Person Page - 147

     Mary died. Mary was born at Lexington [Cambridge Farms], Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of William Munroe and Mary Ball.

     David died. David was born at Lexington [Cambridge Farms], Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of William Munroe and Mary Ball.

     Eleanor died. Eleanor was born at Lexington [Cambridge Farms], Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of William Munroe and Mary Ball.

     Sarah died. Sarah was born at Lexington [Cambridge Farms], Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of William Munroe and Mary Ball.

     Joseph died. Joseph was born at Lexington [Cambridge Farms], Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of William Munroe and Mary Ball.

     Benjamin died. Benjamin was born at Lexington [Cambridge Farms], Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of William Munroe and Mary Ball.

     Susanna died. Susanna was born at Lexington [Cambridge Farms], Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of William Munroe and Mary Ball.

     Elizabeth was born. She married William Munroe after 1692. Elizabeth died.

     Margarett Heron was the daughter of Sir William Heron Knight. She married Walter (Sir) Tirrell [Knight]. Margarett died.

     William died.

     Hughe (Sir) Tirrell [Knight] was the son of Edward (Sir) Tirrell [Kinght] and NN---- NN----. Hughe died. He married NN---- NN----.

     NN---- NN---- was the daughter of Flambert Esquire. She married Hughe (Sir) Tirrell [Knight]. NN---- died.

     died.

     Edward (Sir) Tirrell [Kinght] was the son of Lyonell (Sir) Tirrell [Knight]. Edward died. He married NN---- NN----.

     NN---- NN---- was the daughter of (?) Borgat of Suffolke. She married Edward (Sir) Tirrell [Kinght]. NN---- died.

     (?) died.

     Lyonell (Sir) Tirrell [Knight] was the son of Geffrey Tirrell [Knight]. Lyonell died.

     Geffrey Tirrell [Knight] was the son of Symond Tirrell. Geffrey died.

     Symond Tirrell was the son of Richard Tirrell. Symond died.

     Richard Tirrell was the son of Henrey Tirrell [Knight]. Richard died.

     Henrey Tirrell [Knight] was the son of Walter (Sir) Tirrell [Knight]. Henrey died.

     Walter died.

     Elizabeth was born on 6 March 1686 at Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of James Emerson and Sarah Ingersoll. She married Joseph Taft in 1708. Elizabeth died on 10 March 1760 at Worcester, Uxbridge Counaty, Massachusetts, at age 74.

      The Taft families of America are descended from Robert Taft and a relative, Mathew Taft, who settled near Robert later. Both were Protestant Irish by birth. The name does not appear in Scotland in any form, and only in England apparently among the descendants of the Irish family. For some centuries the name has been spelled Taffe. The families of Tifft and Tefft in England may have the same origin, and it is still in doubt whether the family is of English or Irish origin. It is true that the Tafts were associated with Scotch-Irish just as many English were. Sir William Taffe or Taft, a knight of the Protestant faith, was among the grantees at the time of the Scotch emigration and settlement in Ulster Province, Ireland, by order of King James. In 1610 he received a grant of one thousand acres of land in the parish of Castle Rahen in county Cavan. The total grants in this parish amounted to three thousand nine hundred and ninety acres, of which Sir Thomas Ashe held one thousand five hundred acres, and in 1619 he also held this grant of Taft's and one thousand five hundred in the adjoining parish of Tullaghgarvy. On Taft's land there was "an old castle new mended and all the land was inhabited by Irish." It seems reasonable to suppose that Sir William Taft's sons settled on this grant. Perhaps Sir William remained in Louth. At any rate, this is the only family who had any relations with the Scotch-Irish settlers whom Robert and Mathew Taft seem to have been connected with in some way. County Louth, the Irish home of the Tafts, is on the northern coast, bounded by Armagh and Ulster, on the east by the British channel and on the south by the Boyne. It is in the province of Leinster, and was established as a county in 1210.

      Robert Taft, the immigrant ancestor was first at Braintree, Massachusetts, where he owned a lot in 1678. He sold his land there November 18, 1679, to Caleb Hobart, and about the same time he bought his first land in Mendon, and became later one of the largest property owners in that section. He evidently was a man of property and influence at the outset. He was a housewright by trade. He was in the first board of selectmen of the organized town of Mendon in 1680, and the same year served on a committee to buld the minister's house. He and his sons built the first bridge across the river Mendon. In 1729 his sons built the second bridge also. He was one of the purchasers fo the tract of land from which the town of Sutton was formed. He married Sarah. Robert was born at Ireland. He married Sarah NN---- circa 1671.³ Robert died.

     Sarah died. She married Robert Taft circa 1671.²

      Resided at Ipswich and Mendon Massachusetts. James Emerson was a tailor and farmer. His name does not appear in his grandfather Thomas's will, 1653 and the presumption is that he had not then been born. In 1718 James Emerson "Taylor" conveys "in consideration of ye love, good will and natural affection which Ihave and do bear unto my beloved son Joseph Emerson of Redding" 71½ acres of land in Mendon. James was born. He was the son of Rev. Joseph Emerson and Elizabeth Woodmansey. He married Sarah Ingersoll circa 1680. James died.

     Sarah was born in 1663. She married James Emerson circa 1680. Sarah died on 13 October 1732.

      Mr. Emerson was a minister of the standing order of puritan clergymen. Of his education nothing is known. Tradition says he was educated in England. He may have studied at Harvard. He was at Ipswich as early as 1638. Was admitted freeman there, 19 December 1648. He preached at York, Maine, the same year.

      In 1653, he was a resident of Wells, and took the freeman's oath 4 July 1653; and was an inhabitant when the commissioners took the submission of the people, the court being held in his house. He favored submission to Massachusetts in 1651-2, and was evidently a leading man of the Massachusetts party. He signed a petition to Cromwell as of Wells, asking the protector to confirm the jurisdiction of Massachusetts over the inhabitants of Wells. In this petition, which he probably wrote, the people of Wells refer Cromwell to their pyous and reverend friend, Mr. John Wheelwright, sometime of us, now in England, for any desired information as to their condition or character. He soon lost his hold on the affections of the people of Wells; largely, perhaps, because of the political dissensions which disturbed the church.

[Judge Taft found on loose paper in the old Book of Records at Wells]
A record of the contract of settlement of Joseph Emerson, 1664, between he and the members of his church, fixing his salary and compensation while he should remain their minister. It describes him as "of Wells," showing that he was alread a resident. The contract was not so stringent as that with the people of Mendon. But it was a careful stipulation. They were to pay him annually sixty-five pounds and do sundry other things, and get the people of York to pay a certain sum. Dated 13th day of____, 1664.

      Records of Wells, Maine

7 July 1663 Wee present Mr. Joseph Emerson for telling of a ly Witnesses, Capt. Raynes Richard Bankes.

We present Mr. Joseph Emerson for telling of a Lye Thomas Curtis, Hene Sayword

We present Mr. Joseph Emerson for speaking falsely. Witnesses Ric. Whitte Frances Whitte

13 July 1663 Ordered that the presentments of such persons as have not answered theretoo be proceeded with.... Mr. Emerson with others expcepted.

      The above witnesses were all York people. The first two were strong opponents of Massachusetts rule; and the others wre probably so. The last two were man and wife, and quite worthless people.

      After Mr. Emerson left, the church is said to have dwindled to two families, and they quarrelled. Orders came from Massachusetts government that the church disband. Ordres quickly followed that the town be indicted for not maintaining public worship.

      About 1664, he left Wells and became the first minister of Milton; asking an increase of salary on account of his approaching marriage, he was dismissed. Joseph was born circa 25 June 1620 at in St. Michael's Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. He was the son of Thomas Emerson and Elizabeth Brewster. He married Elizabeth Woodmansey before 1649. He married Elizabeth Bulkeley on 7 December 1665. Joseph died on 3 January 1680 at Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

     Elizabeth Woodmansey was the daughter of Robert Woodmansey and Margaret NN----. She married Rev. Joseph Emerson before 1649. Elizabeth died.

      "Thomas, baker, yeoman, Ipswich, proprietor 1638, selectman, 1646. Conveyed his farm to his son John, for a yearly rental, during the lives of himself and his wife. Elizabeth. Tradition says that he came from England, in the Ship "Elizabeth Ann", 1635.

      His will dated 31 May, 1653, [memorandum] 4 Jan 1660."

¹

      The 31st of Maye 1653

      "I Thomas Emerson of Ispwich in the countye of Essex being att present, I prayse god, of good health and perfect memory, and well knowing that all men are borne to dye and depart this life, and that the tyme and place of there departure is to them vnknowne and vncertayne and sotnetymes sudden, I doe therefore declare and make knowne this my last Will and Testament in manor following.

      Inprimus I bequeath my soule into the hands of my blessed Creator and Redeemer any body to the earth to be desently buried in asured hope of a Joyfull resurection at the last day and for my outward Estate I doe dispose of as followeth:
     
      I give and bequeath vnto my sonne Joseph the some eighty pound of current paye of New England viz forty pound of it which I reserved out of my farme Given vnto my sonne John to be payd unto the said Joseph my sonne acording to the couenant and agreement expressed in papre of Indentors beareing date the six and twentieth of the ninth month of 1648 the other forty pound to be payd vnto him by my sonne Nathaniell (out of my house and land given vnto him) within six months after the decease of me and my wife.

      Item I give and bequeath vnto Nathaniell Emerson my sonne my house wherein I now dwell with all my vpland and meddow and the marsh I bought of my sonne Joseph who was somtymes Mr. Woodmansys with all the aptenanoes and priveledges thervnto belonging payeing forty pound out of it as above exprest alsoe a little parsel of meddow lyeing within the marsh before mentioned after the decease of me and my wife.

      Item I give unto my daughter Elisabeth ffullor The best fether bed and boulster with a paire of blanketts and the best coverlet and the bedsted to injoy for his vse vntill hir daughter Susana stayne the age of Twenty yeares or day of hir mariage if shall happen sooner and then she to injoy them alsoe. I giue vnto my sayd daughter the great caured chest and the carued box with the little trunck with all y' is in it and a small carued chest with what is in it.

      Item I giue vnto my sonne James Emerson the some of forty pounds out of my stock of cattell to be payd vnto him if he shall come ouer to this country (or send by certayne surtifficate of his being ?) within two yeares after the decease of my me and my wife. In case my sayd sonne dye before then my will is that my sonne Joseph his sonne Joseph shave have ten pound of it and my sonne Nathaniell ten pound and my daughter ffullar hir four sonnes the other Twenty pound or if any of them dye the survivors to injoye the same.

      Item my will is that Elisabeth Emerson my wife shall injoy the yearely rent of the farme with the six head of cattell wintering at the sayd farme and if they doe not winter soe many to make it vp as is agreed as alsoe the house wherin I dwell with the vpland and meddow and marsh bought of my sonne Joseph will all the sptenances belonging thervnto and alsoe all my househould goods and all my cattell I shall leave both oxen and cowes and all other youngcattell whasoeuer to injoy tem freely without let or disturbance of any person or persons whatsoeuer dureing the tyme that she doth continue my widdow provided allwayes and it is my will and meaneing that if she sayd Elisabeth my wife doth marry that then she shall haue only the yearly Rent of the aforesayd farme dureing the tyme of hir naturall life and the wintering of the aforesayd Six head of cattell alsoe to haue the little featherbed and one boulster and two payre of sheetes and two cowes. The rest of the cattel and househould stufe to be disposed of as in this my will expresst.

      And further my will is that my sonne Nathaniell incase he doe injoye the house and land by the marriage of my wife that then he shall paye the some of six pound by the yeare to his mother duering the terme of hir naturall life for the rest of my houshould goods I leave to my wife to dispose of what shee shall thinke fitt to my sonne Joseph and the rest to be devided betweene my son Nathaniell and my daughter ffuller.

      ffurther I make my Loueing wife Elisabeth Emerson sole execotrix to this my last will and Testament. And doe desire my much honered and faithfull frends Mr. Samuel Symonds and Major General Daniell Denison to be ouerseers to see y' this my will be fullfilled.

      In witness to this my will I have heervnto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare first exprest.

Thomas Emerson

signed sealed and in the presents of vs
Robert Lord
Daniel Houey."
     


     

     

Thomas was born on 26 July 1584 at Bishops Stratford, county Hertfordshire, England. He was the son of Robert Emerson and Susan Crabb. He married Elizabeth Brewster on 1 July 1611 at Ipswich or Salisbury, Massachusetts.⁶ Thomas died on 1 May 1666 at Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts, at age 81.