JOHN CUMMINGS, b. 1668; m. Mary ___. He was of 'Charlestown Village,' Woburn, Jan. —, 1709; he bought 150 acres of land in Mashamuckituck, now Promfret, Conn., and in 1713, was one of the twenty-three first townsmen; Jan., 1717, he bought land in Thompson Parish, Conn., and later at Chestnut Hill, and in 1719, he came to Oxford, Mass., having purchased the "old mill" at the south end of "Oxford Plain." He is believed to have improved this property and raised or rebuilt the dam, as by an agreement 29 Dec, 1719, Richard Moore, Thomas Hunkins and Ebenezer Humphrey, owners of the meadows above, bound themselves to allow him to raise the water over their land each year from Sept. 1 to May 1 as long as he saw fit. [Recorded at Worcester in 1794, proving it to have been valid 75 years afterward.] In 1723 he deeded land on Prospect Hill to his son Jacob, and in 1724 another lot to his son Stephen. He was a man of character and intelligence, a constituent member of the church, active in public affairs, chairman of selectmen, and also town clerk in 1721, '23 and '24. On Oct. 20, 1724 or '25, his wife Mary died, and in 1726 he sold his mill and returned to Thompson, Conn. In 1728 he was master workman in hewing and framing the first meeting-house. [Miss Larnerd.] He was styled John, Senior, in 1719; he d. Apr. 10, 1751, aged 83 years. His son Stephen appears to have been with him at the mill, and returned with him to Killingly, Conn. John and Stephen Comins were witnesses of the will of Joseph Chamberlain in March, 1721.
