"New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume XXII" P. 44, 1868, Boston, MA, Published by The Society, 17 Bromfield Street.
"A copy of the will of Grisell Gurney. (Written before her 5th and final marriage in 1677 to to John Burge)
To the Select men of Mendon Thes are to Informe you by us William Flecher and John Burge, both of us of the Towne of Chelmsford, appointed by the Court's order to bee Gardians to the child of the Widow Gurney (that was), and Last of all wife to the Abousaid John Burge, she being of a sound understanding did wil unto her son Joseph Juell, all that Acomodation that was there att the Towne of Mendon, Laid out and given to her ye said Widdow Gurney with all the Apurtenances and Priviledges In anywise apertaining, or be longing there unto upon this condition, that the said Joseph Juell doe pay to Nathaniel Juell and Mercy Juell fifteen pounds, and to Sherebiah Kely (Keby?) seven pounds, our desire and request is unto the Selectmen of the sd. Towne of Mendon that ye would Record the said Acomodation to Joseph Juell for his security. Chelmsford this fifth of the fourth month one thousand six hundred seventy-five.
Witness our hands, William fflecher, John Burge.
This is a true Copy of the Letter sent from William fflecher and John Burge to the Select men of Mendon and Now Recorded by ther order the 21st of the 4th Month of 1675.
Atestt, Samuell Read, Clerk."
"The Jewel Register", Pliny Jewel, Hartford, 1860. Quoted in part.
Thomas Jewel was probably born in England, not far from the year 1600. The name was written Jule, Joyell, Jewel, then Jewell. The first authentic account of Thomas is in the early part of 1639, but little more than 18 years after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth; and shows that he had then a wife and one child, probably a daughter.
The following is a copy of his will, as witnessed by Wm Scant and Hannah H. Harbor. "The will of Thomas Jewell of Brantray, while he is yet in perfect memory. My Soule I commit into the hands of Almighty God in ye mediation of Jesus Christ, and my body to the dust. All ye Estate whch God hath given me I doe give to my wife for to be hers as long as she is a widow, and so remainds; but if she shall marry, then to divide it into three parts; and two parts to be divided among my children, and the third to be hers. I doe by this will give power to these two my friends herein mentioned, namely William Neadam and Tho. ffoster, to take care and oversight of all this my 3state for my wife and children good, according to your best wisdom to be ordered. Dated the 10th, 2d month, 1654."
The probate records show that administration was granted to Grisell, the widow of Thomas Jewell, July 21, 1654.
"DESCENDANTS OF ROBERT FLETCHER", P. 11, pub. 1871, Edward H. Fletcher, Alfred Mudge & Son, Boston, MA
WILLIAM-2 (3), He was admitted freeman May 10, 1643. In 1653, settled in Chelmsford, MA; of which he was one of the first inhabitants, and held the office of selectman, to which office "he was chosen Nov. 22, 1654. This first publick meeting was holden at his house." The birth of his dau. Lydia only is found on the Concord records, -- the first birth of a Fletcher that is recorded in America.
"BESIDE OLD HEARTH-STONES," P. 292, pub. 1897, Abram English Brown, Lee and Shepard Publishers, 10 Milk St., Boston, MA
The common lands were allotted to the settlers, William Fletcher being one of them. He was a son of Robert of Concord, born in England, and made a freeman in the Colony in 1643. He married Lydia Bates of Concord, and they set up their home in this wilderness in 1653. Tradition tells us that the house to which William Fletcher conducted his trustful bride was the first in the settlement having the pretensions of of a frame, and was distinguished as having been the place of the first town meeting.
"HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD, MA", P. 110/111, pub. 1917, by Wilson Waters, Henry Spaulding Perham, Printed for the Town by the COURIER-CITIZEN Company, Lowell, MA
LETTER FROM THE "COMMITTEE OF THE MILITIA" OF CHELMSFORD.
To our Honord Governor & Counsail in Boston,
Mercy and peace May it please your Honors.
we have judged our Duty, to acquaint to you, with our present condition, and danger of the following or Brethern and Neibors in the Horrible districtiens, ruines and loss of our owne lives and or relatiens.The Savages have been for a day or two discovered to have ranged aboite or Borders: and ths morning about an hour and a halfe after sunrising, Joseph Parker of this place, with his son, coming for the H'ond Major Willard, about fower mile from our meeting house, along by some houses perteyning to this town now, against one house standing nigh they way, way-layed, and had ye Indian Bullets thick (as they Report) about them, and were followed, by about 10 nilk guns, discharging at them and shouting: they rod fast to escape them: the young man was wounded in his shoulder by at Musket Bullet, as cut out on the other side of his Arme, and as we conceive, by pistol Bullets his cloathes torne in several places. Or men, ye inhabitants of ye saide place, never came away into towne over-night, but some as we heare gone up hastyly this morning, to see after their cattle; we are in such a posture, as without God's extraordinarye help, we see not how we can stand against the enemy.
Our garrisons are so weake, and or men so scattered about their personal occasions: that we are without rational hope, for want of men, and what is otherwise necessary. Argnts [arguments] we shall not need to use to yr Wisdoms to consider or necessity of help: If or frontiere Touns be cut off, what will be the consequence, Itis not for us to say. We leave it humbly unto yr Hon'd to doe as God shall persuade your hearts. Commending all yr and our concerns unto the Lord Almighty and subscribe
Yr Hon'dr to command.
Chelmsford 15 of 12.75 [15 Feb. 1676]
Post Scr. May it please to understand, yt part or men are abroad with Majr Willard; upon public service, whereby we are the more enfeebled.
Sam. Adams
Samuel Fletcher
William Fletcher.
BIRTH: Date of Birth based upon Paul's Baptismal records
Samuel2, (Robert1), b. in England and was very young when he came with his father to America. He settled in the part of Chelmsford which is now Westford. In 1679, Samuel Fletcher took up a piece of land on the west side of Great Tadmuck (twenty-six acres) the bounds of which were renewed in 1709. He subsequently made additions to his original grant until he owned about four hundred acres, extending to Sparks Hill and "Mackrill Cove" including the farm on which his grandson William settled about 1730. m. on Oct. 14, 1659, Margaret Hailston.
SamuelÙs place of birth seems open to question. Some accounts place it in Concord and others, in England. This is due in part to the varying accounts given of his fatherÙs (Robert‘s) date of departure from England. Some place Robert in MA as early as 1630 and others as late as 1635. “Descendants of Robert Fletcher” pub. 1871 and "Fletcher Family History” pub. 10 years later by the same author, (Edward H. Fletcher), give differing accounts as to SamuelÙs place of birth.
According to “The History of Hancock” he (Robert) settled in Concord in 1630. I have found no other data to document his presence in America at this early date and this date may simply be an oral tradition which was exaggerated and later printed. It was five years later, on Sep 2, 1635, that Concord was organized, the twentieth town incorporated in what are now the limits of Massachusetts, and, according to “The History of Hancock” again, "his name appears in the earliest records of that town". Whenever he arrived there, Robert Fletcher was, however, established well enough by Nov. 2, 1637 to be chosen constable of Concord on that date.
Edward H. Fletcher, Fletcher Family History (117 Franklin St., Boston, MA: Rand, Avery & Company, 1881) Source Text: SAMUEL-2 (5) b. in Concord, Mass., 1632; admitted freeman, Mar. 21, 1689-90. He settled in the part of Chelmsford which is now Westford; m. Margaret Hailston, Oct. 14, 1659, d. Dec. 9, 1697, and his gravestone in the burying-ground in Middle Chelmsford reads:--HERE LYES Ye BODY OF SAMUEL FLETCHER AGED 65 YEARS DIED DECEMBER 9 1697. Issue:---- i. Samuel-3, ii. Sarah-3, b. Aug 24, 1663, iii. Hannah-3, b. Sept. 14, 1666, iv. Lydia-3, b. Sept. 26, 1669, v. William-3.
"THE HISTORY OF CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS" CHAPTER XLIII
List of Names of Concord Soldiers in King Philip's War -- Miscellaneous Services of the Town -- Incidental Hardships -- The Loss of Men -- Biographical Sketches of the Killed and Wounded.
In 1675 Capt. Sill was engaged in service from Sudbury westward toward Wachusett Hill; and subsequently by order of Major Simon Willard he was employed in guarding supplies and in guard duty about the various garrison houses. Among the names of persons who served as soldiers in defense of the garrisons are the following Concord names:
Feb. 29, 1675-6, "Under Captain Wheeler at Groton Garrison": Samuel Fletcher Senr, Samuel Fletcher Junr., Eleazer Brown, Stephen Gobble, Moses Wheate, Richard Pasmore (perhaps Hosmer)"
"DESCENDANTS OF ROBERT FLETCHER, pub. 1871, Boston, MA, Edward H. Fletcher, p. 12.
He remained with his father in Concord, and became, like his two older brothers who settled in the adjoining town, a great land owner. He was reported "in full communion with ye church at Concord" in 1677, and adm. freeman the same year. At that time, he owned seventeen lots of land in C., amounting to four hundred and thirty-seven acres. A petition to license a man to sell wine is signed by him Dec. 14, 1661.
"Concord in the Colonial Period", P. 22, pub. 1884, Estes and Lauriat, Boston, MA, Charles Hosmer Walcott
"This lot is referred to in the town records of lands in 1666, as "the place caled the meteing house frame." June 20, 1694 Francis Fletcher conveys to his son Joseph inter alia, ten acres in the easterly part of the town, called "ye Meeting house fframe, upon which the old Saw mill stands." Middlesex Deeds, L. 18, f. 409"
"A Genealogy of the Lineal Descendants of William Wood Who Settled in Concord", Clay W. Holmes, pub. Elmira, NY, 1901,
Excerpts, Will of Abraham Wood, P. 262
In the name of God, Amen: The Twenty third day of April Annoque Domini 1743 and in the sixteenth year of his Majesty's reign, George the Second, King &c.
Ithem. I give and bequeath to my dafter Mary Fletcher, the wife of Hezekiah Fletcher of Concord, the sum of twenty pounds, in bills of credit of the last Emision, to be payed her out of my estate by my sd grandsons at my deacese, allway provided and my will is that her sd husband, ye sd Hezekiah Fletcher shall not have any ordering or dissposing of any of the sd money, but that it shall be for her own parsonal use and at her own disspose forever, entyrly exclusife of ye sd Hezekiah Fletcher, which is in full of her portion out of my Estate.
In witness whareof I the sd Abraham Wood have heare unto set my hand, afixed my seale the day year above written.
ABRAHAM WOOD, [ L.S. ]