On May 31, 2016, I posted the first 25 pages of the Poole Family Manuscript which may be be seen on the link. This is has been a long project, and is about to come to an end, as Barry Briggs has transcribed 255 pages of the 256 page manuscript. It will be completed as soon as I get to Boston to take another photo of page 181. The paragraph below describes a little about our project. I can assure you, this is not all about the Pooles of Reading, Massachusetts. There are many other surnames in the manuscript. Each of the page numbers is active and you can see the original manuscript (several of the earliest images will be taken over).
Page 101
By Mr. Stephen Hale, also for many years, by. Mr. Leonard Wiley, whose heirs now own the property, though the old hostelry has disappeared, having been taken down in 1865. He was greatly beloved by his neighbors and popular with all. The Rev. Wm. Hobby, in recording his death in the church books, says, “He was my kind and good neighbor”. In 1740 he was one of the Selectmen. The Probabe Records contain the following:
Reading, January 12, 1725-6. Know all men by these presents, yt I, Samuel Poole of Reading in ye County of Middlesex and Province of ye Massts Bay in New England, Yeoman, having received a Negro, Bedford, according to his honored father’s intention, doth fully acquit and discharge my brother Benjm, him, his heirs, Executors, administrators and assigns from all ye Estate of our honoured father given to my brother Benjamin by Will and also from all ye Personal Estate yt above said Benjamin Poole has in his hand by administration. And also, ye above said Samuel Poole having rec’d/ his full part according to our honoured father’s Will.
In Witness, my hand and Seal
In Presence of us
James Pearson
Thomas Nichols.
By his wife Rebecca he had the following children
69. i. Rebecca5, b. Jan. 11, 1730-1, d. Oct. 7, 1758, m. Jan. 31, 1754, Peter, son of Brown and Sarah Emerson of Reading, b. Nov. 29, 1726,
Page 102
And had 1 ch., Benjamin, b. March 2, 1755. After the death of Rebecca Poole he m. 2nd, July 14, 1761, Mary Dix, by whom he had: Peter, b. May 3, 1762, d. in Revo. Army Nov. 16, 1780: Jacob b. Feb. 13, 1764. Rebecca b. 1770, d. Mar. 4, 1787.
70. ii. Samuel5, b. Oct. 10, 1733, d. Dec. 26, 1783, m. Elizabeth Eaton.
71. iii. Jonathan5, b. Jan. 5, 1736-7, d. Nov. 14, 1791 age 54. M. Sarah Eaton.
72. iv. Mary5, b. July 9, 1740, d. m. June 3, 1762, Joseph, son of Joseph and Ruth Underwood, of Wood End, Lynn, and resided on the place long occupied by Rev. Dana Clages. His family removed subsequently to North Reading. Their children were: Mary, b. Aug. 15, 1763, and m. 1785, Thos. Nubs; Rebecca, b. May 27, 1765; Sarah b. 1769; d. Sept. 27, 1775; Martha b. June10, 1770; Lucy b. July 1, 1771, d. young; Joseph b. May 21, 1773 & d. young; Lucy b. Mar. 20, 1776, d. Jan.. 30, 1812, and Sally, b. Oct. 28, 1780.
73. v. Thomas5, b. Aug. 27, 1743, d. Sept. 13, 1744.
75. vi. Thomas5, b. Dec 8, 1748, d. Jan. 11, 1826, m. Mary Parker.
33. Zachariah Poole4, son of Jona3 Esq. and Bridget (Jona2, John1) was b. Reading March 25, 1708, d. Medford Feb. 20, 1776, m. Sept. 18, 1729, Rebecca, day. of Capt. Samuel and Lydia (Newhall) Wade of Medford b Jan. 28, 1713
Page 103
d. Mar. 18 1773. He removed to Medford from Reading in, 1731, after marriage, and sold the paternal estate n the former town to his brother Benjamin and tomBenj. Gibson, Esq. of Boston, the latter taking the homestead, consisting of 20 acres, with dwelling house, barn and orchard, which he subsequently sold to Noah Eaton, Esq., through whom it came into the possession of his grandson, the late Lilley Eaton, Esq., author of the Valuable History of Reading, and to whose heirs the property now belongs. Mr. Poole purchased in 1734, an Estate in Medford, of John Hall, Esq., Richard Sprague, Messrs. Eleazaer Wyer, senior and junior, of Dover, and Prudence Wyer of Boston, consisting of several tracts of land, with wharves and docks on Mystic River, “late the Estate of our grandfather Major Jonathan Wade of Medford”. He also bought of Benj. Willis the same year a “parcel of land and wharf adjoining “for 135 and in 1743 added to this by the purchase of Ebenezer Tufts for 150, a tract of orchard and mowing land. From the Medford town records we find that he was appointed in 1738 on of the School Committee to provide a suitable person to keep a school, (an institution much needed if we may judge by the composition of the Records of the period), and afterwards served successively as constable or deputy sheriff, auditor of accounts, assessor, Selectman, deer-reeve, fireward, and “Town Commissioner, to obtain some part of the lands belonging to Charlestown”.
Page 104
He was Deacon of the church of Medford, and for eight years consecutively on of the Selectmen, and in 1762, Chairman of the Board. He is recorded as a subscriber to the amount of £21. 13s, 9 3/4d, to the fund for building the new church in 1770, and “made choice of pew No. 14”. He died at the age of 68, two months prior to the battle of Lexington, and it is somewhat remarkable that of his seven sons three of whom attained maturity, none lived to participate in or be witness of that great struggle of the Revolutionary War.
The following is a literal copy of his last Will and testament.
Will of Zachariah Poole of Medford 1773.
In the name of God, Amen.
I, Zachariah Poole of Medford in the County of Middlesex and Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Gentlemen:- being of sound mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of man, knowing that all men must Die: do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament.
That is to say: Principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul to God who gave it, and my Body I commit to the Earth to be buried in the late frugal way and manner that has been practiced: And touching such Worldly Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me withal; after my just Debts and funeral Expenses are paid, I Give Demise and Dispose of the same in the manner following:--
Page 105
Imprimis, I give and bequeath to my Son William, Sixty Pounds Sterling and my largest Silver Tankard.
Item, I give to my son Richard fifty pounds sterling and my next largest silver tankard.
Item. I give to my Grandson, Fitch Poole, a child of 12 years, son of Fitch Pool, “merchant of Boston”, whose father died in 1770, three before this Will was written, - a silver tankard weighing twenty-five ounces which I order to be purchased by my Executor hereafter named, out of my Estate and delivered him the said Fitch at lawful age.
Item, I give to my Grand daughter Ann Pool, a sister of above, my smallest silver can, to be delivered her at lawful age or marriage, which is all I design to give my Grandson Fitch and Grandaughter Ann Pool, inasmuch as Providence has provided for them and considering what I expended upon their Father to fit him for Business in life.
Item, I five to my Grand daughter Elizabeth Pool, a daughter of my Son Zachariah, decease, Fifty Pounds at (lawful) age or marriage, which with what I gave my said son Zachariah, in his lifetime, is all I propose to give her.
Item, I give to my four Daughters, Rebekah, Bridget, Elizabeth and Sarah, the remainder of my Silver Plate, to be equally divided between them.
Item, I give and bequeath all the Remainder of my Estate of what kinds soever, or wherever it may be found, to my sons William, who died at Danvers, Mar. 3, 1776.
Page 106
Two weeks after his father, and Richard, who died Dec. 9, 1781, three years after marriage, leaving no children, and to my daughters Rebekah, who married Aaron Hall, Esq. of Medford, Bridget, who married Daniel Gilman, Esq. of Exeter, H. H., Elizsabeth, who m. John Wade, Esq. of Medford, and Sara, who m. Edmund Bancroft, to be equally divided between them (excepting as herein before given) each one allowing out of the same what they have already had of me, or in other words, deducting what I have paid them, towards their portion of my Estate.
Item, I constitute and appoint my Well and beloved son William Poole of Danvers, sole executor of this my last Will and Testament, and I do hereby Revoke, Disannul and make void all manner of former and other Wills and Testaments heretofore by me made or done or declared either in word or writing, Executor or Executors by me made or appointed, and do publish and declare this only to be my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Thirty-first day of May in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-three, and in the Thirteenth Year of His Majesty’s Reign.
Signed, sealed, declared and pronounced as the last Will and Testament of the said Zachariah Pool the testator, in the presence of us who subscribed our names as witnesses:
Page 107
Simon Tufts.
Sam’l Jenks. Proved May 11, 1776
David Vinton.
Rebecca, the wife of Zachariah Poole, was the daughter of Captain Samuel Wade of Medford (b. Dec. 1, 1683, d. Dec. 9, 1738) and his wife Lydia (Newhall) of Lynn, and was b. in Medford, Jan. 28, 1713, and d. Mar. 18, 1773, a few weeks before the execution of the above Will.
Capt. Wade was the fourth Son of Major Nathaniel Wade, who was b. in 1648, and d. Nov. 28, 1707, who was the son of Major Jonathan Wade, b. in Ipswich, and d. in Medford, 1683, whose wife was Deborah, day. of Gov. Thomas Dudley. Maj. Jona. was one of the commanders of the famous Three County Troop of cavalry, mentioned the Indian Annals.
Major Nathaniel, grandfather of Rebecca, married Oct. 31, 1672, Mercy Bradstreet, youngest daughter of Gov. Simon Bradstreet, whose wife was Anne (Dudley) celebrated as the first poetess of New England, and oldest daughter of Governor Thomas Dudley, who was first appointed Deputy, and afterwards, in 1634, Governor of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, which office he held till 1650. Gov. Dudley was a native of Northampton England, (born in 1576, d. July 31, 1653) His father Capt. Roger Dudley being a noted warrior of Queen Elizabeth’s time, descended from the second son of Baron Dudley, of the family of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, son of Edward Dudley, who was born in 1442, and became speaker
Page 108
of the House of Commons, and upon whom was confirmed the title and estate of Warwicks. Capt. Roger having slain in battle while his children were young, Thomas was taken charge of by the Earl of Northampton, in whose family he resided for several years and was then placed at the study of the saw by his mother’s relative Sir A[u]gustine Nicholls, one of her Majesty’s Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, and Keeper of the Great Seal. At the age of 20 however, probably in recognition of this father’s services, he received from Queen Elizabeth a commission of Captain and led and expedition at the siege of Amiens in Pieardy. On his return from the campaign he married, and became Steward to the great estates of the Earl of Lincoln, but imbibing the sentiments of the puritans among whom he was thrown, he decided to emigrate to New England, and came over in 1630, as Deputy Governor, as above stated. His first wife Dorothy, died at Roxbury near Boston in 1643, and his second wife was Mrs. Catherine, widow of Samuel Hackburn (or Hagbourne) whose maiden name was Dighton. After the Governor’s death she m. Rev. John Allen. His numerous descendants have filled many distinguished positions in social and political life. Among these were Gov. Joseph Dudley, Chief Justice Paul Dudley, Gen. Daniel Denison, Rt. Rev. Bp. Williams of Conn., Hon. Jacob Wendell, Dr. James Oliver, Wendell Phillips, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Wm. Ellery Channing, Rich’d. H. Dana, Hon. Wm. Whiting, Chief Justice Waite, Rev. Edw. E. Hale, & others of more or less note.
Page 109
[This page attempts to display the connection between the Dudley, Wade and Poole lineage. Unfortunately it is in portrait mode when landscape should have been used. I encourage you to look at the original through the above link because I do not trust my transcription.]
The following is a tabular summary of the Dudley, Wade and Poole connection:
Gov. Thomas Dudley m. : Dorothy. b. England 1582 d. Roxbury Dec. 27, 1643
b. England 1576, d. Roxbury :
________________________/
/ m. : Catharine (Dighton) Hackburn wid. of Sam’l. “Hagbourne” of
: : Roxbury Mass. She was a native of Somersetshire, Eng. – b. d.
: : Aug. 29, 1671
: \_________________
: \
Anne Dudley2 the poetess b. 1612, Deborah Dudley m Jonathan Wade
m. 1628 d. Sept. 16, 1672, [m.] b. Feb. 27, 1645. : b. Ipswich
Simon Bradstreet Gov. of Mass. Colony. : d. Medford
: :
: :
Dr. Samuel Bradstreet3 m Mercy Tyng, 2d Mary Byley, 3rd Elizabeth :
Dorothy Bradstreet m Rev. Seabourne Cotton :
Sarah Bradstreet m 1st Rich’d Hubbard 2nd Maj. Sam’l Ward :
Rev. Simon Bradstreet m Lucy Woodbridge :
Hannah Bradstreet m Andrew Wiggin of Exeter, H.H. :
Dudley Bradstreet m. Anne (Wood) Price. _______________________/
/
Mercy Bradstreet3 m. : Nathaniel Wade of Medford
d. Medford Oct. 5, 1714 : b. Andover, Mass. 1647 : m Oct. 31, 1672. d. Nov. 28,1707
___________________/
/
Capt. Samuel Wade4 m. Lydia Newhall of Lynn.
b.Dec. 31, 1683 | m. Oct. 17, 1706.
d. Dec. 9, 1738. | d. Medford
___________ |
/
Rebecca Wade5 m Dea. Zachariah Poole.
b. Jan. 28, 1713 | b. Reading, Mar. 25, 1708
d. Mar. 18, 1773 | d. Medford, Feb. 20, 1776.
_________________ |_______________________
| | | |
| Bridget d.y. Zachr d.y. |-Rebecca & Aaron Hall of Medford
William m Mary Floyd |-Bridget m Daniel Gilman of Exeter
__________/ m Elizabeth Ward |-Zachariah m Elizabeth ---
| | |-Sarah m Edmond Bancroft.
| | |-Richard m Frances Calef.
| | |-Fitch m Anna
| |_______________________
|William [m] dau. of Miles,jr. a merchant |-Fitch m Elizabeth, dau. of Hon. M. Cutler of Hannah Derby of Boston Hamilton
Mary m Hon. Jona. Ingersoll |-William
of Salem whose dau. |-Ward m. Sarah Perry, 2nd Rebecca Seecomb.
by 1st wife m Nath |-Zachariah d. unm.
Bowditch, L.L.D. |-Nathanial d. unm.
|-Benjamin d. young
|-Elisabeth m Maj. Sylvester Osborne of Danvers.
|-Rebecca d young
Page 110
Gov. Dudley’s son-in-law, Fov. Simon Bradsrteet whos daughter Mary was the wife of Maj. Nathl. Wade, was b. at Horbling, Lincolnshire, England, in March, 1603. At the death of his father he was placed under the care of Thomas Dudley, whild preparing for college, and was admitted to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, but left before taking his degree, to enter the service of th Earl of Lincoln, the patron of Dudley. Him he served as steward for a time, and also the Countess of Warwick in the like capacity. Joining the colony of Gov. Winthrop and Dudley, he emigrated in 1630, and arrived June 12 of that year at Salem, removing subsequently to Cambridge. He remained here several years, but receiving a grant of 500 acres at Salem, “in the next convenient place to Gov. Endicott’s farm”, he removed there, and afterwards to Ipswitch and then to Andover., where he erected a Mill on the Cochichiwick River. He was appointed Commissioner of the United Colonies in 1643, and in 1672 deputy Governor, which he held till 1679, when he was chosen Governor, holding that office until 1686, when his nephew Joseph Dudley succeeded him. He retired from public life and died in 1697, Mar. 27, at Salem at the age of 94. He married two wives, the first in England, Anne the poetess, who died Sept. 16, 1672, at Andover, the second a sister of Sir George Downing (Anne(Downing Gardner) of Gov. Bradstreet, Paige remarks, (Hist. Cambridge, “when he was reinstated Governor in 1689, he
Page 111
was 87 uears of age, and incapable of energetic action. Moreover he was timid and yielding in disposition”. His great amiability of character may have doubtless contributed to this opinion of him.
In the inventory of the estate of Dea. Zachariah Polle is mentioned a largw dwelling house near Medford Bridge, a large shop, a work house, two small shops, two wharves, a wood lot contrining seven acres, one acre of mowing land “at old meeting house brook”, an acre near new Meeting house, and a pew numbered 14 in the same, - the latter valued at £80. The inventory is very lng, the values not being added up, except the real estate, which is appraised at £2.586 sterling.
In the subsequent division of the real estate, Nov. 20, 1778, it was apportioined to the heirs as follows:
To the heirs of William Poole deceased, the wharf near Medford Bridge, £100: 1 acre of orcharding and plow land of £100 and the pew in the church £80
280
To Rebecca Hall one half the large house & land
700
To Richard Pool the other half
700
To Bridget Gilman the acre of land by the brook
180
To the same, another piece of land
80
To Elizabeth Wade, two small shops with land
200
To the same “ a wood lot
126
To Sarah Pool the great shop and other buildings
260
Also a piece of land on road to Woburn
60
It appears by the book of accounts of the deceased that
Page 112
A charge as part of this portion was made by him against the following children:
William Pool deceased
£71.18. 4
Rebecca Pool
135.10.11
Elizabeth Pool
68
________
£176.5s 5d
The death of Zachariah Poole occurred ont eh 20th Feb., 1776, and his eldest son William of Danvers, who was named Executor of his will, survived him only two weeks, dying at Danvers, on the 3rd of March following. His youngest and only surviving son Richard, was then under age, and the father-in-law of his daughter Rebecca, Stephen Hall, Esq. was appointed his guardian, in July 17, 1776.
An item in the settlement of the estate is a bill of expenses, for travelling to Danvers “to bring the money belonging to the Estate; 4s 4d.”
In the list of legacies are these items:
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