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John's signature in the Oxford proprietor's records



his signature on his will when he was weak and sickly


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





The sites of the homesteads of the Mellen family and of John Town. The blue asterisk shows the likely spot of John's house. There is
an early to mid 18th century house there (225 Maple St.) known as the John Town house, but the surface architectural evidence
shows it could date to after John sold the homestead and moved to Oxford in 1713 up to the mid 1700s.


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.

all text and photographs © 1998-2023 by Doug Sinclair unless where otherwise noted





























5 Aug 1700, selectman,, also town road (Maple St.) report to town as to how it was laid out in Apr 1701 Agreed to calling Rev. Swift and contributed 3 sh to the salary, appears on a list dated 21 Aug 1700, p. on a cttee to consult three ministers to see if it is appropriate to call Swift to the ministry, appointed at a tm 22 May 1701. 9, date is surely wrong since the ministers' report was made on 20 May and JOhn was on a welcoming cttee to go to Swift and tell him the town wanted him on 22 May, p. 10 13 Jan 1701/2, cttee to seat the meeting house. 11 2 Mar 1701/02, chosen to represent to town on the grand jury. 13 also, he was one of 2 men to receive Rev. Swift's contributions for his salary for the coming year and give it to him. 14 7 May 1705, he and Thos Drury were to meet with widow Haven about money due from her to the Town. 21 same meeting, perambulated the Sudbury line, was to be paid 2 sh 3 Oct 1705, he, Simon M and others were to oversee work done "cross plowing" apparently to balance accounts with the town related to money due to him. 22 On the 8th Swift acknowledged the balance, John's name not on the list. 30 June 1707, John Town from Joseph Buckminster, land in Framingham he was already (occupying?) 15:436 19 Feb 1707, John and Mary Town to Swift 1 mar 1707/8, tythingman 27 1 Mar 1708/ 1709, selectman 40 Sgt John 2 Jan 1709/10, road cttee, 42 7 Apr 1709, John and Mary to Cusans 27:370 3 Apr 1710, to be paid 18 sh for sweeping the meeting house the ensuing year 45 24 Mar 1711/12, John was to be paid for sweeping the meeting house in 1710, 51 23 May 1713, from Moses Haven 29 May 1713, John and Mary Town to Maynard 16:337 also Israel and Susannah Town to Treadway 16:338 5 Mar 1710/11, Sgt John Town chosen to serve on the Jury of Trials at Charlestown and clerk of the market, p. 48 19 Apr 1711, town agrees to give him 18 sh for taking care of and sweeping the meeting house in 1710 and 20 sh for the coming year, 48 chosen with Samuel How to "perambulate" the bounds with reps from Marlborough, 49 10 Mar 1711/12, selectman, 50 His son Isreal was chosen to take care of the church 12 May 1712 and John Town to be paid for sweeping the mh in 1711, 52. Israel Town was one of the first grantees at Oxford in 1713 Lt. John Town was deacon of the church when it was formed 3 Dec 1731, John Town to Jonathan Town, his homestead 3:306 exchanges between John and David, same time grant to John, Jr., same time 3:306 Jonathan to John, Jr. 3:307 John Town, Sr. to Barton 5:445, 2 Mar 1732/3 John Town to Caleb Lamb 8:72 21 March 1734/5 21 May 1752, John Town and Thomas Gleason, Jr. were granted land, presumably John, Jr. 13 March 1752, John Town to Streeter 31:390 Oxford town records don't begin until 1761 Looked for Town in Worcester Gen, Sessions of the Peace, 1731-1757 Common Pleas 1744-53 (first book not available online) Lt. John Town was moderator of a meeting of people who called themselves a religious society for the purpose of establishing a church at Oxford, 29 Dec 1720. George F. Daniels, History of the Town of Oxford, Massachusetts, etc. (Oxford:1892), p 51 8 Apr 1728, appt to a cttee to divide all remaining undivided lands in the town, Dea. John 21 September 1741, Jonathan Town appt to the cttee in place of his father, deceased. p 37 elected a deacon 18 Mar 1721, p. 71 29 July 1714, on a church building cttee, p 82 29 Jan 1717, town voted money to build the church, John on bld cttee p 83 27 Jan 1718, bldg not yet finished, John on a cttee again, same page 30 Mar 1714, he was voted to build the village pound, p. 221 He was a selectman 1712-1715, 18, 19, 21, 22 p. 272 Will 11 Jan 1730/1 "being sickly and weak in body." 20 Aug 1740, adm to Jonathan and will to probate same day no inv in packet wife not mentioned. She may have died in 1730, since in December 1731, he sold his homestead to son Jonathan, perhaps in exchange for his care in old age. He gave Jonathan his homestead in his will. If he did die in Topsfield, he must have been visiting family. His brother Jacob was till alive. His sister-in-law (Priscilla Smith, wife of his brother and sister of his wife) died in Jan 1740 and Jacob d. 4 Oct 1741. His sister Catherine died in 1714 sister Deliverance died in 1705 brother Edmund d. 1736 sister Ruth d 1 Aug 1739 supp in Charlestown in 1708, no source, History of Oxford apparently no adm bond extant for Jacob's estate that would say where John, his executor, lived.