♂John Blanchard

John Blanchard (probably 27 March 1660 – 10 March 1733) was a resident of Weymouth, Massachusetts, recorded there as “John Sr.” at his death. He was the seventh great-grandfather of Nancy Jane Blanchard (1929–2006), through his son John Blanchard (1691–1752).

Early life

He was probably the John born at Weymouth on 27 March 1660, son of Nathaniel and Susan Blancher, alongside siblings Nathaniel (1665), Edward (1668), and Mercy (1674); he was the only man of that name born at Weymouth in his generation. No record, however, has been found joining the John who later married Abigail to this birth, and the identification rests on name and date alone. The record that would settle it - a probate for Nathaniel Blancher or a deed naming John as his son - has not been located.

Marriage and family

He married Abigail, whose surname is unknown; no record of the marriage survives among the Weymouth town records. The births of seven of their children were recorded at Weymouth between 1686 and 1711: Sarah, Mary, John, Samuel, Nathaniel, Jonathan and Abigail. Two more sons, Nicholas and Thomas, have no recorded births. Their son John lived to become a deacon of the town and died in 1752 “in his 61st year.” Abigail, his wife, died on 19 September 1724, entered in the town record as “Abigail, w. John.” Their son Nicholas died as a grown man on 19 January 1733, recorded as “Nicholas, s. John and Abigail”, with an estate of his own.

Death and estate

He died at Weymouth on 10 March 1733, entered in the town’s death record as “John Sr.” His estate was not settled by a will. On 25 April 1733 five of his sons, John, Thomas, Samuel, Nathaniel and Jonathan, “Bretheren belonging to Weymouth … being Heirs to the Estate of our Father John Blancher Deced and to the Estate of our Brother Nicholas Blancher Deced”, divided the lands of their father and of their brother between themselves. They recorded the agreement in the Suffolk County probate records. Because it was a division of land among the brothers, it does not mention the daughters.

Notes

His birth on 27 March 1660 and his parents, Nathaniel and Susan Blancher, are an inference from name and date alone; no record names him as their son.