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."
Zaccheus Gould, son of Richard Gould was born in 1589 at Bovington, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England.
He married Phebe Deacon (1620 - 1663), daughter of Thomas Deacon and Martha Field about 1618 at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England.
Priscilla Gould (1620),
Phebe Gould (1620, married Thomas Perkins),
Mary Gould (1621, married John Redington),
Francis Gould (1622),
Martha Gould (1623),
John Gould (1635, married Sarah Baker),
Frances Gould (1639, married Rose), and
Henry Gould (1640),
The family immigrated to New England around 1638.
At first they settled in Weymouth, Massachusetts.
From 1639 to 1644, they lived in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts. Zaccheus owned a mill on the Saugus River.
By 1644, they were living in Ipswich, in the area that became Topsfield.
Zaccheus died in 1688.
Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts was first settled by English Puritans in 1629 and was first incorporated in 1631 as Saugus.
In 1688, during theGlorious Revolution, the Protestant king and queen,William and Mary, took the English throne from Catholic King James II. The bloodless revolution profoundly impacted the American colonies.
John Gould was born about 1635.
He married Sarah Baker. Sarah was born on March 9, 1651 and was the daughter of John Baker.
John Gould (1662, married Phebe French),
Sarah Gould (1664, married Joseph Bixby),
Thomas Gould (1666, married Mary Yates),
Mary Gould
Margaret Gould
Elizabeth Gould
Zaccheus Gould (1672, married Elizabeth Curtis),
Priscilla Gould (1674, married John Curtis), and
Joseph Gould (1677, married Priscilla Perkins).
In 1670 Joanna Towne testified for the Reverend Thomas Gilbert and described a Sunday dinner at the parsonage. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert had Captain and Mrs. John Gould, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Perkins, and Mrs. Towne as their guests. A rare gold cup of wine was passed. Mr. Gould alleged that Mr. Gilbert drank too freely.
In 1684, John Gould, Sr. and his wife were members in full communion of the Topsfield Church.
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.
Childbirth was was perilous. Around 1.5 percent of births ended in the mother's death. Since women gave birth to many children, chances of dying in childbirth were quite high.
John Gould, was born on August 25, 1687. He was the son of John Gould.
Martha Gould (1709, married John Pritchard and Samuel Perkins),
Mary Gould (1710, married Thomas
Gould),
John Gould (1712),
Hannah Gould (1712, married Samuel Marston).
Hannah died on April 25, 1712.
He married Phebe Towne on June 23, 1715. Phebe was born about 1691 in Topsfield. Her parents were Jacob Towne and Phebe Smith.
Phebe Gould (1716, married Eliezer Gould),
Kezia Gould (1718, married Jacob Dwinnell),
John Gould (1720 died in infancy)
Richard Gould (1722, married Roxanna Burnham and Ruhamah),
Stephen Gould (1724, married Hannah Perkins),
Abner Gould (1726, died young)
Ruth, Gould (1727, died young),
Jacob Gould ( 1728-9, married Elizabeth Towne),
Esther Gould (1732, Jonathan Towne),
Amos Gould (1735, Huldah Foster).
