Simon Crosby

Simon Crosby was born in August 1637, the son of Simon and Ann Crosby of Cambridge. His father died in 1639, and his mother married the Rev. William Tompson of Braintree. Simon married Rachel Bracket, daughter of Deacon Richard Bracket of Braintree, on July 15, 1659. The Brackets and the minister's family moved together: in 1660 Billerica accepted as inhabitants the brothers Peter and John Bracket and their sisters' husbands, Joseph Tompson and Simon Crosby. That December the townsmen, meeting at Lt. French's, put to a vote whether Crosby should "injoy the Bargain soulde to him" by Will Browne, and Hazen concludes that the result "was no doubt in favor of Simon Crosby, as he henceforth appears as a citizen." He settled on the north side of Bare Hill.

Crosby kept the town's first inn. In January 1672/3 "Simon Crosbee is chosen to keep a house of public entertainment," and Hazen calls him "commonly the early landlord of the town"; his license as innkeeper was preserved at Cambridge. In 1686 he gave it up and Nathaniel Tay took the business, but by 1688 the selectmen were again taking their "victuals and Drink" of him, and his bills to the town ran to cider, liquor, suppers and "a pot of rosted cyder." When King Philip's War came in 1675 his house was made a garrison for seven families, among them Richard Daniel, the Hamlets, Jonathan Hides, Sergeant Tompson and Peter Bracket, with three soldiers, and he billed the colony for billeting Lt. Edward Oakes's troop of horse at Billerica.

He served as selectman in 1668, 1688, 1697 to 1699 and 1701, and was Billerica's Representative to the General Court in 1698. When the aged Rev. Samuel Whiting fell into "a weak & languishing condition" in 1702, the town meeting of August 10 took up a free contribution to pay supply preachers and asked the deacon, "with the Asistance of Mr. Simon Crosby," to receive it and "take speciall care that we be suplied with a minister from Day to day." Hazen sums him up as "a large land holder; inn-keeper and leading citizen."

Simon and Rachel Crosby had nine children: Rachel, who married Ephraim Kidder; Simon, later a selectman himself; Thomas; Joseph; Hannah, who married Samuel Danforth; Nathan; Josiah; Mary, who married John Blanchard; and Sarah, who married William Rawson of Braintree. Simon Crosby died on January 22, 1725/6, aged 87 by his gravestone in the Old South Burying Ground.

References

1. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), Genealogical Register p. 27: Simon Crosby (no. 1), parents, marriage to Rachel Bracket, children, death
2. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 60: accepted as an inhabitant in 1660; the Will Browne bargain
3. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 110: 1675 garrison orders, Simon Crosby's house a garrison for seven families
4. Bodge, Soldiers in King Philip's War (1891), p. 43: Simon Crosby's bill for billeting Lt. Oakes's troop at Billerica
5. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 188: 1672/3, chosen to keep a house of public entertainment
6. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 196: Simon Crosby as the town's early innkeeper, 1686-1688, and his charges
7. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 171: 1702 town meeting; contribution for supply preachers with the assistance of Mr. Simon Crosby
8. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 304: list of representatives (Simon Crosby 1698)
9. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 305: list of selectmen (Simon Crosby 1668, 1688, 1697-99, 1701)
10. Vital Records of Billerica (1908), deaths p. 352: Simon Crosby, Jan. 22, 1725, aged 87 (gravestone, Old South Cemetery)