Person Page

     Mary Gardner was born on 14 February 1669/70 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.² She married William Bowditch, son of William Bowditch and Sarah Bear, on 30 August 1688 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.² She died in May 1724 at age 54.¹ She was buried at Burying Point Cemetery in Essex Co., Massachusetts.^3,4

     Thomas Gardner was baptized on 25 May 1645.² He married Mary Porter, daughter of John Porter and Mary (?), on 22 April 1669.³ He died on 16 November 1695 at age 50.²

     Thomas Gardner was a lieutenant in Capt. John Higginson's horse troop.² He served as selectman in 1689, and later.²

     Mary Porter married Thomas Gardner, son of Thomas Gardner, on 22 April 1669.²

     In her father's will, dated 28 April 1673 and proved 26 September 1676, she and her sister Sarah were left 435 acres of land to be divided equally, plus £50 each, to be paid after five years by their brother Benjamin. Her children also received 40s each.²

     Mary Bowditch was born on 2 August 1689 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^1,2 She died on 2 October 1689 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^1,2

     William Bowditch was born on 31 October 1690 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1 He died on 12 October 1706 at age 15.²

     Mary Bowditch was born on 18 December 1693 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^1,2 She married first James Butler on 8 September 1715.² She married second Samuel Barton on 26 December 1723.² She died of consumption in February 1723/24 at age 30 without issue.^1,3

     James Butler married Mary Bowditch, daughter of William Bowditch and Mary Gardner, on 8 September 1715.²

     Samuel Barton married Mary Bowditch, daughter of William Bowditch and Mary Gardner, on 26 December 1723.²

     Sarah Bowditch was born on 10 January 1695/96 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1 She married Joseph Hathorne on 30 June 1715.² She died in March 1761 at age 65.²

     She and Joseph had nine children, and were ancestors of the writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.^1,2

     Joseph Hathorne married Sarah Bowditch, daughter of William Bowditch and Mary Gardner, on 30 June 1715.² He died on 3 June 1760.²

     He and Sarah had nine children, and were ancestors of the writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.^1,2

     Thomas Bowditch was born on 5 June 1698 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1 He died on 30 November 1702 at age 4.²

     Joseph Bowditch was born on 21 August 1700 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1 He married Elizabeth Hunt on 25 July 1725 (an article in the Essex Antiquarian says 22 June 1725).^2,3 He died on 6 October 1780 at age 80. He had suffered from palsy for nine years, three months. On 1 October he was "taken with a Violent Pain across his Breast, which abated the next day; he grew better until the 6th, when the Pain returned and he Died in a minute."² He was buried at Burying Point Cemetery in Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁴

     Joseph Bowditch served as Court clerk, and justice of the peace.² He was called Squire Bowditch, and was very well-respected. At one point he lost much of his money, and his creditors forgave his debts after he payed a partial amount to them. He later re-established himself, and paid the debts in full.²

     Elizabeth Hunt was born about December 1703 (based on her age of 21 years and 7 months at the time of her marriage).² She married Joseph Bowditch, son of William Bowditch and Mary Gardner, on 25 July 1725 (an article in the Essex Antiquarian says 22 June 1725).^2,3 She died at about 12 o'clock on 7 May 1743.²

     Eunice Bowditch was born on 8 June 1705 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1 She died on 2 July 1705 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1

     Eunice Bowditch was born on 22 March 1707 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1 She married William Hunt on 12 December 1728.² She died in 1764.¹

     She and William had ten children.¹

     William Hunt married Eunice Bowditch, daughter of William Bowditch and Mary Gardner, on 12 December 1728.¹

     He and Eunice had ten children.²

     Daniel Bowditch was born on 19 June 1709 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1 He died in 1730 unmarried.¹

     Daniel Bowditch was a mariner.³

     William Bowditch was born on 1 February 1712/13 (an article in the Essex Antiquarian says 18 January 1712/13) in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^2,1,3 He died on 1 November 1715 at age 2.² He was buried at Burying Point Cemetery in Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁴

     William Bowditch was baptized on 26 December 1639 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.^2,3 He married Sarah Bear on 15 September 1663 in Bothenhampton, co. Somerset, England.^2,3 He died shortly before 12 October 1681, when the records of the General Court held in Boston say that "Mr. William Boudish ... is come to a suddaine & untimely death." Tradition in one branch of the family has it that he committed suicide, which seems possible, given his sudden death without a will, his financial problems, and his wife's poor habits and drinking problem.^2,3

     William Bowditch made a will in England, dated 31 March 1671, stating that he was a clothier, and that he planned "to goe to sea in the good shipp called the John" of Topsham, co. Devon, and that he was "hoping for safty and a happy returne home againe." He left everything to his children, with his daughters Sarah and Johanna to receive equal shares, and his son William to receive £20 more. His wife was to "have the injoyment of it with them as long as shee keepe her selfe in my name & no longer." His uncle Thomas Silvester (husband of his aunt Katherine Silvester) and "kinsman" George Gibbs were named as supervisors (i.e., executors), but Gibbs's name was later scratched out and replaced by William's brother Daniel Bowditch.³
     He apparently never returned to England, however, and was in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts, by 28 November 1671, when he gave testimony in a court case on behalf of Capt. George Corwin vs. Jon. Gifford.^2,3 In a court case with a verdict given in Salem on 30 June 1674, he was referred to as being employed by a "Mr. Curen," probably referring to Capt. George Corwin.³
     He was appointed Collector in Salem, and referred to as "Mr." Bowditch, as opposed to the more humble title of "Goodman."² On 20 July 1675 (20th 5 mo. 1675) he was granted a license "to retail strong water" in Salem. The license was renewed each year through 1680.^4,3
     In 1676 he was charged in court at Salem with living apart from his wife Sarah, who was still in England. His explanation apparently satisfied the court, and the case was dismissed.³ His wife and son William finally joined him in Salem about 1679.³
     In 1678 he and several others built a windmill in Marblehead, Essex Co., Massachusetts, at a cost of £160. But, "the stones refused to turn." In 1681 his 5/8 share was assessed at just £20.²
     Bad luck and misfortune seem to have plagued him. On 20 November 1679 he mortgaged his land in Salem, and the ketches (Betty and William) of 26 tons each, to Philip Cromwell for £400. The mortgage was redeemed on 18 October 1701, after his death, by his widow and son William.^2,3 His wife had a drinking problem, and a lawsuit filed in 1699/0, after his death, reveals that most of the costs of caring for two of his children were paid by his father.²
     Since his only will had been filed in England, he was declared to have died intestate, and on 24 October 1681, in Essex Co., administration of his estate was granted to Philip Cromwell, the holder of the mortgages on his land and ketches. On 27 November 1683 a committee was appointed in Salem to set off to his widow her dower rights to his house and land. His estate was valued at £81 2s, not enough to pay his debts.^5,2,3 His will in England was eventually proved by his son William, on 6 November 1705 in Exeter, co. Devon, England.³

     Sarah Bear married William Bowditch, son of William Bowditch, on 15 September 1663 in Bothenhampton, co. Somerset, England.^1,2

     At the time of her marriage, Sarah Bear was described as being of Wayford, co. Somerset, England.² She and her son William came to Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts, about 1679, several years after her husband William.²
     The Bowditch genealogy by Harold Bowditch states that her "habits were not good, and she was addicted to strong drink."¹
     On 17 November 1701, she relinquished her dower rights to the land in Salem, that had been previously mortgaged by her husband, to her son William.² On 28 March 1703 she joined the church in Salem.² She was still living on 6 November 1705, when her son William proved his father's original will in England.²

     Sarah Bowditch married John Crow in England.¹

     John Crow married Sarah Bowditch, daughter of William Bowditch and Sarah Bear, in England.¹

     Joan Bowditch married Matthew Staple in England.¹

     Matthew Staple married Joan Bowditch, daughter of William Bowditch and Sarah Bear, in England.¹

     William Bowditch was baptized on 24 October 1613 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.² He married, either first or second (see below), Joan Acklon on 22 January 1639/40 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.^1,2 He probably married, either second or third, Sarah Heartfield on 16 April 1677 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.² He was buried on 27 March 1701 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.³

     In his father's will, dated 20 April 1637 and proved 20 February 1646/47, he was left "the house I now dwell in, for the term yet to come," plus whatever was left after bequests to his wife and other children.²
     On 21 November 1699 his daughter-in-law Sarah (Bear) Bowditch and grandson William Bowditch, along with his granddaughter Sarah and Sarah's husband John Crow of Thorncombe, and his granddaughter Joan and Joan's husband Matthew Staple of Thorncombe, brought a Chancery suit in England against him. The complaint stated that on 1 September 1663 he had given to his son William, upon his marriage with Sarah Bear, a tenement and lands in Thorncombe called Stonelake, as a dower for her and her children in case of William the younger's death. He, William the elder, was to hold the property in trust for his son and daughter-in-law "after the death of him, William the Elder, and his wife Joan." The complaint also stated that Sarah Bear had in return given him "her portion" of £100, and that he now claimed to have made no such settlement, but that, if he did, it was voluntary and he did not receive £100. The complaint further said that he refused to produce the indenture or deed, but "says that they will see them when he is dead."
     In his response, on 5 February 1699/00, he said that the indenture of 1 September 1663 was made between himself, John and Robert Beare, and his son William and his wife Sarah, and that there were two principal "messuages" (a house with a barn and adjoining buildings) involved. One was called Stonelake, where he lived in Thorncombe, and included five closes (tracts of land) and an adjoining smaller messuage. By the terms of the indenture this was assigned to John and Robert Beare, but he and his wife Joan (since deceased) had use of it during their lifetimes, with "contingent remainders" to his son William, the complainant Sarah, and their children. The other messuage was in Laymore, and was assigned to William and Sarah.
     He stated that he had possession of the indenture of 1 September 1663, but that he believed his son William had all the earlier deeds concerning these properties. He denied ever trying to defraud the complainants. He also stated that he had given large sums of money to his son William, and that he was still owed repayment from the executors and administrators of his son's estate. He said that he had paid for the education of the complainants William for eight years and Joan Staple for fourteen years, receiving nothing in return.^3,4
     The Bowditch genealogy by Harold Bowditch lists Joan Acklon as the only wife of William Bowditch, implying that she was the mother of all of his children. The July 1918 NEHGR article by G. Andrews Moriarty, however, lists three marriages, and says that William (bapt 26 December 1639) was the son of his unnamed first wife. The source of this information is not clear. The NEHGR article was written 18 years before the Bowditch genealogy, and Harold Bowditch was certainly aware of the earlier work.^2,1

     Joan Acklon married William Bowditch, son of Michael Bowditch and Katherine (?), on 22 January 1639/40 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.^1,2 She was buried on 22 April 1674 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.²

     George Bowditch was probably born in 1641.² He was buried on 10 March 1647/48 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.²

     Joan Bowditch was baptized on 27 August 1643 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.² She was buried on 29 August 1650 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.²

     Michael Bowditch was baptized on 25 March 1645 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.² He married Joan Sealwood on 14 May 1672 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.²

     Michael Bowditch was living on 3 November 1691.²

     Joan Sealwood married Michael Bowditch, son of William Bowditch and Joan Acklon, on 14 May 1672 in Thorncombe, co. Devon, England.²