Genealogy of John Bickford of Durham New Hampshire

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

Family of John Bickford of Oyster River, New Hampshire

John Bickford of Oyster River Point, according to two depositions made in 1669, was then sixty years of age. There are depositions of a John Bickford which make him to have been born in 1609, 1612, and 1615. There may have been several John Bickfords, and perhaps John, or the clerk, did not know just how old John was. Old depositions show that many persons varied in age from time to time. John Bickford bought of Darby Field, 16 July 1645, house and lot between Little Bay and Oyster River (except the breadth of a lot in the possession of Thomas Willey) and a piece of marsh at Long Point in the Great Bay, containing seven or eight acres, with a point of land adjoining. The first lot was already in the occupation of John Bickford. The second lot was at Fox Point, in what is now Newington. Thirty acres more were granted to John Bickford senior at Fox Point in 1653, showing that there was another John Bickford in Dover at that time, perhaps the Bickford who married a daughter of Richard Cator of Bloody Point. John Bickford of Oyster River was freed from training in 1671 by reason of age. According to the first deposition he would then be 62 years old. He had wife, Temperance, and I think she was daughter of the Rev. Joseph Hull, born 1626. John Bickford’s will, dated 12 Feb. 1685, names only wife, Temperance, and daughter, Joanna. His wife. Temperance, died before 7 Oct. 1697. In the settlement of Temperance Bickford’s affairs allusion is made by Thomas Bickford to “brother Smith,” to “brother Burnham” and to “brother Bickford.” His family, then, according to reliable evidences consisted of the following persons :

1. Elizabeth Bickford m. Joseph Smith, abt. 1668.
2. Lydia Bickford m. Francis Drew, abt. 1673.
3. Mary Bickford m. Nicholas Harrison, bef. 13 May 1677.
4. 2. Thomas Bickford b. 1660; m. Bridget Furber.
5. 3. John Bickford m. Susanna Furber abt. 1684.
6. Hannah Bickford, b. 5 Nov. 1665.
7. Joanna Bickford b. 1669; m. John Redman of Hampton, (2) Samuel
8. Healey Bickford. Temperance m. Jeremiah Burnham abt. 1689.
9. 4. Benjamin Bickford b. 20 Oct. 1672; m. Sarah Bassum.

Editor’s note: The genealogy above is the way in which Stackpole provided it. It has been stated that the list of children are in actuality the grandchildren of the John Bickford, the man who first settled in Oyster River with the Bickford name. If so, then the father would likely be another John Bickford, son of the John Bickford, Sr.

Second Generation

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Family of Thomas Bickford of Oyster River, New Hampshire

Thomas Bickford (John¹) was born in 1660, according to a deposition. He married Bridget, daughter of William Furber of Newington. He lived on the homestead at Durham Point, where he successfully defended his garrison house from the attack of Indians in 1694. His will, 31 Oct. 1705-4 March 1706/7, names wife Bridget and four children:

Joanna.

1. 5. John Bickford b. 1690; m. Deborah .
2. 6. Eleazar Bickford m. Sarah Johnson.
3. 7. Joseph Bickford b. 1696; m. Alice Edgerly.
4. 8. Thomas Bickford m. Bethiah (Edgerly ?).

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Family of John Bickford of Dover, New Hampshire

John Bickford (John¹) married Susanna, daughter of William Furber of Newington. His estate at Long Point was settled in 1715. His wife, born 5 May 1664, made her will 8 Nov. 1731 which was approved 13 Nov. 1732. Children recorded in Dover:

1. Bridget Bickford b. 30 July 1685; m. Roger Couch of Kittery, (2) Roger Mitchell of Kittery, 17 Aug. 1720.
2. 9. Jethro Bickford b. 15 Nov. 1689; m. Hannah Downing.
3. John Bickford b. 16 March 1691/2; d. s. p. before his father.
4. Mary Bickford b. 13 Aug. 1693; m. John Walker of Kittery, 24 Oct. 1717.
5. Joseph Bickford b. 13 July 1695; mariner, of Bristol, Eng., in 1740.
6. Anna Bickford b. 18 Sept. 1698; m. Samuel Walker, 4 Oct. 1724.
7. Pierce Bickford or Percey Bickford b. 9 March 1 701/2; m. Hannah Miller, 23 Feb. 1725. He d. bef. 25 Sept. 1745, leaving widow, Martha, who was probably dau. of Richard Chick of Kittery.
8. Lemuel Bickford b. 6 March 1703/4; m. Temperance, dau. of John Downing, shipwright and mariner. Lived on the homestead at Fox Point, which he sold in 1751 to Thomas Pickering. He was a grantee of Barnstead. Had son, John, and probably dau. Susanna, who m. Robert Mason, 13 May 1753.
9. Eliakim Bickford twin to Lemuel; m. Mary ; d. in Kennebunkport. Me., 22 March 1748.
10. Dodavah Bickford b. 20 Aug. 1709; m. Winnefred, dau. of Richard Chick, Pub. 13 Oct. 1730. Had a son, Percey, bapt. in Newington 11 Jan. 1732.

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Family of Benjamin Bickford of Oyster River, New Hampshire

Benjamin Bickford (John¹), born 20 Oct. 1672, had wife, Sarah, said to have been Sarah Bassum. Was she not Sarah Barsham, dau. of John and Mehitabel, born 167-? She married (2) about 1700 Jotham Odiorne. Benjamin Bickford had a daughter Temperance who, 18 April 1718, was wife of John Underwood. (His estate adminstered in 1727 and in 1743-62 she was Temperance Walton.) The Underwood children in 1743 were John, Benjamin and Mary, all of Portsmouth. Mary was Mary Hardison in 1747.

Third Generation

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Family of John Bickford of Durham, New Hampshire

John Bickford (Thomas², John¹) was born in 1690, as a deposition shows. He was of Durham, 2 Sept. 1768, aged 78.

He had wife Deborah who was baptized by the Rev. Hugh Adams 18 Oct. 1724. John deeded the homestead at Durham Point to son, Winthrop, 8 June 1771.

1. John Bickford bapt. 18 Oct. 1724; m. Joanna Stevenson, 1 Jan. 1754. She was a widow 3 July 1757, when her son, John, was bapt.
2. Temperance Bickford bapt. 18 Oct. 1724; m. Jonathan Hanson.
3. Joanna Bickford bapt. 18 Sept. 1724.
4. Deborah Bickford bapt. 18 Sept. 1724; m. 27 Nov. 1742, John Littlefield of Wells, Maine (?).
5. Eliakim Bickford b. 1730; d. 20 Feb. 1811 in Durham.
6. 10. Winthrop Bickford b. 1 731; m. Love Cromwell, 30 Nov. 1756.

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Family of Eleazar Bickford of Oyster River and Durham, New Hampshire

Eleazar Bickford (Thomas², John¹) married, 28 Dec. 1721, Sarah, daughter of Ebenezer Johnson of Greenland, N. H. He was baptized 30 Dec. 1722 at Oyster River and both were admitted to church, 4 Aug. 1728. Sarah was his widow 2 July 1751.

1. Bridget Bickford bapt. at Greenland 1723.
2. Ebenezer Bickford bapt. 30 May 1725 at Oyster River ; m. Elizabeth Critchet, 6 Dec. 1750. Ch. bapt. in Durham, Sarah 23 July 1753, Eleazar, 25 July 1755, and Mary 11 June 1758.
3. Eleazar Bickford bapt. 10 March 1727/8 at Oyster River.
4. Sarah Bickford bapt. 29 March 1729/30 at Oyster River; m. Abner Bickford at Newington, 3 Nov. 1754 (?).
5. Margaret Bickford bapt. 1740 at Greenland; m. 17 April 1755, Benjamin Davis of Greenland (?).

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Family of Joseph Bickford of Oyster River and Durham, New Hampshire

Joseph Bickford (Thomas², John¹), born 1696, married Alice, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Rawlins) Edgerly. He was baptized at Oyster River 19 Aug. 1722, and was living in Durham in 1767.

1. Joseph Bickford bapt. 26 May 1723; m. Phebe, dau. of Joseph Varney. His will, 1806-10, names wife Phebe, sons John, Henry, Moses and Joel and daus. Lydia Varney and Betsey Bickford.
2. Benjamin Bickford bapt. 29 Sept. 1725; m. 15 Nov. 1750, Mary Bennett. Had sons, Moses and Abraham, bapt. 5 Nov. 1758 and Hannah bapt. 19 Nov. 1752. The will of Moses Bickford of New Durham, 1780, names brothers Abraham of New Durham and Andrew.
3. Reuben Bickford bapt. 7 July 1728; m. Elizabeth Kent 29 Nov. 1753. He d. before 1777. Had sons, Joseph and Benjamin, bapt. 5 Nov. 1758.
4. Daughter m. Shepherd.

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Family of Thomas Bickford of Newington, New Hampshire

Thomas Bickford (Thomas², John¹) is not named in the will of his father. Perhaps he was born after the will was made. Sept. I, 1733, John Bickford of Durham sold to his brother, Thomas Bickford, shipwright, ten acres near Colley’s Marsh, granted to his honored father, Thomas Bickford, in 1654. This creates difficulty, and the record is probably erroneous. There is no record of any grant to Thomas Bickford in 1654. The Dover records have the following, “Whereas it doth appear ye Thomas Bickford had by ye Committee chosen for granting lands given & granted unto ye sd Thomas Bickford forty acres of land at ye west end of Long Marsh, . . . and a grant of forty acres near his whome Lott in ye Plum Swamp,” and a grant of ten acres of land “granted ye 10th of ye 2d mo 54 to Jn Bickford,” etc. Here it appears that the grant in 1654 was to John Bickford and afterward was owned by Thomas Bickford his son.

Thomas Bickford’s will, 8 April 1786-22 Aug. 1787, gives property to wife, Bethiah, and after her death to kinsman, John Footman, Jr., son of Francis, deceased. John Footman married Olive Bickford, 26 June 1750.

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Family of Jethro Bickford of Newington, New Hampshire

Jethro Bickford (John², John¹), born in Newington 15 Nov. 1689, married Hannah, daughter of John Downing, and lived on a part of the homestead at Long Point. He was a grantee of Barnstead. The following children were baptized at Newington :

1. John Bickford 4 Dec. 1715.
2. Susanna Bickford 28 April 1717.
3. Bridget Bickford 24 May 17 19.
4. Richard Bickford 28 Feb. 1721 ; m. Sarah. Was of Rochester in 1761.
5. Dependence Bickford 14 April 1723; m. Olive .
6. Elizabeth Bickford 23 May 1728; m. Samuel Ham 11 April 1755 (?).
7. Lemuel Bickford 12 March 1727; m. Miriam , perhaps (2) 27 Dec. 1786, Susanna Coffin, in Rochester. She had widow’s dower set off 12 July 1794. Div. of Est. of Lemuel Bickford of Rochester, 23 April 1800, among Dependence Bickford, Molly Bickford, Samuel Ham and wife, Betty, in her right, Widow Temperance Plumer, Joseph Plumer and wife, Hannah.
8. Jethro Bickford 22 Sept. 1728.
9. Alice Bickford 10 March 1734; m. Stephen Jones Thomas 3 July 1782 (?).
10. Hannah Bickford (?) m. Nicholas Pickering 7 March 1758 (?).

Fourth Generation

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Family of Winthrop Bickford of Durham, New Hampshire

Winthrop Bickford (John³, Thomas², John¹) born 1731, married, 30 Nov. 1756, Love Cromwell, perhaps daughter of Samuel and Betty (Pinkham) Cromwell. He married (2), 16 May 1780, Esther Langley, widow of Thomas Langley. He lived at Durham Point and died 1 March 1811, aged 80. The following were his children, all except Winthrop, Jr., named in his will, 6 Nov. 1810:

1. Samuel Bickford who d. 28 May 1811. James, son of Samuel Bickford was b. in Durham 22 Oct. 1786. A James Bickford d. in Durham, 19 July 1808.
2. Winthrop Bickford, Jr. taxed 1786; m. Lettice Durgin, 1805 (?) m. Bethiah Rogers, 27 Jan. 1791 (?). II. Robert b. 21 Oct. 1780; m. Hannah M. Dame.
3. John Bickford m. a niece of Stephen White of Salem and 1. at Pascataqua Bridge. He was a shipmaster. Had dau. Mary who m. Knapp of Salem, Mass., and (2) a lawyer of Boston. Capt. John Bickford d. in S. America but was buried near Pascataqua Bridge. He had sons, John and Joseph, both of whom followed the sea, and daus., Mary and Elizabeth.
4. Thomas Bickford, also a shipmaster in the employ of Stephen White.
5. Hannah Bickford m. Richard Dame, 2 Dec. 1798.
6. Olive Bickford, unm. in 1810.
7. Esther Bickford b. 17 May 1766; m. Andrew Drew, his second wife; d. 12 Feb. 1844.
8. 11. Robert Bickford.

Fifth Generation

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Family of Robert Bickford of Durham, New Hampshire

Robert Bickford (Winthrop⁴, John³, Thomas², John¹), born 21 Oct. 1780, married, 21 April 1799, Hannah M. Dame. She was born 12 April 1781 and died 19 Oct. 1863. He died 24 Sept. 1837. Lived at Durham Point.

1. Lovey Bickford b. 13 Feb. 1800; m. 1822, Richard Kent, his second wife.
2. William Bickford b. 19 May 1803; d. 13 Nov. 1846.
3. Lizzie Bickford b. 1803; d. 1807.
4. Robert Bickford b. 3 March 1805; m. 15 Dec. 1831, Elizabeth ; d. 11 April 1876.
5. Jacob Bickford b. 24 July 1807; d. 19 April 1864.
6. James Bickford b. 9 March 1810; m. 25 Oct. 1830; lived in Quincy, Mass.
7. Lucia Bickford b. 14 Sept. 1812; m. 11 Feb. 1841, Asa Dame.
8. Katie Bickford b. 3 Aug. 1815; m. July 1842, James Short; d. 11 Jan. 1857.
9. Dudley Prescott Bickford m. Elizabeth Page of Quincy, Mass.; ch., Dudley Page, Edward S., and Jerusha, who m. George Langley.