Genealogy Report (Register) to HTML file
2. Joan2 Babson (Thomas1); baptized 9 Oct 1608 at Wookey Parish, Somersetshire, England;19 married John Collins 17 Jun 1633 at Wookey Parish, Somersetshire, England; died 25 May 1695 at Gloucester at age 86.20
She and John Collins immigrated circa 1642 at Gloucester.
John Collins died on 25 Mar 1675 at Gloucester.21
Children of Joan2 Babson and John Collins were as follows:
He accompanied his mother and brother to New England in 1637, and then returned to England.
After 1637 Richard Babson (2) and his family resided at Stepney section, East London, England, an area of seamen on the shores of the Thames River. Except for the record of his marriage, the birth of four children and the death of one, no further record of his family has yet been found.
Children of Richard2 Babson (2) and Anne Savadge all born at St. Dunstan, Stepney, London, England, were as follows:
He came to New England in Apr 1637 from Weymouth England with his mother and brother aboard a vessel commanded by John Driver.50 He lived with Isabel (--?--) and Richard Babson (2) at Salem on 25 Sep 1637.51 He lived with Isabel (--?--) at Salem in 1641.
They had moved to Gloucester by June of 1642 when James Babson, along with Abraham Robinson and William Brown "of Gloucester" were involved in a court case. He was in court on 12 Jul 1642 at Gloucester Isabel and her sons had moved to Gloucester by June 1642 when James Babson, along with Abraham Robinson, an early settler of Gloucester, and William Brown "of Gloucester" were involved in a court case. William Browne later married Abraham's widow, Mary. Robinson, Browne, and James Babson all brought suit against Thomas Ruck for taking up his skiff.52
James Babson (3) supported the First Church of Gloucester when on 8 Mar 1657 he gave 10 shillings toward the maintenance of Brother Thomas Millet, the Teaching Elder there.53
On 28 Dec 1658 James Babson (3) was granted "twelve acres of fresh meadow [at Beaver Dam] lying above the Mill, also twenty acres of upland lying by the side of it". This was where he and his wife settled and was known as the James Babson farm. It was here that he built the little stone cooperage shop, still standing today, which is open to visitors every summer at Gloucester.54 James, a cooper, made barrels that were taken to Good Harbor Beach, filled with fish, and shipped to England and the West Indies. Roger W. Babson's research indicated that James Babson's stone shop was the first factory on Cape Ann.
James Babson (3) was in court in 1660 at Gloucester when James Babson's neighbor, John Jackson, was accused of lascivious behavior toward his own maid, Mary Somes. James and 26 other Gloucester citizens made this testimony: Gloster, this 6:& mo, 1660. Wee whose hands are heare under written doe testiefie that our nabor John Jacksonn, Sener, hath lived in our Towne Sevenn yeare or thereabought and behaved himselfe in good order soe fare as wee cann or could see and lived onestly, witness our hands. Following this was a list of 27 names, including James (his mark) Babson's. Only 14 of the 27 could sign their names.55 He served as administrator for his mother Isabel's estate.
James Babson (3) was in court on 5 May 1663 at MA In a court case of Mr. Peter Duncan vs. Thomas Verry for a debt, James Babson testifies that "last spring Mr. Duncan sent for Tho. Very to go to deponent's house...Said Very declared he would not deliver the boat nor pay him until Duncan had given an account of the particulars". James Babson's age, which was given as 30, must have been a clerical error for 40, as we know he was born before 7 April 1622.56
James Babson (3) and Elinor Hill sold land on 14 Mar 1671/72 at Gloucester. He sold eight acres of meadow and upland, six being on the east side of "Long Poynt" and two at said "Long Poynt" to William Haskell, his wife Elinor signing with him.57
James Babson (3) made a will on 4 Dec 1683 at Gloucester He gave his son John
"my two acres of land which his house standeth upon Lying & being situate
adjoining the harbor in Gloucester" and "to all the rest of my children
five shillings a piece after my decease." All the rest and remainder was
to go to his wife. If she should marry again, then all the residue was to be
divided equally amongst her children. His wife and his son, Phillip, were named
to be the executors.
The inventory, which was taken on 21 December 1683, included:
Houses and upland and Marsh, fresh & salt £ 52.10s;
other pieces of land in the harbour 10.0;
Cattle, great and small 30.16s;
one mare £1;
swine great and small 2.10s;
beds & bedding thereunto belonging 6. ;
pots, kettle & frying pan £1. ;
pewter .10s ;
guns & sword, bullets & bullet moulds 2.0 ;
barrels, chest & other lumber .10s;
one cart and sled, one plough and tackling thereunto belonging and other husbandry
tools 3.10s;
wearing clothes 1.10s;
Total: £111.16s.58
Elinor Hill was probably born circa 1629/30 at Bristol, England. She died on 14 Mar 1713/14 at Gloucester.59 She immigrated before 1637 at New England.
Elinor's older brother was Zebulon Hill, who married at Gloucester on 16 November 1651 Elizabeth Dyke, daughter of Agnes (Tybott) Dyke Clark. Zebulon Hill and his younger brother, John, were coopers from Bristol, England. Before Zebulon moved to Salem from Gloucester in 1657, the Hills and Babsons were neighbors and perhaps they worked with James at this trade. John Hill married Abigail Woodbury, daughter of John Woodbury, (who had sued Isabel Babson in 1639) and died in Beverly 9 February 1708, aged 73. It is possible that Elinor's father was named Philip Hill, since both Elinor and Zebulon named a son "Philip."
Elinor Hill served as executor for the will of James Babson (3) on 4 Dec 1683 at Gloucester.60
After James died in 1683, Elinor lived with her daughter Abigail and son-in-law Thomas Witham. In appreciation Elinor gave them land near her own residence at The Farms, Gloucester.
On 18 Feb 1683/84 Elinor, widow of James Babson, deceased, paid 3 pounds sterling to Isaac Elwell "with ye Consent of My Wife Mehitabel Elwell" who sold her one acre of marsh located at Stark Naught Harbor, so called.61 She was granted Elenor Babson of Gloucester, widow, and releck [sic] of James Babson deceasd "for the Love and affection that I bear unto Richard babson of glocester in new engalnd...my own naturall son..." gave Richard "all that my farme or Tenement where I do now dwell it being formerly the estate of my husband James babson aforesd & given by him in his Last will and testament unto me..." For this Richard was to maintain his mother during the remainder of her natural life on 13 Aug 1695.62
Elinor Hill sold land on 5 Aug 1708 at Gloucester. As executrix of her late husband, "James Bapson late of Gloucester ... Cooper" she sold for 10£ to my loving Sister Abigail Hill relict widow" and administratrix of the estate of my Brother John Hill late of Beverly, cooper deceased ... and also on condition that Anna Babson ye only child of my son Philip Babson Deceased without lawful heirs of her body begotten at or before such time as ye sd Abigail shall Dye & Deceased Will then & in such case only ye heirs of ye said Abigail her Administrator or assigns shall pay or cause to be paid to me*Ten Pounds like Money of New England*do quitclaim all my right and interest out of the estate of my deceased brother, John Hill, aforesaid.63
Children of James2 Babson (3) and Elinor Hill were as follows:
He was a seaman He took the oath of fidelity as a seaman at a court held at Salem 29 Jan 1677/8 along with many others from Gloucester.65 During King Phillip's War, Thomas served both at Hadley, Massachusetts and Hampton, New Hampshire as a soldier in Capt. William Turner's Company. His name appears on the company rolls dated on 7 Apr 1676.66
"Edmond or Edward Ashley brought suit against Timothy Clarke, commander of the ship Sea Venture for false imprisonment and Timothy Clarke brought a counter suit in the same court against Ashley for refusing to pay 27 shillings from the wages of Thomas Babson, deceased, for satisfaction of the doctor of the Indeavor in the last voyage at Salatudes, Ashley having received the full wages of said Babson, deceased, at Tertudes, May 23,1679."67 He was granted The lot of land granted to Thomas for this service when "the Souldiers lotts was granted at Kettle Cove" fell to his brother John at a Gloucester Town Meeting held on 16 Mar 1695/6. The lots were laid out on 11 Feb 1696/7 by the "Lott layers ... being Seven acres according to the rest of the lotts it is laid out" on 16 Mar 1695/96.68
She lived with her mother, unmarried in 1704.
"Thus ended the year 1692, except a strange and inexplicable occurrence that happened this year at Gloucester. In the month of July this year, there appeared several men, as they that saw them apprehended, not together, but sometimes one only, at other times two or three together, and once about a dozen in company, and heard them stamping in the night about the garrison. Several men shot at them, and they were seen to fall down as dead; but when those that supposed they had killed them came near the place, they would either disappear, or stand up and run away; and though they ran over muddy places, they left no track behind them. One Ebenezer Babson, being in the woods alone, heard the report of a gun fired by one of those which cut off the limb of a pine bush near to him, and lodged in a hemlock tree, which was after cut out, and preserved a long time, if not to this day. For the truth of these strange occurrences, we have the testimony of this Babson, Day, Hammond, Ellery, Dolliver, who with others fired at them, but to no purpose."71 [Ebenezer]" may have been distinguished in an encounter with a less ethereal enemy, and thus have been the occasion of the loyal saying, 'The knife that Babson killed the bear with'". This legend now appears in the couplet: "Babson, Babson, killed a bear, With his knife, I do declare."
Roger W. Babson in his Story of Bear Skin Neck puts it as follows: "...Ebenezer Babson, who then resided at the Farms, saw the bear attack the boy [his nephew, Henry Witham]. He immediately attacked the bear to get his attention away from the child, but having no gun he permitted the bear to follow him into the water. There - after a terrific struggle - Ebenezer killed the bear with a fish knife."
The story is continued by George Jay Babson: "He then brought the bear onto the shore, skinned him, and spread the skin on the rocks to dry. Ebenezer died shortly afterwards, presumably at sea, but his nephew Henry Witham, whose life he saved, lived to a ripe old age. Naturally, he often told the story of his rescue, and when people asked how Ebenezer killed the bear, he would reply: 'With his knife, I do declare.'"72,73