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.
Essex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643 by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when it ordered "that the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four sheires."
Mercy and William's children included:
John Alton (about 1720, married Elizabeth Hosmer), William Alton (about 1723, married Sarah Cummings),
Joseph Alton (about 1725)
David Alton (about 1724, married Rebecca Gould), and
Benjamin Alton (about 1730, married Susannah Blood).
There may have been other children who were not named in the will.
William and Mercy lived in Marblehead until 1738 when they moved to Thompson, Winham County, Connecticut.
In 1742, William bought land in Southbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts.
He bought 66 acres in Oxford, Worcester County, Massachusetts on April 10, 1747. In 1751 he bought another 20 acres.
In 1754, William headed a petition to have the town of Oxford divided to form the new town of Charlton. In 1755 he was the treasurer of that town.
William died about 1778 in Charlton. He was buried with Mercy on the family farm.
Formerly could be seen two brown field stones marking the heads of the graves of William and Mary [Mercy?] Alton, buried there probably about the time of the Revolutionary war. . .
His real estate was appraised at 900£, his personal property at 132£.
On May 10, 1796, the heirs of William Alton, which included Benjamin, Moses, Amasa, Susannah, Miriam and Silence Alton sold the homefarm of 130½ acres to the Ammidowns.
Some Puritans gave their children hortatory names (from the Latin for “encourage”) like Thankful, hoping that the children would live up to them. The names were used for several generations.
Women played an essential role in American society as mothers and homemakers.
