Rachel (Goddard) Coolidge (1699 - aft. 1750)

Born 18 Apr 1699 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Wife of Obediah Coolidge Jr — married 24 Jul 1717 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died after 12 Sep 1750 after age 51 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony [uncertain]

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Biography

Rachel Goddard was born April 18, 1699 at Watertown, Massachusetts and baptized there April 30, 1699, daughter of Josiah and Rachel (Davis) Goddard. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Rachel married Obadiah Coolidge Jr. at Watertown on July 24, 1717. Obadiah was a cordwainer of Newton, Massachusetts and was born at Watertown on August 27, 1695, son of Obadiah Sr. and Elizabeth (Rouse/Rose) Coolidge. ^{[4] [1]}

Her father Josiah wrote his will on December 29, 1719. Within his directives he left daughter Rachel, wife of Obadiah Coolige, one cow, in addition to the L80 she already received. He also indicated that son Ebenezer should place L20 with brethren Benjamin Goddard, Isaac Davis and Edward Goddard for the benefit and comfort of daughter Rachel and her child or children, to be disposed in a manner they think best. ^[5]

From the Watertown transcripts below, it appears that about 1727, hard times fell upon Obediah and Rachel Coolidge, as Rachel, her children and all their goods were placed in the care of her mother Rachel and her brother Ebenezer Goddard.

• 1727: April : There having been Complaint made To the sd Selectmen that Obadiah Coollidge of sd Town, his Familie being under needy and Suffering Circomfsances, The sd Obidiah Coollidge also Declaring before the Selectmen at their Meeting on the 24 Day of March Last past, That he was not able to Support his Familie, the Selectmen did then strongly advise the said Obadiah Coollidge, To put out his Children into Some good Religious Families where his Children might Have good care taken of them. And to do it fourthwith To prevent them the Trouble thereof. ^[1]
• The Selectmen at this their Meeting understanding that the sd Obadiah Coollidge having not Complied with their advice to put out his Children, Do Order that the Said Obadiah Coollidges Wife & Children and household goods be forthwith Removed To the Dwelling house of the Widow Rachel Goddard, of said Town, their to Continue under the care of the sd Widdow Goddard & her son Ebenezer until further Order from the Selectmen. ^[1]
• 1727: April 28th: Meeting of ye Selectmen: The Selectmen agreed and Ordred Ebenezer Goddard to take one of the Children of his Brother in Law Obadiah Coollidge, his family being undr needy Suffring Circumftances, viz: his Son Obadiah to Live with him and take good care of him till further ordr of the Selectmen. At sd meeting the Selectmen Defired ye sd Ebenezer Goddard to take some prudent care of his Sister, the Wife of the sd Obadiah Coollidge, & her Children, that are with her. She being at present undr weak Circumftances & to provide prudently for them till further ordr of ye Selectmen. ^[1]
• 1727: May 11: At a meeting of the Selectmen of Watertown: Being in formed that their order of April the third Last paft relating to Obadiah Coollidges family and goods to be removed to widow Rachel Goddards is not yet fullfilled, do Order that Ebenezer Goddard do take Effectual care that said order be forthwith performed. ^[1]
• 1727: May: In Obfervance of the within Order I have removed the within Mentioned Obadiah Coollidges Wife & Children, and Such goods, as I could, find belonging to them, to the place within Mentioned Watertown. Eb. Goddard.^[1]

They resided first at Watertown, then in 1728 at Framingham, Massachusetts. They removed to Marlborough, Massachusetts in 1732, and were of Westborough in 1740. ^[4]

Obadiah died after 1739 ^[4]and before 1750. Obadiah's aunt, Hannah (Coolidge/Smith) Fiske, in her will written on September 12, 1750, left a bequest of L140 'old tenor', to the children of Obadiah Coolidge, deceased. ^{[6] [7]}

In the above will, Obadiah's aunt names his widow Rachel Coolidge and states that the L 140 should be held for the children, but the annual interest should be paid to the widow, until such time as she decease or remarry.^{[6] [7]}

Children

born at Watertown were:

1. Josiah born July 17, 1718 ^[8]; died at Lancaster, Massachusetts on December 25, 1780: married Mary ___, and raised his family in Bolton. ^[4]
2. Hannah born June 2, 1720. ^{[8] [4]}
3. Lydia, baptized January 9, 1725/6 ^[8]; married at Westborough on February 5, 1745, Joseph Bartlett of Rutland. ^[4]
4. Obadiah born ___: probably married at Roxbury Sarah Davis July 30, 1750. ^[4]
5. Rachel born about June 16, 1731: died at Northborough on January 5, 1766, aged 34 years 6 months 20 days: married Seth Rice of Northborough. ^[4]

Research notes

Births

Rachel Goddard, Daughter of Josiah & Rachel Goddard, was born Aprill the 18, 1699. (p. 13) ^[1]

Obediah Coolidge, son of Obediah & Elizabeth Coolidge, was born August 27th 1695. (p. 3) ^[1]

Marriage

Obadiah Coolidge of Newtown, and Rachel Goddard of Watertown, were joined in Marriage upon the 24th of July 1717. By Mr. Henry Gibbs, A minister of ye Gosple in Watertown. (p. 59) ^[1]

Watertown Births

Coolidge, Hannah, d. Obadiah and Rachel, June 2, 1720. (p. 66)

Coolidge, Josiah, s. Obadiah and Rachel, July 17, 1718. (p. 64)

Coolidge, Lydia, d. Obadiah, bp. Jan. 9, 1725-6. (p. 135) ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Watertown Records: The third book of town proceedings, and the second book of births, marriages and deaths to the end of 1737; also plan and register of burials in Arlington street burying ground, Historical Society of Watertown, Press of Fred Barber, Watertown, Massachusetts, 1900 p. 3: 13: 59: 341-3: 376
2. ↑ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 53, New England Historic Genealogical Society. Boston, Massachusetts, 1899 p. 242
3. ↑ Davis, George Lucien, compiler and publisher. Samuel Davis, of Oxford, Mass., and Joseph Davis, of Dudley, Mass., and Their Descendants, North Andover, Massachusetts, 1884 p. 2
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7} The New England Coolidges in: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 77, NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts, 1923 p. 278: 286: 292-3
5. ↑ Case 9252: p. 1-4: Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Case 7577: p. 1-3: Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized mages provided by FamilySearch.org) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB536/i/14471/7577-co2/38242140
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Sanborn, Melinde Lutz. The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton, 1878-1908: The ancestry of Henry Clay Bartlett, 1832-1892, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 2004 p. 112-3
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings with the Land Grants and Possession, and the First Book and Supplement of Births, Deaths and Marriages, The Historical Society, Press of Fred G. Barker, Watertown, Massachusetts, 1894