Hezekiah Ford, II

GEDCOM Note

<p>"Hezekiah's father died when he was eight years old and his uncle, Andrews Ford, became his guardian (see above). He inherited property from his father and his grandfather, Andrew Ford. He was admitted to the Abington Church in 1742 and was elected to several town offices: Highway Surveyor 1736, 1739, 1741, 1747; Fence Viewer 1737; Constable 1743; Hogreeve 1748. On 26 May 1746, as Constable, hewas allowed £I. 18s. Sd. by the town. In 1747 he was on the committee to provide "Wimen" schools-the first evidence of women being formally educated in Abington. In I 748, and again in 1749, Hezekiah protested against the movement to oust the Rev. Samuel Browne, the first minister. In 1746 and 1747 he was paid by the Town Treasurer for assistance to Ebenezer Joslen, Abington's second indigent charge.</p><p> </p><p>Hezekiah was a partner in the Land Bank of 1740. Sub­scribers to the Bank turned in promissory notes, secured by land, for which they got credit that could be transferred. The Bank aroused great political opposition and was abolished by Parliament in 1741. Much litigation followed. Hezekiah Ford, et al., paid an assessment levied on directors and part· ners of the Bank in Suffolk Court, 30 Nov. 1763. </p><p> </p><p>He was a Lieutenant in the Plymouth County Militia, Col. Thomas Clapp's regiment, Capt. Daniel Read's (North Abing­Lon) company. He billeted soldiers "on their return home in September, October and November 1758." </p><p> </p><p>Hezekiah lived in his father's house at the site of 93 Adams Street, Abington, as the second owner; which, when he re­moved to Cummington, he sold to Thomas Macumber. In 1773 Hezekiah and his son Hezekiah, Jr., bought land in Township No. 5 in western Massachusetts. On 20 June 1774, according to Lewis1 Ford, Hezekiah, with his wife and daugh· ter Mary and son Hezekiah and family, emigrated to Town­ship No. 5 (the area in which he settled was incorporated in 1779 as the town of Cummington). His house stoodon the north side of present Potash Hill Road near the top of the hill where the walls of the old pound are still visible. It was used for town meetings in 1780 and the barn for religious gatherinss, </p><p> </p>Hezekiah's will, written 25 Aug. 1783 and proved 2 Feb. 1785, bequeathed to his wife Deborah Ford, to his son Heze­kiah Ford, executor, to daughters Deborah Shaw, Ruth Stet­son, Molly Lazell and to son-in-law David Cobb. Witnesses were Adam Porter, Abel Packard, Jr., Adam Packard. Children, recorded in Abington, except for the ninth; pos­sibly additional children as Cyrus Nash wrote (G-I:53 (1828), Historical Society of Old Abington) that "Probably 9 children of Lt. Hezekiah Ford" died in the Adams Street house: