John Folsom, of Hingham

JOHN FOLSOM

Came to America August 10, 1638 landing in Boston on the Diligent of Ispwich. Settled in Hingham, MA and moved to Exeter, NH in 1659.

John was born about 1614 in Hingham ENG and died 27 Dec 1681 at Exeter NH. His wife Mary was a daughter of Edward and Mary (Clark) Gilman. She was born about 1615 at Hingham ENG and died 1690 at Rockingham NH. They had seven children, all, except the first who was born in England, baptized in Hingham MA. The family resided in Hingham MA until 1659 when on 9 Jul 1659 John sold his estate to Daniel Cushing of Hingham (husband of Mary's sister Lydia) and the family moved to Exeter, Rockingham NH.

Their children were:

1. John b.1638 in England, settled in Exeter NH, married and had children
2. Samuel bp. 11 Oct 1641; d. abt 1700. He married Mary Bobey and had 3 sons and 4 daughters
3. Nathaniel bp. 2 Jun 1644. He married Hannah Farrow of Hingham on 9 Jun 1674 and moved to Exeter NH.
4. Israel bp. Sept 1644 (46?). He married and had son Israel.
5. Peter bp. 8 Apr 1649. He married Susanna Coffin, or Cousins, of Wells ME
6. Mary, 13 Apr 1651. She married in 1672 to George Marsh of Newburg
7. Ephraim bp. 25 Feb 1654/55. He married and resided in Newmarket NH and was killed by Indians in 1709

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John Folsom, son of Adam Folsom, was the immigrant ancestor. He was baptized in England in 1615. He married, in England at Hingham, October 4, 1636. Mary Gilman, daughter of Edward Gilman. In 1638 with wife and two servants he came from Hingham. England, to Hingham, Massachusetts, and in 1639 his brother, Adam Folsom. came over. The Gilmans also came to Hingham. John Folsom sailed April 26. 1638, on the ship "Diligent" from the mouth of the Thames and landed at Boston, August 10, 1638. He received a grant of land and before winter had his house built. This house or one built later by him was taken down in 1875. He was chosen a selectman in 1645. He and Captain Joshua Hubbard were granted liberty of the two rivers; Rocky Meadow and Bound Brook "so far as the town hath property, to build and maintain a saw mill or mills."

John Folsom sold his lands in Hingham about 1655 and removed with his family to Exeter, New Hampshire. He lived on the west side of the river where the first settlements were made ; but three of his sons lived in the eastern part of the town. His sons and grandsons owned much land upon what was called Rocky Hill. He was engaged as surveyor in running the lines between Exeter and Dover. In advanced life he became unfortunately involved in his pecuniary affairs, but was assisted by his sons in preserving his property. He was very intelligent, earnest, enterprising; sometimes more enthusiastic than judicious ; a decided Christian ready to sacrifice his property, ease and popular favor for the sake of his principles. He died December 27, 1681, at Exeter. He deeded to his son Peter April 10, 1673 "forty or fifty acres of land in Hingham in ye county of Norfolk (England) near Norrald Comon and formerly cald by ye name of Ffulsham at ye Boxbushes." We are not told whether the land has ever been sold. John Folsom was a selectman of Exeter in 1659 ; juryman in 1662.

John and Mary (Gilman) Folsom sailed from England in the ship, "Diligent" on April 26, 1638. John was about 24 years-old. He and Mary arrived in Boston, MA on August 10, 1638 and settled in Hingham, MA. They moved to Exeter, NH about 1650, however, the authentic record of their residence in that town is 1655.

John was baptized in Hingham, England in 1615. He married Mary Gilman on October 4, 1636.

John and Mary had seven children. The second child was named John. He was called Deacon John.

Biography

A Genealogy of the Folsom Family: John Folsom and His ..., Volume 110 By Jacob Chapman. Page 13. < GoogleBooks >

The first traceable ancestor of John Foulsham is

• (1) ROGER Foulsham, of Necton, county of Norfolk, Eng., whose will is dated 1534.
• (2) WILLIAM, his son, married Agnes Smith, alias Foulsham, of Besthorpe, and was father of
• (3) ADAM, of Besthorpe, who married Emma —, and whose will is dated 1565. He owned lands in Besthorpe, Wymondham (Windham), Bunwell, Hingham, and Hackford.
• (4) ADAM, his son, was baptized in 1560; married Grace ; had a home in Hingham and lands in Besthorpe. He died in 1630.
• (5) ADAM, of Hingham, son of the latter, married Agnes, and died in 1627.

The facts in the preceding paragraph, and thus far in the present, are given on the authority of the MSS. of Hon. George Folsom, who visited England and explored every possible source of information. He next states that "Adam," the fourth in descent from "Roger," left a son named "John," -i. e., the first Anglo-American John Foulsham. From this first Anglo-American John Folsom, of Exeter, N. H., and his wife, Mary Gilman Folsom, are descended, so far as we know, all the Folsoms in America, with the exception of one family, with which is connected a story curious enough to be given in a note below.*

[There has been a tradition that the father of the Folsom family was, in England, John Smith, and that his name was changed during the voyage to America. I find little ground for this opinion. John Foulsham, son of Adam, was baptized in Hingham, Eng., in 1615. In 1627, Adam Folsham, alias Smith, made his will, naming three sons,-John, Adam, and Peter. John Foulsham married, in Hingham, Eng., October 4, 1636, Mary, daughter of Edward Gilman, who was baptized August 6, 1615. In 1638 they came to Hingham, Mass., and in 1639 Adam Foulsham followed them. If the family name was ever Smith, it seems it must have been changed before the birth and baptism of John Foulsham, the emigrant to Hingham, Mass.]

References

• https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ski/scott/diligent.html
• https://archive.org/details/agenealogyfolso00chapgoog
• Updated from [undefined WikiTree] via Ephraim Folsom by SmartCopy: Oct 25 2014, 17:42:48 UTC
• http://www.marciesalaskaweb.com/folsomlineage.htm
• A Genealogy of the Folsom Family: John Folsom and His ..., Volume 110 By Jacob Chapman. Page 13. < GoogleBooks >