Person:John Smith (1330)

Primary records point to a man from Ireland with a wife Mary whose maiden name is unknowable (not Mercy Stephens as sometimes shown). The only primary source that indicates this mans origins comes from Boston Town Records where he is said to have a great losses in Ireland.

John Smith was admitted to Boston Church on 6(12)1638/9 (6 Feb 1638/9)^[6] John Smith a "tailor" was granted a lot on 29 Jul 1639 at Muddy River (Brookline) for 3 heads. On 30(11)1642/3 (30 Jan 1642/3) the assessment of John Smith, gentleman is remitted upon consideration of the great losses that of late have befallen him in Ireland. On 25(5)1642 (26 Jul 1642) John Smith is granted with Capt. Gibones and John Davis to have the marsh on the water. On 23 Apr 1675 John Smith settled his property boundary with Daniel Henchman, John White and William Greenough Near the Mill Pond near Portland St, Commercial St and Henchman St.^[7] In his Will dated 23 Sep 1673 proved 3 Jun 1674, John Smith, tailor, names his only daughter Rachel Hardwood administrator and leaves land to his grandsons Robert and Nathaniel Woodward and he names his brother David.^[8] On 24 Jun 1657 Suffolk County Deeds record John Smith near Samuel Scarlet, John Davies and Major Edward Gibbons, at Commercial St, Henchman St, Portland St, Mill Pond, etc. and his estate includes a house and garden. This same land on 4 Sep 1713 is conveyed from Mercy Woodward (daughter of Robert Woodward, carpenter and granddaughter of John Smith, deceased) and her husband Samuel East, carpenter, and their son Nathaniel East, shipwright and Mary wife of Daniel Bline (also daughter of Samuel East) and Margaret East (also daughter of Samuel East) to Mercy Fay (sic).^[9] Henry F Waters, Esq in 1877 published records from the Massachusetts archives showing that Nathaniel Woodward calls Rachel Harwood wife of Thomas Harwood his mother and Mercy East his sister and his daughter Mercy Tay wife of Jeremiah Tay (note the transcription of the above deed as Fay should probably be rendered as Tay). See Rachel Harwood named only daughter in the will of John Smith, tailor above.^[10]

Based on these records we might assert that John Smith, tailor had holdings in Ireland before coming to Boston, had a wife Mary and a only daughter Rachel Smith who married first Robert Woodward (1611-1653), carpenter almost certainly the man baptized in Rushden, Northhamptonshire on 22 Feb 1611 who died in Boston on 21 Nov 1653^[11] and second Thomas Harwood (1623-1706).

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Boston Town Records, in Second Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston containing the Boston Records, 1634-1660, and the Book of Possessions, 2nd ed . (Boston 1881)
   1:41, 2:41, 2:71, 2:69, 7:94.

   John Smith a "tailor" granted a lot on 29 Jul 1639 at Muddy River (Brookline) for 3 heads. On 30(11)1642/3 (30 Jan 1642/3) John Smith, gentleman his assessment is remitted upon consideration of the great losses that of late have befallen him in Ireland. On 25(5)1642 (26 Jul 1642) John Smith is granted with Capt. Gibones and John Davis to have the marsh on the water. On 23 Apr 1675 John Smith settled his property boundary with Daniel Henchman, John White and William Greenough Near the Mill Pond near Portland St, Commercial St and Henchman St.

2.   The Records of the First Church in Boston, 1630-1868, Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Richard D. Pierce, ed. (Boston 1961)
   23, 41.

   Admitted to Boston Church 6(12)1638/9 (6 Feb 1638/9)

3.   Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Probate Records
   Case 692.

   John Smith, tailor, only daughter Rachel Harwood. He names his brother David.

4.   Suffolk Deeds , (Boston 1880-1906).
   3:132, 27:219.

   24 Jun 1657 John Smith near Samuel Scarlet, John Davies and Major Edward Gibbons, at Commercial St and Henchman St, Portland St, Mill Pond, etc. estate includes a house and garden. This same deed on 4 Sep 1713 includes Mercy Woodward (daughter of Robert Woodward carpenter and granddaughter of John Smith descesed) and her husband Samuel East, carpenter, and their son Nathaniel East, shipwright. Also Mary wife of Daniel Bline (also daughter of Samuel East). Also Margaret East (also daughter of Samuel East) convey to Mercy Fay.

5.   Notes by Henry F Waters, Esq, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   31:332, 1877.

   From Massachusetts archives: Nathaniel Woodward calls Rachel Harwood wife of Thomas Harwood his mother and Mercy East his sister and his daughter Mercy Tay wife of Jeremiah Tay. See Rachel Harwood named only daughter in the will of John Smith, tailor above.

6. ↑ The Records of the First Church in Boston, 1630-1868, Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Richard D. Pierce, ed. (Boston 1961), 23, 41.
7. ↑ Boston Town Records, in Second Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston containing the Boston Records, 1634-1660, and the Book of Possessions, 2nd ed . (Boston 1881), 1:41, 2:41, 2:71, 2:69, 7:94.
8. ↑ Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Probate Records, Case 692.
9. ↑ Suffolk Deeds , (Boston 1880-1906)., 3:132, 27:219.
10. ↑ Notes by Henry F Waters, Esq, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society), 31:332, 1877.
11. ↑ Doris J Woodward and Patricia Law Hatcher, "The English Origin of Nathaniel Woodward..." in The Maine Genealogist (1998) 20:147-68