William Fletcher

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William Fletcher (c. 1622–1677), son of Robert Fletcher

Lydia Unknown (d. 1704)

William Fletcher was born about 1622 in England. [1] He died on 6 November 1677. [2, 86] He married Lydia Bates on 7 (9) 1645 in Concord. [3]

The widow Lydia died on 12 October 1704 in Chelmsford. [4] Lydia is said to be the widow of Edward Bates. [5]

Farwell conjectures that Lydia might have been the daughter of Richard Fairbanks, who was baptized on 13 Jun 1622 in Boston, England. [5]

William Fletcher came with his father to Concord in 1630, when he was eight years old. [1]

He became a freeman, along with Thomas Adams, Benjamin Butterfield and Robert Proctor on 10 May 1643. [6]

William Fletcher was one of the petitioners for a grant of land for the town of Chelmsford on 19 May 1653. [2, 2–3] The first town meeting on 22 (9) 1654 was held at his house. [2,12] At the second town meeting on 24 (1) 1655 he was chosen constable. [2, 13] William Fletcher and his wife were early members of the church in Chelmsford in 1655. [2, 12] He was dismissed from the church in Concord and he owned the covenant at the church in Chelmsford on 11 (4) 1656. [2, 26] Ensign William Fletcher is on a 1671 tax list in Chelmsford. [2, 59–60]

William was a trustee for Chelmsford in 1654 and 1656. He was a selectman from 1658 to 166 and in 1668, 1673 and 1676. He is referred to as ensign in 1673. [HR, 754–6]

On 20: 3: 1673 William Underwood, William Fletcher and Abraham Parker were appointed to lay out a highway in Chelmsford. [2, 40] William was on a 1 September 1674 list of able-bodied men in Chelmsford. [2, 89]

Children of William Fletcher and Lydia: [5]

i. John Bates Fletcher was born about 1641. He was baptized on 1: 12m 1656 at about 15 in Chelmsford.

ii. Joshua Fletcher was born about 1644. He was baptized on 1: 12m 1656 at about 12 in Chelmsford. He married first Grissell Jewell. He married second Sarah Wiley.

iii. Lydia Fletcher was born about 1647. She was baptized on 1: 12m 1656 at about nine in Chelmsford.

iv. Samuel Fletcher was born about 1651. He was baptized on 1: 12m 1656 at about four in Chelmsford. He married Hannah, the daughter of George Wheeler of Concord, on 5 July 1673(?) in Chelmsford. He married as her second husband second Sarah Ball of Concord on 7 June 1699 in Concord. Sarah, the daugher of Joseph Miriam of Concord and the wife of Samuel, died on 29 April 1703 in Chelmsford. Sarah married first Eliazer Ball on 14 June 1688 in Concord. [3] Samuel married third Elizabeth Proctor on 20 December 1705 in Concord.

Samuel Fletcher was on a 1671 tax list in Chelmsford. [2, 59–60] He was on a 1 September 1674 list of able-bodied men in Chelmsford. [2, 89]

iv. William Fletcher was born on 21 or 22 February 1656 in Chelmsford. He married Sarah, the daughter of Josiah Richardson, on 19 September 1677 in Chelmsford.

v. Mary Fletcher was born on 4 Octoer 1658 in Chelmsford. She married Thomas Parker on 21 October 1678 in Chelmsford. Thomas was the son of Seargent Jacob Parker.

vi. Esther Fletcher was born on 12 April 1664 in Chelmsford. She married Isaac Parker on 11 April 1681 in Chelmsford.

Endnotes:

1. Vital Records of Littleton, Massachusetts (Charlestown: Acme Bookbinding, 1994), 438–9.

2. Wilson Waters, History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts (Lowell, MA: Courier-Citizen, 1917).

3.Concord, Massachusetts: Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635–1850 (Concord: Beacon Press, 1895). William and Lydia's marriage, p. 6. Samuel's second wife's first marriage, p. 27.

4:Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1914).Fletcher: births and baptisms of children (as ch. William), 61–67. Marriages of Joshua, Samuel (first, second and third), William, Mary and Esther (as ch. William, Mary, d. Ens. William), pp. 228–33. Death of Samuel's second wife (as w. Samuel, d. Joseph Miriam of Concord).

5. John Dennis Farwell, The Farwell Family: A History of Henry Farwell and his wife Olive (Welby) Farwell of Boston, England, and Concord and Chelmsford, Mass., 1605-1927 (Orange, TX, F.H. Farwell and F.B. Farwell, 1929).

6: Lucius R. Page, "List of Freemen," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 3 (1849): 190.

Revised 04-Jun-2023