . . . the said Richard Moore shall have the estate of the said Elizabeth to make use of and improve during the time that it shall please the Lord they continue to gether but the said Elizabeth still shall have power (of what estate she brings) to dispose of as she shall think best at the time of her death : and in case the sayd Richard Moore depart this life before the sayd Elizabeth, that then the sayd Richard Moore doth by these presents engage himself to give unto her the said Elizabeth the summ of forty pounds (besides her own estate she brings to him).” October 30, 1662.

The will of her second husband, Richard Moore, mentions his widow, their contract before marriage, and his three sons, Thomas, John, and Samuel Moore. This will was made November 29, 1688, and probated September 24, 1689. The date of her death is unknown.

2 John Wild was born in England in 1618 and settled with his brother at Ipswich. In 1637 the new settlers were plunged into war with the Pequot Indians and John Wild was among the men of Ipswich who served, receiving 3s. for this service in 1639. His name was also in the list of soldiers to whom it was “ agreed that each soldier for their service to the Indians shall be allowed 12s. a day.” December 4, 1643. The date of his removal to New Meadows or Topsfield, as it became in 1648, is unknown, but it probably occurred about 1645 at

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

23

the time of his marriage to Priscilla, daughter of Zaccheus Gould, one of the earliest settlers and most prominent men of the town.

The first record found after his settlement in Topsfield is a deed of sale, dated July 15, 1654, from John Wilds, carpenter, to Robert Andrews, for twenty acres of upland “ Lying between ye upland of John Willds towards the South West & Daniel Clark toward ye North & northeast Abutting upon a Comon Way towards the Southeast & ground of ye sd Daniel Clarks toward ye north West.” On July 5, 1660 he purchased of Richard Swaine of Hampton one hundred acres of upland “bounded with the comon land in Topsfield toward ye northwest, land of the said John Wild toward the northeast, land of Thomas Perkins & Robert Andrews towards the Southwest, and land of John Readdington towards the Southeast.” Be- tween 1663 and 1686 he sold ninety-four acres of land in Topsfield at various times to William Acie of Rowley, John French, Thomas Perkins, William Perkins, and Robert Andrews of Topsfield.

The town records of Topsfield contain the following items relating to John Wild: —

John Wiles shared in the common land in 1661.

Minister’s rate, 1664, John Wiles, 01-12-10.

County rate, 1668, John Wilds, 13-3-0.

“ John Wiles and danil borman are Chosen to vew fences this yeare insuing.” March, 1677/8.

John Wiles took the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity in 1677 and 1678.

He served on committees to lay out land or to run bounds, eleven times between 1663 and 1686.

“John willes is Chosen Juriman of trials for this naxt Court to be at Ipswich.” March 2, 1679/80.

“John willes and John how a [re] Chosen to looke that men Ring thare swine acording to towne order.” May 10, 1680.

He was a member of a committee to confer with Mr. Danforth “for his Continuing with vs at topcfeeld^ m the worke of the minestri ” in 1680.

“ Lliut pebody Deckon perkins Sargt Redington James

24 THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

How senr Mr. Tho : Baker John Gould Sargt peobody Samuell Busell senr John Wilds John How Iacke estey Clarke are Chosen a Commity to discorse with Mr. Capen to stay and preach here with vs at Topsfeild a while.” July 29, 1681.

His rating was eighteenth in the minister’s rate in 1681, with one hundred and five men taxed.

“ The Towne has Lefte it to ye selectmen adding Will : Auerey & Isacke Estey & John Wilds to ye selectmen for ye seateing of pepall in our meeting house.” Nov. 21, 1682.

“ John Wilds is chosen a tieingman and his presinkes is from Samuel Howlett & all ye ffaimelies there about by Deckon perkins & all about Daniell Clarke.” March 18, 1682/3.

“ John Wilds & Elisha perkins are Chosen seueruoyes for hie Wayes & ffences for this yeare ” March 6, 1682.

In 1684 John Wilds and his wife were members in full communion of the Topsfield Church. Priscilla (Gould) Wilds had died in 1662 and he had married Sarah Averill, November 23, 1663.

During the long dispute which the colonies had with the government of Charles II. concerning the validity of their charter, the town of Topsfield took action as fol- lows: — “Wee doe hereby declare yt wee are Ytterly Vnwilling to yeeld ether to a Resignation of the Charter or to anything yt shall be equeualent there Vnto Whereby ye foundation there of should be raced. Wee Whoes Names are Vnder Wrighteen doe hereby declare that Wee are desierous yt all humbell applecation be made to his Maiesty yt Wee may still inioy or priuiliges acording to charter

John How William perkins John Robinson John Wilds John Townes ”

It is difficult to reconcile John Wild’s sentiments as expressed in this record to the fact that he was one of the chief witnesses against his brother-in-law, Lieut. John Gould, who was charged with treason on August 5, 1686,

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

25

for expressing the same sentiments in a more forcible and indiscrete manner. It would seem that the relations be- tween the Wild and Gould families became strained after the death of Priscilla (Gould) Wild, and John Wild’s second marriage. The fact that John Wild, Jr.’s will was made in 1676, in order “that my father may com to no trobell by any claims of my onkel gould,” is further evi- dence toward this conclusion. The part which the family of Wild’s first wife played in the trial of his second wife for witchcraft, in 1692, will be shown later.

When the terrible Witchcraft delusion swept over Es- sex county, the Wild family were among the greatest suf- ferers. The wife, two daughters, and a son-in-law of John Wild, were all imprisoned, but all escaped except his wife, Sarah Wild, who was convicted and executed.

On April 9, 1690, John Wilds, carpenter, transferred to his son Ephraim Wilds “in Conlideration of ye Natural afection I beare to my Son ” and “in Conlidera- tion of Seuen yeares Seruice that I had of him when he might have been for himselfe ... all my housing lands & meadows together with all my stork of Cattol Sheep Swine Carts ploughs houfehold Stuffe of all Sorts & kinds whatsoever.” The farm was bounded as follows : “ vfith lands of John ffranches on ye west and lands of Mr. Wil- liam Perkins towards ye South & with lands formerly J ohn Reddingtons towards ye east and with lands formerly Robert Andrews and Mr. Baker towards ye north.” The old Wildes homestead, which remained standing until 1835, was situated in what is now a pear orchard at the forks of the road coming from Mile Brook bridge. On June 26, 1693, John Wild married for his third wife, Mary Jacobs of Salem. During the latter years of his life he is referred to in the town records as “ old father Wildes.” He died in Topsfield, May 14, 1705, at the age of eighty-five years.

Priscilla Gould, daughter of Zaccheus and Phoebe (Dea- con) Gould, the first wife of John Wild, was probably born during her father’s residence at Great Missenden, England, about 1625, but it cannot be stated with certain- ty as the records of Great Missenden have been destroyed

26 THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

by fire. Zacclieus Gould, whose ancestry has been traced through many generations of English yeomen, came to New England with his family about 1639. He lived at Weymouth and Lynn and finally settled at Topsfield in 1644 where he became one of the most prominent men and the greatest land-owner in the locality leaving an estate of three thousand acres at the time of his death. Priscilla (Gould) Wild died in Topsfield, April 16, 1663. Her share in the estate of her father was paid to her children by her brother Lieut. John Gould.

Sarah Averill was probably the daughter of William Averill who was an inhabitant of Ipswich as early as 1639. It is certain that she was a sister of William Averill of Topsfield. She married John Wild, November 23, 1663. The marriage of John Wild and Sarah Averill within a year of the death of Priscilla (Gould) Wild, seems to have caused trouble between Wild and two relatives of his first wife, Lieut. John Gould, her brother, and Mary, wife of J ohn Reddington, her sister, who lived on an adjoining farm. The first intimation of this state of affairs, appears in the statement John Wild, Jr., made in his will, regarding his Gould inheritance, in order that his father might not be troubled by any claims of his uncle Gould. In 1686 the breach was widened by the testimony of John Wild against John Gould on the charge of treason. Shortly after this episode, Mary Red- dington began to spread witchcraft stories about Sarah Wild through the town and it is to her authority that most of the evidence against Sarah Wild may be traced. When John Wild threatened to sue her husband for slan- er, she denied her previous statements, but evil had already been wrought. Now the Goulds were related to the Put- nam family of Salem Village, in whose home the delusion originated and who were the chief accusers in the trials to come and it is probable that the accusations brought against Sarah Wild by their Topsfield connections, were brought to the willing ears of the afflicted girls of the Putnam family and proved the immediate cause of her arrest. On April 21, 1692, the following warrant was issued, casting terrible affliction upon several Topsfield homes,

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY. 27

none more so than that of John Wild, for the warrant named not only his wife but his daughter and son-in-law, Edward and Sarah Bishop of Salem Village.

“ Salem Aprill the 21th 1692.

“ There being Complaint this day made (before vs) by Thomas Putnam and John Buxton of Salem Village Yeo- men, in behalfe of theire Majests, for themselves and also for severall of theire neighbours Against William Hobs husbandman Deliv® his wife, Nehemiah Abot junior weav- er, Mary Easty, the wife of Isaac Easty and Sarah Wilds the wife of John Wilds, all of the Towne of Topsfield or Ipswitch and Edward Bishop husbandman and Sarah his wife of Salem Village and Mary Black A negro of Leut. Nath Putnams of Salem Village also. And Mary English the wife of Philip English Merchant in Salem for high Suspition of Sundry acts of witchcraft donne or Committed by them Lately vpon the Bodys of Anna putnam and Marcy Lewis belonging to the famyly of ye abouesd Thomas Putnam complain1 and Mary Walcot ye daughter of Capt Jonath11 Walcot of sd Salem Village and others, whereby great hurt and dammage hath beene donne to ye bodys of said persons abouenamed therefore craued Justice.

“ You are therefore in theire Majestis names here by Corn- required [sic] to Apprehend and bring before vs William

Hobs husbandman and his wife Nehemian Abot Junr

weaver Mary Easty and all the rest abouenamed tomorrow aboute ten of the clocke in the forenoon at the house of Lieut Nath11 Ingersalls in Salem Village in order to theire examination Relaiting to the premises abouesayd and here of you are not to faile.

Dated Salem Aprill 21th 1692 John Hathorne Jonathan Corwin

Assists.

“ To George Herrick Marshall of Essex : and or all of ye Constables in Salem or Topsfield or any other Towne.”

On the next morning marshal Herrick arrived at the Wild home in Topsfield. By the irony of fate, Ephraim Wild, the only son of John and Sarah, was the constable of

28 THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

Topsfield that year, and the marshal brought the warrant to him. What a tragedy is laid bare in these old and musty records — the young man finding his mother’s name upon the warrant, witnessing her arrest and sad departure from her home and family, never to return and then slow- ly turning to his duty — the arrest of the remaining victims. His first petition for the release of his mother gives some details of the scene at the house of William Hobbs : — “ the woman did show a ueriey bad spirit when I sezed : on might almost se revenge in har face she looked so malish- osly on mee.” At her examination, which apparently occurred before that of Sarah Wild, Deliverance Hobbs confessed herself a witch, and “ to be revenged of mee ” as Ephraim Wild says, accused his mother of tormenting her. She declared that the shape of Mrs. Wild tore her nearly to pieces, and passed her the Devil’s book to sign, bribing her with promises of new clothes. The account of the examination of Sarah Wild is still preserved :

The examination of Sarah Wilds at a Court held at Salem village 1692. by the wop=John Hathorn &

Jonathan Corwin

The Suffers were seized with sou [fits as soon as] the accused came into the Court

Hath this woman hurt you

Oh she is vpon the beam

Goody Bibber that never saw her before says she saw her now vppon the beam & then said Bibber fell into a fit

What say you to this are you guilty or not ?

I am not guilty. Sir.

Is this ye woman ? speaking to the afflicted.

They all or most said yes, and then fell into fits.

What do you say are you guilty

I thank God, I am free.

Here is clear evidence that you have been not only a Tormenter but that you have caused done (some) to signe the book the night before last. What you say to this?

I never saw the book in my life and I never saw these persons before.

Some of the afflicted fell into fits.

Do you deny this thing that is ?

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

29

All fell into fits and confirmed that the accused hurt them.

Did you never consent that these should be hurt ?

Never in my life

She was charged by some with hurting John Herrick’s mother.

The accused denied it.

Capt. How gave in a relation and conformation of the charge made.

She was ordered to be taken away and they all cryed out that she was on the beam and fell into fits.

The evidence of the witnesses that appeared against her has been lost, but from other papers the names of some of them may fee learned. “John Herrick’s mother,” men- tioned in the examination, was probably Mary Reddington, whose daughter Mary had married John Herrick. This same Mary Reddington, whose hatred seems to have been insatiable, was responsible for the testimony of the wife of Samuel Simonds of Topsfield, with whose daughter Eph- raim Wild had made a marriage engagement which had been broken when the girl’s mother believed the gossip circulated by Mary Redington. “And now she will re- ward me ” the heart-broken son says in a petition. The only other witness, of whom there is any record, is the little daughter of Martha Carrier, one of the accused. She tells the story of a witches’ meeting, held at night in Mr. Parris’s field, at which Sarah Wild and many others were present, pledging the Devil in wine cups filled with blood, a story which received full credit from the most learned and serious men of the time.

Mrs. Wild was taken to Boston gaol on May 13. In the interval of over two months which elapsed before her execution, her husband and soil did everything in their power to prove the evidence against her false and save her from death. Three of their petitions are preserved and are as follows:

“ John Wiells testifieth that he did hear y4 Mary the wife of J no Reddington did raise a report yt my wife had bewitched her and I went to ye saide Jno Reddington and told him I would arest him for his wife : defaming of my

30

THE WILDES FAMILF OF ESSEX COUNTY.

wife but ye said Reddington desired me not to do it for it would but waste his estate and y* his wife would a done wth it in tyme and yt he knew nothing she had against mye wife — after this I got my brother Averill to goe to ye said Sarah Reddington and my sd Bror told me y1 he told ye said Sarah Reddington y* if she had anything agst my wife y* he would be a means and would help her to bring my wife out: and y* ye said Sarah Reddington replyed yt she new no harm mye wife had done her.

“The testimony of Ephraim Willdes aged about 27 or therabouts testifieth and saith that about fouer yers agoe there was som likly hode of my hauing one of Goody Si- monds dafter and as the maid towld me hur mother and father were ueriey willing I should haue her but after some time I had a hint that Goodeey Simonds had former- ly said she beleud my mother had done her wrong and I went to hare and toch Marke how that is now dead who dyed at the Eastward: along with me and before both of us she denied that euer she had eneey grounds to think any halme of my mother only from what Goodiey Reding- ton had saide and afterwards I left the house and went no more and euer since she (has) bene ueriey angriey with me and now she will reward mee.

Ephraim Willdes”

“ This may inform this Honered Court That I Ephraim Wildes being constabell for topsfield this yere and the Marshall of Sallem coming to fetch away my mother he then showed me a warrant from authority directed to the constabel of topsfelld wherein was William Hobbs and De- liverence his wife with many others and the Marshall did then require me forthwith to gow and aprehend the bodyes of William hobs and his wife which acordingly I did and I have had sereous thoughts many times sence whether my sezing of them might not be some case of here thus a cusing my mother thereby in some mesure to be revenged of me the woman did show a ueriey bad spirit when I sezed : on might allmost se revenge in har face she looked so malishosly on me as fore my mother I neuer saw any harm by har upon aniey such acout neither in word nor action as she is now acused for she hath awlwais in-

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY. 31

structed me well in the Christian religon and the wais of God euer since I was abell to take instructions and so I leve at all to this honored Cort to consider of it

Ephraim Willdes”

All the efforts of the family were in vain, however, and Sarah Wild was executed on July 19, with Sarah Good, Rebecca Nourse, Elizabeth How and Susannah Martin. Edward and Sarah Bishop managed to make their escape from prison, and Phoebe (Wild) Day, the other daugh- ter of John Wild, who was imprisoned on the same charge at Ipswich, was apparently never tried.

On June 26, 1693, John Wild married Mary Jacobs of Salem. No further record of her can be found. George Jacobs who also was executed as a wizard, left a widow, Mary Jacobs, who possibly may have been the one who married John Wild.

Children by first wife : —

3. John.

4. Jonathan.

5. Sarah.

6. Elizabeth.

7. Phoebe.

8. Priscilla, b. April 6, 1658.

9. Martha, b. May 13, 1660.

10. Nathan, b. Dec. 14, 1602; d. March 17, 1662-3.

Child by second wife:

11. Ephraim, b. 12th month, 1665.

3 John Wild is first mentioned in the will of his uncle, William Wild of Ipswich, of whom he was the prin- cipal heir. He was probably born about 1643, as his father was first called John Wild, Sr. in 1664. He sold his in- herited estate in Ipswich to John Harris, locksmith, de- scribing it as follows — dwelling house, orchard, and home lot in Ipswich bounded on the south-west by the common highway on the north side of the river on the street com- monly called Long Street; on the south-east by the high- way that goes into the north field ; on the north-east by the land of Thomas Lovell ; and on the north-west by the

32 THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

land, of John Edwards. (Ipswich Deeds, Vol. 3, p. 306). John Wild served in King Philip’s War, and was under Capt. Poole, June 24, 1676, when 9 pounds, 5s. 8d. was due to him. On August 24, of the same year, 6 pounds, 11s. 6d. was paid to “ John Wilde ” of Topsfield. He died between June and September, 1677, unmarried. His will follows : —

This may satisfy whome it may conserne : that I John Wiles J uner have resaiued of my ffather that Land which he promised to my brother Johnnathan : and was ingaged to him and to mysalfe by our Grandfather Gould or fifty pounds to be paied and then my father Receiued his land againe and I doe herby declar that my ffather hath Satisfied and paied me both wliat was promised or ingaged to my Brother Johnathan and to my salfe to my full satisfaction and the intant of this is that my father may com, to no trobell by any claims of my onkel gould : the fifty pounds that was ingaged to me and my brother Johnnathan is paied to me by my father to my full contant in part of that land whilh formerly was good man dormans And now I being prast to go to the war being desierous to satell things before I goo: not knowing how god may daell with me in respact of Retarning againe : If I doe not

Return againe : than I doe dispose of what god hath given me as f oloweth : I have five sistors and one Brother Sarah : Elizabeth : Phabe : Pracelah : Martha : and Ephrem and my will is that my land at Hauerill and at topsffeld and my mouabells be aqualy deuided amongst all the aboue named sistors and brother : and lat the lands be prised and thos that haue yr lands Shall paye to the other that which is there proporshon : and I doe herby apint my Honrad : ffather and louing onkell John Radington to be admeni- trators of this eftate : and to paye all my debts out of the eftate before it be deuided : and this my last will and

teftement in wetnas whar of I have sat too my hand this too and twantieth day of October one thousan six hundred Savanty and six : ye 22 : of October 1676 : wetnasis John How: marah how

John Wild Juner :

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

33

This is to declare that I John Wild of topffeald do pur- pos and intend that my formor will writen in October : be- fore my going to the Eaftward f hall ftand good : prouided it be the will of god I retur[n] not again writen the: 22. of June 77. witn||e||ff our hands John Wild

John Herrick her

Sarah bilhop mark

In court held at Ipfwich the 25 of Sept : 1677 this will pro ued by the oaths of John How and marah How to be the last will of J ohn wild to the best of their knowledge

as attest Robert Lord cler.

This is A trew Inuentory of the goods and Eftate of John wilde : Junier : deceafed It. a percell of upland and medow which hee does by writing under his hand acknowl- edged to haue Receiued of his father in lieu of fifty pounds

It a peece of Indian : || corn || on the ground prifed at fix bufhells It four fheep at thirty shillings It three ould woollin garments at fourteen shillings It a farge weftcote and fom ould linin att four fhill It an Iron pott feuen f hilling It an ould faddle three f hillings It three faw's at fixteen Shillings It two ould axes fiue shillings It two Iron wedges three f hillings It two chizills one f hilling fix pance It one augre one f hilling fix pance It a pair of beetle Rings one fhilling six pane It fom Sheep wooll not appearing how much Refts onprised It debts due to him one pound one fhilling eight pance

50	- 00	i o o
00 ■	- 18 ■	- 00
01	- 10	- 00
00 ■	- 14 -	- 00
00 -	■ 04 -	- 00
00 .	- 07 ■	- 00
00 -	■ 03 -	- 00
00 ■	- 16 -	■ 00
00 -	- 05 -	- 00
00 -	■ 03 -	■ 00
00 -	■ 01 -	. 06
00 -	■ 01 -	■ 06
00 ■	- 01 -	•06
01 .	- 01 -	- 08

34

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

It the debts he oweth : the creditors not hauing giuen in their accounts : Remain uncertn in the purticulars of goods aboue mentioned shall waue aprised foe done by us whofe names are under written this 27th of September 1677

Thomas Perkins William Auerall

This Inventory deliuered in court held at Ipfwich the

25 Sept. as A true Inventory of John wildes jun his

estate as atteft Robert Lord cleric

4 Jonathan Wild was a soldier in King Philip’s War, as is proved by the fact that his nephew, John Wildes, claimed a share in Narragansett No. 3, a township granted to soldiers in King Philip’s War, in 1728, in the right of Johnathan Wild. His inventory was presented and admin- istration granted to his father 30 : 4 mo. 1676, the year of the war, so it seems probable that he died in the service.

“ Jonathan Wild : An Invintory of Jonathan Wilds estate

“ A mare & old sadle : 2 : a fmale gun : 15s 3 : Saws : 18s : a Book 5s : a broad ax : 5s : a square 2s : 6 d : a mortis Auger : 2s : old iron 12d : an old axe 2s : an inch auger There is a ... of land aboat 15 acres which was to be Jonathans after his fathers deceafe this to be confidered whether to be in the inventory or not

“ These things were apprifed by us : which are aboue men- tioned Saueing only the land : dated 28 : June : 1676

John How Wm Averell ”

5 Sarah Wild married Edward Bishop of Salem and Beverly. In 1681 they were residents of Topsfield as it appears that “ Edman bishup ” was taxed in the minister’s rate for that year. On May 25, 1690, Sarah Bishop was received into Salem Village church from Topsfield. In 1692 Edward Bishop and his wife were accused of witch- craft and a warrant was issued for their arrest on April

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

35

22. They were confined in Salem goal and examined but no records of their examinations remain. They were taken to Boston goal on May 13 of the same year from whence they were able to make their escape before October T. During their imprisonment much of their estate was con- fiscated leaving their large family practically homeless. After their escape they moved to Rehobo th. Sarah

Bishop was dismissed from the church at Salem Village to the Rehoboth church on August 31, 1705. She was still living in 1711.

Edward Bishop, son of Edward and Hannah Bishop of Beverly, was bapt. Feb. 23, 1648. He was in Capt. Poole’s Company in King Philip’s War. His father deeded to him his homestead on condition that he should care for his parents. The circumstances of his arrest for witchcraft are best understood by the following extracts from Calef’s “ More Wonders of the Invisible World.”

“ The occasion of Bishop’s being cried out of, was, he being at an examination in Salem, when at the inn an afflicted Indian was very unruly, whom he undertook, and so managed him that he was very orderly ; after which in riding home, in company of him and other accusers, the Indian fell into a fit, and clapping hold with his teeth on the back of the man that rode before him, thereby held himself upon the horse ; but said Bishop striking him with his stick, the Indian soon recovered, and promised that he would do so no more : to which Bishop replied, that he doubted not but that he could cure them all, with more to the same effect. Immediately after he was parted from them he was cried out of, etc.”

“ Edward Bishop and his wife having made their escape out of prison, this day Mr. Corwin, the sheriff came and seized his goods and chattels, and had it not been for his second son (who borrowed ten pound and gave it him) they had been wholly lost.”

“Received, this 7th day of October, 1692, of Samuel Bishop, of the town of Salem, of the county of Essex in New-England, cordwainer, in full satisfaction, a valuable sum of money, for the goods and chatties of Edward Bish- op, senior, of the town and county aforesaid, husbandman ;

36

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

which goods and chatties being seized, for that the said Edward Bishop, and Sarah his wife, having been committed for witchcraft and felony, have made their escape ; and their goods and chatties were forfeited unto their majesties, and now being in the possession of the said Samuel Bishop ; and in behalf of their majesties, I do hereby discharge the said goods and chatties, the day and year above written, as witness my hand,

George Corwin, Sheriff.”

“ Edward Bishop Aged Aboute 44 yeares, Sarah Bishop Aged About 41 yeares, And Mary Eastey Aged About 56 yeares, all Testifie and say that Aboute three weekes Agoe, to say, when wee was in Salem Goale then and there we heard Mary Warrin seuerall times say that the Magistrates might as well examine Keysar’s Daughter that had Bin Distracted Many Yeares. And Take noatice of what shee said : as well as any of the Afflicted prsons, for said Mary Warrin when I was Afflicted I thought I saw the Apparis- sions of a hundred persons : for shee said hir Head was Distempered and that shee could not tell what shee said. And the said Mary Tould us that when shee was well againe she could not say that shee saw any of the Apparis- sions at the time aforesaid

Edward Bishop, Sarah Bishop, & Mary Eastey.”

At the arrest of Edward Bishop, household goods val- ued by the sheriff at ten pounds were taken from his farm, also 6 cows, 24 swine, and 46 sheep. The imprisonment of himself and his wife aggregated 3T weeks, and ten shil- lings a week for board and other charges and prison fees amounting to ten pounds were assessed on the estate.

In Rehoboth, Edward Bishop kept an inn. He died May 12, 1711. His will leaves his estate to his wife and eight living children.

Children

12. Edward, m. Susannah Putnam. Calef gives the following in relation to the trial of his father and mother. “ But this the said Bishop’s eldest son having married into the family of the Putnams who were chief prosecutors in this busi- ness, he holding a cow to be branded lest it should be

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

37

seized, and having a boil upon his thigh, with his straining it broke; this is that that was pretended to be burnt with the said brand.1’ In 1711 he moved to Ipswich and in 1727 to Newbury. Susannah (Putnam) Bishop was the daughter of Capt. John and Rebecca (Prince Putnam, and was b. Sept. 4, 1670.

Children: —

Josiah, bapt. Aug. 13, 1699.

Susannah, bapt. Aug. 13, 1699.

James, bapt. Aug. 13, 1699.

Enos, bapt. Dec. 24, 1699.

Hannah, bapt. Dec. 19, 1703.

Daniel, bapt. Dec. 3, 1704.

Lydia, bapt. June 23, 1705.

Benjamin, bapt. March 9, 1711.

13. Samuel, m. Mary Jones, May 13, 1695. He lived in Salem

until 1712, when he moved to Attleborough.

Children: —

Samuel, bapt. Jan. 9, 1697-8, in Beverly.

Mehitable, bapt. Jan. 9, 1697-8, in Beverly.

Mary, bapt. June 25, 1699, in Beverly.

Sarah, bapt. Nov. 1, 1702, in Beverly.

Joseph, bapt. Jan. 5, 1706-7, in Beverly.

Benjamin, b. May 10, 1709, in Rehoboth.

Edward, b. Jan. 28, 1710-11, in Rehoboth.

14. William, m. Dorothy Hooper of Beverly, Oct. 15, 1700.

They moved to Attleborough about 1703. Dorothy Bish- op was dismissed from Salem Village church to Mid- dleborough, Sept. 17, 1704. William Bishop, m. second, Tabitha Hadley, in 1718.

Children: —

Edward, bapt. Sept. 12, 1703.

Elizabeth, bapt. Sept. 12, 1703.

William, Martha, Rebecca, Bailey, Martha, John.

15. Jonathan, m. Abigail Averill of Topsfield (pub. July 6,

1699), and lived in Beverly until about 1708, when he moved he moved to Rehoboth. He was a sadler. He d. in Rehoboth in February, 1752.

Children: —

Gould, b. Nov. 13, 1703, in Beverly.

Elizabeth, bapt. May 26, 1706, in Beverly, d. 1708, in Rehoboth.

38

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

16. Priscilla, bapt. Aug. 14, 1681, in Beverly. She m. Samuel

Day of Gloucester, Aug. 19, 1702. They lived in Rehoboth and Attleborough. She was dead-rnG-TiJ.

t?!4r *>he «0>«c

N(r*- •>. 17*?.

Children: —

Edward, b. June 9, 1705.

John, b. Sept. 29, 1708.

Priscilla (bapt.?), Nov. 22, 1711.

17. Joseph, bapt. April 8, 1683. giving in 1711.

18. Sarah, bapt. May 24, 1685. Sne m. James Jordon of Reho-

both, Jan. 31, 1705-6, and was living in 1711.

19. Benjamin, bapt. July 17, 1687; d. before 1711.

20. John, bapt. Nov. 27, 1689. He moved to Rehoboth with his

parents, and m. Mary Read there, Sept. 13, 1711. She d. Sept. 5, 1712, and he m. second, Martha Read, Oct. 22, 1713. He d. Sept. 1, 1748, and Martha Bishop d. his wid- ow, Nov. 7, 1752.

Children: —

John, b. Aug. 12, 1712.

Mary, b. Oct. 19, 1714; d. 1714-15.

Anna, b. Jan. 14, 1715-16.

Martha, b. March 5, 1718.

Ephraim, b. May 23, 1720; d. July 14, 1720.

Noah, b. July 22, 1722; d. Aug. 8, 1722.

21. David, living in 1711.

22. Ebenezer, bapt. May 12, 1695. He m. Mary , who d.

Sept. 24, 1726. He m. second, Mary Twichell of Rehoboth, Dec. 21, 1726.

Children: b. in Rehoboth: —

Josiah, b. Dec. 9, 1711.

Hannah, b. June 18, 1714; d. young.

Hannah, b. June 18, 1715.

Priscilla, b. Feb. 1, 1716-17.

Mary, b. April 22, 1719; d. July 15, 1723.

Rachel, b. July 7, 1723; d. Oct. 24, 1724.

Ebenezer, b. Sept. 9, 1726.

6 Elizabeth Wild, married Benjamin Jones of Gloucester on January 22, 1678. They lived in Glouces- ter until about 1687, when they moved to Connecticut and settled in Enfield. She was living in 1718. Benja- min Jones, son of Thomas and Mary (North) Jones, was

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

39

born in Gloucester in 1651. He served in King Philip’s War in Capt. Brocklebank’s company, which was stationed at Marlborough, and received one pound, four shillings for this service on August 24, 1676. In 1685 he became the first settler of that part of the town of Enfield which was afterward known as Somers. The family lived on their farm during the summers, but returned to Enfield, which was more thickly settled, in the winter. He owned about 200 acres of land in the town in 1703. His house lot was described as follows: — “Next to Tho Hayward jur southerly lies the house lot or home lot of Benjamin Jones 12 rods in breadth and running from the street on the west back Eastward in length 160 rods.” He served sev-

O

eral times as town officer and died June 25, 1718. Ad- ministration of his estate was granted to his son Thomas Jones of Enfield, July 6, 1718. The settlement to the heirs states “This agreement does not intend any land that belongs to the estate of the deceased that is at Gloucester.” Children, b. in Gloucester ; —

23. Thomas, b. March 13, 1680. He m. Mary Meacham of En- field, April 24, 1708. He was a very prominent citizen of Enfield, and is mentioned in the records as Lieut. Thomas Jones, gentleman. He was the first representative of the town to the General Assembly of Connecticut after its separation from Massachusetts. He was a Lieutenant of the Ninth Mass. Regiment at the siege of Louisburg in 1745. His son, Isaac Jones, was the first descendant of John Wild to graduate from a college. He died Nov. 4, 1763. His wife died Nov. 8, 1744. Their gravestones are still standing. The settlement of his estate mentions his children, Israel Jones (eldest); Rev. Mr. Isaac Jones of Weston; Mary, wife of Abraham Whipple; Jerusha Spen- cer, deceased; Bathsheba, wife of John Rees; and Eliza- beth, wife of David Kellog.

Children: —

Mary, b. April 2, 1709.

Jerusha, b. April 8, 1711.

Thomas, b. March 15, 1712-3; d. before 1763.

Bathsheba, d. May 12, 1715.

Israel, b. March 18, 1715-16.

Isaac, b. Jan. 28, 1717-18.

40

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY

Bathsheba, b. Feb. 25, 1719 20.

Elizabeth.

Samuel, b. Oct. 29, 1725: d. Sept. 19, 1743.

24. Priscilla, b. June 10, 1681. She m. John Howard, June

13, 1704. They moved to Stafford.

Children: b. in Enfield: —

Priscilla, b. Sept. 20, 1705.

John, b. May 24, 1719.

25. Benjamin. He lived in Somefs, and had a wife, Anna, or

Ann. He d. Feb. 5, 1754.

Children: —

Joseph, b. Jan. 3, 1711-2.

Anne, b. Sept. 9, 1714.

Levi, b. Nov. 9, 1716.

Abi, b. March 15, 1718-19.

Naomi, b. March 28, 1721.

Irene, b. March 30, 1730.

Lucretia, b. March 15, 1733.

26. Ebenezer, b. April 17, 1684. He m. first, his cousin, Priscil-

la (Lake) Smith, May 22, 1712. He m., second, Mehitable , and, third, Elizabeth .

Children by first wife : —

Elizabeth, b. May 11, 1713.

Ebenezer, b. Jan. 12, 1714-15.

Gersham, b. April 7, 1717.

Children by second wife: —

Ebenezer, b. Jan. 26, 1723-4.

Mehitable, b. June 4, 1725.

Children by third wife: —

Ephraim, b. Aug. 9, 1727.

Priscilla, b. March 10, 1731-2.

North, b. April 18, 1731.

Zerviah, b. March 28, 1734.

Abigail, b. Jan. 4, 1735.

Thomas, b. Aug. 30, 1741.

Miriam, b. August 8, 1747.

27. Elizabeth, b. Jan. 26, 1686; m. Isaac Osborn of Windsor,

Sept. 8, 1715.

28. Ephraim, b. July, 1688, in Enfield; d. Sept. 3, 1688.

29. Samuel, b. Sept. 22, 1690; d. about Nov. 4, 1691.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

41

30. Eleazier, b. April 12, 1693, in Enfield; m. Mehitable Gary, Dec. 10, 1719, and lived in Somers. He d. April 20, 1755.

Children: —

A child, b. May 26, 1721 ; d. June 26, 1721.

Eleazer, b. Jan. 26, 1723.

Benjamin, b. May 8, 1730.

ELEziER,b. Feb. 18, 1736.

7 Phoebe Wild married Timothy Day of Glouces- ter, July 24, 1679. Her husband’s receipt for her legacy from her grandfather Gould’s estate is as follows : —

“ This ma sartefi to houm it ma consern that I Timothy Day have reseued the full and iust sum of my wife house name was Phoebe Wylds part of ye wish in riten bond of my unkel John Gould.”

In 1692 she was accused of witchcraft and was taken to Ipswich gaol where she remained until September 24, of the same year, when she was released on bonds for her reappearance, together with Mary Rowe and Widow Rachel Vinson. These three Gloucester witches were accused of bewitching the sister of Lieut. Stephens, and the story is also related that when the three women were crossing Ipswich bridge on their way to the gaol, an old woman who met them was immediately thrown into con- vulsions. The fact that she was taken to Ipswich instead of to Salem, where the trials were being held, may have saved her life, for there were so many victims in Salem that all others were forgotten. She died April 8, 1723, aged seventy.

Timothy Day, son of Anthony and Susannah Day of Gloucester, lived on the westerly side of the Squam River. He was a member of the First Church of Gloucester. In 1730, he deeded his Gloucester property to his son John for care and affection in his old age.

42

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

Children

32. Timothy, b. in Topsfield, Jan. 19, 1679-80; m. Jean , and

lived in York and Gloucester. He d. Sept. 16, 1757. Children: —

Phoebe, b. Oct. 11, 1706, at York.

Zebulon, b. April 14, 1709, at Gloucester.

Eliphale^, b. Dec. 17, 1711.

Judith, b. April 2, 1714.

Abner, b. Aug. 12, 1716.

Tabitha, b. Jan. 29, 1719.

Bethula, b. Apr. 2, 1722.

33. John, b. Jan. 21, 1681; d. Jan. 22, 1681.

34. Anthony, b. Dec. 20, 1681-2; m. Penelope . He died Jan.

12, 1712.

Children: —

Mary, b. March 20, 1709; d. April 11, 1709.

Charity, b. April 25, 1711.

Penelope, b. May 22, 1712; d. May 24, 1712.

35. John, b. Feb. 1, 1684; m. Dorothy . Lived in Gloucester

on his father’s homestead. He died in 1747.

Children: —

Dorothy, b. July 28, 1707.

Mercy, b. Oct. 28, 1709.

Anne, b. Aug. 31, 1711.

Jonathan, b. April 29, 1716; d. Oct. 2, 1716.

Phoebe, b. March 12, 1718.

Jemima, b. Aug. 20, 1720.

Zebedee, b. June 17, 1722.

Eunice, b. Oct. 28, 1724.

Ephraim, b. Feb. 13, 1727.

Moses, b. April 2,1731.

Lydia, b. April 26, 1734.

36. Jonathan, b. Nov. 8, 1685-6; m. Sarah Ingersoll of Glouces-

ter, Dec. 3, 1730. He died before 1732.

Children : —

Jonathan, b. Oct. 6, 1731.

David, b. Feb. 1, 1732, posthumous.

37. Joseph, m. Patience .

Children : —

Dorcas, b. May 3, 1713, at York.

Hannah, b. Aug. 8, 1714.

Patience, b. Dec. 6, 1715.

Susannah, b. April 11, 1688; m. David Ring of Gloucester, as his second wife, about 1717. She died, at childbirth, June 19, 1720.

38.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

43

Child:—

Susannah, b. Dec. 27, 1718.

39. Priscilla, b. May 25, 1689; d. June 8, 1689.

40. Elizabeth, b. May 23, 1690 ; d. same day.

41. Benjamin, b. Dec. 5, 1695; d. July 23, 1697.

42. Ebenezer, b. Nov. 14, 1697 ; m. Hannah Downing, Dec. 3,

1719. “ Old widow Ebenezer Day ” died April 1, 1771,

in Gloucester.

Children: —

Jonathan, b. Feb. 28, 1721.

Lucy, b. Oct. 15, 1722.

Hannah, b. Nov. 14, 1726,

Job, b. April 30, 1731 .

Jerusha, b. Oct. 25, 1735.

David, b. Jan. 26, 1737,

James, b. Dec. 16, 1738.

8 Priscilla Wild was born in Topsfield, Apr. 6, 1658. She married, May 9, 1681, Henry Lake who founded the family of that name in Topsfield, and died March 23, 1688. Henry Lake was a weaver and lived first in Salem and then in Topsfield. The cellar of his home may still be seen. He died May 22, 1733. His will, made in 1724, mentions his two sons and two daugh- ters, and twelve grandchildren, to whom he left a large estate. His legacy to his grandson, Eliezer Lake, was “ to be paid toward his bringing up to Laming.”

Children, born in Topsfield : —

43. Gershom, was living in Rehoboth in 1706. He m. Elizabeth

Millerd, Oct. 30, 1706. She d. Nov. 11, 1707, and he m. second, Prudence Chaffee of Medfield (int. Dec. 8, 1708). Widow Prudence Lake d. March 18, 1759.

Children: —

Henry, b. Nov. 8, 1707; d. April 5, 1708.

Joseph, b. Nov. 18, 1709.

Elizabeth, b. April 28, 1711.

Prudence, b. May 14, 1713; d. Nov. 13, 1713. Prudence, b. May 15, 1714; d. Feb. 2, 171415. Henry, b. March 25, 1716; d. Jan. 1, 1718-19. Hannah, b. May 13, 1717.

Priscilla, b. Sept. 19, 1718.

Gershom (?). A Gershom Lake, d. 1719.

44

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

44. Priscilla, b. Sept. 5, 1684; m. Ebenezer Smith of Rehoboth, Dec. 6, 1706. He was the son of Ens. Ebenezer Smith and Elizabeth (Cooper), and was b. in Rehoboth, July 23, 1660. He d. Feb. 12, 1710-11. She m. her cousin Ebenezer Jones of Enfield as her second husband (int. April 19, 1712). See 26.

Children, b. in Rehoboth : —

Abigail, b. Oct. 6, 1707.

Priscilla, b. Sept. 13, 1709.

46. Eliezer, b. July 9, 1686; m. Lydia Forde, daughter of Mat- thew and Lydia (Ela) Forde, Dec. 7, 1708. He received from his father “ my mansion dwelling house and Land,” and became one of the prominent citizens of Topsfield. Lydia (Forde) Lake, d. May 29, 1743. He d. April 29, 1771, “ an aged man.”

Children, b. in Topsfield: —

Lydia, b. Nov. 4, 1709.

Priscilla, b. Oct. 11, 1715.

Abigail, b. Aug. 14, 1719.

Eliezer, b. Sept. 12, 1724.

Daniel, b. June 22, 1726.

46. Martha, b. February 23, 1687-8 ; m. Elisha Peck of Rehoboth, Feb. 23, 1703-4. He was a son of Nicholas Peck and was b. April 4, 1683.

Children, b. in Rehoboth : —

Martha, b. Oct. 13, 1705; d. May 2, 1706.

Joel, b. June 1, 1707.

Jerusha, b. June 11, 1708.

Eunice, b. March 12, 1710-11.

Inspersion, b. Feb. 22, 1712-13.

Constantine, b. May 26, 1715.

Martha, b. April 8, 1717.

Nicholas, b. April 30, 1719, in Attleborough.

Mary, b. Aug. 31, 1724, in Attleborough.

9 Martha Wild born in Topsfield, May 18, 1660, was living in 1676, when her brother John made his will, but the only other mention of Martha Wild is contained in a deed disposing of his property, which his brother-in- law, Edward Bishop, signed “ for his own share & Interest in said lands & ye share Interest & claim of Martha Wild which was ye right he bought of her ” (December 14, 1685). From this record, it would appear that she was living, unmarried, in 1685.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

45

11 Ephraim Wild was born in Topsfield, in Decem- ber, 1665. He married Mary Howlett, March 18, 1689-9. In 1689, he was one of the selectmen of Topsfield and in 1692 he became town treasurer and constable. The story of his connection with the Witchcraft Delusion has already been told in the biography of his mother — a story which shows him to have been a man of truly noble character. He lived in the family homestead in Topsfield which his father deeded to him in 1690, and occupied a prominent position in the affairs of the town. He is several times dignified with the titles, Mr. and Quartermaster in the town and county records. The following story is obtained from the town records and illustrates the duties imposed upon him during his term of office as constable. When the minister’s rate for 1692 was being collected, Constable Wild had trouble in obtaining this tax from an Irishman, Nealand by name, who lived on the boundary line between Topsfield and Ipswich. Whenever the constable called, Nealand was sure to be found in the Ipswich side of his house. Finally the constable, with several other Topsfield men, visited the pig pen of the delinquent, and the minis- ter received his rate in pork. Soon after this incident, the town sued Good wife Nealand for defaming the whole town of Topsfield. In the latter part of his life, he served as selectman in 1714, 1720, and 1722. Tradition states that before his death, which occurred on April 2, 1725, he saw his thirteen living children gathered about his fireside. His will follows: —

Knowing that it is appointed for all Men to Dye and being under Infirmity and Weekness of Body and sense- able of my own Mortality Do make this My Last Will Confirming this and none other. First I give and be- queath My Soul to Almighty God who first gave itt being, and my body to be Deceantly buried att the Direction of my Executors hereafter named nothing Doubting but I Shall receive again att the Resurrection and as for what Worldly estate itt hath Pleased God to bless me with all I Dispose off itt in manner following.

Item. 1 Do give and bequeath to My Well beloved Wife Mary Willds all my household goods and two Cows

46

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

for her own use and to dispose of as Shee Shall See Most Convenient Amongst my Children and also I give to my beloved Wife the Liberty of one End of my Dwelling house together with the Improvement of one third Part of all My land So long as Shee Shall Remain my Widow, but in case Shee Shall See cause to marry again that then Shee Shall have Twenty pounds Paid to her by my Exec- utors, hereafter named and my will is that then Shee Shall Resigne up all her Right of Dower or Power of third in my Real Estate to My Sons John and Ephraim whom I Do appoint and Constitute to be My Sole Executors to this My last Will and Testament.

Item. I Do give to my Son John and to my Son Ephraim all my buildings and all my lands both Meadow and Upland with all the privilidges and Appertances thereunto belonging together with My Rights of Land in Common and also I Do give to My Sons John and Ephraim all my Stock of Cattle (Excepting the two Cows before given) and all my Sheep and Horses (Excepting the black Colt which I Do give to my Son Elijah) and also I Do give to My Sons John and Ephraim all my utensils of husbandry they Paying all My Just Debts and Such Leg- acies as I shall order them to Pay in this my Last Will.

Item I Do Give to My Son Johnathan Sixty Pounds to be Paid by my Executors within two years after my Decease which is for his portion out of My Estate.

Item I Do Give to My Son Jacob Sixty Pounds to be Paid by My Executors within two years after My Decease which is for his portion out of My Estate.

Item I Do Give to My Son Samuel Sixty Pounds, to be paid by My Executors when he Shall come to the age of Twenty one years itt Being for his Portion

Item I Do Give to My Son Nathan Sixty Pounds, to be paid by My Executors when he Shall come to the age of Twenty one years itt Being for his Portion

Item I Do Give to My Son Amos Sixty Pounds, to be paid by My Executors when he Shall come to the age of Twenty one years itt Being for his Portion

Item I Do Give to My Son Elijah Sixty Pounds, to be paid by My Executors when he Shall come to the age of Twenty one years itt being for his portion

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

47

Item I Do Give to My Daughter Mary Perkins Twen- ty Pounds besides what Shee hath already had to be paid by My Executors : in four years after My Decease which is for her portion.

Item I Do Give to My Daughter Susannah Town Twenty Pounds beside what Shee hath already had to be paid by My Executors: in four years after My Decease which is for her portion.

Item I Do Give to My Daughter Dorothy Perkins Twenty Pounds besides what Shee hath already had to be paid by My Executors : in four years after My Decease itt being for her Portion.

Item I Do Give to My Daughter Priscilla Twenty Pounds to be Paid by My Executors when Shee Shall come to the Age of Twenty one years or the Day of her Marriage.

Item I Do Give to My Daughter Hannah Thirty Pounds to be paid when Shee Shall come to the age of Twenty one years or att her Marriage If Shee be married Sooner. But in case any of My children that are under age Should Dye before they come of age to Receive their Portion that then my Will is that what Should have been Paid to them Shall be Divided amongst the Surviving brothers and Sisters and also my Will is that If any of My Children that are of age Should Dye before the time Sett for payment of there Portion that then itt shall be Paid to thir Heires, and itt is to be Noted that notwithstanding, all My buildings and Lands are given to My Son John & My Son Ephraim itt is to be understood that they are not to Debar or hinder their Mother of any Privilidges given to her in My home or Land. In Confirmation of all that is before Written in this Will I have hereunto affixed My hand and Seal this Second Day of April one thousand

Seven hundred and Twenty five.

Signed Sealed and Delivered In Ephraim Wildes

the Presence of John Howlett

Joseph Andrews Jacob Peabody

Mary Howlett, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Clark) Howlett, was born in Topsfield February 17, 1671. Sam- uel Howlett was a son of Ensign Thomas Howlett, one of

48

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

the earliest and most prominent settlers of Ipswich and Topsfield. Mrs. Sarah (Clark) Howlett was a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Newbury) Clark, and a granddaugh- ter of Mr. Thomas Newbury. At the death of her father in 1720, Mary (Howlett) Wilds inherited a portion of his books. She died May 17, 1758. Her will, made April 28, 1758, mentions her son Ephraim, to whom she left her u old loom and the cubbard and the great table in con- sideration that he has ever found me with flax and wood,” sons Jonathan and Nathan, daughters Priscilla Averill and Hannah Averill, and son-in-law Jacob Averill.

Children, born in Topsfield : —

47. John, b. June 25, 1690.

48. Mary, bp. March 13, 1691-2.

49. Ephraim, bp. Sept. 3, 1693.

50. Jonathan, b. Oct. 21, 1695.

51. Susannah, b. Oct. 20, 1697.

52. Sarah, b. March 27, 1699.

53. Dorothy, b. Dec. 15, 1700.

54. Jacob, b. Aug. 31, 1702.

55. Priscilla, b. Aug. 12, 1704; d. Aug. 3, 1705.

56. Priscilla, b. March 3, 1706.

57. Samuel, b. March 2, 1708.

58. Hannah, b. Oct. 8, 1709.

59. Amos, b. June 28, 1711; d. July 25, 1726.

60. Nathan, b. Aug. 5, 1713.

61. Juleenea, b. Feb. 21, 1716; d. March 21, 1716-17.

62. Elijah, b. Jan. 4, 1717-18.

47 Capt. John Wildes born in Topsfield, June 25, 1690, was prominent in town affairs, and served as select- man in 1780, ’81, ’83, ’37, ’39, ’41, and 1745-50. He was a carpenter by trade and on the town records for Decem- ber 27, 1720, the following statement appears : “ alowed to John Willds for makeing the Towns Stoock and for finding ye Iorns and Lock and bringing them to the meet- ing house and for seeting up sd stoocks XI 4s.” In 1725 he was executor of his father’s estate, and guardian of his brothers Amos and Elijah. His house was situated on Meeting-house Lane, and is described in the direct tax of 1798, as two stories high, covering 1280 square feet, and

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

49

having IT windows. The house was destroyed in 1864. John Wildes, “ Gentleman,” died September 27, 1750. His will leaves all his property in Topsfield, Ipswich, and Boxford to his son Elisha, with the exception of the land bought of the Averills, and five acres on Great Hill and in Bradstreet’s meadow, which went to his son John. His armor was willed to Elisha Wildes. His estate was valued at £1045. 8. 8.

“ Widow Pheebe Wildes an aged woman ” died Septem- ber 30, 1765. No record has been found of their marriage. Daughters named Phoebe, of whom no further record of marriage or death remains, were born about 1690 in the Redington, French, Smith, and Bixby families.

Children, born in Topsfield :

03. John, b. Nov. 1, 1715.

64. Katherine, b. Jan. 27, 1716-17; d. Oct. 12, 1800. The follow-

ing obituary appeared in the Salem Gazette on Oct. 24, 1800. “ Died. At Topsfield, Oct. 12. Miss Catherine

Wildes, aged 84 . . . Whose amiable and benevolent deport- ment through life secured her the esteem and affection of her acquaintance, and entitled her to the honorable appel- lation of ‘a mother in Israel,’ although she had neither husband nor children.”

65. Zebulon, b. Dec. 19, 1718.

66. Elisha, b. Sept. 23, 1720.

67. Ezra, b. May 23, 1722; d. June 11, 1722.

68. Sarah, b. May 5, 1723; m. George Start, May 15, 1744. George,

son of William and Mercy (Figg) Start, was born in Ipswich, Aug. 23, 1719. He settled in Boxford, but moved to Topsfield in 1750, where he was taxed for two years. He then returned to Boxford where he lived until 1758, when he moved to New Ipswich, N. H. He died in New Ipswich, about 1800.

Children, born in Boxford: —

Sarah, b. July 4, 1745.

William, b. March 24, 1747.

George, b. Dec. 16, 1748.

John, b. Feb. 12, 1751, in Topsfield.

69. Ephraim, b. Aug. 25, 1725; d. Nov. 25, 1736. His death and

that of his sister Mary were probably caused by the throat distemper, which proved fatal to hundreds of Essex County children in that year.

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THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

70. Amos, b. Jan. 27, 1727-8.

71. Mary, b. July 24, 1729; d. Nov. 5, 1736.

48 Mary Wildes baptized in Topsfield, March 3, 1691-2, married Thomas Perkins, November 26, 1719. They removed to Arundel, now Kennebunkport, Maine. She returned to her old home about 1721, as the births of her first two children were recorded there. The French and Indian hostilities would give sufficient cause for retir- ing to a more thickly settled region. She died in Arun- del, April 1, 1742. Her gravestone is still standing.

Thomas Perkins, son of Elisha and Katherine (Towne) Perkins, was born in Topsfield, October 15, 1681. His house in Arundel was a garrison. He died in 1761.

Children : —

72. Judith, bp. May, 1721; m. Benjamin Durrell.

73. Thomas, bp. June 28, 1724; m. Susannah Hovey.

74. Mary, b. in 1728; m. Eliphalet Perkins, son of Capt. Thomas

Perkins; d. Sept. 14, 1802.

75. Sarah, m. Israel Stone.

76. John, d. young.

77. Ephraim, d. young.

49 Ephraim Wildes was baptised in Topsfield, September 3, 1692-3. He is said to have been a member of the third, and only successful expedition against the French and Indians at Norridgewock. If he settled in Arun- del with his brothers, as the tradition states, he soon re- turned to his native town, for after 17 30 his name appears frequently on the Topsfield records. He occupied the old Wildes homestead built by his grandfather. There seems to have been a boundary dispute between the Wildes and Daniel Redington families, for in 1731 Ephraim Wildes signed an agreement “ to end strife ” and to let the bound- ary remain as their forefathers had established it. On January 31, 1730-1, he married Hepsibah Peabody of Topsfield. He died April 3, 1767. The will of Ephraim Wildes, yeoman, made December 23, 1762, and probated April 28, 1767, left all his land, houses, cattle, horses, sheep, farming utensils, and armor to his sons Thomas and Moses. His estate was valued at £704.5.10. Among

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNT Y.

51

the interesting items mentioned in his inventory is “ an hour glass.”

Hepsibah Peabody, daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Estes ?) Peabody, was born in Topsfield, May 25, 1709. She died of consumption, December 23, 1783.

Children, born in Topsfield :

78. Thomas, b. May 20, 1732; d. Dec. 21, 1736.

79. Jacob, b. Nov. 6, 1733.

80. Dorothy, b. April 28, 1736. She m. Joseph Andrews, April

10, 1759, and d., his widow, Feb. 15, 1813. Her gravestone is standing in Pine Grove Cemetery. Joseph Andrews was a son of Joseph and Hepzibah (Porter) Andrews and was b. Oct. 14, 1717. He lived on his father’s homestead in the ancient French house, which was built in 1675, and is still standing near the Dry Bridge. He d. Oct. 16, 1785. Children, b. in Topsfield: —

Hepsibah, b. Jan. 10, 1760.

Joseph, b. May 27, 1763.

Salome, b. Oct. 20, 1765.

Ephraim, b. April 7, 1772.

81. Thomas, b. March 9, 1737-8.

82. Moses, b. July 30, 1740.

83. Ephraim (twin), b. June 23, 1743; d. July 3, 1743.

84. Elijah (twin), b. June 23, 1743; d. July 6, 1743.

85. Mary, b. June 23, 1744; m. Zebulon Perkins, Sept. 22, 1767,

and d. March 23, 1839. Zebulon, son of Jacob and Han- nah (Borman) Perkins, was b. Jan. 15, 1740. He died Sept. 22, 1810.

Children: —

Mary, b. July 19, 1768.

Ephraim, b. Feb. 5, 1770.

Abel, b. Sept. 15, 1771.

Eunice, b. July 6, 1773; d. Sept. 23, 1777.

Zebulon, b. June 3, 1775 ; d. Sept. 21, 1777.

Sarah, b. May 3, 1777.

Hannah, b. Oct. 5, 1778.

Elisha, b. Jan. 3, 1781.

Jacob, b. Feb. 24, 1783.

Anna, b. Feb. 1, 1786.

Elijah, b. May 11, 1791.

86. Hepsibah, b. Nov. 28, 1746 ; m. Lot Conant of Ipswich, June

4, 1786. The Conant Genealogy gives the date as March 19, 1768, and says that Hepzibah Wildes was the mother

52

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

of six children of Lot Conant. There seems to be no reason to doubt the Topsfield record, however, especially as two of the children given in the Conant Genealogy are stated to have been children of Lot and Eunice Conant in their death records. Lot, son of Joshua and Jerusha (Cummings) Conant, was b. in Ipswich, Dec. 21, 1740. He was in Capt. Brown’s Company at Providence, R. I., Jan. 1, 1779. (Mass. Archives, Muster Rolls, Vol. 41, p. 92.)

87. Hannah, b. May 10, 1749; m. Nathaniel Averill, her cousin, (pub. Sept. 8, 1776), and survived him, dying Oct. 28, 1810. Nathaniel, son of Capt. Nathaniel and Hannah (Wildes) Averill, was b. April 27, 1740. He was a yeoman and a wheelwright, and lived in Topsfield. His first wife was Dorothy Perkins, whom he m. Dec. 16, 1766 and who d. May 6, 1767, aged 17 y. He d. in 1811.

Children, b. in Topsfield : —

Azabiah, b. Feb. 11, 1778.

Ammi, b. Aug. 17, 1779.

Lydia, b. March 3, 1782.

Dorothy, bp. April 2, 1784.

Moses, b. June 5, 1786.

50 Jonathan Wildes was born in Topsfield, Octo- ber 21, 1695. Tradition states that he was at the capture of Norridgewock, in 1724, with three of his brothers. He settled in Arundel, Me. about 1730, and kept an inn there, although his occupation at Topsfield had been that of a carpenter. In 1733, he sold seventeen acres of land in Topsfield to his brother John for three hundred pounds. His wife was named Elizabeth.

Child, born in Topsfield :

88 Nathaniel, b. April 23, 1727.

51 Susannah Wildes born in Topsfield, October 20, 1697, m. Benjamin Towne, April 12, 1722. A few months before her death, which occurred July 5, 1736, she gave birth to three healthy boys, all of whom lived to be men. Benjamin Towne, son of Joseph and Amy (Smith) Towne, was born in Topsfield, May 10, 1691. His first wife was Katherine, daughter of Jacob Towne, Jr. After the death of his second wife, Susannah Wildes, he married Mary Perkins, May 2, 1738, and fourth, Mrs. Mary Clark, April 15, 1761. He acquired a large estate, and became

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

53

prominent in the politics of the town, holding the offices of town clerk, selectmen, etc. He died February 11, 1772.

Children, born in Topsfield :

89. Benjamin, b. May 12, 1723.

90. Ephraim, b. July 10, 1725.

91. Jacob (twin), b. March 7, 1727-8.

92. Joseph (twin), b. March 7, 1727-8.

93. Eli, b. March 3, 1730-31.

94. Susannah, b. Sept. 6, 1733.

95. Edmund (triplet), b. April 30, 1736.

96. Ezra (triplet), b. April 30, 1736.

97. Elijah (triplet), b. April 80, 1736.

52 Sarah Wildes born in Topsfield, March 27, 1699 ; m. Jonathan Perkins, January 2, 1718-19. Either before her marriage, or very soon afterward, she lived with Mary (Perkins), widow of William Howlett, who mentioned on her will her “ cousin Sarah Wildes now Perkins ” who had lived with her, and bequeathed to her a brass kettle, an iron kettle, and one half of her estate that she had not already disposed of. Sarah never re- ceived her legacy, for her cousin outlived her many years. Jonathan Perkins, son of Timothy and Hannah Perkins, was born in Topsfield, January 29, 1692-3. He married second, Elizabeth Potter (Porter?) of Salem, December 11, 1722. He died June 2, 1749. The gravestone in Pine Grove Cemetery bearing the following inscription, is un- doubtedly that of Sarah (Wildes) Perkins. “ Hear Laes the Body of Sarah Perkins who Departed This Life Janu- ary y® 21 Day 1719-20 Aged 20 Years & 9 Months & 24 Days.”

53 Dorothy Wildes born in Topsfield, December 15, 1700; married John Perkins about 1725; and died before 1736. John Perkins, son of Timothy and Abigail Perkins, was born in Topsfield, June 2, 1700. He married for his second wife Widow Martha Robinson, June 18, 1736. She died August 16, 1736. He married Jemima Averill, February 14, 1737-8, and she died March 2, 1749. He died February 7, 1780.

Child, born in Topsfield :

54

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

98. Stephen, b. March 7, 1725-6. He was very prominent at the time of the Revolution, and was a member of the com- mittee of three appointed to draft instructions for the town’s representative at the outbreak of the war. He com- manded a company, with the rank of Captain. In town politics he held the offices of constable, juryman, tything- man, selectman, clerk and representative. He died Oct. 23, 1790.

54 Jacob Wildes born in Topsfield, August 31, 1702, married Rath Foster of Ipswich, and moved to Arundel, Me. Tradition states that he was a member of the expedition which was sent to destroy the Indian set- tlement at Norridgewock and to capture Father Rasle, the Jesuit priest, who for many years had incited the savages to attack and slaughter the English settlers. The New England force of one hundred men, many of them from Arundel, attacked the Indian village in August, 1724, and plundered it, after killing Father Rasle. After this bat- tle, the danger from the Indians gradually abated, although for many years murders were committed and homes pillaged on the borders of the Maine towns. In 17 28, Jacob Wildes was one of the proprietors of Arundel. He was a member of the committee to settle the dividing line between Arun- del and Saco, March 29, 1732.

The following entries are found in the town book : —

“ Jacob Willdes Chosen Constable for ye year Ensuing & Sworn,” 1734.

Jacob Willdes chosen selectman, 1735.

“At a Lawfull Town Meeting febr ye 10th 1735/6 vot- ed to Jacob Willds fifty Six Shillings for his going to York Court Janr ye 6th 1735/6.

Jacob Willds chosen selectman 1735/6.

Jacob Willds chosen “ Survair of High ways,” 1738.

Jacob Willds chosen selectman, 1741.

“ Jacob Willds, John Burbank was chosen to Prosecute the breakers of the Law Relating to ye Preserving of y* Deer & Sworn, 1741.”

Jacob Willds chosen selectman, 1743.

His original estate in Arundel seems to have been one- half of the four hundred and fifty acres sold by James

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

55

Mussey to Joseph Averill and Jacob Wildes, January 16, 1727/8. Three quarters of a sawmill was also included in the sale. (York Deeds, Yol. 12, p. 251.) He is called millman until 1733, when he sold one-half of the mill to Thomas Perkins. (York Deeds, Yol. 16, p. 105.) In 1734 and 1735, he purchased in company with Moses Foster, four hundred acres of land in Arundel from Joseph and Benjamin Jeffrey of Lynn. (York Deeds, Vol. 17, pp. 78 & 153.) In these deeds he is called coaster, and husband- man. He died about 1774, and the administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Ruth Wildes, and his son Jacob Wildes, mariner, October 10, 1774.

Ruth Foster, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Borman) Foster, was born in Ipswich, January 23, 1709/10.

Children :

99. Jacob.

100. John.

101. Ephraim.

102. Mary, m. Ebenezer Emmons.

103. Ruth, m. Jacob, son of Miles and Mary (Huff) Rhodes of

Kennebunkport. Children: — Alice, Louisa, Sally, Jacob,

Moses, Polly, Lydia, John, Olive.

104. Dorothy, m. Gideon, son of Abel and Mary (Harding) Mer-

rill of Arundel. Children:— Abel, Ruth, Jemima, Jacob.

56 Priscilla Wildes born in Topsfield, March 3, 1706, married Jacob Averill, her cousin, about 1728. She is mentioned in the will of her mother in 1758. She died May 17, 1799 (May 22, Church Record). Jacob Averill, son of Nathaniel and Sarah (Howlett) Averill, was born in Topsfield, August 17, 1702. He was a yeoman and lived in Topsfield, where he died June 15, 1791.

Children, born in Topsfield :

105. Jacob, b. March 18, 1728-9.

106. Daniel, b. Dec. 3, 1730.

107. Dorothy, b. Feb. 24, 1731-2.

108. Lydia, b. July 2, 1735.

109. Mary, b. Aug. 1, 1739.

110. Priscilla, b. July 1, 1742; d. March 29, 1781.

111. Amos, b. Mar. 25, 1747.

56

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

57 Samuel Wildes was born in Topsfield, March 2, 1708. He is said to have been at the capture of Norridge- wock with two of his brothers. He settled in Arundel, Me. where there was a large Topsfield colony, and was for several years employed as schoolmaster. (Bradbury’s His- tory of Kennebunkport.) In 1785 he was called carpen- ter, and in 1748, husbandman. He purchased one hun- dred acres of land in Arundel from Jonathan Philbrook, December 1, 1728. (York Deeds, Vol. 15, p. 211.) His will, made March 6, 1760, probated July 7, 1760, men- tions his wife, Elizabeth, sons Samuel and John (minors), daughters Mary, Hannah, and Sarah (minors), daughter Elizabeth Deshon, and granddaughter, Susannah Weeks.

Children :

112. Susannah, m. Nicholas Weeks of Kittery. They lived in

Arundel. She d. in 1757. He m. second, Phoebe Averill. Child: — Susannah, m. George Ayer.

113. Elizabeth, m. James Deshon before 1760. He was a son of

James and Chasey (Perkins) Deshon. James Deshon, Sr. was a Frenchman, who came to Arundel about 1730. Children: — Daniel, Susannah, John, Thomas, Samuel, James, Elizabeth.

114. Samuel.

115. John, died, unm., on board a Salem privateer during the Rev-

olutionary war.

116. Sarah, m. Pitts. (Bradbury.)

117. Hannah, m. Peter Deshon, son of James and Chasey (Per-

kins) Deshon, a brother of James Deshon, who m. her sister Elizabeth. Children: — Samuel, Hannah, Joseph, Benjamin, Stephen, David, Jonathan, Lydia.

118. Mary, m. Dagger Mitchell, an Irishman, about 1769. This

family moved from Arundel. Children:— Richard, John, Mary.

58 Hannah Wildes was born in Topsfield, October 8, 1709. She was apparently her father’s favorite daugh- ter, as she received a larger legacy than the others in his will. She married Nathaniel Averill, November 24, 1734, and died his widow May 22, 1790. Capt. Nathaniel Averill son of Nathaniel and Sarah (Howlett) Averill, was born in Topsfield, September 6, 1700. He was a housewright, and lived in Topsfield, where he died August 17, 1751.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

57

Children bom in Topsfield :

119. Nathaniel, b. April 27, 1747.

120. Hannah, b. Aug. 17, 1750.

60 Nathan Wildes was born in Topsfield, August 5, 1713. December 11, 1788, he bought of Thomas Av- erill for one hundred and four pounds, a tract of meadow and upland in Topsfield. In his sixty-ninth year, he was adjudged non compos mentis , and Samuel Smith appointed as his guardian. His near relatives Elisha, Moses, and Ephraim Wildes, and Nathaniel Averill are mentioned. He died July 10, 1783, “of a complication of disorders.” An inventory, amounting to £165, mentions many coop- er’s tools.

62 Elijah Wilds was born in Topsfield, January 4, 1717/18. He married Anna Hovey May 15, 1744, and moved to Shirley, a part of Groton. When the Shaker re- ligion was introduced into America by Ann Lee, this fam- ily, among others in Shirley, was converted to the new faith, and the Shaker Village has been built on his estate. A tradition remains that he settled his estate on his sons Ivory and Elijah, and lived with the latter, who occupied the family mansion. (Chandler’s History of Shirley.) He died April 6, 1791. In this branch of the family the name is commonly spelled Wilds. Anna Hovey, daughter of Capt. Ivory and Anne (Pingree) Hovey, was born Sep- tember 21, 1720. She died March 16, 1806.

Children :

121. Elijah, b. Nov. 10, 1745; d. Dec. 27, 1745.

122. Elijah, b. Nov. 9, 1746.

123. Anna, b. Feb. 15, 1749; m. Elijah Wheelock of Lancaster,

July 14, 1774. She died Sept. 28, 1838, a Shaker. Child: — Olive Wilds, b. June 25, 1775; d. Sept. 21, 1841, a Shaker.

124. Ivory, b. Nov. 27, 1751.

125. Molly, b. Dec. 27, 1754; m. Samuel Randall of Stowe, in

1774. Children: — Ivory, Eunice, Samuel.

126. Olive, b. Apr. 7, 1757; d. June 2, 1775.

127. Phoebe, b. Feb. 15, 1761. She m. Levi, son of John and Pru-

dence (Wheelock) Warner of Lancaster, who was b. May 22, 1761. They had one child when they joined the Shakers. He died June 27, 1825. After her husband’s death, Mrs. Warner left the sect, and died Dec. 7, 1837. Child:— Elijah, b.Mar 20, ; d. July 14, 1814, a Shaker.

58

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

63 John Wildes born in Topsfield, Nov. 1, 1715, married Sarah Rogers, Sept. 29, 1742. On March 5, 1738, he bought of John Averill a two-story house on Ridge Street in Topsfield, which Averill had built in 1730. The house, which is still standing, remained in the Wildes family until 1833. He died October 28, 1760. The administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Sarah Wildes, Dec. 15, 1760. Among the interesting items in his inventory, dated Jan. 2, 1761, are “Books,” “a Pew in the Meeting House,” and “ War Armes.” Sarah (Rogers) Wildes died April 23, 1810, aged 89 years. Her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lydia Wildes was appointed administratrix of her estate September 7, 1812.

Children :

128. Sarah (?). A Sarah Wildes m. Nathaniel Dorman July 2,

1765. Nathaniel, son of Joseph and Abigail (Porter) Dor- man, was b. Mar. 31, 1740. He died Oct. 13, 1776. No children are recorded.

129. Ephraim, b. 1745; m. June 6, 1810, Lydia, widow of John

Wright; d. Mar. 28, 1812, aged 67 y. No children. She m. (int. Jan. 9, 1820) Dea. John Platts of Rowley.

130. Phoebe (?), b. 1747. A Phoebe Wilds m. Jacob Kimball in

Jan., 1795. Jacob, son of Jacob and Sarah (Hale) Kimball, was b. in Andover in 1731. He m. first, Priscilla Smith, July 15, 1756. Jan. 5, 1765, Jacob Kimball “chosen to set ye Psalms, to sit in ye elders seat.” He was a soldier in the Revolution. He d. Nov. 8, 1810. Phoebe (Wildes) Kimball, d. July 18, 1808, aged 62 y. (aged 60 y.gravestone.) She had no children.

65. Zebulon Wildes born in Topsfield, December 19, 1718, married Margaret Hazen, August 18, 1743. He was a witness to the will of his grandmother, Mrs. Mary Wildes in 1758. He lived in Topsfield and Boxford, where he owned a house. He died in Topsfield, October 14, 1804. Margaret Hazen, daughter of John and Marcy (Bradstreet) Hazen, was born July 16, 1716.

Children :

131. Molly, b. Sept. 5, 1745, in Boxford; d. unm., Feb. 4. 1830,

“at the Almshouse” in Topsfield.

132. Peggy, bp. July 12, 1747; d. unm. Feb. 8, 1832, “at the Alms-

house.”

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

59

133. Zebulon, b. May 19, 1750, in Boxford; d. Sept. 14, 1751, in

Boxford.

134. Mercy, b. Oct. 7, 1753, in Topsfield; d. unm., June 6, 1839, in

Topsfield.

135. John, b. Apr. 14, 1756, in Topsfield.

130. Ezra, b. Feb. 24, 1758, in Topsfield.

60 Elisha Wildes was born in Topsfield, Septem- ber 23, 1720. He inherited from his father the family homestead, built by Capt. John Wildes, and lived there until his death, June 26, 1787. He married Mary Brad- street, February 27, 1754. He served as selectman, 1768-9. Mary Bradstreet, daughter of Simon and Elizabeth (Capen) Bradstreet, was born in Topsfield, May 10, 1731.

She was a granddaughter of Rev. Joseph Capen, and a descendant of Governors Dudley, and Bradstreet. She died November 14, 1810.

Children, born in Topsfield :

137. Sylvanus, b. May 6, 1754.

138. Mehitable, b. Nov. 30, 1756; d. unm., March 9, 1840.

139. Sarah, b. Feb. 10, 1761; d. unm., April 1, 1840.

70 Amos Wildes born in Topsfield, January 27, 1727-8, married Hannah Perkins, February 5, 1750-1. He lived in Topsfield, and died there May 24, 1779 of smallpox. His son, Dudley Wildes, was appointed ad- ministrator of his estate December 6, 1779. His property was valued at £ 34, 528.12. Hannah Perkins, daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Porter ?) Perkins, was born in Topsfield, January 16, 1727/8. December 20, 1779, “ Hannah Wildes relict widow of Amos Wildes, departed this life in a sudden & surprising manner, by means of her own using.” She committed suicide by hanging.

Children, born in Topsfield :

140. Mary, b. February 7, 1752; m. Moses Conant of Ipswich,

June 29, 1779. He was b. in Ipswich about 1749. He served in the battle of Lexington under Capt. How.

Children : —

Lois, bp. July 16, 1780, in Topsfield.

Matilda, bp. May 5, 1782.

William, bp. Oct. 10, 1785.

Asa Wildes, b. about 1788.

60

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

141. Lois, bp. July 22, 1753; d. June 7, 1779, of smallpox.

142. Amos, bp. Feb. 16, 1755.

143. Asa, bp. July 31, 1757.

144. Dudley, bp. Jan. 7, 1759.

145. “Tamme,” bp. April 11, 1762; m. Bethiah Harris; d. April 17,

1776.

79 Jacob Wildes, born in Topsfield, November 6, 1733, married Mrs. Martha Day of Ipswich (int. June 5, 1755). He died July 14, 1757, “at Fort Edward ’’ap- parently while serving in the army during the French War. His widow, Martha Wildes, married Thomas Per- kins, Jr., January 24, 1760.

Child :

146. Lydia, b. Sept. 14, 1756. She was mentioned in the will of

her grandfather, Ephraim Wildes. She m. Archaleus Per- kins, at Boxford, June 18, 1778. They moved to Dunbar- ton, N. H. He was born April 4, 1756, and d. Feb. 13, 1825. Children: — Archelaus, Lydia, Hannah, Daniel, Thomas, Sally, Jacob, David.

81 Thomas Wildes, born in Topsfield, March 9, 1737/8, married Anna Batchelder, at Wenham, May 12, 1761. He died November 15, 1781, “of a lethargy.” The administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Anna Wildes, March 4, 1782. His property was valued at X443.19.10. Books and armor figure in his inventory. Anna Batchelder, daughter of Ebenezer and Jerusha (Kimball) Batchelder, was born in Wenham, May 14, 1740/1.

Children, born in Topsfield :

147. Jacob, b. June 20, 1762.

148. Daniel, bp. Aug. 11, 1765.

149. Huldah, bp. June 28, 1767; m. Jacob Peabody of Topsfield,

Nov. 15, 1785. Jacob, son of Jacob and Sarah (Potter) Peabody, was b. May 10, 1764. He was a miller. He d. Oct. 6, 1845. She d. June 30, 1811. 11 children.

82 Moses Wildes, born in Topsfield, July 30, 1740, married December 12, 1775, at Linebrook Parish, Mrs. Susannah Deering of Ipswich ; yeoman. He owned and occupied the original Wildes homestead, built by his great- grandfather, John Wild, and died July 24, 1810. Susan-

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

61

nah (Deering) Wildes died February 20, 1837, aged 85 years, 6 months.

Children, born in Topsfield :

150. Moses (twin), b. Aug. 4, 1777.

151. Humphrey (twin), b. Aug. 4, 1777.

152. Ephraim, b. March 4, 1782.

153. Susannah, b. Feb. 20, 1785; m. Cyrus Cummings of Tops-

field, May 25, 1809, and d. Jan. 7, 1852. Cyrus Cummings, son of Joseph and Anna (Gove) Cummings, wash. July 30, 1782. He kept the famous Topsfield Hotel, and was prom- inent in town affairs, holding all the offices within the gift of the town. He d. April 26, 1827.

Children: —

Susan, b. Aug. 20, 1810; m. Rev. Martin Moore of Bos- ton.

Mary Ann, b. May 16, 1813.

Cyrus, b. Nov. 24, 1816.

Catherine, b. April 21, 1819; d. Feb. 20, 1820.

Humphrey, b. Feb. 27, 1822.

154. Solomon, b. May 1, 1791.

88 Nathaniel Wildes was born in Topsfield, April 23, 1727. He moved with his father to Arundel, Maine, and kept a tavern there. He married Lydia Griffin in Topsfield, Nov. 1, 1749. He was called u tailor” in 1752. January 3, 1764, he was appointed guardian of his cousin John, son of Samuel Wildes. The date of his death is unknown. His widow Lydia Wildes was appointed ad- ministratrix of his estate, April 11, 1768. His property amounted to £239. 1. 6. Among the items of the inven- tory were the following : “2 pr silver buckles,” “ 1 great Bible,” “one small Bible and other old Books.” His widow married Thomas Dempsey.

Children, born at Arundel :

155. Mary, b. Feb. 21, 1752; m. John Davis, Oct. 6, 1776.

156. Elizabeth, b. June 10, 1756; m. Stephen Seavey, Sept. 1,

1774. He was a son of Nicholas and Hannah (Leach) Seavey of Arundel.

157. Lydia, b. Feb. 14, 1758; m. Josiah Hutchings, May 25, 1784.

158. Benjamin, b. May 14, 1762; m. Sarah Davis.

62

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

99 Jacob Wildes born about 1728, was a mar- iner and lived in Arundel, where his father conveyed to him a house and fifty acres of land on Miller’s brook, on April 18, 1755. He married, first, Abigail Stevens, and, second, Lydia Banks of Saco, July 8, 1772. He was Representative from the town in 1777, and from 1792 to 1796. In his will, made April 21, 1803, he mentions his sons Joseph and William, his daughters Sarah Gillpat- rick, Lucy Durrell, and his grandaughters Susannah, Elizabeth, and Abigail Wildes. Abigail Stevens was a daughter of Moses and Lucy (Wheelwright) Stevens.

Children :

159. Sarah, m. Christopher Gillpatrick, son of William and Mar-

tha (Thompson) Gillpatrick. He was b. in 1751.

160. Jacob, d. young.

161. Jacob. He was in Col. Furney’s regiment at Lake Cham-

plain in 1776. He afterwards was commander of the privateer schooner Greyhound, 8 guns; the privateer Hawk, 6 guns; and the ship General Greene; 16 guns. He was lost at sea in 1785, between Martha’s Vineyard and Boston.

162. Lucy, m. Jacob Durrell, son of Benjamin and Judith (Per-

kins) Durrell, Dec. 30, 1783.

163. Israel.

164. William.

165. Joseph.

166. A child who d. young.

100 John W ildes was a mariner, and lived in Arun- del. He married Jane Stone. The administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Jane Wildes, on October 11, 1773. The amount of his inventory was £157. 4. 4. Among the items were “ Delph Ware,” “Hat & Wigg,” “ Quadrant & Sea Books.” Jane Stone was a daughter of Dixey and Mary (Curtis') Stone of Arundel.

Children :

167. John, d. young.

168. Lydia, m. Alexander, son of Benjamin and Eunice (Lord)

Thompson, April 8, 1784.

169. Thomas.

170. Dixey.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

63

101 Ephraim Wildes lived in Arundel, and mar- ried Temperance Downing. Serg. Ephraim Wildes saw active service in the Revolutionary War, and died in Arundel about 1833. Temperance Downing was a daugh- ter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Fabyans) Downing.

Children :

171. Ephraim, d. young.

172. Mary, m. Elidicom, son of John and Elizabeth (Deering)

Emmons, July 30, 1790.

173. Elizabeth, m. Thomas Lee of Biddeford, Feb. 9, 1797.

174. Lydia, d. young.

175. Ruth, m. Cleopas Smith of Biddeford, Feb. 12, 1804.

176. Phcebe, m. James Taylor, Jr., July 13, 1813.

177. John.

178. Jacob.

114 Samuel Wildes married Olive Deshon, and lived in Arundel. Owing to the almost total lack of town records in Arundel, it is difficult to obtain much definite information concerning this branch of the family. He served in the Revolution, being drafted in October, 1776.

Children :

179. Mehitable, pub. to Daniel Hazen, Aug. 27, 1796.

180. Samuel.

181. Ephraim.

182. John.

183. Persis, m. John Rhodes, Jr., Aug. 18, 1796.

184. Jacob.

185. Isaac.

186. Sara. A Sarah Wildes m. Benjamin Adams, Jr., Dec. 18,

1794.

187. Mary.

122 Elijah Wilds bom in Shirley, November 9, 1746, married Eunice Safford of Harvard, July 4, 1771. He joined the Shaker Society, and was appointed an elder at its organization in Shirley. He held this office until his death, March 14, 1829. His death was deeply felt by the members of the order, who had been under his teaching and supervision for many years. His funeral address is printed in Chandler’s History of Shirley. Eunice (Safford) Wilds died November 11, 1819.

64

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

Children, born in Shirley :

188. Eunice, b. Oct. 11, 1772; d. May 29, 1855, a Shaker. *

189. Abigail, b. Oct. 1, 1774; m. Benjamin Willard of Harvard.

Shed. Oct. 12, 1848. Child: — Jerome Willard, b. Oct. 26, 1818.

190. Olive, b. Aug. 15, 1776. She left the Shakers, and m. Phin-

eas Ames, who had also been a Shaker. She d. in Cam- bridge, Aug. 10, 1872. Child: — Mary Ames.

191. Anna, b. Feb. 15, 1779; m. Flavel Coolidge, in 1806. They

lived in Cambridge, and she d. there June 28, 1854. Chil- dren:— Herrick Coolidge, b. Oct. 8, 1806; Helen Coolidge; Martha Coolidge, b. Jan. 19, 1814.

192. Martha, b. Dec. 20, 1781; d. Jan. 23, 1827, unm.

124 Ivory Wilds born in Shirley, November 25, 1751, married Hannah Estabrook of Lancaster, April 3, 1777. He was converted to the Shaker faith, and was made a deacon of the sect. He died September 13, 1817.

Children, born in Shirley :

193. Nathan, b. April 14, 1778.

194. Levi, b. June 9, 1782.

136 Ezra Wildes born in Topsfield, Feb. 24, 1758, married, first, July 12, 1785 in Boxford, Mary (Polly) Wright of Methuen ; married, second, at Rowley, Dec. 4, 1800, Sally Phillips who died at Georgetown, Sept. 7, 1844, aged 75 years. He died Dec. 17, 1824 at Rowley, of consumption. Popularly known as “fiddler Wildes.” Lived in Boxford and New Rowley, now Georgetown. Soldier in the Revolution.

Children :

195. James, b. April 2, 1790, at Rowley ; m. Hannah Lefavour, int.

Jan. 21, 1816 (Topsfield). He was then of Portsmouth, N. H.

195a. Sarah, m. Spiller. Lived in New Hampshire.

196. Ephraim, b. March 20, 1801, at Rowley.

197. Asa, d. in infancy.

198. Greene, b. July 21, 1800.

198a. Asa, b. about 1808. Probably died of yellow fever in 1838, in Charleston, S. C.

199. George, b. Nov., 1811.

200. Charles, b. Nov., 1814.

201. Ira, d. June 3, 1843, in Newbury, aged 26 years.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

65

137 Sylvanus Wildes born in Topsfield, May 6, 1754, married (int. Feb. 11, 1781), Rebecca, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Wade) Baker. She died Jan. 15, 1837, aged 83 years and 11 months. He died Nov. 19, 1829. Graduated at Harvard College in 1777. Lawyer. Lived in Topsfield in the two-story house that stood, until it was taken down in 1863-4, beside the narrow way now known as Meeting House Lane.

Children born in Topsfield :

202. Charles, b. Mar. 2, 1782; d. unm. Nov. 9, 1826.

203. John, b. Feb. 9, 1784; d. unm. Feb. 4, 1849.

204. Elizabeth, b. Mar. 11, 1787; m. Dec. 24, 1809, William Waitt.

He was drowned at sea, Sept. 22, 1817. She d. Mar. 16, 1853.

205. Sophia, b. Mar. 16, 1789; m. Apr. 23, 1809, Jacob Towne, 3d.

206. Clarissa, b. May 24, 1791; d. unm. Jan. 27, 1875.

207. Elisha, b. Mar. 18, 1796; d. J 24, 1799.

144 Dudley Wildes born in Topsfield, Jan. 7, 1759, married May 1, 1782 (1781. Church Rd.), Bethia Harris. He died Jan. 21, 1820, and she died Feb. 25, 1833, aged 85 years. Yeoman and lived on what is now Wildes street, in the northeastern part of Topsfield near the Ipswich line.

Children born in Topsfield :

208. Amos, b. May 5, 1782; m. July 8, 1819, Sally Burnham, chil-

dren, born in Topsfield; Aretliusa, b. Jan. 17, 1820, m. June 28, 1846, Joseph W. Legro of Danvers; Lydia Ann, b. June 18, 1821.

209. Dudley (twin), b. May, 1786.

210. Asa Waldo (twin), b. May, 1786.

211. Elizabeth (Betsey) ; m. Jan. 21, 1835, David Hobbs, jr.

212. A child, d. bet. Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 1793, Topsfield.

148 Daniel Wildes baptized in Topsfield, Aug. 11, 1765, married, Oct. 12, 1797, Eunice, daughter of Lot and Eunice Conant, of Ipswich. He died “suddenly,” J uly 5, 1811, and she remained his widow for 53 years, dying in Boxford, Sept. 19, 1864, aged 94 years.

Children born in Topsfield :

213. Joshua, b. July 13, 1798, farmer; d. May 15, 1862.

214. Sally, b. Dec. 17, 1799; d. unm. Sept. 12, 1820, consumption.

215. Thomas, b. Mar. 2, 1802.

216. Israel, b. Nov. 23, 1805.

66

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

217. Mehitable, b. July 7, 1807; m. May 9, 1826, Amos Andrews.

218. Moses, b. Nov. 4. 1810.

150 Moses Wildes born in Topsfield, Aug. 4, 1777, married, June 22, 1802, Esther Dwinell, daughter of John and Esther. He died Jan. 2, 1838, and she died Sept. 23, 1858, aged 79 years, 10 months. Yeoman.

Children, born in Topsfield :

219. Esther, b. Apr. 14, 1803; m. Feb. 28, 1828, Jeremiah Stone,

M. D., and d. Feb. 16, 1876. Children: Esther Wildes, b. Dec. 16, 1828, m. Urban P. Hutchings, 3 children; Susan Alzea, b. Feb. 23, 1834, m. Mar. 26, 1865, George S. Mann, 2 children.

220. Susan, b. Oct. 28, 1804; d. unm. June 1, 1884.

221. Joseph, b. May 2, 1807; d. unm. Mar. 10, 1862.

222. Moses, b. June 11, 1809; d. unm. in Topsfield, Nov. 5, 1889.

In 1828 he removed to Boston and became associated with his uncle Solomon Wildes in the management of Wildes’ Hotel, on Elm street, a widely-known resort for stages. He retired from active business in 1850 but kept up his Boston associations and was a well-known figure in State street. He was highly respected for his integrity and was very popular as a landlord. At his death bequests of con- siderable amount were made to local institutions and Bos- ton charities.

223. Thomas Meady, b. April 7, 1812; d. April 17, 1812.

151 Humphrey Wildes born in Topsfield, Aug. 4, 1779, married (int. April 8, 1804) Nabby Peabody, daugh- ter of John and Lydia. She died Nov. 18, 1857, aged 76 years, 5 months, and he died Feb. 19, 1862. Farmer.

Children, born in Topsfield :

224. Nabby' (bapt. Abigail), b. Nov. 7, 1806; m. July 1, 1833, John

Wright; d. Oct. 19, 1851.

225. Lucinda, b. Mar. 14, 1809; m. Dec. 11, 1849, John Todd.

226. Humphrey, b. May 11, 1814.

152 Col. Ephraim Wildes born in Topsfield, Mar. 4, 1782, married, Apr. 8, 1807, Rachel Towne, daughter of Jacob and Rachel. He died Jan. 31, 1829, in Boston. His widow was insane at the last of her life, and committed suicide by hanging, April 15, 1830.

He was for many years proprietor of the Eastern Stage House on Ann street (now North street), Boston.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

67

Children, born in Topsfield :

227. William, b. Apr. 17, 1808; m. Mary AnnWillis of Cambridge.

He d. in Cambridge, Aug. 20, 1865. Children: George,

Charles, Louisa, Alice.

228. Ephraim, b. Mar. 11, 1810; d. unm., Jan. 22, 1873.

229. Lucy Ann, b. Jan. 4, 1817; m. Thomas Gilbert Thornton of

Saco, Me. She d. in Boston, April 7, 1883, s.p.

230. Moses, b. Nov. 9, 1818; m. Caroline Willis of Boston; d. in

Boston, Oct. 29, 1887, s. p. Engaged in the hotel business in

Boston.

231. Rachel, b. Mar. 30, 1823; m. Jan. 28, 1841, George W. Lewis

of Boston. Children: George, b. Nov. 1, 1841; Charles, b.

May 26, 1846.

154 Solomon Wildes born May 1, 1791, married, first, Oct. 4, 1818, Phebe Bradstreet, daughter of Moses and Lydia. She died Apr. 25, 1824, aged 26 years, and he married, second, Jan. 29, 1826, Ruth Bradstreet. She died in Boston, Jan. 7, 1874. He died in Boston, Oct. 22, 1867. For many years he was associated with his brother Ephraim in the hotel business in Boston.

Child by first wife:

232. Moses Bradstreet, b. July 8, 1819, in Topsfield.

Children by second wife, born in Boston :

233. Phebe Bradstreet, b. April 23, 1827 ; d. unm. Oct 28, 1868,

in Boston.

234. Catherine, b. Mar. 9, 1829; m. William B. Richmond of

Memphis, Tenn. She d. July 14, 1860.

235. Harriet Amelia, b. Feb. 19, 1837; m. John M. Welsh of

Scotland. She d. Nov. 5, 1901.

236. Ruth Adelaide, b. April 2, 1840; m. Dec. 28, 1869, Herbert

Beach of England.

196 Ephraim Wildes born in Rowley, Mar. 20, 1801, married at Boxford, June 6, 1822, Huldah Emerson of Boxford. He died in Georgetown, Aug. 4, 1838, and she married, second, June 13, 1842, William Tenney of Rowley.

Children :

237. Elbridge Gerry, b. Nov. 23, 1822 at Topsfield; m. Feb. 28,

1842, at Georgetown, Mary L. Rogers. He d. July 12, 1854, at

Georgetown. She d. Apr. 10, 1857, at Rowley. Children: Lu-

cretia, b. Aug. 14, 1848; Ira William, b. May 14, 1852.

68

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

238. Greene, b. 1826-6.

239. A daughter, d. Dec. 28, 1826, at Rowley, set. 2 years.

240. Samuel P., b. 1831.

241. Mary E., b. 1833 in Rowley; m. Nov. 24, 1849, at Topsfield,

Timothy W. Spiller, shoemaker.

242. Luther Shaw, b. in Ipswich.

198 Greene Wildes born July 21, 1806, married Oct. 10, 1831, at Rowley, Mary B., daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah (Barker) Jewett of Rowley. He died in George- town, Aug. 24, 1874. She died in Georgetown, Feb. 13, 1882, aged 74 years.

Children :

243. Edward Payson, b. Aug.27, 1832, in Rowley; d. May 4, 1898,

in Georgetown; m. April 16, 1857, Martha J. Dorman of Georgetown. Child: Charles Edward, b. May 11, 1858, who m. Nov. 12, 1881, Emma H. Rollins of Natick, and lives in Haverhill. Private in 50th Mass. Vols. in Civil War.

244. Jeremiah Jewett, b. May 21, 1834, in Rowley.

245. Sarah Barker, b. Oct. 3, 1836, in Rowley; m. June, 1866,

D. E. N. Carleton, of West Newbury; d. Mar. 1900. Children: Josephine, b. July 7, 1869, d. Sept. 2, 1871; Herbert Newton, b. Dec. 27,1872; Ethel Blanche, b. Dec. 23. 1877.

246. James Birney, b. May 25, 1840, in Rowley; m. July 24, 1865,

Caroline Augusta, daughter of Nathaniel and Caroline Plumer. Private in 50th Mass. Vols. in Civil War. Lives in Boston. Children: Charles Cushing Paine, b. Jan. 21, 1867; d. Sept. 15, 1867; George Thurlow, b. Mar. 25, 1869; d. Aug. 25, 1869; John Carpenter, b. Nov. 23, 1874.

247. Ebenezer Jackman, b. Nov. 4, 1843, in Georgetown; d.

young.

248. Eben Jackman, b. Oct. 12, 1845, in Georgetown; m. June 27,

1888, Tena S. Beckett of Haverhill. Lives in Haverhill.

249. Eliza Moore, b. Sept. 27, 1848, in Newbury; m. Nov. 29,

1884, Samuel P. Batchelder of Georgetown. Children; John Quincy, b. Sept. 6, 1885; Fred Wildes, b. Apr. 8, 1888; Flor- ence, b. Sept. 4, 1890.

250. Ira Greene, b. Oct. 24, 1851; m. Jan. 10, 1878, Louise, daugh-

ter of A. J. Huntress of Groveland. Lives in Haverhill. Children: Ada May, b. Jan. 10, 1882, d. Oct. 2, 1882; Howard Greene, b. Feb. 2, 1884; Bertha Garland, b. June 22, 1886.

199 George Wildes born Nov., 1811, married June 19, 1832, Abigail P. Chase. They were both then living in

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

69

Rowley. He (lied in Georgetown, Aug. 15, 1855, aged 48 years, 10 months.

Children, born in Rowley :

251. Sarah Pickard, b. July 10, 1832; d. Sept. 5, 1833.

252. George Thurlow, b. June 25, 1833; m. June 2, 1856, Mary

T., daughter of Benjamin and Abigail McLaughlin of George- town. He d. April 20, 1863, at New Orleans, La. Private in 20th Mass. Yols. in Civil War.

253. John Lowell b. Aug. 26, 1835; Private in 19th Mass. Yols.

in the Civil War, and d. in Virginia.

253a. Sarah Pickard, b. 1836-7; m. Charles E. Rogers of Byfield.

200 Charles Wildes born Nov. 1814, married Dec.

12, 1842, Maria (Mary. m. rd.) E., daughter of John and Maria Glines of Newbury. He died in Georgetown,

Mar. 19, 1875, aet. 68 y. 5 m. She died in Georgetown,

Feb. 16, 1878, aet. 56 y. 6 m.

Children :

2536. Sarah Maria, b. Nov. 15, 1843 in Rowley; m. Oct. 4, 1865,

George Woodbury. Lives in Georgetown. Children: Anson E., b. Apr. 19, 1868; Arthur W., b. Mar. 8, 1870; Sarah E., b.

Feb. 1, 1882; Ella M., b. May 5, 1886.

254. John Milton, b. Oct. 27, 1844, in Georgetown.

255. Charles E., b. Dec. 1, 1855, in Georgetown, d. March 4, 1860,

in Georgetown.

209 Capt. Dudley Wildes born in Topstield, May,

1786 ; married, Feb. 13, 1812, Abigail, daughter of Samuel and Matta (Foster) Bradstreet. She died in Lynn, Dec. 2,

1869, aged 88 years, 11 months. He died Jan. 11, 1820, aged 33 years, 7 months.

Children, born in Topsfield :

256. Asahel Huntington, b. Apr. 22, 1813.

267. Abigail Bradstreet, b. May 17, 1815; m. Aug. 9, 1835, at

Newbury, Levi Pearson of Methuen.

268. Twin sons, b. and d. Sept. 8, 1817.

259. Elizabeth Harris, b. June 12, 1819; m. Oct. 6, 1840, Joseph W. Rust.

210 Asa Waldo Wildes born in Topsfield, May, 1786, married, June 7, 1818, at Newburyport, Eliza Ann, daugh- ter of Capt. Abel and Phoebe (Tilton) Lunt of Newbury- port. He was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1809, and

Sk4* dh J Re-*, bd y <

3

70

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

for a time taught school in Newburyport and Washington. He was admitted to the bar in 1820 and began the prac- tice of law in Newburyport, which he continued until 1826 when a Commission, now known as the County Commis- sioners, was created and Mr. Wildes was appointed its chairman. He continued a member of the Commission, by appointment and election, until 1856, with the exception of one term, 1842 to 1845. Mr. Wildes was peculiarly fitted for the office he so long occupied, and his long in- cumbency was as creditable to the people of Essex County, as to himself. He served on the Board of Selectmen of Newburyport from 1825 to 1827.

He died Dec. 4, 1857, aged 71 years, 7 mos., at New- buryport.

Children, born in Newburyport :

260. George Dudley, b. June 19, 1819.

261. Mary Howard, b. Mar. 6, 1820; m. Nov. 18, 1841, Francis

Chase of Hampton Falls, N. H. s. p.

262. Asa Waldo, b. Aug. 2, 1822; m. first, Jane Merrill Patten;

m. 2d, Fanny Gray of Skowhegan, Maine. Colonel of 16th

Maine Vols. and R. R. Commissioner in Maine for many

years. Children: George L. ; William H.; Annie W. ; May

Howard.

263. Caroline, b. Aug. 27, 1824; d. March 13, 1826.

264. Joseph Henry (Col.), b. May 31, 1828, m. June 17, 1857, Alice,

daughter of Hon. Otis L. Bridge, of Newburyport. Children:

Francis L. ; Alice B. Removed to California.

265. Caroline Huntington, b. Jan. 29, 1828; m. in Salem, 1858,

Henry Perkins Stanwood, of Hopkinton, N. H. s. p.

266. Annie Tilton, b. March 7, 1835; m. Oct. 7, 1856, George T.

Brown of Haverhill. Children: Emily A. ; Caroline Wildes;

Frank Q. ; Annie Wildes; George Kimball; Henry Stanwood.

267. Francis A., unm. ; Captain in the Civil War. Lived in Califor-

nia and Portland, Me.

215 Thomas Wildes born in Topsfield, Mar. 2, 1802 ; married at Ipswich, Aug. 19, 1824, Eunice, daugh- ter of Corp. John Foster. She died Aug. 1, 1894, aged 91 years, at Weathersfield, Conn. He died Jan. 26, 1871, at Ipswich.

Children, born in Ipswich :

268. Solomon, b. Feb. 16, 1825.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

71

269. Elizabeth A., b. Sept. 23, 1827; m. Aug. 6, 1848, Leonard,

Bailey of Ipswich. Removed to Weathersfield, Conn.

270. Lucy, b. Nov. 8, 1829; d. April 23, 1904.

271. Sarah, b. July 3, 1834; d. Dec. 27, 1834.

272. Mary Frances, b. April 12, 1844; m. Jau. 23, 1868, John G.

Foss, of Ipswich.

216 Israel Wildes born in Topsfield, Nov. 28, 1805 ; married, in Ipswich, April 22, 1840, Lydia Ann, daughter of Luke and Sally Averill. She died Sept. 25, 1847, in Linebrook, and he died Dec. 4, 1880 in Topsfield. Farmer.

Children, born in Ipswich :

273. Otis Almond, b. Sept. 26, 1843; d. Sept. 26, 1847, in Line-

brook, Ipswich.

274. Eugene Lamont, b. Oct. 29, 1845.

217 Moses Wildes born in Topsfield, Nov. 4, 1810; married, first, in Ipswich, June 1, 1840, Sarah Ann, daugh- ter of Capt. John Adams. She died July 15, 1858, at Ipswich, aged 86 years, and he married, second, Oct. 8, 1856, Sarah J., daughter of Enoch and Abia Lombard of Otisfield, Me. He died Mar. 5, 1895. Farmer and shoe- maker. Lived in Topsfield.

Children by first wife, born in Topsfield :

275. Sarah Frances, b. Jan. 30, 1843; m. Dec. 13, 1866, Charles

L. Wildes of Topsfield.

276. Hayward Loren, b. Oct. 24, 1845; d. Sept. 1, 1865.

277. Lydia Adams, b. Dec. 24, 1848, in Ipswich; m. Jan. 23, 1872,

Alden P. Peabody of Topsfield.

278. Susan Ella, b. June 14, 1853, in Ipswich. When 9 months old,

her mother having died, she was given to John Chapman of Ipswich and her name was changed to Edna Chapman. She m. Fred Wilcomb of Ipswich. No children.

Children by second wife, born in Topsfield :

279. Almond Otis, b. Oct. 22, 1857; d. Dec. 13, 1857.

280. Servetus Lombard, b. Dec. 7, 1858; shoemaker; d. unm.

Feb. 23, 1889.

281. Lucy Ella, b. Mar. 21, 1861; d. unm. April 18, 1878 in Tops-

field.

282. Henry Walter, b. Jan. 22, 1863; watchmaker; d. unm. May

7, 1892 in Topsfield.

283. Effie May, b. Feb. 11, 1866; m. Feb. 19, 1887, Walter Eldron

Milbury of Middleton.

72

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

225 Humphrey Wildes bom in Topsfield, May 11, 1814, married, Mar. 8, 1885, Olive Brown Perkins, daugh- ter of Amos, jr. and Betsey. She died Mar. 25, 1862, aged 48 years, and he died Dec. 9, 1888. Bootmaker.

Children, born in Topsfield :

284. Lucy Ann, b. June 11, 1837; m. Apr. 20, 1855, Benjamin 0.

Dodd of Topsfield.

285. Abby Elizabeth, b. July 31, 1839; d. Apr. 20, 1841.

286. Lewis Humphrey, b. July 10, 1842.

287. William Herbert, b. Oct. 13, 1843.

288. Charles Loring, b. Sept. 14, 1845; m. Dec. 13, 1866, Sarah

Frances Wildes, dau. of Moses and Sarah Ann. Shoemaker.

He d. May 26, 1873, in Topsfield. Child: Hayward Harland,

b. Oct. 6, 1870.

289. Alvin T., b. Oct., 1847; d. Feb. 14, 1853.

290. Austin Perkins, b. Nov. 13, 1849; d. Nov. 6, 1853.

291. John T., b. Nov. 8, 1851 ; d. Feb. 15, 1853.

292. George Alvin, b. Oct. 10, 1854.

232 Moses Bradstreet Wildes born in Topsfield, July 8, 1819, married, at Boston, Emeline Augusta, daugh- ter of Jonathan Heath. In the early part of his life he was engaged with his father in the hotel business in Elm street, Boston, and afterwards embarked in the dry goods trade and subsequently became interested in the shipping trade with California and the East Indies. After the death of his father the management of the family estate occupied his time. He died in Boston on May 6, 1890. She died Oct. 25, 1868, aged 44 years, 6 months.

Children, born in Boston :

293. Frank Waldo, b. Oct. 17, 1843.

294. Frederick Bradstreet, b. Aug. 29, 1847 ; d. unm. July 13,

1905.

295. Emma Gertrude, b. Sept. 26, 1848; unm.

296. Marion Richmond, b. Dec. 2, 1854; m. May 6, 1893, George

H. Adams of Boston; d. Feb. 23, 1896.

297. Anna Heath, b. July 16, 1857; m. Edward Cramer of Milwau-

kee.

298. Katherine Richmond, b. Sept. 28, 1864; unm.

238 Greene Wildes born 1825-6 ; married (int. Sept. 5, 1846, in Georgetown.) Mary B. daughter of John and Mehitable Bailey) Davis. She died in Georgetown, Dec.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

73

8, 1904, aged 77 years, 6 months. He died about 1860 in Sacramento, California.

Children, born in Georgetown :

299. Abby J., b. May 15, 1846; d. Nov. 25, 1862 at Georgetown.

300. Rowena, b. Mar. 15, 1847.

300a. Lyman G., b. Aug. 4, 1849; d. Sept. 22, 1888; m. Hattie J. Perkins, who d. June 26, 1876. Child: George Arthur, b. June 14, 1873; m. May 12, 1900, Addie T. Grundy of George- town.

240 Samuel P. Wildes born in 1831, married Sept. 1, 1853, Sarah R., daughter of William and Sarah (Thomas) Risk of Rowley. He was then living in Georgetown. She died in Rowley, Sept. 12, 1864, aged 36 years. He died in Rowley, Dec. 14, 1855, aged 24 years.

Child, born in Rowley :

301. Ednah Jane, b. June 16, 1855; d. Nov. 16, 1856 at Rowley.

242 Luther Shaw Wildes born in Ipswich, married (int. Georgetown, June 7, 1855.) Caroline Barber, daugh- ter of Eben and Lois Floyd of Georgetown. He died Feb. 24, 1876 at Newburyport. She married, second, Sept. 10, 1881, at Newburyport, Henry Hewitt.

Children, born in Georgetown :

302. Walter Lee, b. Apr. 4, 1858; m. Dec. 25, 1880, Laura E.

Hitchcock of Georgetown. Children: Luther, b. Dec. 1, 1882 in Newburyport; Ruth Collum, b. Jan. 28, 1890 in Georgetown; Ralph and Raymond (twins), b. Jan. 26, 1891, in Georgetown.

303. A daughter, b. Sept. 11, 1860.

304. Carrie F. (twin), b. July 26, 1862.

305. Clara E. (twin), b. July 26, 1862.

306. Leona J., m. Sept. 10, 1880, Edward E. Collum, at Newbury-

port.

307. Henry Hudson, b. Oct. 7, 1874, at Newburyport.

244 Jeremiah Jewett Wildes born in Rowley, May 21, 1834, married Oct. 19, 1865, Sarah E., daughter of John and Hannah (Wadleigh) Tarleton of West New- bury. Lives in Georgetown.

Children, born in Georgetown :

308. Anna Tarleton, b. Oct. 2, 1869; m. Mar. 7, 1896, Leopold I.

DeQuoy of Boston. Child: Stanley Wildes, b. Feb. 14, 1898.

74

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

309. Hattie Greene, b. May 22, 1871. School teacher.

310. Alice Augusta, b. Mar. 28, 1873; m. Apr. 9, 1891, Charles

A. Stetson of Boxford. Children: Mary Arnold, b. Jan. 19,

1892; Elizabeth Jewett, b. April 29, 1893; Harriet Endicott,

b. Dec. 9, 1894; Eleanor, b. Sept. 7, 1896; Satira Tarleton, b.

Mar. 27, 1898; William Chester, b. July 19, 1900; Charles

Hazen, b. Aug. 14, 1902; Clifford Wildes, b. Sept. 11, 1905.

311. Ell wood Thurston, b. May 7, 1877 ; sole-leather cutter.

254 John Milton Wildes born in Georgetown, Oct. 27, 1844, married at Newbmyport, Oct. 10, 1865, Catherine (Kate. m. rd.) Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Furbush of Georgetown. Private in 2d Mass. Heavy Art. in the Civil War. Lives in Haverhill.

Children, born in Georgetown :

312. Charles Milton, b. June 28, 1866; d. Dec. 10, 1867.

313. Frank Henry, b. July 14, 1868, m. Sept. 7, 1898, Susie E.

Brown.

314. Lizzie Flora, b. Sept. 3, 1869; m. May 11, 1893, Charles R.

Grover.

315. Sadie Milton, b. Dec. 21, 1872; d. May 13, 1878.

316. Charles Milton, b. Jan. 25, 1874, m. Jan. 28, 1900, Maud

Blake.

317. Winnifred, b. Nov. 30, 1878; m. Dec. 28, 1904, Mildred M.

Hodgdon.

256 Asahel Huntington Wildes born in Topsfield, April 22, 1818, married at Ipswich, Dec. 7, 1843, Wilhel- mina Dodge. She died Feb. 27, 1892, aged 72 years. He died Mar. 4, 1879 in Ipswich.

Children, born in Ipswich :

318. A daughter, still born, June 21, 1845.

319. Edward Bradstreet, b. Aug. 7, 1846.

320. George D., b. June 11, 1849; m. Blanche H. Dodge. Children:

Blanche, b. Apr. 6, 1880; Margery, b. Aug. 25, 1883.

321. Frances, b. Nov. 11, 1852; d. Nov. 28, 1852.

260 George Dudley Wildes bom in Newburyport, June 19, 1819, married Nov. 5, 1846, Harriette, daughter of Benjamin Howard of Boston. He fitted for Harvard and was graduated at the Virginia Theological Seminary at Alexandria and ordained deacon in 1846 at New Bed- ford, Mass., at the same time being invited to the profes- sorship of mathematics at Shelby College, Ky. After holding several charges, he became assistant at St. Paul’s,

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

75

Boston. He afterwards was at Brookline. In 1859 he became the first rector of Grace church, Salem, where he remained until 1867. While at Salem he became a mem- ber of the State Board of Education. At the outset of the Civil War, he was instrumental in raising the 19th and 23d Massachusetts regiments, forming also the field hos- pital corps and being commissioned its chaplain. In 1867 he became rector of Christ church, Riverdale, New York. Author of numerous sermons and addresses, and editor and translator of several volumes. He died at Riverdale, N. Y., June 3, 1898. She died at Riverdale, Dec. 11, 1901.

Children :

322. Grace Howard, b. Mar. 6, 1848; m. June 7, 1877, Thomas

Butler Meeker. 3 children.

323. Alice Hoavard, b. Mar. 3, 1852; unm.

324. Clarence Howard, b. Jan. 15, 1856; m. Oct. 13, 1888, Flo-

rence, daughter of J. Hobart Herrick of New York City.

268 Solomon Wildes born in Ipswich, Feb. 16, 1825,

married, first, Ellen Althea , who died at Chelsea,

June 12, 1849, aged 26 years, 9 mos. He married, second,

, and, third, Anna W. Harding of Bath, Me. He

died in Boston, Feb. 22, 1895.

Children :

325. Lucy Ellen, b. Oct. 17, 1848, at Ipswich; d. Sept. 22, 1849,

at Chelsea.

326. Fred A.

327. Henry.

328. Frank.

329. Lucy Ellen.

330. Alice.

331. Frank H., b. Oct., 1867, at Newton ville; d. Dec. 6, 1868, at

Boston.

274 Eugene Lamont Wildes born in Ipswich, Oct. 29, 1845, married Dec. 8, 1868, Alathea Orietta, daughter of Josiah B. and Angelina Lamson. Farmer; lives in Topsfield.

Children :

332. Elton Euoene, b. Nov. 8, 1869, in Ipswich; m. Oct. 23, 1901,

Carrie Baker Kimball of Ipswich. Child: Priscilla, b. in

Malden, Aug. 9, 1905.

76

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

333. Florence Lamson, b. Dec. 15, 1872, in Topsfield; m. Jan. 20,

1898, Samuel McL. Hill of Wenliam. Children born in Wen- liam: Marjorie Alathea, b. Oct. 4, 1898; Louise Huntington, b. Feb. 15, 1904.

334. Mildred Fern, b. Dec. 8, 1890, in Topsfield.

286 Lewis Humphrey Wildes born in Topsfield, July 10, 1842 ; married, May 11, 1864, Anna Jane, daugh- ter of Amos S. and Eliza A. (Perkins) Chapman. Shoe- maker. Lives in Topsfield.

Children, born in Topsfield :

335. George Walter, b. Sept. 27, 1865; m. Mary Mayon of Bos-

ton. Children: Walter Proctor, George W. (d. July 15, 1896); George Raymond; Nellie Frances (died); Lewis Timothy (d. Sept. 1, 1893); Florence May; Leo.

336. Elmer Perkins, b. Jan. 22, 1867; m. Thirza Davis; Children:

Ruth Haskell; Muriel May.

337. Lennie May, b. Aug. 3, 1869; m. April 7, 1889, Everett C.

Chapman of Wenliam.

338. Lyman Wilbur, b. May 4, 1874; m. Dec. 24, 1895, Mary R.,

daughter of Frank and Sophie E. (Ernst) Crouse of Lower Branch, N. S. Children: Wilbur Leighton, b. July 13, 1896; Ralph Winthrop, b. Nov. 25, 1899.

287 William Herbert Wildes born Oct. 18, 1848, married Nov. 5, 1865, Eunice Helen, daughter of Jason and Emily A. Richardson of Middleton. Shoemaker. Lives in Topsfield.

Children :

339. Hazen Rogers, b. May 29, 1866; m. Oct. 27, 1897, Mary E.,

daughter of James and Hannah (Carroll) Dieckhoff. Car- penter. Lives in Topsfield. Child: James William, b. April 20, 1898.

340. Mabel Olive, b. June 23, 1879; m. Sept. 24, 1895, James

Munroe Bray of Topsfield; d. Jan. 3, 1896.

292 George Alvin Wildes born in Topsfield, Oct. 10, 1854, married June 1, 1882, Lottie Perley, daughter of Isaac and Charlotte (Burleigh) Frye, of Andover. Shoe- maker. Lives in Beverly.

Children :

341. George Ernest, b. July 8, 1883, in Topsfield.

342. Fanny Ellen, b, Jan. 16, 1885, in Topsfield; m. June 22,

1905, William H. Workman of Beverly.

THE WILDES FAMILY OF ESSEX COUNTY.

77

343. Susie Frye, b. Aug. 9, 1887, in Topsfield.

344. Raymond Perkins, b. Aug. 6, 1889, in Topsfield.

345. Frederick, b. June 6, 1891, in Beverly.

346. Percival, b. Sept. 25, 1895, in Beverly.

293 Frank Waldo Wildes born in Boston, Oct. 17, 1843, married, first, April 22, 1869, Helen Delia, daughter of Maurice and Delia A. (Sistare) Hilger of New York City. She died Nov. 10, 1885, and he married, second, Dec. 11, 1886, Mrs. Frances Elizabeth (Hilger) Ball, sis- ter of his first wife. Harvard, 1864. Resides in Boston.

Children, born in Boston : Maurice Hilger, Harvard, 1891 ; Frederick, Harvard, 1894 ; Robert Waldo ; Frances Elizabeth ; Theodore Bradstreet.

319 Edward Bradstreet Wildes born in Ipswich, Aug. 7, 1846; married May 21, 1870, Harriet M., daugh- ter of Willard B. and Harriet (Manning) Kinsman of Ipswich. He died Jan. 31, 1899, at Ipswich.

Children :

347. Anna (Annie K.), b. April 21, 1873; d. Nov. 25, 1878.

348. Henry Hammatt (twin), b. Aug. 29, 1876; d. Nov. 9, 1896.

349. Wilhelmina (twin), b. Aug. 29, 1876.

350. Madeline, b. Jan. 18, 1882.

LETTER FROM DR. NEHEMIAH CLEAYELAND TO COL. TIMOTHY PICKERING.

Topsfield, 16th Jan., 1815.

Dear Sir: — Your very interesting favour of the 2d of Novr and the receipt for Mr. Cummings was duly received and I have also to acknowledge the receipt of the packets you sent me containing the dispatches from our Ministers at Ghent, for all which please to accept my best thanks. Your pertinent remarks on the various subjects in your letter were very instructive. I perfectly coincide in your view of the conscription plans which have been before Con- gress, all of which seem now to be abandoned ; it is very certain in my mind, that conscription in its mildest form could not be carried into full operation in New England and

78 LETTER FROM DR. NEHEMIAH CLEVELAND.

I have no doubt your Troupe, Eppes, and Gileses are of the same opinion by this time. As to the national treasury, it seems very clear, that the present administration cannot replenish it, nothing can be more evident than that notes, without an ability, in those who promise to pay must de- preciate, nor is it easy to see in what manner the bank, sh’d it be establised as it has recently passed the House of Repvs (and which is incomparably preferable to any former project), can aid the Government very considerably at present. Congress have granted a heavy load of taxes, but I think it is not hazarding much to predict that these taxes will not be paid very promptly, especially the six millions direct tax, even sh'd the State Legislatures fail to interpose a general opinion with the farmers in that it will not do to pay any more money to the Gen11 Govern1 to be squander’d. How much longer are we to suffer such a state of things as now exists? Is there any prospect of doing any better? What is is said at Washington either by the friends or the enemies of New England, respecting the doings of the Hartford Convention? It would be very interesting to me to have some of your thoughts upon the subject. That is, what N. England can do, what they ought to do and what they must do to save themselves from irremediable ruin.

I have been detained from going to Salem since I re- ceived your letter by indisposition. I hope to go soon when I will pay your Son the money you paid for Mr. Cummings.

I am, with high esteem, your very humble servant

N. Cleaveland.

Timothy Pickering MSS., Vol. 30, p. 360 , Mass. Hist.

Society.

ESSEX REGISTRY OF DEEDS AT TOPSFIELD.

To Colo. Pickering (Registor of deeds for the County of Essex) — Sir, The Committee for said County, have taken in to Consideration the propriety of holding your office in the Town of Salem agreable to a Resolve of the provincial Congress, and have thought best that said office

ESSEX REGISTRY OF DEEDS AT TOPSFIELD. 79

should be removed into the Town of Topsfield untill fur- ther Order. It is likely you may be Accommodated at the House of Mr Elijah Porters, or at any other House in sd Topsfield that you shall think more proper. And we would informe you that the return of the Committee of Correspondence for Salem doth not mention how much money is still due from the town of Salem, to the Province. Therefore we desire sd Committee to informe some one of the County Committee respecting the Same, as soon as may be. Signd in the name & by Order of said Com- mittee.

Ipswich, May 24th, 1775, Sam. Hoi ten junr Timothy Pickering MSS., Vol. 39 , p. llJf, Mass. Mist.

Society.

LETTER OF REV. JEREMIAH HOBART TO REV. INCREASE MATHER.

To the Reverend Mr Encreas Mather Minister in Bos- ton. These prsent, pr amicu Q. D. C.

Reuerend Sr — After due salutations to yorselfe & wife, wisheing you acum illation of divine blessings, & all other prosperousness in health & weal of body, etc.

These are to prsent my owne & wife’s hearty respects to yourself & all your’s, withall intimating, that not any want of loue & goodwill hath stopped my pen since I saw your face, from aduising you in this kind ; but Sr I con- sul1 my owne tenuity & inconsiderableness amongst men in riseing times, haue been the rather willing to submitt to a poor low degree, & bear divine indignation therein.

Sr I am glad to hear of your prosperity, & that God carryes you on in His great work, & that you have vacancy to read, study, write, not impeded by the vrgent & emer- gent necessary cares of providing for your family.

It is not so with us. We labor & study what we may, but our encouragement is small. God is trying & exer- ciseing us with laxness in all orders civille. We had good agree mts, & some good lawes, but our Don : appearing omnia in possum iere ; & our justices of the peace & undr officers sunt ejusdem farinae.

80

LETTER OF REV. JEREMIAH HOBART.

Worthy Sr I write not to complayne, but as I haue a Sympathy as to your mutations, so hope you are not with- out bowells as to ours. The truth is, its a day of Jacob’s fears & troubles. The passio[n]s of the Gospell are great, the Churches billows high, our fears are come upon us, & it is the howre of tentation. God Allmighty grant we may keep, & that N. E. may keep the word of hir patience, that will proue our safest conduct.

Dear Sr I hope you will accept my short and poor lines, haueing by reason of the shortness of the opportunity no leisure to study adornement. I haue a child (my son & all the sons I haue), in Boston ; I should rejoyce you would show him some respect, & giue him counsell. Hee is now a freeman. I pray God he may be the Lord’s free- man. I hear well of him, & hope you may take an occa- sion in loue to aduise him.

Sir, here is a young man, one Elkana Pembrook, the bearer hereof, a persecuted Stranger who I veryly hope is godly, & respected much by Christians both here and at Huntington. You may do well to show respect to him. He is by trad a weauer, & is willing to labr & work. I hope you may kindly aduise him.

Thus, Reverend Sr craueing excuse for my impertinencys in anything mentioned, & begging earnestly your remem- brances at the throne of grace, for me & mine, for diuine blessings in Christ Jesus. I comend you to God & the word of His grace, praying the Lord to blesse & water all your holy Labours, to the glory of His name, & the good of His church, & your good account. I take leaue, euer remaineing,

Sir. Your's in the Chief Shepheard,

Jer: Hobart.*

Hempstd, Long-Island, Aug. 23, 1686.

I pray Sr, let my most kind loue be giuen to your good Son, my Couzin Cotton Mather, Bens benedicat ei.

From The Mather Papers. Mass. Hist. Colls. , 4th series , Vol. VIII ; p. 661.

*Rev. Jeremiah Hobart (H. C. 1650), son of Rev. Peter Hobart, of Hingliam, was first ordained at Topsfield, Oct. 2, 1672; dismissed in 1680, he went to Hemp- stead, L. I., was settled there in 1682; and again dismissed, went to Haddam, and was installed Nov. 14, 1700. Savage’s Geneal. Diet.

LOCALITIES AND PLACE NAMES IN TOPSFIELD.

BY J. PORTER GOULD.

Abram’s Island. On either side of the railroad track and about equidistant between Summer street and the Turnpike, until about 1890, stood a fine grove of hardwood trees. The land at an earlier date belonged to Abram Balch. The grove, nearly circular in form, stood on ground bounded on two sides by brooks and the familiar name no doubt origina- ted from the location, the shape of the grove, and the name of the former owner. Similar clumps of trees are often-times called islands. About forty years ago a train of cars was stalled here for three days, in snow banks that reached to the roofs of the cars.

Academy Hill. The small elevation between Main street and High Street on which the Topsfield Academy building, now Centre School House, was erected in 1828.

Agricultural Farm. The farm at the junction of Main street and Boston street. In 1857 it was bequeathed by Dr. John H. Treadwell of Salem to the Essex Agricultural So- ciety to be used as a farm at which experiments in agricul- ture should be conducted.

Alarm Post Hill. The first elevation on the left after leaving Perkins street in passing to the Bickford sawmill site. This spot was used as a rendezvous in 1774 by Capt. Thomas Perkins’ company of minutemen.

(so

82 LOCALITIES AND PLACE

Annie’s Pond. Near the corner of Central and Summer streets were two small ponds. The name originated in their ownership by Annie Perkins, an elderly maiden lady who lived in the house now owned by Mrs. Ephraim Peabody.

Ann’s Hill. The hill above Israel’s hill, on Hill street, so named because near it lived “Ann” Wallis, a local “char- acter” who died in 1793.

ASBURY Street, begins at Ipswich street and ends at the Hamilton line. It leads to the Asbury Grove Camp Ground, hence its name.

Avery’S Island. An old-time corruption of the name Averill, a family that owned most of the land for over two hundred years. It contains about 78 acres and is located in the northeasterly part of the town a little below the Has- socky meadows. The Ipswich river and low meadows en- tirely surround it.

Baker’s Hill. The small descent on Ipswich street about 600 feet east of Pine street, taking its name from the farm at the left which was in the possession of the Baker family before 1715.

Baker’s Pond. An early name for Hood’s Pond. Ap- plied before 1662.

Bare Hill. Westerly from Haverhill street having an ele- vation of 140 feet. The Pine Grove Cemetery is laid out on its southern slope. The name “Bare hill” was applied as early as 1661.

Billingsgate Hill. This name was applied to what is now known as Price’s hill, as early as 1674.

Birch Island. Rising land south of Perkins street, bordering on the river, at the southeasterly end of the Bunk- er meadows, and formerly owned by Dudley Q. Perkins. Al- so known as Barn island.

Bird Swamp. The swamp beside Ipswich street and east of North street, a short distance from the house of Fred Smerage. A favorite resort for many kinds of birds.

NAMES IN TOPSFIELD.

83

Bixby’s CORNER. The corner where Rowley street leaves Haverhill street and deriving its name from the Bixby family which lived a quarter of a mile away on Rowley street, on the farm long in the possession of the Dorman family and now (1905) owned by Connolly Brothers.

Blind Hole. A name applied before Oct. 14, 1651 to the territory extending from what is now the Peterson farm in the southern part of the Town, to Putnamville in Danvers. Cleaveland in his Bicentennial Address states that this origin- ated in the dense growth of trees which shrouded the early way leading through this territory.

Bonney’s Featherbed. The locality on the easterly side of Perkins street lying east of Mile Brook bridge. The name appears in a deed dated June 7, 1711 and is said to have originated in the incident of an ox named “Bonney” or “Boney,” which was accustomed to select a rocky place in this locality, as a desirable spot on which to lie down. An- other story relates that a traveller named Bonny once slept here with a stone for a pillow, having only a feather and im- agination with which to soften its hardness.

Boston Street, the Boston and Newburyport Turnpike, extends from the Danvers line to the Ipswich line.

Boxford Street, begins at Washington street and ends at the Boxford line.

Bunker Meadows. The meadows lying on both sides of the Ipswich river, easterly from the Dudley Q. Perkins farm, now owned by Thomas E. Proctor. The name origin- ated in an early ownership by George Bunker who settled in Topsfield and was drowned in 1658.

Burnham’s Hill. Located between Hood’s pond and North street. The Topsfield-Ipswich boundary line passes over this hill.

Bushy Hill. The hill lying west from the junction of Perkins street and Ridge street. The name appears in deeds as early as June, 1663.

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Capen HOUSE. The time-weathered dwelling house with overhanging second story which stands near the easterly corn- er of the Common, was erected about 1686 for the Rev. Joseph Capen and from him takes its name.

CAT ISLAND. A grove of trees on rising ground east of Salem street between the Dwinell and Putnam farms. A wild cat is said to have been killed at this spot, hence the origin of the name.

Central Street, formerly Mutton lane, and later Me- chanic’s court, begins at Main street and ends at the junc- tion of High street and Perkins street. The name probably originated from the location of the street about half way be- tween Main street and High street, both principal thorough- fares.

The City. The cluster of houses on Ipswich street near where it crosses Howlett’s brook. Before the Revolution nearly all the houses in this locality were owned and occu- pied by members of the Hobbs family and the hamlet grew to be known as “Hobbs’ City.” In time, all of the Hobbs name died or removed and the word “City” alone has been retained.

See Topsfield Historical Collections, Vol. Ill, p. 165.

CLAY Pits. In early times clay pits were dug in various parts of the town. They are mentioned in 1709 as existing near the Wenham Causeway.

COLD Spring. Located in low ground about 800 feet northeasterly from Mile Brook bridge and about 300 feet from the bed of Mile brook. In 1850 the Spring was about 25 feet in diameter. The water is very cold. Mentioned in a deed dated June 7, 1711, and also at later dates.

COLERAIN. The level area in the northerly part of the town lying west of the B. & M. R. R. tracks and south of the land of the late Arthur W. Phillips. No sufficient evi- dence has as yet been discovered showing the origin of this name which appears as early as 1797 in a deed of Simon Gould covering land in this locality.

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The Colleges. The locality lying easterly of the Bonney’s Feather- bed road, now known as Perkins street, and for over two centuries owned by the Averill family, but now in the possession of Thomas E. Proctor. The name is said to have originated from the circumstance that the several mem- bers of the Averill family, who had houses in this locality, were among the more intelligent people of the town, — prom- inent in town affairs, cabinet makers and owners of a saw- mill, and above all, subscribers to one of the three news- papers received in Topsfield.

See Topsfield Historical Collections, Vol. II, p. 84; Vol. VIII, p. 49.

The COMMON. An area containing about 7 acres, lying on either side of Main street, and upon which stands the Town Hall and the Congregational Church. The Methodist Church faces the Common at its easterly corner. This area has remained common or undivided land since the settlement of the town. In former times it was used as a training field, but latterly it has been devoted to public sports and recently efforts have been made to improve its appearance along park lines.

Copper Mine Lot. The lot at the corner of Rowley Bridge street and Copper Mine road, taking its name from the supposed copper mine opened here as early as 1650 by Governor John Endecott. The pit may yet be seen.

See Topsfield Historical Collections, Vol. 1 1, p. 73.

Copper Mine Road, begins at Rowley Bridge street and ends at the Middleton line.

Cow Pen Brook. The small brook that flows under Per- kins street near the road leading to the late residence of Dudley Q. Bradstreet, now owned by Thomas E. Proctor. The name was in use as early as 1694.

Cross Street, extends from Rowley Bridge street to Hill street.

Donation Farm. The farm now owned by J. Morris Meredith. The name originated in the bequest of the prop- erty to the town in 1825, by Deacon George Bixby, the income to be used for the support of preaching the Calvinis-

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tic doctrines and the farm to be known as “The donation farm for the support of the gospel.”

Dry BRIDGE. There are two dry bridges in town. One, where Howlett street passes under the Newburyport and Boston turnpike; the other, where West street (“the ridge road”) passes under the railroad track. The name is more generally applied to the first. The bridge was built in 1804 when the turnpike was constructed. A steep descent fur- nishes passage, from the turnpike to Howlett street so that a carriage may be driven over the bridge and then under.

East End. A name formerly applied to the locality east of the Turnpike and lying between the Colleges and what is now High street.

East Street, begins at Ipswich street and ends at the Ipswich line.

Falls Bridge. This name was applied in 1714 to the bridge over Mile brook near the entrance to what is now the I. B. Young house on North street. Of late years it has been called Symonds’ bridge.

Fish Brook. Flows into the Ipswich river and is a boundary line between Topsfield and Boxford. Called “Fish- ing brook,” as early as 1652.

Fort Field. The field on the top of the hill behind the George F. Averell house on the westerly side of Hill street has long been locally known as “the fort field.” In 1894 Mr. Averell found, some eighteen inches below the surface, in a corner of this field, a fine spring of water surrounded by a re- taining wall of stone work. In the centre of the field he re- moved four large flat stones located in the form of a square which suggested a foundation for some former structure.

Fort, Old. According to tradition repeated by Enos Estey in 1845 and also shown on a plan of the Agricultural Farm drawn by Samuel S. McKenzie in 1858, a fort for pro- tection against the Indians, formerly stood in the Agricultur- al Farm field east of the pine grove beside the Turnpike and near the brook.

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Fox ISLAND. A small elevation covered with trees, in the meadow beside the Ipswich river, lying nearly in a range between the end of the glacial ridge or esker near the Bradstreet-Proctor house, and the ford across the river near Vineyard hill, Hamilton. So named as early as 1725.

Frank’s Lane. The narrow way leading from Main street to the Lower Cemetery and across the Turnpike to Central street. For nearly half its length it has a fine row of maple trees on either side from which its present name, Maple street, is derived. This way was laid out before Oct. 26, 1699.

Gallup’S Brook. The outlet for Lowe’s pond, Boxford, and Hood’s pond, Topsfield. As early as 1650 it was known as Pye brook, a name that is yet applied in Boxford. The name “Gallup’s brook” has only been in use during the past seventy-five years and originated from the Gallup family who formerly lived near the bridge across the brook on Haver- hill street. Near the Frank C. Frame house, the brook di- vides into two parts — Mile brook and Howlett’s brook — both flowing into the Ipswich river.

GARDEN Street, connects Hill street and Boston street. The name originated from the fact that the street was laid out through the garden of Benjamin W. Crowninshield.

GRASS Hill. The very steep hill on Wenham street hav- ing an elevation of 200 feet. The roadway as it ascended this hill formerly was overgrown with grass no doubt due to the fact that this road was but little travelled, although the way was laid out and in use before 1658, it being the direct road to Wenham passing over “the Causeway.”

GRAVELLY Brook. The brook which for a short distance forms the eastern boundary between Topsfield and Ipswich. In early days it was known as Winthrop’s brook.

GREAT Hill. The hill east of the village, having an ele- vation of 240 feet, and so called before 1671.

Hardscrabble. The locality about the junction of Ips- wich street and the Newburyport and Boston turnpike. It

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is now more generally known as “Springville.” The name “Hardscrabble” is said to have originated with Capt. John Adams, who when calling at the small shoe shops formerly located near each house, would joke with the workmen and remark that they were “scrabbling hard to make a living.” The phrase was habitual and soon became a byword ap- plied to the neighborhood.

The HARTLANDS. The meadowy ground on the south side of the river about half-way between the stone bridge, and Towne’s bridge, takes its name from a former owner, the Rev. Daniel Breck, pastor of the Topsfield church, who re- moved to Hartland, Vermont, in 1788.

HASSOCKY MEADOW. A river meadow comprising about 75 acres lying east of “the Colleges” and now owned by Thomas E. Proctor. The name is derived from the hassocky bunches of grass with which the meadow is covered, and was applied before 1647. Until recently this meadow was mowed for its hay.

Haverhill Street, begins at the junction of Main and Ipswich streets and ends at the Boxford line. It is the road to Haverhill.

High Banks. A name recently applied to the left bank of the Ipswich river just below the “Stone Bridge,” long re- sorted to as a bathing place.

High Street, begins at the junction of Main and Wash- ington streets and ends at the Wenham line.

Hill Street, connects Salem street and Rowley Bridge street. A very hilly street.

Hood’s Pond. The pond located about miles north of the village. It has an area of 68 acres and takes its present name from the family of Hood, who have lived at its northern extremity for nearly two centuries. At earlier times it has been known as Pritchett’s pond, and Baker’s pond.

Horse Island. Low ground on the south side of the Ipswich river nearly opposite the house of the late Albert Webster.

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Hovey’s Plain. A somewhat sandy plain on Haverhill street beyond Gallup’s brook. In the open field towards the west may have been seen the cellar of the Hovey house from which family the plain derives its name. In early times it was known as Pine plain.

HOWLETT STREET, “the old road,” begins at “the Com- mon” and ends at Perkins street. It takes its name from Samuel Ilowlett, the early blacksmith, who lived by this road.

HOWLETT’S BROOK. That portion of Gallup’s brook (or Pye brook), which divides near the Frank C. Frame house and flows easterly to Donaldson’s grist-mill and the Ipswich river. Named for the Howlett family which long owned the grist-mill.

IPSWICH River. Rises in Burlington, Mass., and flows in- to Ipswich Bay, in its course dividing the town of Topsfield into two parts and also serving as a boundary line. In the earliest times it was known as “the river Agawam.”

Ipswich Street, begins at the junction of Main and Haverhill streets and ends at the Ipswich line.

ISRAEL’S Hill. The first hill on Hill street beyond the Salem street corner. It was named for Israel Towne who lived in the vicinity. The ascents of the hill are respectively called the “upper Israel” and the “lower Israel.”

Klondike. A name applied at the time of the Klondike gold fever to the newly filled and graded land owned by Otto E. Lake, on Washington street opposite Grove street. At one time used as a public dump.

Lake Village. The locality about the junction of Pros- pect street and River street. Henry Lake, weaver, built his house here about 1675 and his descendants have lived in the vicinity until the present day.

Lamson’s Bridge. The bridge over the Ipswich river, crossed by Asbury street and taking its name from the Lam- son family who lived nearby for over 250 years.

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Lang’S Hill. The hill now known as Price’s hill and at an early date as “Billingsgate,” became known after 1850, as Lang’s hill, deriving its name from Charles Lang who lived in a house that formerly stood about half-way up the hill be- yond the Andrew Gould house.

LONG Lane. That portion of Washington street situa- ted between Mill street and River street, formerly was a nar- row, straight way, and before it was widened was locally known as Long lane.

Lower or Boston Street Cemetery. Situated on the Turnpike, now Boston street, having Maple street on the south. It was purchased by the Town for burial purposes in 1828.

See Topsfield Historical Collections, Vol. VII, p. 107.

MAIN Street, begins at the junction of Ipswich and Haverhill streets and ends at Boston street. That portion between the railroad track and Boston street is sometimes called South Main street.

MAPLE STREET, connects Main street and Central street. The rows of maple trees on either side suggested the name Formerly it was known as Frank’s lane.

Mechanic’s Court. A name formerly applied to Cen- tral street when it was only a narrow lane terminating at what is now Summer street.

Meeting-House Lane. The narrow way connecting How- lett street with Perkins street. The earliest meeting-house is said to have stood beside this way, which formerly was a part of “the old road.”

MILE Brook. That portion of Gallup’s brook (or Pye brook), which divides near the Frank C. Frame house and flows south-easterly to the Peabody grist mill and the Ipswich river. The name is derived from the fact that the distance is about a mile from the division in the brook to its junction with the river and was in use before 1653.

Mill Street, begins at Washington street and ends at the Boxford line. It formerly led to the Boxford ironworks

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and afterwards to the saw-mill lately known as Frame’s mill.

MISERY. The poor, sandy land south of Washington street and near Fish brook.

MUDDY Spring. Located near the base of Great hill be- side Howlett street and mentioned as a bound as early as 1690.

MUTTON Lane. A name applied to Central street when it was only a narrow lane terminating at what is now Summer street. The slaughter-house of Munday and later of Wood- bury and Ward, located on this lane, suggested its name. It was also known as Mechanic’s court.

Navy Yard. A name applied to Topsfield or some por- tion of it, and in use in Salem and vicinity since before 1840. Its origin and application is obscure.

New Meadows. The first name applied by the settlers to this town and finding its origin in the broad meadows be- side the river.

NICHOLS’ Brook. Flows into the Ipswich river in the south-western part of the town and forms a portion of the boundary line between Topsfield and Middleton. The name is derived from the Nichols family, which settled near this brook in 1651.

North Street, begins at Ipswich street, a short distance east of Baker’s hill, and running in a northerly direction ends at the Ipswich line.

Oak Tree. The oldest tree in the town stands in a small pasture on the south side of Hill street belonging to the Ag- ricultural Farm. It probably is about 300 years old.

See Topsfield Historical Collections, Vol. VII, p. 105.

OLD Road. The road leading from Perkins street, under the dry bridge, to the Common and now known as Howlett street, takes its name from the fact that Samuel Howlett came from Ipswich in 1668 and set up his trade of black- smithing beside this street. His house was also located on this street. The road is one of the oldest in the town.

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Olivers. The farm of 500 acres granted to Samuel Sy- monds by the town of Ipswich in 1637, having for its south- westerly bounds, Pye brook, and south-easterly bounds on Paine’s hill. The name originated in Symonds’ former es- tate in Toppesfield Parish, England, which also was known as “Olivers” and retains the name to the present day.

Paine’S Hill. The hill on the northerly side of Ipswich street near Asbury street, taking its name from William Paine, the merchant of Ipswich and Boston, who was an origin- al proprietor at the settlement of the town. The name appears in deeds as early as 1683.

Park Street, formerly Railroad avenue, connects Main street and Summer street.

PARSONAGE Lot. The hilly and swampy pasture, now overgrown by trees and bushes, located in the rear of the Albert A. Conant property on Main street. The first par- sonage was built here in 1663, and the cellar hole may yet be seen about one hundred feet in the rear of the Conant stable. The land remained the property of the town and parish for nearly two hundred years.

Perkins’ ISLAND. Elevated land near the Ipswich river in the southeasterly part of the town. A bound stone marking the line between Topsfield and Wenham is on this island.

Perkins’ Row. A name formerly applied to that portion of Perkins street between Howlett street and High street, for the reason that nearly every family on the street was of the Perkins name.

Perkins Street, begins at the junction of Central and High streets and ends at Ipswich street, at “the City.” It is a very crooked road. Part of it formerly was known as “Per- kins Row.” That part extending from Meeting House lane to Ipswich street has long been known as the “Bonney’s Featherbed road.”

Pine Grove Cemetery. Located on Haverhill street, it takes its name from the fine grove of 140 pine trees on the higher part of the ground. The first interments in this

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ground were probably made about 1663 when the meeting- house was located here. Three enlargements have been made to the original area.

Pine Hill. A hill lying south-west of the Peterson farm on the south side of the Ipswich river, mentioned in a deed of Averill to Averill in Sept., 1709.

Pine Island. An island in the meadow east of the ridge which lies east of the Dudley Bradstreet house now owned by Thomas E. Proctor. The name was in use before 1718.

Pine Plain. The level ground lying on either side of Haverhill street, north of Gallup’s brook. Of late years known as Hovey’s plain. The name appears in deeds as early as 1657.

Pine STREET, connects Ipswich street and Haverhill street. A small grove of pine trees suggested the name.

Poker Bridge. The small bridge crossed by Maple street near the railroad track. Tradition relates that the Devil in the form of a hog, formerly haunted this bridge, hence the name “Porker” or “Poker” bridge. In 1699 it was called Foster’s bridge, in the laying out of a road.

Pond Street, begins at Haverhill street and following the northern shore of Hood’s pond, ends at the Ipswich line.

The Pound. The pound in which are kept domestic animals that have strayed from there owner’s keeping, is lo- cated (1905) in a portion of the “Town pasture,” beyond Pine Grove Cemetery. Previous to about 1885, it was located for many years on Washington street, in the rear of the Con- gregational church, in a corner of the pasture, known as the “Parsonage lot,” it having been removed to this site in 1844 from where the Town hall now stands, to accomodate the school house built at that time.

Powder House Hill. On the knoll nearest the swamp at the Washington street end of the “Parsonage lot” formerly stood a small building in which was stored the town’s stock

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of gunpowder. The building was removed shortly before 1850.

Price’s Hill. The hill lies south of the village and has an elevation of 160 feet. Prospect street runs over it. The early settlers applied the name “Billingsgate” to this hill. For a number of years following 1850 it was known as Lang’s hill. The present name is derived from the Richard Price estate located on the top of the hill.

Pritchett’s Pond. An early name for Hood’s pond.

PROSPECT Street, connects Main street with River street, passing over “Billingsgate hill” and affording a fine view of the village.

Pye Brook. The outlet for Lowe’s pond, Boxford, and Hood’s pond, Topsfield. The name was applied before 1645. During the past seventy-five years the lower portion of the brook has been known as “Gallup’s brook.”

The Rapids. A shallow, rocky place in the Ipswich river, about half way between the Stone bridge and Towne’s Bridge, and near the locality known as “The Hartlands.”

RlDGE Street, begins at Ipswich street, crosses the Turn- pike, and ends at Perkins street. For a part of the distance it is built on top of a glacial ridge or terminal moraine.

RIVER Hill. The hill south of the Stone bridge. Also called “Turnpike hill.”

RIVER Street, begins at Salem street, near the river, which it follows for some distance, and crossing Washington street it ends at the Boxford line or Fish Brook bridge.

ROWLEY Bridge. The bridge over the Ipswich river near- est the Middleton and Boxford line. It was built conjoint- ly by Topsfield and Rowley and may have locally acquired its name from this fact. The name appears in a deed dated Jan. 1, 1695.

Rowley Bridge Street, begins at River street, passes over “Rowley bridge,” and ends at the Danvers line where it becomes North street.

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Rowley Street, begins at Haverhill street and ends at the Ipswich line near the southern end of Hood’s pond.

Salem Street, formerly the main road to Danvers and Salem, begins at Main street, opposite the Agricultural farm, crosses the Turnpike at the top of River hill, and ends at the Danvers line where it becomes Locust street.

SCHOOL Avenue, extends from Main street to the school grounds.

SHENEWEMEDY. The Indian name applied to Topsfield in the earliest times, perhaps meaning — “the pleasant place by the running water.”

Skunk Island. Elevated ground in Slough brook, a short distance north of River street.

SLOUGH Brook. Flows into the Ipswich river and is crossed by River street at a point about halfway between Prospect street and Rowley Bridge street.

Snook’S Dam, or Snook’s Hole. The small brook which passes under Perkins street near Meeting House lane flows into Mile brook. A few rods from Mile brook, the smaller stream at some earlier time was dammed and the locality as early as June, 1663, was known as “Sknookes hole.” In a deed dated Jan. 18, 1674? this locality is called “Snake hole.”

SOUTH Side. The territory lying on the south side of the Ipswich river.

South Side Cemetey. Located on Rowley Bridge street near the Copper Mine lot. Half of its area was set aside for burial purposes and given by Joseph Herrick in 1740. The other half was given by David Cummins in 1814.

SPRINGVILLE. The locality about the junction of Ipswich street and the Newburyport and Boston turnpike. Also known as “Hardscrabble.” It received its name “Springville,” in 1870, from William Locke, who erected two guideboards bearing that name. It originated in the numerous excel- lent springs in the vicinity.

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STICKEY Meadows. The meadows on the south side of the Ipswich river in the rear of the Pike and Peterson farms. They were laid out in the second division of common lands, having a width of 52 rods. The name appears in deeds as early as 1670. For many years they were controlled by a corporation composed of the various owners and known as the Proprietors of the Stickey Meadows. The origin of the name is unknown unless from the tenatious quality of the mucky soil.

STONE Bridge, or Arch Bridge. The bridge across the Ipswich river, over which the Turnpike runs. It was built in 1854, then replacing a wooden bridge.

STONE House. A dwelling-house built of stone brought from Crooked pond, Boxford, that formerly stood on the easterly side of Salem street about half-way between the Turn- pike and Wenham street. It was built in 1836 and taken down in 1885.

Sugar-loaf Hills. In various parts of the town, but notably in and near the village, are several small conical ele- vations which have long been known as “sugar-loaf hills.” One formerly existed on the present site of the Congrega- tional church and was leveled in 1703 when the second meet- ing-house was built. Another, may be seen occupying a tri- angular space at the junction of Washington street and Grove street. The name was early applied to the hillock on the southerly side of Grove street, about the steep sides of which gathered the people when the Bi-Centennial of the incorpor- ation of the town was celebrated in 1850. The rock forma- tion is reddish and disintegrates upon being exposed to the action of frost. It is a decomposed form of granite, geolog- ically known as arkose.

Summer Street, connects Main street and High street.

SwEENEYVILLE. The collection of houses near the south- ern end of Main street. Named for Miles Sweeney who lived therefor a number of years beginning with 1851.

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Symonds’ Plain. The sandy level north of Mile brook on either side of North street. This plain was owned by the Symonds family for nearly 175 years.

Symonds’ Woods. A name formerly applied to a stretch of wood land near Rowley bridge, now small in extent.

Thick Woods. A name applied as early as 1647 to the locality lying easterly from the Lamson farm and originating in the dense growth of forest trees covering that part of the town.

Toad Island. A triangular area at Springville bound- ed by the Turnpike, Ipswich street, and the brook, — a favor- ite haunt for toads.

Toll House. The house at the corner of Salem street and the Newburyport and Boston turnpike and built for the keeper of the turnpike gate who collected tolls at this point.

Town Pasture. The pasture lying westerly from Pine Grove Cemetery and occupying the larger part of Bare hill. The land belongs to the town and primarily was purchased for the purpose of enlarging the limits of the cemetery.

Towne’S BRIDGE. The bridge crossing the river next be- low the stone bridge, and near the railroad bridge. It derives its popular name from the fact that all those living beyond the bridge, on the south side of the river, belonged to the Towne family.

The TURNPIKE. The Boston and Newburyport Turn- pike was built through Topsfield in 1804. The road runs in a nearly straight line from Newburyport to Boston.

Todd’S Corner. The corner at the junction of Haver- hill street and Ipswich street, so named for the owner of the house at the corner — Samuel Todd.

UTICA. The one-story building north of the J. B. Poor house on Grove street, formerly a shoe shop and of late years occupied by elderly men who have lived alone. It was re- moved to this location in 1872 by John Janes, who was the first to live in it and who removed to Utica, N. Y., hence the name.

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The Valley. The valley, or glen, south of the residence of Arthur A. Clarke and extending from the Turnpike to the rear of the Hodges house. Sometimes called “Perk. Towne’s Valley,” from the former owner — Perkins Towne.

VALLEY Road. The highway built in 1900 in part with money apportioned by the State Highway Commission. Be- ginning at High street near Towne’s bridge it skirts the hill- side, crosses the swamp beyond the Wenham and Danvers boundary stone, and enters Locust street in Danvers near the Sears farm. For nearly a century various routes had been discussed and even surveyed, by which the village of Topsfield might be reached without passing over River hill, and the present road takes its name from a previous plan of a proposed road through the valley between River hill and Towne’s hill.

Washington Street, begins at the junction of Main and High streets and passes through “the West End,” crossing River street, and ends at the Boxford line.

Wenham Causeway. Wenham street after it passes the Wenham boundary line is built over swampy land and has been known as the “causeway” or “cassey” since before 1659 when first mentioned in the Topsfield records.

WENHAM Street, connects Salem street and High street, passing down “Grass hill” and leading to