Surname Saturday ~ POLAND of Essex County, Massachusetts

The schooner Fame, replica of the privateer from the War of 1812, in Salem, Massachusetts

POLAND

Thomas Poland arrived from England to Massachusetts about 1642 with his wife, Hannah and three sons.  He settled in Wenham, Massachusetts.  His son, John Poland, my 9^th great grandfather, lived in The Hamlet, which is now Hamilton, Massachusetts.  He married Bethiah Friend and had seven children, and after her death he married Margery, the widow of Anthony Dike.  John Poland was named in a lawsuit by Ezekiel Woodward (my 9^th great grandfather in another lineage) for slandering his wife.

His son, James Poland (my 8^th great grandfather) had seven children with his wife Rebecca Kimball and one child by his wife Elizabeth.  He removed to Kennebunkport, Maine.  His son, John Poland (1693 – 1777) (my 7^th great grandfather),  lived in Hamilton and was a weaver.  I descend from two of his sons, Daniel (1724 – 1768) and Abner (1736 – 1824). 

Daniel Poland, my 6^th great grandfather, was drowned young while fishing off Misery Island in 1768.  I descend from his daughter Martha (my 5^th great grandmother) who married Alexander Mears.   

His brother, Abner, also my 6^th great grandfather,  was a private in the Revolutionary War.  He was captured from the ship the Hawk and spend time at Forton Prison in England.  His son, Abner, Jr. (1761 – 1835) also served as a private in the Revolutionary War for a total of seven and half years, serving at the battles of Hubbardston, Stillwater, Monmouth and Yorktown.  He received the Badge of Merit, the highest decoration from George Washington.  You can read all about his award HERE. He received bounty land in Enfield, New Hampshire and a pension, and his widow, Sarah, also received a pension.

Abner Poland, Jr.’s daughter, Sally Poland (1780 – 1861) is my 4^th great grandmother.  She married Henry Burnham of Essex, Massachusetts in 1805.  With Sally, my Poland line daughters out.  Her brother, Abner Poland III, was the commander of two Salem schooners Dart and Fame during the War of 1812.  A replica of the Fame, built by Harold Burnham of Essex, still sails out of Salem today.

Some POLAND resources:

The Polands from Essex County, Massachusetts, by Lloyd Orville Poland, 1904

Vital records and town histories of Wenham, Hamilton and Essex, Massachusetts

The Essex Genealogist, Volume 16 (1996), pages 129 – 142 (A sketch of the FRIEND family, with some mention of the POLAND family and John Poland (1631 – 1713) ).

My previous blog post about Abner Poland's Badge of Merit from George Washington at this link:  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/04/national-archives-good-news-bad-news.html

My previous blog post about the schooner Fame and the three men named Abner Poland at this link:  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/12/schooner-fame-and-three-abner-polands.html

My POLAND genealogy:

Generation 1:  Thomas Poland, born in England, died 22 February 1666 in Wenham, Massachusetts; married to Hannah Unknown. Three known children.

Generation 2: John Poland, born about 1631 in England; died 3 August 1713 in Hamilton, Essex County, Massachusetts;  married first about 1657 to Bethiah Friend, mother of seven children; married second to Margery Unknown.

Generation 3: James Poland, born about 1665 in Wenham, died 1722; married first on 12 April 1694 in Wenham to Rebecca Kimball, daughter of Richard Kimball and Rebecca Abbye, mother of seven children; married second to Elizabeth Unknown, mother of Thomas Poland.

Generation 4: John Poland, born about 1693 in Hamilton or Wenham, died 21 April 1777; married on 11 April 1718 at the Hamlet Parish Church, Hamilton to Abigail Davis, daughter of James Davis and Abigail Mettcalfe.  Nine children.

Lineage A:

Generation 5: Daniel Poland, born about 1724, died 19 August 1768 in Salem, Massachusetts; married on 18 October 1747 to Sarah Bishop, daughter of James Bishop and Sarah Holmes.

Generation 6:  Martha Poland, born 4 August 1754 in Ipswich; died 17 February 1843 in Essex, Massachusetts; married on 22 April 1773 in Wenham to Alexander Mears.  He was born about 1750 in London, England and died 3 April 1824 in Essex. Twelve children.

Generation 7:  Samuel Mears m. Lydia W. Burnham

Generation 8:  Samuel Mears m.  Sarah Ann Burnham

Generation 9:  Sarah Burnham Mears m. Joseph Gilman Allen

Generation 10:  Joseph Elmer Allen m. Carrie Maude Batchelder

Generation 11:  Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

Lineage B:

Generation 5: Abner Poland, born about 1736 in Essex, died 9 February 1824 in Essex; married first on 3 April 1761 to Dorothy Burnham, daughter of John Burnham and Rachel Smith, mother of seven children; married second on 5 December 1792 in Essex  to Deborah Burnham, daughter of Westley Burnham and Deborah Story, and widow of Nathaniel Emerson.

Generation 6: Abner Poland, born 17 May 1761 in Essex; died 14 January 1835 in Enfield, New Hampshire; married on 20 March 1783 in Essex to Sarah Burnham, daughter of Westley Burnham and Deborah Story (sister of Abner’s stepmother, see above)

Generation 7: Sally Poland, born 27 November 1780 in Essex,  died 9 February 1861 in Essex; married on 2 May 1805 in Essex to Henry Burnham, son of Westley Burnham, Jr. and Molly Woodbury (her first cousin, see Burnhams above).

Generation 8:  Sarah Ann Burnham m. Samuel Mears (see above)

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Copyright © 2015, Heather Wilkinson Rojo