from Memorials of the Descendants of William Shattuck by Lemuel Shattuck
Damaris Shattuck, then a widow, was admitted to the church in Salem in 1641. At what time she came from England, whether before or after the death of her first husband, and what his Christian name was, are unknown.
She afterwards became the 2d wife of Capt. Thomas Gardner, a distinguished merchant and citizen of Salem.
She d. in that town, Nov. 28, 1674. Capt. Gardner d. Sept 4, 1677, leaving a will, dated Dec. 7, 1668, in which he mentions his wife, Damaris, six sons—Thomas, George, John, Samuel, Joseph, and Richard; and daughters, Sarah Balch, Seeth Grafton, and Miriam Hall, all by his first wife, Margaret Frier. Two of his sons m. daughters of their stepmother. Damaris had by Mr. Shattuck several children, all probably born in England, the names of some of whom are known.
1. Samuel; who is noticed below.
2. Damaris; m. in Boston, Sept. 30, 1653, Samuel Page, or Pope.
3. Mary; m. Hams, and lived in Boston.
4. Hannah; m. George Gardner. She united with the church in 1649, but was dismissed. They removed to Nantucket, where their son Joseph m. in 1670, and had several children.
5. Sarah; m. in 1652, Richard Gardner, and had Richard, Deborah, James, Damaris, Hope, and Levi. He and his wife were excommunicated from the church in Salem for attending Quaker meetings; and they removed in 1666 to Nantucket, where their two youngest children were born.
Second Generation and Children. .
(2.) Samuel Shattuck, s. of Widow Damaris Shattuck, was b. in England about 1620. He was a felt-maker or hatter, in Salem, where he died. A stone, still standing over his grave in Salem, bears the following inscription:
Here lyeth buried ye body of Samuel Shattuck, aged 69 years, who departed this life ye 6th day of June, 1689.
He was admitted to the church in Salem in 1642, and was described as " a man of good repute;" but for reasons presently to be stated, he was excommunicated. He left a will, dated April 6, 1689, which appoints his wife Hannah executrix, and directs that his sons Samuel and Retire should each have a double portion of his estate; and that the remainder should be divided equally between his six daughters. His estate was not settled and distributed until Nov. 1, 1701. His son Retire, and his daughters Return and Patience, died after their father and before the distribution. They left no issue, and are not mentioned in the settlement. The husbands of Hannah, Damaris, and Priscilla had also died, and they are then described as widows. Samuel, the only surviving son, received a double portion, and the four daughters received each £37. 7. 4. (Essex Records, Vol. VII, pp. 111-114.)
His children, b. in Salem, were,—
1. Samuel, b. Oct . 7, 1649; m. Sarah Bucknam.
2. Hannah, b. Aug.28, 1651; m. John Soames, s. of Morris Soames of Gloucester. He resided in Boston. Left a will, dated Nov. 13,1687, proved Nov. 8,1700. He left several children, but Benjamin was the only survivor at the final settlement of his estate.
3. Damaris, b. Nov. 11, 1653; m. Benjamin Pope of Salem. His estate was appraised May 6,1702, at £408. 12. 10, and divided between the widow and 4 sons, Benjamin, Samuel, Ebenezer, and Jerome.
4. Mary, b. March 14,1655; m. Benjamin Trask of Beverly.
5. Priscilla, b. May 1, 1658; m. April 26, 1694, Hugh Nichols of Salem.
6. Return, b. Aug. 16, 1662; m. Sept. 14, 1688, John Saunders.
7. Retire, b. March 28, 1664; d. unm. A stone erected in Salem to his memory, has the epitaph:
Here lyeth buried ye body of Retire Shattuck, aged 27 years, departed this life ye 9th day of September, 1691.
8. Patience, b. Nov. 18, 1666; m. July 29, 1689, John Smith of Salem.
Return and Retire are supposed to have been named to commemorate his remarkable retiring and returning from England.
