Person:Gregory Baxter (1)

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Gregory Baxter
Origin: Unknown
Migration: 1631
First Residence: Roxbury
Removes: Braintree 1640
Church Membership: Apparently joined Dorchester church in late 1631 or early 1632, since he was made freeman before Roxbury church was organized [RChR 74]
Freeman: 6 Mar 1631/2 [MBCR 1:367]
Education: Made his mark ("A") on will
Offices: One of seven arbitrators in the extra-judicial master-servant dispute, 26 Nov 1640 [WP 4:299]
Estate: Sold real estate in Roxbury when moved to Braintree.
Will dated 2 Jun 1659; codicil 19 Jun 1659 names "son", daughter Behtia, son Joseph Adams and my dau his wife; sworn by Margaret Baxter relict of Gregory Baxter and John their son. SPR 3:146
Birth by 1607 based on estimated date of marriage
Death Braintree 21 Jun 1659 [BrVR 638]
Marriage before Jun 1632 birth of first child to Margaret ____ who died Braintree 13 Feb 1661/2 [BrVR 638]
MARRIAGE: By 1632 Margaret _____ (assuming she is the mother of all his children). On 7 July 1659 Margaret Baxter is widow of Gregory (inventory), and she died at Braintree 13 February 1661/2 [BrVR 638]. (In his will of 20 August 1658 William Paddy of Boston bequeathed 50s. to "my sister Margaret Baxter" [NEHGR 8:355], and Savage says that this was the wife of Gregory Baxter. But Nicholas Baxter of Boston, mariner, also had a wife Margaret, as may be seen from deeds of 25 December 1661 and 12 December 1668 [SLR 7:26; 8:66]. In the latter deed we learn that she had had an earlier husband, with whom she had had a daughter Mary who married John Bull. Since William Paddy and Nicholas Baxter were both mariners, and were in these years both of Boston, it seems more likely that William's sister or sister-in-law was the wife of Nicholas and not Gregory.)

Children:

1 Bethulia/Bethia b Roxbury Jun 1632 [RVR 1:23]; m Samuel Deering [BrVR 629]. The marriage date is given simply as 1647. They had a daughter Bethai born 6 Aug 1649 [BrVR 636], and the mother died on 3 Jan 1649/50 [BrVR 636].

2 Abigail b. Roxbury Sep 1634 [RVR 1:23]; married 29 Nov 1650 Joseph Adams [BrVR 629]

3 JOHN, b. Roxbury 1 December 1639 [NEHGR 5:334; RVR MS 2]; m. Braintree 24 November 1659 Anna White [BrVR 717].

Gregory1 Baxter is first of record at Roxbury when he was made a freeman of the colony Mar.6,1631/2. His children were born there and he came to Braintree about 1640. He died at Braintree Jun.21,1659 and left a will dated -, proved Jul.14,1659 mentioning wife Margaret, son John, daughter Dearing, and daughter, wife of Joseph Adams, grand children Bethia Dearing & Joseph Adams. Widow Margaret died Feb.13,1661.

William Paddy of Plymouth and Boston in his will dated Aug.20,1658 gives 50/ to his sister, Margaret Baxter. (Register Vol.8, P.356) [Note The Great Migration susgest this was the wife of Nicholas Baxter not Gregory Baxter].

Gregory Baxter was selectman about 1640 when the Coddington land recovered by the town of Braintree was recorded on page 1 of the town records. His homestead was near the spot now occupied by the Thomas Crane Public Library, Quincy. Dr. Charles E. Banks Mss. says he probably came from Sporle, Co. Norfolk.There was also a John Baxter assessed at Sudbury Co. Suffolk in 1592 from whence several Braintree settlers came. (Genealogical Magazine Vol. 3:1-323):

Will of Gregory Baxstar of Braintree, Jun.2,1659 - Jun.14,1659: being sick. Wife & son John executors. To my sonne Dearing my little piece of salt meadow adjoining his own house, about an acre; to his daughter Bethia ú10 at age 16 also one black calf 1 yr. old, 1 black ewe to be delivered to her father till she is 16. To son Joseph Adam & my dau. his wife 6 a. in great field on the right side the cartway to the ferry, also my little island salt marsh at the head of salt creek that cometh up toward the town land lying near the end of Peter George's lot, also half my lands at Captaine's Plaine. To his son Joseph child of my daughter & if he die without heir to my daughter's next eldest son or daughter if she have no sonne. Also to my sonne Joseph Adams my old mare. All rest to my wife & my sonne John my wife to have all ye use of it while she liveth, after her decease John to have all, & my wife to have two cows to dispose of at her death, only I give my horse, two oxen, one cowe & one steare to sonne John. Witness: John Gurney, Moses Payne, Richard Brackett. Whereas I gave my sonne Dearing a little piece of salt marsh I now make voyd that act and give it to my wife and sonne John together while she liveth and then to John. I give my sonne Dearing in the room ofthat two weather sheepe 19:4:1659 (sic) (9:4:1659?)3-146, Inventory, 7:5th 1659 (Jul.7,1659) by John Gurney, Moses Paine, Edmund Quincy ú417/19/1.Margaret Baxter relict of Gregory & John their son deposed Jul.14,1659.

Children of Gregory & Margaret born at Roxbury:

i. Bethiah (Bethulia), June 1632; m. 1647 Samuel Deering. She died Jan. 3 1649/50.

ii . Abigail, Sept. 1634, m. Nov. 2 1650, Joseph Adams.

iii. John, born Dec. 1 1639 at Roxbury; died Apr. 29 1719 ae. 81,
or Apr. 20 1719 ae. 80 (GS), Hancock Cem. Married Nov. 24 1659, Anna (or Hannah) White

link to Suffolk County Case # 209 Gregory Baxter of Braintree 14 Jun 1659