On 3 Sep 1759 when John was 23, he first married
Abigail Knowlton, daughter of
Jeremiah Knowlton (2 Aug 1713-1752) &
Sarah Allen (ca 1719-10 May 1796), in Waltham, MA.
Born 9 Jan 1737/8 in Concord, MA. Abigail died in Westminster, MA on 19 Jun 1813.
Children of John and Abigail Peirce, the first four, at least, born at Waltham:
i. Mary Peirce, b. 5 Sep 1760, d. 17 Mar 1833 at Westminster, m. ca. 1781 Oliver Jackson (b. 22 Nov 1757 at Westminster, d. there 18 Apr 1816, son of Josiah & Mary (Derby) Jackson);
ii. Bettie Peirce, b. 6 Jan 1763, m. Nathaniel Sawyer (b. at Rutland);
iii. John Peirce, b. 28 Feb 1766, d. 7 Jul 1839, m. 1788 Lucy Graves (b. 24 Jun 1768 at Groton, MA);
iv. Benjamin Peirce, b. 1 Sep 1768, d. Mar 1802, m. Azubah Richardson;
v. Elisha Peirce, b. 22 May 1771, d. 17 Oct 1771.
vi. Elisha Peirce, b. 26 Aug 1772, d. 1 Apr 1858, m. 1st Cynthia Partridge Whitney (d. 1 Jul 1860), m. 2nd 1797 Deborah Partridge (d. 22 Oct 1846);
vii. Jarvis Peirce, b. 1774, m. 1794 Rhoda Darby (b. 5 Jan 1777 at Westminster); and
viii. Jonas Peirce, b. 21 MAR 1777 at Westminster, d. 17 Jan1824, m. 1800 Achsah Haynes.
(It’s been suggested that Abigail, wife of John Peirce, was Abigail Beard, b. 15 May 1747 at Reading, dau. of Andrew & Elizabeth (Nichols) Beard, but that Abigail Beard was born 15 May 1757, not 1747, so she was not the wife of John Pierce.)