Weymouth New England Genealogy

In 1667 he appears on the treasurer's book as due by rates to the Colony COO.09.00. He served on " Corrowners jury" in 1673; was constable for Duxbury in 1677; in 1679 was one of a committee to lay out a highway; in 1686 was summoned to serve on the jury, but neglecting to appear, was fined 10s.; was deputy to the General Court for Duxbury in 1689 and 1691. Res. Duxbury, where his children were born. "Families of the Pilgrims" compiled by Hubert Kinney Shaw, 1955, published by the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants.

Edward Southworth served on a coroner's jury in December 1673 for an inquest on the body of the wife of Richard Tayler of Yarmouth who had drowned when a boat was cast away. He was constable for Duxbury in 1677, and was on a jury that laid out a highway for George Soule in 1678/9. He was chosen for the petty jury in 1686 but was fined for not serving. He was also called for jury duty in 1700. Edward was elected selectman in 1688, Deputy to the General Court for Duxbury in 1689 and 1691, assemblyman in 1692, and one of a committee to choose the place for the parsonage in 1701. He was one of a group of men who protested the town meeting's decision to divide the common in March 1709/10 (Duxbury Town Records, 176, 180, 183, 191-92, 210; PCR, 5:123, 231, 6:15, 197, 200, 205, 211, 222, 263, 268).

In 1689 Edward Southworth purchased land from Samuel Delano and Peter West. On 25 May 1674 Edward Southworth was given liberty by the Town of Duxbury to exchange two lots of wood land, which had formerly belonged to John Washborn, for his choice elsewhere, and this land was set off on 23 September 1678. He chose lots totalling sixty acres between the great cedar swanp in Manassakeesit and the old bay path and Indian head river. Edward served on the committee that laid out the road from the Marshfield bounds to the Plymouth Road on 24 October 1684. Land belonging to Edward Southworth was surveyed in the Duxbury Town Records in 1685. On 14 May 1685 Edward Southworth in the right of Edmond Weston owned the first lot of meadow at the Gurnet in Duxbury. In 1703 Edward was given liberty to fence the beach for "defence" of his adjacent meadow. Boundries of land ar North Hill, the neck or Island, Barren Hill, and meadow and swamp owned by Edward Southworth and Benjamin Bartlett were described on 12 July 1710. On 29 March 1720 Edward Southworth of Duxborough, yeoman, and Thomas Southworth, husbanman, made an agreement concerning the 18th and 24th lots of the second division of commons of Duxbury and Pembroke laid out in 1713 and owned by them in common. Thomas received the 24th lot and Edward the 18th. This agreement was witnessed by Samuel Weston and Elizabeth Delanoe (Duxbury Town Records, 30, 57, 59, 62, 86-87, 117-18, 179, 201).

William Pabodie, of Little Compton, in his will of 13 May 1707, left only one shilling to his daughter Mary. The will mentions a portion of Philip Taber's land and one third of "the Painter land" that had been sold to William's son-in-law Edward Southworth (Bristol Co PR, 2:193-95; MD, 6:132).

Edward Southworth of Duxbury made his will 11 June 1719 (witnesses sworn 7 November 1727, proved 11 December 1727). Eldest son Thomas received the "Farm of land whereon he now Dwelleth" plus meadow by Blue-Fish-River, at Pine Point, half of Barren hill at North Hill, half of great wood Island, and another piece of land; son Constant, "my Mill" and the land on both sides of Mill brook, etc.; son Benjamin, "land at North Hill" and half of Barren Hill, etc., including fresh meadow at Phillips Brook bought from John Washburn; son John, "my now Dwelling home" with land adjacent, meadow at Duck hill call Bumpu's [sic] neck, fresh meadow called Lindals meadow on the north side of Greens Harbour brook, and more. Constant and John received the neck of meadow between Cutt River and Goteham River formerly sold by Governor Josiah Winslow to Mr. Williams Paybodie and Mr. John Washburn, plus the grist mill and Peck hole meadow. Half of his purchase right to lands at "West Canaog" Rhode Island "which I formerly bought of Mr. William Paybodie" were divided, one half to the four sons equally and the other half to his three daughters: Mercy wife of Moses Soule, Elisabeth wife of Samuel Weston, and Priscilla Southworth. Elizabeth and Priscilla also received a forty acre lot in the division of the commons. Grandson Cornelius Soul received the whole share in the second division of commons of Duxbury and Pembroke. Daughter Priscilla had liberty of the house given to John and the income from the Peck hole meadow plus two cows for the time she remained unmarried. "My Deer & loving wife Mary" received her thirds for her lifetime and was named executrix with son Thomas executor. Witnesses were Elnathan Weston, Philip Dilano, and John Wadsworth (Plymouth Co PR, #18, 915, 5:360; MD, 18:244-47).