Re: John Polly aka Polley m. 4 times Roxbury, MA
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In reply to:
John Polly aka Polley m. 4 times Roxbury, MA
catherine l midgley 3/05/06
Here is some of what I have on John, Please remove the birthplace of St. Leonard Shorditch from your records, This is an error that has been perpetuated for many years due to a misinterpretation from a record about George Polley of Woburn. At this time there is no record extant of John's birthplace or who his parents were that has been found. This is actually more information than you asked for, perhaps others can use it.
John POLLEY
Born:?-___-1618 in UNKNOWN1
Died:2-Apr-1689 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts2
Father: UNKNOWN
Mother:UNKNOWN
John married four times and had thirteen daughters and one son, all born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. His first wife was Susanna Bacon, daughter of George
Bacon and Margaret from Hingham, England. Susanna arrived in New England with her parents aboard the "Increase" in 1635. She and John were married about
1647 and had seven daughters. John would have been twenty-nine years old when he married for the first time. Susanna died in Roxbury on February 30, 1664,
her gravestone is still intact at the Roxbury Cemetery. He married for the second time in 1664 at age forty six to Mary Ives, daughter of Miles Ives and
Martha from Watertown, Massachusetts.Mary had one son who died in infancy and she died the following year during a smallpox epidemic on June 30, 1666.
Mary's grave marker is also at the Roxbury Cemetery. John married for the third time at age fifty in 1668 to Hannah Cowdrey of Reading, Massachusetts.
Hannah's parents were Deacon William Cowdrey from Weymouth, England and Joanna Licence. John and Hannah had six daughters and John's only son and heir.
Hannah died June 8, 1684 and is also buried in the Roxbury Cemetery. His last marriage was to Jane Metcalf the widow of Philip Walker and daughter of Michael Metcalf and Sarah Elwyn from
Taterford, England on 21-Jun-1684 in Roxbury. They had no children before Jane died October 24, 1701 at age sixty-nine, surviving John by twelve years.
John owned land in Roxbury (Jamaica Plain area), which he purchased from Lt. Joshua Hewe in 1654. Lt. Hewe's arrived in Boston in June of 1633 and died
1-January-1675. John's land is described in the Roxbury Land and Church Records, volume six of the Boston Record Commissioner's Report as "A dwelling
house and barne with other housing and a great lott containing eighteene accres more or lesse abutting one end upon a highway leading to Beare marsh
south, east and north. And six accres of meadow more or lesse abutting upon the meadow of Mr. John Gore north east and upon the side of Baere Hill . . . "
The highway mentioned is "South Street Highway" which is described in the History of the First Church of Roxbury in 1663 as "that highway leading out of
Dedham Highway by John Polley's home lott, and so along by John Weld's farm and so leading to Baere Marsh."Bear Marsh being the name given the territory
"embracing the meadows upon the head waters of Stony Brook. It is most irregular in form, running first due south, and then northwest, it's
circuitous windings beginning at the Third Church, and terminating opposite the Second. Its southerly bend at Roslindale, makes a part of Washington...
This triangle two centuries ago was opposite the "home lott" of John Polley." From the maps of the next pages one can see that this is due south of Jamaica
Pond in what is now Jamaica Plain. The streets in the area still bear the names of his neighbors and friends, i.e., Eliot, Brewer, Metcalf,Weld etc.
His home wasin the area south of Greenough Street near the corner of Centre and South Street. The meadow he owned is now in Forest Hills Cemetery. He sold
at least a portion of his land to John Weld's son Edmund on March 16, 1658. It was common for the colonists to have a small "Home lot" for a dwelling and
garden in or near town, a "Great lot" for farming and "Meadow" for pasturing and hay away from the main settlement, John apparently lived and farmed on one
main "lot" of land and had meadows and other holdings in diverse areas of Roxbury. John deeded land to Edward Gould on March 30, 1670, stating that
"having formerly had to wife one Susanna, the daughter of George Bacon of Hingham, dec'd and one Edward Gould taking to wife the widow of said Bacon.
. .Pollie andSusanna during her lifetime sold to Gould all their interests in the land owned by George Bacon." The Polley estate in Roxbury was purchased
in 1752 by Commodore Joshua Loring. Francis S. Drake's book "The Town of Roxbury: It's Memorable Persons and Places," 1878states; "Opposite the
intersection of Centre and South Sts. well back from the thoroughfare, stands the Greenough mansion, a large, square, old fashioned, roomy edifice, in which
lived the Tory, Commodore Joshua Loring. It is said to have been framed in England, and occupied the site of a dwelling purchased of Loring by Mr.
Pemberton, who gave it to the parish for a parsonage, and who removed it to the spot where Dr. Weld resided. The estate, formerly John Polley's was bought
by Loring, in 1752, of the heirs of Joshua Cheever, of Charlestown. In May 1775, the house was the headquarters of General Nathaniel Greene from
3-June-1775 to 17-June 1775 and was assigned to Dr. Lemuel Hayward 3-June-1775 to be used as a hospital for the Roxbury Camp in the Revolutionary War. Just
back of the house a number of American soldiers who died of disease were buried. In accordance with the act of the General Court of April 30, 1779, to
confiscate the estates of "notorious conspirators," Loring's "large mansion house, convenient out-houses, gardens planted with fruit trees and 65 acres of
mowing land were sold. It is still owned by the Greenough family . . .The handsome Town Hall still stands upon a portion of this estate."
The land was owned by three generations of Polleys until it was sold 16-April 1735 (Polley to Walley, Suffolk Deeds, L, 152, April 16, 1735.) Suffolk
Probate Records, Case numbers 1824 and 4503. Then passed from John Walley II and other heirs to Joshua Cheever (Suffolk Deeds, LXXXI, 53, October18, 1745).
The Cheever Probate inventory fills more than four pages. (Suffolk Probate Records, Case no. 9898) It was sold by the heirs of Joshua Cheever to Joshua
Loring, (Suffolk Deeds, LXXXI, 26) The house built by Loring still stands at this writing (2005) and owned by the Jamaica Plains Tuesday Club. It is an
historical site that serves as a museum and club house located at 12 South St., Jamaica Plains, MA 02130. Tours of the home are conducted year round.
A document from the residents of Roxbury censuring Harvard College bears John's name and mark dated March 5, 1672. The document objects that the
students:
"are brought up in such pride as dosth no wayes become such as are brought up for the holy service of the lord, either in the Magistracy, or ministery
especially, and in particular in their long haire, which last first took head, and broke out at the Colledg so far as we understand and remember."
College students pride and their wearing their hair long was seen as an "evyl to be removed."
Another document bearing John's name (see copy) dated December 25, 1668, covenants with John Pruden to:
"...engage to use his best skill and endeavor, both by precept and example, to instruct in all scholasticall, morall and theological, discipline, the
children (for far as they are or shallbe capable)"
This covenant contracts for a teacher for the children of Roxbury, Massachusetts. The ages of John's daughters by Susanna in 1668 would have
been: Mary and Sarah 18, Hannah 17, Abigail 14, Bethiah 10, Susanna 7, Elizabeth 6, and Rebeccah (by Hannah) 4 months.
The above-mentioned documents, as well as John's will, do not have his signature. On two of them John uses a mark, leading us to believe that John
could neither read nor write. This was not uncommon for the settlers of this time, but would indicate he was not formally educated. The fact that John had
his daughters attended the school in Roxbury show us that he (or perhaps his wife Hannah) desired some formal education for the children.
John is listed as having taken the freeman's oath in Boston May 7, 1673. During the period 1630-1691 approximately 4500 men were admitted as freeman in
Massachusetts. Why John waited so long to take the oath when he was a landowner and church member for many years prior may be that he did not want
to be imposed upon to hold an office. In May of 1643 the General court ordered that with regard to "members that refuse to take their freedom, the churches
should be writ unto, to deale with them" subsequently, in 1647, inasmuch as there were "within this jurisdiction many members of churches who, to exempt
themselves from all publicke service in the commonwealth, will not come in to be made freemen," it ruled that all adult male church members, except
servants, be considered freemen and required to take office when called upon. What prompted John to finally take the oath is not known. In actual practice
many of the inhabitants participated in local government and elections without taking the oath, even though this was technically unlawful, it appears it was
rarely enforced.
John died in Roxbury on April 2, 1689 at age seventy-one. He left a will which was probated in 1691 case No.1824. It can be found in the Suffolk County,
Massachusetts Probate records. The reader will note that John uses a mark rather than a signature which indicates that he probably could not read the
document and the proper spelling of his surname was probably unknown to him. The author of the document is unknown, but is likely one of the witnesses
whose signature appears at the bottom.
An inventory of the estate was taken 16-Apr-1689 by Nathaniel Brewer, Jabez Totman and Samuel Gore. In part it shows13 acres of woodland upon Muddy Pond
Hill . . . 4 acres of salt marsh . . . 17 acres in the homestead and the housing upon it . . . 40 acres Pasturing Land adjoining the homestead . . .
It also shows large amounts of various unplanted seed, plowing equipment, oxen, and livestock indicating that John was a husbandman with a substantial
farm.
Letters of administration were granted on the estate to Henry Bowen and Joseph Weld 16-Feb-1692, as John Perrin executor was deceased and John Lyon refused.
The estate is mentioned in an account of the administrators of the estate of John Perrin #499 on 7-Aug-1694. The account states that money was due from
John Perrin's estate to John Polley's estate for "Rent & Repair at Rocksbery. Given with the youngest Child of John Peren Senr : being about Six years old
when disposed of." The youngest child of John Perrin #499 would have been Susanna born 20-Jun-1687. She would have been six years old in 1693.
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Wife: Susanna BACON
Married: Abt 1649 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts3his age: 31her age: 24
Born:?-___-1625 in England4
Died: 30-Feb-1664 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts5
Buried: 30-Feb-1664 in Roxbury Cemetery, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts6
Father: George BACON
Mother: Margaret
Susanna arrived in New England in 1635 at age 10 aboard the "Increase" which left England in late April and arrived at Boston in July. She arrived with her
parents and brothers Samuel and John. Susanna married John Polley sometime before the birth of her twin daughters in 1650. She would have been 25 years
old in that year. She was Confirmed at the at the First Church of Roxbury 30-Jun-1650. She had six daughters by John before her death at age 39 on
30-February-1664. She was buried at the Roxbury Cemetery.
1: Mary POLLEY Born:2-Apr-1650 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts7
2: Sarah POLLEY Born:2-Apr-1650 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts7
3: Hannah POLLEY Born:?-Feb-1651 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
4: Abigail POLLEY Born:4-Apr-1654 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts12
5: Elisabeth POLLEY Born: 14-Apr-1657 in Roxbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
6: Bethiah POLLEY Born: 12-Feb-1658 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts6
7: Susanna POLLEY Born: 22-Oct-1661 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts15
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Wife: Mary IVES
Married:?-___-1664 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts8his age: 46her age: 22
Born: 10-Jul-1641 in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts16
Baptized:8-May-1666 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Died: 30-Jun-1666 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts6
Buried: in Roxbury Cemetery, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts17
Father: Miles (or Michael) IVES
Mother: Martha _____
1: (Child) POLLEY Born:?-___-1665 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts6
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Wife: Hannah COWDREY
Married: 18-Sep-1667 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts18his age: 49her age: 22
Born: Abt 1645 in Reading, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Died: 8-Jun-1684 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts6
Buried: in Roxbury Cemetery, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts17
Father: William COWDREY
Mother: Joanna LICENCE
The will of William Cowdrey, written 12-Feb-1684 and probated 17-Dec-1689, bequeaths to son Polly five shillings and to daughter Hannah Polly's seven
children 20 shillings apiece as they come to the age of 20 years. Hannah and her sister Bethiah Cowdrey were married on the same day, and the printed Vital
Records of Reading by a peculiar error shows them married to each other without the names of the real husbands. This may account for one error which
calls Bethiah Cowdrey the wife of John Polley. Hannah, wife of John Polley, died in Roxbury 8-Jun-1684.His marriage to fourth wife Jane Walker (not
Walter as sometimes given) occurred there on 2-Jun-1684, according to the printed Vital Record. The exact nature of the error in these conflicting dates
cannot be explained and set straight without an examination of the original record entries. Norfolk County, Mass. Created in 1793 from Suffolk County,
Mass. Roxbury, created in 1630.
1: Rebeccah POLLEY Born: 16-Jun-1668 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts19
2: Johanah POLLEY Born:7-Mar-1670 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts6
3: Mehitable POLLEY Born: 18-Dec-1671 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts21
4: John POLLEY Born: 18-Mar-1673 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts22
5: Rhoda POLLEY Born: 25-Nov-1673 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts23
6: Patience POLLEY Born: Abt 1675 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
7: Sarah POLLEY Born: 25-May-1680 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts25
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Wife: Mary Jane METCALF
Married: 21-Jun-1684 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts11his age: 66her age: 52
Born: 24-Mar-1632 in Norwich, Norfolk, England10
Died: 24-Oct-1701 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts6
Father: Michael METCALF
Mother: Sarah ELLWYN
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(1) Date calculated from stated age at death in April 1689 of 71 years.
(2) Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (The
Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1925), v.2 p.616.
(3) Barlow, Claude W.,Ph.D., John Polley and His Thirteen Daughters (American
Genealogist Magazine. Volume 41. pp 206-208).
(4) Bowen, Clarence W, The History of Woodstock, Genealogies of Woodstock
Families, v.2 p.283.
(5) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), p.178.
(6) Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (The
Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1925).
(7) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), v.6 p.119.
(8) Barlow, Claude W.,Ph.D., John Polley and His Thirteen Daughters (American
Genealogist Magazine. Volume 41. pp 206-208), pp.206-208.
(9) Charlestown, Massachusetts Vital Records.
(10) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,, The International
Genealogical Index, North America. (v.3.0-1993/CD-ROM).
(11) Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (The
Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1925), p.324.
(12) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), v.6 p.120.
(13) Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (The
Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1925), 324.
(14) Reading, Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, p.420.
(15) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), p.123.
(16) Barlow, Claude W.,Ph.D., John Polley and His Thirteen Daughters (American
Genealogist Magazine. Volume 41. pp 206-208), pp. 206-208.
(17) Roxbury Cemetery Epitaphs.
(18) Reading, Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, p.311.
(19) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), v.6 p.127.
(20) Rehoboth, Massachusetts Vital Records.
(21) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), p.130.
(22) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), p.131.
(23) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), p.132.
(24) Bowen, Clarence W, The History of Woodstock, Genealogies of Woodstock
Families, v.2 p.158.
(25) The Thirty Fourth Report of The Boston Record Commissioners Containing the
Roxbury Land and Church Records (Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston,
1884), v.6 p.135.
(26) Bowen, Clarence W, The History of Woodstock, Genealogies of Woodstock
Families, v.2 p.183.
More Replies:
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Re: John Polly aka Polley m. 4 times Roxbury, MA
catherine l midgley 3/11/06
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Re: John Polly aka Polley m. 4 times Roxbury, MA
Michael Polley 3/11/06
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Re: John Polly aka Polley m. 4 times Roxbury, MA