INDEX to the Plympton files

Generation 1

SGT. JOHN PLYMPTON (abt 1620 - 1677) of Dedham, Medfield and Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts

Parents: Unknown

John Plympton was born about 1620. [Ref] He probably died in 1675. He married Jane Damon [Ref] on 13 Mar 1644 in Dedham. [Ref, "Jane Dummin"][Ref] Jane was born about 1626. She married second Nicholas Hide on 16 Mar 1679. [Ref, 3;447-8]

Chase [Ref] presents an interesting, if unabashedly fictionalised, account of John's life. He presents a conjecture about John's English background, suggesting that he was a Puritan who fell out with his staunchly Catholic family.

In 1635 Abigail, the wife of John Eaton and widow of Unknown Dammant came to New England on the Elizabeth and Ann with her children Jane Dammand, age 9, Marie Eaton, age 4 and Thomas Eaton, Age 1. Her husband John Eaton and son John Dammant also came to New England and the family settled in Dedham. [Ref] John Eaton left John Dammant of Reading and John Plympton each five pounds in his will, dated 2 (9) 1658. [Ref] Jane Damat, the daughter of "our sister Eaton" of the church at Watertown was received into the church at Dedham on 4 (10) 1640. [Ref] John Damat joined on 9 (1) 1645. [Ref]

John Plympton had the signature (reproduced in Chase [Ref]) of an educated man. The inventory on his estate included books. [Ref]

In his will of 22 Dec 1640, George Alcock of Roxbury gave his servant John Plimpton his time from midsummer. [Ref]

John was admitted to the church in Dedham on 20 (11) 1642. [Ref] He was admitted freeman on 10 May 1643. [Ref][Ref, 3:447-8, "maybe"] In 1643 he joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillary Co. (then the Incorporated Artillary Co.). [Ref]

John bought two acres of meadow in Fowle from Eleazer Lusher of Dedham for 5 shillings on 20 (9) 1646. [Ref]

A John Plimpton was granted 100 acres in the West Section in Medfield in 1650. [Ref] He was taxed in Medfield in 1652. [Ref] At the end of 1652 John's estate, which included two cows a calf and a pig, amounted to a small £46 and his household included six persons. [Ref] Ten years later his estate was valued at £102 and there were nine people in his family. [Ref] In 1669 his estate amounted to £238. [Ref]

John received 3£ 5s. 2 d. for sweeping the meeting house in 1661 and 1662. [Ref] He held several minor public offices. He was surveyor of the highways in 1661. [Ref] He was one of three men to burn the woods for herd walks in 1666. [Ref] He was constable in 1667. [Ref]

John was one of the inhabitants of Medfield who signed a 19 (8) 1664 letter to the General Court stating their loyalty. [Ref]

At a 4 Dec 1672 December proprietors' meeting at Pocomtuck (Deerfield), it was decided that John should be allowed to buy land there if he would settle there. [Ref] In the spring of 1673 the Plymptons moved to Deerfield. [Ref] He was appointed Sergeant there. [Ref][Ref, 3:447-8]

John's house in Deerfield was a garrison surrounded by palisades. [Ref] During King Philip's War the residents of Deerfield took resident in Hatfield. [Ref] John returned to Deerfield in Sep 1677. [Ref] He was captured by the Indians [Ref, 3:447-8, "two yrs and one day aft. d. of [son] Jonathan" and "carr. towards Canada and k."] and killed. [Ref] Benjamin Waite wrote from Albany to his friends in Hatfield on 23 May 1678, "Three of the captives are murdered: old Goodman Plympton, Samuel Foot's daughter, Samuel Russell." [Ref] "One report says, by burn. at the stake. [Ref, 3;447-8]

Inventory on John's estate was presented by his widow Jane on 24 Sep 1678. The estate amounted to only 29£ 11 s of possessions and some land in Deerfield. [Ref]

Children of John Plympton and Jane Damon:

1. Hannah Plympton was born on 1 (1) 1645 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Dedham. [Ref] She was baptised on 9 (1) 1645 [Ref, 3:447-8, 16 Mar] in Dedham. [Ref] She married first Nathaniel Sutliffe on 31 Jan 1664 [Ref, 3;447-8, 1665] in Medfield. [Ref] Nathaniel was killed on 19 May 1676 at the Fall's Fight, where he served under Capt. Turner. [Ref] She married second Samuel Harrington of Deerfield [Ref] in 1677. [Ref, pp. 9 - 11] He died on 25 Jul 1719 [Ref, pp. 9 - 11] in Branford, New Haven, Connecticut. [Ref]
   Nathaniel paid 3 s. 2 d. in Medford as his contribution for the college on 2 (10) 1661. [Ref, pp. 9 - 11] In 1663 Nathaniel and John Bullard sawed 450 feet of lumber for enlarging the meeting house. [Ref, pp. 9 - 11] Nathaniel lived about 100 rods west of the Plympton homestead. [Ref, pp. 9 - 11] Nathaniel moved to Deerfield in 1673 with the Plymptons. [Ref, pp. 9 - 11]
   Samuel and Hannah moved to Branford about 1679/80. [Ref, pp. 9 - 11] Samuel signed his will in 1719. [Ref, pp. 9 - 11] Inventory on his estate amounted to 252 pounds. [Ref, pp. 9 - 11]
   some descendants of Hannah Plympton
2. John Plympton was born on 21 Mar 1646 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Dedham. [Ref, 21 (1), s. John and Jane] He was baptised on 5 (2) 1646 [Ref, 3:447-8, 5 Apr] in Dedham. [Ref] He died on 26 (2) 1646 in Dedham. [Ref]
3. Mary Plympton was born on 9 Apr 1648 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Dedham. [Ref, 9 (2), "Marah", d. John and Jane][Ref, 19 Apr] She was baptised on 16 Apr 1648. [Ref, 3:447-8] She died on 27 Nov 1736 in Marlborough. [Ref] She married Nathaniel Johnson on 16 Nov 1671 [Ref][Ref, 3;447-8, 14 Nov] in Medfield or Marlborough. [Ref][Ref] Nathaniel, the son of Solomon Johnson, was born on 3 Feb 1639 in Sudbury. [Ref] He died on 24 Jul 1718 in Marlborough. [Ref][Ref, age 80]
   some descendants of Mary Plympton
4. John Plimpton was born on 16 Jun 1650. [Ref, 3:447-8] He was baptised on 23 (4) 1650 in Dedham. [Ref, s. br. John] He died on 30 Jan 1703/4 in Medfield. [Ref, h. Sarah] He married first Elizabeth Fisher on 2 Jan 1677 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Medfield. [Ref] She was the daughter of John Fisher. [Ref, 3:447-8] She died on 13 May 1694 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Medfield. [Ref, s. John and Jane, w. John] He married second Sarah Turner on 28 Feb 1696. [Ref, 3:447-8] She might be the Sarah who married John Metcalf on 30 Dec 1708 in Medfield. [Ref]
   John was in Capt. Moseley's company in Dedham on 12 Dec 1675. [Ref][Ref, 9 Dec][Ref, 3;447-8, no day] John contributed two bushels of Indian corn to Harvard College in 1678. [Ref]
   some descendants of John Plympton
   
5. Peter Plympton was born in 1651 in Dedham. [Ref, s. John and James] He was baptised on 7 (1) 1652 in Dedham. [Ref, s. br. John] He died on 27 Mar 1717 in Marlborough. [Ref][Ref, 3:447-8] He married Mary Munden on 2 Jul 1677 in Hatfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts. [Ref] Mary was the daughter of Abraham. [Ref, 3:447-8]
   Peter was in Hatfield in 1679. [Ref, 3:447-8] He may be the Peter who took the Oath of Allegiance on 8 Feb 1678 in Hatfield. [Ref]
   some descendants of Peter Plympton
   
6. Joseph Plympton was born on 7 Oct 1653 in Medfield. He died on 20 Jun 1702 in Medfield. He married Mary Morse.
7. Mehitable Plympton was born on 15 Sep 1655 in Medfield. [Ref][Ref][Ref, 3:447-8] She died on 8 Aug 1725 in Medfield. [Ref, wid. Jonathan] She married first Ephraim Hinsdale [Ref] on 28 Sep 1676 [Ref, 3;447-8] in Medfield. [Ref] Ephraim was the son of Dea. Robert and Ann (Woodward) Hinsdale. [Ref, p. 10] He was born on 26 (7) 1650 in Dedham. [Ref, s. Robert and Ann] She married second Joseph Cheney [Ref, s. William] on 21 Jul 1691 in Medfield. [Ref] She married third Dea. Jonathan Adams on 12 Dec 1717 [Ref] Medway. [Ref]
8. Jonathan Plympton was born on 23 Nov 1657 in Medfield. [Ref][Ref][Ref, 3:447-8] He was killed by the Indians [Ref, during King Philip's War] on 18 Sep 1675 at Bloody Brook. [Ref, 3:447-8]
9. Eleazer Plympton was born on 20 Feb 1659/60 in Medfield. [Ref][Ref, 3:447-8] He probably died before 7 May 1661.
10. Eleazer Plympton was born on 7 May 1661 in Medfield. [Ref][Ref, 3:447-8, 3 or 7 May]
11. Lede Plympton was born on 2 Feb 1662/3 in Medfield. [Ref, d. John and Jane] She died on 14 Feb 1662/3 in Medfield. [Ref, d. John and Jane]
12. Jane Plympton was born on 3 Jun 1664 in Medfield. [Ref, d. John and Jane] She died on 12 Jun 1664 in Medfield. [Ref, d. John and Jane]
13. Henry Plympton was born on 9 Jan 1665/6 in Medfield. [Ref, s. John and Jane] He died on 4 Jan 1668 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Medfield. [Ref, s. John and Jane]

Generation 2

JOSEPH PLYMPTON (1653 - 1702) of Medfield

Parents: Sgt. John Plympton and Jane Damon

Joseph Plympton was born on 7 (8) 1653 in Medfield. [Ref][Ref][Ref, 3:447-8] He died on 20 Jun 1702 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Medfield. [Ref, h. Mary] He married Mary Morse on 3 Nov 1675 in Medfield. [Ref][Ref] Torrey says that Mary is the daughter of Joseph. [Ref]

Children of Joseph Plympton and Mary Morse:

1. Lieut. Joseph Plympton was born on 15 Mar 1676/7 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Medfield. [Ref, s. Joseph and Mary] He died on 21 Oct 1739/40. [Ref] He married Priscilla Partridge on 22 Aug 1699. [Ref][Ref gives only the year][Ref] Priscilla, the daughter of William and Sarah Partridge, was born on 3 Sep 1672 and died on 24 May 1738. [Ref]
   Joseph and Priscilla lived in Medfield. [Ref] Joseph was a representative from Medfield in 1720. [Ref] He was a selectman in 1726, 1727, 1731, 1733 and 1735. [Ref] He was a lieutenant in 1723. [Ref] He was a farmer. [Ref]
   some descendants of Joseph Plympton
   
2. Jonathan Plympton was born on 28 Apr 1680 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Medfield. [Ref, s. Joseph and Mary] He died on 6 Dec 1749 in Medfield. [Ref] He married Bethiah Fiske. [Ref]
   some descendants of Jonathan Plympton
3. Jeremiah Plympton was born on 8 Nov 1683 in Medfield. He married Elizabeth Johnson.
4. Mary Plympton was born in Jul 1692 [Ref, 3:447-8] in Medfield. [Ref, d. Joseph and Mary] She married Samuel Adams on 22 Nov 1709 [Ref gives only the year] in Medfield. [Ref][Ref gives only the year]

Generation 3

JEREMIAH PLYMPTON (b. 1683) of Canterbury

Parents: Joseph Plympton, Sr. and Mary Morse

Jeremiah Plympton was born on 8 Nov 1683 [Ref][Ref, 3:447-8] in Medfield. [Ref, s. Joseph and Mary] He married Elizabeth Johnson in 1704. [Ref]

It is possible that Elizabeth is the Elizabeth who was the daughter of Return and Mary Johnson, born 10 Aug 1681 in Medfield. [Ref] Return Johnson died on 15 Mar 1706/7 in Medfield. [Ref, "Doct: of Physick", h. Mary] Mr. Return Johnson married Mary Johnson on 7 Sep 1673 in Andover. [Ref] It is said [Ref, p. 15] that Mary is the daughter of Thomas and Mary Johnson who was born on 11 Feb 1659 in Andover [Ref][Ref, p. 208], but this would make her very young at her marriage. She is not mentioned in the division of her father's estate in 1724. [Ref, p. 208] Thomas Johnson, the son of John and Susanna Johnson, was born in 1631. [Ref, pp. 14-5] He died on 15 Feb 1719 in Andover. [Ref, p. 15] He married Mary Holt on 5 Jul 1657. [Ref, p. 15] Mary, the daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth Holt, was born on 6 Oct 1638. [Ref, p. 15] She died on 15 Nov 1700. [Ref, p. 15] Susanna (Unknown) Johnson died on 12 Sep 1683 in Andover. [Ref, p. 14]

Jeremiah lived in Canterbury for fifteen years. [Ref] He bought land in the south of Canterbury from Jeremiah Fitch in 1706. [Ref, p. 145] He sold 300 acres in Canterbury to David Raynsford on 1 Dec 1713. [Ref, p. 175]

Children of Jeremiah Plympton and Elizabeth Johnson:

1. Sarah Plympton was born on 17 Oct 1709 [Ref] in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut. [Ref, d. Jeremiah and Elizabeth]
2. Sabilla Plympton was born on 20 Aug 1712 in Canterbury. She married Moses Johnson.
3. Betty Plympton was born on 25 Sep 1720 in Plainfield, Windham, Connecticut. [Ref, d. Jeremiah and Elizabeth]

Generation 4

SABILLA PLYMPTON (b. 1712)

Parents: Jeremiah Plympton and Elizabeth Johnson [Ref, p. 35]

Sabilla Plympton was born on 20 Aug 1712 [Ref, p. 35][Ref] in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut. [Ref, d. Jeremiah and Elizabeth] She married Moses Johnson on 18 May 1732 in Holliston or Medfield. [Ref][Ref][Ref][Ref, p. 35]

References

Adams, Andrew N., A Genealogical History of Henry Adams, of Braintree, Mass., and his descendants: also John Adams, of Cambridge, Mass., 1632-1897, unknown, Adams, 1898.

Barbour Vital Records for Windham County Connecticut

Chase, Levi B., A Genealogy and Historical Notices of the Family of Plimpton or Plympton in America: and of Plumpton in England, Hartford, Plimpton Mfg. Co. Print., 1884.

Editors, "Medfield, Mass., Gravestone Records to 1850," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 58, 1904, 343-347.

Editors, "More Freemen," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 4, 1850, 25-26.

Hill, Don Gleason, ed., The Records of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, and Admissions to the Church and Dismissals Therein, transcribed from the church records in the town of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1638 - 1845, Dedham, unknown, 1888.

Holt Family Association, First Three Generations of Holts in America, Newburgh, NY, Moore Printing Co., 1930?

Johnson, Paul Franklin and Frank Leonard Johnson, Genealogy of Capt. John Johnson of Roxbury, Massachusetts, Commonwealth Press, Los Angeles, 1951.

Johnson, William, John Johnson of Ipswich and Andover, Mass. , published by the compiler, North Greenfield, WI, 1892.

Lanard, Ellen D., History of Windham County, Connecticut. Vol. 1-2. Worcester, MA, 1880.

Kimble, Mrs. Ellwood D., "The Solomon Johnson Family," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 11, 1912, 233-243.

Massachusetts Soldiers in the Colonial Wars. Online database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002.

Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850. Online Database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2007.

Morse, Charles H., trans., "Medfield Memorial," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 13, 1859, 346.

Partridge, George Homer, "Descendants of William Partridge of Medfield, Mass. and his Descendants," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 69, 1909, 90-95.

Pope, Charles Henry, The Cheney Genealogy, Boston, Pope, 1897.

Pulsifer, David, trans., "Records of Boston," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, various issues.

Rasmussent, James A., "Edward Raysford of Canterbury & Wife," The American Genealogist 56, 1980, 174-178.

Savage, James, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, Vol. I-IV, Boston, 1860-1862.

Schultz, John A., Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court 1691–1780: A biographical dictionary, Boston, Northeastern University Press, 1997.

Sutliffe, Bennett Hurd, A Genealogy of the Sutcliffe - Sutliffe Family in America, Hartford, R. S. Peck & Co., 1903.

Tingley, Ramon Meyers, Some Ancestral Lines: being a record of some of the ancestors of Guilford Solon Tingley and his wife, Martha Pamelia [sic] Meyers, Rutland, VT, Tuttle Pub. Co., 1935.

Titus, Anson, "The Sabin Family in America: Four Generations," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 36, 1882, 52-58.

Torrey, Clarence A, New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.

Town of Medway History Website, http://medwaylib.org/History.htm.

Trask, William, "Abstracts from the Earliest Wills on Record in the County of Suffolk, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, various issues.

Trask, William, trans., "Indian War Papers," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 8, 1854, 239-243.