The LOVEJOY FAmily of Caversham, Oxfordshire and Andover

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First Generation

WILLIAM LOVEJOY of Caversham

Parents: Unknown

That John Lovejoy's father was named William seems likely. However, when Henderson [Ref] examined the parish registers of Caversham and Sonning it was clear that there were at least two Williams having their children baptised between 1613 and 1620 and it is not clear which belong to which family. Henderson [Ref] also located two relevant marriage records. A William Lovejoy married Anne White on 24 Feb 1611/2 at Caversham and a "Willim Louejoy" married "Margret Suat" at nearby St. Giles, Reading, Berkshire on 28 Aug 1620. He was unable to locate any relevant wills or other records that would link William to the Lovejoy families found in the vicinity of Caversham and Sonning since at least the middle of the 16th century.

Children of William Lovejoy:

1. Grace Lovejoy was baptised on 9 Apr 1620 in Sonning. She died on 27 Apr 1694 in Andover. [Ref] It is reasonably likely that she married William Ballard.
2. John Lovejoy was baptised on 14 Jul 1622 in Caversham. He died on 7 Nov 1690 in Andover. He married Mary Osgood.

Second Generation

GRACE LOVEJOY (bp. 1620 - 1690) of Andover

Parents: William Lovejoy

Grace Lovejoy was baptised on 9 Apr 1620 in Sonning. [Ref] Grace, the wife of William Ballard, died on 27 Apr 1694 in Andover. [Ref] It is reasonably likely that she married William Ballard.

Grace came to New England on the Confidence in 1638 with her brother John. [Ref] [See his entry.]

Henderson [Ref] presents strong circumstantial evidence that Grace, the wife of William Ballard, was Grace Lovejoy. He argues that there were few wives named Grace in towns in Essex county or in nearby towns in Middlesex county who might have married William and that, of these, only Grace Ballard had associations with the Lovejoy family. He says that in an ancient list of settlers of Andover, in the order that they came to town, John Lovejoy's name follows immediately after William Ballard's name. In a 1658 petition their names are again listed sequentially and they testified in the same case on two different occassions. They also owned adjacent property.

JOHN LOVEJOY (c. 1622 - 1690) of Andover

Parents: William Lovejoy

John Lovejoy was born about 1622 according to various depositions. [Ref, about 30 on 30 Sep 1662 (2;438), about 47 on 28 Jun 1669 (4;150), about 49 on 25 Mar 1671 (4;338) and on 12 Apr 1671 (4;371), 59 on 29 Mar 1681 (8;83)] He was baptised on 14 Jul 1622 in Caversham. He died on 7 Nov 1690 in Andover. [Ref] He married first Mary Osgood on 1 Jan 1651 in Ipswich. [Ref][Ref, p. 54] She died on 15 Jul 1675 [Ref] in Andover. [Ref] John married second the widow Hannah Pritchard on 12 Feb 1676/[7]. [Ref][Ref] Hannah died of throat cancer on 1 Aug 1705. [Ref] She was the widow of William Pritchard, who was killed on 2 Aug 1675 in King Philip's War. [Ref]

Henderson's [Ref] search of the parish registers around Caversham found only one child named John Lovejoy baptised between 1609 and 1627: John Lovejoy, son of William, who was baptised on 14 July 1622 in Caversham. A William Lovejoy had a daughter Grace, who was baptised on 9 Apr 1620 in the neighbouring parish of Sonning. [Ref]

John arrived on the Confidence in 1638 as a 16-year-old servant of John Stephens, a husbandman of Caversham, Oxfordshire. He was accompanied by Grace Lovejoy. Their last name is spelled "Lowgie". [Ref][Ref]

John signed a petition presented at the 30 Nov 1658 court for the confirmation of John Osgood as sergeant and chief commander for Andover. [Ref, 2;123]

John was on the grand jury on 30 Sep 1662. [Ref, 2;433]

John was probably illiterate: on 1 Apr 1665 he witnessed a deposition by signing with his mark. [Ref, 5;20]

John took the freeman's oath on 29 Sep 1674. [Ref, 5;385] He was a soldier in King Philip's war. He served in Capt. Joseph Gardiner's first company of the Salem militia in the expedition against the Narragansetts on 10 Dec 16175 and with Capt. Samuel Brockelbank at Sudbury on 24 Jun 1676. [Ref, p. 53]

John Lovejoy of Andover signed his will with his mark on 1 Sep 1690. He mentions Hannah, his wife of 13 years, and made elaborate provisions for her. He also mentions his youngest son Ebenezer Lovejoy; his eldest living son William Lovejoy; his sons Christopher, Nathaniel, Joseph and Benjamin (deceased) Lovejoy; his daughers Sarah Johnson, Abigail Lovejoy, Deborah Lovejoy and Ann Blanchard; his brother Thomas Osgood. His will was proved on 31 Mar 1691/2. [Ref, pp. 46-48]

Children of John Lovejoy and Mary Osgood:

1. Mary Lovejoy was born on 11 Apr 1652 in Andover. [Ref, p. 55] She died on 18 Jun 1677 in Andover. [Ref, p. 55] She married Joseph Wilson on 4 Jul 1670 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, 4;416][Ref, p. 55] Joseph was probably the son of William Wilson of Boston. [Ref, p. 55] He married second Sarah Lord on 24 Apr 1678 in Andover. [Ref, p. 55]
   Joseph was a cooper. [Ref, p. 55] His second wife, Sarah Lord, was long imprisoned for witchcraft, but her life was saved by her confession. [Ref, p. 55]
   
2. Sarah Lovejoy was born on 11 Apr 1654 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 55] She died on 22 Feb 1706 in Andover. [Ref, p. 55] She married Sgt. William Johnson on 23 May 1678 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 55]
3. John Lovejoy was born on 9 Feb 1655 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 55] He died on 14 Jul 1680 [Ref, 8;56] in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 55] He married Naomi Hoyt on 23 Mar 1677/8 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 55]
   Naomi Lovejoy, administratrix of her deceased husband's estate, presented his inventory to court on 30 Nov 1680. [Ref, 8;56]
   
4. Lieut. William Lovejoy was born on 21 Apr 1657 in Andover. [Ref, 2;121][Ref, p. 55, says 1656 or 1657] He died on 9 Jul 1748 [Ref, p. 55] in Andover. [Ref] He married Mary Farnum on 29 Nov 1680 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 57] Mary was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Gibbons) Farnum. [Ref, p. 57] She was born on 24 Mar 1666 in Andover. [Ref, p. 57] She died on 25 Dec 1739 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 57]
   William deposed that he was about 21 on 5 Nov 1678. [Ref, 7;96-7] William is also referred to as "Dea." [Ref]
5. Anne Lovejoy was born on 21 Dec 1659 in Andover. [Ref, p. 55] She died on 29 Feb 1724 [Ref, pp. 25-7] in Andover. [Ref, p. 55] She married Jonathan Blanchard on 26 May 1685 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 56][Ref, pp. 25-7, 1684] Jonathan was the son of Samuel and Mary (Sweetser) Blanchard. [Ref, p. 56][Ref, pp. 25-7] He was the grandson of Thomas and Agnes (Bent) Blanchard and of Seth and Bethiah Sweetser. [Ref, pp. 25-7] He was born on 25 May 1664 in Andover. [Ref, pp. 25-7] He died on 19 Oct 1742 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56][Ref, pp. 25-7] He married second the widon Hannah Wyman of Woburn. [Ref, p. 56]
   some descendants of Anne Lovejoy
6. Christopher Lovejoy was born on 1 Mar 1661/2 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56] He died on 17 Mar 1736/7 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 56] He married Sarah Russ on 26 May 1685. [Ref][Ref, p. 57] Sarah was the daughter of John and Deborah (Osgood) Russ. [Ref, p. 57] She was the granddaughter of Christopher Osgood. She was born on 3 Feb 1668 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56]
   Christopher deposed that he was about 16 on 5 Nov 1678. [Ref, 6;96]
7. Joseph Lovejoy was born on 8 Feb 1662/3 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56] He died on 5 Jun 1737 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 56] He married his stepsister Sarah Pritchard [Ref, p. 54] on 26 May 1685 in Andover. [Ref] She was born on 22 Jan 1662. [Ref, p. 54] She died on 20 Jun 1739, at "a. 72 y." in Andover. [Ref]
8. Benjamin Lovejoy was born on 4 Dec 1664 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56] He died in 1689 while a soldier at Pemaquid, Maine. [Ref][Ref, p. 56]
9. Nathaniel Lovejoy was born on 29 May 1667 in Andover. He died on 7 Mar 1752. He married first Dorothy Hoyt. He married second Elizabeth Wilson.
10. Abigail Lovejoy was born on 20 Aug 1669 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, 4;174][Ref, p. 56] She died on 2 May 1747 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56] She married Dea. Nehemiah Abbott on 9 Apr 1690 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56] Nehemiah was the son of George and Sarah (Farnum) Abbott. [Ref, p. 56] He was born on 20 Jul 1667 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56] He died on 16 Sep 1750 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56]
    Nehemiah was a representative to the General Court in 1717-1721 and 1726. [Ref, p. 56]
    
11. Deborah Lovejoy was born on 4 Nov 1671 in Andover. [Ref, 4;416][Ref, p. 56]
12. Ebenezer Lovejoy was born on 22 Jan 1673/4 in Andover. [Ref, 5;263][Ref, p. 56, says 1673] He died on 15 May 1760 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 56] He married Mary Foster on 11 Jul 1693 [Ref, p. 57] in Andover. [Ref] Mary was the daughter of Andrew and Mary (Russ) Foster, Jr. Ref, p. 57] She was born on 10 Jun 1673. Ref, p. 57] She died on 5 Oct 1763 in Andover. [Ref][Ref, p. 57]

Third Generation

NATHANIEL LOVEJOY (1667-1752) of Andover

Parents: John Lovejoy and Mary Osgood [Ref][Ref, 3;467: "John and Mary"]

Nathaniel Lovejoy was born on 29 May 1667 in Andover. [Ref, p. 56] [Ref, 3;467] He died on 7 Mar 1752 in Andover [Ref, p. 54] , age 85. [Ref] He married first Dorothy Hoyt [Ref] on 21 Mar 1693/4 in Andover. [Ref] Dorothy, the daughter of Sgt. John and Mary (Barnes) Hoyt, was born on 29 Jan 1674. [Ref] She died on 17 May 1714 in Andover [Ref], age about 40. [Ref] Nathaniel married second Elizabeth Wilson, who was perhaps a widow, on 16 Aug 1716 in Andover. [Ref]

Nathaniel was a cordwainer.

Children of Nathaniel Lovejoy and Dorothy Hoyt:

1. Dorothy Lovejoy was born on 24 May 1697 in Andover. [Ref][Ref] She died on 27 May 1747 in Andover. [Ref] She married Solomon Martin on 25 Dec 1722 in Andover. [Ref] Solomon, the son of Samuel and Abigail (Norton) Martin, was born in 1695 in Andover and died on 1 Apr 1754 in Andover. [Ref]
2. Ens. Nathaniel Lovejoy was born on 7 Feb 1698/9 in Andover. [Ref][Ref says 25 Feb] He died on 25 Aug 1768 [Ref], age 69 y. 6 m. "in an apoplectic fit" in Andover. [Ref] He married Elizabeth Swan of Hampton in Hampton. [Ref] Elizabeth, the daughter of Robert and Hannah Swan, was born in Haverhill in 1709 or 1710. [Ref] She died on 21 Jun 1770 [Ref] in Andover. [Ref]
3. Timothy Lovejoy (twin) was born on 5 May 1701 in Andover. [Ref, month missing][Ref] He married Mary Curnell on 20 Aug 1730 in Andover. [Ref][Ref] Perhaps she is the widow Mary who died of old age and was buried on 11 Jul 1795 in Andover, age 98 y. 2 m. [Ref]
4. Dorcas Lovejoy (twin) was born on 5 May 1701 in Andover. She married John Shackford.
5. Deborah Lovejoy was born in 1703 or 1704 in Andover. [Ref] She died about 1750 in Metheun. [Ref] She married John Bailey on 13 Dec 1732 in Andover. [Ref] John was born on 26 Nov 1691 in Bradford. [Ref]
6. Ezekiel Lovejoy was born in 1705, probably in Nov, in Andover. [Ref] He died on 13 Apr 1742 in Andover. [Ref][Ref] He married Elizabeth Wilson on 9 Jan 1727 in Andover. [Ref]
7. Daniel Lovejoy was born in 1710 in Andover. [Ref][Ref] He married Mary Holt on 29 Oct 1745 [Ref] in Andover. [Ref]

Fourth Generation

DORCAS LOVEJOY (1687-1759)

Parents: Nathaniel Lovejoy and Dorothy Hoyt [Ref]

Dorcas Lovejoy was born on 5 May 1701 in Andover. [Ref, month missing][Ref] She married John Shackford on 22 Oct 1727 in Portsmouth. [Ref][Ref says 25 Oct]

References

Dow, George Francis, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Essex Institute, 1911 - 1975.

Farlow, Charles Frederic, comp. and Charles Henry Pope, Ed., Ballard Genealogy: William Ballard (1603 - 1639) of Lynn, Massachusetts and William Ballard (1617 - 1689) of Andover, Massachusetts and Their Descendants, Boston, Charles H. Pope, 1911.

Henderson, James R., "English Origins of John Lovejoy of Andover, Massachusetts," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 163, 2009, 27-32.

Lovejoy, Clarence E., The Lovejoy Genealogy with Biographies and History, 1460-1930, New York, Lovejoy, 1930.

Lynford, James Otis, History of the Town of Canterbury, NH, 1727 - 1912, Concord, NH, Rumford Press, 1912.

Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, (Online Database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2007)

No author, "Passengers for New England, 1638," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 2, 1848, 108-110.

Pierce, Joshua, "A Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths in Portsmouth, NH from 1706-1742," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 24, 1870, 357-360.

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