Ebenezer Hayden of Braintree, MA (1693-?)

The signature and mark of Ebenezer and Mary Hayden on one of John Hollis's probate papers

Unlike his older brother Nehemiah, who figures prominently in town offices and affairs, Ebenezer's appearance was modest. He was elected a tythingman for Braintree in the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1736.1 It was later found that he didn't take the oath for that office and asked to be dismissed.2 He was elected constable in 1736, but refused to serve and paid the prescribed fine: “He gave an obligation to the Treasury for five pounds."3 He was elected and accepted the office of surveyor of highways on 3 March 1739/40,4 tithingman on 4 March 1744/455 and selectman on 12 Mar 1750/51.6 The last record of Ebenezer in the town meeting records is 22 May 1751,7 when he was on a treasury committee.
Ebenezer certainly died after 13 June 1761, when he acknowledged his last deed.8 This was when he sold his homestead to his son Ebenezer. Both are called yoemen of Braintree. A deed dated 14 June 1764 involved Ebenezer, a "feltmaker" of Braintree. Ebenezer, Sr., and Jr., were the only men with those named in Braintree at this time. This Ebenezer isn't designated as Sr. or Jr.9 When Ebenezer the elder sold his homestead, his wife Mary wasn't involved. This surely means Mary had died by then. She would have had dower rights to the homestead, and had to give her consent on record for the sale to happen if she were alive. However, it's odd that she isn't Rev. Niles's burial records, which extend to November 1761. Otherwise, the Braintree vital records stop for many years. Since Ebenezer, Jr., was married and having a family in 1765, it must have been his father who married the twice widowed Rebecce (French) (Staples) Tower, which puts his death after 15 February 1765.
The Hayden homestead was on what is now Pond Street to the east of Little Pond, now Sunset Lake. Ebenezer must have disposed of all his estate of any value by the time he died, since there is no probate for him.

children of Ebenezer Hayden and Mary Hollis:10

i. Mary b. 9 June 1722
ii. Rachel b. 22 December 1724
iii. Hannah b. 8 October 1727
iv. Ebenezer bap. 3 January 1730/31
v. Ebenezer b. 26 December 1732

vital records sources: His baptism is in Rev. Samuel Niles's Journal, 263, images at congregationallibrary.org, image 118. His first marriage is in Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640-1793 (Randolph, MA: 1886), 745. 2nd marriage, Niles's Journal, p. 873 (John Tower and Rebecca, the widow of Alexander French, married after 18 June 1750, when Mrs. Tower was buried, but there isn't a church marriage for them. Rebecca's first husband, Alexander French, died 31 Jan 1744 in Braintree).

1. Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793, ed. Samuel Austin Bates (Randolph:1886), 190.
2. Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793, 192.
3. Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793192.
4. Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793, 229.
5. Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793, 266.
6. Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793, 304.
7. Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793, 307.
8. Suffolk Co., MA, deed 96:176.
9. Suffolk Co., MA, deed 117:190.
10.
Births are from Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793, 711, 755, 760, 761, 768. Ebenezer, Jr.'s, bap. record is in Rev. Samuel Niles's Journal, 263, images at congregationallibrary.org, image 118.