52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 28: JOHN WISWALL OF DORCHESTER, MA. PT 3

My 9x great grandfather John Wiswall moved from Roxbury to Boston in 1660 where he becsme
the Ruling Elder of the First Church of Boston. From what I've read a "Ruling Elder" ranked above
a Deacon but below a Minister in church hierarchy, and as such John Wiswall's name appears in many letters sent to and from the Church. There's quite a bit of them online which should keep me busy when I have time to read them all. But document concerning real estate was the first to catch my attention recently. It concerns a piece of land across the Mystic River from Boston in Chelsea, Ma.

Sometime in 1663 John Wiswall became part owner of a farm at Rumney Marsh, which was what Chelsea was called at that time. Eleven years later,  he passed the land on to his son John Jr. which led to some lawsuits with the co-owners of the farm. I' ll explain why I've put some of the text
in boldface.:

 In 1674 Elder John Wiswall, one of the grantees of Edward Lane in 1663, conveyed to his son John Wiswall, a man about thirty-five years of age, his half of the Keayne farms at Rumney Marsh.18 At the April term of the Suffolk County Court in 1678 John Wiswall, Jr., brought suit against Elizabeth Cooke, widow of Richard Cooke, for a division of the farms, but the verdict was for the defendant.10 December 27, 1678, John Wiswall, Jr., conveyed title to one-fourth of the large farm, exclusive of buildings, for £250 to John Dowlittle, and in 1680 he conveyed to Elisha Cooke his half share in the small farm.20 At the December term of the Middlesex County Court in 1678, John Floyd, as assignee of John Wiswall, Jr., sought to collect £37 lOsh. from Cyprian Stevens and Henry Willard for one year's rent, in 1676, for half of a "farme Comonly called Cooke & Wisswells farme in Rumney Marsh," and for twelve and one half loads of hay. The writ was served upon Cyprian Stevens at Rumney Marsh. Simon Willard, aged 29, and Daniel Willard, aged 20, made oath that John Wiswell, Jr., had improved his part of the farm " commonly called Captn Keans farm" in 1676, and sold some of the stock. In the end John Floyd was nonsuited, as the farm did not lie in Middlesex County, and neither of the defendants lived there.21 Presumably Cyprian Stevens and Henry Willard rented Cooke's half of the farm in 1676, as the preceding February was the date of the Indian massacre at Lancaster, when the settlers withdrew, and did not return until 1679. Among these were Cyprian Stevens and Major Simon Willard and his sons. Major Willard died at Charlestown in April. Henry Willard, son of Major Simon, was born at Concord, June 4, 1655, and married Mary Lakin of Groton, July 18, 1674. He returned later to Lancaster. Simon and Daniel Willard, the witnesses in the case, were sons of Major Simon Willard. Cyprian Stevens, born about 1650, fourth and youngest son of Col. Thomas Stevens of Devonshire, England (later of London), was the son-in-law of Major Simon Willard. In a list of the children "born in Lancaster Families during Exile after the Massacre" are Simon Stevens, August 13, 1677, of "Cyprian and Mary, in Boston"; also Elizabeth, in 1681, and Joseph, in 1682/3. In 1682, Stevens was clerk of the writs at Lancaster, where he spent his later life.22 In 1680 the great Keayne farm was described as in the occupation of John Wiswall, Jr., Cyprian Stevens, and John Dowlittle; the little farm was leased to Thomas Brentnall

Elder John Wiswall died in 1687, and now his son John Wiswall Jr was now known as John Wiswall
Senior as he had a son also named John. To differentiate himself from his father and son, the second
John Wiswall placed his birthdate after his name.

Apparently Wiswall remained in Rumney Marsh after possession was given to Nicholas Paige in December, 1686, as his name appears on the tax lists of 1687 and 1688. A petition was presented at the April term of the Middlesex County Court in 1691 by "John Wiswall, Senr, 27:2: 39." 24 He wrote that John Wiswall, Jr., was arrested at the motion of Robert Muzzey on suspicion of stealing from him, that the petitioner gave bond for his son's appearance in court. But "my Said Son," he continued, "is departed & gon out of this Collony without yor petitioners knowledg or Consent." He asked to be freed from his bond in consideration for the " heartbreaking Sorrow & Impoverishing expences he hath bin at & is now vnder by means of my Said Sonns Enormities — And my Endeavoring to Save him from publick Shame." 25 John Wiswall's name did not appear in the Rumney Marsh list for 1692; in 1691 it was in the list for precinct number eight in Boston. According to the Rumney Marsh list for 1687 he was taxed for thirty acres of arable land and meadow, and one hundred twenty acres of pasture, twenty-two head of cattle, eight horses, thirty sheep, six swine, and housing of more than the average value.-pp666-667


A Documentary History of Chelsea: Including the Boston Precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624-1824, Volume 1   Massachusetts Historical Society, 1908 - Chelsea (Mass.)

Now, as to the boldfaced names and text: Major Simon Willard was my 8x great grandfather
and his son Henry Willard my 7x great grandfather on the West side of my Dad's family tree. I've
blogged about the Willards and the retreat from Lancaster to the Boston in the past, but other than
Simon Willard died in Charlestown I knew nothing else about their "exile". Now, while researching
the Barker side of Dad's family I've discovered that Henry was living on a farm across the river in
Chelsea!

What a small world colonial New England was back then!

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 28: JOHN WISWALL OF DORCHESTER, MA. PT 2

More about the accomplishments of my ancestor John Wiswall of Dorchester, Ma. Quoting again from David Clapp's book about a neighborhood there:

For the establishment of this Dorchester school and for the means of carrying it on, in addition to a trifling income from some School lands, a direct tax was laid upon the inhabitants, which is said to' have been the first tax ever imposed for the support of a free school. Part of the expense, however, was to be paid by individuals. One of the duties imposed upon the school wardens was to take care that every year, at or before the end of the month of November, which was as early in the fall, we suppose, as a fire was thought needful, "there bee brought to the schoolhouse 12 sufficient cart or wayne loads of wood for fewell, to be for the vse of the Schoole Master and Schollers in winter, the Cost and Charges of which sayd wood to be borne by the Schollers for the tyme beeing, who shalbe taxed forthe purpose at the discretion of the sayd Wardens." As nothing in the Dorchester records is found to show how long Deacon Wiswall held this office, it is probable that he served the town as school warden until his removal to Boston in 1659-60.

John Wiswall should also be remembered as one of the few who, at the time of the Quaker persecution in Boston, dared to show a more tolerant and forgiving spirit than was shown by those then in power. We are informed that he united with the fearless Nicholas Upsall in bearing public testimony against the cruel measures adopted by the authorities in regard to the sect of Quakers. He seems, however, to have escaped the punishment inflicted on Upsall for thus questioning the justice of these measures.-pp47-48

The Ancient Proprietors of Jones's Hill, Dorchester: Including Brief Sketches of the Jones, Stoughton, Tailer, Wiswall, Moseley, Capen and Holden Families, the Location and Boundaries of TheirEstate.

At this time Dorchester was still a separate town, and eventually John Wiswall would leave it for Boston.

To be continued...

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 28: JOHN WISWALL OF DORCHESTER, MA.

Week 28 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks brings me to 9x great grandfather John Wiswall. I found the following in a history of Dorchester, Ma:


John and Thomas Wiswall were early residents in Dorchester. John's name is found as early as 1634; he was a member and deacon of the church in 1636, and was made freeman in 1639. He became a Ruling Elder, and kept the church records; was a selectman many years, clerk of the writs, a deputy, and went to England on business in 1652. He returned to Dorchester and lived in that part of the town now called Canton, near Dedham, then described as "beyond ye Blew Hills." He was also one of a commission to treat with the Indians about lands. In 1659-60 he moved to Boston, was chosen Elder of the First Church there, and died Aug. 17, 1687, aged 86 years. He retained much of his landed property in Dorchester after his removal to Boston. In the year 1671 he sold, for £40, two parcels of land, comprising 5| acres, to Sergeant Samuel Clap, oldest son of Capt. Roger- Clap. The deed of transfer is dated Jan. 30 of that year, and describes the first parcel as follows: "A field commonly called the burial-place field," bounded "Northerly and Westerly with the highway leading from the meeting hous [then near the easterly end of Cottage street] to the burying place; Easterly, part with the land in the tenure of Joseph Long, being the lot of Joseph Farnsworth, and p'tly with the land of Isaac Jones—the southerly end butting upon the land of Mr. Flint, which was formerly land of William Clarke." This lot sold by Wiswall we suppose to be the northerly portion of what now lies between Boston and Sumner streets, near the Five Corners. The Joseph Farnsworth mentioned was an early resident, probably having come to Dorchester in 1635. He died there in 1660. He married for his second wife the widow Mary Long, one of whose children, Joseph, by her first husband, seems to have been in possession of the land on the easterly side of the lot above sold.

The other parcel sold by Elder Wiswall was evidently a portion of Jones's Hill. The deed describes it: "Lying in the hill field bounded Easterly with the land of henery Ware, wch was formerly William Blake, sen'r—Westerly with the land of Augustin Clement —Southerly with the land of Mr. fflint, wch was formerly land of William Clarke—and Northerly with highway [Stoughton street] leading from the burying place towards Mr. Stoughton's." The Augustin Clement here mentioned, it appears, was one of the hill proprietors, although we have not found his title to land there anywhere recorded. In 1671, when the town was trying to purchase Mr. Clarke's estate above alluded to on the south side of the hill for a habitation for their new minister, Rev. Mr. Flint, Mr. Clement made proposals to assume part of the risk of the purchase. Probably he was already owner of the lot adjoining, which is mentioned as the westerly boundary of Wiswall's lot to Clap. Mr. Clement was in Dorchester as early as 1635, and with his wife Elizabeth signed the church covenant in 1636. He was a painter by trade. In 1652 he was in Boston, where he owned a shop and land. He went back to Dorchester and died there in 1674. His daughter Elizabeth married William Sumner of Dorchester, and a granddaughter, Rebecca, daughter of Samuel, in 1695 was wife of Daniel Collins, and only surviving sister of her deceased brothers, Samuel and Augustin.

Elder John Wiswall, who made this transfer of land on the "hill field," owned an interest in the mills early erected on Neponset river. He deserves to be remembered by the people of Dorchester as one of its three citizens who as early as 1645 were appointed to the oversight and management of its first public school. In that year a carefully prepared series of rules and orders concerning the school then lately established were adopted by the town, one of which was that "three able and sufficient men" shall be chosen to be wardens or overseers o  f the school above mentioned, "in such manner as is hereafter expressed, and shall continue in their office for the term of their lives respectively, unless removal from the town or other weighty reason shall prevent." The men first chosen for this important duty were Deacon John Wiswall, Humphrey Atherton and Robert Howard.  pp47-47.


The Ancient Proprietors of Jones's Hill, Dorchester: Including Brief Sketches of the Jones, Stoughton, Tailer, Wiswall, Moseley, Capen and Holden Families, the Location and Boundaries of Their Estates, EEtc

To be continued..