... 1 John born 23 June, 1714, died in Salem, 10 April, 1784, married 20 Jan, 1736-7, Mary, died October, 1790, daughter of Jeremiah and Dorothy (Rust) Foster of Ipswich. They had :
2 John, b. 26 Nov., 1737; d. before 1760.
3 William, b. 2 Sept., 1739 ; d. about 1761-2; m. 1761, Martha Silsbee.
4 Mary, b. 30 May, 1741; m. Tobias Davis.
5 Jeremiah, b. 10 April, 1743; d. 7 Sept. 1752.
6 Eunice, b. 18 April, 1745; m. 4 Jan., 1770, John Cloutman.
7 Ephraim, b. 4 Dec., 1748; d. 24 Aug., 1824; m. 19 Nov., 1772, R. Cloutman.
8 Joanna, b. 31 Dec., 1750; m. 26 Nov., 1772, Daniel Webb.
9 Jeremiah, b. 21 Jan., '53; d. 18 Aug., 1826; m.1 R. Murray, 2 Eliz' (Newhall) Ives
10 Elizabeth, b. 5 May, 1756.
11 Dorothy, b. 21 June, 1758; d. 1 June, 1763.
12 John, b. 23 July, 1760.
13 Dorothy, b. 27 Dec., 1762; d. 27 April, 1783.
John was married at Chebacco, a village of Ipswich, now Essex, Essex County, Mass., owned covenant, 23 Oct., 1737, and had two children baptized there : John, 27 Nov., 1737, and William, 2 Sept., 1739. Mary was baptized 31 May, and Jeremiah, 17 April, 1743 at First Church in Salem. Not much time lost between birth and baptism in those days. Except Eunice all the others were baptized at the Tabernacle Church in Salem.
I have the original of an old bill as follows: "March 15, 1736-7, Rec'd of Moses Foster five shilens and2d pence for looking after your brother Joshua when seek at boston, by me John Emmerton." Moses and Joshua Foster were, I suppose, uncles of Mary whom John married about nine months afterwards.
A literal copy of John's family record runs as follows:
"In ye 1714 my age in gun the 23
in gun the 23 1714 wos born John Emmerton
Noumber the 26, 1737. Johns ag S > born in
Septmber the 2d 1739 Williams age S > Chabacco
Salam may the 30 yr 1741 Mary wos born
Salan the 10 yr 1743 Jearmiah ^in April^ wos born.
Salam April the 28 yr 1745 was born Vnis.
Desmber the 4 yr 1748 Ephraim wos born Sabarth day nite at teen.
Desmber 31 yr 1750 Jona wos born on mondy aboute teen of the Clock in the forenune
December 7d 1752 Jearmiah Died in the Ninth year of his Age.
Janay 23. 1753, Jearmiah the Second Son born Named after him that Died
May the 5d 1756 Elizabeth wos born about Seuen a clock ate nite.
Salam June the 21d 17589 Dorothy wos bron ate Teen a Clock ate Nite.
July 23d 1760 The Second Son born Named him John after him that Died.
June 1d 1762 Dorothy died
Desmber 27 1762 the Second Dorothy Born
Baptiesd April 3d 1763
Dorothy Emmerton Derparted this Life in April 27, 1783.
The record, unquestionably in one hand, seems to have been begun in December, 1748, and continued by separate entries to the end.
On the back of the leaf of an account book which carries this autograph family record, are charges dated from 1742 to 1747 against several well known Salem names for "lam's skings," "holing hay," "holing rocks for the mill and wheat mele to Sundris," etc. This is the only record I have found of John's farmer life in Salem, if I except his sale, 5 July, 1765, of a four-year-old mouse-colored mare to Richard Derby.
He cultivated the lands of Judge Lynde on Castle Hill in South Salem. The only traces of farming the land near Castle Hill, which I have ever observed, the foundation of a small building near the bold ledge on the south-westerly side, had almost disappeared, in 1880, by enclosure and cultivation of a small patch nearly including it.
"At the first meeting of the Overseers of the Poor at the Workhouse the 11 Nov. 1771. Agreed with Mr. John Emerton to take care of the work-house and to be Master thereof and to allow him forty-six pounds 13 shillings and four pence per annum and to find him his Fire-wood, small-bear and light, his pay to commence 19 Sep. 1771." - Records Salem Workhouse. This was the establishment of the Workhouse on Salem Common and this Workhouse was carried on for several years in addition to the Almshouse on Summer street, as, for instance, ten casks of rice are divided, six to Workhouse, and four to Almshouse, 12 May, 1777.
An interesting hint of the depreciation of the currency during the Revolution may be found in the Work House Records, 2 May, 1781, when, instead of the customary £40 or £60, John Emerton is voted an order for £10,000.
RECORDS OF EAST PARISH, SALEM, VOL. NO. 2
11 Feb., 1778. The committee met at Mr. A. Brown's and agreed to appoint Mr. John Emerton to take care of the boys by sending the following directions.
TO MR. JOHN EMMERTON.
The committee having long observed much disorder in the "Galliree" by the boys and have been informed that you will undertake (being authorised) to keep them in order - You are hereby appointed for that purpose to take such method as you think best. When nothing less will do you are desired to take any boys (being disorderly during the time of Divine Service) without fear or favor and carry them downe and set them on the Pulpit stairs, as we suppose that will effectually remedy those Disorders, for which service we agree in Behalf of the parish to give you twenty shillings per year or more if you think that not sufficient. Salem East Parish Jona Archer Jr Par' Cl'k.
Com. : Benjn Ward, Geo. Crowninshield, Jona Mason, Nathl Richardson, John Fisk
