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Samuel Symonds (bp. 1638–1722), son of John Symonds and Elizabeth Unknown
Elizabeth Andrews (c. 1643–1725), daughter of Robert Andrews and Grace Unknown
Samuel Symonds was baptized on __ (9) 1638 in Salem. [1] He died on 14 August 1722, age 84 years and seven [!] months, in Boxford. [2] He married Elizabeth Andrews on 14 April 1662 in Salem or Boxford. [1][2]
Elizabeth Andrews was born about 1643, based on her age at death. She died on 17 March 1725, age 82, in Boxford. [2]
Samuel and Elizabeth's Salem marriage record has the date, 14 (2) 1662. The Boxford record is missing the date, but calls Elizabeth the daughter of Robert Andrews. Elizabeth's death record refers to her as the daughter of Robert Andrews and the widow (wife in a duplicate) of Samuel Symonds.
Samuel, like his father, was a joiner. He built a ten-foot pulpit for the Topsfield church in 1682. [3, 81]
Samuel was a selectman in Boxford twelve times between 1691 and 1718. [3, 373–91] He was a representative in 1704. [3, 373–91]
On 8 March 1691/2 Samuel was appointed to a committee to determine a location for the meeting house. On 18 June 1697 he was on a committee to build a meeting house as cheaply as possible. On 4 October 1700, he was on a committee to set the pews. [3, 125–7]
Samuel was on a committee to run the line between Topsfield and Boxford in March 1695. [3, 109] In 1699 he was charged with collecting a tax that the constable had neglected. [3, 135] He was chosen constable in 1700. [3, 117]
Boxford inhabitants remained members of the Topsfield church until 25 September 1702. On 4 October 1702 many were dismissed to the Boxford church. Samuel asked to be dismissed shortly after, but his was request was rejected on the grounds that he lived to close to the church. It was not until 1709 that he obtained his dismission. [3, 132
Children of Samuel Symonds and Elizabeth Andrews: Recorded in Boxford as the children of Samuel and Elizabeth [2]
i. Elizabeth Symonds was born on 12 July 1663.
ii. Hannah Symonds was born on 25 December 1664.
iii. Grace Symonds was born on 14 October 1667. She married Zorobabel Endicott of Topsfield in July ___ [before 1691] in Boxford. [2] Zerobabel, the son of Dr. Zorobabel and Mary Endicott and grandson of Governor John Endicott, was born on 14 February 1664 and died in 1706. [3, 98]
iv. Mary Symonds was born on 26 February 1669. She married Joseph Peabody on March __ 1693/4 in Ipswich. [2]
Mary's marriage record says that she is the daughter of Samuel and Joseph is the son of Joseph.
v. Samuel Symonds was born on 6 August 1672. He married Abigail Porter of Salem on 8 June 1698 in Topsfield. [2] Abigail is probably the daughter of Joseph and Anna (Hawthorne), born on 23 May 1676 in Salem. [1] Abigail, the widow of Samuel died on 12 November 1716 in Boxford. [2]
Samuel joined the Boxford church on 21 February 1703. [3, 133] He was a selectman in 1722 and 1723. [3, 373–91]
Samuel was one of those who signed a March 1727 petition asking for a new town. It was granted and named Middleton. [3, 154]
vi. John Symonds was born on 19 March 1674. He married Hannah Hazen on 13 February [1708–8?] in Boxford. [2] Hannah, the daughter of Thomas Hazen and his wife Mary Howlett, was born on 10 October 1684. [3, 78]
John joined the Boxford church on 21 February 1703. [3, 133] He was a selectman in 1725, 1734, and 1736, and a representative from 1736 to 1738. [3, 373–91]
vii. Ruth Symonds was born on 24 December 1676. She married Andrew Elliot of Boston on 19 July [1703–8?] in Boxford. [2]
viii. Rebecca Symonds was born on 31 May 1679. She is probably the Rebecca Symonds who married Jacob Smith. [3, 33–34] Jacob, the son of Robert and Mary Smith, was born on 26 January 1674. [3, 33–34]
ix. Phebe Symonds was born on 2 October 1682 in Boxford or Ipswich in Essex County. She died on 18 June 1757 in Middleton, Essex County. She married John Fuller.
x. Joseph Symonds was born on 24 or 25 May 1685. Joseph died on 5 March 1755, age 69, in Boxford. [2] He married Mary Peabody on 31 January 1710/1 in Boxford. [2] Mary, the daughter of William Peabody and his wife Hannah Hale, was born on 11 April 1687. [3, 93] She died on 24 June 1761 in Boxford. [2]
Joseph has two birth records, one calls him Jose and says he was born on 24 May; one calls him Josiah and says he was born on 25 May. He is referred to as the son of Samuel Symonds and Elizabeth Andrews in his death record. Mary is called Mary Peabody Symonds, the widow of Joseph, in her death record. [2]
Joseph was town clerk of Boxford from 1736 to 1742. He was selectman nine time between 1719 and 1748. [3, 373–8]
xi. Nathaniel Symonds was born on 26 January 1687.
He was a selectman in Boxford in 1727 and 1733. [3, 373–91]
References:
1. Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849, vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3, vol. 4, vol. 5, vol. 6 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1925), vol. 2: 187 (Abigail Porter), 341 (Samuel's baptism); vol. 4: 310–1, 366–72 (Symonds's marriages).
2. Vital Records of Boxford, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1905), 86–87, 96–98 (births of Samuel and Elizabeth's children), 199, 206–207 (Symonds's marriages), 267–8 (Symonds's deaths).
3. Sidney Perley, The History of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts (Boxford: The author, 1880).
26-Mar-2023