Hello, Earlier this week I visited a member of the Billerica Historical Society who has an office at the "Faulkner House" in Billerica. He had told me about a very antique book he found in the house and this week I got to look at it. It was written by a Joshua KIDDER and was published in ..1795 .. ! We both became curious who this "poet" was, and I took on the challenge this morning. I found out he came from a long line of Ephraim KIDDER's in this area: Joshua KIDDER was born in 1768 in Billerica. The "KIDDER book" says that he married Mary WILSON in March 1808, and then died in Oct. 1808. And, no record of children was found ! (As I typed this, I noticed they were only married for 7 months ! They "might" have had a child, but - maybe not !) Mary WILSON was said to have been born in 1766 and was the daughter of Leonard WILSON and Rachel DURANT. I checked the Billerica book, and it states: Leonard WILSON was the son of John (3), and was born in 1736. In 1761 he married Rachel DURRANT, daughter of Abraham (5). Their children were: Abraham, b1762, Joseph, b1763, Isaac, b1764, Molly, b1766 (who m. Joshua KIDDER), and Reuben, b1768. Abraham DURRANT was the son of John (2), and was born in 1709. In 1736 he married Rachel MANNING, daughter of William (4). Their children were: Abraham, b1737, Jonathan, b1739, Martha, b1741, Rachel, b1743, Joseph, b1744, Reuben, b1747/8, Jonas, b1751, Asa, b1753, and Sarah, b1757. The KIDDER book then says that Joshua KIDDER, "yeoman" was a cooper and resided in Billerica. He bequethed to his wife his entire estate, and he is buried in the "South Cemetery" - with a poetical epitaph on his tombstone. Since Joshua was only 40 years old when he died, his wife, Mrs. Mary / Molly KIDDER, would have been only 42. Does anyone know if this Mrs. KIDDER married again? Does anyone know if she lived a long life? We don't have a date of death for her ! Thank you for your time. Betty (near Lowell, MA)