Person:John Peaslee (1)

   John Peaslee married Mary Martin of Amesbury at the house of Thomas Barnard. There 47 persons witnessed the ceremony. John Peaslee, the son of Joseph, married Mary Martin and moved to Amesbury (now Newton, NH) in 1713.

   Mary was the grand-daughter of George and Susanna Martin. Susanna was tried and convicted of being a witch during the infamous Salem Witch trials in 1692. She was executed. Later, one of her descendents, John Whittier, the famous Quaker poet, wrote the poem "The Witch's Daughter" about Susanna's daughter.Go to "The Witches Daughter"

   John moved to Newton, NH in 1713. John Peaslee was a "Millwright" The marriage was published 22 Mar 1704 in Haverhill, Essex Co, MA.

   This John and Mary Martin had sixty grandchildren, their descendants are found in Newton, Plaistow, Kingston, Danville, Pittsfield, Sandwich, Weare, Deering, Henniker, Sutton and adjoining towns; Canada, Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, and many Western and Pacific States.

   "Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury" H9744.45 S 167 New York State Library.

   "John Peaslee and Mary Martin were married at Amesbury. This was the first marriage recorded among the Sociedty of Friends at Hampton, NH., at the house of Thomas Barnard in 1704.Thomas Nickolls and Joshua Purrington having been appointed at a previous meeting to inquire if they were free to marry. The re4cord was signed by John Peaslee,Mary Martin (Millwright) and 47 others."

   He was a member of the Society of Friends, "Quaker"

   For further reading: "The Peaslee's" by E. Kimball

   Per research of John Lyle Bascom-Gordon, Compiler of this line:
   "John Peaslee intended marriage with Mary Martin on 22 Mar 1704/05, and were married in the home of Thomas Barnard who was his uncle by marriage. It is said the 'forty-seven persons' attended the wedding.

   Mary Martin was the daughter of John Martin and Mary Weed, and a granddaughter of George Martin and Susanna North. The widow, Susanna Martin, was executed at Salem, MA, 19 Jul 1692, for witchcraft. She was the inspiration of Whittier's famous poem and some others by other authors. John Martin later moved to that part of Amesbury now called Newton, NH.

   It is recorded in New Hampshire State Papers, Vol. 13, that in 1747 'a petition was presented to the Selectmen of Salisbury and Amesbury District in regard to a road laid out in 1699.' This petition was signed by JOHN PEASLEE, JOSEPH; JOHN PEASLEE, DAVID; JAN; DAVID; MOSES; JAMES; and NATHAN PEASLEE. This represents the father and most of his sons. His son, Ebenezer, did not sign and we find that he had moved to Connecticut.

   His sons, Nathan and Moses, married sisters, daughters of Jonathan Gove and Mary Lancaster. The Goves were Methodists and Nathan and Moses were both excluded from the Society of Friends. Nathan later moved to Lincoln County, Maine, near what was called Balltown, and Moses remained in Newton, New Hampshire. Both had several children.

   His sons, James David and Moses were married by Orlando Bagley, Justice of the Peace. In the records of Haverhill, MA, an unnamed child of John and Mary is given as being born 02 April 1713. This child is identified in 'The Peaslees and Others of Haverhill and Vicinity' as being David. In the 'History of Sutton, NH', he is said to be the son of John and his age at time of death, places his birth in 1713. It also states here that he married Rachel Bean, a sister of Samuel Bean, but Drummond in his collections on 'The Bean Family' doubts that a Rachel Bean ever existed. In the Amesbury Vital Records, it states that David Peaslee and Rachel Straw declared their intention of marriage 15 January 1742, and that they were married by Orlando Bagley, J.P., on 09 February 1742. The Bean record is undoubtedly an error. Rachel Straw was daughter of John Straw and Lydia Sargent of Salisbury and Amesbury, MA.

   In 'Peaslees and Others of Haverhill and Vicinity', a Mr. Beede, who is said to have many records of the Peaslee Family, writes that 'Joseph and Martha had twelve children; Jacob, who settled in Kingston, died leaving one son; Nathan Peaslee married Lydia Gove and had nine children; Moses and Mary Gove had ten; James and Abagail had seven; and David and Rachel had eleven; making in all sixty grandchildren, by their sons, to John and Mary Peaslee. Their descendants are found in Newton, Plaistow, Kingston, Danville, Pittsfield, Sandwich, Weare, Deering, Henniker, and Sutton, NH; Maine; Vermont; New York; New Jersey; Canada and the West.'

   But few of the children of James and Abagail are known as yet (1932). This is also true of Jacob and Huldah.

   John Peaslee married a second wife; a Mary Newbegin on 18 August 1745."

   From Chuck Griffin
   Per research of John Lyle Bascom-Gordon, Compiler of this line:
   "John Peaslee intended marriage with Mary Martin on 22 Mar 1704/05, and were married in the home of Thomas Barnard who was his uncle by marriage. It is said the 'forty-seven persons' attended the wedding.

   Mary Martin was the daughter of John Martin and Mary Weed, and a granddaughter of George Martin and Susanna North. The widow, Susanna Martin, was executed at Salem, MA, 19 Jul 1692, for witchcraft. She was the inspiration of Whittier's famous poem and some others by other authors. John Martin later moved to that part of Amesbury now called Newton, NH.

   It is recorded in New Hampshire State Papers, Vol. 13, that in 1747 'a petition was presented to the Selectmen of Salisbury and Amesbury District in regard to a road laid out in 1699.' This petition was signed by JOHN PEASLEE, JOSEPH; JOHN PEASLEE, DAVID; JAN; DAVID; MOSES; JAMES; and NATHAN PEASLEE. This represents the father and most of his sons. His son, Ebenezer, did not sign and we find that he had moved to Connecticut.

   His sons, Nathan and Moses, married sisters, daughters of Jonathan Gove and Mary Lancaster. The Goves were Methodists and Nathan and Moses were both excluded from the Society of Friends. Nathan later moved to Lincoln County, Maine, near what was called Balltown, and Moses remained in Newton, New Hampshire. Both had several children.

   His sons, James David and Moses were married by Orlando Bagley, Justice of the Peace. In the records of Haverhill, MA, an unnamed child of John and Mary is given as being born 02 April 1713. This child is identified in 'The Peaslees and Others of Haverhill and Vicinity' as being David. In the 'History of Sutton, NH', he is said to be the son of John and his age at time of death, places his birth in 1713. It also states here that he married Rachel Bean, a sister of Samuel Bean, but Drummond in his collections on 'The Bean Family' doubts that a Rachel Bean ever existed. In the Amesbury Vital Records, it states that David Peaslee and Rachel Straw declared their intention of marriage 15 January 1742, and that they were married by Orlando Bagley, J.P., on 09 February 1742. The Bean record is undoubtedly an error. Rachel Straw was daughter of John Straw and Lydia Sargent of Salisbury and Amesbury, MA.

   In 'Peaslees and Others of Haverhill and Vicinity', a Mr. Beede, who is said to have many records of the Peaslee Family, writes that 'Joseph and Martha had twelve children; Jacob, who settled in Kingston, died leaving one son; Nathan Peaslee married Lydia Gove and had nine children; Moses and Mary Gove had ten; James and Abagail had seven; and David and Rachel had eleven; making in all sixty grandchildren, by their sons, to John and Mary Peaslee. Their descendants are found in Newton, Plaistow, Kingston, Danville, Pittsfield, Sandwich, Weare, Deering, Henniker, and Sutton, NH; Maine; Vermont; New York; New Jersey; Canada and the West.'

   But few of the children of James and Abagail are known as yet (1932). This is also true of Jacob and Huldah.

   John Peaslee married a second wife; a Mary Newbegin on 18 August 1745."

1. ↑ Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Haverhill, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Topsfield, Mass.: Topsfield Historical Society, 1910)
   1:246.

   PEASELY, John, s. Joseph, jr. and Ruth (Barnard), [born] Feb. 25, 1679.