An American Family History

Aaron Estey was born on January 18, 1745/46 in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts. His parents were Aaron Estey and Esther Richards.

He married Molly Hooper of Lynn on October 23, 1765. Molly was born on January 18,1745/46. She was an orphan who was raised by Zaccheus Gould and Rebecca Symonds.

Their children were Joseph Estey (1767), Hannah Estey (1769), William Estey (1771, married Ann Powers and settled in Seneca County, New York), and John Estey (1773, married Sally Desper and had 12 children).

They moved to Rindge, New Hampshire about 1770 and a few years later to Shrewbury, Vermont and finally to Leicester, Vermont.

He died in August, 1844 in Leicester, Addison County, Vermont.

from The family of Zaccheus Gould of Topsfield by Benjamin Apthorp Gould

86. Zaccheus, b. 1717 Nov. 7; m. 1745 Nov. 4 Rebecca (b. 1722 Nov. 28; d. 1792 May 30), dau. of Dea. Samuel and Mary Symonds of Middleton; d. 1793 Jan. 2 ; no children.

He was a very useful man in the town. Although his education was small, yet he filled many important offices, was one of the Selectmen of the town 18 years in 21, and represented the town in the General Court. He was a wealthy farmer and a very benevolent man; and though he had no children of his own, yet he brought up many fatherless and motherless children, as also poor ones, from their infancy. He was a man of sound judgement, — a terror to evil doers, and a praise to all who did well, his wife was one of the excellent of the earth." (Rev. Daniel Gould, 1815).

He is said to have possessed remarkable arithmetical ability, habitually performing complicated calculations in his mind, within less time than most others could do them on paper.

Mr. Zaccheus Gould and his wife Rebecca, having no children of their own, brought up in their household the five following: ,

a. Mary Hooper, from Salem, an orphan. She m. 1766 (publ. June 8) Aaron Esty, who moved to Vermont,

b. Zaecheus [Gould] (No. 308) son of Mr. Gould's brother Eliezer.

c. Rebecca [Gould] (No. 312) dau. of the same. She m. 1788 Amos Foster from Rowley.

d. Mehitable [Peabody], b. 1764 Aug. 7, dau. of John and Hannah [Smith] Peabody. Her mother was dau. of Samuel and Rebecca [Curtice] Smith (see No. 82), and thus first cousin to Mr. Gould, and niece of the first wife of his brother Eliezer. They adopted her when three weeks old. She m. 1789 Nov. 24 Jonas Merriam (b. 1764; d. 1827 Feb. 23), brother of Dr. John, and had three children.

e. Anna (Nancy) Mecum, b. 1771, dau. of Elizabeth [Robinson] (No. 279), Mr. Gould's niece. She m. 1798 Moses Gould (No. 160).

His negro woman Venus, m. 1707 Prince, the noted slave of Zaecheus Collins (See Lewis's History of Lynn, p. 344).