Return to main file

---

Deacon John Cummings (1682–1759), son of John Cummings and Elizabeth Kinsley

Elizabeth Adams (1680–1759), daughter of Pelatiah Adams and Ruth Unknown

---

John, the son of John Cummings, Jr., was born on 7 July 1682 in Dunstable, Middlesex County, Masachusetts. [1] Deacon John Cummings died on 27 April 1759, age 76, probably in Westford, Middlesex County. John Cummings married Elizabeth Adams on 3 October 1705 in Charlestown in Boston, Massachusetts. [2]

Elizabeth, the daughter of Pelatiah Adams, was born on 26 April 1680 in Chelmsford in Middlesex County. [2] Elizabeth, the widow of Deacon John Cummngs, died three days after her husband on 30 April 1759.

John and Elizabeth, their children Elizabeth, Ephraim, Thomas and Abigail are all buried in the Fairview Cemetery (Forefathers Burial Ground) in Westford. Their death records in Westford are taken from their gravestones. [3][4] The inscription on John's headstone says, "Memento Mori Here Lies Ye Body of Deacon John Cumings Who Departed This Life April Ye 27th 1759 In The 77th Year of His Age." The inscription on Elizabeth's says, "Memento Mori Here Lies Ye Body of Mrs Elisabeth Cumings The Wife of Deacon John cumings. Who Departed This Life April Ye 30th 1759 In ye 79th Year of Her Age." [4]

The West Parish of Chelmsford was incorporated as Westford in 1729. John was an original signer of the covenant of the West Parish Church in Chelmsford in 1727. [5] The West Parish was incorporated as Westford in 1729. John was chosen the first deacon of the West Parish Church on 7 December 1727. [5] He was chosen the moderator of the first town meeting held on 2 March 1729/30. [6] He was a selectman in 1730, 1731, 1732, 1733, 1735, 1736, 1741, 1743 and 1744. [6] He was the town clerk in 1736. [6]

John Cummings of Westford wrote his will on 4 May 1753. He left his wife Elizabeth the use of half of his house, money, livestock and his household goods and specified a long list of provisions she was to be given. He mentioned his sons John, William, Samuel, Ephraim and Thomas; his daughters Mary and Bridget; the children of his deceased daughter Abigail; and his grandson Samuel Read. He named his son Thomas his executor. He must have acquired land in Hollis, Hillsborugh County, New Hampshire—about 20 miles north of Westford—as he left it to his sons John, William and Samuel. On 3 Mary 1759 John, Samuel and Ephraim Cummings, Timothy Read, Moses Parker, Samuel Read, Moses Parker and an attorney for the administration of Thomas Cumming's estate requested the will be proved. Bond was posted on 14 May 1759. [7]

Children of John Cummings and Elizabeth Adams: Births recorded in Chelmsford. [2] Marriages or intentions of Elizabeth, Mary, William, Thomas, Abigail, Samuel, Ephraim and Bridget recorded in Westford. [3]

i. Elizabeth Cummings was born on 29 August 1706. She died on 18 February 1727 and is buried in the Fairview Cemetery. [4] Elizabeth Cummings married James Hildreth on 26 November 1724 at Concord in Middlesex County. James is probably the son of Richard and Dorcas Hildreth, born on 18 May 1701 in Chelmsford, and the grandson of Ephraim Hildreth. [2] He died on on 11 October 1745 in Louisbourg, Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, Canada and is buried in the Fairview Cemetery. [4] He married second Lydia Wright. [4] She died on 13 April 1797 in Westford and is buried in the Fairview Cemetery. [4] Lydia married second David Proctor, possibly the son of Samuel Proctor. [4]

James's death suggests that he was probably one of the British soldiers at the 1745 siege of Louisbourg. The French forces surrendered on 27 June, but many of the British who occupied the garrison died from disease and cold in following months.

ii. Mary Cummings was born on 5 July 1708. She died on 3 November 1778. She married Timothy Read on 20 November 1732. Timothy, the son of Thomas and Sarah (Fletcher) Read, was born on 21 March 1714 in Westford. [8] He may have been the grandson of Joshua Fletcher.

Mary is referred to as the wife of Timothy Read in the settlement of her father's estate. [7]

Mary Cummings was admitted to communion on 17 March 1728 in the church in Westford. [5]

Timothy and Mary moved to Dunstable. [8]

Mary and Timothy are buried in the Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery in Dunstable. The inscription on her gravestone says, "In Memory of Mrs Mary Read wife of Mr. Timothy Read, Junr. who departed this Life Nov. 3d, 1778 in the 71st year of her age." The inscription on his gravestone says, "n Memory of Mr. Timothy Read who departed this Life April 26th, 1799 in the 86th year of his age." [4]

iv. William Cummings was born on 27 July 1712. He died on 8 September 1758 and is buried in the Congregational Church Cemetery in Hollis. [4] He married Lucy Colburn of Dunstable by an intention of 12 July 1734. She died on 5 June 1808 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Groton in Middlesex County. [4] She married second Ebenezer Kendall. [4] He died on 20 December 1774 and is buried in the Central Cemetery in Dunstable. [4] She married third Josiah Hobart. [4]

v. Thomas Cummings was born on 4 August 1714. He died on 13 November 1787, age 73. He married Sarah Fasset on 26 September 1733. Sarah was born about 1714. She died on 13 January 1800, age 86. She was probably the daughter of Josiah Fasset of Westford. [6]

Thomas Cummings owned the covenant at the church in Westford on 9 June 1734. Thomas and Sarah, his wife, were admitted to communion on 6 September 1741 in the church at Westford. [5]

The inscription on Thomas's gravestone in the Fairview Cemetery says, "Memento mori Erected In Memory of Mr Thomas Cumings, who departed this Life Novr ye 13th AD 1787; In the 74th year of his Age." The inscription on Sarah's says, In Memory of Mrs Sarah Cumings wife of Mr Thomas Cumings who died Jan 13, 1800 Æt 86." [4]

vi. Abigail Cummings was born in November 1716. She died on 31 March 1743. She married Lieutenant Samuel Read on 23 November 1732. John, the son of John and Jane (Chamberlain) Read, was born on 11 August 1711. [8] He died on 29 March 1781. He married second the widow Hannah (Wright) Underwood. [4][8] She died on 7 March 1811 and is buried in the Fairview Cemetery. [4]

The inscription on her gravestone in the Fairview Cemetery says, "Here lies buried ye body of Mrs Abigail Reed ye wife of Mr. Samuel Reed who departed this life March ye 31st AD 1743 In ye 27th year of her age." The inscription on Samuel's gravestone in the Fairview Cemetery says, "Memento mori In Memory of Lieut Samuel Read who departed this Life March 29th 1781 Aged 69 years 7 months & 11 days." [4]

vii. Samuel Cummings born on 16 November 1718. He died on 6 June 1796 and was buried in the Parsonage Cemetery in Cornish Center, Sullivan County, New Hampshire. [4] He married Sarah Spalding of Chelmsford by an intention of 21 October 1741. She was the daughter of Deacon Andrew and Abigail Spalding. [6][8] Sarah, the daughter of Andrew and Abigail (Waring) Spalding was born on 9 June 1723 in Chelmsford. She was probably the granddaughter of Andrew Spalding. [2] She died on 20 November 1801 and is buried in the Parsonage Cemetery. [4]

Samuel Cummings was admitted to communion on 9 December 1739 in the church at Westford. He was dismissed and recommended to an unspecified church on 8 May 1757. [5]

Samuel was referred to as of Dunstable in his father's estate papers, but he must have moved to New Hampshire when he inherited land in Hollis. [7]

viii. Ephraim Cummings was born on 13 November 1720. He died on 17 January 1775, age 54. [3] He married Abigail Hildreth on 12 October 1742.

The inscription on his gravestone in the Fairview Cemetery says, "Hora Fuget Here lies the Body of Mr Ephraim Cumings who departed this Life Janr 17th 1775 In the 55th Year of his Age." [4]

ix. Bridget Cummings was born on 15 November 1722. She died on 19 October 1778, age 55, in Westford. She married Lieutenant Moses Parker.

References:

1. Vital Records of Dunstable, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1913).

2. Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1914).

3. Vital Records of Westford Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1915).

4. Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 26/27 May 2023), memorial pages for

5. "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988," database with images, Ancestry > Westford > Church Records, with Births, Marriages, and Deaths. 

6. Edwin R. Hodgman, History of the town of Westford in the County of Middlesex, Massachusetts: 1659–1883 (Westford: Westford Town History Association, 1883).

7. "Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871," database with images, Ancestry, John Cummings: case 5427.

8. George Mooar, The Cummings Memorial (New York: B.R. Cummings, 1903).

Image of death record: [5 > Westford > Births, Marriages, and Deaths, image 47] 

Photo of John and Elizabeth's gravestone: By Jack Parker [4], used with permission

---

©2019 A. Buiter

Revised 27-May-2023