VITAL RECORDS OF TOPSFIELD MASSACHUSETTS TO THE YEAR 1850

PUBLISHED BY THE
TOPSFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPSFIELD, MASS.
1903

NEWCOMB & GAUSS
Priters
Salem, Massachusetts

EXPLANATIONS

   THE following records of births, marriages and deaths include
all entries to be found in the books of record kept by the town
clerks; the church records now in the custody of the town clerk;
the returns made to  the Salem Quarterly Court; cemetery in-
scriptions ; and a private record of deaths, covering the period of
1790-1853, now  in  the possession of Mrs.  George  Warren
Towne, of Danvers, Mass.  These records are printed in a con-
densed form  in which every essential particular has been re-
tained. All duplication of the town  clerk's record has been
eliminated, but differences in entry and   other explanatory
matter appear in brackets. Parentheses are  used only  when
they occur in the original record, usually enclosing the maiden
name  of a wife.
   When  places other than  Topsfield and  Massachusetts are
named   in the original records, they are given in the printed
copy.  Marriages and intentions of marriage are printed under
the names of both parties. Double-dating is used in the months
of  January, February and  March, prior to  1752, whenever
it appears in the original and also whenever from the sequence
of entry in the original the date may be easily determined. In
all records the original spelling of names is followed and in the
alphabetical arrangement the various forms should be examined,
as items about the same  family may be found under different
spellings.
                           GEORGE  FRANCIS Dow, Compiler.
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TOPSFIELD

The  Indian name  for this locality was " Shenewemedy," but
the  first settlers applied the name of " New Meadows " to the
grant of land which was made by the General Court, Nov. 5,
1639, to inhabitants of Salem and Ipswich. Oct. 18, 1648, the
Court voted,-" The village at the newe medowes at Ipswich is
named  Toppesfeild."  Oct. 18, 1650, it was established as a
town.
  Oct. 19, 1658, and May 29, 1664, bounds between Salem and
Topsfield were established.
  May  5, 1682, bounds between Wenham   and Topsfield were
established.
  April 28, 1684 and May  31, 1697, bounds between Ipswich
and Topsfield were established.
  Feb. 25, 1701 and June  17, 1731, bounds between Boxford
and Topsfield were established.
  June 20, 1728, part of the territory was included in the new
town of Middleton.
  Feb. 16, 1774, part of the town of Ipswich, lying on the south
side of the river, was annexed to Topsfield.
  The population of Topsfield at different periods was as follows :
1765. 719 ; T776, 773 ; 1790 780 ; 1800, 789 ; 1810, 815 ; 1820,
86651830, 1010; 1840, 1059; 1850, 1170; 1900, 1030.
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ABBREVIATIONS

a. - age.
abt. - about.
b. - born.
bef. - before.
bp. - baptized.
C. R. - church record.
ch. - child.
Co. -  county.
CT. R. - court record, Essex Co. Quarterly Court.
d. - daughter ; day; died.
Dea. -  deacon.
G. R. 1. - gravestone record, Pine Grove Cemetery.
G. R. 2, - gravestone record, South Side Cemetery.
h. - husband.
inf. - infant.
int. - intention of marriage.
jr. -junior.
m.  - male; married; month.
P. R. 1. - private record of deaths, 1790-1853, now in
       the possession of Mrs. George Warren Towne.
P. R. 2. - Henry Lake's account book, now  in the
       possession of George Francis Dow.
s. - son.
sr. - senior.
unm. -  unmarried.
w. -  wife.
mid. - widow.
widr. - widower.
y.  - year.