PLYMOUTH COUNTY, MA 1790 CENSUS - Town of Abington File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Gaytha Wallace ======================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages CANNOT be reproduced in any format for profit or any other presentation. Permission from the submitter is required before this file can be used in any other format or system. ======================================================================= Date sent: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 13:15:37 -0400 (EDT) From: Ajquaid@aol.com To: hbladm1@uconnvm.uconn.edu Subject: Re: 1790 abington census 1790 Census for town of Abington, Massachusetts and towns eventually known as Rockland and Whitman in county of Plymouth. Information obtained from "Yesteryears of Abington, Rockland, and Whitman" a publication of the 250th Anniversary Committee, Book Committee comprised of Chairman, Rose White; Editor, Audrey Ziergiebel; Picture Editors, Raymond Smith, Everett Slayter, Ronald Poole; Art Editor, Martha Campbell; Advisory, Wendell Levings, Martha Probst, Carlton Tucker; and Ex-officio, William and Evelyn Couglin; and Assisted by the Historical Society of Old Abington, printed by New England Art Publishers, Abington, MA, 1962. Copy of book maintained in circulation at Whitman Public Library, Whitman, MA. Submitted by Gaytha Wallace. Beside the names, the first number represents free white males of 16 years and upward, including heads of households. The second number represents free while males under 16 years old. The third number represents the number of free white females, including heads of households. The fourth number represents other free persons. Please note: This list has been combined from three listings composed within the book and derived from a single census record. The compilers listed the households of 1790 according to present day town boundaries. I simply combined the three lists into one since neither Whitman nor Rockland existed as separate towns at the time of this census. Some errors may have occurred such as households may in fact be listed more than once. It is wise to check carefully the number of people in the household to determine whether the household has been listed twice or it is simply another household with a name which has been repeated. Additionally, there is no information within the book to indicate from which census record the information was obtained and more than likely, this is not a complete listing of that particular census--this only pertains to Whitman, Rockland, and Abington area. Reed, Thomas, jur. 2/3/3/0 Ripley, Wm.1/2/3/0 Chessman, Lydia 0/0/3/0 Glayd, Thos. 1/1/2/0 Bates, Jonathan 1/0/1/0 Thaxter, Gridley 2/3/3/0 Jones, Lydia 0/0/1/0 Pullins, Sarah 0/0/4/0 Shaw, Solomon 1/1/2/0 Shaw, Asa 1/0/2/0 Glayd, James 2/1/2/0 Fullerton, Asa 1/3/1/0 Askins, Robert 1/5/2/0 Saymore, Thos. 1/0/3/0 Beale, Samuel 1/3/3/0 Ramsdell, James 1/0/1/0 Foard, Benjm. 2/5/6/0 Hunt, Micah 4/0/2/0 Reed, Micah 1/3/6/0 Bates, Elijah 1/1/6/0 Blanchard, Thomas, jur 1/1/2/0 Green, Jonathan 1/2/2/0 Shaw, Calvin 1/4/5/0 Beals, Sarah 0/0/1/0 Foard, John 2/2/4/0 Shaw, Ezra 2/1/6/0 Foard, Jacob 4/3/4/0 Remington, Thos. 3/1/2/0 Wales, Wm. 1/3/2/0 Torrey, David 2/5/3/0 Cobb, Edward 2/0/4/0 Sprague, Wm. 1/0/1/0 Sprague, Wm. Jur.1/4/3/0 Thayer, Samuel1/2/4/0 Orcut, Elijah 1/2/3/0 Cobb, John 1/3/3/0 Noyes, Matthew1/0/6/0 Cushing, Ezra 1/5/2/0 Hollis, Ambrose 1/1/1/0 Shaw, Daniel 2/2/4/0 Colson, John 1/1/2/0 Noyes, Ebenezer 2/0/3/0 Reed, Silas 1/0/1/0 Reed, Obediah 1/2/3/0 Harris, Seth, Jur. 1/2/6/0 Harris, Oliver 1/1/1/0 Harris, Seth 2/1/3/0 Harris, John 1/1/1/0 Harris, Abiel 1/2/5/0 Alden, Samuel 3/2/3/0 Howe, Joshua 1/0/2/0 Howe, Nathl. 2/0/4/0 Nash, James 1/2/1/0 Nash, Nathl. 2/0/2/0 Bates, Joseph 1/0/1/0 Hill, Joseph 1/3/5/0 Sprague, Joshua 2/0/0/0 Pool, Joseph, jur. 2/2/5/0 Nash, Jonathan 1/0/1/0 Nash, Jacob 1/3/1/0 Nash, Mary 0/0/3/0 Nash, John 1/0/1/0 Nash, Peter 2/2/3/0 Nyles, Revd. Samuel 1/1/6/1 King, John 2/2/5/0 Brown, Woodbridge 1/1/2/0 Brown, Samuel 2/1/3/0 Benner, Henry 1/0/2/0 Norton, Benjn. 1/1/2/0 Norton, Samuel1/0/3/0 Bicknell, Jacob 1/4/3/0 Terrell, Lemuel 1/0/2/0 Bates, Lemuel 4/1/2/0 Benner, Peter 1/2/1/0 Reed, Wm. 4/1/6/0 Reed, Barnabas 1/3/7/0 Humble, Major 1/2/3/0 Bicknall, Nathaniel 1/0/1/0 Bicknall, Luke 2/5/3/0 Briggs, Richard 1/2/3/0 Hobart, Noah 1/1/1/1 Nash, Luke 2/2/5/0 Foard, Noah 1/1/2/0 Reed, Daniel 4/0/3/0 Reed, Thomas 3/0/4/0 Nash, Matthew 2/2/2/0 Stetson, Levi 1/3/6/0 Hersey, Isaac 1/2/2/0 Hersey, Jonathan 1/2/2/0 Noyes, Ephraim 2/1/4/0 Thomas, Noah 3/0/4/0 Packard, Luther 1/2/2/0 Hunt, Kingman 1/2/5/0 Terrel, Lemuel, Jur. 1/0/2/0 Burrill, Eph 1/0/1/0 Noyes, Jacob 2/2/2/0 Burrell, Joshua 1/3/1/0 Pratt, Philip 1/0/6/0 Pool, Benjn. 1/1/3/0 Puffer,John 1/1/4/0 Blanchard, Thomas 3/0/2/0 Ellis, Clark 1/1/3/0 Jenkins, Isaiah 2/4/6/0 Ellis, Anna 0/1/2/0 Carol, Joseph 1/0/3/0 Stetson, Peleg 2/0/3/0 Stetson, Ephraim 1/3/4/0 Stetson, Oliver 1/2/1/0 Stetson, Laban 1/1/6/0 Stetson, Peleg, jur. 1/1/5/0 Parkman, Daniel 1/2/3/0 Hersey, David 1/1/6/0 Jenkins, David 2/0/2/0 Wilks, John 3/2/8/0 Burrell, Thomas 3/0/6/0 Burrell, Benoni 1/2/2/0 Bicknall, Daniel 1/2/8/0 Bicknall, Jane 0/0/2/0 Lane, Charles 1/1/1/0 Thaxter, Benjamin 1/2/2/0 Shaw, Solomon, jur. 3/3/3/0 Wellet, Thomas 3/1/3/0 Reed, Samuel1/1/2/0 Townsend, Ezekial 3/0/3/0 Bennit, Hannah 0/0/2/0 Reed, Daniel 2/4/2/0 Totman, John 1/1/1/0 Townsend, Benjn. 1/4/3/0 Gardner, Benjn. Jur. 1/1/2/0 Thomson, Joseph 1/0/4/0 Smith, Jacob, Esqr. 3/2/7/0 Thayer, Asa 1/2/3/0 Lovell, Caleb 1/0/4/0 Brown, Joseph 1/0/2/0 Burrill, Isaac1/3/4/0 Beals, Benjn. 2/2/6/0 Holbrooks, Wm. 2/3/3/0 Lovell, Obediah 1/1/2/0 Shaw, Abraham 1/2/4/0 Burrill, Benjn.1/2/4/0 Hunt, Thomas 2/4/4/0 Vining, Benjn. 2/1/3/0 White, Jeremiah 2/1/1/0 White, John1/2/3/0 Paine, Zebulon 2/2/3/0 Paine, Zebulon, Jur. 1/1/2/0 Beals, Caleb1/4/2/0 Curtis, Joshua 2/1/1/0 Shaw, Ebenezer 2/0/2/0 Clark, Benjn.1/0/5/0 Chard, Caleb 2/0/2/0 Smith, Nehemiah 2/0/6/0 Pool, Sarah 1/3/3/0 Shaw, Joseph 2/3/4/0 Gannett, Caleb 1/0/1/0 Lane, Daniel 2/1/2/0 Lane, Daniel, jur. 1/6/2/0 Shaw, Nathl. 1/1/2/0 Cushing, Zatu 1/0/1/0 Beal, Daniel 1/1/4/0 Beal, Noah, jur. 1/3/3/0 Whitten, Jotham 1/0/6/0 Beal, Job 1/0/3/0 Beal, Noah, jur. 2/0/1/0 Whitten, Eleazer 2/2/2/0 Whitten, Thomas 1/1/1/0 Vining, Ebed 1/2/2/0 Vining, Elisha 1/0/2/0 Vining, Elisha, jur. 1/0/2/0 Hobart, Elijah 2/0/2/0 Chubbock, David 1/4/1/0 Dunbar, Simeon 1/3/1/0 Dunbar, Stephen 1/0/2/0 Chubbock, James 1/4/4/0 Farrow, Thomas 1/1/2/0 Farrow, Leah 0/0/1/0 Levit, Israel 1/0/1/0 Dammon, Joseph 1/1/2/0 Tirrell, John 1/0/2/0 Tirrell, Isaac 1/0/1/0 Tirrell, Isaac, Jr. 3/2/5/0 Porter, John 2/1/2/0 Porter, Seth 1/2/2/0 Lazell, Luther 1/1/3/0 Gurney, Asa1/2/2/0 Reed, Abijah 1/2/3/0 Reed, Jacob 3/0/4/0 Lamson, Micah2/3/3/0 Whitman, Eleazer 1/0/1/0 Jenkins, David, Jur. 1/4/3/0 Gurney, Noah 2/0/2/0 Gurney, Benoni 2/0/2/0 Gurney, Joseph 2/1/2/0 Gurney, Gideon 1/0/1/0 Gardner, Benjn., Jur.1/1/2/0 Thomson, Joseph 1/0/4/0 Gurney, Nathan 2/1/2/0 Gurney, John 1/2/5/0 Gurney, Noah, Jur.1/0/1/0 Buker, Luke 1/0/2/0 Cooke, Levi 2/4/4/0 House, Job 1/4/6/0 House, Deborah 0/0/2/0 Pratt, Thomas 1/1/3/0 Keen, Ebenr. 1/0/1/0 Garnett, Amos 1/0/2/0 Lincoln, Joseph 1/2/5/0 Ramsdell, Gideon 2/1/2/0 Torrey, Josiah 2/1/5/0 Hobart, John 2/0/4/0 Porter, William 1/1/1/0 Porter, Ebenezer1/0/3/0 Richmond, Andrew 1/0/1/0 Reed, Jacob, Jur. 1/0/5/0 Reed, Stephen 1/0/2/0 Noyes, Eliab 1/2/2/0 Porter, James 1/1/4/0 Hersey, Meriam 0/0/2/0 Fullerton, John 3/0/5/0 Reed, Abigail 0/0/2/0 Shaw, Josiah 1/2/3/0 Bates, Eleazer 2/1/3/0 Bates, Benjn. 3/0/2/0 Whitmarsh, Levi 1/1/4/0 Pool, Joseph 1/0/1/0 Pool, James 1/3/1/0 Norton, John 2/3/5/0 Norton, Wm. 1/0/1/0 Pool, Joshua 2/2/3/0 Pool, Jacob 1/1/5/0 French, Silas 1/1/2/7 Hersey, Obediah 2/3/6/0 Hersey, Solomon 2/2/3/0 Gurney, Joseph P. 1/1/2/0 Dyar, Christopher 1/1/4/0 Bennitt, Nathl. 2/0/2/0 Dyar, Jacob 1/2/2/0 Dyar, James 1/1/3/0 Dyar, Eliza 1/0/3/0 Shaw, Elisha 2/3/4/0 Hersey, Joseph 2/1/4/0 Hersey, Daniel 1/0/1/0 Hobart, Aaron, Jur. 2/2/3/0 Garnett, Benjn. 1/0/3/0 Whitmarsh, Lot 1/2/1/0 Pool, Jacob, Jur. 1/0/2/0 Harden, Samuel 1/2/2/0 Pratt, John 1/0/1/0 French, Barnabas 1/0/3/0 Harden, Jacob 2/2/4/0 Hobart, Aaron, Esq. 4/1/5/1 Gurney, Thomas 1/1/2/1 Whitman, Ephm. 2/1/5/0 Gurney, Jacob 1/2/6/0 Gurney, Silas 2/1/4/0 Dyar, Bela 1/2/3/0 Other names mentioned in historical reference for the town of Abington: Colonel Thaxter's 1706 map was presented to General Court in Boston with " petition praying that the section of what was then Bridgewater be made a township and described as a parcel of land lying in the County of Plimouth in New England called Abbington. On June 10, 1712, Royal Governor Joseph Dudley ordered that the prayer of the petition be granted, the tract of land within mentioned to be erected into a town and that the town be named Abingdon. A marginal note on this document gives the spelling of the name as Abington." (P 6) Ford, Andrew Jr. First settler in town of Abington, built cottage upon land purchased by Andrew Ford and James Lovell of Weymouth in 1659. Original grant for parcel of land was issued to Nathaniel Souther in 1642 for his long service as Secretary of Plymouth Colony and issued to him by Plymouth Colony Court. Browne, Reverend Samuel: preached his first sermon in Abington on 8 DEC 1711. First town officials, elected on the first Monday in May, 1713 included: Moderator: William Hersey Selectmen: William Hersey, William Reed, William Terrell Town Clerk: William Reed Town Treasurer: James Nash Constable: Joseph Josselyn Highway Surveyors: Edmond Jackson, Nicholas Porter Fence Viewers: Ebenezer Whitmarsh, Edward Bate. First physician; Dr. David Jones, Jr. Credited for saving town from "camp fever" or smallpox, by the unpopular means of innoculation. The disease was spread by soldiers returning from duty during American Revolutionary War and evidently posed a serious threat to the townspeople. Hunt, Thomas: established first shoe manufacturing business and taught neighbors how to make shoes, thus establishing a principal industry for the area. Reed, Ezekiel: "Made an important improvement in the manufacture of cut nails and tacks....." Thomson, Josiah: Indian blacksmith. He and his wife were members of the Webquish band of Indians. Mitchell, Zerviah Gould, died 1898, and daughters, Melinda (Princess Teweeleema) and Charlotte (Princess Wootonekanuske) lineal descendents of Massosoit and last of that royal line. Benner, Henry: Bennerware Pottery, pre- revolutionary time Sullivan, John L.: boxing contender against Jake Kilrain in 1889. White, Levi, 14 year old boy who worked at tack factory in Whitman, date unknown. Whitman, Jared and Augustus, book includes pictures of men, important family at the time of Whitman's succession from town of Abington in 1875. In 1886, by popular vote, the name Whitman was chosen for the new town. Bosworth, Miss Lizzie, taught first grade beginning in 1880. Goulding, Lewis, owner of Goulding's Temperance Drinks, which could be purchased for 75 cents a case. The case included 24 bottles of tonic water of diverse flavors. Jenkins Brothers Shoe Factory. Holbrook and Keene Shoe Factory. Considine, Postmaster, Whitman, early 1900s. Higgins, Chas. B, owner of East End Fish and Oyster Market, early 1900s. Lombard, Ben, owner of "fish wagon" ca 1912. Gurney Family tack company. Jenkins, Hiram, picture of mansion. Whidden, picture of mansion. Torrey, Josiah: owned factory for "redolent" soap. Stetson, Jacob: built blacksmith shop about 1812. Hobart, Aaron, Colonel during American Revolution War and founder of foundry located in Whitman which manufactured, although not successfully at first, cannon and shot and reportedly instucted Paul Revere in the art of bell casting. Hersey, Obediah: provided white oak for the construction of the United States Frigate "Constitution" or "Old Ironsides". Ellis, Obed. H. Civil war veteran, men's haberdasher. Studley, Ezekiel R. "Father of Rockland" Town Clerk, 1875-1916, notes in his diary "Thurs. Mar 19, 1874--First Town Meeting Day in Rockland. I went up and was chosen clerk and put into the work tending check list at once. We made a long day of it but got about all the officers elected as follows: Town Clerk, Treasurer, Collector and Chairman of Selectmen, etc. Ezekiel Reed Studley, Selectmen, etc, J. C. Hebberd, J. W. Beal; Highway Surveryors, Constables, and Field Drivers and Fence Viewers; School Committee, J.C. Gleason, Martha Reed, and Geo. H. Bates." (Quoted in book page 48) Note the woman as member of school committee. Francis Cardinal Spellman, native of town of Whitman. Ancient Land Titles include: Hatherly Phineas Pratt Briggs Souther Peregrine White Torrey Holbrook Whiston Cornet Stetson Partridge Vicory ( compilers marked name with question mark) 2 x 3/4 mile purchase Eames Bradford J. Belcher A. Belcher Compilers note that early land grants were not made by the Crown or in England, but were made byPlymouth Colony Court. "This is the Glory and Gladness of our History. Buildings may perish and be rebuilt; pastors, officers, and laymen may come and go, but the Churches live on. Their foundations are in the past; they are the watchword for the present, our surety for the future." Gertrude Bigelow (quoted on page 46).