Lydia Balch ye Daughter of Benjamin Balch Sen'r of Beverly by Grace his Wife was Borne on the Twenty Eighth Day of August in ye year of our Lord God 1695.
Lydia, d/o Benjamin Balch and Grace Mallet (3rd wife), b. Beverly 28 Aug 1695, m. Samuel Bowles, lived in Rochester, MA. Executed a deed as late as 13 Nov 1743. [But Source:Essex Institute historical collections, p. 58:137, shows a deed of Samuel Bowles and Lydia his wife dated 13 Nov 1734, and I wonder if this source transcribed the date incorrectly?]
Source:Mattapoisett and old Rochester, Massachusetts : being a history of these towns and also in part of Marion and a portion of Wareham (1201436), p. 217, "As early as July 23, 1773, 'The Chh met to consider what was dutiful to be done with John Curby, Widow Lydia Bowles, Abigail Southworth, Mary Bowles, and Lydia Gushing, who have for some time absented themselves from our communion, being inclined to the Antipedo- baptist sect.'" Given that Samuel's will was dated 3 Oct 1764, less than a decade before the date mentioned above, it seems likely that the Widow Lydia Bowles referred to is this one, and that she was alive at least until 1773.
