The settlement of New Meadows was incorporated as the Town of Topsfield in 1650. The church "gathered" on November 4, 1663. The third Meeting House was built in 1703 with Rev. Joseph Capen as pastor.
Joseph Towne was born in 1639 and baptized on September 3, 1648 in St. Nicholas Parish, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England. His parents were William Towne and Joanna Blessing.
Joseph and Phebe's children included:
Phebe Towne (1666, died age 2),
Joanna Towne (1667/68, married Thomas Nichols),
Mary Towne (1670),
Susannah Towne Cummings (1671, married John Cummings),
Joseph Towne (1672/73, married Abigail Curtis),
Sarah Towne (1675),
John Towne (1677/78), and
Martha Towne Leach Larrabee (1680, married Isaac Leach and Isaac Larrabee).
Joseph died in 1713 in Topsfield.
Three daughters of William Towne and Joanna Blessing were wrongly accused of practicing witchcraft in Salem. Rebecca Towne Nurse, Mary Towne Estey, and Sarah Towne Bridges Cloyes were persecuted in 1692. The children of people in the line below are all descendants of Mary Estey.
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.
