An American Family History

Aaron Estey and Esther Richards were married on June 7, 1723 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts.

They lived in Topsfield at the same time as the Dr. Michael and Elizabeth Dwinnell family.  

The first child named Isaac Estey was born on January 23, 1723/24. The first child named, Aaron Estey was born on January 18, 1724/25. Hannah Estey Towne was born April 14, 1726. 

In 1729 Aaron and Esther became the guardians of Aaron's sister, Abigail Estey Cumming's son, Daniel Cummings.

Mary Estey Dwinnell was born on June 1, 1730. The second child named Isaac Estey born September 30, 1731. Abigail Estey was born in 1734. The first child named Esther Estey was born in 1736. Abigail and Esther both died in 1737.  The first child named William was born in 1737. Daniel Estey born May 4, 1739. Esther Estey Balch was born on June 29, 1741. The first Aaron died in 1745 and the second Aaron Estey was born on January 18, 1745/45. The second child named William Estey was born on August 2, 1748.

Topsfield town records show that on December 6, 1749, Ceesar, a Negro servant who belonged to Aaron Estey died.

In 1754 Esther Richards who was born on February 25, 1744/45 came to live with them. She was the daughter of Joseph and Mary [Bowden] Richards of Southborough. Her father died when she was an infant, and at the age of ten she was brought by her mother, in accordance with her father's wish, to live with his sister's family.

The Topsfield Historical Collections Volume 7, recorded that on May 20, 1760, the town of Topsfield appointed a committee of twelve men to seat the townsfolk in the meeting-house "according to there Best Skill and Judgement." Seated in the “The Mens First Seat Below [the elders] were Mr. Aaron Easty, Mr. David Balch. [Esther Estey Balch’s husband], and, Mr. John Perkins [Mary Easty Perkins’s husband].  Daniel Easty was seated in “the front back pew with Bartw Dwinell. Mr. Aaron Esty's wife [Esther Richards Estey] was in the women’s first seat with the widow Mary Dwinel.  Mr. David Balch’s wife [Esther Estey Balch] was in the women’s third seat."

In the 1771 list for May 16, 1771, Aaron Estey had moved up to the elder’s seat. Mr. William Estey appeared in “the mens second seat in the frunt gallery.”

At least three Estey sons (Isaac, Daniel, and William) were in the militia during the Revolution.

Aaron died in 1783 and Esther died in 1805.

Mary Dwinnell, Esther Balch, and William and Isaac Estey all moved to Keene, New Hampshire. Daniel stayed and appears in the 1790 census. Aaron moved to Vermont and Hannah to New Hampshire.

from Genealogical and Personal Memoirs by William Richard Cutter
John Dwinell, son of Jacob Dwinell, born in Topsfield, June 15, 1747, died in 1818 of a carbuncle on the shoulder, aged seventy-one years. He married, February 5, 1771, Esther Richards [b. 25 Feb 1744/45], daughter of Joseph and Mary Richards of Southborough. Her father died when she was an infant, and at the age of ten she was brought by her mother (in accordance with her father's wish) to live with his sister, Esther Estey, wife of Aaron Estey, of Topsfield.