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CLEMENT  TOPLIFF 
AND   HIS  DESCENDANTS 


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CLEMENT  TOPLIFF 


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HIS    DESCENDANTS    IN    BOSTON 


BY 

ETHEL   STANWOOD    BOLTON 


BOSTON 

PRIVATELY    PRINTED 
1906 


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BOSTON   fctKEXA  -^ 

23  D  '06 


The  Univbrsity  Press,  Camdridgb,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


TO 
MARY   MINDWELL   TOPLIFF 


CLEMENT   TOPLIFF 
AND   HIS   DESCENDANTS 


CLEMENT   TOPLIFF 
AND   HIS  DESCENDANTS 

SOME  time  between  1635  and  1637,  probably  in  the  **  Second  Emigra- 
tion "  with  Richard  Mather,  Clement  ToplifF  came  to  Dorchester,  bringing 
with  him  his  wife  Sarah.  It  is  said  that  nine-tenths  of  the  emigrants  of 
these  years  came  from  Essex,  Suffolk,  and  the  near-by  counties  in  England.  There  are 
ToplifFs  to  be  found  in  Ipswich,  Essex  County,  although  there  has  been  no  proof 
found  so  far  that  Clement  was  one  of  that  family.  One  other  clue,  and  perhaps  two, 
exist,  which  may  some  time  lead  to  tangible  results.  Clement  in  his  will  makes  his 
**  Cozen  Peleg  Heath  "  one  of  the  overseers.  This  nephew  of  his,  Peleg  Heath,  was 
the  son  of  William  Heath  of  Dorchester,  who  came  from  Nazeing,  County  Essex, 
England,  and  previously  from  Widford,  Hertfordshire.  The  Eliots  also  came  from 
Widford  and  Nazeing  to  Dorchester.  William  Heath  had  been  twice  married,  and 
Peleg  was  the  son  of  his  second  wife  Mary.  The  relationship  is  susceptible  of  three 
explanations  :  Clement  ToplifF  married  a  sister  of  William  Heath  or  a  sister  of  Mary 
Heath,  or  William  Heath  married  a  sister  of  Clement  ToplifF.  This  implies  that  in 
all  probability  Clement  ToplifF  or  his  wife  came  from  this  part  of  Essex,  especially 
when  taken  in  conjuncdon  with  the  fact  that  the  name  **  ToplifF"  was  to  be  found  in 
Ipswich  at  the  dme. 

The  second  clue  has  come  through  a  query  in  the  *•  Transcript,"  as  to  why  Sarah 
ToplifF  was  buried  out  in  Dorchester  in  the  lot  that  belonged  to  Thomas  Trott,  and 
not  with  her  husband,  Clement,  who  was  buried  near  by.  The  querist  wishes  to 
know  if  Sarah  was  a  sister  of  Thomas  Trott.  The  records  seem  to  be  silent  on  the 
matter,  as  litde  is  known  of  Thomas  Trott  and  his  family. 

Clement  ToplifF  was  born  on  November  17,  1603,  and  his  wife  during  the  year 
1605,  so  that  they  were  no  longer  a  very  young  couple  when  they  came  to  Dor- 
chester. If  they  were  married  and  had  children  before  they  emigrated,  these  had 
either  died  or  been  left  behind,  for  no  record  appears  in  this  country  of  any  older  than 
Jonathan,  born  in  Dorchester  in  April,  1637.  On  March  18,  1637,  land  on  the 
Neck  was  laid   out  to  the  "p'sent  inhabitants  of  the  Towne  of  Dorchester  "  in  a 

[3] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


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John  Trescott 

-Samuel,  b.  1695,  m. 
Hannah  Trescott 

-Nathaniel,  b.   1692,  m. 

Hannah  Blake, 

grandfather  of 

Nathaniel  Topliff 

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[4] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 

proportion  which  had  been  agreed  upon  on  May  9,  1636.  According  to  this  agree- 
ment, "every  hoame  lott  that  hath  a  dwelling  house  thereon  or  inhabitant  incumbant 
in  the  Towne  ;  he  or  it  shall  haue  one  acre  to  the  sayd  lott,  and  other  hoame  lotts  halfe 
an  acre  ;  then  the  remayner  to  belong  to  the  same  planters  by  this  rule.  Three  fifts  to 
mens  estates  owne  p'p'  as  usual  they  have  burden  ;  and  2  fifts  to  p'sons  equally  thus 
Counted.  All  men  with  their  wiues  and  Children  in  the  Plantation  vnder  their 
p'sent  gouerment  in  famalyes  to  be  Counted  ;  Provided  allowance  be  made  where 
house  and  lotts  are  intire  allbeit  for  p'sent  they  haue  no  p'sons  incumbant  according 
to  the  p' portion  of  such  as  Lately  did  inhabit  them."  ^  In  accordance  with  this  rule 
♦'  2  akers,  i  quarter  and  4  rodes  "  were  set  off  to  "Good  :  Topley,"  and  the  same 
amount  in  the  "  Rest  of  the  Division  of  other  land,"  that  is  land  neither  on  the 
"  Neck  "  nor  in  the  ♦'  Cowes  Pasture."  Clement  Topliff's  "hoame  lott"  was  near 
what  is  now  Columbia  Road  in  Dorchester.  The  new  street  which  was  laid  out 
through  the  old   farm  is  called   "Topliff"  after  the  first  settler. 

Clement  Topliff's  public  life  in  the  town  was  that  of  a  man  of  good  standing 
with  his  neighbors,  but  of  no  great  prominence.  He  was  admitted  to  membership  in 
the  First  Church  on  June  12,  1639,  and  the  following  year,  on  May  13th,  he  was 
made  a  freeman.  For  fourteen  years  he  took  no  more  part  in  town  affairs  than 
the  ordinary  citizen,  and  when  in  1653  he  was  mentioned  in  the  town  books  once 
more,  it  was  merely  to  enter  into  an  agreement  with  the  selectmen  for  the  care  of 
the  Cattle  of  the  town.  The  agreement  is  interesting  as  a  picture  of  one  phase  of 
farming  in  those  early  days,  and  shows  how  laboriously  and  with  what  care  for  detail 
the  forefathers  planned  their  lives.  Perhaps  all  these  customs,  which  seem  strange 
and  clumsy  to  us  now,  were  the  adaptation  of  old  country  ways  to  the  conditions  of 
land  so  lately  cleared. 

*^  Dorchester  this  28  day  of  the  i :  mo:  jj.  It  is  covenanted  and  agreed  by  and 
betweene  the  Select  men  of  the  said  towne  for  this  p'sent  yeare  for  and  in  behalfe  of 
the  said  towne.  And  Clement  Topley  and  Beniamyn  Bates  both  of  Dorchester  That  the 
said  Clement  and  Beniamyn  shall  and  will  keepe  the  Cowes  and  heffers  that  shalbe 
comitted  vnto  them  this  p'sent  yeare  in  the  ordinary  Cow  pastuer  or  Cow  waike 
after  the  vsual  manii  from  the  15  day  of  the  second  moneth  next  insueing  vntill  the  28 
day  of  the  eight  moneth  following.  The  said  keepers  one  of  them  to  blow  their  home 
at  or  before  halfe  an  hower  by  sonne  in  the  morneing  at  the  meeting  howse  and  so  along 

1  Dorchester  Town  Records,  p.  43. 
[5] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


the  town  vntill  he  com  to  John  Minots  and  euy  man  on  the  north  side  of  the  towne  to 
bring  their  cowes  before  the  meeting  howse  within  halfe  an  hower  after  the  home 
is  their  blowed. 

"And  that  keeper  there  to  take  them  at  the  same  tyme,  the  other  keeper  at  or 
abought  the  same  tyme  to  goe  vp  to  the  burying  place  and  take  the  Cowes  and  such 
other  cattell  not  p'hibited  that  ar  their  left  for  them  aney  wheare  abought  the  Commons 
betweene  Augustin  Clements  lote  which  was  M'  Makepeace  and  the  said  buring 
place  so  that  both  keepers  may  meete  on  the  Rockey  hill  or  at  the  gat  by  John  Minots 
to  goe  forth  with  the  whole  heard  and  not  to  stay  beyound  their  appointed  tyme  of 
going  forth  Vidclt  one  hower  and  halfe  after  the  sonne  riseing.  And  bring  those 
cowes  that  belong  to  the  back  side  of  the  towne  agayne  to  Lawrence  Smith  barne. 

•  •••••••••••** 

*♦  And  for  their  faithfullnesse  and  care  herein  The  said  Clement  Toply  and  Beniamyn 
Bates  —  is  to  haue  —  thirty  poundes  to  bee  p'portioned  with  the  Bull  money  vpon  soe 
maney  Cattell  as  ar  put  to  heard  on  goeing  vpon  the  Comons  or  Cowe  walke  afore- 
said, one  thurd  there  of  to  be  paid  them  at  or  abought  the  begining  or  first  putting 
forth,  on  other  thurd  at  halfe  the  tyme  the  remaynder  at  the  End  of  the  sayd  tyme. 


**  Clement 

TOPLIF 

Benieman 
Bates 


herdsmen 


**  Robert  Howard  in  the  name  of  the  rest  of  the  Select  men."  * 

During  the  same  year,  1653,  the  Town  for  various  purposes  disbursed  "40"' 
14'  1 1"*,"  one  item  of  which  was  "for  making  the  fence  by  Goodman  Toplens 
076."! 

Mr.  ToplifF  held  but  one  other  office  in  the  town,  that  of  fence  viewer  of  the 
twenty  acre  lots  in  1656,  in  company  with  Thomas  Sweft.  He  was  one  of 
the  signers  of  the  Thompson's  Island  agreement  in   164 1. 

Clement  ToplifF  died  December  24,  1672,  in  Dorchester,  and  was  buried  in  the 
old  burying  ground  at  the  corner  of  the  present  Stoughton  Street  and  Columbia  Road. 
His  widow  Sarah  died  July  29,  1693,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  Their  gravestones 
still  stand  in  the  Cemetery. 

1  Dorchester  Records,  pp.  61,  6a,  69. 

[6] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 


««Clemment  Topliff,  I  Aged  69  yeares  |  Dyed  the  24  Day  |  of  December  1672." 
"Sarah  Topliff  |  Widdow  |  aged  88  years  |  Died  y«  29  of  |  July  1693."  ^ 

Clement  and  Sarah  ToplifF  had  five  children,  two  boys  and  three  girls.  The 
eldest  son,  Jonathan,  died  early,  but  the  other  son,  Samuel,  lived  to  grow  up.  Of  the 
daughters,  the  oldest,  Sarah,  was  born  in  May,  1639;  she  married  David  Jones, 
May  II,  1659.  They  had  at  least  five  children,  four  sons  and  a  daughter,  of  whom 
the  youngest  bore  the  fervid  name  of  Praise-ever.     Mrs.  Jones  died  October  13,  1683. 

Obedience,  the  second  daughter  of  Clement,  was  born  in  July,  1642,  and  married 
when  she  was  seventeen  David  Copp,  or  Cope,  of  Boston,     The  ceremony  was  per- 
formed on  February  20,  1659,  by  Major  Humphrey  Atherton,  and  is  recorded  both  in 
Boston  and  Dorchester.     David  Copp  was  the  son  of  the  owner  of  Copp's  Hill,  and  the 
gravestone  to  his  two  children,  David  and  Thomas,  is  the  earliest  stone  still  standing  in 
the  burying  ground  on  that  hill.    It  was  found  beneath  the  ground  in  1878,  and  bears 
the  date    1661.     In  the  volume  on  Copp's  Hill  issued  by  the  Cemetery  Department 
of  the  City  of  Boston  a  short  biography  is  given  of  David  Copp,  who,  it  says,  "  was. 
the  most  notable  member  of  the  family.    He  was  an  Elder  in  Cotton  Mather's  Church, 
and  of  considerable  prominence  in  the  North  End,  dwelling  in  a  brick  House  at  the 
head  of  Hull  Street.      He  died  November  20,  17 13,  Aged  78.     The  stone  is  left 
standing  to  record  the  name  of  his  first  wife  who  was  Obedience  ToplifF."  ^     Judge 
Samuel  Sewall  mentions  him  often  in  his  Diary,  once  recording  a  call  made  on  Elder 
David   Copp.      All    the   other   entries  are  references  to  the   Elder  having    been  a 
"Bearer"  at  some  funeral.     On   November    19,  17 13,  Sewall  writes,  "Elder  Cop 
pray'd   for   as  dangerously  sick."      He  died    the   next   afternoon,  and  was   buried, 
according  to  Sewall,  on  the  twenty-fourth,  "  in  the  North.    Bearers  Mr  Thomas  Oakes, 
Mr  Thornton  ;   Capt.  Atwood,  Mr  Maryon  ;  Deacon  Tay,  Deacon  Hubbart ;   Fol- 
low'd  the   Mourners,  Mr  Cook,  Hutchinson  ;  Sewall,  Col.  Lynde ;  E""  Hutchinson, 
Col.  Townsend  ;  Dr  C.  Mather,  and  Mr  Wadsworth  there.     A  pretty  many  Men  but 
few  Women  "  ^     Obedience  Copp  died  many  years  before  her  husband  and  just  five 
years  after  the  birth  of  her  youngest  child,  on  May  30,  1678.     David  and  Obedience 
Copp  left  at  least  four  sons  and  one  daughter :   David,  Jr.,  and  Samuel,  of  Boston, 
Jonathan  of  Stonington  and  John  of  Norwalk.     The  sons  divided  his  estate  in  17 14. 

I  Annual  Report  Cemetery  Dept.,  1904,  pp.  188,  189. 

^  "  Historical  Sketch  of  Copp's  Hill  Burial-ground,"  Boston,  I901,  p.  11. 

'  Sewall's  Diary,  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.  Col.,  Vol.  46,  p.  409. 

[7] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


Savage  adds  a  daughter,  Sarah,  and  the  fact  that  the  first  child  was  a  son,  David,  who 
died  when  very  young.      The  gravestone  mentions  Thomas  in  addition. 

Patience,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Clement  ToplifF,  was  born  in  July,  1 644.  She 
married,  March  27,  1667,  Nathaniel  Holmes  of  Roxbury.    They  had  eleven  children. 

She  died  March  11,  1697. 

Clement  ToplifF  was  a  well-to-do  man  for  his  time,  as  his  inventory  proves ;  he 
was  also  a  loving  husband  and  father,  as  his  will  shows  vividly.  It  is  a  very  individual 
will,  and  is  apparently  so  characteristic  of  the  man,  that  it  would  be  valuable  for  that 
reason,  if  no  interest  attached  to  it  as  the  will  of  the  founder  of  the  family  in  Massa- 
chusetts. The  will  was  probated  in  Boston,  and  is  recorded  in  the  Suffolk  Probate, 
Volume  VII.,  page  281.     This  copy  is  from  the  original. 

"  The  Lord  having  visited  me  with  much  infermity  &  weaknes  and  I  being  at 
this  time  very  weake  in  body  yet  having  the  perfet  use  of  my  understanding  and 
Memorey,  yet  not  knowing  how  it  may  please  god  to  dealle  with  me,  I  doe  make 
this  as  my  last  will  and  testament  commiting  my  Soule  into  the  hands  of  my  most 
mercyfull  Saviour  &  Leaving  my  body  unto  my  deare  wife  &  loving  children  to  be 
by  them  decently  beuried,  I  doe  dispose  of  that  estate  that  god  hath  mercifuly  given 

me  as  followeth 

«  ily  my  will  is  that  my  funerall  expences  be  Satisfied  out  of  my  estate  and  that  all 

my  debts  should  be  payed 

"  2ly  I  doe  give  unto  my  Loving  and  deare  wife  Sarah  Toplef  aU  my  household 
goods  after  my  decease  and  allso  the  use  and  benifet  of  all  my  housing  and  lands  and 
cattell  and  whatever  I  die  posest  of  after  the  payment  of  my  debts  for  her  comfortabi 
Subsistance  duering  the  whoU  time  of  her  naturall  life,  provided  that  she  Remaines  a 
widdow  but  in  case  she  marrie  againe  then  my  will  is  that  what  I  have  left  her  returne 

to  my  children  againe. 

"  3ly.  I  doe  give  unto  my  loving  Sonne  Samuell  Toplief  all  my  housing  and  lands 
lying  in  Dorchester  or  aney  wher  else  and  all  my  estate  not  before  disposed,  by  him  to 
be  posesed  after  his  mother  Sarah  Toplef  is  deseased  ingaging  him  to  pay  out  of  it  thes 
legacess   following  within  two  yeares  after  he  is  posesed  of  the  estat  or  Sooner  if 

he  can. 

"1    To  my  loving  sonn  David  Jones  five  pounds 
*«  2    To  my  loving  sonn  David  Cope  five  pounds 

♦«  3    To  my  loving  daughter  Patience  ToplifF  which  is  not  married  five  pounds, 

[8] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 

allso  I  doe  enjoyne  him  the  said  Samuell  Toplief  my  sonn  to  have  a  dutyfuU  and  tender 
Respect  to  and  of  his  deare  mother  and  to  be  helpfull  what  he  can  for  her  comfortabl 
Subsistence  while  she  lives,  which  is  one  cause  that  moves  me  to  give  him  so  much  of 
my  estate. 

**4ly  My  will  is  that  my  Loving  Sonn  Samuell  Toplef  be  and  I  doe  make  him 
my  Soil  Excutor 

**  Lastly  I  doe  make  my  two  loving  frends  John  Minott  and  my  Cosen  Peleg 
Heath  to  be  my  Over  Seer's  of  this  my  last  will  and  testament.  Dated  the  twenty 
first  of  January  one  thousand  six  hundred  sixty  &  six 

**  Clement  Toplif." 
"  Witnesses 

**  Samuell  Procter  " 

"Thomas  Davenport" 

(Probated  February  14,  1672) 

*«An  Inventory  of  the  Lands  goods  &  Cattell  of  Clement  Toplife  of 
Dorchester  lately  Desesed  8  of  January  1672 

In  primis  his  wearinge  aparell  of  all  Sorts 

It.  a  fFether  bed  with  the  ffurnituer 

It.  Erase  &  Pewter 

It.  an  ould  pot,  tramell  &  Toungs 

It.  Napkins  &  pillow  bears 

It.  in  Books 

It.  two  Small  Tabells  two  Small  Chests  &  box 

It.  in  Lumber 

It.  a  payer  of  ould  wheels  &  husbandry  imploymcnts     02  :  07  :  06 

It.  a  house  &  Barn  &  orchard 

It.  a  plowinge  land  three  akers 

It.  Pasture  land  three  akers 

It.  Six  akers  of  Salt  Marsh 

It.  Eleven  akers  in  Comon 

It.  Horses,  Sheep,  Cattell  &  Swine 

Itt.  in  Debts  dew  to  the  Estat 

Dew  from  David  Jones  in  Mony 
It  Dew  from  David  Jones  fFor  Barly  and  weate  lent 

«  Richard  Hall  Enoch  Wiswell  " 

[9] 


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CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


Children  of  Clement  and  Sarah  Topliff 

i.  Jonathan,  b.  April,  1637;  probably  died  early, 

ii.  Sarah,  b.  May,  1639;  d.  October  13,  1683. 

iii.  Obedience,  b.  July,  1642;  d.  May  30,  1678. 

iv.  Patience,  b.  July,  1644;  d.  March  11,  1696. 

V.  Samuel,  b.  May  7,  1646;  d.  October  12,  1722. 

Samuel*  Topliff,  the  only  one  of  Clement  ToplifF's  sons  who  grew  to  manhood 
and  married,  so  far  as  is  known,  was  the  youngest  child,  and  was  born  May  7,  1646. 
He  was  a  more  prominent  man  than  his  father,  partly,  perhaps,  from  his  natural  abili- 
ties, and  partly  because  his  father  left  him  very  well-to-do.  Clement  ToplifF's  estate 
footed  up  to  _;^2  86,  of  which  only  fifteen  pounds  had  to  be  paid  out  by  Samuel  to  his 
brothers-in-law.  The  main  estate  or  homestead  was  on  Bowdoin  Street,^  and  included 
the  land  on  which  St.  Mary's  Church  stood  in  1859.  Mr.  Orcutt,  in  his  *•  Good 
Old  Dorchester,"  described  him  as  **  prominent  in  Church  and  town  aiFairs.  He  was 
elected  elder  in  1692,  and  presiding  elder  in  1701,  —  which  latter  office  he  retained 
until  his  death.  He  filled  every  town  office  from  Constable  to  Selectman,  including 
that  of  town  clerk.  He  was  one  of  the  *  twenty  proprietors '  *  incorporated  into  a 
distinct  body  with  power  to  lay  out  and  fell  land,'  etc.,  in  the  grant  known  as  the 
*  Ponkapoag  Plantation.'  The  records  of  the  first  Church  bear  ample  evidence 
of  his   activity   and   zeal."  ^ 

Hopestill  Clap  and  Samuel  Topliff  were  elected  constables  in  March,  1678/9, 
and  from  that  time  Samuel  Topliff  rose  year  by  year  through  the  list  of  town  offices. 
In  1 68 1  he  was  tything-man  ;  in  1686  he  was  rater,  or,  as  the  records  put  it, 
'*  Ratter "  ;  in  1690  he  was  sealer  of  weights  and  measures.  The  Dorchester 
records  give  a  full  description  of  his  receiving  this  last  office  ;  '*  the  :  13""  feb'^ ;  i6§5- 
there  was  delivered  to  Sarg"'  Samuel  TopIifF,  the  weights  and  mesurs,  that  weir  the 
towns  Standerds,  to  trye  weights  and  mesurs  by."  There  were  two  kinds  of 
weights  and  one  set  of  measures.  The  first  set  were  bell-shaped,  and  included 
56,  28,  14,  7,  4,  and  2  pound  weights;  the  second  were  "flat  brass  weights  "  of 
*»  yi»  %*  and  yi   pounds,  and    i,  i/^,  y^,  and  yi  ounces.     The  measures  were, 

1  "  History  of  Dorchester,"  Dorchester  Historical  Society. 
»  Page  no. 

[10] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 


*'  one  hdfe  bushell,  one  peck,  one  ell,  one  yearden,  one  eale  quart,  one  wine  pint, 
two  sealling  eirons."  This  reference  gives  one  fact  which  is  nowhere  else  men- 
tioned, that  Samuel  was  a  Sergeant  in  the  militia  company.  In  1691  he  was 
elected  selectman,  and  served  for  two  years  without  re-election,  as  did  all  the  board 
chosen  that  year.  He  served  again  in  the  same  capacity  in  1696,  1697,  and  1699. 
Samuel  ToplifF's  activities  were  not  all  turned  to  office-holding  ;  twice  he  received 
two  shillings  *'for  a  dayes  worke  schoole  house,"  and  again  a  shilling  for  *'  Wading 
Election  day."  In  1680  many  persons  were  paid  "for  keeping  Frances,"  and 
among  them   Samuel,  who  received   four    shillings   sixpence   "for    keeping    frances, 

3  weeke." 

In  the  church  his  energies  ^vere  equally  well  directed.  The  church  plate  was 
turned  over  to  him  to  keep  in  1692  when  he  was  ordained  a  deacon.  This  consisted 
of  "  4  flagons :  3  Silvar  Bools ;  3  silvar  Beakers  :   4  pewter  cups  i  pewter  pint  pott 

4  pewter  platters  3  small  table  clothes  2  Baskets."  On  February  3,  1701/2,  he 
was  chosen  ruling  elder.  Even  in  those  days,  when  there  was  much  land  and  luxu- 
ries were  ^qw,  when  tastes  were  simple,  and  each  man  literally  earned  his  bread  by 
the  sweat  of  his  brow,  there  were  poor,  whom  the  more  well-to-do  had  to  aid.  In- 
1689,  again  in  1691,  and  in  other  years,  contributions  were  levied  for  their  assistance, 
and  in  each  of  these  general  contributions  Samuel  ToplifF  gave  a  barrel  of  corn. 

In  October,  1671,  Deacon  ToplifF  married  in  Boston  Patience  Somes,  a  Glouces- 
ter girl  who  had  come  with  her  brother  John  to  live  in  Boston.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Morris  Somes  of  Gloucester,  and  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  Kendall  of  Cam- 
bridge. This  marriage  record  of  an  Essex  County  girl  to  a  Suffolk  County  man  is 
filed  among  the  papers  of  the  Court  of  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace  in  Middlesex 
County.  The  unearthing  of  Patience's  maiden  name  is  due  to  Mr.  J.  Gardner  Bartlett. 
This  document  was  used  in  some  case  in  Court  in  October,  1678,  seven  years  after 
the  marriage. 

"  These  are  to  Certefy  all  Persons  whom  it  may  concern  that  Samuell  Toplife  of 
Dorchester  and  Patience  Soms  of  Boston  have  been  published  three  severall  times 
according  to  Order  without  any  Opposition  as  is  attested 

"  by  me 

**  Rich  :  Taylor 

"Boston  October  5th  1671." 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


Elder  Samuel  and  Patience  ToplifF  had  at  least  eleven  children.  The  eldest 
child,  a  daughter,  Mehitable,  was  born  August  15,  1673,  ^^'^  probably  died  early, 
though  no  record  of  her  death  has  been  found.  A  son,  Samuel,  followed,  born 
August  19,  1675,  who  died  August  30,  1694,  at  the  age  of  nineteen.  His  grave- 
stone still  stands  in  the  old  Dorchester  burying  ground.  Patience,  born  in  1677, 
married  Nathaniel  Craft  of  Roxbury  in  1701,  and  Thankful,  born  two  years  later, 
married  Jabez  Searle  in  1 704.  The  fifth  child  was  a  son,  Jonathan,  who  was  born  in 
1682,  and  lived  to  be  eighteen,  when  he  died  leaving  no  issue.  Waitstill  was  born 
in  1684,  and  married  Samuel  Henshaw.  There  followed  four  brothers,  Joseph, 
Ebenezer,  Nathaniel,  and  Samuel,  and  a  sister,  Sarah,  born  in  1698,  who  married 
John  Trescott,  a  brother  of  her  brother  Samuel  Topliff's  wife,  Hannah. 

The  eldest  of  these  four  brothers  was  Joseph  (Samue/^),  who  was  bom  in  Dor- 
chester April    10,    1687.     He   married   first,   in    17 10,    Sarah ,  who  was    the 

mother  of  his  two  sons,  Samuel  and  Amariah.  His  second  wife  was  Elizabeth 
Daniels,  whom  he  married  April  1 3,  i  746.  Joseph  ToplifF  removed  to  Stoughton  some 
time  between  1725  and  1727,  where  he  afterward  became  Town  Treasurer  and  Dea- 
con of  the  Church.  He  was  a  mill-owner,  and  the  proprietor  of  a  large  tract  of  land. 
He  bought  one  hundred  and  eight  acres  of  the  Indians,  which  he  added  to  the  already 
large  tract  of  land  in  Stoughton  inherited  by  him  from  his  father.  He  died  January 
13,  1749,  ^"'^  ^^^  administration  of  his  estate  was  granted  to  his  brother,  Nathaniel 
ToplifF,  of  Dorchester,  on  March  13th  of  that  year.  The  inventory  showed  an  estate 
valued  at  ^3102  19:0,  of  which  the  dwelling  house,  barn  and  homestead  were  esti- 
mated at  ^2500.  His  fourth  interest  in  a  saw-mill  was  appraised  at  ^100.  (SufFolk 
Probate,  Vol.  43,  p.  416.) 

Nathaniel  ToplifF  {Samuel'^,  born  in  Dorchester,  September  7,  169 2,  was  the 
ancestor  of  the  branch  of  the  family  who  remained  in  Dorchester.  He  married. 
May  23,  1723,  Hannah  Blake.  Like  his  elder  brother,  he  was  a  Deacon  of  the 
Church.  He  was  a  weaver  by  trade  and  a  man  of  affairs.  On  March  11,  1734, 
Joseph  ToplifF,  yeoman,  of  Stoughton,  Samuel  ToplifF,  housewright,  of  Milton, 
Samuel  Henshaw,  yeoman,  of  Milton,  and  Waitstill,  his  wife.  Thankful  Searle, 
widow,  of  Dorchester,  John  Trescott,  Jr.,  yeoman,  of  Dorchester,  and  Sarah,  his 
wife,  children  and  heirs  of  Elder  Samuel  ToplifF,  quitclaimed  their  rights  in  their 
father's  estate  for  jQlS^  ^o  Nathaniel  ToplifF,  his  executor.     (SufFolk  Deeds,  Vol.  56, 

[12] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 

p,  156.)  Later,  Ebenezer  TopIifF,  Jr.,  quitclaimed  his  rights  in  his  grandfather 
Elder  Samuel's  estate  to  Nathaniel  for  ^^300.  (Suffolk  Deeds,  Vol.  61,  p.  94.) 
Nathaniel^  ToplifFwas  survived  by  one  son,  Samuel^,  born  May  24,  1728.  SamueH 
ToplifF  married  in  1754  Mary  Hall,  and  became  the  father  of  the  only  poet  the 
family  has  so  far  boasted.  Nathaniel,  the  poet,  was  born  in  Dorchester,  September 
4,  1757.  In  1809  he  published  a  small  volume  of"  Poems,  moral,  descriptive,  and 
political^  Dr.  Thaddeus  Mason  Harris  of  the  First  Church  in  Dorchester,  who 
preached  his  funeral  sermon,  says  of  them  :  "  The  caustic  satire  of  some  of  the 
pieces,  the  want  of  polish,  and  perhaps  the  ardor  of  political  feelings,  rendered  the 
little  book  rather  unpopular  ;  but,  when  considered  as  the  production  of  one  who  had 
not  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  education,  and  written  after  he  was  fifty  years  old,  it 
will  be  allowed  no  inconsiderable  merit.  —  The  Hymn  which  he  composed,  and 
'  which  was  sung  at  the  dedication  of  the  new  meeting  house  in  the  first  parish  in 
Dorchester,  has  been  printed,  as  have  one  or  two  other  occasional  pieces."  ^ 

Elder  Samuel  ToplifF's  tenth  child,  Samuel*  {Samuel'''),  was  born  in  Dorchester 
May  30,  1695.  He  married,  February  8,  171  5,  Hannah  Trescott.  After  the  birth 
of  their  fifth  child,  Clement,  they  moved  to  Milton,  where  they  remained  until  about 
1736.  In  1 729  Hannah  was  deeded  her  father's  estate  in  Dorchester,  and  later  Eben- 
ezer Trescott  sold  his  father's  lands  in  Milton  to  his  brother-in-law  Samuel  ToplifF  for 
^600.^  Samuel  migrated  to  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  and  again  in  1740  to  Willing- 
ton  in  the  same  State,  where  he  died  in  1754.  -^^  ^'^^  vlWlz  children,  three  of 
whom  were  sons  who  reached  mature  years  and  had  children.  By  far  the  largest 
branch  of  the  family  is  descended  from  the  Connecticut  hne.  Samuel  ToplifF's 
youngest  sister  and  her  husband,  John  Trescott,  also  went  to  Connecticut.  ( 

Elder  SamueP  ToplifF  died  October  12,  1722,  leaving  a  will,  in  which  he  men- 
tions his  children  Patience  Craft,  Thankful  Searle,  Waitstill  Henshaw,  Sarah  Top- 
lifF, Ebenezer,  and  Nathaniel.  (SufFolk  Probate,  Vol.  22,  p.  740.)  Nathaniel 
and  Ebenezer  were  executors.  The  inventory  first  shown  estimated  the  estate  at 
^^503  :  03  :  01.  The  house  and  land  were  appraised  at  ^400.  In  1722, 
more  lands  were  found  to  belong  to  his  estate,  estimated  at  ^52  :  17  :  8.  Again, 
on  February  i,  1727/8,  further  lands  were  inventoried  and  returned. 

1  Appendix  A. 

a  Suffolk  Deeds,  Vol.  44,  p.  288,  and  Vol.  48,  p.  305. 

[13] 


CLEMENT     TOPLIFF 


"  Additional  lands  of  Elder  Samuel  Topliff  in  Stoughton 

"  Imprimis  an  Additional  Lort  in  the  25  Division  laid  -\ 

out  to  Clement  ToplifF  containing  25  acres  at  15/    -      18:15 

an  acre  J 

Item  one  acre  and  Quarter  of  Cedar  Swamp  laid  out  ^ 

to  Clement  Topliff  in  Ponkapoag  Cedar  Swamp      J 

Item    one    acre    and    half    of    meadow    in    trout  ~\ 

}        4  :  10 


meadow 


£^7 


This  was  the  land  which  probably  fell  to  the  share  of  Joseph  Topliff. 
Elder  Samuel  Topliff  was  much  respected  by  all,  and  is  described  by  a  contemporary 
as  a  man  "  of  piety,  parts  and  worth." 

Children  of  Elder  Samuel  and  Patience  Topliff 

i.  Mehitable,  b,  August  15,  1673  ;  probably  died  early, 

ii.  Samuel,  b.  August  19,  1675;   d.  August  30,  1694. 

iii.  Patience,  b.  January  24,  1677;  d.  March  20,  1720. 

iv.  Thankful,  b.  February  22,  1679;   ^-  ^^Y  '»  '747- 

V.  Jonathan,  b.  September  23,  1682  ;  d.  September  8,  1700. 

vi.  Waitstill,  b.  November  6,  1684;   d.  May  17,  1737. 

vii.  Joseph,  b.  April  10,  1687;  d.  January  13,  1749. 

viii.  Ebenezer,  b.  February  14,  1689/90;  d.  February  5,  1721/2. 

ix.  Nathaniel,  b.  September  7,  1692;   d.  December  15,  1751. 

X.  Samuel,  b.  May  30,   1695;  d.  November  i,  1754. 

xi.  Sarah,  b.  November  4,  1698;  d.  April  17,  1784. 

Ebenezer  ^  Topliff,  eighth  child  of  Elder  Samuel  Topliff  and  Patience  his  wife, 
was  born  in  Dorchester  February  14,  1689/90.  His  life  was  short  and  uneventful, 
so  far  as  holding  town  and  church  offices  were  concerned.  He  was  a  cordwainer 
by  trade.  On  January  22,  1712/3,  he  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Henry  With- 
ington,  who  must  have  died  almost  immediately  and  without  issue.  About  17 14  he 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  Philip  Withington,  a  cousin  of  his  first  wife.  Mary 
Topliff  had  two  sons,  Jonathan,  born  July  14,  1715,  who  died  May  28,  1720,  and 

[H] 


AND     HIS    DESCENDANTS 


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CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


Ebenezer,  born  September  1 6,  1719-  O"  February  5,  172 1/2,  Ebenezer  Topliff,  the 
father,  died,  leaving  his  widow,  Mary,  and  one  son.  Mary  ToplifF,  the  widow,  admin- 
istered the  estate  of  her  husband.  The  inventory  was  made  by  John  Baker,  Hopestill 
Clapp,  and  Preserved  Capen  ;  and  was  as  follows  (Suffolk  Probate,  Vol.  22,  p.  754) 
"  Imp'    His  Apparel  Armour  &  Books  1 5  :  i  :  00 

Item  His  Bedding  19  :  lo 

Item  His  linen,  Chist,  Chairs  &  Tables  1 8  : 

Item  His  puter  brass  &  iron  '5  •    7 

Item  His  leather  and  working  tools  11  :  la 

Item  His  Flax  Woolen  Cloth  &  Wheel  &  other  utensils    8  : 
Item  His  Cattle  Horses  &  Sheep  49  =    ^ 

Item  one  Horse  and  Two  Swine  13  -  ^° 

Item  his  Shop  ^5  ■ 

Item  his  Province  Bills  &  Cash  14  - 

Item  one  Acre  of  Woodland  ^  '  ^° 

The  sum  Total      ;^i8i  :  19  " 

Mary  Topliff  married  Samuel  Leeds  May  16,  1728,  and  lived  until  August  19, 

1734. 

Children  of  Ebenezer  and  Mary  Topliff 

i.  ONATHAN,  b.  July  1 4,  1715  ;  d.  May  28,  1720. 
ii.  Ebenezer,  b.  September  16,  1719;  d.  September  24,  1795. 
Ebenezer  *  Topliff,  only  surviving  son  of  Ebenezer  Topliff,  was  born  in  Dor- 
chester September  16,  17 19.  His  father  died  when  he  was  between  two  and  three 
years  old,  and  his  mother  when  he  was  about  five.  According  to  the  Suffolk  Pro- 
bate records  he  had  a  guardian  appointed  after  his  mother's  death,  but  the  record  is 
lost.  The  guardian,  however,  was  probably  his  uncle  Ebenezer  Withington,  who 
represented  Ebenezer  Topliff  in  the  agreement  of  the  heirs  of  Philip  Withington. 
Philip  Withington,!  the  father  of  Mary  Topliff,  died  in  1736.  His  will  was  made 
on  December  31,  1734,  with  Nathaniel  and  Hannah  Topliff  as  witnesses.  Among 
the  other  items  appears  the  following  :  "  It.  I  give  to  my  Grandson  Ebenezer 
Topliff  an  equal  share  of  Moveables  with  the  Rest  of  my  Children  and  Twenty 
&  five  pounds  in  Province  Bills  or  the  value  thereof  as  aforef''  in  full  of  his  portion 

1  See  Appendix  B. 
[16] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 


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['7] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


out  of  my  estate."  Philip  Withington's  wife  Thankful  died  also  in  1736,  and  her 
portion  was  also  divided.  (SufFolk  County  Probate,  Vol.  33,  p.  41.)  On  May  29, 
1744,  Ebenezer  ToplifF  married  Priscilla,  daughter  of  James  and  Priscilla  Foster  of 
Dorchester. 1  She  was  born  November  18,  1722.  Ebenezer  was  a  rolling  stone, 
and  lived  in  Weymouth,  1745,  in  Boston  from  1748  to  1762,  in  Milton  about 
1776,  and  at  last  settled  in  Stoughton  in  1779.  He  was  chiefly  renowned  in  that 
town  for  having  owned  the  first  "chaise."  He  was  in  the  Dorchester  Company 
under  Captain  Robert  Oliver  in  1743,  on  duty  at  Castle  William,  now  Fort 
Independence. 

Priscilla  ToplifF  was  buried  in  the  old  cemetery  at  the  South  end  of  Boston  Com- 
mon, near  the  Boylston  Street  Mall.     The  stone  reads  as  follows  : 

"  Here  lies  buried  the  remains  of  Mrs  Priscilla   Topliff  the  consort  of 
Mr  Ebenezer  Topliff,  who  died  July  21^^  1772  in  the  49^!'  year  of  her  age 

"  Blessed  are  the  dead  that  praise 
thier  maker  with  thier  breath 
Until  thier  life  is  lost  in  death." 

Ebenezer  took  for  his  second  wife  Abigail,  the  widow  of  "  William  Shaller,  the 
great  rattle-snake  killer."  She  was  Abigail  Crane  of  Milton,  and  had  married  Wil- 
liam Shaller  about  1770.  Ebenezer  ToplifF  died  on  September  24,  1795,  and  his 
widow  survived  him  thirty-one  years.  She  died  June  z8,  1830,  aged  one  hundred 
years,  ten  months,  and  one  day.  **  To  her  home  on  the  Centennial  anniversary  of 
her  birth  came  the  Rev**  Samuel  Gile  from  Milton  to  celebrate  the  occurrence  with 
appropriate  exhortation  and  prayer." 

Ebenezer  and  Priscilla  Foster  had  eight  children  ;  the  eldest,  Mary,  and  the  fourth, 
Foster,  died  early.  Of  the  five  other  children,  James,  Anna,  Foster,  Ebenezer, 
and  Abigail,  nothing  is  known. 

Children  of  Ebenezer  and  Priscilla  Topliff 
i.    Mary,  b.  May  23,  1745  ;  d.  early  in  Weymouth. 

ii.    James,  b.  March  12,  1748/9. 

iii.    Anna,  b.  October  6,   1751. 

Captain  James  Foster's  will  mentions  his  daughter  Priscilla  ToplifF  and  his  grandson  James  Topliff. 
(Suffolk  County  Probate,  Vol.  61,  pp.  350,  351.) 

Elizabeth  Foster,  James  Foster's  second  wife,  also  remembered  her  husband's  daughter,  Priscilla  Topliff. 
(^Suffolk  County  Probate,  Vol.  70,  pp.  344-346.) 

[18] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 


iv.  Foster,  b.  September  23,   1753  ;  d.   1754. 

V.  Ebenezer,  b.  April  6,  1755. 

vi.  Samuel,  b.  May  7,   1758  ;   d.  August  6,  181 1, 

vii.  Foster,  b.  January  28,  176 1, 

viii.  Abigail,  b.  November  4,  1762. 

Samuel^  Topliff,  the  sixth  child  of  Ebenezer  and  Priscilla  (Foster)  Topliff, 
was  born  May  7,  1758,  in  Milton,  When  he  was  eighteen  he  joined  the  Stoughton 
Company  of  Volunteers,  but  was  in  active  service  during  the  Revolution  only  nine 
months  in  1778.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  went  to  sea,  and  became  part  owner 
of  the  ship  which  he  commanded  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  had,  previous  to  the 
"Embargo,"  acquired  an  independent  fortune.  This  he  subsequently  lost  through 
his  mistaken  judgment  in  endorsing  notes  for  his  friends.  The  effect  of  the  Embargo 
caused  many  failures  in  Boston,  and  Captain  Tophff's  friends'  notes  went  to  protest, 
and  he  was  forced  to  liquidate  them.  He  saved  enough  to  purchase  half  ownership  in 
a  brig,  and  returned  to  the  field  of  his  former  ventures  in  the  West  Indies. 

In  1774,  three  sisters,  Chloe,  Keziah,  and  Mindwell  Bird,  were  registered  as  singers 
in  William  Billings's  singing  class  in  Canton.  The  youngest  of  these  sisters.  Mind- 
well,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Keziah  Bird  ^  of  Stoughton,  married,  September  27, 
1 78 1,  Captain  Samuel  TopHff,  and  became  the  mother  of  seven  sons.  Mindwell 
(Bird)  Topliff' s  birth  is  nowhere  recorded,  but  her  father,  Benjamin  Bird,  in  his  will 
gives  to  his  "Daughter  Mindwell  Topliff  three  pounds  lawful  money  in  things  for 
house  keeping  as  soon  as  conveniently  may  be."  (October  29,  1785,  Suffolk  County 
Probate,  Vol.  86,  p.  612.)  In  1798  Captain  Topliff  owned  and  occupied  a  wooden 
house  on  the  east  side  of  Orange  Street  in  Boston,  having  for  neighbors  Mrs.  Simpson 
on  the  north  and  William  Wyman  on  the  south.  The  land  was  a  lot  of  3,360  square 
feet.  The  house  was  of  three  stories,  with  twenty-five  windows,  and  covered  an  area 
of  1,026  square  feet.  There  was  also  a  one-story  wooden  shed  containing  180 
square  feet.      The  whole  establishment  was  valued  at  ^2,200. 

Captain  Topliff  was  murdered  at  sea  by  a  mutinous  crew  on  August  6,  1 8 1 1 . 
The  "Palladium"  for  Tuesday,  September  24,  and  the  "Boston  Patriot"  for  the 
next  day,  contain  the  following  blood-curdling  announcement:  "At  Sea,  about  the 
month  of  August   last.    Captain   Samuel  Topliff,   of  Boston,  aged   54,  was,  by   his 

1  See  Appendix  C. 
[^9] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


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[20] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 


Savage  crew,  murdered  in  a  horrid  manner.      His  loss  to  his  family  and  friends  is 
irreparable." 

The  cook  of  the  crew,  Nicolas  Jose  Monterio,  turned  State's  evidence,  and  the 
mutineers  were  brought  to  trial.  The  schooner,  the  "Syren,"  had  been  burned,  and 
the  money  received  from  the  last  cargo  divided  among  the  murderers.  When  they 
were  arrested  the  money  was  found  upon  them,  and  was  seized  and  retained  by  the 
authorities  at  Nassau.  The  only  article  that  ever  reached  his  family  was  Captain 
ToplifF's  watch.  The  cook's  evidence  at  the  trial  gives  a  very  full  account  of  the 
mutiny. 

«*  Mutiny  of  the  Crezv  of  the  Syren. 

"Nassau  New  providence  Aug  7   181 1 

"Statement  of  Affairs  which  took  place  on  board  of  the  Schooner  Syren  Will'" 
Holbett  Master  on  her  passage  from  Eleuthera  with  a  Cargo  of  pine  Apples  and 
braze  [lian  ?]  Wood  bound  to  New  York      Remarks  on  board.     Al:->'  :. 

—  Given  by  one  of  the  prisioners  — 

"  Aug  5"^  Sailed  from  Eleuthera  one  of  the  bahama  Islands  for  New  York  with  a 
fine  SS  West  Wind  with  a  pilot  on  board  And  on  the  6">  At  5  p  m  Discharged  the 
pilot  and  at  6  the  North  part  of  Egg  Island  bore  s  by  E  Distance  2  Leagues.  Noth- 
ing Remarkable  took  place  Untill  about  Nine  Oclock.  As  the  Cap  about  one  hour 
before  was  a  Counting  over  his  money  to  ascertain  what  was  left  after  paying  for  the 
Cargo,  the  Cook  being  in  the  Cabin  at  the  time  seeing  the  money,  and  money 
being  of  A  tempting  Nature,  he  immediately  Goes  on  Deck  and  makes  known  to  his 
ship  mates  the  money  he  had  seen  the  Cap'  have,  and  in  Order  to  get  the  money  a 
plan  was  immediately  Contrived,  saying  among  themselves  when  the  watch  is  Called 
for  Eight  Oclock  it  will  be  Cap  Topiijs  watch  on  Deck,  and  the  first  Opportunity 
they  had.  they  would  take  the  Life  of  him.  and  Cap  Holbett.  who  was  below  in  his 
birth,  both  Equal  Owners  in  die  property,  saying  if  they  murdred  one.  they  must  the 
Other  In  which  they  Caried  into  Execution  their  Cruel  and  wicked  Desighn.  about 
Nine  Oclock  as  Cap'  Topliff.  was  sitting  a  Longside  of  the  Companion  with  his  head, 
lymg  on  the  Companion,  as  was  supposed,  asleep,  a  Spaniard  by  the  Name  of  Antonio 
Lorego  A  mexican  who  but  a  few  minutes  before  was  at  die  helm  and  Called  to 
the  Cook.  Nicholas  Jose  Monterio.  a  spanis  Indian  for  to  Come  and  take  the  helm 
from  him.  and  he  would  go  forward  and  get  a  hatchet,  that  he  had  m  his  Chest  and 

[21] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


Carry  into  Execution  the  buissness  proposed  on  —  which  Accordingly  did  by  striking 
Cap  Topliff  a  most  severe  blow  with  the  hatchet  on  the  back  part  of  his  Neck  in 
which  almost,  severed  his  head  from  his  Body,  then  a  Cross  his  head  —  and  finally  ran 
a  large  Knife  through  his  Neck  and  pined  him  down  to  the  leaf  of  the  Companion 
stripping  his  wercoat  off  of  him.  plundering  his  pockets  of  five  Doubloons  and  his 
watch,  and  then  threw  him  Overboard  —  Nicholas  Zauney  the  Greek  at  the  same  time 
going  —  below  to  murder  Cap'  Holbett  with  a  knife  in  his  hand  as  he  was  lying  in  his 
birth,  in  attempting  to  stab  him  in  his  body,  and  Cap'  Holbett  strugling  with  him  he 
ran  his  Knife  in  to  his  thigh  which  broke  off  quite  up  to  the  handle  and  left  it  in  his 
thigh,  not  seeming  much  to  mind  it.  sprang  out  of  his  birth  and  seised  him  by  the 
throat  and  threw  him  on  the  floar.  and  was  just  ascending  up  the  steps  to  Go  on  Deck 
hearing  Considerable  —  scufling  just  before,  and  was  Attacked  by  this  Antonio  — 
Lorego  with  a  hatchet  in  hand  which  struck  him  a  blow  in  his  head,  in  which  he  fell 
backwards  into  the  Cabin,  and  the  said  antonio  following  after  pierced  him  through  the 
body  five  or  six  times,  and  Cut  him  open  so  as  to  lett  his  bowells  out.  and  then  made 
a  line  fast  to  him  and  hawled  him  up  on  Deck,  and  threw  him  Overboard  then  all 
hands  went  to  work  to  breaking  open  the  trunks  which  Contained  the  money  —  and 
shareing  it  among  them  and  taking  the  Coulars  —  and.  stiching  the  Doubloons  two 
and  three  together  between  the  Cloth  to  prevent  them  from  making  a  Noise.  Like- 
wise in  their  shoulder  Braces  —  and  wound  them  round  their  Bodys.  and  Legs,  then 
went  to  sleep,  leaving  one  man  at  the  helm  steering  —  as  was  supposed  for  the 
Florida — at  four  oclock  on  the  7"*  Discovered  a  sail  bearing  down  upon  them,  and 
in  their  Near  approach,  found  her  to  be  the  brig  Moselle  Captain  Boyce  of  Eighteen 
Guns  on  a  Cruse  from  New  providence  —  Knowing  their  fate  if  Taken  by  them 
wore  Ship  and  stood  in  for  the  land.  Eleuthera  then  in  sight,  and  under  their  Lee  — 
the  brig  pursued  after  them  as  far  as  was  prudent  for  them  to  run.  uppon  the  acount 
of  shoals  —  not  overhauling  her.  she  hawled  her  wind — and  stood  ofF — they  then 
run  the  schooner  on  Egg  Island  Reef  got  out  the  boat  took  what  Valuable  Articles  was 
on  board  and  made  off  for  Andrews  Island  —  in  seeing  a  small  fishing  smack  lying  ofF 
to  Anchoir.  supposed  some  people  to  live  on  the  Island  —  they  had  but  just  Landed 
before  they  saw  a  man  on  the  beach.  In  which  they  went  up  to  him  and  made 
known  their  deplorable  and  unfortunate  situation,  in  telling  him  they  was  Cast  a  way 
on  one  of  the  Keys  two  or  three  days  before  and  had  lost  Every  thing  in  the  world. 

[22] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 


and  almost  starved  to  Death  —  and  desired  that  he  would  be  so  kind  as  to  Give  them 
something  to  Eat  as  they  had.  had  Nothing  to  Eat  since  first  being  Cast  away,      they 
telling  a  very  plausible  Story,  he  had  Every  reason  in  the  world  to  believe  them  and 
says  to  the  Cook  Come  if  you  will  go  up  to  my  —  house   with  me  I  will  send    them 
down  something  to  Eat  and  Drink  —  but  on  their  way  up  to  the  house—  the  Cook 
made  Every  thing  Known,  upon   account  of  his  not  having   so  much  money  as  the 
rest,  which  he  did  —not  very  well  Like  — by  saying  if  I  will  save  your  life  will  you 
save  mi7ie  —  at  that  the  planter  asked  him  what  he  meant  by  that  —  and  he  Immedi- 
ately says  these  men  are  not  what  they  pretend  to  be.      thev  are  Murderers  but  two 
or  three  Days  ago  they  Murdred  the  Cap   and  mate  of  their  Vessel  to  which  they  be- 
longed to  —  and  seeing  a  man  of  War  brig  in  Chace  of  them  they  run  the  Vessel 
ashore  on  the  rocks  and  left  her  after  plundering  her  of  Every  valuable  article  —  and 
have  come  /^r;v  — seeing  your  boat  a  lying  off  here  —  they  thought  they  would  make 
known  to  you  their  Distrest  situation— and  see  if  you  would  not  Cary  them  to  Nassau, 
making  you  believe  that  place  was  where  they  wished  to  go  —  and  in   Case  you   are 
willing  to  Cary  them  as  Ever  you  get  off  from  the  Land  they  mean  to  murder  you 
and  your  negroes  —  take  the  boat  and  go  over  to  Cuba  where  they  think  they  shall  be 
safe  —  the  planter  says  if  that  be  the  Case  I  shall  send  nothing  Down  to  them  but 
Collected  his  Negroes   to  gether  about  fourteen  in  Number  —  armed   them  and  went 
Down  to  them  through  the  woods,  fearing  if  they  went  Down  in  Open  view  and  the 
Villians  see  them  Coming  would  mak  off  in  their  boat  —  Caught  them  and  tied   their 
hands  behind  them  and  made  them  fast  to  some  logs  of  wood  —  untill  he  could  go  up 
to  his  house  get  his  sails  bring  down  and  bend  them,      then  took  the  Villians  on  board 
and  —  proceeded  on  his  way  for  Nassau  —  on  the  passage  the  Villians  Desired  him  not 
to  Care,  them  to  Nassau  as  they  Did  not  wish  to  go  there  —  he  told  them  to  be  quiet 
for  they  were  murdrers  and  he  should  have  them  put  into  prision  as  Ever  he  got 
there,  they  acknowledged  their  Guilt  and  offered  him  all  the  money  they  had.  not  to  go 
to  Nassau,      but  he  refused  taking  any  of  it.     when  Getting  to  providence  —  they  was 
Examined  before  the  police  Officer  the  money  taken   from  them  and  deposited  in  the 
public  Chest  in  the  Treasury,  and  they  sent  to  jail  for  trial  at  November  Court  —  the 
Said  Antonio  Lorego  the  Cheaf  perpetrator  —  says  he  murdred  his  mother  and  brother 
about  Nine  months  Since.     Not  a  particle  of  Dought  Remains  but  Law  and  Justice 
will  take  place  and  they  receive  that  punishment  Reserved  for  such  Villians  — 

[23] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


«*  Names  of  the  Villians  and  what  Countrymen 
'*  Antonio  Lorego    a    Spaniard 
Nicholas  Zauney       Greek 
Frances  Davamett     Frenchman 
Nicholas  Jose  Monterio  Cook     Spanish  Indian  ' ' 

The  •*  Columbian  Centinel  "  for  Wednesday,  December  4,  has  an  item  from 
Nassau,  dated  November  3  :  "  The  Admiralty  Session  Court  will  meet  on  Tuesday 
which  is  the  day  assigned  for  the  Trial  of  the  men  arraigned  for  the  murder  of  the 
master  and  mate  of  the  Am.  Sch.  Syren.  —  [The  two  men  who  murdered  Captains 
ToplifF  and  Holbert  on  board  the  Sch.  Syren,  were  executed  at  Nassau,  on  the  8th 
Nov.]  " 

On  the  next  day  a  fuller  account  of  the  end  of  the  murderers  was  published. 

'*  Deaths — Foreign.  In  New  Providence  8"'  ult  Nicholas  Zamry,  a  native  of 
the  Seven  Islands,  and  Antonio  Lorego,  a  Campechino;  both  executed  for  the  mur- 
der of  W"".  Holbert,  the  master,  and  Sam'  Tapliff  (of  this  town),  part  owner  of  the 
Sch.  Syren.  The  Greek  appeared  very  penitent;  but  the  Spaniard  was  a  most 
hardened  villain,  and  after  abusing  the  officers  of  justice  for  delaying  his  execution 
three  days,  and  confessing  he  had  before  murdered  two  other  persons  (his  mother  and 
brother  !)  he  was  launched  into  eternity,  whilst  regretting  that  the  cook  (who  had 
turned  State's  Evidence)  did  not  share  his  fate." 

The  widow  Mindwel)  TopliiF,  and  three  sons,  James,  Samuel,  and  Benjamin, 
survived  Captain  ToplifF.  Mind  well  Topliff  was  made  administratrix  of  the  estate, 
which  amounted  to  very  little,  since  the  schooner  was  burned,  and  nothing  could  be 
recovered.  The  personal  property  was  appraised  at  only  ^226.72,  of  which  ^102.37 
was  spent  for  mourning  and  fees.  The  rest,  ^124.35,  the  widow  petitioned  the  court 
might  be  given  her  for  support.  This  was  granted.  In  181  3  the  estate  was  declared 
insolvent,  and  the  widow  again  petitioned  the  court  of  probate,  this  time  that  com- 
missioners be  appointed  to  settle  the  estate.  John  Heard,  Jr.,  and  Joseph  Pierce  were 
named  by  the  court.  They  brought  forward  a  long  list  of  notes  signed  almost  without 
exception  in  Labrador,  which,  with  some  bills  of  exchange,  were  declared  worthless. 
Some  payment  of  the  creditors  was  made  later,  but  it  is  impossible  to  tell  whence  the 
money  came.^ 

1  Suffolk  County  Probate,  Vol.  no,  pp.  54,  524;  Vol.  in,  p.  260. 

[24] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 


Children  of  Samuel  and  Mindwell  Topliff 
i.    Ebenezer,  b.  June  21,  1782;  d.  December  12,  1802. 
ii.    James,  b.  February  5,  1784;  d.  August  17,  1784. 
iii.    James,  b.  July  20,  1786;  d.  June  8,  1856. 
iv.    Samuel,  b.  April  25,  1789;  d.  December  11,  1864. 
V.    Benjamin,  b.  March  7,  1791  ;  d.  December  11,  1791. 
vi.    Benjamin,  b.  June  17,  1793  ;   d.  March  31,  1870. 
vii.    William,  b.  April  3,  1796  ;  d.  September  2,  1796. 

Samuel «  Topliff  {Samuel'^)  was  born  in  Boston  April  25,  1789.  He  married  in 
Providence,  December  2,  1829,  Jane  Sisson  Blackstock,  daughter  of  William  and  Eliza 
(Maxwell)  Blackstock.  He  died  in  Boston  December  11,  1864.  She  died  March 
28,  i860,  aged  fifty-three  years  and  six  months.  A  memoir  of  him  is  appended  to  his 
letters  of  travel  printed  by  the  Boston  Athenseum. 

Children  of  Samuel   and  Jane  Topliff 
i.    Samuel  Bird,  b.  December  2,  1830;  d.  October  29,  1854,  unmarried, 
ii.    William  Blackstock,  b.  March  24,  1832  ;  m.  June  12,  1873,  Mary  Web- 
ster Stanwood  ;  living  in  Evanston,  Illinois, 
iii.    Sarah  Jane,    b.    May    4,    1834;    m.    May    19,     1859,   William    Stevens 

Houghton,  merchant  of  Boston.      She  died  December  31,    1886. 
iv.    Mary    Mindwell,    b.   February    27,    1836.       Died    March    14,    1905,  in 

Boston. 
v.    James  Clement,  b.  January  14,  1838;  m.  April  15,  1885,  Virginia  Walton; 

living  in  Arkansas  City,  Kansas. 
vi.    Eliza  Maxwell,  b.  October   10,   1839;  m.  November  16,  1870,  Edward 

Stanwood  of  Boston  ;  living  in  Brookline,  Massachusetts, 
vii.    George  Francis,  b.  September   11,  1841  ;  m.  February  24,  1881,  Harriet 

Luella  Billings  ;   living  in  Boston, 
viii.    Ebenezer,  b.  November  18,  1848;  d.  November  27,  1848. 
Benjamin®  Topliff  (^Samuel^)  was  born  in  Boston  on  June  16,  1793.      He  was 
his  brother's  partner  for  the  last  eighteen  years  of  his  proprietorship  in  the  Merchant's 
News  Room.     He  married  Julia  A.  Snow,  September  10,  1830.      She  died  August 
25>  1875,  3g^<^  seventy-six  years.     He  died  March  31,  1870. 

[25] 


i 

CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


Children  of  Benjamin  and  Julia  Topliff 

i.  Julia  Mindwell,  b.  1832;  d.  November  7,  1858. 

ii.  Louisa  Jane,  b.  April  18,  1833  ;  d.  July,  1833. 

iii.  Maria  Jane,  b.  1835  ;  d.  August  26,  1858. 

iv.  George  Benjamin,  b.  March  15,  1837;   d.  May  7,  1901, 

V.  Louisa  McKown,  b.  October  16,  1838  ;  unmarried, 

vi.  Anna  Jones,  b.  June,  1840;  d.  April  26,  1856. 


[26] 


1 


/^Pu^^  J.  I<^  i' 


7 


'V:^^  /i.,,^^^^^^  /2-<^>ii-^ 


y^.^/-^ 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  TO   SAMUEL  TOPLIFF. 


J 


i 


i 


APPENDIX   A 


APPENDIX    A 


HYMN  BY  NATHANIEL  TOPLIFF,  OF  DORCHESTER,  SUNG  AT 
THE  DEDICATION  OF  THE  FIRST  CHURCH  IN  DORCHESTER, 
DECEMBER  2,  1816 


Great  architect  divine 

Who  rais'd  all  Nature's  frame. 
Accept  and  own  as  thine 

The  house  built  for  thy  name  ! 
Arise,  O  Lord, 
Into  thy  rest 
And  here  afford 

What  makes  us  blest ! 


Thy  Temple  is  all  space. 

But  still  thy  wond'rous  love 
And  condescending  grace 

Assembling  crowds  shall  prove. 
Thou  fillest  all. 

Thou  God  alone ; 
And  Seraphs  fall 
Before  Thy  throne. 

[29] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


Though  Heaven  cannot  contain 

Thy  glory.  Lord  of  all. 
No  humble  soul  in  vain 
Upon  his  God  shall  call. 
Where  tv/o  or  three 

Are  well  agreed 
In  seeking  thee, 

They  shall  succeed. 


A  house  for  God  we  found. 

And  in  it  we  appear 
To  hear  the  joyful  sound 
Of  free  salvation  here  ; 
And  to  receive 

The  joyfiil  news. 
Obey,  believe. 
And  not  abuse. 


Here  grant  thy  presence.  Lord, 

And  smile  on  our  design  ; 
And  bless  thy  holy  word. 
With  Energy  divine  ! 
Here  may  we  find 

Our  souls  renewed 
Our  graces  shined 
Our  sins  subdu'd. 

[30] 


AND    HIS     DESCENDANTS 


Dear  Lord,  we  praise  the  Grace 
That  show'd  our  feet  the  way 
To  such  a  blessed  place  ; 
Let  us  abide  and  stay  : 
Or  when  we  rise 

Be  so  improved 
As  'bove  the  skies 
To  meet  belov'd  ! 


O  gather  all  mankind 

Unto  thy  temple.  Lord, 
And  happy  may  they  find 

How  well  thy  house  is  stor'd. 
Full  chorus  swell 

From  every  tongue. 
And  grace  to  tell 
Be  all  their  Song  ! 


[31] 


APPENDIX    B 


APPENDIX    B 

ELIOT 

Philip  Eliot  was  baptized  at  Widford,  County  Herts,  England,  April  25,  1602. 
Came  in  the  "  Hopewell  "  to  Roxbury  in  1635;  freeman,  1636;  member  of  the 
Artillery  Company,  1638  ;  Deputy  to  the  General  Court,  1654-57  ;  Deacon  of  the 
r^k — i^  jj^  Roxbury ;   Feoffee  of  the  Public  School  in  Roxbury. 

*  Oct  20,  1624.  Philip  Eliot  of  Nazeing,  Essex,  husbandman,  a  bachelor  aged 
out  22,  and  Elizabeth  Sybthorpe  of  Little  Hallingbury  in  Co.  Essex,  maiden,  about 
23,  daughter  of  Robert  Sybthorpe,  deceased  :  there  appeared  William  Curtis  of  Naze- 
ing aforesaid,  husbandman,  and  testified  the  consent  of  Anne  Sybthorpe,  widow, 
mother  of  the  said  Elizabeth,  at  Nazeing  or  Little  Hallingbury."  —  Bishop  of  London 
Marriage  Licenses. 

"  Philip  Eliot  he  dyed  about  the  22''  of  the  8'  month  :  57.  he  was  a  man  of 
peace,  &  very  faithful,  he  was  many  years  in  the  office  of  Deakon  w''  he  discharged 
faithfully,  in  his  latter  years  he  was  very  lively  usefull  &  active  for  God,  &  his  cause. 
The  Lord  gave  him  so  much  acceptanc  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  y  he  dyed  under 
many  of  the  offices  of  trust  y'  are  usually  put  upon  men  of  his  rank,  for  besides  his 
office  of  a  Deakon,  he  was  a  Deputy  to  the  Gen.  Court,  he  was  a  coiiTissioner  for  the 
govnm*  of  the  towne,  he  was  one  of  the  5  men  to  order  the  prudential  affairs  of  the 
towne ;  &  he  was  chosen  to  be  FeofFe  of  the  Public  Schoole  in  Roxbury."  —  Roxbury 
Church  Records,  p.  81. 

Elizabeth  Eliot,  his  eldest  daughter,  was  baptized  at  Nazeing,  April  8,  1627; 
m.  cir.  1649,  Richard  Withington,  and  d.  April  18,  17 14. 


[35] 


APPENDIX    C 


APPENDIX    C 

BIRD 

CHILDREN    OF    BENJAMIN    AND   KEZIAH    BIRD 

i.    Elizabeth,  b.  April  29,  1743. 

m.  Benjamin  Hayward,  Jr.,  in  Braintree,  1764. 
ii.    Benjamin,  b.  April  15,  1744. 
iii.    Lemuel,  b.  September  30,  1745. 
iv.    Isaac,  b.  December  25,  1746. 

V.    Elijah,  b.  December  6,  1748;   d.  January  16,  1749. 
vi.    Ruth,  b.  January  5,  1750  ;  d.  before  1785. 
vii.    Chloe,  b.  August  9,  1753,  O.  S. 

m.  1 78 1,  Joshua  Clark  of  Braintree. 
viii.    Keziah,  b.  February  7,  1755. 

m.  1774,  William  Crane. 

ix.      MiNDWELL,   b.    1756. 

m.  1 78 1,  Samuel  Topliff  of  Boston. 
X.    Samuel. 

xi.    Asa,  b.  June  12,  1765. 
xii.    Hannah,  m.   1783,  George  Wadsworth. 
xiii.    Nanny. 

Benjamin  Bird  held  land  in  Ashburnham  in  right  of  his  uncle  Thomas  Bird.  In 
1736  he  was  on  a  committee  to  lay  out  the  first  division  of  lots,  and  was  made  Pro- 
prietors' Clerk,  and  took  the  oath  of  office  as  such.  The  following  year  he  was  chosen 
Treasurer,  but  was  succeeded  in  1738  by  Timothy  Green. 

In  1 782  he  deeded  all  his  stock,  buildings,  &c.,  to  his  son  Samuel  Bird,  in  exchange 
for  a  life  maintenance  of  himself  and  his  wife  Keziah,  and  their  decent  burial.  In  the 
deed  he  menrions  his  sons  Isaac,  Lemuel,  and  Benjamin.  (Suffolk  County  Deeds, 
Vol.  141,  p. 176.) 

[39] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


Benjamin  Bird  of  Dorchester,  father  of  the  above,  made  a  will  in  1756  in  which 
he  mentions  his  wife  Johanna,  his  sons  Jonathan,  Benjamin,  Samuel,  and  John,  his 
daughters  Mindwell  Parker,  Mary  Pierce,  Ann  Ireland,  Hannah  Clark,  Susanna  Bird, 
Sarah  Haws.     (Suffolk  County  Probate,  Vol.  52,  p.  241.) 

He  quitclaims  land  as  heir  of  Major  Humphrey  Atherton.  (Suffolk  County 
Deeds,  Vol.  45,  p.  54.) 


[40] 


APPENDIX   D 


APPE 


Samuel  Topliff 


Samuel  Bird 
b.   1830 
d.  1858 


William  Blackstock 
of  Chicago 


Samuel 
b.  1877 
of  Chicago 


Stanwood 
b.  1880 
d.   1888 


Mary  Webster 

Stanwood 

of  Augusta, 

Maine 


Sarah  Jane 
d.  1886 


William  Stevens 
Houghton 
of  Boston 
d.   1894 


Mary  Mindwell 
d.  unm.   1905 


Jamesi  11 
of  A 
City, 


William  Topliif 
b.   1861 
d.   1861 


Samuel  Topliff 
b.  1862 
d.   1872 


Clement  =  Martha  Gilbert 


Stevens 
of  Boston 
b.   1863 


Colt  of 
Pittsfield, 
Massachusetts 


Edwin  Arnold 
b.   1865 
d.  1865 


Elizabeth 
b.   1897 


William  Maxwell 
b.   1899 


Samuel  Gilbert 
b.  1902 


John  Denison 
b.  1903 


>IX    D 


SissoN  Blackstock 


'nt  =  Virginia  Walton      Eliza  Maxwell 
of  New  Brighton, 
Pennsylvania 


Edward  Stanwood 
of  Brookline 
Massachusetts 


George  Francis  =  Harriet  Luella 
of  Boston  Billings 

of  Canton, 
Massachusetts 


Houghton 
b.  1887 


Helen  Sharp 
b.   1888 


Ethel  = 
b.  1873 


Charles  Knowles  Bolton     Edward 
of  Shirley,  b.  1876 

Massachusetts  of  Brookline, 

Massachusetts 


Maxwell 
1).    1SS3 
d.   18S7 


Stanwood  Knowles 
b.  1898 


Geoffrey 
b.   1 901 


Ebenzer 

b.   1848, 

d.  e. 


APPENDIX    E 


APPENDIX    E 

TOPLIFFS  IN  ENGLAND  AT  THE  TIME   OF  CLEMENT  TOPLIFF'S 

EMIGRATION   TO  AMERICA 

Mr.   Richard  Topliff,  Vicar  of  Aldeburg,  v/id'r  &  Elizabeth  Mason  of  Alde- 
burgh,  singlewoman,  married  at  Bucklesham,  September  i,  1640. 

At  St.   Martins  in  the  Fields,   London 
Radulphus  Topley  and  Katherina  Reynolds,  m.  May  20,  1593. 
John  ToplifF,  bapt.  April  28,  1594;  d.  February  23,  1594/5. 
Francis  ToplifF,  bapt.  August  i,  1596  ;  d.  May  8,  1597. 
Priscilla  Topliff",  bapt.  February  12,  1597. 
Anna  Topliff",  bapt.  November  11,  1599. 
Radulphus  Topliff",  d.  September  19,  1606. 

At  St.   Botolph's,  London 
Nicholas,  son  of  Nicholas  and  Elizabeth  Toplift,  b.  October  4,  1668. 

At  St.   Vedast,   Foster  Lane,   London 
Stephen  Bredwell  and  Frances  Topliff"  were  marryed  the  Twelveth  dale  of  De- 
cember 161  5. 

Robert  Cottrell  and  Margaret  Tophff",  m.  September  30,  1604. 
James  Merrell  and  Elee  Toplis,  m.  February  15,  1606. 

At  Kippax,   Yorkshire 
Thomas  Topliff^,  b.  March  8,  1590;   d.  March  11,  1590. 

At  Kirk  Ella,  Yorkshire 
John  Thornton  and  Kathrina  Toplife,  m.  July  2,  1566. 

[47] 


CLEMENT    TOPLIFF 


At  St.  Nicholas,  Ipswich 

John  ToplifFand  Margery  Cage,  m.  May  i6,  1568. 

John  ToplifFand  Prudence  Johnson,  m.  December  21,  1608. 

Mary,  dau.  of  Thomas  Topliff,  bapt.  December  3,  1581. 

John,  son  of TopelifF,  bapt.  September  3,  161  2. 

Alice,  dau.  of  John  and  Prudence  ToplifF,  bapt.  September  4,  1 61 3, 

w.  of  Thomas  ToplifF,  burd.  February  2,  161 1. 

Thomas  ToplifFand  Joan  Mansfield,  widd.,  m.  August  27,  1613. 
William  ToplifFe  hurt  by  souldie"  was  buried,  1627. 
Prudence,  w.  of  John  ToplifF,  buried  October  3,  161 7. 

Clement  Tokelie  and  Ann  Jones  of  Frostenden,  both  single,  m.   at  Frostenden 
February  3,  1622/3. 

Calendar  of  Wills  at  Ipswich 

JoHNis  ToKCLiFF  dc  Stonham  Aspal,  1531—34.     Folio  14. 
Clementis  Tokelove  of  Hasketton,  1567-8.      Folio  266. 
Georgii  Tockliff  of  Wenhaston,  1596-7.      Folio  567. 

Canterbury  Marriage  Licenses 

Topliff,  Thomas,  of  Harrietsham,  clothier,  ba.,  about  23,  and  Ann  Bishop  of  Sutton 
Valence,  maiden,  about  23,  dau.  of  Edward  Bishop.  At  St  Andrews,  Canter- 
bury, September  22,  1623. 

Stonehouse,  Robert,  of  Broughton  Malherbe,  yeom.  wid":  and  Aphra  TapclifF,  v. 
about  30,  dau.  of  Mary  TapclifF.  At  St.  Margarets,  Canterbury.  Thomas 
TopelifF  of  Ashford,  glover,  and  Richard  TopelifF  of  Canterbury,  cordwainer, 
bondsmen.     January  27,  1633. 

Brodnax,  Richard,  of  Cheriton,  abt  23,  and  Elizabeth  TopelifF  maiden,  abt  30, 
dau.  of  Richard  TopelifF,  dec'?,  now  abiding  with  Alice  TopelifF  her  mother. 
September  28,  1619. 

Topliff,  Richard,  of  Ashford,  cordwainer,  ba.,  about  24  and  Elizabeth  Wattes  of 
Kingsnorth  about  18.      At  Boughton  Malherbe,  April  10,  1635. 

Clarke,  Christopher,  of  Ruckinge,  widl  and  Elizabeth  TopelifF,  v.  abt  34.  St. 
Margarets,  Canterbury,  October  5,  1629. 

Howling,  Stephen,  of  Ashford,  cordwainer,  abt.  22,  and  Grace  TopclifFe  of  Sturry, 
abt.  24.      April  7,  1642.      Richard  ToplifFe  of  Ashford,  cordwainer  bondsman. 

[48] 


AND    HIS    DESCENDANTS 


ToPLEY,  John,  of  Boughton  Aluph,  husb.,  ba.,  about  32,  and  Ann  Smith,  d.  of 
Robert  Smith.      At  St.  Margarets,  Canterbury,  February  28,  1638. 

Smith,  Thomas,  of  Borden,  husbandman,  widf  and  Ann  ToplifFe,  of  Broughton 
Aluph,  w.  of  John  ToplifFdec'?      November  17,  1641. 

Tapcliff,  Richard,  clerk,  rector  of  Cheriton,  and  Alice  Godwin  of  Folkestone. 
February  20,  1584. 

Tapley,  Edward,  of  Harrietsham,  and  Alice  Wood,  of  Leeds,  December  18,  1592. 

TopLEY,  Thomas,  of  Ashford,  fellmonger,  about  27,  and  Elizabeth  Drawbridge,  of 
Mersham,  w.  of  Robert  Drawbridge.  At  St.  Margarets,  Canterbury.  Richard 
Topley  of  Ashford  cordwainer,  bondsman.      February  9,  1635. 

Lincoln  Marriage  Licenses 

September  14,  1623.  Anthony  Barker  of  Ashbie  de  la  Land,  yeom.  act  21,  &  Essa 
Toplidge  of  same  sp'  aet.  30.  Her  parents  are  dead.  Appln.  by  Eliazer 
Glenn  of  Dirrington,  gent.    [St.  Botulph]. 

Richard  Toplidge,  of  ffolkingham,  salter,  aet.  26,  &  Jane  Eldredge,  of  Aslackby, 
sp%  aet.   19,  m.  July  28,  161 9. 

Will  of  Wilham  Hutchinson,  Aldeman  of  Lincoln  January  4,  1556,  mentions  lands 
lately  purchased  of  Richard  TopclifF  of  St.  Botolph  Lincoln.  [William  Hutch- 
inson's great-nephew  William,  came  to  Boston  in  1634,  with  his  wife  Anne 
(Marbury)  Hutchinson.] 

Spalding,   Lincolnshire 
James  Harcastell  &  EUyn  Toplyfe,  m.,  14  Jan.  1594. 

Wills  of  the  Prerogative  Court,   Canterbury 
John  Topliff,  Clothier,  Ipswich,  Suffolk.  62  Harte. 
Ellis  Toplefe,  of  Longbridge  Deverill,  Wilts.      May  31,  1638.      Relict  Joan. 

In  the  Diocese  of  Dublin 

Topcliffe,  Charles,  &  Elizabeth  Cottrell.      Marriage  license,  1641. 
Topliffe,  Charles,  of  Dublin,  Gent.  1664.     Intestacy.    Elizabeth,  of  Dublin,  widow 
1673.    Intestacy. 


[49] 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Aggar,  Letteye,  15 

Atherton,  Major  Humphrey,  7,  20,  40 

Atherton,  Thankful,  20 

Atvvood,  Captain,  7 

Baker,  John,  16 

Barker,  Anthony,  49 

Bartlett,  J.  Gardner,  11 

Bate,  Benjamin,  5,  6 

Bates,  James,  17 

Bates,  John,  17 

Bates,  Mary,  17 

Bigge,  Patience,  17 

Billings,  Harriet  Luella,  25, 43 

Bird,  Asa,  39 

Bird,  Benjamin,  19,  20,  39,  40 

Bird,  Chloe,  19,  39 

Bird,  Elijah,  39 

Bird,  Elizabeth,  39 

Bird,  Hannah,  39 

Bird,  Isaac,  39 

Bird,  Johanna,  40 

Bird,  John,  40 

Bird,  Jonathan,  40 

Bird,  Keziah,  19,  20,  39 

Bird,  Lemuel,  39 

Bird,  Mindwell,  4,  19,  20,  39 

Bird,  Nanny,  39 

Bird,  Ruth,  39 

Bird,  Samuel,  39,  40 

Bird,  Susanna,  40 

Bird,  Thomas,  20,  39 

Bishop,  Ann,  48 

Bishop,  Edward,  48 

Blackstock,  Eliza  (Maxwell),  25 

Blackstock,  Jane  Sisson,  4,  25,  43 

Blackstock,  William,  25 

Blake,  Hannah,  4,  12 

Bolton,  Charles  Knowles,  43 


Bolton,  Ethel  Stanwood,  43 
Bolton,  Geoffrey,  43 
Bolton,  Stanwood  Knowles,  43 
Boyce,  Captain,  22 
Boyse,  Anna,  17 
Boyse,  Rev.  John,  17 
Boyse,  Sarah,  17 
Bredwell,  Stephen,  47 
Brodnax,  Richard,  48 

Cage,  Margery,  48 
Capen,  Mary,  17 
Capen,  Preserved,  16 
Clap,  Hopestill,  10,  16 
Clark,  Hannah,  40 
Clark,  Joshua,  39 
Clarke,  Christopher,  48 
Clements,  Augustine,  6 
Colt,  Martha  Gilbert,  43 
Cook,  Mr.,  7 
Copp,  David,  4,  7,  8 
Copp,  David,  Jr.,  7 
Copp,  John,  7 
Copp,  Jonathan,  7 
Copp,  Samuel,  7 
Copp,  Sarah,  8 
Copp,  Thomas,  7,  8 
Cottrell,  Elizabeth,  47,  49 
Craft,  Nathaniel,  4,  12 
Craft,  Patience,  13 
Crane,  William,  39 
Curtis,  William,  35 


Daniels,  Elizabeth,  4,  12 
Davamett,  Frances,  24 
Davenport,  Thomas,  9 

I   Drawbridge,  Elizabeth,  49 
Drawbridge,  Robert,  49 

[53] 


INDEX 


Dyer,  George,  15 
Dyer,  Mary,  15 

Eldredge,  Jane,  49 
Eliot,  Bennett,  15 
Eliot,  Elizabeth,  15,  35 
Eliot,  John,  15 
Eliot,  Philip,  15,3s 

Foster,  Elizabeth,  18 
Foster,  Hopestill,  17 
Foster,  James,  17,  iS 
Foster,  Capt.  James,  18 
Foster,  Priscilla,  4,  17,  18,  19 
Foster,  Richard,  17 
Foster,  Rev.  Thomas,  17 

GiLE,  Rev.  Samuel,  iS 
Glenn,  Eliazer,  49 
Godwin,  Alice,  49 
Green,  Timothy,  39 

Hall,  Mary,  13 

Hall,  Richard,  9 

Harcastle,  James,  49 

Harris,  Joanna,  20 

Harris,  John,  20 

Harris,  "  Marshall "  John,  20 

Harris,  Dr.  Thaddeus  Mason,  13 

Haws,  Sarah,  40 

Heard,  John,  Jr.,  24 

Heath,  Mary,  3 

Heath,  Peleg,  3,  9 

Heath,  William,  3 
Henshaw,  Samuel,  4,  12 
Henshaw,  Waitstill,  13 
Holbett,  William,  21,  22,  24 
Holley,  Elizabeth,  15 
Holley,  Samuel,  15 
Holmes,  Nathaniel,  4,  8 
Houghton,  Clement  Stevens,  43 
Houghton,  Edwin  Arnold,  43 
Houghton,  Elizabeth,  43 
Houghton,  John  Denison,  43 
Houghton,  Martha  Gilbert,  43 
Houghton,  Samuel  Gilbert,  43 
Houghton,  Samuel  Topliff,  43 
Houghton,  Sarah  Jane,  25,  43 


Houghton,  William  Maxwell,  43 
Houghton,  William  Stevens,  25,  43 
Houghton,  William  Topliff,  43 
Howard,  Robert,  6 
Howling,  Stephen,  48 
Hubbart,  Deacon,  7 
Hutchinson,  Mr.,  7 
Hutchinson,  E'",  7 
Hutchinson,  Ann  (Marbury),  49 
Hutchinson,  William,  49 

Ireland,  Ann,  40 

Johnson,  Prudence,  48 
Jones,  Ann,  48 
Jones,  David,  4,  7,  8,  9 
Jones,  Praise-ever,  7 

Kendall,  John,  11,  15 

Lane,  Anna,  17 
Lane,  James,  17 
Lane,  Capt.  Job,  17 
Lane,  Robert,  17 
Lane,  Thomas,  17 
Leeds,  Samuel,  15,  16 
Leetche,  Anne,  15 
Lorego,  Antonio,  21,  23,  24 
Lynde,  Colonel,  7 

Makepeace,  Mr.,  6 
Mansfield,  Joan,  48 
Maryon,  Mr.,  7 
Mason,  Elizabeth,  47 
Mather,  Cotton,  7 
Mather,  Richard,  3 
Mervell,  James,  47 
Minot,  John,  6,  9 
Monterio,  Nicolas  Jose,  21,  24 

Oakes,  Mr.  Thomas,  7 
Oliver,  Capt.  Robert,  18 
Orcutt,  William  Dana,  10 


Parker,  Ebenezer,  20 
Parker,  Mindwell,  40 
Paul,  Margaret,  15 
I  Paul,  Richard,  15 

[54] 


INDEX 


Pierce,  Joseph,  24 
Pierce,  Mary,  40 
Pond,  Thankful,  15 
Pond,  William,  15 
Procter,  Samuel,  g 

Reyner,  Anna,  17 
Reyner,  Rev.  John,  17 
Russell,  Katherine,  17 

Searle,  Jabez,  4,  12 

Searle,  Thankful,  13 

Sewall,  Judge  Samuel,  7 

Shaller,  Abigail  Crane,  4,  18 

Shaller,  William,  18 

Simpson,  Mrs.,  19 

Smith,  Ann,  49 

Smith,  Elizabeth,  15 

Smith,  Lawrence,  6 

Smith,  Robert,  49 

Smith,  Thomas,  49 

Snow,  Julia  A.,  4,  25,  26 

Somes,  Elizabeth  (Kendall),  11,  15 

Somes,  John,  11 

Somes,  Morris,  11,  15 

Somes,  Patience,  4,  11,  12,  14,  15 

Stanwood,  Edward,  25,  43 

Stanwood,  Edward,  Jr.,  43 

Stanwood,  Eliza  Maxwell,  25,  43 

Stanwood,  Ethel,  43 

Stanwood,  Mary  Webster,  25,  43 

Stonehouse,  Robert,  48 

Stucoe,  Joanna,  17 

Sweft,  Thomas,  6 

Sybthorpe,  Anne,  35 

Sybthorpe,  Elizabeth,  15,  35 

Sybthorpe,  Robert,  15,  35 

Tapcliff,  Aphra,  48 
Tapcliff,  Mary,  48 
Tapcliff,  Richard,  49 
Tapley,  Edward,  49 
Tay,  Deacon,  7 
Taylor,  Richard,  11 
Thornton,  Mr.,  7 
Thornton,  John,  47 
Tockliff,  Georgii,  48 
Tokcliff,  Johnis,  48 
Tokelie,  Clement,  48 
Tokelove,  Clementis,  48 


Topcliff,  Alice,  48 

Topclifl,  Elizabeth,  48 

Topcliff,  Grace,  48 

Topcliff,  Richard,  48,  49 

Topcliff,  Thomas,  48 

Topcliffe,  Charles,  49J 

Topeliff,  John,  48 

Toplefe,  Ellis,  49 

Topley,  John,  49 

Topley,  Radulphus,  47 

Topley,  Richard,  49 

Topley,  Thomas,  49 

Toplidge,  Essa,  49 

Toplidge,  Richard,  49 

Toplife,  Kathrina,  47 

Topliff,  Abigail,  4,  18,  19 

Topliff,  Alice,  48 

Topliff,  Amariah,  12 

Topliff,  Anna,  4,  18 

Topliff,  Anna,  47 

Topliff,  Anna  Jones,  4,  26 

Topliff,  Benjamin,  4,  24,  25,  26 

Topliff,  Clement,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  13,  14, 

47 
Topliff,  Ebenezer,  4,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16 
Topliff,  Ebenezer,  25,  43 
Topliff,  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  4,  13,  16,  17,  18,  19 
Topliff,  Eliza  Maxwell,  25,  43 
Topliff,  Elizabeth,  49 
Topliff,  Foster,  4,  18,  19 
Topliff,  Frances,  47 
Topliff,  Francis,  47 
Topliff,  George  Benjamin,  4,  26 
Topliff,  George  Francis,  25,  43 
Topliff,  Hannah,  16 
Topliff,  Harriet  Luella,  25,  43 
Topliff,  Helen  Sharp,  43 
Topliff,  James,  4,  18,  24,  25 
Topliff,  James  Clement,  25,  43 
Topliff,  Jane  Sisson,  25,  43 
Topliff,  John,  47,  48,  49 
Topliff,  Jonathan,  3,  4,  7,  10,  12,  14,  16 
Topliff,  Joseph,  4,  12,  14 
Topliff,  Julia  Mindwell,  4,  26 
Topliff,  Louisa  Jane,  4,  26 
Topliff,  Louisa  McKown,  4,  26 
Topliff,  Margaret,  47 
Topliff,  Maria  Jane,  4,  26 
Topliff,  Mary,  4,  18 

[55] 


INDEX 


Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 

39, 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 
Topi 


ff,  Mary,  48 

ff,  Mary  Mindwell,  25,  43 

ff,  Mary  Webster,  25,  43 

ff,  Mehitable,  4,  12,  14 

ff,  Mindwell,  24,  25 

ff,  Nathaniel,  4,  12,  13,  14,  16 

ff,  Nathaniel,  the  poet,  4,  13,  29 

ff,  Obedience,  4,  7,  10 

ff.  Patience,  4,  8,  10,  12,  13,  14 

ff,  Priscilla,  47 

ff.  Prudence,  48 

ff,  Richard,  48 

ff,  Mr.  Richard,  47 

ff,  Samnel,  4,  7,8,9,10,  11,12,13,14,15 

ff,  Samuel,  of  Boston,  24,  25' 

ff,  Samuel,  Jr.,  4,  12,  13,  14 

ff,  Capt.  Samuel,   19,  2q,  21,,  22,  24,  25, 

43 

ff,  Samuel  Bird,  25,  43 

ff,  Sarah,  3,  4,  6,  7,  8,  9,  to,  12,  13,  14 

ff,  Sarah  Houghton,  43 

ff,  Sarah  Jane,  25,  43 

ff,  Stanwood,  43 

ff,  Thankful,  4,  12,  13,  14 

ff,  Thomas,  47,  48 

ff,  Virginia  Walton,  25,  43 

ff,  Waitstill,  4,  12,  13,  14 

ff,  William,  4,  25 

ff,  William  Blackstock,  25,  43 

ffe,  Ann,  49 

ffe,  Richard,  48 

ffe,  William,  48 

ft,  Elizabeth,  47J 

ft,  Nicholas,  47 

s,  Elee,  47 


Toplyfe,  Ellyn,  49 
Townsend,  Colonel,  7 
Trescott,  Ebenezer,  13 
Trescott,  Hannah,  4,  12,  13 
Trescott,  John,  4,  12,  13 
Trott,  Thomas,  3 

Wadsworth,  Mr.,  7 
Wadsworth,  George,  39 
Walton,  Virginia,  25,  43 
Wardwell,  Susanna,  20 
Wattes,  Elizabeth,  48 
Wells,  Elizabeth,  20 
Wimes,  Abigail,  17 
Wimes,  Matthew,  17 
Wiswell,  Enoch,  9 
Withington,  Ebenezer,  16 
With'ngton,  Henry,  14,  15 
Withington,  Mary,  4,  14,  15,  16 
Withington,  Philip,  14,  15,  16,  18 
Withington,  Richard,  15,  35 
Withington,  Sarah,  4,  14,  15 
Withington,  Thankful,  18 
Wood,  Alice,  49 
Wyman,  William,  19 

Zauney,  Nicholas,  22,  24 


-,  Abigail,  15 
-,  Alice,  17 
-,  Anne,  15,  20 
-,  Bridget,  20 
-,  Esther,  20 
-,  Mary,  20 
-,  Priscilla,  17 
-,  Sarah,  4,  12 


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