Robert Peebles (1675 - 1772)

Born 1675 in Ulster, Ireland

Husband of Sarah (Gray) Peebles — married [date unknown] in Antrim, Antrim, Northern Ireland

Descendants

Died 3 Sep 1772 at about age 97 in Bedford, Hillsborough, New Hampshire

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mark Peebles [send private message]

Biography

Robert was born in 1675. He passed away in 1772. ^[1]

Burial

Burial: FAG 67914066

Place: Old Bedford Cemetery , Hillsborough, NH

Emigration

Emigration:

Date: 1718

Place: Ulster, Ireland

Immigration

Immigration:

Date: 04 AUG 1718

Place: Arrived in Boston, MA from Ulster, IRE on one of the "Five Ships". The ship they arrived on was named William

Nationality

Nationality: Scots-Irish

Occupation

Occupation: Blacksmith, Farmer, Church & Civic Leader

Religion

Religion: Presbyterian

Event

Event: He organized Worcester as a town.

Type: Move 1

Date: 1722

Place: Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

Notes

On August 4, 1718 the "Five Ships from Ulster, Ireland" landed at Boston, MA with many of the Ulster-Scots aboard that signed the petition to Gov. Shute of Bay Colony.

One of these ships, was the "William" under the command of Robert Montogomery. On this ship were Robert & Sarah Peebles and their 2 oldest sons, Patrick & John Peebles.

When they arrived in America these immigrants decided to go to different locations in groups. Some remained in Boston, while others went to other areas such as Stowe, Hopkinton, Coleraine and other areas.

One group which consisted of 16 families went to Nutfield, NH (now Londonberry, NH). Robert Peebles and his family went with one of the larger groups to Worcester, MA. Our story is most closely connected with the Worcester & Londonberry families. It seems that for many years the families of the "Five Ships" remained close and married in and out of their families.

Robert was 43 years old when he arrived in the USA. At the age of 63 he was one of the principal proprieters of the purchasing of the 'Lisburne Propriety' (Pelham, MA).

Robert in 1758, at the age of 83 years old, sold his property in Pelham, MA to his son Patrick. After that he and his wife Sarah moved to Bedford, MA to live with Anna their youngest daughter and also the wife of Rev. John Houston. Two years after they moved to Bedford, MA, Sarah Peebles died.

Robert was closely associated with the Presbyterian Clergy. He was one of the main supporters of Rev. Robert Abercrombie, before he settled in Pelham, Robert was paid many accounts for boarding supply ministers that were hired by the town. Robert also acted as a tything man.

For many years Leslie A. Peebles (author of the 2 previos Peebles volumes) tried to find proof of Robert's birth in Ulster, IRE, but to no avail. I myself have searched also and with all the modern day technology of computers, still nothing. Many indications point to Robert being the grandson of Robert Peebles who in 1637 leased 781 acres of land from the Earle of Antrim, in Ballybrack, Antrim.

It is very possible that Robert of Glenarm in Antrim in 1669 was the father of Robert, our ancestor.

The graves of Robert & Sarah are located on the west side of the river about 1.5 miles south of the Manchester Country Club in the Town of bedford, NH. Their daughter Anna and her husband Rev. John Houston are also buried there. this year 2002 marks 242 years after they died.

From Charles Nutt's History of Worcester and its People (1919)

Peeble (Pebbles) - Robert, the immigrant was born in Ulster Province, north of Ireland, about 1680. He came with his wife and several children among the first Scotch-Presbyterians who accepted the invitation of Governor Shute to come to New England. Of the first hundred families which came in the fall of 1718, many settled in Worcester. Pebbles was one of the leading men here in 1722 and there is every reason to think he was among the pioneers in this remarkable emigration. In 1724 he was assigned the fifth seat in the Old South meeting house. He was hog-reeve in 1722; fence-viewer in 1723-4; tythingman in 1728. In 1725 he served on a committee to prevent cattle and horses not belonging to landowners from being brought to town. He was highway surveyor in 1726 and field driver 1726-7; declined the office of constable in 1728-9, but accepted it in 1732, 1736 and 1737. When the meeting house was seated May 30, 1733, Robert Pebbles was placed up among the leaders and pillars of the church in the second seat in the body of the church, while his two grown sons, Patrick [5th great grandfather] and John were given seats in the second pew in the long gallery.

A Road was laid out by his farm and from the Rutland Road to the country road February 14, 1733-4. He bought his homestead, March 7, 1722-3, but the deed was not acknowledged until May 12, 1726, from Elisha Bruce of Marlborough, Mass., in the eastern part of Worcester, thirty-seven acres adjoining land of Ephraim Curtis on the county road and on the road to James Taylor's farm. He probably moved in 1728 to a farm containing sixty-eight acres that he bought April 17, 1728, on North Pond Brook... In 1731 he became a proprietor of the town, buying the right ("tens", they were called-ten acre rights) of Palmer Goulding. ...

He was a blacksmith by trade and evidently prosperous. He bought thirty acres of the south part of the original right of Ephraim Curtis, September 11, 1727; forty-seven acres of John Hubbard of Worcester, undivided land and a four-acre house lot granted to Isaac Wheeler, deed dated March 13, 1727-8. He also bought the twenty-acre house-lot granted to William Pain of Boston from James Dunlap of Canterbury, Ct., November, 1736, the land being on the road to Lake Quinsigamond. His son John deeded his farm back to his father in 1739-40 for some reason, but on April 18, 1741, Robert Pebbles, then of Lisbon (now Pelham, Mass.) propriety, deeded this place, fifty-five acres, on both sides of North Pond Brook, back to his son John.

Robert Peebles and James Thornton of Worcester were the founders of Pelham, Mass. These two Scotchmen bought a tract of land three and a half miles wide by seven and three-quarters in length, the present site of Pelham, containing 18,868½ acres of land of Colonel Stoddard of Northampton, Mass. Stoddard bought it of the state of Connecticut. It was of the Equivalent Land, the title of which was given to Connecticut by Massachusetts, though jurisdiction was retained. The lands were called Equivalent Lands, because they were given to compensate Connecticut for the towns of Woodstock, Somers, Enfield and Suffield, then held by Massachusetts, despite the fact that by some mistake the grants had been made south of what was afterward fixed as the Massachusetts line. The two purchasers agreed to settle forty families within two years. They were all ready, however, for the deed to the proprietors was made February, 1738-9, naming the settlers. It was called the Lisbon, Lisborn or Lysburn propriety, and the first five meetings were held in the new settlement, held August 10, 1740. He was on the committee, May 19, 1741, to raise the new meeting house and, November 3, 1741, when they began to have services, he was appointed to keep the minister at twelve shillings a week. He led the movement to incorporate Pelham as a town and the bill was signed by the governor January 15, 1742. Pebbles was directed to call the first town meeting for April 1, 1743, and a fac-simile of this call drawn and signed by Pebbles is reproduced in the Pelham town history. Lisburn, or New Lisborn, the name of the propriety, was changed to Pelham. Lisburn is the name of a town on the River Lagan in Antrim County, Ireland. At the first town meeting he was elected selectman and re-elected in 1744, perhaps served later. He was moderator in 1744.

The town took steps May 26, 1743 to call a minister and Pebbles was on the committee for that purpose. Rev. Robert Abercrombie was settled, but in 1747 trouble had developed over the minister.

Pebbles continued to board ministers and entertain the presbytery as late as 1756.

He had three shares in each division of Pelham, and became a large land-owner. He lived on lot sixteen of the first division.

Our Immigation Ancestro, Scots-Irish and Presbyterian.

On August 4, 1718 the "Five Ships from Ulster, Ireland" landed at Boston, MA, USA with many of the Scots aboard that signed the petition to Gov. Shute of Bay Colony.

One of these ships the "William" was under the command of Robert Montgomery. On this ship were Robert & Sarah Peebles and their 2 young sons, Patrick and John.

Robert and his family went to Worcester, MA with a large group of people. It seems for many years the families of the "William" married in and out of their families.

When he arrived in the USA Robert was 43 years old. At 63 years old he was one of the principal proprieters of the purchasing of the "Lisburne Property", (Pelham, MA).

In 1758 at the age of 83 Robert sold his property in Pelham to his son Patrick. After, he and his wife Sarah moved to Bedford, NH to live with their youngest daughter Anna Peebles Houston, wife of Rev. John Houston. Two years later Sarah died.

Robert was very closely associated with the Presbyterian clergy. He was one of the main supporters of Rev. Robert Ambercrombie. Before Robert settled in Pelham he was paid many accounts for boarding supply ministers that were hired by the town. Robert also acted as a tything man.

For many years Leslie Arthur Peebles (author of the first 2 Peebles books) tried to find proof of Robert's birth in Ulster, IRE. With all of todays modern technology the WWW and other means I still can find no record of his birth. There are many indications that Robert was the grandson of Robert Peebles who in 1637 leased 781 acres of land from the Earle of Antrim, in Bally brack, Antrim. It is very possible that Robert of Glenarm in Antrim in 1669 was the father of Robert, our ancestor.

The graves of Robert and Sarah are located on the west side of the river about 1.5 miles south of the Manchester Country Club in the Town of Bedford, NH. Their daughter Anna and her husband Rev. John Houston are also buried there.

Robert was the co-founder of Pelham, MA with James Thronton.

In 1724 Robert was assigned the fifth seat in the Old South Meeting House. In 1772 he was hog-reeve, (officers charted with the prevention or appraising of damages by stray swine). Between 1723-1724 he was a fence-viewer, (town official who administers fence laws by inspecting new fence and settlement of disputes arising from trespass by livestock that have escaped enclosure). In 1728 a tythingman, (are responsible for the general morals of the community, more specifically for the observance of the Sabbath. Inspect all Inns and Public Houses licensed to sell liquor and report all disorders; report on idle or disorderly persons, profane swearers or cursers and Sabbath breakers. Also stop unnecessary travel on The Lord’s Day). In 1725 he served on a committee to prevent cattle and horses not belonging to landowners from being brought to town. In 1726 he was a highway supervisor and field driver, (Cleared land; land suitable for tillage or pasture; cultivated ground; the open country). Between 1726-1729 he declined the office of Constable, but in 1732, 1736 and 1737 he accepted it. When the Meeting House was seated May 30, 1733 Robert Pebbles was placed up among the leaders and pillars of the church in the second seat in the body of the church, while his two grown sons Patrick and John were given seats in the second pew in the long gallery.

A road was laid out by his farm and from the Rutland road to the country road February 14, 1733-1734. He bought his homestead March 7, 1722-1723, but the deed was not acknowledged until May 12, 1726, from Elisha Bruce of Marlborough, MA. In the eastern part of Worcester thiry seven acres of adjoining land of Ephraim Curtis on the county road and the road to James Taylor's farm. He probably moved in 1728 to a farm containing sixty eight acres that he bought April 17, 1728 on North Pond Brook. In 1731 he became the propreitor of the town, buying the right, ("tens", they were called ten acre rights) of Palmer Goulding.

He was a prosperous Blacksmith by trade. He bought thirty acres of the south part of thee original right of Ephraim Curtis, September 11, 1727; fourty seven acres of john Hubbard of Worcester, undivided land and a four acre house lot granted to Isaac Wheeler, deed dates March 13, 1727-1728.

Robert was the owner of pew #2 in the Old Worcester Meeting House. Pews that were auctioned off showed good standing in the community.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67914066/robert-peebles

Acknowledgments

• Mark Peebles, firsthand knowledge. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Mark and others.
• WikiTree profile Peebles-964 created through the import of Peebles.ged-1_2012-06-14.ged on Jun 14, 2012 by Mark Peebles.