Saturday, May 5, 2012

Surname Saturday ~ Waters of Salem, Massachusetts


WATERS
Richard Waters was granted lot 87 on this map
of the Northfield section of Salem, Massachusetts

Richard Waters was found in records in England, such as his baptism in 1604 in London, and the record admitting him into the Ironmongers Company on 26 April 1626.  There are additional records of him making payments to the Ironmongers Company, and of money he owed them. 
 
The next records of Richard Waters are in Salem, Massachusetts such as on 21 August 1637 "It's ordered that Mr. Connant's house, ground and half acre of corne standing on same next unto Mr. Jon Fisk shalbe bought by the Towne fro ould mr. William Plase and his wife that now is, to them , for the time of their life and what costs the saide Wm. Plase shalbe att his use and behouefe the Towne at the end of ther life shalbe will to allow his eyers executors or asigns the value that the same shalbe worth, voted."  There are additional records in Salem showing Richard Waters in divisions of land and grants of land.   He was a member of the First Church in Salem in 1637, too.

Richard Waters was a gunsmith.  He also owned a tavern in Salem.  His son, John, my 8 x great grandfather, was a farmer, who lived with his parents in Salem, and later in the Northfield section of Salem.  John Waters was called as a witness during the Salem witch trials to testify against George Jacobs.  His summons is unclear whether he was for or against Jacobs.  His daughter, Abigail, married John Jacobs, son of the accused George Jacobs.  

Summons for Witnesses v. George Jacobs, Sr. 
W'm and Mary by the Grace of God of England &c King and Queen &c. 

To the Sheriff of Essex or deputy or Constables of Salem Greeting. 

Wee comand you to Warn and give notice unto Joseph Flintt John Waters sen'r John Doritch Corpo'll John foster Capt Puttnam and [his] Rebecca his wife that they and Every of them be and appear forthwith att the Court of Oyer and Terminer holden at Salem there to Testifie the truth to the best of your knowledge on certain Indictments Exhibited against George Jacobs Sen'r hereof make return faile not. 

Dated in Salem Aug't 4th 1692, and in the fourth yeare of our Reigne 
( Essex County Archives, Witchcraft, Volume 1, page 85)

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I have two WATERS lineages:

A.
Generation 1: Richard Waters, son of James Waters and Phebe Manning, was baptized on 3 March 1604 at St. Botolph, Aldersgate, London, England, and died 16 July 1677 at Salem, Massachusetts.  He married about 1630 in England to Rejoice Plaise, his stepsister, daughter of William Plaise and Margery Smith.   William Plaise married Phebe (Manning) Waters about 1592 in England.  Richard Waters and Rejoice Plaise  had sixteen children.

Generation 2: John Waters, born 29 November 1640 in Salem, died 14 February 1706; married on 1 August 1663 in Salem to Sarah Tompkins, daughter of John Tompkins and Margaret Goodman.   She was born 1 January 1643 in Salem, and died about 1707 in Salem.  Ten children.

Generation 3: John Waters, born 4 July 1665 In Salem, died 1741; married Mary Unknown.  Six children.

Generation 4. Lydia Waters, born 1704, died 4 August 1769 in Danvers, Massachusetts; married on 14 December 1727 in Salem to John Proctor as his first wife.  Ten children.

Generation 5. Lydia Proctor m. Jonathan Flint
Generation 6.  John Flint m. Phebe Flint
Generation 7.  Olive Flint m. Luther Simonds Munroe
Generation 8. Phebe Cross Munroe m. Robert Wilson Wilkinson
Generation 9.  Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill
Generation 10. Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

B.
Generation 3. Abigail Waters, born 6 May 1683, died before 1721 in Salem; married on 6 April 1704 in Salem Village (now Danvers) to John Jacobs, son of George Jacobs (hung as a witch in 1692) and Rebecca Andrews.  He was born on 18 September 1679 in Salem and died in 1764 in Salem.  Seven children.

Generation 4. Abigail Jacobs, born about 1706, married on 5 February 1736 in Salem to Malachi Felton, son of Nathaniel Felton and Elizabeth Foot, born 14 May 1705.  Four children.

Generation 5. Sarah Felton married Robert Wilson
Generation 6. Robert Wilson married Mary Southwick
Generation 7. Mercy F. Wilson married Aaron Wilkinson
Generation 8. Robert Wilson Wilkinson married Phebe Cross Munroe
Generation 9.  Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill
Generation 10. Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

For more information on Richard Waters' family see the Salem, Massachusetts Vital Records, and Sidney Perley's History of Salem, 1924.  See also Ancestors and Descendants of Thomas Rice Lyon and his Wife Harriet Wade Rice with Related Families, by Patty Barthell Myers, 2003, pages 616 - 619.

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

4 comments:

  1. I really would love to know more about your sources/research experience. What condition are books/papers in? What are your favorite repositories? I love your findings.

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  2. I was wondering why the river I grew up near in Peabody, was named Waters River. This information is truly amazing but I was wondering is there a key or chart that explains who was granted which plot? How did you know R. Waters was granted plot 87? Thank you so much for the great info

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    Replies
    1. In the old issues of Essex Antiquarian I found references to the plots given out to the original settlers. Deeds of the era list those old plot numbers, too, as well as in Salem Quarterly Court Records. See the three volume set of Perley's History of Salem, Massachusetts for other settlers and their land grants.

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