Falk Relations: Towne Family
compiled by Steve Wilson,
last updated December 13, 2015.
Back to Wilson's Family History.
Descendants
Outline
- William Towne♦ (d. c. 1672, Topsfield MA), m. 25 Mar. 1620 at Great Yarmouth, Norfolkshire to Joanna Blessing (d. c. 1682)
- Rebecca Towne (b. 21 Feb. 1622, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, d. 19 July 1692, Salem MA), m. 24 Aug. 1644 at Salem MA to Francis Nurse (b. c. 1618, d. 22 Nov. 1695, Salem MA)
- John Towne (b. 16 Feb. 1624, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, d. 1672), m. c. 1648 to Phoebe Lawson
- Susanna Towne (b. 20 Oct. 1625, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk)
- Edmund Towne (b. 28 June 1628, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, d. 3 May 1678, Topsfield MA), m. c. 1653 to Mary Browning (b. 7 Nov. 1637, Salem MA, d. 16 Dec. 1717, Topsfield MA)
- Jacob Towne♦ (b. 11 Mar. 1632, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, d. 27 Nov. 1704, Topsfield MA), m. 26 June 1657 at Topsfield MA to Catherine Symonds (bap. 18 Apr. 1630, Great Yarmouth, Norfolkshire)
- John Towne (b. 2 Apr. 1658, Topsfield MA), m. 2 Feb. 1680 at Topsfield MA to Mary Smith (b. 1658, Massachusetts)
- Jacob Towne (b. 13 Feb. 1660, Topsfield MA, d. 4 Oct. 1741, Topsfield MA), m. 24 June 1684 at Topsfield MA to Phoebe Smith (b. 26 Aug. 1661, Boxford MA, d. 14 Jan. 1740, Topsfield MA)
- Catherine Towne (b. 25 Feb. 1662, Topsfield MA, d. 2 July 1714, Topsfield MA), m. 23 Feb. 1680 at Topsfield MA to Elisha Perkins (b. c. 1656, Salisbury MA, d. 18 Feb. 1741, Topsfield MA)
- Deliverance Towne (b. 5 Aug. 1664, Topsfield MA, d. 16 May 1705, Boxford MA), m. 24 Nov. 1684 at Boxford MA to John Stiles (b. 30 June 1661, Rowley MA)
- Ruth Towne (b. 5 Aug. 1664, Topsfield MA)
- Edmund Towne (b. 21 July 166, Topsfield MA)
- Mary Towne (b. 24 Aug. 1634, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, d. 22 Sep. 1692, Salem MA), m. c. 1656 to Isaac Estey (b. 27 Nov. 1627, Suffolkshire, d. 11 June 1712, Topsfield MA)
- Sarah Towne (b. 11 Jan. 1637, Salem MA, d. 22 Sep. 1692, Salem MA), 1m. 11 Jan. 1659 at Rowley MA to Edmund Bridges (b. 4 Oct. 1637, d. 24 June 1682), 2m. c. 1682 to Peter Cloyce (b. 27 May 1640, d. 18 July 1708)
- Joseph Towne (b. 3 Sep. 1639, Salem MA), m. 1665 to Phoebe Perkins (b. c. 1644, Salisbury MA)
Our Descent
- William Towne (--c1672), m. 1620 to Joanna Blessing (--c1682)
- Jacob Towne (1632-1704), m. 1657 to Catherine Symonds (1630--)
- Deliverance Towne (1664-1705), m. 1684 to John Stiles (1661--)
- Mehitable Stiles (1700-1790), m. 1726 to Samuel Gould (1701-1791)
- Deliverance Gould (1742-1813), m. 1777 to Reuben Nims (1740-1814)
- Elizabeth Nims (1778-c1846), m. 1798 to Samuel Higgins (1774-c1849)
- Horatio Higgins (1812-1890), m. 1837 to Mary Jane Felch (1820-1898)
- Harvey Alva Higgins (1864-1928), m. 1889 to Lillian Belle Agee (1868-1947)
- Elsie Laura Higgins (1895-1959), m. 1915 to George Washington Falk (1895-1969)
Documentation ♦
Jacob Towne (1632-1704): m. Catherine Symonds (1630--)
- Dow, George Francis, compiler, Vital Records of Topsfield, Masssachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, 1903. On p. 102-106, 193, 253, "Births ... Towne, Deliverance, d. Jacob, Aug. 5, 1664. CT.R. ... Edmund, s. Jacob, July 21, 1666. CT.R. ... Jacob, s. Jacob, Feb. 13, 1659 [-60]. CT.R. ... John, s. Jacob, Apr. 2, 1658. CT.R. ... Kathrene, d. Jacob, Feb. 25, 1661 [-2]. CT.R. ... Ruth, d. Jacob, Aug. 5, 1664. CT.R."; "Marriages ... Towne, Jacob, and Katheren Symons, June 26, 1657. CT.R."; "Deaths ... Towne, Jacob, Ensign, Nov. 27, 1704."
- Towne, Edwin Eugene, The Descendants of William Towne, Who Came to America on or about 1630 and Settled in Salem, Mass., 1901. On p. 22, "Jacob Towne (son of William and Joanna Blessing) bapt. March 11, 1632, in Yarmouth, England. m. Catharine Simonds, of Salem, June 26, 1657. They resided in Salem about twelve years. He made his will at Topsfield, and d. the third day following, November 27, 1704, aged seventy-three. His son John was executor."
William Towne (--c1672): m. Joanna Blessing (--c1682)
- Towne, Edwin Eugene, The Descendants of William Towne, Who Came to America on or about 1630 and Settled in Salem, Mass., 1901. On p. 11-15, 21, "William Towne, of Salem, Mass., 1640 ... The earliest positive information we have relative to him is at Yarmouth, Norfolk County ... In this church ... dedicated to St. Nicholas ... were married, March 25, 1620, William Towne and Joanna Blessing, and here their first six children were baptized. The next we hear of this family is at Salem, Essex County, Mass., where, in the book of early grants, appears the following: '11:8 mo., 1640, granted to Wm. Towne, a little neck of land right over against his house on the other side of the river.' ... William Towne's residence was in that part of Salem known as the 'Northfields', and he remained at this place till 1651, the year following the incorporation of the town of Topsfield, when he purchased a tract of land in the latter place ... In 1652, he sold his property in Salem ... William Towne, the emigrant, died at Topsfield, Mass., about 1672, and from the final settlement of the estate of his widow, she seems to have survived him about ten years. She died 1682."; "believed to be the son of Richard Towne, of Braceby, England"
- Virkus, Frederick Adams, ed., Immigrant Ancestors: A List of 2,500 Immigrants to America before 1750, 1986. On p. 67, "Town (Towne), William (1600-72), from Eng., 1635, settled at Salem, Mass.; at Topsfield, 1651; m 1620, Joanna Blessing (d 1682), among their daus. was Rebecca (Towne) Nourse, who was executed for witchcraft; the monument to her memory at Danvers, Mass., is inscribed with the inscription by Whittier: 'A Christian martyr for who truth could not die, When all about thee owned the hideous lie. The world redeemed from superstition's sway, Is breathing freer for thy sake to-day.'"
Salem Witchcraft References
- Boyer, Paul & Stephen Nessenbaum, eds., The Salem Witchcraft Papers, 1977. Contains the legal charges and examinations of Sarah Cloyce, Mary Easty, and Rebecca Nurse, who were all executed for witchcraft.
- Brown, David C., A Guide to the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692, 1984. Provides timelines of the events for the executions of Sarah Cloyce, Mary Easty, and Rebecca Nurse.
- Hansen, Chadwick, Witchcraft at Salem, 1969.
- Starkey, Marion L., The Devil in Massachusetts: A Modern Enquiry into the Salem Witch Trials, 1949.