John Tarbox and his descendants

              H H O i

c s

[ 1 71

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1888

AUG - 3 ( 933

JOHN TARBOX OF LYNN,

A N D H I S D E S C E N D A N TS

FOR FIVE GENERATIONS.

R e p r i n t e d f r o m t h e N . E . HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL REGISTER f o r J a n . , 1888.

DAVID CLAPP & SON, Printers, Boston.

JOHN TAEBOX AND HIS DESCENDANTS.*

By the Rev. INCREASE N. TARBOX, D. D., of " West Newton, Mass.

THE family name Tarbox has generally been regarded as French

Huguenot. In the work entitled " The Huguenots in France

and America," published in two volumes in Cambridge, Mass., in

1843, there is given in the Appendix a " List of the names of

Huguenot Families in America." In this list the name Tarbox

appears as derived from Tabaux. Other writers have suggested

Tabeaux and Tarbeaux as the original name.

It is, however, by no means certain that it was originally a French

name. Three and four hundred years ago there were families in

Lancashire, England, of some note, of the name Tarbock. The

name in those times was variously spelled—- Tarbock, Tarbocke,

Tarback, Torbock and Torbocke. Standish is a Lancashire name,

and there were intermarriages between the Standish and the Tar-bock

families. It is not unlikely that the name Tarbox is a cor-ruption

from Tarbock or Torbock.

In this connection a letter recently received from F . T. Turton,

Esq., of Huyton, near Liverpool, England, will be of interest.

Mr. Turton is the author of a learned article entitled " Notes on

the History of Huyton, especially with reference to its Church,"

read on the 12th of January, 1882, before the Historic Society of

Lancashire and Cheshire, and published in the 34th volume of its

Transactions. He writes :

In answer to your letter and inquiries respecting the Tarbock family,

I beg to send you a few farther notes taken from ancient local records and

charters not printed.

This family was formerly very active and important, and also one of

the oldest in Lancashire, but are not now found in the neighborhood. The

* This Genealogical Sketch, designed to cover the first five American generations of the

Tarbox family, is by no means perfect. There are not a few names connected with this

early period which, owing to Scantiness of records, the writer has not been able to trace.

Still, it is not more imperfect perhaps than such sketches ordinarily are. It is the result

of long labor and research, and may help others to farther discoveries. The collection of

the facts here embodied has been going on, as opportunity offered, for fifty years.

4

name is a place name, probably of Danish origin ( Thor- beck, the brook or

beck of Thor), from the beck or brook which still runs by the site of the

Old Hall, now a farm- house.

The word is usually pronounced Tarbock or Tarback, of which proba-bly

Tarbos is a variation ; and I certainly incline to the idea that the name

you bear is of English origin, as no doubt the family would be dispersed

at the sale of the manor to Thomas Sutton, Esq.

Tarbock is about six miles from Liverpool, and is now of little import-ance,

being a purely agricultural township, and is only noted as having

given name to the once well- known family of Tarbock.

The sale of the manor to Thomas Sutton, above noted, took place

before the year 1615.

If Tarbox was originally a French name, there can be no doubt

that it had become domesticated in Engol and before comingo liither.

The name was brought here in its present shape, and in the same

shape it still remains in England, though rare.

1. JOHN TARBOX, according to Lewis and Newhall's History of Lynn

came to that town in 1640. But by the Essex Court Records it is

made plain that he was there in 1639, as the following entry will

show: " John Tarbox pi. agt Daniell Salmon in aco. of Debt. Jury

find for pi. 27s damadgs and 11s costs. 25th of 4th mo 1639." As

this transaction was in the 4th month of 1639, there could hardly

have been time in the previous months of that year for the forma-tion

of a debt which should have passed through all such stages as

should bring it into court for collection. It is likely, therefore, that

he was an inhabitant of Lynn before 1639, but as we have no ab-solute

proof of this, we fix upon that as his first year in New

England.

That he was a man of good character and a substantial citizen,

appears from various items in the early records, of which the fol-lowing

may serve as a specimen:

" Geo Fraile 4 mo. 1664.

Inventory of estate of George Fraile of Lynn who deceased 9th

of lOmo. 1663, taken by Thos. Houghton Thos. Putnam, John Put-nam

and John Tarbox: Amount £ 184 14s 0. returned and al-lowed

29. Mar. 1664."

John Tarbox died in 1674-. Lewis in his History of Lynn says

of him : " John Tarbox, one of the first farmers of Lynn, died 26

May, 1674. He had seven acres of upland on Water Hill, an or-chard,

three cows and nine sheep, at the time of his decease He

was a small proprietor in the Iron Works." The Iron Works of

Lynn, started in the infancy of the Massachusetts colony, was a very

important branch of industry, and seems to have been regarded as

a patriotic and public- spirited enterprise, which might or might not

be found immediately profitable. Men outside of Lynn bore a part

in the development of this industry. Gen. Robert Sedgwick, of

Charlestown, who afterwards went back to England to help Crom-well

in his war against the king, was one of the proprietors in these

Iron Works.

The will of John Tarbox, made only a short time before his death,

is on record in the Probate Office at Salem, and the following sen-tences

are copied from it. " I bequeath my house and housing with

orchard and all my land and meadow, with a Greene rugg and a

great Iron Kettell, and a round Joyned Table to my Sonne John

Tarbox. I bequeath unto every one of my Sonn John Tarbox his

children one ewe sheep apeece. I appoint my wife Executrix and

my friends Capt. Marshall and Thomas Laughton Sen. my over-seers."

The name of John Tarbox's wife, who survived him, wa s proba-bly

Rebekah. His children were :

i. REBEKAH2 born in England, seven or eight years old when she came

over. She was the occasion of the curious record which we find on

the books containing the doings of the Court of Quarter Sessions in

Salem.

" Sept. 11, 1649. Mathew Stanley was tried for winning the affec-tion

of John Tarbox's daughter, without the consent of her parents.

He was fined £ 5. with 2s. 6* d. fees. The parents of the young woman

were allowed 6s. for their attendance three days."

That she was an only daughter is made probable by the above lan-guage,

and we find traces of no other. She is not mentioned in her

father's will in 1674, and may not have been then living. But she is

mentioned in the will of Mrs. Thomas Axey ( a neighbor and friend),

made in 1670." Among many small legacies, she leaves one " to Re-bekah

Tarbox, wife of Goodman Gowing."

ii. JONATHAN, 2 also born in England, died in 1654. A child John Tarbox

died in Lynn about the same time, probably father and son. It may

be that Jonathan had been recently married, and this was his first bom

son. Both dying near the same time, this line was out short.

2. iii. JOHN2, born 1645, m. July, 1667, Mary Haven, daughter of Richard

and Susanna ( Newhall) Haven, b. March 12, 1647. Richard Haven

was one of the substantial men of early Lynn, and there have been

several public gatherings of his descendants.

3. iv. SAMUEL, 2 born 1647; m ( 1st) Nov. 14, 1665, Rebekah Armitage, daugh-ter

of Godfrey Armitage, of Boston, and ( 2d) October 16, 1678, Expe-rience

Look.

2. J O H N 2 T A R B O X ( Johnx) shared much more largely in his father's estate

than did Samuel. 2 Doubtless he had the advantage of the elder son,

according to the English idea of primogeniture. He may have been

otherwise more of a favorite with his father, though all the facts

would indicate that Samuel occupied a more conspicuous position and

filled a larger space in the public activities of Lynn than John. It

was not, indeed a great estate which John1 had to leave to his wife

and children, though respectable for those days. It was invento-ried

at £ 159 6s. 6d.

John2 Tarbox was united in marriage with Mary Haven, July,

1667. Children:

4. i. JOHN, 3 b. April 3,1668 ; with wife Elizabeth settled at East Greenwich,

R. I., about 1695. He was the father of the Rhode Island branch of

the family.

ii. JOSEPH, b. March 4, 1669; d. Sept. 27, 1669.

i i i . MART, b. A u g . 11, 1670 ; d. A u g u s t , 1671.

i v . SARAH, b . J u n o 1, 1672.

v. JOSEPH, b. J u l y 29, 1674; d. Nov. 1674.

v i . JONATHAN, b. Feb. 18, 1676.

v i i . SAMUEL, b . F e b . 5, 1677 ; d . F e b . 14, 1677.

5. viii. EBENEZER, b. Jan. 4, 1678; m. Mary Brean.

i x . HANNAH, }

x. MARY, > Triplets, b. Oct. 14, 1681. All died in infancy.

x i . SUSANNA, )

6

6. xii. NATHANIEL, b. Jan. 25, 1684. With wife Elizabeth settled in Bidde-ford,

Me., 1720. He is the father of the Maine branch of the family.

xiii. MARY, b. June 13, 1686.

Mary, wife of John Tarbox, died Nov. 19, 1690. Her husband

was alive Jan. 8, 1723, when he sold his homestead to his son Eben-ezer.

The exact date of his death we have not found.

3 . SAMUEL2 TARBOX ( John1) was married ( 1st) to Rebekah Armitage*

Nov. 14,1665, and ( 2d) to Experience Look, Oct. 16, 1678. There

is an interesting history connected with Rebekah Armitage. Her

father, Godfrey Armitage, on coming from England lived first in

Lynn. Afterward he married in Boston a woman of the name

Webb, and they lived in Boston. In 1654 Rebekah Webb, a wid-ow,

the mother of Godfrey Armitage's wife, died, leaving all her

property to her grandchild Rebekah Armitage. This will is on

record among the early wills of Boston, and runs in this primitive

fashion:

" Rebekah Webb."

" Grandchild Rebekah Armitage sole executrix to pay all my debts,

possess all my goods, debts and estate : Loveing friends, Thomas Bu-tolph

and Peter Oliver Administrators.

Committ unto ym the care of' said grandchild and my said goods,

debts, goods or estate to improoue to the best behoofe of said Grand-child,

also to dispose of her in marriage ( if she live to be capable

thereof) or at sixteene years of age, then she hath liberty to dispose of

hir estate hir selfe, in case God take hir away by death before mar-riage

: but at twenty years she hath power over hir estate, but not of

hir person in marriage without [ the consent] of hir father Godfrey

Armitage Thomas Butolph & Peter Oliver. If God take away said

Rebekah by death before the age of sixteene years, then Administra-tors

& Sonn Armitage have all my estate to be equally divided among

ym they paying such legacys as fol'lowcth ( vizt) to Seaborne Cotton and

John Cotton forty Shillings apiece. To Mr. John Wilson Junior forty

shillings ; to his sister dauenport [ Danforth] forty shillings, for her

love and care of said grand child, and sixe pounds a year with her for

two years. Above named Administrators and said sonn in law twenty

shillings a piece. Witness my hand 10th of Deo. 1654.

REBEKAH WEBB. W her mark.

F i f t e e n years later, in 1669, Godfrey Armitage made his will,

and he left a legacy to his " daughter Rebekah Tarbox," she hav-ing

been then four years the wife of Samuel Tarbox. This will is

also on record among the early wills of Boston. Children of Sam-uel

and Rebekah:

i. SAMUEL, 3 b. June 20, 1666; d. before 1693.

7. ii. JONATHAN, b. July 3, 1668. llad wife Eleanor .

iii. GODFREY, b. Aug. 16, 1670; d. before 1701, as in that year the three

children of Rebekah, then living, united in giving a deed of property

to a man in Boston.

iv. REBEKAH, b. Aug. 8, 1672 ; m. John Gott, of Wenham.

v. SARAH, b. Oct. 15, 1674 ; m. Ebenezer Batchelder, of Wenham.

vi. MARY, b. Feb. 21, 1676. The mother died a fortnight after the birth of

this child, and the child died three weeks later. The father was ab-sent

at the time as a soldier in King Philip's war.

Children of Samuel and Experience :

v i i . EXPERIENCE, b . S e p t . 1, 1679.

viii. HANNAH, b. March 12, 1681.

ix. JOHN, b. March 8, 1683 ; d. March 14, 1683.

8. x. THOMAS, b. June 8, 1684 ; m. Esther Edwards.

7

XI JOSEPH ^ ,

xii ELIZABETH S B- J a n - 8, 1686; d. within two weeks.

xiii. BENJAMIN,' b. Jan. 23, 1686; d. Sept. 27, 1710.

xiv. MARY, b. Jan. 20, 1689; m. Ephraim Kimball, of Boxford.

9. xv. SAMUEL, b. 1693; m. Elizabeth Maxey.

10. xvi. EBENEZER, b. Aug. 1, 1695; m. Sarah Hall.

xvii. MEHITABLE, b. June 12, 1697; m. John Herrick, of Beverly.

11. xviii. JOSEPH, b. March 6, 1699; m. Susanna Stevens.

Ensign Samuel Tarbox died August 16, 1715. He bad been

much employed in different ways in the service of the town. A

short time before his death he made a will, which was in advance of

his time, as the following extract from it will show :

v••• Having but a small estate, and my children considerable grown

up, and mostly taken care for, and I have done for according to my

capacity, and my beloved wife being in years and a lame woman,

my will is, and I doe hereby will and bequeath unto my beloved

wife Experience Tarbox her heirs and assigns for ever, all my estate

both real and personal, housing and lands, with all my movables

both within doors and without doors, to be at her own pleasure, to

give sell and dispose of as she see cause for her own comfortable sub-sistence.

If my afore said estate may remain more than for her sub-sistence

afore said my desire is that she doe, as I doubt not her lov-ing

nature will move her to dispose of the same among my children

as she see cause."

In 1685 Samuel Tarbox was one of twenty- five petitioners to

the General Court setting forth the trials, hardships, damages and

losses which they suffered in that terrible war of 1675- 6, and asking

some special remuneration.

" On the 3rd of June, 1685, the Court granted them a tract of

land in Worcester County, eight miles square, on condition that

thirty families, with an Orthodox minister, should settle there with-in

four years."

After the death of Samuel Tarbox in 1715, his wife Experience

went to live with her son Thomas in Wenham. There she con-tinued

for many years, dying March 2, 1738, in the 85th year of

her age. Her tombstone stands plainly to view near the front en-trance

of the Wenham burial- ground.

We come now to the third generation, and we will take the names

that are to be further illustrated according to the order in which

they stand in the preceding lists.

4. J O H N 3 TARBOX ( John? John1), born in Lynn, April 3,1668; with

wife Elizabeth settled in East Greenwich about 1695, where his

eldest son John was born, Oct. 14, 1698. It is not unlikely that the

daughter Elizabeth was the first born of the children. By his will,

made Sept. 12, 1747, he enumerates eight children then living, pro-bably

without reference to the order of their birth. To seven of

them he gives only the sum of five shillings each, reserving the bulk

of his estate, which was inventoried at £ 211 9s., for his daughter

Keziab, who had probably taken care of him in his old age. He was

then 79 years old. This will, which is on record in the East Green-wich,

R. I., Probate Office, was admitted to probate March 28,1748.

The children named in the will are :

8

12. i. JOHN, 4 b. O c t . 14, 1698.

i i . SAMUEL.

i i i . SARAH.

i v . MARGARET.

v . EXPERIENCE.

v i . JEMIMA.

v i i . ELIZABETH.

v i i i . KEZIAH.

We cannot doubt tbat these daughters, some or all of them, were

married, but the names of their husbands are not given in the will,

and in the obscurity of the records we have not been able to find

the record of their marriages.

5. E B E N E Z E R 3 T A R B O X ( John, 2 John1), born Jan. 4, 1678, was united in

marriage, April 15, 1700, with Mary Brean, of Boxford. They

lived in Lynn. Children :

13. i. JOHN, 4 b. Feb. 7, 1702 ; m. Dorothy Gray.

14. ii. NATHANIEL, b. March 20, 1704 : m. Ruth Frail, of Salem.

15. iii. JACOB, b. June 14, 1707 ; m. Abigail Baxter, of Lynn.

16. iv. EBENEZER, b. June 14, 1709 ; m. Mary Rand, of Lynn.

17. v. JEREMIAH, b. 1711? in. Joanna Cook.

vi. SARAH, b. 1713? m. John Hewitt, of Lynn.

18. vii. NOAH, b. 1715? m. Hannah Barrows, of Ipswich.

19. viii. BENJAMIN, b. 1717? m. Deborah Gray, of Lynn.

Ebenezer Tarbox, Sen., died Dec. 2, 1723, and letters of admin-istration

were granted July 6, 1724, to " Mary, Relict Widdow of

Ebenezer Tarbox late of Lynn." The estate was divided by order

of the Probate Court, each child receiving £ 17 20s. 9d., except

that John the eldest received a double portion, £ 34 5s. 6d. The

whole amount given to the eight children was ,£ 154 4s. 9d., and

the widow had her portion.

6. NATHANIEL3 T A R B O X ( John," John1), born Jan. 25, 1684, was mar-ried

to Elizabeth about 1710, and with his wife and three or four

young children, settled in Biddeford, Me., about 1720. Children :

20. i. JOSEPH, 4 b. about 1711; m. Mary Belcher, of Boston.

21. ii. BENJAMIN, b. about 1714; m. ( 1st) Abigail, ( 2d) Hannah Smith.

22. iii. JOHN, b. about 1716; in. Abigail •—-.

23. iv. HAVEN, b. about 1718 ; m. Miriam Dempsey.

24. v. SARAH, b. about 1720; m. Job Roberts, July 25, 1745.

When Nathaniel Tarbox moved to Biddeford it was a period of

Indian hostilities, and he had command of one of the " garrison

houses" near Biddeford Pool. lie was killed by the Indians in

1723, and his widow Elizabeth married John Gray in 1724. A

gentleman who has recently visited Biddeford told the writer that

the remains of the Tarbox garrison house are yet plainly to be seen.

7. JONATHAN3 TARBOX ( Samuel,' 2 John1), born July 3, 1668; married

Eleanor about 1693. They lived in Lynn. Children:

i. ELEANOR, 4 b. about 1694; m. Nov. 6, 1714, Edward Howard, of Lynn.

25. ii. GODFREY, b. 1696; m. llannab Laighton.

26. iii. JONATHAN, b. 1698 ; m. Mary Clough, of Boston.

i v . EXPERIENCE, b. a b o u t 1700.

v. HANNAH, b. 1701 ; in. in Hebron, Ct., John Gott ( son of John and Eliz-abeth).

She died suddenly, July 12, 1773.

vi. MARY, b. about 1703 ; m. Nathaniel Root, of Hebron, Ct., Dec. 28, 1725 ;

d. Dec. 6, 1754.

vii. SARAH, h. about 1705 ; m. May, 1729, Jonathan Root, of Hebron ; d.

Aug. 9, 1754.

9

Jonathan Tarbox, Sen., died before 1718, as in that year, Sept.

29, 1718, his widow Eleanor married John Gott, Sen., whose first

wife was Rebekah Tarbox. In their early married life John Gott

and his wife had lived in Wenham, but as early as 1714 they had

moved to Hebron, Ct., where Rebekah dying, her husband returned

and married Eleanor Tarbox, the widow of Jonathan, Rebekah's

brother. Eleanor long outlived her second husband, dying about

1770, not far from 90 years old.

8. THOMAS3 T A R B O X ( Samuel? John1), born June 8, 1G84; was united

in marriage Eeb. 22, 1707, with Esther Edwards, of Wenham.

They lived in Wenham, where he was known as Capt. Thomas Tar-box,

a very valuable citizen. Children :

i. ESTHER, 4 b. May 30, 1708 ; m. Philip Town, of Topsfield.

i i . REBEKAH, b. O c t . 2, 1709 ; d J u l y 25, 1711.

iii. REBEKAH, b. Oct. 24, 1711; m. John Darby, of Ipswich.

i v . BENJAMIN, b. Feb. 13, 1714 : d . J u n e 10, 1714.

27. v. SAMUEL, b. O c t . 1, 1715 ; i n . M a r y Cue.

v i . EUNICE, b. J u n e 10, 1717.

v i i . THOMAS, b. F e b . 19, 1718; d. e a r l y,

via. MART, b. Sept. 20, 1720 ; d. early.

ix. LUCY, b. Oct. 25, 1723; M. ( 1st) March 6, 1751, Elisha Perkins, of

Topsfield, Mass. ; ( 2d) Jan. 3, 1753, Dea. Daniel Gould, of Topsfield ;

( 3d) May 31, 1768, Asa Gould, of Topsfield.

Esther, wife of Thomas Tarbox, died Aug. 20, 1766, in her 85th

year. He himself died Jan. 9, 1774, in his 90th year. His son,

Dea. Samuel Tarbox, was his administrator, and he left handsome

portions to his children and grandchildren.

9 . SAMUEL3 T A R B O X ( Samuel, 2 John1), born Feb. 6, 1693 ; was united

in marriage Jan. 12, 1716, with Elizabeth Maxey, of Wenham.

They lived in Wenham. Children :

i . MARY, 4 b. M a y 29, 1717 ; d . 1720.

i i . ELIZABETH, b. N o v . 25, 1718.

i i i . EXPERIENCE, b . F e b . 3, 1721.

i v . MARY, b. F e b . 6, 1723.

Elizabeth, the wife of Samuel Tarbox, died in 1737, and he died

in 1755. Administration upon his estate was granted to Robert

Dodge, Dec. 15, 1755.

1 0 . E B E N E Z E R 3 T A R B O X ( Samuel? John1) was united in marriage March

5, 1719, with Sarah Hall. They lived in Gloucester. Children:

i . ISAAC, 4 b . M a r c h 23, 1720.

i i . THOMAS, b. 1724.

i i i . BENJAMIN, b a p t . 1727.

i v . EBENEZER, b. M a y , 1727.

v. JOHN, b. O c t . 30, 1730.

v i . SARAH, b . 1732.

v i i . REBEKAH, b. 1733.

Ebenezer Tarbox died in Gloucester, and letters of administra-tion

were granted to his wife Sarah Dec. 16, 1745. Inventory ren-dered

1746. Amount, £ 235 8s. ( id.

1 1 . J O S E P H 3 T A R B O X ( Samuel? John? John1), born March 6, 1699, was

united in marriage with Susanna Stevens, of Gloucester, Jan. 28,

1725. They lived in Gloucester. Children:

1

10

i. JOSEPH, 4 b. March 5, 1726 ; d. 1753 ; unmarried.

i i . SUSANNA, b. M a r c h 1 , 1 7 2 9.

28. iii. SAMUEL, b. May 23, 1731 ; m. Deborah Sayward.

iv. ABIGAIL, b. July 25, 1734; d. early.

v. EXPERIENCE, b. M a r c h 20, 1737.

v i . ABIGAIL, b. 1740.

29. v i i . WILLIAM, b. 1743 ; m . L y d i a A t w e l l.

Joseph Tarbox died in 1765, and administration upon his estate

was granted July 17, 1758, and afterwards, by reason of her death,

to Joseph Cloug'h, Oct. 21, 1765.

Fourth Generation.

1 2 . JOHN4 T A R B O X ( John, 3 John, 2 John1), born in East Greenwich, R . I .,

Oct. 14, 1698 ; had two wives, Elizabeth and Margaret. He lived

in East Greenwich. Children by wife Elizabeth:

i. CALEB, 5 b. Dee. 5, 1725; d. in early life.

By wife Margaret:

i i . MARY, b . Dec. 23, 1733.

iii. SAMUEL, b. Sept. 25, 1736. Had a large family of children. John went

West; Joseph m. Esther Whitford ; Curnell m. Sally Adams ; Whip-ple

went to Pennsylvania; David, b. May 21, 1764, m. Sally John-son

; Benjamin m. Hannah Nichols; Samuel m. Betsey Johnson ;

Margeret, Edith and Wclthan.

iv. ANN, b. May 22, 1742.

v. ELIZABETH, b. S e p t . 22, 1747.

vi. CALEB, b. Dee. 24, 1750; d. unmarried. In this Rhode Island branch,

for the three foregoing generations, the family name was perpetuated

through one person in each generation.

The following is taken from the Probate Records of East Green-wich

:

" Know ye that whereas John Tarbox Jun. of East Greenwich

in the County of Kent, the Colony of Rhode Island, & so forth

shipwright, went a voyage to sea on the coast of Africa, some years

past and there on the coast of Africa aforesaid as appears by a

letter of one John Wallis from Africa aforesaid, deceased in the

year 1759, intestate, Samuel Tarbox son of the deceased is ap-pointed

to settle his estate." Sept. 1762.

The inventory of the estate was £ 237 7s.

13. JOHN4 TARBOX ( Ebenezer, 3 John, s John1) was united in marriage,

1728, with Dorothy Gray. They lived first at Lynn, and after-wards

at Gloucester. Children :

i . JOHN, 6 b. i n L y n n , J a n . 28, 1729.

ii. WILLIAM, b. in Gloucester, Sept. 1, 1736; revolutionary soldier.

iii. DANIEL, bapt. in Gloucester, July 15, 1739.

1 4 . N A T H A N I E L 4 T A R B O X ( Ebenezer, 3 John, 2 John1) was united in mar-riage

with Ruth Frail, of Salem, Sept. 8, 1722. They lived in

Lynn. Children:

i. LYDIA, 6 b. Aug. 10, 1723 ; m. Joseph Gleason.

i i . ABNER, b . J u n e 20, 1725.

i i i . ELIZABETH, b. S e p t . 7, 1726.

1 5 . JACOB4 T A R B O X [ Ebenezer, 3 John? John1) was united in marriage

with Abigail Baxter, Oct. 5, 1729. They lived in Lynn. Children:

i. ELIZABETH, 6 b. Jan. 4, 1732 ; m. James Ferns, Dec. 2, 1755.

ii. NATHANIEL, b. Nov. 29, 1734 ; m. Abigail Cox ; revolutionary soldier.

11

iii. SAMUEL, b. Aug. 29, 1737 ; m. Mary Wheeler, of Maiden.

iv. LYDIA, b. May 29, 1741 ; m. Joseph Gleason, of Oxford.

v. JONATHAN, b. M a y 6, 1743.

v i . SARAH, b . M a y 16, 1747.

vii. BAXTER, b. Aug. 17, 1754; revolutionary soldier.

1 6 . E B E N E Z E R 4 TARBOX ( Ebenezer? John? John1) was united in mar-riage

with Mary Rand, of Lynn, July 13, 1735. He seems to have

had no children. He died a few years after marriage, and by his

will bearing date July 6, 1744, he gave portions to his wife Mary,

his brother John, his brother Jacob, to Ebenezer, son of his brother

Noah, to Abner, son of his brother Nathaniel, to Ebenezer, son of

his brother Jeremiah, to the children of his sister Mrs. Sarah Hewitt,

and to his brother Benjamin, whom he made sole executor of his

will.

1 7 . J E R E M I A H 4 T A R B O X ( Ebenezer? John? John1) was united in marriage

Aug. 19, 1733, with Joanna Cook, of Lynn. They lived in Lynn.

Children :

i. EBENEZER, 6 b. March 6, 1734 ; m. Mary Baker.

ii. MARY, b. Sept. 2, 1735; m. William Rice, oflpswich.

i i i . JEREMIAH, b. Feb. 25, 1737; m. A n n e Oox, S e p t . 5, 1755.

iv. ABIGAIL, b. Sept. 20, 1740; m. Amos Pratt.

1 8 . NOAH4 TARBOX ( Ebenezer? John? John1) was united in marriage,

Oct. 22, 1738, with Hannah Burrows, of Ipswich. They settled

first in Londonderry, N. H., and soon afterwards removed to Dun-stable,

N. H. ( to that part of the town afterwards known as Merri-mac).

Here he died in 1774, about 60 years of age. It is quite

likely ho had other children than those named below. Children:

i. EBENEZER, 5 b. before 1744, for in that year his uncle Ebenezer left him a

legacy.

ii. HENRY, b. about 1746 ; m. May 27, 1767, Sarah Wright.

iii. JAMES, b. 1759 ; m. Betsey Lund.

The last named proved to be a very notable man. He was fifteen

years old when his father died in 1774. He afterwards served as a

soldier in the revolutionary army. He was united in marriage,

June 15, 1782, with Betsey Lund, of Dunstable, and they moved

to Vermont, settling first at Windsor. As Noah, his father, seems

to have been the first to carry the name Tarbox to New Hampshire,

James the son was the first to carry it to Vermont. He settled with

his wife first at Windsor, but in 1798 the family removed to Ran-dolph.

Here James Tarbox made for himself a name of honor and

dignity. The Vermont Historical Gazeteer, Vol. II:, p. 1052, says

of him:

" Judge Tarbox was always held in very high esteem for his pe-culiarly

sound judgment and sterling integrity. He held many

prominent town offices for many years. He was also many times

elected to represent his town in the legislature, and was a member

of the legislative council under the old constitution of the state ; was

a Judge of the Orange County Court; was a director in the Wood-stock

branch of the Vermont State Bank, and Elector of President

and Vice- President of the United States."

Though he himself lived to he 82 and his wife 78, his eight chil-dren,

six sons and two daughters, all died in early manhood and

12

womanhood. The last of his children died Aug. 23, 1841, two days

before his own death. A granddaughter Betsey Tarbox, daughter

of Lund Tarbox, survived and married Charles Dewey, Esq., of

Montpelier, Yt. She is still living and at the head of a large and

highly respectable family of children and grandchildren.

1 9 . BENJAMIN4 T A R B O X ( Ebenezer, s John2 John1) was united in marriage,

June 21, 1724, with Deborah Gray, of Lynn. They lived in Glou-cester.

Children:

i . DEBORAH, 5 b. 1739.

i i . BENJAMIN, b . 1743 ; d. u u m . ; r e v o l u t i o n a r y s o l d i e r.

iii. ANDREW, b. 1747. This last child was by a second wife, Mrs. Abigail

Parsons, to whom he was married in 1744.

2 0 . J O S E P H 4 T A R B O X ( Nathaniel, 3 John 2 John1) was united in marriage

with Mary Belcher, of Boston, Feb.' 22, 1732. They lived in Bid-deford,

Me. Children:

i. DANIEL, 5 b. about 1733; m. Sept. 30, 1762, Agues Hooper.

ii. MART, b. about 1735 ; m. March 3. 1757, Daniel Smith.

i i i . JOSEPH, b. 1740.

iv. HANNAH, bapt. April 3, 1743; m. Sept. 14, 1762, Dominions Scammon.

v. JONATHAN, bapt. Feb. 17, 1745 ; m. Nov. 23, 1775, Mary Haley.

v i . ZECHARIAH, b a p t . M a r c h 8, 1747.

v i i . ELIAKIM, b a p t . J a n . 1, 1749.

viii. SOPHIA, bapt. March 3, 1751; m. April 15, 1771, Nathaniel Cole.

ix. ELIEZER, b. May 11, 1753 ; m. March 4, 1781, Phebe Stackpole. They

lived in Gardiner, Me., and the names of their children were— Joseph,

b. Nov. 12, 1781; James, b. March 21, 1784; Zaehariah, b. April 7,

1786 ; Nathaniel, b. Oct. 12, 1788; Samuel Belcher, b. May 15, 1791;

Eliezer, b. April 17. 1794 ; Mary, b. Aug. 1796 ; Julia, b. Nov. 13,

1799, and William, b. Jan. 10, 1804.

x. LAVINIA, b. Jan. 11, 1756; m. Sept. 15, 1774, Joseph Stimson.

2 1 . BENJAMIN4 T A R B O X ( Nathaniel, 3 John, 2 John1) married Abigail .

They lived in Biddeford. Children :

i. BENJAMIN, 5 b. about 1741 ; m. March 18, 1762, Hannah Smith. They

lived in Biddeford.

ii. NATHANIEL, bap't. Nov. 25, 1743 ; m. Dec. 3. 1761, Sarah Gilpatrick.

iii. HAVEN, bapt. Feb. 24, 1745 ; m. June 27, 1771, Sarah Smith.

iv. RUTH, bapt. May 31, 1747 ; pub. March 26, 1769, to Andrew Staples.

v. LEMUEL, b. D e c . 2, 1750 ; m. M a r g a r e t .

v i . TRISTRAM, b a p t . J u n e 5, 1757.

v i i . CARYL, b a p t . Nov. 15. 1761.

viii. ABIGAIL, bapt. Sept. 11, 1763.

ix. JOSEPH, bapt. April 5, 1767.

2 2 . JOHN4 TARBOX ( Nathaniel, 3 John2 John1) married Abigail

about 1743. They lived in Biddeford. Children:

i . JOHN, 6 b. a b o u t 1744.

ii. HEZEKIAH, bapt. Jan. 5, 1746 ; m. Aug. 3, 1770, Sarah Stackpole. They

lived in Biddeford.

iii. LUCY, bapt. Feb. 28, 1748 ; m. May 5, 1765, Ebenezer Jordan.

i v . CORNELIUS, b a p t . Dec. 2, 1751.

v. OLIVE, b a p t . Nov. 30, 1755.

v i . JERUSHA, b a p t . M a y 7, 1758.

v i i . STEPHEN, b a p t . A p r i l 21, 1760.

viii. NABBY, bapt. Aug. 28, 1763.

i x . LORING, b a p t . N o v . 16, 1766.

2 3 . HAYEN4 T A R B O X ( Nathaniel, 3 John 2 John1) was united in marriage

with Miriam Dempsey, of Kennebunkport, Nov. 20, 1746. They

lived in Biddeford. Children :

' T n

13

SAMUEL, 6 bapt. April 3, 1753.

MARY, m. Nov. 27, 1764, to Joseph Gilpatrick.

HULDAH, m. July 9, 1766, to William Gilpatrick.

S Twins, bapt. April 3, 1753.

iv. BETTY, ) m. May 26, 1768, to Samuel Haley, J r.

v. THOMAS, b a p t . D e e . 23, 1753.

v i . MIRIAM, b a p t . M a y 18, 1755.

v i i . HAVEN, b a p t . M a y 1, 1757.

viii. ABIJAH, bapt. June 17, 1759; m. Nov. 2 5 , 1779, Sarah Gilpatrick; d.

June 20, 1801.

i x . NATHAN, b a p t . O c t . 19, 1760.

2 5 . GODFREY4 TARBOX { Jonathan? Samuel, 2 John1) was born in Lynn,

1696 ; was united in marriage, March 26, 1722, with Hannah Laigh-ton,

daughter of Thomas Laighton, of Lynn. He was known both

as husbandman and fisherman, and in both departments was success-ful.

Children :

i. LYDIA, 6 b. Nov. 4, 1722 ; m. Dec. 7, 1741, John Porter, of Hebron, Ot.

ii. JONATHAN, b. Aug. 24, 1724 ; m. May 1, 1750, Abigail Bartholomew, of

Hebron, Ot.

iii. THOMAS, b. April 3, 1726; m. April 18, 1754, Deborah Skinner, of He-bron,

Ct.

iv. DAVID, b. March 26, 1728 ; m. May 30, 1754, Abigail Taylor, of He-bron,

Ct.

v. HANNAH, b. May 21, 1730; m. Feb. 1, 1750, Lieut. Joshua Phelps, of

Hebron, Ct.

JK vi. SOLOMON, b. May 30, 1733 ; m. Sept. 4, 1755, Asenath Phelps, of He-bron,

Ct.

In 1739, when his oldest child was 17 years and his youngest 6 years

of age, he sold all his real estate in Lynn and its neighborhood, and

bought a large tract of land in the south part of Hebron, Ct., bor-dering

on an inland lake known then and now as North Pond. This

lake, a mile and a quarter in length, is fed only by springs from

the high and rocky hills that skirt it. Its waters therefore are ex-ceedingly

pure and clear, and it has always been a favorite resort

for fishing and boating. The chief motive that led to his removal

was doubtless that his mother Eleanor, left a widow more than

twenty years before, had become the second wife of John Gott, and

was living in Hebron. He had also three sisters there, who had

gone thither with their mother when she married Mr. Gott. Two

of these were already married, with families of children growing up

around them. Through a large part of his life in Hebron he was

known as Capt. Godfrey Tarbox. His two daughters were married

into two of the leading families of the town, and his four sons had

farms assigned them out of his large lauded estate, which, by his

will, in 1767, he gave to them and their children. He died in

Hebron, Dec. 29, 1768, aged 73. His wife died May 9, 1774.

The inventory of his estate was £ 2606. There are some reasons

for thinking that his removal from Lynn to Hebron took place in

1738. He was certainly there in 1739.

The writer of this sketch was descended from Godfrey4 Tarbox,

through Thomas, 5 Jonathan6 and Thomas. 7

This North Pond, on the northern and western shores of which

stretched the lands of Godfrey Tarbox, has had an interesting his-tory.

The outlet of the lake is on its western side, and so high up

is the lake among the hills, that the stream issuing from it runs

f " M d / w 4> J ^ x ^ ^ ^ ^ U Muse* * J& uM : J a s- Mtfa. & J. i< t

A

14

down a long slope before it reaches the level of the stream into

which it empties. On the lower grade of this slope the present

manufacturing village of Turnerville stands.

Very soon after Godfrey Tarbox's death, a Mr. Chappell, who

owned land on the easterly or Lebanon side of the lake, innocently

thought that he might cut down the channel of the outlet and draw

off the water to a lower level, and so uncover lands which might be

added to his estate. To this procedure David and Solomon Tar-box,

whose farms lay on the western slope, made serious objection.

The question was carried to the Colonial Assembly of Connecticut,

and is reported in the 13th volume, p. 438, of the Connecticut Colo-nial

Records. " We copy a few sentences from this report:

" Whereas the General Assembly holden at New Haven, second

Thursday of Oct. 1770, upon the petition of David Tarbox and

Solomon Tarbox of Hebron, against Joshua Chappell of Lebanon,

praying said Assembly to take the circumstances of a certain pond

lying partly in Hebron and partly in Lebanon aforesaid into con-sideration,"

& c. & c " Thereupon it is resolved by this Assem-bly

that said David and Solomon Tarbox, their heirs and assigns

have liberty, and liberty is hereby granted them to raise and flow

said pond again to its natural level and no higher upon condi-tion,

that they shall erect build and maintain a grist- mill or mills

on the stream of water issuing from said pond."

And now again, at the end of more than a hundred years from

this colonial legislation, this lake has been before the General As-sembly

of Connecticut on a very different issue. Mr. P. W. Tur-ner,

from whom the village of Turnerville is named, has been

trying to gain the same absolute ownership over this lake by

virtue of owning or leasing all the land upon its borders, which a

man may acquire over a piece of land. But the legislature at its

last session ( 1887) decided that a man cannot establish any such

entire and complete ownership over a body of water,— that the peo-ple

at large have certain rights and privileges, as fishing, boating,

bathing, & c., in these lakes and ponds, which cannot be extinguished

or passed over to any single individual.

2 6 . JONATHAN4 TARBOX ( Jonathan, 3 Samuel, 2 John1) was united in mar-riage,

Aug. 22, 1722, with Mary Clough, of Boston. They lived

in Boston, and the births of their children are taken from the

Boston Records. Children :

i. MARY, 6 b. Dec. 1, 1724 ; m. Nov. 10, 1743, Alexander Baker.

ii. JONATHAN, b. Sept. 18, 1726.

i i i . ABIGAIL, b . J a n . 21, 1727 ; m. S a m u e l Ross.

i v . BENJAMIN, b. J u n e 26, 1729.

v. SAMUEL, b. March 13, 1730; d. in infancy.

v i . JAMES, b. M a y 29, 1732.

vii. SAMUEL, b. March 10, 1733 ; d. in infancy.

viii. WILLIAM, b. Aug. 23, 1732 ; is believed to be the William Tarbox who

m. Jan. 31, 1757, Rebekah Dow, of Pelham, N. H. They lived in Pel-ham.

Their son John, 6 b. June 23, 1758, in. Mar. 3, 1779, Ruth Butler,

dau. of Jonathan and Ruth Butler, of Pelham. They had 8 children.

Of these, John, 7 b. June 6, 1901, whose wife was Mrs. Cynthia Kim-ball,

of Methuen, was the father of Hon. John K. Tarbox, who was b.

in Methuen, May 6, 1838, and d. in Boston, May 28, 1887. Mr. Tarbox

was a man greatly honored and beloved. He had served for some years

as Representative and Senator in the Massachusetts legislature, had

A

15

been Mayor of Lawrence, Member of Congress, and in the last years of

his life Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance. The City of Lawrence

gave him a public funeral, and he was buried from the City Hall,

Wednesday, June 1, 1887, with impressive services and the highest

tokens of respect and love.

i x . ELIZABETH, b . M a y 23, 1737 ; d . i n i n f a n c y.

x . SAMUEL, b . Nov. 10, 1738.

x i . ELIZABETH, b . S e p t . 8, 1742.

x i i . GEORGE, b . A u g . 30, 1745.

xiii. JOHN, b. April 14, 1748.

Jonathan^ Tarbox made his will in 1767, and died not long after.

27. SAMUEL4 TARBOX, Deacon ( Thomas, 3 Samuel, 2 John1) was united in

marriage, April 20, 1737, with Mary Cue. They lived in Wen-ham,

where, from 1761 to his death in 1784, he was deacon of the

church. Children:

i. MARY, 5 b. March 12,1738 ; m. Jonathan Moulton.

ii. REBECCA, b. Sept. 30, 1739 ; m. Josiah Moulton.

iii. ANNA, b. March 4, 1742 ; m. Daniel Conant.

iv. EUNICE, b. Feb. 28, 1744 ; m. George Raymond.

v. ROBERT CUE, b. Jan. 15, 1746; died in early life.

vi. SUSANNAH, b. March 30, 1748 ; m. Samuel Raymond.

v i i . THOMAS, b. F e b . 26, 1750; d. i n 1751.

viii. THOMAS, b. March 11, 1752 ; d. April 2, 1752.

ix. LYDIA, b. Sept. 16, 1753 ; m. Richard Hood.

Dea. Samuel died in Wenham in 1784, liis wife having died be-fore

him. He left a good estate, and made Richard Hood, his son

in law, executor of his will.

2 8 . SAMUEL4 TARBOX ( Joseph, 8 Samuel, 2 John1) was united in marriage

with Deborah Sayward, of Ipswich, 1767. They lived first at Glou-cester,

but soon removed to New Gloucester, Me. Children:

i. SAMUEL, 6 b. 1768 ; m. Rebecca Stinchfield ; d. 1856.

ii. SALLY, b. 1770 ; m. John Morgan; d. 1864.

iii. DEBORAH, b. 1772 ; m. Joseph Woodbury; d. 1857.

iv. ABBY, b. 1773; m. John Nash ; d. 1845.

v. MARY, b. 1775 ; m. John Pike ; d. 1825.

vi. SUSAN, b. 1777 ; m. William Royal; d. 1841.

vii. REBECCA, b. 1780; m. William Trask ; d. 1841.

v i i i . DELIVERANCE, b . 1783 ; d. 1836.

ix. WILLIAM, b. 1784 ; m. Judith Haskell, 1860.

x . JOSEPH, d . i n i n f a n c y.

Samuel Tarbox died in 1801. His wife Deborah died in 1802.

29. W I L L I A M 4 TARBOX ( Joseph, 8 Samuel, 2 John1) was united in marriage

with Lydia Atwell, September 23, 1779. They lived in Lynn.

Children:

i . LYDIA, 6 b. O c t . 27, 1781; m. Mr. R e d f e r n.

i i . MARY, b . D e c . 23, 1785 ; m. M r . B u r r i l l.

iii. WILLIAM, b. Feb. 23, 1788; m. Dolly Hill.

i v . ANNA, b . O c t . 29, 1789; m. M r . A l l e y.

v. JOHN, b. June 12, 1791 ; d. April 16, 1861.

v i . SAMUEL, b. S e p t . 23, 1795.

William Tarbox, Sen., died Jan. 29, 1828. His wife died Sept.

18, 1829. His son William was appointed administrator, Nov. 16,

1830.