GenMassachusetts-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: [GM-L] OLIVER
Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1999 17:12:13 EST

Surname: OLIVER
Source: Prescott Memorial

John Prescott/Mary Platts Line, Lancaster, MA

p.48
Hon. Benjamin Prescott, son of Jonas Prescott and Mary Loker of
Groton, MA and grandson of John and Mary (Platts) Prescott of
Lancaster, MA.

Hon. Benjamin Prescott was b. Jan 4, 1696 at Groton, MA and m.
June 11, 1718, Abigail Oliver dau of Hon. Thomas Oliver of
Cambridge, MA. (and his wife, Mary (Wilson) Oliver - see Savage
entry, below) She b. 1697. They resided at Groton, MA and
lived and died in a house which stood where the later house of
the Hon. Stuart J. Park resided. Benjamin Prescott in 1723,
being but 27 years of age was elected representative to the
General Court for Groton, MA and was re-elected eight years in
succession. In 1724 he was a Justice of the Peace and in 1732
a lieutenant colonel in the militia. In 1735 he was apptd
justice of the superior court He d. Aug 3, 1738 aged 43 years.
He left three sons, all celebrated and distinguished men, to
wit, Hon. James Prescott; Col. William Prescott of Bunker Hill
fame and Dr. Oliver Prescott Sr. of Groton, MA. Abigail
(Oliver) Prescott, his widow, died Sept. 13, 1765 aged 69 years
from the malignant ulcerous sore throat of that year's epidemic
and fatal. (see also p. 56)

p.56
Hon. Benjamin Farnsworth and his wife, Abigail Oliver of Groton,
MA had issue:

1. Abigail Prescott b. April 23, 1719, d. Nov. 23, 1739.

2. Hon. Colonel James Prescott b. Jan 13, 1721; m. his cousin,
Susanna Lawrence dau of Colonel William Lawrence and his wife,
Susanna Prescott. In the militia he passed thru all grades of
office to Colonel. He represented Groton in the General Court
for fourteen years; was a member of the Senate and the Execu-
tive council for many years and was for some time Sheriff for
Middlesex County. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War
he was amember of the Provincial Congress and on the Board of
War. After the war he was a judge of the court of common pleas.
For the last 50 yrs of his life he was clerk of the proprietors
of Groton, MA and employed by them in the laying out and dividing
of common lands; he lived in the house where Capt. Phinehas
Prescott later lived and he died Feb 15, 1800 aged 79 years.
His wife, Susanna, survived him six years.

3. Elizabeth Prescott b. Oct 1, 1723 m. Abijah Willard of Lancaster
MA. He was the son of Hon. Samuel Willard one of the lst settlers
of Lancaster, MA. Abijah Willard was, at the commencement of the
Revolution one of His Majesty's mandamus counsellors for the
province; and later, a colonel of the militia, also Justice of
the Peace.
4. Colonel William Prescott b. Feb 20, 1726; m. 1756/7 Abigail Hale
of Sutton, MA b. 1733. He settled in that part of Groton which
was called Gore and which was later included within the town of
Pepperell, MA.

p.168
Pepperell, MA was then a frontier town bordering upon Hollis, New Hamp-
shire. The Indians long continued to be his neighbors, so that there
were periods when it was considered unsafe to go into the field to do
their daily labors without their rifles. Colonel Prescott held his
lands as his son, the Hon. William Prescott, late of Boston, MA and
his grandson, the famous historian, William Hickley Prescott, contin-
ued to hold them, under the original title by William G. Prescott, Esq.,
the eldest son of the historian (see The Life of William H. Prescott, p.
451)

5. Lucy Prescott b. Feb. 25, 1729 died from malignant throad dis-
temper Aug. 10, 1765.

6. Dr. Oliver Prescott b. April 27, 1731; m. Feb. 1756, Lydia Baldwin
dau of David and Abigail Baldwin of Sudbury, MA She b. Oct 15,
1735. They had ten children. He grad Harvard 1750 and studied
under Dr. Roby of Sudbury, who had been educated in Europe and was
an eminent physician. He settled at Groton, MA (his native town).
He was one of the original members of the MA Medical Society at
its incorporation in 1781 and an honorary member of sundry medical
societies. He was president of the Middlesex Medical Society dur-
ing the whole period of its existence. When in the militia, he was
appointed by the King, a major, then lieutenant colonel and then
colonel. In 1776 he was apptd brigadier general for Middlesex Co.
by the Executive Council of the Massachusetts Bay. In 1777 he
was elected a member of the Supreme Executive Council and in 1778
he was apptd 3rd Major General of the militia throughout the Common-
wealth. He was elected Town Clerk of Groton, MA 1765 to 1777 (thirt-
een years inclusive) Upon the death of John Winthrop LL.D., in
1779, he was appointed his successor in the office of Judge of
Probate, etc. for the county of of Middlesex, which office he re-
tained until his death. In 1781 he was apptd. second major gener-
al of the militia. In 1781 he received from the government a comm-
ission to "cause to be arrested and committed to jail, any person
whom he should deem that the Commonwealth required to be restrained
from personal liberty, or whose enlargement within the Commonwealth
is dangerous thereto."

He was a trustee of the Groton Academy and the first president of
the Board. He died Nov. 17, 1804 aged 73 years. His wife had d.
Sept. 27, 1798 aged 63 years.

7. Mary Prescott b. Aug 7, 1735 d. Oct 25, 1751.

p.77
Oliver Prescott, Jr. b. April 4, 1762 son of Dr. Oliver Prescott, Sr. and
wife, Lydia Baldwin of Groton, MA.

Oliver Prescott, Jr. m. (1) Oct 22, 1791, Ann Whiting dau of Leonard
Whiting, Esq., of Hollis by whom he had nine children. She died 1821
and he m. (2) Elizabeth Atkins, the widow of Thomas Oliver, Esq.
merchant of Boston. She was the dau. of Henry Atkins, Esq., a merchant
of Boston, MA. She was b. Dec. 30, 1762 and d. 1835.
___________________________
Surname: OLIVER
Source: Epitaphs from the Old Burying Ground, Groton, MA by Dr.
Samuel A. Green 1878
p.7
Tombstone
(Death's Head)
Here Lyes Buried Ye Body of Mrs. Mary Oliver relict of ye Honorable
Thomas Oliver, Esq. Who died December 2nd A.D. 1729, Aged about 67 years.

Author's note: Her maiden name was Wilson; her husband lived in
Cambridge (MA) where he filled many important offices. The Rev. Mr.
Trowbridge and the Honorable Benjamin Prescott each married one of
her daughters. Her youngest child, Samuel Oliver died on the same
day as herself.

Surname: Trowbridge, Sarah (OLIVER)
Source: Epitaphs from the Old Burial Ground, Groton,
MA by Dr. Samuel A. Green pub. 1878
p.2
Tombstone
(Death's Head)
Here Lyes Buried the Body of Mrs. Sarah Trowbridge, Wife
to ye Revrnd Mr. Caleb Trowbridge; Aged 26 Years, & 5 Mo.
Dec'd June the l6th, l7l7.

Author's note: The daughter of Deacon Thomas and Mary
(Wilson) Oliver of Cambridge Ma b. Nov l4, l690. She
was married March l0, l7l4.
___________________________________

Surname: OLIVER, Mary (Wilson)
Source: Savage Dictionary
Thomas Oliver, Cambridge, son of John, the scholar; freeman 1672, m. 27 Nov.
1667, Grace Prentice, dau of Capt. Thomas Prentice, had Grace, b. 15 Nov.
1668, died at 12 yrs.; Elizabeth 11 Apr. 1670, d. at 4 yrs.;
John, 22 Nov. 1671, d. at 23 yrs.; Hannah, 16 Aug. 1674; Thomas, born 22
Aug. 1676; and Samuel, 18 May 1679, both died young.
his first wife d. 30 Sept. 1681

Thomas Oliver married (2) 19 Apr. 1682, Mary Wilson, dau of Nathaniel
Wilson, had John, again, 9 July 1683, died at two mos.; Nathaniel b.
1 Feb. 1685; Mary, 20 Mar. 1688; Sarah, 14 Nov. 1690; (m. Rev. Caleb
Trowbridge) (Abigail b. 1697) Thomas, again, 17 July 1700, H. C. 1719;
and Samuel, again, 12 Jan. 1702.

He was deacon of the church and after many years being a captain in the
militia and of the Council of Honor for integrity and piety, he died
31 Oct. 1715, having made his will the day preceding
Twenty-five of his name had, in 1828, been gr. at Harv.Coll.
the greater part, says Farmer, descended from the ruling Elder, Thomas
OLIVER of Boston
First Church.

Subject: OLIVER, Thomas (The Elder)
Source: Savage Dictionary
Thomas OLIVER of Boston 1632, son of John, and grandson of Thomas of
Bristol, Eng.; came in the William and Francis, 9 Mar. 1632 from London, arr.
5 June 1632 at Boston, bringing wife Ann, who died May 1635; dau. Abigail,
and certain. six sons ch. the four before mentioned, and Nathaniel,
killed at age 15 yrs. by fall of a tree on Boston neck, 9 Jan. 1633,
as Winthrop relates (see below) and Daniel, wh. died June 1637. He was
from Bristol, freeman 1632, selectman often and
a most useful citizen, had in old age second wife, Ann,
who was of Dorchester; and d. 1 June 1658,
"being ninety yrs. old," says the diary of John Hull.
His d. Abigail m. James Johnson; and another dau. m. Richard Wolfall.
Our first Vol. of Probate Rec. has his will of 13 Mar. 1653.

Subject: OLIVER, Thomas
Source: Journal of John Winthrop
p.52
January 9, 1633
"Mr. Thomas Oliver, a right godly man and elder of the Church of Boston,
having 3 or 4 of his sons (all very young), cutting down wood upon the
Necke (Boston Neck, the narrow isthmus connecting the town of Boston to
Roxbury later obliterated by extensive landfill on both the Charles River
side and the Boston harbor side of the isthmus.) One of them being about
15 years old, had his brains beaten out with the fall of a tree which he
had felled. The good old father (having the news of it in as fearful a
manner as might be, by another boy, his brother,) called his wife, (being
also a very godly woman) and went to prayer and bore it with much patience
and honor."

Subject: OLIVER, Capt. James, son of Thomas Oliver "the Elder" of Boston
Source: History of King Philips War - Bodges

p.168-173
See also account of Savage and John Winthrop, on Thomas Oliver (below)

Capt. James Oliver, son of Thomas Oliver and Ann, who came from England,
Bristol, Somersetshire, in the ship "William and Francis" March 8, 1632
with their family of six sons and two daughters. They settled in Boston,
where Thomas died June 1, 1658. James was admitted freeman on October
12, 1640. He was a selectman in 1653 and inspector of the port of
Boston. James Oliver married between 1641 and 1655, Mary Dexter,
widow of John Frend, and daughter of Thomas Dexter, who died before
he did and left no issue to him; he d. 1682, two of his nephews, John
and Nathaniel Oliver, administered his estate, and his nephew,
Daniel Oliver, inherited his Naragansett claim.

He was a member of the Artillery Company and made Ensign, 1651;
Lieutenant 1653; Captain 1656 and again in 1666. He was a member
of the First Military Company of Boston and elected Captain, probably,
in 1673. On November 17, 1675 he was appointed to command the Boston
company for the Naragansett campaign. He was one of the few officers who
made it through the Swamp Fight uninjured.

In 1680 he petitioned the Court for a grant to Tinker's Island where
Wianenset, the Indian dwelt. The court awarded the grant to his kins-
man, Nathaniel B. Doe with whom he dwelt, for his relief. It was a
small island with 20 acres lying on the Merimack River near the farm
of Jonathan Tyng, commonly called Tinkers Island.

Subject: OLIVER, James
Source: Savage Dictionary
James OLIVER , Boston, son of Thomas Oliver, the ruling Elder, brought
by his father from Bristol, in Co. Somerset, England, 1682, in the William
and Francis, freem. 12 Oct. 1640, an emininent merchant arrived in
country 1637, capt. of it 1656, and 66, serv. in Philip's war,
as a capt. in the fight of 19 Dec. 1675, and d. 1682, without issue.
____________________________
Subject: OLIVER, Thomas
Source: Savage Dictionary

Thomas OLIVER of Boston 1632, son of John, and grandson of Thomas of
Bristol, Eng.; came in the William and Francis, 9 Mar. 1632 from London, arr.
5 June 1632 at Boston, bringing wife Ann, who died May 1635; dau. Abigail,
and certain. six sons ch. the four before mentioned, and Nathaniel,
killed at age 15 yrs. by fall of a tree on Boston neck, 9 Jan. 1633,
as Winthrop relates (see below) and Daniel, wh. died June 1637. He was
from Bristol, freeman 1632, selectman often and
a most useful citizen, had in old age second wife, Ann,
who was of Dorchester; and d. 1 June 1658,
"being ninety yrs. old," says the diary of John Hull.
His d. Abigail m. James Johnson; and another dau. m. Richard Wolfall.
Our first Vol. of Probate Rec. has his will of 13 Mar. 1653.

Subject: OLIVER, Thomas
Source: Journal of John Winthrop
p.52
January 9, 1633
"Mr. Thomas Oliver, a right godly man and elder of the Church of Boston,
having 3 or 4 of his sons (all very young), cutting down wood upon the
Necke (Boston Neck, the narrow isthmus connecting the town of Boston to
Roxbury later obliterated by extensive landfill on both the Charles River
side and the Boston harbor side of the isthmus.) One of them being about
15 years old, had his brains beaten out with the fall of a tree which he
had felled. The good old father (having the news of it in as fearful a
manner as might be, by another boy, his brother,) called his wife, (being
also a very godly woman) and went to prayer and bore it with much patience
and honor."

Surname: OLIVER, John (brother or nephew of Thomas OLIVER, "the Elder"
Source: Savage Dictionary

John OLIVER of Boston 1632, younger brother or perhaps nephew of Elder Thomas
OLIVER came with him in the William and Francis, disarmed in Nov. 1637,
chosen representative in 1638 but reject. by the house support.
Of the cause of Wheelwright, removed to Newbury, was freem. 13 May 1640,
m. Joanna Goodale, prob. dau of Elizabeth and sis. of Richard the first,
had only Mary, b. 7 June 1640, and he d. 1642.
Very frequent has been the confus. betw. him and John,
the son of the ruling Elder, but a careful comparison will find in our rec.
three or four unfailing points in assist. him to discrimin.

In the beautiful Appleton Memorial, p. 22,
the will of John Oliver of Boston, who d. a few yrs. later, of which
abstract is in Geneal. Reg. III. 266, from Vol. I. of Provincial Records,
is erron. assum. to be the act of the Newbury man, who was, I think,
his uncle. His d. Mary m. 8 Dec. 1656, Samuel Appleton, 2nd of Ipswich,
I believe, his second wife. His wid. m. 1645, capt. William Gerrish.


Surname: OLIVER, John - son of Thomas Oliver, "the Elder"
Source: Savage Dictionary
Vol 3, p. 310
John OLIVER, Boston, son of the Elder Thomas,
so distinct. call. at his adm. into the Church 1638,
freem. 14 May 1634, m. Elizabeth dau of John Newgate,
had John, bapt. 29 July 1638, though the town records are strange.
Makes him b. 21 Nov. aft. died the following March;
Elizabeth b. 28 Feb. bapt. 8 Mar. 1640, Hannah, 3, bapt. 6 Mar. 1642,
d. young; John, again, 15, bapt. 21 Apr. 1644; and Thomas, 10 Feb.
bapt. 8 Mar. 1646. He was called sergeon, was a skilful surveyor,
yet took up the duty of a preacher, for success in wh. he entered
the college, had his A. B. 1645,
odd as such a course seems for a married man, d. 12 Apr. 1646,
very deeply lament. (See Winthrop II. 257. His wid. 14 Mar. 1649,
became 2nd wife of Edward Jackson of Cambridge; and the dau Elizabeth m.
25 Nov. 1657, Enoch Wiswall of Dorchester.

John OLIVER Jr. of Boston, son of the preced. by w. Susanna, d. of John Sweet,
had son: Sweet Oliver b. 1668; was of ar. co. 1680; freem. 1681,
of the sec. ch. with prefix of respect, and d. 1683.

Subject: OLIVER, Peter son of Thomas Oliver "the Elder" of Boston
Source: Savage Dictionary

Peter OLIVER, Boston, s. of the Elder Thomas, b. in Eng. a. 1618,
freem. 13 May 1640, an eminent trader, one of the founders of the
3d or Old South Church, wh. honor, in the valuable "History of Boston,"
by Mr. Drake, is inadv. given p. 591, to his fourth son Hon. Daniel OLIVER,
then only five yrs. old. He m. Sarah, d. of John Newgate, had Sarah, bapt. 7
Jan. 1644, Mary, 1 Mar. 1646, a. 8 days old; Nathaniel, b. 18 Mar. 1652;
Peter, 3 Mar. 1655, H. C. 1675, James, Mar. 1659, H. C. 1680; and Daniel,
28 Feb. 1664; was of ar. co. 1643, its capt. 1669, and d. 1670.
His wid. Sarah was bur. 11 Oct. 1692. His will, of 8 Apr. 1670,
was pro. 5 May foll. His d. Sarah m. John Noyes, and d. 19 Mar. 1707.
Mary m. a. 1666, Jonathan Shrimpton, wh. d. 1673, and she next yr. m.
Nathaniel Williams.

Subject: OLIVER, Samuel- son of Thomas OLIVER, "the Elder" of Boston
Source: Savage Dictionary
Samuel OLIVER Boston, son of the Elder Thomas, b. in Eng. admitted of the
church 21 May 1643, yet never made freeman; ar. co. 1648; had wife, Lydia
admitted of the church Nov. 1647; a son, Vigilant Oliver, bp. 27 June preced.
dau. Patience, wh. d. 26 Nov. 1653; and Deborah, bp. l Feb. 1652 was drowned
Nov. 1653. He also was drowned 1653 leaving widow Lydia who m. (2) Feb 16,
1654 Joshua Fisher, Jr. of Dedham, MA

Material gathered and transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
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