17, 1727; and his wife, Sarah, survived 72-IX. SARAH*, b. March 11, 1719-20; d. April him, being his widow in 1740. Children, born in Manchester :— 53-I. JOSEPH, b. Aug. 12, 1697; d. before 9, 1720. 58-VI. ISAAC1, b. May 30, 1709; living in 1728. 59-VII. WILLIAM', b. May 11, 1711; living in 1728. 74-11. See below 60-VIII. CATHERINE, b, Dec. 27, 1713; probably d. before 1728. (74). 75-III. 61-IX. MOSES1 b. Oct. 7, 1715; lived in Manchester; mariner; and probably d. unmarried. Administration JONATHAN, b. March 24, 1713. See below (75). 76-IV. on his AZARIAH', b. Dec. 9, 1714. See below (76). estate was granted Nov. 25, 1740. 62-X. SARAH KNOWLTON', bapt. Dec. 8, 1717; probably d. young. 63-XI. ELIZABETH', b. Feb. 24, 1718; m. Stephen Cross of Manchester Feb. 15, 1738-9. 18 DEA. BENJAMIN ALLEN3, born in Manchester June 4, 1681. He was a farmer and innholder; and resided in his native town, of which he was a selectman in 1714, 1721, 1725, 1734, and 1735. He was one of the first deacons of the church there, and continued to hold that office until his death, a period of thirty-one years. He married, first, Abigail Hill in 1705. She died in Manchester March 30, 1720; and he married, second, Mrs. Sarah (Reith) Tuck of Beverly Dec. 8, 1720. He died Feb. 22, 1747; and she died Sept. 25, 1749. Children, born in Manchester : 64-1. 65-II. ABIGAIL, b. May 30, 1705; d. young. BENJAMIN', b. Sept. 13, 1706. See below (65). 66-III. BARTHOLOMEW', b. July 26, 1708. See below (66). 67-IV. ABIGAIL', b. Nov. 19, 1710; m. Edwards before 1746. 68-v. ELISHA, b. May 25, 1711. See below (68). 69-VI. LYDIA', b. Feb. 23, 1712-3; m. Leach before 1746. 70-VII. STEPHEN', b. Oct. 22, 1714. See below (70). 7I-VIII. NEHEMIAH', b. Feb. 15, 1717; m. Elizabeth Pierce of Manchester July 23, 1738. 79-VII. JACOB, b. June 13, 1721. (79). 80-VIII. JOHN, b. Aug. 4, 1723. See below (80). 82-x. 81-IX. LUKE', bapt. June 12, 1726. JOSEPH', b. Sept. 3, 1727; d. young. JOSEPH', b. July 6, 1729. 83-XI. 84-XII. MARY', b. July 18, 1730; m. Jacob Lee of Manchester Sept. 6, 1753. 122-IV. PRISCILLA3, b. Oct. 4, 1731. 55 BENJAMIN ALLEN4, born in Manchester July 15, 1702. He was a fisherman; and lived in Gloucester. He married Mary Riggs of Gloucester Oct. 1, 1729;* and was living in 1756. She died June 4, 1761, aged fifty-six. Children, born in Gloucester : 127-1. 128-11. CATHARINES, b. July 2, 1730; m. 129-III. MARY", b. May 28, 1735; m. Wharf before 1762; and was living in 1765. 130-IV. SUSANNA3, unmarried in 1765. 131-V. ISAAC3. See below (131). 132-VI. MOSES', b. July 9, 1741; living in 1762, and d. before August, 1765, when his brothers and sisters were his heirs. 147-V. BENJAMIN, b. Dec. 3, 1748; lost at sea in 1767. 148-VI. ELISHA, b. June 26, 1752; d. June -, 1753. 149-VII. PATTY3, b. May 11, 1754; d. March -, 1778. 150—VIII. NATHANIEL3, b. Aug. 5, 1756; d. Dec. -, 1757. 70 STEPHEN ALLEN, born in Manchester Oct. 22, 1714. He was a tailor, and subsequently a housewright and yeoman; and lived in Manchester until about 1742, when he removed to Beverly. He returned to Manchester, and lived there the remainder of his life. He married Elizabeth Lee of Manchester July 14, 1737; and she died there Aug. 24, 1794. He had fits for some years before his death, which occurred Dec. 9, 1798, at the age of eighty-four. Children : 151-1. NEHEMIAH, b. Oct. 22, 1741, in Manchester. See below (151). LYNNFIELD. BY THOMAS B. WELLMAN. Should my reader be passing through the quiet village of Lynnfield Centre, about a fourth of a mile from its green he may see a triangular-shaped common, whereon for one hundred and eighty-two years has stood the old meeting house, built by the fathers and mothers of the hamlet, and near which they repose in peace. As the junction of Main and Essex streets is reached, he may see a specimen of ye olden time, excellently preserved, a colonial house, its erection dating back perhaps two hundred and forty years. It is a flat roofed, long, irregular building with massive chimneys. Some of the hearths contain tiles brought from England. The house fronts on a spacious lawn which is shaded by one of the largest willow trees in the United States. This big tree gave the name to the venerable house, Willow Castle. It was brought as a walking stick, from the lands north of the house by one who was born there, while returning from courting, and is large enough to seat a dozen people upon a section of its trunk. The ponderous branches constantly sway to and fro to a great extent. The house was built by Nathaniel Gowing, and remained in the family more than a century and a quarter. During the Revolution it was the Norwood house, and for the last sixty years has belonged to the present occupants and their kindred. In the present limits we cannot mention the interesting events in the life of the patriarch which has so long withstood the elements. The lightning has struck its protecting tree, the fire has burned off its roof, and other portions have been similarly devoured, but still it stands. Within its comfortable, but not elegant rooms, events have transpired worthy of record, and could the old house speak we would be glad to listen. Every war (Mexican not excepted) has seen its sons go forth to fight for their country, and many others have gone to distant lands who were an honor to their birthplace. How often have these portals been swung open to receive a new inmate or to carry one forth never to return, and to admit a guest to a wedding. Many a time has some one devoid of a home been tenderly cared for till they were called to the home above. What large-sized families have been reared here! Sometimes a score of people have called this "home." The old house is a repository of enough articles of the past to fill a small museum. Of late an old chair of perhaps a century and a half in age has been brought down from the attic and polished till its first mistress would hardly recognize it. This house has also the distinction of being the one where the history of the town was written. Tradition says that it is the third frame house in town. Its peers are still well preserved and bid fair to stand another century. Hundreds of acres used to belong the old homestead. Could "Sir Gowing" who built these walls, with oaken corner posts more than a foot square, come from his sleep, probably on some portion of his fair and large domain, and behold on a part of it the railroad, the meeting house, the school house, and, |