PULSIFER Jonathan

Notes:

He resided at Gloucester until about 1736 when he moved his family to
Kensington, Rockingham Co., N.H. His name appears on a petition dated
Nov. 21. 1746 regarding the building of a bridge (N.H. Prov. Papers,
Vol. 9;9; page. 583).
He was allowed 2.14 pounds in Dec. 1758 for expenses of his son,
Jonathan, a soldier, who was sick and died at Sheffield, Mass., on
his return from the Fort George Campaign.
It is supposed that they moved to Brentwood in the same county around
the year 1762, but there is no record of him in Brentwood, nor one at
Kensington after 1750.
A Jonathan Pulsifer was admitted as a settler at Penacook, N.H. Feb.
1725 on payment of 20 shillings. This is from the proprietors Book of
Rumford (now Concord, N.H.). It is probably the same man, but we are
not absolutely certain.
His will, dated Jan. 12, 1766 and proved Aug. 27, 1766, mentions his
wife Susanna, children Samuel, Benjamin, Hannah, Elizabeth Crane,
Mary, and grandson Jonathan Batchelder (Rockingham Probate).

Jonathan married HADLEY Susanah on 11 Dec 1729 in Gloucester, Essex Co., Mass.. Susanah died after 1766 in prob. Brentwood, Rockingham Co., NH. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. PULSIFER Susannah was born on 15 Dec 1730 in Gloucester, Essex Co., Mass..
2. PULSIFER Jonathan was born on 15 Oct 1732 in Gloucester, Essex Co., Mass.; died in 1758 in Sheffield, Berkshire Co., MA.
3. PULSIFER Samuel was born on 07 Jul 1734 in Gloucester, Essex Co., Mass..
4. PULSIFER Daniel was born on 25 Mar 1738 in Kensington, Rockingham Co., NH.
5. PULSIFER John was born in 1739 in Kensington, Rockingham Co., NH.
6. PULSIFER Hannah was born in 1741 in Kensington, Rockingham Co., NH.
7. PULSIFER Elizabeth was born on 08 Jun 1742 in Kensington, Rockingham Co., NH.
8. PULSIFER Jemima was born in Apr 1744 in Kensington, Rockingham Co., NH; and died.
9. PULSIFER Joseph was born about 09 Feb 1745 in Kensington, Rockingham Co., NH.
10. PULSIFER Mary was born about 15 Mar 1747 in Kensington, Rockingham Co., NH.
11. PULSIFER Benjamin was born on 15 Jul 1750 in Kensington, Rockingham Co., NH.

Notes:

The old Ipswich court records make reference to Benedict's second
son, John. as a child of 12, we have a court record that John broke
open the barn door of James Chute Jr., breaking the lock taking his
oxen and working them "contrary to his knowledge and order",
witnessed by Thomas Harris Sr., his wife and son.
In the winter of 1678-79, John lived in the home of Mr. Francis
Wainwright. John apparently worked for Wainwright in some sort of
employee capacity. Wainwright was of a prominent family and a rather
wealthy member of the community. John was caught stealing food from
Wainwright, and providing it to his mother. In the hearing John tried
to put the blame on his parents, stating that his mother told him
that they wanted wheat, which "he might help them to" whereupon he
removed a bushel and a half of wheat and delivered it to Benedict,
his father. His mother, Susanna, made John a cake out of it. Later,
according to John, his stepmother asked that John take some pork from
Wainwright's warehouse. He took 2 large pieces five or six times.
This led to further thefts, including a small hog, half bushel of
salt, two bundles of candles, sugar carried in a handkerchief, all of
which he brought to his parents. Susanna's version of the story was
somewhat different. Yes, John had stolen the goods, but she
apparently did not put John up to it. She says she was suspicious and
wished them sent back to Mr. Wainwright, but did not for fear of
making trouble. John was to be severely whipped and the parents were
ordered to pay restitution to Mr. Wainwright.
Five years later, at the age of 17, John committed some unknown wrong
against his father. This dispute apparently could not be settled
within the family, so Benedict had to take his own son to court. On
Mar. 26, 1684, Benedict received execution of a judgment against his
son and the town Marshall "delivered said John Pulsepher to his
father for a term of six years." The records give no details
regarding the nature of the offense which would warrant what appears
to be a six year indenture to his father. two months later, John
"acknowledged judgment to his father in wheat, malt and pork.
Sometime in the next four years, John left Ipswich, and moved to
Gloucester, near a spot on the old road leading to Coffin's Beach.

In May 1684, at age 21 yrs.; Ipswich town
records note that John Pulsifer acknowledged
judgement to his father, Benedict with wheat, malt,
and pork. Whatever the dispute between
was, could not be settled privately and
required Benedict to exact a formal court
order against his son. He left Ispwich and
settled to the west town of Gloucester on
the road leading to Coffin's Beach.

John married KENT Joanna on 31 Dec 1684 in Gloucester, Essex Co., Mass.. Joanna (daughter of KENT Thomas) was born in 1665; died in Gloucester, Essex Co., Mass.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Benedict was born in England about 1635. We know he was in America by
1659; but possibly could have arrived a few years before. Around the
year 1661, he married his first wife. Unfortunately her name has been
lost to history.
In 1663 we have a record of Benedict buying a home and a son born to
him. He bought a residence with outhouse, orchards, etc. from Moses
Pengry of Ipswich, one of the town deacons; who had obtained the land
in 1652 from Richard Schofield, leather dresser for 17 pounds. The
home was situated on the intersection of East Street and Hovey Lane.
Across from his lot lay what had been the home of John Winthrop Jr.;
son of the founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Ownership of
this property entitled Benedict to the right of pasturage in the
domain beyond the "common fence", but the felling of timber or
cultivation of the common land was prohibited.
In the mid 1600's these lands were held by all householders in
common. This system was a vestigial relic of the ancient system of
land holding in England and Germany and was naturally reverted to in
the necessities of primitive colonial life. By 1664, the idea of
permanent individual ownership had gained enough acceptance that the
town voted that Plum Island, Hogg Island and Castle Neck be divided
among those who had rights of commonage, based upon the amount of
personal and property tax paid by each individual determined by lot.
This right belonged to 203 individuals including Benedict.
Benedict's first wife died at Ipswich, Jul. 16, 1673. It was a common
English practice to name the first born daughter after the wife. If
this being the case here, then it is likely his first wife's name was
Elizabeth. No way of proving this however.
Benedict marries 2nd to Susanna Waters 1674.
His children gave him a good deal of frustration and embarrassment.
He had to defend them in court and even took one son to court for
some wrong committed to him by his son.
During the 1690's the notorious Salem witch trials occurred. We can
only guess how Benedict reacted to such goings-on. His wife, Susanna,
was from Salem, so certainly they were aware of the trials.
In 1700 Benedict was assigned a place on "one of ye short seats"
among the elderly in the Ipswich Meeting House and referred to as
"Goodman". On Aug. 1, 1709, Benedict conveyed his property to his
son, Capt. Joseph Pulcifer, of Boston. Benedict died the following
year.

Birth:
BET 1635 AND 1640

Benedict married unknown about 1661 in prob. Ipswich. unknown died on 16 Jul 1673 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]