Benjamin PEARSON (1658 – 1731) was Alex’s 9th Great Grandfather,  Since both Phebe and Abigail are our ancestors, he is two of 1,024 in this generation of the Shaw line.

Benjamin Pearson was born 6 Apr 1658 in Rowley Mass.  His parents were John PEARSON and Dorcas PICKARD.  He married Hannah THURSTON 20 Jan 1679/80 in Rowley Mass. Benjamin died 16 Jun 1731 in Newbury Mass.

Hannah Thurston was born 20 Jan 1658/59 in Newbury MA.  Her parents were Daniel THURSTON and Ann PELL. Hannah died 26 Jun 1731,  in Newbury MA, just ten days after Benjamin.

Benjamin and Hannah had eleven children.

Occupation: Carpenter, Clothdresser, Farmer.

In 1704 he removed to Newbury, Mass where he purchased a sawmill and a yard from Francis Wainwright on 2 Apr 1705

1 Aug 1709 – Eldad Cheney and others sold to Benjamin Pearson of Newbury “carpenters” for 46 pounds and ten shillings, 24 acres of land on “ye southerly side of the Falls River”  He erected a fulling mill which was in operation for many years and a house which was still standing in 1908.

Aug. 13, 1709. Eldad Cheney, Martha Worcester of Bradford, Ichabod Cheney, Huldah Worcester, Jemima Pettingall, Hannah Chute [daughter of  & Lydia Poor of Rowley, all children of Peter Cheney late of Newbury, for £46, 10s, sold to Benjamin PEARSON, 24 acres in Newbury, south side of Fall., River, &c. in the presence of Anthony Morse , Thos. Noyes, jun., Rich ye mart and Brown Cler. James CHUTE, John Cheney, Mary an Cheney, Eldad Cheney, Huldah Worcester & Jemima Pettingall, with the consent of Richard Pettiugall her husband, Aug. 10, 1709.

Attest

Joseph Woodbridge, J. P.

Witnesses Ichabod Cheney, Martha Worcester, Anna (Hannah) Chute,

with ye consent of Lionel Chute & Lydia Poor with ye consent of Jer. Poor, &c.

The women all made their marks.

Benjamin Pearson Homestead

John Pearson’s mill remained in Mr. Pearson’s family and name for six generations, and his son Benjamin became a miller on the main stream of the Parker, where his descendants of the same surname and given name have continued to the final decade of the twentieth century.

Benjamin’s homestead was in Byfield Parish, Newbury.

Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume 4 By Henry Sweetser Burrage, Albert Roscoe Stubbs

Benjamin Pearson, was born in Rowley, April 1, 1658, and died in Newbury, June 16, 1731. He settled at Byfield, 1682, and a deed for land conveyed to him is extant bearing that date. In 1704 he removed to Newbury, where he bought, April 2, 1705, of Francis Wainwright, a saw mill and yard on the Falls river. August 10, 1709, Eldad Cheney and others sold to Benjamin Pearson, of Newbury, “carpenter,” for forty-six pounds and ten shillings, twenty-four acres of land “on ye southerly side of the Falls river.” He erected a fulling mill which was in operation for many years, and soon afterward a house, which is still standing, and was recently owned and occupied by Benjamin Pearson, a descendant of the original Benjamin, who erected the house and succeeded the Cheneys two hundred years ago. Benjamin.Pearson married, January 20, 1680, Hannah, daughter of Daniel Thurston, and they were the parents of: Hannah, Phebe, Daniel, Ruth, Abigail, Benjamin, Sarah, Jedediah, Mehitable, Jonathan, David, Oliver and Bartholomew, of whom all but two were born in Rowley. Hannah (Thurston) Pearson died within ten weeks after her husband.

Children

1. Hannah Pearson

Hannah’s husband John Holmes was born 8 Jan 1679 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. His parents were Sanuel Holmes and Ann Roden. John died 2 Jun 1766 in Rowley, Essex, Mass

2. Phebe PEARSON (See Thomas COLEMAN II‘s page)

3. Daniel Pearson

Daniel’s wifed Mary Wood was born 29 Aug 1684 in Rowley, Essex, Mass. Her parents were Thomas Wood and Mary Hunt. She first married 16 Jul 1701 in Rowley, Essex, Mass to James Dickinson (30 Jun 1678 in Rowley – d. 5 Jan 1705 in Rowley). Mary died 12 Dec 1774 in Londonderry, Rockingham, New Hampshire.

Daniel was one of the 30 persons who purchased land and agreed to settle in Oxford, MA, on 8 Jul 1713. He drew Lot 8 containing 60 acres in the first division of lands 18 Jan 1715.

4. Ruth Pearson

Ruth’s husband Ens. Thomas Plummer was born 15 Apr 1684 in Rowley, Essex, Mass. His parents wer Benjamin Plumer and Mary Wood. After Ruth died, he married 12 May 1737 in Rowley Vrx, Essex, Mass. to Lydia Poore (b. 1690 in Newbury – d. 1 May 1773 in Rowley). Thomas died 16 Nov 1762 in Rowley, Essex, Mass

5. Abigail PEARSON (See Joseph BROWN‘s page)

6. Capt. Benjamin Pearson

Benjamin’s first wife Judith Getchel was born 1690 in Newbury, Essex, Mass

Benjamin’s second wife Jane Somerby was born 8 Dec 1698 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. Jane died 2 Mar 1782 in Newbury, Essex, Mass

Captain Benjamin Pearson  inherited the homestead and mill of his father in Byfield, was a member of the church in that parish and captain of the military company. Captain Pearson was twice married, but the nine children were all by the second wife. On November 2, 1717, he married Judith Getchel, of Newbury, who must have died young, as on June 23, 1720, he married Jane Noyes, of Newbury. The Byfield church records contain this statement: “The widow Jane Pearson, Relict of Capt. Benj. Pearson died March 2, 1782, of a languishing and painful disorder. In her 84th year.” The births of the nine children of Captain Benjamin (2) and Jane (Noyes) Pearson are taken from the Newbury record, and their baptisms are found in the Byfield church record. 1. Benjamin (3), mentioned below. 2. Jane, born July 23, 1723. 3. Isaac, July 25, 1725, died at Newbury, February 25, 1727. 4. Isaac, Newbury, October 21, 1728, married Sarah Gerrish, of that town, November 28, 1751; he was a clothier and miller and moved to Boscawen, New Hampshire, about 1767, and died there March 8, 1805. 5. Oliver, May 14, 1731, married, in Newbury, December 2, 1755. Hannah Pearson, of Rowley. 6. Judith, September 22, 1733. 7. Mehitable, June 8, 1736. 8. Enoch, January 1, 1738, married Betty Whitten, February 26, 1761. 9. Jane, July 1, 1741, died May 13, 1751, “aged abt. 10 years, of a fever” (Byfield church records).

7. Sarah Pearson

Sarah’s husband John Adams was born 7 Mar 1684 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. His parents were Abraham Adams (1639 -1714) and Mary Pettengill (1652 – 1705).  John first married 22 Jan 1707 in Newbury to Elizabeth Noyes (b. 15 Nov 1684 in Newbury – d. 23 Dec 1708 in Newbury) John died 8 May 1750 in Newbury, Essex, Mass.

Children of Sarah and John:

i. Sarah Adams b. 11 Oct 1714 Rowley, Essex, Mass;

ii. Elizabeth Adams b. 18 Jun 1717 Rowley, Essex, Mass;

iii. Mehitable Adams b. 21 Jun 1719 Rowley, Essex, Mass;

iv. John Adams b. 12 Apr 1721 Rowley, Essex, Mass; d. 28 Sep 1803 in New London, Sullivan, New Hampshire; m. 10 Jun 1755 in Ipswich, Essex, Mass to Elizabeth Kilbourne (b. 16 May 1732 Rowley, Essex, Mass. – d. 1827) Elizabeth’s parents were Jedediah Kilbourne and Susannah Fiske. Her maternal grandparents were our ancestors Joseph FISKE and Susannah WARNER.

v. Mary Adams b. 11 Feb 1723 Rowley, Essex, Mass;

vi. Benjamin Adams b. 8 Dec 1724 Rowley, Essex, Mass;

vii. Hannah Adams b. 11 Aug 1727 Rowley, Essex, Mass;

viii. Moses Adams b. 7 Nov 1730 Rowley, Essex, Mass;

ix. Jane Adams b. 25 May 1733 Rowley, Essex, Mass;

8. Jedediah Pearson

Jedediah’s wife Sarah Wood was born 16 Apr 1698 in Boxford, Essex, Mass.  Her parents were Daniel Wood and Sarah Andrews. Sarah died in Rowley, Mass on 1 Jul 1771; she was 73.

9. Mehitable Pearson

Mehitable’s husband William Tenney was born 23 Oct 1698 in Rowley, Essex, Mass. His parents were Daniel Tenney and Mary Hardy. William died 25 Sep 1784 in Rowley, Essex, Mass

10. Bartholomew Pearson

Bartholomew’s first wife Sarah Hovey was born 9 Jun 1706 in Ipswich, Essex, Mass. Her parents were John Hovey and Mehitable Safford. Sarah died 1736 in Newbury, Essex, Mass

Bartholomew’s second wife Love Hutchins was born ca 1708 in Bradford, Mass. Her parents were John Hutchins and Elizabeth Hazeltine. She was the widow of David Boynton. Love died bef Nov 1763.

Bartholomew’s third wife Lydia Randall was of Lunenburg, Mass.

Bartholomew’s home was in the Byfield Parish, Newbury, until about 1747, when he moved to Shrewsbury, where he built a mill. in 1759 he moved to Winchendon, and built the first mill on Miller’s River.

Bartholomew’s home was in the Byfield Parish, Newbury, until about 1747, when he moved to Shrewsbury, where he built a mill. in 1759 he moved to Winchendon, and built the first mill on Miller’s River

11. Jonathan Pearson

Jonathan’s wife Abigail Knight was born 15 Apr 1697 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. Her parents were Benjamin Knight and Abigail Jaques. Abigail died 10 Oct 1774 in Newbury, Essex, Mass.

12. David Pearson

David’s wife Jane Noyes was born 21 Sep 1704 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. Her parents were John Noyes and Mary [__?__]. Jane died 8 Jul 1773 in Newbury, Essex, Mass.

Davis was a Blacksmith and Miller.

Sources:

http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_45e.htm#66

http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/gen/report/rr03/rr03_423.htm#P10364

Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire: a …, Volume 2 By Lewis publishing company, Chicago 1908

http://www.byfieldparish.org/Tercentenary/Benjam_Pearson.htm