10th Great Grandparents
Smith Branch
Zaccheus Gould
Zaccheus Gould is my immigrant ancestor. Although, he did not directly participate in witchcraft accusations his children were directly related to these events.
Zaccheus was born 1 Oct 1589 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England to Richard Gould of Bovington, England.
He married circa 1617 to Phebe Deacon in England. She was Christened on 3 Apr 1697 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England and died 20 Sep 1663 in Topsfield, Essex, MA, BCA.
Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004. Page 315.
Vital records of Topsfield, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Topsfield, Mass: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903.
Zaccheus immigrated with wife and five children circa 1638. The first recording of him is buying land from his brother in 1639. It is, also, recorded that he purchased land before 1652 in Boxford, MA as recorded in History of Boxford, pg 21. He is one of the founders of Topsfield. The Gould family is mentioned throughout the book as it weaves their business and land dealings in the towns of Boxford, Salem, and Topsfield.
Perley, Sidney. History of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts from the Earliest Settlement Known to the Present Time: A Period of about Two Hundred and Thirty Years. Boxford, MASS: Published by the Author, 1880.
Occupation: Businessman, landowner and farmer. Zaccheus petitioned the court to incorporate the lands around his home to become the village of Topsfield MA. Zaccheus put up a portion of his land to bring in a minister for Topsfield.
He was fined 3 shillings for associating with Quakers.
Zaccheus died 30 Mar 1668 in Topsfield, Essex, MA and an obelisk memorial stands in his honor in Pine Grove Cemetery.
The Gould family was influential in the political dealings of the town of Topsfield and there is too many specific notations to be made therefore the reference below takes you to the index to search as warranted.
Dow, George Francis. History of Topsfield Massachusetts. Topsfield Historical Society, 1940.
Gould, Benjamin Apthrop Gould. The Family of Zaccheus Gould of Topsfield. Lynn, Mass: Thos. P. Nichols, 1895.
Children of Zaccheus Gould and Phebe Deacon
Phebe (1620-1686)
Mary (1621-1686) ~ m. John Reddington * She accused Sarah Wildes of witchcraft on several occasions.
Martha (1623-1699)
Priscilla (1628-1663) ~ m. John Wild (2nd wife, Sarah, was hung in Salem)
John Gould (1635-1710) ~ m. Sarah Baker * testified against Sarah Wildes
9th Great Grandparents
Smith Branch
John Gould
Born 21 Jun 1635 in Buckinghamshire, England, John immigrated with his parents and sisters when he was about three years old.
He married Sarah Baker on 14 Oct 1660 in Ipswich, Essex, MA and died 26 Jan 1710 in Topsfield, Massacusetts.
Vital records of Topsfield, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Topsfield, Mass: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903.
John testified against Sarah Wilds/Wildes, mostly based on statements from his sister Mary Reddington, who died several years prior; but, hostilities against John Wild, Sarah's husband, and the Goulds had been going on for decades.
One of the reasons the Gould's disliked Sarah was due to the fact that Sarah (Averill) married Mary and John's former brother-in-law, John Wild, within a few months after their sister's death.
Priscilla Gould was about fourteen years old when she married John Wild in 1642. She bore him eight children. Unfortunately, Priscilla died on 16 Apr 1663. John married Sarah in November of that same year. Mary had called Sarah a witch on several occasions through the years, prompting John Wild to threaten Mary's husband (John Reddington) with a law suit for slander should Mary not cease.
John Gould, most likely, harbored animosity against the John Wild because, in 1686, John Wild and three other men (John Howe, Isaac Cummings, and Ephraim How) swore written testimony that John Gould blasphemed against the Crown of England. On 5 Aug 1686, John Gould was stripped of his title of Captain in the militia and was sent to Boston, where he was tried and sent to prison for treason. John was released from prison a few months later and, eventually, his military title, along with his position in the community, was restored.
Massachusetts Historical Society. Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Borwn, 1838. Series III, Vol , VII, pages 150-154.
John Gould's testimony in his own words:
Dow, George Frances. The History of Topsfield. Topsfield, Mass: Topsfield Historical Society, 1895. Chapter 19: The Witchcraft Delusion, pages 320-342.
Peterson-Towne, Abbie and Marietta Clark. "Topsfield and the Witchcraft Delusion", pages 23-143. Historical Collections of Topsfield. Topsfield Historical Society, 1908, Vol 13.
Children of John Gould and Sarah Baker
John (1662-1724)
Sarah (1664-1723)
Thomas (1666-1752)
Samuel (1669-1724)
Zaccheus Gould (1672-1739) ~ m. Elizabeth Curtis * see Curtis
Priscilla (1674-1715)
Joseph (1677-1753)
Mary (1681-1689)
Children of Zaccheus Gould and Elizabeth Curtis
Elizabeth (1702-1742)
Mary (1704-1789)
Priscilla Gould (1707-1744) ~ m. Samuel Smith Jr * son of Samuel Smith Sr
John (1709-1778)
Sarah (1711-1743)
Abigail (1715-1798)
Zaccheus (1717-1793)
Eleazar (1720-1798)
Susannah (1722-1773)
Descendants of Zaccheus Gould and Phebe Deacon
John Gould ~ m. Sarah Baker
Zaccheus Gould ~ m. Elizabeth Curtis
Priscilla Gould ~ m. Samuel Smith Jr
Asael Smith, Revolutionary Soldier ~ m. Mary Duty
Joseph Smith Sr ~ m. Lucy Mack, Mayflower descendant
Hyrum Smith ~ m. Mary Fielding
Joseph Fielding Smith ~ m. Edna Lambson (4th living wife)
Edna Melissa Smith ~ m. John Fife Bowman
John Hyrum Bowman ~ m. Rosetta Ellen Jackson
- Did not list parents for privacy reasons
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