Genealogical
And
Personal Memoirs
Relating To The Families Of Boston And Eastern Massachusetts.

Prepared Under The Editorial Supervision Of
William Richard Cutter, A. M.

Historian Of The New England Historic Genealogical Society
Librarian Of Woburn Public Library
Author Of "The Cutter Family," "History Of Arlington," "Bibloigraphy Of Woburn," Etc. Etc.

Volume III.
New York Lewis Historical Publishing Company
1908




[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

TASKER William Tasker, founder of the family in America, was born in England about 1655, and settled in Madbury, New Hampshire, then part of Dover, in 1675. He was a taxpayer in Cocheco (Dover). He married Mary Adams, who died prior to 1703. He died prior to Nov. 5, 1697. They had a son John, mentioned below. (II) John Tasker, son of William Tasker (1), was born in Dover, New Hampshire, about 1680, and settled in Madbury. He served in Captain John Davis' company in 1712. He joined the church at Madbury about 1736, gave land upon which a church was built, and March 21, 1736, his children, Samuel, John, Ebenezer and Rebeckah - were baptized by the Rev. Jonathan Cushing. He married, April 3, 1718, Judith Davis (record of Rev. Hugh Adams). Children, b. in Madbury: 1. Ebenezer, baptized March 21, 1736; soldier in Captain Joseph Hanson's company in French and Indian war, 1745. 2. John, born about 1718, baptized March 21, 1736; soldier in Crown Point expedition; removed to Barnstead, New Hampshire, 1767, and had several sons who served in the revolution. 3. Samuel, baptized March 21, 1736; left no descendants. 4. William, mentioned below. 5. Rebeckah, baptized March 21, 1736. 6. Elizabeth. (III) William Tasker, son of John Tasker (2), was born in Madbury, New Hampshire, May 28, 1721. He settled first in Madbury, from whence he removed to Barrington, where he died in 1814. He married Elizabeth ____. Children: 1. Abigail, born Oct. 27, 1750, died Feb. 12, 1823. 2. Samuel, born April 26, 1752, mentioned below. 3. William, born Nov. 14, 1753, died Sept. 19, 1828. 4. Daniel, born Aug. 14, 1755; soldier in the revolution. 5. James, born Feb. 6, 1757; settled in Cornish, New Hampshire, where many descendants have lived. 6. Hannah, born July 22, 1758, died Aug. 15, 1812. 7. Elizabeth, born March 19, 1760, died March 14, 1824. 8. John, born March 9, 1762. 9. Louis, born Sept. 24, 1764. 10. Rebecca, born May 29, 1766; married Samuel Seavey. 11. Andrew, born April 30, 1768. 12. Israel, born Dec. 16, 1769. 13. Miles, born Oct. 19, 1771, died Jan. 11, 1823; married Olive Tuttle. (IV) Samuel Tasker, son of William Tasker (3), was born in Madbury, April 26, 1752, died at Strafford, formerly Barrington, an adjoining town, Sept. 1, 1811. He was a farmer and settled in Strafford. He was a soldier in the revolution. He married, Feb. 8, 1779, Sarah Tuttle, a direct descendant of Judge John Tuttle, whose father was among the first settlers in Dover, New Hampshire. Children: 1. Sally, born June 16, 1779 (?); married Elijah Tuttle, died Feb. 3, 1819. 2. William, mentioned below. (V) Captain William Tasker, son of Samuel Tasker (4), was born Aug. 11, 1783, died June 24, 1848. He lived and died at Strafford, was a farmer, and captain of a militia company. He married Lydia Batchelder, a member of a prominent family of that section and a direct descendant of Rev. Stephen Batchelder, who was born in 1561 in England. Children: 1. David, born May 5, 1809, died Sept. 7, 1811. 2. Samuel, born Dec. 5, 1810, died Jan. 30, 1836. 3. Paul, born Oct. 22, 1812, died Oct. 12, 1887. 4. George, born Aug. 27, 1814, died April 11, 1823. 5. Jeremiah, born June 15, 1816, mentioned below. 6. Nancy, born April 18, 1818, died May 22, 1892. 7. William O., born Feb. 13, 1820, died Feb. 4, 1835. 8. Mary Jane, born Feb. 4, 1822, died Aug. 11, 1904. 9. Charles C., born Nov. 23, 1823, died in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 1898; married Dec. 4, 1848, Hannah C., daughter of Jonathan J. and Mary (Pillsbury) Knowles, of Northwood, N. H., their only child. Arianna M., born Jan. 20, 1853, at Northwood, lives at Lowell, Mass.; Charles C. was a piano manufacturer in New York. 10. George W., born Aug. 31, 1825, died Dec. 23, 1897. 11. Lydia A., born April 31 (?) 1827, died Aug. 30, 1887. 12. Lavina, born June 21, 1830. (VI) Jeremiah Tasker, son of William Tasker (5), was born in Strafford, New Hampshire, June 15, 1816, died Nov. 16, 1890. He was a farmer in Strafford, and represented that town in the state legislture and held various offices of trust and honor in the town. He married Lucy B., daughter of Deacon John and Betsey (Batchelder) Chesley. Children: 1. Sarah Frances, born Nov. 8, 1837, died Nov. 8, 1841. 2. William Orin, born March 18, 1843, mentioned below. 3. Lucy J., born April 20, 1850. (VII) William Orin Tasker, son of Jeremiah Taker (6), was born in Strafford, New Hampshire, March 18, 1843. He was educated there in the common schools, and in the grammar school at Lowell, Mass., then under Charles Morrill, principal. He learned the trade of shoemaker and later that of carpenter. He was gifted musically, and for several years was a teacher of music and tuner of pianos and organs. For many years he conducted a large music store in Haverhill, Mass., and enjoyed an extensive trade. He was well and favorably known in musical circles, and prominent in business. Since 1890 he has practically retired from active business, devoting his time to the management of his property and the conduct of private affairs. He is a member of the Baptist church. He is prominent in the ranks of the Republican party, and in 1892-93, served the city with credit in the board of aldermen and is a member of the school board (1908). He is a member of Mizpah Lodge, and one of the trustees of Haverhill Encampment, I.O.O.F., Haverhill; Palestine Castle, Knights of Pythias; New England Genealogical Society; Haverhill Historical Society. Mr. Tasker married, Jan. 30, 1873, Augusta Edgerly, born in Northwood, New Hampshire, daughter of Daniel S. and Abigail (Batchelder) Edgerly. Mr. and Mrs. Tasker have no children. Mr. Edgerly died Oct. 4, 1892, and Mrs. Edgerly resides with her daughter, Mrs. Tasker, in Haverhill. TOWNE [trans note: again we find the words at the top: 'for early generations see William Towne I.' This may be in another volume of this major work, and if I find it, I'll transcribe it for sure. Sure wish they'd just put it all in ONE place.] (IV) Jacob Towne, son of Jacob Towne (3), was born at Topsfield in 1693. He married, 1719, Louise Page. Children: 1. Ruth, born Sept. 6, 1719, died Feb. 5, 1747; married, Aug. 1, 1739. 2. Joshua, born Sept. 3, 1721, mentioned below. 3. Jacob, born June 30, 1724, died Oct. 13, 1732. (V) Joshua Towne, son of Jacob Towne, born Sept. 3, 1721, died Jan. 31, 1788. He married, Feb. 5, 1748, Sarah Ball, who died Nov. 20, 1760. Children: 1. Sarah, born December, 1748, married, May 1, 1772, Benjamin Fish; died Dec. 27, 1831. 2. Jacob, born Dec. 15, 1750, mentioned below. 3. Lucy, born May 20, 1752, married Nehemiah Towne. 4. Joshua, born April 11, 1756, married, June 24, 1779. 5. Ruth, born 1760, married, Feb. 13, 1792, Samuel Gould; died at Middletown, Jan. 19, 1851. (VI) Jacob Towne, son of Joshua Towne, born Topsfield, Dec. 15, 1750, died April 30, 1835. He was a soldier in the revolution in Captain Stephen Perkins' company and answered the alarm at Lexington, April 19, 1775. He was probably also the Jacob Towne who was in Captain John Dodge's company, Colonel Jacob Gerrish's regiment at Charlestown and Cambridge in 1778. He married first, Sept. 1, 1780, Rachel Cain, who died Dec. 11, 1807. He married second, Jan. 25, 1824, Martha Harwell, born 1783, died July 30, 1861. Children: 1. Sarah, born June 12, 1781, married 1799, Azariah Averill; died 1842. 2. Rachel, born June 14, 1783, married April 8, 1807, Colonel Ephraim Wildes. 3. Jacob, born Oct. 21, 1785. 4. Henry, born Feb. 1, 1789, died unmarried Nov. 8, 1864. 5. Son, died at birth. 6. Son, born Dec. 18, 1791, died Jan. 20, 1792. 7. Benjamin, born Dec. 22, 1793, mentioned below. Child of 2d wife: 8. Angeline, born 1824, married, June 10, 1845, Jacob Foster. (VII) Benjamin Towne, son of Jacob Towne, born Topsfield, Dec. 22, 1793, died March 29, 1879. He married, March 12, 1812, Sally Boardman, born Dec. 3, 1793, died Aug. 28, 1872. Children: 1. Benjamin Boardman, born Sept. 1, 1812, mentioned below. 2. Alfred Porter, born June 16, 1814, mentioned below. 3. Jacob Adin, born Nov. 21, 1816. 4. Eunice Elizabeth, born June 7, 1819, married April 23, 1845, Benjamin Glazier; died 1849. 5. Elisha Huntington, born Dec. 2, 1823, married Nov. 14, 1857, Ann Sillars; died Sept. 2, 1895. 6. Jeremiah Stone, born May 8, 1827, died Dec. 7, 1827. 7. Sally Ann, born Oct. 26, 1829, married May 18, 1856, Charles Proctor. 8. Caroline Haskell, born March 4, 1833. (VIII) Benjamin Boardman Towne, son of Benjamin Towne, born Topsfield, Sept. 1, 1812, died Feb. 26, 1888. He married June 22, 1835, Esther Peabody, born Sept. 12, 1812, died Dec. 21, 1891, daughter of John and Esther (Perkins) Peabody. Children: 1. Serene Josephine, born Sept. 16, 1836. 2. Harriet Rose, born Dec. 4, 1838. 3. John Henry, born Feb. 2, 1841, mentioned below. 4. Mary Ann B., born Dec. 31, 1844, died July 20, 1856. 5. Esther Jane, born March 11, 1847, married Oct. 26, 1898, Thomas E. O. Daly. 6. Benjamin Walter, born Feb. 7, 1851, died March 17, 1853. (VIII) Alfred Porter Towne, son of Benajmin Towne, born at Topsfield, June 16, 1814, died April 14, 1891. He married Oct. 25, 1838, Hattie Newell Peabody, born April 23, 1816. Children: 1. Esther A. Rogers, born Dec. 20, 1842, married March 6, 1867, John Wright Perkins, of Topsfield. 2. Alfred Everett, born Jan. 17, 1846. 3. Benjamin Porter, born born Sept. 12, 1848. 4. James Brainard, born Jan. 18, 1851, married Nov. 22, 1892, Mary Green, of Salem. 5. Herman Walter, born Sept. 4, 1853. 6. Jessie Hannah, born July 27, 1856, married Aug. 22, 1879, Samuel V. Goodhue. 7. Alden Israel, born Aug. 15, 1860. (IX) Harriet Rose Towne, daughter of Benjamin Boardman Towne, was born in Topsfield, Dec. 4, 1838. She was educated in the public schools of her native town, at Topsfield Academy and at the State Normal school at Salem, Mass. She taught school in Topsfield, Gloucester, Peabody, Bradford, all in Essex county, in the Middleton high school and in Dummer Academy. Miss Towne was also interested in local history and has written a number of articles of historical interest and value. (IX) John Henry Towne, son of Benjamin Boardman Towne, was born in Topsfield, on the old homestead in the same room in which his father was born, Feb. 2, 1841. He attended the public schools of his native town, was a student at Topsfield Academy for three years and at the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Mass., in 1859 and 1860. He had to cut short his schooling on account of illness, but after the war he took a course in the Schofield Commercial College of Providence, Rhode Island. He enlisted in the Sixteenth Unattached Company and was in active service in Virginia. He was commissioned second lieutenant by Governor Andrew April 11, 1865. He began his business career in a commission house where he worked for five years. In 1871 he returned to the homestead in Topsfield and has followed farming there to the present time. He has taken a keenest interest in public affairs and has been elected to many offices of trust and honor. He was selectman of Topsfield from 1882 to 1892 and was chairman of the board in 1884; was overseer of the poor seven years, from 1888 to 1895, and three years chairman of the board. After serving on the board of assessors for twenty-five years in succession, he resigned. He held town offices continuously for a period of forty years. He was representative to the general court in 1885 and served on the committees on election and on statehouse. He has been a justice of the peace for sixteen years. He is a prominent member of the Topsfield Historical Society and has written a series of valuable papers published in the Topsfield Historical Collections. His studies have not been confined to the history of his native town, however; he has written papers for the local grange and other organizations to which he belongs on historical subjects of a general interest. He is a member of Fountain Lodge, No. 170, Odd Fellows, was its noble grand in 1884, and has been treasurer for forty-five years, now serving his forth-sixth consecutive term in that office. He became a member of the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows of Massachusetts in 1885. He is a charter member of Rowena Lodge, No. 113, Daughters of Rebekah; of Topsfield Lode, No. 65, Ancient Order of United Workmen; of the grange, No. 184, Patrons of Husbandry. He is a member of the Topsfield Methodist Episcopal Church and was on the official board of that church about fifteen years. He is gifted musically, and sang for fifteen years in the Methodist choir and fifteen years in the Congregational choir of Topsfield. He has occupied his present residence since 1903. Mr. Towne married, Jan. 11, 1883, Laura Jane Roberts, born Oct. 11, 1856, daughter of Nathan Hanson and Mary J. (Sykes) Roberts. Her father was in the civil war in the Nineteenth Massachusetts Infantry, was taken prisioner in Virginia and died in the Rebel prison at Andersonville in August, 1864. Children: 1. Annie Florence, born Feb. 17, 1884, attended the Topsfield public schools, and graduated from the Salem high school; now a student of instrumental music under Miss Helen A. Brooks, of Boston; member of the Methodist choir, the local grange and Rowena Lodge, No. 113, Daughters of Rebekah. 2. Benjamin Boardman, born March 26, 1889, educated in the Topsfield public and high schools; graduate of the Salem high school in the class of 1908; member of the choir, of the official board of the Methodist church, and superintendent of its Sunday school. TOWNE/TOWNS [trans note: at beginning it states 'For first generation see William Towne I.' I may or may not be able to locate the volume that's in. If I do, it will appear later somewhere. Seems to me they could have put it on here, grumble, grumble. I did find this, however: TOWNE which gives the desc. of William Towne, and mentions MY ancestor Rebecca Towne who m. Francis Nurse and was hung as a witch in 1692. I'm still pissed off about it, too.] (II) Edmund Towne, son of William Towne (1), was baptized June 28, 1628. He was one of a committee from the town of Topsfield who in 1675 presented a petition to the general court for leave to form military companies for protection from the Indians. He died before May 3, 1678. The will of his widow was proved Dec. 16, 1717. He married Mary, baptized Jan. 7, 1638, daughter of Thomas Browning. Children: 1. Mary, married John Pritchard; died 1717. 2. Thomas, born 1655. 3. Sarah, born April 26, 1657; married John Howe. 4. William, born March 13, 1659; mentioned below. 5. Joseph, born Sept. 2, 1661. 6. Abigail, born Aug. 6, 1664; married first, Jacob Peabody Jan. 12, 1686; second, Jan. 14, 1696, Thomas Perley. 7. Benjamin, born May 26, 1666. 8. Rebecca, born Feb. 2, 1668; married Dec. 19, 1694, Thomas Wilkins; settled in Middleton. 10. [their numbering, not mine] Samuel, born Feb. 11, 1673. (III) William Towne, son of Edmund Towne, was born at Topsfield, March 13, 1659, and died Jan. 30, 1750. He married first, Eliza ____, who had several chldren who died in infancy. He married second, Aug. 22, 1694, Margaret Willard, whose first husband, John Willard, had been executed on the charge of witchcraft at Salem two years previously. Children of second wife: 1. Mary, born July 3, 1695; died young. 2. William, born Nov. 22, 1697; died young. 3. William, born Feb. 25, 1699; died young. 4. Isaac, born April 10, 1701. 5. Ichabod, born Feb. 18, 1703. 6. Jeremiah, born May 27, 1705; mentioned below. 7. Deborah, born Aug. 16, 1707; married May1, 1729, J. Kinney, died Oct. 16, 1732. 8. Mercy, born Sept. 19, 1709; married April 22, 1729, John Towne, Jr. 9. Keziah, born Feb. 9, 1715; married Nov. 9, 1739, Robert Fitz, of Sutton. (IV) Jeremiah Towne, son of William Towne, was born at Topsfield, May 27, 1705, and married Elizabeth Towne, of Topsfield. Children: 1. Jeremiah, born Sept. 6, 1743; married first, Sept. 20, 1765, Sarah Cree; second, Oct. 31, 1769, Martha Balch. 2. Susannah, born July 8, 1745. 3. Neheniah, born Oct. 15, 1748; mentioned below. 4. William, born Feb. 3, 1751. Three children died in infancy. (V) Neheniah Towns, son of Jeremiah Towne, was born in Topsfield, Oct. 15, 1748, and died at Keene, New Hampshire, May 2, 1820. In the First Church records his name appears in the form of Towns, the same having been used by himself, as it is by his descendants. He was in the revolution, in Captain Nathan Hale's company, and answered the Lexington alarm April 19, 1775; was a recruit in the Continental army from Keene, New Hampshire, and served from July 8 to Dec. 31, 1780. He married, Dec. 31, 1771, Lucy, daughter of Joshua Towne. Children: 1. Josiah, born Jan. 22, 1778. 2. Joshua, b. Feb. 22, 1780. 3. Milly, b. Aug. 19, 1782. 4. Mary, Oct. 12, 1784. 5. John, Feb. 26, 1786; mentioned below. 6. Nathan, Jan. 16, 1793. (VI) John Towns, son of Nehemiah Towns, was born in Keene, New Hampshire, Feb. 26, 1786, died there May 28, 1858. He was a blacksmith by trade, and had a large farm, which was very profitable. He married, Oct. 10, 1815, Hannah Heaton, born at Kenne, April 27, 1792, died Feb. 4, 1849. Children, b. at Keene: 1. Charles, born July 30, 1816; married Hannah Watkins of Walpole, N. H.; had son Charles who never married. 2. Nancy H., born May 17, 1818; died June 25, 1893, unmarried. 3. Sally A., born in Keene, March 22, 1820, died April 8, 1902; married May 7, 1844, Ralph J. Holt. children: i. Maria A., born Jan. 1, 1846; married Jan. 16, 1872, Benjamin T. Howes; ii. Josephine, born July 12, 1848, married Edward Arms; iii. Susan Elizabeth, born Sept. 29, 1850, died Jan. 14, 1853; iv. Charles E., Oct. 21, 1858. 4. John, born Feb. 3, 1822; died Feb. 16, 1885, at Keene, New Hampshire; married Maria Davis. children: Nellie, Lizzie, Emma, Mary, George Milton. 5. Maria, born May 15, 1824; died June 30, 1885, in Saratoga, New York; married Moody L. Proctor, of Vermont; children: i. Florence Proctor, deceased; ii. Fred Proctor, married Rachel Williams; resides in Utica, New York; iii. Edward Proctor. 6. George, born April 24, 1826; mentioned below. 7. Mary Jane, born April 20, 1830; married Dec. 25, 1855, Aaron Armstrong, of Bellows Falls, Vermont; children: Lilla, Louis, 8. William, born Jan. 8, 1835; died Sept. 12, 1891, unmarried. (VII) George Towns, son of John Towns, was born in Keene, New Hampshire, April 24, 1826, and died in Swampscott, Mass., Jan. 18, 1887. He was educated in the public schools of his native town, and when a young man came to Saugus, where he was in the express business on his own account for about three years, then removed to Swampscott and continued in the same line of business for about twenty years. His wagons maintained an express service between Boston and Swampscott. After selling his express business he conducted an ice business about three years in Lynn, Swampscott and Saugus, selling out to the Lynn Ice Company and retiring. His last years were spent in Swampscott. He was very active and enterprising in business and acquired a comfortable fortune. He was a prominent citizen of Swampscott and active in town affairs. In politics he was a Republican, a selectman for many years, and assessor for many years. Mr. Towns married, in Tamworth, New Hampshire, Feb. 1, 1862, Caroline Frances Roberts, born at Tamworth, March 6, 1833, daughter of Daniel and Sally Parrott, formerly of Lynn, Mass. Children: 1. George W., born July 30, 1863; died Aug. 6, 1863. 2. Caroline Roberts, born at Swampscott, May7, 1873, lives with her mother at the old house in Swampscott.