Archive:History of Westminster, Heywood, D

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Heywood, William Sweetzer, History of Westminster, Massashusetts (First named Narragansett No. 2), From the date of the original grant of the township to the present time, 1728-1893, with a Biographic-Genealogical Register of its Principal Families, (Vox Populi Press: S.W. Huse & Co., Lowell, Mass.: 1893); New England Historic Genealogical Society Call No. F/74/W72/H6.

DAMON - DERBY - DRURY - DUNN

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[p. 601-603] DAMON

The Damons of New England, with few, if any, exceptions, descended from three immigrant ancestors, who came hither at an early period of colonial history. John Damon was located at Scituate in 1628, a second John was in Reading a few years afterward, and Thomas in Sudbury at a later date. Whether or not they were in any way related, is as yet undetermined. It was from John of Reading that the W. branch sprang, and of him only, of the three, is further mention made in these pages.

Much doubt at present exists in regard ot the English origin of this line of the family. The History of Reading states that John Damon of that town is reported to have come from Reading in the mother country, where an old parish registry records his birth as occurring June 25, 1620. But Mr. D. C. Eaton of New Haven, a descendant of a sister of his, who has given the matter much consideration, deems that view untenable on the ground that an error has been made in deciphering the partially illegible record referred to. He has had an exact copy of that record made within a few years, and is fully persuaded thereby that it relates to the advent into the world, not of John Damon, but of John Cannon, thus invalidating the hypothesis named above, - a hypothesis assumed to be correct in the "Damon Memorial," and other publications pertaining to the subject.

Moreover, it is probable that the name rarely, if ever, appeared in the old world in the same form in which it is generally found here. Various modes of spelling have characterized it there, such as Dammand, Damind, Damins, Damant, Damat, etc., as was the case in some of the early records here.

The first appearance of the immigrant ancestors of the Damons of W. in this country was in 1635, when, as the record states, "Abigail1, aged 35, formerly wife and widow of one Dammand and now the wife of John Eaton," came over to N. E. in the ship Elizabeth and Ann "with her children, Jane Dammand aged 9, Marie Eaton aged 4, and Thomas Eaton 1." "Her husband, John Eaton, and her son, John Dammand2, came aboard after the vessel left port or preceded them in another vessel." They settled first in Dedham, but John2, upon reaching his majority, established himself in that part of Lynn, afterwards set off to form Reading, of which township, incorporated 1644, he was one of the first proprietors. He was an active, prominent man in the community, holding the office of Selectman for several years, and becoming a Deacon in the church, which gave him a title by which he was subsequently known. He m. Abigail, dau. of Richard and Elizabeth Sherman of Boston, and had a s. Samuel3, b. July 23, 1756, who was a soldier in the Narragansett War and whose heirs, thereby, had an original right in this place and drew, at the time of the first division of lands, lot No. 2. By his wife, Mary, he had with other chn. John4 and Ebenezer4, the latter representing the family in the transaction just alluded to. The former m. Rebecca, dau. of John and Sarah (Batchelder) Pratt, who bore him John5 and Timothy5, twins, in 1738 or 1739, the latter of whom was the W. settler, as indicated below.

1. Damon, Timothy5, s. of John4 and Rebecca, came to this tn. soon after it was incorporated, prob. in 1761, in asmuch as on the 18th of Jan. of that year his bro., John, quitclaimed to him all right and title derived from their f. to lot No. 15, where his gd.s., Thomas Damon, now res. His w. was Abigail ----, whom he m. ab. the time of his removal hither. She d. April 23, 1800; and he m. (2) Sarah Poole of Fg. (pub. March 7th), 1801. No rec. of his death has come to hand. Their chn. were:
2. Timothy6, b. Oct. 27, 1762; m. Phebe (13) Miller; res.W.; d. Jan. 17, 1830.
3. Rebecca6, b. Dec. 21, 1763; m. Zaccheus Nichols, Reading, Sept. 5, 1793.
4. Elizabeth6, b. Aug. 15, 1766; d. Sept. 5, 1777, a. 11
5. John6, b. June 25, 1768; m. Lucy (24) Sawin; res. W.; d. Dec. 12, 1848.
6. Elizabeth6, b. Oct 12, 1771; d. unm. July 11, 1811, a. 39.
7. William6, b. Dec. 19, 1773; burned to death, 1781.
8. Molly6, b. March 20, 1776; d. Dec 3, 1777.
9. Thomas6, b. Sept. 20, 1778; nothing more known of him.
10. Polly6, b. Oct. 10, 1782; m. Joel (10) Baker; res. W.
[2.] Damon, Timothy6, eldest s. of the last, m. Phebe (13), dau. of Dea. Joseph and Martha (Williams) Miller, 1789 (pub. Jan. 14), and set. on his f.'s est., which was divided between him and his bro. John. He d. Jan. 17, 1820, a. 57; his wid. d. April 26, 1826. Chn:
11. Phebe7, b. Nov. 15, 1790; m. Sylvester Manning; res. Thomaston, Me.
12. Nancy7, b. Dec 17, 1792; m. Chas. Hoar; res. No.Braintree.
13. Sarah7, b. Oct. 16, 1794; m. Horatio Eager; res. W.; 4 chn.; d. Feb 4, 1834.
14. Rebecca7, b. Feb. 10, 1797; m. Wm. Gregory; res. Camden, Me.
15. Joseph7, b. April 2, 1799; d. Sept. 8, 1800.
16. Mary7, b. July 7, 1801; m. George Evans; res.Winch.; insane; d. July 16, 1886.
17. Thomas7, b. July 24; m. five times; res. W.
18. Lucinda7, b. Dec. 18, 1809; m. Jonas (160) Whitney; res. W.; 2 chn. d. April 10, 1868.
[5.] Damon, John6, bro of the last and sharer with him of their f.'s homestead, m. April 19, 1791, Lucy (24), dau. of Samuel and Martha (Miller) Sawin. Late in life he sold his farm to his oldest bro. and spent his last days with his s. John in Fitzwilliam, N. H. He d. Dec. 12, 1848, a. 80; his wid., Lucy, d. Sept. 22, 1851, a. 72. Chn.:
19. Unnamed7, b. May 30, 1792; d. infancy.
20. Lucy7, b. April 26, 1793; d. Sept. 23, 1800, a. 7.
21. William7, b. Aug. 8, 1795; d. Jan 20, 1800, a. 5.
22. Irene7, b. June 30, 1797; d. Jan. 13, 1800; a. 2 yrs., 6 months.
23. William7, b. Oct. 15, 1800; m. Lucy Wetherbee and Adaline Calkins; res. Fg.; 9 chn.; dec'd.
24. John7, b. Nov. 22, 1802; m (1) Ruth (54) Sawin and (2) Selina Parker; res. Fitzwilliam, N. H.; 3 chn.; d. Nov. 29, 1852.
25. Benjamin F.7, b. July 21, 1805; unm.; d. 1841.
26. George W.7, b. May 20, 1807; m. Clarissa Gibbs; res. Fg.; 3 chn.; dec'd
27. Lucy7, b. Feb. 9, 1810; unm.; d. Fitzwilliam, N. H., April 22, 1856, a. 46.
28. Irene7, b. May 19, 1812; d. young.
29. Charles7, b. Oct 9, 1814; m. (1) Cynthia Lawrence, (2) Chloe Taft; 2 chn.; d. July 25, 1860.

[p. 605-610] DERBY

In 1677 one John Darby1, as the name was generally spelled until a recent date, and correspondingly pronounced - a custom recognized and conformed to in these pages, - was a fisherman of Marblehead, where he owned a cottage and a small lot of land. For lack of evidence to the contrary, it may be presumed that he was b. in England, and came to this country in his early manhood to seek his fortune amid the novelties and wonders of the new world. Possibly he was the bro. of Roger Darby, known to be a native of Topsham, Devonshire, who landed at Boston, July 18, 1671, and set. at Salem, and from whom descended the celebrated surgeon and oculist, Dr. Derby, of the present day. By his w., Alice ----, John Darby1 had 5 chn., the second of whom, John2, was b. Oct. 8, 1681. This John Darby2, who in his "will," 1747, spelt his name Darbie, m. Deborah, dau. of Roger Conant, and located first at Beverly, but went thence to Ipswich ab. 1720, and from there in 1731 to concord, where he d. March 7, 1753. [snip]

[18.] Darby, Ezra5, s. of Nathan and Abigail (Pierce) Darby [b. June 24, 1776], m. Ruth (9), dau. of Josiah and Mary (Reed) Puffer, Nov. 1, 1798. He first set. on lot No. 31, 2d Div., half a mile west of the Beech Hill Schoolhouse. (See A. H. No. 31.) His last years, however, were spent at the present homestead of Geo. Harris, the house of which he is said to have built. He succeeded Ezra Holden as Sexton and Undertaker. He d. April 8, 1823, a. 46. His wid. m. (2) Samuel Bemis of Temp. and (3) Samuel (11) Garfield of W. She d. April 19, 1833* [See Transcriber's Note], a. 58. Chn.:
39. Sally6, b. Feb. 26, 1800; m. Alvin Upham; res. W.; 9 chn.; d. Sept. 21, 1878.
40. Ezra6, b. Dec. 24, 1802; m. Abigail H. ---- and others; sev. chn.; res. unkn.
41. Mary6, b. Jan. 17, 1804; m. Edmund Nichols; res.W.; 11 chn.; d.April 29, 1870.
42. Orrin6, b. June 2, 1806; m. and had chn.; res.West; dec'd.
43. Nathan6, b. Sept. 24, 1808; d. April 20, 1832; unm.
44. Lyman6, b. April 28, 1811; d. Dec 23, 1831; unm.
45. Ruth P.6, b. Aug. 9, 1813; m. Edwin Terriere; res. L. I.; 4 chn.; d. June 27, 1850.
46. Lucy B.6, b.Aug 9, 1815; m. Jacob Messinger; res. Niles, Mich.; no chn.; d. Feb. 17, 1881.
47. Edwin6, b. Nov. 22, 1817; nothing learned.
[93.] Derby, Henry N.7, [s. Walter and Mary (Winchester) Derby, b. April 26, 1838] m. Sept. 16, 1862, Julia A., dau. of Cornelius and Jane Murphy of Fg., and lives at So.W.; a chairmaker by trade. Chn.:
98. George T.8, b. Aug. 24, 1871. 99. Frank W.8, b. April 19, 1868.

[p. 616-618] DRURY

About the year 1640, Hugh Drury1 came to this country, supposably from England, and received from the Mass. Colony a grant of land in the town of Sudbury, upon which he took up his abode. By his wife, Lydia, he had a son John2, who m. Mary and became the father of Thomas3, a leading citizen of the town. A second Thomas4, son of the last, was one of the early settlers of Shrewsbury, where yet another Thomas5 in regular succession was b. July 12, 1720-1. This Thomas5 m. Huldah, dau. of Eleazer Taylor of the same town, and established himself in Templeton, then known as Narragansett No. 6, the birthplace of the first settler bearing the name in W.

I. Drury, Eleazer6, s. of the couple just named, was b. prob. in 1755. He seems to have remained in Temp. until midlife, when he came to W. and m. Elizabeth, dau. of Abner and Jemima (Trowbridge) Miles, Feb. 19, 1800. The next month he purchased of Paul Matthews lot No. 60, with the buildings thereon, situated on the easterly side of Graves' Hill, and made there his home. (See A. H. No. 94.) Eleazer Drury d. Oct. 30, 1845, a. 90; his wid., Elizabeth, d. Dec. 3, 1855, a. 80. Their chn. were all sons, as follows:

2. Abner M.7, b. March 10, 1801; m. wid. Maria (Scholes) Drury; res. W.
3. Henry G.7, b. Sept. 7, 1803; m. Mary Maynard; res. Oakham.; i chd.
4. Tho.mas7, b. Nov. 10, 1805; m. Anna Gates; res. W.
5. Eleazer7, b. Sept. 12, 1808; d. unm. Sept. 4, 1844, a. 36.
6. Artemas H.7, b. Jan. 26, 1811; d. Jan. 12, 1870, unm.
7. Joseph B.7, b. June 6, 1813; m. four times; res. W., etc.

[2.] Drury, Abner M.7, s. of the above, m. Mrs. Maria (Scholes) Drury, the wid. of his uncle Thomas of Temp., and dau. of one of the servants of a Hessian officer, who was taken prisoner in the battle of Bennington and sent to W. under parole by order of the Provincial Government at Boston. They were pub. Sept. 5, 1829, and were residents of the town through life. He d. May 26, 1883, a. 82. She d. Aug. 7, 1875, a. 75. Chn.:

8. Elizabeth M.8, b. June 18, 1830; m. Allen F. Davis; res. Phila ; 3 chn.; dec'd.
9. A. Evander8, b. Oct. 25, 1831; m. Lydia R. Livingston; res. Harrisville, N. H.; no chn. In war of the Rebellion. (See p. 406.)
10. Maria8, b. April 13, 1834; m. James O. Whitney; res. Temp.; 2 chn.; dec'd.

[4.] Drury, Thomas7 bro. of the last, m. Anna, dau. of Jonathan Gates of Gr., and set. on a farm bought of Abraham Reed, located about a mile west of the central village of the town. He d. May 12, i860, a. 55. His wid. d. April 7, 1875, a. 75. Chn.:

11. Caroline8, b. April 10, 1839; unm.; d. Oct. 5, 1883, a. 44.
12. Lyman M.8 b. Feb. 16, 1843; m. Sarah E. Glazier; res. W.

[7.] Drury, Joseph B.7, youngest s. of Eleazer6 and Elizabeth, is a painter by trade, a man of moral worth, a devoted member of the Orthodox Cong. Chh., and an active worker in the temperance cause, for which he has suffered reproach and persecution. He res. in W. some yrs., a portion of which time he was associated in business with Joel Merriam, Jr., but his later life has been spent in Gr. He m. (1) Anna, dau. of John Merriam of W., Nov. 12, 1844, by whom he had 3 chn. She d. Aug. 11, 1849, and he m. (2) Rosanna Wilder of Sherburne, N. Y., Oct. 21, 1850, who bore him 1 chd. and d. Jan. 26, 1853, a. 39. He m. (3) Sarah Wilder, sr. of the last, May 9, 1855. She had i chd. and d. at date unkn. He m. (4) Sarah Grimes of Hub. Aug. 3, 1876. Chn.:

13. John E.8, b. Nov. 4, 1845; d. June 13, 1868, a. 22.
14. Levi A.8, b. Aug. 9, 1847; m. Fannie Russell; res. Bradford; 3 chn.; living.
15. Unnamed8; date of b. and d. unknown.
16. Unnamed8; date of b. and d. unknown.
17 . Sarah C.8, b. May 3, 1858; m D. Coggswell; res Bradford; 2 chn.

[12.] Drury, Lyman M.8 s. of Thomas7 and Anna (Gates) Drury, m. Sept. 11, 1867, Sarah E., dau. of Oliver and Maria Glazier of Pn., and res. on the Samuel Gates (originally Asa Taft) place, on the road to Gr. center. Chn.:

18. Nellie Maria9, b. July 26, 186S; d. Jan. 1, 1871.
19. Charlotte Ann9, b. March 28, 1870. 20. Nellie Maria9, b. Nov. 30, 1872.
21. Lillian Gertrude9, b. Jan. 20, 1875. 22. Edith Blanche9, b. Dec. 30, 1876.

[p. 618-619] DUNN

1. Dunn, John, supposed s. of Lucius (Lucas?) and Sarah, was b., it is thought, in Marlboro', May 7, 1761. Much time has been spent in efforts to trace his lineage, but to no purpose. He m. bef. coming to W. and set. in Bolton, but the name of his w. if unkn. She bore him at least 2 chn. and dec'd before 1788, in which year, Feb. 23d, he was pub. to Molly (3), dau. of Josiah and Mary (Reed) Puffer. After marriage he located in W., living for a time on a 4th Div. lot in the S.W. part of town, owned by his f. in law. (See A. H. No. 77.) In July, 1798, he bought 10 acres of land with ho. and bn. of Josiah Colburn, the former residence of Amos P. Spalding. His ho. was burned ab. the year 1815. Mr. Dunn d. July 29, 1832, a. 71, and his wid. d. April 9, 1857, a. 96. 8 Chn., the first two the fruit of the first marriage:
2. Lovett, b. Marlboro'; was res. there in 1807.
3. Vinal S., b. Oct. 18, 1785; m. Dolly (25) Whitney; res. W.
4. Levinah, b. Jan. 10, 1789; m. Joseph G. (23) Whitney; res. W; sev. chn.; d. June 24, 1875.
5. John, b. April 20, 1791; m. Abigail Jackson; res. W., etc.
6. Lucas, b. April 6, 1796; m. Hannah ----; res. Bolton; 2 chn.; d. Oct. 17, 1833.
7. Asa, b. May 16, 1798; m. and went to Kentucky; nothing further.
8. Polly, b. May 6, 1800; m. Henry Norcross; res. Lanc.; had chn.
9. Lucy, b. Aug. 8, 1803; m. ---- Lane; res. Charlestown; 1 chd.; d. Feb. 20, 1830.
[3.] Dunn, Vinal S., s. of John and ----, was b. Oct. 18, 1785, and came to W. with his f. in early childhood. He was pub. to Dolly (25), dau. Abner and Levinah (Glazier) Whitney, Sept. 12, 1806, and when m. set. on the cross road near the Noah May place. (See A. H. No. 29.) He rem. from tn. in mid-life and d. Dec. 3, 1866, a. 81. His wid d. April 2, 1884, a. 93. Chn:
10. Levina, b. July 19, 1808; m. Moses W. Parmenter; res. Wayland; 3 chn.; d. Feb. 1, 1856.
11. Elizabeth, b. Dec. 26, 1809; m. ----- Handscome; res. Fg.; 3 chn.; d. Jan., 1892.
12. John V., b. May 3, 1811; m. Lucy Robbins; res.Weston; 3 chn.
13. Andrew, b. June 15, 1813; grad. Newton Theo. Inst., Baptist minister 50 yrs.; m. twice; 2 chn.; now living Royalston.
14. Lucas C., b. Aug. 22, 1816; d. April, 1817.
15. Lucas C, b. Feb. 15, 1819; d. Sept., 1820.
16. Charles G., b. Feb. 5, 1821; no report of him.
17. George W., b. Dec. 30, 1823; m. Abigail I. Viles; 8 chn.; living in Weston.
18. Sarah A., b. Oct. 17, 1827; m. George Hoyt; no chn.; d. Nov. 16, 1851.
19. Alden, b. July 8, 1830; d. June 16, 1854.
[5.] Dunn, John, half-bro. of the last, m. Abigail, dau. of Oliver and Mary (Pierce) Jackson (pub. June 1, 1815). They set. upon the old Jackson place, recently occupied by Lyman Allen, where they remained till 1838, when he sold to Levi Allen, and rem. to Petersham. Late in life they took up their abode in Gr. to be their their chn., and there they spent their last days. He d. at great age a few years since, as did his w. also. 13 Chn.:
20. Oliver J., b. Nov. 26, 1816; d. Sept. 10, 1819.
21. Viola, b. Aug. 31, 1818; m. Philander Derby; res. Gr.; 3 chn.; d. Dec. 24, 1891.
22. Abigail, b. July 12, 1820; m. David Ramsdell; res. Gr.; 1 chd.; living.
23. Lucy E., b. Feb. 20, 1822; d. Dec. 2, 1824.
24. Oliver J., b. June 24, 1823; d. Nov. 16, 1824.
25. Lucy, b. May 17, 1825; d. Nov., 1842.
26. Elvira, b. Dec. 18, 1827; m. Walter Whitney; res. Dedham; 3 chn., one of whom, Frank W., grad. Bost. Univ. 1879; living.
27. Mry, b. Feb. 5, 1830; d. Feb., 1843.
28. John A., b. Nov. 2, 1831; m. Sophia Chaffee; res. Gr.; 4 chn.; living.
29. Josiah J., b. March 18, 1834; m. Lucy Stone; res. Petersham; 2 chn.; living.
30. Isaac J., b. Aug 15, 1836; m. Hattie Nichols; res. Keene, N. H.; 2 chn.; l.
31. Ellen A., b. Oct., 1840; m. George R. Chaffee; res. Somerville; 2 chn.; living.
32. Albert H., b. 1843?; d. infancy.

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