Walford Family Newspaper Article

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Surname/tag: Walford Bachelder Amaseen Peverly Goss Jones Mazeet Noble Brooking Rouse Savage

This is the transcription of a 1906 newspaper genealogy article regarding the WALFORD family of Charlestown and later Great Island (New Castle) areas both in then Massachusetts Bay Colony. The researcher includes sources of his information making the story quite valuable to researchers. The original document was transcribed by Janice Webster and posted here.

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Massachusetts Newspapers, 1704-1974, The Boston Evening Transcript, Monday, September 30, 1907, page 12. GENEALOGICAL. Genealogical Department. At MyMeritage (https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-10704-1223680/the-boston-transcript)

-9452. 1. Walford. J.E. * M., Sept 9, 1907. Thomas Walford was living at Charlestown, Mass., in 1630. The Puritans claimed his land under a grant obtained in England, and he migrated to the Piscataqua. A record of May 25, 1640, names him and Henry Sherburne as wardens of the First Episcopal Church of Portsmouth, N.H. (New Hampshire Genealogical Record, Vol 1, page 2). He had land on New Castle Island, and extensive grants in Portsmouth and at the time of his death in 1667 had a plantation of some two hundred acres of marsh and adjoining upland at the head of Sagamore Creek. He left wife, Jane or Jean, born by deposition about 1598.

- His only son, so far as known, was Jeremiah (2) who died April 21, 1660, leaving widow Mary, understood to have been daughter of Alexander Bachelder, sons, Thomas(3) and Jeremiah(3) and daughters Martha(3) and Mary(3). The widow Mary, married John Amaseen, called "the Greek"( (New Hampshire Court Papers, July 13, 1682; New Hampshire Probate Records, 1, 231.) The son, Thomas(3) died without issue before the summer of 1681 (New Hampshire State Papers 19, 679). The son Jeremiah(3) also died without issue though he was of New Castle April 28, 1732 and had wife Elizabeth (New Hampshire Deeds, 18, 417). He had died before May 31, 1735. His wife Elizabeth may have been the "Granny Woolford" recorded as having died in Greenland NH October or November 1743. Mary(3) Walford, Jeremiah(2) born by deposition about 1636, married Joseph Mazeet beofre 1682 and had a son Thomas (New Hampshire Court Papers 1681-2, page 6; also page 9 for name Joseph Mazeet; also New Hampshire Deeds, 21, 149).

Thus the Walford name came to an end with the third generation. The descendants are very numerous in female lines. Proof of most of the above genealogy is found in the following deed (New Hampshire Deeds, 21, 149): May 31, 1735, Thomas Mazeet of New Castle, husbandman, for L20, conveys to John Yeaton of New Castle, yeoman "all my right to the house and land in New Castle which was the estate of Jeremiah Walford, late of New Castle, deceased, yeoman, which said Jeremiah Walfaord was grandfather of the above-said Thomas Mazeet and also such rights, etc. of said Mazeet as Thomas Walford and Jeremiah Walford both late of New Castle, yeoman, deceased, had in their father Jeremiah Walford's estate in New Castle, which said Thomas and Jeremiah were sons of Jeremiah Walford, first named and uncles to the above named Thomas Mazeet, and both died without issue."

- The daughters of Thomas(1) Walford so far as known were: Jane, Hannah, Mary, Elizabeth, and Martha.

Jane married, apparently before 1630, Thomas Peverly. They had the farm next east of her father's on the south side of the creek. The location of the house can probably be determined from a clause in his will, which gives their son, John Peverly, "a point of marsh, north of the creek, one half an acre, lying before his father's door." This John was born by deposition about 1649. Thomas Peverly's will (New Hampshire Probate, 1, 87), dated April 19, 1670 (inventory dated May 6 1670) mentions wife, sons, Thomas, Lazarus, Samuel and Jeremiah; daughter Martha Noble (wife of Christopher), who received five acres of upland, and daughter Holmes (Mary, wife of John). John Peverly is to be executor in case of his mother's decease or remarriage, and is to bring up the younger children till they are "capable of being disposed of abroad." Mary Holmes was born by deposition about 1647. There were probably more children than were named, and among them a Sarah, who in 1699 was widow of Michael Hicks, and later married -- Savage. Widow Jane Peverly married -- Goss before 1682.

-- Hannah(2) Walford married a Jones, supposed to have been Alexander Jones of New Castle. Portsmouth records, Oct 22, 1649, have the acknowledgment of Thomas Walford that he has freely given all his rights, etc upon the great island (New Castle) unto his son Jeremy Walford, excepting what he has formerly given to Alexander Jones. In his will he mentioned grandchildren, Samuel and Sarah Jones. There were other Jones families. A John Jones deposed, born about 1616 and a Thomas Jones (not son of John) born about 1636, also a Mary Jones (wife of George) about about 1626; also George and Stephen both born about 1642; Francis Jones (son of John) born about 1639, also George Jones Sr., and George Jones Jr. are mentioned in 1670.

-- Mary(2) Walford born by deposition about 1635, married William, son of Godfrey Brooking, certainly before 1682 and I suppose much earlier. Children of William Brooking are mentioned in a deed, Jan 20 1702-3 (New Hampshire Deeds 4, 62a), (all daughters) wives of Thomas Rouse, John Jang, John Lewis and Jacob Brown, also Mary Leucie, widow. From other sources we learn that the first of these was Rebecca who had married first -- Pomeroy; second, Sept 6, 1687 Clemment Rammeril; third, Sept 2 1689 Thomas Rouse, and is thought to have married, fourth, -- Alston or Ashton. The others were Grace Lang, Martha Lewis, and Sarah Brown. Mary was the widow of Thomas Leucie. She had claimed to be an heir of Walford property, so we can be pretty sure she was daughter of Mary (Walford) Brooking; however, it may have been with the others, William Brooking died before Jan 20, 1702-3. On that date his widow, Mary, was wife of William Walker.

-- Elizabeth(2) Walford married, apparently, some years before 1667, Henry Savage. Her father's will mentioned grand children, Mary and Hester Savage. Henry Savage deeded to son-in-law Peter and Edward Wells, the last with wife Deborah; whom Henry Savage calls his daughter Nov 13, 1708. Elizabeth Savage bequeathed to son John Savage, granddaughter Easter Savage, daughter Deborah Wells and Deborah's children, Edward, not of age, and Mary, under sixteen, also to granddaughters Ann and Elizabeth Wells, and to the two youngest children of Edward Wells, Henry Savage and William Brooking seem to have lived on the north side of the creek, a little east of the Walford plantation (New Hampshire Deeds 2, 50b and 3, 138a).

-- Martha(2) Walford said to have been born about 1645, married Thomas Hinkson, who died in June 1664, leaving one child, Mary, who was living May 26, 1680 (see New Hampshire court papers of that date). Martha married second, apparently before 1666 John Westbrook. Her father bequeathed twenty acres to grandson John Westbrook. Martha died before May 26, 1680 (Did she leave daughter Jane who married Matthew Nelson?)

-- Thomas(1) Walford was one of the leading men of his time and place, and his wife Jane seems to have had characteristics that made an impression. In June, 1656 she was prosecuted, unsuccessfully, for witchcraft. Thirteen years later, March 22, 1669, she sued Dr. Robert Couch for slander on witchcraft grounds and got L3 and costs of suit. It has been claimed on evidence from a deed that she subsequently married -- Goss. (New Hampshire Deeds vol xi, pages 261-5). As this deed has been a puzzle to many, I will quote for it at some length.

"Whereas, heretofore has been claim laid to the estate of Thomas Walford, deceased, it or all the part which was given me by my mother Jean Walford, the relict of Thomas Walford, after her marriage Jean Givs (?) (Goss?) all marsh or upland which I claimed right to on that account. Sarah Hicks, widow of Portsmouth, in the Province of New Hampshire, in New England. Sarah Hicks, widow, upon due and serious consideration of the case and more especially in consideration of five pounds in hand received of Matthew Nelson, who bought the said estate for improvement made thereupon, I the said Sarah Hicks do give, grant," etc. SIgned Nov 16, 1699, Sarah Hicks. Witnesses, John Holmes, Anthony Rowe, Joseph Holmes and James Booth.

"Nov the 16th, 1699. Then the within named Sarah Hicks, widow went and delivered any or all her right and title or any manner of claim in the within-mentioned estate unto Matthew Nelson, now improving of it."

"Portsmouth, feb. 29, 1719. Sarah Savage, who was formerly Sarah Hicks, personally appeared and acknowledged," etc. Before me, Samuel Penhallow. Recorded Feb 29, 1719-20. Apparently this Sarah was a daughter of Thomas Walford, or of his wife, Jane by a previous marriage. I think a mistake was made in writing or recording the deed. How could Thomas(1) Walford's widow have had any of his land to give away? His will gave her none and her widow's rights were only a life interest. It is likely that she, after 1669, when by deposition we was seventy-one years old, with a reputation for witchcraft, married again, or that a daughter of hers married after 1699? The Jean of the deed must have been Thomas(1) Walford's daughter Jane, widow of Thomas Peverly, who is known to have married a Goss before 1682. She, with her sisters, Hannah Jones, Mary Brooking and Elizabeth Savage, had laid claim in the summer of 1681 to the land of Thomas(3) Walford, deceased, that was bequeathed him by his grandfather, Thomas(1) and the claim was allowed by the Council of the Province. See New Hampshire State Papers, vol. xix, page 679. Apparently this decision was afterwards overruled or rendered doubtful, though I have not seen record of it. The property was deeded Nov 30, 1697 (New Hampshire Deeds 11-261) to Matthew Nelson by parties, who claimed under Jeremiah(3) Walford, who had it of Thomas(3). Mary Walker and her daughter Mary Lencie had a few days before, for L10, relinquished to Nelson their claim to it, speaking of it as a claim which they "by an imperfect order for the Council did for sometime enjoy." Jane had signed out a few days before them, and Elizabeth Savage signed out Jan 17, 1698-9. All these women delayed acknowledging their deeds for some twenty years. I have found no deed by which Hannah Jones relinquished her claim, and this has caused it to be suspected that Nelson succeeded to her claim in some way through his wife Jane. [Strafford].

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