Joshua Bailey (1737 - 1806)

Born 22 Dec 1737 in Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Died 9 Apr 1806 at age 68 in Hopkinton, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States

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Biography

Joshua Bailey was born in 1737, the son of Nathan Bailey and Mary Palmer.^[1] When Joshua was still a teenager (about 1751), his family moved to Andover, MA.

Joshua was first married 24 Nov. 1763, in Hopkinton, NH, to Anna Putney. Theoretically the marriage may have occurred in "Number Five", NH, which was only officially attached to "New Hopkinton" in Dec. 1763.^[2] Anna was born 11 Oct. 1747 in the adjacent township of Rumford, NH (later renamed Concord), the daughter of John Putney and brother of Hon. John Putney.^[3] The couple settled in Hopkinton, NH (still Rockingham County until 1771, then Hillsborough County until 1823), where all their children were born, only three of whom survived to adulthood:

1. Molly, b. 21 Jan. 1765
2. John, b. 23 Feb. 1769; m. Margaret Moore
3. Joshua, b. 13 Nov. 1770; d. 15 Jan. 1771
4. Elijah, b. 27 Feb. 1773; d. 27 Mar, 1773
5. Anna, b. 4 Mar. 1774; d. 24 May 1780
6. Sarah, b. 1 Apr. 1776; d. 5 June 1787
7. Betty (Bertha), b. 8 May 1780; d. 21 June 1787
8. Esther, b. 18 Mar. 1781; m. Calvin Holman, and
9. Rachel Putney, b. 16 Aug. 1782; m. William Webber.

Joshua was a farmer. He became a Colonel during the Revolutionary War. He held many civil offices during his residence in Hopkinton. In 1775, he was a delegate to the convention at Exeter; in 1778, he was a representative to the General Court; in 1781, he was a member of the constitutional convention; in 1787, he was state senator; and in 1787, he was a representative at the General Court, but, being chosen senator by the legislature, Aaron Greely was chosen a representative in his stead; from 1766 to 1791, he was town-clerk; in 1768, in 1774, from 1781 to 1785, in 1787, and in 1790, he was a selectman.

Joshua Bailey's military record was equally honorable with his civil one. As captain, he led a company of men in Col. Thomas Stickney's regiment, Gen. John Stark's brigade, at Bennington, in 1777; he also commanded a company in Colonel Kelley's regiment, General Whipple's brigade, in the expedition to Rhode Island in 1778.

"Joshua Bayley" was a signer of the Association Test in Hopkinton in 1776.^[4] And he was recorded on the 1790^[5] and 1800^[6] censuses for Hopkinton, NH.

Joshua lost his wife Anna in 1787 (22 June). Joshua then re-married on 6 Nov. 1788, to Sarah Clement,^[7] the daughter of Moses Clement and Phebe Wilson of Haverhill, MA. Sarah was born Mar. 29, 1752 at Haverhill, MA. Joshua and Sarah had one son born at Hopkinton, NH:

1. (Capt.) Moses Clement, b. 5 Mar. 1792; m. Mary Greely.^[8]

Joshua Bailey of Hopkinton, NH executed a will on 24 Mar. 1806.^[9] In this will he gave to his son Moses Clement Bailey the whole of his house and barn, reserving half for his widow and two daughters, “so long as they remain single,” and half of his barn to his son John Bailey as long as he wants it where it stands, but was not to sell or remove it, but keep it in repair. He also gave his son Moses Clement Bailey two other parcels of land and makes not of land he had already deeded his son, John Bailey. Joshua appointed his wife, Sarah Bailey, to be administrator of his estate and she was to pay his two daughters, Rachel Bailey and Esther Bailey £200 pounds each and after his debts were paid Sarah was to have the rest, so long as she remained his widow, and after it was to be divided between his children. He left his household furniture to his wife. He left his two daughters a 25 acres parcel of land on the south side of the Contocoock River. They were to get their mother’s furniture after her decease and the southeast chamber of his dwelling house and privileges in the kitchen as long as they remained single. Be gave the rest of his lands that he had not otherwise disposed of to his son John Bailey and Moses Clement Bailey and farming tools which were to be kept for the use on the farm and not to be sold. The sons were to see after his widow. The will was witnesses by Philip Greeley, Moses Kimball and Joshua Clement.

Joshua Bailey, Esq. died 9 Apr. 1806 at Hopkinton, NH, age 68. His will was presented to the court for probate on 3 June 1806, with inventory approved by the court in Hopkinton on 15 Aug. 1806.^[10] Joshua and both wives were buried in Old Hopkinton Cemetery, Hopkinton, NH. All three have period tombstones.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ Vital Records of Bradford, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield Historical Society, Topsfield, Mass., 1907)| Page 14
2. ↑ Life and Times in Hopkinton, NH, by C. C. Lord, 1890| Page 41
3. ↑ New Hampshire Marriage Records, Hopkinton| Marriage, Bailey - Putney
4. ↑ Miscellaneous Revolutionary Documents of New Hampshire, NH State Papers, Volume 30| Page 67, Third name
5. ↑ 1790 United States Federal Census, State of New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, Hopkinton, Page 336, Line 8, RH Column| 1790 US Census, "Joshua Bailey"
6. ↑ 1800 United States Federal Census, State of New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, Hopkinton, Page 548, Line 29| 1800 US Census, "Joshua Bailey"
7. ↑ Vital Records of Haverhill, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield Historical Society, 1910)| Page 22
8. ↑ History of the Greeley Family| Page 197
9. ↑ State of New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, Probate Records, Volume 11, 1804 - 1808, FHL 16075| Pages 571-574
10. ↑ State of New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, Probate Records, Volume 11, 1804 - 1808, FHL 16075| Pages 625-627
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #97886954 for Joshua Bailey

See Also:

• Family Search | Joshua Bailey
• Life and Times in Hopkinton, NH, by C. C. Lord| Page 305
• A Genealogy of the Descendants of Richard Bailey of Rowley, Massachusetts, Historical and Genealogical Researches, of Merrimack Valley, Vol 1, Nbr. 1, April 1857, Published by Alfred Poor, Haverhill,| Page 80, middle right-hand column
• Ransom, Jeanne Bailey. The Bailey Family; History and genealogy of descendants of Richard Bailey of Rowley, Massachusetts who came to Michigan by way of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York, 1635-1990, with Allied Families (Ann Arbor, Michigan : After Thoughts, Inc., 1991), Page 44
• The Essex Antiquarian (Salem, Massachusetts, 1897-) Vol 5, 1901| Page 111. Person 91