Genealogy Of the Families of Braintree, Mass.
1640-1850
Including the modern town of Randolph & Holbrook and the city of Quincy,
after the separation from Braintree in 1792-3.
All families recorded before 1800 are listed and continued to 1850 or
later, and nearly all families who came into these towns between 1800 and
1840 are also included.
By
Waldo Chamberlain Sprague, AB
Wollaston, Mass.
Transcribed from Micro-film to
WordPerfect Format by:
Frank E. Dyer Jr.
Enfield, Ct.
All vital records before 1800 in present Quincy, Braintree,
Randolph & Holbrook are completed and now on these cards, with the
larger part of the records to 1850. Also on the cards, many of the
larger families are nearly complete and the following are complete
to 1850 Suffolk Probate indexed, but very few Norfolk Co. Probate records seen.
CURTIS HOLBROOK FAXON FIELD BILLINGS HAYDEN
NEWCOMB ADAMS THAYER PAYNE WALES HAYWARD HOBART
HUNT CLARK HOLLIS
In compiling the records of the families the following sources have
been found especially useful, and acknowledgement is herewith made
to them.
1.) Samuel Austin Bates (1822-1897) whose papers now chiefly at
the Quincy Historical Society and the N.E. Hist. Gen. Society,
laid the foundation of the history of many early Braintree
families.
2.) Edward Everts Jackson (1869-1910) whose papers now chiefly in
my possession, continued and expanded the work of S. A. Bates.
3.) Marion Sophia Arnold (1870-1947) whose papers now chiefly in
my possession supplemented the work of Jackson, whose papers
she had preserved.
4.) Mrs. Mabel Hope (Kingsbury) (1874-1953) of Braintree and
Surry, N.H., who did much work in copying and assembling the
work of other predecessors.
5.) Mrs. Grace Pratt (Miller) Bonsall of Quincy, with whom I have
long cooperated.
6.) Dr. Ebenezer Alden M.D. of Randolph (1788-1881) whose sketch
of Randolph families published in 1857 in the Randolph
Transcript has been found useful through a copy at N.E. Hist.
Gen. Society, Boston.
7.) William Horace Woodman of Randolph and Somerset (1833-1913)
whose early Randolph deeds, published 1899-1900 in the
Randolph Register were of great help for that section, through
a copy at Quincy Historical Society.
8.) William Gardner Spear (1853-1916) of Quincy, Pembroke and
Framingham whose collection made as first librarian of the
Quincy Historical Society in 1893 and later were most useful.
9.) Warren Samuel Parker (1861-1944) of Quincy and Hanover, whose
extensive collection of early Quincy records now at Thomas
Crane Public Library, was also most useful.
10.) Frank Amasa Bates (1858-1915) who preserved and published much
data collected by his father, Samuel A. Bates.
11.) Jonathan Marsh of Quincy (1787-1861) whose manuscript of
Quincy history and genealogy now at N.E. Hist. Gen. Society
written in 1847, has been very helpful.
12.) Authors of several local histories and genealogies, especially
the following:
Thayer Memorial (1835) by Dr. Elisha Thayer.
Glover Memorial
Vinton Memorial.
Mann Memorial
Faxon Family N.E. Register.
Genealogy of Early Braintree Families
by Waldo C. Sprague
Compilation commenced in 1947, except for the families of Curtis,
Wales and Thayer which were completed previously in extensive
manuscripts by me.
Principal Sources used:
Braintree records (vol 1886 by S.A. Bates) and Volumes 3 and 4
unpublished vital records.
Church records, First Church, South Congregational Church, Bethany
Congregational Church of Quincy.
First Church, Randolph, Second Church, (East Randolph)
Quincy records, unpublished (1792-1850) volumes 1 and 2.
Randolph records, unpublished (1793-1850) volumes 1 and 2.
Randolph Rebellion records.
Cemetery records from all four towns, Quincy, Braintree, Randolph
& Holbrook.
Boston records, Volume 2, record commissioner's reports, land
grants.
Census of 1790 and 1850.
Suffolk County Published records to 1792.
Suffolk County land records to 1792.
Massachusetts Bay Colony records (published in 1858)
Court records in custody of clerk of Supreme Judicial Court.
Mass. Archives at State House, Boston.
Published vital records of neighboring towns
Published and unpublished genealogies at N.E.H.G.S. in Boston and
N.E.H.S. register and other magazines, especially the American
Genealogist.
Unpublished records in library at the Quincy Historical Society.
N.E.G.H.S. register, published from 1847 to date.
Double dating before 1752 as used in records is carried out here
except where context is clear, in which case the later year is used
Ex. (1773/4 or 1774).
Braintree is the place of all births, marriages, or deaths, unless
another town is mentioned by the context.
The earliest records of the town are given in figures instead of
using the names of the months, e.g. 2-2-,1647 which is April 2,
1647 since the year began in March on the 5th day and March was
called the first month, April the second month and so until
February which was the twelfth month. Some historical searchers
have failed to recognize this and confusion has resulted. In the
ancient records the preceding year was usually written up until
March 25th , though not invariably.
For instance, a record of Feb.20,1647 usually should be written as
Feb.20,1647/8, now written as 1648.
Braintree Pioneers on manuscript or typescript, now at N.E. Hist.
Society in Boston compiled by Frank A. Bates & Edward E. Jackson of
Braintree contains only from the earliest records of some families
beginning with A. to G., T. and W., & y only. Incomplete, compiled
before 1910, chiefly, and now obsolete, but helpful nevertheless.
Emigrants from Braintree left periodically to settle other towns,
usually going in groups.
The principal exodus groups are the following:
To Rehoboth about 1643.
To Block Island 1660 and later.
To Mendon 1663.
To Easton about 1704.
To Lebanon, and Windham, Conn. about 1713.
To Norton about 1726.
To Holliston, about 1745-50.
To Williamsburgh, 1771.
To Oxford & Lyme, N.H., Thetford & Fairlee, Vt. about 1780
To Washington, N.H., about 1780.
To Lincolnville, Me. about 1780.
To Goshen, Chesterfield, Ashfield about 1780.
To Belchertown & Amherst about 1780.
To Braintree & Randolph, Vt. 1790.
Practically no Braintree families settled in New Braintree, Mass.
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