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The following information was provided by a Kidder family member and
contributed to the Chelmsford Historical Society in July of 2002.
Descendants of Ensign James Kidder (1626-1676) of Cambridge and
Billerica, Massachusetts, by Stafford and published by the NEHGS, 1941 is the source of much of the
information given here, along with the Chelmsford vital records.
JOHN KIDDER (James), of Chelmsford, Mass., born at Cambridge, Mass., in
1655/6; died at Chelmsford before Oct. 7, 1731. He married at
Chelmsford, Sept. 3, 1684, Lydia Parker, who was born probably at
Woburn, Mass., 17 Feb. 1665; died May 10, 1742, aged 77, daughter of
Abraham and Rose (Whitlock) Parker of Woburn. John Kidder resided for
some years in Billerica, and in 1675/6, during King Philip's War, was
assigned to the garrison house of Thomas Pattin with six other soldiers,
and five families. The oath of fidelity was administered to him
before the chiefe officers, Feb. 4, 1677/8. In 1681, he purchased of
Jonathan Tyng 500 acres of land lying on the West side of the Concord
river, in Chelmsford, in which town he resided thenceforth. Chelmsford
town records show that in 1698 payment was made to 'John Kyder' for
tythin mens staues, 4s-6d. Under date of 16 Mar. 1691/92, John
Kide (sic) & family are mentioned as being in the garrison at
Chelmsford. After 1698 no additional references to him are found. Even
though John and Lydia had 12 children born to them, not much is known
about some of them. Only five sons are mentioned in the Kidder book with
information.
Children born at Chelmsford:
i. ANNA, b. 12 Sept. 1685.
ii. JOHN, b. 23 Dec. 1687.
iii. THOMAS, b. 13 Oct. 1690.
iv. NATHANIEL, b. 13 Dec. 1692.
v. MARY, b. 9 Apr. 1695.
vi. JOSEPH (twin), b. 11 Aug. 1697.
vii. BENJAMIN (twin), b. 11 Aug. 1697.
viii. JAMES, b. 28 Jan. 1700.
ix. JONATHAN, b. 14 Jan. 1701/2; d. 27 Apr. 1728.
x. ELIZABETH, b. 12 July 1704; m. at Chelmsford, 25 Dec. 1725, JONATHAN
POWERS of Littleton, Mass., son of Isaac and Mary (Winship) Powers.
Children:
i. Jonathan, b. 18 July 1726; d. 16 Oct. 1777.
ii. Betty, b. 24 Feb. 1727/8.
iii. Isaac, b. 26 Feb. 1730/1; d. in 1766; m. Elinor Whitney.
iv. Lois, b. 27 Mar. 1732. v.
Mary, b. 16 Aug. 1734. vi.
Abigail, b. 9 Aug. 1736.
xi. DAVID, b. 11 Oct. 1706.
xii. SARAH, b. 2 June 1709; m. at Concord, Mass., 12 Sept. 1751, JOHN
FLETCHER of that town, b. there 26 Aug. 1692.
THOMAS KIDDER (John, James), of Chelmsford, later of Westford, Middlesex
Co., Mass., born at Chelmsford, 13 Oct. 1690; died there 22 Sept. 1729.
He married at Chelmsford, 31 Dec. 1716, JOANNA KEYES, born there 10 Feb.
1695; died at Westford, 4 Mar. 1787, "aged 92," daughter of Joseph and
Johanah (Cleveland) Keyes. She married secondly, 24 Apr. 1732, SAMUEL
FITCH or FLETCHER.
Thomas Kidder resided in the south part of the town of Chelmsford,
beyond Parkerville, near Nonesuch Hill, now a part of the town of
Westford. He is said to have been a man of considerable property, his
house being an unusually fine one for the period, "possessing much
architectural symmetry, with some adornments." His name appears on the
muster roll of Capt. John Shipley's Company from 26 June 1722 to 10 Dec.
1722. He was admitted to the church in Westford, 17 April 1728. He died
intestate, and letters of administration were granted to his widow, 29
Dec. 1729.
Children, born at Chelmsford:
i. THOMAS, b. 18 Jan. or 2 Feb. 1717/18.
ii. AARON, b. 22 Dec. 1719.
iii. REUBEN, b. 1 Jan. 1723.
iv. JOSEPH, b. 13 or 31 Oct. 1725.
v. ISAIAH, b. 20 Feb. 1727/28; d. at Chelmsford, 19 Apr. 1728.
vi. FRANCIS (?), b. in or near Westford probably about 1730.
JOHN KIDDER (John, James), born at Chelmsford, Mass., 23 Dec. 1687; died
there 28 Aug. 1762. He married first, at Chelmsford, MARY or MARIA ---;
and secondly, at Brookfield, Mass., 26 Aug. 1736, MARY WHEELER of
Hardwick, Worcester Co., Mass., died 30 Aug. 1778, aged 84. On 13
Mar. 1746/7, he with his brothers James and David petitioned the Probate
Court of Middlesex County for the appointment of an administrator on the
estate of "Our Brother Benjamin Kidder deceased for all the service that
he did in the expedition at Cape Breton, who enlisted and went under the
command of Capt. Joseph Richardson.
Children by first wife, born at Chelmsford: i. MARY, b. 11 May 1719; d. at Chelmsford, 12 Sept. 1742.
ii. ISAAC, b. 1 June 1722; d. at Chelmsford, 23 Nov. 1742.
iii. JONAS, b. 9 Jan. 1723/4; d. at Chelmsford, 25 Dec. 1738.
iv. LIDYA, b. 6 Apr. 1726; d. at Chelmsford, 31 Oct. 1738.
v. RACHEL, b. 23 Oct. 1728; d. at Chelmsford, 27 Nov. 1728.
vi. AMOS, b. 4 Feb. 1729/30.
Child by second wife:
vii. JOHN, bapt. 7 Dec. 1737.
JOSEPH KIDDER (John, James), born at Chelmsford, Mass., 11 Aug. 1697;
died there 15 Apr. 1758. He married at Chelmsford (int. 8 May 1720),
HANNAH PROCTOR, died in 1786, whose parentage has not been determined.
Gersham and Sarah (Whittaws) Proctor of Chelmsford had a daughter
Hannah, born at that place, 3 Oct. 1701.
While Joseph Kidder was born and died at Chelmsford, he appears with his
brother Benjamin as owners of sixty acres of land at Nutfield, NH. In
1720, and in A schidule of the Names of the Proprietors of London
Derry. In 1722, he and his brother Benjamin are recorded as holders
of one share each. On 18 Mar. 1724/5 Joseph Kidder, Suten (Sutton)
County of Suffolk, Mass., transfers to his brother Benjamin one
share or right in the Township of Londonderry, of which he was a
proprietor by virtue of the Charter, thus apparently disposing of the
share referred to in the Schidule. He owned a seat in the
meeting-house at Londonderry. He was taxed at Hudson, NH., then known as
Nottingham West, in 1740, and also owned land in the eastern part of
Sutton, Mass. He served in the militia in the French and Indian Wars. He
was by occupation a farmer.
JAMES KIDDER (John, James), born at Chelmsford, Middlesex Co., Mass., 28
Jan. 1700. He married first, at Chelmsford (int. 26 Apr. 1729), ABIGAIL
WHITCOMB, born 13 Mar. 1687/8; died probably 15 Dec. 1732, daughter of
Josiah and Rebecca Whitcomb; secondly, SARAH ---, died at Chelmsford, 16
Apr. 1749; and thirdly, at Chelmsford (int. 30 May 1752), ABIGAIL BALL.
He is supposed to have served in Lovell's Expedition against the Indians
in 1724, as a member of Capt. Richardson's Company. His home was
destroyed by fire 14 July 1754.
Child by first wife:
i. JAMES, b. at Chelmsford, 4 Jan. 1730/31; d. there 21 Dec. 1732.
Children by second wife, born at Chelmsford:
ii. ELIZABETH, b. 26 Dec. 1738; d. at Chelmsford, 29 Apr. 1756.
iii. SAMUEL, b. 2 Oct. 1740.
iv. SARAH, b. 15 Mar. 1741/42; d. at Chelmsford, 11 Apr. 1756.
v. LYDIA, b. 2 Aug. 1743; d. at Homer, Cortland Co., NY; in 1824, she m.
at Chelmsford, 30 July 1761, WILLIAM BUTTERFIELD, b. there 4 Nov. 1737;
d. at Francestown, Hillsborough Co., NH about 1800, son of William and
Rebecca (Parker) Butterfield. Children (surname Butterfield):
i. Benjamin, b. 25 Jan. 1762.
ii. Moses, b. at Francestown, 4 Jan. 1764; d. at Homer in May 1820; m.
(1) 6 May 1793, Beulah Bradford; m. (2) Hepsibah Butterfield, his
cousin; m. (3) --- Goddard.
iii. Joseph, b. 1 Dec. 1765.
iv. William, b. 19 Mar. 1768.
v. Joanna, b. 24 Apr. 1770.
vi. John, b. 6 Apr. 1772; d. at Francestown, 30 Sept. 1777.
vii. Lydia, b. 7 Sept. 1774; d. at Francestown, 1 Sept. 1777.
viii. Rebecca, b. 17 May 1777.
ix. Sara, b. 11 Aug. 1780.
vi. JAMES, b. 14 May 1745.
vii. THOMAS, b. 8 Nov. 1746.
viii. ISAAC (twin), b. 14 Apr. 1749; d. 18 May 1749.
ix. Child (twin), b. 14 Apr. 1749; d. 15 Apr. 1749.
DAVID KIDDER (John, James), born at Chelmsford, Mass., 11 Oct. 1706;
died after 28 Nov. 1787. He married at Chelmsford, 20 Feb. 1751, ESTHER
(COREY) ESTABROOK, widow of Moses Estabrook, born at Chelmsford, 17 Nov.
1722; died after 28 Nov. 1787, probably daughter of Josiah and Esther
Corey.
He was admitted to the church, May 4th, 1746. He deeded to his brother
Benjamin of Londonderry, NH, his share in certain parcels of land in
Chelmsford, Mass., being the homestead of my father John Kidder, late
deceased. Nov. 28, 1787 one of his heirs gave security to the town
of Chelmsford for the support and maintenance of David Kidder and his
wife. Children, born at Chelmsford: i. ESTHER, b. 6 Jan. 1751/2; m. there 6 Apr. 1775, JEREMIAH
WIER, d. in 1784. Children (surname Wier):
i. Lydia, d. about 1858, "aged 83."
ii. Jeremiah, Jr., d. about 1864, "aged 80."
iii. Stephen. iv. Esther, d.
1872, "aged about 90." v.
Moses Parker, d. in 1833. vi.
Infant, bur. 21 Aug. 1786.
ii. STEPHEN, b. 24 Apr. 1754; d. 27 May 1755.
iii. PHINEHAS, b. 17 July 1756.
iv. PHEBE, b. 20 May 1759.
v. EBENEZER, bapt. 16 May 1762.
Additional Notes relating to the Kidder family:
·
John, b. 1687 married two Mary's. He died in Chelmsford in 1762. Only
one son by his first wife, lived. His name was Amos. A son by his second
wife is mentioned, but no information on him (John b. 1737). ·
Thomas b. 1687 married Joanna KEYES in 1716. Thomas and Joanna lived in
the part of town which became Chelmsford. Thomas died in 1729 soon after
the move and left his wife with five young sons, including an infant.
Joanna remarried Samuel FITCH and had two more children. It is believed
that the Samuel Fitch B&B in Westford was his home. Three of their sons
left in 1750 to help found New Ipswich, NH. ·
Joseph and Benjamin, b. 1697 were twins. Joseph married Joanna PROCTOR
in 1720. Joseph and Joanna seem to have lived in both Londonderry and
Hudson, NH and in Sutton, MA.
They had five sons and one daughter, born in Sutton. Benjamin married
Sarah GOFFE in Londonderry, NH. They were some of the first inhabitants
of Manchester, NH. Benjamin died in Nova Scotia during the Siege of
Louisburg. His son, Benjamin Kidder, also died in the wars in 1759 while
a prisoner-of-war in Canada then NY. His son, John Kidder, moved to
Bristol, NH. ·
James, b. 1700, married Abigail WHITCOMB in 1729, the first of three
wives for him. Their home in Chelmsford was destroyed by fire in 1754.
The three sons mentioned in the book with information were Samuel b.
1740 and James b. 1745, who both moved to Alstead, NH, and their
brother, Thomas b. 1746 moved with his wife and children to Enfield, NH.
The whole family became Shakers. ·
David, b. 1706, married Mrs. Esther ESTABROOK, and they reportedly lived
on the Kidder homestead in Chelmsford. But he and his wife must
have become ill in 1787, because that year, they deeded the land to
David's brothers and the brothers gave money to the Town to take care of
David and Esther, but they died in 1787. They had two sons with information in
the book. Phineas Kidder moved to Lyndeboro, NH and Ebenezer moved to
Antrim, NH Just how long did John Kidder's descendants remain in
Chelmsford? It looks like all of his sons were dead long before 1800 and
most had moved out of town. It appears that David Kidder was still
living in Chelmsford on the homestead until he and his wife got sick in
1787. James Kidder's home in Chelmsford was destroyed by fire in 1754.
Benjamin died while a soldier but he had moved to NH. His twin, Joseph,
had also moved to NH. Thomas Kidder was in the part of town which
annexed off to become Westford. John Kidder died in Chelmsford in 1762.
Most of this John Kidder's children died young, but one son, Amos
Kidder, was still living in Chelmsford in 1780, but around that time
moved to Carlisle, where he died at age 80. The Kidder book does not state what happened to the
Kidder Homestead in Chelmsford after it was deeded to David's brothers
in 1787. So, there was that 100-year period when
we don't know whether there were Kidder's living in Chelmsford, from
1787-1875. Although there is a Kidder Road off
Littleton Road . Thomas' house became part of Westford and we know
almost nothing about that 500 acres in the South Lowell part of town. There is a little information about John Kidder's sons
in the History of Chelmsford Massachusetts, by Wilson Waters. -
In 1725, Benjamin Kidder is listed with Chelmsford men in the Company of
Joseph Blanchard of Dunstable.
-
David Kidder is mentioned in Rev. Bridges diary, for June 28, 1765:
Sunday contributed to David Kidder who lost a cow and a pig.
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He is on a tax list for 1775: Joseph Hodgman, guardian for David
Kidder.
- In 1758:
desired reconciliation with the church. He apparently attended
Baptist services. Thomas Kidder has
some mentions in The History of Westford.
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