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

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[657] and (2d) James Convers, Sen., of Woburn, and was living 1712; Mary; Esther, m. Samuel Adams of Chelmsford; Samuel, b. 27 Oct. 1638, d. 13 Oct. 1639; John, d. 21 Sept. 1644; and by w. Katherine, Ruth, b. 12 Ap. and bur. 9 May 1645; Elizabeth, b. 1646, d. unm. 9 Nov. 1692, a. about 47. Nathaniel the f. resided on the easterly side of Brighton Street, between Mount Auburn Street and Harvard Square. He appears to have owned, in 1642, five houses and about five hundred acres of land; which quantity was afterwards increased. After his death, about a thousand acres were sold from his estate, leaving a large quantity of land on the south side of the river (now Brighton District), a part of which still remains in possession of his descendants. He was ‘permitted to draw wine and strong water for Cambridge’ 1639. He d. 28 June 1647, a. prob. about 50; his w. Katherine d. 5 July 1647; and Mary Pierce d. in his family, and was bur. 12 July 1647.

2. Nathaniel, S. of Nathaniel (1), m. Patience, dau. of Rev. Samuel Newman of Rehoboth, 3 Oct. 1649, and had Nathaniel, b. 3 Nov. 1650, d. 12 Feb. 1650-51; Mary, b. about 1652, m. William Barrett 8 Oct. 1673; Sybil, b. about 1655, m. Dr. Jonathan Avery of Dedham 22 July 1679, and subsequently m. Rev. Michael Wigglesworth of Malden, was mother of the first Professor Wigglesworth, and d. 6 Aug. 1708, a. 53; Esther, bap. 5 May 1661; Samuel, bap. 5 Feb. 1664; Nathaniel, bap. 3 Nov. 1667; John, b. about 1672. Nathaniel the f. resided in the Brighton District (the residence of most of his descendants who remained within the ancient limits of Cambridge), was Selectman seven years between 1677 and 1686, a Deacon of the Church, and d. soon after 29 Dec. 1686, the date of his will; an Inventory of his estate was presented 20 Jan. 1686-7.

3. Samuel, s. of Nathaniel (2), m. Sarah, dau. of Rev. Samuel Whiting, and had Sarah, bap. 5 Sept. 1697, d. 9 Oct. 1701; Samuel, bap. 2 Oct. 1698; Sarah, b. 22 Dec. 1700; John, b. 12 June 1702, grad. H. C. 1723, a trader in Plymouth; Thomas, b. 25 May 1706; Joseph, b. 2 Ap. 1708. Samuel the f. was Selectman 6 years, 1701-1710, and d. 2 Nov. 1713, a. about 49; his w. Sarah d. 8 Dec. 1752, a. 84.

4. Nathaniel, s. of Nathaniel (2), m. Abigail, dau. of Simon Gates, and had Nathaniel (b. about 1694), bap. 11 Ap. 1697; Noah (b. about Feb. 1696-7), bap. 11 Ap. 1697; Simon, b. 30 Nov. 1704; Abigail, b. 21 Jan. 1710-11, m. Thomas Williams 30 Aug. 1733. Nathaniel the f. was Selectman 12 years between 1716 and 1730, was elected Deacon 5 Aug. 1724, and d. 8 Nov. 1734, a. 67 years and 10 days; his w. Abigail was pub. to Joseph Mayo of Roxbury 16 Oct. 1735, and after his death returned to Camb., and attained extreme old age. In his century sermon, 1801, Dr. Holmes says, ‘about the year 1770, Mrs. Mayo of Cambridge died in the CVI year of her age.’ This date of death is too early; the Boston News Letter, March 19, 1772, contains this paragraph: ‘Died at Cambridge the present year 1772, Mrs. Thwing aged 101 in Jan., Mrs. Williams 102 in Feb., Mr. Holden 96 Mar. 8th. Still living in Cambridge, Mrs. Mayo in her 102d year.’ This statement varies only one year from the fact; Abigail, dau. of Simon Gates, who m. Nathaniel Sparhawk and Joseph Mayo, was b. 14 Aug. 1671, and had not fully attained 101 years in Mar. 1772. She must have lived at least until 14 Aug. 1776, if she entered her 106th year. Under date of Mar. 1774, Pemberton says, ‘Died this month at Cambridge the widow Abigail Mayo, aged 106 years’ (Man. Gen.); but Pemberton's dates are not always accurate. It seems certain that she was living in Mar. 1772, and she may have survived the 14th of August 1776. Her great grandson, Edward Sparhawk, Esq., who was b. 29 Nov. 1770 and d. 3 Sept. 1867, informed his pastor, the Rev. Frederic A. Whitney, that Mrs. Mayo ‘died in the house of his father, Nathaniel Sparhawk at Brighton (then a part of Cambridge) and was buried in the old burial ground on Market Street, Brighton.’

5. John, s. of Nathaniel (2), grad. H. C. 1689, settled at Bristol, R. I. Alden gives his epitaph thus: ‘Here lyeth interred the body of the Rev. Mr. John Sparhawk, a minister of this place 23 years last past, and died the 29 42 ’