Category Archives: Haskell

Haskell, Tarbox

William & Phillippa Stevens of Gloucester, MA 1600s

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It is definitely worthwhile to go back and review past research. In the case of my ancestors, William and Phillippa Stevens who lived first at Salem and then Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, it was most worthwhile. I don’t think I’ve looked at this family for years, no, make that decades, and long before the internet was around.

I was able to clean up this family, but it cost me a place of origin in England , William and Phillippa lost a few few children along the way and their probably birth years were pushed forward quite a bit.

I won’t repeat the information I deleted for fear that someone might see it, copy and paste and perpetuate unsubstantiated data.

Instead, here is the family of one of my immigrant ancestors, William Stevens.

William Stevens was likely born between 1600-1610 and married c1630 in England. Phillippa, his wife, was probably born in the same time frame, also in England. No trace of her maiden name has been found. they likely married c1630.

Phillippa passed away on 31 August 1681 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. William Stevens, shipwright, is last mentioned in a deed dated 31 December 1667 and filed on 25 January 1667/68 in Essex County when he and his wife sold land to Francis Willoughby. He left no will or probate record. (Essex County, MA Deed Book 3:32-33, Source: FamilySearch)

The only important information in the deed is the 1667 date, proving William was still alive at that time and this small section, as it names William and his wife “Phillip”:

Exactly when William and Phillippa arrived in New England is uncertain, but it is thought that two children, Mary and Isaac, both baptized 2 January 1639 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, are probably their son and daughter. Therefore, they would have settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony no later than 1638.

No further record has been found for Isaac, but Mary married both her husbands in Gloucester, which is where William and his wife were living at the time.

Children:

1. James, born c1631, probably in England; died 25 March 1697, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; married Susannah Eveleth, 31 December 1656, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts.

2. Mary, born c1632, probably in England, but baptized 2 January 1639, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts; died 7 November 1692, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; married (1) John Coit, 21 September 1652, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts (2) John Fitch, 3 October 1667, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts

3. Isaac, baptized 2 January 1639, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts; no further record.

4. Ruth, baptized 7 March 1641, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts; died 16 August 1664, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts; married Steven Glover, 7 October 1663, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts. Ruth’s baby died a few days before her and she likely died from birth complications.

Haskell

John Haskell & Hannah Parsons, New Gloucester, ME

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Today’s Haskell family represents the last of the surname in my line, as I am descended from their daughter, Judith. Here is a road map illustrating the double line of descent:

John Haskell was born in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts on 7 January 1744/45 to Nathaniel Haskell and Hannah White. He married Hannah Parsons, his third cousin, on 18 January 1769, also in Gloucester.

Hannah Parsons, too, was from Gloucester and the two families had likely known each other for generations. Hannah was born 29 April 1749, the daughter of Isaac Parsons and Hannah Burnham.

However, unlike their ancestors who resided in Essex County, Massachusetts for the previous four generations, John and Hannah joined a number of their relatives and friends who trekked up to Maine and settled in New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine.

Hannah had to have been a hardy young lady up for the trip because she would have been several months pregnant with her first child when the young couple headed north in the spring of 1769.

New Gloucester was established in 1736, but sparsely populated for several decades. Most of the new inhabitants were from Gloucester, Massachusetts. A few early souls lived there by 1742, but abandoned their village until 1753 because of Indian attacks. Reportedly, only twelve families lived there until 1759 and their house was a garrison and stockade building. The first meeting house wasn’t constructed until 1773 and the town wasn’t incorporated until 1774.

John and his young, pregnant wife truly left an established home and for the wilds of Maine in 1769. By June of that year, Hannah was already five months along, but the move had to have been made in mild weather.

They had many friends and family members who also settled in New Gloucester and they spent the rest of their lives in the pretty little town. I was lucky enough to visit there in 1980 – it truly is beautiful.

New Gloucester gained some fame when the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing -known as the Shakers – settled at Sabbathday Lake Village about 1783.

John Haskell, as far as I can tell, was a farmer. He and Hannah had thirteen children.

Children (All BMD in New Gloucester, unless noted otherwise):

1. Hannah, born 21 October 1769; died 9 April 1857, Hebron, Oxford, Maine; married Asa Loring, 4 November 1790.
2. Lucy, born 29 April 1772; probably died after 1720; married Samuel Merrill, 4 December 1792.
3. John, born 28 February 1774; died c1846, Poland, Cumberland, Maine; married Sally Parsons, 9 May 1802.
4. Jabez, born 8 February 1776; died 17 May 1856; married Abigail Chipman, 30 August 1798.
5. Lydia, born 29 April 1778; died 10 October 1800.
6. Caleb, born 29 April 1778; died 2 February 1869, Dover, Norfolk, Massachusetts; married Judith Collins, 9 January 1800.
7. Judith, born 5 November 1780; died 6 July 1861; married William Tarbox, 25 November 1802.
8. Nathaniel, born 19 July 1782; died 27 January 1861; married Mary Colley, 25 July 1819.
9. Mary, born 3 September 1783; died 2 January 1866; married William Hatch, 12 May 1808.
10. Salome, born 1 August 1785; died 4 July 1836, Cumberland, Cumberland, Maine; married Humphrey Merrill, 21 October 1804.
11. Isaac, born 24 October 1787; died 8 January 1832; married Jane B. Chase, 23 June 1810.
12. Susannah, born 29 September 1789; died after 1850 census; married William Stockman, 9 January 1812.
13. Nathan Parsons, born 10 June 1792; reportedly died c1827; apparently unmarried and no further record.

Unfortunately, Cumberland County, Maine had a fire c1907 and probate records from 1807-1907 were lost.

However, town records survived proving that John Haskell served as a town officer during the American Revolution, which is considered patriotic service.


Last Line: John Haskell, voted as tythingman
New Gloucester Town Records 1:14

John Haskell & Hannah Parsons are my 5X great grandparents. Both lived long lives, with John dying on 4 October 1828 and Hannah on 8 February 1834, both in New Gloucester, Maine. Both are buried in Lower Corner Cemetery and their stones are still legible.

My line of descent from the Haskells from John & Hannah forward:

John Haskell & Hannah Parsons
Judith Haskell & William Tarbox
George Rogers Tarbox & Mary Elizabeth Scripture
Nellie F. Tarbox & Calvin Segee Adams
Charles Edwin Adams & Annie Maude Stewart
Vernon Tarbox Adams & Hazel Ethel Coleman
Doris Priscilla Adams & George Michael Sabo
Linda Anne Sabo Stufflebean – me!

 

Haskell

Nathaniel Haskell & Hannah White of Gloucester, MA

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Nathaniel Haskell was born 16 January 1718 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, the second son and fourth child of William Haskell and Jemima Hubbard.

The Haskells had done well in Massachusetts since the time the immigrant ancestor William Haskell appeared in Essex County, Massachusetts in 1643.

Each generation appeared to be a bit more affluent than the previous generation and Nathaniel Haskell followed in those same ancestral footsteps.

Nathaniel married Hannah White, daughter of Rev. John White and Lucy Wise, on 11 November 1740 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. Hannah was born on 10 October 1721, also in Gloucester.

Nathaniel and Hannah continued to make their home in Gloucester, where 11 children were born to them, seven of whom survived to adulthood. All births, marriages and death happened in Gloucester unless otherwise noted.

Children:

  1. Nathaniel, born 26 August 1742; died 7 January 1827; married Comfort Sawyer, 25 March 1766
  2. John, born 7 January 1744/45; died 4 October 1828, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; married Hannah Parsons, 18 January 1769
  3. Elias, born 22 July 1747; died 22 December 1748
  4. Lucy, born 16 April 1750; died 24 September 1837; married Caleb Pool, 19 January 1773
  5. William, born 8 April 1753; died 21 December 1753
  6. Jemima, born 7 February 1775, according to Gloucester vital records, but Hannah would have been 54 years old. Source is a record at one time in the possession of Rev. Ada C. Bowles. Could this be a typo for 1755?; died after 30 July 1799, when her father mentioned his five daughters, but did not name them. It is believed that Jemima is the woman who married William Cogswell, 21 October 1781, Gloucester and removed to Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, where she died 16 July 1838.
  7. Hannah, born 11 January 1759; died 7 July 1829, in the Gloucester poorhouse; married (1) Captain David Low, 26 May 1778 (2) Enoch Bray, 22 August 1782
  8. Twin, born and died in August 1760
  9. Twin, born and died in August 1760
  10. Judith, born 21 November 1762; died 28 December 1851, Portland, Cumberland, Maine; married (1) Jonathan Low, 23 November 1783 (2) Joseph Steele, 23 October 1797
  11. Mary, born 20 April 1765; died 15 November 1829; married Daniel Steele, 5 December 1792

Nathaniel Haskell died on 31 July 1808, leaving an estate valued at about $3500, which would be the equivalent of about $70,000 today. Hannah survived him by several years, passing away on 26 October 1814.

Will of Nathaniel Haskell, 1808
Essex County Court, File #12787
Source: American Ancestors

in the name of god our saviour Amen
i Nathaniel Haskell of Glocester in the county of Essex in the
state of the Massechusets Bay in new England being far Advanced
in years but of a sound mind and memory do this thirtieth day
of july one thousand seven Hundred ninety and nine make this
my last Will and testament: in the first place I do most
solemnly and seriously surrender my precious and immortal
soul into the hands of an All sufficient saviour depending on his
merits for salvation from a god of infinit mercy and next here
unto i Recomend my Body to a decent Burial after my deceas
at the discression of my Executor: and with Respect to my
worly Estate which God hath graciously given me I dispose
of as followeth

Imprimis I do Give unto my Beloved wife Hannah the improvement
or income of one half of all my Rael Estate dureing her life
she paying the taxes that shall be laid on it and this half after
her deceas i give to my five daughters or their heirs to be
divided or sol by my Executor and the money Equaly divided
amongst them

item i give unto my two sons Nathaniel and John or their heirs the
other haff of my Rael estate in Glocester or else whear to be
Equally divided between them as soon as may be after my decease

itim as to my personal or movable estate it is my Will that two
leagucies be paid out of it before divided one to isaac Allen my
wives sisters son or to his heirs twenty two dollers to be
paid by my Executor within one year after my deceas –
the other leagucie to my grandson Seth Low forty dollars to be
paid to him by my Executor within one year after my deceas

itim i give to my Beloved wife Hannah one half the whole of the
Remainder of my personal or movable Estate to her dispose:

itim i give to my Executor the other haff of my movable
Estate to pay debts and funeral charges and if that should not
be sufficient let there be Enough taken from the Rael Estate
before there be a division to pay charges if there should be
more than Enough in this part of pesonal Estate to pay charges
i give two thirds of it to son Nathaniel and one third to son
john: it is my desire my two sons have my wearing Apparrel
Equaly divided between them

Lastly i do constitute and Appoint my son Nathaniel to be the sole
Executor of this my last will and Testament and to Receive all
my just dues and to pay all my just debts and it is my desire
that all matters may be so maneged and settled as to keep peace and
love amongst Brothers and sisters and a great Respect to their mother (turn over)

in Testimony of all within or above written and
that this and no other is my last will and testament
i have set too my hand and seal this thirtieth day of July
Anno dominij one thousand seven Hundred ninety and
nine and in the twenty third year of the independence of the
unighted states of America july 3 1799

Nathaniel Haskell (seal)

signed sealed published and
pronounced in presence of
these witnesses
Moses Haskell
Stephen Haskell junor
Josiah Choate junr

The will was recorded in September 1808, about two months after Nathaniel’s death.

Next up is the last of my Haskell line – John Haskell, son of Nathaniel, married Hannah Parsons. I am sure they were aware that their families had intermarried in the past, but I wonder if they knew their exact relationship? They were third cousins.