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An American Family History

Jane Powers Davis

Littleton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts was first settled in 1686 by English settlers and was the the location of the Native American village called Nashoba Plantation

Jane Powers Davis was born on August 19, 1709 in Littleton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Thomas Powers and Mary Harwood. Jane is not listed in The Powers Family as a child of Thomas and Mary.

She married Benjamin Davis on November 17, 1725 in Mansfield, Tolland County, Connecticut. Benjamin was born on May 1, 1703 in Billerica, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. His parents were Joseph Davis and Rebecca Patten.

Jane and Benjamin's children were Benjamin Davis (January 2, 1727), Mercy Davis (December 20, 1729), Mary Davis (December 20, 1729), Rebecca Davis (March 21, 1733), Experience Davis (June 12, 1734), Isaac Davis (November 13, 1735), Elizabeth Davis (April 1, 1739), and Molly Davis (February 20, 1740).

Jane died in 1740. Benjamin died November 22, 1758.
Lady Day Before 1752 the year began on March 25th. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year, not the beginning.
Children of Thomas Powers
and Elizabeth
  • Joseph Powers
  • Elizabeth Powers Farr
    • and Mary Harwood
  • Phineas Powers
  • Ephraim Powers
  • Jane Powers Davis
  • James Powers
  • Jeremiah Powers
    		•

    Deacons played a respected and important role in early New England churches. They sat in a raised pew near the pulpit and had special duties during communion.

    Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts by Ellery Bicknell Crane, Lewis Publishing, 1907

    Joseph Davis, Jr., son of Joseph Davis (2), was born in Reading, Massachusetts, about 1669-70. He married, June 18, 1691, Rebecca Patten, daughter of Thomas Patten. They settled in Billerica, where he bought a lot May 10, 1693, formerly belonging to John Poulters. It has been known lately as the I. G. Kimball place and is located on the north side of Andover street. He was one of the twenty-two pew-holders in the Billerica church in 1739-40. In 1699 he bought the Fox farm of Mr. Daniels, agent of Thomas Cooper, and there, north of Fox Hill, made his home on what is yet known as the Davis place. He was deacon of the church, prominent in town affairs, and was selectman in 1720.

    Children of Joseph and Rebecca Davis were:
    Rebecca, born September 11, 1692, married, May 13. 1713, Hezakiah Ballard, of Andover;
    Hannah, born December 1, 1694;
    Joseph, born November 3, 1697;
    Elizabeth, born November 6, 1699, married Jacob French;
    Benjamin, born May 1, 1703;
    Mary, born May 31, 1706, married Jonathan French;
    Sarah, born May 1, 1709, married Josiah Bacon;
    Susanna, born December 5, 1710, married Josiah Baldwin;
    Joshua,
    Esther, born March 24, 1716, married, September 1, 1734, Samuel Parker, of Andover;
    Thomas, born July 8, 1717, dismissed to the church at Mansfield, Connecticut.

    In early New England towns policy was set by men gathered in town meetings. Day-to-day operations were handled by a board of 3 to 5 selectmen. They oversaw public resposibilites such as the policing, roads, and fences.

     

         

    ©Roberta Tuller 2012
    tuller.roberta@gmail.com

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