John Goodspeed

John (35) had three wives, as shown by the following extracts from the Rochester (Mass.) records: "John Goodspeed and Elizabeth Weeks of Rochester was married 18th December 1735, married by Edward Winslow, Esq.," "John Goodspeed and Mercy Hammond Boath of Rochester were Married Febr. 5th 1743 by Rev. Timo Riggles." (Ruggles). "John Goodspeed and Ann Holmes intentions entered both of Rochester Mch. 8, 1745." The date of the third marriage was April 2, 1746. Apparently, something had occurred to delay this union. By his first wife Elizabeth he had three children:

• (5a) Ruth (90) born November 16, 1736. Ruth (90) married Aug. 24, 1760, Jabez Delano, son of Jabez and Hannah (Peckham) Delano, and grandson of Lieut. Jonathan Delano, Ruth being his second wife, no further information.
• (5b) Sarah (91) born May 9, 1739. Sarah (91) married Jan'y 23, 1759, Nehemiah Bosworth, no further information.
• (5c) Bethiah (92) born July 2, 1742. Bethiah (92) married Dec. 26, 1771, William Bassett, of Rochester, Mass., no further information.

He had no children by his second wife. By his third wife he had—

• (5d) Isaac (93) born 1747, died probably 1748*
• (5e) Mercy (94) born Marcb 30, 1749. Mercy (94) married March 27, 17773 Abishai Sherman, of Rochester, no further information.
• (5f) John (95) born February 26, 1752, probably died young.
• (5g) Thankful (96) born October 1, 1753. Thankful (96) remained single until June 10, 1796, when, at the age of 42 years, she probably married Thomas Whitridge, of Rochester.

At the date of the conveyance of Nathaniel's (10) homestead to John (35) April 13, 1733, the latter was not quite twenty years old, unless there is some mistake in the records. The tax list shows that in 1736 John's real estate was valued at £20, and Increase Clapp's at £30; both lived in the same precinct of Old Rochester. In 1735 John bought of Peter Blackmer part of the Joseph Leavitt homestead consisting of twelve acres. At this date, Ichabod King, no doubt uncle of John, lived at Rochester. In 1736 John bought of William Blackmer, carpenter, fifteen acres on Sippecan Mill River,. Later he bought tracts of William Blackmer, Mercy Randall, Sarah Holmes and others, and sold a tract to Ebenezer Luce. Sarah Holmes was probably the widow of Isaac and the mother of Ann, third wife of John. Isaac Holmes probably lived at Wareham. John (35) is spoken of as a "cordwainer," that is a shoemaker, really a maker as well as mender of shoes. Later he is referred to as a "yeoman," signifying that he farmed also. He seems to have passed an active, prominent and useful life at Rochester. His wife Ann inherited land at "Crowmesett Neck near Sedge Cove." On Jany. 27, 1755, "Ann wife of John Goodspeed, Abigail wife of Elijah Parker, and Miss Mercy Holmes, all three of Rochester, sisters, and heirs of Isaac Holmes, for the sum of £10 13s 4d, sold to Ezra Clark of the same place, part of a tract of land which Isaac Holmes got of Jabez Hiller and Benjamin Hiller and part of another tract Isaac Holmes got of Samuel Sprague. By 1780 Ruth Delano was a widow. The following document appears of record at Rochester and is dated March 6, 1780:

"Know all men by these presents, that we Ruth Delano, widow; Nehemiah Bosworth, yeoman, and Sarah his wife; William Bassett, Jr., cordwainer, and Bethiah his wife; Abishai Sherman, Shipwright, and Mercy his wife and Thankfull Goodspeed, Single Woman, all of Rochester in the County of Plymouth in the State of Massachusetts Bay in New England, being joint heirs to all the Estete that John Goodspeed yeoman, late of said Rochester, dyed Seized of & we the said Abishai Sherman and Mercy his Wife and Thankfull Goodspeed being Heirs of all the real Estate that Anne Goodspeed widow of said John Goodspeed died Seized of being Desirous that there may be a final Settlement & Division Between us, do mutually agree that the following Lots & Parcells of Land & Meadow be set off to Each & shall be his or her Share in said Estate." Then follow the names of the heirs, but the terms of the settlement do not appear on the records. There seem to have been dissentions over the estate, and John (35) seems to have died intestate. Mercy and Thankful inherited all the estate of their mother. In August, 1796, Thankful, "spinster," sold to Isaac Clark her share of the land inheritance from her father.

Among the miscellaneous items of interest from the Rochester records are the following: Sarah, wife of Nathaniel (10), was a member of the Church of Christ in November, 1710. Her husband does not seem ever to have joined this church. John (35) was received into this Church Jany. 30, 1743. In April, 1743, Ruth, Sarah and Bethiah, his children, were baptized in this church. Abigail, daughter of Nathaniel (33) was baptized 1740. Mercy, John and Thankful, children of John (35) were baptized 1749, 1752 and 1753 respectively. John is mentioned as an attendant at several church trials from 1748 to 1764. Of a little different nature, but intersting as well, is the following: "John Goodspeed's Distinguishing Mark is a half Cross ye Fore Side of ye Right & a half Cross ye hind Side ye Left Ears—Entd January 23, 1740." The deaths of Isaac (93) and John (95), only sons born to John (35), left his line without male issue.

Source: History of the Goodspeed Family, By Weston Arthur Goodspeed, Published 1907. Page 74-77