Rebecca (Rolfe) Whitmore (1661 - 1751)

Born 9 Feb 1661 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Wife of William Cutter Sr — married 4 Dec 1679 (to 1 Apr 1723) in Woodbridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Wife of John Whitmore — married 3 Jun 1724 (to 22 Feb 1739) in Cambridge, Midlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 23 Nov 1751 at age 90 in Arlington, Middlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

This profile is part of the Rolfe Name Study.

Rebecca Rolfe was born on February 9, 1661, in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts^[1]. William Cutter married Rebecca Rolfe, daughter of John Rolfe of Cambridge, originally from Newbury, Mass who went to Cambridge about 1670 from Nantucket Island. William and Rebecca were admitted to membership in the Cambridge church on 28 July 1700. A cherished relic, the family Bible, bears evidence of frequent use.

His residence was in that part of Cambridge which became the district of Menotomy, and on the banks of the stream flowing from Lexington into the Mystic River. On the occasion of John Rolfe's decease, on 1 October 1681 he received an acre of land. On 10 April 1684, he purchased of John Rolfe, Jr. four additional acres on which he built the house, afterwards his son John's. This land was the "west corner" of the Rolfe's homestead, and with the purchase William had "liberty to build a dam for the convenience of the mill" near his house, together with "the half part of a sawmill" on Sergeant Francis Whitmore's estate. He dwelt in the house until he sold it for 60 pounds to his son, John, on 9 April 1717, with 10 acres of land "adjoyning the place called the 'Rocks', and lying on both sides of the mill brook."

He died in 1723 and was buried beside his parents at Old Cambridge, where his gravestone reads: "Here lyes ye Body of Mr. William Cutter; who died April ye 1st 1723 in ye 74th year of his age."

On 3 Jun 1724, Rebecca married John Whitmore, Senior, a Deacon and highly trustworthy citizen of Medford.

John was one of the earliest settlers of Medford. He was known as a public spirited man and was largely interested in real estate, owning much valuable land in Medford, Billerica and Johnstown. An old record states that on December 24, 1680, he, with John Hall, Stephen Willis and Stephen Francis, divided among them what is known as the College Farm. Before this Caleb Hobart had sold one-fourth of his estate to John Whitmore. He served in the Indian campaign at Sacco, Me., under Major Swayne. His position was one of influence both in religious and civic affairs. He was Deacon of the First Parish Church, and Town Treasurer. His first wife Rachel Eliot, widow of John Poulter and daughter of Deacon Francis Eliot had died in Medford, MA, on 30 Mar 1723; she was 79.

In 1739 Rebecca gave 6 pounds towards defraying the expense of communion utensils for Menotomy church. She died 23 November 1751, aged 90 years. Deacon Whitmore died 22 February 1739-40, aged 84 years.

2nd generation Descendant of Henry Rolfe of Newbury

Sources

1. ↑ The Essex Institute, Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 Vol. I - Births (Salem, Mass. 1911)(Free e-book) (Records are also available at ma-vitalrecords.org) p. 439

• Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHLK-2J4 : 15 January 2020), Rebecha Roafe, 1661.

• Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28L-S8P8 : 22 July 2021), John Whitmore and Rebecca Rolfe Cutter, 3 Jun 1724; citing Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 927,923.

• Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK1L-9G1F : 17 July 2020), Rebecca Rolfe Whitmore, 1751; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• NEHGR: Some Materials Towards a Genealogy of the Family of the Name of Rolfe, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1849) Vol. 3, Page 151
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148488764/rebecca-whitmore
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KN81-J6K