52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2017 WEEK 38:THE ANCESTORS OF MEHITABLE ABBOTT

I'm about to move on to the ancestry of my 5x great grandmother Mehitable (Abbott) Abbott. She and her husband Jonathan Abbott were third cousins as descendants of George Abbott, as well as fourth cousins through ancestor Ralph Farnham Sr.

Here's Mehitable's relationship to George Abbott:

Her ancestors in this line include another Abbott line, along with Stevens, Parkers, and Barkers.

Through her mother Hannah Phelps, there are connections to other prominent early settlers of Andover, Ma: Ingalls, Poor, Dane, and Chandler.

JOHN ACIE: LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, PT3

Wrapping up the case for defamation brought against John Pickerd by my
ancestor John Acie in the Essex County Quarterly Court:

The first thing I thought about while I reading this case was it seemed more like
John Acie was on trial instead of Pickerd. Half of the witnesses paint a picture of
a conniving bully, the other half one of a loyal friend and family member.

The case revolved around Pickerd's statement that Acie had " ruined  Josuah Bradley,
Doctor Crosbie, Hannah Palmer and Thomas Remington". And yet,

-Thomas Remington and Mehittabell, his wife, deposed that he, being named as one
whom Acie had ruined, denied the charge.
-Dr. Crosbie trusted Acie enough to have him look after the affairs of his wife and
children which Crosbie's former wife said Acie did as a faithful friend.

On the other hand, Joshua Bradley and his wife left town out of fear of John Acie's
anger.

Then we come to the story of John Acie's niece Hannah Palmer and her beau, John
Hopkinson. True, Acie wanted Hannah to break off the relationship and returned
Hopkinson's "love tokens" to him. But that is hardly ruining his niece's life. In fact,
given his mother's opposition to any marriage to a relative of Acies, the marriage was
probably never going to happen.

True, there was Acie's aggressive behavior towards Thomas Wood about the hay from
the Crosbie pasture but it could be he was acting to protect the widow's interests.

As always with these court files, many of the participants are related to me: Richard
Swan, James Bayley, and Joseph Trumble are all my relatives.

And as for my 8x great grandfather, he didn't always do as well in court cases, and in
September 1664 was fined and sentenced to a week in jail for his  "great misdemeanors"

JOHN ACIE: LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, PT2

Continuing with the defamation case my ancestor John Acie filed against John Pickard at
the Essex County Quarterly Court, we next have testimony that paints a better picture
of Acie's character, as well as one from John Hopkinson, the suitor of Acie's niece
Hannah Palmer. His reason for the failure of their relationship is a bit amusing:  

Prudence Cotton, aged about thirty-seven years, being required by John Acy of Rowley to testify concerning ruining her former husband, Mr. Anthony Crosbey, deposed that since she had known said Acy, which was ever since she was married to said Crosbey, he had always been faithful to her husband, persuading him always toward peace and quietness and advising him to take heed of and forbear other infirmities which rendered said Crosby obnoxious. He had also been faithful in assisting her and the children since said Crosby's death. Sworn, Mar. 29, 1675, before Samll. Dalton,* commissioner.

Abraham Jewett and Henory Royley deposed that being desired by Mr. Crosbie to witness a deed given by him to Jonathan Plats and John Acie of all his houses and lands within five miles of the town of Rowley, the latter refused to take it, but Crosbie told them it might be well to preserve his estate for his wife and children. Sworn in court.

James Baily, aged about sixty years, and Joseph Trumble, aged twenty-seven years, deposed. Sworn in court.

Ann Swann, aged about sixty years, deposed. Sworn in court.

Benjamin Scott, aged about twenty-five years, deposed. Sworn in court.

Thomas Kimball deposed. Sworn in court.

James Bayly, sr., and Jno. Trumble deposed.

Jno. Hopkinson, aged about twenty-eight years, deposed that "divers years agoe, myself & Hannah pallmer being drawne Into Society one wth another, by some of her relations, our affections in time being set upon each other, it was discovered to my mother, whose consent I laboured to Gaine but she stil remained opposite, & the reasons was she sayd wee were childish: & our beginnings was Contrary to ye way that gods people went in: but her cheif Reason was because she would not be soe near related to y e Acies: which thing when John Acie understood, not many dayes after, he Came to me, & told me he did understand that the match between his Cousin Hannah & this deponant was broke: I Replyed not that I knew of, etc." Sworn in court.

Samuell Brocklebanke and Ezekiell Northend testified. Sworn in court.

Daniell Wickam deposed that being at work at Mr. Crosbie's house, etc. Sworn in court.

John Todd, aged about fifty-four years, deposed. Sworn in court.

John Johnson, aged about sixteen years, deposed that he asked John Acie why he was so set against him as to be Thomas Remmington's chief counsellor, etc. Sworn in court. Abraham Jewet deposed.

Sammuell Plats, sr., and Philip Nellson deposed that John Pickard told them that all the troubles in their town were caused by Mr. Shepard, and if it had not been for him, said Pickard would not have been fined so much in John Acie's action. Further he told them that he being at a meeting with the selectmen, they thought it best to choose the old selectmen to serve again, considering the difficulties of the division of the commons. Sworn in court.
pp13-16

Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, Volume VI (Google eBook) 1675-1678, Essex Institute, Salem Ma 191t

I'll have some thoughts about all this in my next post.

JOHN ACIE: LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, PT1

My 8x great grandfather John Acie seems to have been one of those people you
either love or hate. I've found several cases in the Essex County Court files in which
he figures either as plaintiff or defendant. In the following case he is the plaintiff,
trying to protect his good(cough) name. Interesting that the initial verdict was for
the defendant, but apparently the judge wasn't happy with the jury and sent them
out to rethink the verdict. When they came back, the found in favor of Acie.

One of the fun things about these court files is how the statements given by
witnesses sometimes wander hither and yon, throwing in bits of information that
that tells several stories. In this case. there's a love story involved:

John Acie v. John Pickerd. Defamation. Verdict for defendant. After being sent out
again, the jury brought in a verdict for plaintiff.*

*Writ: John Acie v. John Pickerd; defamation; for basely and reproachfully reviling him in a public town meeting at Rowley in falsely asserting that he had ruined four persons already, naming the persons; dated Mar. 22, 1674-5; signed by Tho. Leaver,f clerk; and served by Jeremiah Elsworth,f constable of Rowley, by attachment of the house and land of defendant.

John Acie's bill of cost.

Thomas Remington and Mehittabell, his wife, deposed that he, being named as one whom Acie had ruined, denied the charge. Sworn in court.

James Baly, sr., Joseph Trumble and John Hopkinson deposed that at the town meeting last winter Mr. Jeremiah Sheppard came in and was arguing with some persons. John Acie then present argued on his side. Jno. Pickard, sr., being there desired to speak a word to Mr. Sheppard and said that John Acie standing on his side would not make for his advantage, for said Acie had ruined Josuah Bradley, Doctor Crosbie, Hannah Palmer and Thomas Remington. Sworn in court.

Richard Swann, aged about sixty-eight years, deposed that he was at the Generall Court where there was a case about Capt. Marshall's marrying two persons too privately, and he spoke to Major Pike about them, Josuah Bradley and Judeth Lum, whom he married at Rowley, "which John Pickard I told him was much trobled att: and also that John Acie had some hand in it; he replyed he was much trobled at it when he heard of it; & he sayd he hoped it should be a warning to him for the future." Deponent saw Josuah Bradley and John Acie riding to town together the day of the marriage. Sworn in court.

Joseph Trumble, aged about twenty-seven years, deposed that being related to John Hopkinson, he knew about his proceedings in love which he made to Hannah, daughter of Jno. Palmer of Rowley, and was at Palmer's house when there was a discussion concerning breaking off the marriage. John Acie, Hannah's uncle, was there, and Hannah was in a melancholy frame of mind. Acie asked her if Hopkinson had given her any tokens of his love and she said he had, but refused to show them, saying those were the only comforts she had in his absence. Finally being importuned by Acie she gave them to him, he promising to return them to her in a week's time. Later she told deponent that Acie had returned the tokens to Hopkinson and had promised to give her ten pounds upon her marriage, if she would break off the match with Hopkinson. So John Acie broke off the match and gave Hannah a coat on that account. Both Hannah and John were much dejected, etc. Sworn in court.

John Pallmor and Margaret Pallmor deposed that they never heard their daughter Hannah say anything against John Acie, her uncle, ''and that we doe beleiue that any good that he could doe her by night or by day he would redily and willingly haue done it," etc. Sworn in court.

Mary Pearson, aged about twenty-four years, deposed that a while before Josuah Bradley went from Rowley, she heard him and his wife say that their reason for going was because they could never have any peace since Josuah had given in a testimony against Acie and the latter was enraged. Sworn in court.

Abell Platts, aged about twenty-five years, deposed that in the case between Thomas Remington and John Johnson, he heard John Acie say to Johnson that he would spend his estate before Johnson should have the gate* and a quarter again, etc. Sworn in court.

•gate, i. e. term used in Rowley to indicate a right to pasturage 

Thomas Wood, aged about forty years, deposed that being desired by his brother Todd to get hay from the meadow that he took from Dr. Crosbie by execution, they went and found Acie there who spoke threatening words and struck several persons, etc. John Todd testified to the same. Sworn in court.
pp13-16

Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, Volume VI (Google eBook) 1675-1678, Essex Institute, Salem Ma 191t



The testimony shows two sides of Acie: loyal to his friends and family, but not a person you
wanted to have angry with you.

In the next part we get more testimony, including a statement from John Hopkinson, the
other half of the star-crossed lovers.