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Capt. Jonathan Danforth, Sr.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23]

Male 1628 - 1712  (84 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Jonathan Danforth 
    Prefix Capt. 
    Suffix Sr. 
    Birth 29 Feb 1627/8  Framlingham, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 9, 17, 19, 23, 24, 25] 
    • Bartlett says this was his baptism date.
    Gender Male 
    Baptism 2 Mar 1627/8  Framlingham, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [11, 16, 18, 26] 
    Emigration 1634/5  England Find all individuals with events at this location  [18, 27, 28] 
    • Role: Additional Emigrant
    Removed to Abt 1655  Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location 
    From: Boston
    • He went with the first settlers and built what was perhaps the first house erected in the Indian village of Shawshin, on the north side of what was to be West street.
    Office From 1665 to 1686  Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location  [12] 
    town clerk
    Property Feb 1667/8  Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location  [29] 
    a parcel of meadow "containing by estimation one acre and three quarters"
    Lt. William French
    • Role: Deed Recipient
    Office in 1684 and 1685  [12] 
    deputy to the General Court
    Will 23 Apr 1712  [5, 12, 30] 
    Death 7 Sep 1712  Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 9, 16, 19, 20, 23, 31] 
    Probate 27 Oct 1712  [5, 12, 21, 26] 
    Inventory 13 Nov 1712  [32] 
    Occupation surveyor  [5, 12, 23, 30]
    • He laid out farms, towns, highways; was called to do this service to several other towns and counties ; transacted a large amount of business in town and state. "His descriptions fill 200 pages, in his clear, handsome writing in the Billerica volume of Land Grants."
    Burial Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [19] 
    Cemetery:
    Old Corner Burying Ground
    Person ID I9528  Duane's Ancestors
    Last Modified 24 Feb 2020 

    Father Capt. Nicholas Danforth,   b. 1589   d. 8 Apr 1638, Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 49 years) 
    Mother Elizabeth Barber,   b. Abt 1595   d. 20 Feb 1628/9, Framlingham, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 34 years) 
    Marriage 11 Feb 1618  Aspall Parish, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [16, 17, 33, 34, 35] 
    Notes 
    • Danforth is a corruption of Dane's Ford, the combination of a personal name and a place, a shallow stream. The spelling Danford is also seen.
      [36]
    Family ID F3699  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Elizabeth Poulter,   b. 1 Sep 1633, Raleigh, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Oct 1689, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 56 years)  [17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 37] 
    Marriage 22 Nov 1654  Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 38] 
    • Bond has Nov. 22, 1655.
    Children 
     1. Mary Danforth,   b. 29 Jan 1655/6, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1 Jan 1713/4 (Age > 58 years)
     2. Elizabeth Danforth,   b. 27 May 1657, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Between Mar 1696 and Jan 1714 (Age 38 years)
     3. Ens. Jonathan Danforth, Jr.,   b. 18 Feb 1658/9, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Jan 1710/1, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 51 years)
     4. John Danforth,   b. 23 Jan 1660/1, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Feb 1660/1, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
     5. John Danforth,   b. 22 Feb 1661/2, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Jun 1662, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
     6. Lydia Danforth,   b. 1 Jun 1664, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Nov 1758, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 94 years)
    +7. Samuel Danforth, Sr.,   b. 5 Feb 1665/6, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 19 Apr 1742, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
     8. Anna Danforth,   b. 8 Mar 1667/8, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Aug 1737, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 69 years)
     9. Thomas Danforth,   b. 29 Apr 1670, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 31 Jul 1670, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
     10. Nicholas Danforth,   b. 1 Jul 1671, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 Mar 1693/4, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 22 years)
    +11. Sarah Danforth,   b. 13 Dec 1676, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Oct 1751, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years)
    Family ID F3697  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 10 Apr 2020 

    Family 2 Esther Champney,   b. 1630, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Apr 1713, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years)  [18, 20, 39, 40] 
    Marriage 17 Nov 1690  Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 5, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 38, 39, 40] 
    Family ID F3989  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 10 Apr 2020 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 29 Feb 1627/8 - Framlingham, Suffolk, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBaptism - 2 Mar 1627/8 - Framlingham, Suffolk, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsEmigration - 1634/5 - England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 22 Nov 1654 - Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsRemoved to - From: Boston - Abt 1655 - Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOffice - town clerk - From 1665 to 1686 - Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsProperty - a parcel of meadow "containing by estimation one acre and three quarters",Lt. William French - Feb 1667/8 - Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 17 Nov 1690 - Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 7 Sep 1712 - Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - Cemetery:
    Old Corner Burying Ground - - Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States    		 Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Notes 
    • His house became the garrison home in 1676 for three families and six fighting men, including himself, his son Jonathan, 17, and Samuel Manning. Watch was kept day and night during the period known as Philip's War. Danger of Indian attack was ever present and the settlers lived in fear. Jonathan and three others had the responsibility of fortifying the town, and the 48 families of the pioneer community were assigned quarters and hastening to designated posts when the alarm was sounded. Following King Philip's War in 1676, many Indian captives, especially children, were sold or divided among the colonists as servants until they became of age, and a boy of 12 was bound out to Jonathan Danforth. Known as John Warrick, he was styled "the Indian servant of Captain Jonathan" when he died at Billerica, Jan. 15, 1686. Jonathan's land grant was in 1749 part of the estate of his grandson Samuel.

      Known as "Father of Billerica" first captain of the town's militia in 1675, and chairman of the selectman in 1676 when he signed a petition asking for a reduction in taxes. He was one of three appointed in 1678 by the Governor's Council to suggest rules of safety for the outlying towns of Middlesex County. He was most famed as a land surveyor and for forty years he probably surveyed every land grant in Billerica, his land descriptions filling some 200 pages in his clear and handsome handwriting in the first volume of Land Grants. His services as surveyor were in demand all over Massachusetts and much of his work is preserved in the State Archives.

      Jonathan was the "life-long and trusted friend of the Rev. Samuel Whiting of Billerica, and though he joined the Chelmsford Church May 12, 1661, he continued his support of the faltering Billerica congregation and left two portfolios of church records and sermons by Mr. Whiting. To his great credit, he defied subpoenas of the Court, refusing to witness against accused witchcraft victims including Martha (Allen) Carrier who was hanged when she refused to confess guilt. He had the courage of a strong and independent nature, and historians refer to him as "the wise and good Jonathan Danforth", Billerica's "leading citizen of his generation", and "the most noted surveyor of his time in the colony." They write of his "energy and wisdom", his "eminent ability and unaffected piety".

      Excerpt from a poem supposedly by his nephew, the Rev. John Danforth of Dorchester:


                 "He  rode  the  circuit,  chain'd  great  towns  and  
                                   farms,  
                 To  good  behavior,  and  by  well  marked  stations,  
                 He  fixed  their  bounds  for  many  generations.  
                 His  art  ne'er  failed  him,  though  the  loadstone  
                                 failed,  
                 When  oft  by  mines  and  streams  it  was  assailed.  
                 All  this  is  charming,  but  there's  something  
                                 higher  
                 Gave  him  the  lustre  which  we  most  admire."  

  • Sources 
    1.  1.  [S940] First Settlers of New England, Vol. 2, 7, 00191.

    2.  2.  [S109] Genealogical Notes, 21, 00221.

    3.  3.  [S23] Genealogical History of the Clark and Worth Family, 360, 00219.

    4.  4.  [S23] Genealogical History of the Clark and Worth Family, 358, 00219.

    5.  5.  [S168] Hamlin Family, 658, 00249.

    6.  6.  [S206] Vital Records of Billerica, MA, 57, 00570.

    7.  7.  [S259] NEHGS Register, 11:200, 00390.

    8.  8.  [S17] Penobscot Pioneers, Volume 3, 49, 00419.

    9.  9.  [S282] Watertown Settlers, 197, 00621.

    10.  10.  [S520] Simon Crosby, 67, 00480.

    11.  11.  [S523] Danforth Genealogy, 12, 00116.

    12.  12.  [S523] Danforth Genealogy, 27, 00116.

    13.  13.  [S599] Samuel Converse, Jr., 17, 00468.

    14.  14.  [S661] New England Families Genealogical and Memorial, 586, 00661.

    15.  15.  [S259] NEHGS Register, 44:371, 00390.

    16.  16.  [S482] Torrey 1st, 203, 00395.

    17.  17.  [S259] NEHGS Register, 141:218, 00390.

    18.  18.  [S576] TGMSP, Nicholas Danforth, 00516.

    19.  19.  [S1122] Find A Grave, Memorial# 19531641, 00974.

    20.  20.  [S259] NEHGS Register, 153:94, 00390.

    21.  21.  [S1307] Middlesex County, MA Probate File Papers, 1648-1871, Middlesex Cases 4000-5999; 5891:1-10, 00609.

    22.  22.  [S1446] John Hill of Dorchester, Mass., 1633, 81, 01170.

    23.  23.  [S1446] John Hill of Dorchester, Mass., 1633, 80, 01170.

    24.  24.  [S940] First Settlers of New England, Vol. 2, 8, 00191.

    25.  25.  [S259] NEHGS Register, 7:317, 00390.

    26.  26.  [S259] NEHGS Register, 113:296, 00390.

    27.  27.  [S1430] Symmes Memorial, 46, 01154.

    28.  28.  [S1446] John Hill of Dorchester, Mass., 1633, 73, 01170.

    29.  29.  [S576] TGMSP, William French, 00516.

    30.  30.  [S1307] Middlesex County, MA Probate File Papers, 1648-1871, Middlesex Cases 4000-5999; 5891:2, 00609.

    31.  31.  [S206] Vital Records of Billerica, MA, 354, 00570.

    32.  32.  [S1307] Middlesex County, MA Probate File Papers, 1648-1871, Middlesex Cases 4000-5999; 5891:6, 00609.

    33.  33.  [S168] Hamlin Family, 657, 00249.

    34.  34.  [S23] Genealogical History of the Clark and Worth Family, 354, 00219.

    35.  35.  [S523] Danforth Genealogy, 3, 00116.

    36.  36.  [S1122] Find A Grave, 00974.

    37.  37.  [S1108] TEG, 23:223, 00961.

    38.  38.  [S206] Vital Records of Billerica, MA, 242, 00570.

    39.  39.  [S1122] Find A Grave, Memorial# 19531612, 00974.

    40.  40.  [S576] TGMSP, Richard Champney, 00516.