Cummings, Isaac
Isaac CUMMINGS (1601 - 1677) and Anne
my 10g-grandparents
Isaac CUMMINGS was born about 1600 or early 1601, since court records indicate that he stated his age as 65 in Mar 1666, and 72 in Mar 1673. He was born in Mistley, Essex, England, and baptized on 5 Apr 1601 in Easthorpe, Essex, England. the son of John COMMIN and Amy GREENE. [JP] Isaac and his wife, Anne, had 5 children, the first one dying in infancy. [HPA] The family came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony about 1635, and their youngest child was born there.
Isaac wrote his will on 8 May 1677, in Topsfield, and his estate was inventoried on 22 May 1677, so he died in mid May 1677. His wife Anne had died before him, since she was not mentioned in the will.
The CUMMINGS family in Scotland and England
Cummings Origins
Isaac Cummings, according to tradition, was of Scottish ancestry, claiming descent from the "Red Cummin," of Badenoch, in the southeastern district of Inverness-shire, a wild, mountainous country, presenting wide stretches of bleak moorland. Here the clan flourished from 1080 to 1330, and then began to decline. Some deduce their origin from Normandy and others from Northumberland. According to the Chronicle of Melrose, the first of the name, who figures prominently, was slain with Malcom III, at Alnwick, in 1093, leaving two sons, John and William. From John, all the Cumins in Scotland are said to be descended. Sir John, the Red Cumin or Comyn, was the first Lord of Badenoch, and in 1240 was an ambassador from Alexander II, to Louis IX, of France. His son John, called the Black Lord of Badenoch, was inferior to no subject in Scotland for wealth and power, and was one of those who vowed to support Queen Margaret, daughter of Alexander III, in her title to the crown. At her death he became a competitor for the crown of Scotland, "as the son and heir of John, who was son of Richard, son of William, son of Hextilda, daughter and heiress of Gothrick, son and heir of Donald, King of Scotland." The son of this Lord, called, in turn, the Red Cumin, was the last Lord of Badenoch of the surname of Cumin. In 1335 a number of the Curhin claa were slain in the feudal battle of Culbleau, in Glennwick, where a stone now marks the spot. The badge of the clan, in Gaelic, was "Lus Mhic Cuiminn," in English—the cumin plant. [CF, pp. 1-2]
Three versions of the CUMMINGS/COMINS coat-of-arms
The three objects on the shield are bunches of the cumin plant.
Mistley is about 70 miles northeast of London, on the eastern coast of England. Mistley can be seen just east of the city of Manningtree, on the map of the Manningtree area from oldemaps. See Mistley images. The family was originally from Scotland.
Other spellings I have seen in colonial records: CUMINGS, COMINGS, COMINGES, COMINS, COMMINS, COMMIN. More details on the origin and spelling of the CUMMINGS name can be found here and here.
Isaac and Anne CUMMINGS of Watertown = Isaack and Anne COMMEN of Mistley.
The CUMMINGS research of [CTCD] in 1899, [CM] in 1903, and [CG] in 1904, all said that nothing was known about Isaac CUMMINGS' wife, siblings or parents. In fact, nothing whatsoever was known about Isaac and Anne before 1636, when he appeared in the records of Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colony. His birth date of 1601 was deduced from a 1666 record, in which he reported his age as 65. In recent years, more progress has been made, mainly by research in England.
In 1991 [JP] was able to match the Isaac and Anne CUMMINGS family that appeared in Watertown with the Isaack and Anne COMMEN family of Mistley.
"It seems clear that Isaack Commen of Mistley was the immigrant. He disappears from records there just before appearing in Watertown, Massachusetts, where he settled among great numbers of his fellow countrymen, even townsmen. His three children baptized in Mistley exactly match the American records." [JP, p. 239]
Isaac and Anne last appeared in the records of Mistley in 22 Feb 1634/35, and first in Watertown in 1636, when he received a grant of 35 acres in an area known as the "Great Dividends". [JP, p. 240]
Isaac CUMMINGS in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
The family of 5 immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, probably in late 1635. Isaac first appeared, in the records of Watertown, near Boston, in 1636. They were in Ipswich in 1638, and settled in Topsfield shortly after. Isaac and Anne had 1 more child in Massachusetts.
This current map of northeastern Massachusetts shows Watertown in the lower left, Topsfield in red, and Ipswich between Topsfield and the shore. (Towns in New England would be called Townships in other parts of the US.)
U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
Name Isaac Cummings
Birth Place En
Birth Year 1601
Spouse Name Margaret
Spouse Birth Place En
Spouse Birth Year 1608
U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
Name Isaac Cummings
Birth Year 1601
Spouse Name Marie
Spouse Birth Year 1608
Marriage State of MA
I don't know how reliable this database is, but it indicates that Isaac's wife was Margaret or Marie, born about 1608 in England, and that they married in MA. It may be that Isaac was married more than once. His 5 known children were born between 1628 and 1637, probably all from his first wife, Anne.
U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s
Name Isaac Cummings
Arrival Year 1636
Arrival Place Massachusetts
Source Publication Code 1262
Primary Immigrant Cummings, Isaac
Annotation Date and place of settlement or date and place of arrival. Names not restricted to the Order of Founders and Patriots of America.
Source Bibliography COLKET, MEREDITH B., JR. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants from Europe, 1607-1657. Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, 1975. 366p.
Page 81
U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s
Name Isaac Cummings
Arrival Year 1630
Arrival Place Massachusetts
Source Publication Code 9448
Primary Immigrant Cummings, Isaac
Annotation In the years from 1925 to 1942, Frederick A. Virkus edited seven volumes with the title, The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy, published in Chicago by the Institute of American Genealogy. Each volume has a section in the main body of the work, co
Source Bibliography VIRKUS, FREDERICK A., editor. Immigrant Ancestors: A List of 2,500 Immigrants to America before 1750. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1964. 75p. Repr. 1986.
Page 24
There is also a record of his parents' names, John COMMIN and Ame GREENE. This seems to be the right Isaac, since it has the death date of the Isaac CUMMINGS who lived in Topsfield. But his wife's name is Anne. These colonial records, above, contain several contradictions.
The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1847-2011
Name: Isaac Commin
Event Type: Death
Death Date: 22 May 1677
Death Place: USA
Father's name: John Commin
Mother's name: Ame Greene
Spouse Name: Anne
Page Number: 41
Volume Number: 165
Isaac in 1636
The first mention in Essex County records of Isaac Cummings, is an entry made by the town clerk of Watertown, where his name appears in the records of land grants, as receiving a grant of 35 acres in the earliest general land grants in 1636; called the "Great Dividends." [CG, p. xiv]
Isaac CUMMINGS owned land in the towns of Ipswich and Topsfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony. These towns are north of Boston, near the coast.
Ipswich and Topsfield
The first mention in Essex County records of Isaac Cummings, is an entry made by the town clerk, at Ipswich, showing that he owned a planting lot near Reedy marsh, in that town, previous to July 25, 1638. On the 9th of the 2nd month, 1639, he also owned a house lot in Ipswich village, on the street called the East End, next the lot owned by Rev. Nathaniel Rogers. He was a commoner in 1639, and the same year sold land near the highway leading to Jeffrey's Neck. He also possessed, in 1639, land adjoining John Winthrop and William Goodhue, the farm being partly in Ipswich and partly in Topsficld. He was made a freeman. May 18, 1642, and was a proprietor in Watertown the same year. As an Ipswich commoner he was one of those "that have right of commonage there the last of the last month, 1641." [CF, p. 1]
Reading the sources, it appears that that [CG] has the earliest record, but in the next few paragraphs, [CG] just has information copied from [CTCD]. So I think [CTCD] is the original source.
This is the 4th of 5 drawings that show properties in Old Ipswich. Up is northeast. These properties are on south side of the Ipswich River. Isaac COMINGS riverfront property is on the south side, near the ford. From [TFW, p. 445]
The map above shows Isaac COMINGS riverfront property, next to Nathaniel ROGERS, and across the School House Green from John WINTHROP. This is now in downtown Ipswich, about 2 or 3 miles from Plum Island Sound. The Ipswich River flows generally eastward, and empties into the Sound. By 1655, Isaac had sold the property to William AVERY.
Property in Ipswich
Isaac Comings. (Diagram 4.)
The William Avery or Averill lot, the fine park-like meadow, now owned by the heirs of the late John Heard Esq., owned by Averill in 1655, was the property of Isaac Comings previously. [TFW, p. 462]
In this 1856 map of Topsfield, Howlett Brook can be seen in the north. The western tip of Ipswich is also visible to the north of Topsfield. East Street runs north and south, near the D in Topsfield.
Topsfield, MA [THS, p. 7] [click to enlarge]
Isaac CUMMINGS owned various parcels of land in Ipswich and Topsfield, including a farm that was partly in each town. In later life, he seems more associated with Topsfield.
Isaac and his son, Isaac CUMMINGS Jr, were both deacons of the church in Topsfield. However, "Deacon Isaac CUMMINGS" usually refers to Isaac Jr.
Isaac CUMMINGS in Topsfield, MA
On the first day of the second month, 1652, Isaac Cummings, for £30, bought of Samuel Symonds, 150 acres of land, "being the North-east corner of his farm called Ollivers." This lot of land was in Topsfield and bounded on the west and north-west by land lately of John Winthrop, on the south and west by land of Francis Peabody, and on the south by land of Daniel Clarke.
This farm began at what is now known as the Hobbs-Bell place, and continued down both sides of the brook, then called "Winthropps," to what is now called Howlett's brook, one hundred acres lying on the westerly side, and fifty acres on the easterly side, probably joining other land belonging to him.
The county court records have the following items : Goodman Isaac Cummings, of Topsfield, having claimed ownership of a heifer in the possession of John Fuller and driven the same to his home, suit was brought by said Fuller. March 28, 1654.
Isaac Comings, senr, was witness against Wm. Duglas, of Ipswich, who was presented "for taking of 19lb of Shorborne Wilson, his late servant, for 9 mo. time, which we think tends to opresion." March, 1656.
Isaac Commins, senr., was sued for debt by Zerobabell Phillips, of Ipswich. March, 1657.
Isaac Cummings, senr, brought suit against John Fuller for damage done in his corn by swine belonging to said Fuller. Dec. 31, 1656.
In 1659 Isaac Comins, senr., made deposition that Zacheus Gould, of Topsfield, "in time of singing y'e psalm one sabbath day in ye afternoon, sate him downe upon ye end of ye Table (about wch ye Minister & Cheife of ye people sit) wth his hatt fully on his head, & his back toward all ye rest of ym yt sate about ye Table, & thence spoken to by ye Minister & 2 others, ether to showe reverence to ye Ordinance, or to wthdrawe, yet altered not his posture."
Isaac Cummings was chosen grandjuryman in 1675 and was moderator of the Town Meeting in 1676. He was deacon of the church in Topsfield for many years. According to a deposition made Mar., 1666, wherein he gave his age as 65, he probably was born in 1600 or 1601. Of his wife nothing is known save that she died before 1677. He died between the dates of May 8 and 22 in the year 1677.
[CF, pp. 2-3]
Topsfield was called Shenewemedy by the Agawam tribe. When the English settled in 1643, they called it New Meadows, but it was renamed Topsfield in 1648, and incorporated as a town in 1650.
Cummings land in Topsfield
In 1652 Samuel Symonds sold the remainder of his farm, consisting of one hundred and fifty acres, to Isaac Cumings, Sr., for £30. Isaac Cummings was of Watertown in 1636, but two years later owned land in Ipswich, and probably built a house on his farm in Topsfield soon after he purchased it. This farm was on both sides of Howlett’s brook, one hundred acres on the west and fifty acres on the east. His old house stood on what is now East Street. In his will, dated 1679, he gave it with forty acres of land to his son John. His son, Isaac, Jr., is also listed as a commoner in 1661. He married Mary, the daughter of Robert Andrew in 1659 and must have owned land in Topsfield either by gift or purchase at that time. He bought twenty acres of land of William Evans, the deed bearing date of May 21, 1663, not far from his father’s farm and on July 16 of that year, his father gave him one hundred acres of his farm bounded on the south by “land sd Isaac purchased of William Evans and other land of sd Isaacs.” Isaac Cummings, Jr.’s son, John lived south of the river. He bought several pieces of land granted to the commoners in the second division and with his father’s share, finally owned nearly 200 acres there. It has been said that
John’s house was one of the first built south of the river. It was south of the home of John Curtis on what is now Rowley bridge street and was later known as the Foster-Horne house.
[GFD, pp. 37-8]
Settlers on the south side of the Ipswich River in Topsfield
In 1661 the common lands on the south side of the river were laid out to "mr Bradstreet, mr perkins, Zacheas Gould, mr Baker, Tho Dorman, ffrances Pebody, Willi Evens, Daniell Clark, Isaac Cummings, senr, Isac Cummings, junr, Ensigne Howlet, Willi Smith, mr Endicoat, John Wiles, John Redington, Tho Perkins, Tho Browning, Jacob Towne, Isacc Estey, Willi Towne, Edmund Towne, matthew Standly, Anthony Carell, ffrances Bates, John How, Edmond Bridges and Willi Nichols." In 1664 some of the land on the south side of the river still remained undivided. The town voted that this should be granted to the several inhabitants that assisted in supporting the minister in the following proportion, viz.: those that paid fifty shillings a year were to have one of the larger pieces; those who paid more than twenty and less than fifty shillings, to have a medium-sized piece; and those who paid less than twenty shillings, one of the least pieces. Thus it was divided among the following inhabitants, viz.: "John goold, mr thomas baker, danel Clark, thomas dorman, senr, frances pabody, decon hovey, william Eevens, Isack Comings, senr, Isack Comings, junar, Ensigne howlat, antoni Carol, thomas perkins, thomas browning, thomas averil, thomas hobes, John Redington, John wildes, william smith, Edman bridges, Jacob towne, Isack Este, william towne, Joseph towne, Edman towne, matthew stanle, william nicoles, mr william perkeings, mr Eudicot, John how, Robart andros and frances bates." [HH, Vol. 2, p. 973]
The Cummings-Hobbs-Bell House [CG, p. 10]
Isaac CUMMINGS property on East Street
EAST STREET runs from Boston Street to the Ipswich line. This street may have been the way mentioned in a deed under date of April 22, 1673, transferring a piece of property from Isaak Comings to Tobijah Perkins. It states that, “before signing it was agreed that sd Perkins should have liberty to pass with cart through Comings farm from above land towards Winthrops Hill, he not doing damage to plow ground or mowing or leaving open bars.” [GFD, p. 104]
Isaac CUMMINGS was Constable, Deacon, Moderator
In 1666 he was constable, and his son Isaac was his deputy, and in a deposition he states his age to be 65. The same year he was assessed 4s. yd. to pay the town's indebtedness. He was deacon of the church, and in 1676, at least, moderator of the town meeting. No mention remains of his wife nor of her name. She was not living when his will was made, May 8, 1677. It is on file in the probate office, but unrecorded. [CM, p. 1]
In a small town, a few people wear many hats. Isaac CUMMINGS was at various times a Constable, a Deacon of the Church, and a Moderator at Town Meetings. He said he was 65 in 1666, so he was born about 1601. His last will and testament, and an inventory of his estate, can be found in [CTCD, pp. 3-5].
Isaac CUMMINGS 1677 will and estate
Isaac CUMMINGS wrote his will on 8 Mar 1677 and it was probated on 14 Jun 1677.
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ISAAC COMINS, Senier.
I being sencabl of my approaching desolution being att present weak in body yet perfect in my vnderstanding haueing by the grace of god bene helped to provid for my future state in an
other world : doe now in ordering of what god hath heen pleased to bestow vpon me of the blessings of this life, take Care and order that in the first place my debts be duly payd : nextly I doe by this my last will and testament continue to my son Ifaac the ten Acres of division Land on the south side of the great river be more or less : nextly I do giue vnto my son in law John Jewet ten pounds part in Cattel and part in houshovld goods : nextly I do will and bequeath to my grandson Isaac the son of my son Isaac one year old heifer on little sow the indian corne which he hath planted for himself and the flax which he hath sowne, item I doe giue vnto him my chest the 2d in bignes with lock and key : item my history book with such books as are his owne : ie. a bibl and testament, item I do giue him ten pounds to be payd at seuenteen years of age in Covntry pay-item I doe giue vnto my son in Law John pease thirty povnds to be pay out of the stock of Cattel and hovs-hovld goods as much as maybe att present and the rest in two years—item I doe make my son John my sole executor and doe giue vnto him my house and lands being fovrty Acres more or less Consisting of vpland and meddow-with all the priviledges emmolvments therof and apvrtainces thervnto belonging : provided that this land shall stand bovnd in part and in wholl for the payment of these legacyes and in case that the said legacyes shal not be payd according to this my will : the land shall be sovld and payment made out of the price thereof : and the remainder shall be the executors : item my will fvrther is that if any of these my children shall throvgh discontent att what is done for them in this my will : Cause trovbl to arise to the executor then there shall be nothing payd to him or them but the legacy or legacyes willed to them shall return too and remain in the hands of the executor as
his proper right, dated the 8th of the 3d mth 1677.
My desir farther is that Isaac ffoster and Thomas Dorman would take Care that this my will be duly performed.
Isaac Cumings Sr.
Witneses the mark | of John poore Sr
Thomas Dorman
Isaac ffoster.
Probated June 14, 1677.
[CG, pp. xvi-xvii]
Inventory of the Estate of Isaac CUMMINGS
The Inuentory of all the Goods & Chattls of Isake Comings senior Late of Topsfeild deceased tacken and apprised by us whos names ar under writen this 22 maye 1677.
it a Cloth Sute 40 : 2 : 00 : 0
it a Grey Sute 35 1 : 15 : 0
it 6 yards of cloth with butons silk & thread as
they cost at the marchants 1 : 18 : 3
it an old Grat Coat 9s : wascot 6s 0 : 15 : 0
it a payer of Gren brchis & two payer of drawers 0 : 09 : 0
it 3 payer of shoos 1s : 5 payer of stokins 8s 0 : 09 : 0
it 4 shirts 10s : 7 Caps 7s : one slke Cape 4s 1 : 01 : 0
it 10 bandes 10s : 7 handcovehrs 3s 0 : 13 : 0
it 4 hates 8s : a cloth hood & Startups 1 : 6d 0 : 09 : 6
it a fether beed & bolser & pillow 4 : 00 : 0
it a nu Couerlit 24s : an old couerlit 5s 1 ; 09 : 0
it Curtins & valants, beedsted cord & matt 1 : 10 : 0
it a smale beed with a pilow & a Rugge 1 : 15 : 6
it one payer of sheetes 30s & other payer 16 : 2 : 06 : 0
it one payer of sheets 18s one sheet 7s 1 : 05 : 0
it 3 pilow bers 6s : 3 napkins 3s 6d 0 : 09 : 6
it 2 table cloths 5s 6d 7 toweles 5s 6d 0 : 11 : 0
it two sacks and willit one bage 0 : 10 : 0
it 3 Small Remnants of cloth 0 : 02 : 6
it flax and tow 0 : 06 : 0
it 6 pound of cotton woole 0 : 06 : 0
it a broad howe 2s one broad how 3s 6d 0 : 05 : 6
it an iron foot 1s 6d : 3 haye forks 4s : 6d 0 : 06 : 0
it an iron spitt 3s & ades 5s a hand sawe 2s 6d 0 : 10 : 6
it axe 3s 6d : & old spad 3s botle & 4 wedgis 6s 0 : 12 : 6
it a mare 40s : a yearling Colt 15s : a sadle & a
panel with a bridle & gurte & crooper 20s 3 : 15 : 0
it a brafs pott 20s one iron pott 9s two payer
of potthooks 1 : 12 : 0
it an old ketle 6s : 3s 6d a bras candlstik 4s potlid 1s 0 : 14 : 6
it in pewter 18s tine 9d : one glac 1s : 5 spons 2s 1 : 01 : 9
it earthen ware 6s 8d : tramell tongs Bellis 12s 0 : 18 : 8
it hamer pinchers 5s : fann 3s chern 5s 0 : 13 : 0
it a nu powdering tub 3s 6d : 4 paiels 7s 8d 0 : 11 : 2
it 2 Kelors 4s : old powdring tub 1s two old barels 2s 0 : 07 : 0
it half bushel : a peck : halfe peck 0 : 03 : 6
it 4 trayes 4s 4 bouls 4s dishes & ladle 1s 8d 0 : 09 : 8
it one duz trenchers 1s two barels 5s 0 : 06 : 0
it 3 siues 3s 3 chavers 7s A litle table & form 4s 0 : 14 : 0
it a desk 6s one chest 11s 6d two old chests 4s 1 : 01 : 6
it 3 books 10s a chest 5s two books 10s 1 : 05 : 0
it Corn 10s malt 6s 0 : 16 : 0
it baker 3s kneding trof 2s 0 : 05 : 0
it A worming Pann friing pann 0 : 10 : 0
it eight swine 5 : 00 : 0
it 3 cowes 12l : one two year old ster, one yearling 16 : 06 : 0
it howsing and Lands with all prueledges &
apnrtenceses: upland & meado is abought
40 accers 100 : 00 : 0
it depts due to the eftat 004 : 00 : 0
----
John Whipple 125 : 12 : 0
John How 40 : 09 : 6
----
166 : 01 : 6
depts due from the est at aboute 19 : 16 : 5
John Comings testified vpon oath before the worshipfull Samuell Symonds Esqr Dep ; Govr . & maior Genrll Esqr & the clarke being present the 14th of June 1677 and testified vpon oath this to be a true Inventory of the estate of his late ffather deceased to the best of his knowledge & if more appeare to ad the same
As attest. Robert Lord Cler.
[CG, pp. xvii-xviii]
Descendants
Isaac CUMMINGS and his wife or wives had 5 children, that are known. The first 4 were born in Mistley, Essex, England, and we have their baptism dates from [JP]. The first child died in infancy, and the middle 3 made the voyage to New England with their parents. The youngest child was born in New England, probably Watertown or Ipswich.
1 Isaac CUMMINGS b: 1601, d: bet. 8-22 May 1677 in Topsfield, Essex, MA, age 76
+ Anne m: 1628
......2 Isaac CUMMINGS Jr bapt. 20 May 1629 in Mistley, bur. 23 May 1629 in Mistley, died in infancy
......2 John CUMMINGS bapt: 8 May 1630 in Mistley, d: 01 Dec 1700 in Dunstable, MA, age 70
...... + Sarah HOWLET d: 07 Dec 1700 in Dunstable, MA
......2 Deacon Isaac CUMMINGS bapt: 17 Mar 1632/33 in Mistley, d: 1721 in Topsfield, Essex, MA, age 88
...... + Mary ANDREWS b: 1638, m: 27 Nov 1659, d: bef. 1712, age < 53
......2 Ann CUMMINGS bapt: 22 Feb 1634/35 in Mistley, d: 29 Jun 1689 in Enfield, CT, age 54
...... + John PEASE b: abt. 1629 in England, m: 08 Oct 1669, d: 08 Jul 1689, age 60
......2 Elizabeth CUMMINGS b: abt. 1637 in Watertown, MA, d: 09 Jul 1679 in Ipswich, MA, age 42
...... + John JEWETT b: abt. 1637, m: bef. Feb 1662
1. Isaac CUMMINGS Jr died in infancy, between 20 and 23 May 1629 in Mistley, England. The family tried again with the name Isaac, in 1633.
3. John CUMMINGS was baptized 8 May 1630 in Mistley, Essex, England, and died 1 Dec 1700 in Dunstable, MA. He married Sarah HOWLET, who died 7 Dec 1700 in Dunstable, MA.
John and Sarah were my 9g-grandparents. See the John CUMMINGS page for more information.
4. Deacon Isaac CUMMINGS was baptized 17 Mar 1632/33 in Mistley, and died 1721 in Topsfield, Essex, MA. He married on 27 Nov 1659 to Mary ANDREWS, born 1638, and died between 1692 and 1712.
Mary was one of 10 children of Robert and Grace ANDREWS. Robert, and presumably the rest of the family, came from Boxford, England in 1656. Mary's brother John was an ancestor of John A. ANDREW, Governor of Massachusetts during the Civil War.
The family lived in Ipswich, where Isaac was a commoner in 1672, and was chosen deacon of the church in 1686. He was a Sergeant in King Philip's War, which ran from 1675 to 1677. Like his father, he served his community in various capacities: moderator, surveyor, constable, selectman.
The story of his experience with the minister. Rev. Thomas Gilbert, shows that he was influential before he was deacon. For the minister one day came into the pulpit, badly beside himself from drink. His speech was confused and he forgot the order of exercises. First he prayed and he sang, then he prayed again and sang. Finally, Isaac Cummings arose and requested him to stop. The deacon was not above all the influences prevailing in his time. [CM, p. 7]
Isaac and Mary also played a small role in the witchcraft trials, as accusers of Elizabeth HOW/HOWE. Their daughter Abigail later married Samuel PERLEY, of the PERLEY family who were the main accusers of Elizabeth HOW.
For at the period of the witchcraft excitement he testified in court against Elisabeth How, that a mare of his was strangely affected under Elisabeth's bad influence. His testimony was corroborated by that of Isaac, his son, and of Mary, his wife. Elisabeth How was condemned, and executed in July 1692. [CM, p. 7]
Isaac and Mary had 10 children, of whom the first 3 died at birth.
1 Isaac CUMMINGS b: 1633 in England, d: 1721 in Topsfield, Essex, MA, age 88
+ Mary ANDREWS b: 1638, m: 27 Nov 1659, d: Bef. 1712, age < 74
......2 (Son) CUMMINGS b: 28 Aug 1660, d: 28 Aug 1660, died at birth
......2 (Son) CUMMINGS b: 02 Nov 1661, d: 02 Nov 1661, died at birth
......2 (Son) CUMMINGS b: 06 Dec 1662, d: 06 Dec 1662, died at birth
......2 Isaac CUMMINGS b: 15 Sep 1664, d: 07 Aug 1746, age 81
...... + Alice HOWLETT m: 25 Dec 1688
...... + Frances SHERWIN m: 23 Nov 1696, d: 13 Mar 1770
......2 John CUMMINGS b: 07 Jun 1666 in Topsfield, Essex, MA, d: Bef. 16 Jul 1722 in Topsfield, Essex, MA, age < 57
...... + Susannah TOWNE b: 24 Dec 1671, m: 23 Jan 1688, d: 13 Sep 1766, age 94
......2 Thomas CUMMINGS b: 27 Jun 1670 in Topsfield, Essex, MA, d: 1749, age 78 or 79
...... + Mehitable PORTER b: 24 Jun 1682 in Salem, MA, m: 20 Mar 1705, d: 09 May 1738, age 55
......2 Mary CUMMINGS b: 06 Feb 1671, d: Bet. 1691 –1695, age 20 to 24
...... + Daniel BLACK b: 24 Aug 1667 in Boxford, MA
......2 Rebecca CUMMINGS b: 01 Apr 1674
...... + Thomas HOWLETT b: 26 Oct 1672, m: 13 Jan 1696, d: 10 Feb 1713, age 40
...... + Michael WHIDDEN m: 20 Dec 1715
......2 Stebbins CUMMINGS b: 27 Feb 1680, d: 03 Jul 1706, age 26, killed by Indians
......2 Abigail CUMMINGS d: 22 Jan 1726
...... + Samuel PERLEY b: 28 May 1667, m: 28 Mar 1694, d: 29 Jan 1725 in Rowley, MA, age 57
Rebecca CUMMINGS married Thomas HOWLET. Both were my 1st cousins 10x removed. Rebecca CUMMINGS was a granddaughter of Isaac CUMMINGS and his wife Mary or Ann, my 10g-grandparents, and Thomas HOWLET was a grandson of Thomas HOWLETT and Alice FRENCH, also my 10g-grandparents.
Isaac CUMMINGS III married Alice HOWLET, also a granddaughter of Thomas HOWLETT and Alice FRENCH, so the same logic applies. See the Thomas HOWLETT page.
CUMMINGS. — Thomas was b. in Topsfield, 27 June, 1670, and was son of Isaac Cummings, who m. Mary, dau. of Robert Andrews of Boxford. He came to Boxford before his marriage. March 20, 1705, he m. Mehitable Porter of Salem. By her he had four children born, one of whom, Jacob, lived here, and had seven children, two of whom were Dudley and Thomas, —two queer characters, whose non compos mentis state is well known to our older inhabitants. They lived with Mr. John Sawyer—father of our present resident of that name—until their death. Thomas was b. 12 Oct., 1765, and d. 29 May, 1834, at the age of sixty-eight years. Dudley was b. 18 Feb., 1748, and hung himself in Willis' Woods, in the East Parish, at a locality known as "The College," June 25, 1815, a. sixty-seven years. His mode of self-execution was novel. He went to " The College," which lies a short distance from the house, to gather herbs, carrying with him a line with which to tie his bundle. Taking the line, he stretched it from one tree to another, several feet from the ground, near a large ledge whose perpendicular side rose up in close proximity to the trees. Letting his feet lie on the top of the ledge, he placed his neck upon the line, and there lay till death ensued. [HB, p. 401]
Daniel [Black] was a weaver by trade, and married, first, Mary Cummings of Topsfield, July 14, 169- who died Dec. 16, 169-. Then he married, secondly, Sarah Adams of York, Me., July 19, 1695, and immediately removed to York, where he was living the following May. Of his circumstances there, or of his posterity, nothing is known. For forty-two pounds, while of York, he deeds to Daniel Wood, sen., of Boxford, May 28, 1696, sixty-two acres of upland and meadow lying in Boxford. Twenty-eight acres of this land was in the vicinity of Stetson's Pond, and the remaining thirty-four acres across the Andover road from this piece. No living descendants of this emigrant are known to the writer. The name has been extinct in Boxford for a century. [HB, p. 50]
2. Ann CUMMINGS was baptized on 22 Feb 1634/35 in Mistley, and died 29 Jun 1689 in Enfield, CT, at age 54. She married on 08 Oct 1669 to John PEASE, who died 08 Jul 1689 in Enfield, CT. They died just 9 days apart, and their 13-year-old daughter died the following day.
John obtained a grant of land in 1681 in Springfield, MA, in the town now known as Enfield, CT. He was a surveyor, and laid out the plan of that village. He had 5 children by his first wife, Mary GOODELL, who died on 5 Jan 1668. John was the son of John PEASE, who came in the ship Frances, from Ipswich, England.
John was probably the nephew of John PEASE, who was a business partner of John HUNTLEY, when in 1648 they sent a shipload of dried fish from Boston to Barbados. See the John HUNTLEY page.
In 1679, John's eldest sons, John Jr and Robert, were the first settlers in Enfield, near Springfield, originally part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Enfield became part of Connecticut in 1749. John Jr and Robert's parents and siblings later joined them in Enfield.
1 John PEASE b: 1629 in England, d: 08 Jul 1689 in Enfield
+ Mary GOODELL d: 05 Jan 1668/69 in Enfield
......2 Capt. John PEASE b: 30 May 1654 in Salem, MA, d: 1734 in Enfield
...... + Margaret ADAMS m: 30 Jan 1677
......2 Robert PEASE b: 14 May 1656 in Salem, MA, d: 1744 in Enfield
...... + Abigail RANDALL m: 16 Dec 1678
......2 Mary PEASE b: 08 Oct 1658 in Salem, MA
......2 Abraham PEASE b: 05 Jun 1662 in Salem, MA, d: 1735 in Enfield
...... + Jane MENTOR
......2 Jonathan PEASE b: 02 Jan 1668/69 in Salem, MA, d: 1721
...... + Elizabeth BOOTH m: 11 Oct 1692
+ Ann CUMMINGS b: Abt. 1629, m: 08 Oct 1669, d: 29 Jun 1689 in Enfield
......2 James PEASE b: 23 Dec 1670 in Salem, MA, d: 1748 in Enfield
...... + Hannah HARMON m: 18 Oct 1695, d: 1748
......2 Deacon Isaac PEASE b: 15 Jul 1672 in Salem, MA, d: 09 Jul 1731 in Enfield
...... + Mindwell OSBORN m: 1691
......2 Abigail PEASE b: 15 Dec 1675 in Salem, MA, d: 09 Jul 1689 in Enfield
Capt. John PEASE, eldest son of John and his first wife, Mary GOODELL, married Margaret ADAMS. One of the daughters of John and Margaret was Sarah PEASE, who married Timothy ROOT, my 7th great grand uncle. Timothy was the son of Thomas ROOT or ROOTE and Mary SPENCER, my 8g-grandparents. See the Thomas ROOTE page. Isaac CUMMINGS and Thomas ROOTE were 4g- and 2g-grandfathers of Sara FRNECH (1770 - 1850), my 4g-grandmother.
5. Elizabeth CUMMINGS was born about 1637 in Watertown, MA, and died 09 Jul 1679 in Ipswich, Essex, MA. She married on 2 Apr 1661 to John JEWETT, who was baptized on 24 Nov 1639 in Bradford, England, probably born in 1639. They had 9 children, and Elizabeth died about 6 weeks after the birth of the youngest. [JOA, Vol II, pp. 959-60]
John JEWETT married (2) Elizabeth HOWE, widow of Benjamin CHADWELL. They had 4 more children, in Ipswich. John's will was dated 29 Nov 1708. (This was not the same Elizabeth HOWE who Deacon Isaac CUMMINGS testified against in a witchcraft trial. I have not studied the HOW/HOWE extended family.)
For brevity: Rowley and Ipswich are both in Essex County, MA.
1 John JEWETT bapt: 24 Nov 1639 in Bradford, England, d: 1708, age 68 or 69
+ Elizabeth CUMMINGS b: 1637 in Watertown, MA, m: 2 Apr 1661 in Rowley, d: 9 Jul 1679 in Ipswich, age 41 or 42
......2 Elizabeth JEWETT b: 05 Jan 1662 in Ipswich, d: 04 Oct 1728, age 66
...... + John HIDDEN b: 16 Feb 1657 in Rowley, m: 16 May 1687 in Rowley, d: Abt. 1695 in MA, age 38
...... + Cornelius DAVIS m: 24 Aug 1696
......2 Hannah JEWETT
...... + Joseph PLUMMER m: 20 Jan 1684/85
......2 Isaac JEWETT b: 1665 in Ipswich
...... + Dorcas HOVEY m: 12 Jun 1695 in Ipswich
......2 Sarah JEWETT b: 07 Mar 1668 in Ipswich, d: Aft. 1730, age > 62
...... + Samuel PICKARD m: 1730 in MA
......2 Abigail JEWETT b: 27 Nov 1670 in Ipswich, d: 03 Aug 1672 in Ipswich, age 20 months
......2 Samuel JEWETT b: 12 Sep 1672 in Ipswich
...... + Elizabeth REYNER
......2 John JEWETT b: 12 Sep 1673 in Ipswich, d: 08 Nov 1736, age 63
...... + Elizabeth RAYNER m: 28 Nov 1700 in Rowley
......2 Abigail JEWETT b: 13 Sep 1675 in Ipswich, d: 14 Nov 1675 in Ipswich, age 2 months
......2 David JEWETT b: 03 Apr 1677 in Ipswich
......2 Mary JEWETT b: 27 May 1679 in Ipswich
...... + Philip NEALAND m: 1709
+ Elizabeth HOWE b: 1640 in MA, m: 1680, d: 18 May 1730 in Rowley, age 89 or 90
......2 Deacon Daniel JEWETT b: 12 Nov 1681, d: 1727, age 45
...... + Elizabeth HOPKINSON b: 05 Aug 1683 in Rowley, m: 25 Feb 1700/01 in Rowley, d: aft. 1739, age > 56
......2 Jonathan JEWETT b: 02 Dec 1685 in Ipswich, d: 11 Dec 1773, age 88
...... + Ann HOPKINSON b: 03 Mar 1687/88, m: 28 Apr 1707 in Rowley, d: 31 May 1737, age 49
...... + Mehitable KILBOURNE
......2 Dorcas JEWETT b: 07 Dec 1690 in Ipswich
......2 Rebecca JEWETT b: 07 Dec 1690 in Ipswich
Sources
[CAA] The Averell-Averill-Avery family : a record of the descendants of William and Abigail Averell of Ipswich, Mass. (1914) by Clara Arlette Avery Vol I Vol II
[CTCD] Isaac Cummings, of Topsfield, Mass., and some of his descendants (1899) by Clark, Towne, Cummings and Dow
[CFW] Comins Family Website (This is a different family. Maybe related?)
[CG] Cummings genealogy : Isaac Cummings, 1601-1677 of Ipswich in 1638 and some of his descendants (1904) by Albert Oren Cummins
[CJF] History of the old township of Dunstable : including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N.H. ; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass (1846) by Charles J. Fox
[CM] The Cummings memorial, a genealogical history of the descendants of Isaac Cummings, an early settler of Topsfield, Massachusetts (1903) by George Mooar
[EEP] History of the city of Nashua, N.H. (1897) by Edward Everett Parker
[GAS] The ancient records of the town of Ipswich: vol. 1- from 1634 to 1650 by George A Schofield (1899) Vol I
[GFD] History of Topsfield Massachusetts (1940) by George Francis Dow
[HB] The history of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts (1880) by Sidney Perley
[HH] History of Essex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men (1888) by D. Hamilton Hurd
[HPA] Isaac Cummings 1601-Cummings Family Tree by Harold Patrick Ayres (requires Ancestry.com license)
[ICE] Isaac Cummings of Essex, Massachusetts, by John Plummer, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1991, Vol 145, p. 239-240
[IEH] History of Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton (1834) by Joseph B. Felt
[IC] The Descendants of Isaac Cummings
[JOA] History and genealogy of the Jewetts of America; a record of Edward Jewett, of Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and of his two emigrant sons, Deacon Maximilian and Joseph Jewett, settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts, in 1639; also of Abraham and John Jewett, early settlers of Rowley, and of the Jewetts who have settled in the United States since the year 1800 by Frederic Clarke Jewett (1908) Vol I Vol II
[JP] A genealogical and historical record of the descendants of John Pease, Sen., last of Enfield, Conn. (1869) by David Pease and Austin Spencer Pease
[SFI] Stories From Ipswich
[TFW] Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1905) by Thomas Franklin Waters
[IM] Vital records of Ipswich, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849 by Essex institute (1910)
[THS] Topsfield and the witchcraft tragedy (1992) Topsfield Historical Society
[WH1] A narrative of the Indian wars in New England : from the first planting thereof in the year 1607, to the year 1677 : containing a relation of the occasion, rise and progress of the war with the Indians in the southern, western, eastern, and northern parts of the said country by William Hubbard (1801)
[WH2] The history of the Indian wars in New England : from the first settlement to the termination of the war with King Philip in 1677 by William Hubbard (1865) Vol I Vol II
[WH3] A general history of New England, from the discovery to MDCLXXX (1815) by William Hubbard
Updated 25 Apr 2021 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.