Charles Westgate 1805-1879 and Lydia Paulding 1810-1874 of Plymouth, Massachusetts

Charles Westgate was born 26 March 1805, at Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Birth is estimated from age at death. He may have been the son of Benjamin Westgate/Westcott/Waistcoat and Rhoda Hawl/Hall, but I need to find documentary evidence. If anyone has a source for this, I’d love to hear from you! There is a 1824 probate file, no. 22326, for a Benjamin Westgate of Rochester and I was hoping for a will but he died 20 September 1824 intestate.

Charles Westgate of Plymouth married Lydia Polden of Plymouth, also spelled Paulding, on 4 November 1827 at Plymouth. (Plymouth VR 1:465) Lydia was born 5 January 1810, the daughter of George Paulding and Jedidah McLathley [birth calculated from age at death; parents’ names on death record].

Charles and Lydia are my 4th great-grandparents on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’ side of the family. There is no father listed on Arthur’s birth record so it isn’t possible to prove this line with traditional documentation, but Arthur’s half-sister identified his father which is confirmed by DNA results.

Lydia and Charles had seven children, all born Plymouth:

1. Lydia Westgate born August 1828; died Plymouth 14 Nov 1833; buried Burial Hill where her parents are listed on her stone as well as her age of 5 years 3 months
2. Charles Howard Westgate born 29 May 1832; m. Lucy Bourne who was born in Gloucester, was a clerk when he died of pneumonia at New Bedford, Massachusetts on 24 Jan 1879 (Birth Plymouth Vital Records p. 7)
3. Nancy Paulding Westgate born 19 Feb 1835 (Plymouth VR p 7); married George Bradley Brewster on 4 October 1853; died Plymouth 2 Apr 1910 
4. Susan Westgate born 28 Apr 1838 (Plymouth VR p 7); m. James Kendrick; died Plymouth 1 Jan 1911
5. Ellen Westgate born 15 Sep 1841; m. Miles Standish; died Plymouth 12 May 1898
6. Edward Winslow Westgate born 25 Aug 1845 (gravestone) or 15 August 1845 (Plymouth Vital Records); m. Emma/Emmeline Bourne at Plymouth; died there 21 May 1910
7. William W. Westgate, born 29 Jun 1848 (Plymouth VR p 591); m. Bridget A. Dolan 1855 in 1869; died Boston 19 Feb 1917

I descend from Nancy. 

I always enjoy seeing how some families took such pride in their Mayflower roots. Ellen Westgate married Miles Standish who I would imagine is a direct descendant of Miles/Myles of the Mayflower. Other Mayflower family names pop up in those of their ten children, including Mary Chilton, Alden, and Winslow. 

Charles is usually listed as a laborer or teamster in records.

In the 1840 Federal Census, Plymouth, Charles Westgate is head of a household of five people, including one male age 30-39, 1 female age 20-29, 1 male age 5-9, 1 female age 5-9, 1 female under age 5. The implied children’s ages fit to be his children Charles, Nancy, and Susan.

Charles Westgate is 45 in the 1850 Federal census, Plymouth, with Lydia Westgate age 38, children Charles 18, Nancy 15, Susan 12, Ellen 9, Atwood 7, William 2.

In the 1855 state census, Plymouth, Charles Westgate is 50, a laborer, with Lydia Westgate age 44, Susan age 17,  Ellen age 16, Edward age 12, William W. age 7. 

Charles is 55 and a laborer in 1860 Federal census, Plymouth, with Lydia Westgate age 40, Susan age 23 a shoebinder, Edward age 16 app [apprentice?] rope maker, Willie age 12. Next door is  George’s daughter Nancy age 25 with her husband George Brewster 26, rope maker, and their children Lydia 5, Georgiana 4, Charles 9/12.

In the 1865 state census, Plymouth, Edward W. Westgate, 20, laborer is head of household, with wife Emma age 20, son Edward N. Age 1, father Charles 60, laborer, mother Lydia, 54, and brother, William W. Westgate age 16, laborer.  

In the 1870 federal census, Plymouth, Charles is age 65, a teamster, living with his wife Lydia age 58. In the same house but separate families is his daughter Susan Kendrick, 33, with her husband James Kendrick, 29, and their daughter Mary age 7 and son George age 10 months and also George’s son Edward W. age 25, his wife Emma age 35 and son Edward age 6.

The census records show that Charles and his family were blue collar workers, some of their children went to work rather than attend high school, they lived in Plymouth decade after decade, and were close knit as they often lived together or near each other. 

Lydia Paulding Westgate died Plymouth 12 May 1874, daughter of George Paulding and Jedidah McLauthlin, both born Plymouth, married, age 64 years, 4 months, 7 days, from softening of the brain. (Plymouth Vital Records 266: 318)

Charles Westgate, died 9 February 1879 at Plymouth, widowed, age 73 years 10 months 14 days, due to old age, worked as a teamster, born Rochester, Mass. Unfortunately no parents are listed. (Plymouth VR, 311:295)

Charles and Lydia are buried at Vine Hills Cemetery in Plymouth. 

Charles and Lydia Westgate's gravestone at Vine Hills Cemetery