Some descendants of Richard Tozer of Berwick, Maine

140 Pages·2003·11.3 MB·English

by  Randall, R. Ferris (Robert Ferris), 1927-

Some Descendants of Richard Tozer
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Berwick, Maine
R. Ferris Randall
1620-2004
Corrected Edition
Boston Public Library
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VARIANT: Touzard II

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TOZER COAT OF ARMS (SOMETIMES SPELLED TOZIER )
Some Descendants of Richard Tozer
Lineage of the Compiler
RICHARD TOZER, b. abt 1620, probably Devenshire, England, d. October 16, 1675; was of
Kitten. Maine 1659; married JUDITH SMITH, Boston, Mass., July 3, 1656, and had:
RICHARD TOZER, b. abt 1660 , was of Berwick, Maine, married unknown first time, and had:
RICHARD TOZER, b abt 1680, was of Lyme, Conn., d. Lyme, Conn., 1728-17-29; married
MERCY BEEBE, dgtr of Samuel and Mary Beebe, and had:
THOMAS TOZER, b. abt 171 1, w as of Lyme, Conn., married DEBORAH BATES, May 23,
1 740, she dgtr of Robert and Mary Bates of Saybrook, Conn., and Had:
ELISHAMA TOZER, b. July 3, 1741, d. abt 1833, Waverly, Chemung Co., NY.; married
MARY
and had:
THOMAS TOZER, b. abt 1759, probably Lyme, Conn., d. Whitehall, Wash., Co., NY August
8, 1814, and married REBECCA, and had:
PERMILE TOZER, b. abt 1794, Whitehall., Washington Co., NY, d. Oakland (Nunda),
Livingston Co., NY, married BRYANT RANDALL, b. abt. 1790, d. abt 1820, and had:
CHARLES H. RAND ALL,b. Whitehall, Wash., Co., NY, January 30, 1817, d. East Aurora, NY
December 30, 1899, married CATHARINE A. LOCKWOOD, b. Whitehall, Wash., Co., NY,
December 17, 1825, d. Oakland, (Nunda) Livingston Co., NY„ April 12, 1894, married by Rev.
Lewis Kellogg, Presbyterian Church in Whitehall, and had:
VICTORIA A RANDALL, b.Oakland, Liv., Co., NY , J uly 4, 1854, d. Fillmore, Alleghany Co.,
NY April 2, 1923, married IRA BENTLEY, JR., son of Ira Bentley and Mary Hall Bentley,
August 4, 1 874, and had :
JESSIE BENTLEY, b. November 15, 1 874, Town of Granger, Alleghany Co., NY, d. December
12, 1935, Eden, Erie Co., NY, married Ferris N.K. Randall, Fillmore, Alleghany Co., NY,
December 21, 1898, he b. March 16, 1875, d. August 27, 1954.
ROBERT BENTLEY RANDALL b. November 3, 1899, Collins, Erie Co., NY, d. Palmetto,
Fla., February 13, 1971, married RUTH LABELL ABBEY, b. March 19, 1899, Zoar, (Collins),
N.Y., d. Eden, NY , December 3, 1991, Eden, NY and had:
R. (ROBERT) FERRIS RANDALL, B. Gowanda, Catt. Co., NY, April 15, 1927, lv Eden, NY
2003, married ELLEN RUTH ROBERTS, b. Hamburg, Erie Co., NY October 27, 1930. lv
Eden, NY 2003.
Table of Contents
Preface 5
Dedication 6
Copyright 7
Register Report of Richard Tozer 8
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Index 129
4
Some Descendants of Richard Tozer
Preface
This is my fourth family history to be published, and the first one to use electronic software, all
the other's were hand typed, using my own format. My first, published in 1973, "Snow Randall"
The Quaker, was my best, and I h ad much help from the University of Michigan. My second
"William Ferris the Irishman was completed in a hurry and should be done over, it w as completed
in 1 976. Joseph Abbey was completed in 1 999, and it w as the year before , t hat I d iscovered
where my mother's brother, Ford Abbey, had disappeared to, in 1929. Again I m ust thank all my
cousins for the help given me to compile the Tozer Family History. Betty Sharp a descendent of
Thomas Tozer of Whitehall, Washington Co., NY (1759-1814), has been a great help, and
without her I w ould not of been able to supply much of this information. Also William E Tozer, Jr
another descendent of Thomas Tozer who helped me in my endeavor to understand the electronic
Software
The Tozer Family has been one of the most difficult to trace, mostly due to the fact that there
were so many with the same christian name, and the fact that there were weak lines because vital
records had been destroyed or lost. For instance who was the father of the Richard Tozer who
married Mercy Beebe, and the other, is some doubt about Elishama Tozer being the father of
Thomas who was married to a Rebecca. Some have thought he might be a brother to Thomas.
They both lived in Whitehall, Washington Co., NY at the same time. You will see from the
comments made by David Ernest Tozier, that he thought the Richard who married Mercy Beebe,
was the son of a Richard Tozer, who was the son of the first marriage of Richard Tozer who
later on married Elizabeth Wentworth. What really confuses the issue is that when Richard the
Immigrant was killed at Salmon Falls, Me., October 16, 1675, mention was made that a son was
also killed, and really no one was sure which son, as Richard had two sons, John and Thomas..
There is not a family history or genealogy that is without errors, and even though we have edited
many times, you will find errors here also..
R. Ferris Randall
This book is dedicated
To My Wife
Ellen Ruth Roberts Randall
Who made many sacrifices so that this book might become a realtity
Copyright 2003 R. Ferris Randall All rights reserved.
Some Descendants ot Richard Tozer
Descendants of Richard Tozer
Generation No. I
1. RICHARD1 Tozer was born in England, and died October 16, 1675 in Berwick Maine. He married Judith
SMITH, daughter of THOMAS Smith. She died Bef. June 18, 1683.
Notes for RICHARD TOZER:
Richard Tozer was probably born in Devonshire, England. He emigrated to America and was of Kittery, Maine
by 1659. He married in Boston, Mass., July 3, 1656 (by Governor Richard Bellingham), Judith Smith, she being
the daughter of Thomas Oldfield Smith. Their first child, Thomas Tozer, was born in Boston, May 5, 1657, and
probably it w as soon after that time that Richard removed to Dover, New Hampshire. , w here he was raxed at
Cochecho, in 1659. Cochecho (for tax purposes) extended to the Newichawannock River, and he probably was
near the Newichawannock Falls, and soon crossed into Berwick, as there is no record of any grant of land to him
in Dover, and he was taxed but once. He had a grant of land in Kittery, October 16, 1659, apparently the place on
which lived from about that time, in the Berwick part of Kittery, and very near Salmon Falls River; it i s probably
that all his children except Thomas were bom there. Richard built a garrison (small fortified log house) which was
burned by the Indians on September 25, 1675. Richard Tozer Sr and his son Thomas (18 years old) were killed
defending the garrison on October
16. 1675. The garrison was rebuilt, but burned again by Hertel de Rouvilles raiding party in 1690
The Tozer name is quite common in England, and recent emigrants of this name are now in this country.
Among the New England Tozier's or Tozer's the tradition is general, that the family is of French descent This is
undoubtedly due to the fact that the name Tozier has a French termination. This however is in a late
Americanization of a name which in colonial times was spelled Tozer. " T he name Tozer is derived from Tose or
Toze (obsolete). Tp tease, to comb wool, to disentangle; to pull about, to shake, to thrash." (Webster). The name
according to Lower's "English Surnames" was brought into use in connection with the wool industry.
The question has been raised what relation Richard Tozer was to the Tozer alluded (see ,New England Historical
Genealogical Register,, 1 86 1) i n the will of Robert Blott, of Suffolk Co., Mass., May 27, 1 662, he gives property
to a daughter Tozer, and to daughter Tozer's children. Savage thinks that Blott's daughter is a former wife of this
Richard Tozer.. This could not be in as much as Blott's daughter was living when the will was made out in 1662,
whereas Richard Tozer had married Judith Smith in 1656, and his widow was living in 1675. The only way in
which Blott's Daughter could be a T ozer (no other Tozer appearing in those days) was by her having previously
married a Smith and being a widow Judith Smith when she married Tozer, but the work of Savage gives no Smith
who died ,this early and left a widow Smith.
For some who might travel to Kittery, Maine some historical information is given: Kittery was incorporated as a
town October 20, 1647. ft i ncluded not only the present town but covered Quamphegen and Kewichawanneck
Territory on the Maine side. Berwick, first a parish was taken from Kittery and incorporated June 1713. From
Berwick was taken South Berwick (the ancient Quampgegen) incorporated June 8, 1814, and North Berwick,
incorporated March 22, 1 83 1 . F rom Kittery was also taken its then remain "upper Parish" incorporated as Eliot
March 1, 1810.
References:
New England Genealogical Register Vol 8, 16
History of Tioga Co's, NY (Events) pp 1 19,122
Johnson-Tozer Genealogy by Tilden (1917)
Revolutionary Rolls, Green Mountain Boys, Sketches
Wentworth Genealogy, 1878, Vol. #1
History of Farmington, Mass., pp 420 by W. Barry, (1847)
Some Descendants of* Richard Tozer
Wentworth Genealogy, 1878, Vol. #1
History of Farmington, Mass., pp 420 by W. Barry, (1847)
Genealogy Directory of Maine and New Hampshire, 1928-1939
Daughters of the American Revolution Bible Records Vol. #35
Some Records of the Tozer or Tozier family in New England by Ernest Tozier
Copy on file at the New England Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass.
THE TOZIER GARRISON
An interesting Historical paper on the Indian Attack, October 16, 1675, by Mrs. Ellen Lord Burditt. [Read on
the site before the sons and daughters of Nathan Lord, Aug. 5, 1 897. Retyped by Bill Tozer, Jr. from David E.
Tozier Manuscript, Appendix A..]
"In giving you an account of the old Tozier Garrison House at Salmon Falls, the site of which we are to visit
today, and also of the Indian attack upon it in 1675, allow me first to say that I h ave relied for my information
chiefly upon local history, but have also admitted the testimony of local tradition, for, as our secretary has said,
traditions handed down from one generation to another deserve a certain respect, especially when, as in this
instance, they present no contradictory claims. I d esire to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Henry Dutch
Lord of Boston, and to Mr. W m. F. Lord of Somersworth, whose pati ent and careful researches among town
and County records have given us many dates and other important items regarding the actors in these long past
scenes. Doubtless most of you are familiar with the story, but a brief recital of it h ere will refresh our memory
before we visit the places associated with it. The old historian, Belknap, tells us that the Indians of this region
were incited to attack upon their white neighbors by various acts of cruelty or thoughtlessness on the part of the
settlers; among others, the oversetting, by a party of sailors, of the canoe containing the wife and infant child of
Squando, a noted sachem. The mother rescued the" infant", but it d ied shortly after, and the angered sachem
lost no opportunity to stir up his people to revenge. To test the fidelity of the Indians, the white men requested
them to deliver up their arms. They made a show of compliance, but in so doing, committed an act of violence
upon a Frenchman living in an English family, which being judged an offence both by the English and the elder
Indians, the offender was seized; but upon a promise with good security for his future good behavior, his life
was spared, and some of the Indians consented to remain as hostages, but soon escaped and joined with their
fellows in robbing the house of an ancient planter at Penobyyscot. The quarrel thus begun, and being influenced
by Squando, and encouraged by the example about Plymouth and the other Massachusetts settlements, the
savages took every opportunity to rob and murder the people in the scattered settlements of Maine. So says the
historian. Berwick was a frontier town at that time, on the edge of an unbroken wilderness stretching northward
to Canada, and as the Indians divided themselves into small parties, they could attack in different places at the
same time, thus preventing the settlers from uniting for defence. To quote again: The whole country about the
Piscataqua was filled with fear confusion. All occupation was suspended, and each man was concerned in
providing for the safety of himself and family. They deserted their homes and retired together to the larger and
more convenient houses, which they fortified with timber walls, placing a sentry box on the roof. The labor of
the field was exchanged for that of the garrison, and they who had long lived in peace and security, were upon
their guard night and day, subject to continual alarm and the most fearful apprehensions." On September 25,
1675, the house of Richard Tozier was attacked. Tozier and his men were gone to assist the people at Saco, and
his house was unguarded, and occupied only by women and children, fifteen in all. The approach of the Indians
was discovered by a young girl of eighteen, who held the door until all the other inmates had escaped. The
Indians chopped the door to pieces with their hatchets, and knocking the girl down with a blow, left her for
dead, and went in pursuit of the fugitives. Two children, who could not climb the fence, fell into their hands and
were killed, and they carried away one woman prisoner. The name of the brave young girl has not been handed
down to us, but she is said to have recovered and lived for many years. "In the midst of this continual alarm,"
the story continues, " t he seventh day of October was set apart as a day offasting and prayer." On the 16m
occurred the assault upon the Richard Tozier house. Tozier's land was an upland stretch, open, probably, in
front, but backed by woods sloping down to the river. Suddenly, from under cover of the woods, one hundred
Indians appeared and attacked the white men. Lieut. Roger Plaisted, commanding a garrison 150 rods below
Tozier's, sent nine of his best men to recognoitre, but they fell into an ambush, three were killed and the others
escaped. At the Tozier garrison, Richard Tozier, one of his sons, and two other men were killed. Lieut. Plaisted
sent to the settlement at Dover the following, dated Salmon Falls, Oct. 16, 1675:
"To Richard Waldron and Lieut. Coffin: - T hese are to inform you that the Indians are just now engaging us