Simon Stone (abt. 1631 - 1708)

Born about 1631 in Boxted, Essex, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Whipple) Stone — married about 1656 in Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 27 Feb 1708 at about age 77 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

Simon Stone immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Origins

Simon Stone, born about 1631 (aged 4 years in 1635),^[1] was a son of Simon Stone and Joane Clarke.^[2] No birth record for Simon is found, but he was probably born at Boxted, Essex, where his family resided at the time.^[3]

Immigration

"Symon" Stone, husbandman, aged 50 and his wife, Joan aged 38, with children: Francis Stone aged 16, Ann Stone aged 11, Symon Stone aged 4, Marie Stone aged 3, and Jo[hn] Stone aged 5 weeks enrolled at London on 15 April 1635 as passengers aboard the Increase.^[1][3] The family settled at Watertown, Massachusetts, where Simon was brought up as a farmer on the family homestead at Mount Auburn.^[3]

Marriage and Children

Simon married by about 1655/6 to Mary Whipple, daughter of John Whipple.^[2][3] As no marriage record for Simon and Mary was found, their marriage date is estimated based on the date of their first child's birth. The couple was probably married in either Simon's hometown of Watertown or in Ipswich, Massachusetts, where Mary's family lived.

Simon and Mary had the following children born at Watertown:

1. Simon, born 8 September 1656 (birth date is according to Bartlett - no Watertown birth record was found)^[3]
2. John, born 23 July 1658^[3][4]
3. Matthew, born 16 February 1659/60^[3][4]
4. Nathaniel, born 22 February 1661/2, died 24 February 1661/2^[3][4]
5. Ebenezer, born 27 February 1662/3^[3][4]
6. Mary, born 6 January 1663/4,^[4] died 20 April 1735, married Comfort Starr^[3]
7. Nathaniel, born April 1667,^[3] died 8 February 1755, married Reliance Hinkley^[5]
8. Elizabeth, born 9 October 1670,^[4] married Isaac Stearns^[3]
9. David, born 19 October 1672^[3][4]
10. unnamed child born 4 August 1674, died 9 August 1674^[3][4]
11. Susanna, born 4 November 1675,^[4] died 4 February 1754, married Edward Goddard^[3]
12. Jonathan, born 26 December 1677^[3][4]

Property and Positions

In 1662, Simon had become the proprietor of 88 acres of land in Groton, Massachusetts (recorded 17 February 1670/1), however he never resided in Groton. He later settled these lands on his sons Simon and John, who lived there.^[3]

Simon's father left a will dated 7 September 1665 and proved 3 October 1665. In it, he directed that Simon and his brother John split "my whole estate" equally between themselves and pay some specific bequests to their two sisters, Mary and Francis.^[6][7] Simon took ownership of the family homestead at Mount Auburn.^[3]

Simon was elected a selectman from 1672-1679 and 1681-1686, he was chosen to be town clerk 10 times between 1672-1690, and was deputy for Watertown to the Massachusetts General Court 1678-1684, 1686, 1689, 1690. He later became a deacon of the Watertown Church.^[3]

Death and Estate

Simon died on 27 February 1707/8 at Watertown,^[8] where he was buried in the Old Watertown Cemetery.^[3]

Simon left no will and no administration was taken on his estate. During his lifetime, Simon had divided all his property (real and personal) among his children. His youngest son, Ens. Jonathan Stone, had been given the family homestead at Mount Auburn and his son David had been given an 100 acre farm adjoining that property.^[3]

Simon's widow, Mary, died in Watertown on 2 June 1720 and was buried beside her husband.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Hotten, John Camden. "The Original Lists of Persons of Quality ... ". London: Hotten, 1874, p. 66. Archive.org.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Vol. VI: R-S. Boston, MA: NEHGS, 2009, pp. 553-558. AmericanAncestors.org($): featured name - Simon Stone.
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21} Bartlett, J. Gardner. Simon Stone Genealogy. Boston, MA: Stone Family Association, 1926, pp. 52-56. Google Books.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9} Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings... Watertown: Fred G. Barker, 1894. Part III: Births, deaths and marriages, pp. 21-43. Archive.org.
5. ↑ "Almanac Memoranda of the Stone Family of Watertown & Co." in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: NEHGR, 1856, vol. 10, p. 229. AmericanAncestors.org($).
6. ↑ Walters, Henry F. Ancient Wills in Middlesex in The New England Historical & Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: NEHGS, 1849, vol. 3, pp. 182-183. Archive.org.
7. ↑ Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871. Boston: NEHGS, 2014. AmericanAncestors.org($): Simon Stone Will, Inventory and Probate #21730:1-4.
8. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images. FamilySearch: Simon Stone, 27 Feb 1707; citing Death, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts,, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 745,869.

See also:

• Bond, Henry. Family Memorials. Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown .... Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1855, pp. 584-585, 950-951. Archive.org.
• Stearns, Ezra S. Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire. Lewis Publishing Company, 1908, Vol. 2, p. 804. Google Books.
• Stone Family Association, Simon Stone of Watertown (account and login required).