As I’ve worked my way back in time with the Witham families, I’ve been able to clean up incomplete and/or inaccurate details in each generation, using only Gloucester vital records plus Essex County, Massachusetts land deeds and probate records in a handful of cases.

Today’s family sketch covers Thomas Witham, born 29 September 1666, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, the eldest child of Henry Witham and Sarah Somes.

Thomas Witham married Abigail Babson, born 13 May 1670, also in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, the daughter of James Babson and Eleanor Hill, on 8 July 1691.

This family resided in Gloucester their whole lives.

Thomas Witham died 1 August 1736. Abigail survived him by almost a decade, passing away 25 February 1745.

The Withams were comfortably well off and their son Daniel graduated from Harvard in 1717.

They were the parents of eleven children. All events noted were in Gloucester.

Children:

1. John, born 17 May 1692; died 14 November 1709

2. James, born 21 December 1693; died before 12 July 1773, when Hepzibah and James’s brother Zebulon sold land; married Hepzibah Standwood, 17 February 1722/23

3. Henry, born 12 June 1695; died 18 March 1777; married Rachel Baker, 18 June 1733

4. Joseph, born 16 December 1697; died before 5 November 1744, when widow Jane administered his estate and guardians were chosen for his children; married Jane Harraden, 2 December 1728

5. Daniel, born 30 August 1700; died after 6 September 1774, when he was last mentioned in town records; married Lydia Sanders, 7 January 1734/35

6. Ebenezer, born and died 8 May 1702

7. Abigail, born 4 April 1704; no further record. She is NOT the one who married Thomas Hutchins in October 1749 and gave birth to children born 1767-1771!

8. Sarah, born 8 June 1706; died between 18 August 1789-20 August 1799, when she and daughter Abigail Hadley appeared in a land deed and then Abigail next appeared alone; married John Hadley, 1 December 1737

9. Zebulon, born 8 January 1707/08; died 22 January 1794; married Elizabeth Sanders, sister of Lydia, who married Zebulon’s brother, Daniel, 17 December 1736

10. Patience, born 15 February 1709/10; died after 1798; married (1) Edmund Grover, 6 January 1730/31 (2) John Pool, 3 June 1752. Patience Pool was enumerated, living alone, in the 1790 census of Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. She is also on the 1798 Massachusetts Direct Tax list for Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts in 1798. She was 1/3 owner of a dwelling with Esther Leighton and Dorcas Leighton. Patience and Edmund Grover’s daughter, Patience, married Samuel Leighton, 9 January 1749/50.

11. Thankful, born 2 January 1712; died 18 May 1786; married Eleazer Grover, brother of Edmund Grover who married Patience, 15 July 1736

Tomorrow’s sketch will cover the earliest DOCUMENTED Witham – Henry. I have quite a bit to say about that.