More Updating: The Looke Family

The Looke Family:

 

First Generation

 

1.  Thomas Looke^1–2 was born circa 1622–1627 in probably Scotland.^1–2 He died after 1680 at the age of 58 in Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.² The birth place of Thomas Looke has yet to be ascertained. The Looke-Luke surname was of Scottish origin, but frequently found in England as well.
Thomas was likely born in Scotland about 1622. He worked for John Bex and Co. and was sent to Lynn, Massachusetts in 1643 to help establish the Iron Works there. His primary occupation at the Iron Works was that of a collier [preparing charcoal for the smelting process]. The first record of Looke was the birth of son Thomas in 1646.

In June 1658, Thomas Looke, aged about 31*, testified that he had a Scot in his employ for three years. He had agreed to give the man food and clothing and pay the company five pounds a year for his service.

In 1659, Thomas was one of the original associates of Salisbury, Mass. who purchased land on Nantucket. He did not move there, however.

Looke was still employed at the Lynn Iron Works in 1673, but left to work at the iron works at Rowley Village. The facility burned down in 1675, Looke was not present at the time. The iron works were abandoned, but Thomas remained in the village.

Thomas and Mary Looke had six children, all born at Lynn: Thomas [June 1646], Sarah [12 March 1648], Jonathan [July 1651], Mary [July 1654], Elizabeth [May 1656] and Experience [c 1658].

Thomas probably died after 1680 in Salisbury, Essex Co. and was laid to rest in the Colonial Burying Ground. Rowley has also been suggested as his place of death. Sarah died at Lynn on 30 June 1666.

*This is undoubtedly the basis for Thomas' birth being in 1627. The eldest of his children was born in 1646. This makes a 1627 birth doubtful. Numerous online sources, as well as the Roy Simmons pedigree charts show an approximate birth year of 1622. This would be more in line with with the norm for a man marrying about 1644-1645.

Thomas Looke and Sarah Miller were married circa 1645 in Probably Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.^1–2 Sarah Miller² was born circa 1624 in probably England.² She died on 30 Jun 1666 at the age of 42 in Lynn [Saugus], Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.^2–3

 

Thomas Looke and Sarah Miller had the following child:

 

              2              i.   Mary Looke, born Jul 1654, Lynn, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married John Curtis, 4 Dec 1672, Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died 23 Aug 1745, Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.

 

 

Second Generation

 

2.  Mary Looke (Thomas-1) was born in Jul 1654 in Lynn, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁴ She died on 23 Aug 1745 at the age of 91 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

Mary Looke and John Curtis were married on 4 Dec 1672 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵ John Curtis⁵, son of Zacheus Curtis and Joanna/Johanna Cooper, was born circa 1649 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵ He died on 19 Mar 1717/8–16 Apr 1718 at the age of 69 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵ John Curtis was born about 1649 during the time his family resided in Salem.  He testified that he was 24 in 1673.  Curtis took an active part in civil affairs. He was a tythingman in 1680, 1695 and 1704, constable in 1698, trial juryman in 1692/3, 1696/7, 1711 and 1715, grand juryman in 1703, and selectman in 1706. John was corporal of militia in 1690 and became sergeant about 1711. He was admitted to the Topsfield Church on 29 August 1714. Mary had joined the church on 19 July 1685.
Sgt. Curtis made his will on 19 March 1717/8 and it was proved on 16 April 1718. He left his estate to Mary, their surviving children, and granddaughters Hannah Smith and Martha Gould. Martha was instructed to live with her grandmother until turning 18. Son Samuel was named executor.

Mary died on 23 August 1745. Topsfield records show that she was in her 98th year. Her birth was recorded in Lynn in July 1654, making her 91 years old, rather than 98.

 

John Curtis and Mary Looke had the following children:

 

                              i.   John Curtis was born on 11 Oct 1673 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

                             ii.   Sarah Curtis was born on 17 Mar 1675/6 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

              3            iii.   Mary Curtis, born 27 Dec 1677, Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married John Singletary, 15 Jul 1735, Sutton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; married Henry Kenney, 18 Sep 1714, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died 8 Mar 1735/6, Sutton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

                            iv.   Elizabeth Curtis was born on 15 Dec 1679 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

                             v.   Thomas Curtis was born on 2 Dec 1681 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

                            vi.   Abigail Curtis⁵ was born on 21 Oct 1683 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵ She died on 8 Mar 1729 at the age of 45 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵ Exactly where Abigail fits in the family is open to question. Towne shows two Abigails born about the same time to different parents.
As daughter of John and Mary, Abigail has no birthdate given. She is shown as the 2nd wife of Joseph Towne [5 November 1707].
Abigail, daughter of Zacheus and Mary [Blake] is shown with a birthdate of 21 October 1781 [p. 57] and dying before April 1712 [not named in codicil to her father's will]. The Topsfield birth records show Zacheus and Mary as Abigail's parents as well.

Towne states that all of Zacheus and Mary Curtis' children were born in Boxford. There was no daughter named Abigail born to this Curtis family in 1681. The 1681 entry is in the Topsfield records. Zacheus could have been an error. The date fits for both girls. Other sources [Ancestry trees, IGI, etc.] have the date variously for both Abigails. Until additional proof is uncovered to the contrary, the 21 October 1681 birth entry is being assigned to the daughter of John Curtis.

                           vii.   Hannah Curtis was born on 12 Jan 1685/6 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵ She died on 25 Apr 1712 at the age of 26 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

                          viii.   Rebecca Curtis was born on 20 Jan 1687/8 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

                            ix.   Phebe Curtis was born on 2 Mar 1689/90 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

                             x.   Ephraim Curtis was born circa 28 Aug 1692 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

                            xi.   Hepzibah Curtis was born on 28 Nov 1694 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁵

              4           xii.   Samuel Curtis, born 31 May 1698, Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Hannah Dodge, 15 Jun 1720, Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.

 

Sources:

        1. Walter Goodwin Davis, The Ancestry of Lt. Amos Towne 1737-1793: of Arundle [Kennebunkport], Maine (Portland, ME: The Southworth Press, 1927), p. 71-72; Looke; digital images, World Vital Records, World Vital Records (http://www.worldvitalrecords.com : accessed 20 July 2011.

        2. Donna Huggins, "Look Family from 1622," database, Huggins/Joseph Family Tree (http://www.angelfire.com/games2/dorayjo/look.html#T1622: accessed 25 February 2016), Thomas Looke.

        3. Massachusetts FHL, "Massachusetts Deaths &' Burials, 1795-1910," database, FamilySearch (familysearch.org : accessed 19 June 2014), Sarah Looke's death.

        4. , Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849: Volume I (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1905), ; digital images, Google Books,  (: accessed 20 July 2011.

        5. Davis, The Ancestry of Lt. Amos Towne 1737-1793, p. 59-61 [Curtis chapter].