Person:John Annis (4)

JOHN ANNIS married December 16, 1724, Abigail Rolfe at Newbury. John and Abigail's marriage intentions were published on October 3, 1724, and the marriage ceremony was performed by Reverend John Tufts. John removed to Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1732, after selling his land and shop at Newbury. He purchased property at Merry's Creek Pond for 280 Pounds, and resided there until about 1743, when he removed to Bradford, Massachusetts. While residing at Bradford in 1748 he was mustered under Captain Goffe for scouting against the Indians. During that period of the French and Indian War, Bradford and Haverhill, Massachusetts, as well as many other frontier settlements, were under constant threat, and raiding parties of Native Americans, sanctioned and encouraged by the French, were a common occurrence. According to Essex County records John returned to Newbury in 1760 and he was reported residing there with his wife in 1771.

On September 7, 1761, Moses Hale, housewright, of Newbury, and wife Abigail conveyed to John Annis of Newbury 19 3/4 a. in Newbury (112:152).

Moses Hale of Newbury (housewright) and wife Abigail sold to John Annis of Newbury 19 3/4 a. in Newbury, 7 Sept., 1761 (112:152). (C. K. Hale, p. 152.)

He had deeded land at "New Hopkinton" (now Hopkinton, New Hampshire) to his brother Daniel in 1758, and this land may have been granted to him for his service in the war. John was a cordwainer by profession. His sons, and their descendants, are the most numerous, and most frequently recorded lineage from Cormac Annis. Abigail Rolfe was the daughter of Ezra and Abigail (Bond) Rolfe.

It is quite possible that John Annis was a slave-owner. In the following Haverhill Vital Record is found reference to a slave child being baptized:

Vital Records of Haverhill Volume 1

Records of births, marriages and deaths in Haverhill from its inception to 1849. These records were kept by town clerks, in church records, cemetery inscriptions, and Family Bibles.

Pompi, "slave to John Annis about 2 years old entered " May 14, 1737. [bp. Aug. --, 1736. C. R. 3.]

Evidently, "Pompi" was a child of John's Black slave(s) and was baptized when he became of age. It has already been shown by the records that John was residing at Haverhill from 1732 to 1743.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 "Annis Genealogy", in Perley, Sidney, ed. Essex Antiquarian. (Salem, Mass.: Essex Antiquarian)
   3:185, 186.

   John Annis, born in Newbury May 1, 1700. He was a cordwainer; and lived in Newbury until 1732, when he sold out and removed to Haverhill, where he was living in 1741. He was of Bradford, husbandman, in 1750 and 1754, and a cordwainer in 1760. He returned to Newbury in 1760, and was living there in 1770. He married Abigail Rolfe of Bradford Dec. 16, 1724; and she was his wife
   in 1770.

2. ↑ Vital Records of Newbury, MA.