This is part of a series about my New England colonial ancestors who arrived by during the Great Migration. If you have early Massachusetts ancestry, be sure to check out AmericanAncestors, as the Great Migration Study Project can be viewed there with a membership to the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Francis Peabody, my 10X great grandfather, has been firmly planted in my family tree for decades. If fact, when I was first researching and I came across his Peabody surname, I was hoping upon hope that he had married a Mayflower ancestor for me.

You see, John Pabodie settled in Plymouth Colony and his son, William, married Elizabeth Alden. Yes, that Alden, daughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins.

However, in spite of online trees including Francis Peabody in that Plymouth family, there is no documentation or evidence of any type connecting Francis to John Pabodie’s family.

Not only that, but Francis’s first wife, Lydia – my ancestress – is one of my numerous MNUs (maiden name unknown) in the family tree. Lydia was undoubtedly the daughter of someone who settled early in Hampton, but no clues to her parentage have yet surfaced with the exception of one statement:

Eunice Cole was punished in Hampton on 4 November 1645 for “slanderous speeches of Susan Perkings and Lidia Pebody” leading several 19th century researchers to suspect that Susannah and Lydia were connected in some way.

A land deed filed by Francis includes verbiage that Isaac Perkins at one time had adjoining land. However, the maiden name of Susannah, his wife is unknown. If there was a familial connection, whether it was through Lydia and Isaac Perkins, or Lydia and Susan, or through Isaac and Francis has never been proved.

Francis Peabody was born c1614, England and appears on the passenger list of the Planter,  which set sail for Massachusetts in the spring of 1635.

He settled first in Ipswich, then removed first to Hampton in 1639 and finally settled in Topsfield, Massachusetts by 1650 and where he died on 19 February 1697/98.

Francis married (1) Lydia, c1639 (2) Mary (Foster) Wood, who was the daughter of Reginald Foster and widow of Daniel Wood.

Francis was literate, based on the fact that he served as the Topsfield town clerk. I think he might be the only one of my ancestors to have held that job.

Children (with Lydia):

1. Lydia, baptized 30 August 1640, Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire; died 30 April 1715, Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts; married (1) Thomas Howlett, c1662 (2) Thomas Perley, 8 July 1668, Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts.
2. John, born c1642, probably Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire; died 5 July 1720, Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts; married (1) Hannah Andrews, 23 November 1665, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts (2) Sarah (MNU), after 30 June 1674, when Hannah Peabody gave a deposition.
3. Joseph, born c1645, probably Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire; married Bethiah Bridges, 26 October 1668, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts.
4. William, born c1647, probably Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire; died before 1 March 1699/1700, noted in his estate administration; married Hannah Hale, 14 August 1684, Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts. Hannah survived William, as the widow’s third was set off in the court documents.

Children (with Mary):

5. Mary, born c1650; married John Death, c1669, perhaps at Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts. John died in 1722, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts.
6. Isaac, born c1652; died before 2 January 1727, when his will was proved, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts; married Sarah (MNU), c1693
7. Sarah, born c1654; died 29 September 1732, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; married Abraham How, 26 March 1678, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts. Abraham died 21 January 1717/18, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts.
8. Hepzibah, born c1656; married Daniel Ray, 10 April 1678, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts. Daniel died 5 March 1714/15, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts. It appears that Hepzibah predeceased him.
9. Ruth, born 22 May 1658, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts; no further record.
10. Damaris, born 21 June 1660, died 19 December 1660, both in Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts.
11. Samuel, born 4 June 1662; died 13 September 1677, both in Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts.
12. Jacob, born 28 July 1664, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts; died before 25 March 1690 when his estate administration began; married Abigail Towne, 12 January 1686/87, Topsfield, Essex, Masschusetts.
13. Hannah, born 8 May 1668, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts; no further record.
14. Nathaniel, born 29 July 1669, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts; died before 22 February 1716, Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts, when his will was proved; married Frances Hoyt, date unknown. Frances survived her husband.

My line of descent:

1. Francis Peabody & Lydia (MNU)
2. John Peabody & Hannah Andrews
3. Joses Bucknam & Hannah Peabody
4. Joses Bucknam & Phebe Tuttle
5. James Bucknam & Mary Goddard
6. Joses Bucknam & Abigail Hay
7. Oliver Scripture & Mary Goddard Bucknam
8. George Rogers Tarbox & Mary Elizabeth Scripture
9. Calvin Segee Adams & Nellie F. Tarbox
10. Charles Edwin Adams & Annie Maude Stuart
11. Vernon Tarbox Adams & Hazel Ethel Coleman
12. George Michael Sabo & Doris Priscilla Adams
13. Linda Anne (Sabo) Stufflebean – Me!