1454.Thomas Fosdick. Born ca 1616. Thomas died in Charlestown, MA on 21 Jun 1650.25
Thomas married Damaris.
1455.Martha Fosdick. Born ca 1620 in England.155 Martha died in Watertown, MA on 6 Dec 1681.155
Ca 1641 Martha married Richard Holden (1489) , son of William Holden (638) (ca 1577-) & Margaret Gale.155 Born ca 1609 in Lindsey, Suffolk.155 Richard died in Groton, MA 1 Mar 1695/6.155 Occupation: Glazier.
From the Holden Genealogy:155 Page 30: Richard Holden and his brother Justinian Holden came to America on the ship called Francis in 1634. On the tenth of April, 1634, there sailed from Ipswich in the county of Suffolk, England, two ships, the Elizabeth and the Francis, bound for the port of Boston in the new commonwealth of Massachusetts, and bearing one hundred and eighty-six souls, more than one hundred and twenty head of cattle, as well as other goods and chattels. On the passenger-lists, still extant, are the names of Richard Houlding, age twenty-five; and Justinian Houlding, aged twenty-three, the American progenitors of the majority of the persons who figure in these pages. From page 36: No one who was timorous by nature would have ventured forth upon the seas for such an extended voyage to establish themselves in a country inhabited by wild beasts and hostile savages. Richard Holden was one of the pioneer settlers of the town of Groton, Mass., helping carve it from the wilderness under the constant threat of an attack from the surrounding Indians, which finally occurred 13 March, 1675-6. As his house was one of the forty-six burned at this time and as his accumulation of stock and personal property was probably destroyed or stolen, he repaired with his family to Watertown, where he and Justinian had first settled down, and where Justinian was still living. But by 1684 he was again in Groton, after a short stay in Woburn and Cambridge. His name, also that of his son Justinian, is found in a list of names comprising those of heads of families resident in Groton, which was made up subsequent to twenty-ninth of November, 1680, but not much later. Up to 1666 Richards was a member of the militia of Groton... Because of health he requested to be released of duty Sept. 1665. From page 39: Richard's (family) stayed by the soil, with a tendency to engage in trades on the side, such as carpentry, lumbering, etc.... Richard's descendants were, for the most part, plain farmer folk of the frontier, but soon there appear a sprinkling of clergymen, teachers and merchants in a small way.... Richard Houlding, Holdin, or, as it is now spelled, Holden, the elder of the two brothers who took passage from Ipswich on the Francis, was born probably in 1608 or 1609. His age in April, 1634, the date of sailing, is given as twenty-five years, and in April, 1661, as fifty-one years. He died in Groton, March 1, 1695-6, aged eighty-seven. He married, probably prior to 1640, Martha Fosdick of Charlestown. According to her testimony, on the 6th of the 2nd. mo. (April), 1658, she was then age thirty-eight years or thereabouts, so that she was about nineteen at the time of her marriage. She was therefore, born in 1620 or the year following, and was one of the children of Stephen Fosdick of Charlestown and is named in his will of the twenty-third of February, 1663-4. Richard and Martha Holden had eleven children, seven sons and four daughters. Martha Holden's death is recorded in Watertown records as follows: "Mathee Houlding, wife of Richard Houlding, dyed the 6th of December, (1681). Page 42: The settlement at Groton progressed favorably for twenty years and there ws every reason for the inhabitants to congratulate themselves on their location and on the porsperous condition of thei farms and town. Means of defense against the ever-dreaded Indians had not been overlooked and there was a military company in town commanded by Captain James Parker. The Indians, supplied by traders with guns and ammunition and addicted to the use of liquor, were becoming more boastful and restless, and the people of the frontier towns had often to take measures which would prevent drunken Indians from doing harm, but aside from this danger little was feared. The rising of Philip, and his energy and ability in stirring up the tribes, was unexpected, although there had not been wanting warnings that there was reason to expect an outbreak. There are many instances on record where the treatment accorded Indians by individual whites was of a character sure to excite resentment
Groton took such precautions, when hostilities commenced, as seemed necessary. Five houses were fortified by palisades and designated as garrison houses to which the inhabitants should retreat in case of an alarm. This did not come until March 2, 1675-6, when a small band of Indians pillaged eight or nine houses, drove off some cattle and killed Timothy Cooper, a townsman. Four of the garrison houses were near one another, the fifth at a distance of half a mile. On the ninth of March, Indians surprised a party of four at work, of whom one was killed and another captured. Four days later a large body of the enemy appeared, said to have been as many as four hundred and burned the abandoned dwellings to more than forty, and the meeting house. Nutting's garrison was successfully assaulted, but with small loss of life to the defenders. The women and children escaped to Captain Parker's garrison.” The Indians then withdrew. But the people of Groton went elsewhere as their homes were gone. Some of the town's men joined forces to protect the remains of the town and fight the Indians. Richard's son Justinian, "enlisted to the credit of Cambridge when his parent retired to Watertown, where they and the younger children were sure of shelter with the elder Justinian.
Some time about 1684 Richard returned to Groton, after a stay in Woburn, Watertown and Cambridge. His name, also that of his son Justinian, is found in a list of names comprising those of heads of families, which was made up soon after November 29, 1684. All of his children were married by or about this time. He was now an old man, his wife was dad, and there was not further incentive for him to keep up an independent establishment. He was now an old man, his wife was dead, and there was no further incentive for him to keep up an independent establishment. He still owned landed property and rights in future divisions to the original prorietors.
To his son Samuel he had already given thirty-three acres. In 1791 he deeded to his son Stephen “all my lands and rights of land not yet taken up within the township of Groton in the County of Middlesex in New England. That is to say, The house and homested Orchard Fencing all moveables within doors and without chattels houses whatsoever.” This in return for Stephen’s care and maintenaqce of him during the latter part of his life, for it was with Stephen that he spent the remainder of his days. In this deed of his property to Stephen he states that he had been living with him “contentedly” for several years past.
In 1696 he died, full of years. His grave was probably marked with an uncarved bowlder, according to the custom of the day in remote districts, which has long since become overgrown with turf. The place is unknown.
Page 47: There is no record extant of the birth of the children given below, except of those recorded as born at Watertown or Woburn. A list of the children surviving in 1679 is obtained from Middlesex Deeds, 7: 154, 297; two deed in which the children of Richard and Martha Holden are named.
Page 50: Richard Holden lived in Watertown, Woburn, and Groton, and temporarily in Cambridge. There is nothing to indicate that he was in possession of any estate when he came to New England, or although he became a considerable land owner, that he acquired more than what was sufficient to support himself and family in a comfortable and fitting manner. Neither his location in Watertown or Woburn was suitable for farming with success, and the destruction of Groton by the Indians probably deprived him of whatever accumulation he had made in stock and personal property. Nevertheless he was respected, and maintained an honorable position
There is no record extant which fixes the date when Richard Holden and his brother Justinian first settled in Watertown. They lived just east of Grove Street on Belmont Street and within the present bounds of Belmont. On the tenth of the third month, 1642, a highway six rods wide was ordered laid out from Justinian Holden's lot to George Parkhurst's house. This is Grove Street. This order was passed in May, and in the following July Watertown records mention the birth of Richard Holden’s son, Stephen.