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An American Family History

Coolidge Family

 

 

 
     
 

 
     
 

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In 1688, during the Glorious Revolution, the Protestant king and queen,William and Mary, took the English throne from Catholic King James II. The bloodless revolution profoundly impacted the American colonies.

from Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers by Henry Bond, Horatio Gates Jones

John Coolidge, sometimes designated Ensign, took the oath of fidelity 1652. He m. (1st), Nov. 14, 1655, Hannah Livermore. She d. Dec. 23,1678, aged 45, and

he m. (2d), Sept. 16,1679, Mary Maddock, wid. of Henry Maddock [1], and only dr. of Roger Wellington. [3].

His Will, dated Feb. 9, 1690-1, and proved Ap. 7, 1691, mentions son John, of Sherburne, to whom he gave two-sevenths, son Richard two-sevenths, drs. Elizabeth, Sarah, and Mary, each one-seventh. He had probably already fully endowed his other children.

[children of Hannah Livermore]
1. Hannah, b. Feb. 29,1656-7; d. 1698; m., Aug. 6,1679, John Bond. [Bond, 19.]
2. Mary, and 3. Sarah (twins), b. Sept., 1659, both soon d.
4. John, and 5. Jonathan (twins), b. Sept. 22, 1660, both d. soon.
6. John, b. Feb. 19, 1662, of Sherburne.
7. Grace, b. Feb. 25, 1663-4; d. Ap. 11, 1699; m., Jan. 29, 1688-9, Col. Jonas Bond, Esq. [Bond, 35.]
8. Richard, b. Ap. 13, 1666; d. Oct. 25, 1732.
9. Abigail, b. Feb. 3, 1668-9.
10. Elizabeth, b. 1671.
11. Elizabeth, b. Nov. 1, 1673. [married Jonathan Poulter]

[children of Mary Wellington]
12. Daniel, b. Ap. 24, 1676; d. 1684.
13. Sarah, m., Oct. 14, 1696, Dea. Nathan Fiske. [N. Fiske, 27.] She d. Nov. 27, 1723.
14. Mary (by 2d wife), b. June 27, 1680; m., May 28, 1697, Daniel Livermore. [Livermore, 55.] She d. in childbed, Dec. 10, 1702.

Childbirth was was perilous. Around 1.5 percent of births ended in the mother's death. Since women gave birth to many children, chances of dying in childbirth were quite high.
 
 

Colonial legislatures granted land to a group of settlers (proprietors) who chose how to divide the land. They had some rights of governance.

from Genealogical and Personal Memoirs, Volume 4, edited by William Richard Cutter, William Frederick Adams

John Coolidge (note change of name), son of William Cooledge. was baptized at Cottenham. England, September 16, 1604. He was one of the earliest settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, probably in 1630, and a proprietor in 1636. He was admitted a freeman May 28, 1636. He was a prominent citizen, selectman many times between 1636 and 1677; deputy to the general court in 1658: was often called upon to witness and draft wills, make inventories and settle estates.

His will, dated November 19, 1681, proved June 16, 1691, bequeathed to wife Mary, sons John, Stephen, Simon, Nathaniel and Jonathan, and granddaughters Sarah and Mary Mixer. His inventory amounted to 237 pounds seven shillings. Grace, widow of Roger Porter, in her will calls Coolidge her brother. His homestall in 1642 was bounded on the north by the Cambridge line, west by land of William Paine, east by land of David Fiske, and south by the highway to the pond. In 1673 he bought the homestead of Fiske of his son, David Fiske Jr.

He died at Watertown, May 7, 1691, aged eighty-eight, according to town records. His widow Mary died August 22, 1691, aged eighty-eight. Their gravestones are yet standing in Watertown.

Children:
1. John, probably born in England.
2. Elizabeth (?), married June, 1656, Gilbert Crackbone.
3. Mary, born October 14, 1637: married, September 19, 1655, Isaac Mixer Jr.
4. Stephen, born October 28, 1639: wife Rebecca died April 15, 1702; he died 1771, without issue.
5. Simon, born 1632: mentioned below.
6. Obadiah, horn April 18, 1642: died 1663 unmarried.
7. Nathaniel, died 1711.
8. Jonathan, born March 10, 1646-7;

 

American colonists continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 (or li) equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency.
 
 
 

from Genealogical and Personal Memoirs, Volume 4, edited by William Richard Cutter, William Frederick Adams

Simon [Coolidge], son of John (3) Coolidge, was born in Watertown, in.1632, and died in 1693. He married (first) Hannah Barron, who died July 14, 1680 daughter of Ellis and Hannah (Hawkins) Barron; (second) January 19, 1681-2, Priscilla Rogers, who died 1694.

Children:
1. Mary, born December 11, 1660; married, July 21, 1681, Nathaniel Bright.
2. Obadiah, born and died July, 1663.
3. Obadiah, born 1664;
4. Joseph, born May 31, 1666; died December 17, 1737.
5. Hannah, born December 7, 1671; married, November 3, 1693, Daniel Smith; (second) Deacon Nathan Fiske.
6. Stephen, born June 1, 1674.
7. Lydia, born and died 1676-7. 8.
Sarah, married, July 10, 1701, Samuel Hastings; died 1724.

 
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©Roberta Tuller 2023
tuller.roberta@gmail.com
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