Search my transcriptions - what I have on Bancroft Subject: BANCROFT Source: Biographical Review Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Middlesex County, Massachusetts 1898 Biographical Review Publishing Company - Boston "Who among men art thou, and thy years how many, good friend? - Xenophanes. pp.197-199 The Bancroft Family of Tyngsboro, Mass., having been identified with the locality for over one hundred and sixty years (in 1898) - its ancestry is traced to Lieut. Thomas Bancroft who came to Mass. from England when abt ten or twelve years old. He prob. lived for some time with his parents in Lynn, Mass. The records of Dedham show that Thomas Bancroft was married in 1647 to Alice Bacon and that she died in 1648 and that he m. (2) a few months later to Elizabeth Metcalf. He owned land in Reading and also in Lynnfield and is said to have resid- ed at different periods in each of those towns. Ebenezer Bancroft, his thrid son by his wife Elizabeth Metcalf married Abigail Eaton and settled in Lynnfield. Lieut. Timothy Bancroft son of Ebenezer, was born in 1709 and in 1734 he located at a point on the Merrimac River now the town of Tyngsboro. His military commission which bears the date of June 27, 1754, was signed by Gov. William Shirley; and he served under Col. Eleazer Tyng. He married Elizabeth Farwell, dau. of Henry Farwell, one of the pioneers in this town and reared ten children. Lieut. Timothy Bancroft died in 1772. Colonel Ebenezer Bancroft, one of his sons, was born at Tyngsboro, April 1, 1738. In 1754 when but sixteen years old, he joined a company of soldiers enroute for Canada. After taking part in the French and Indian War, during which he suffered many hardships, he with some others succeeded in picking their way through the wilderness to their homes. In 1757 he was commissioned an Ensign in Capt. John Alford Tyng's company which served under Rogers and Stark; and it is probable that he was present at the siege and capture of Quebec. On May 27, 1775, he marched to Cambridge to join the patriot forces there assembled. He was commissioned Captain in Col. Ebenezer Bridge's regiment at Watertown and at the battle of Bunker Hill, he commanded a company of fifty-eight, officers and men, forty-two of whom were residents of Dunstable. He kept firing as long as his ammunition lasted, and is said to have been the last man to leave the works, making his escape by clubbing a passage out with a musket, losing in the melee the fore- finger of his right hand. He was commissioned Second Major of the Seventh Middlesex County Regiment, Col. Simeon Spaulding, Feb. 8, 1776; was made First Major June 2, 1778; was on April 21, 1780 advanced to the rank of Lieut. Colonel of the Seventh Regiment, under Brigadier General Eleazar Brooks; was on June 28 assigned to Col. Cyprian Howe's regiment which was ordered to re-enforce the Continental army in Rhode Island; and he was honor- ably discharged Oct 30 of the same year. He must have rejoined the army, however, as his name appears upon the payrolls as late as Feb. 19, 1783; and his military re- cord probably ended with the close of the Rev. War. On March 24, 1760 Col. Ebenezer Bancroft bought the Jonathan Farwell estate adjoining his father's farm; and on May 5, 1763, he m. Susanna Fletcher, dau of Deacon Joseph Fletcher and grandaughter of Capt. Joseph Fletcher and wife, Sarah (Adams) Fletcher of Chelmsford, Mass. Being cognizant of the fact that the Declaration of Independence was to be signed on July 4, 1776, he on that day planted an American elm tree in his yard and discharged his musket thirteen times in salute! This ceremony he continued as long as he lived, adding a round to the number for each new State admitted to the Union. Colonel Ebenezer Bancroft died upon his farm at Tyngsboro, September 27, 1827 in his ninetieth year. His son, Ebenezer Bancroft 3rd. was for many years a justice of the peace in Tyngsboro and his grandson, the fourth Ebenezer Bancroft died at the homestead July 12, 1891 aged eighty-three years. His widow was still re- siding there in 1889. Her son Ebenezer Bancroft the 5th, great-grandson of the Colonel, died from the effects of a railroad accident on Feb. 12, 1891, aged forty-four years. On July 5, 1871 he married Carrie Nichols of Nashua N.H. and had three children, namely: Minnie Ardell Bancroft; Lila May Bancroft and Ebenezer Luther Bancroft. Deacon Jonathan Bancroft, son of Lieut. Timothy Bancroft and brother of Colonel Ebenezer Bancroft, was born Aug. 11th 1750. He was a member of Capt. Leonard Butterfield's company of Dunstable (minutemen) and was a Sergeant in Capt Ford's company in September 1777, having previously it is thought, taken part in the battle of Bennington, was made Second Lieutenant in 1781 and in 1786 was comm- issioned First Lieutenant of the Seventh Middlesex County Regiment. He was a prominent member of the Unitarian church and for many years a Deacon. He died July 11, 1815. Major Jonathan Bancroft, son of Deacon Jonathan Bancroft was born Feb. 9, 1774. He settled upon a farm in New Hampshire just over the state line. His commission as Major in the NH militia was signed by Gov. William Plummer June 17, 1812. He married Sarah Taylor of Dracut, Mass. on July 4, 1798 and had a family of two sons - Jonathan and Ephraim Bancroft and eight daughters Major Jonathan Bancroft died Sept. 24, 1838. He was a Deacon of the Unitarian church. Jonathan Bancroft the third, his eldest son, was born in Nashua, NH June 21, 1811. He was reared at the old home- stead of his ancestor, Timothy Bancroft, which he occu- pied until his death Aug. 27, 1888; and the present (1898) residence was erected by him in 1838. He was a citizen of prominence in his day and served as Tax Collector for thirteen years. His lst wife, Eliza Kendall whom he married Dec. 2, 1838, was b. at Tyngsboro, Mass., Dec. 22, 1817 dau of Jeremiah Kendall. She died Dec. 10, 1871. His 2nd wife Ellen Kezar died in 1883. He had five children by his lst wife, namely: Ellen E. Bancroft who m. William Blan- chard and lived at Tyngsboro; Jennie M. Bancroft who lived at Boston and was the widow of Hale Wesson; Elmira Bancroft who died in 1893 unm.; Jonathan F. Bancroft and S. Emma Bancroft who married Charles Burrows and resided in Rutherford, N.J. Jonathan Franklin Bancroft the present (1898) occupant of the homestead at Tyngsboro was born Jan. 24, 1847. He attended the State Agricultural College at Amherst, Mass., and gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. He was a Republican in politics and served upon the School Board for five years. On Sept. 25, 1872 he m. Helen A. Kidder dau of Zimri and Mary (Swan) Kidder of Tyngsboro. Her grandmother was Martha, dau. of Deacon Jonathan Bancroft. Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan F. Bancroft had a family of five children: Horace T. Bancroft, Edna H. Bancroft, Ernest Goessman Bancroft, Chester F. K. Bancroft and Jennie J. Bancroft. _________________________________________________ Surname: BANCROFT Source: Farnsworth Memorial Benjamin Farnsworth/Mary Prescott Line - Groton,MA 1600s p.207 Alice Tarball b. Mar 4, l730 dau of Lieut. William Tar- ball and his wife, Mary Farnsworth of Watertown and Groton, MA. Alice Tarball m. Oct l8, l749 Deacon Benjamin Bancroft Jr. b. Sep 29,l724 at Charlestown, MA She d. Nov 29, l78l He d. Oct 27, l804. (see p.2l8 for their children) p.2l8 Deacon Benjamin Bancroft, Jr. and his wife, Alice Tarball of Groton, MA had issue: l. Benjamin Bancroft b. Aug 7, l750. 2. Abel Bancroft b. May 28, l752 d. Oct 30, l786. 3. Thaddeus Bancroft b. Apr 12, l754 d. June 2l, l784 4. William Bancroft b. May 2, l756 m. Agnes Edes. She d. July 30, l832 age 76 He d. May 28, l832. 5. Joseph Bancroft b. July 3, l760. 6. Samuel Bancroft b.July 6, l764 7. Sarah Bancroft b.JKuly 29, l767. 8. John Bancroft b. Jan 28, l77l. p.3l8 Algae Farnsworth dau of Adams W. Farnsworth and his wife Margaret Brigham of Jonesboro, ME. Algae Farnsworth b. ca l887 m. ___Bancroft. Jonathan Farnsworth/Ruth Shattuck Line - Groton, MA l600s p.607 Roine Farnsworth b.May 6, 19l2 dau of Stephen A. Farns- worth and wife Exile Bingham at Col. Juarez, Chih, Mex. Roine Farnsworth m. (l) Nov 24, l930 Frank Bancroft who died. She m. (2) Eddie Spoon. Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth ______________________________________________________ Surname: BANCROFT Source: Epitaphs from the Old Burial Ground, Groton,MA by Dr. Samuel A. Green pub l878 p.233 Benjamin Bancroft the son of Thomas Bancroft of Reading MA is the ancestor of the families of this name living in Groton, MA and vicinity. He m. Anna, dau of John and Anna (Tarball) Lawrence of Lexington, MA and had nine children. He lived for a while at Charlestown, MA but afterward about the year l728 removed to Groton, MA where he d. July 2l, l787 aged 86 yrs and his widow also Apr 3,l790 age 87 yrs. He was a tanner by trade and lived a short distance southof the Unitarian Church on the east side of the Great Road. The stone powder maga- zine used by the State during the Revolution was situat- ed on his land. Benjamin Bancroft the eldest child, followed the occupa- tion of his father and lived on the old homestead. He was town treasurer and a deacon of the church besides holding other positions of trust. He m. Alice, dau of William and Mary (Farnsworth) Tarball and had eight children. His wife died Nov 29, l78l aged 5l yrs. and he d. Oct 27, l804 aged 80 yrs. Edmund, the 2d child removed to that part of Groton now Pepperell, where he carried on farming. He was town treasurer of Pepperell for twenty years and a Rep. in the General Court of MA. He m. Dec 30 l747 for his lst wife Elizabeth Atherton of Harvard, MA who d. Oct 6,l755 and he m. (2) l758 Mrs. Rachel (Howard) Barron, widow of Jonathan Barron and dau of Samuel Howard of Chelmsford, MA. She d. June 3, l784 age 54 yrs and he m. (3) Mrs. Phebe (Lawrence) Bancroft widow of Jonathan Bancroft of Salem, MA and the dau of Col. William and Susanna (Pres- cott) Lawrence of Groton, MA Edmund Bancroft d. Oct 25, l806 age 79 yrs and his widow on Nov 2l, l808 age 74 yrs. He had four children by his lst marriage and eight by his second. Dr. Amos Bancroft, a grad of Harvard College class of l79l and for many yrs a distinguished physician of Groton, MA was a son of Edmund's 2d wife. Deacon Benjamin Bancroft and Edmund Bancroft were the only sons of Benjamin Bancroft, Sr. who grew up to manhood. p.74 Tombstone Here lies the Body of Benjamin Bancroft Son of Mr. Thaddeus Bancroft and Mrs. Bulah, his wife. He died March 8th l776 Aged 3 months & l5 days. p.87 Tombstone Memento mori (Cherub's Head) Erected in memory of Mrs. Alice Bancroft (consort of Deacon Benjamin Bancroft) who departed this Life Nov 29th l78l Aged 5l years 8 months & 25 days. Author's note: The daughter of William and Mary (Farnsworth) Tarbell b. Mar 4,l729-30; she was married Oct l8, l749. p.92 Tombstone Memento mori (Cherub's Head) Here lies the Body of Mr. Thaddeus Bancroft who depart- ed this Life June 2lst l784 Aged 28 year 2 months & 9 days. Author's note: The son of Benjamin Bancroft and wife, Alice (Tarball) Bancroft. p.94 Tombstone (Cherub's Head) In Memory of Lieut Abel Bancroft Who departed this Life October 30th A. D. l786, In the 35th year of his Age. Author's note: The son of Benjamin and Alice (Tarball) Bancroft b. May 28, l752. p.95 Tombstone Memento mori (Willow Tree Urn Cherub's Head Urn Willow Tree) Erected In Memory of Capt Benjamin Bancroft who departed this life July the 2lst l787 Aged 86 years 2 months and 4 days. p.99 Tombstone Remember Death (Cherub's Head) Erected In Memory of Mrs. Anna Bancroft Relict of Capt. Benjamin Bancroft, who departed this life April ye 3d l790; In the 88th year of her Age. Author's note: The daughter of John and Anna (Tarbell) Lawrence bp. Nov l, l702. p.l73 Tombstone (Willow Tree and Urn) In memory of Mrs. Sarah, widow of Mr. Abel Bancroft who died July 8,l830 AEt. 77. p. l76 Tombstone (Willow Tree and Urn Urn and Willow Tree) Mr. William Bancroft died May 28, l832. AEt 76. Mrs. Agness Bancroft his wife, died July 30, l832 AEt. 76. p.l90 Tombstone (Willow Tree and Urn) Sarah wife of Amos Bancroft, M.D. died April 30, l837 AEt 69. Author's note: The daughter of Henry and Faith (Savage) Bass of Boston, MA. p.l94 Tombstone (Willow Tree and Urn) Mary Ann Daughter of Amos and Sarah Bancroft died Feb. 26, l84l AEt 3l. p.208 Tombstone (Willow Tree and Urn) Dr. Amos Bancroft Died July l2,l848 AEt 8l. Author's note: The son of Edmund and Rachel H. (Barron) Bancroft, b. May 23, l767 at Pepperell; he grad. Harvard class of l79l & studied medicine with Dr. Oliver Prescott Jr. He was knocked down by a wagon on State Street, Boston, MA and lived but a few hours afterward. p.2l7 Tombstone (Willow Tree and Urn) Mr. Benjamin Bancroft died Sept l6, l857 AEt 69 Author's note: The son of William and Agnes (Edes) Bancroft. p.222 Tombstone (Willow Tree and Urn) Agness S. Bancroft died Oct l0, l867 AEt 84. The daughter of William and Agnes (Edes) Bancroft. Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth ______________________________________________ Subject: BANCROFT, John Source: History of Lynn, MA Annals of Lynn - 1638 p.171 "The first burial in the Old Burying Ground, at the west end of the Common, so far as is certainly known, took place this year." "The remains interred were those of John Bancroft, the same individual spoken of on page 118, as ancestor of George Bancroft, the distinguished historian." p.118 John Bancroft died in 1637. He had two sons, Thomas and John, and his descendants remain. The name was sometimes spelled Barcroft; indeed it is questionable whether that was not the original spelling, the change easily occuring. Jane, the wife with whom this settler was blessed, does not seem to have been the most amiable of women. By the record of the Court held at Boston in 1633, it appears that, "Mr. John Barcroft doeth acknowledge to owe unto our Sovereign, the King, the sum of x1l and Mr. Samuel Mavacke the sum of xxl etc. The condition of this recognizance is that Jane Barcroft, wife of the said John, shall be of good behaviour towards all persons." George Bancroft, the eminent historian, is a lineal descendant from this Lynn Planter. Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth See also: see _http://www.2020site.org/literature/george_bancroft.html_ (http://www.2020site.org/literature/george_bancroft.html) for bio & portrait. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth Surname: BANCROFT Source: An Historical Sketch of Groton, MA by Dr. Samuel A. Green pub 1894 p.92 Among the friends and benefactors of the Lawrence Academy of Groton, MA was Benjamin Bancroft of Groton. p.l0l Dr. Amos Bancroft was son of Edward and Rachel (Howard) Barron Bancroft, of Pepperell, MA b. May 23, l767 and grad. Harvard class of l79l He began practice at West- ford, MA then removed to Weston, MA through l8ll. He m. (l) Aug 29, l796 Abigail Whiting dau of Capt. Leonard Whiting and his wife, Ann (Hall) Whiting of Hollis, NH b. Mar 25,l772 d. at Weston Dec 4, l799. He m. (2) Oct 7, l800 Sarah Bass dau of Henry Bass and wife, Faith (Savage) Bass of Boston, b. Apr 2l, l768 d. Apr 30, l837 He m. (3) Oct l7,l839 Eliza Doane of Boston who d. l840 He m. (4) l84l Mary Kneeland dau of Richard Kneeland and wife, Martha (Hall) Kneeland of Westford, MA b.l789 and d. l862. On July l2,l848 on State St., Boston he was knocked down by a wagon and died a few hours later. Note: Dr. Bancroft and Dr. Mansfield were the last two physicians of Groton who while visiting patients used to ride on horseback with saddle-bags altho they also drove sulkies. p.l07 Dr. Amos Bancroft was son of Dr. Amos Bancroft and wife, Sarah (Bass) Bancroft, b. at Groton, MA Apr 3, l8ll, and grad Harvard class of l83l. He practiced with his father at Groton, MA and m. l840 Marietta Shepley dau of Nathan and India (Emerson) Shepley of Pepperell, MA. He remained at Groton thru to l853 then removed to Charlestown, MA and was for 10 yrs physician at the State Prison. Under Gen. Grant he was apptd super. & surgeon in charge of the Marine Hosp. at Chelsea thru l877. He then res: Boston, MA. He d. at Florence, Italy l879 while traveling with his family abroad. Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth God Bless America History & Genealogy Freely Shared Janice Farnsworth _http://tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/janice.htm_ (http://tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/janice.htm) and Toni Feeney _http://www.tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/page7.htm_ (http://www.tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/page7.htm) Ray Charles - America ~ His 9/11/2001 recording. http://www.kids-teens.org/Greetings/america0.htm