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John was born and raised in Topsfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony. His wife Mary was about three months pregnant with her daughter when she married John. That situation wasn't uncommon at the time, but it was illegal. They were brought to the Essex County court in September 1681 for fornication, confessed and paid a fine.1 John first appears in Topsfield town records when he was assessed a minster's salary rate in the same year.2 He was a constable for the town between 1690 and 1694 and was voted a fenceviewer with his brother Jacob in March 1695/96.3
John's family was devastated by the witch hysteria of 1692. Three of his sisters were accused and imprisoned and two were executed. He, his wife and children quit Essex County with several other afflicted families about 1697 and moved to a part of Sherborn, Massachusetts, popularly known as Danforth Farms, and later incorporated as the town of Framingham.
When town officers were chosen at the first meeting after Framingham was established as its own town in 1700, John was voted to be one of the selectmen.4 The townspeople wanted to establish their own church right away, and Rev. John Swift of Milton was considered to be their minister. Apparently in order to show proof of a salary, the town asked for approval of the idea and contributions should he agree. John contributed 3 shillings to a salary.5 Some time in May 1701, maybe after waiting for an appropriate sum to be gathered, John was appointed to a committee to ask three prominent ministers if Swift was a good choice.6 Although I don't find it in the recorded meeting minutes, there may have been reluctance to contribute due to doubts about Swift. The ministers sent a report in favor of it and on 22 May the town voted to hire him. Another committee with John on it was sent to Milton to tell Swift.7
John continued to serve the town in various ways. He was chosen to represent the town on the Middlesex County Grand Jury8 and the Jury of Trials.9 He and other representatives of Framingham were appointed in 1705 to meet with men from Sudbury to "perambulate" the border between the towns to make sure it was properly marked.10 He did this again for the boundary with Marlborough.11 He was on a committee to lay out a road in 1710.12 In the years 1710 and 1711 he was paid for "taking care of" and sweeping the meeting house.13 He was given 15 shillings the first year, 20 shillings for the second. His son Israel took over in 1712. He was a tythingman,14, a clerk of the market15 and served as a selectman two more times - in March 1708/09, at which point he was referred to as a sergeant, and March 1712.16
On 8 July 1713, John and his sons Ephraim and Israel joined other men and bought the land southwest of Framingham for the purpose of forming a new town.17 The area had previously been settle by French immigrant families, who eventually abandoned their town. The records of town meetings weren't found online, but a history of Oxford refers to many of them.18 They include John being chosen for a committee to lay out a lot for the minister and find a place for a town cemetery November 1713.19 The town voted to have him build the village pound 30 Mar 1714.20 He was elected a selectman for the years 1713-15, 1718-19 and 1721-22.21 John was also Oxford's first Town Clerk, as shown in the proprietor's records.22 By this time he had been appointed a lieutenant in the local militia.
John was very active in re-establishing a church in Oxford, as shown in the records of the church itself.23 He was on a church building cttee created 29 July 1714, but it wasn't until 29 Jan 1717 when the town voted to raise money to build the church, at which point John was still on the building committee. In the meantime, the townspeople who had church memberships had maintained them from other towns. The town decided to present the idea of their church being incorporated as an independent parish in 1720. This was formulated by a committee including John and brought the proposal to a meeting of interested parties in September 1720. Among them, aside from John, were his sons Israel and David. They applied to the governing religious society in Marlborough to create their parish. The first meeting for discussion was at John's house in Oxford on 15 December 1720. He also moderated this and future meetings. When all the necessary considerations were met, the parish was incorporated on 18 January 1720/21. He was elected a deacon on 15 March 1720/21. He tried to resign on 12 December 1723, but the congregation refused.
John wrote his will on 11 January 1730/31. He was 72, described himself as sickly and weak. He made the following bequests:24
To his son Israel twenty shillings and Israel's daughter Mary twenty shillings. For Israel these was a token, since he "thath heretofore received his full part of my estate."
To his son Ephraim forty acres of land, part of the first sixty-acre division given to John, "lying in the first range...lying on the north part of the hill in Oxford Village...commonly known by the name of Prospect Hill on which he lately dwelt and of which he hath disposed with my consent." He was also to have ten shillings "if he come to demand it."
To his son David sixty acres and a lot of meadow in Oxford Village "lying on a plain called Town's Plain on which he lately dwelt and of which he disposed with my consent." He was also given five shillings.
To his son Samuel ten acres, which was a part of the sixty-acre division.
To his son Ephraim "the equal half of my right in the [?] Swamp," with ten acres of the sixty-acre division.
To his son John twelve acres of land between his the property of Jonathan Pratt, Jr., and John, Sr.'s, son Jonathan. He was also to have "the equal half of all my after division in land in Oxford...and ye equal half of my cedar swamp."
His "household stuff and plenishings" after his and wife's decease as to be divided equally between daugther Esther Mellins and granddaughter Mary Cloyes.
To his son Jonathan his home farm with all the buildings, land, animals and other farm-related items. John had already deeded him this property. He was also given "the equal half of all my other divisions of land" in Oxford. Jonathan was to be executor of the estate and take care of the comfort of his mother.
The witnesses to the will were Moses Gleesen, Uriah Gleesen and John Campbell. It was brought to court and approved on 20 August 1740. Although an inventory was ordered as part of Jonathan Town's administration bond, one was never recorded.
children of John Town and Mary Smith:21
i. Mary, b. 23 June 1681, prob. died young
ii. John, b. 25 November 1682, d. 29 September 1683
iii. Israel, b. 18 November 1684
iv. Esther, b. 13 December 1686
v. Ephraim, b. 22 April 1688
vi. Jonathan, b. 11 March 1691/92
vii. David, bap. 29 October 1693
viii. Samuel, b. 25 January 1695/96
ix. John, b. 31 May 1702
vital records sources: John's birth and marriage are in Vital records of Topsfield, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903), 104, 193. Neither are town records, but were taken from the Essex County Quarterly Court annual returns of vital records (indicated by "CT. R.").
1. Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1921), 181.
2. Topsfield town meeting records, needs citation.
3. Topsfield town meeting records, needs citation.
4. 5 August 1700. "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," Ancestry.com database online (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011), "Framingham, Town Records," (vol. 1) [hereafter Framingham 1], image 8 of p. 6.
5. Framingham 1, 7/5.
6. Framingham 1, 9/9.
7. Framingham 1, 10/10.
8. Framingham 1, 11/13, 23/48.
9. Framingham 1, 23/48.
10. Framingham 1, 15/21.
11. Framingham 1, 24/49.
12. Framingham 1, 20/42.
13. Framingham 1, 23/48, 25/51-2.
14. Framingham 1, 18/27.
15. Framingham 1, 23/48.
16. Framingham 1, 19/40, 24/50.
17. See note 18 (where is the original recorded?).
18. Daniels, George Fisher, History of the Town of Oxford, Massachusetts (Oxford, MA: 1892).
19. History of the Town of Oxford, 221.
20. History of the Town of Oxford, 221.
21. History of the Town of Oxford, 272.
22. "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," Ancestry.com database online (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011), "Oxford, Proprietors Records."
23. Congregational Archives & Library website, "Church records, 1721-1847, First Congregational Church in Oxford, Mass.," https://congregationallibrary.quartexcollections.com/Documents/Detail/church-records-1721-1847-first-congregational-church-in-oxford-mass./27447?item=27452.
24. Worcester Co., MA, probate file 59684.
25. Vital records of Oxford, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, (Worcester: 1905), 102-106.