April 7, 2013 - The children of William Bartholomew, b. 1603

I'll be sharing a Bartholomew Family history for quite some times.  These lengthy and impressive, hand typed, documents are quite interesting. 

Today I'll begin with the children of William Bartholomew and Anna Lord Bartholomew.

 l. Mary -
       m. (1) Mathew Whipple of Ipswich, Dec. 24, 1653.
            (2)  Jacob Greene, son of Elder John Green of Charlestown
                     a. Matthew Whipple
                     b.  Elizabeth Greene
                     c.  Mary Greene
                     d.  Bartholomew Greene
                     e.  Dorcas Green
                     f.  Joseph Greene
II.  Joseph, b. about 1638; resided in London, Eng. in 1693
II.  William -(my 8th great grandfather) b. probably in Ipswich, in 1640-41, married in Roxbury, Mass.  Dec. 17, 1663 to Mary, daughter of Captain Isaac and Elisabeth Porter Johnson, and grand-daughter of John Johnson who held the title of 'Surveyor of all ye Kings Armies in America;.  Both the grandfather and father represented Roxbury many years in the General Courts and held high social rank.  Captain Isaac Johnson was killed Dec. 19, 1675 in the famous 'Narragansett Fort Fight' leading his men over the bridge (a fallen tree) into the fort (Indians).

William died in the spring of 1697.  Mrs. Mary was born April 24, 1642 and was living in 1705 in Branford, Conn.

Lt. Wm. Bartholomew seems to have early taken a practical view of life as is shown by his learning the carpenter's trade.  In 1662 he received his first experience in the mill business under his father.  He may have subsequently assisted his Uncle Henry in building the Old South Mills in Salem.

At the time of the noted raid of the Indians on Hatfield, Sept. 19, 1677 he was there with his family, and probably assisted in the erection of buildings then being raised.  His daughter Abigail, aged four, was taken with twelve others, and carried through the forests into Canada and kept eight months, but finally ransomed May 23, 1678, with others by the payment of two hundred pounds.

The town of Branford gave him land on which he erected a mill.  They later gave him more land.  He was selected the minister in 1663.  Nov. 1, 1663, he was chosen and appointed to 'keep ordinary in Branford'.  Only the best ment received such appointments.  He was appointed surveor of the town twice.

1685 - Wm. Bartholomew and John Frisbe laid out and staked the highway to Guildford.  The town of Woodstock was anxious to obtain his services in 1687 and gave him land for building a corn mill.

July 13, 1689 - Wm. B., Sr. was commissioned by the governor of the colony of Mass.ensign of the 'New Roxbury Company.'  Roxbury was called Woodstock after he and three others petitioned the General Court in 1689.

May 21, 1691, 'Wm. B. being presented for Lieutenant and Benjamin Sable for Ensign of the military company in Woodstock, the said persons are approved and confirmed in their respective offices.'  (Mass. Court Record, Vol. 6, p. 184).

June 8, 1692, Mr. Wm. B. appeared as the representative of Woodstock, suffolk County, at the Grand General Court or Assembly at Boston.  It was the only one ever held by the colony and called on an extremely important occasion.  It was also the occasion of the first election in Woodstock for representative, making it a conspicuous honor to Mr. B., as the town was noted for its able citizens.

Spring of 1697, Mr. B. died, probably in Woodstock; and it is supposed that his remains lie buried in Woodstock Hill Cemetery, adjoining the graves of his sons Joseph and Benjamin.  Two rough stones, unmarked at the head of the graves probably show his and his son John's last resting places. 

At fifty years of age and very comfortably situated, his ambition required him to accept the very generous offer of his old Roxbury acquaintances who had settled in Woodstock, and there build and maintain mills for them.  His popularity was even greater in Woodstock than it had been in Branford.  They conferred upon him nearly every honor at their disposal, making him selectman, chairman of the committee to build the minister's house, first representative to the General Court, and Lieut. commanding all subject to military service in the town.  These honors conferred on him by those who had known him from his boyhood are ample evidence of his superior character.

The social excellence of his family is certified to most emphatically by the offer of a land grant if he would bring them there to live.  He died at the age of 57; and judging by the age of his fathers and descendents, his death must have been greatly hastened by some cause, possibly exposure during his trying time in the Indian Wars.

Like his father, he was the ancester to all the Bartholomews of this family in America.  He, as well as his father, and Uncle Henry, must have been men of rare executive ability which, combined with their practical and high moral and social standards, made them in their various spheres the eminent men which they undoubtedly were.  Few men have proved more worthy of being remembered and revered by their descendants."