Person Page - 331

William Graves

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Last Edited

29 Nov 2022

Marriage*	William Graves married second Elizabeth (?) before October 1680.1
Death*	William Graves died after 1710.2

Child of William Graves

Ruth Graves+

Benjamin York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Richard York b. s 1613, d. 23 Apr 1672
Mother	Elizabeth (?) b. c 1618

Last Edited

25 Nov 2024

Birth*	Benjamin York was born circa 1654. He was age 23 in March 1678, probably born in Dover.1
Marriage*	He married Abigail Footman, daughter of Thomas Footman and Catherine Matthews, before 1676. Benjamin York and his wife were in court in or after June 1676 sentenced for 'fornication.2'
Death*	Benjamin York died probably before 1727. His wife was the widow of Thomas Meakins by Jun 1727.3
	In his father's 1672 will Benjmain was bequeathed "that tracket of land which I hold by towne grant situate ling and being near the Second sale of Lampleriver adjoyning unto that wch wase latelye John Martaines Lott together with one yoke of oxen." At a court held in Portsmouth starting in June 1676 Benjamin York and his wife presented for "fornicac'on owned Sentence of Court himselfe to be whipt to ye number of 15 stripes & she to ye Number of 10 or redeeme it by a fine of 4L [pounds] in money & fees 5s [shillings] to pay theire fine." One Nicholas Harris agreed to pay the fine in three months time in white oak pipe staves. [NH State Papers series, v. 40, NH Court Records 1640-1692, p.330-1] A fornication charge for a married couple was likely due to the birth of a child less than eight months after their wedding. This means they were likely married in late 1675 or early 1676 and their first child likely born in 1676. He and his brother John appear on a tax list of residents of Oyster River on 23 Jul 1677. [GDMNH, p.51] On 12 Mar 1677/78 he deposed in a case regarding land of Robert Smart and was said to be "aged about twenty three years." [Historical Memoranda Concerning Persons and Places in Old Dover, by John Scales, 1:383] On 2 Apr 1683 Benjamin York and James Thomas took the inventory of the estate of Arthur Bennick, who died 20 Jan 1682/3. Attested by Mary Bennick, administratrix, 11 Apr 1683. [NH Provincial and State Papers, v.31, Probate Records, 1:263] He was on an Exeter tax list on 25 Aug 1684. [GDMNH, p.11] The area now Newmarket was part of Exeter at that time. In Jan 1693/4 he was a member of a coroner's jury investigating Thomas Stidman's fall through Mr. Hilton's Exeter sawmill. [GDMNH, p.54] On 19 Mar 1693/4 lands of Benjamin York in Durham were mentioned in a grant of 60 acres to John Bickford. The grant was on the south side of the durty brooke, going to the second falls" at the upper side of Benjamin York's land. The second falls is now known as Packer's Falls. [Thompson, Mary P. Landmarks in Ancient Dover, p.59] In Nov 1715 Abigail York, "spinster" of Oyster River, and her brother Thomas Footman of Oyster River, husbandman, distributed their share of their late father Thomas Footman's Oyster River estate to their eldest brother John Footman. Witnesses Francis Mathes and Ichabod Follett. Thomas and Abigail acknowledged their deed in person on 23 Nov 1722. [Rockingham Deeds, 22:34, 55:330-2] The term 'spinster' here is either used to designate a woman who was legally capable of making a land transaction on her own behalf, separate from her husband, or just a substitute for 'widow.' A good article discussing the use of the term 'spinster' in old documents can be found in The American Genealogist, v. 170, Jan/Apr 1985, pp. 167-70, "Spinster: an Indicator of Legal Status," by Eugene A. Stratton. As a result of the ambiguity of the term 'spinster' this deed cannot be used as evidence that her husband Benjamin was deceased by this point. However, he was definitely deceased when on 21 Jun 1727 Abigail "McKengs" of Exeter, widow, quitclaimed to her two brothers John and Thomas Footman, both of Dover, yeomen. all her rights to any lands or estate of her father Thomas Footman, deceased. Abigail 'Mackengs" made her mark and appeared and acknowledged the deed on the same day. Witnesses were Elizabeth and Benjamin Judkins, who both made their marks. The deed was recorded on 31 Mar 1735. [Rockingham Deeds, 21:23-4] It should be noted that the town of Newmarket was incorporated from Exeter in Dec 1727 so she could have been living in what became Newmarket rather than in Exeter proper. According to the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire she was called Thomas Meakins' widow from 1727 to 1738, but this author hasn't located the 1738 document yet. There is apparently no further mention of her after that time.

Children of Benjamin York and Abigail Footman

Rachel York Benjamin York+ b. c 1677, d. by 1760 Elizabeth York b. c 1678, d. a 1768 Richard York+ b. s 1685, d. b 1766 John York+ b. s 1687, d. betw Apr 1752 and Mar 1757

Abigail Footman

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Thomas Footman d. b 30 Jun 1668
Mother	Catherine Matthews

Last Edited

4 Feb 2023

Marriage*	Abigail Footman married Benjamin York, son of Richard York and Elizabeth (?), before 1676. Benjamin York and his wife were in court in or after June 1676 sentenced for 'fornication.1'
Death*	Abigail Footman died after 1736.2

Children of Abigail Footman and Benjamin York

Rachel York Benjamin York+ b. c 1677, d. by 1760 Elizabeth York b. c 1678, d. a 1768 Richard York+ b. s 1685, d. b 1766 John York+ b. s 1687, d. betw Apr 1752 and Mar 1757

Thomas Footman

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Last Edited

6 Dec 2022

Marriage*	Thomas Footman married Catherine Matthews.
Death*	Thomas Footman died before 30 June 1668.

Child of Thomas Footman and Catherine Matthews

Abigail Footman+ d. a 1736

Catherine Matthews

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Last Edited

8 Aug 2020

Marriage*

Catherine Matthews married Thomas Footman.

Child of Catherine Matthews and Thomas Footman

Abigail Footman+ d. a 1736

Richard York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Benjamin York b. c 1654, d. b 1727
Mother	Abigail Footman d. a 1736

Last Edited

11 Dec 2024

Birth*	Richard York was born say 1685.
Marriage*	He married Sarah (?).1
Death*	Richard York died before 1766. Administration of his estate began on 5 Jan 1766. Richard was living in Epping at the time of his death.2
	The list of children of this Richard York is likely incomplete. We know from deeds in 1748 that he had sons John and Richard. There was also a ten year old Judith York, daughter of Richard, baptized in 1742. That baptism was in Kingston, but in a time before there was a church in Epping some residents of the western parts of Exeter went to Kingston to attend church because it was more convenient. But she is placed in this family for the time being as we know of no other Richard it could be. The name of his wife Sarah comes from his 1766 probate papers. No earlier named wife has been found, so we'll assume for now that Sarah was the mother of his children, but this is by no means certain. Some sources, beginning with the History of Durham, suggest that it was this Richard who married the daughter of James Goodwin/Gooding of Newmarket who made his will in 1757 naming grandchildren John and Susannah York. But this is very unlikely. James Goodwin/Gooding was born in 1697, and Richard was probably born in the 1680s, so is unlikely to have married Goodwin's daughter. It seems far more likely that either one of Richard's sons married Goodwin's daughter, or it was a different family group - such as one living closer to Newmarket where Goodwin was from instead of this Richard of Exeter and his family. A placeholder child named "Uncertain" York is included as his child because there were several Yorks in the Epping/Brentwood area who are likely his grandchildren, but the name of their father can't be determined. We have no good idea as to when Richard York was born. Currently the first record we have of him is as being a military scout in June 1710. One might assume he was a young man in his twenties at the time, thus born around 1685, give or take five years either way. But this is just a guess. He had to have been at least 16 to be on a military scout so born no later than 1694. It's possible that he was still living in the Durham/Newmarket area in 1707 based on a deed between Sampson and Temperance Doe and Joseph Chesley, all of Dover, in which the Does conveyed 46 acres of land, apparently in the Lubberland area, that was bordered by land of John Goddard and Richard York. [Rockingham Deeds, 8:51] But it seems more likely that this is a reference that refers to his grandfather Richard, because John Goddard of that area was deceased by this point as well. From the History of Exeter by Bell, p.224: "In 1710 the Indians were very menacing, and scouts were kept up continually on the frontier. A few rolls of their names have been preserved, which show that Exeter was not backward in furnishing men for this duty. Captain Nicholas Gilman led a scouting party from June 21 to 23, comprising the following persons: [12 men including Richard York. Then another grouping of men from June 23 to 25, not including York. Then...] Captain Nicholas Gilman was also in command of a detachment at Hilton's garrison of Exeter, of which the following persons had, on the third of July, served seven days: [8 men, one of whom was John York. Other scouting trips follow, but no more Yorks.] This John York is likely his brother who soon after moved to Durham. On p. 226-7 more scouting parties under Nicholas Gilman or Capt. John Gilman, a long list including John and Richard York. On 17 May 1714 Richard York of Exeter, along with his sister Elizabeth Judkins and her husband Job of Exeter, and his sister Rachel Jones and her husband William of Amesbury, Mass., quitclaimed the family land to their brother John York for ten pounds. It was the one hundred acre grant that the town of Dover granted to their father in 1656 on the north side of the Lamprey River bound by land of John Martin and Richard York. Witnesses were William Scammon and John Light. Richard, Job and Elizabeth all appeared on 26 Nov 1715. Richard made his mark. [Rockingham Deeds, 17:437-8] No wife for Richard was mentioned in the deed. He acquired land in Exeter from Samuel Young on 16 Oct 1714, and more land in Exeter from Capt. Nathaniel Land [likely should be Ladd] on 7 Jul 1727, the total of which amounted to about 50 acres. These land transactions are not to be found in the Rockingham deed indexes but were mentioned when he sold this land in 1739 (see below). It was likely it what is now Epping, N.H., which became a town apart from Exeter in 1742. Richard and Benjamin York both appear on the Exeter tax lists between 1714 and 1718. [FamilySearch.org, Exeter Town Records, 1718 list at , p.2,6,10,20,31,34,40,45,53 & 56, images 28-29 of 327.] This source doesn't provide tax lists for the years before 1714 or following 1718. But Richard at least was still living there in 1724 when he was voted one of the haywards and field drivers at Town Meeting. Exeter Town Records, 2:252, online at ] The Town of Exeter had been granting lands to its early settlers with some regularity for decades, but that ceased for a while after 1709. In 1714 the town voted to reserve two miles of land at the west end of the township for a perpetual commons, but that didn't sit well with many of the residents who had hoped to receive a town grant. A vote was taken in 1717 to look into this but nothing was done until 1725 when the town formed a committee to divide those two miles of common lands in western Exeter. Richard and Benjamin York both appear on the list of 249 names who would be recipients of these grants. Fifty acres to Benjamin and forty to Ri[chard. [Bell's History of Exeter, 144] But the Committee decided that the distribution of the lands wouldn't occur for ten more years, and that didn't sit well with the intended recipients. Votes were taken and committees were formed and discussions were had over the next few years. Richard's name is listed among the attendees of one such meeting in Exeter on 16 Nov 1730. [FamilySearch.org, Exeter Town Records, , p.89, image 51.] It wasn't until Oct 1732 when the lands were finally distributed. Richard's 40 acres were in range 11 beginning at number 27 and ending at number 31 between lands of Jonathan Conner and Joseph Gilman. [FamilySearch.org, Exeter Town Records, , p.113, image 63.] In that same year Richard York was taxed in Exeter. [NH 1732 Census by Holbrook] On 18 Mar 1733/4 both John and Richard York were among the names of several dozen individuals who received property in the town division of lands in the Little River area of Durham that is now Lee. [Stackpole's History of Durham, p. 19-21] While Richard was from Exeter it seems unlikely that he would receive lands from the town of Durham, but we know of no other Richard it could be. His brother John was living in Durham at the time. Exeter town records mention Richard York's land twice in the 1730s. On 18 Mar 1735/6 in the description of a road to be laid out it says “from Richard Yorks Dwelling house to Trueworthy Dudlys house and from thence to Nottingham road.” Then on 27 Mar 1739 the town voted money to improve the town school and to raise money from people from within certain boundaries for that school. One boundary was “Mast Swamp Road as far as Richard Yorks.” [Exeter Town Records on FamilySearch.com, 2:325, 342.] The 1737 will of Jeremiah Connor of Exeter mentions lands bordering that of Richard York, with lands of Jonathan Conner, Robert Wadleigh and Bartholomew Thing being other neighbors. [NH Provincial and State Papers v.32, Probate Records 2:676] In August of 1738 the town voted a committee to lay out all of the common lands of Exeter. They did this over the following two years. Richard York's land was included in the multiple pages of land divisions: "To Richard York we have allowed and laid out thirty four acres of land, twenty four being for allowance to him for Jethro Pierson and his son & Joseph Judkins ten acres which we have allowed them to hold, which was laid on his former division and ten acres for his ten acre right and have bounded it as follows. Beginning at the southerly corner of the lot which we have laid out to Joseph Gilman at Crains Land, and from thence to run north to the twenty five acres which we have to Lieut John Robinson, and thence to run west to Thomas Webster’s line and thence southerly on Webster’s line on that side, and on Joseph Gilman’s and Crains on the other side till it makes the thirty four acres." [Exeter Town Records of FamilySearch.com, 2:356.] On 4 May 1739 Zebulon Giddens [sic] Exeter, Innholder, for 265 Pounds from Richard York of Exeter, Yeoman, sold land in Exeter at a place called Piscassic containing 59 acres “and is that tract of land which I obtained of my honoured father Mr. Thomas Webster by a deed bearing date” 20 Jan 1737/8. Bounded as follows: North side of the road leading from Exeter to Pawtuckaway Mills, on the southeast corner of Jeremiah Bean’s land, then north to the Piscassic River, then east along the river until it gets to land said Webster sold to Jacob Gale then south to land formerly Major Bartholomew Thing’s deceased, then west to the land which Webster sold to Nicholas Smith, back to the beginning. Witnessed by Edward Gilman and Nicolas Gorden, signed by Zebulon Giddings [sic], who appeared and acknowledged the deed on 27 Dec 1748 during a civil court case involving Richard and his two sons in which the ownership of this land was relevant. [NH Provincial Court case #23897] The deed does not appear in the Rockingham County deed indexes online. On the same day, 4 May 1739, he sells land that he was already in possesion of. Richard York of Exeter, yeoman, deeded to John Hains of Exeter, blacksmith, land, dwelling house, barn and other buildings in Exeter. These 50 acres he obtained from Capt. Nathaniel Land [likely should be Ladd] by deed of 7 Jul 1727 and part of land he obtained from Samuel Young by deed of 16 Oct 1714. The land was on the southwesterly side of the road from John Gilman's house to Pawtuckaway Mills and was bounded by the road, the dwelling house, land he bought from Samuel Young, land he sold to Samuel Edgerly, and land formerly belonging to Robert Wadleigh, deceased. Edward Gilman and Nicholas Gordon witnessed, and Richard made his mark, then appeared and acknowledged the deed on 9 Feb 1740/1. [Rockingham Deeds, 25:183] Thus with these two deeds he appears to sell the land he first acquired in 1714, moving to another location in Epping where his family lived for at least a few generations. On 9 Jan 1741/2 Richard York of Exeter, yeoman, sold to Samuel Connor of Exeter, yeoman, 40 acres of land in Exeter allotted to him as common land in Exeter in 1725 lying in the 11th range of lots beginning at number 27 and ending at number 31 allotted Oct 1732. Witnesses Dudley Odlin and Jona Connor. Richard made his mark then appeared and acknowledged the deed on 13 Feb 1741/2. [Rockingham Deeds, 25:488-9] In 1742 the parish of Epping was split off from Exeter and became its own town. His name appears on the first tax list for the town dated 13 Oct 1742. [Epping Town Records, 1:7] On 25 Jan 1748 Richard York of Epping, husbandman, deeded to Job Judkins of Exeter, blacksmith [likely his sister Elizabeth's husband], 34 acres of land that was laid out and apportioned by the committee that proportioned off land and the common lands in Exeter. Bounded by Joseph Gilman, Lt. John Robinson, Thomas Webster’s line. Witnesses were John York and Noah Emery. Richard made his mark then appeared and acknowledged the deed on 25 Jan 1748. [Rockingham Deeds, 107:457] On 1 Mar 1748/9 Richard York of Epping, yeoman, sold to his son Richard York Jr. of Epping, yeoman, for 100 pounds old tenor, ten acres of land in Epping. This property bordered the "Watchick" River (now the Piscassic River), ten acres he previously sold to his other son John York, and 100 acres that belonged to the heirs of Major Bartholomew Thing, Esq., late of Exeter deceased. Witnesses were Theophilus and Abigail Smith, and Richard made his mark then appeared and acknowledged the deed on 27 Oct 1749. [Rockingham Deeds, 71:177-9] Between 1748 and 1755 Richard and his two sons Richard Jr. and John were involved in multiple lawsuits and trials with their neighbor Mary Gilman, widow of Nicholas Gilman Jr. and only child and heir of Bartholomew Thing, who died in 1738. Her husband died on 13 Apr 1748 and in December of that year - as she claimed in a 1749 lawsuit – Richard York, cordwainer, Richard York, Jr., and John York, husbandman, all of Epping, entered onto her property “with force and arms” and cut down a number of trees. The widow Gilman sued for 108 pounds 10 shillings in damages and the trial was held on 8 Jun 1749 at the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in Portsmouth, but the jury found for the defendants who were awarded costs of court. Mary appealed to the next Superior Court of Judicature, at which the jury on 1 Aug 1749 reversed the lower court’s decision, but only fining the Yorks a total of 10 shillings plus costs of court. No reasons for the reversal are stated in the court documents, but apparently there was enough ambiguity about the ownership of the land in question that separate juries came to different conclusions in the matter. And the jury who found for Gilman didn’t feel strongly enough about the decision to levy more than a token fine against the Yorks, which did not make the widow Gilman happy as said the verdict was “in nothing erroneous except that it was not for sufficient damages.” Various neighbors and land surveyors were called to testify in the case, including Job Judkins, Daniel Holman, Nicholas Smith, Nicholas Smith Jr., Walter Bryant, Anthony Pevee and Samuel Gilman Esq. Judkins was a neighbor and likely the son of Richard Senior’s sister Elizabeth (York) Judkins. A deposition by an Edward Gilman of Exeter, upwards of 70 years of age, is included in the papers and he describes in detail how the boundary between the two properties was originally agreed upon by the two owners at the time – Bartholomew Thing and Thomas Webster. Richard York owned the piece formerly belonging to Webster, which came to him through Webster’s son-in-law Zebulon Giddings when he deeded it to Richard in 1739 as mentioned above. There is a plot map included with the court papers but neither the map nor any of the depositions are sufficient to make a determination as to who was in the right. Later that year, on 17 Nov 1749, Mary Gilman was again in court, this time just against John York, who she claimed had entered her property and pulled down a lot of fencing back on November 8th. The case went to trial in Inferior Court on 7 Dec 1749 and the jury found for John York costs of court. Mary once again appealed, but there is no more information in the case files about it. A few years later, on 8 May 1752 Mary once again sued all three Yorks, this time claiming that they were illegally in possession of 35 acres of her land and were not allowing her the use of it. This case followed a similar trajectory to the first one, with a jury decision on 8 Jun 1749 in Inferior Court for the defendants, followed by an appeal. But this time the case was tried twice in Superior Court, first on 6 Feb 1753 where the Yorks won, but then it went to court yet again in Sep 1754 and that decision was reversed and the 35 acres were granted to Mary Gilman and the Yorks had to pay court costs. One reason for the reversal might be the deposition of Daniel Holman on 20 Sep 1754. He deposed that about 25 years ago he lived with Bartholomew Thing and was present with Thing and Thomas Webster and the lot layers of Exeter (Edward Gilman and Capt. Eliphalet Coffin and several other persons with them) when they were surveying the lines between Thing and Webster. They agreed upon a line which ran to the south of Richard York’s current dwelling house. Thomas Webster’s son Thomas also viewed it and said the line stayed the same all their lives. But about a year and a half after Bartholomew Thing died Holman was informed by Thing’s widow that in all likelihood Richard York had encroached upon their land by putting up fencing. She had Samuel Gilman and another Gilman [whose name is illegible, but he was a Jr.] call upon Jeremiah Bean, a close neighbor, to come and verify that the boundary tree in question was the same tree long used as a boundary line. Holman says Richard York was present for this and made no objection. [NH Provincial Court case numbers 23896-23898] There is little information of genealogical value in these numerous court files. The relationship between the three Yorks is not specified but in all probability Richard Jr. and John were the sons of the other Richard. One document found in the files is a promissory note between Richard York Jr. and Nicholas Gilman Jr., the latter of whom is in all probability the widow Gilman’s husband. This was dated 19 Aug 1745, before widow Gilman’s husband Nicholas died. In it Richard owes ten shillings to Gilman for the use and profits off of some land of Gilman’s where York had planted and sowed, these lands “laying near my father’s dwelling house in Exeter.” This would seem to indicate that Richard Jr. was the son of the other Richard in the court cases, who was the owner of the property adjacent to the disputed land. However Richard Sr.’s house was in Epping, not Exeter, so was that just a mistake on the part of the writer of the promissory note, or is it referring to a different house in Exeter? The former seems more likely, as otherwise why would this promissory note even be included with the court cases unless it was to show that one of the Yorks at one point actually paid money to rent the land in question. Epping had only been set off from Exeter a few years earlier so it could just be an honest mistake. Other information gleaned from the case comes from the map, which shows that York owned 75½ acres of land on the south shore of the Piscassic River. Twenty-nine acres belonging to Job Judkins was to the east along the river, and to the west was a little over 46 acres of land belonging to a Bean family. This land was located in the southeast corner of town near the Brentwood border, roughly between where the present-day New England Dragway and Star Speedway are located. His taxes for the year 1753 were abated for him in Epping, and then again in 1759 the town voted "that Richard York’s rate should be given him for the year 1759 and for ever after.” Several others were treated the same way. [Epping Town Records, 1: 28, 37] On 18 May 1757 there were two Richard Yorks amongst the names of members of the Epping Congregational Church who signed a letter to a Mr. Josiah Stearns to come to Epping to become their minister. [Epping Congregational Church Records at NHHS, p.29] He was voted to be one of three haywards for the town of Epping in 1758. [Epping Town Records, 1:36] He was called a yeoman, of Epping, in his probate papers in 1766. His son John York was granted administration of his father's estate on 5 Jan 1766. His widow Sarah renounced administration of the estate in favor of "her son John" on 25 Jan 1766. Witnesses were John Bean and Edward Smith. John York of Brentwood, yeoman with Josiah Gilman of Exeter and Peter Folsom of Newmarket, yeoman, as sureties, posted bond in the sum of 10,000 pounds on 5 Feb 1766 for the administration of the estate. Witnesses were Jonathan Lovewell and William Vaughan. [NH Provincial and State Papers, v.38, Probate Records, 8:240] On 26 Oct 1773 a Mrs. Sarah York was one of a number of people warned out of the town of Exeter, "poor persons lately come to sojourn in said town and having no legal settlement here, immediately to depart out of said town, to the place of their legal residence." Joseph Lamson, Exeter constable, made his warnings and in his report said that Mrs. Sarah York had been in town for six months. [Rockingham County Superior Court File #2472]. This might or might not be Richard's widow, but she is the most likely candidate as her husband had died and some of her children were similarly warned out of local towns in later years. No further record has been found on her.

Children of Richard York and Sarah (?)

John York+ b. s 1720 Richard York+ b. s 1726, d. b Apr 1811 Judith York b. c 1732

Susanna Goodwin

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	James Goodwin
Mother	Susanna Durgin

Last Edited

14 Nov 2022

Marriage*

Susanna Goodwin married James Palmer, son of John Palmer and Rachel (?), circa 1743.1,2

James Goodwin

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Last Edited

10 Jan 2023

Marriage*

James Goodwin married Susanna Durgin.

Children of James Goodwin and Susanna Durgin

Susanna Goodwin Unknown Goodwin+ d. by 1757 James Goodwin Zerviah Goodwin b. s 1740

Susanna Durgin

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Last Edited

10 Jan 2023

Marriage*

Susanna Durgin married James Goodwin.

Children of Susanna Durgin and James Goodwin

Susanna Goodwin Unknown Goodwin+ d. by 1757 James Goodwin Zerviah Goodwin b. s 1740

John York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Benjamin York b. b 1712, d. b 6 May 1803
Mother	Unknown Goodwin d. by 1757

Last Edited

26 Nov 2024

Birth*	John York was born circa 1746, probably in Newmarket, New HampshireG.1
Marriage*	He married Eleanor Durgin, daughter of Jonathan Durgin and Judith Edgerly, circa 1769.2
Death*	John York died on 2 January 1837.1
Burial*	He was buried in the York Cemetery in Middleton, Strafford County, New HampshireG.1
	A John York was mentioned in the 1756 will of his grandfather James Goodwin of Newmarket. Whether the son of Benjamin York of Newmarket is the same person is uncertain, as Benjamin might not be the York who married a Goodwin. See Benjamin's record for more discussion of this. There is also no direct evidence that Benjamin had a son John, as no record has yet been found that states a relationship. But many records tie John and Benjamin together in the same place without mentioning a relationship so it's reasonably safe to assume they are father and son. John's gravestone says he was born in 1746 which would put his birth prior to the probable marriage date of his father to Mary Coffin, who was born in 1730 so unlikely to be his mother. This provides further evidence that he may have had an earlier wife, so his being the father of the Goodwin grandchildren becomes more plausible. The History of Durham (p.401) says the John York who was grandson of James Goodwin married a Ruth, but no evidence for this has been found yet. The marriage that is presently here for Eleanor Durgin also comes from the History of Durham (2:162) but has been otherwise unverified. The author likely got his information from communications with descendants. On 28 Dec 1769 a record was made of the men who had or were settling the new town of Middleton, NH. A John York was included in a list of men who were in the process of clearing land and building houses. He had lot number 10 and had already built part of a log house. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 27:501] He had no family with him there in Middleton. [29:388] A Benjamin York had another lot and had only cleared some land but hadn't started building a house yet. If this record pertains to this John it means he likely would have had to be at least 21 years old, setting his birth date no later than 1748. He also appears on a long list of men who had done work on the Middleton Road. He was paid for one day's labor. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 27:507] John York is on a list of Revolutionary War soldiers who enlisted in Capt. Simon Marston’s Co., in Col. John Waldron’s Regiment until the first of April next, dated Jan 1776. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 30: 455] A war roll dated Gilmanton on 23 Jul 1776 includes "John York mustered by Col. Baker and gone in Capt. Drew's Company." U.S., Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775-1783, New Hampshire, Stickney´s Regiment, Militia, A Sergeant John York and Private David York appear on a pay roll of Jeremiah Gilman's Company of militia in Col. Stickney's Regiment and General Stark's Brigade marched to reinforce the Northern Continental Army on 20 Jul 1777. Time in service for the company was 2 months and 11 days. New Hampshire, U.S., Revolutionary War Records, 1675-1835, Muster rolls and petitions, 1777-1779, . David is likely his brother. The town of Middleton was incorporated in 1778. At the 1780 town meeting John York was voted to be one of the field drivers for the year. The following year he was voted field driver again, as well as hog reeve. In 1782 he was voted a tythingman and in 1783 it was surveyor of highways and pound keeper. 1784 was tythingman and pound keeper again, then just tythingman in 1785. His next apperance in the town meeting records was in 1788 when he was voted surveyor of highways for the first division. Nothing in 1789 then in 1790 he was tythingman and pound keeper. On 28 May 1785 [John York, as well as three other Yorks - Benjamin, Benjamin Jr., and Josiah - all were of Middleton, NH when they signed a petition opposing setting off the northern section of the town to a new town. The Town of Brookfield was even[tually set off from Middleton in 1794. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 12:599] Benjamin, Josiah and John York all signed other Middleton town petitions to the NH Legislature in Dec 1786 and Feb 1790. Benjamin Jr. did not sign this one. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 12: 600, 602] His family is enumerated in the 1790 census of Middleton with 2 males over 16, 3 males under 16, and 4 females. The published 1790 census records record him as John Gesh, and the original records viewed on ancestry.com make it look far more like Gesh than York, but 'Gesh' is an unknown name in this area, and, in fact, the only other Gesh in the ancestry indexes for 1790, 1800 and 1810 is one in Pennsylvania. From other evidence it seems like he would have been a resident of Middleton at this time so we'd expect to find him in the 1790 census there. The only other possibility is that he is the John York enumerated in Dover in 1790. That John is currently unplaced in this genealogy. He appears in the 1798 Direct Tax living in Middleton with a dwelling house and 50 acres of land. [1798 Direct Tax New Hampshire District #13 by John S. Fipphen, p.54-5] The 1800 census of Middleton was lost. On 11 Feb 1806 John York of Middleton, husbandman, sold for $400 to John Cook of Middleton, husbandman, two tracts of land in Middleton. One was 10 acres that was part of lot number 75 drawn to the original right of Bidfield Plummer bounded by the "great brook" and John Tash's land. The second tract contained about 43 acres and was in lot number 73 bounded by land of Joseph Ellis, Jacob Pike and the great brook. This land being the same land John York had lately lived on excepting seven acres he previously sold to Joseph Ellis off the south peak of the lot. Witnesses were Stephen Wingate and Nathaniel Davis. John York signed and acknowledged the deed the same day. [Strafford Deeds, 57:432-4] In the 1830 census of Middleton there are two people in his household, one male and one female, both aged 80-89. Is he the father of Rev. John York who was born in Middleton on 4 Mar 1783 and died in East Dixmont, ME on 25 Apr 1862? (See that John's bio in History of Strafford County by Scales, p.453.)

Children of John York and Eleanor Durgin

Joseph York b. 12 Feb 1776, d. 1866 Enoch York b. 1785

Nicholas Gilman Jr.

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father

Nicholas Gilman b. 26 Dec 1672, d. c 1749

Last Edited

29 Dec 2022

Marriage*	Nicholas Gilman Jr. married Mary Thing, daughter of Bartholomew Thing.
Birth*	Nicholas Gilman Jr. was born on 18 January 1707 in Exeter, New HampshireG.
Death*	He died on 13 April 1748 in Exeter, New HampshireG.

Susanna York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Benjamin York b. b 1712, d. b 6 May 1803
Mother	Unknown Goodwin d. by 1757

Last Edited

22 Oct 2023

Birth*	Susanna York was born say 1748.
	She was mentioned in the 1756 will of her grandfather James Goodwin, but nothing further is known about her. It is not at all certain that Benjamin York is her father, but if not him, likely a brother of his. She may be the Susannah York who appears in the 1790 census of New Durham, N.H. with 1 male under 16 and two females.

Elizabeth York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Benjamin York b. c 1654, d. b 1727
Mother	Abigail Footman d. a 1736

Last Edited

25 Nov 2024

Birth*	Elizabeth York was born circa 1678. She deposed in 1769 age 91.1
Marriage*	She married Job Judkins, son of Joel Judkins and Mary Bean, before May 1714. Job and Elizabeth Judkins of Exeter, with her brother Richard York and sister Rachel (York) Jones deeded land to their brother John on 14 May 1714.2,3
Death*	Elizabeth York died after 1768.1,4
	Job was a blacksmith in Exeter who received land from his father in 1700 [Rockingham Deeds, 7:127]. The town also granted him land there in 1698, 1702 and 1725. He was on duty against the Indians in 1695 and 1696. Elizabeth deposed in 1769 about early Exeter. They had seven children all born in Exeter. On 5 Apr 1750 the widow Elizabeth and her son Jonathan (a weaver), both of Exeter deeded land to Zebulon Giddings of Exeter, shopkeeper, for 770 pounds. [Rockingham Deeds, 39:381-3]5,1

Job Judkins

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Joel Judkins b. 1643
Mother	Mary Bean b. 1655

Last Edited

25 Nov 2024

Birth*	Job Judkins was born on 25 January 1674/75 in Exeter, New HampshireG.1,2
Marriage*	He married Elizabeth York, daughter of Benjamin York and Abigail Footman, before May 1714. Job and Elizabeth Judkins of Exeter, with her brother Richard York and sister Rachel (York) Jones deeded land to their brother John on 14 May 1714.3,4
Death*	Job Judkins died between 10 March 1738 and 26 April 1738. The dates of his will and probate. He was of Exeter at the time.5

Richard York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Richard York b. s 1685, d. b 1766
Mother	Sarah (?) d. a Oct 1773

Last Edited

14 Sep 2024

Birth*	Richard York was born say 1726 probably in Exeter, New HampshireG.1
Marriage*	He married second Rachel Wadleigh, daughter of Jonathan Wadleigh and Sarah (?), 14 Sep 1757 or 58 in Kensington, Rockingham County, New HampshireG. The NH vital records card says September 14, 1757 or 8 so apparently the original Kensington record is unclear, and those original records were missing from the Kensington Public Library where they were supposed to be in 2023. This may have been a second wife as he seems to have had a number of children before this marriage took place, although there is no definitive proof of that as the records are so sparse. No earlier wife has been named in any records found to date.2
Death*	Richard York died before April 1811.3
	On 12 May 1746 the NH House met and voted to reimburse four doctors for taking care of soldiers from the previous years' siege of Louisbourg. One doctor - Dudley Odlin of Exeter - was allowed five pounds four shillings "for sundry Medicines visits Journeys & attendance" for Richard York and Samuel Edgerly, volunteers to Louisbourg. [New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers, 5: 414] A few months later, on 12 Aug 1746, the House voted to grant monies to individual volunteer soldiers who had petitioned in consideration of their losses, sicknesses and sufferings. Richard York of Exeter was granted 5 pounds. [New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers, 5:451, 18:266, 287] On 16 Nov 1748 he was listed as one of the Proprietors of the new Masonian-granted town of New Breton, NH, which later became Andover. It was named New Breton in honor of the soldiers who had captured the Fort of Louisbourg on Cape Breton, and many of the men in the list were veterans of that campaign, including Richard it would seem. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 27:77-79] On 1 Mar 1748/9 Richard York Jr. of Epping, yeoman, was deeded 10 acres of land by his father Richard York of Epping, yeoman, for 100 pounds old tenor. This property bordered the "Watchick" River (now the Piscassic River), ten acres he previously sold to his other son John York, and 100 acres that belonged to the heirs of Major Bartholomew Thing, Esq., late of Exeter deceased. Witnesses were Theophilus and Abigail Smith, and Richard appeared and acknowledged the deed on 27 Oct 1749. [Rockingham Deeds, 71:177-8] Richard Jr., still a yeoman of Epping, sold this land to John Phillips of Exeter, Esq, on 1 Feb 1763. Witnesses were Samuel Gilman (the Justice of the Peace) and Mary Gilman. Richard added his signature and appeared and acknowledged the deed on 14 May 1763. [Rockingham Deeds, 71:179-80] Between 1749 and 1754 he was living in Epping when he and his father and brother John were involved in a court case with their neighbor Mary Gilman. See his father's record for details. According to his probable son Robert's pension papers he (the son) was age 68 in 1818, implying that he was born in 1750. If this is accurate and he was a son of this Richard it means that he had an earlier wife before marrying Rachel Wadleigh in 1757 or 58. The baptisms of two children in Nov 1758 also suggest that at least one of them was born before the marriage, so the first of those two - Anna - will also be considered a child of a first, unknown, wife. Nicholas, Richard and John York are also very likely to be sons born before his marriage to Rachel. No record of an earlier wife has been located, however. On 26 Apr 1753 Richard York Jr., husbandman of Epping, sued Thomas Calley, joyner of Epping, for nonpayment of a debt. The debt was incurred the previous November 24th for 45 pounds old tenor and the note states that it was for "Valley Rescued." [Note that it does not say "Calley" Rescued. It's clearly the letter V.] At the Inferior Court in Portsmouth on 7 Jun 1753 the judges ruled in York's favor because Calley had been called to court three times but had never appeared. Calley then appealed and while the appeal was granted it apparently never occurred because on 7 Aug 1753 Richard petitioned the court for his damages since the appeal had not been prosecuted. The court agreed and ordered the sheriff to either recover the damages or take Calley to jail. [NH Provincial Court case #26217] On 18 May 1757 there were two Richard Yorks amongst the names of members of the Epping Congregational Church who signed a letter to a Mr. Josiah Stearns to come to Epping to become their minister. [Epping Congregational Church Records at NHHS, p.29] This lack of a minister in Epping might explain why he was married in Kensington not long after. By 28 Oct 1771 Richard, now having dropped the "Jr." as his father was deceased, was living in Brentwood, still called a yeoman, when he was deeded 11 1/2 acres of land by Robert and John Wadleigh, both of Brentwood, yeomen. These two were the brothers of Richard's wife Rachel Wadleigh. The land was part of the homestead that had belonged to their late father Jonathan Wadleigh of Brentwood. It bordered land owned by the Widow Wadleigh as part of her dower right, land of William Bean, and the highway from Epping to Brentwood. Witnesses to the deed were John Lowell and Edmund Freeman. [Rockingham Deeds, 105:79] Richard sold this land a few days later, on 4 Nov 1771, to Daniel Tilton of Exeter, Esq. Witnesses were Noah Emery Jr. and Noah Emery. Rachel York, wife of Richard appeared on 11 Oct 1771 [sic] and gave up her right of dower and power of thirds. Richard signed the deed and appeared 4 Nov 1771, the same day the deed was made. Note that if the dates are correct, Rachel appeared days before the land was even deeded to Richard by her brothers. [Rockingham Deeds, 105:107] By the time the Association Test was taken in 1776 Richard was apparently living in Wakefield, NH as two Richards signed the test there. [Wakefield Association Test, original document in the NH State Archives]. There was a Richard York who signed the Test in Brentwood, but this is probably Capt. Richard York. The signatures of all three have been compared in the original documents and they are clearly three different people. The second Richard in Wakefield may very well be an otherwise unrecorded son, so that is being assumed in this genealogy for the time being. The John York on the list is also being attached as a probable son of Richard. When the 1790 census was taken it recorded two Richard Yorks in Brentwood. It is likely that this Richard is the older of the two, recorded with three males over 16 years of age, one male under 16 and one female. This is likely he and his wife and three children, with two males over 16 and one under, but no daughters. Any daughters probably had married out before this time. On 29 Feb 1796 the Selectmen of Exeter tasked a Town Constable named Joseph Lamson to warn out of town a number of people, including Richard York and Rachel his wife. They were described as "poor persons lately come to sojourn in said town having no legal residence herein." On March 2 Lamson reported back that he had warned everyone on the list out of town, and mentioned that Richard and Rachel had been residing in Exeter for 11 months and 26 days. [Rockingham County Superior Court Case #15359] This fact strongly suggests that Richard and Rachel were not the parents of John Carr York and Jonathan Young York who were Exeter millwrights at this time, nor of Capt. Richard York in Epping who was reasonably prosperous with his own farm. Were they children of theirs one would expect that they'd be able to stay with them rather than become paupers living on the dole in a town not their own. Of course they could have been estranged from their children, but it is one more piece of circumstantial evidence. Also, one of the Selectmen signing the Warning Out was Ephraim Robinson, who is likely the Exeter ship owner who in the 1770s hired Capt. Richard York to captain one of his ships. The 1800 census records him as having a male and female over 45, one male 26-44, and one male 16-25 living in the household. On 25 Aug 1801 Richard York of Brentwood, Husbandman, sold for $25 to Joseph Hoit of Brentwood, Merchant, one acre of land in Brentwood bounded by Richard York’s land, the road leading to Exeter, and the cross road leading from his house to the Exeter road, land of Jeremy Brown. Witnesses were Thomas S. Ranney and Edmund S. Ranney. Both Richard and Rachel York made their marks and acknowledged the deed before Justice of the Peace Thomas Ranney the same day. [Rockingham Deeds, 160:55] On 8 Dec 1802 Joseph Hoit of Brentwood, trader, sold this same piece of land for $30 to David York of Brentwood, yeoman. Witnesses were Joseph and Ezekiel Godfrey. [Rockingham Deeds, 161:553] The only Richard York in the 1810 census of the area is Capt. Richard living in Epping. Rachel is not recorded either so if he was alive he was likely living with one of their children at the time. He must have died between the 1801 deed and 6 Apr 1811 when his widow Rachel recorded a deed. Rachel York of Brentwood, widow, sold for $100 to David York of Brentwood, yeoman, two pieces of land in Brentwood on the road (called the croproad) leading to Epping. One piece of 2¾ acres and another of 4¼ acres, “are to contain the whole of the real Estate that fell to me & was set to me from the Estate of my late Hond. Father Jonathan Wadley late of said Brintwood Husbandman Deceased, & divided from the rest of his Estate by Division Deed from my Brother Robert & John Wadley to me & my late Husband Richard York decd. dated the 18th day of April A.D. 1767.” Witnessed by Lydia Pinder and Nathaniel Parker. Rachel made her mark and appeared before Justice of the Peace Nathaniel Parker to acknowledge the deed on the same day. [Rockingham Deeds, 195:23] This David York is most likely an unrecorded son of Richard and Rachel but there is no proof. No record of Rachel after this deed has been located.

Children of Richard York

Nicholas York+ b. 15 Feb 1746, d. 16 Oct 1816 Richard York b. s 1748 Robert York b. c 1750, d. 21 Apr 1821 John York b. s 1752 Anna York b. s 1754

Children of Richard York and Rachel Wadleigh

Joseph York+ b. 25 Nov 1758, d. 27 Mar 1830 Benjamin York+ b. 1761, d. 20 Jul 1852 Daniel York+ b. a 1764, d. 30 Jun 1835 David York b. bt 1766 - 1784

John York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Benjamin York b. c 1654, d. b 1727
Mother	Abigail Footman d. a 1736

Last Edited

26 Nov 2024

Birth*	John York was born say 1687.1
Marriage*	He married Phaltiel Folsom, daughter of Ephraim Folsom and Phaltiel Hall, say 1716.2
Death*	John York died betw Apr 1752 and Mar 1757. He deeded property on 7 Apr 1752 and the witnesses to the deed appeared on 3 Mar 1757 to attest that John had since died. He was living in Durham at the time.3
	From the History of Exeter by Bell, p.224: "In 1710 the Indians were very menacing, and scouts were kept up continually on the frontier. A few rolls of their names have been preserved, which show that Exeter was not backward in furnishing men for this duty. Captain Nicholas Gilman led a scouting party from June 21 to 23, comprising the following persons: [12 men including Richard York. Then another grouping of men from June 23 to 25, not including York. Then...] Captain Nicholas Gilman was also in command of a detachment at Hilton's garrison of Exeter, of which the following persons had, on the third of July, served seven days: [8 men, one of whom was John York. Other scouting trips follow, but no more Yorks.] This Richard York is likely his brother. On p. 226-7 there are lists of more scouting parties under Nicholas Gilman or Capt. John Gilman including John and Richard York. John appears on the Exeter tax list in 1714 along with his brothers Richard and Benjamin. [FamilySearch.org, Exeter Town Records, , p.10] He does not appear in 1715-18 while his brothers do. His brothers and sisters quitclaimed to him their interest in their father's Lamprill River farm - Richard, Elizabeth and Rachel in 1714, and Benjamin in 1732. [Rockingham Deeds, 17:437-8] John likely moved from Exeter to Oyster River around this time given that he no longer appears on the Exeter tax list after 1714. John and many other Oyster River parish residents signed a petition to the NH General Assembly in 1715 to be allowed to elect their own representatives to raise taxes in their community for the salaries of a minister and schoolmaster. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 3:606-7] They signed another petition on 6 Apr 1716 for a minister to be appointed to the Oyster River parish. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 17:717-9] John and his wife were admitted to the Oyster River Church by the Rev. Hugh Adams on 13 Dec 1719. [NEHGR, "A Record of Marriages, Deaths, &c. as made by the Rev. Hugh Adams, of Durham, N.H.," 23:298] He is likely the John York who was one of the original proprietors of the town of Rochester, N.H. in 1722. [McDuffee, History of Rochester, 1:69] His name appears as a land owner on the 1732 tax list there. [Holbrook, Jay Mack. New Hampshire 1732 Census] On 20 May 1727 Benjamin York and John York were both listed among dozens of names on a record of the original proprietors of the new town of Canterbury, NH. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 24:526] On 22 Mar 1728/9 John York of Oyster River, yeoman and "brother of Benjamin York of Exeter" sold his third part of lands in several divisions of the town of Rochester granted to him by the government in his name and to Joseph Stevenson and John Ambler. John sold his proprietor's share to John Ambler "because I cannot attend to improve said lands and to fulfill my part of the Charter conditions." The lands were plot 63 in the first Division. Witnesses were John Doe and Eliza Doe. John York appeared 23 Jan 1731/2. [Rockingham Deeds, 18:382-3] On 18 Mar 1733/4 both John and Richard York were among the names of several dozen individuals who received property in the town division of lands in the Little River area of Durham that is now Lee. [Stackpole's History of Durham, p. 19-21] This area was also known as the Hook Lands. In 1742 John may have been a Deacon of the church. In the probate papers of John Doe of Durham in April of that year the metes and bounds of the lands that were distributed to family were described and the lands of "Decon" John York bordered those of the Doe family. [NH Provincial and State Papers, v. 33, Probate Records, 3:101-2] On 6 Dec 1745 John York of Durham, husbandman, sold his forty acres in the first division of Canterbury, NH to Abner Clough of Salisbury, Mass., laborer, alias Abner Clough of Canterbury, NH, yeoman. This was the land he was granted as one of the original proprietors of the town of Canterbury. Witnesses were Ephraim Clough and Ann Burnum. John signed the deed then appeared and acknowledged the deed on 17 Dec. [Rockingham Deeds, 31:144-5]] Ephraim Clough was probably his son-in-law, and Abner was probably Ephraim's brother. On 7 Apr 1752 John York of Durham, yeoman, deeded to his "son in law Ephraim Clough" of Durham, yeoman, for 1200 pounds Old Tenor "and in consideration of my daily support and maintenance for many years already past as well as for the security and dependence which I have of having the same done for the future during my life.” The deed was for John's home estate in Durham on the north side of the Lamprey River, and he reserved the use of it for himself during the remainder of his life. He made his mark and the witnesses were Abner Clough (likely Ephraim's brother) and William Bruce. On 3 Mar 1757 the two witnesses appeared in court to acknowledge the deed and say that John was by then deceased. [Rockingham Deeds, 52:326-7] On 24 Jun 1754, Joseph Bickford, John York, Solomon Davis, John Buss, John Moncey, William Durgin, Nathaniel Meador, and Samuel Davis all of Durham, husbandmen, sold to Walter Bryent of Newmarket, Gentleman, all their rights and titles to land in Durham on the south side of the Lamperel River called the Hook Lands. Witnesses were Samuel Smith, Jeremiah Burnum, Joseph Sias, Thomas Young, Benjamin Smith, Ephraim Clough, John Glines, Zaccheus Clough, Paul Gerrish, and Dorothy Pitman. John York made his mark and along with others appeared and acknowledged the deed on 25 Jul 1755. [Rockingham Deeds, 67:205-6] This was the property they all acquired back in March 1733/4 as described above. The three children listed here, Mary, Anne, and John, are the only ones named in vital records, but there could be others who were left off due to incomplete record keeping.

Children of John York and Phaltiel Folsom

Mary York b. 10 Mar 1716/17 Anne York b. 12 Oct 1718 John York b. 15 Apr 1722

Phaltiel Folsom

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Ephraim Folsom b. 23 Feb 1654, d. 11 Jun 1709
Mother	Phaltiel Hall

Last Edited

19 Nov 2024

Marriage*

Phaltiel Folsom married John York, son of Benjamin York and Abigail Footman, say 1716.1

Children of Phaltiel Folsom and John York

Mary York b. 10 Mar 1716/17 Anne York b. 12 Oct 1718 John York b. 15 Apr 1722

Mary York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	John York b. s 1687, d. betw Apr 1752 and Mar 1757
Mother	Phaltiel Folsom

Last Edited

22 Nov 2024

Baptism*	She was baptized on 10 March 1716/17 in Oyster River, New HampshireG.1
Marriage*	Mary York married Ephraim Clough, son of Thomas Clough and Mary Gile, say 1735.2
	In a deed dated 7 Apr 1752 Mary's father John York of Durham granted his homestead on the north side of the Lamprey River to his son-in-law Ephraim Clough "for and in consideration of my daily support and maintenance for many years already past as well as for the security and dependence which I have of having the same done for the future during my life." [52:326-7] This proves that Ephraim married one of his daughters, but not which one. He had two daughters that we know of - Mary born in Mar 1717 and Anne born in Oct 1718. They likely had a son Ephraim, whose first child was reportedly born in 1754, 36 years after the birth of Anne. That's a tight timeline for two generations so it seems more likely that his wife would have been the elder daughter Mary. Also, many years later in 1784 Ephraim Clough of Durham sold land in Loudon, NH which was part of the original Canterbury land granted to John York. His wife Mary also signed the deed. [Rockingham Deeds, 125:34] In another deed in 1787 Ephraim and Mary convey land in Durham to a John Clough of Durham. [Strafford Co. Deeds, 8:227-8] It is unknown as to whether the Ephraim in these later deeds is the same one who married a York daughter or perhaps their son who had his first child in 1754. All deeds in Rockingham and Strafford counties have been searched and these are the only ones mentioning the wife of Ephraim. Secondary sources state that the younger Ephraim married a Hannah York. Thus far the source for this information, or even the first name of his wife, haven't been located by this author. But these secondary sources could be confusing the two Ephraims and this Hannah - if this really is his wife's name - might not be a York at all. In the absence of further research the working assumption will be that the older Ephraim Clough married Mary York, and not her sister Anne. Perhaps younger Ephraim's wife's first name has been found to be Hannah, and it is being assumed that he is the Ephraim referred to in the 1752 Durham deed between John York and Ephraim Clough. So this wife Hannah could be from an entirely different family, with the 1784 and 1787 deeds mentioning a wife Mary actually referring to the older Ephraim, making Mary the daughter of John York who married Ephraim Clough. No record of the death of either Ephraim or his wife Mary have been located. The 1812 and 1824 deaths of Ephraim and Hannah Clough are likely the younger couple. The 1790 census of NH lists only one Ephraim Clough, and that is Ephraim Jr. of Durham who was enumerated as living alone. This may indicate that the Ephraim and Mary from the later deeds died before 1790, although it doesn't explain where the younger Ephraim's wife Hannah, who supposedly died in 1824, is living in 1790. Perhaps she was living in the household of their daughter Anna who married Eleazar Bennett/Burnett. The NH State Papers (11:592) has a Durham petition signed by both Ephraim Clough and Ephraim Clough Jr. so they were apparently both alive at the time. Unfortunately the petition is undated, but is included in the book between other records from 1786 so might be from that year.3

Anne York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	John York b. s 1687, d. betw Apr 1752 and Mar 1757
Mother	Phaltiel Folsom

Last Edited

14 Jan 2024

Baptism*

She was baptized on 12 October 1718.1

John York

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	John York b. s 1687, d. betw Apr 1752 and Mar 1757
Mother	Phaltiel Folsom

Last Edited

27 Jan 2024

Baptism*

He was baptized on 15 April 1722 in Oyster River, New HampshireG.1

All secondary sources state, without providing any evidence, that the John York who married Sarah Folsom was the son of John and Phaltiel (Folsom) York of Durham. Nothing has been located by this author showing that the John York who was baptized in Oyster River in 1722 ended up marrying Sarah Folsom in Kingston. This connection was probably made because (1) his mother's surname was Folsom so some family connection is being assumed and (2) the dearth of records relating to the John York who is more likely to be the one who married Sarah Folsom. The easily findable 1722 birth in Durham plus the 1748 marriage in Kingston seem on first glance to go together well. But examining the evidence leads to the strong probability that it was John York of the Exeter/Epping/Brentwood area who was the more likely candidate. This will be discussed more under his record. He also should not be confused, as has been done by other secondary sources, with the John York who moved to Standish, Maine. That is someone else entirely, a person well described in the book Early Families of Standish, Maine by Albert J.J. Sears, published by Heritage Books in 2019, p.322-333. What became of the John York who was baptized in Oyster River in 1722 is unknown at this time. His father deeded his homestead to his sister's husband Ephraim Clough in 1752, so that is some evidence that John was deceased by this time. One possibility is that he was the York who married a daughter of James Goodwin of Newmarket and then died before Goodwin's 1757 will was written naming grandchildren John and Susannah York. At present John's first cousin Benjamin is attached to this Goodwin daughter but that is only speculation. He could also be the father of other Yorks who lived in the area but are currently unattached, such as one John York who lived in Dover for many years in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Limited record keeping in the area makes it difficult to know what happened to many of these people or how they connect.

Sebastianna Bordieri

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Paolo Bordieri b. 12 Aug 1890, d. 1 Nov 1960
Mother	Angelina Brunaccini b. c 1895, d. 2 Jul 1942

Last Edited

18 Apr 2019

Birth*

Sebastianna Bordieri was born circa 1910 in ItalyG.1

Paolo Boncoraggio

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Last Edited

8 Aug 2020

Marriage*

Paolo Boncoraggio married Giuseppina Pasquale.

Child of Paolo Boncoraggio and Giuseppina Pasquale

Concetta Boncoraggio+ b. ca. 1890-91, d. 22 Mar 1956

Giuseppina Pasquale

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Last Edited

8 Aug 2020

Marriage*

Giuseppina Pasquale married Paolo Boncoraggio.

Child of Giuseppina Pasquale and Paolo Boncoraggio

Concetta Boncoraggio+ b. ca. 1890-91, d. 22 Mar 1956

Joseph A. Morelli

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Luigi Morelli
Mother	Philomena DelSordo

Last Edited

25 Mar 2019

Birth*	Joseph A. Morelli was born on 20 September 1926 at 6 Shelby Street in East Boston, Suffolk County, MassachusettsG.1
Marriage*	He married Pasqualina Bordieri, daughter of Sebastiano Bordieri and Concetta Boncoraggio, on 25 June 1950 in Somerville, Middlesex County, MassachusettsG.2
Death*	Joseph A. Morelli died pneumonia on 23 October 2017 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers, Essex County, MassachusettsG.3
Burial*	He was buried on 28 October 2017 in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park in Peabody.3
	Joseph served in the U.S. Army at the end of WWII from 4 May 1945 to 31 Dec 1946.
	When Joseph and Pasqualina were married in June 1950 he was a shipper living at 164 Cottage Street in East Boston, Suffolk County, MassachusettsG.
	Pasqualina was a "special machine operator" living in Somerville, Middlesex County, MassachusettsG.2
	Joseph and Pasqualina were living at 5 Wentworth Road in Peabody, Essex County, MassachusettsG, when they died.
	His obituary appeared on the website of the Conway Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home in Peabody and read as follows: Joseph A Morelli, 91, of Peabody and formerly of East Boston, died Monday evening at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers, surrounded by his loving family following a breif illness. He was the beloved husband of the late Pasqualina (Bordieri) Morelli. Born in East Boston, he was the son of the late Luigi and Filomena (DelSordo) Morelli, He was raised and educated in East Boston and has lived in Peabody for the past 22 Years. He is survived by his daughter, Constance and her husband Patrick Panzini of Peabody and son, Louis Morelli and his wife Denise of Salem, NH, his sister Jeannie Licciardi of Andover, he was the loving grandfather of Eric and his wife Palmina, Paul and his wife Alana, Nicholas and Leah, and is also survived by three great grandchildren, Luca, Ariella, and Ashton and is also survived by several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Concetta Ceruolo. He was a Veteran of WWII, with the United States Army and long-time traffic manager for a printing company in Medford and Wilmington. His Funeral Service will be held on Saturday at 10:30 AM at St. Adelaide’s Church, Lowell St, Peabody with burial in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Lake St, Peabody to which relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Kaplan Family Hospice House, 78 Liberty St, Danvers, MA.4

Children of Joseph A. Morelli and Pasqualina Bordieri

Louis Joseph Morelli+ Constance Phyllis Morelli+

Concetta Frances Hills

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Harrison Hills b. 4 Jul 1926, d. 31 May 2013
Mother	Josephine Bordieri b. 20 Feb 1924, d. 1 Jan 1957

Last Edited

4 Apr 2024

Children of Concetta Frances Hills and Lewis Dwight Johnson

Concetta Marie Johnson+ Lewis Dwight Johnson Jr. b. 4 Jan 1991, d. 23 Jul 2021 Arcturus Bradleigh Johnson+

Harrison Hills

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Harrison Hills
Mother	Madeline Hazzard

Last Edited

4 Jun 2013

BirthFrom*	Harrison Hills was born on 4 July 1926 and was from Leominster, Worcester County, MassachusettsG, but wasn't necessarily born there. He may actually have been born in Boston. The parents' names given here may not be correct, as he and his brother were reportedly given away by his mother to the State and placed with a foster family in Ayer, Mass. where he grew up. His marriage license said he was from Leominster.1
Partnered*	He partnered with a woman named Josephine Bordieri, daughter of Sebastiano Bordieri and Concetta Boncoraggio, from about 1950 to 1956. No record of a marriage for the couple has been found and family info states that they had a common law marriage. Perhaps the fact that they were of mixed races (Harrison was black) made it difficult for them to marry in those days.2
Death*	Harrison Hills died on 31 May 2013.3

Children of Harrison Hills and Josephine Bordieri

Haroul Paul Hills Concetta Frances Hills+ Gina Marie Hills+

Gina Marie Hills

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Harrison Hills b. 4 Jul 1926, d. 31 May 2013
Mother	Josephine Bordieri b. 20 Feb 1924, d. 1 Jan 1957

Last Edited

30 Mar 2014

Children of Gina Marie Hills

James W. Hills Kamilya Hills Nakia Hills Tamisha Hills

Haroul Paul Hills

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Harrison Hills b. 4 Jul 1926, d. 31 May 2013
Mother	Josephine Bordieri b. 20 Feb 1924, d. 1 Jan 1957

Last Edited

30 Mar 2014

Norma (?)

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Last Edited

17 Feb 2013

Lewis Dwight Johnson

This research is a work in progress, taken from sources of varying reliability. The information should be verified before being relied upon.

Father	Sam Johnson
Mother	Essie Mae Oden

Last Edited

4 Apr 2024

Children of Lewis Dwight Johnson and Concetta Frances Hills

Concetta Marie Johnson+ Lewis Dwight Johnson Jr. b. 4 Jan 1991, d. 23 Jul 2021 Arcturus Bradleigh Johnson+