John Redington (1649, died young),
Mary Redington (1651, married John Herrick and Richard Cue)
Phebe Redington (1655-twin, married Samuel Fiske),
Martha Redington (1655-twin, married John Gould),
Daniel Redington (1657, married Elizabeth Davison), and
Sarah Redington (1658-59, married Christopher Osgood).
They settled in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts where John became the first town clerk in 1648.
In 1684 John was a member in full communion of the Topsfield church.
The town clerk was one of the first offices in colonial America. The clerk recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts is approximately 25 miles north of Boston. Boxford was set apart from Rowley Village and incorporated in 1685.
Abraham Redington was born about 1617 in England.
His wife was named Margaret.
Margaret and Abraham's children probably included:
Elizabeth Redington
Abraham Redington, Jr.,
Thomas Redington (1649, married Mary Kimball),
Sarah Redington,
Isaac Redington, and
Benjamin Redington.
Abraham and Margaret were probably the first settlers in Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts.
In 1644
Zacheus Curtis, the elder, and Zacheus Curtice, the younger, and Zachariah Curtice, Abraham Redington, jr., and John Everitt, being complained of for smoking tobacco in the meeting house at Topsfield...(from The Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society)
In 1684, Margaret and Abraham were members in full communion of the Topsfield church.
Sarah Redington, married Samuel Fiske, Jr.),
Rebecca Redington, married William Fiske),
Hannah Redington,
Thomas Redington,
Mary Redington, and
Margaret Redington.
They lived in Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts.
He was made a freeman March 22, 1689-90. He was a corporal in the militia.
Thomas died in Boxford January 7, 1702-3. His widow died June 7, 1705.
A militia is a military unit composed of citizens who are called up in time of need.
Mister ( Mr.) was derived from master and Mrs. and Miss were derived from mistress. They indicated people of superior social status in colonial America.
from John Redington of Topsfield, Massachusetts by Mrs. Redington Carter and Ebenezer Wales
Nothing definite is known of the immediate forbears of John Redington... [and this brother Abraham Redington]
It has been conjectured that the Redingtons accompanied Zaccheus Gould from the Old World to Massachusetts, and they may have been with him at Weymouth in 1639, and at Lynn from that date until 1644; but in 1645, they were certainly among the settlers at New Meadows Village
...Possessing ability, education and considerable worldly substance, John Redington was in 1648 made the first town clerk of Topsfield, and so continued, with possibly some interruptions, until 1671... the name of John Redington therein appears third in the valuation of estates. He was clerk of the writs, 1658, 1660; selectman, 1661, 1676-77, 1679/80, 1682, 1684-5; and served on the Grand Jury, 1678, 1679, and 1683. Also, he was chosen to be captain of the militia of his vicinity, his selection in this matter being thus recorded:
The inhabitants & soldiery of Topsfield and the villages adjoining thereto according to an order from Major Dennison met together the
21 of the 4mo 1666 and chose officers as follows:
John Redington of Topsfield head officer in commanding or leading the company,
Joseph Bigsbey sennior, sergeant,
Abraham Redington, senior of the village Clerk of the band, Edmond Town, John Comins, Wm Smith, corporals.
Request to Court for Confirmation signed by Dan. Hovey aud Mr. Avril in the name of the rest. Request allowed.
Mr. Redington was active not only in town affairs, but in those of the Church as well, and, on 29 July, 1681, was one of a committee" to discuss with "the Rev. Joseph Capen" to stay and preach here with us at Topsfield awhile," and at the time of Mr. Capen's ordination, 11 June, 1684, his name appears second on the membership list.
According to his will of 7 Nov., 1690, his years then were "seventy or thereabouts," and his estate, inventoried at £1008. 1. 8, was to be divided between his son Daniel (who was given the land in Topsfield along the Ipswich River whereon the testator lived); the children of his daughter Mary, deceased,
those she had by her last husband, Robert Cue, as well as those by her former husband, John Herrick; daughter Martha, "now the wife of John Gould living near Reading;
and daughter Phebe, "wife of Samuel Fisk in Wenham." His wife is mentioned, but not by name. He died at Topsfield, 15 Nov., 1690.
John Redington married (1) about 1648, Mary, daughter of Zaccheus and Phebe Gould of Topsfield who was baptized at Hemel-Hempstead, Hertfordshire, 19 Dec, 1621, and whose paternal ancestry has been traced through many generations of English yeomanry and married (2) Sarah, who survived him.
Children, born at Topsfield
i. John [Redington], b. June 20, 1649; d. in Mar. following.
ii. Mary [Redington], b. 4 May, 1651; m. (1) 25 May, 1674, John Herrick of Beverly; m. (2) 13 Mar., 1682, Richard Cue of Salem
iii. Phebe [Redington] (twin), b. 7 Apr., 1655; m. 6 Nov., 1679, Samuel Fisk of Wenham.
iv. Martha [Redington] (twin), m. as his second wife, John Gould, Jr., b. 5 Aug., 1648, d. 24 Jan., 1712, son of John and Johanna Gould of Charlestown Upper Village. After the death of her husband, she moved to Stoneham, Mass., where she made her will 17 Aug., 1731. 2.
v. Daniel [Redington], b. 17 Mar., 1657; d. 27 or 28 Sept., 1732; m. Elizabeth Davison.
vi.
Sarah [Redington], b. 12 Mar., 1658-9; d. in July, 1689; m. as his third wife, 21 Dec, 1687, Capt. Christopher Osgood; no issue.
A yeoman was a man who owned and cultivated a small farm. He belonged to the class below the gentry or land owners. A husbandman was a free tenant farmer. The social status of a husbandman was below that of a yeoman.
from Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens of the State of Maine
Abraham Redington [Reddington] and wife Margaret, who were early residents of Boxford, Mass....
Margaret Redington was dismissed from the church in Salem Village to the church in Topsfield in 1664. She was connected with the famous witchcraft delusion, being an accuser of Mary Esty, of Topsfield.
Abraham Redington was “undoubtedly," to borrow the words of the historian, Mr. Perley, “the first settler of the present town of Boxford," his name first appearing in connection with the record of the birth of his first child, 1645. He was the wealthiest among the early settlers of the place, and seems to have been held in high esteem by the townspeople.
His children, all born in Boxford, were
Elizabeth, Abraham, Jr.,
Thomas,
Sarah,
Isaac, and
Benjamin.
The last-named two died when young.
American colonists continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 (orli) equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency.
from Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens of the State of Maine
Thomas Redington married Mary, daughter of Thomas Kimball (Richard1) of Bradford, and resided in Boxford. He was made a freeman March 22, 1689-90, and died in Boxford January 7, 1702-3. His widow died June 7, 1705. He was a corporal in the militia. His six children were all born in Boxford, namely—
Sarah [Redington, married Samuel Fiske, Jr.],
Rebecca [Redington, married William Fiske],
Hannah,
Thomas,
Mary, and
Margaret.
from Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens of the State of Maine
Deacon Thomas Redington, born April 1, 1693, married Hepsibah Perley, who was born August 4, 1699, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Osgood) Perley, of Boxford. He is called a miller in 1723, and after that a yeoman. He was town treasurer in 1746. In 1752 he sold out, and they removed from the town.
His children were
Mary,
Sarah,
Thomas,
Abraham,
Benjamin,
Isaac,
Elijah,
Thomas, and
Hepsibah,
all born in Boxford.
from Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens of the State of Maine
Abraham Redington, born February 10, 1728-9, married August 9, 1757, Sarah, daughter of Deacon Aaron and Sarah (Wood) Kimball, of Boxford.
He had seven children, whose names were respectively
Thomas,
Sarah,
Asa,
Aaron,
Samuel,
Chloe, and
Hepsibah.
The History of Boxford, Essex County by Sidney Perley
The first settler of the present town of Boxford was, undoubtedly, Abraham Redington. His name is first met with in 1645, his first child being born that year. His birth and parentage are unknown. He was, probably, brother of John Redington of Topsfield, who was born in 1620.
History of Littleton by George Clarence Furber
Abraham Redington and wife Margaret are named in the records of Boxford, Mass., 1645. "He was held in much esteem." He d. in Boxford, Sept. 12, 1697. Six ch.
2. Thomas Redington, son of Abrahamb. July 25, 1649. m. March 22, 1682/3, Mary Kimball, dau. of Thomas and Mary (Smith) Kimball of Bradford, Mass. He also lived in Boxford, where he d., Jan. 7, 1702/3. Six ch.
3. Thomas Redington, son of Thomas, b. in Boxford, d. in Lunenburg, Mass., Aug. 10, 1755. He m. Hepsibah Perley, b. Aug. 14, 1699, dau. of Thomas and Sarah (Osgood) Perley. He lived in Boxford and Lunenburg, Mass.
4. Benjamin Redington, son of Thomas, b. in 1729. m. March 24, 1757, Ruth, dau. of Rev. David Stearns, b. Jan. 3, 1736/7, d. March 14, 1798. He res. in Lunenburg, Mass., and later in Walpole, where he d., Aug. 23, 1811.
