Capt. John Smith, of Watertown & Reading

Biography

Updated 3 March 2024

John Smith was born about 1622, son of Francis and Alice (___) Smith. He came to New England at the age of 13, on the ship Planter with his mother Alice Smith, registering at London on April 10, 1635. [1] [2]

John died in Winnisimmet (latee called Chelsea) Suffolk co., MA on 21 September 1706; he was 85[9,14]. John is buried in North Chelsea (now Revere), Suffolk co., MA.

• Innkeeper at Reading. [3]
• Selectman at Reading. [3]
• 1656: Chosen Lieutenant of the military company at Reading. [3]
• 1664/5: January: Lieutenant John Smith, aged about 44 years, had a lease of the Ferry Farm at Chelsea. [3]
• 1673: April 29: Lieut. John Smith was brought to court for being 2 years in arrears on rent due on the ferry and the farm. [3]
• 1676: August 4: James Bill conveyed land in Boston to his son-in-law John Smith for the use of his wife Mary and his children by her. [3]
• 1691: Captain of the militia. [3]

In his father Francis' will, written on March 16, 1649/50 and proved on October 7, 1651, he left son John a bequest of 50 acres of feeding land adjacent to land already given, half of each of my meadow in Bare Meadow and Wiggham Meadow, and L10 at his mother's decease. Francis also named his grand daughter Mary Smith. [2]

John married first at Roxbury on August 1, 1647, Catherine Morrill, born about 1627, daughter of Isaac and Sarah (___) Morrill. [2] [4] [5] [3] [3]

On 1 August 1647 when John was 26, he first married Catherine MORRILL, daughter of Isaac MORRILL, in Reading, Middlesex co., MA [ 2,9,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21]. Their marriage was also in the Roxbury, Suffolk co., MA vital records as "Smith, John & Katherine Morrol". Catherine was born circa 1635 and died in Reading, Middlesex co., MA on 12 September 1662; she was 27[2,3,9,14]. Her death record reads "Smith, Katherine". She is buried with John in North Chelsea, MA (now Revere), Suffolk co., MA. They had 7 children.

In Isaac Morrill's will,dated December 15, 1661, proved January 23, 1662, he left:

• L40, after my wife's decease to be divided equally among my grandchildren John, Isaac, Francis and Abraham Smith
• grand daughter Mary Smith my farm between Reading and Andover, being over 200 acres
• residue to my two sons John Smith and Daniel Brewer and grandchild Sarah Davis
• what I have given John Smith and my daughter Katherine his wife. to be enjoyed by them during their lifetimes, and then to their children or future children if they have any [4] [6]

His wife Catherine died at Reading, Massachusetts on September 22, 1662. [7] [3]

On 6 January 1662/3 when John was 41, he second married Mary BILL, daughter of James BILL, Sr. & Mary [surname not known], in Reading, Middlesex co., MA or Boston, Suffolk co., MA[2,9, 16,15, 22,23,24,25]. Mary was born circa 1645 and died in Chelsea, MA on 6 February 1693/4; she was 48[14]. She is also buried in North Chelsea (now Revere), Suffolk co., MA[4]. Note that on her marriage record, she is called "Martha" and is said to be "from Boston". In family genealogies, this Mary Bill is sometimes confused with her aunt, who is the Mary Bill who was born circa 1624 and came over on the Planter in 1635. Be careful! They had 3 children.

The inventory of the estate of Captain John Smith of Winnisimmett was taken on January 20, 1706/7 and valued at L174 7s 10d with L50 10s being salt marsh, and the remainder clothing, household furniture and goods, books and some sheep, as well as some cash. [9]

On March 2, 1718, Andrew Lane, husband of the eldest daughter of Captain John Smith, deceased, petitioned the court indicating entitlement to an equal share and asking that John Brintnall, estate administrator, be brought to court to 'render a true and just account of his administration'. [9]

Children

by Catherine

1. Mary born on November15, 1648; married Jeremiah Swayne on November 5, 1664. [7] [3] [6]
2. John born on November 4, 1651. [7]
3. Isaac born on June 20, 1655 [7]: killed by Indians at York, Maine in 1677. [3]
4. Francis born on December 23, 1658; married Ruth Maverick, daughter of Elias and Anne (Harris) Maverick at Reading on March 1, 1679/80. [7] [3] [6]
5. Abraham born on April 10, 1661. [7]

by Mary

1. Jemimah born c1670; married first Paul Maverick; married second, Henry Richman of Boston [3]; married third Andrew Lane at Boston on March 14, 1716. [10] [9]
2. Anne born ___; married Jonathan Tuttle. [3]
3. Phebe born at Boston on June 27, 1673 [11]; married John Brintnall. [3]

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GEDCOM Note

John was a Lieutenant until at least 1663 (date of 2nd marriage), but a Captain by the time of his wife's death in 1694.

Origins

Francis Smith of Watertown was born about 1597 and died in *Reading* on 30 March 1649/50 according to p 353 of The Great Migration Series 2.

He married Alice ___ and should only have two children:

• 1 John Smith who according to TAG was on the passenger list with Alice. He was born about 1622 England per Hotten and married 1st Catherine Morrill and 2nd Mary Bill
  • The Mary Smith that married Jeremiah Swayne is his grand daughter, child of son John ll Smith
• 2. Benjamin Smith born Watertown 10 Oct 1637 married Jehoidan Palfrey.

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References

& Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S. (2009) Pages 351-354.

• http://kristinhall.org/fambly/Smith/JohnSmith.html cites
  • 1. Bond, Henry, Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, (Boston: NEHGS, 1860) [Appended to the Watertown, Middlessex co., MA VRs on the CD], [Bond or Watertown], 2:935.
  • 2. ????, Genealogical History of the Town of Reading,, [ReadGen], 111.
  • 3. Reading, Middlesex co., MA Vital Records [ReadingVR], 566.
  • 4. [Bond or Watertown], 2:433.
  • 5. Watertown Lands, Grants, Possessions and Proprietors' Book, [WatLands], 6.
  • 6. Ibid. 10.
  • 7. Ibid. 14.
  • 8. Ibid. 75.
  • 9. Torrey, Charles, New England Marriages Prior to 1700., (Boston: New England Historic and Genealogical Society). [Torrey].
  • 10. Wyman, Thomas Bellows, The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, 2 vols., (Boston: D. Clapp and Son, 1879), [Charlestown], 876.
  • 11. Savage, James A., A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, 1860-1862., (Boston 1860-1862; rpt Baltimore 1955), [Savage], 4:112.
  • 12. Warner, Frederick Chester, The Ancestry of Samuel Freda and John Warner, 5 vols., (Boston, Mass.: 1949, 1955), typescript, [Warner-Harrington].
  • 13. Roxbury, Suffolk co., MA Vital Records, [RoxVR], II:640.
  • 14. [Charlestown], II:876.
  • 15. [Warner-Harrington], 581.
  • 16. Tingley, Raymon Meyers, Some Ancestral Lines; Being a Record of Some of the Ancestors of Guilford: Solon Tingley and His Wife, Martha Pamelia Meyers, Collected by Their Son, Raymon Meyers Tingley, (Rutland, Vt.: The Tuttle Publishing Co., 1935), [Tingley-Meyers], 234.
  • 17. Shurtliff, Benjamin, Descendants of William Shurtleff of Plymouth and Marshfield, Mass., (Revere, Mass.: 1912), [Shurtleff], 320.
  • 18. New England Historic and Genealogical Register. Vols. 1+, (Boston: New England Historic and Genealogical Register, 1845+), [NEHGR], 11:35; 69:155; 96:240.
  • 19. Pope, Charles Henry, The Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire, 1623 to 1660, (Boston: C.H. Pope, 1908), [PopesPioneersofMEandNH].
  • 20. [Savage], 4:119.
  • 21. [RoxVR], II:370.
  • 22. Bill, Ledyard, History of the Bill Family, (New York, 1867), [Bill], 44,60.
  • 23. The Essex Antiquarian, (13 vols.)(n.p., 1897-1909), [EssexAnt], 12:138.
  • 24. [NEHGR], 96:365-6.
  • 25. [ReadingVR], 444.
  • 26. Ibid. 208.
  • 27. Ibid. 443.
  • 28. [RoxVR], II:639.
  • 29. [ReadingVR], 210 [M.R.].
  • 30. Ibid. 209.
  • 31. Ibid. 211.
  • 32. Ibid. 565.
  • 33. [ReadGen], 112.
  • 34. [Charlestown], II:661 and II:876.
• 35. [ReadingVR], 391,443.
  • 36. [Warner-Harrington], 443,583.
  • 37. Essex Institute Historical Collections, vol. 1+, (Salem, Mass., 1859+), [EIHC], 57:331; 58:210.
  • 38. [Savage], 4:113.
  • 39. Fuess, Elizabeth Goodhue, Cushing and Allied Families, (Andover, Mass., 1931), typescript, [Cushing (Ms)], 313.
  • 40. [NEHGR], 69:155; 96:240.
  • 41. [ReadGen], 112 [says aged 62].
  • 42. [Charlestown], II:757.
  • 43. Boston, Suffolk co., MA Vital Records. [BostonVR or BVR], 9:59.
  • 44. [Charlestown], II:661.
  • 45. [ReadingVR], 210.
  • 46. Ibid. 445.
  • 47. Wakefield, Middlesex co., MA Vital Records, [WakefieldVR], 327 [C.R. - Congregational Church of Wakefield].
  • 48. Malden, Middlesex co., MA Vital Records, [MaldenVR], p. 302, #12.
  • 49. Ibid. p. 85, #88.
  • 50. [Charlestown], 925.
  • 51. [ReadGen], 113.

1. Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 15 2021, 4:17:42 UTC
2. WikiTree contributors, "Francis Smith (abt.1597-1650)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Smith-2951 : accessed 04 March 2024). cites
   1. Anderson, Great Migration...
   2. Records of the First Church at Dorchester, in New England, 1636-1734. Boston, MA: George H. Ellis, 1891. Page 164, 166-167.
   3. Vital Records from The NEHGS Register. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (Compiled from articles originally published in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.) < AmericanAncestors >
   4. "Marriages, Births and Deaths in Dorchester, Massachusetts" NEHGR 16:156
   5. Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009. John Smith p. 378-387
   6. John Fay Hinckley: Hinckley Ancestors: 1928. pp. 3-4 Early New England Families, 1641-1700. (Original Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013. 7 pages (By Alicia Crane Williams, Lead Genealogist.)
   7. Find A Grave: Memorial #44834179 No stone, no burial information https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132883558