Saturday, April 7, 2012

Surname Saturday ~ Felton of Salem, Massachusetts


FELTON
The Nathaniel Felton, Sr. House, Peabody, Massachusetts

Nathaniel Felton settled in Salem in 1633 with his mother “Misstress Eleanor Felton”, and his sisters Judith and Margaret, along with his Uncle Benjamin Felton. He was about 17 years old when he arrived in New England.  He married Mary Skelton, daughter of Salem’s first minister, Reverend Samuel Skelton.  

Nathaniel Felton built the house on Felton Hill in 1644, which still stands and is used every summer for the Felton Family Association reunion.  This grant of land now sits in Peabody, Massachusetts, overlooking the North Shore Mall and Routes 114 and 128.  The Nathaniel Felton, Jr. house is next door, surrounded by apple orchards.   Both Felton houses are the property of the Peabody Historical Society.

Nathaniel Felton can be found in the records on juries, as a constable, and in military positions.  His house on Felton Hill was considered the frontier, and it served as a garrison.  He witnessed several wills found in the Essex County records.   His son John was constable in 1685 and 1687.   The grandson, Nathaniel Felton was a weaver, and there is a large floor loom on display in the Nathaniel Felton, Jr. House.  His son, Malachi Felton was appointed administrator of his will on 26 February 1733, with guardianship of the two youngest children, Isaac and Samuel.

The Peabody Historical Society has much information on the Felton family, and maintains a family museum with artifacts and furniture inside both Felton houses in Peabody.  The Felton Family Association historian, Cora Felton Anderson, is updating the old Felton genealogy written by Cyrus Felton in 1886. 

The 2002 Felton Family Reunion, Peabody, Massachusetts

For more information:

Peabody Historical Society http://www.peabodyhistorical.org/  and the page for the Felton houses is http://www.peabodyhistorical.org/properties.asp#senior

Cora Felton Anderson can be reached at Felton96@aol.com

The Felton Family Association website http://www.feltonfamily.org/

A Genealogical History of the Felton Family: Descendants of Lieutenant Nathaniel Felton, by Cyrus Felton, Marlborough, MA: Pratt Brothers Printers, 1886

There is also much information on the Feltons and their descendants in Perley’s History of Salem, the published vital records of Salem, Danvers and Peabody, Volume II of Savage’s Genealogical Dictionary of New England, and in Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700.

Felton Genealogy:

Generation 1:  John Felton, son of John Felton and Judith Damrell, born before 3 January 1584 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, died 17 October 1629 in Great Yarmouth; married on 22 April 1612 at the St. Nicholas Church in Great Yarmouth to Eleanor Thrower, daughter of John Thrower and Margaret Unknown,  who died in Salem, Massachusetts.  Four children born in England:
1. Benjamin Felton, born about 1613, married Mary Unknown, died in 1668 in Salem, Massachusetts
2. Nathaniel Felton (see below)
3. Judith Felton, born about 1621, married John Ingersoll
4. Margaret Felton, born 1623, married first to Christopher Waller, married second to Robert Fuller

Generation 2: Nathaniel Felton, born about 1615 in Great Yarmouth, England, died on 30 Jul 1705 in Salem (now Peabody), Massachusetts; married about 1643 to Mary Skelton, daughter of Reverend Samuel Skelton and Susanna Travis, baptized on 28 June 1627 in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England, died on 8 May 1701 in Salem (now Peabody).   Eight children:
1.  John Felton (see below)
2. Mary Felton, born about 1651, died young
3. Elizabeth Felton,  born 18 March 1653, married Thomas Watkins
4. Nathaniel Felton, born 15 August 1655, married Ann Horne
5. Mary Felton, born 15 January 1657, married John Gloyd
6. Hannah Felton, born 20 June 1663, married Samuel Endicott
7. Susannah Felton, born about 1665
8. Ruth Felton, married James Houlton

Generation 3:  John Felton, born 3 September 1648 in Salem (now Peabody), died 19 February 1717;  he married first on 29 September 1670 in Salem to Mary Tompkins, daughter of John Tompkins and Margaret Goodman, baptized on 29 April 1649 in Salem, died 12 December 1688.  Seven children with Mary.  He married second to Hannah Unknown and had two more children.
1. Nathaniel Felton (see below)
2. Mary Felton, born 31 March 1674, married Freeborn Reeves
3. John Felton, born 22 March 1676, died 6 April 1676
4. Hannah Felton, born 18 Apri 1677, married Arthur Chamnes
5. Elizabeth Felton, born 28 February 1678, died about 1763
6. Samuel Felton, born 1 January 1681, married Sarah Goodale
7. John Felton, born 22 August 1686, married Mary Waters
8. Ruth Felton, born 15 September 1693
9. Susanna Felton, born 15 September 1693

Generation 4: Nathaniel Felton, born 8 June 1672; married on 29 June 1698 to Elizabeth Foot, daughter of Isaac Foot and Abigail Jeggles, born in April 1675. Ten children:
1. Abigail Felton, born 12 May 1699, married James Taylor
2. Samuel Felton, born 7 August 1701, died 1718
3. Malachi Felton (see below)
4. Mary Felton, born 16 March 1707, married Caleb Balch
5. Elizabeth Felton, born 17 May 1709,
6. Benjamin Felton, born 9 September 1712, married Joanna Ruggles
7. Nathaniel Felton, born 9 May 1714, married Anna Jacobs
8. Isaac Felton, born 6 March 1716, died 2 February 1718
9. Isaac Felton, born 1719
10. Samuel Felton, born 21 May 1721

Generation 5: Malachi Felton, born 14 May 1705; married on 5 February 1726 in Salem to Abigail Jacobs, daughter of John Jacobs and Abigail Waters, born about 1706. Four children:
1. Abigail Felton, born 30 April 1738, married Joseph Richardson
2. Mary Felton, born about 1742, married Benjamin Kent
3. Malachi Felton, born about 1745
4. Sarah Felton (see below)

Generation 5: Sarah Felton, born about 1750 in Salem, died 20 November 1836 in Danvers, Massachusetts; married on 23 March 1775 in Danvers to Robert Wilson, son of Robert Wilson and Elizabeth Southwick, born about 1746 and died 4 June 1797 in Danvers. Nine children.

Generation 6. Robert Wilson m. Mary Southwick
Generation 7. Mercy F. Wilson m. Aaron Wilkinson
Generation 8.  Robert Wilson Wilkinson m. Phebe Cross Munroe
Generation 9.  Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill
Generation 10. Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Robert (my grandparents)

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

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