James (Haywood) Howard (1744 - abt. 1793)

Born 7 Nov 1744 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Keziah (Butters) Howard — married 7 Dec 1771 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died about 1793 at about age 48 in Paris, Herkimer, New York, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

James Haywood was born on 7 Nov 1744 in Woburn, Massachusetts, the son of James Haywood and Susanna Wilson. ^[1] He married Keziah Butters in Wilmington on 7 Dec 1771.^[2] There are few primary sources available regarding James' life. It is believed that soon after his marriage he and his wife removed to Jaffrey, New Hampshire, where their children were born; and afterwards to Herkimer County, New York.

This narrative is consistent with many known facts. There are no records of births to James and Keziah in Wilmington or nearby towns, and Jaffrey kept very poor records at that time. ^[3] A late 19th century history of the town of Jaffrey includes several entries for James, including the following:^[4]

• 1779 - Chosen for a committee to treat with Mr. Colby concerning preaching supplies
• 1779 - Chosen highway surveyor
• 1780 - James and Keziah founding members of Church of Christ in Jaffrey
• 1780 - Chosen Selectman
• 1784 - Belonged to the Training Band [militia].
• In state report as soldier of the Revolution

As is common with histories of that time, no sources are provided, but the nature of the entries make clear that sources were available to the author.

There is evidence of the following children born to James and Keziah:

• Keziah - Abt. 1772^[5]
• James - Abt. 1774

They may also have had a second son - the 1790 census shows James Haywood in Jaffrey with two males 16 and over, one male under 16 and two females.^[6]

Col. Jedediah Sanger of Jaffrey bought a large tract of land in Whitetown, Herkimer County, New York and moved there in 1788, being the first resident in those parts.^[7] It appears that the Haywood family followed in Col. Sanger's footsteps soon afterwards, and adopted the surname Howard. James (the son) married there in 1794, and lived in the adjoining town of Frankfort for about 60 years (see his profile for more detail). Keziah (the daughter) and her husband Oliver Prescott also made their home in the area.^[8]

James (the father) is supposed to have died in the newly-formed town of Paris in 1793,^[9] although evidence of this is lacking. His widow Keziah is said to have joined the Norwich Corners church in July 1798; she was buried in the adjoining cemetery in 1811.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch ([1] : 10 November 2020), James Haywood, 7 Nov 1744; citing Birth, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch ([2] : 19 April 2021), James Hayward and Keziah Butters, 7 Dec 1771; citing Marriage, Wilmington, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.
3. ↑ Daniel B. Cutter, History of the Town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, From the Date of the Masonian Charter to the Present Time, 1749-1880, Concord, NH: Printed by the Republican Press Association, 1881, p. 3 ([3] : 13 Feb 2022).
4. ↑ Daniel B. Cutter, pp. 71, 73, 125, 136-137, 365, ([4] : 19 Feb 2022).
5. ↑ "New Hampshire Marriages, 1720-1920", database, FamilySearch ([5] : 24 January 2020), Keziah Haywood in entry for Oliver Prescott, 1788.
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1790 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010; citing Year: 1790; Census Place: Jaffrey, Cheshire, New Hampshire; Series: M637; Roll: 5; Page: 123; Image: 69; Family History Library Film: 0568145 Ancestry Record 5058 #207400
7. ↑ Wikipedia, "New Hartford, New York," ([6] : 13 Feb 2022).
8. ↑ Cutter, p. 442 ([7] : 13 Feb 2022).
9. ↑ FamilySearch, James Hayward IV, ([8] : 13 Feb 2022).
10. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images ([9] : 19 February 2022), memorial page for Kesia Howard (unknown–8 Oct 1811), Find a Grave Memorial ID 97589215, citing Norwich Corners Cemetery, Frankfort, Herkimer County, New York, USA.