Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1877, with a genealogical register

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[620] and President of a Council appointed by the King in a manner particularly obnoxious to popular resentment. On the morning of 2 Sept. 1774, a large number of Middlesex freeholders (Gov. Oliver says about four thousand), assembled at Cambridge, and induced the recently appointed Mandamus Councillors to renounce their offices. The President of the Council was not spared; but, though he urgently requested delay, inasmuch as he could not with propriety renounce that office, while he held that of Lieut.-gov., yet he finally yielded, and signed a solemn engagement ‘as a man of honor and a Christian,’ that he would ‘never hereafter, upon any terms whatsoever, accept a seat at said Board, on the present novel and oppressive plan of government.’ He left Cambridge immediately, and never returned. At the evacuation of Boston he accompanied the British forces, soon went to England, and d. at Bristol 20 Nov. 1815, a. 82. He has uniformly been represented as a mild and quiet person, and gentlemanly in deportment. It has even been suggested that his name was inserted in the commission by mistake instead of the name of Chief Justice Peter Oliver, a much more active, restless man, and better fitted as an unscrupulous tool of an arbitrary government.

Olmstead, James, was one of the earliest inhabitants, and was Constable 1634, 1635. He resided on the northerly side of Harvard Street, upon or near the spot occupied by what has long been known as the President's House, now called the Wadsworth House. He rem. to Hartford, and d. in 1640 or 1641. ‘His children were Nicholas and Nehemiah. He left a large estate and gave in his will £ 50 to the Church in Hartford.’ Hinman.

2. Nicholas, s. of James (1), was early here with his father, and had a house-lot on the easterly side of Holyoke street. He rem. to Hartford, was a soldier at Mystic against the Pequots in 1637, and was afterwards a Lieutenant. He was living in 1672. Hinmnan.

3. Nehemiah, s. of James (1), was undoubtedly here with his father, though not named on the Records. He was at Hartford in 1649.

This name appears with a fruitful variety of orthography. Some of the forms are Omsted, Olmsted, Olmstead, Olmsteade, Olmestead, Olmesteade, Homstead, Holmstead, Hompstead, and sundry others.

Osland, Humphrey, m. Elizabeth Hyde 7 Mar. 1666-7, and had Elizabeth, b. 25 Jan. 1667-8, m. Nathaniel Wilson; John, b. 10 Oct. 1669; Hannah, m. Dr. John Prentice 1696, and d. 1704; Sarah, b. 23 Nov. 1683, m. Edward Prentice. Humphrey the f. was a cordwainer, and resided on the south side of the river, in what is now Newton. He d. 19 June 1720; his w. Elizabeth d. 13 Mar. 1723.

2. John, s. of Humphrey (1), m. Sarah Hyde, and d. in 1733. About ten years afterwards his estate was distributed to his chil. Jonathan: Mary, w. of Philip Pratt, Framingham; Mehetabel, w. of Robert Paul of Union, Conn.; Elizabeth, w. of Josiah Hyde; Thankful, w. of Jonathan Hyde; Lydia, w. of Caleb Hyde; all of Canterbury, Conn.; Sarah, and Hannah, both unm. at the time of division.