On 27 Apr 1769 Betty married Col. William Turner (43133) , son of Charles Turner (23257) (30 Sep 1705-3 Oct 1782) & Eunice James (35300) (5 feb 1706/7-16 Aug 1798), in Marshfield, MA.52 Born 16 Jan 1746/7 in Scituate, MA.310 William was baptized in the Second Church of Scituate, 25 Jan 1746/7.52 William died in Turner, Androscoggin County, Maine in 1807.131 Education: Harvard 1767.131

“At the commencement of the Revolution, he raised a company of volunteers in Scituate and marched for the relief of Boston. In opening the effective batteries upon Dorchester Heights, he displayed the intrepidity of his character and soon afterwards was appointed aid to Gen. Washington, with the rank of Major. He served in every active campaign of the Revolution.

“In 1777 and 1778 he was a member of the General Court of Massachusetts. He was also a member of the Convention which formed the Constitution of that State, and also of a special Congress of Deligates, holden at Concord, to adjust the public currency.

“He served, at different periods of the war, as Aid to Generals Washington, Lee, Green, Lincoln and Knox. After the close of the Revolution, he represented the town of Scituate several years in the Massachusetts Legislature. In 1801 he removed his family to Turner, Me., where he d. 1807, a. 62, and where a suitable monument has been erected to his memory, by the filial affection of his daughter, Mrs. Oriens Humphrey, of Boston.”131

William’s children: William, Zoa, Elizabeth, Aphia, Charles Lee, George, Stephen, Eunice, Frances, Oriens, Nancy.131

“William Turner was a gallant officer in the Revolution. At the beginning of histilities he raised a company of volunteers in Scituate, and they marched to Boston. His company occupied the batteries at Dorchester Heights, where his ability soon afterward was rewarded by his appointment as aide to General Washinton, with rank of Major.; He served in many campaigns of the revolution, and served as aide to Generals Lee, Gree, Lincoln and Knox. At the close of the war he returned to Scituate with the rank of Colonel. He represented the twon of Scituate as delegate to the Convention at Cambridge to prepare a State Constitution in 1779 with Israel Vinal and Judge William Cushing, who was its Vice-President. Col. William Turner was Representative to the Genearl Court from Scituate in 1779, and again in 1786.”42

William and Betty lived on Central Street (Norwell). In 1801 he removed to Turner, ME.42

On 2 Dec 1779 when Melzar Turner was 29, he first married Persis Rogers (53378) , daughter of Amos Rogers (36700) (ca 1728-26 Aug 1802) & Rachel Wales (2 Feb 1734/5-19 Jan 1798), in Marshfield, MA.61 Born ca 1761 in Marshfield, MA. Persis was baptized on 14 May 1761.236 Persis died in Marshfield, MA on 9 Dec 1785.343 Buried in Marshfield Hills Cemetery.

On 3 Sep 1787 when Melzar Turner was 37, he second married Louise Oakman (54291) , daughter of Tobias Oakman (38019) (12 May 1729-27 Jun 1818) & Ruth Little (41198) (2 Mar 1723-2 Jul 1804), in Scituate, MA.52 Born on 30 Nov 1749 in Marshfield, MA.60 Louise was baptized in Marshfield, MA, on 25 Mar 1750.316 Louise died in Marshfield, MA, on 15 Nov 1801; she was 51.343 Buried in Two Mile Cemetery, North Marshfield.

Melzar and Louise were first cousins. Their fathers were brothers.

Melzer and Louisa were both of Marshfield when they were married.52

On 10 Oct 1771 when Deborah was 19, she married John Hatch (46163) , son of Benjamin Hatch (27417) (23 Apr 1722-16 Nov 1800) & Mercy Phillips (45626) (14 Aug 1725-26 Apr 1785), in Marshfield, MA.52 Born on 9 Dec 1745 in Scituate, MA. John died in Scituate, MA, on 12 Mar 1819; he was 73.52 Buried in Quaker Cemetery, Norwell.

On 28 Mar 1784 when Mercy was 28, she married Israel Turner (40200) , son of Israel Turner (20619) (17 Feb 1707-6 Jun 1762) & Deborah Lincoln (27804) (29 Feb 1716-), in Scituate, MA.52 Born on 17 Jun 1745 in Scituate, MA.52 Israel died in Scituate, MA in 1799.131

On 10 May 1781 Eunice married Thomas Ruggles (51082) , son of Dea. John Ruggles (33888) (13 Jun 1729-6 May 1812) & Lusanna Barstow (44016) (9 Oct 1732-8 Mar 1809), in Marshfield, MA.343,52 Born on 22 Mar 1757 in Scituate, MA.52 Thomas died in Scituate, MA, on 12 Sep 1830; he was 73.52

Thomas and Eunice lived upon the Ruggles Farm which later became part of the “Riverdale Farm” of Abiel and Henry A. Turner.42

L. Vernon Briggs has a humorous story about a Ruggles man, probably a grandson or other descendant of Thomas Ruggles. This is from Briggs’ History of Shipbuilding on North River,580
    http://archive.org/details/historyofshipbui00brigg
Israel H. Sherman, now 56 years old [in 1889], served his time on the C.O. & H. Briggs’ yard as planker. He remembers a story about one of the carpenters, named Ruggles. It is said once when he went to New Bedford, he stopped over night at a certain house; he was a very tall man and the room which was assigned to him was small and the bed short with its foot next the window. In the night he thrust his feet out of the open window and in the morning awoke to find a number of turkeys roosting on his lower limbs, calling out, “Ruggles, Ruggles.”

1790 Federal Census. Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Roll 4, page 313
Family of Thomas Ruggles
    1 male under 16 [John, 5]
    1 male 16 and over [Thomas, 33]
    5 females [Eunice, 28; Eunice Jr, 6; Lusanna, 3; Sarah, 1; & ?]
Neighbors on the census: Abial Turner, Roland Turner, Abial Turner Jr, [this] Thomas Ruggles, Isaac Torrey, Caleb Torrey, Sarah Clap

1800 Federal Census. Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Roll 16, page 122
Family of Thomas Ruggles
    2 males under 10 [Thomas Jr, 8; & Samuel, 3]
    1 male 10-15 [John, 15]
    1 male 26-44 [Thomas, 43]
    1 female under 10 [Betsey, 6]
    2 females 10-15 [Lusanna, 13; & Sarah, 11]
    1 female 16-25 [Eunice Jr, 16]
    1 female 26-44 [Eunice, 38]
Neighbors on the census: Richard Taylor, Abigal Lapham, Willm. Brooks, [this] Thomas Ruggles, John Ruggles [Thomas’s father], Abigail Wilson, Stephen Stetson, Abner Stetson

1810 Federal Census. Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Roll 21, page 32
Family of Thomas Ruggles
    1 male under 10 [Samuel, 13]
    1 male 16-25 [Thomas Jr, 18]
    2 males 45 and over [Thomas, 53, & his father John, 81]
    3 females 16-25 [Eunice, 26; Betsey, 16, & Sarah, 11]
Neighbors on the census: Samuel Curtis, Samuel Foster, William Brooks, [this] Thomas Ruggles, Lydia Stetson, Daniel Merrit, Samuel Toleman

1820 Federal Census. Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Roll 50, page 253
Family of Thomas Ruggles
    1 male 26-44 [Thomas Jr, 28]
    1 male 45 and over [Thomas, 63]
    1 female 26-44 [Lucy’s daughter Eleanor Wright 28]
    1 female 45 and over [Thomas Jr’s wife Lucy, 49]
Perhaps Thomas Jr [28] and his wife Lucy [48] were two of the residents in the family.

1830 Federal Census. Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Roll 64, page 173
Family of Thomas Ruggles
    1 male 30-39 [Thomas Jr, 38]
    1 male 60-69 [Thomas, 73]
    1 female 30-39 [Lucy’s daughter Eleanor Wright 38]
    1 female 60-69 [Thomas Jr’s wife Lucy, 59]
Neighbors on the census: Fruet[?] Sylvester, Mehitable Sylvester, Elijah Foster, [this] Thomas Ruggles, Grace Foster, Samuel Foster, Seth Stodder

In 1840 Thomas was living with is son Samuel Oakman Ruggles in Scituate.