Benjamin "Landlord Ben" Houghton

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Abt Aug 1720; Benjamin and Zerviah lived in the West Precinct of Lancaster, then called Chocksett. In 1781 it became Sterling, Massachusetts.
• Military: 1723 and 1724; His name appears on lists of soldiers from Lancaster.
• History: Abt 1760; It seems that his seven daughters were highly sought after, probably because of his land holdings. When one suitor asked for a daughter's hand, he replied, "Yes, when you show me that you can butt a log as well as she can, you may have her."

Notes:

Name:


Buried:
HEAR LIES BURIED THE
BODY OF MR BENIAMIN
HOUGHTON WHO
DEPARTED THIS
LIFE FEBRUARY Y^e 28.
1764, IN Y^e 74
YEAR OF HIS AGE.
When death unto you calls
Your soul Resine you must to God that judgeth all
Both Wicked and the just Death is a Debt to Nature Due
Which I have paid & so must you.

Benjamin married Zerviah Moore on 28 Jul 1720 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Zerviah (daughter of Jonathan Moore and Hannah Sawyer) was born in 1700. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Zerviah married Jonathan Wilder on 23 Feb 1738/39 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Jonathan (son of John Wilder and Sarah White) was born on 5 Oct 1710 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; died on 13 Jan 1794 in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 1745; John Crosb. They filed their marriage intentions 15 November 1745 in Lancaster. In the records of Lancaster, Jonathan's father is written as Jonathan, clearly an error as the Baptismal Record calls his father, John. They lived in Chocksett, which while a part of Lancaster, became Sterling. John was received into communion at the Chocksett Church from Rowley. Possibly he was from Rowley. On 16 October 1774, John was dismissed from the Chocksett Church "to lie in ye foundation of a Chh at Irvinshire." His surname has been rendered, Crossley and Crosbe. Issue: 1. Jonathan Crosby (1746-____) 2. Livi Crosby (1751-____) 3. Sarah Crosby (1754-____) 4. Livi Crosby (1757-____) 5. Zervia Crosby (1759-____) 6. Joel Crosby (1762-____) 7. John Crosby (1765-____)

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 8 Apr 1748, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Ephraim Roper, the son of Ephraim and Sybilla (Moore) Roper. He was born on 21 October 1716 in Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He lived at Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, in 1721 with his parents. He and Richard Moore were guardian on 11 August 1732 in Oxford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He enlisted for the expedition against the Spanish in the West Indies on 26 May 1740. In this record he is listed as being born in Sudbury, 23 years of age and a husbandman. He lived about 1748 in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts and built a fortress-like home of logs lined with brick on Rowley Hill to serve as a home and a garrison house. Ephraim and Michal filed marriage intentions on 6 March 1748. They were married by Justice Houghton in a double wedding, joined by her sister, Keziah and Ebenezer Buss. He lived about 1780 in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts and built a new house which stands today. He died on Thursday 5 December 1793 in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He was buried after 5 December 1793 in Old Sterling Cemetery, Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts, His gravestone reads: An honest man, the noblest work of God. Erected to the memory of Mr. Ephraim Roper who departed this life Dec. 5, 1793, in the 78th year of his age. Issue: 1. Benjamin Roper (1750-1826) 2. Manassah Roper (1752-1831) 3. Silas Roper (1754-1827) 4. Asa Roper (1756-1834) 5. Nathaniel Roper (1758-____) 6. Enoch Roper (1758-1820) 7. Ephraim Roper (c1760-____) 8. John Roper (c1761-1833) 9. Sylvester Roper (1762-1849) 10. Joseph Roper (1764-1837) 11. Lucy Roper (1767-1837)

Notes:

Buried:
She was probably buried next to her husband, but there is no stone to mark her resting place.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 23 Jun 1748, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Esra Houghton, the son of Benjamin and Ruth (Wheelock) Houghton. He was born on 2 July 1722 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Their marriage intentions were filed 6 March 1747/48 in Lancaster. They were married by the Rev. John Mellen. Ezra was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1774. He died on Saturday 18 July 1789 in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Dinah Houghton (1749-1756) 2. Ezra Houghton (1751-____) 3. Mary Houghton (1753-____) 4. Lucy Houghton (1754-____) 5. Dinah Houghton (1760-____) 6. Solomon Houghton (1762-____) 7. Ruth Houghton (1765-____) 8. Nahum Houghton (1767-____) 9. Benjamin Houghton (1771-____)
• Religion: 4 Nov 1750, Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Dinah was admitted to communion in the Chocksett Church.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 8 Apr 1748, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Deacon Ebenezer Buss, the son of John and Hannah Buss. He was born on 27 January 1723/24 and was christened on 30 August 1724 both in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Their marriage intentions were filed 21 January 1747/48 in Lancaster. They were married by Justice Houghton in a double wedding, joined by her sister, Michal and Ephraim Roper. He died on Wednesday 1 July 1801 in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Hannah Buss (1748-____) 2. Keziah Buss (c1752-____) 3. Eunice Buss (1753-____) 4. Abigail Buss (1754-____) 5. Ebenezer Buss (1756-____) 6. Lucy Buss (1759-____) 7. Benjamin Buss (1761-____) 8. Silas Buss (1764-____) 9. John Buss (1767-____) 10. Rebecca Buss (1769-____)

Notes:

Buried:
In Memory of
Mr. Benjamin
Houghton who
Died April ye 25th
1759,
in the 27th
Year of his
Age.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: say 1755; Ephraim Osgood, the son of Johsua and Ruth (Divall) Osgood. He was born on 22 January 1726/27 and was christened on 10 April 1727 both in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 25 Feb 1761, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Sarah Pearson. She was born in Shrewsbury, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Their marriage intentions were filed 28 January 1761 and they were married by David OSGOOD, Esq. Issue: 1. Sarah Houghton (1766-1835)
• Religion: 2 Oct 1763, Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts; They were both admitted to the Chocksett Church.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: say 1759, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Jonathan Bailey, the son of Shubael and Anna Bailey. He was born on 24 November 1733 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He died on Tuesday 1 November 1814 in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Eunice Bailey (1761-____) 2. Zerviah Bailey (1762-____) 3. Benjamin Bailey (1764-____) 4. Michael Bailey (1769-____) 5. Dinah Bailey (1775-____) 6. Hannah Bailey (1777-____)
• Religion: 21 Oct 1759; Eunice was admitted to full communion.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 26 Oct 1768, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Eunice Sawyer.
• Complier's Note: 2018; There may be more marriages.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 28 Dec 1769, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Elizabeth Sawyer, the daughter of Samuel and Deborah (Rugg) Sawyer. She was born on 2 September 1750 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Elizabeth and Silas filed marriage intentions on 18 October 1769 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. She died on Tuesday 5 September 1837 in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Silas Wilder (1770-____)
• Religion: 14 Oct 1771, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Silas and Elizabeth joined the Chochsett Church.

Notes:

Birth:
The town books at Lancaster list his birth twice, the second time being 17 February 1747.

Hannah married Joseph Johnson in 1769. Joseph (son of Nathaniel Johnson and Rachel Tucker) was born on 9 Jun 1743 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died in Wendell, Franklin County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
It may have been 14 August.

Buried:
Hannah
wife of Jonathan Delvee
died Apr. 8, 1851
Æ. 77

Hannah married Jonathan Delvey on 10 Oct 1792 in Wendell, Franklin County, Massachusetts. Jonathan (son of Peter Delvee and Lucy Town) was born on 21 Aug 1770 in Warwick, Franklin County, Massachusetts; died on 14 Dec 1850 in Warwick, Franklin County, Massachusetts; was buried in Warwick Cemetery, Warwick, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 13 Mar 1808, Wendell, Franklin County, Massachusetts; Rebecca Johnson.