Search • Advanced Search • Search Families • Search Site

First Name:   Last Name:   ID:  

Genealogical and Personal Memoirs-Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts

• Title	Genealogical and Personal Memoirs-Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts
  Author	William Richard Cutter
  Publisher	Name: Lewis Historical Publishing Company; Location: New York; Date: 1910;
  Source ID	S00015
  Linked to Individuals: 1	Peter BRANCH, I

  
  

• Notes

  William Richard Cutter, Genealogical and Personal Memoirs-Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts (New York, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1910), Christopher Branch came from BRANCH England to Jamestown, Virginia, about 1623, and is the ancestor of a large and prominent family scattered through the southern states. In this family there is a tradition that Christopher was son of Thomas Branch and grandson of John Branch, Lord Mayor of London. William Flower, alias Branch, father of the Lord Mayor, is mentioned in Fox's Book of Martyrs; he renounced the Roman Catholic faith; was tried and condemned to death for an alleged attempt to kill a priest at the altar; married Fulton. It is now believed that John Branch, son of the Lord Mayor and grandson of the martyr, was father of Peter Branch, the immigrant to New England, mentioned below. (I) Peter Branch, immigrant ancestor, came from Holden, county Kent, England, on the ship "Castle" in 1638, dying on board during the voyage. His will was proved in Suffolk county. Massachusetts, dated June 16, 1638. He bequeathed his property to his son, John Branch, then eleven years old. apprenticed to Thomas Wiburne, late of Tenterden, Kent. England, and probably a relative. Wiburne, Wyburne, Wy- borne, Wyburn or \Viburn,as his name was variously spelled, came from Tenterden before 1638 and settled at Duxbury, Massachusets where he was a proprietor in 1638; removed to Scituate in 1643, and thence to Boston, selling out in 1652 at Scituate; a sadler. by trade. Peter Branch was a carpenter. The estate of Branch was committed in trust to Wiburne for eleven years and, if John died within eleven years, the estate was to go to the churches at Scituate and Concord. A bequest was also made to Stephen Ingleden's widow or her children. He married, in England, January 14, 1623, Elizabeth Gillame. She died before 1638. Their only child surviving: John, mentioned below. (II) John, s^n of Peter Branch, was born in Holden, county Kent, England; in 1627. He was apprenticed to Thomas Wiburne to learn the sadler's trade, as shown by his father's will mentioned above. He lived at Duxbury and Scituate with Wiburne, and settled on Branch Island, Marshfield, Massachusetts. He married, December 6, 1652, Mary Speed. Children : John, Elizabeth, Peter, mentioned below; Thomas, Mercy. (III) Peter (2), son of John Branch, was born on Branch Island, Marshfield, May 28, 1659. As early as 1680 he came from Marsh- field to Norwich, Connecticut, and bought a tract of land there a few miles east of Nor- jvich, of Oanaco, son of the famous Indian chief, Uncas, by deed dated December 10, 1683. His cattle mark was registered in 1680 at Norwich, and he was one of the original petitioners for the incorporation of the town of Preston where he lived. He was one of the incorporators and most prominent citizens of Preston, serving the town in various positions of trust and honor. He was on the committee that invited Rev. Solomon Treat to settle as minister in the town. He married, about 1684. Hannah Lincoln, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Austin) Lincoln, and granddaughter of Thomas Lincoln, the miller, who came from Hingham, England, to Hing- ham. Massachusetts, about 1635, and whose mill at Taunton. Massachusetts, was used as a place of meeting for the conference with King Philip before the war. Children: i. Mary. 2. Hannah. 3. Elizabeth. 4. John, born at Preston, March 31, 1694, married, October 20, 1726, Martha Williams. 5. Peter. 6. Thomas. 7. Samuel, mentioned below. 8. Sarah. 9. Joseph. (TV) Samuel, son of Peter (2) Branch, was born at Preston, September 3, 1701. He married. May 23. 1728, Anna Lamb, born 1701, at North Stonington, Connecticut, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Lamb, of Mystic, Connecticut. Among their children were: i. Samuel, born August 6, 1729, died 1772; married Hannah Witter, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Witter.. 2. Cyprian, settled at Richmond, Massachusetts. 3. Vine, mentioned below. (V) Vine, son of Samuel Branch, was born in Preston, January 21, 1743. He was a soldier in the revolution, a private from Richmond in Lieutenant Jabez Coe's company. Colonel David Rosseter's regiment, Berkshire county militia, July, 1777, reinforcing the northern army; was at the battle of Benning- ton in the same company under, Captain Aaron Rowley, August 13-20, 1777; also in the same company, Colonel John Brown's regiment of Bershire county at Pawlet, Vermont, reinforcing the northern army in September. 1777; also for two days in 1780, October 18-20, in Captain Joseph Raymond's company, Colonel Rosseter's regiment. Brigadier General Fellows' brigade to reinforce General Stark at Stillwater, New York; also in Captain Raymond's company. Colonel Hyde's regiment, October 29 to November 6. 1781, on another alarm from Stillwater. Vine Branch and others of the family settled during the revolution in Richmond, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and in 1790 the first federal census, shows that he had two males over sixteen, four under sixteen and five females in his family there. He married Dorothy Partridge. Child, Roswell, mentioned below. (VI) Roswell, son of Vine Branch, was born 1775-80, probably at Richmond. He married Theodocia Wright and lived at Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Child, Grove Wright, mentioned below. (VII) Deacon Grove Wright, son or nephew of Roswell Branch, was born September 21, 1803. He removed to Dalton, Massachusetts, where his birth is recorded. He removed in early life to Pittsfield, where he was raised and educated, attending the common schools. He engaged in the grocery business for a number of years. In 1834 he removed to Dalton where he was the proprietor of the Eagle Hotel. He married (first) Pamelia Sprague, born March 7, 1805; (second) Sarah (Foote) Fairneld, born August 20. 1809. Children: i. Hayden W., born 1830, married : children, .