History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

lutionary "War, but did not graduate. His father,
Colonel Elisha Jones, was for many years a magistrate,
colonel of a regiment of militia, and member
of the General Assembly. He died in Boston, February
13, 1775, aged sixty-six. "In the many
departments in which be acted, he eminently showed
the man of principle, virtue, etc."
He was the grandson of Deacon Josiah Jones,
and occupied the old homestead of his father and
grandfather. He married, January 'H-, 173.3 -;31.,
Mary Allen, by whom he had fifteen ciiildren, —
fourteen sons and one daughter. He was repre-
sentative in 1754, 1756-1758, 1760-1763, 1773,
1774. He was a Royalist, and several of his
descendants imbibed his principles.
Samuel Woodward, eldest son of tlie E«v. Sam-
uel Woodward, second pastor of the church in
AVeston as already stated, born July 11, 1756,
graduated at Harvard College in 1776; was a
surgeon in the army in the Revolutionary War;
afterwards settled at Newburgh,New York, as a phy-
sician ;
married in February, 1784; died March 29,
1785, leaving an only sou wIk) died in infancy.
Cyrus Woodward, sixth child of Rev. Samuel
Woodward, was born May Vl, 1704; died September
10, 178:J, while a Sophomore in Harvard
College.
Abraham Biglow, brother of Isaac (H. C. 1709),
was born September 18, 176£; graduated at Har-
vard College in 178;i, in the same class with Rev.
Samuel Kendal; married. May 'li, 1785, Hepzibah
Jones, and settled in Cambridge, living in the house
occupied, until recently, by Mr. John Owen. He
was the clerk of the court of Middlesex County.
During the Revolutionary War he let liis servants
live as usual, but pinched iiimself and family as
closely as possible, avoiding the use of all luxuries
of the table.
Hon. Artemas Ward, born at Shrewsbury, January
9, 176:J, son of Major-General Artemas Ward,
the first major-general in the army of tiie Revolu-
tion, graduated at Harvard College in 1783, set-
tled at Weston in the practice of the law, where he
married Catharine Maria Dexter, December 18,
1788. He represented the town in tiie General
Court from 1797 to 1801. He removed to Charles-
town, and subsequently to Boston, where lie prac-
tised law, and was several years a member of the
executive council and of the legislature. He was
elected and re-elected to Congress. From 18:J0 to
1839 he was cliief justice of the Court of Common
Pleas throughout the state. He received, in 184:J,
WESTON. 501
the honorary degree of LL. D. from his Alma Mater,
of Aihich he was one of the overseers thirty-four years.
He was eminent as a lawyer, distinguished for his
learning and courtesy, respected on the bench, and
esteemed in domestic and social life. He died at
Boston, October 7, 1847, in his eighty-sixth year.
Tliaddeus Fiske, second son of Jonathan and
Abigail Fiske, was born June -l-l, 1762 ; was fitted
for college by Rev. Samuel Woodward ;
graduated
at Harvard College in 1785, in the same class with
Henry Ware, Sr. He tauglit school for a short
time in Lexington, returned to Cambridge, and
studied theology under Dr. Wigglesworth, then
professor of divinity in the college. He was or-
dained pastor of the church in West Cambridge,
April 23, 1788, which position he held for forty
years, resigning April 23, 1828. His ordination
sermon was preached by his uncle. Rev. Dr. Nathan
Fiske, of Brookfield. In 1821 he received the
honorary degree of D. D. from Columbia College,
New York. He lived to see five successors or-
dained over the society which he faithfully served
for so many years, three of whom died before him.
He reached the ripe age of ninety-three, spending
the last few months of his life in Cliarlestown,
wliere he died, November 14, 1855. He was, at
the time of his death, tlie oldest clergyman in Mas-
sachusetts. He occupied a seat on the board of
overseers of Harvard College for a period equal in
lengtii to that of his ministry. He married Lucy
Clark, daughter of Rev. Jonas Clark, of Lexington,
and lived like other country ministers till his son
died, in 1829, and left him a fortune. He published
a Thanksgiving discourse in 1795 ; a discourse on
the twenty-first anniversary of iiis settlement, 1809
and his sermon at the close of his ministry, 1828.
Ebenezer Starr, born August 24, 1 768, graduated
at Harvard College in 1789, in the same class with
President John Thornton Kirkland; received the
degree of M. D. in 1825 ; settled in Newton Lower
Falls in 1790, as a physician, where he died Au-
gust 24, 1830. He was a member of the legisla-
ture from 1815 to 1817, and a justice of the peace.
His father. Dr. Josiah Starr, born November 3, 1 740,
at Dedliam, was educated for the medical profession,
and settled in Weston ; occupied the house and
place now belonging to Frederick T. Bush, Esq., in
the southeast part of the town, and known as
"Brookside Farm." He married Abigail Upliam,
November 25, 1762; died hi 1782.
Silas Warren, bom ilay 11, 1767, graduated at
Harvard College in 1795, and engaged in teaching
;