John Danforth (1703 - 1737)

Born 3 Jun 1703 in Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Tabitha (Johnson) Danforth — married 17 Sep 1726 in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died Dec 1737 at age 34 in Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Patricia Abbott [send private message]

Biography

JOHN DANFORTH,^[1] born at Billerica, 3 Jun 1703^[2] son of Jonathan Danforth and Rebecka Parker;^[3] John died at Westborough, 1737 (will 8 Nov 1737; proved 4 Jan 1737/8); married 1st about 1720, HANNAH POULTER, born at Lexington, 12 Nov 1697^[4] daughter of Jonathan Poulter and Elizabeth Coolidge;^[5] Hannah died at Lexington, 3 Mar 1725.^[6] John married 2nd at Andover, 17 Sep 1726,^[7] TABITHA JOHNSON, born at Andover, 4 Apr 1693 daughter of John Johnson and Eleanor Ballard;^[8] Tabitha was living at Andover in 1758.

John Danforth, born in Billerica, was the youngest of nine children of Jonathan Danforth and Rebecca Parker. He kept a farm and was a cordwainer by trade.

John’s father Jonathan Danforth died in 1710 when John was seven years old. On 24 July 1724, John Danforth signed that he received from his brother Thomas Danforth of Billerica the full share of his father Jonathan’s estate, both real and personal.^[9] In a deed recorded 24 July 1724, John Danforth of Billerica joined his siblings in a quitclaim of their interest in the estate of their grandfather Jonathan Danforth to Oliver Whiting.^[10]

John was first married to Hannah Poulter who likely died soon after the birth of their only known child, Hannah. Hannah Danforth was reared by her Poulter relatives in Lexington. Likely related to the settlement of her grandfather Jonathan Poulter’s estate, Joseph Loring of Lexington was named as guardian on 15 March 1735/36 to Hannah Danforth of Lexington, daughter of John Danforth of Westborough and granddaughter of Jonathan Poulter. Surety for the guardian bond was given by Benjamin Merriam.^[11] On 15 March 1737, Joseph Loring acting as guardian to Hannah Danforth of Lexington quitclaimed all the interest that Hannah had in the estate of Jonathan Poulter, including the reversion of the dower, to Benjamin Merriam for payment of thirty-five pounds.^[12] Hannah Danforth married Benjamin Merriam's brother Amos in 1738.

John Danforth was second married to Tabitha Johnson of Andover and the family settled in Westborough. On 6 July 1724, John Danforth, cordwainer of Westborough, for payment of sixty pounds, purchased from Caleb Townsend of Shrewsbury all his house lot lying in the first division at Westborough along with a 70-acre lot of upland and dwelling house.^[13]

John Danforth died at Westborough at age 34.

Probate

In his will written 28 November 1737 (proved 4 January 1737/38), John Danforth bequeaths to beloved wife Tabatha all the within doors moveable estate and the use and improvement of one-third of the lands. To daughter Hannah now living in Lexington, he leaves all the movables that were her mother’s. Only son John Danforth receives a double share of the estate. Daughter Lydia Danforth receives the remaining part of the estate. Father-in-law John Johnson of Andover was named sole executor. Real estate was valued at £150 with total estate value of £261.09.09. In an accounting on 21 September 1738 by John Johnson, debts and administrative charges, including funeral charges and payment to the doctor, totaled £31.1.2.^[14][15][16]

After John’s death, Tabitha returned to Andover with her two children. On 13 September 1742, Tabitha Danforth and John Johnson of Andover petitioned the Court in Middlesex County to name Jacob Danforth of Billerica as guardian to John Danforth, a minor under the age of fourteen son of John Danforth of Westborough, deceased. On 20 September 1742, Lydia Danford of Andover, aged fourteen years, made choice of Jacob Danford of Billerica as her guardian.^[17]

On 6 April 1758, Tabatha Danforth, spinster of Andover, in consideration of one hundred pounds, conveyed to John Danforth, husbandman of Andover, three parcels of land lying in Andover and Tewksbury partially adjoining property that had belonged to her brother John Johnson.^[18]

Child of John Danforth and Hannah Poulter

i HANNAH DANFORTH, b. about 1721; d. at Bolton, MA, 17 Apr 1811; m. at Lexington, 9 Nov 1738, AMOS MERRIAM, b. at Lexington, 25 Jul 1715 son of John and Mary (Wheeler) Merriam; Amos d. at Bolton, 5 May 1786.

Children of John Danforth and Tabitha Johnson

i LYDIA DANFORTH, b. at Westborough, 29 Jun 1729; m. at Andover, 24 Jan 1754, her first cousin once removed, URIAH BALLARD, b. at Andover, 28 Apr 1715 son of Uriah and Elizabeth (Henshaw) Ballard; Uriah d. at Wilton, 1803. Uriah was first married to Sarah Dane and second married to Mehitable Barker.

ii JOHN DANFORTH, b. at Westborough, 25 Mar 1731; d. at Greenbush, 29 Sep 1758; m. at Andover, 6 Mar 1755, ELIZABETH WILSON, likely b. at Billerica, 10 Oct 1732 daughter of John and Jemima (Shed) Wilson; Elizabeth d. at Concord, NH, 27 Jun 1804. Elizabeth married second Ebenezer Dow on 12 Jun 1760.

Sources

1. ↑ Family summary provided courtesy of Patricia Abbott from Abbott, The Descendants of William and Grace Ballard of Andover, p 49
2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4V4-HZZ : Thu Oct 26 01:10:03 UTC 2023), Entry for John Danforth and Jonathan Jun Danforth, 3 Jun 1703.
3. ↑ May, Danforth Genealogy, p 38 and p 46
4. ↑ Poulter, Hannah, d. of Jonathan & Elizabeth, b. Nov. 12, 1697. Lexington Vital Records, Volume 1, p 61
5. ↑ Delorey, Janet Ireland, “The Poulter Family of Rayleigh, Essex, England and Billerica, Massachusetts”, New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1987, Volume 141, p 226
6. ↑ Danforth, Hannah, Mar. 3, 1725. Lexington Vital Records, Volume 1, p 172
7. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPZF-SXCL : Wed Oct 25 20:22:50 UTC 2023), Entry for John Danforth and Tabitha Johnson, 17 Sep 1726.
8. ↑ Johnson, Tabitha, d. John and Elenor, Apr. 4, 1693. Andover Vital Records, Volume 1, p 232
9. ↑ Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. Case 5890
10. ↑ Massachusetts Land Records, Middlesex County, 24:47
11. ↑ Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. Case 5888
12. ↑ Massachusetts Land Records, Middlesex County, Middlesex Deeds, 39:600
13. ↑ Massachusetts Land Records, Worcester County, 5:433
14. ↑ Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Case 15256
15. ↑ "Probate records v. 1 1731-1739, 1778-1814, 1863-1870" database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9Y5-BDK6  : 4 February 2024), Film# 00774407, Worcester, Massachusetts, image 169, Vol 1, Page 293-294.
16. ↑ "Probate records v. 1 1731-1739, 1778-1814, 1863-1870" database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9Y5-BDVC  : 7 February 2024), Film# 00774407, Worcester, Massachusetts, image 193-194, Vol 1, Page 342-343.
17. ↑ Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. Case 7145
18. ↑ Massachusetts Land Records, Essex County, 106:161

• Abbott, Patricia A. 2023. The Descendants of William and Grace Ballard of Andover Through Six Generations: Including Male and Female Lines of Descent from Generation One to Generation Six. Emerald Isle, NC: Patricia A. Abbott.
• May, John Joseph. 1902. Danforth Genealogy. Nicholas Danforth, of Framlingham, England, and Cambridge, N. E. [1589-1638] and William Danforth, of Newbury, Mass. [1640-1721] and Their Descendants. Boston, MA: Charles H. Pope.