James Locke (1709 - abt. 1805)

Born 4 Oct 1709 in Rye, New Hampshire

Ancestors

Husband of Mercy (Foss) Locke — married 2 Mar 1732 in New Hampshire

Descendants

Died about 1805 at about age 95 in Barnstead, Strafford, New Hampshire, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chrissy Locke [send private message]

Biography

James Locke, son of Edward Locke and Hannah Jenness, was born in 1709 at Rye, New Hampshire.^[1] He married Mercy Foss of Barnstead 2 Mar 1731-2. James was a cordwainer.^[2]

James bought 50 acres of land at Rochester in 1732, selling the land in 1733. James and Mercy sold land at Rochester in 1737 and in 1763. James served under General Wolf at Quebec in 1759, following which he returned to farming and hunting in Rochester.^[2]

James moved to Barnstead, New Hampshire about 1762. He met a hunter named Libbey who "showed him a clearing where Indians had apparently camped. This seemed a desirable location, as it was within a mile of a large tract of marsh land, and its hay would winter several cattle. Here he built his cabin and to it moved his family from Rochester about 1762. Locke and Libbey worked the marsh together, cutting and stacking the grass to be drawn in the winter on sleds by the elders or their sons. Moose fed on these stacks, and one winter three were shot; Indians also slept there but did no damage."^[2]

A man with the surname of Adams is called the first settler of Barnstead, New Hampshire because he settled in the southern part, but James Locke settled in the remote northeast part of Barnstead a few years before.^[2]

Children of James Locke and Mercy Foss

James and Mercy had the following children:^[2]

1. Susannah, bapt. 1737; died young
2. Susannah, bapt. 1741; m. 16 Jul 1779, Richard Hodgdon in Portsmouth
3. Edward, bapt. 1747; possibly b. Hampton Falls, 9 Jul 1733
4. Mary, bapt. 1750-1; m. Lebanon, Me., 1 Jun 1769, Philip Dore, son of Philip Dore and Lydia Mason
5. James, b. 1752; m. 1778, Mary Bean
6. Prudence, bapt. 1756; m. 27 Jan 1780, at Belmont, Samuel Avery, Jr.
7. Sarah, b. 1 Jan 1758; m. 20 Mar 1777, Benj. Dore, son of Philip Dore and Lydia Mason. He was b. 9 Jan 1756. Sarah d. 19 May 1850. Child: Mehitable, b. Lebanon, Me., 2 May 1778; d. Newfields, Sep 1865; m. Lieut. Joseph Merrow, who d. 15 May 1856.
8. Mehitable, b. ; m. John Goodwin of Kittery, Me., son of John and Keziah Tebbetts

James Locke passed away about 1805 on his homestead at Barnstead, New Hampshire, and was buried there.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Cutter, William Richard, A.M. Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. Clearfield Company. New York. 1908. pg. 1282
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} A History and Genealogy of Captain John Locke (1627-1696) of Portsmouth and Rye, N.H. by Arthur Horton Locke, 1916, Rumford Press. James Locke pg 25

• Author: Edward Norris Wentworth, Jr Title: The Genalogy of Edward Norris Wentworth Junior Publication: Location: Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA; Date: June 1928; NOTE Special Project Submitted in Courses in Community Life and Advance Biology at the University High School, University of Chicago
• "New Hampshire Births and Christenings, 1714-1904," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FDNY-XT5 : 12 December 2014), James Lock, 04 Oct 1709; citing HAMPTON TWP,ROCKINGHAM,NEW HAMPSHIRE; FHL microfilm 1,001,013.

Acknowledgements

• Sara V Mosher