Ephraim Washburn (1794-1870) and Mary Lucas (1792-1860s)

Ephraim Washburn is my fourth great-grandfather. He was born in Plymouth on 21 August 1794, the only child of Seth and Deborah (Wright) Washburn. His parents were in their 50s and 40s respectively when he was born and between them had eight children from previous marriages. Ephraim’s birth is not recorded in Plymouth Vital Records, but is calculated from his age at death.

Ephraim married Mary Lucas at Plymouth on 7 November 1822. Their marriage was performed by Rev. James Kendall and recorded in Plymouth Vital Records. Mary was born Carver 12 October 1792, the daughter of Ephraim and Azubah (Pratt) Lucas. Note that James Kendall was a minister at the First Parish Church in Plymouth.

First Parish Church, Plymouth, ca 1907

Although he was the youngest son, Ephraim was named the executor of his father Seth's estate in June 1826.

Mary and Ephraim lived in the Chiltonville neighborhood of Plymouth. On a circa 1857 map of the village, it shows E. Washburn living on the end of what became Russell Mills Road, now Jordan Road. His home was across from the Russell Mills Cotton Duck Factory. At that time there was a Baptist Church listed on the same road, maybe where later was a Methodist/Episcopal chapel next to the old cemetery.

Ephraim’s son Seth lived on this same road, so perhaps he inherited his father’s home.

Ephraim's son Seth's home on what is now Jordan Road

Ephraim and Mary had four children born Plymouth:

1.      Lucy Ann, born 19 February 1823, m. Elijah Sherman, died 16 February 1905, Plymouth.

2.      Mary, born Abt. 1825, married Tilden Pierce in 1873, died 22 July.

3.      Seth, born 16 March 1828, married Mary Briggs Bumpus, served in Civil War, died Plymouth 12 March 1921.

4.      Hannah born 09 May 1832, married William Bearce/Bearse in 1854, died Plymouth 18 May 1909.

1850 census, Plymouth:  

Washburn, Ephraim, 56, works in the iron works

Washburn, Polly, 58

Danforth, Mary, 25

not named , age 3/12, male

Hannah, age 18

Zuba Lucas, 93, f

Seth Washburn, 22, seaman

Notes: Polly must be Mary’s nickname. Mary Danforth is their daughter and the male baby would be her son Ichabod. I believe Ichabod was illegitimate, so not sure if the Danforth is really her surname. Her later marriage to Tilden Pierce is called her first marriage. Zuba Lucas would be Mary’s mother Azubah Pratt Lucas.

1855 State Census, Plymouth:

Ephraim Washburn, 61, farmer

Mary Washburn, 63

Mary Washburn, 29

Hannah Washburn, 32

Ichabod Washburn, 5

Seth Washburn, 25, laborer

(Note: Ichabod is Mary’s son)

1860 Census, Plymouth, MA, Chiltonville Post Office:

Ephraim Washburn, 66, male, white, born MA, farmer, real estate worth $800; personal estate worth $200

Mary Washburn 67, female, born MA

Mary Washburn, 34, female, oper pulp mills, born MA (so born ca 1826)

1865 State Census, Plymouth:

Ephm Washburn, 71, widowed, farmer

Mary Washburn, 38

Ephraim’s son Seth is a few households away with his family.

1870 Census, Plymouth MA , Chiltonville Post Office:

Washburn, Ephraim, 75, farmer, real estate $300, born MA

Washburn, Deborah, 71, keeping house, born MA

Mary died between 1860, when she is named in the census, and 1865, when Ephraim is called a widower in the state census. Her date of death and burial location are not known, but I would guess she is buried at Russell Mills Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

At age 72, Ephraim married second Deborah Morton. I love that Ephraim was optimistic enough to marry at that age!

Their marriage is recorded in Massachusetts Vital Records:

6 December 1866, Ephraim Washburn, of Plymouth, 72, of Plymouth, farmer, 2nd marriage, son of Seth and Deborah

to Deborah Morton, 67, of Plymouth, daughter of Silas and Eunice, by Rev. Geo. F. Pool, Methodist Minister.

Methodist Church, Plymouth

Ephraim Washburn died Plymouth 25 November 1870 at age 76.  He is buried at Russell Mills Cemetery but no headstone survives.

Russell Mills Cemetery, Plymouth

 The Plymouth Old Colony Newspaper had an announcement of Ephraim’s death in November 1870:

“In Chiltonville, 25th, Mr. Ephraim Washburn, 76 yrs., 3 mos.”

MA VR also has his death recorded, Vol: 230 ; Page: 333 :

25 Nov 1870, Ephraim Washburn, M, married, 76, 3, 4, marasmus senilis, which I’ve read is just a fancy Latin way of saying he died of old age. Of Plymouth, born Plymouth, farmer, father Ephraim b. Plymouth (note: this is an error as father was Seth).

Deborah was appointed the executrix of Ephraim’s estate in April 1871 but she died soon after has there is a new administrator mentioned in December 1871.

Ephraim’s will was dated 11 Jan 1867, written in Plymouth and stating he was in good health and of sound and disposing mind and memory. He appoints wife Deborah his executrix and leaves her all of his estate as long as she remains unmarried, with the remainder after her death going to his children or their heirs. It was witnessed by George Whiting, A. Mason and L. E. Damin

Ephraim Washburn's signature from his will

The inventory of Ephraim Washburn late of Plymouth was conducted 12 January 1871. On 25 April 1871 John H. Harlow, Leander Lovell and Lemuel Bradford made oath to accuracy of inventory. Real estate worth $400 and personal estate valued at $582.46. On 26 April 1871 Deborah Washburn made oath before judge also.

In another document, Deborah Washburn represents Ephraim Washburn who died possessed of personal estate and she is his widow and has under her charge a family consisting of herself, that she is almost helpless from infirmity. Signed by Deborah Washburn on 17 April 1871. At probate court held at North Bridgewater on 3rd Monday of April 1871, since she is the widow and is entitled to an allowance.

Another document concerns the appointment of Stephen Doten, JBS Hadaway, James E. Clark to appraise on oath the estate and effects of Ephraim Washburn late of Plymouth and deliver this order to John Harlow administrator of the will, 11 Dec 1871. Inventory of real estate given as $911.00, no personal estate, dated 12 Feb 1872, signed by same three men.

An accounting of John Harlow, administrator of the estate of Ephraim Washburn late of Plymouth, charged himself with amounts received: $78.24 (Schedule A); allowed for sundry payments and charges 65.75 (Schedule B), balance $12.49. The undersigned were parties interested, examined and allowed for the accounting: First names very faint and hard to read, could by Lucy _ Thomas, Seth Washburn (his mark), Mary Pierce, Hannah Bearse. On the second Monday of February 1874 it was requested by the interested parties that it should be allowed.

Note: Lucy, Seth, Mary and Hannah are all Ephraim’s children, although Lucy’s married name was Sherman.

Schedule A:

24 April 1873, Cash for rent of Wm M. Lapham, 24.50

3 Dec 1873, Cash for rent of Benjamin B. Besse 43.50

13 Jan 1874, Cash for rent of Joshua Standish by Ellis Whitney $10

21 Jan 1874, Cash for rent by Benjamin B. Besse 24 cents

Total 78.24.

 Schedule B:

Paid cash for stamps Dec 11, 1871, $2

Gustavus S. Bates bill Feb 13 1872 .50

Stephen Doten and others (appraising) $6

Town tax for year 1871 $6.88

Town tax for year 1872 6.56

Town tax for year 1873 6.56

F.H. Churchill's bill December 1873 3.65

Benjamin B. Besse's bill Dec 1, 1873 3.60

Charge for administration $30

Total 65.75

Schedule of Personal Estate

Money in Plymouth Savings Bank $516.46

Household furniture

Cook stove $3

6 wooden chairs 1.50

Desk 5

sofa 2

L. _lan(?) .50

2 tables 2

clocks .50

stand 1

carpet 20

2 feather beds 20

2 bedsteads 1

2 straw beds .50

air tight stove 4

sundry small articles 5

Total $582.46

Schedule of real estate

Homestead including house and barn and about 7 acres ___ $700

Woodland about 20 acres 211

Total 911.00

There is also an earlier schedule of real estate, different writing, value matches earlier inventory. House and lots comprising homestead at Russell Mills Plymouth and wood lot at Chiltonville $400.

Source Not Listed Above:

W.T. Davis, Genealogical Register of Plymouth Families, 1889

Thomas Cushman ca 1607 to 1691, Plymouth, MA, married Mary Allerton

 

Since Thomas was the religious leader of Plymouth Colony and married Mary Allerton, daughter of Mayflower passenger Isaac, much information is available about him. This is a short summary of some of the information I have found.

Thomas was baptized at St. Andrew Parish, Canterbury, Kent, England, on 8 Feb 1607/8, the son of Robert Cushman and Sarah Reder.

St. Andrew's Church, Canterbury, demolished in 1763 source: machadoink.com

Shortly after Thomas’s birth, the family went to Leiden, Holland, to live with the other Separatists who had fled England. Robert and Sarah had two other children that died in 1616 and are buried in Leiden. Sarah also died at Leiden in 1616, and in June 1617 Robert remarried to Mary Shingelton, whose maiden name is not proven but I have seen it as Clarke.

Robert was a well-educated man, spending a good deal of his time in London negotiating on behalf of the Leiden congregation and later on behalf of the settlers in Plymouth. He was a grocer in Canterbury and a woolcomber in Leiden. I will write more about Robert at another time.

Robert and Thomas planned on making the voyage across the Atlantic in 1620, but when the Speedwell was found unseaworthy, they were one of the families that stayed behind.

Robert and Thomas traveled to Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621, when Thomas was 14 years old. There is no evidence that his step-mother was on board. He was left in the care of Governor Bradford’s family, and his father returned to London. Robert Cushman died in England in 1625, likely from the plague, before he was able to return to Plymouth.

Thomas overcame the difficulties of living in a new country without his parents, becoming an important and successful man in the colony. He succeeded William Brewster as Ruling Elder of the colony on 6 April 1649, continuing in this office as the religious leader until his death 43 years later.  

Thomas also served as Governor's assistant for several years and went to London five times to serve the interests of the Colony.

Thomas Cushman's hammer at the Pilgrim Hall Museum

Thomas was named in the 1627 division of cattle and in 1643 received 30 acres of land because of his status as a Fortune passenger.

Thomas married Mary Allerton at Plymouth circa 1636. She was born about 1616 in Leiden. They had eight children: Thomas, Mary, Sarah, Isaac, Elkanah, Fear, Eleazer, and Lydia.

Allerton-Cushman Cup, Pilgrim Hall Museum

He died 11 December 1691 at Plymouth is buried at Burial Hill. He languished for some eleven weeks before his death.

His will, dated 22 October 1690, named his wife Mary, sons Thomas, Isaac, Elkanah, and Eleazer; daughters Sarah Hawks and Lydia Harlow and the three children of his daughter Mary Hutchinson. He also had a daughter Fear who predeceased him without issue. Thomas was a large landholder and left land to all of his sons. He wrote a codicil to the will on 1 April 1691, which mentions land that wasn’t included in his original will and a few other bequests, including his collection of books and his best Bible.

An inventory of his estate was taken 17 December 1691 and included books valued at four pounds, clothing, pewter, brass and iron kitchen items, cotton, linen and sheep’s wool, Indian and English corn, swine, cattle, saddle, loom, linen wheel and cart tackle.

Mary Allerton Cushman died 28 November 1699 at Plymouth, the last survivor of those that came on the Mayflower.

Pilgrim Maiden Statue, Brewster Gardens, Plymouth, dedicated to Mary Allerton Cushman

The monument to the family at Burial Hill is a granite column, 25 feet high, and it is by far the most conspicuous monument on the hill. There is a bronze tablet on each of its four sides.

Cushman Monument, Burial Hill, Plymouth

North side:

ROBERT CUSHMAN,

Fellow exile with the Pilgrims in Holland,

Afterwards their chief agent in England,

Arrived here IX November, MDCXXI,

With Thomas Cushman his son:

Preached IX-. December,

His memorable sermon on "the Danger of self-love

And the sweetness of true friendship:"

Returned to England XIII December,

To vindicate tho enterprise of Christian emigration;

And there remained in the service of the Colony Till MDCXXV,

When, having prepared to make Plymouth His permanent home.

West side:

He died, lamented by the forefathers

as "their ancient friend”- who was

as their right hand with their friends

the adventurers, and for divers years

had done and agitated all their business

with them to their great advantage."

"And you, my loving friends, the adventurers

to this plantation, as your care has been first

to settle religion here before either profit

or popularity, so, I pray you, go on. --

I rejoice -- that you thus honor God

with your riches, and I trust you shall be repaid

again double and treble in this world, yea,

and the memory of this action shall never die."        DEDICATION OF THE SERMON.

South side:

THOMAS CUSHMAN.

Son of Robert, died December, MDCXCI,

Aged neatly LXXXIV years.

For more than XLII years he was

Ruling Elder of the First Church in Plymouth,

By whom a tablet was placed to mark his grave on this spot,

Now consecrated anew by a more enduring memorial.

MARY,

widow of Elder Cushman, and daughter of Isaac Allerton,

Died XXVII November, MDCXCIX, aged about XC years,

The last survivor of the first comers in the Mayflower.

East side:

Erected by

The descendants of

Robert Cushman

In memory of their Pilgrim Ancestors,

XVI September, MDCCCLVIII.

Close-up of Thomas and Mary Cushman side of the monument

 

The stone originally erected over the grave of Elder Thomas Cushman was removed in 1858 to make room for this memorial and now stands a little distance from its first position.  It is of purple Welsh slate, and is in a remarkable state of preservation. The inscription is as follows:

Here lyeth buried ye body of that precious servant of God, Mr. THOMAS CUSHMAN, who after he had served his generation according to the will of God, and particularly the church of Plymouth for many years in the office of a ruling elder fell asleep in Jesus Decmr. ye 10, 1691 & ye 84. Year of his age.

Thomas Cushman stone, Burial Hill, Plymouth

Thomas Cushman is my ancestor through my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis. My line from him is below.

               

Thomas Cushman    1607/08 - 1691

+Mary Allerton        1616 - 1699

2  Thomas Cushman      1637 - 1726

+Ruth Howland        1646 - 1672

3  Robert Cushman 1664 - 1757

+Persis Lewis  1670/71 - 1743/44

4  Ruth Cushman    1700 -

+Luke Perkins 1695 -

5  Ignatious Perkins        1720 -

+Keziah Davis 1724/25 -

6  Ruth Perkins       1752 - 1799

+Jesse Pierce    1747 - 1834

7  David Pierce       1773 - 1820

+Desire Nye     1771 - 1858

8  Lucy Nye Pierce 1809 - 1896

+Rowland Sturtevant Bumpus  1804 - 1853

9  Mary Briggs Bumpus  1840 - 1916

+Seth Washburn      1828 - 1921

10    Charles Francis Washburn       1857 - 1941

+Hattie Maria Benson      1861 - 1914

11    Carrie Clyfton Washburn 1896 - 1974

+George Brewster Smith  1895 - 1913

12    Arthur Elmer Washburn Davis        1913 - 1976

+Mildred Louise Booth    1917 - 1999

13    my parents

14  me

Sources not noted above:

Theodore Burbank, A Guide to Plymouth's Historic Old Burial Hill, 2006

Robert S. Wakefield and Margaret Harris Stover, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Isaac Allerton, Volume 17, published by GSMD, 1998

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 3:1715-8, 1995

Eugene Stratton, Plymouth Colony, Its History and People, 1986

John Dunham ca 1589 England to 1669 Plymouth, MA

John was part of the group of Separatists who relocated to Leiden, Holland, from England, in order to practice their religion in the open, before coming to Plymouth. He came to Plymouth between 1628-1632. Some researchers believe he is the John Dunham from Scrooby, England, whose line goes back to medieval gentry, but a newer article in The American Genealogist states he was from Bedfordshire.

The Old Rhine in Leiden, Holland source: wikipedia

John married first, Susanna Keno (or Kenny, Kaino, Canno and other variations). The parish register of Clophill, Bedfordshire, England, contains the record of the marriage of John Dunham and Susan Kaino on 17 Aug 1612. They had children John, Humility and Thomas. Their son John was baptized in nearby Henlow, Bedfordshire in 1615. John and Edward Tilley of the Mayflower were also from Henlow.

Susanna died before October 1622, when John Dunham appeared in the census, living in the Zevenhuysen area of Leiden with children John, Humility, and Thomas.

John married Abigail Barlow (sometimes Ballou), daughter of Thomas Barlow, on 22 October 1622 at Leiden Holland. They had eight children: Samuel, Jonathan, Abigail, Joseph, Hannah, Persis, Benajah, and Daniel.

John was a weaver by trade, but in Plymouth he was often charged with care of cattle. Although he signed his will with his mark, he likely had some education based on the committees he served on. He was deputy for Plymouth to General Court for many years, on the committee concerning trade on the Kennebec, auditor, committee to make laws, grand jury, petit jury, coroner's jury, committee to confer with General Court about the war (1642), selectman, rater, lot layer, and viewer of land.

John’s children with Susanna:

1.      John, who married Mary, whose maiden name is unknown. He lived at Plymouth and was brought to court for "for his abusive carriage towards his wife in continual tyrannizing over her, and in particular for his late abusive and uncivil carriage in endeavoring to beat her in a debased manner, and for frightening her by drawing a sword and pretending therewith to officer violence to his life..." Dunham was sentenced to be severely whipped, but "through the importunity of his wife" the execution of the sentence was suspended, depending on his future behavior, and he had to provide bail of 20 pounds against his continued good behavior and appearance at the next court. (PCR 4: 104) No further mention of wife abuse by John Dunham.

2.      Humility. There is no further record of her after being mentioned in the 1622 census.

3.      Thomas. He died by 1677 and apparently did not marry.

John’s children with Abigail:

1.      Samuel married Martha Beals in 1649 and died Jan 1711/12 in Plymouth

2.      Jonathan married Mary Delano and 2^nd Mary Cobb and removed to Middleborough and then Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard where he died in 1717. He served as a minister to Indians. 

Jonathan Dunham's gravestone, Tower Hill Cemetery, Edgartown source: history.vineyard.net

3.      Abigail who married Stephen Wood. She died November 1644 at Plymouth.

4.      Joseph who married Mercy Morton and 2^nd Esther Wormall.

5.      Hannah married Gyles Rickard. She died Plymouth October 1651.

6.      Persis married Benajah Pratt, 2^nd Jonathan Snow (or Shaw). She died Plymouth Nov 1655. I descend through Persis and Benajah’s son Daniel who married Martha Lazell.

7.      Benajah married Elizabeth Tilson.

8.      Daniel married Hannah _____.

 

In his will dated 28 Jan 1668 and proved 4 June 1669, "John Dunham Senior of Plymouth" bequeathed to "my son John Dunham who is my eldest son...I have given him his portion already...to what I was able and beyond my ability"; to "my son Benajah Dunham and my son-in-law Stephen Wood" all my right at Agawaum and Sepecan equally; to "my son Daniell Dunham" all my land at Fresh Lake, also "all that land that lieth at home which he made use of this year which I already ordered to him"; to "my loving wife Abigaill Dunham" my now dwelling house, my orchards, with all my land no elsewhere given, all my meadow at the watering place during her life and at her death, to "my son Daniell Dunham"; "my son Thomas Dunham" 5 pounds paid by my son Daniel Dunham upon demand; to "all the rest of my children that are not expressed in this my last will 12d. each if they demand it"; residue to my loving wife Abigail Dunham, executrix; "my loving friends Captain Thomas Southworth and the elder Thomas Cushman and my son Samuell Dunham" overseers (MD 17:113-14, citing PCPR 2:2:53).

An inventory of the goods of "John Dunham Senior deceased" was taken 16 March 1668/9 and was untotaled; it included only 3 pounds of real estate; "house and land not prised (presumably because he had already given it to Daniel) only threescore acres of upland at Swanhold not willed away."

He died at Plymouth 2 March 1668/9 aged about 80 (PCR 8:32). He is called “about fourscore yeares.”

Abigail’s death date is not known, by she died after June 1669 when she was named executrix of her husband’s estate.

 

At the time of his death, it was recorded that "He was an approved servant of God, and a useful man in his place, being a deacon of the church of Christ at Plymouth" (PCR 8:32).

Sources Not Listed in the Above:

Eugene Stratton, Plymouth Colony, It's History and People, 1986

The English Origin and First Marriage of Deacon John 1 Dunham of Plymouth Massachusetts, by Robert Leigh Ward, The American Genealogist, July 1996

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1995

"The Times of Their Lives: Life, Love and Death in Plymouth Colony," by James and Patricia Scott Deetz

"Early Descendants of Henry Cobb of Barnstable, Massachusetts," Friends of the Pilgrim Series, Volume 1, by Susan E. Roser, 2008