PULSIFER Benedict

Notes:

Benedict was born in England about 1635. We know he was in America by
1659; but possibly could have arrived a few years before. Around the
year 1661, he married his first wife. Unfortunately her name has been
lost to history.
In 1663 we have a record of Benedict buying a home and a son born to
him. He bought a residence with outhouse, orchards, etc. from Moses
Pengry of Ipswich, one of the town deacons; who had obtained the land
in 1652 from Richard Schofield, leather dresser for 17 pounds. The
home was situated on the intersection of East Street and Hovey Lane.
Across from his lot lay what had been the home of John Winthrop Jr.;
son of the founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Ownership of
this property entitled Benedict to the right of pasturage in the
domain beyond the "common fence", but the felling of timber or
cultivation of the common land was prohibited.
In the mid 1600's these lands were held by all householders in
common. This system was a vestigial relic of the ancient system of
land holding in England and Germany and was naturally reverted to in
the necessities of primitive colonial life. By 1664, the idea of
permanent individual ownership had gained enough acceptance that the
town voted that Plum Island, Hogg Island and Castle Neck be divided
among those who had rights of commonage, based upon the amount of
personal and property tax paid by each individual determined by lot.
This right belonged to 203 individuals including Benedict.
Benedict's first wife died at Ipswich, Jul. 16, 1673. It was a common
English practice to name the first born daughter after the wife. If
this being the case here, then it is likely his first wife's name was
Elizabeth. No way of proving this however.
Benedict marries 2nd to Susanna Waters 1674.
His children gave him a good deal of frustration and embarrassment.
He had to defend them in court and even took one son to court for
some wrong committed to him by his son.
During the 1690's the notorious Salem witch trials occurred. We can
only guess how Benedict reacted to such goings-on. His wife, Susanna,
was from Salem, so certainly they were aware of the trials.
In 1700 Benedict was assigned a place on "one of ye short seats"
among the elderly in the Ipswich Meeting House and referred to as
"Goodman". On Aug. 1, 1709, Benedict conveyed his property to his
son, Capt. Joseph Pulcifer, of Boston. Benedict died the following
year.

Birth:
BET 1635 AND 1640

Benedict married unknown about 1661 in prob. Ipswich. unknown died on 16 Jul 1673 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. PULSIFER Benedict (Jr.) was born about 1663.
2. PULSIFER John was born about 1667 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died on 27 Aug 1737 in Gloucester, Essex Co., Mass..
3. Pulsifer. Elizabeth was born on 04 Dec 1669 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died about 1754 in Hampton Falls, Rockingham Co., N.H..
4. PULSIFER William was born in 1671 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.

Benedict married WATERS Susanna about Feb 1673 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. Susanna (daughter of WATERS Richard and PLASSE Joyce (Rejoice)) was born on 01 Feb 1648 in Salem, Essex Co., MA; died on 21 Dec 1726 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
FEB 1673/1674

1. PULSIFER Richard was born on 31 May 1675 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died on 09 Feb 1762 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
2. PULSIFER William was born on 12 Dec 1676 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
3. PULSIFER Susanna was born on 05 Sep 1678 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died before 1689 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
4. PULSIFER Joseph was born on 13 Nov 1680 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died on 04 Apr 1711 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (from Judge Samuel Sewell's diary).
5. PULSIFER Benjamin was born on 19 May 1683.
6. PULSIFER David was born on 25 Sep 1685 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died about Dec 1720 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA.
7. PULSIFER Johanna was born on 25 Sep 1687 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
8. PULSIFER Jonathan was born on 25 Sep 1687 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died on 13 Aug 1763 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
9. PULSIFER Susanna was born about 1689 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
10. PULSIFER Elizabeth was born about 1690.
11. PULSIFER Margaret was born about 14 Feb 1692 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.