Samuel Chase (1738 to before 1778) and his wife Zilpha Burgess of Yarmouth/Dennis and Harwich, Massachusetts

Samuel Chase was born Yarmouth (in the area that later became Dennis), Barnstable County, Massachusetts, on 11 February 1738, the son of Richard and Thankful (Berry) Chase. [Yarmouth VR p 74] His father was a Baptist minister and I wrote about him here. . Samuel is my 6th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family. The Chase family was so prolific on Cape Cod that I inevitably run into issues finding adequate proofs in my research, so I consider this a work in progress.

Samuel’s marriage intentions with Zilpha Burg[ess], both of Yarmouth, were published on 4 December 1758. [Yarmouth VR p 194] Zilpha was born 16 April 1742 at Yarmouth, the daughter of John and Alice (Baker) Burgess. [Yarmouth VR 1:66]  I wrote about her parents here.Her first name is also seen as Zilpa and her last name was Burg, Burge, and Burges. 

Zilpha and Samuel moved to Harwich where they had eight children, all mentioned in account of Samuel’s estate [Barnstable County PR 11:173-4]: 

1. Jedidah born 29 August 1759 [Harwich Town Records 3:9] married (1) as “Dido Chase” 24 December 1778 Thomas Snow at Yarmouth [Yarmouth VR 1:328]; m. (2) Jonathan Crowell 22 May 1806 [Harwich Town Records, 3:152]; she is Jedidah Snow wife of Thomas in 21 Feb 1797 deed concerning sale of family land
2. Samuel born 1761 [calculated from age at death]; served in the Revolutionary War, was a sea captain and shipbuilder; married (1) Mary/Polly Nickerson and had a large family including two sets of twins; married (2) Molly Harden/Harding about 1838 [Dennis Historical Society Newsletter 16:2:1] and although in his 70s had 4 more children including twins who died shortly after birth; died 29 August 1845 in 84th year [gravestone South Dennis Cemetery]
3. Zilpha born say 1763; married Joseph Mayo, intentions 5 February 1785 [Harwich VR p 180] and had six children; she is called “Mrs” in the marriage record so perhaps this was a second marriage; she died 2 October 1842 [Brewster VR p 53]; Zilpha is named in a 1796 deed as Zilpha Mayo wife of Joseph and sister of Samuel Chase Jr
4. Richard born in June 1766 [calculated from age at death]; was a sea captain; married Priscilla Snow, intentions 5 May 1792 [Harwich VR p.184]; died 1 January 1850 [gravestone Kelley Cemetery in Harwich]
5. Elsie/Alice/Elsa born say 1768; married Thomas Reed 3 August 1790 [Harwich Town Records 2:364]; she is Elsa Reed, wife of Thomas, in a 25 February 1797 deed with her siblings 
6. Abigail/Nabby born about 1770 married (1) John Hopkins April 1793 [Harwich Town Records 2:357]; married (2) Obadiah Baker 19 March 1807 [Harwich Town Records 3:151]; married (3) James Hopkins, intentions 19 Oct 1822 [Brewster Records of Town Meetings 1800-1828 p 217]; buried Dillingham Cemetery, Brewster, as Mrs. Nabby, date on stone broken off but findagrave.com lists as 2 September 1861 [Memorial ID 28961378]
7. Levi born about 1775; intentions to marry Roxana Bassett 29 October 1801 [Harwich Town Records 3:27]; signed a deed selling family land on 21 Feb 1797 
8. Rebecca born say 1778; she may be the Rebecca Chase who married Solomon Clark November 1796 [Harwich Town Records 3:142]; she is not listed among the minor children of Samuel in August 1778 so perhaps Zilpha was pregnant when her husband passed

Order of the children is uncertain but we know Jedidah is the eldest as her birth is recorded, Samuel is eldest son per probate records, and Richard, Elsie/Alice, Abigail, and Levi are the youngest as they are mentioned as minors in 1778 guardianship records. [Barnstable County PR 18:27-30] I descend from Richard whom I wrote about here.

Samuel was a mariner, shown by items in his inventory [fishing reel, seine, hour glass], and was also a farmer. Other items in his inventory may indicate other possible lines of business: stilyards (scales), looms, and 200 feet of boards. He was a member of the Baptist Church, as seen in the document pertaining to Zilpha’s widow’s thirds.

Zilpha is called eldest daughter Zilpha Chase in the 31 December 1781 will of her father John Burgess, receiving a bequest of $1. [Barnstable Probate Records 21:268-270]

I believe Samuel served in the Revolutionary War but he is sometimes conflated with his son Samuel who also served. Samuel Jr was about 15 years old,  a private, and served for a longer period of time than his father.  In May 2026 the town of Dennis celebrated its Revolutionary War Patriots and the program lists just one Chase—Samuel born 1761.  

I believe this is Samuel Sr: Samuel Chase, Second Lieutenant of Harwich, in Capt. Seth Clark’s company in 1775. On 28 June 1775 provisions were made by Congress to guard the seacoast. Five companies of 50 men each were ordered to be raised and stationed in Barnstable County. [Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors 3:366; Paine p. 313] Richard Chase of Harwich was a drummer, quite possibly Samuel’s son.

Samuel Chase died before 11 August 1778 when men were appointed to take an inventory of his estate.. He was just 39 years old. I have read he was killed during the war, but I have not found a source for this claim.

On 11 August 1778 James Otis, Judge of Probate, Barnstable County, appointed John Crowel, Abner Chase, and Smith Rogers to take an inventory of the estate of the late Samuel Chase of Harwich. [Barnstable County Probate Records 20:400]

On 11 August 1778 Richard Chase [Samuel’s brother] of Yarmouth was appointed guardian to minor children of Samuel Chase: son Levi Chase, daughter Eelse [Alice or Else/Elsa] Chase, daughter Abigail Chase, and son Richard Chase. Richard to take custody of the estate inherited by the children, heirs of his deceased father, and to manage, employ, and improve the same for the best profit and advantage. [Barnstable County PR 18:27-30]

On 11 August 1778 John Crowel and Abner Chase both of Yarmouth presented the estate of Samuell Chase of Harwich as insolvent and were appointed to be commissioners with full power to receive and examine all claims of the several creditors of the estate. [Barnstable County PR 11:46-48] On the same day, Richard Chase presented an accounting of expenses related to settling the estate that totaled £92 14. It includes court fees; his time, food and drink when he went to court in Barnstable; and attending the commissioners. It included £40 12s 6 pence for “bringing my son from Bristol,” which makes me curious as this was a large amount of money back then.

The inventory of Saml Chase late of Harwich was taken 13 August 1778 by John Crowel, Abner Chase and Smith Rogers. [Barnstable County PR 20:400-401] It totaled over £310 and include 6 acres of woodland real estate valued at £96, a pew in the church, one-eighth part of school house, four cows, pair oxen, two swine, one sheep, farming equipment, 200 feet of boards, a reel [for fishing], one fifth of a bass seine [fishing net], a looking glass, an hour glass [used on ships], and various household items. Richard Chase, administrator of the estate of Samuel Chase, presented and made oath to the inventory on 9 February 1779 before Daniel Davis Esqr, Judge. [Barnstable County PR 20:401]

On 11 March 1780 Richard Chase made oath to a second accounting that is dated 20 December 1780. [Barnstable PR 11:172-174] It totaled  £25 15s 2d and included payments to Allen Bangs, Mary Stone, Josiah Hall, Paul Baker, Samuel Rogers, John Crowell, and Abner Chase, as well as for attending court and additional court fees. Balance due to heirs was £14 3s 8d.

Widow’s thirds to Zilpha Chase, the widow of Samuel Chase late of Harwich deceased, were set off 6 September 1785. She was to have use of the great room in the dwelling house and the southerly part of the chamber from the middle of the chimney to the middle of the gable and window and also liberty to pass & repass in the center to go to the oven to bake. Also one third part of pew in the Baptist meeting house. And a piece of woodland beginning at a pine tree standing by the edge of the swamp marked on four sides then running east by John Silke’s land. [Barnstable County PR 26:204-5]

On 21 December 1780 Richard Chase made oath to a final accounting about the distribution of £14 3s 8d to the heirs of the late Samuel Chase. His widow gave a discharge of her dower and right in the estate in favor of the children. Samuel the eldest son to receive double share of £3 3s and half penny. The rest of the children named in this order: Richard, Levi, Didah [Jedidah], Else Chase, Zilphah Chase, Abigail Chase, and Rebecca Chase each received 31 shillings 6 pence with the real estate “which I also settle in like proportions.”  [Barnstable County PR 11:173-4]

Chamberlain has Zilpha marrying, second, her brother-in-law John Chase, born 2 February 1736, and they had children Philo and Fanny. I have not found a primary source for this second marriage. Years ago genealogist Burt Derick who has since passed, told me he was transcribing the “Chase Family of Harwich” from respected historian Josiah Paine’s papers at NEHGS, which state John Chase was already married when he ran off with Zilpha. It does make sense that Zilpha married again given her age and because she forfeited her widow’s thirds in favor of her children when Samuel died. Apparently John Chase also served in the Revolutionary War.

I have read Zilpha died in 1798 but have not found a source. She was living when the 1790 Census was taken as a head of household in Harwich: Zilph Chase, 3 members of household, 1 male 16 plus, 2 females. So if she did marry John Chase it appears he was deceased by this time. 

There are three interesting deeds concerning most of Samuel and Zilpha’s children: Jedidah and her husband Thomas Snow, Richard and first wife Polly, Zilpha and her husband Joseph Mayo, Richard and his wife Priscilla, Elsa and husband Thomas Reed, Abigail and husband John Hopkins, Levi without a spouse named. The second deed mentions their mother Zilpha Chase but that does not necessarily mean she was still living. Missing from the deeds is Rebecca so it would seem she was deceased.

Deed of sale of land to Samuel Chase from his siblings: Know all men by these presents that we Richard Chase of Harwich in the County of Barnstable mariner & Priscilla his wife, Joseph Mayo of the same Harwich aforesaid yeoman & Zilpha his wife, John Hopkins of the said Harwich seafaring man & Abigail his wife in consideration of twelve dollars to us paid by Samuel Chase of Dennis in the County of Barnstable mariner the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge have remised, released & forever quitclaim & do for our selves & our heirs by these presents remised, release & forever quitclaim unto the said Samuel Chase his heirs & assigns all our right title & interest to all the Estate that our Father Samuel Chase late of said Harwich Deceased died seized & possessed of in that he would owned or been possessed of at this time if he was now living meaning all that we now own or here after may fall to us as heirs to the said Samuel Chase Deceased to have & to hold the aforementioned premises with all the privileges & appurtenances thereunto belonging to him the said Samuel Chase of Dennis aforesaid his heirs & assigns forever so that neither we the said Richard, Priscilla, Joseph, Zilpha, John & Abigail nor our heirs or any other person or persons claiming from or under us or then or in the name, right or stead of us or them shall or will by any way or means have claim or demand any right or title to the aforesaid premises or thus appurtenances or to any part or parcel thereof forever in witness whereof we the said Richard Chase & Priscilla Chase, Joseph Mayo & Zilpha Mayo, John Hopkins & Abigail Hopkins have hereunto set our hands & seal this second day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & ninety six 

Signed sealed and delivered 

Richard Chase

Prissa Chase

Joseph Mayo

Zilpha Mayo

John Hopkins

Abigail Hopkins her mark

Witnessed by Nathan Mayo

Samuel Myrick

Solo. Freeman

Barnstable SS December 2d day 1796 then the above named Richard Chase, Prissilla Chase, Joseph Mayo, Zilpha Mayo, John Hopkins & Abigail Hopkins acknowledge the above instrument to be their free act & deed before me, Solomon Freeman, Justice of the Peace

Recorded December 6, 1796, 49th Book of Records for Barnstable County, folio 85. 

In the second deed, Thomas Snow and Jedidah Snow his wife and Levi Chase our brother all of Harwich in consideration of the sum of $4 paid to us by Ebenezer Kelley of Harwich. Land inherited upon the death of our grandmother Thankfull Chase. It is land lying in the south parish of Harwich, bounded southerly by Zebulon Gage, westerly by the road that leads from Anthony Kelley to ye Baptist Meeting House, northerly by said Ebenezer Kelley’s other land, and easterly by the mill pond, and by Patrick Kelley [my sixth great-grandfather] land it being the land on which Ebenezer Kelley dwelling house now stands.

Signed 21 February 1797 by Thomas Snow, Jedidah Snow, Levi Chase

Witnesses: Jonathan Snow, Ebenr Broadbrooks Jr

On 27 Feb 1797 Thomas Snow, Levi Chase and Jedidah Snow personally appeared to acknowledge deed. Received and recorded 10 August 1799. [Barnstable County Deeds, Town of Harwich vol 1-2, 1783-1827, p 389; recopied after 1845 fire]

The third deed: Samuel Chase of Dennis, mariner, in consideration of the sum of $14 paid by Ebenezer Kelley parcel of land I bought of Richard Chase and Pricl [Priscilla] his wife, Thomas Reed and Elsa his wife, Joseph Mayo and Zilpha his wife, John Hopkins & Abagail his wife, and Zalpha Chase mother to said Samuel. Land is bordered southerly by Zebulon Gage, westerly by the road that leads from Anthony Kelley to ye Baptist meeting house, northerly by said Ebenr Kelley other land and easterly by the mill pond and by Patrick Kelley land it being the land that Ebenr Kelley dwelling house now stands.

Polly Chase wife of Samuel Chase forfeited right of dower

Signed Samuel Chase and Polly Chase

Witnesses: Thomas Reed, Ebenr Broadbrooks Jr

On 25 February 1797 Samuel Chase appeared to acknowledge the deed. Recorded 27 February 1797. [Barnstable County Deeds, Town of Harwich vol 1-2, 1783-1827, p 391]

Sources:

Josiah Paine, History of Harwich 1620-1800, 1937

George Walter Chamberlain, compiler, NEHGS Register, ”Some of the Descendants of William Chase of Roxbury and Yarmouth, Mass.,” January 1933

No author given, Cape Cod Library of Local History and Genealogy, "The Yarmouth Family of Chase," CW Swift Publishers, Pamphlet no. 59, 1913

Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, volume 3

Katharine Hiam, Burgess Genealogy: Descendants of the Four Sons of Thomas Burgess and Dorothy (Waynes) Burgess, 1997

Dennis  Historical Society Newsletter, July 2026, p 4

William Swift (1705-1748) of Sandwich, Mass., and His Wives Keziah Rider/Ryder and Abigail Burgess

William Swift was born 5 July 1705 at Sandwich on Cape Cod, the son of Jireh and Abigail (Gibbs) Swift.  [Sandwich VR 1:69] He was the fifth child and third boy in the family of 12 children. William and six of his siblings were baptized at Sandwich on 8 October 1710. [Sandwich VR 2:1374] Although his family continued as members of the church at Sandwich, they moved to Wareham, Plymouth County, so William spent at part of his childhood there. He is my 8th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family and is a descendant of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren.

William married, first, Keziah Rider/Ryder about April 1733. The intentions of William Swift of Sandwich and Kezia Rider of Plymouth were published Plymouth 30 March 1733. [Plymouth VR 1:161] Keziah was born Plymouth 1 March 1713/4, the daughter of Samuel and Ann (Eldred) Rider. [Plymouth VRs in MD 12:11]

Keziah Rider was a minor when her father Samuel died and there was a June 1720 Plymouth Court of Common Pleas case concerning Samuel Rider Sr’s (Keziah’s grandfather) land. Benjamin Rider vs. “Keziah Rider, Ezekiel Rider, Samuel Rider, minor children of Samuel Rider Jr deceased, and grandchildren of Samuel Rider Sr, deceased,” partition…” lands [granted to plaintiff and his brother Samuel Rider Jr] lying in Common between the Plaintiff and the defendants…” [Lainhart] 

Keziah and William had two daughters born Sandwich:

1. Anne Swift born 18 January 1733/34 [Sandwich VR 1:118]; I believe she married Luke Tobey 30 August 1750 at Rochester, Plymouth County [Rochester VR 2:306]
2. Keziah born 22 January 1735/36 [Sandwich VR 1:118]; married Thomas Mitchell, Bridgewater, 6 Dec 1757 [Swift]

I descend from Anne whom I wrote about here.

Keziah (Rider) Swift died at just 22 years old. “Keziah Swift the Wife of William Swift Died March 23d Anno 1735/6.” [Sandwich VRs in MD 29:27] Perhaps her death was caused by complications from the birth of her daughter Keziah two months earlier.

About 1740 William married, second, Abigail Burgess. She was born as Abigail Burge on 29 June 1709 at Sandwich to Jacob and Mary (Hunt) Burge. [Sandwich VR 1:74] 

Abigail and William had four children born Sandwich, all recorded Sandwich VR 1:118:

3. Stephen born 5 June 1741; died before 2 October 1748 when William wrote his will 

4. Jacob born 16 October 1742; died before 2 October 1748 when William wrote his will 

5. Abigail born 24 April 1744; Abigail Swift Junr married Eliab Fish both of Sandwich 1 January 1764 [Sandwich VR 1:209]

6. Mary born 23 June 1746; married m. Josiah Ellis 20 October 1765 [Swift]

On 11 April 1744 William Swift of Sandwich, yeoman, was appointed guardian of his daughters Keziah and Ann Swift. [MD 44:2] I am not sure how to interpret this record. Perhaps the girls had been living with a relative since his first wife’s death and he decided to bring them back into his care or it was just a legal arrangement to ensure he would be financially responsible for them.

William is called yeoman in records and he served in the local militia as his inventory included arms and ammunition. He produced wool yarn and crops on his farm. 

William received a small bequest of five shillings in his father Jirah Swift of Wareham’s 29 March 1744 will which was probated 1 May 1749. [Plymouth County probate records 11:241] His father was well-off and left other larger bequests, including £200 to his widow and £5 each to his younger children and grandchildren. It would seem William and his siblings who also received small bequests had already received gifts of land or money from their father.

My unproven theory is that William was deeded his father Jireh’s Sandwich land in the Sagamore/Scusset area, especially plausible since Jireh was living in Wareham. Unfortunately most of the Barnstable County deeds from this time were destroyed in a fire. William’s older brothers Jabez and Zephaniah moved to Connecticut, so William was the eldest son to stay in Sandwich.

William Swift, yeoman, died at Sandwich between 2 October 1748 (date of will) and 20 December 1748 (will proved). He was 43 years old. 

It is clear from William’s probate records that he was sick at the end of his life. He writes in his will he was weak of body. It seems it was not a brief illness as the estate paid two doctors a combined £29. He left bequests to his two oldest daughters, Ann and Keziah, by his “former wife” Keziah. When they married or came of age they were to equally divide all the moveables that were part of his household when he was married to their mother. His widow Abigal was to inherit his real estate as long to use to support the children as long as she remained his widow. His younger daughters Abigal and Mary were to receive the rest of the moveable estate after their mother’s death. All four daughters were to equally divide his real estate and housing after Abigal’s death or the marriage/full age of the youngest daughter. His wife Abigal and brother Roland Swift were named co-executors. William signed his will which was witnessed by Ichabod Morton, Meribah Gibbs and Elisha Tupper. 

The will was presented for probate on 20 December 1748 on the oath of Elisha Tupper and Meribah Gibbs; Ichabod Morton made oath on 29 May 1749. 

Medad Tupper, Elisha Tupper and William Swift conducted an inventory of William Swift’s estate on 21 December 1748. It totaled £1,286 18 shillings, 8 pence, a considerable value at the time. It includes cash, arms and ammunition, spinning wheels, English and Indian corn, beans, flax, yarn, a canoe, 2 cows, 2 sheep, a swine. It also contained a value for the items given to his two oldest daughters as directed by his will. Real estate included homestead lands and salt meadows, building and well, woodlot at Herring River. The three men presented and made oath to the inventory on 27 April 1749. Executors Abigal Swift and Roland Swift made oath to the inventory on the same day. 

Abigal’s account of the estate included an allowance to her for expenses related to settling the estate, a payment to constable Silas Gifford, payments for the men that conducted the inventory, £7 to Doctor Thomas, £22 to Doctor Smith, and a few additional small debts. Abigal swore to the account 7 November 1749. 

William’s will, inventory and estate account are located in Barnstable County Probate Records 8:344-347.

I would expect Abigail would have remarried after William’s death but I yet to find a marriage record. 

Sources:

George Ernest Bowman, The Mayflower Descendant, “The Bowman File,” Vol 44, no. 2, page 170 (July 1994)

Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean McLean, NEHGS Register, Thomas 1 Gibbs of Sandwich, Mass. (Ca 1615-1693), 123:54

Ann Smith Lainhart, The Mayflower Descendant, “Genealogical Gleanings from Plymouth County Court Records,” 51:1:14

Eben Swift, Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy, Pamphlet No. 15, ”William Swift and Descendants to the Sixth Generation," 1923