Early European settlers in the American colonies were mostly farmers and craftsmen. They had to work hard to provide daily neccesities for themselves.
Alcohol played a significant role in the daily lives of colonists; even children. They feared polluted water and believed in alcohol's nourishing and medicinal properties.
Deacon Nathan Fiske was born on January 3, 1672/73 in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Lieutenant Nathan Fiske and Elizabeth Fry. He was a selectman, town clerk, town treasurer, representative, and deacon in Watertown.
Nathan and Sarah's children included:
Sarah Fiske (November 4, 1698),
Elizabeth Fiske,
Nathan Fiske (February 25, 1701/02, married Ann Warren and Mary Fiske),
Josiah Fiske (October 10, 1704, married Sarah Lawrence),
Henry Fiske (Janaury 24, 1706/07, married Mary Stone),
Daniel Fiske (August 19, 1709, married Deliverance Brown and Jemima Shaw),
Samuel Fiske (February 16, 1711/12, married Lydia Bond),
Grace Fiske Goddard (May 9, 1714, married Benjamin Goddard) and
Hannah Fiske Smith (May 19, 1719, married William J. Smith, Jr.).
Sarah died on November 27, 1723.
On May 22, 1729 Nathan married Sarah's cousin, Hannah Coolidge Smith, the widow of Daniel Smith, Jr. and the daughter of Simon Coolidge and Hannah Barron. Hannah was born on December 7, 1671.
Nathan died on January 26, 1741. He is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Watertown (Arlington Street Burying Ground). Hannah died in October, 1750.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
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.
The town clerk was one of the first offices in colonial American towns. The clerk recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
The New England Meetinghouse was the only municipal building in a town. Both worship and civil meetings were held there. It was customary for men and women to sit separately and the town chose a committee once a year to assign seats according to what was paid, age, and dignity.
