John Tufts (1689 - 1752)

Born 26 Feb 1689 in Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Bradstreet) Tufts — married 9 Nov 1714 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 17 Aug 1752 at age 63 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

John Tufts is Notable.

The Rev. John Tufts was born at Medford, Massachusetts, 26 Feb 1688/89, the son of Peter Tufts and Mary "Mercy" Cotton; ^{[1] [2] [3]} died at Amesbury, Massachusetts, 17 Aug 1752; ^{[4] [5]} married at Newbury, Massachusetts, 9 Nov 1714, Sarah Bradstreet, ^{[6] [7]} born at Newbury, 14 Jan 1696/97, daughter of Dr. Humphrey Bradstreet and Sarah Peirce. ^[8]

Biographical sketch from Tufts Genealogy - Earlier Generations: ^[9]

Harvard College, 1708; minister, settled over second church of Newbury, 30 June, 1714; resigned 1738; shop keeper at Amesbury. He wrote as early as 1714 An Introduction to the Singing of Psalm-Tunes, In a plain and easy Method, with A Collection of Tunes. In Three Parts. It advocated singing by note, and was the first book of the kind published in New England. It passed through several editions. He married, 9 November, 1714, Sarah, daughter of Dr. Humphrey and Sarah (Peirce) Bradstreet of Newbury, who was born 14 January, 1696-7, or 19 December 1697.

Tufts' pioneering work led to a revolutionary new social institution, the New England singing school, which influenced American music and music education for over one hundred years. Tufts was the most significant figure in American music education until the 1820s, when Lowell Mason led it in a new direction. ^[10]

A part of John Tufts' legacy is the house he built in around 1715 in what is today West Newbury, Massachusetts. It is listed among some of the oldest structures in Massachusetts and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

Children, born at Newbury, Massachusetts: ^[11]

1. Mercy Tufts, b.4 Sep 1715; d. 16 Sep 1715.
2. Joshua Tufts, b. 4 Oct 1716; Harvard College, 1736; minister, settled at Litchfield, New Hampshire, Narragansett No. 2, Martha's Vineyard and Cumberland, Nova Scotia; m. 1742, Abigail, dau. of William and (_____) Ellery, who d. 1766. He also d. 1766.
3. Sarah Tufts, b. 21 Apr 1725; m. the Rev. Josiah Chase, son of Thomas Chase, who was settled at Kittery.
4. John Tufts, b. 9 Jan 1726/27; d. 12 Mar 1728/29

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZ2H-MZW : 5 January 2021), John Tufts, 1688.
2. ↑ Henry Ernest Woods, Editor, Vital Records of Medford, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Stanhope Press, F. H. Wilson Co., Boston, Massachusetts, 1907, 469 pages), p. 149. Cit. Date: 14 Mar 2021
3. ↑ Larkin T. Tufts and Edward C. Booth, Tufts Genealogy - Earlier Generations (The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.), Vol. 51, p. 300. Cit. Date: 14 Mar 2021
4. ↑ "Massachusetts Town Births Index, ca. 1630-1905", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHRQ-WLW : 22 October 2020), Rev. Mr. John Tufts, 1752.
5. ↑ Topsfield Historical Society, Vital Records of Amesbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Newcomb & Gauss, Printers, Salem Massachusetts, 1913, 600 pages), p. 593. Cit. Date: 14 Mar 2021
6. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1K-7RL1 : 29 November 2018), John Tufts and Sarah Bradstreet, 9 Nov 1714; citing Marriage, Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009724.
7. ↑ The Essex Institute, Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, VOLUME II. - MARRIAGES AND DEATHS (Newcomb & Gauss, Printers, Salem, Massachusetts, 1911, 759 pages), p. 495. Cit. Date: 14 Mar 2021.
8. ↑ The Essex Institute, Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, VOLUME I. - BIRTHS (Newcomb & Gauss, Printers, Salem, Massachusetts, 1911, 564 pages), p. 61. Cit. Date: 14 Mar 2021
9. ↑ NEHGR 51:302
10. ↑ Lowens, Irving. “John Tufts' Introduction to the Singing of Psalm-Tunes (1721-1744): The First American Music Textbook.” Journal of Research in Music Education, vol. 2, no. 2, 1954, pp. 89–102. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3343691. Accessed 14 Mar 2021.
11. ↑ NEHGR loc. cit.

See also:

• Wikipedia Biography
• Wikisource Short Biography
• "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:STYT-4M3 : accessed 6 July 2019), entry for John /TUFTS/, cites sources; file (2:2:2:MMQ1-TFD)
• John Tufts House