My Revolutionary War Patriots, Colonel Joshua Burnham of Milford, New Hampshire

Colonel Burnham's Tavern, Milford, New Hampshire

This is #1 in a series of posts I intend to write this year for the 250th Anniversary of the USA. 

Colonel Joshua Burnham, my 5th great grandfather, was born on 26 January 1754 in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the son of Stephen Burnham (1715 - 1790) and Mary Andrews (b. 1712) of the Chebacco Parish of Ipswich, Massachusetts.  Many of his 12 siblings removed away from Massachusetts, just like he did.  Joshua died in Milford, New Hampshire on 7 June 1835, and his brother Stephen died in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire.  His brother Caleb died in Lake George, New York, and brothers David and Jonathan died in Vermont.  

Joshua was a founder of the town of Milford when it became a separate town from Amherst in 1794.   He had served in the Revolution as a private from New Hampshire enlisting in April 1775 after the Lexington Alarm under Captain Josiah Crosby for 8 months, and at the end of that term he re-enlisted under Captain Jones of the same regiment for one year.  He was at Bunker Hill, New York, Philadelphia, and was discharged at Aesopus (formerly Kingston), New York.  

Returning to Milford, he married Jemima Wyman on 21 January 1779 at Wilton, New Hampshire, a contiguous town.  She was the daughter of Increase Wyman and Catherine Unknown, born 10 February 1757 in Billerica, Massachusetts, and died on 6 September 1843 at the home of her daughter Jemima Burnham, who lived in South Boston (my 4th great grandmother).  In the Milford town records Joshua was on the committee to build a town pound in 1797, and was listed as a taxpayer in 1830. 

Joshua Burnham lived on the road to Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, now known as River Road, in a fine house that is still standing about two miles from the center of Milford. It was known as Colonel Burham's Tavern.  He sold this farm in 1822 to Jesse Hutchinson, the leader of the famous Hutchinson Family Singers, and they lived there for many years. Jesse and Polly raised 13 of their 16 children there, of whom half were part of the singing group.  The Hutchinson family entertained many important historical figures there, including Fredrick Douglass, General Tom Thumb, and P.T. Barnum.  The house remained in the Hutchinson family until 1949. 

In the biography of the Hutchinson family on pages 8 to 10, see below, is this passage:

"Right in the vicinity of these premises was Colonel Burnham, living in the little red house on the hill, which had been selected by his children as a home for his declining years, and situated where he could overlook the surrounding landscape, including a good view of the farm that was once the home of his family and which he had lost by unpaid debts. He was a frequent visitor to the place; and when the fruits were ripe, he would have free access offered by my father and the privilege of obtaining what fruit he desired. There was one very favorite apple, the flavor of which was delicious; and when the apples were ripe, this honorable old gentleman would be seen going and coming with his pockets full, and they were pockets! They were like bags, and he could carry almost half a peck in each one. He would come over, fill his pockets, and then trudge along towards home. He was occasionally visited by officers of the armies of the Revolution; and it was said that one of the staff of Washington was among them. My parents honored him by naming Joshua after him. He would frequently show his regard for his namesake by some token, and before passing into his dotage he called him to his house and presented him with a sash worn by him on parade while he was under George Washington's command. This article was carefully preserved, and is still, after the decease of both giver and receiver, an heirloom in the family.

In those early days among the pioneers, education was sometimes neglected. The colonel, though passing through seven years of renown as a discreet officer, could not write his own name, and while in business kept his accounts by characters. For instance, having sold cheese to a person, he would make a mark of that portion of cheese that that man received. His funeral was the first that I had ever witnessed, and the impression was depressingly suggestive." 

Joshua Burnham came upon hard times and lived in poverty in his older years. He applied for a military pension in 1818.  The application papers for his pension outlined his service, his life, family members and friends from the war.  They also described his poor health and need for a military pension.  He died on 7 June 1835 in Milford at age 93, and was buried in the small burial ground about a quarter mile from his tavern house, and buried in a plot near his friend Jesse Hutchinson.  His epitaph read "Soldier of the Revolution, zealous in his country's cause, Faithful to the constitution and obedient to it's laws".  His wife Jemima applied for, and received, a Revolutionary War Widow's pension in 1838, and she died in 1843. 

Col. J. Burnham's gravestone

For the truly curious:

Tombstone Tuesday - Joshua Burnham's gravestone:  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/10/tombstone-tuesday-col-joshua-burnham.html  

2010 blog post "The Illiterate Colonel" (I have since discovered he was quite literate and signed many documents)   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/01/illiterate-colonel.html    

2017 blog post "Joshua Burnham Proves His Military Service"   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/06/joshua-burnham-proves-his-military.html  

2017 blog post "Jemima (Wyman) Burnham applies for a Revolutionary War Widow's Pension"   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/06/jemima-wyman-burnham-applies-for.html   

2014 blog post showing my BURNHAM lineage:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/05/surname-saturday-burnham-of-chebacco.html  

and in books:

A manuscript Old Houses of Milford, compiled in a notebook for Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford, New Hampshire

The Story of the Hutchinsons by John Wallace Hutchinson, 1896 (see pages 8 -10 for the information on Colonel Joshua Burnham and his house he sold to Jesse Hutchinson of the Hutchinson family singers). 

The History of Milford, by George A. Ramsdell, Rumford Press, Concord, New Hampshire, 1901, see page 783.  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "My Revolutionary War Patriots, Colonel Joshua Burnham of Milford, New Hampshire", Nutfield Genealogy, posted February 15, 2026, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/02/my-revolutionary-war-patriots-colonel.html: accessed [access date]). 

Jemima (Wyman) Burnham applies for a Revolutionary War Widow’s Pension

Colonel Joshua Burnham
Buried in Milford, New Hampshire
North River Road Cemetery
Revolutionary War Veteran

Last week I posted the documents Col. Joshua Burnham, my 5^th great grandfather, used to prove his military service, and his need for a pension in his elderly years after the Revolutionary War.  He died in Milford, New Hampshire in 1835 and left his wife a widow.  She was infirm, and upon becoming widowed removed to South Boston to reside with her daughter, Jemima, and son-in-law, Romanus Emerson, (my 4th great grandparents). 

This week, I am posting the documents Jemima needed to provide for her widow’s pension.  There appeared to be some mix up since she applied in New Hampshire but wanted to receive her pension in the state of Massachusetts.  Her lawyer, Hubbard Newton of Amherst, New Hampshire, wrote a lot of correspondence about this situation.

Jemima died on 6 September 1843 in South Boston.  I have never found her burial site.  It was interesting for me to note that Jemima signed her name with a mark.  She must have been illiterate.

-------------------------

State of New Hampshire                            On this twenty first day

Hillsborough County S. S.  }                        of August in the year of

Our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty eight, person-

ally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas holden

at Amherst with and for the County of Hillsborough

aforesaid, Jemima Burnam late of Milford in said

County, now a resident of the city of Boston in the Com-

monwealth of Massachusetts, aged eighty two years,

who being first duly sworn according to law, doth

on her oath make the following declaration, in order

to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act

of Congress, passed July 7^th 1838 entitled “An act

granting half pay and pensions to certain widows:”

      That she is the widow of Joshua Burnam late

of Milford in the County of Hillsborough aforesaid, declared

who was a private in the Army of the Revolution, and

a pensioner of the 18^th March 1818, and at the time

of his death, inscribed on the pension list, Roll of the

New Hampshire Agency, at the rate of eight dollars

per month.

                She further declares that she was married

to the said Joshua Burnam on the twenty first

day of January   in the year of our Lord seventeen

hundred and seventy nine: that her husband

the aforesaid Joshua Burnam died on the seventh

day of January in the year eighteen hundred

and thirty five, at Milford aforesaid, and that

she has remained a widow ever since that period.

        That she was not married to him prior to his

leaving the service, but the marriage took

place previous to the first of January, seventeen

hundred and ninety four, viz: at the time

above stated.                                    her

Witness H. Newton                Jemima X  Burnam                  

                                                            Mark

Sworn and subscribed, on the day and

Year above written, before the Justices of the

Court aforesaid, in open Court.

Witness

                Leonard Wilcox { Presiding  Justice

                                               Of said Court

-------------------------

Massachusetts

N. Hampshire 1,368

========================

Jemima Burnham

Widow of Joshua Burnham, Rev.

who was a pensioner under the Act of June 7, 32

and who died on the 7^th January 1835

of Hillsboro in the State of N. H.

who was a Priv. in the Company commanded

by Captain Reed of the Regt. Commanded

by ??? in the N. H.

line for 2 years

============================

Inscribed on the Roll of Congress

at the rate of 90 Dollars – Cents per annum,

to commence on the 4^th day of March, 1836

============================

Certificate of Pension issued the 12^th day of Oct.

’38 and ??? died Hubbard Newton

                Amherst, N.H.

============================

Arrears to the 4^th of Sept.          $225.00

Semi-annual allowanced ending   45.00

                                     ================

                                                        $270.00

                      {Act July 7 }

                              1839

Recorded by L. A. Elliot   Clerk

Book A, Volume 7, Page 34

--------------------------

Pension Agency

Concord, N.H.  April 19, 1839

J. L. Edwards Esq.

Sir,

              Jemima Burnham, whose

name has been entered as commencing

her pension March 4, 1836, has never ap-

plied here or been paid at this office.

                I am, respectfully, Sir,

                     Your obedient servant,

                                      ??? Hill

--------------------------

Application for a Transfer  

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Suffolk County, Ss

                On this third day of April 1839 before

me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace for the

said County of Suffolk, personally appeared Mrs.

Jemima Burnham who, on her oath, declared

that she is he widow of Joshua Burnham

decd.  Who was a Private and ??? in the

Army of the Revolution.  That her said

husband died on the 7^th day of Janry. 1835, that

she was pensioned under the act of 7^th July ’38,

at the rate of $90 per annum as his widow,

that her name was inscribed on the

Roll of the Concord Agency (N. H.) that she

has resided in Boston County & State aforesaid,

for the last three years where she

intends to remain and wishes her pension

to be there payable.  She further declares

that a Pension Certificate was issued in her

name on the 12^th Decr, 1839 at the rate

above stated but that she has never

recd. Any part of the amt. due from

the Agent in Concord, N. H.

Sworn and subscribed to, before

me, the day and year aforesaid.

                                                                         her

Franklin Haven                                Jemima   X Burnham

Just. Peace                                                    Mark

                        Witness   Edward N. Brown

And on the same day personally

Appeared Romanus Emerson, a credible

Witness, and made oath in due ??

Of law that he has been well acquainted

With the above named deponent for

29 years past and knows that she is the

Widow of Joshua Burnham decd. & the

Identical person named in the ??

Affidavit.                       Romanus Emerson

                                                third

Sworn & subscribed this first day of

April A. D. 1839 before me ( the date

First attend from first to third.)

Mr. Franklin Haven,  Just. Of the Peace

                                      For Suffolk County

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Secretary’s Office Boston April 3, 1839

I hereby certify that the above named Franklin Haven is a

Justice of the Peace for the County of Suffolk in said Common-

wealth, duly constituted and commissioned.

                Witness my hand the Seal of the Commonwealth

                John P. Bigelow

                Secy. Of the Court

---------------------------

                                 Boston 9^th April 1839

Sir,

                 I enclose herewith the application of

Mrs. Jemima Burnham a pensr. under the Act

of 7^th July 1838 to be transferred from the Agency

at Concord, N. H. to Massachusetts.  As the

pensr. has not recd. Any of the amt. due

her at the New Hampshire Agency, she

would be happy to receive an early return

as is consistant with the rules of the Dept.

                                I am very resply.

                                Yr. obt. Servt.

                                L. M. Stone

J. L. Edwards Esqr.}

Comr. Of Pensions

Washington

D.C.

---------------------------

Commonwealth of Massachusetts} Ss

Suffolk County      

                                                                Be it known that as this

Eleventh day of July 1843 personally appeared

before me the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in an for

said County and Commonwealth, Mrs. Jemima Burnham,

a resident of South Boston in the County of Suffolk

aforesaid age about eighty six years, who being first duly

sworn according to Law doth on her oath make the

following declaration in order to obtain the benefits

of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed on

the 3^rd day of March 1843, granting pensions to widows

of persons who served during the Revolutionary

War.

                That she is the widow of Joshua Burnham

who was a Private and ?? in the Revolutionary

War and served as she verily believes as stated by her

In her original declaration for a pension under the

Law of the 7^th July 1838 to which declaration and the

Papers accompanying the same now on file in the

War Department she would refer for a more particular

Statement of his services for the proof of her marriage

Identity and the time of her husband’s death.

                She further declares that she was pensioned

Under said act at the rate of ninety dollars per annum

Which XXXXXX she received from the 4^th of March

1836 to the 4^th March 1841 at the Agency in Boston

Massachusetts and at the time of her receiving her last

payment surrendered the Pension Certificate granted to her

under said Act to the Pension Agent at the said city of

Boston agreeably to the rules of the Department.

                And this declarant further alleges that she has

not intermarried since the decease of her said Husband

but is now and ever since has been the Widow of said

Joshua Burnham deceased as will more fully appear

By the proof hereunto annexed.

                And further she saith not.

                                                                                         her

Witness Romanus Emerson                    Jemima  X Burnham

                                                                                         Mark

---------------------------

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year

first within written, and I certify that the applicant

is personally known to me to be the person within

described.

         Before me,

                Lowell m. Stone

                                Justice of the Peace

I Romanus Emerson of South Boston in the

County of Suffolk of lawful age, an oath testify

And say, that I have been well acquainted with

Jemima Burnham the applicant named in the within

declaration for many years last past.  I know that

she was the wife and is now the Widow of Joshua

Burnham deceased, who was reputed to have

been a soldier in the Revolutionary War and that

she was a pensioner under the law of the 7^th July

1838 as stated by her.

                                Romanus Emerson

Commonwealth  of Massachusetts

Suffolk County } ss    July 11^th 1843

Then came Romanus Emerson who is known

To me to be a credible witness and made oath that

The foregoing affidavit by him subscribed is

Strictly true -.

                Before me

                                Lowell M. Stone

                                                Justice of the Peace

------------------------------

Amherst, N. H. 17^th September, 1838

James L. Edward, Esq.,

                                                Dear Sir, I herewith

enclose to you, the Declaration of Jemima

Burnam, and the widow required to obtain

Rev. claim for a pension, under the act of the

7^th July 1834.

                                Should a pension certificate, or due

examination, be awarded, in this case, the applicant

is to be placed on the Roll of the Massachusetts

Agency, as she now resides in the city of Boston

in that state.

                I am, however, her agent, for this purpose,

as the widow is all in New Hampshire, & the

business could be done with the least expense here.  And

you will plan to cause the certificate, should

one be granted, to be enclosed to me at

Amherst, N. H., as also any other communi-

cation on this subject.

                Your’s very Respectfully, etc

                                Hubbard Newton

                                                Counsellar at Law

Click here to read last week's post about Col. Joshua Burnham's application for a Revolutionary War pension:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/06/joshua-burnham-proves-his-military.html

-----------------------------

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Jemima (Wyman) Burnham applies for a Revolutionary War Widow’s Pension", Nutfield Genealogy, posted June 26, 2017, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/06/jemima-wyman-burnham-applies-for.html: accessed [access date]). 

Weathervane Wednesday ~ Seen at a Family Reunion

Weathervane Wednesday is an on-going series of photographs I post weekly.  I started out by publishing only weather vanes from the Londonderry area, but now I've been finding interesting weather vanes from all over New England.  Sometimes these weather vanes are whimsical, or historical, but all are very unique.  Often, my readers tip me off to some very special and unusual weather vanes.

Today's weather vane is from somewhere in Massachusetts.

Do you know the location of weather vane #299?  Scroll down to see the answer...

I have to thank Vincent for this weathervane.  We were attending the annual Wyman family reunion at the circa 1666 Francis Wyman homestead, 56 Francis Wyman Road in Burlington, Massachusetts in October. It was a chilly, rainy day so the whole clan was huddled under a tent.  We were talking and listening to a history lecture, when suddenly he saw this weathervane over my shoulder.

This weathervane is installed on the roof of a neighbor's house, next door to the Wyman homestead. It is not located on a cupola, but attached directly to the roof. It is a finely detailed, three dimensional eagle. It has above average detailing in the feathers and features, and I especially like the ruffled wing feathers as if the eagle is about to take off.  Or did it just land?  Even the arrow's feathers are detailed, which is unusual.

You never know where you will find the next weathervane!


Click here to see the entire Weathervane Wednesday series of posts!  

--------------------------------

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Weathervane Wednesday ~  Seen at a Family Reunion", Nutfield Genealogy, posted February 22, 2017, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/02/weathervane-wednesday-seen-at-family.html: accessed [access date]).

Surname Saturday ~ UNKNOWN (Another Brickwall Ancestress)

Catherine Unknown, my 6^th great grandmother, was the wife of Increase WYMAN of Burlington (now Billerica), Massachusetts.  She has no known parents, no known marriage record, and no known death record.  Increase’s ten children are listed in the Billerica vital records by baptism date – and his seven youngest children were all baptized together on 5 December 1773.  What a lack of records on this family group! The rest of the WYMAN family was very well documented in records, before and after Increase!

Increase Wyman served in the Revolutionary War, once for 9 months in Col. Spaulding’s regiment at Fishkill in 1778, and again for 6 months in 1780 under Brigadier General John Glover (my 7^th great grand uncle in another lineage) when he was 47 years old.  His Revolutionary War service is better documented than the rest of his life.  His death date is unknown.   To complicate things, his father was called Increase Wyman.  And Increase, Jr. had a son named Increase born between 1765 and 1770.  

According to Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, Volume 1, by William Richard Cutter and William Frederick Adams, 1910, page 475 Ebenezer Richardson took as his fourth wife “December 12, 1776, Catherine, died 19 January 1783, widow of Increase Wyman.”  This appears to be an error because Increase Wyman’s military records match his birthdays- both in 1778 and 1780. 

Ebenezer Richardson was the son of Hezekiah Richardson and Elizabeth, born in Townsend, Massachusetts on 25 November 1751.  He married first Catharine (Tufts) Wyman on 12 December 1776.  She died before 1789.  He married second in 1789 to Jerusha Dodge, daughter of Zachariah Dodge.  According to the website www.wyman.org (by the WYMAN Family Association), Catharine Tufts was the daughter of William Tufts and Katharine Wyman.  She married first to Nathaniel Wyman on 2 July 1772 and he died on 2 April 1776.  Then she married Ebenezer  Richardson at the end of 1776.  This Katharine/Catherine cannot be my 6^th great grandmother . 

Catherine’s daughter, Jemima Wyman (1757 – 1843) is my 5^th great grandmother.  Jemima married a Revolutionary War Colonel named Joshua Burnham and lived in South Boston.  Her life is very well documented in vital records.

Does anyone have any clues about Catherine UNKNOWN Wyman?

My genealogy:

Generation 1:  Catherine UNKOWN; married to Increase Wyman, son of Increase Wyman and Deborah Pierce.  He was born 4 June 1732 in Woburn.  Ten children.

Generation 2: Jemima Wyman, born 10 February 1757 in Billerica, died 6 September 1843 in South Boston; married on 21 January 1779 to Colonel Joshua Burnham, son of Stephen Burnham and Mary Andrews.  He was born on 26 January 1754 in Gloucester, Massachusetts and died 7 June 1835 in Milford, New Hampshire.  Eleven children.

Generation 3: Jemima Burnham, born 9 May 1783 in Milford, died 5 August 1868 at 88 Emerson Street, South Boston;  married on 22 November 1810 to Romanus Emerson, son of John Emerson and Katherine Eaton.  He was born 1 September 1782 in Townsend, Massachusetts and died 10 October 1852 in South Boston.  Seven children.

Generation 4: George Emerson, born 11 July 1817 in South Boston, died 11 January 1890 in Dorchester, Massachusetts; married on 11 August 1845 in Boston to Mary Esther Younger, daughter of Levi Younger and Catherine Plummer Jones.  She was born 17 Feb 1826 and died 7 January 1913 in Boston.  Eight children.

Generation 5: Mary Katharine Emerson, born 25 December 1847 in South Boston, died 23 April 1932 in Roxbury, Massachusetts; marrie don 28 October 1869 in Chichester, New Hampshire to George E. Batchelder, son of George E. Batchelder and Abigail M. Locke.  Nine children.

Generation 6: Carrie Maude Batchelder, born 22 September 1872 in Chichester, died 21 January 1963 at the Sea View Convalescent and Nursing Home, Rowley, Massachusetts; married on 1 November 1892 in Essex, Massachusetts to Joseph Elmer Allen, son of Joseph Gilman Allen and Sarah Burnham Mears.  Five children.

Generation 7: Stanley Elmer Allen, born 14 January 1804 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, died 6 March 1982 in Beverly, Massachusetts; married on 14 February 1925 in Hamilton, Massachusetts to Gertrude Matilda Hitchings, daughter of Arthur Treadwell Hitchings and Florence Etta Hoogerzeil.  She was born 1 August 1905 in Beverly and died 3 November 2001 at the Pilgrim Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center, Peabody, Massachusetts.  Seven children. (My grandparents)

--------------------------------------

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~  UNKNOWN (Another Brickwall Ancestress)", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 22, 2016, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/10/surname-saturday-unknown-another.html: accessed [access date]). 

350th Anniversary of the Francis Wyman House, Burlington, Massachusetts and a Family Reunion

Wyman Descendants, photo by John Goff

In 1666 (or thereabouts) Francis Wyman (1617 - 1699) built a home in Woburn, Massachusetts, on land that is now 56 Francis Wyman Road in Burlington, Massachusetts.  He had over 1,000 acres near the Shawsheen River.  This homestead is now owned by the Francis Wyman Association, and celebrated it's 350th anniversary this year.  Over 30 descendants from all over the USA (from as far away as Nebraska, Wyoming, California, Oregon and Washington), England and New Zealand came together to commemorate the occasion and honor their Wyman Ancestors.

It was a chilly, raining day for the reunion on October 1st,  but that did not dampen the spirits of the Wyman family.  The house was open for tours, there was a cookout, and a family meeting.  We were entertained by colonial music and a musket salute by a group of Revolutionary War reenactors. Salem architect John Goff gave an excellent history of the house to the family members, with some new information about the structure of the building.  In the evening we all warmed up in a local restaurant to share a meal and good conversation. A good time was had by all!

The Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the
American Revolution Col. Henry Knox
Regimental Color Guard
John Zafiris, Jr., Jack Cunningham, Bob Bossart and Bill Carlson

Francis Wyman, our immigrant ancestor, was a tanner who owned property in "downtown" Woburn for his business, but he built his homestead on what was considered the frontier.  Nearby were several Christianized "praying Indian" villages, which were considered good protection against unfriendly Indian and French neighbors to the west and north.  As Wyman accumulated land, one of his deeds was witnessed by Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, the first Native American (Wampanoag) to graduate from Harvard.  The history of this land goes back further than the lifetime of our ancestor Francis Wyman.

The Wyman house stayed in the Wyman family for many generations, and then was sold out of the family.  It was in decrepit condition when descendant Benjamin Wyman saw the home in 1898 and established the Francis Wyman Association to buy the farmhouse and restore it.  A caretaker lived in the home until 1996 when an accidental fire destroyed most of the interior stairwell up to the roof.  This is the 20th anniversary of the fire.  After several rounds of renovations the house is open to the public again as a museum house. There is still much work to be done to the interior.

Above, John Goff gave a talk on the history of the Francis Wyman house, and the evidence through out the house of renovations over 350 years. You can see the fire damage on the walls, ceiling and mantel behind John.  Although he is not a descendant, John Goff has been an active volunteer for the past 20 years working on the renovations after the fire.  Below, descendants gather in the parlor room to for tours of the Wyman homestead. 

The Francis Wyman house is the oldest home in Burlington, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.   The mission of the Francis Wyman Association is to preserve the homestead and the story of the Wyman family.  You can participate in this mission by donating your time, materials or money to the association at this webpage www.wymanassociation.org

For the truly curious:

My Wyman lineage:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/08/surname-saturday-wyman-of-woburn.html

More about the fire at the Wyman house:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/06/grand-re-opening-of-1666-francis-wyman.html

Click on the video below to see the Burlington Cable Access TV show on the 305th Anniversary of the Francis Wyman House:



Another BCAT video of the history of the Francis Wyman House

https://youtu.be/vjEZHx0X2tY


--------------------------------------

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "350th Anniversary of the Francis Wyman House, Burlington, Massachusetts and a Family Reunion", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 3, 2016,  (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/10/350th-anniversary-of-francis-wyman.html: accessed [access date]).

Surname Saturday ~ SAWTELL of Watertown and Groton, Massachusetts

SAWTELL  SARTELL  SATELLE  SATELL  SATLE

There are several good sources of information on the SATELL family of New England.  The first is an article in the NEHGS Register “Richard Sawtell of Watertown, MA”, Volume 126 (1972), pages 3 – 17. One of the authors of this early article was John Brooks Threlfall who wrote a book Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England and Their Origins in 2008 which updated a lot of the information on the SATELL family. 

Richard Sawtell, my 10^th great grandfather, was baptized on April 7, 1611 at Aller, Somerset, England, the son of John Sawtell and Agnes Pittard.  There are many records in Somersetshire of the SAWTELL family.

The first record of Richard Sawtell in New England was on July 25, 1636 on the list of proprietors of Watertown, Massachusetts when he received Lot 8 in the 4^th division as a single man.  His brother, Thomas Sawtell, was made a freeman in Boston in 1649, where he died childless in 1651 and named his brother Richard and a sister Ann Kendrick of Muddy River (Suffolk County Probate #111).

Richard Sawtell removed from Watertown to the new settlement of Groton in 1655, where he again received a large grant of land as one of the first, original proprietors.  He was made the first town clerk, and the records show that he was highly educated.  Richard’s homestead was one of five garrison houses in Groton.   There were several raids and massacres in Groton during King Philip’s War, so the family removed back to Watertown.   Two of his sons went back to resettle the town of Groton.  He was chosen to be a selectman in Watertown in 1689.

Richard Sawtell adopted the illegitimate son of Zechariah Smith in 1670.  In 1672 he sued Thomas, John and Joseph Smith for the child’s estate.  They were charged with illegally administering the estate.

In his will, dated May 16, 1692, Richard Sawtell left his lands in Groton and Watertown to his wife, with instructions to his son Obadiah to work the land in Groton, and instructions to his son Enoch to work the land in Watertown. 

Richard Sawtell is the ancestor of presidents Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon.

My SATELL genealogy:

Generation 1:  Richard Sawtell,  son of John Sawtell and Agnes Pittard, was baptized on 4 April 1611 in Aller, Somersetshire, England, died on 21 August 1694 in Watertown, Massachusetts; married first on 5 February 1627 in High Ham, Somersetshire to Elizabeth Pople, daughter of William Pople.  Married second in 1637 to Elizabeth Waite, daughter of Phineas Waite and Mary Hubbard.  Eleven children with Elizabeth Waite, all born in Watertown.

Generation 2:  Hannah Satell, born on 10 December 1642 in Watertown, died 18 February  1723 in Woburn, Massachusetts; married on 13 July 1665 in Woburn to Increase Winn, son of Edward Winn and Joanna Unknown.  He was born 5 December 1641 in Woburn and died 14 December 1690 in Woburn.  Nine children.

Generation 3: Mary Winn m. Nathaniel Wyman

Generation 4: Increase Wyman m. Deborah Pierce

Generation 5: Increase Wyman m. Catherine Unknown

Generation 6: Jemima Wyman m. Colonel Joshua Burnham

Generation 7: Jemima Burnham m. Romanus Emerson

Generation 8: George Emerson m. Mary Esther Younger

Generation 9: Mary Katharine Emerson m. George E. Batchelder

Generation 10: Carrie Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

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

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ SAWTELL of Watertown and Groton, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted August 20, 2016, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/08/surname-saturday-sawtell-of-watertown.html:  accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ WINN of Woburn, Massachusetts

Edward Winn, my 10^th great grandfather, came to New England about 1635 with his wife and three eldest children.  On 8 February 1640/1 Edward Winn was listed as one of the original men of the town of Woburn, Massachusetts.  The first European child born in Woburn was his fourth child, and my 9^th great grandfather, Increase Winn.

Edward Winn was made a freeman on 10 May 1643 in Woburn.  He is mentioned frequently in the Woburn town history, town records, and served as a selectman in 1669.  There is now a Winn Street in Woburn, and just by coincidence, our daughter lived off Winn Street in her first apartment after graduating from college. 

Edward Winn’s will [Middlesex Probate (6:11-2, File #25243)]  was dated in Watertown, Massachusetts on 6 May 1682 and proved 6 October 1682.  It mentions his son Increase Winn, Sarah Winn (daughter of son Joseph), three Cleaveland grandchildren and three Polley grandchildren.  The probate inventory was taken on 11 September 1682 by Deacon Josiah Converse and Ensign James Converse of Woburn, ancestors on my paternal side. 

Some notable descendants of Edward Winn include both President Herbert Hoover (1874 – 1964) and President Grover Cleveland (1837 – 1908).

For More WINN information:

Genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families, Edmund Janes Cleveland, 1899, three volumes

History of Woburn, Massachusetts, Samuel Sewall, 1868

“Doubt About the English Origins of Edward Winn and Moses Cleveland of Woburn, Mass” by Martin Hollick, in  MASSOG: A Genealogical Magazine for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,  Volume 32, pages 57 – 58.

My WINN genealogy:

Generation 1:  Edward Winn, died 5 September 1682 in Woburn, Massachusetts; married to Joanna. Four children.  Married second to Sarah Beal.  Married third to Ann Unknown, widow of Nicholas Wood and William Page. 

Generation 2:  Increase Winn, born 5 December 1641 in Woburn, died 14 December 1690 in Woburn; married on 13 July 1665 in Woburn to Hannah Satell, daughter of Richard Sawtell and Elizabeth Pople.  Hannah was born 10 December 1642 in Watertown, Massachusetts, and died 18 February 1723 in Woburn.  Nine children. 

Generation 3: Mary Winn, born 1 May 1670 in Woburn, died 7 June 1743 in Woburn; married on 28 June 1692 in Woburn to Nathaniel Wyman, son of Francis Wyman and Abigail Reed.  He was born 25 November 1665 in Woburn and died 8 December 1717 in Woburn.  Twelve children.   Mary remarried on 30 November 1720 in Woburn to John Locke, son of William Locke and Mary Clark.  No children.

Generation 4: Increase Wyman m. Deborah Pierce

Generation 5: Increase Wyman m. Catherine Unknown

Generation 6: Jemima Wyman m. Joshua Burnham

Generation 7:  Jemima Burnham m. Romanus Emerson

Generation 8:  George Emerson m. Mary Esther Younger

Generation 9: Mary Katharine Emerson m. George E. Batchelder

Generation 10: Carrie Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

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

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ WINN of Woburn, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted August 13, 2016,  ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/08/surname-saturday-winn-of-woburn.html: accessed [access date]).