17 Feb 1708/9 Hannah married
Capt. James Holden (10838) , son of
Justinian Holden (3618) (ca 1644-ca 1697/1700) &
Mary (-15 May 1691), in Charlestown, MA.
155 Born in 1685 in Massachusetts.155 James died in Rutland, MA in 1766.155 Occupation: Yeoman.
From The Holden Genealogy, pages 96–99:155
James Holden of Worcester, gentleman, and wife Hannah, and Charles Adams of Worcester, husbandman, sell their share in estate of deceased brother Aaron Adams to brother Thomas Adams of Worcester, for £160, 2 April, 1734.
James Holden was early left dependent upon his own resources. His father’s estate was small and could not have yielded much for the children. James Holden aged about fifteen, son of Justinian Holden, housewright, late of Cambridge, since of Woburn, deceased, chose his “loving kinsman John Williams ” of Cambridge, husbandman, his guardian, and this choice was allowed 17 March, 1700. This record is the only proof of his parentage.
John Williams was the son of Mary, daughter of Richard Holden, and therefore a cousin of James, but several years older, having been born in 1668. John Williams lived in Charlestown as late as 1722, but later was of Groton.
James Holden resided probably in both Charlestown and Cambridge before his removal to Worcester, where he acquired lands, and for many years his name either as grantee or grantor frequently appears in the Worcester Deeds. In March, 1707–8, a James Holden was discharged on parole by the Middlesex County Court, his offence not being stated. His name does not again occur in Middlesex County records, except on the occasion of a suit instituted by him to recover from John Stearns of Worcester on a bond of £25, dated 30 March, 1724. This case was tried in December, 1725, and Holden won his suit. He was then of Worcester, “yeoman.”
Lincoln in “History of Worcester,” says that more favorable prospects having opened in 1713, the proprietors, undiscouraged by former failure, attempted to rebuild the town. Their petition to the General Court for encouragement was granted, and in June, 1714, a report was presented which arranged for the adjustment of the claims of former settlers and other matters. By 1718 a number of settlements had been made, and that year a list of inhabitants who had accomplished the conditions of their grants was made up, which has unfortunately been lost.
It is known from a deed that James Holden lived in Worcester in 1716. 1 The fact that his last child recorded at Cambridge was baptized in November, 1711, indicates that he was one of the first to take up residence in Worcester under the reorganization of the settlement. He had an “original right” in the township.
He was chosen tythingman at the first town meeting held in Worcester, 1722, and served as selectman, 1725, 1729, 1730, 1733, and 1736.
The historian of Barre in the History of Worcester County, 1:256, writing of the early settlers says: “The earliest settler was Joshua Osgood, in 1726: a little later came two important and influential settlers from Worcester, Jothan Rice and James Holden. James Holden was evidently a man of character and weight, since he was one of the selectmen of Worcester before his removal to the ‘North- west Quarter.’ His descendants have been highly respectable. Josiah his son was father of James and Moses who were active and energetic citizens.”
Worcester County was established 2 April, 1731, out of parts of Middlesex, Suffolk, and Hampshire, the town of Worcester having previously been in Middlesex County. The name of James Holden is found on the list of the Grand Jury in 1732 and 1733 and as a juror in 1734.
James and Samuel Holden of Worcester were partners in a land grant of 1740.
In 1723 and the years immediately following, the inhabitants of Worcester, then embracing a much wider territory than now, suffered great apprehensions of Indian raids, and the selectmen for those years, of whom James Holden was one, were active in obtaining protection from the provincial authorities. Some idea of the situa- tion of the settlers in this vicinity may be had by reading Mr. F. E. Blake’s “Rutland and the Indian troubles of 1723-30.”
In a roll dated at Worcester, 16 Jan., 1747–8, signed by James Holden, is the record of his service from 28 April, 1747 until 26 October, 1747, as sergeant in command of a detachment doing duty at New Rutland. 1 The attestation and endorsement of this roll describes him as “Captain.” There is also the record of enlistment of James Holding 16 Dec., 1747, serving until 9 March, 1747-8, as centinel in company of Captain Phineas Stevens, posted at No. 4 (Charlestown, N. H.). Probably this latter record relates to James Holden of Framingham.
From the Adams genealogy, page 960:390
James removed after the first two children were bom, to Worcester, and later to Barre, Mass. He was one of the selectmen of Worcester, and an important citizen of Barre.
Will: From The Holden Genealogy, page 99:155
James Holden is styled “Capt. ” and “of Rutland District, gentleman.” His will dated “1763,” presented 3 Dec., 1766, was allowed 23 Dec., 1766, at Worcester. He gave to his wife Hannah all house- hold goods and west end of his dwelling house for life, as well as the profits of his messuage, ploughing land, mowing land, etc.
To grandson John Holden, only surviving son of eldest son, James Holden, deceased, 10 shillings which, with what his father had, to be his share; to grandson Jeduthan Holden, eldest son of son Daniel Holden, deceased, £1-10, and to the other children of said son Daniel Holden, viz: — Rachel, Daniel, Martha, Katherine, Nathan, James, each 10 shillings, as they come to age, —their father having had his portion.
To son Josiah Holden, £10-13-4, he having had part of his portion.
To son Thomas Holden, £15.
To daughter Mary, wife of Israel Green, £10-13-4, and to daughter
Abigail, wife of Josiah Bacon, £10-13-4, they having had part of their portion.
To son Aaron Holden, all the real estate, viz: —the half part of the farm on which the testator now dwells, 55 acres more or less (the other half formerly conveyed to said Aaron Holden, by deed of gift) and half of buildings, etc. The testator’s wife to have one-half the produce during her life, and Aaron is ordered to till the land and deliver her share to her. Aaron Holden is named executor.
Agreement to will is signed by Hannah Holden, Josiah Bacon, Israel Green, Jeduthan Holden.
Inventory: real estate £200; personal estate small.
Administration was granted on the estate of Hannah Holden, widow, to Aaron Holden, who gave bond, with John Black and Benony Shurtleff, all of Rutland, 19 August, 1769.