1-STEPHEN KINGSLEY was early of Dorchester, Mass., but soon reinoved to Braintree where he was admitted freeman in 1640 and appointed that year to administer the town's affairs. On October 25, 1653 he was ordained as Ruling Elder of the church which office he retained until his removal to Milton, which place he represented in 1666 and died there June 4 1673. In 1654 he was called of Mt. Wollaston, which was a part of Dorchester later known as Milton. In the settlement of his estate is mentioned his son-in-law Henry Crane. The name of his wife has not been preserved but she died in Milton, January 10, 1668.

2—TABITHA KINGSLEY daughter of Stephen Kingsley became the wife of Henry Crane of Braintree and died at Milton, Mass. October 23, 1682.

(See CRANE)

References:-Savage :-Farmer; New England Register, Vol. 46, pp. 216, 217; Vital Records of Milton, Mass., p. 233.

Isabella M. Shaw m Charles Clark Knowlton

1-SAMUEL STURTEVANT was of Plymouth as early as 1643 when he was listed as able to bear arms and died there in October 1669. He made his will August 1, 1669 in which he mentions his wife without naming her and among other children states that he has a son Samuel. The will was probated October 29, 1669.

2-SAMUEL STURTEVANT son of Samuel Sturtevant was known as Deacon Sturtevant and was born in Plymouth April 19, 1654 and died in Halifax, Mass. April 21, 1736. He was a surveyor of highways and later a constable in Plymouth; removed to Plympton and then to Halifax. He married first Mercy, parentage unknown, and she died while they were living in Plympton, on August 4, 1714 aged 60 years. He married second Elizabeth, maiden name not known, but Mercy was the mother of all his children.

3-HANNAH STURTEVANT daughter of Deacon Samuel and Mercy Sturtevant was born June 8, 1679 and died January 23, 1759 as the wife of Ebenezer Standish.

(See STANDISH)

References-New England Register, Vols. 4, p. 255:-6, p. 211; 7, p. 180; 9, p. 316; Savage; Plymouth Colony Records, 1633-1689, p. 251; Mayflower Magazine, Vols. 2, p. 140; 18, pp. 180, 188.

1-JOHN STAPLE of Weymouth, Mass. first appears on the records there in 1636 but did not become a freeman of the Colony until May 10, 1648. He removed to Dorchester and died there July 4, 1683. He married Rebecca whose maiden name has not been preserved nor her date of death ascertained.

2-JOSEPH STAPLES son of John and Rebecca Staple was born in Weymouth 19th of 12 month 1641 but Savage states it as February 19, 1642. He died before 1693 and was married about 1669 to Mary Macumber daughter of John of Weymouth, who was living in 1723. They were the parents of seven children all born in Taunton between 1670 and 1685. The destruction of valuable records at Taunton by fire in 1838 makes the completion of many of the old families impossible and unless grave stones were erected or preserved from disintegration dates may never be secured.

In a deed at Taunton dated March 7, 1721/2 Mary Staples of Taunton, that she be comfortably provided for with all the necessities of life by her son John of Taunton deeds him her portion and share of goods which did belong to her father John Macomber's estate, late of Taunton, deceased and all her rights in her husband's estate, Joseph Staples, late of Taunton, deceased, excepting 29 acres for her son Joseph where he was then living on "Schunk Hill" in Taunton and 23 acres for her son Nathaniel adjoining that of son Joseph. She gave her son John four pounds in money and the same to her daughters, Amy, Mary, Hannah and Sarah. This deed was recorded April 2, 1722.

3-JOHN STAPLES son of Joseph and Mary (Macumber) Staples was born in Taunton, Mass. January 28, 1670/1, and married Hannah of undiscovered parentage, supposed by some to have been Hannah King but without evidence to sustain it. He and his mother Mary sold Stephen Merrick land in Taunton, March 28, 1692/3, east of the Meeting House on the east side of the Great River, containing about six acres. This deed was acknowledged

July 31, 1696, but not recorded until February 22, 1699 but it shows his father was deceased prior to 1693.

On August 20, 1699 John sold Nicholas Smith land in the Rumford Division which formerly belonged to Richard Storey which indicated some connection with that family which has not been made clear.

On May 9, 1712 John sold Richard Godfrey his share of Cedar Swamp in Taunton North Purchase which he held in partnership with John Macumber, Jr.

John Staples was a deacon of the First Church of Taunton as was also his son Seth. He later became the first deacon of the church in Raynham, being one of its original members.

In 1731 he was a selectman of Raynham. He made his will November 17, 1748 which was proven the February following. He bequeathed his wife Hannah his house in Raynham and land in Bridgewater but not his Cedar Swamp land in Raynham. As he had already given his son Seth land in Taunton by deed, he now gave him the Cedar Swamp land. He mentions his son Job, daughter Ruth and two grandchildren Abigail and Mercy Leach.

Hannah wife of John Staples in her will made May 4, 1757, proven June 15, 1757 states that she has been "preserved to old age" and mentions her daughter Ruth wife of Ichabod Bryant (they were the great-grandparents of William Cullen Bryant,) of Bridgewater and her two granddaughters children of her deceased daughter Mercy Leach. She stated that one of them married Benjamin Keith and the other a Latham. She only gave them a shilling each and left the residue of her estate to her son Seth.

4-DEACON SETH STAPLES son of John and Hannah Staples was born at Taunton, Mass. in 1699 and died March 20, 1778 of small pox. He married in Plympton, Mass., January 4, 1721/2 Hannah Standish, daughter of Ebenezer and Hannah (Sturtevant) Standish. She died April 5, 1774 aged 70 years and her gravestone may still be seen in the Neck of Land Cemetery in Taunton. There is none erected to his memory. They had six children named in his will as Hannah, Sarah, Susanna, Mary, Zerviah and Ruth.

5-HANNAH STAPLES daughter of Deacon Seth and Hannah (Standish) Staples died in 1815 in her 94th year as the wife of Abraham Gushee whom she married July 23, 1741, James Williams, Justice of the Peace, officiating and they were called both of Taunton. The accompanying pictures will show the condition of their gravestones in the old cemetery at Raynham Center in 1920.

References-New England Register, Vol. 8, p. 349; Vol. 9, p. 172; Vol. 16, p. 326; Vol. 24, p. 316; Vol. 46, p. 188; Vol. 59, p. 161; Dorchester Vitals, p. 31; Taunton Vitals, Vol. 1, pp. 79, 151, 163; Vol. 2, p. 142; History of Taunton, p. 8 of Supplement; Plymouth Colony Records, 1633-1689, p. 250; Savage; Farmer; Taunton Deeds, Libers 3, p. 70; 4, p. 223; 8, p. 574; 11, p. 354; 14, p. 182; Taunton Wills, Libers, 11, p. 636; 15, p. 386; Mayflower Magazine, Vols. 2, p. 138; 5, p. 184; 18, p. 170; 19, p. 34, 35; 21, p. 61; History of Bristol Co., p. 715.