With a surname like Toogood, one would think that research would be a piece of cake. Not so with Nathaniel.

In spite of online trees, I can find no primary source that identifies exactly when or where he was born, so I will omit those exact details and, instead, estimate from the few records the man left.

Nathaniel Toogood married twice and an estimate for his first marriage would be c1677 as his son was born in early 1679.

Given that a typical age for a first marriage for early Massachusetts men would be about 25, an estimated birth year of 1652 seems reasonable for Nathaniel.

In terms of factual information, there is also an Edward Toogood, whose first wife was born c1641, and who lived in the areas of Berwick and Buxton, Maine and later, in Boston. However, little else is known about this man and whether or not Nathaniel is related to him in any way in not unknown. Given the uniqueness of the surname in that time period, it might be a clue to further research.

Now for the family sketch of Nathaniel Toogood, born perhaps c1652 in an unknown place to unknown parents.

Nathaniel Toogood married (1) Elizabeth (MNU), c1677. A maiden name has been assigned to her in various online trees, but with no documentation, so she will remain as (MNU) unless I find primary evidence that convinces me otherwise.

Nathaniel and Elizabeth were the parents of five children:

1. John, born 20 April 1679, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; died 12 March 1714, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Hannah Dean, 24 November 1703, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts
2. Elizabeth, born 25 July 1682, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 7 June 1773, Barrington, Bristol, Rhode Island; married John Bosworth [descended from John Howland of the Mayflower], 16 June 1702, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts
3. Rachel, born 6 July 1683, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; died before the inventory of her father’s estate in 1703 which stated there were “four elder children” and “five younger children”
4. Nathaniel, born 1 August 1684, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 8 February 1710, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; apparently unmarried
5. Mary, born February 1686, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 20 May 1762, Barrington, Bristol, Rhode Island; married Joshua Kent, 28 December 1710, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts

Elizabeth (MNU) Toogood died in the late 1680s and Nathaniel married (2) Martha Bliss, by 1690. Martha was born 16 April 1663 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts to Jonathan and Miriam (Harmon) Bliss.

Nathaniel and Martha were the parents of five children:

1. Ann, born c1690; reportedly died 11 August 1776, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; married John Finney, 14 September 1715, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts
2. Rachel, born 23 April 1693, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 24 October 1780, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Samuel Goff, 25 December 1718, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts
3. Dorothy, born 30 November 1696, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 26 June 1758, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; married John Millard, January 1720, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts
4. Martha, born 6 October 1698, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 19 July 1743, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Richard Goff, 19 July 1722, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts
5. Samuel, born 30 September 1700, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 1 March 1791, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Ann Boreman, 21 October 1726, Bristol, Bristol, Massachusetts

The inventory of Nathaniel Toogood’s estate was taken on 31 March 1703 and identified him as a resident of Swansea. Because his children are divided into 2 groups, Ann can correctly be placed as a children of Martha even though her birth record has not been found.

Martha (Bliss) Toogood married (2) Benjamin Carpenter, 27 November 1706 in Bristol, Bristol, Massachusetts, but they had no children together.