Person Page

     Susanna Towne was baptized on 26 October 1625 in St. Nicholas Parish Church, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.¹

     Susanna Towne was born on 11 September 1711 in Framingham, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.¹

     Susannah Towne was born on 17 February 1718 in Oxford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.¹ Susannah died on 25 October 1806 in Sutton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, at age 88.¹

     Sylvanus Towne was born on 15 February 1750 in Oxford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.^1,2

     Tamar Towne was born on 10 February 1722 in Oxford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.¹ She married Daniel Davis on 14 January 1741 in Oxford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.¹ Tamar died on 10 August 1761 in Oxford, Connecticut, at age 39.¹

     Thomas Towne was born in 1655 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹ He married Sarah French, daughter of John French and Phebe Keyes, on 17 March 1684/85 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^1,2 Thomas died in 1720 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹

     Thomas Towne was born circa 1683 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹

     Thomas Towne was born circa 1691 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹

     Thomas Towne was born on 26 May 1729 in Oxford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.¹

     Unknown Towne was born circa 1675 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹

     Unknown Town was born between 1790 and 1800.¹

     Unknown Town was born between 1790 and 1800.¹

     Unknown Towne was born between 1790 and 1800.¹

     Unknown Towne was born between 1810 and 1820.¹

     William Towne was born on 2 February 1754 in Oxford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.^1,2 He married Mary Reynolds, daughter of Sacket Reynolds and Mary Jones, on 2 April 1787 in either the Congregational Chruch or at her Uncle Capt. Samuel Heacock's house, Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.² William died on 27 December 1828 in New York, New York, at age 74.² Conflicting evidence states that he died on 1 December 1828 in New York, New York.²
     

     William grew up in Oxford and moved to Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut where he enlisted into the company commanded by Capt. Samuel Lockwood and Col. Lamb's Connecticut Regiment of Artillery for three years. He was discharged in 1780.² Persion records relating to his Revoluntionary War Service are listed later.

     William worked as a stone mason for 20 years for George Mills at Stamford, until Mills moved to New York City in 1807. Pension records states that William brought up a large family in Stamford however not all of his children names have been discovered. Census records indicates that he 3 sons and 5 daughters. By the time of the 1820 U. S. Census William lived in Darien. By the fall of 1820, William moved his family to New York City to live with their son-in-law and daughter, Joseph and Elizabeth (Town) Jessup at 133 Christie St.²

William Town-Mary Town Pension Records as listed in the About Town Newsletter, W.31²

Certificate:
     New York, from Connecticut, William Town of Stamford in the state of Connecticut who was a private in the artillery regiment commanded by Colonel Lamb of the Connecticut line, for the term of 3 years inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut at the rate of eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 30th of March 1818.
     Certificate of Pension issued the 21st of July 1819 and sent to Joseph Wood, Esqr., Stamford, Connecticut.

Declaration:
     William Town, of Stamford, Fairfield county, Connecticut testifies that in 1777 he enlisted into the company commanded by Capt. Samuel Lockwood and Col. Lamb's Regiment of Connecticut Troops. He was discharged 3 years later. Four days after his discharge, he was taken prisoner and his discharge papers were taken from him. He is 64 years of age.
     Jonathan Town of Greenwich, Fairfield, Conn., declares the he knows William Town and the he served 3 years in the Revolutionary war. Dated March 30, 1818.

Affidavit:
     Fairfield county, Connecticut, July 27, 1820, William Town, aged 66, resident of Darien, Fairfield county, Conn. Declares he enlisted in May 1777 into Col. Lamb's Regt. Of Artillery for 3 years, served out his time and was honorable discharged. He is a laborer. He has a wife, aged 57 years, a daughter Pollly aged 26 years and a son Salem, aged 12 years. He makes a declaration of property.

Application for transfer:
     State and City of New York, May 13, 1827. William Town requests that his pension be transferred to New York city; that he has lived in Stamford, Connecticut for about 40 years, but has removed to New York to live with his daughter.

Declaration:
     State, county and city of New York, Nov. 2, 1838:
Mary Town, resident of New York city, aged 73 years, 8 months makes declaration for a widow's pension. She is the widow of William Town wha was a sergeant; William Town died on December 27, 1828 in New York City. William Town entered the service at Greenwich, Conn. She was married to William town on April 2, 1778 at Stamford, Fairfield county, Connecticut at the Congregational Church.

Affidavit:
     Hannah Smith, aged 73, widow of Jacob Smith states that she resided in Stamford, Fairfield county, Connecticut from 1774 until 1800. William Town and Mary Reynolds, both of Stamford, were married at her Uncle Capt. Samuel Heacock;s (Mrs. Heacock was her aunt) the forepart of the year 1778.

Affidavit:
     George Mills, aged 75 years, 4 months, a native of Stamford, Fairfield county, Conn. states he resided there until 1807 when he came to New York City. He enlisted in 1777 until the forepart of 1780 into the Connecticut Regiment of Infantry. William Town enlisted at the same time. William Town was employed by Mills as a stone mason for 20 years. Town brought up a large family in Stamford, Conn. They lived in Stamford until the fall of 1820 when they moved to New York City. William Town died on December 1, 1828.

Letter:
     To Miss Zella Armstrong of Chattanooga, Tennessee of August 2, 1933. Re: William Town, W.31
     The data given below were obtained from the papers on file in the above noted claim for pension.
     While a resident of Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, William Town enlisted in May 1777 and served in Captains Samuel Lockwood's and William Steven's Companies, Colonel John Lamb's Artillery Regiment, his service terminating with the close of the war. He was allowed pension on his application executed March 30, 1818, while a resident of Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, aged sixty-four years. In July 1820, he was living in Darien, Fairfield Co., Conn. About 1821 he move from Conn. to New York to live with his daughter, her name not given. He died December 27, 1828 in New York City. Soldier married April 2, 1878 in Stamford, Connecticut, Mary Reynolds. They were then both residents of said Stamford and were married at the house of Captain Samuel Heacock. His widow, Mary Town, was allowed pension on her application executed Nov. 2, 1838 while a resident of New York, New York Co., New York, aged 74 years and 8 months. In 1843 and 1848, she was living in Nashville, Davidson Co., Tenn. In 1820 soldier's daughter, Polly was aged 26 years and his son, Salem was aged 12 years.

Letter:
     To Commissioner of Pensions, dated November 5, 1838. Mary Town encloses vouchers for William Town. William Town is deceased and she is his widow. Their address had been 133 Christie Street, New York City.

Letter:
From George Mills, dated Nov. 19, 1838, New York City.
     I wrote to you that Mary Town, Widow of William Town had gone from here to the State of Tennessee since which she has returned four days after she left here and says that she went in a wagon near forty miles on her journey and that her son that was going with her was taken sick on the road and could not proceed and she was abliged to return with him and now will not go to Tennessee. She now resides ata 1122 Eldridge Street, city of New York. Also signed by Mary Town, junior.

Declaration:
     Davidson County, Tennessee, May 8, 1843
Mary Town, aged 77 years makes declaration for pension. She is the widow of William Town who was a private of artillery under Capt. Lockwood.

Certificate:
     Tennessee, Nashville, Mary Town, widow of William Town, Col. Lamb, Connecticut, who served in the Revolutionary war as a private of artillery. Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 100 Dollars per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1848.
     Certificate of Pension issued the 23 day of January 1849 and sent to Smith....Nashville, Tennessee.

Statement:
     Davidson County, Tennessee, Sept. 6, 1848. Mary Town, resident of Nashville, aged 80 years states that she is the Widow of William Town, deceased.

     He was baptized St. Nicholas Parish Church on 18 March 1598/99 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.¹ He married Joanna Blessing, daughter of John Blessing and Jone ?, St. Nicholas Parish Church on 25 April 1620 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.^1,2 William died before 24 April 1673 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^3,4
     

     William and his father, John, were both gardeners, despite the fact that William was apprenticed on 5 November 1608 "for 14 years from 2nd February next" to a basketmaker, Abraham Robbertes (Roberts) of Yarmouth.

     In trying to determine exactly when William and Joanna brought their children to Salem, several items seem to indicate that it possibly occurred in the summer of 1635. On 25 April 1635, William apprenticed his son, John, to cooper, Lionel Gibson, for "a period of 8 years from 24th June next." From the Norwich Consistory & Archdeaconry Visitation Records, 26 November 1635, it was noted that William and Joanna were cited by the Archdeacon for failing to appear for communion and are noted as Separatists.

     William and Joanna's children who came with them on the ship about 1635 were: Rebecca, age 14; Jacob, age 3½; and Mary, age 1. Edmund, age 7, supposedly came to America, at age 9, in June 1637 with the Henry Skerry family; however, there is some question if he is the same Edmund Towne who was listed as age 19 on the ship's manifest. Apprentice records in Great Yarmouth have no record of Edmund being bound to Skerry.¹

     The first record of William Towne in America appears in the town book of Salem in 1640 when he was granted "a little neck of Land right over against his house on the other side of the river." It the same year he sued John Cook in what seems to have been a border dispute and obtained a verdict and costs. It is probable that Towne was in Salem some years before 1640, however. A list of grants by the town to that portion of its territory called the North Fields is undated and the best opinion seems to indicate that it was made before and by 1635. William Towne's name appears on this list, and it was in the North Fields that he lived.¹

     In 1651 he purchased land in the neighboring town of Topsfield from William Paine of Ipswich. This farm contained forty acres "part of which is plow land, another part is meadow, another part is upland unplowed, all lying together," bounded by William Howard toward the east, Walter Roper, on the north and a "Sertaine River" toward the south. There were also included two acres on the south side of the river. He sold his Salem property to Henry Bullock in 1652 and bought additional land at Topsfield in 1656. In 1660 in testimony in a lawsuit his age was estimaged at three score years. He was made a commoner of Topsfield in 1661, and his wife was dismissed from the Salem Church to that in Topsfield in 1664.¹

     in 1663, William and Joanna Towne deeded 2/3 of the home they live in, the barn, outhouses, yard, gardens, orchards, "lying situate and being in Topsfield, together with a parcel of broken upland by the meadow side, only a cartway reserved between the said land and the meadow towards the South, and the land of Jacob Towne towards the East, and the land of Jacob Towne and Edmund Towne towards the North, and the Lands of Isaac Estie towards the West -- also another parcel of land broke up and upbroken, containing an estimation of thirty acres, bounded by the way towards the Southeast and Northeast, and a way also towards the Southwest; the land of Zacheus Gould and Edmund Towne towards the Northwest and the land of Edmund Towne and Isaac Estie towards the North. Also a parcel of meddow lying on the North side of the river, having the river for the bounds toward the South, a highway towards the West, and a way towards the North, and meddow of Jacob Towne towards the East, containing by estimating fourteen acres." to son Joseph Towne just prior to his marriage with Phebe Perkins; "In consideration of natural affection and the contemplated marriage of our son Joseph Towne to Phebe Perkins...." Joseph also to have first refusal of the remaining 1/3 when it should be for sale.¹

     Probate records of Essex County: Estate of William Towne of Topsfield. Administration granted 24: 4: 1673 to Johana Towne on the estate of William Towne, her late husband, and she was to bring in an inventory to the next Ipswich court.

     Petition for settlement of a small estate left the undersigned by their father, who died ten years ago leaving no will, but left his estate in the hands of their mother who was appointed administratrix and the estate remained unsettled until her death, and now they desire that the following division may be allowed: the land to be divided equally to his three sons, Edmond, Jacob, and Joseph and the moveables equally to the three daughters, Rebecka, Mary, and Sarah; also the three brothers to pay all debts now due and what charges shall after arise in settlement of the estate to be equally borned by all six. Dated Jan. 17, 1682, Signed by Mary (her mark) Towne relict of Edmond, Jacob Towne, Josep (his mark) Towne, Francis (his mark) Nurs with the consent of Rebeka, Mary (her mark) Esty formerly Mary Towne, Sarah (her mark) Bridges. Witness: John How, John Pritchet. Allowed by the court at Ipswich Apr. 10, 1683. Ipswich Deeds, vol. 4, page 515.¹

     William Towne was born on 13 March 1659 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹ William married first Eliza ? circa 1680.^1,2 He married second Margaret Willard on 22 August 1694 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹ William died on 30 January 1750 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts, at age 90.¹ He was buried on 2 February 1750.¹

     William Towne was born on 22 November 1697 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹ William died in 1697.¹

     William Towne was born on 25 February 1699 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.¹

     Zerviah Towne was born circa 1707 in Framingham, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.¹ She married John Clayes, son of James Clayes and Mary Towne, on 12 November 1748.¹ Zerviah died in 1766.¹

     Carolyn Townsend was born in January 1807 in Hartford Co., Connecticut.¹ She married George Leverett Sloan, son of Thomas Sloan [Jr.] and Hannah Barnard, on 16 April 1829 in New York, New York.¹ Carolyn died on 24 September 1860 in Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, at age 53.² She was interred on 25 September 1860 in City Cemetery in Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee.³