FATHER

Thomas Safford

MOTHER

Elizabeth

WIFE

Sarah Lowe

CHILDREN

1. John Safford
    b. Abt. 1662
    m. 15 Sep 1685 Hannah Newman
    m. 22 Jul 1702 Deborah
    d. 25 Mat 1736

2. Sarah Safford
    b. 14 Jul 1664
    d. 21 Jul 1712

3. Margaret Safford
    b. 28 Feb 1665/6

4. Rebecca Safford
    b. 30 Jul 1667
    m. 13 Jan 1690 Nathan Wheeler
    d. 28 Jun 1755

5. Mercy Safford
    b. 26 Feb 1668/9

6. Elizabeth Safford
    b. 27 Feb 1670/1
    d. 30 Apr 1754

7. Thomas Safford 
    b. 16 Oct 1672
    m. 7 Oct 1698 Eleanor Cheney  m. 29 Jun 1725 Sarah Scott
    d. 30 Apr 1754

John Safford
by Susan Brooke
Jun 2023

John Safford was probably born about 1631. (1)   His brother, Joseph, was born about 1633 as he was deposed on 29 Mar 1692 stating that he was about 59 or 60. (2) Joseph was named as administrator in his father's estate. (3)  In 1667 John gave surety for his "brother" Joseph, which indicates he was also a son of Thomas Safford. (4) We know John Safford married Sarah Low because in 1677 his father-in-law Thomas Low wrote a will naming his daughter Sarah and  granddaughter, Sarah Safford. (5)
John Safford was a blacksmith and he probably married Sarah about 1661 as he purchased a house and three acres in Ipswich on 19 Jan 1661. (6) John Safford died sometime before 16 Jun 1708 when Sarah "widow of John Safford, late deceased," and her son Thomas and his wife sold some land to a Michael Farley. (7)

Sources

(1) Indications that John was born in 1631
Massachusetts & Maine Families in the Ancestry of Walter Goodwin Davis, 1996 vo. 3
Ancestry of Phoebe Tilton 1775-1847
page 154 "John Safford was born in England about the year 1631 (his age was given in 1661 as about thirty), and was brought as a boy to Ipswich by his parents."
(no proof or record was given in the book)

Court Record, 1636-1692: Indexes to court records/papers 1636-1395
FHL film 877428  image 303

(original deposition not found)

(2) Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester county, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity
By Ellery Bicknell Crane
Published by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1907

ARTHUR LANE SAFFORD. Thomas Safford (i), the immigrant ancestor of Arthur Lane Safford, of Lancaster, Massachusetts, was born in England and settled in New England at Ipswich before 1641. He was on the list of proprietors of the town April 6, 1641, and was admitted a freeman December 19, 1648. He bought a farm at Ipswich, thirty-two acres, of Henry Kingsbury, February 8, 1648. He was a subscriber to Denison's allowance in 1640 and had a share and a half in Plum Island. He died in February, 1666-7. His will was dated February 20, 1666-7, and proved March 26, 1667. He gave his farm to his son Joseph on condition of his care of the father and mother and paying certain amounts to daughters Elizabeth, Mary and Abigail.

He married Elizabeth ——, who died March 4, 167, at Ipswich. Their children were: Joseph, born 1631 or 1632, (he deposed March 29, 1692, that he was about fifty-nine or sixty years old,) was admitted a freeman 1682; married, March 6, 1660, Mary Baker; John, of whom later; Elizabeth, Mary, Abigail. (One of the daughters married Kilum.)

(II) John Safford, son of Thomas Safford (l), was born about 1633, probably in England. He settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts. He had a share of Plum Island. lie gave land to his son Thomas for the maintenance of his wife and daughter by deed dated September 5, 1698. The children of John and Sarah Safford were: John, Jr., of whom later; Sarah, born July 14, 1664, died July 21, 1712; Margaret, February 28, 1665-6; Rebecca, August 30, 1667; Mercy or Mary, born February 26, 1669-70; Elizabeth, February 27. 1670-1 ; Thomas, October 16, 1672, married, October 7. 1698, Eleanor Shatswell or Setchwell. widow of Richard Setchwell and daughter of Daniel Cheney; married (second) at Rowley, June 29, 1725, Sarah Scott; their son Joseph was a pioneer at Hardwick, where many of his descendants live; Joseph, March 12, 1674-5.

Historical Collections of Topsfield Historical Society, 1908
This book refers to the court case where Joseph Safford gave his deposition in 1692
Salem Witch Hunts.  Mrs. How wished to join the church but the people of Ipswich objected since she had been declared a witch.  "The wife of Joseph Safford said 'though she was condemned before men she was justified before God.'  After this Joseph Safford was deposed that his son was taken strangely ill and the following Sunday his wife was taken away with a 'raveing frenzy', raving for two or three hours that Mrs. How aught to be admitted to the church, that she was a saint, and much more of like nature..  She then fell into a stupor for a short time and when she aroused, she exclaimed, 'I was ,mistaken.' "

(3) Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts : 1662-1667 (vol 3)
By Massachusetts. County Court (Essex County), George Francis Dow, Massachusetts. Inferior Court (Essex County)
Published by Essex Institute, 1913

page 401 Thomas Safourd dying intestate, his son Joseph Saffourd, was appointed administrator, and the estate was to be ordered according to a writing delivered into court and to the testimonies of John Addams and Nicolas Wallis and said Joseph's own acknowledgement in court for his mother to have two cows.

(4)  Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts : 1662-1667
By Massachusetts. County Court (Essex County), George Francis Dow, Massachusetts. Inferior Court (Essex County)
Published by Essex Institute, 1913
Court adjourned to 14 :9 :1667 at 10 o'clock.

John Lighton, constable, complained against Joseph Safford and Hollick Country for striking him on May 13 last at night, and they were fined and imprisoned until they pay, also bound to good behavior. His brother John, surety for Joseph Safford, and Edward Deare surety for Holick Country.

(5) Massachusetts and Maine Families in the Ancestry of Walter Goodwin David Vol II Garner-Moses

(6) The Essex Antiquarian, Sidney Perley, 1902
Ipswich, MA  Deed BK 2 leaf 53
29 Jan 1661
Anthony Potter and his wife Elizabeth for £80 to John Safford of Ipswich, blacksmith, "the house and three-acre lot on north side of the rider, near the mill, bounded with highways round. "

(7) Essex Deed BK 25 page 143
FHL film 866025  image 150

Sarah Safford widow of John Safford late deceased and Thomas Safford Natural Son of said widow & Elenner Safford wife of the Said Thomas Safford all three of Ipswich ==  £16 == to Michael Farley  == 16 Jun 1708