Prince Snow (1768-1859) and His Wife Martha Dexter (1772-1852) of Rochester, Massachusetts

Prince Snow was born 24 July 1768 at Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, the son of Joseph and Rachel (Landers) Snow. [Rochester Vital Records 1:278] He is a descendant of Constance Hopkins and her father Stephen Hopkins, both Mayflower passengers.

Prince Snow married Martha Dexter in June 1794 at Rochester. [Rochester VR 2:113] Martha was born 24 March 1773, probably at Rochester [calculated from age in death record]. She was the daughter of Ephraim and Keziah (Tobey) Dexter; her death record states her father is Ephraim Dexter. Martha is a descendant of Thomas Dexter who was an influential businessman in the colony and built the first grist mill in Sandwich, Mass., on the site that a later mill bearing his name is situated. 

Prince and Martha lived in an area of Rochester that became the town of Mattapoisett in 1857.

Martha and Prince had a large family of 14 children; births recorded Rochester VR 1:278:

1. Nancy Snow born 19 December 1794 (twin); baptized July 1808; m. 1) Willam Nye m. 2) Nathan Boodry; died 13 August 1892 at Mattapoisett

2. James born 19 December 1794 (twin); baptized July 1808

3. Betsy Snow born 15 May 1796

4. Prince born 30 Jan 1798; baptized July 1808

5. Luke born 5 February 1799

6. Stephen born 9 March 1801; baptized July 1808

7. Henry Snow born 7 March 1803

8. Avery born 12 April 1805; baptized July 1808

9. Rachel born 17 May 1808; baptized July 1808

10. Harvey baptized July 1808

11. Martha born 8 April 1811; married Ivory Snow (great name!)

12. Dulcina born 1 March 1813

13. Jane born 9 August 1815; married William Hammond

14. William born 7 April 1821

I descend from Nancy. I wrote about her here.

In the 1850 Federal Census, Prince Snow, 82 (ca 1768 birth), dwelling no. 403 in Rochester. He was born Mass., a sailor, owned $1500 in real estate, and his inferred wife Martha Snow is age 79  (ca 1771 birth).

Right next door is their son in dwelling 404: Prince Snow Jr. age 52, sailor, with Caroline Snow 45, Walter W Snow 21, Dennis Foster, 19.

Martha Snow died at Rochester on 10 April 1852. She was age 79 yrs, 0 months, 17 days, married, daughter of Ephraim Dexter. No cause of death given. Age at death calculates to a 24 March 1773 birth. [Massachusetts Vital Records 1841-1910, 67:273] 

Martha’s death date on her gravestone differs from the record: 29 Jan 1852; age calculates to be a 28 Sept 1772 birth. I put more stock in vital records as they are a primary source, but it is frustrating they are so different, since it puts into question both her death and birth dates. 

Prince Snow of Mattapoisett wrote his will on 18 August 1856. [Plymouth County Probate Records, no 18715] Bequests: 

• Children of deceased son James Snow $5 each
• Children of deceased daughter Betsey Hiller $5 each 
• Children of deceased daughter Rachell Snow $5 each
• Already conveyed what he considers their full shares of his estate to daughter Jane, her husband William Hammond, and his son William Snow
• The remainder of his estate he leaves to his eight remaining children to be divided equally: Nancy Boodry, Prince Snow Jr, Stephen Snow, Harvey Snow, Avery Snow, Kezia Hiller, Martha Snow, and Dulcina Fuller. 

He appointed his son Harvey Snow Executor. He signed his will and it was witnessed by Barnabas Hiller, William K. Randall, Hannah R. Bowman. 

Prince Snow's signature

On 18 April 1859, Harvey Snow asked the court to appoint Samuel Sturtevant as administrator of his late father Prince Snow’s estate.

Inventory of the estate of Prince Snow of Mattapoisett is dated 23 April 1859. Appraisers were James B. Ransom, Caleb Dexter, and William K. Randall. [Plymouth County Probate Records, no 18715]

Real estate totaled $614.50 for three lots of land (one wood lot and two salt marsh lots) and one pew in the meeting house. Personal estate totaled $41.65 and included household furniture, a clock, gun, books, a wagon, and tools.

Because his debts and legacies were higher than his personal estate, his executor was granted permission to sell Prince’s land, which he did for a total of $791.80.

Prince Snow died 26 February 1859 at Mattapoisett. He was 90 years, 7 months, 2 days old, a widower, was a mariner, son of Joseph and Hannah, and died of typhoid fever.  [Mass Vital Records 1841-1910, 130:219] His age at death also varies from that given on his gravestone.

Prince and Martha are buried at Pine Island Cemetery in Mattapoisett.

Inscription:

Martha

Wife of

Capt. Prince Snow

Died Jan 29, 1852

Aged 79 years 4 ms & 1 day

There’s a saying inscribed near bottom of stone but can’t read due to moss on the stone.

[Find A Grave Memorial ID 23740516]

source: Findagrave.com

Prince’s stone inscription:

Capt

Prince Snow

Died Jan. 29, 1859

Aged 90 yrs 8 mos & 7 dys

How short is human life the very breath

Which frames my words & accelerates my 

death

[Find A Grave, Memorial ID 23740510]

source: findagrave.com

Note: William Warden wrote that Prince married, second, Martha Waite. Since Warden didn’t document his work, I don’t know what this is based on. Prince was 82 when his first wife died and his will doesn’t mention a wife, so I personally don’t believe he married Martha Waite.

Sources:

JH Beers & Co, Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1912

Lydia (Phinney) Brownson & Maclean McLean, NEHGS Register, “Thomas 1 Landers of Sandwich,” 124:42 (January 1970)

William A. Warden, Genealogy of the Dexter Family in America: Descendants of Thomas Dexter Together with the Record of Other Allied Families, 1905