Benjamin Bellows of Lancaster

Biography

Benjamin Bellows was the son of Mary Bellows, father unknown, illegitimate.

Benjamin, Sr. married Dorcas, widow of Henry Willard, and together they had four children:

1. Judith,
2. Mary,
3. Joanna and
4. Benjamin, Jr.

His son, Col. Benjamin Bellows founded Walpole, N.H. in the mid-18th Century under a land grant from the English throne. After his son, Gen. Benjamin Bellows returned from the Revolutionary War, Bellows Falls, VT was named after him.

BELLOWS, BENJAMIN, Lancaster, youngest child of John, b. prob. 1678 or 9 at Marlborough, after the return of the exiles from a safer residence at Concord, m. 1704, Dorcas, wid. of Henry Willard of Lancaster, had Mary, b. 1707; Judith, 1708; Joanna, 1710; and Benjamin Bellows, Jr. 26 May 1712. The name of his youngest son is perpet. in the Bellows Falls of the Connecticut River where he founded the beautiful town of Walpole. (This is Col. Benjamin Bellows, [Jr.] founder of Walpole, NH)
John's will, made 19 June 1683, pro. 2 Oct. foll. names w. five sons and two dau's, omits the son Benjamin, who had been adopt. by a rich man; so that we may be sure the enumeration of Farmer was defective ....

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In 1700, he [John Moore] deeded his land, with the exception of his house, to his adopted son, Benjamin Bellows, in return for support of himself and his wife, Judith, for the remainder of their lives. He died before 1702, for in that year the inventory of his estate was taken, though his noncupative will was not proved until 11/26/1703.

From http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3117953&...

comment: "All published accounts mix this John Moore with an older John Moore of Lancaster, who had wife Judith, and ded there, apparently s.p. by Nov 26 1703, having deeded, by gift in 1700, his real estate to Benjamin Ballamy, in return for life care, etc. [Ref: Holman STEVENS-MILLER v2p153]"

Origins

From https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Woods-4212

Mary was born about 1634, the daughter of John and Mary (Parmenter) Woods, who settled in Concord, Massachusetts. It is uncertain whether she was born in England or in Concord. She married John Bellows in Concord 9 May 1655.[1] John Woods' will refers to "my son-in-law John Bellows"..[2]

They had 9 children[3], and all are mentioned in John Bellow's will except Daniel, who died young.

A 10th child, Benjamin, born after Nathaniel 18 Jan 1677, not named in the will, is probably the illegitimate child of oldest daughter Mary. The father is unknown, but daughter Mary was summoned to court five years later, apparently for fornication. She "had been gone from home" and did not appear in court.[2]

References

1. http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GenMassachusetts/2005...
2. ”Notes on the Children of John 1 and Mary (Woods) Bellows of Concord and Marlborough, Massachusetts” (by Michael W. Kearney). NEHGR, Volume 164, Page 157. Vital Records from the New England Historical and Genealogical 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 >