Samuel Locke

Other Events:

• LockeID: W155
• Death: 15 Jan 1777, Sherborn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

Notes:

Samuel Locke was the twelfth president of Harvard College, serving from 1770 to 1773.

Born in Woburn, Massachusetts, in 1731, Locke received an A.B. degree in 1755 from Harvard, where he held a Hollis scholarship.

Locke continued his studies at Harvard with a Hopkins fellowship, receiving his A.M. in 1758. That same year, while still enrolled at Harvard, he began preaching part time at the First Church of Plymouth. He was ordained as a minister at Sherborn, Massachusetts, in 1759. In 1760, Locke married Mary Porter, with whom he had three children.

When appointed to the Harvard presidency in 1770, Locke was the youngest man to hold the office. During his administration, the College was preoccupied by the political turmoil and threat of war, and Locke had little influence on College life. He resigned in 1773, after it was discovered that he had fathered a child by one of his housemaids.

After leaving Harvard, Locke returned to Sherborn and opened a classical school for boys. During the American Revolution, he joined the patriot cause and became chairman of the Committee of Correspondence. Samuel Locke died in 1778. -- Harvard Biography

Samuel married Mary Porter 2 Jan 1760, Natick, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Mary (daughter of Samuel Porter and Mary) was born 22 Aug 1738, Sherborn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet]

1. Private
2. Private
3. Private

Other Events:

• Residence: Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
• LockeID: W42

Notes:

SAMUEL LOCKE m. REBECCA RICHARDSON, Mh. 2, 1730, who was b. July 4, 1710, the dau. of Capt. James Richardson, by his 2d wf. Elizabeth Arnull (Arnold.?) who was the son of Nathaniel and Mary, and the gr. son of Thomas, who was one of the seven grantees of Woburn, and was one of the three Richardsons who emigrated from England and settled in Wob.

Mr. Locke resided at Woburn until 1742. His father by will gave him all his "housings and lands in the bounds of Woburn;" which included the old homestead of his grandfather, Dea. William, and at this time known as the Capt. William Fox farm on the road to Lex., about a mile and a half Westerly of Wob. Centre. Samuel sold this farm in Dec. 1741, to Samuel Wyman, 3, for .£900. And it is probable that here it was, that he, Locke, kept a tavern for several years.

He owned other lands, for the same month that he sold to Wyman, he also sold to Dr. Jonathan Hayward 36 acres at a place known as " Listening Hill," and " Corner Hedge." This land was adjoining to, and Southerly of the farm now owned by Joseph R. Kendall ; and he also sold several small lots to Hayward. He moved to Lancaster 1742 ; became a large landholder m that town, also owning lands in Ervingshire, which he bought of John Erving, Esq., of Boston, in 1755. He also was owner of a large quantity of Land in " Naraganset Township, No. 2," now Westminster; also in "Road Town" now Shutesbury. His original purchase in Lancaster was made of John Buss, of Lancaster, for .£1000, it being the house and lands on which said Buss then resided. The deed is dated June 3, 1742.

Mr. Locke kept a public house or Inn at Lancaster for many years, which was a place of resort for the principal men of the town, and where the " fathers of the town " were accommodated with their wines and other beverages, if the old account-books in my possession are true. Mr. Locke was Treasurer of the 2d Precinct in 1748 and other years. He was a man of great business qualifications, and was respected as an intelligent and honorable man. He d. Ap. 13, 1775, a. 72, and his wid. m. Col. Joseph Wilder, Dec. 27, 1775, (whose two daus. m. James and John Locke, her sons,) and d. Sep. 10, 1789, a. 79. I have the original agreement made by her and Col. Wilder, before marriage, respecting the disposition of the estates of both.

Samuel married Rebecca Elizabeth Richardson 2 Mar 1730, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Rebecca was born 1710; died 10 Sep 1789, Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA; was buried , Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Birth: 14 Jul 1710, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
• Residence: 1790, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Notes:

Rebeckah Richardson is a daughter of Capt. James Richardson, who was a grandson of Thomas Richardson, one of the founders of Woburn [Mass.], 1614, according to The Richardsom Memorial (1876)

Other Events:

• LockeID: W8

Notes:

Lieut. EBENEZER LOCKE, 1. m. SUSANNAH WALLKER, Oct. 18, 1697, who was b. Mb. 1, 1674, dau. of Israel Walker, of Wob. ; she d. June 13, 1699. 2. He m. HANNAH MEADS Oct. 14, 1701, who was b. Sept. 17, 1676, dau. of David and Hannah Meads of Camb. She d. his wid. July 24, 1739, a. 63. He d. Dec. 24, 1723, a. 49.

He resided with his father on the Homestead, of which he had become the owner by gift and purchase, as was related in the notice of his father. He was also the owner of other land and a house previous to his father's decease ; for in 1699, he mortgaged a house and two lots of land to Thomas Kendall, as security for money borrowed. One lot of six acres is described as bounded " South East by said Kendall's own land. South West by the land of William Locke, North West by the high way. North East by land of Mr. Blocket, [Blodgett.] The other lot of six acres, with a dwelling-house, is bounded East by a brook, South by said Thomas Kendall, West by the highway. North by Samuel Blocket, Jr." In 1713, he bought of William Johnson, Jr. a lot of meadow land, " bounded by the meadow of Henry Johnson Westerly, and by the brook that cometh from Ralf Kendall's and so runeth to Samuel Kendall's Southwardly, and by the land and meadow of the said Ebenezer Locke elsewhere."

By his will, it also appears, he was owner of a large tract of land in the " North Township above Gioton," which was what is now Townsend and a part of Ashby, which he gave to his sons, Ebenezer and Josiah, in his will. He was frequently elected to town offices, and was Lieut., but was released from Military duty on account of " bodily infirmuies." His will was made two days before his decease. See a deed in the Appendix from his father, which will furnish a description of his estate,

Ebenezer married Hannah Mead 14 Oct 1701, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Hannah (daughter of David Mead and X Hannah) was born 17 Sep 1676, Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA; died 24 Jul 1739, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA; was buried , Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Residence: Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
• LockeID: W1
• Residence: 1655, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

Notes:

William LockeDeacon WILLIAM LOCKE was b. at Stepney Parish, London, England, Dec. 13, 1628; m. MARY CLARKE in Woburn, Dec. 27, 1655, the dau. of William and Margery Clarke of Woburn. She was b. at Watertown, 10, 10, 1640, (Dec. 20, 1640) and d. at Woburn, July 18, 1715, a. 74 yrs. 7 mos. ; Dea. Locke d. at Woburn, June 16, 1720, a. 91 yrs. 6 mos. Their children all b. at Woburn.

William Locke came to New England in 1634 on the ship The Planter when he was only 6 years old. He was probably raised by an Uncle in or near present-day Woburn, Mass. His circumstances in the new world are unknown, but he was able to purchase land in Woburn in 1650.

William married Mary Clark 27 Nov 1655, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Mary (daughter of William Clark and Margery) was born 20 Dec 1640, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA; died 18 Jul 1715, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA; was buried , Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Birth: 10 Dec 1640, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

David — X Hannah. [Group Sheet]