* Spouse 1: Abigail Stearns (1715-1798)
* Marriage 1: 30 June 1739 (age 26), Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States[1,5]
* Child 2: Abigail Peirce (1740-1747)
* Child 3: Samuel Peirce (1741-1806)
* Child 4: Elizabeth Peirce (1743-1808)
* Child 5: Daniel Peirce (1746-1747)
* Child 6: Nathaniel Peirce (1748-1749)
* Child 7: Abigail Peirce (1750-1776)
* Child 8: Judith Peirce (1753-1805)
* Child 9: Ezra Peirce (1755-1795)
* Child 1: Beulah Peirce (1764-1816)
Samuel Peirce married "Mrs. Abigail Stearns" in Watertown on 3 June 1739[1,5]. She was the daughter of George and Hannah (Sanderson) Stearns of Watertown. They had nine children between 1740 and 1764. Information about this family was obtained from Henry Bond's Watertown book and town vital records.
Samuel Peirce was named as an heir in his father's will written on 29 November 1743 and proved in 1744[3]. After his mother's death (which occurred in 1747), he was to receive one half of the personal and real estate with his brother Daniel receiving the other half, after they paid legacies to their living siblings.
There is no death record for Samuel Peirce in the Waltham or Watertown town records or vital record books
Samuel Peirce wrote his will on 26 March 1772, and named his wife Abigail and his son Samuel as his executors[4]. On 27 March 1772, Abigail indicated that she accepted the will as written. Therefore, Samuel must have died on 26 or 27 March 1772.
Samuel Peirce's probate records are in Middlesex County Probate Records, Packet #17,559. The will reads[4]:
"In the Name of God Amen. I Samuel Peirce of Waltham in the County of Middlesex and Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England yeoman being weak and sick as to my bodily Health but of sound mind and memory (blessed be God therefor) do this twenty sixth Day of March in the twelfth year of the Reign of the Lord & King George the third & in the year of our Lord one thousan seven Hundred & Seventy two make and publish this my last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following Viz.
"Imprimis I commend my Soul to God who gave it me and my Body to the Earth from whence it came in hopes of a joyful Resurrection thro' Jesus Christ, and as for that worldly estate wherewith God has blessed me I dispose thereof as follows.
"First I will and bequeath to my loving wife Abigail all my Personal Estate forever likewise the Improvement of my lands and tenements where I now dwell during her continuing my widow.
"Item At the decease of my wife Abigail aforesaid or at a Marriage I will and bequeath to my beloved son Samuel my Lands tenements aforesaid (he paying my just Debts and funeral Charges and Legacies hereafter named viz. To my beloved Daughter Elizabeth Flagg Wife of Timothy Flagg the Sum of Six Pounds thirteen shillings and four Pence. I likewise will and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Flagg afores-d the House and Land adjoining thereto where she now lives, the Mony to be paid at my wife's decease.
"Item To my beloved Daughter Abigail Knowlton Wife of Jeremiah Knowlton the Sum of six pounds thirteen shillings & four Pence to be paid at my wifes decease.
"Item To my beloved Daughter Judith Thirteen Pounds Six Shillings & eight Pence and a good Cow to be paid and delivered to her when she arrives at twenty five years of Age or at her Marriage if she marries under that age and the further Sum of Thirteen Pounds Six Shillings and eight Pence at my wifes decease.
"Item To my beloved Son Ezra Forty Pounds to be paid when he arrives at the age of twenty two years.
"Item To my beloved Daughter Beulah thirteen Pounds Six Shillings & eight Pence and a good Cow to be paid and delivered when she arrives at the age of twenty five years or at her Marriage if she marries under that age and the further Sum of Thirteen pounds Six Shillings and eight Pence to be paid at my Wifes Decease.
"And I do hereby revoke all former Wills whatever or wherever heretofore made and publish-d by me and I make constitute and ordain my son Samuel Peirce Executor of this my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I the said Samuel Peirce have hereunto set my Hand Seal this twenty sixth Day of March in the twelfth year of his Majesties Reign Anno Domini one thousand seven Hundred & Seventy two.
"Signed Sealed published and declared Sam-ll
by the sd Testators as and for his last his P mark
will & testament in the presence Peirce
of us who at his Request and in his presence
and in presence of one another have sub-
scribed our Names as Witnesses hereto
Isaac Child
Samuel Nutting
Leonard Williams"
The will was submitted to the Court at Cambridge by the Executor, Samuel Peirce, on 5 May 1772, with Isaac Child and Leonard Williams making oath that they saw Samuel Peirce sign, seal and declare it to be his last will and testament. The Court proved, approved and allowed the will of Samuel Peirce of Waltham, yeoman. A bond of 400 pounds was posted by Samuel Peirce, husbandman, Leonard Williams, Esquire and Isaac Child, husbandman, all of Waltham on 5 May 1772.
An inventory was not included in the probate packet.
There is no burial record for Samuel or Abigail Peirce in Waltham.
5) SOURCES
1. Henry Bond, M.D., Family Memorials: Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts (Boston, Mass. : Little, Brown & Co., 1860), page 397, Samuel Peirce family sketch.
"2. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), "Watertown > Births, Marriages and Deaths," page 37, Samuel Peirce birth entry, image 202 of 3991.
3. "Probate Records 1648-1924 (Middlesex County, Massachusetts)," 886 FHL US/CAN Microfilms, Probate Packet #17,496, John Peirce, 1760, accessed on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 0,421,491.
4. "Probate Records 1648-1924 (Middlesex County, Massachusetts)" , Packet #17,559, Samuel Peirce, accessed on FHL Microfilm US/CAN 0,421,491.
5. Vital records of Waltham, Massachusetts, to the year 1850 (Boston, Mass. : New-England Historic Genealogical Society, 1904), Marriages, page 205, Samuel Pierce and Mrs. Abigail Stearns entry.
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