Jonathan Danforth
Jonathan Danforth
| Born | 1689-03-22 Billerica, MA |
| Died | 1762-03-23 Billerica, MA |
| Father | Jonathan Danforth |
| Mother | Rebecca Parker |
| Spouses |
Elizabeth Manning |
| Children |
Anna
Elizabeth Benjamin (b. 1724-12-08) |
Jonathan Danforth, called Lieutenant Danforth in his later years, was a Billerica farmer and a grandson of the surveyor Jonathan Danforth. He was born on March 22, 1688-9, the second son of Ensign Jonathan Danforth and Rebecca (Parker) Danforth, and in 1715 he joined his brothers and sisters in releasing to Oliver Whiting Jr. their interest in their grandfather's homestead north of the Common. On November 18, 1713 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Manning and widow of Peter Fassett, who had died in 1711 after only a few months of marriage.
On December 13, 1717 he bought from John Dunkin, for 116 pounds, Dunkin's "messuage or house Lott" of about forty acres of upland, meadow and orchard, bounded in part by Samuel Sheldon and Samuel Danforth, and a second parcel of thirty-four acres of upland and swamp on "ye Road to mr Winthrops ffarme," the present High Street in North Billerica. He also held land on Content Brook, where a 1739 deed of the meadow above the country road bridge names "Jonathan Danforth Sr." as an abutter. On January 30, 1748-9 he and Elizabeth sold the thirty-four acres to their son Benjamin Danforth for 300 pounds old tenor, keeping for their lives the use of half the field within fence, the whole of the pasture, and the timber and firewood they needed. Benjamin built his house there about 1750 (see Benjamin Danforth House).
Lieutenant Danforth died on March 23, 1762, in his seventy-third year, and is buried in the Old Corner Burial Ground; Elizabeth died on April 8, 1772. Their children were Jonathan (1714), who married Anna Blanchard in 1743 and died at Hollis, New Hampshire, in March 1746-7; Elizabeth (1717), who married William Manning; Sarah (1719-20), who died unmarried in 1762; Rebecca (1722), who never married and was living after 1800; Benjamin (1724); Mary (1727); Anna (1729-30), who married Braviter Gray; and Abigail (1733), who died in 1774.
References
- Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), Genealogical Register p. 36, DANFORTH 5
- Vital Records of Billerica (1908), births p. 55: Jonathan, s. Jonathan Jr. and Rebeckah, Mar. 22, 1688-9; children of Jonathan and Elisabeth
- Vital Records of Billerica (1908), marriages p. 253: Elizabeth Fassett and Jonathan Danforth, Nov. 18, 1713
- Vital Records of Billerica (1908), deaths p. 354: Jonathan, Lt. [w. Elisabeth], Mar. 23, 1762, in 73d y. (gravestone, Old Corner Burial Ground); Elisabeth, wid. Lt. Jonathan, Apr. 8, 1772
- Middlesex Probate case 5894: estate of Jonathan Danforth of Billerica, 1762 (index entry)
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Property | Recorded |
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| July 14, 1724 | Quitclaim | Thomas, Jonathan, Samuel Jr., Jacob, Elizabeth, Sarah, Nicholas and John Danforth, and Thomas and Rebecca Parker | Oliver Whiting Jr. | 1715 grandchildren's release of the surveyor's homestead | Jonathan Danforth House Joseph Locke House Universalist Church |
24/47 (South) |
Grandchildren of Jonathan Danforth release for 29 pounds 10 shillings their interest in "the Homestead or House Lott which belonged to our Honoured Grandfather Danforth of said Billerica deceased," about 60 acres "according to the butts and bounds of the same in Billerica Town Book of Records," plus about 5 acres of meadow on the Shawshin River. Signed Nov. 22, 1715; acknowledged 1716 to 1724; recorded July 14, 1724. Billerica town book 2, pages 513-515.
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| January 21, 1718 | Deed | John Dunkin of Billerica (Sarah Dunkin, his wife, releasing dower) | Jonathan Danforth of Billerica | 1717 John Dunkin, house lot of 40 acres and 34 acres | Benjamin Danforth House 165 High St |
18/587 (South) |
For 116 pounds, "several parcels of Land": first, "one messuage or house Lott Containing about fourty acres ... of upland medow & orchard," bounded north by the highway and partly by John Sanders, east by John Sanders and Samuel Sheldon, south by Joseph Davis and west and southwest by Samuel Danforth; second, "one parcel of upland & swamp Containing Thirty four acres & Sixty & two poles," bounded south by John Sanders, north by Caleb Farley Sr. "about one hundred & ffifteen poles," west "by ye Road to mr Winthrops ffarme about ninety four poles," and east "by Land not Laid out about fourty four poles." Signed Dec. 13, 1717, witnessed by Samuel Fasset and Moses How, acknowledged Dec. 14, 1717, recorded Jan. 21, 1717/18. The second parcel is the lot Jonathan sold his son Benjamin in 1749 with the same bounds. The Historical Commissions summary (34 acres for 34 pounds, running from the Concord River between James Shed and Philip Bowers) does not match the recorded deed. Billerica town book 2, pages 107-109.
Title passed to:
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| July 14, 1740 | Deed | John Marshall of Billerica, yeoman, with Abigail his wife | William French Jr. of Billerica, yeoman | 1739 abutter on Content Brook ("Jonathan Danforth Sr.") | Richardson Homestead | 40/662 (South) |
For 150 pounds, "One Parcel of Meadow land ... containing by Estimation about four acres ... lying upon & on both sides of a brook commonly called and known by ye name of Content brook lying wholly above ye Bridge & casway there (that is ye Country road)," bounded southward by the bridge and causeway, westward by upland and northward by land laid out to John Marshall, eastward by upland and Jonathan Danforth Sr., "according as it was granted & laid out by sd. town of Billerica to Saml. Kinsley decd."; also a slip of upland of about 100 poles adjoining the meadow. Warranty. Dated and acknowledged Dec. 18, 1739 (witnesses John Parker Jr., William Tarbell); recorded July 14, 1740. Billerica town book 4, pages 269-271 (Southern Registry Book 40 Page 662). This meadow on Content Brook just above the bridge on the country road is where the French saw mill and its pond were later made; the 1766 house lot began "near Content Bridge."
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| March 20, 1749 | Warranty | Jonathan Danforth of Billerica, gentleman, and Elizabeth his wife | His son Benjamin Danforth of Billerica, labourer | Details | Benjamin Danforth House 165 High St |
48/198 (South) |
For 300 pounds bills of the old tenor, "one parcell of upland and swamp containing thirty four acres and sixty two poles be it more or less," bounded southward by the land that was John Sanders's, northward by the land that was Caleb Farley's about 115 poles, "west by the road to Mr. Winthrops Farm about ninety four poles," and east by land of James Sanders about 44 poles, all the corners stakes and stones; "Reserving for myself and my wife Elizabeth the use and Improvement of the south half part of the field now within Fence and the whole of the pasture so called that is now within Fence and a liberty to cut Timber I shall need for my use and what fire wood we both of us shall need during the term of both of our natural lives." No buildings are mentioned. Dated Jan. 30, 1748 (old style, i.e. 1748/9), acknowledged Feb. 21 before Benjamin Tompson, recorded at Cambridge March 20, 1748/9. Billerica town book 5, pages 213-215 (Southern Registry Book 48 Page 198).
Title from:
Title passed to:
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.