Barnabas Lamson

From Memorial of Elder Ebenezer Lamson of Concord, Mass., by Otis E. Lamson; revised by Frank B. Lamson, pp. 13-:

Barnabas Lamson embarked from Harwich, England in the ship "Defence," 10 August, 1635, in company with Rev. Thomas Shepard. They settle in Newtowne (now Cambridge) Mass., arriving there at about the time that Rev. Thomas Hooker left there to settle a large portion of his congregation at Hartford. They found houses awaiting them and almost immediately found themselves placed in responsible positions.

In the Proprietary Records of Cambridge we learn that Barnabas Lamson sold land to John Cooper in 1635, that he received six acres on the south side of the Charles River in lots given out by the town about 1636, that he was a selectman in 1636, that he is mentioned as a surveyor of the town in 1637, and twice about 1639 there are entries of land sales and house to Nathaniel Sparrowhawk or "Sparhawk." He owned land where the Unitarian church is and his house where now stands the "Oliver Wendell House."

Barnabas Lamson died about 1640. His wife probably died at a previous date. Who she was is not known, but she had a nephew, Peter Lidgett, a Boston merchant and a member of the first church in that town who, in his will, left legacies: "To my three kins-women, cousin Crouch, of Charleston, cousin Cooke, of Cambridge, cousin Rice, of Sudbury, ye three children of my aunt Lamson." Peter Lidgett, at that time, 1670-1671, had a sister, Mary Smith, living in Essex, Eng., and in a codicil to his will he mentions his sister's children in London. His death occurred 24 April, 1670 or 1671. It would seem probable that several of Barnabas Lamson's children were born in England.

Mr. Henry Lee (Genealogist, of Freeport, Me.,) at the request of Dr. W. J. Lamson, of Summit, N. J., made a search of the Ridgewell, Essex County (England), Register from 1562 to 1700 and found the following entries:

1631-- Barnabas Lampsonne filius Barnabe Lampsonne et ( ) uzoris e jus baptizatus 22 Novembris.

1633/34-- Martha Lambson, daughter of Banabas Lambson and Marie his wife, baptized 13 January.

"Ridge well is near Harwich, from which port Barnabas Lamson sailed and it is fair to presume that Barnabas was living there from about 1630 to 1635, prior to his sailing, and that these baptisms are those of his two children, Barnabas and Martha."

Barnabas Lamson, by a non-cupative will, ordered that his estate should be equally divided among his five children, whom he commended to the care of his friends in the church during their minority as follows:--

I. "Daughter Mary to My Brother Sparrowhawk."

Mary Lamson married Phillip Cooke, of Cambridge, and died 17 March, 1715-15. She had a son, Barnabas Cooke, doubtless named for her father and a grandson of the same name born in Cambridge, Mass, 1691. Other children were, Mary, Samuel, Hannah, Sarah, Philip and John.

II. "To My Brother Isaack My Daughter Sarah."

She married William Crouch.

III. My Daughter Martha to My Brother Stone."

Martha Lamson married Matthew Rice in Sudbury, Mass., 1654.

IV. "My Son Barnaby to My Brother Parish."

V. "My Son Joseph to My Brother Bridge" (No. 2.)

Embarked with his family from Harwich, England, which is near Ridgewell, in the ship "Defence", 10 Aug 1635. They settled in Newtown (now Cambridge) MA. He received 6 arces of land on the south side of the Charles river in 1636. He was a selectman and surveyor of the town in 1637. He died in 1940, his wife having preceeded him. Marie his wife's maiden name is not certain,however she had a nephew Peter Lidge who mention in his will "ye three children of my aunt Lamson". Barnabas in a non-cupative will divided his estate between his five children and commended them to the care of his friends in the church during their minority.

Barnabas sailed on the "Defence" from Harwich, England in 1635 in company with Rev. Thomas Shepard. Baptismal records of his children Barnabas and Martha are found on the Ridgewell, Essex,