proved 1608 but is not to be found, is supposed to have been
the father of John Habgood of the same place, who in 1615
had a wife Alice and eight children, five of whom, viz., John,
Katharine, Mary (wife of Henry Reade), Anne, and Alice,
were of age ; and Robert, Clare, and Thomas, then minors.
This Thomas was probably the father of Shadrach, who
named his first son Nathaniel, after his maternal grandfather,
his second, Thomas, doubtless after his paternal grandfather,
as was the uniform practice of his day, whenever the eldest
son was not named for the latter. This conclusion has al-
most the force of a record, so uniformly was the second son,
if not the first, called after his paternal grandfather. Nearly
the only exceptions were when the latter had a non-scriptural
name, or embarrassment would arise from making the identi-
cal name too common among grandchildren of equal ages in
the same town or neighborhood. All relating to Shadrach
Habgood that can be gleaned from our records is here given
in the variable and defective .orthography in which it
occurs :
" Shadrach Hopgood aged fourteen years embarked at
Gravesend May 30, 1656, in the Speadwell, Robert Lock,
Master, bound for New England," and in July arrived in
Boston. Several other minors embarked at the same time,
whose names soon after reappeared at Marlboro' and Sud-
bury, where he had a cousin, Thomas Haynes, who had not
improbably "been sent to bring him."
20 HAPGOOD FAMILY.
October 21, 1664, he was married at Sudbury to Elizabeth
Treadway, born April 3, 1646, daughter of Nathaniel Tread-
way, then of Sudbury and afterwards of Watertown, where
he served seven years as selectman. Her mother, Suffer-
ance (Howe) Treadway, was the daughter of Elder Edward
Howe of Watertown, whose wife was Margaret, and whose
descendants in this country have retained the arms and
claimed a descent from Lord Howe, an English peer. Her
grandmother, Margaret Howe, married for a second husband
George Bunker, constable of Charlestown, 1630, and owner
of the summit of that immortal hill of glory bearing his
name, and by will gave half her estate to Nathaniel Tread-
way, and bequests to John Stone (eldest son of Deacon
Gregory Stone of Cambridge), husband of her sister Ann,
and to her sister, Mary Rogers of Boxtead, Essex County,
England. The next notice of Shadrach Hopgood occurs in
the following deposition in the records of the Court of
Assistants.
"June 26, 1666 "Sidrache Habgood" aged about twenty-
two yrs. witnesseth & saith that for this seven years past or
more time while I lived with my cousin Peter Noyes & in
the time when my uncle [Peter] Noyes lived, I then knew
the bounds of my cousin's land at Cedar Craught & the tree
owned the last week by Lt. Goodenow, and also the stake
in the meadow by the River side or towards the River
side 5 or 6 rods to the Southward of the brooke to be where
it ever was since I knew it & was in my sight renewed by
neighbor Edward Rice & my cousin Peter Noyes together
& further saith not."
[Sworn] "Before mee Tho: Danforth, Assist." Jan. 25,
1676, he served with Peter Noyes and Edmund Goodnow as
an appraiser of the estate of Joseph Davis of Sudbury.
Shadrach Habgood was a young man of enterprise, and
early laid the foundation of the spacious and fertile landed
estates which so many of his descendants have enjoyed quite
down to the present time.
FIRST GENERATION. 21
In 1669, after Concord, Sudbury, Marlboro', Lancaster,
Groton, and "Nashaby" had been granted, there was left a
large and irregular tract between them, running in a north-
westerly direction from Sudbury to Lunenburg, was then
called "Pomposetticut" ; and he, in 1678 or 1679, with eleven
other men from Concord, Sudbury, and Chelmsford, then
petitioned the General Court for a grant of the same. The
records of the General Court are silent about it, yet from
records of the proprietors of Stow, it appears that the Court
entertained such petition, sent a committee to view the tract,
and actually granted them the land for a new town, in 1670,
requiring them to begin to improve it by May, 1673, and no
doubt annexing other customary conditions, such as taking
up 50 acres each, building a meeting-house, and settling an
orthodox minister, &c., within a specified time, and pro-
curing a certain number of additional settlers to become
equal partners with themselves, after which they might
proceed . to make further allotments of land. With all
such conditions they did not probably comply. Yet they
proceeded and "took up lots of 50 acres each" on both
sides of Assabet River, from one to two miles above the
site of Assabet Village, and located their meeting-house
near the old burying yard in Stow. How far they progressed
is not ascertainable. Philip's war came on soon, some lost
their lives, and the settlement is supposed for a time to have
been broken up. Still the grantees, if they did not fully
comply with all the conditions of the grant, went so far as
to obtain an extension, and certainly to secure to themselves
and heirs large interests in the town, which, by a further Act
of the General Court, May 16, 1683, was fully incorporated
by the name of Stow. That portion of the narrow belt,
known as " Stow Leg," lying within their boundaries, fell to
each of the towns, Harvard, Shirley, and Boxborough, as
they were incorporated.
Shadrach Habgood took up his lot of 50 acres on the
south side of the river, -where Mr. Nathaniel Hapgood
22 HAPGOOD FAMILY.
resides, about one and one half miles south or southwest of
the site of the first meeting-house. Here he began improve-
ments, and operated two or three years, it is supposed,
preparatory to removing his family from Sudbury, if he did
not actually do so ; but the Indian war came on, and he was
summoned to the field.
The Nipmuck Indians, whose original country embraced
the upper basins of Concord, Charles, and Blackstone rivers,
and extended west to the Connecticut, had engaged secretly
with King Philip to make war upon the English, but the
war having been brought on before they were fully prepared
to take part, they dissembled, and assured the settlers of
their friendship. Still they were suspected by the govern-
ment. Captains Hutchinson and Wheeler were therefore
ordered, with twenty mounted men, and three Indian inter-
preters, to proceed into their country to treat with them, to
insure their loyalty. In this company was Shadrach Hab-
good. They proceeded to Brookfield. Here the Indians
being made acquainted with the object of their visit, engaged
to meet them, August 2, 1675, at a certain spot at Quaboag,
about three miles from the village and garrison of Brookfield.
They proceeded to the place, but finding no Indians, and
imagining they had mistaken the locality, directed their
course to Wikabaug Pond, in single file, between a swamp
on the left and an abrupt high hill on the right. The place
is supposed to be on the south side of the railroad, between
the depot in Brookfield and West Brookfield. Here they
fell into an ambush, and were suddenly surrounded with 200
or 300 warriors, who killed eight of their number and mor-
tally wounded three others. Among the murdered was
Shadrach Habgood. Captain Wheeler, whose letter describ-
ing this tragedy has been often before the public, spells his
name Hapgood. Mrs. Habgood, with her five children, was
probably at Sudbury, to receive the sorrowful tidings. But
their griefs and losses were not yet ended. She was
appointed to administer on her husband's estate, which, with
FIRST GENERATION. 23
his right and interest in the "New Plantation at Pomset-
ticutt," now Stow, was appraised by Peter Noyes and Edmund
Goodenow, September 2, 1675, at ^145. 2s. October 5 (8),
1675, she presented a new inventory of the estate, valued at
106. us., praying for an abatement of the difference, in
consequence of the burning of a house by the enemy. This,
no doubt, refers to a house which her husband had built up-
on his lot at Pomposetticut, for Sudbury was not burnt until
April 6, 1676, although his descendant, who occupies the
spot, has no tradition of the event. \From first edition^
About the close of her administratorship, probably in
1677, the record says : "There are five children left of Syd-
rack," (or Shadrach) and Elizabeth Treadway (or Tredaway)
Habgood, viz. :
CHILDREN.
2 I. Nathaniel 2 , born October 21, 1665 ; married Elizabeth
Ward of Marlboro. [See Chapter /.]
II. Mary 2 , born November 2, 1667; married at Watertown,
April 10, 1688, John Whitney, son of Jonathan, and
grandson of John and Elinor, born June 27, 1662, at
Watertown. He settled in Framingham, built a house
near Washakum pond, was selectman in 1714 for
three years, constable 1719, tythingman 1719 and 1724,
admitted to the church July 26, 1719. Was a fuller by
trade; died , 1735. His inventory bears date
May 22, 1735, and his estate was valued at ^619.
145. 7d. Resided at Framingham, Sherborn and
Wrentham, Mass.
CHILDREN.
1. Mary 3 Whitney, born March 27, 1689; married, Feb-
ruary i, 1709, Daniel Moore of Sudbury, born
April 1 8, 1686.
2. Elizabeth 3 , born January 21, 1690; married Jonathan
Willard, born at Roxbury, June 27, 1693; she
died July 4, 1720.
3. James 3 , born December 28, 1692; married Martha
Rice, February 2, 1715, and second, , 1732,
24 HAPGOOD FAMILY.
Mrs. Elizabeth (Holbrook)Twitchell; Hon. Daniel
Whitney of Sherborn was their son. He died
April 10, 1770.
2 III. Thomas 2 , born October i, 1669, in Sudbury; married, 1690-
91, Judith Barker, born April 9, 1671 ; died August 15,
1759. [See Chapter 77]
IV. Sarah 2 , born 1672; married 1691, Jonathan
Whitney, born October 20, 1658, brother of John,
above, and grandson of John and Elinor Whitney of
Watertown, who embarked at London, 1635, in the
" Elizabeth and Ann," Roger Cooper, Master. He
had a lot and built a house near Chestnut Brook, in
Sherborn, about 1691. He afterwards went to Con-
cord, where he died March 17, 1735. Will dated
March 14, proved March 18, 1735. He served in
King Philip's war in 1676; resided in Sherborn,
Watertown, and Concord.
CHILDREN.
1. Sarah 3 Whitney, born March 2, 1692 ; married, Novem-
ber, 1712, Jonathan Warren, and died April
10, 1752.
2. Jonathan 3 , born September 27, 1694; died young.
3. Tabitha 3 , born August 22, 1696; married, February
28, 1715, Jacob Fulham, who was a sergeant in
Captain Lovewell's company, and was killed in
" Love well's fight" with the Indians at Pig-
wacket, May 8, 1725. She married second, April
19, 1726, George Parkhurst ; and third, August 10,
1736, Samuel Hunt.
4. Shadrach 3 , born October 12, 1698; married, January 5,
1732, Mrs. Prudence Lawrence, and was a promi-
nent man in the town of Groton, Mass.; died
July, 1764.
5. Jonathan 3 , born November 25, 1700; resided in Lunen-
burg, 1744.
6. Anne 3 , born May 22, 1702; married, March 3, 1723,
in Concord, Captain Ebenezer Cutler; she died
August 24, 1793.
7. Amos 3 , born May i, 1705 ; probably died in Townsend,
unmarried.
8. Zaccheus 3 , born November 16, 1707; married, May 23,
1734, Mary Wheeler. In 1725, when but eighteen
FIRST GENERATION. 25
years of age, with his brother Isaac, he enlisted
and served in the Colonial Militia, and took part
in many of the skirmishes and battles with the
Indians. He was left in 1 725 in the fort at Ossipee
by Captain John Lovewell. He was probably killed
by the Indians in 1739.
9. Isaac, 3 born 1708; a glazier in Concord, was a soldier
in the early Indian wars, and with his brother
Zaccheus, was left by Captain John Lovewell in
the fort at Ossipee in 1725.
10. Timothy 3 , born February 20, 1709; married, May 24,
1738, Submit Parker, and died 1740.
11. Daniel 3 , born 1710; married, March, 1739, Thankful
Allen.
V. Elizabeth 2 , born 1674; died unmarried, July 20,
1689.
Elizabeth (Treadway) Hapgood married second, Joseph Hayward of
Concord, where her son Thomas is said to have been brought up. The
records show that Hayward married Elizabeth Treadway, possibly he
had her maiden name restored on the record to show her respectable
origin, or the clerk committed an error in not knowing her previous
marriage, or how to express both of her previous names. Joseph Hay-
ward was born one year after her first husband, and having buried his
first wife, December 15,^675, four months after Shadrach Hapgood
was slain, married, March 23, 1677, Elizabeth Treadway Hapgood.
She buried her mother at Watertown, 1682, and her father, Nathaniel
Treadway of Watertown, in 1687, who left legacies for the children of
his " daughter Elizabeth Hayward by her first husband Habgood."
CHILDREN
Of Joseph and Elizabeth ( Tread way-Hapgood) Hayward.
1. Ebenezer Hayward, born May 22, 1679, at Con-
cord.
2. James Hayward, born March r, 1681, at Concord.
3. Simon Hayward, born , 1683, at Concord.
4. Abiell Hayward, born September 12, 1691, at
Concord.
Prudence, probably daughter of Joseph Hayward by first wife,
Abigail, (Middlesex deeds XXII. 233), born ; married Sergeant
John White of Brookfield, Mass., November 26, 1707. He and his
wife's half-brother, Ebenezer Hayward, and others, were slain by Indians
26 HAPGOOD FAMILY.
at Brookfield, July 24, 1710, and Elizabeth Treadway's first husband,
her son, and her step-daughter's husband were victims of the savages.
August 31, 1714, Prudence, widow of John White, conveys to John
Keyes all her right, title and interest, in certain lands which had been
"laid out to my honored grandfather, Nathaniel Treadway of Water-
town, on the twenty-second of the third month 1660."
CHAPTER I.
SECOND GENERATION.
2.
DEACON NATHANIEL 2 (Shadracfr), was, for his time, a man
of eminence, distinguished for enterprise and success in busi-
ness, official trusts, and usefulness. Being the eldest son, he
received a double portion of his father's estate, and succeeded
to the inheritance of his home-lot and proprietary in the then
extensive town of Stow ; and, as if not satisfied or accommo-
dated by this, he, May 17, 1697, for ,$2. ios., bought
of Simon Willard 80 acres adjoining his home-lot, on the
southwest, and Assabet River on the north. March 19,
1702-3, he purchased for ^70, of Mr. Willard, then of
Salem, "all his farm in Stow bounded southwest by near
Alcocks farm (/. e., 'the farm' in Marlboro') and south by
Assabet River, which parted it from Habgood's land for-
merly bought of Willard. His home farm, well adapted to
tillage, must now have been very extensive, including, as is
presumed, the 500 acres granted 1657, by the General Court,
to Major Symon Willard of Concord, for his services to this
colony," added to the 50 acres inherited from his father, and
23 more adjacent on the east, assigned in the second division
of common lands in 1719, and another lot adjoining the
"Willard Farm," granted in 1723; and when we consider
the great allowance then made for swag of chain in laying
out grants, Deacon Habgood's home farm could have been
little, if any, short of 700 acres.
Subsequently, as the common lands of Stow were from
time to time divided among the proprietors, he, " in the right
of his father Shadrach," drew many lots, especially in the
27
28 HAPGOOD FAMILY.
north and northwest parts of the town. June 22, 1721,
there was assigned to Isaac Gates 9 acres 55 rods of
meadow, meadow bottom and upland, in two pieces, supposed
to have been subsequently bought by Deacon Habgood.
One, containing 5 acres 122 rods, extending up and down on
the west side of Pinhill Brook, near Lancaster [original]
line, and bounded east and northeast by that brook, west
and south by common land. The other lot of 3 acres 93
rods, situated also on Pinhill Brook, next to Groton line,
bounded north by that line, east by the brook, west by com-
mon land, and south by Ephraim Willowby's meadow.
May 22, 1722, there was laid out for him, for a fourth
division, 95 acres in Stow, 50 in the right of his father
Shadrach, and 45 in the right of Joseph Daby, on the west
side of Pinhill Brook, bounded northeasterly [for a short
distance] by the brook, and a way, 2 rods wide, left for the
conveniency of the meadows, "Northerly near to Groton
line, westerly near to George Robin's land and southerly by
undivided land." The northeast line began near Isaac
Gates' meadow, above described, 2 rods from Groton line,
and ran near west northwest parallel to said line, then paral-
lel to Robins' land, with a highway 2 rods wide between,
then by John Daby's lot of 15 acres, then east by 28 south
100 rods, and then east 148 rods to the brook. This lot
constituted the nucleus of the second Hapgood farm in the
old town of Stow, and was situated on the hip of Stow Leg,
between Lancaster and Groton, and now in Harvard, about
i% miles from the Town House.
In 1726, to Nathaniel Hapgood, 3^ acres of meadow in
Pinhill meadows, bounding southerly upon Lancaster line
and Pinhill Brook, east by Isaac Gates' meadow, the first
above described, and northerly upon common land.
May 1 6, 1727, there was laid out in Stow, for Deacon
Nathaniel Hapgood, 24 acres 140 rods of the fifth and sixth
division, 6 acres and 28 rods of which were to the right of
his father Shadrach, and 10 acres to the right of John Daby.
SECOND GENERATION. 29
"It lyeth," says the record, "westerly of John Daby's land,
where he now dwells." It had a way, running northerly or
rather northeast and southwest for 7 rods of its eastern
boundary, and the land of Samuel Hall for the northeast
boundary, and its extreme south angle was "at or near the
town line," probably Lancaster north line. And at the same
date another lot, of the fifth division, containing 18 acres
and 132 rods; 9 acres and 25 rods to his own inherited
right, and 8 acres 132 rods to the right of Joseph Daby.
This was bounded north 86 rods by his own land, east by
Thomas Wheeler's, 73 rods, southeast by Pinhill Meadow,
south by said meadow, and southwest by John Daby's land.
Its south and southwest lines met near a small run of water
in the bank of the meadow.
He early became the proprietor of William Kerley's right
in the public lands of Lancaster, and of a lot upon Bare Hill.
For, March 16, 1722-3, 23 acres, in two lots, were "laid out
for him for a third and fourth division to the estate of
William Kerley, Jr." One lot was bounded northwest by his
own land on Bare Hill, and the other northeast by the same.
These were no doubt included in the 65 acres afterward
owned by his son Shadrach. These lots, perhaps, by some
exchanges, were gathered into a large farm, and by a division
of Stow, in 1732, thrown into Harvard. Thus it appears
that, years after the death of Shadrach Habgood the first,
lots continued to be assigned to Deacon Nathaniel in the
right of his father, which went to his descendants and gave
them ample farms, and what was still better, farms on the
mica slate formation.
Deacon Nathaniel was much interested in Lancaster, and
probably in Worcester and Grafton. At Lancaster, Septem-
ber 10, 1713, he sold, for ^55, to Thomas Carter, a house
lot of 20 acres. October 19, 1730, he bought of John
Remain, for ^138, a meadow at Long Hill, in Lancaster;
and sold for 60, December i, 1730, to Ephraim Wilder, 28
acres ; and for ;io, February 6, 1732, to Samuel Wilson, 40
30 HAPGOOD FAMILY.
acres in Lancaster. May 20, 1730, he gave his son Nathan-
iel, then of Lancaster, 12 acres in Stow, at Hogpen Hill,
and all his town rights and lands in Lancaster.
He seems to have purchased of Isaac Miller a right in
the undivided lands of Worcester, where, in the part now
Holden, 120 acres were drawn in his right, by his son
Daniel, and June 20, 1750, sold for ;ioo, to "Zacceus"
Gates. November 5, 1728, he sold for 60, to John Coller,
48 acres in Hassanamisco, now Grafton.
March 28, 1725, he conveyed to his son Shadrach "all his
lands in Harvard with the rights and privileges thereto
belonging which lands, it is added, are set forth in Stow &
Lancaster proprietors' records." This shows that they were
originally in two towns, and drawn partly in the right of
Deacon Nathaniel, and partly in the right of his father
Shadrach.
Deacon Nathaniel, it is safe to presume, was an excellent
man, early and long a pillar in the church of Stow, although
her records are too defective to inform us of any of his
religious history. In the management of the municipal
interests of the town his name is most conspicuous.
Between 1697 and 1727, he served as selectman 14 years;
and in 1711 and 1712 as grand juryman, and in 1716-18 as
town treasurer, and sometimes as moderator of town meet-
ings. He was early styled " Ensign." He seems to have set-
tled his estate mainly in his lifetime, and probably died
intestate. Yet there was no resort to any court for any
further settlement. No record exists of his death, but his
ashes, no doubt, repose in the graveyard by the old common
in Stow. His name does not occur after 1732, when he
appeared to be setting his house in order. His wife was a
widow in 1741. [From first edition.']
He married, September 6, 1695, Elizabeth, daughter of
Samuel and Sarah (Howe) Ward. Samuel was a son of
William Ward, born in Marlboro' September 24, 1641 ;
SECOND GENERATION. 31
married, June 6, 1667, Sarah, daughter of John Howe, of
Marlboro'. She died August n, 1707, and he, 1729. Eliza-
beth was born 1672; made her will February 25, 1741-42,
and died November 5, 1748. Her will was approved Novem-
ber 1 8, 1748, giving to Nathaniel, her eldest son, 20 ;
to Hezekiah, her second son, 10 ; to Shadrach, her third
son, 30; to Daniel, her fourth son, io\ to Sarah Gates,
her second daughter, and wife of Phineas Gates, half of the
remainder of her estate; and to her two grandchildren,
Elizabeth and Lucy Gates, in equal shares, the other half.
Her estate was inventoried at ^626. 75.
CHILDREN.
3 I. Nathaniel 3 , born about 1696; he married second, pub-
lished December 3, 1727, Mary Heald, Haild, or Hale,
of Stow, born June 22, 1704; date of her death not
recorded. He died about 1746. The records of
Nathaniel's birth, marriage and death, have not been
found, and probably do not exist.
4 II. Hezekiah 3 , born 1699; married 1723, Sarah Whitney,
born 1703, in Stow.
5 III. Shadrach 3 , born November 6, 1704, in Stow; married
Elizabeth Wetherbee, born 1714, and died Novem-
ber 30, 1808.
6 IV. Daniel 3 , born about 1706; married Hepsibeth ,
born July 14, 1715; died October 23, 1738.
V. Elizabeth 3 , born 1708; married Phineas Gates. (No
other record found.)
CHILDREN.
1. Elizabeth 4 Gates, born about 1 732, legatee to the estate
of her grandmother, Elizabeth, 1748.
2. Lucy* Gates, born about 1734, legatee to the estate of
her grandmother, Elizabeth, 1748.
VI. Sarah 3 , born about 1710; married the widower, Phineas
Gates, husband to her deceased sister, Elizabeth. No
children.
32 HAPGOOD FAMILY.
THIRD GENERATION.
3.
NATHANIEL 3 (Nathaniel*, Shadrach?), born about 1696, set-
tled in Lancaster prior to 1727, in the part which became
Bolton (1738), doubtless on land previously received of his
father, to which other lots and a town right were added in
1730. May 1 8, 1741, he sold to his brother Shadrach of Har-
vard, for ;io, 30 acres and 25 rods, 27 of which were to be
assigned to Shadrach in the right of William Kerley, whose
right Nathaniel 3 possessed, December 9, 1745, for **, to
Jeremiah Priest of Harvard, 18 acres in Lancaster, laid
out in the right of William Kerley. On the same day
Nathaniel of Bolton sold a lot in Bolton for ^50, to Paul
Gates, and December 25, 1744, for ;io, 3 acres to John
Whitcomb, and March 6, 1756, for >\2.. ios., 25 acres to
Jonathan Moor of Bolton, to be laid out in any of the
undivided lands of Lancaster, in the right of William
Kerley; and February 9, 1749-50, for ;i2, to Joseph
Sawyer of Harvard, 23 acres, to be laid out in old
Lancaster; and February 1 6, 1749-50, for 4, to Nathan-
iel Oaks, a lot to be laid out within the bounds, formerly
Lancaster.
He was published December 3, 1727, and married Mary
Heald, of Stow.
January 6, 1745-6, he made his will, giving his wife Mary,
the improvement of all his real estate until his grand-
daughter, Sarah Gates, should become twenty-one years of
age, or married, and afterwards the improvement of one-half
of the same during life. After her decease the whole should
become the property of Sarah Gates, but if she did not live
THIRD GENERATION. 33
to the age of twenty-one, or to marry, the whole should go
to the relatives of the testator.