James Parker
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth Date: Abt 1617 - Essex, England Christening: Death: Bef 12 Jul 1700 - Groton, Middlesex Co., Ma Burial: Cause of Death:
Parents
Father: John Parker (Abt 1588-After 1630) Mother: Ann ( - )
Spouses and Children
1. *Elizabeth Long (14 Nov 1621 - ) Marriage: 23 May 1643 - Woburn, Middlesex Co., Ma 1 Children: 1. Elizabeth Parker (1645- ) 2. Anna Parker (1647- ) 3. John Parker (1649- ) 4. Sarah Parker (1650-1651) 5. James Parker (1652-1694) 6. Josiah Parker (Abt 1652- ) 7. Samuel Parker (Abt 1656-Bef 1712) 8. Joshua Parker (1659-Bef 1700) 9. Zachariah Parker (1660-1694) 10. Eleazer Parker (1661- ) 2. Eunice Brooks (10 Oct 1655 - ) Marriage: 1693-1697 Children: 1. Sarah Parker (1697- )
Notes
General:
The following is on pages 90-91 of an article by Douglas Richardson in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Vol 153 (1999), pgs 81-96). The article is entitled "THE ENGLISH ORIGIN AND ANCESTRY OF THE PARKER BROTHERS OF MASSACHUSETTS and of their Probable Aunt, Sarah Parker, Wife of Edward Converse".
"[Captain] JAMES PARKER, immigrant to New England, b. ca. 1617 (he gave his age as 81 yrs. in a deposition in 1698 and as 83 in his 1700 will); d. at Groton, Mass., shortly before 12 July 1700 when his estate was inventoried. He m. (1) at Woburn, 23 May 1643, Elizabeth Long, bp. at St. Albans, Herts., 14 Nov 1621, daughter of Robert and Sarah (Taylor) Long of St. Albans, and Dunstable, Bedfordshire, and Charlestown, Mass. She was the older sister of Anne (or Anna) Long, who m. James's first cousin, [Lieut.] James Converse. He m. (2) between 1693 and 1697, Eunice (Brooks) Carter, b. at Woburn 10 Oct 1655, daughter of John and Eunice (Mousall) Brooks and widow of Rev. Samuel Carter.
"James Parker resided successively at Woburn, Chelmsford, and Groton, Mass. He was selectman of Groton in most of the years between 1662 and 1699; town clerk there 1678-1679; town treasurer 1697; representative to the General Court for Groton, 1683 and 1693; deacon of the Groton church and captain of the military company in Groton during King Philip's War. James Parker, "Senior," left a will dated 25 May 1700, proved 17 Aug 1700, in which he mentioned his wife, Eunice; his wife's former husband (not named); daughters Sarah Parker (under 18), Anna Blood, and Elizabeth Gary; grandchild Elizabeth Parker, daughter of son Zechariah Parker, deceased; grandchild Abiel Parker, daughter of son Joshua Parker, deceased; former gifts to sons James, Josiah, Samuel, Zechariah, and Eleazer Parker; son Josiah Parker of Cambridge, Mass., to serve as executor. His widow Eunice m. (3) after 1701, John Kendall, b. at Woburn 2 July 1642, d. ca. April 1732, ae. 86, son of Francis and Mary (Tidd) Kendall of Charlestown and Woburn."
The following is on pages 81-82 of Douglas Richardson's article. As in the above, sources are provided in footnotes.
"James Parker was of Woburn, Massachusetts in 1640, and was joined there at unknown dates by his brothers, John, Abraham (or Abram), Joseph, and Jacob Parker. All five men removed as a group, about 1653, to Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where Abraham and Jacob remained; John, James, and Joseph afterwards went to Billerica and about 1661, James and Joseph continued on to Groton. The evidence that these five men were brothers was set forth in 1943, by Mary Walton Ferris in Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines. Briefly, she shows that a donation for Harvard College was made in 1657 by John Parker in behalf of his brother, James. A court record of 1668 referred to Jacob Parker as brother of John Parker deceased, while in June 1672, Sarah, daughter of Jacob Parker, chose her uncle, Abram Parker, as her guardian. The residence and land ownership of Joseph Parker in each of the four towns where James was recorded argues that he was another member of the family.[1]
"Clues to the English origin of the Parker family have been in print for some time. In 1877, Deloraine P. Corey, Esq., historian of Malden, Massachusetts, published a transcript of a letter written in 1677 by Susan (Waite) Redington of England to her sister and brother-in-law, Robert and Mary (Waite) Lord of Ipswich, Massachusetts, regarding the settlement of a Waite family estate in England.[2] The immigrant Robert Lord and his wife, Mary Waite, to whom the above letter was addressed, were married at Finchingfield, Essex, in 1630.[3] In a postscript, Susan asks,
Pray present our kind loves to broth[er] John and wife to whom I canot now write pray send me word which of the parkers widows she was.
"Susan was obviously referring to the marriage of her brother, Capt. John Waite, in 1675 at Malden, to Sarah, widow of Jacob Parker of Chelmsford, but she was evidently unsure whether he had married the widow of Jacob Parker of Chelmsford, or that of Jacob's brother, John Parker of Billerica; both men had died about the same time. Susan Redington evidently knew the Parker family, a fact that suggests a common place of residence in England."
PARKER in AMERICA:
An account of James and his descendants is on pages 535-41 in Parker in America, which can be seen at http://jenningsweb.us/ParkerInAmerica.html. See notes under James's brother Abraham for more details. James was one of five men with surname Parker who were early settlers in Massachusetts. The following begins on page 535:
Captain James Parker, supposed to have been a brother of first Abraham of Group I, and of the first Jacob of Group II, was early at Woburn, where he married and where the first four of his children were born. He was one of the three purchasers, in 1652, of the great "Dudley Farm" in Billerica, and resided there three or four years, but soon removed to Chelmsford. He took a prominent part in both places. At some time after the birth of his son Eleazer in 1661, he removed to Groton, where he was long the town's foremost citizen -- a large landholder, captain, selectman 1662, and many years afterward, and otherwise much occupied. He married (1), May 23, 1643, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Long of Charlestown, and (2), before 1697, and in his old age, Mrs. Eunice (Brooks) Carter. The latter survived him and afterward married John Kendall.
Captain James died in 1700, between May 2, the date of his will, and August 7, when it was proved. He bequeathed to his wife Eunice, his daughters, Elizabeth "Gary" (or Geary, or as I understand the modern form to be Gerry), Anna Blood and Sarah Parker; to Elizabeth Parker, daughter of his son Zachariah, and Abiel Parker, daughter of his son Joshua. He stated that his sons had already been provided for and then gave a certain residue of property to his grandchildren in equal shares. The latter number about 40, and their sales of their respective shares, in future years, cover divers pages in the county records, and as several perplexities are thereby presented, the writer will soon devote a separate article to the case.
Captain James' children were:
Elizabeth, b. Mch. 12, 1645; m. Samuel Geary of Roxbury.
Anna or Hannah, b. Jan. 5, 1647; m. Nathaniel Blood of Groton.
John, b. Jan. 18, 1649.
Sarah, b. Aug. 29, 1650; d Oct. 15, 1651.
James, b. about 1652.
Josiah, b. about 1653.
Samuel, b. about 1656.
The last three were probably born in Billerica. The following in Chelmsford:
Joshua, b. Mch. 23, 1658.
Zachariah, b. Jan. 14, 1659.
Eleazer, b. Nov. 9, 1661.
Sarah, b. Dec. 12, 1697.
The last child, born in Groton, was daughter of Captain James' second wife. She was living in Woburn, unmarried, in 1717.
BIRTH DATES:
The birth dates of the first 4 children and Sarah's death date are in Vital Records of Woburn compiled by Edward F. Johnson in 1890. He states in the preface that all dates are New Style. The dates in Parker in America are New Style and agree with Johnson. The birth dates of Joshua, Zachariah, and Eleazer are in Vital Records of Chelmsford published by the Essex Institute in 1914 and agree with those in Parker in America. It is not stated whether they are Old Style or New Style, but they appear to be Old Style. It is unlikely that the birth dates of Joshua and Zachariah are both correct if they are both based on the same system. The vital records of many Massachusetts towns can be seen at http://ma-vitalrecords.org/.
James, Josiah, and Samuel were probably born in Billerica since their births do not appear in the records of either Woburn or Chelmsford. Actually they do appear in the Chelmsford records, since on February 1, 1656 (OS), all of James's children were baptized in Chelmsford, and the baptismal records provide an indication, albeit a bit cryptic, of when the child was born. Specifically
Elizabeth Parker, d. James, bp. 1: 12m: 1656, a. 12 y. on 4: 1m: 1657. PR1
Anna Parker, d. James, bp. 1: 12m: 1656, a. 10 y. 14 d. PR1
John Parker, s. James, bp. 1: 12m: 1656, a. 8 y. 12 d. PR1
James Parker, s. James, bp. 1: 12m: 1656, a. 5 y. on 15: 2m: 1657. PR1
Josiah Parker, s. James, bp. 1: 12m: 1656, a. 4 y. 4 m. PR1
Samuel Parker, s. James, bp. 1: 12m: 1656, a. 6 m. PR1
Joshewaie Parker, s. James and Elisabeth, 23 Mar 1658
Zechariah, s. James and Elisabeth, 14 Jan 1659
Eleazar Parker, s. James and Elisabeth, 9 Nov 1661
"PR1" refers to extracts from Rev. John Fiske's note-book now in possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The dates are Old Style, and "1: 12m: 1656" is the first day of the 12th month in 1656, which is February 1, 1657 New Style. Anna was 10 years and 14 days old on that date, and so was born January 18, 1647 New Style. There is a discrepancy of 13 days with the Woburn date. There is also a discrepancy of 2 days relative to John.
If Josiah was exactly 4 years and 4 months old on February 1, 1657, he was born October 1, 1652. If Samuel was exactly 6 months old on February 1, 1657, he was born August 1, 1656.
If James was exactly 5 years old on the 15th day of the 2nd month in 1657 (April 15, 1657 New Style), then he was born April 15, 1652. I interpret Elizabeth's entry to mean that she was exactly 12 years old on the 4th day of the first month in 1657 OS, which is March 4, 1658 NS, but that date is more than 1 year after the baptismal date. Maybe "4: 1m: 1657" was somehow intended to be NS, in which case she was born March 4, 1645, which is close to the Woburn date (8 days off).
A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (James Savage, 1860; Vol 3, pg 351) has the same list of children in the same order with the dubious addition of Joseph, born 1651. James was born 15 Apr 1652 according to Savage. There are 5 discrepancies relative to the dates.
Gen. Dictionary --- Parker in America
Ann, 5 Mar 1647 --- Anna or Hannah, 5 Jan 1647
John, 18 Feb 1649 --- John, 18 Jan 1649
Josiah, 1655 --- Josiah, about 1653
Joshua, 13 Mar 1658 --- Joshua, 23 Mar 1658
Eleazer, 9 Nov 1660 --- Eleazer, 9 Nov 1661
FIVE BROTHERS:
Pages 529-547 in Parker in America are devoted to five brothers named Parker who were early settlers in Massachusetts and the next two generations of their progeny. The brothers are generation 1, and thus generations 1, 2, and 3 are described in detail, and the names and birthdates of the children in the 4th generation are listed. A number in parenthesis after a name indicates the generation, and a name in brackets indicates the father's name. The following introduction from page 529 indicates the provenance of the analysis, which appears to have been very carefully done.
"In 1905 a writer over the initials of W. H. M. A. contributed a series of articles to the Boston Trascript relating to the genealogy of four of five brothers who were early in America, and whose descendants are now numerous. Through the kindness of Wm. A. Parker, then of Kansas City, Mo., now St. Joseph, Mo., the articles were sent to the compiler of this work, who gives them space because of the convenience it will be for descendants to obtain the genealogy of their remote ancestry:
"In the early settlement of Chelmsford and Billerica, Mass., appeared five men of the name of Parker -- namely, Abraham, Jacob, James, Joseph, John. Most of them were brothers and it is believed all were thus related. At least two of their number had previously resided at Woburn.
"John settled in Billerica with the first of its pioneers and until his death, June 14, 1667, was the leading man of the town. He left a widow, Mary, who had formerly been widow of John Poulter. She married, third, April 19, 1674, Thomas Chamberlain. John Parker left no children, but descendants of his brothers were numerous. The writer has often had occasion to investigate this family, and except for what is given of certain branches in Butler's "Groton" in concise form and with some erroneous connections the lack of information in print has necessitated recourse to original records. An effort is here made to account for the first three generations with some degree of system for the benefit of all who are interested. In doing this examination has been made of town and probate records, together with over 500 deeds. These efforts should lead to a considerable degree of accuracy, and nearly all members of that period are accounted for, but some things are lacking, and it is earnestly requested that those who can supply additions and corrections will send them to the Transcript.
"The early Parkers were a fine, prominent and interesting family, and they deserve more attention than they have, heretofore, received. In this article the brothers and their descendants are divided into separate groups as follows: First, Abraham, second Jacob, third James, fourth Joseph."
INTERNET SOURCE:
The text of the article in the Boston Transcript, which is in Parker in America on pages 529-547 is accessible at http://jenningsweb.us/ParkerInAmerica.html. It is pointed out there that a block of lines in the original article was printed in the wrong place in Parker in America. That error has been corrected in the internet version.
MIGRATION of the BROTHERS:
The first mention of any of the brothers in official colonial records is in 1640, when the section previously known as Charlestown Village was in the formative stages of becoming a new town called Woburn. Town Commissioners held their first meeting on December 18 of that year to draft "Town Orders". Among the 32 who subscribed to these Orders, according to Samuel Sewall's 1868 "History of Woburn", was "Jams Parker". Sewall also records that James Parker became a "freeman," or voting member of the community, in 1644, and his brother Abraham was made a freeman the following year. Both paid a levy to the new town in 1645.
So James came to Massachusetts in 1640 or in the late 1630's. He probably came with his younger brother Abraham. James and Abraham married in Woburn in May 1643 and in November 1644, respectively. Since their older brother John Parker married in Essex in June 1642, we know that he did not accompany them.
Why did they emigrate and why to Massachusetts? Probably because Edward Converse, the husband of their aunt Sarah, had come to Massachusetts in 1630 after the death of his wife. He initially settled in Charlestown where he operated a ferry between Charlestown and Boston. At some point he moved to Woburn where he died in 1663.
John had no children, but the other brothers procreated prolifically. Abraham's 3 oldest children were born in Woburn, the youngest in 1650; his fifth child was born in Chelmsford in 1655, and all the rest were born there as well. Abraham died in Chelmsford in 1685.
James's 4 oldest children were born in Woburn between 1645 and 1650. The youngest 3 were born in Chelmsford after 1658, and the middle 3 were probably born in Billerica. In 1652 James and two others purchased the great "Dudley Farm" in Billerica, and he resided there for several years until he moved onward to Chelmsford. Billerica is between Woburn and Chelmsford.
We have birth records for Woburn, Chelmsford and Billerica. There is no birth record for 3 of James's middle children and for one middle child of Abraham. I don't know how complete the birth records in those 3 towns are in the 1650's. I have conjectured that all the children without birth records were born in Billerica, James residing there longer than Abraham. James and Abraham probably left Woburn about 1651. Abraham was probably in Billerica in August 1652 when his son Abraham was born and was then in Chelmsford when the next child was born in 1655. James tarried in Billerica and was not in Chelmsford until 1657 or so.
At some time after the birth of his son Eleazer in November 1661, James moved to Groton, where he was long the town's foremost citizen -- a large landholder, captain, selectman in most years from 1662 to 1699. He died there in 1700.
Joseph married in Essex in April 1650, and his first child was born in Chelmsford in October 1651. He probably emigrated directly from Essex to Chelmsford, and he had 6 children there from 1651 to 1663. The first child of Jacob, the youngest brother, was born in Chelmsford about 1652, and he had 8 children there between 1652 and 1667. Maybe he married in Essex, maybe in Massachusetts. He and his brother Joseph probably emigrated together; Joseph, at least, was in Chelmsford by October 1651, which suggests that their brother Abraham was there by that date. This is contrary to the above suggestion that Abraham was in Billerica in August 1652. Billerica and Chelmsford are about 5 miles apart.
W. H. M. A. says that John immigrated to New England by 1649, settled first at Woburn, and by 1654 was in Billerica. He was the first town clerk of Billerica, the first collector of taxes, and he built the first meeting house there. He died there in 1667.
Jacob died in Billerica in 1669 but was a selectman in Chelmsford until the time of his death.
Joseph moved from Chelmsford to Groton between the birth of his next-to-last child in November 1663 and the birth of his last child in November 1666. More specifically he was dismissed to the church in Groton in May 1665. Later -- perhaps about 1673 -- he moved to Dunstable, where he was constable there from 1675 to 1682. As early as 1684 he was again in Chelmsford and perhaps resided there continuously until his death in 1690.
In summary, each of the 5 brothers, except for John, lived for many years in Chelmsford. John lived in Billerica not far away. The 3 older brothers had lived previously in Woburn. The 2 younger brothers immigrated directly to Chelmsford. Jacob lived all his life there; Joseph moved to Groton and then to Dunstable, but returned to Chelsmford. Abraham remained in Chelmsford and died there, and James moved to Groton where he died in 1700.
SAMUEL SEWALL:
The following is on page 628 of Samuel Sewall's History of Woburn (1868). See
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/afj7759.0001.001?type=simple&rgn=full+text&q1=Jams+Parker&submit=Search
PARKER. Abraham; early settled in Woburn, being taxed there 8 Sept. 1645, the first tax for the Country on record. He married, 18 Nov. 1644, Rose Whitlock, by whom he had: (1) Hannah [Anna, County Records,] born 29 Oct. 1645. (2) John, b. 30 Oct. 1647. (3) Abraham, b. 8 March, 1650, died 20, 1651. (4) Abraham, again, b. Aug. 1652. About this time, he removed to Chelmsford, where he had other children born to him. He was made freeman 1645; and died 12 Aug. 1685. His widow died 13 Nov. 1691. [Woburn Records: Savage's Geneal. Diet.; Col. Records.]
PARKER. James: freeman 1644; a subscriber at Charlestown to the "Town Orders" for Woburn, 1640; and taxed in Woburn, 1645 and 1646. He married, 23 May, 1643, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Long of Charlestown. By her he had: (1) Elizabeth, born 12 March, 1645. (2) Ann, b. 5 Jan. 1646-7. (3) John, b. 18 Jan. 1648-9. (4) Sarah, b. 29 Aug. 1650; died 15 Oct. 1651. (5) Joseph, b. 1651. (6) James, b. 15 Apr. 1652, and killed by the Indians, 27 July, 1694. About 1652, he removed from Woburn to Chelmsford, where he had other children born to him; and from Chelmsford to Groton. He died, 1701, in his 84th year. [Woburn Town Rec. and Records of Births, etc. Savage's Geneal. Reg.]
See page 14 for mention of the December 18, 1640 meeting.
ESSEX:
In Wikipedia there is a short description of Great Burstead, Billericay, Chelmsford, South Weald (Brentwood), and Navestock. They are all towns in the southwest part of the county of Essex. Great Burstead and Billericay are very close to each other, and the others are not far away.
WILL:
Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Probate Papers 16556-16660 (LDS 421482), packet 16611, James Parker, 1700:
I have attempted to copy the following will exactly as it is written. From a modern point of view the spelling is highly non-standard. There are no periods or commas. Colons seem to function as commas, but they are scattered rather haphazardly throughout the text, often in places where no modern writer would put a comma or any other punctuation. The use of upper case letters is also haphazard and non-standard. Square brackets indicate my additions or corrections.
In the name of God amen: I James parker Sener of Groton: in the County of midlesex: in the provinces of mathusetts in New England the twenty fift day of may one thousand sevens hundred Being wek of Body But of good and parfit memory and understanding thanks Be to god for it having arived to the age of fouer score and three years or there a Bouts Calling to remembrance the uncertainty of this life and that all men must dye: when it shall plese god: I do make constitute ordain: and declare this my last will and testament in maner and form following Revocking and anulling by these presents all testaments will and wills heretofore by me made either by word or writing and this is to be taken: only for my last will and testament and no other = =
first of all I give and commit my soull to all mighty god my Saver in whome I trust I shall be saved and that my soull with my Body at the genrell day of Resuerriction shall rise again: with: Joye throw: the merites of Christ and my Body to be deacently and Christenly Buried at the dicrison of my Excutour hereafter named and __ do apint and nextly for the setting of my Estate and goods as it hath plesed God to bestow upon me I do order give and dispose of the same in maner and forme following that is to say first: = = = = = = =
I will that all these debts and dutys I owe to any persons whatsoever shall be well and truely contented and payed within conveniente time after my decese by my Excutor hereafter named and all funerell charges = = =
Item I give and bequeth to my well beloved wife Eunis parker forty pound in current mony of new england or Equielent to money within the space of twelve munths after my decease or after when she shall call for it also to living [in] my house deuring my widow: in the west end of the house: and also the Yuse of the houssed things now in that rome: during my widow [while she remains my widow] except the bead and furnituer belonding to it to continnew there and not to be made Yuse of exsepte it be upon spesiell ocation = = = = =
and allso here [her] own thirds of her former husbands Estate to continew hers: with[out] interuption: also too acer of land and the orcherd at the well gate to make use of upon as reasonable terms as any parson: during deuring my widow = = = = = = = = =
Iteam I bequeth the [and] give the improvement of all my hous and lande on the west side of the highway for the Bringing up [of] my daghter Sarah tell she is eightten year old or tell marriadge and allso halfe my dear hedge lott for a wood lott for the above named hose: and land and also the west end of gibett hill: from the ten aceres of land which: I bought of the widow Larrance.
Item I will and bequeth to my daghter Elizebath gary twenty pounds in mony or as mony equielent to be paid within the space of twelve munth after my decease = Item I give: and bequeath to my daghter anna Bloode five pounds in paye to be payd within five mounths after my decease Item: I give and bequeath to Elizebath parker the daghter of my son: Zechariah parker deceased one ten acer right of land in the town of groton in all divition or thirty pounds in mony which i promesed in a writing to give her to be at the discriton of my executor = Item I give and bequeth: to abiell parker the daghter of my son Joshua parker deceased ten pounds in mony or equielent thereto to be paide her at Eighttene years old or at mariage day also a grandchilds portione = = = = = = =
Item: I give and bequeath to my daghter Sarah Forty pound in or as mony to be paide her at Eighten years of age or at marige to be payd her out of my hous and lands on the west side of the highway by Broad madow if she desiers it and the madow that belongs to a ten acre right of my madows undisposed of also I give unto my daghter Sarah halfe my dear hedge lott on that sid next James Nuting lande = = = =
Item I give and Bequeath to my grend children: all the Reast of my land and estate in housing movables and whatsoever als equelly acordingly at the discriton of my executor the former Legesys [legacies] and debts being paide and also whereas I have: given to severell of my sons James Josiah Samuell Zehariah and Eliazer parker my Natrell sons there [their] severell proportions in lande and otherwise I do order and will that ten acere right which I have given to them be rekned as ther full portion nather are thay to make any fourther demand or challinge from any part of my Estate: Item I give: and Bequeath: to my daghter Sarah: parker my Best feather Bead and the riad [red] curtins and green Rugge and all tacklin to it = = = = = = = = = = = =
finally I do by these presents Intreat and Request outhorize and Appinte my son Josiah: parker of Cambrdge in the County of middlx in New england in the provence of the masitusetts my soulle Executor: hoping and trusting he will honesty and eqelly see to it that it be don according to my treue intent and meaning without parshality -- and In easpesell manner to
have the oversigh[t] of my daghter Sarah:
James Parker
Signed Sealed in presents
of us
Jonas Prescott
Thomas tarbell
James Blanchard
This will was proved in Charlestown, Massachusetts August 7, 1700 by the oaths of the three witnesses.
ESTATE:
Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Probate Papers 16556-16660 (LDS 421482), packet 16611, James Parker, 1700:
An Inventory of the Estat of Cap't James Parker late of Groton Deceased aprised as money by us ye sub______ this: 12 day of July: 1700
<pre>
first a Dweling house: and orchard land & medow £50
Joyneng all on ye west sid the highway
2 on the Est sid the highway: 100: acers of land £80
and medow: two orchards one barn and stable
3 two oxen two cows horse swine & other Catle £25 10/0
4 three fether beds & bedsteds: £17 5/0
armes and amunition
5 chains cart plows hoes axes fork & Irons &c £6 7/0
6 spitt frieng pans tongs Iron pots putr werming pan £4 17/0
7 Tramels: __ Iron Tabls chairs chests Tubs bowls &c £4
8 Table linen and other linen £2 10/0
9 land and medow in several parcels £61 9/0
on this sid ye River
10 Land & medow on ye west sid the River or Sevral £69 17/0
£319 15/0
Jonas Prescott
Thomas Tarbell
</pre>
MORE:
The following is interesting although there are some errors:
"The Life and Legacy of Capt. James Parker" by Rudy VanVeghten
at http://home.comcast.net/~rvanveghten/parker/Part3.html.
There is more information at
http://www.hoosierdaddygenealogy.com/jamesparker.php
including an easier-to-read version of the above will. The non-standard spelling has been corrected, the colons have vanished, and commas have been generously inserted into the text, more or less where a modern writer would put commas. The meaning has been distorted in only two places. Toward the end of the will in the list of James's sons, 'Joseph' should be 'Josiah', and in the next line 'three several portions in land and otherwise' is in the original 'there severell proportions in lande and otherwise' where 'there' is spelled 'their' in the modern language.
CHELMSFORD RECORDS:
"Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988", Chelmsford > Town and Land Records, with Births, Marriages, and Deaths at ancestry.com, 230 images:
At a general town meeting of the freeholders of Chelmsford the second day of March Anno Domini 1741/42 a committee was appointed to transcribe the First Book of Records to preserve the said records for the future (pg 1, image 22/230). On page 22 (image 33/230) in a comment dated 28 Dec 1747 it is pointed out that the First Book of Records was in many places torn and defaced, that in other places the births and deaths were wholly lost, and that in some places the month or year was missing.
The following is from the 1740's copy:
pg 2
Joshua Parker the Son of James Parker and Elisabeth his wife was Born March 23: 1658.
pg 3
Zachariah Parker the Son of James Parker and Elisabeth his wife was Born January: 14: 1659.
pg 4
Eleazer Parker the Son of James Parker & Elisabeth his wife was Born November: 9: 1661.
1
Edward F. Johnson, "Vital Records of Woburn, Massachusetts," 1890, Repository: http://ma-vitalrecords.org/.
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