Adams, Samuel (b. , d. ?)

Note: Patriot-Delegate 1st Continental Congress. Signer of the Declaration of Independence; Lt. Govenor of Massachusetts - 1789; Govenor from 1794-1797.

Occupation: Place: Delegate-1st Continental

Source: (Birth)
Title: American Presidential Families
Media: Book

Source: (Birth)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Littleton Town Records, p. 10

Source: (Death)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Littleton Town Records, p. 371

Source: (Birth)
Title: Adams Chronicles
Media: Book

Data:
Text: Shepherd, Jack, "The Adams Chronicles - Four Generations of Greatness,"
Little, Brown & Co., Boston and Toronto, 1975.
Note: Shepherd, Jack, "The Adams Chronicles - Four Generations of Greatness,"
Little, Brown & Co., Boston and Toronto, 1975.
.

Source: (Death)
Title: Adams Chronicles
Media: Book

Source: (Birth)
Title: Adams Chronicles
Media: Book

Note: 2nd President of the United States from 1796-1800; Delegate to the 1st Continental Congress; Massachusetts General Court 1770; Minister to Court of St. James 1785; Vice President of the
Revolutionary War working for the Independence Commission to negotiate peace.


Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949
Biographies
A
page 763
ADAMS, John (father of John Quincy Adams and grandfather of Charles Francis Adams), a Delegate from Massachusetts and a Vice President and a President of the United States; born in [p.763] Braintree, Mass., October 30, 1735; was graduated from Harvard College in 1755; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1758 and commenced practice in Suffolk County; joined the Sons of Liberty and appeared before Governor Hutchinson, with Otis and Gridley, to argue against the Stamp Act; was elected to represent Boston, to which city he had moved, in the general court in 1768; Member of the First Continental Congress 1774-1778; signed the Declaration of Independence and proposed George Washington, of Virginia, for General of the American Army; became head of the War Department, but resigned and was appointed commissioner, superseding Deane, with Franklin and Arthur Lee, to the Court of France; later made Minister Plenipotentiary to Holland to negotiate a loan in 1782; obtained the loan and negotiated a treaty of amity and commerce; was the first Minister to England, serving from 1785 until 1788; elected in 1788 as the first Vice President of the United States on the Federalist ticket with George Washington as President; reelected in 1792 and served from April 30, 1789, to March 3, 1797; elected President of the United States as a member of the Federalist Party and served from March 4, 1797, to March 3, 1801; his last act in office was to appoint John Marshall as Chief Justice of the United States; at the age of eighty-five served as a delegate to the constitutional convention of Massachusetts; died in Quincy, Mass., July 4, 1826; interment under the old First Congregational Church.

Occupation: Place: 2nd President Of The Unit

Note: 6th President of the United States form 1825-1829; Minister to the Haque - 1794; Minister to Portugal -1796; Minister to Berlin -1797; Massachusetts Senate 1802; US Senate 1803; Negot
US Congress 1831-1848.

Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949
Biographies
A
page 763
ADAMS, John Quincy (son of John Adams and father of Charles Francis Adams), a Senator and a Representative from Massachusetts and a President of the United States; born in Braintree, Mass., July 11, 1767; acquired his early education in Europe; attended the University of Leyden; was graduated from Harvard University in 1788; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Boston, Mass.; elected to the State senate in 1802; unsuccessful candidate for election in 1802 to the Eighth Congress; elected as a Federalist to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1803, until June 8, 1808, when he resigned; Minister to Russia 1809-1814; member of the commission which negotiated the Treaty of Ghent in 1815; Minister to England 1815-1817 and assisted in concluding the convention of commerce with Great Britain; Secretary of State in the Cabinet of President Monroe 1817-1825; in 1825 the election of the President of the United States fell, according to the Constitution of the United States, upon the House of Representatives, as neither of the candidates had secured a majority of the electors chosen by the States, and Mr. Adams, who stood second to Andrew Jackson in the electoral vote, was chosen and served from March 4, 1825, to March 3, 1829; elected as a Whig to the Twenty-second and to the eight succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1831, until his death; unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1834; died in the National Capitol at Washington, D.C., February 23, 1848; interment in the family burial ground at Quincy, Mass.

Occupation: Place: 6th President Of The Unit

Note: From The Genealogy of the Cleveland Families, by Edmund James Cleveland. 1899. pp.52.
"Joseph Keyes dwelt at Chelmsford. He was a leading man in the community, active in all matters pertaining to the public welfare. He is mentioned in the Chelmsford town records as one of the town committee until 1720, perhaps later. His descendants generally remained in the vicinity of Chelmsford and Westford. Westford town records show descendants of Joseph Keyes for four generations. The names of Joseph and Jonathan Keyes are in numbers on ancient gravestones in the Old Cemetery. The Keyes homestead, a roomy two-story white house, over 200 years old in good preservation stands in Westford."

Source: (Death)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Westford Deaths, p. 293

Source: (Birth)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Woburn, Volume 1, p. 51

Source: (Death)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Westofrd Deaths. p. 293

Note: Moses Cleaveland, or Cleveland came to this country in 1635(says the family tradition) with his master, a joiner from Ipswitch, Suffolk, England. He lived in Woburn, Massachusetts 3 Feb 1648/49 when a committee was appointed to lay out the portion of land promised him.

All fo the following information comes from: http://www.yeoldewoburn.net/Cleveland.htm

Moses Cleveland (1) evidently was a near or an adjoining neighbor to his brother-in-law, George Polly (husband of Elizabeth Winn), who deeded his real estate in Woburn, Apr. 10, 1653, to John Lakin of Reading, as appears in the following:

John Lakin's Deed 1653 Communicated by the Hon. Samuel Abbott Green M.D. of Boston: in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Boston: Published by The New-England Historic Genealogical Society. XLV: 81-2—
Know all men by this presant Writing that I Gorg polle do acknoledg the whol sale with the Consent of my wife of all The land and buldding I haue be longing to me liing in the boundes of Woborne • Namely the Dwelling hous with the Barne and three accors of brokup land a Joynning to the dwelling hous with all the un brokeup land all the tensing be loingin to the hous lott and nintene accors of land Liing in the new Bridg feeld six accors liing be twixt a parsall of land of sargin tides [apparently either John Tead, Ted or Tidd Sr (b. ab. 1618 from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight Eng, May 12 1637, Charlestown, signed Dec. 18 1640 Town Orders of Woburn) or his son John Tidd] and a parsall of land of moses Cleaueland [other parcels of land here recited] • VN to John Lakin of Redding. • Witness in the presanc of vs:

Michaell bacon [father of Mary wife of John Lakin],

Edward Winn [father of Ann and of Elizabeth wife of George Polly].

Moses Cleveland (1) became a man of some prominence in New England and, it would seem, was identified with all the political movements of the day.

From N. E. His. Gen. Reg., Oct. 1851, V: 391-2: Old Dorchester —

That the success of [Oliver] Cromwell was highly gratifying to the great body of the first settlers of New England requires no confirmation, and that a government had been overturned which had been the cause of their expatriation and consequent hardships and sufferings, was viewed with much satisfaction by them, admits of no question. It was easy therefore for them to conform to a government growing out of Cromwell's revolution; — a government every way congenial to their habits, wants, and feelings. And having gone on under a congenial legislation for many years/a sudden change must necessarily cause much commotion; especially as they could have no choice of rulers in England. It was certain too that if their oppressors should come into power, they could expect to be treated at least with coldness and rigor. A change came; the restoration took place—not a restoration of good government, but a restoration of a government dependent on the will of an unprincipled king * trials, troubles, and difficulties our fathers experienced. * When it occurred, many of them, probably, had but little faith in its stability. That this was the case appears strikingly manifest from some documents of that day now before us. As early as 1662 a letter was received from Charles II, a tolerable copy of which may be read in [Gov. Thomas Hutchinson’s Collection of Original Papers relative to the History of the Colony of Mass. Bay 1769] [II, Prince Society Publications].

That the letter was very unacceptable to the colony is set in a clear light, by the manner of its reception in a single important town. Copies were probably sent to all the towns, though we have met with but one of them, and that was sent to Woburn. It was thus directed: —

"To Ye constable of Wooberne who is hereby required to publish or cause the same to be published at a Generall toune meeting there."

How speedily it went from the "Generall Covrt" to Woburn, does not appear, but it was returned with the following endorsement upon it: —

"This is to Certify whom it may concern, that I Thomas Dutton of woobvrn do acknowledg, that on reqvest of several inhabitants of the said tovn, did procvre this Letter of the secretary & gaue it to the CvnstabLe Isack Cole who refused it, & so i brought it again this 8 of Desember 62. "thomas dutten."

"Witness:

moses Cleveland,

John Baker,
Willjam Simons.

(The above signature will show conclusively how Moses Cleveland (1) himself spelled his surname).

He was admitted to full communion in the First Church in Charlestown Mass. 6 day 1st mo (March) 1692.

Moses Cleveland (1) is probably buried in the Old First Burying-Ground at Woburn near the grave of his son Aaron. A more thorough search in England may yet discover the ancestry, etc., of Moses Cleveland(1).

Sewall's Woburn, 602. "Many have been the descendants of moyses cleaveland who came to New England the humble apprentice of a joiner in 1635 and established himself in Woburn about 1648, that have done worthily in their day: have been distinguished not only by their position in society, but by their weight of character and influence, and by the use­fulness of their lives."

The American Biographical Dictionary by William Allen, D. D., 1857, p. 234, in an account of moses Cleveland, says, "From him are doubtless descended all in this country who bear the name Cleaveland or Cleveland." This manner of statement is an ordinary error concerning the posterity of Moses1 Cleveland.

Genealogy of Moses' Cleveland and descendants may be found in following:

A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England showing 3 generations of those who came before May 1692 on the basis of Farmer's Register, by James Savage, 1860, I:, 406; Early Puritan Settlers of Connecticut, by Royal R. Hinman of Hartford, 1852, p. 618; Sewall's Woburn, 599.

History of the Names of Men & c. from the French of Eusebius Salverte, trans. by Rev, L. H. Mordacque, Lon.36—MOSES, whose name when translated means "drawn out," [drawn forth] is the one who "draws" or leads the people of God out of the land of Egypt.

The name Cleveland disappeared from Woburn before the close of the first century of the town's existence, and the family distinction may be said to have been gained elsewhere.

Source: (Death)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Woburn, Volume 1, p. 36

Note: Mrs. Ann (Winn) Cleveland d. probably previous to May 6, 1682, for at that date her father, Edward Winne, made his will mentioning her 3 youngest children, but not herself.

Winn, Wynne, Wynn ancestry, arms, and genealogy: — See chapter V, Edward Winn (1) and Descendants & C.

Note: Resided at Salem, New Hampshire, Billerica, Carlisle, and Concord, Mass.

Source: (Death)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Concord Deaths. p. 347

Occupation: Place: Blacksmith

Note: I have from an unknown source that Lucy was born in Billerica. But I couldn't find her in the Billerica birth records.

Occupation: Place: 22nd & 24th President Of

Note: Resided at Salem, New Hampshire, Chelmsford, Billerica, and Waltham, Mass.

Jesse Webster, Jr. of Salem, New Hampshire owned several lots of land there, the earliest date being 1802. He was variously known in these deeds as "Yeoman" and "Gentleman." He was listed as Jesse Webster, Jr. in the tax list of 1800 in Salem, N.H.
these deeds can be seen at the Rockingham County register of Deeds at Exeter, N.H.

In 1806, his wife's father, Moses Davis, of Chelmsford, died a left a share of his estate to his daughter, Lydia, wife of Jesse Webster, Jr. of Salem, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. It is quite likely they left Salem about 1808 and went to
Chelmsford to live. Three deeds relating to their property in Chelmsford are to be found at the Middlesex County Register of Deeds in Cambridge, Mass. One of them dated August 31, 1812 gives their residence as Chelmsford and the third, dated March
1814 says they of Billerica, Mass. At that time Lydia was living because this deed was signed by her, but she must have passed away shortly thereafter as Billerica records show that Jesse Webster married Lucy Foster, September 23, 1816.

In a deed at the Rockingham County Registry of Deeds, Jesse Webster, gentleman of Salem, N.H., grants to Jesse Webster of Billerica, Middlesex County, Mass., husbandman, and Peter E. Webster of Salem, Essex County, Mass., trader, a lot of land in
Salem, New Hampshire. The date is January 8, 1818.

Sources: History of Salem, New Hampshire by Gilbert.
Billerica and Waltham, Mass Vital Records
Will of Jesse Webster, Sr. (Exeter, N.H.)

Will of Jesse Webster, Jr.

[Jesse Webster's will was made at Waltham, Mass., August 5, 1843 and is on file at the Middlesex County Register of Probate, Cambridge, Mass. He died August 9, 1848.]

Know all men by these presents that I, Jesse Webster of Waltham in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being of feeble health but of sound and disposing mind and memory do make and publish this my last will and testament, here
revoking all former wills heretofore made by me.

First - I hereby consistute and appoint Avad Moore, Esq. of said Waltham to be the sole executor of this my last will, directing my said executor to pay all my just debts, funeral expenses and legacies hereinafter give out of my estate.

Second - After payment of said debts and funeral expenses, I give to my sons, Charles Webster, Moses Webster and Phineas Webster, wearing apparel to be equally divided among them. To Wealthy Wood, my daughter and Albert Webster, my son, $5.00 each a
to the children of my deceased son, Samuel Webster, I give the sum of $1.00 to be divided equally among them.

Third - All the rest and residue of my estate to my wife, Lucy Webster.

Dated August 5, 1843

Signed Jesse his (X)mark Webster

Witnesses: Luke Smith, Lucy F. Smith, Elizabeth Brown.

Will proved Nov. 21, 1848.

Source: (Death)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Waltham Deaths, p. 294.

Note: 1721 John Marsh was chosen Deacon of the First Parish Church.

Note: Resided in Rowley and Haverhill, Mass.
Freeman at Haverhill in 1668.

Note: Cause of death: Drowned.

Note: Admitted freeman in Concord 10 may 1643. Signed orginal petition for the Town
of Chelmsford 19 May 1653. First Chelmsford Town meeting was held in his
house 22 Nov 1654 at which time he was elected a trustee or Selectman.
Owned the Covenant in Chelmsford church 11 June 1655.

Note: ROBERT FLETCHER

The founder of the Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts family of this name was probably born in England around 1592. He died in Concord, Massachusetts 3 April 1677 at over eighty years of age. The name of his wife and mother of his children is
unknown, she was living 4 Feb 1672 and had died by 12 may 1677. He was certainly of Concord in 1637 and may have been there from 1635, when the town was first established. Family notes say he arrived about 1630.

He was in Concord by 1635 and was a sworn Constable of Concord in 1637. He signed an agreement between the town and church of Concord and the Harvard College at Cambridge 22 August 1655 wherein the town agreed to be levied for five pounds for use of the college.

He was one of the signers of a letter dated 4 March 1654 inviting the pastor and church of Wenham to join with "the new plantation", what is now called Chelmsford, Massachusetts.

(1999) The following information was compiled by: Michael Roman, 13 Saddle Hill Drive, Northboro, MA 01532:

ROBERT FLETCHER [#992], b. England abt. 1592, d. Concord, MA April 3, 1677 aged 85.

Robert Fletcher was most likely born in England around 1592 as his will, dated 1672, gives his age then as about 80 years.[6/4:264] The name of his wife and mother of his children is unknown, but she was living when Robert made his will on Feb. 4, 1672 but had died by May 12, 1677 when the will was proved. The surname comes from "Fledger", which is the name of the trade of making arrows. It is believed that Robert came from Yorkshire, a county in which the name is fairly common.[2/1]

Rev. Elijah Fletcher is said to have been the first member of the family to make an attempt to gather family records, and he believed his immigrant ancestor came from Yorkshire. As Elijah lived at a time when Robert's own great grandchildren were alive, this idea is worthy of notice.[2/1] With the exception of Henry Fletcher of Reading, Robert was the only Fletcher in Middlesex County at the time. There is no proof that he was related to Henry or any other early Fletcher settler. Robert was certainly living in Concord by 1637 and may have been there from 1635 when the town was first established. There is no evidence that he lived anywhere but in Concord, and he probably went there directly from England between 1635 and 1637.[2/2]

Concord is about twenty miles northwest of Boston. It was the first settlement in New England above tide water and was described as being "away up in the woods", when on Sept. 2, 1635 the plantation at Musketaquid was granted as the town of Concord by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay. In October of the same year, Rev. John Jones with some settlers arrived in Boston, destined for the new plantation. Unfortunately the original petition and deed are missing. The church records prior to 1738 are also lost, and so a valuable source of data is closed.[2/2]

The first mention of Robert Fletcher is contained in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Records. In court held 291637 at Newtowne (i.e. Cambridge) Robert Fletcher was chosen and sworn constable of Concord.[4/1:206] In order to be chosen constable, it would seem that a man would have to be fairly well known to the town's people and to the court, and this seems rather conclusive evidence that Robert was amongst the earliset settlers in Concord. Two years later there was mention of Robert Fletcher again, the record being found in both the Court of Assistants and in the Colony Records, under the date of June 4, 1639, when he was discharged, being found not faulty. What the charge was is not given in either source.[2/23]

On 14 May 1645, a number of inhabitants of Concord went with Rev. Jones to Connecticut, leaving the town much depopulated, so much so, that those remaining asked the General Court to abate their taxes. Inasmuch as Robert Fletcher was one of those who signed the petition, hence did not have sympathy with Jones and his party, it seems possible that he did not come over from England with Jones[2/3]. [full text of the petition can be found in "History of Concord, by Lemuel Shattuck, pp.16-17].

In 1655 a new town book was purchased by the town of Concord to supplant the old one, all the inhabitants being required to enter their holdings in the same. Francis Fletcher is recorded as having 17 lots of 437 acres, in the eastern quarter of the town. Robert did not record any holdings. Although the present earliest book of town records for Concord begins in 1653, there is but one mention of Robert's lands, that being March 5, 1662. It was about this time that nearly all the inhabitants entered their holdings in the Concord Records, but there is no mention of Robert's lands, not even as a boundary. As his son Francis, the only son to remain in Concord, entered his lands in 1666, it is to be assumed that Robert had given his lands to his son by that year. Francis' land is often mentioned as a boundary.[2/9]

Other records mentioning Robert may be of interest: A petition to the General Court dated May 17, 1658, asking for the privilege of trade with the Indians, was signed by thirty-three inhabitants of Chelmsford, among them William Fletcher and Robert Fletcher. According to testimony made in 1683, and a copy presented at that time, Robert Fletcher was one of a Concord committee to lay out Major Simon Willard's enormous farm, May 21, 1660. March 14, 1660-1 a call was made to the freemen of Concord - that Robert Fletcher and Ensign Joseph Wheeler serve on the jury. Also a warning to both for not attending to the laying out of a highway. A petition was presented April 2, 1661 by Robert Fletcher "in the name of the rest" about William Borden, a brick maker, who had been warned out of town and had returned "with what he calls his wife".[2/89]

A Luke Fletcher of Concord died intestate in 1665, and as Robert was the administrator of his estate, it seems logical to assume that Luke was his son, although the possibility that there was some other relationship must be borne in mind.[2/9]

Robert Fletcher's will was dated Feb. 4, 1672 and mentioned his wife (not named), son Francis and his wife (not named), and sons William and Samuel. As the eldest son, Francis received a double share and was also made executor. Overseers were "my trusty and loveing friends Deacon Robert Mirriam, Deacon Luke Potter of Concord". The will was witnessed by John Hoare and Nathaniel Stow and proved June 19, 1677.[6/4:264]


REF: [1] The Fletcher Genealogy - Edward Fletcher, 1871
[2] The Fletcher Manuscript - Winifred Lovering Holman, 1952
(found at NEHGS, 101 Newbury St. Boston)
[3] Concord Town Records
[4] Massachusetts Bay Colony Records
[5] Middlesex County Court Files
[6] Middlesex County Probate (First Series Docket 7913)
[7] Massachusetts Archive (119:19)
[8] Ancestors of American Presidents - Gary Boyd Roberts, 1989
(pg.24)

Children:
1. Grissell, b. abt. 1618, m(1) Thomas Jewell, m(2) Humphrey Griggs,
m(3) Henry Kibby, m(4) John Gurney, m(5) John Burge. She is said
to have been the most married woman in colonial New England
2. Francis, b. abt. 1620, m. Aug. 1, 1656 Elizabeth
Wheeler, b. abt. 1638, d. June 14, 1704
3. William, b. abt. 1622, d. Chelmsford, MA Nov. 6, 1677, m(1)
Rachel ____, m(2) Concord, MA Oct. 7, 1645 Lydia (Fairbanks?)
Bates, bap. Boston, Lincolnshire, Eng. June 13, 1622, d. Chelmsford,
MA Oct. 12, 1704
4. Luke, b. abt. 1625, d. Concord May 21, 1665
5. Samuel, b. 1632, m(1) Margaret Hailstone, m(2) Hannah Foster,
m(3) Mary (Stowe) Cotton

Source: (Death)
Title: Vital Records of Middlesex Co., MA to the end of the year 1849.
Publication: Search & Research Publishing. Wheat Ridge, CO. 1999
Media: Electronic

Data:
Text: Concord Vital Records. p. 19

Occupation: Place: Farmer