West in New England: 52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 39:EDWARD SPAULDING OF CHELMSFORD, MA.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 39:EDWARD SPAULDING OF CHELMSFORD, MA.

For week 39 of the 2015 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is my immigrant ancestor, Edward Spaulding. Edward is my 8x great grandfather and I'm descended from him through my maternal grandmother, Cora Barker. Here's William Richard Cutter's short biographical sketch of Edward:

(I) Edward Spalding (or Spaulding) came to America probably with Sir George Yeardley, about 1619. He and his family were established in the Virginia Colony in 1623. He removed to Braintree, Massachusetts, about 1634, among the first settlers, and was made a freeman May 13, 1640. In 1653 he was living in the plantation which at the request of the settlers was incorporated into the town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, in May, 1655, and was one of the proprietors there. He was selectman in 1654-56-60-61; surveyor of highways 1663; and one of the surveyors of Newfield, afterwards North Chelmsford, 1666. where he owned land. The attention of the settlers was early given to the culture of apple trees, and special mention is made in 1664 of the orchard of Edward Spaulding. He married first, Margaret , died August, 1640; second, Rachel . Children of first wife: 1. John. 2. Edward. 3. Grace, buried May, 1641. Children of second wife: 4. Benjamin, born April 7, 1643. 5. Joseph, born October 25, 1646. 6. Dinah, born March 14, 1649. 7. Andrew, born November 19, 1652; mentioned below. Edward Spaulding died February 26, 1670. His will was dated February 13, -1667, and proved April 5, 1670.-p 979

Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Volume 2 Lewis historical Publishing Company, 1908

I'm a bit dubious of that supposed original immigration to Virginia, wondering if there could be
confusion with another Edward Spaulding.

I found Edward's Probate file over on AmericanAncestors.org. The will is a little difficult to read because of the ornate penmanship but his son Andrew, my 7th grandfather, is mentioned.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)20933:2

Here's the image of the estate inventory. Boy, those long tails on the "L"'s and "D"'s are aggravating!