Joshua Atherton (1737 - 1809)

Born 20 Jun 1737 in Harvard, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Abigail (Goss) Atherton — married 27 Oct 1765 in Petersham, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 4 Apr 1809 at age 71 in Amherst, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States

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Biography

Joshua Atherton performed Patriotic Service in New Hampshire in the American Revolution.

Joshua was born 20 June 1737, in Harvard, Massachusetts. He was the son of Peter Atherton (1705-1764) and Experience Wright (1711-1775).^[1]

Joshua graduated from Harvard College in 1762.

He filed intentions to marry Abigail (Goss) Atherton (1749-1801) on 5 Seeptember 1765^[2], and they were married on 27 October 1765 in Petersham, Massachusetts.^[3]

Joshua Atherton attended Harvard College and afterward resided at Litchfield & Merrimack, New Hampshire. In 1773 he was appointed Register of Probate for Hillsborough County, New Hampshire and moved to Amherst. During the early years of the American Revolution Joshua Atherton was a loyalist and "fell under the popular displeasure." In 1776 he refused to sign the Association Test, an oath of allegiance to the new American government. He was imprisoned at various times in the Amherst jail, his own home, and the jail at Exeter, New Hampshire. In 1779 he took the oath of allegiance and an attorney's oath, then was allowed to return to his law practice. "The good will of his fellow citizens began to return to him." In 1783 he was elected delegate to the New Hampshire state constitutional convention. He served the state in many ways, including as state Senator in 1793-94. [abstract in part from Secomb 857-860]

He passed away in 1809.

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4J2-7L6 : 10 November 2020), Joshua Atherton, 20 Jun 1737; citing Birth, Harvard, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009632.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH7H-6QB : 10 November 2020), Joshua Atherton, 5 Sep 1765; citing Marriage, Petersham, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007011136.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH7H-86G : 10 November 2020), Joshua Atherton, 27 Oct 1765; citing Marriage, Petersham, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007011136.

• “Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPH5-RXCH : 31 October 2019), Joshua Atherton and Abigail Goss, 27 Oct 1765; citing Marriage, Bolton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009655.

• “Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH7H-86L : 24 January 2020), Abigail Goss in entry for Joshua Atherton, 1765.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #31096692