Person:Alexander Marsh (5)

"Alexander Marsh, said to be a Scotchman, born about 1628, was made a freeman May 3, 1654. In early records the name is often given as Mash. … In 1670 he bought with his father in law Gregory Belcher 200 acres of the Iron Works land in West Quincy where the furnace stood (S. D. 9:141) and in 1671 they bought about 40 acres adjoining to the north on ‘Cranes Plain’ from Henry Crane, formerly part of the Wm. Hutchinson grant (S. D. 7:172). He was elected selectman 1683, 1690, 1693-6. Roger Billings in his will 1683 makes his ‘cousen’ Alexander Marsh an overseer of the will. … Lieut. Alexander Marsh died Mar. 7,1698 'aged about 70 years', gravestone, Hancock Cem.

… will dated Mar. 19, 1696/7, of Braintree, yeoman. Proved Mar. 31, 1698: To wife Bathsheba £100 with all her own movables, nothing thereof to be withholden from her, she there upon quitting my estate from any farther claim for dower. She to have liberty to abide with my children as a mother upon the farm now occupy, and if she sees not cause to abide there then to have liberty of one chamber & garret at my house in Boston for the space of two years, and if upon the farm to have liberty for her things that are in my house at Boston to abide there two years. To daus. Rachel & Phoebe Marsh equally my house & land in Boston reserving the liberty to my wife. To son in law Samuel French & Anna his wife my dau. what given already & all my upland in Salter's Farm & my Pine Swamp which I bought of Capt. White of Weymouth reserving 10 a. for my son John. To son in law Dependence French what given already , viz; £36, and now 5 shillings more as a token of love. To son in law Samuel Bass 40 shillings as a token of love. To the poor of Braintree 40 shillings at the discretion of my executors. To Mary French m[y] grand dau. now with me, 15 a. adjoining the Furnace land so called which was Barnabas Derrifield's lot & 15 a. of the Furnace land next to Moses Belcher deceased, his lot, reserving liberty to my son John to buy it if it shall be set to sale, and liberty of a cartway through it if occasion be to use it, from the Furnace land on either side, and if she die before marriage to return to my son John; To daus. Rachel Marsh, Phoebe Marsh & Anna French & to son John all household stuffe. While wife and daus. continue together & till John is of age.

My stock to be maintained & then divided to last three mentioned children. To son John all remaining lands in Braintree with all husbandry utensils & if he die to go equally to the rest of my children Anna French, Phebe & Rachel Marsh & Mary French. My friends Mr. John Wilson, Mr. Roger Billings executors until John is of age, then to be executor. Witness: Daniel Preston Jr., William Rawson, John Wilson, Nathaniel Glover Sr., Thomas Ferman.

8:129, Inventory of Lt. Alexander Marsh who deceased 7th March 1697/8 taken Mar. 22, 1697/8 by Joseph Penniman, Nathaniel Wales, Benjamin Savell includes 1 'musquet' & 3 swords £1/10/; Several small parcels in Salter's Farm £54; 6 a. salt marsh at Rock Island £50; 4 a. salt marsh in Salter's Farm £40; 3/4 a. fresh meadow at ye 80 a. lot in Salter's Farm; Land in ye Stony Field & that piece where his house stands now £45; To Derrifield's lot £24; To the furnace land & at Crane's Plain containing 215 acres £430; To a house & land at Boston £200; To 50 a. swamp near Moore's Farm £40; To an Indian Man's time, 2 years £3; To an Indian boy £5, Total £1290/18/4"

"Marsh, Alexander, Braintree, was freem. 1654, m. 19 Dec. 1655, I judge, Mary, d. of Gregory Belcher, was rep. under new chart. 1692; d. 7 Mar. 1698, aged a. 70 says gr.stone. His will of 19 Mar. 1697, pro. 31 Mar. 1698, ment. w. Bathsheba, s. John, ds. Rachel, Phebe, Ann, w. of Samuel French, beside gr.d. Mary French, s.-in-law Dependence French, and Samuel Bass. His s. John was then a minor, and f. I believe, of John, H. C. 1726. His wid. d. 8 Jan. 1723, aged a. 82, says the gr.stone at Dorchester."