This is a genealogical sketch of the lives of the Jeremiah and Abigail (Peirce) Knowlton family of Massachusetts. They are my 5th great-grandparents. Jeremiah was a Revolutionary War soldier.
Jeremiah Knowlton was born 3 March 1745 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, the fourth son and fifth child of Jeremiah (1713-1752) and Sarah (Allen) Knowlton (1717-1796), who married in 1735 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony. Yhe birth record in the Concord vital records book says[1]:
"Jeremiah Knowlton, the son of Jeremiah Knowlton and Sarah his wife was born March 3: 1745."
There were five children in the Jeremiah and Sarah (Allen) Knowlton family, all born in Concord:
- John Knowlton was born on 24 April 1736 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; he died on 10 May 1737 at the age of 1 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
- Abigail Knowlton, born 19 January 1739, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; married John Pierce, 3 September 1759, Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay; died 19 January 1813, Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts.
- Nathaniel Knowlton, born 13 June 1741, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; married Elizabeth Parks, 3 August 1761, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; died 16 September 1798, Wayland, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
- Benjamin Knowlton was born on 6 November 1743 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; no further record.
- Jeremiah Knowlton, born 3 March 1745, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay; married (1) Abigail Peirce, 4 April 1771, Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay; married (2) Hannah Goffe, 9 September 1776, Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 11 June 1785, Weston, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
Sarah (Allen) Knowlton and her three surviving children continued to live in Concord, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Abigail Peirce's Early Life
Abigail Peirce was born 12 April 1750 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony,[2] the sixth child of nine children of Samuel Pierce (1712-1772) and Abigail Stearms (1715-1796), who married in 1739 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The family included:
- Abigail Peirce was born on 25 May 1740 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; She died in September 1747 at the age of 7 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
- Samuel Peirce, born 1 November 1741, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; married Ruth Lee, 1 December 1768, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; died 30 March 1806, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts..
- Elizabeth Peirce, born 30 September 1743, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; married Timothy Flagg, 17 December 1761, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; died 18 March 1808, Massachusetts, United States.
- Daniel Peirce was born on 1 October 1746 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; He died on 12 September 1747 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
- Nathaniel Peirce was born on 22 November 1748 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; He died on 24 December 1749 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
- Abigail Peirce, born 12 April 1750, Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay; married Jeremiah Knowlton, 4 April 1771, Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; died 2 February 1776, Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
- Judith Peirce, born 8 March 1753, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; married Elisha Stearns, 26 November 1778, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 30 August 1805, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
- Ezra Peirce was born on 24 December 1755 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; He died on 6 August 1795 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
- Beulah Peirce, born 8 July 1764, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; married John Colburn, 30 September 1784, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 7 September 1816, Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
Their Married Life Together
Jeremiah Knowlton married Abigail Peirce in Waltham on 4 April 1771. The Waltham vital record book records the marriage as:[3]
"KNOWLTON, Jeremiah of Lexington, and Abigail Pierce, Apr. 4, 1771."The Lexington vital record book records the marriage as:
"KNOWLTON, Jeremiah of Lex., m., in Waltham, Abigail Pierce, of Waltham, Apr. 4, 1771."
Jeremiah Knowlton and Abigail Peirce had the following children, born in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony:
- Lydia Knowlton was born on 16 February 1773 in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; no further record.
- Abigail Knowlton, born 21 January 1774, Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony; married Nathan Gates, 17 June 1790, Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, fifteen children; died 28 January 1855, Gardner, Worcester, Massachusetts.
On 5 March 1773, John White of Charlestown sold three tracts of land to Jeremiah Knowlton, cordwainer of Lexington, for 77 pounds lawful money[4]. The three tracts were:
- One acre of land in Lincoln, mostly orchards, with a dwelling house and barn; bounded Southerly and Easterly on the highway, about 12 rods, Westerly and Northerly on land of George Farmer.
- 40 acres of upland and meadow in the Northerly part of Sudbury and partly in Southerly part of Lincoln, bounded Easterly partly on Iosiah Farrar's land and partly on the highway till it comes to Samuel Farrar's land, Westerly and Northerly on Samuel Farrar's land.
- 4 acres of woodland in Sudbury bounded Easterly by land of heirs of Alexander Dummond and Northerly and Southerly on land of Edward Sherman, Westerly on land left for a highway.
- Witnesses: Thos. Danforth and James Russell
The deed was signed by John White and his wife Mary White, with Thomas Danforth and James Russell as witnesses. The deed was recorded 5 March 1773.
Abigail (Peirce) Knowlton died on 2 February 1776 at the age of 25 in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, leaving Jeremiah with at least one small child to raise during the Revolutionary War. The death record in the Lincoln, Massachusetts town records for Abigail (Pierce) Knowlton says:[5]
"Abigail Knowlton, wife of Jeremiah Knowlton, Departed this life February ye 2d A./D. 1776"
Jeremiah’s Second Family
Jeremiah Knowlton and Hannah Goffe were married on 9 September 1776 in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Hannah Goffe was born about 1750 in Massachusetts Bay Colony. She died on 20 October 1797 at the age of 47 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts. The Lincoln town record book records the event[6-7]:
"Jeremiah Knowlton and Hannah Goffe both of Lincoln their intention of marriage has beenpublished in Lincoln according to Law & a Certificet given.
Lincoln Sept. the 9th 1776 John Adams Town Clerk"
Jeremiah Knowlton and Hannah Goffe had the following children, all baptized in Lincoln:
- James Knowlton was born before 22 February 1778 in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts; He died before September 1782, probably in Lincoln.
- Joseph Knowlton was born before 14 May 1780 in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts; no further record.
- James Knowlton was born before 28 July 1782 in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts; no further record.
Jeremiah Knowlton enlisted at least three times during the Revolutionary War:
a) The book, History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, says:[8]
"Jeremiah
Knowlton [of Lincoln] was a sergeant in Captain Simon Hunt's company
at New York in 1776, and at Saratoga in 1777, and in Captain Francis
Brown's company at Rhode Island in 1778."
b) Volume
9 of the Massachusetts
Soldiers and Sailors of the War of the Revolution book
has this entry for Jere. Knowlton:[9]
"KNOWLTON, JERE. Private, Capt. James Prentiss's co., Col. Samuel Brewer's regt.; pay `abstract for travel allowance home, etc., from place of discharge, Saratoga, endorsed "travel from Fort Edward;" 240 miles travel allowed said Knowlton; warrant allowed in Council Feb. 3, 1777."
This
is likely this Jeremiah Knowlton because of the pay entry in the
Lincoln town record book below.
The
Lincoln, Massachusetts town records contain a payment record to
Jeremiah Knowlton dated 15 June 1777:[10]
"June
Do [15th] By Seventeen Pounds five shillings paid Jeremiah
Knowlton for his Service in a Campaign
at New York in the year 1776 and
at Saratoga in the year 1777£17
5s
0p"
c) An
entry in the book Massachusetts
Soldiers and Sailors of the War of the Revolution for
Jeremiah Knowlton notes: [11]
"KNOWLTON,
JEREMIAH. Private, Capt. Francis Brown's co., Col. McIntosh's
regt., Gen. Lovell's brigade; enlisted Aug. 1, 1778, discharged Sept.
11, 1778; service, 1 mo., 14 days, at Rhode Island."
Later Years
On 24 February 1783, Jeremiah Knowlton, cordwainer of Lincoln, sold land in Lincoln to Seth Badcock, housewright of Lincoln, for 90 pounds.[12] [The land in the southwestern part of Lincoln near the dwelling house of Capt. Joseph Adams was one acre, bounded Southerly and Easterly 12 rods on a highway near Miles (?) Bridge, Westerly and Northerly on land of Humphrey Farrar.
Signed:
Jeremiah Knowlton and Joanna Knowlton his wife signed the deed with
James Adams and Samuel Phip Savage as witnesses. The deed was
recorded: 22 May 1783.
On
11 April 1783, Jeremiah Knowlton of Lincoln, cordwainer, sold land to
John Lowell Esq. of Boston for 60 pounds[13].
The land was 40 acres of upland and meadow, partly in Lincoln and
partly in Sudbury, bounded Easterly by land of John Lowell and the
highway until it comes to Samuel Farrar's land, Westerly and
Northerly by Samuel Farrar's land until it comes to a highway, and
Southerly on the highway. Jeremiah Knowlton and Joanna Knowlton
signed the deed, with witnesses James Barret and James Adams. The
deed was recorded 15 April 1783.
The
family probably
moved to Weston, Middlesex,
Massachusetts
after selling the two properties in Lincoln.
Jeremiah
Knowlton died 11 June 1785 in Weston, Middlesex, Massachusetts, at
the age of 40. The
death record of Jeremiah Knowlton in the Weston, Massachusetts vital
record book says:[14]
`"Jeremiah
Knowlton, d. June 11, 1785. His widow, Hannah, and family were
removed to Concord."
No
gravestone or burial location for Jeremiah Knowlton has been found to
date.
There
are no probate records for Jeremiah Knowlton in the Middlesex County,
Massachusetts, Probate Court records.
Hannah (Goffe) Knowlton died 20 October 1797 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts.[15]
Sources:
1. George Tolman (compiler), Concord, Massachusetts Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1635-1850 (Concord, Mass. : Committee on Printing, 1894), Page 167, Jeremiah Knowlton birth entry, 3 March 1745.
2. Vital records of Waltham, Massachusetts, to the year 1850 (Boston, Mass. : New-England Historic Genealogical Society, 1904), Births, page 72, Abigail Pierce entry, 12 April 1750.
3. Vital records of Waltham, Massachusetts, to the year 1850 (Boston, Mass. : New-England Historic Genealogical Society, 1904), Marriages, page 179, Jeremiah Knowlton and Abigail Pierce entry, 4 April 1771
4. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Middlesex County, "Deeds 1772-1774, Vol. 74-75," Volume 74, page 138, John White to Jeremiah Knowlton, 1773.
5. Vital Records of Lincoln, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1908), Deaths, page 167, Abigail Knowlton entry, 2 February 1776.
6. Vital Records of Lincoln, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1908), Marriages, page 121, Jeremiah Knowlton and Hannah Goffe entry, 9 September 1776.
7. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), "Lincoln Marriages, Births, Deaths 1754-1811," page 99 (image 58 of 147), Jeremiah Knowlton and Hannah Goffe marriage entry, 9 September 1776.
8. History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men (Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1890)., Volume 2, page 623, Jeremiah Knowlton sketch.
9. Massachusetts,
Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts
Soldiers and Sailors of the War of the Revolution (Boston,
Mass. : Wright & Potter Printing, 1896-1908), Volume 9, Page 383,
Jere. Knowlton entry, 1777.
10. Massachusetts,
Town Records, 1620-1988, digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com),
"Lincoln,
Treasurer's Accounts," image 204 of 582, Jeremiah Knowlton, 1777
.
11. Massachusetts
Soldiers and Sailors of the War of the Revolution, Volume
9, Page 383, Jeremiah Knowlton entry,
1778.
12. "Massachusetts,
Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch
(https://familysearch.org),
Middlesex
County, "Deeds 1783-1784, Vol. 86," Volume 86, page 64,
Jeremiah Knowlton to Seth Badcock, 1783.
13. "Massachusetts,
Land Records, 1620-1986," digital
images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org),
Middlesex
County, "Deeds 1780-1783, Vol. 82-83," Volume 83, page 448,
Jeremiah Knowlton to John Lowell, 1783.
14. Mary
Frances Peirce, Town
of Weston. Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1707-1850. Gravestones-,
1703-1900. Church Records, 1709-1825. Appendix and Addenda,
Centennial Society (Boston,
Mass. : McIncloe Bros., Printers, 1901), page 563, Jeremiah Knowlton
entry.
15. George Tolman (compiler), Concord, Massachusetts Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1635-1850 (Concord, Mass. : Committee on Printing, 1894), page 423, Mrs. Knowlton entry, 20 October 1797, age 47.
Jeremiah and Abigail (Peirce) are my 5th great-grandparents, through their daughter Abigail Knowlton (1774-1855) who married Nathan Gates (1767-1830 in 1790 in Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts.
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