John Elston Jr (abt. 1635 - abt. 1685)

Born about 1635 in Saco, Yorkshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Joan (Warwick) Waddock — married 3 Nov 1658 in Saco, Yorkshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died about 1685 at about age 50 in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

Note that members of this family have used, or have been recorded in vital records and histories with, several variants of surname: Elston, Elson, Helson, Ellston, Ellson, Hellson, and other similar versions. For a discussion, see later in the Research Note section "Surname spelling variations", both in this profile and in a bit more detail in the profile for this man's father: John Elston (Senior).

John Elston is thought to have been born about 1635 in Saco, early Maine, later subsumed by Massachusetts Bay Colony, and present day Maine, where his father was resident when the first vital records were established (for Saco) in 1653. ^[1] While his father may have resided, for a while, about 1631, in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, there is no record of his son's birth found to date in Salem vital records or histories.

Saco vital records record his marriage, 3 Nov 1658, in Saco, to Joanna Warwick, daughter of Henry Warwick^[2], recorded as "John Helson maried to Joane Waddock 3: of 9 mth 1658." Note that Henry Warwick and his family members frequently appear in early records with the Waddock surname.

One of John and Joanna's children is among the first births recorded in Saco vital records: "Ephraim Helson son of John borne Decemb: 4: — 1667"^[3] Their last child, Benjamin, was born 20 May 1683, about a year prior to John's death, in Salem: "ELSON, Benjamin, s. John and Joanah, May 20, 1683."^[4]

John and Joanna's children are listed, probably in full, in John's will. They are listed, along with reasoning for their dates of birth and details of the will, in the Research Notes section titled "Children of John . . .".

An early version of this bio.

--- which was replaced based on sourced information provided in the Research Notes below.

John Elston was born in 1634 at Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey to John and Joanna Warwick Waddock. He married Joan Clapp June 16, 1656 at Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts and their children were: William, Peter, Ann, Margaret, Eleazer and Marie. John died in 1700 at Woodbridge, NJ. ^[5]

Research Notes

The Find-A-Grave source for his death^[5] is unsupported by an actual known grave, and provides no other sources. The will cited below in the section on "Children of John Elston . . ." suggests his death occurred between when the will was made, 11 Mar 1684, and when it was probated, 24 November 1685, probably in Salem.

(Disputed) Spouse of John Elston (Jr.)

The following paragraph is copied from the Research Note originally composed for the profile of Joan (Clapp) Elston (who was originally given as John's spouse:

There don't appear to be many sources for Joan Clapp, all sites come back to The Elston Family in America by James Strode Elston. ^[6] The context of this entry in The Elston Family in America is that the author is considering "other men of similar names [to that of John Elston or John Hellson] that have been found and investigated until either (1) no more information was found or (2) it appeared that they could not have been the ancestor of the Woodbridge Elstons." The entry itself is "John Ellis, 1646-1716 lived in Medfield and Midway. Without special investigation he appears to have been the husband of Joanne, an interesting possibility until we find that he married Joan Clapp Jan 16, 1655."

The Joan (formerly Clapp) Elston is given in that profile as the daughter of John Clapp and Joan (Willis) Clapp. In the bio and comments for the profile of John Clapp, it has been established that (1) John Clapp mentioned no children of his own in his will, and that accordingly, Joan (Clapp) Elston should be removed as a child of John Clapp, and (2) that after John Clapp's death, his widow, Joan (Willis) Clapp married John Ellis/Ellice,^[7] an individual distinct from John Elston.

Parentage of John Elston (Jr.); probable spouse of John Elston (Jr.)

As detailed in the Research Note (Origin of John Elston, Jr. of Saco) included with the bio of this John Elston's father, John Elston (Senior) it is probable that the woman originally cited as this John's mother, Joanna Warwick, daughter of Henry Warwick, was actually John's spouse. John Elston (Senior) and Henry Warwick were contemporaries, of about the same age, so it is most likely that the son of John Elston (Senior) (this John) and the daughter of Henry were the couple married in the record of 1658 in Saco.^[2] Many early records did not distinguish between the two men, father and son, but there are land deeds and a record of court testimony, that specifically name John Ellson (or Hellson), Senior.

Children of John Elston (Jr.) and Joanna Warwick

Considering the above, most likely identification of the spouse and parentage of John Elston, the children of John and Joanna can be identified from John's will, which was made 11 Mar 1683/4 and probated at Salem 24 Nov 1685. His "beloved wife Joanna" was appointed executor; bequeathals were made "unto my children John, Samuel, Ephraim, Dinah, Margaret, Hannah, and Benjamin." John ordered to "leave it in charge unto my sons Samuel and Ephraim that they be carefull of their mother and dutifull unto her and serve her untill they come to the age of twenty one years."^[8]

According to that will, Samuel and Ephraim are not of age (21) in 1684, so were born after about 1663. We know from early Saco vital records, cited above, that Ephraim was born 4 Dec 1667. Benjamin's birth is recorded in Salem vital records as 20 May 1683^[9] (less than a year prior to John's will and thus likely an infant at his father's death). Since John III, son of John Jr., is not mentioned in the will as being not-of-age, he must have been born about or prior to 1663, and since his parent's marriage was late in 1658, he was likely born sometime between 1659 and 1663. For the sake of an estimate, say, 1661. If John's children are named in his will in the order of their birth, a not unreasonable assumption, Samuel may have been born around 1665, close to being of age at his father's death, and older than Ephraim, consistent with Samuel being named first in the charge to take care of and be dutiful to his mother. This leaves the three daughters, possibly born in the sixteen-year period between the births of Ephraim (in Saco) and Benjamin (in Salem). Note, however, that King Philip's War resulted in the evacuation of many from the Saco and Casco Bay area in about 1676. ^[10][11] While Benjamin's birth (in 1683) was noted in Salem vital records, Hannah's was not, suggesting she may have been born in the vicinity of Saco. Accordingly, "sprinkling" the births of the three daughters approximately evenly between 1667 and the evacuation in 1676, and in the order named in the will, yields Dinah b. abt. 1670, Margaret b. abt. 1672, and Hannah b. abt. 1675. These latter three dates of birth are consistent with marriages of the three daughters, recorded (from Salem vital records) in Perley's History of Salem, Massachusetts, being at age 21 or above: Dinah m. Stephen Ingalls 2 Jan 1690/1^[12] (age 21); Margaret m. John Harris 22 May 1695;^[13] (age 21); Hannah m. Robert Neal 6 Nov 1712^[14] (age 34).

Summarizing; children of John Elston (or Elson/Helson), Jr.:

John III) Elston/Elson/Helson b. abt. 1661 (estimate)

Samuel Elston/Elson/Helson b. abt. 1665 (estimate)

Ephraim Elston/Elson/Helson b. 4 Dec 1667 (Saco vital records)

Dinah Elston/Elson/Helson b. abt. 1670

Margaret Elston/Elson/Helson b. abt. 1672

Hannah Elston/Elson/Helson b. abt 1675

Benjamin Elston/Elson/Helson b. 20 May 1683^[4]

Surname variations; existence of John, Sr. and Jr., father and son

John Helson, Jr, was the son of John Helson, Sr, who (in turn) was identified in some early sources as the same man, John Elston, who resided in Salem about 1631 and shipwrecked in Massachusetts Bay 26 Jul 1631. For example, Pope, in Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire^[15]: "Elson, Elston, John of Salem, shipwrecked in Boston bay with two of Mr. Cradock's fishermen 26 July 1631," and Spencer in Pioneers on Maine Rivers^[16]: "Helson, John, one of Cradock's fishermen at Boston, 1631, Winter Harbor, 1652; had built a house near Church Point, 1671, [locations near Saco, ME] . . ." For other details of the father, see the research notes in the profile for John Elston.

That were two John Helsons residing in the Saco, ME area, father and son, is supported, first, by a court record^[17]: “The names of the Jury that vewed the Corpes of David May the 22 of December 1670 . . . The examination of John Ellson, Senior, alsoe hath not known any difference between Davy May nor any person all his tyme . . . The examination of John Ellson before this Jury & hee sayth that hee heard the sayd Davy May say the night before hee was murdered that hee should not live long . . . The apprehension of the Jury . . . that this person was found to bee slayne to be willfully murdered by himself.” Note that this reference also supports the notion that John Helson and John Ellson are variations of the Elson and/or Elston surname.

Since his father was first known and recorded (in 1631) as John Elston, it is appropriate that John Jr.'s surname be Elston also, although it is important to recognize that he was known as Elson or Ellson and Helson or Hellson in the Saco area, and was also known as Elson in Salem. Elson was the name used for his last will and testament, and in naming his children in that will. His will is discussed and sourced later in this bio. It is unclear whether John decided the spelling of his surname, or whether the person recording his will made that decision.

The existence of two Helsons (or Elsons), father and son is supported, second, by a record in York Deeds^[18]for the sale of 100 acres of land, by Roger Hill of Saco in the County of Yorke, “unto John Hellson, Senior, of the County & Town aforsd, ffisherman[sic], the sd tract of land being & lying on the Western side of the River of Saco to the Quantity of one hundred Acres to Runn[sic] along by the River Side, upwards unto the fresh water next adjoining unto the land that Richard Sealy hath in possession[sic], & doth Inhabitt[sic] on, & so downward upon the River Side to the Poynt, just upon the Southern side of the Dock that is made for the Laying and Securing of Boates, from which Poynt to Run up upon West South West, as farr[sic] as right against the present foot[sic] way out of the present feild[sic] of John Hellsons[sic], unto the field of the aforesd Roger Hill . . .” This deed was acknowledged by Roger Hill and witnessed on 24 Jan 1672, and apparently transcribed from “A true Copy of this Originall[sic] Instrument” on 8 Feb 1686 by the deputy registrar of deeds. Note particularly the use in this quotation of “John Hellson, Senior” and description of the abutment of the land deeded against that of the field of “John Hellsons”, which conceivably could be either an un-punctuated possessive form, or a plural form indicating father and son. It also introduces yet another variation in surname spelling for this family.

To give credit where it is due, the first person to identify the presence of two John Helsons, father and son, in the Saco, ME area, and to argue that it was the son that married the daughter of Henry Waddock/Warwick (who was roughly the same age as John Helson, Sr.) was James Strode Elston, in The Elston Family in America^[19] As Elston summarized in that work, “It therefore appears that John Elston had a son John born probably about 1635 and that it was the son who married Joanne Waddock[/Warwick] and who died in Salem [about 1684/5] leaving his wife and children. There is no clue as to which man the other references refer except that the earliest must refer to the father and the later to the son.

Sources

1. ↑ New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 71 (Boston, Mass.: NEHGS, 1917). Online at url: https://archives.mainegenealogy.net/2008/12/early-vital-records-of-saco-and.html, downloaded 1 Aug 2022.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 71, p. 126
3. ↑ New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 71, p. 125
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Six Volumes. (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1916 - 1925 ) Vol. 1, p. 277. (digital images, Google Books: https://books.google.com/ , accessed 18 Jan 2021)
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} FindAGrave
6. ↑ Elston, James Strode. The Elston Family in America. Rutland,VT: Tuttle Pub. Co., 1942, p.30; available online at the HathiTrust Digital Library: http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/4484786.html.
7. ↑ Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts, 1903 p. 126.
8. ↑ Essex County, Massachusetts probate records and indexes 1638-1916; Digital images: Old Series: Probate Records, vols. 301-303, Book 1-3, 1671-1694, viewing vol. 302, pp. 154-155, FHL film # 007704234. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YY-KGR9?cat=412735, accessed 6 Aug 2022.
9. ↑ Perley, S. The history of Salem, Massachusetts. 3 vols. (Salem, Mass.: Sidney Perley, 1924-1928), vol III, p. 175.
10. ↑ Folsom, George. History of Saco and Biddeford. (Saco: Alex C. Putnam, 1830), p. 161, p. 226.
11. ↑ Perley, S. The history of Salem, Massachusetts., Vol III, p. 93
12. ↑ Perley, S. The history of Salem, Massachusetts., Vol III, p. 175
13. ↑ Perley, S. The history of Salem, Massachusetts., Vol III, p. 175
14. ↑ Perley, S. The history of Salem, Massachusetts., Vol II, p. 123
15. ↑ Pope, Charles Henry, The Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire (Boston: Charles H. Pope, 1908), p. 63; digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org: accessed 27 Oct 2018)
16. ↑ Wilbur D. Spencer, Pioneers on Maine Rivers, originally pub'd Portland, 1930. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1973); digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org: accessed 12 Jan 2021).
17. ↑ Maine (Colony)., Libby, C. Thornton., Maine Historical Society. Province and court records of Maine. (2 vols) (Portland: Maine Historical Society, 1929), vol. II, p. 431.
18. ↑ Bowler, E. C. (Ernest Constant)., Chapman, L. Bond., Sargent, W. M. (William Mitchell)., Maine Genealogical Society (1884- )., Maine Historical Society., York County (Me.). Register of Deeds. (18881910). York deeds.(18 volumes) (Portland, Me.: Brown Thurston & Co., 1888-1910), Vol 6, Folios 6 and 7; digital images, Google Books, viewed on HathiTrust (https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/011528617: accessed 22 Jan 2021), images 28-31 of 744.
19. ↑ Elston, The Elston Family in America. pp. 28-29.