Ancestors from Duxbury, Plymouth Co. Mass.

This post is part of an ongoing project--organizing my direct ancestors by the towns in New England where they lived. I love learning about the towns in which they lived and will list my favorite resources. Please add a comment about your family from these towns and your favorite resources as well. Much of the genealogical information is a work in progress! I have blogged about many of the ancestors listed, but some I don't know enough about yet to write a sketch of their lives.

William Bassett, b ca 1600, married Elizabeth _____. Came to Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621, removed to Duxbury in 1638, later lived at Bridgewater where he died in 1667. I descend through his son Nathaniel who was born ca 1628 in Plymouth and later moved to Yarmouth.

William Brewster, Mayflower passenger, born about 1567, was one of the original settlers of Duxbury. My Duxbury branch of the family descends through son Love 2 who married Sarah Collier and stayed in Duxbury, then grandson Deacon William 3 who married Lydia Partridge daughter of George Partridge of Duxbury,  stayed in Duxbury and became a large landholder there, then great-grandson Joshua 4 born about 1698, stayed in Duxbury, married Deborah Jackson. Joshua’s daughter Sarah was born 1727 and married Joseph Wright of Duxbury and they moved to Plympton. 

Gravestone of William Brewster, b. ca 1645, Old Cemetery Duxbury

Peter Browne, born about Jan 1595 at Dorking, Surrey, England, married Martha (___) (Ford); 2^nd Mary ___.  He was granted land at Duxbury. I descend through his daughter Mary who was b. about 1626 at Plymouth. The family later lived at Duxbury but he died at Plymouth in 1633. His daughter Mary married Ephraim Tinkham and they lived at Plymouth and Duxbury.

Edward Bumpus, also lived in Middleborough and Marshfield, born about 1603 in England. Married Hannah _____, died Marshfield 1693. I know I descend from Edward and Hannah but I have an iffy generation that I need to figure out.

John Cary, he was born Bristol England about 1610, lived at Duxbury and later Bridgewater where he died 31 Oct 1681. Married Elizabeth Godfrey. Son Francis Cary, born Duxbury 19 Jan 1648 m. Lydia Brett, moved to Bridgewater where he died 1727.  Francis’ dau Melatiah Cary born about 1685, married Joseph Lucas and moved to Plympton.

William Collier, b. Southwark, Surrey, about 1585, died probably Duxbury 1670-1671, m Jane Clark, richest man in Plymouth Colony. I descend through their daughter Sarah Collier who married Love Brewster and raised their family in Duxbury. She m. 2^nd Richard Park of Cambridge and she moved there but returned to Duxbury when he died and she died at Plymouth in 1691.

Philip Delano, born Leiden Holland ca 1603, immigrated to Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621; later moved to Duxbury. He married 1^st Hester Dewsbery and 2^nd Mary Pontus. He died Duxbury 1681/82. I descend through Philip and Hester’s daughter, Esther. She married John Soule and raised her family in Duxbury where she died in 1735.

Samuel Eaton, born about 1620 in England, didn’t stay at Duxbury, moving to Middleborough. He was son of Francis Eaton of the Mayflower. He married 1^st Elizabeth___; 2^nd Martha Billington 1661 at Plymouth. Martha was b. about 1638, daughter of Francis Billington who came on the Mayflower and Christian Penn. She married 2^nd Robert Crossman of Taunton.

Henry Howland b. about 1603 in England, m. Mary ____, died Duxbury 1670/71. He was first at Plymouth where he was by 1633. I then descend through his daughter Abigail b. about 1628, m. John Young in 1648 at Plymouth (John Young was born England about 1623, died Eastham 1691), died 1692 at Eastham, Mass.

John Irish, born about 1611 in England, migrated to Plymouth in 1630, m. Elizabeth ___ ca 1644, lived in Duxbury where he likely died in 1678. I descend from their daughter Elizabeth born 1639-1644 probably in Duxbury, m. Philip Washburn.

Samuel Nash, b. about 1602, migrated to Plymouth 1632, moved to Duxbury by 1639 where he died between 1682 (deposition) and 1683/4 (inventory). His wife’s name is not known. I descend through his daughter, whose first name is unknown, who married Abraham Sampson of Duxbury.

George Partridge, migrated by 1635, m. Sarah Tracy at Plymouth 1638, also one of the original purchasers at Middleborough and Bridgewater, he died about 1695 at Duxbury. I descend through their daughter Lydia born about 1651 at Duxbury, m. William Brewster Jan 1672 at Duxbury.

Abraham Pierce b. about 1600 in England, came to Plymouth on the Anne in 1623, m Rebecca ____.  He moved to Duxbury and was an original proprietor of Bridgewater in 1645 but not sure if he ever lived there, he died ca 1673 in Duxbury. I descend through three of Abraham’s children.

o   His daughter Mary Pierce born Duxbury 1644/45, m. Nathaniel Baker before 1670, died before April 1692 probably at Yarmouth. 

o   His daughter Alice born abt 1650 prob at Barnstable, m. John Baker before 1672, died 1718 at Duxbury.

o   His son Isaac born about 1641 prob at Duxbury, m. Alice Chartley in 1681, died Middleborough, 1732. I don’t yet know anything about Alice Chartley.

Thomas Prence, b. about 1600 at Gloucestershire England, came to Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621, m. 1^st Patience Brewster in 1624 at Plymouth (dau of William and Mary Brewster), 2^nd Mary Collier dau of William Collier, 3^rd Apphia Feeman, 4^th Mary __ Howes widow of Thomas Howes (also my direct descendant).  He also lived at Duxbury and Eastham (in an area that became Orleans) and became Governor of the Colony.  I descend through Thomas and Patience’s daughter Mercy b. 1631 prob Plymouth and married Major John Freeman in 1650 at Eastham.

Abraham Sampson/Samson, b. Bedfordshire 1614, died Duxbury about 1701, married ___ Nash. I descend through his son Samuel Sampson/Samson, born 1646 Duxbury, m. Esther Delano about 1669 (she was born Duxbury 1640, daughter of Philip Delano and Hester Dewsbury), he died 1675 in Duxbury(?). I then descend through Samuel Sampson b. 1670 at Duxbury, m. Hazadiah Eddy (b. 1672, Plymouth, dau of Obadiah Eddy and Bennet Ellis), died Middleborough, 1744. I then descend through their daughter Mary who was born about 1700 and married Benjamin Fuller by 1720 (b. 1696 at Plymouth son of Samuel Fuller and Mercy Eaton), died before 4 July 1755.

Moses Simmons born about 1605 possibly Leiden, Holland, m. Sarah ____, was with the Pilgrims at Leiden, came to Plymouth in 1621 on the Fortune, moved to Duxbury where he died 1689-91. I descend through his daughter Rebecca who married John Soule about 1655 probably at Duxbury.

George Soule born 1593-1600 in England, Mayflower passenger, married by 1626 Mary Becket/Bucket, at Plymouth (her birth and parents not known), he moved to Duxbury in 1630, dying there in 1679. I descend through their son John who was born Plymouth about 1632. He married Rebecca Simmons about 1655 prob at Duxbury (she was born about 1635 prob at Plymouth, dau of Moses Simmons), died before 14 Nov 1707 at Duxbury. I then descend through their daughter Sarah Soule, b Duxbury about 1660, m. Adam Wright about 1678 at Duxbury or Plymouth, died 1691-1699 at Plymouth.

Ephraim Tinkham b. 1618 Barnstaple, Devonshire, migrated 1634, m. Mary Browne before Oct 1647 at Plymouth.  Mary was born about 1626, the daughter of Mayflower passenger Peter Browne. They moved to Duxbury but was back in Plymouth where he died 1684-85. I descend through their son Helkiah, born Plymouth 1655, m. Ruth ___ about 1685, died Plymouth after May 1718. Then through son John born 1689, Plymouth, m. Anne Gray 1714 at Plymouth (b. 1691 Plymouth, daughter of John Gray and Joanna Morton), died 1730 at Kingston. Then through Ann Tinkham, born Kingston 1726, married Samuel Fuller in 1747 at Kingston.

Stephen Tracy born about Dec 1596, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, m. Tryphosa Lee at Leiden, Holland in 1621, migrated on the Ann or Little James in 1632. They were in Duxbury by 1637 but in March 1655 he was back in Great Yarmouth, England where he died after that time.  I descend through daughter Sarah Tracy, who married George Partridge in 1638 at Plymouth. They lived in Duxbury.

John Washburn, b. 1597 at Evesham, Worcester, England, m. Margery Moore 1618 at Bengeworth, Worcester (she was born 1588 at Bengeworth, dau of Robert Moore and Ellen Taylor). He came to Plymouth in 1632. Moved to Duxbury before 1643 and Bridgewater after 1666. Died after 17 March 1671, possibly at Bridgewater. I descend through his son Phillip 2 Washburn who was born Evesham about 1624, m. Elizabeth Irish 1664 at Bridgewater (she was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Irish, b. prob Duxbury 1639-44), died after 19 Aug 1700 at Bridgewater or Duxbury. Then descend through their son John  3 Washburn b. about 1672, m. Lydia Billington about 1698 prob at Plymouth (Lydia was born about 1677 at Marshfield, dau of Isaac Billington and Hannah Glass). He m. 2^nd Wybra Bumpus abt 1717 and 3d 1744 Mehitable (Barrow) Wright. John died 1750 at Kingston. Then descend through John and Lydia’s son John 4 Washburn, born Plymouth 1699, m. Abigail Phillips 1727 at Kingston (Abigail born 1699 at Marshfield, dau of Benjamin Philips and Sarah Thomas), died 1768 at Plymouth. Then descend through Seth 5 Washburn, born Plymouth 1738, m 1^st Fear Howard in 1765, 2^nd Anna Fullerton in 1785, 3^rd Deborah Wright in 1792 (Deborah was born Plympton 1749, dau of Joseph Wright and Sarah Brewster). Seth died Plymouth in 1826. I then descend through Seth and Deborah’s son Ephraim 6 Washburn b. 1794 at Plymouth, m. Mary Lucas 1822 at Plymouth (Mary was born Caver 1792, dau of Ephraim Lucas and Azubah Pratt), 2^nd Deborah Morey 1798 at Plymouth.  Ephraim died Plymouth 1822. I then descend through their son Seth 7 Washburn, born Plymouth 1828, m. Mary Briggs Bumpus 1856 at Wareham (Mary was born 1840 at Wareham, dau of Rowland Bumpus and Lucy Nye Pierce), died 1921. in Plymouth. I then descend through their son Charles Francis 8 Washburn, b. Plymouth 1857, m. Hattie Maria Benson in 1878 at Plymouth (Hattie was born 1861 at Plymouth, dau of Josiah Benson and Aurilla West Nye), died Plymouth 1941. I then descend through Carrie Clyfton Washburn born Plymouth 1896, m. Everett William Ellis 1914 at Plymouth, died 1974 at Plymouth.

Rev. William Wetherell, b. ca 1600, in England, married Mary Fisher 26 March 1627 in Canterbury, Kent, England (Mary was born 1604 in Boughton, Mochelsea, Kent, dau of Thomas Fisher and Joan Lake), he died Scituate 9 April 1684. A Puritan, he migrated in 1635 with his wife, three sons and a servant. Settled first Charlestown, then Newtowne (Cambridge), then Duxbury and finally Scituate where he was the minister of the Second Church. 

Favorite Duxbury Resources:

Erin McGough, Digging Duxbury The Brewster Homestead’s Archaeological Past, The Duxbury Rural and Historical Society, 2013

Henry Forgit, Duxbury: An Album, Duxbury Rural and Historical Society, 2004 reprint

Henry A. Fish, Duxbury Ancient & Modern, 2012, Duxbury 375^th Anniversary Revised Edition, based on 1925 edition

Duxbury early settler articles by Lamont “Monty” Healy, published in the Duxbury Clipper; copies available for purchase from Duxbury Rural & Historical Society

Justin Winsor, History of the Town of Duxbury with Genealogical Registers, 1849