Robert Dolliver was born c1565, possibly in Dorset, England, where he died before 13 April 1633. He married c1595 to an unknown wife, who apparently predeceased him. No mention of even her given name has been found.

Robert’s children have been identified through probate records and the connection to Samuel Dolliver in Gloucester has been made because (1) the surname isn’t common and (2) Tristram Dolliver also lived in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts.

Robert Dolliver was the father of nine known children. Whether he married more than once is unknown, but one wife certainly could have given birth to nine children over a 20-year span of time.

Children:

1. Robert, born c1596, England; died 1673; married Edith Smith, 29 August 1633, Stoke Abbott, Dorset, England
2. Tristram, baptized 28 May 1598, Stoke Abbott, Dorset, England; died 3 July 1664, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; married Sarah Pavie, 1 October 1657, Stoke Abbott, Dorset, England. Tristram apparently married more than once and also made at least one trip back to England after settling in Massachusetts.
3. Joan, baptized 17 November 1600, Stoke Abbott, Dorset, England; died before 13 April 633, as Burt children are mentioned in her father’s estate, but not Joan; married Walter Burt, 24 April 1628, Stoke Abbott, Dorset, England
4. Susannah, born c1606, England; died before 13 April 1633, as her children are mentioned in her father’s estate, but not Susannah; married John Lesty, 25 August 1625, Burstock, Dorset, England
5. Samuel, baptized 5 February 1608, Stoke Abbott, Dorset, England; died 22 July 1683, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; married (1) Unknown, c1628, England (2) Mary Elwell, 15 August 1654, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts
6. Joseph, born c1610, England; died after 13 April 1633, as he is mentioned in his father’s estate
7. Mary, born c1612, England; died after 13 April 1633, as she is mentioned in her father’s estate
8. Sarah, born c1614, England; died after 13 April 1633, as she is mentioned in her father’s estate
9. Rebecca, born c1616, England; died after 13 April 1633, as she is mentioned in her father’s estate

Robert Dolliver might have even more descendants still in England given the unknown status of most of his children.

 

Samuel Dolliver is one of my immigrant ancestors who settled in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts by the middle of the 17th century.

Samuel Dolliver was baptized on 5 February 1608, Stoke Abbott, Dorset, England, the son of Robert Dolliver and an unknown mother.

Mary Elwell was born c1634, whether in England or Massachusetts is unknown, the daughter of Robert Elwell and Joan (MNU). The Elwells likely lived in the region of Stoke Abbott, too, as Mary’s mother has known ties to the town.

Samuel Dolliver had previously married an unknown wife and married Mary Elwell on 15 August 1654, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts.

Samuel and his first wife were the parents of three children:

1. Joseph, born c1629, England; married Margaret ?Peach, before 1667
2. Dorothy, born c1632, England; married John Waldron, November 1653, Marblehead, Essex, Massachusetts
3. Rebecca, born c1640, England; married Richard Dike, 7 August 1667, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts

Samuel and Mary (Elwell) were the parents of six children, all born in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts:

1. William, born 17 August 1656; married Anna Higginson, 4 October 1682, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts
2. Samuel, born 9 July 1658; no further record
3. Mary, born 26 March 1662; died 14 February 1717/18, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; married Richard Babson, c1686
4. Richard, born 18 April 1665; died between 22 May and 9 February 1746, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; married Agnes Denning, 25 November 1697, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts
5. Sarah, born 24 December 1667; died after 30 June 1696, when she received a legacy from her father’s estate. she was unmarried at that time and no further record has been found.
6. John, born 2 August 1671; married Susannah Mariner, 1 November 1700, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts

Although Dolliver is a unique surname in early Massachusetts, it takes some work piecing this family together for a couple of reasons. First, Dolliver is spelled a myriad of ways – everything from Doliver  and Dollibeer to Dolbear and Dalabar- so multiple searches have to be done looking for family records.

Second, and this is more annoying, Gloucester records aren’t complete. There are gaps where families have no recorded births, marriages or deaths even though vital records exist in the year span being examined.

Therefore, no death dates have been found for William, Samuel Jr. Sarah or John. No probates for them either, so they may have removed from Essex County. If so, apparently no one has figured out where they’ve gone.

Samuel Dolliver and Mary Elwell are my 9X great grandparents.

My line of descent:

1. Samuel Dolliver & Mary Elwell
2. Richard Babson & Mary Dolliver
3. Nathan Millett & Sarah Babson
4. Hubbard Haskell & Anna Millett
5. Nathan Haskell & Judith Witham
6. William Tarbox & Judith Haskell
7. George Rogers Tarbox & Mary Elizabeth Scripture
8. Calvin Segee Adams & Nellie F. Tarbox
9. Charles Edwin Adams & Annie Maude Stuart
10. Vernon Tarbox Adams & Hazel Ethel Coleman
11. George Michael Sabo & Doris Priscilla Adams
12. Me!

Because the Dolliver ancestral home has been identified, next we will take a look at one more generation back in Olde England.