The Bixbys
in America

Bonny (Wilcox) Collins' working notes, February 2016 · complete and verbatim, unfinished as she left them

Bixby Family History — Notes, America

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THE TRIP TO AMERICA “The most trying part of the entire journey often took place before the ship ever left the port. Delays could last weeks. During those weeks, passengers had no choice but to eat the food and spend the money they had so carefully saved for the trip and for their first year in New England. Lengthy inspections of the passengers’ paperwork sometimes held things up. But more likely, weather served as the main culprit. Passengers occasionally waited weeks for the wind to blow in the right direction. Once it did, the captain wasted no time in taking off – sometimes leaving in such haste that passengers who had disembarked briefly were left behind. The voyage presented dangers of its own. Shipwreck, though greatly feared, wasn’t the most notable danger. Of the nearly two hundred voyages to New England in the 1630s, only one ended in disaster. Even then, most of the passenger survived. More threatening in reality was sickness. Severe seasickness or dysentery plagued some passengers. Fatal diseases were sometimes brought on board and spread quickly through the passengers in the small, confined spaces. One ship, for example, arrived with smallpox distributed among the passengers. The longer the trip the lasted, the more problems its passengers faced. Supplies were depleted and physical endurances tested. And, the length of the voyage was entirely unpredictable. The average passage took about ten and a half weeks. However, some made much faster time, arriving in only five and a half weeks. For others, it seemed as if they ocean would stretch out forever. One voyage lasted a total of twenty-six weeks, leaving its passengers weak and nearly starved to death.” In Massachusetts Bay a ‘Freeman’ Oath is used that required loyalty to the governing of the commonwealth of Massachusetts without mentioning allegiance to the King of England. “The Charter of the Massachusetts-Bay Company gave them broader powers in that it did not exact this provision from them but gave the Company liberty to admit new members, called "Freemen" of the Company, and no method, conditions, or qualifications were presented for conferring this privilege. Their leaders, as we shall see, were quick to take advantage of the opportunity given them to frame their own Oaths of citizenship. Too late the government in England, or rather that part which was representative of the Church of England, realized the powers of colonization this gave the dissenting churchmen; and, in 1637, a Proclamation was issued, aimed principally to prevent the emigration of Puritan Ministers, which commanded that none should be suffered to go to New England "without a certificate that they had taken the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, and had conformed to the discipline of the Church of England." In 1638, another Proclamation ‘commanded owners and masters of vessels that they do not fit out any with passengers and provisions to New-England, without license from the Commissioners of Plantations.’ “ 1664 England is aware of the Freemans oath omitting allegiance to the King and directs the oath to include allegiance to the King – and the rebellion and power struggle is on.

Joseph Bixby’s name (in any iteration) is not found on any Pilgrim ship rosters currently available. It is likely, due to proximity (18 miles), he would have departed out of Ipswich, England. All ships found departing from Ipswich during 1630-40 went to The Massachusetts Bay Colony. So it is likely Joseph arrived in America at the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid-to-late 1630’s. He is in Ipswich Massachusetts by 1647.

Massachusetts Bay Colony While Joseph Bixby ended up in Ipswich Massachusetts by 1647, it is probable he initially arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (MBC). Even if he did not, the fact that Ipswich was a Puritan settlement established by John Winthrop the Younger warrants a short description about the significance of the M.B.Colony. It was a Theocratic government with franchise limited to church members. In 1630 it started with approximately 1000 inhabitants and by 1640 it had 20,000. Seven additional communities were quickly established to keep each group small and to continue to stretch their boundaries. John Winthrop’s “method was so simple as to be open to the understanding of anyone, but it was a firm principle of government. As an illustration: when he was appealed to by a small group of settlers near the border line of New Hampshire for information as to how they could become freemen of the Colony (remember this, you will see it again) his reply was: "Get a Minister." When they answered that they had no Minister, and did not know where to get one, again came back his uncompromising reply: "Get a Minister." In this reply rested his whole system of colonization. It was simplicity itself. The English Government recognized its power when, by proclamation, they endeavored to prevent the emigration of Puritan Ministers from England. "Get a Minister!" Gather about him! Build him a church, and homes for yourselves and families. This done, you have a Plantation. When you have thus qualified to become freemen, and have taken the Oath of a Freeman, you will be entitled to hold office; assist in framing laws, and enforcing those already made; and, as members of the Commonwealth, be assured that all your rights will be protected. This principle of government was firm, but not repellent. If you could not conform to it there was no reason for remaining among them. The world was wide enough for every one.”

JOSEPH BIXBY We have spent quite a bit of time painting the picture of where Joseph Bixby came from and the circumstances in which he traveled and arrived. It is time to move our story long faster now. The years of his late teens and early twenty’s are not documented. The first documentation we find for him is in Ipswich Massachusetts in 15 Oct 1647 when he is about to me married at age 26. His wife is the young widow

STOP HERE: RESEARCH SARAH WYATT…BORN IN ASSINGTON, SUFFOLK.??? FIND A GRAVE INCLUDE INSERT ABOUT IPSWICH, MAP ETC.

Oaths: http://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44817342.pdf Searchable Dictionary of early English Emigrants. Topographical dictionary of 2885 English emigrants to New ... Banks, Charles Edward, 1854-1931. http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt/search?q1=Munnings&id=mdp.39015008455175&view=1up&seq=7 Joseph Byxbe p. 163; Robert Coe Thorpe Morieux p. 162; Munnings from Rattlesden p. 158-9 who may have also been related.

Researchotes Title: A genealogical dictionary of the first settlers of New England, showing three generations of those who came before May, 1692, on the basis of Farmer's Register. By James Savage. Author: Savage, James, 1784-1873. Collection: Making of America Books List of all pages | Add to bookbag http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/ABE2564.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext BIXBY, DANIEL, Andover, m. 2 Dec. 1674, Hannah, prob. d. of Thomas Chandler of the same, had Daniel, Thomas, David, and Joseph, and d. 1717. JONATHAN, Newton 1691, s. of Joseph the sec. by w. Rachel, m. 1709, had Rachel, perhaps others, certain. Hannah, posthum. 30 Apr. 1715, he having d. 1714, prob. under mid. age. In Hist. of N. Jackson could find little of him to tell. JOSEPH, Salisbury, an early sett. m. 1647, Sarah, wid. of Luke Heard, wh. came from Assington, Co. Suff. and her maid. name was Wyatt, as Farmer tells; was of Ipswich 1649, and Rowley 1667, but I can tell no more. JOSEPH, Boxford, perhaps s. of the preced. m. 1682, Sarah Gould, had Sarah, Joseph, Jonathan, George, Daniel, Benjamin, Mary, and Abigail, and d. a. 1704. NATHANIEL, Ipswich 1637, of wh. Mr. Felt can tell me no more. THOMAS, Salem 1636; and equal. short is the tale for him. Very freq. is the name in our early rec. Bigsbee, as it was pronounc. and not rarely is heard in our day. A wid. Mary B. was receiv. into Boston ch. 20 June 1640; but of wh. she had been w. is not found.

Victor Bixby Family History

The goal of this journal is to reach back into history and trace the Bixby family tree with bits and pieces of geography and history to provide a glimpse of the context of this family. Following their lives may provide an appreciation of the foundation upon which we stand. That said, the bits of history provided are obviously over-simplified to be able to make this task achievable. Likewise, the family members discussed are points along the tree. The actual complete genealogy is provided online at Ancestry.com.

Where possible primary source documents were reviewed and recorded in the complete tree software. When primary sources were not available, unfortunately secondary sources had to be relied upon. Those include undocumented publications and other people’s notes and trees. Care was taken to not repeat/copy other’s errors (there are many out there) however, no guarantees can be made.

I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did researching it and trying to capture it.

For the ‘Younger Generation’ – you are probably asking right up front --- how am I related to these people. So I’m including the ‘end of the story’ up front. I picked Victor Bixby here to have a central point for my cousins to be able to include their children, grand children and great grand children into the story.

THE IMMIGRATION: JOSEPH BIXBY (1621-1701): It is believed the majority of Bixby’s in America (at least up to 1913) are decedents of this one English immigrant. Extensive genealogy research has been done on this family line and published in a book, “A genealogy of the descendants of Joseph Bixby, 1621-1701 of Ipswich and Boxford Massachusetts... “ by Willard Goldthwaite Bixby. It is an open source book available to be read online at https://openlibrary.org/books/OL23301081M/A_genealogy_of_the_descendants_of_Joseph_Bixby_1621-1701_of_Ipswich_and_Boxford_Massachusetts Some excerpts in Attachment A.

Question: Why would Joseph Bixby, eldest son, teen-ager, LEAVE? When Joseph was 15 (1636), his family consisted of: Father: George Bixby, 42 yrs old Step-mother: Elizabeth, 40 yrs old Older sister: Mary, 18 yrs old Joseph 15 yrs old Younger brother: Daniel 11 yrs old Younger sister: Lydia, 9 yrs old Younger ½ brother: Abraham, 8 yrs old

Did the family see the oncoming wars and want Joseph to avoid it? Was it fear of religious instability and persecution? Was it lack of land or opportunity in England? Was it the immediate family structure? After Joseph’s mother died when he was six years old, his father remarried the same year. His step-mother, Elizabeth Sudbury, 31, had a baby boy the following year (Abraham Bixby b. 1628) and a still-born child 3 years later. Answer: A recorded answer to that question hasn’t been discovered. What do you think? Perhaps it is a combination of all of the above?

Question: Why go to Massachusetts? Answer: While other immigrants were traveling to several destinations, Massachusetts could have been attractive because others from Suffolk County had already gone there. As noted above the co-founder and 1st Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop, was from Suffolk County. While the exact date of departure isn’t know, it is probable he departed from Ipswich England (by far the closest point of departure). Of the four ships recorded as departing from there during this time, all went to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Question: Was Joseph Bixby a Puritan”? As noted in the section about the Puritans above: Maybe yes: Where the Puritan’s came from - a large number of the Puritans that migrated came from Suffolk (where Joseph lived) and the surrounding counties. Maybe yes: Where they went to - a large number of those went to the Massachusetts Bay Colony (where Joseph went to). Maybe yes: When they went - the time period Joseph migrated is in the peak years for Puritan migration. Maybe No: When in his 40’s in Massachusetts, he was not yet a “Freeman”, although a landowner and man of good repute. Implies he may not have been a member of the church. Probably yes: (See notes about his time in Ipswich). He later became a “Freeman” as documented in the church records. Edit this While we don’t have any specific records linking Joseph Bixby’s name directly as a Puritans, he certainly was in the right places in both England and America and time period. If he wasn’t a member, he was certainly living with them in America. (See notes on Ipswich, Mass).

Question: When did Joseph Bixby immigrate to America? 7 The exact year isn’t known. In 1638 a “Muster Roll” of all able bodied men 16-60 was taken in their section of Suffolk England. Joseph would have been 17. His name wasn’t on the roll, but his father’s was. So it is plausible that he had already migrated. The first record of him in America is in Ipswich Massachusetts in 1647 at the time of his marriage at age, 26.

THE TRIP TO AMERICA

“The most trying part of the entire journey often took place before the ship ever left the port. Delays could last weeks. During those weeks, passengers had no choice but to eat the food and spend the money they had so carefully saved for the trip and for their first year in New England. Lengthy inspections of the passengers’ paperwork sometimes held things up. But more likely, weather served as the main culprit. Passengers occasionally waited weeks for the wind to blow in the right direction. Once it did, the captain wasted no time in taking off – sometimes leaving in such haste that passengers who had disembarked briefly were left behind. The voyage presented dangers of its own. Shipwreck, though greatly feared, wasn’t the most notable danger. Of the nearly two hundred voyages to New England in the 1630s, only one ended in disaster. Even then, most of the passenger survived. More threatening in reality was sickness. Severe seasickness or dysentery plagued some passengers. Fatal diseases were sometimes brought on board and spread quickly through the passengers in the small, confined spaces. One ship, for example, arrived with smallpox distributed among the passengers. The longer the trip the lasted, the more problems its passengers faced. Supplies were depleted and physical endurances tested. And, the length of the voyage was entirely unpredictable. The average passage took about ten and a half weeks. However, some made much faster time, arriving in only five and a half weeks. For others, it seemed as if they ocean would stretch out forever. One voyage lasted a total of twenty-six weeks, leaving its passengers weak and nearly starved to death.” OATHS Oaths were used to control behavior by those requiring them with mortal consequences to those taking them (either physically or spiritually). There are several relevant oaths with different names. This is a brief and superficial summary for our purposes. After Henry VIII declared himself the supreme head of the church, he required all Bishops, Priests, etc to take an Oath of Supremacy (acknowledging him as head of the church) under penalty of death. His successor continued it. Mary Tutor, trying to restoring Catholic church, repealed it. Queen Elizabeth restored it, etc. It was a long standing tool to keep the population and leaders in alignment. At the time of Joseph Bixby’s departure to the colonies, Oaths of allegiance to the ruling sovereigns of England were required to leave England. Ships were prevented from leaving port until documentation each passenger had taken the oath was provided. In Massachusetts Bay a ‘Freeman’ Oath is used that required loyalty to the governing of the commonwealth of Massachusetts without mentioning allegiance to the King of England. “The Charter of the Massachusetts-Bay Company gave them broader powers in that it did not exact this provision from them but gave the Company liberty to admit new members, called "Freemen" of the Company, and no method, conditions, or qualifications were presented for conferring this privilege. Their leaders, as we shall see, were quick to take advantage of the opportunity given them to frame their own Oaths of citizenship. Too late the government in England, or rather that part which was representative of the Church of England, realized the powers of colonization this gave the dissenting churchmen; and, in 1637, a Proclamation was issued, aimed principally to prevent the emigration of Puritan Ministers, which commanded that none should be suffered to go to New England "without a certificate that they had taken the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, and had conformed to the discipline of the Church of England." In 1638, another Proclamation ‘commanded owners and masters of vessels that they do not fit out any with passengers and provisions to New-England, without license from the Commissioners of Plantations.’ “ 1664 England is aware of the Freemans oath omitting allegiance to the King and directs the oath to include allegiance to the King – and the rebellion and power struggle is on.

Joseph Bixby’s name (in any iteration) is not found on any Pilgrim ship rosters currently available. It is likely, due to proximity (18 miles), he would have departed out of Ipswich, England. All ships found departing from Ipswich during 1630-40 went to The Massachusetts Bay Colony. So it is likely Joseph arrived in America at the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid-to-late 1630’s.

Massachusetts Bay Colony While Joseph Bixby ended up in Ipswich Massachusetts by 1647, it is probable he initially arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (MBC). Even if he did not, the fact that Ipswich was a Puritan settlement established by John Winthrop the Younger warrants a short description about the significance of the M.B.Colony. It was a Theocratic government with franchise limited to church members. In 1630 it started with approximately 1000 inhabitants and by 1640 it had 20,000. Seven additional communities were quickly established to keep each group small and to continue to stretch their boundaries. John Winthrop’s “method was so simple as to be open to the understanding of anyone, but it was a firm principle of government. As an illustration: when he was appealed to by a small group of settlers near the border line of New Hampshire for information as to how they could become freemen of the Colony (remember this, you will see it again) his reply was: "Get a Minister." When they answered that they had no Minister, and did not know where to get one, again came back his uncompromising reply: "Get a Minister." In this reply rested his whole system of colonization. It was simplicity itself. The English Government recognized its power when, by proclamation, they endeavored to prevent the emigration of Puritan Ministers from England. "Get a Minister!" Gather about him! Build him a church, and homes for yourselves and families. This done, you have a Plantation. When you have thus qualified to become freemen, and have taken the Oath of a Freeman, you will be entitled to hold office; assist in framing laws, and enforcing those already made; and, as members of the Commonwealth, be assured that all your rights will be protected. This principle of government was firm, but not repellent. If you could not conform to it there was no reason for remaining among them. The world was wide enough for every one.”

JOSEPH BIXBY We have spent quite a bit of time painting the picture of where Joseph Bixby came from and the circumstances in which he traveled and arrived. It is time to move our story long. The years of his late teens and early twenty’s are not documented. The first documentation we find for him is in Ipswich Massachusetts in 15 Oct 1647 when he is about to be married at age 26.

Sarah Wyatt, was born abt 1623 and raised in Assington, Suffolk, England, 6 miles from Little Waldingfield. Her family immigrated to Ipswich Massachusetts in 1638. Verify. About the same time Joseph did. In 1643 she married Luke Heard. They had two children and he died in 1647

STOP HERE: RESEARCH SARAH WYATT…BORN IN ASSINGTON, SUFFOLK.??? FIND A GRAVE INCLUDE INSERT ABOUT IPSWICH, MAP ETC.

The end of Puritanism: https://thehistoricpresent.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/when-did-puritan-new-england-die-out/ When did “Puritan New England” die out? Posted on January 3, 2012. Filed under: 17th century America, Colonial America, Puritans | Tags: Dominion of New England, Puritan New England | It’s always interesting to me how long a lifespan people assign to “Puritan New England”. Of course, there are two kinds of “Puritan” being described: the days of the Puritan colonies and a set of behaviors that people who were not Puritans describe as “puritanism”. People tend to describe New England society as Puritan from 1620 to about 1950—a much longer span than is warranted by fact. The real lifespan of Puritan New England is 1630 to about 1720. We say 1630 because the Pilgrims who arrived in North America in 1620 were not Puritans (see here for more on that); it was the group who arrived in 1630 who began Puritan colonization. The colonies founded by these Puritans were based on the religious practice of Congregationalism, and this meant three things that are the main characteristics of Puritan New England: 1) the colonies thrived on and required religious homogeneity; 2) a proto-democratic political system was necessary to protect the unique society created in America; and thus 3) the colonists devoted themselves to evading direct rule from England in order to maintain that political system. For as long as these three characteristics were unchallenged, Puritan New England existed. How long was that? Not very long. The aftermath of King Philip’s War (1675-6) brought political discord between the Puritan colonies, which brought on direct rule from England, first in the form of the Dominion of New England (1686-9), during which time the Puritan colonies of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island were restructured into one mega-colony (along with New York and East and West Jersey). It’s important that during the Dominion the Puritans were enraged not just by the promotion of Anglicanism over Congregationalism but also by the destruction of the Puritan legal and political system: legislatures were no longer popularly elected, land titles were revoked, and a royal court with no jury was set up in Boston to enforce the Navigation Acts. The Dominion was overthrown after the death of King James II, but English direct rule did not end. The Puritans who had overthrown the Dominion immediately pledged their loyalty to the new king and queen, William and Mary, and William opened the Puritan colonies to outsiders. Non-Puritans began settling in New England in large numbers, and their religious practices were protected. By 1691, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s charter was overthrown and it became a royal colony with a royally appointed governer, true Congregationalism was rapidly becoming a blast from the past. Its dominance was certainly at an end, as it became simply one religion amongst many others. Of course, it took decades to completely unseat the old religious ways. But an important shift was occurring after 1689: all of the fervor originally associated primarily with religion in Puritan New England was being gradually but steadily transferred to politics. Note that the Dominion and the charter revocation dealt a fatal blow to pure Congregational practice but strengthened the old Puritan political dogma. What the people of New England held on to was proto-democracy: a popularly elected legislature, juries made up of local citizens, and the right of towns to hold their political town meetings. As the old religion which had originally demanded these political protections faded away, the politics  themselves became a religion for New Englanders. So by roughly 1720-30 the shift was fairly complete. New England was no longer Puritan, it was polyglot with a Puritan past and a powerful Puritan legacy that newcomers and non-Puritans were very aware of. Politics was the new religion, and New England would lead the way into the age of Revolution.

Transcription record from the family's scan · complete and verbatim; brackets mark uncertain readings

The 1647 Marriage Bond of Joseph Bixby and Sarah Heard

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Bee it hereby knowne unto all yt wee Joseph Byxbye [of] Ipswch husbandman, & Sarah Herde widow bound to y Cort of Ipswich in thirtie pounds to be paid to the said Cort, and thereunto w binde our selves our heires, and executors by these psents

Sealed with our seales and delivered the 15 day of the 10 month A. D. 1647.

Joseph Byxbye (o) wax seal the marke of Sarah Heard (o) wax seal

Margret Rogers [Jo?]an Rogers

The condition of this obligation is such, yt if the abovebound- en Joseph Bixby, Sarah Heard (in case they p[ro]ceed together in marriage intended) if they or ei[ther] of them shall doe, or cause to bee done these things following: 1. That the two children of the said widdow wch were left unto her by her late husband Luke Heard, of Ipswich be well brought up, and taught to reade, and write soe soone as they are cappable. 2. That at the age of thir- teen yeares at the furthest they be put forth to be ap- prenticed in such trades as M[r] Nathaniel Rogers their grandfather Wyat, and Ensigne Howlett in writing under their hand, or any two of them in like manner shall advise unto. 3. That unto her chil- dren be paid at the age of one and twenty yeares fifteen pound given them by will of their father viz. ten pound to the elder at the time of one and twenty, and and five pounds to the younger when he shall bee at the like age, alsoe that the bookes bequeathed them by their father be given them by equall division according to 4. That fiv pounds more bee paid to the said chil- dren, if living or either of them, at her will, and either shall cause to divide it in even, or in equall portions to them, or to give the more to her youn

From the family's saved copy of the printed Bixby genealogy · complete and verbatim

The Will of Joseph Bixby Sr., 1699

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The will of Joseph Bixby is on file at Salem, together with an in- ventory of his estate, both of which follow. 2 Will The last will and testiment of Josaph Bixby Sener liveing in Box- ford being aged and not expacting to contenew long in this world yet perfact in his understanding and in A Resinal disposing miend: I doe bequeath my Souel to Almity God who gave it mee and my 1 See under Sergeant Joseph Bixby, Jr. (n). 2 Facsimile of will is shown opposite page 26

DESCENDANTS OF JOSEPH BIXBY 25 body to bee desantly buriad in the Earth after my deseas: and as for my outward Estat I despos of it as heerit foloweth : and to my son Josaph I will and bequeath forty and fouer Acors and a quarter of land: pearte of it is the land I gave him a pon mariag: which land he now liveeth uppon : also I doe give to my son gorg the Eaigh- teen acors of land hee now liveath a pon and Elaven acors moer behind durty medow and and two acors and three quarters of medow in durty medow and three acors of medow in the slip and an acor of upland lying Round it for convenantsy of fencing of it : also I doe give to my son Jonathen twenty and Eaight acors of land he now liveath a pon which is the homested I live uppon and fouer acors of medow in long medow which I bout of Captin Chandler: and the Reast of my land shal be Eaqually parted A mongst my 3 sons ; and forder my will is that my thre sons Josaph gorg and Jonathen shal keep my wief on cow winter and sommer: and also one hog and a low hir twenty bushel of Endian corn and three bushel of wheat and two of malt one baril of sider and twelve pound of flax tear and six pound of sheeps woll and nien cord of wood all thes a bove s d perticalers aer to be providad yearly during hir wedowhood : also the weast Eand of the hous with the utenses in it : also thes three sons a bove named shal allow thair mother a peec of Eaigh a peec yearly. my son daniel hath had his porsion alredy and I doe give to my son benjemien three pound to be payed in corn by my sons Josaph gorg and Jonathen Eaqally a mongst them. my daftar Mary Ston hath had seven pound and three shillings wicth is hir porsion. and my will is that my dafter Abegal shal have ten pound of that Estat that my wief shal leave behind hir at hir deseas: also my will is that my three sons Josaph goarg and Jonathen doe pay all my honest deats and maintain mee and my wief with meat drink and clothing and wood and tendanc and what wee stand in need of dur- ing my natural lief and after my death beury me desantly which charges and disbursments my will is that my three sons Josaph goarg and Jonathen doe bear it eaqually one as much as a nother. it is to be understod that I give to my 3 sons Josaph gorg and Jonathen all the undevidad land not hear named Eaqually a mongst them also my three sons Joseph goarg and Jonathen aer to begin to

26 BIXBY GENEALOGY doe thair shaers in all that is Exprased in this Enstrument att the deat of this Enstrument : I doe desiar that John Pebody and Thomas Redington shall bee my over sears of this my will that it may bee parfermed in all Respact according to what is Exprased in this my last will and testiment and in testimoney that this is my las will and testimont I the said Josaph Bixbe sener have seat tow my hand and seall this Elaventh day of november in the year of our Lord one thowsend six hundred nienty and nien Witneses Josaph Bixbee John Pebody Sener his J mark William Foster and seall Abraham Redington Sarah Bixbee hir Thomas Redington marck 3 B widdow to the desesad hath set hir hand hear to in testimony of hir consent to this will of hir leat husband. Ess.ss. Before y e Hon bl John Appleton Esq r Judge of y e probates &c in Ipsw ch March 6, 1703-4 — William Foster & Abraham Red- ington of Boxford in y e County of Essex appear d & made Oath y* they were prsent & saw Joseph Bigsbee Senj r of s d Boxford signe seale & heard him publish & declare y e within written In- strmt to bee his last Will and Testamt & w n he so Did he was of a disposeing mind To y 6 best of their Discerning and y* They sett to Their hands as Witness in his p r sence — & at y e same Time They Saw John Pebody & Thomas Redington Sett to Their hand as Witt- ness In his p r sence Upon which This Will was proved approved & allowed Attest Dan 1 Rogers On back of Will: Joseph Bixbees Sen r Will proved approved & allowed Record Exam dd 1704 Boxford Sargent Bixbes will proved approved & allow d

From the family's saved copy (archive.org scan) · complete and verbatim, scanner errors and all

Benjamin Bixby — pages from the printed genealogy

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http://archive.org/stream/genealogyofdesce00bixb/genealogyofdesce00bixb_djvu.txt II. Benjamin Bixby (Joseph), born probably at Ipswich, Mass., and in 1650; died during the first half of 1727, probably at Tops- field, Mass. He was an unmarried man in July, 1674, 6 but was soon after married, as his eldest child was born in 1676. It is thought he was twice married, both wives being named Mary. 1 Or 10 April, see Chandler Genealogy, also Andover Vital Records. 2 Essex Court files, so: 62, case of Elizabeth Sessions vs. Joseph Chandler. Elizabeth had lived as a maid in Bixby 's family. 'See Chandler Genealogy (1883), page 37. 4 Faith in the accuracy of the recording cleri is lessened on finding that the date of acknowledg- ment of the deed is given 11 Feb., 1678, ten years prior to its date. The deed was not recorded until 12 Dec, 1717. In 1688 there was a Robert Buzwell living at Andover who was born in 1667-8, and may have been the witness. 6 Essex Deeds, 40: 172. 'Essex Court files, 21: 140.

36 BIXBY GENEALOGY Certainly he left a widow Mary, who was living as late as Jan., 1732- 3- 1 Children, probably all born at Topsfield: 2 1 Caleb, born probably in 1676; died 14 July, 1754, "aged 78 years," 3 at Killingly, Conn.; married 17 July, 1723, at Killingly, 4 Sarah Blanchard, daughter of George and Sarah Blanchard. She was admitted to the church at Killingly 9 Jan., 1754, and died there 17 Dec, 1766, "aged 76 years." 4 Caleb Bixby was in the military service of the colony of Mas- sachusetts Bay in 1704. 5 It is probable that he accompanied his brother Samuel to Sutton in 17 16, and became a landowner there. He sold land in Sutton in 1721, 1724, 1729, and 1738. The last sale was by deed dated 30 March, 1738, by which he conveyed 45 acres to John Towne, Jr., 1 Neither the death of Benjamin Bixby nor of his wife is of record. Benjamin sold, 5 March. 1726-7, three lots of land which had formerly been a part of Topsfield commons. His wife, Mary, joined in the deed. On the 1 1 July, 1727, the witnesses acknowledge their signatures, and testify that they saw Benjamin Byxbe "late of Topsfield, deceased" sign. The widow Mary was admitted to the church at Killingly 25 June, 1738, by letter from Topsfield church. She was living at Topsfield Jan., 1732-3, as on the 17th of that month she released dower in the estate sold by her son Nathan to Rev. John Emerson {Essex Deeds, 49: 184; 63: 250). The name Caleb is unusual in families asso- ciated with Topsfield at that early date, with the exception of the Kimball family. Henry Kim- ball of Ipswich (whose son Richard was for a time of Topsfield, and whose grand-nephew was that Richard Kimball who joins with the Bixbys in several deeds of land and was a large landowner in Boxford), died in 1676, leaving twelve children, all of whose names are known. Caleb, another child of Henry, was killed at the fight at Bloody Brook, where fell "the flower of Essex." Caleb's elder sister, Mary, born 29 Nov., 1641, at Watertown, was living in 1677 when Caleb's estate waa divided, but is not otherwise mentioned in Essex County records. Unfortunately, although the order of the court for the distribution of both the estate of Caleb and of his father are of record, the children are not individually named. (See Kimball Genealogy by Morrison and Sharpies.) Was Mary Kimball the wife of Benjamin Bixby? Did she name her eldest son, born very soon after the tragic death of her brother Caleb, after him? If so, and Benjamin Bixby was not twice married, she was a /ery aged woman when dismissed to the church at Killingly, and had borne chil- dren very late in life. As there is a period of nearly ten years between the birth of Benjamin in 1678 and that of Samuel baptized in 1689, it is probable that during that period Benjamin Bixby's wife had died and he had again married. The Henry Kimball mentioned above, married about 1640 Mary, daughter of John Wyatt, and thus his children were own cousins to the children of Joseph Bixby, Sr. See N. E. Hist. Geneal. Reg., 28. The Kimballs were from Rattlesden, Suf- folk, England, not far from the home of the parents and ancestors of Joseph Bixby. 2 Birth and baptismal dates are from town and church records of Topsfield, as printed. At the time the two youngest children were baptized, Benjamin, junior, had a family. The record seems to clearly differentiate between the two Benjamins. The printed copy varies from the original by inserting a "Jr." after Benjamin's name. The church baptisms are cited in the "Vital Records," and for the early years have also been printed in the Essex Institute Hist. Coll. It is known that portions of the record have become illegible since their first examination for genealogical purposes. a half century or more ago. The birth of George Bixby is found in the Bixby Ms., obtained from a family record written about i860 by Henry M. Bixby (13538. 55) from dictation of Joseph Bixby (13538.4). The birth of Nathan on the 16th and his baptism twelve days earlier suggests that in some way I Nov., was read 16th, as the baptism appears to be correctly entered. * Killingly church records, which to 1775 were copied by Miss Ellen D. Lamed and printed in the Putnam Patriot in 1894, and also to 1750 in Putnam's Historical Magazine. The Patriot copy gives Caleb's death as occurring 4 July. * Ibid. * "Paid Jonathan Kimball and Caleb Bigsby, soldiers that served Her Majesty under command of Lt. (Pelatiah) Whittemore, 17 June (1704). to 12 Jan., 1704-5, £3-10-0." {Colony Treasurer's accounts, p. 270.)

DESCENDANTS OF JOSEPH BIXBY 37 of Topsfield, in consideration of £370. He probably removed that year to Thompson, Conn., as he was admitted to the church there in 1738. 1 The Bable Bixby mentioned in the printed Sutton records in the His- tory of Sutton as a resident in 1726 is undoubtedly a misreading of Caleb's name. In 1731 he was seated in the third pew of the Sutton meeting- house. His home in Killingly was in the locality later known as Put- nam Heights. He purchased of Benjamin Bixby land in Thompson parish, Killingly, 20 March, 1738, paying therefor £300. He is not known to have had issue, and certainly left none at his death. By will of 11 Jan., 1750-1, he left his entire estate to his wife's brother, William Blanchard, who was charged with the care of the testator and his wife during their lives. This will was proved 6 Aug., 1754, when adminis- tration was granted to the relict, Sarah, and Mr. Samuel Buck, 2 the ex- ecutor named in the will being deceased. The estate comprised a house and land, worth £50, and other property to the value of £35. 2- 2 Benjamin, born 26 Nov., 1678; married Martha Lamsom. 3 Joshua, died "an ancient man," 9 June, 1754; married 2 April, 17 14, Mary Davis. He was late of Topsfield, 7 Oct., 1754, when his widow had administration on his estate. George Bixby of Topsfield, gentle- man, was her surety. Rev. John Emerson, minister at Topsfield, noted in his diary that he attended the funeral of Joshua Bixby, 10 June, 1754. 3 Probably by second wife: 4- 4 Samuel, baptized 2 June, 1689; married Martha Underwood. 5- 5 George, born 31 Jan., 1692; baptized 7 Feb., 1691-2; married Mary (Baily) Porter; (2) Sarah (Goodhue) Cummings. 6- 6 Nathan, born 16 Nov., 1694; baptized 4 (sic) Nov., 1694; married Abigail Rogers. 7- 7 Elizabeth, born 10 Nov., 1697; married Richard Towne. 8- 8 Jacob, born 29 April, 1700; married Elizabeth Jewett; (2) Sarah Young- love. 9- 9 Jemima, born 26 Jan., 1702-3; baptized 4 March, 1702-3; married Joseph Towne. 10 Mary, named in deed of father to son Nathan. Perhaps that "Mary, child of Benjamin," baptized May, 1707. 11 ?Kezia, "child of Benjamin," baptized 4 Nov., 171 1. Benjamin Bixby took the oath of allegiance at Topsfield in 1677 and 1678. He was the only person by the name of Bixby in either Topsfield or Boxford who took the oath. 4 In 1681 he was listed in the minister's rate at five shillings. His brother Joseph paid the same, and their father paid one pound. Benjamin was the only one of the family taxed in Topsfield, 3 Oct., 1687. He paid three shillings six pence in the "country" rate, taxed on one head (poll), one house, three acres of land, four cows, three sheep, and fourteen hogs. The following year he paid three shillings one penny on one head and seventeen pounds estate 5 . By deed "sealed 2 1 Thompson church records. 3 Interleaved almanac. 2 Pomfret Probate records, I: 149; II: 47. * Essex Deeds, Ipswich series, IV. s N. E. Hist. Geneal. Reg., 35: 34.

38 BIXBY GENEALOGY March, 1689," acknowledged 8 July, 1696, Joseph Bixby, Sr., of Boxford, in consideration of forty pounds paid by Benjamin Bixby "my son, now living in Topsfield," conveyed to him 32 acres in Topsfield. 1 Benjamin held various town offices in Topsfield be- tween 1692 and 1 7 12, inclusive. He was the only one of the name taxed in Topsfield in 1723 and 1 725.2 He did not leave a will, hav- ing disposed of his estate during his lifetime. There is recorded with Essex Deeds, 43: 241, a deed, in which his wife joins, dated 2 Nov., 1722, whereby he granted to his son Nathan one half his lands, the house Nathan dwelt in, half his barn, etc., in all about fifty acres of land ; and also the other half on condition that Nathan maintained his parents and paid their burial expenses, and should also pay to his sisters, Mary, Elizabeth, and Jemima, £5, as re- quired, but not later than their marriage, and to his brothers, Caleb and Samuel, £1. Power to dispose of the lands for his own ad- vantage was reserved by the grantor provided Nathan failed to meet his obligations. Nathan also inherited his father's right as a pro- prietor in the common lands of Topsfield. 3 In 1733 Nathan dis- posed of his property in Topsfield for £652 and removed to Killingly, accompanied probably by his mother. The deed from Benjamin to Nathan was witnessed by Mary and Jacob Bixby.

The compiler's clipping, her source line included · complete and verbatim

The Boxford Psalms — pages saved from Perley's History of Boxford

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SOURCE: The History of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts: From the Earliest Settlement Known to the Present Time: a Period of about Two Hundred and Thirty Years by Sidney Perley, 1880, pages 193-194 summarizing church records

... bequeathed to the parish by the will of Capt. Jeremiah Perley, which was applied to paying a portion of Rev. Mr. Holyoke's settlement. The church was also newly painted of an olive color. In October, 1782, Mr. Holyoke asked for an addition to the amount of his salary (about L66), and was granted six pounds extra. During the years of 1766 and 1767 much of the First Church records was taken up by records of meetings held to see whether "Tate and Brady's New Version of the Psalms" should be introduced and sung by the choir instead of the "Old Version." It was proposed in December, 1765, by Mr. Holyoke, who said he had compared the two Versions with the Scriptures, and found the New Version to be much better than the Old, giving a more clear and instructive sense of the Psalms; and that the "Hymns" (which formed an appendix to the New Version) were suited to Christian worship. After the New Version had been sung for six weeks, a lecture was appointed for Wednesday evening, Feb. 12, 1766, when a discourse was delivered from Col. iii. 16. As the vote was not unani-

mous the New Version was not immediately introduced. Several meetings were held on account of this matter, which were of little consequence. Nov. 5, 1767, Mr. Holyoke received a petition, signed by six members of the church and eighteen of the congregation, signifying their desire that "Dr. Watts' Psalms" be sung six sabbaths upon trial, and after that time to take a vote whether they should be introduced or not. After they were sung six weeks it was put to vote, but no vote could be obtained either for or against their introduction. "Tate and Brady's Version" continued to be used until they were superseded by "Dr. Watts' Psalms" in 1801. "Dr. Watts' Hymns" were jointly introduced two years later. March 30, 1772, the Second Church voted "to sing Dr. Watts' version of Psalms in the congregation instead of the Old Version." Many of the elder members thought, no doubt, they would be ungodly if they changed the old-time customs. They had become habitually attached to the Old Version of the Psalms, from which they had sung year after year; and to change for the new-fangled tunes would be like putting out the light of the gospel from the service of the sabbath. The State of Maine was now fast being settled. Many settlements were newly instituted, and in a short time were thriving villages. Several of these settlers were from Boxford, and most of them from this vicinity. In 1766 several men in this section of Essex County obtained a grant of the present town of Bridgton, Me., among whom was Richard Peabody of Boxford. Solomon Wood of Box-

The compiler's own question and the chart she saved · complete and verbatim

Is Mary the sister of Sarah Riddlesdale Wyatt Heard Bixby

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Is Mary the sister of Sarah Riddlesdale Wyatt Heard Bixby?

Ancestors (and descendant) of Mary Wyatt

John Wyatt Agnes Mary Riddlesdale John Sheldrake Joan Sheldrake 1569-1639 1573-1607 1564-1618 1568-1631 \_______________/ \_______________/ | | John Wyatt Martha Sheldrake 1594-1666 1597-1631 \______________________________________________/ | [ Mary Wyatt ] [ 1622-1672 ] x Henry Kimball 1615-1676 | Martha Kimball 1664-1718 ...

> Show complete ancestor table

The family's own table of the original immigrants, each with the compiler's relationship to them · complete and verbatim

Fifty-Five Original Immigrants

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SHEET: Ancestr RAW

Page, Mary Marsh

Guile, Samuel

Spaulding, Edward | 1596 | England | Norfolk

Spaulding, Margaret (Elliot)

Underwood, William | 1609 | England

Underwood, Sarah (Pellett)

Fletcher, Robert | 1592

Fletcher, Sarah

Ensign | Fletcher, William | 1622

Fletcher, Lydia (Bates | 1622

Bates, John | 15xx

Capt | Richardson, Josiah | 1635

Richardson, Ezekial | 1601

Richardson, Susannah

Richardson, Remembrance (Underwood) | 1639

Richardson, Samuel | 1602

Richardson, Joanna (Thake) | 1606

Hayward, Samuel | 1613

Hayward, Sarah (Stowers) | 1630 abt

Ward, John | 1626

Ward, Hannah (Jackson) | 1634

Hall, Edward | 1611

Hall, Hesther (Thayer)

Jr. | Capen, John | 1639

Capen, Susanna (Barsham) | 1641

Miller, Joseph | 1616

Miller, Mary (Pope) | 1630 abt

Child, Richard | 1631

Child, Hannah (Traine) | 1657

Sr. | Clough, John | 1613

Clough, Jane | 1620

Guile, Judith (Davis) | 1629

Bradley, Daniel | 1613

Bradley, Mary (Williams) | 1641

SHEET: Orig. Ancestr Alpha

Hall, Hesther (Thayer)

Hayward, Samuel | 1613 | England | 1635 | Charlestown, MA | settled at that part of town afterward Malden, MA

Hayward, Sarah (Stowers) | 1630 abt | S31

Miller, Joseph | 1616/1620 | England | London | 1635 | Newbury, MA | Dover, NH

Miller, Mary (Pope) | 1630 abt

Page, John | 1614 | England | Essex | Hingham, MA | 1636 | Haverhill, MA | abt 1652 | Salisbury, MA | Haverhill, MA | 1687 | Hx. Of Hingham, MA p. 57

Page, Mary Marsh | 1621 | England | m. 11 Jul 1641 Hingham, MA;

Richardson, Ezekial | 1601 | England | Yorkshire | Bradford | 1630 | Charlestown, MA | Watertown | MA | 1635 | Woburn, MA | Woburn, MA | 1647

Richardson, Joanna (Thake) | 1606

Capt | Richardson, Josiah | 1635

Richardson, Remembrance (Underwood) | 1639

Richardson, Samuel | 1602/1610 | England | Hertfordshire | West Mills | bef. 1638 | Charlestown, MAA | 1638 | Woburn, MA | MA | 1640

Richardson, Susannah

Spaulding, Edward | 1596 | England | Norfolk | 1634 | Braintree, MA | Wenham, MA | MA | 1645 | Chelmsford, MA | Chelmsford, MA | 1670 (26 Feb)

Spaulding, Margaret (Elliot)

Underwood, Sarah (Pellett)

Underwood, William | 1609 | England | m. <1640 Concord, MA

Ward, Hannah (Jackson) | 1634

Ward, John | 1626

Wyatt, John | 9th great grand father | 1594 | England | Suffolk | Assington | 1638 | Ipswich | Ipswich MBC | 1665

Marsh, George | 1596 | England | Norfolk | 1635 | Hingham | 1636 | Hingham MA | 1647

some info from: Directory of the Ancestral Heads of N.E. 1620-1700, Frank R. Holmes

SHEET: Orig. Ancestr 1st town

some info from: Directory of the Ancestral Heads of N.E. 1620-1700, Frank R. Holmes

SHEET: Orig. Ancestr Died town

some info from: Directory of the Ancestral Heads of N.E. 1620-1700, Frank R. Holmes

SHEET: Wilcox bur. Delaw. by Cem RAW

SHEET: Wilcoxs in Stark Cemetery, OHIO

WILCOXS BURIED IN STARK CEMETERY, DELAWARE COUNTY, OHIO

First Name | DOB | DOB YR | DOD | DOD YR | Father, last | Father, first name | COMMENTS

Name? | 05/02/1854 | 1854

Adella | 1858 | 1858 | 1927-10-24 00:00:00 | 1927 | unk

Austin | 07/05/1848 | 1848 | Wilcox, | B.

B.Frank | 06/09/1866 | 1866 | Wilcox, | Crandall (?)

BARNUM | 1817 | 1817 | 5/2/1851 | 1851

Cecelia | 1847 | 07/28/1847 | 1847 | Wilcox, | B.

Charles | 1845 | 09/05/1845 | 1845 | Wilcox, | Crandall

Charlott | 07/05/1848 | 1848 | Wilcox, | B.

Crandall | 7/4/1806 | 1806 | 5/18/1860 | 1860 | Wilcox, | Isaac

DELILAH | 1799 | 1799 | 1870 | 1870 | wife of James (son of Isaac III and Nancy Newcomb)

Evlin | --/--/1839 | 1839 | Spangler

Gardner | 10/25/1811 | 02/16/1879 | 1879 | Wilcox | Isaac III

Gilbert | 2/9/1800 | 2/9/1832 | 1832 | Wilcox, | Crandall or Isaac III?

Harriet C. | 8/16/1857 | 1857

Henry E. (Harry) | --/--/1881 | 1881 | --/--/1892 | 1892 | Wilcox, | O.S.

Henry | 5/12/1839 | 1839 | 9/16/1839 | 1839 | Wilcox, | Crandall

ISAAC | 2/8/1740 | 1740 | 1824 | 1824 | WILCOX | ISAAC I | II father of 2 brothers Isaac (III) & Crandall born in Pauling, Dutchess NY, settled Wyoming Valley Penn. 1772+, later many family removed to Delaware OH by 1840

JAMES | 1795 | 1795 | 1869 | 1869 | son of Isaac III & Nancy Newcomb. Husb of Delilah

John | 12/2/1846 | 1846 | 8/2/1848 | 1848 | Wilcox, | Crandall | CHILD

John | 5/2/1851 | 1851

Julia A. | 1818 | 1818 | 12/9/1851 | 1851

Lucina | 8/14/1868 | 1868 | Hall,

Mary | 4/16/1806 | 12/11/1858 | 1858

Oliver | 1859 | 1859 | 1917 | 1917 | Wilcox, | Samuel M.

Robert | 10/22/1839 | 1839 | 1906-10-18 00:00:00 | 1906

Unknown | 5/2/1854 | 1854

Written by Bonny (Wilcox) Collins · complete and verbatim

Her Own Preamble — What She Set Out to Find

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Preamble: Bixby family genealogy to Victor Elmer Bixby (1895-1954)

Over the past few years, I’ve had great fun researching family and history. I’ve chased many rabbit trails and wondered through centuries and countries. Each time I try to ‘get organized’ a new thread entices me to pull it and run down a different path. The first segment of my efforts was the “Bixby's in Britain 1350-1640” I sent out last year.

This year, the “Bixbys in New England 1630 – 1700” has presented a wonderful explosion of opportunities to explore. Too many, in fact, to accomplish and get anything summarized any time soon. Spring is here, the yard, garden and workshop call. My scaled down plan now, is to summarize the briefest overview of what I have planned and hopefully two vignettes of some of our ancestors.

Some of the topics I want to explore in the Bixby family genealogy is:

The legacy and transitions of Christianity throughout the generations.

A better understanding of the times and events our ancestors lived through (what to us is ‘history’, to them was current life). That would include their migration across the country and an understanding of what promoted the move.

Health, hereditary disease and cause of death. That probably won’t have much information available for a few hundred years yet.

The application of those issues to this time-period, New England 1630-1700 will include

The Puritans, what that was in 1630 and how it changed over the following years. We had ancestors “in” the Puritans, “with” the Puritans, but not church members, and in the “Hutcheson/Wheelwright” expulsion from the Puritans.

As the generations moved west, how did that impact their culture? (Yes, I know there probably won’t be any information to know that – but that is a question I am interested in).

The primary concerns of their time, e.g. survival, food, shelter, Indian hostilities, disease

The political and governing issues and attitudes.

Yes, I know, this is sounding like a possible text book. No, although I’ve read enough to feel like that, my interest is to simplify and capture the essence and not get bogged down.

So far, on the Victor Elmer Bixby ancestor line, I have identified fifty-five original immigrants from England that were in the Great Migration to Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1630-1640. Of those with known locations in England, Suffolk County was the most frequent home, (consistent with the Puritan movement of the time). Others came from all over England. Many were young men, young couples, young families and a few older families. Many were farmers with some additional skill, e.g. carpenter, blacksmith; some were full-time tradesmen, e.g. linen weaver, tailor; one was a mariner; at least one was a Minister trained at Cambridge. Some came as apprentices or servants; a few were more wealthy and came with their servants. As the great migration progressed, 1636, England forbade any further puritans (non-conformist) to leave England for New England without written permission from the Church of England, the Kings counsel and having taken an Oath of Allegiance/Supremacy declaring their fealty to the King and acknowledging Him as supreme head of the Church. As you may guess, records of ship passage become sketchy in addition to recovering records from 350 years ago, even if they ever did exits.

Some “were” Puritans, some were “with” Puritans (but not members of the church), some were in the group ‘put out’ from the Puritans for sedition (Hutcheson/Wheelwright).

They faced incredible hardships and personal sacrifice from ‘just the facts’, e.g. child deaths, early deaths, Indian attacks, etc. It is hard to catch a glimpse of joy or pleasure in their lives from the information available. But evidence of their faith, hard work, love of family, children can be seen in the documents left behand (many times wills).

Our ancestors were instrumental/1st group of settlers in at least 8 Massachusetts, 3 New Hampshire and 1 New York state towns.

The Richardson Brothers – Three

EZEKIAL, SAMUEL and Thomas Richardson immigrated from England to New England in the Great Migration of the 1630s. The oldest brother Ezekial immigrated in 1630 with the first Winthrop fleet of Puritans in 1630. Ezekial, about 23 yrs. and his wife Susanna were joined to the church in Boston Aug 1630. He became a Freeman in 1631 and in 1632, removed to Charlestown MA. (which is now a neighborhood in Boston). Approximately six years later his younger brothers Samuel (and wife Joanna Thake) and Thomas Richardson arrive in Charlestown. They were both granted ‘house lots’ and made Freemen within a year. All three brothers were Puritans and substantial members in the Puritan towns and church they helped establish.

Both EZEKIAL and SAMUEL are in the Bixby ancestral line that will merge over 200 years later in 1866 for Elmer Barnes Bixby.

EZEKIAL, the 6th great-grandfather of Elmer Barnes Bixby on his father, William Bixby’s side

SAMUEL, 5th great-grandfather of Elmer Barnes Bixby on his mother, Salome Clough’s side

By 1636, the population density of the original Massachusetts Bay Colony plantations of Salem, Boston, Cambridge and Charlestown had pushed the need for 8 to 10 new “Plantations” to be settled. In these early days, the settlers had a full understanding of the need to band together for their survival. The General Court was the ruling legislative body that approved the establishment of new plantations. Based upon early Puritan principles, there had to be a core group of families enough to support the building of a meeting building (Church) and retain a minister before they could be ‘established’. Thus, usual practice was for a cluster of settlers to band together to move to a new area with approval of the Council and their current towns. Their first requirements were to clear the land, build homes and a meeting building and show sufficient pledges to hire a minister for their community. This usually took a few years. For in-depth reading on the establishing the town of Woburn, see, “The History of Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from the grant of its territory to Charlestown in 1640…”

In 1640, the three Richardson brothers, Ezekial, Samuel & Thomas, and four other men were charged to explore the boundaries of a new plantation about 9 miles north of Charlestown. Those seven men became the “Seven Pillars” of the church at Woburn Massachusetts. The three Richardson families moved there, lived next door to each other, raised their families and each died and was buried there.

Each of the three brothers died relatively young.

EZEKIAL died in 1647, approximately 41 years of age; without a will, so probably unexpectedly. His widow, Susanna, was about 38 and children Phebe 15, Theophilus 14, JOSIAH 12 and James 6 years old. Imagine the situation this young widow was in. In the previous four years, her 4 & 5-year-old sons and 3-week-old daughter had died. Now her husband was dead leaving her with four children ages 6 to 15 and substantial land that required exceptionally hard work. As was the practice and necessity of the day, she remarried a widower from Woburn within a short time, Harry Brooks.

Thomas, the youngest brother, died 4 years later, in Aug 1651 at age abt. 43 leaving behind wife, Mary, and seven children (3 boys ages 8 yrs, 6yrs, & 9 months, 4 girls ages 13, 11, 4 & 2 yrs.). His death was also probably unexpected; he did not have a will. Widow Mary stayed in Woburn and married Michael Bacon in Aug 1656, 2 months after the death of his first wife.

SAMUEL died seven years later, 23 Mar 1658, age abt. 54. He left behind, widow, Joanna age abt. 51 and surviving children, Mary 20, John 19, Joseph 15, SAMUEL Jr 12, Stephen 9, and Elizabeth 2. Two other children had died previously at the ages of 1 and 3. Of the 8 children, 3 had been born in Charlestown and 5 in Woburn. Eight years later Joanna died, when her youngest daughter was 10.

“First Cemetery” in Woburn Mass lists Samuel and Joanna as well as many other Richardsons.

In May of 1647 when the first brother Ezekial died, Woburn had been established for five years. There were approximately 40-50 families in the town. A year before the first three roads had just begun to be laid out to connect the houses in the town. Although there were seven other established towns surrounding it on three sides some miles away, there were not yet any roads to connect to any towns. Around the town was wilderness and to the west it was only wilderness. They were on the western frontier. The era of Indian hostility and war was approaching.

Summary: Richardson | Ezekial (1) | Samuel (1) Lived in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England | Born about 1606 | Born about 1609 Married who | Susannah | Joanna Thake Married when | Before 1630 | 18 Oct 1632 Married where | England | Westmill, England Immigrated to Mass. Bay Colony (MBC) | 1630 | 1636 Arrived | Boston, Charlestown | Charlestown Died in Woburn Massachusetts | 1647, age abt. 41 yrs. | 23 Mar 1658, age 56 yrs. Direct decedent we will follow | Josiah (2) | Samuel (2)

The family's saved genealogy notes on the Bixby line · complete and verbatim

The Bigsby–Bixby Family, from the Records

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Bigsby – Bixby Family (Baxbe, Baxby, Bigsbe, Bigsbie, Bigsby, Bixbe, Bixby)

The name of Bixby is variously spelled in the old records, Bigsby, Bixbe, Byxbee, etc. The ancestor of the American family is Sergeant Joseph Bixby. He first appears in Ipswich in December, 1647 when he married Sarah (Wyatt) widow of Luke Heard of Ipswich. She probably came from Assington, England, as she then had land there. He was a carpenter; and lived in Ipswich until 1660, when he settled in Rowley Village, now the town of Boxford.  He belonged to the military company in Topsfield, and was chosen sergeant of the company in 1666. He was a soldier in King Phillip’s War in 1676; was made a freeman March 22, 1689-90; and died April 19, 1700.  The inventory of his estate amounted to L167, 16s 10d.  His wife Sarah survived him and died, his widow, June 3, 1704, aged eighty-four years. Children: 1. Joseph, b. Ipswich, a husbandman m. March 29, 1682 Sarah Gould of Topsfield d. Boxford 2. Sarah, d. Jan 18, 1657, in Ipswich 3. Nathaniel, d. July 11, 1658, in Ipswich 4. Mary, b. Feb. 18, 1659, in Ipswich m. __________ Stone. 5. George, b. Rowley Village – now Boxford, a merchant, m. Rebecca ? before 1693. Admitted to the First Church in Boxford in 1704. 6. Jonathan, b. Rowley Village, now Boxford, a husbandman, m. Sarah Smith of Topsfield Feb. 2, 1692-3. He died in 1717. 7. *Daniel (Bixby-1651-), b. abt.1651 in Rowley Village, (now Boxford). He was a carpenter and husbandman. He married *Hannah Chandler Dec. 2, 1674 in Andover by William French. She was the daughter of *Capt. Thomas Chandler and *Hannah Brewer of Andover. Thomas Chandler conveyed to his son-in-law, Daniel Bixby sixty acres of land near the Shawsheen River, April 12, 1688 for 40 pounds. Chandler died in 1703 and mentions his daughter Bixby in his will. In 1697 Daniel conveys to John Abbot for five pounds, thirteen shillings and eight pence “in current money” a parcel of swamp land lying “within ye Township of Andover,’ and formerly in the possession of Capt. Thomas Chandler on ye East Side of ye Ridge near Little Hope”….containing about five acres and one half & twenty nine rods”…..This land today is near the high school playing fields, east of Indian Ridge. Baker’s Meadow on Reservation Rd. was Little Hope Meadow. Daniel died May 7. 1717 age about 66 years old, his will dated April 12, 1715, being proved July 1, 1717. Mother-in-law Hannah Chandler dies in October 24, 1717. Daniel’s widow Hannah died Nov. 20, 1730. The will of Daniel “Bixbe” names all his children except Daniel and Jonathan.  If his daughter in law Rachael should have a living child by his son, the child is given 20 shillings.  All his lands and buildings were enjoyed jointly by his wife and son Joseph, who were made executors.  The daughter Hannah had had her portion. Rachael was the widow of Jonathan. Children: 1. Daniel, b. Sept. 18, 1675 (ed. d. 1715) 2. Hannah, b. Dec. 13, 1679, m. Nov. 4, 1714 to Stephen Barnard Jr. (ed. d. 4 May 1724, Andover) 3. Thomas, b. Dec. 18, 1681, m. Dec. 8, 1703 to Deborah Elkins lived in Chelmsford, husbandman. (ed. d. 5 Dec 1754) 4. Sarah, b. Jan. 19, 1683 d. 1712 (ed. 17 July 1712, Andover) 5. Jonathan, b 1685? m. Rachel Hol ? (ed. Rachel Hobart 1704) 6. David, b. Feb.15, 1687-8; m. Abigail Butterfield, lived in Chelmsford, husbandman in 1717. (ed. d. 20 Mar 1767, Winchendon, Worcester, Massachusetts) 7. Mephibosheth (ed. Bixby "1690-1767"), b. April 3, 1690. m. May 28, 1713 to Mary Emmonds of Cambridge, MA (ed. "1683-1750") at Cambridge. He was a cordwainer or shoemaker. He removed from Andover to Woburn in 1724, later to Shrewsbury in 1732 and died March 20, 1767 at Winchendon. They had seven children:

Daniel, b. Dec. 31, 1713 (ed. 1713-1773")

Mary b. Feb 1715 (ed. d. 1770 Worcester)

Samuel b. Aug 31, 1716, Jonathan & David twins b. March 31, 1718, both die in April 1718, Nathaniel b. March 24, 1719, and Martha b. March 2, 1721-2

18-VIII    Mary, b. April 10, 1693 m. June 7, 1716 to George Holt of Andover

19-IX     Joseph, b. March 5, 1695-6, m. June 12, 1723 to Experience Frost. She dies Sept. 9, 1757 age 60. Joseph sold his father’s right to common land in Andover in 1722.

Children:

20-I         Experience b.1723? d. Sept. 4, 1815 ae. 92 y. m. June 4, 1747 to William Abbot of Andover, yeoman. She dies his widow,

21-II        Hannah b. Aug. 19, 1726

9-VIII      Benjamin b. Rowley Village – now Boxford, was a yeoman, m. Mary _________, before 1690. They lived in Topsfield. Benjamin died about 1730. They had seven children.

10-IX      Abigail, was living in 1699.

Insight into Joseph Bixby’s personality/convictions

“It is in this case that we find the deposition of Sergeant Joseph Bixby given 2, 5th mo., 1674, in which he gives his age as 54 years. Concerning the Leonards, he testified to their rough way of life, and disregard of conventionalities, and of their use of "very bad words, as Divell and Damn yee, and many other words which I have been ashamed to heare, which wicked expressions have been very frequent with them." The good man was much shocked. Daniel Bixby also testified in the case, and from testimony of another, it appears that Benjamin Bixby had been friendly with the family. (Essex files, 21 : 140.)”

Bixby genealogy book page 23

https://archive.org/stream/genealogyofdesce00bixb#page/n7/mode/2up

About Capt. Thomas Chandler, Sr.

Came over with his parents in 1637. One of the proprieters and early pioneers in settlement of Andover, Ma. Lietenant. Representative 1678-9. He was a blacksmith and carried on a considerable iron works.

Captain Thomas, second child and oldest son of William and Annis (Alcock) Chandler, was born in 1630, and died "15 day, 1703." He came with his parents to New England in 1637, when he was about seven years old. He was one of the proprietors and early pioneers in the settlement of Andover, and his name is twenty-third "of the householders in order as they came to town." He was employed with George Abbot, senior, and others, to lay out lands granted individuals by the general court. An old record reads : "It is ordered, that Thomas Chandler be leften'nt in ye ffoot Company in Andover, John Stephens. Ensign, under the command of Dudley Bradstreet, Capt." He was representative to the general court in 1678 and 1679, from Andover. Loring's "History of Andover" says : "Thomas Chandler was a blacksmith, ultimately a rich man, carrying on a considerable iron works." It is a tradition that iron works existed where Marland village now is. Thomas Chandler's son, Captain Joseph, sold, 1718. "one half of ye whole Iron works in Salisbury on ye falls commonly called ye Powwow River." Thomas Chandler married Hannah Brewer, of Andover. She died in Andover, October 25. 1717, aged eighty- seven. Their children were: Thomas (died-young), John, Hannah, William, Sarah, Thomas, Henrv and Joseph.

Thomas was fourth in a family of 12 children (siblings and half-siblings). He was 74 when he died.

Thomas Chandler was probably born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England, because that is where his older brother, 6-year-old William, was buried when Thomas was but 5, and that is where his family had been living for generations. He no doubt arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony with his parents and younger siblings as part of the Great Migration in the 1630s. The date was probably 1634 or 1635.

This was a close-knit family. Thomas's younger sister Hannah Chandler, 1630-1711 was the mother of Hannah Abbott, 1650-1741, who married Thomas's son John Chandler I, 1655-1721, her first cousin. This John's younger sister Sarah Chandler, 1661-1757 became the grandmother of the Samuel Phelps III, 1712-1795 who married John's granddaughter Priscilla Chandler, 1713-1778, Samuel's second cousin; see http://www.milkcanpapers.com/chart/chandler0-1dl-2c.html for a chart of this relationship. Our Thomas's son John and his first-cousin wife had two sons, both of whom are are direct ancestors of ours, so that two of his great-grandchildren (Priscilla Chandler Phelps's son Joshua Phelps I, 1738-1798 and Lois Ballard, 1746-1836) were also married as second cousins; see http://www.milkcanpapers.com/chart/chandler0dl-2c.html for a chart of this relationship. New England apparently had a very restricted gene pool.

See http://www.milkcanpapers.com/chandler0-1.html for more information.

Sources on Thomas Chandler:

* Robert Kline's Ancestors, Merged with Those of Several Distant Cousins (http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=rckline-cousins ).

* For more information on John Dane, see Bargeron's Genealogy Records ( http://www.bargeron.com/genealogy/gsb/f0638.html ). This site, however, has John Dane (1612-1684) as the second husband to Thomas's mother Annis Bayford. But then how could she have married her third husband, John Parmenter, in 1660 unless her second husband had already died? We must then agree with the Kline research that Annis's second husband was this John Dane's father, John Dane (1590-1658). As stated on the Bargeron Genealogy homepage ( http://www.bargeron.com/genealogy/gsb/index.html ), "Use this information only as a guide for conducting your own research; not all of the information contained herein is adequately proven and some family connections have been compiled from secondary sources without verification. Please advise us of any errors so that we may update our files."

Came to New England in 1637 at about the age of 7.

Employed with George Abbot Sr.

Blacksmith

Source: George Chandler, The Chandler family: The descendants of William and Annis Chandler who settled in Roxbury, Mass., 1637, Press of C. Hamilton, 1883, page of 1315 total pages. Downloaded May 2011 from http://books.google.com/

One of the ancient homesteads of the Chandlers is located at 88 Lowell Street in the West Parish. The house was built before 1673 by Captain Thomas Chandler. His daughter Hannah and her husband Captain Daniel Bigsby continued to occupy the house after the death of Hannah’s parents. The farm consisted of over sixty acres on the south side of Lowell St. and extended east to the Shawsheen River. Several additions have been added to the original structure including a lean-to addition to the northeast rear and an ell on the northwest side. It is believed to be the oldest First Period home still standing in Andover today

Thomas Chandler was born about 1627, the oldest of five children of William & Annis Chandler of Roxbury, MA....

Thomas was one of the first Proprietors and Freeholders of the town, a blacksmith by trade, he served as a Representative to the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1678. It is thought that his iron works was located on the Shawsheen River near Marland Village at Stevens Street. Brother William ran an Inn on the road from Ipswich to Billerica.

2-I. Capt. Thomas Chandler, (William) b. about 1627 m. Hannah Brewer about 1651, daughter of Daniel & Ann Brewer of Roxbury. A Captain in the Militia, Representative to the General Court of Mass. 1678-9, and a blacksmith by trade. Ultimately a rich man, carrying on a considerable ironworks, of which he makes mention in his will, giving each of his sons a fourth part of his share in the works. Thomas dies Jan. 15, 1703. Hannah dies Oct. 25, 1717 in Andover age 88. Children;

7-I. Thomas, b. Oct. 2, 1652 d. June 6, 1659 age 7y 7m.

8-II. John, b. March 14, 1655 d. Sept, 19, 1721 (Reading records) m. Dec. 20, 1676, Hannah Abbot, born June 9, 1650 daughter of George Abbot and Hannah Chandler. She dies March 2, 1741. John was a Captain and Selectman in Andover.

9-III. Hannah, b. May 28, 1659; m, Dec. 2, 1674 Daniel Bigsby of Andover, son of Joseph Bigsby and Sarah Wyatt, (wid. of Luke Heard). Hannah died Nov. 20, 1730. Daniel died May 7, 1717 age 66.

10-IV. William, b. May 28, 1659 d. Oct. 27, 1727 age 67. m. April 21, 1687 to Elinor Phelps. William was a brick maker in 1683 sells property to William Foster of Boxford on Sept. 3, 1697.

11-V Sarah, b. Dec. 20, 1661 d. April 5, 1757 age 96; m. May 29,1682, Samuel Phelps. He dies Jan. 26, 1745-6 age 95.

12-VI Capt. Thomas, b. Oct. 9, 1664, d. Jan 20, 1736-7 age 73; m. May 22, 1686 to Mary Peters, daughter of Andrew Peters and Mary Beamsley (wid. of Richard Kilborn?) Mary died July 21, 1753 age 86. Thomas was a surveyor, served in the Essex County Militia and was given command on May 28, 1690 of 40 forty troopers and thirty foot soldiers for the defense of the frontier towns from Dunstable eastward to Bradford during the Indian Wars. He did service as a scout and was a Representative in 1690 & 1694 to the General Court.

13.-VII Henry, b. May 28, 1667, d. Aug. 27, 1737 in Enfield, Conn. M. Lydia Abbot of Andover, daughter of George Abbot & Sara Farnum of Rowley. B. Sept. 29. 1675 d. March 11, 1739. Henry was an Ensign, surveyor, had a sawmill with his brother Joseph on the Cochichewick River, No. Parish, Andover and had ½ of his father Thomas’s homestead. He moved to Enfield, CN in 1723.

14-VIII Joseph, b. Aug. 3, 1669, m. Nov. 26, 1691 to Sarah Abbot daughter of Thomas Abbot the Rowley line & Sarah Stewart, b. Jan. 8, 1671. He was a Captain, surveyor, part owner of the sawmill with Henry. He went to Amesbury before 1716, sold land to brother Henry, blacksmith, 1716, sold to John Brown of Amesbury ½ Iron works on Powwow River.

13. THOMAS6 CHANDLER (WILLIAM5, HENRY4, THOMAS3, THOMAS2, THOMAS1) was born 09 Aug 1628, and died 15 Jan 1702 in North Andover, Mass.. He married HANNAH BREWER 1650. She was born 1629, and died 25 Oct 1717 in North Andover, Mass..

Children of THOMAS CHANDLER and HANNAH BREWER are:

20. i. JOHN7 CHANDLER, b. 14 Mar 1653, Andover , Mass.; d. 19 Sep 1721.

ii. HANNAH CHANDLER, b. 28 May 1659, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; d. 20 Nov 1730, Andover, Essex,

Massachusetts.

iii. WILLIAM CHANDLER, b. 28 May 1659, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; d. 27 Oct 1727, Andover, Essex,

Massachusetts; m. ELEANOR PHELPS, 21 Apr 1687, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; b. Abt. 1661; d. .

iv. SARAH CHANDLER, b. 20 Dec 1661, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; d. 05 Apr 1757, Andover, Essex,

Massachusetts; m. SAMUEL PHELPS, 29 May 1682, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; b. 1651, Newbury,

Mass; d. 26 Jan 1746, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts.

v. THOMAS CHANDLER, b. 09 Oct 1664, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; d. 26 Jan 1737, Andover, Essex,173

Massachusetts; m. MARY PETERS, 22 May 1686, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; b. 12 Jun 1668, Andover,

Essex, Massachusetts; d. 21 Jul 1754, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts.

21. vi. HENRY CHANDLER, b. 28 May 1667, Andover, Essex, Mass.; d. 27 Aug 1737, Enfield, CT.

22. vii. JOSEPH CHANDLER, b. 03 Aug 1669, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; d. 1734, Andover, Essex, MA.

view all 20

Capt. Thomas Chandler, Sr.'s Timeline

1628 | August 9, 1628 | Birth of Thomas Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England, (Present UK) | | August 9, 1628 | christened on 8/9/1628 Bishop's, Stortford, Herts., England | | August 9, 1628 | christened on 8/9/1628 Bishop Stortford,Hertfordshire,England | | August 9, 1628 | christened on 8/9/1628 Of Bishops Stort, Herts, Eng | 1637 | 1637 Age 8 | emigrated on 1637 England >> MA | 1652 | October 2, 1652 Age 24 | Birth of Thomas Chandler Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, USA | 1655 | March 14, 1655 Age 26 | Birth of John Chandler I Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States | 1659 | May 28, 1659 Age 30 | Birth of William Chandler, Sr. Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, United States | | May 28, 1659 Age 30 | Birth of Hannah Bixby Massachusetts |