Genealogy of Benjamin Bickford of Durham, New Hampshire

A genealogy of the Benjamin Bickford family of Durham New Hampshire as extracted from the History of Durham New Hampshire and other sources.

1

Family of Benjamin Bickford of Newington, New Hampshire

Benjamin Bickford, in 1694, had a grant of thirty acres next to his house on the highway leading from Bloody Point to Greenland, over against John Hudson’s house. He was constable about this time. Dec. 7, 1702, he and wife Sarah, deeded to John Knight sixteen acres now in his actual possession, formerly the land of the said Benjamin Bickford ‘s father, lying betwixt Pine Point and Bloody Point, bounded by the river on the east, by road on the west, on the north by land of Henry Langstaff and on the south by land of said Knight, formerly of Richard Cator, with one fourth of a sawmill between Knight’s and the land now sold. This looks as though Benjamin Bickford might have been son of the Bickford who married a daughter of Richard Cator. The will of Benjamin Bickford of Newington, 4 April 1724-2 June 1725, is signed by the same mark as the above deed, a well drawn capital B. The will mentions “wife” and the following children:

1. Mary Bickford m. Joshua Crockett, 8 Dec. 1707.
2. 2. Benjamin Bickford, prob. of age in 1711; m. Deborah Baur (?).
3. 3. Thomas Bickford m. Sarah Simeson, 26 July 1711.
4. Abigail Bickford m. Zebulon Dam, 16 Aug. 1716.
5. Elizabeth Bickford m. John Dam, 20 Feb. 1718.
6. Deborah Bickford m. Joshua Babb, 12 Dec. 1720.
7. 4. John Bickford m. Sarah Hodgdon, 23 Feb. 1725.
8. 5. Joseph Bickford m. Margery _______.

Was there also Hannah Bickford, who m. John Carter, 27 July 1721 and d. bef. her father’s will was made?

2

Family of Benjamin Bickford of Durham and Newington New Hampshire

Benjamin Bickford (Benjamin¹) married, 23 Oct. 1718, Deborah Baur, as some have read the original record. Others say Deborah Bickford, or Bean or Babb. He was of Durham in 1733. He was a grantee of Barnstead and of Nottingham. The will of Benjamin Bickford of Durham, 22 June 1766-30 Sept. 1767, together with baptisms in Newington, indicates the following children:

1. Samuel Bickford bapt. 16 June 1721.
2. Sarah Bickford bapt. 12 May 1722; m. Clark.
3. Abigail Bickford bapt. 10 Dec. 1722, Not named in will.
4. Benjamin Bickford bapt. 17 Oct. 1726; m. 26 Dec. 1751, Sarah Pitman (?). Not named in will.
5. Andrew Bickford bapt. 10 Aug. 1727.
6. Solomon Bickford b. abt. 1734; m. 23 Nov. 1758, Susan Fox; d. in Northwood, 3 Feb. 1830. She d. 25 Oct. 1817, aged 91. [See History of Northwood, pp. 641-5.]
7. John Bickford m. 4 April 1751, Mary, widow of Thomas Trickey, of Newington. He lived in Northwood, near to his brother, Solomon. Had second wife, Elizabeth, in 1801, when they sold homestead in Northwood and rem. elsewhere.
8. Deborah Bickford.
9. Hannah Bickford.

3

Family of Thomas Bickford of Newington, New Hampshire

Thomas Bickford (Benjamin¹) married in Greenland, 26 July 1711, Sarah “Simeson” (Simpson?). He was baptized and admitted to church at Newington 12 Dec. 1736. His will, 3 Jan. 1770-22 Feb. 1775, and the baptisms at Newington indicate the following children:

1. John Bickford bapt. and owned the covenant at Newington 10 Sept. 1753, and children of John and Mary bapt. same day viz.,
   1. Sarah Bickford.
   2. James Bickford.
   3. Margaret Bickford.
2. Ebenezer Bickford bapt. 18 Oct. 1741 and owned the covenant; m. I Feb. 1 741, Ann Quint. He was of Durham 22 March 1763, when he had a deed from his father of land in Barnstead, Ch. bapt. in Newington:
   1. George Bickford, b. 21 March 1741/2. George Bickford was an official in Durham in 1765 and signed a petition there in 1768. He is said to have removed to New Durham and there to have married Annie Granville and to have had children. He removed thence to Parsonsfield, Me., in 1777 and there married (2) Sally Gilman of Gilmanton, N. H., and had one child, Gideon. [See History of Parsonsfield.) The Rev. Warren F. Bickford of Muskegee, Okla. (Bowdoin, ’72), published in the Lewiston Journal, Maine, about 1911, an extended genealogical account of the descendants of George Bickford. Children By First Wife:
      1. Judith Bickford who married William Leavitt,
      2. Rhoda Bickford
      3. George Bickford
      4. Stephen Bickford
      5. Thomas Bickford
      6. James Bickford
      7. Ichabod Bickford
      8. Ebenezer Bickford.
   2. Anna Bickford 30 Sept. 1744,
      1. Eleanor Bickford 9 Feb. 1745/6,
      2. Samuel Bickford 14 Sept. 1747.
3. Jonathan Bickford bapt. and owned covenant 18 Oct. 1741; m. 8 Nov. 1743, Lydia Brown. He is not named in his father’s will. Had dau.:
   1. Sarah Bickford, bapt. 29 April 1745.
4. Joshua Bickford bapt. and owned covenant 18 Oct. 1741 ; m. 30 March 1742, Mary dau. of John and Elizabeth (Lang) Westcombe, granddaughter of John and Grace (Brookin) Lang of Portsmouth. He removed to Durham Falls, and his widow m. (2) 21 May 1758, Paul Willey.
5. Thomas Bickford bapt. 12 Dec. 1736.
6. Benjamin Bickford bapt. 12 Dec. 1736.
7. Joseph Bickford bapt. 12 Dec. 1736.
8. Samuel Bickford bapt. 12 Dec. 1736.
9. Ichabod Bickford bapt. 12 Dec. 1736; m. 18 July 1762, Rebecca Bickford. He had the homestead in Newington. His will, 23 Sept. 15 Oct. 1800, names wife Elizabeth and ch.:
   1. Nathan Bickford.
   2. Thomas Bickford.
   3. John Bickford.
   4. Joseph Bickford.
   5. Ichabod Bickford.
   6. Sarah Bickford.
   7. Eleanor Bickford.
10. Sarah Bickford bapt. 12 Dec. 1736; m. 28 Nov. 1749, Joseph Pearl of Rochester.
11. Eleanor Bickford bapt. 12 Dec. 1736; m. 4 June 1752, Gideon Walker.

4

Family of John Bickford of Oyster River and Rochester New Hampshire

John Bickford (Benjamin¹) married, 23 Feb. 1725, Sarah Hodgdon. He and wife and daughter, Sarah, of Newington were baptized at Oyster River, 24 Dec. 1727. He removed to Rochester, where he was one of the selectmen twelve years. Had the following issue and probably others:

1. Sarah Bickford bapt. at Oyster River 24 Dec. 1727.
2. Alexander Bickford bapt. at Oyster River 31 March 1727/8.
3. Abigail Bickford bapt. at Newington 3 Aug. 1729; m. 23 June 1748, Abraham Pearl of Rochester (?).
4. Ann Bickford bapt. at Rochester 27 June 1731.

5

Family of Joseph Bickford of Newington, New Hampshire

Joseph Bickford (Benjamin¹) married Margery. She was admitted to church at Newington, 26 March 1742. He died before 15 Nov. 1754. Children baptized in Newington:

1. Lydia Bickford bapt. 9 May 1742.
2. Daniel Bickford bapt. 23 May 1742; m. Elizabeth Hodgdon, 7 Aug. 1766 (?). They were then both of Portsmouth.
3. Dennis Bickford bapt. 23 May 1742. He was over 14 but not of age, 15 Nov. 1754.