John Teare is a direct descendant of George Aldrich, his 9th great grandfather. George was one of our immigrant ancestors, who came to the Massachusetts colony in 1631 along with his wife Katherine. George and Katherine live and were married in Derbyshire, England (the home of the fictional heartthrob, Mr. Darcy- for all you Jane Austen fans). After immigrating, the Aldrich family came to be somewhat of a political powerhouse family in colonial and early America (the Kennedys of the time, if you will). From George came many political superstars, including former US President Taft.
George and Katherine came to Dorchester (Suffolk) Massachusetts in 1631, moved to Braintree, MA in 1640, and became two of the first seven settlers in Mendon, MA. in 1663 . They were members of the Dorchester Congregational church. George was a tailor by trade. In his will, he left 12 pence to each of his daughters; his clothes to his son Joseph; and the rest of his estate to his wife. As he was a tailor, “clothes” possibly means the whole business, not just his own clothes. (Thanks to Bill Stupak for this information.)
Our line is traced through George’s fourth son, Jacob, who had a particularly interesting “elopement” with Huldah Thayer. The couple was living in Mendon at the time of their marriage, but the ceremony was performed by a Justice of the Peace in Milford. It seems as though they were evacuating at the time of this marriage, as the town as burned by Indians a few days later during the King Phillip’s War. According to Stupak, the first three children were born in “exile” in Braintree, though the couple returned to Mendon by 1680.
Information on George Aldrich is extremely well documented. I could write a book! Instead, this article will have to suffice!
WHERE TO GO:
The George Aldrich Grave Site, Mendon
Historic Mendon, Massachusetts (Click here for the guided walking tour)
FAMILY LINE @ A GLANCE: Teare-->Gregory-->Easton-->Aldrich
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