Who are the early families of Malden, Massachusetts? Document them, collect their profiles, clean up and extend their family trees.

Early History of Malden

Malden, a hilly woodland area north of the Mystic River, was settled by Puritans in 1640 on land purchased in 1629 from the Pennacook tribe. The area was originally called the "Mistick Side" and was a part of Charlestown. It was incorporated as a separate town in 1649. The name Malden was selected by Joseph Hills, an early settler and landholder, and was named after Maldon, England. Malden, which originally included what are now the adjacent cities of Melrose (until 1850) and Everett (until 1870), was incorporated as a city in 1882.

The first code of enacted laws printed in New England was compiled here by Joseph Hills in 1648.

First Families

Bucknam

Dexter

Green

About the Green(e) family: "This family has great preponderance in the early period of Malden history. Thus we find among the officers elected at the annual town-meeting, March II, 1695, Dea. John Green, Moderator; and for Seleclmen, Dea. Green, Dea. John Greenland, John Green of the Hill, Henry Green, Samuel Green, Senior; and John Green, Town Clerk."

James Green

James Green, the Immigrant, purchased land from Abraham Palmer, and settled in Mystic-fields, or on Mystic side, afterward Malden, in 1647. He was admitted freeman the same year.

Thomas Green, Sr.

Hills

Founder of the family is Joseph Hills. He was a lively man, one of the only lawyers in the Colony, married four times, and in hot water for serving as both the magistrate and groom at one of his marriages!

Howard

Lynde

Nichols

Pratt

Sargent (Sergent)

John Sargeant Sr. went to Barnstable with his father, and was admitted to inhabit there between 1662 and 1666. He returned to Malden about 1669, where he was a selectman for six years. In May, 1695, the town of Malden made a division of two thousand three hundred acres of common lands. The distribution was by lot to all freeholders in the town, in proportion to their ratable estates, an average of about thirty acres to each man. Among the names are John Sargent, Sr., and John Sargent, Jr. It was voted by the town, showing confidence in his integrity and fairness, "that John Sargent, sen'r, is the man to draw the lots." His slate gravestone is in Bell Rock Cemetery (formerly the "Old Malden Burial-ground"). Like his transatlantic great-grandfather, he heeded the scripture injunction; and all his fifteen children are named in his will of May 20, 1708.

Sprague

Tufts

Upham

Founder of this family is Deacon John Upham.

Wait

Town Officers 1658-700

• William Brackenhury, 1658.
• John Wayte, 1658, 1678, 1679, 1681. 1682, 1684,1685.
• John Sprague, 1658, 1678, 1679, 1681, 1682, 1684, 1685, 1686, 1687, 168S, 1689, 1690, 1691, 1692, 1694.
• Thomas Green, Sen., 1658.
• John Green, 1678, 1679, 1682, 1683, 1684, 1685, 1686,1687, 1688, 1689, 1690, 1691, 1692, 1693, 1695, 1698, 1699, 1700, 1701, 1712.
• William Green, 1678,1683,1702.
• Thomas Lynde, 1678,1684,1685, 1687, 1688.
• Phineas Sprague, 1679, 1682, 1688, 1589. 1690.
• Samuel Howard, 1679.
• Samuel Sprague, 1681.1686,1688.
• John Sargent, 1681, 1689, 1696. 1697, 1698, 1699.
• John Greenland, 1681, 1685, 1691, 1693, 1694,1695, 1696, J697, 1698, 1700, 1703, 1704, 1705, 1708, 1710, 1711, 1713, 1715, 1718, 1719, 1720.
• Henry Green, 1682,1684,1686, 1687, 1690, 1695, 1700, 1701,1707, 1708, 1709, 1712, 1714.
• Job Laine, 1683,1686, 1687.
• John Green of the bill, 1683, 1692, 1693, 1695, 1698, 1707.
• Joses Bucknam, 1683, 1690, 1691.
• Isak Hill, 1689,1692,1693,1694, 1702, 1706.
• Jacob Parker, 1691.
• Phineas Upham, 1692, 1693, 1694, 1696, 1697, 1699, 1701, 1703, 1704, 1705, 1708, 1709, 1716, 1717.
• Joseph Wilson, 1694,1696,1699, 1706.
• Samuel Green, Sen., 1695.
• John Lynds, 1695, 1700, 1703, 1704, 1708.
• Benjamin Whittemore, 1696, 1697.
• Edward Sprague, 1697, 1699, 1703, 1704, 1710, 1715.
• Ebenezer Hills, 1698.
• Jonathan Sprague, 1699, 1721.
• Joseph Lamson, 1699.
• Samuel Sprague, Jr., 1699, 1702

List of Malden Residents Signing a Letter in 1651

• Joan Sargeant,
• Joan Sprague,
• Jane Learned,
• Eliz. Carrington,
• Bridget Squire,
• Mary Wayte,
• Sarah Hills,
• An. Bibble,
• Eliz. Green,
• Wid. Blanchcr,
• Eliz. Addams,
• Sarah Bucknam,
• Thankslord Shepperd,
• Era. Cooke,
• Eliz. Knoher,
• Bridget Dexter,
• Lydia Greenland,
• Marget Pemerton,
• Han. Whittamore,
• Eliz. Green,
• Mary Bust,
• Eliz. Grover,
• Han. Barret,
• Eliz. Mirrable,
• Sarah Osbourn,
• An Hett,
• Mary Pratt,
• Eliz. Green,
• Joan Chadwicke,
• Marget Green,
• Helen Luddington,
• Susan Wilkinson,
• Joanna Call,
• Baehell Attwood,
• Marge Welding,
• Rebec. Hills.

Malden's participation in King Philip's War

Soldiers from Malden were at the attack on the Narragansett fort, in the cold and snow of December, 1675; and, of the eighty-five who were slain, was Edmund Chamberlin, of Malden, and, of the one hundred and forty-five wounded, were Lieut. Phinheas Upham and James Chadwick. Lieut. Upham died of his wounds in October 1676 at age 41.

Men from Malden particpated in the expedition, the year following, under Capt. Turner at Turner's Falls. In the archives of State, is preserved a most affecting petition from Mary Ross, of Malden, to the Council in Boston, praying for the discharge of her husband from this war, he being aged and sick, and having long been in the country's service, and his family in great distress by reason of his absence.

Sources

1. The Bi-centennial book of Malden Google eBook. Malden, Mass. Printed by G.C. and Co., 1850 - 251 pages. Page 234.