Abraham married Abigail PARSONS on 2 Jul 1699 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. Abigail (daughter of Jeffrey , Jr. PARSONS and Sarah VINSON) was born on 25 Mar 1678 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 8 Oct 1732 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Jeremiah FOSTER was born about 1700 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 12 Dec 1788 in Ashburnham, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Jacob married Abigail LORD on 26 Feb 1667 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts. Abigail (daughter of Robert LORD and Mary WAITE) was born in 1646 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 4 Jun 1729 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

By a tradition which exists in different branches of the Foster family,Reginald Foster, the first of the name, is reputed to have come to thiscountry from Exeter, Devonshire, England, and to have crossed the waterin one of the ships embargoed by King Charles the First: but of this,nothing certain is as yet known.

He brought with him his wife, Judith, five sons and two daughters, andsettled in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, about the year 1638, and wasone of the earliest inhabitants of that town. Children were all born inEngland between 1618 and 1636. Each child had families from nine to 14children, many of whom settled in Ipswich, Boxford, Andover and othernearby towns in Massachusetts Many have attained national distinction (USSenator Lafayette Sabine Foster of Conn and Senator Addison G. Foster ofWashington.)

He lived near the "East Bridge," which stood where the stone bridge nowis. It is supposed that the remains of what is known as the "old Fosterhouse," may have been the site of his residence. This seems probable, for6 April, 1841, there was "granted Reginald Foster, eight acres of meadowin the west meadow, if any remain there ungranted, in consideration of alittle hovel that stood at the new bridge, which was taken away for theaccomodating of the passage there," and "4th, 11mo., 1646," he withothers "promise carting voluntary toward the East Bridge beside the ratea day work a piece."

The danger from Indians in these early times was such that in the year1645 a law was passed requiring the "youth from ten to sixteen years tobe exercised with small guns, half pikes, bows and arrows," and also that"every town is to have a guard set a half hour after sunset, to consistof a pikeman and musketeer, and to prepare for any sudden attack from theIndians." Our ancestor, on the 19 December, 1645, subscribed with othershis proportion of 3sh. towards the sum of o24. 7sh. "to pay their leaderMajor Dennison," who then commanded the military forces of Essex andNorfolk Counties.

His wife Judith died at Ipswich in October, 1664. He married again,Sept., 1665, Sarah widow of John Martin, of Ipswich. She survivedReginald, and 21 Sept., 1680 she became the second wife of William White,of Haverhill. She died 22 Feb., 1682-3.

Reginald owned land on Plum and Hog Islands per his will proved 09 June1681.

Reginald married Judith WIGNOL on 28 Sep 1619 in Theydon Garnon, Essex, England. Judith was born in 1597 in Exeter, Devon, England; died in Oct 1664 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Many of the Lords of New Hampshire trace their descent to Robert, theimmigrant, who since he settled in New England before 1650, is entitledto be called a pioneer. Sterling worth and upright in character have beenattributes of the Lords as a family, and many of them have attainedpositions of prominence in manufactures, trades and the professions.

Robert Lord, the immigrant, was born in England in 1603, and appears tohave been the son of widow Catherine Lord, who was residing in Ipswich,Massachusetts, in 1637, and was a commoner in 1641.

Robert Lord took the freeman's oath at Boston, March 3, 1636. His houselot on High street was granted to him February 19, 1637, which propertyremains a possession of his descendants. He was one of Denison'ssubscribers in 1648; had a share in Plum Island, in 1664; and was a voterin town affairs in 1679. He was on a committee with Richard Saltonstalland others, empowered to grant house lots to settlers, in 1645. He wasrepresentative in 1638; selectman in 1661 and many years after; and wasappointed "searcher of the coin" for the town of Ipswich in 1654. He waslong town clerk, and also clerk of the court till his decease. The latteroffice included the duties now performed by the clerk of probate andregister of deeds.

He served more than twenty years in the Indian wars and became so inuredto camp life and exposure that he could never afterwards sleep upon afeather bed. He is said to have been below the medium stature, but ofpowerful mould and one of the most athletic, strong, and fearless men inthe Colonial service. There is a tradition that the Indians themselves atone time, when confronted by Lord's rangers, proposed to decide thebattle that was anticipated by an encounter between the champions of thetwo parties; to this the whites agreed, and Robert Lord walked to thefront. The Indians selected the most powerful of their tribe, a perfectgiant, full seven feet in stature. The two men were to meet at full runand take the "Indian hug" as they closed. The savages anticipated an easyvictory.

They came together with a tremendous shock, but in an instant the redskinlay stretched upon the earth, and the shouts of the Colonial scouts rangout in the forest. Not satisfied with a single experiment, they wererequired to rush and clinch again. In this encounter Lord took the"hip-lock" on his antagonist and threw him with such force that a bloodvessel was ruptured in the fall. The Indians took him up and carried himfrom the arena, fully acknowledging themselves defeated. They afterwardreported that some whiteman's devil invested Lord with supernaturalstrength.

Robert married Mary WAITE on 11 Nov 1630 in Finchingfield, Essex, England. Mary (daughter of Samuel WAITE and Mary WARD) was born about 1614 in Finchingfield, Essex, England; died on 21 Aug 1683 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Samuel married Mary WARD. Mary (daughter of John WARD and UNKNOWN) was born in 1584 in West Haverhill, Suffolk, England; died in Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]