Jonathan Gifford

From NEHGR v129 p33-34  Jan 1975

7. Jonathan (2) Gifford (William(1)), born 4 May 1684, died, testate, 10 February 1734/5 (Sandwich Town Records).

He married 3 August 1708, Lydia Abbott (Sandwich Friends Meeting Records). She has not been identified. The Sandwich Friends Monthly Meeting Record of the marriage in 1704 of our #18 Gerhsom(3) Gifford shows a "Lidy Abit" among the witnesses. The widow remarried: "Lydia Gifford, relict of Jonathan Gifford of Sandwich" married 30:9th mo: " called November," 1738, Joseph Taber of dartmouth (Sandwich Friends Monthly Meeting records, 1:142).

Jonathan Gifford was the elder of two sons by his father's last marriage to Mary Mills. By the father's will these two young sons were given land at Sukanesset (Falmouth) but, as will be seen, Jonathan's homestead farm must have been in Sandwich. No doubt he had been given property there during his father's lifetime.

We find little about this man. The Friends Monthly Meeting records show that at a meeting in Sandwich 2.9 mo 1714, Daniel Allen, Edward Perry, and John Wing were directed "to speak with Jonathan Gifford concerning his neglect of paying Jeremiah Dillingham." They reported back to a meeting that the difference between Jonathan and Jeremiah had been settled (Monthly Meeting Book, 1672-1754, 87, 88). As Jeremiah would then have been a minor, it is likely that he was apprenticed to Gifford at that time.

The will of Jonathan Gifford, husbandman, of Sandwich, dated 15 September 1734, proved 21 February 1734/5, bequeathed to "wife Liddia"; to his two sons, Peleg and Silas; to his daughters Moriah, Rebecca, Bethia, Hannah, and Anne. The sons were to share equally in housing, other buildings, and all lands and meadows, but the widow was to have the use of all the real estate during her widowhood. Lydia was appointed sole executri (Barnstable County Probates, 5:212).