From
Historic Homes & Institutions and
Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, MA,
by Ellery Bicknell Crane
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1907, vol # III, pages 40-41
Transcribed and edited self promoting accolades from the later years,
by
Elaine Merrell Jan. 11, 1998
George Aldrich (I), was the immigrant ancestor of the Aldrich family of Mendon and Uxbridge. He is the progenitor of Ralph Edward Aldrich of Douglas, Massachusetts. The name was spelled Alridge and Oldridge in the early records, and some branches of the family still prefer the spelling Aldridge, but the famous Rhode Island family and the descendants in Worcester county, Massachusetts, have for many generations adopted the spelling Aldrich.
George Aldrich, was born in Derbyshire, England, about 1605. He was a tailor by trade. He sailed for America, Novembber 6, 1631. He married in England, September 3, 1620, Catherine Seald. She was born in 1610 according to her deposition made June 18, 1670 when she gave her age as sixty years. Aldrich was admitted a freeman December 7, 1636. He settled first in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and he and his wife Catherine, were members of the Dorchester Church in 1636. He lived in Braintree from about 1640 to 1663, when he settled in Mendon, one of the first seven settlers. He sold his place at Braintree to Richard Thayer, June 9, 1663. He died at Mendon, March I, 1682. His wife died there January 11, 1691. His will was dated at Mendon, November 2, 1682, and was proved April 26, 1683. He bequeathed to his wife and to children: Joseph. John, Jacob, Mary Bartlett, Mercy Randall and Martha Dunbar.
Children of George and Catherine (Seald) Aldrich were:
Abel; Joseph, ancestor ot Senator Aldrich and the Rhode Island family, married Patience Osborne; he was born June 4, 1635;
Miriam buried at Braintree, January 27 1640 Experience, died at Braintree, February 2, 1640
The folowing children were born at Braintree :
John, April 2, 1644;
Sarah, January 16, 1646, married __Bartlett;
Peter, April 14, 1648;
Mercy, June 17, 1650 married ____Randall;
Miriam, March 16, 1652, married Jacob, February 28, 1653, of whom later;
Mattithiah (as the old clerk chose to spell Martha), July 10, 1656, married ______Dunbar.
(II) Jacob Aldrich
son of George Aldrich (I), was born in Braintree Massachusetts, February 28,
1652, and died at Mendon where he settled and lived all his active life.
The date of his death is October 22, 1695. He was a farmer at Mendon on the
old homestead. He married, November 3, 1675, Huldab Thayer. (See sketch of
the Thayer family. All the Worcester county Thayers, or nearly all of them
were descendants of Fernando Thayer, of Mendon.) Children of Jacob and
Huldab Thayer, all born at Mendon, were: Jacob, Abel, Seth, of whom
later; Huldah. Rachel, Sarah, David, Peter, John, Moses, Mercy, Rachel.
(III) Seth Aldrich, son of Jacob Aldrich (2), was born in Mendon
Massachusetts, about 1680 and died there in 1737 He married Deborah
Haayward. His second wife Mary is mentioned in his will The estate was
settled by agreement signed in 1737 by the heirs, twelve of the fifteen
children being represented, five being minors.The mother, Mary was guardian
for the youngeest two, Edward Aldrich for the the other three minor children
The children were: Abel, William,Seth, Jacob, of whom later , Sarah married
Isaac Richardson, Susanna, maried John Wiley; Edward, Jonathan Abigail,
Deborah, Samuel, Elizabeth.
(IV) Jacob Aldrich, son of Seth
Aldrich (3), was born in Mendon, Massachussets, about 1710 and died there
1776/77 He was a Quaker and many of his family and deccendants have
belonged to the Society of Friends. His will is dated October 11, 1775, at
Mendon. The subscribing witnesses, Samuel Fletcher and David Farnum, were
Quakers, as stated in the probate records, and they affirmed instead of
swearing to the will. The homestead was left to Nehemiah and Asabel
Aldrich, his sons. Twelve children are mentioned in the will. He
married Joanna Bartlett. Their children were : William , Daniel Seth, of
whom later : Aaron, Jacob, Jr., Nehemiah, Asahel, Mary, married
_______Bennett, Abigail married ________Jenne; Joanna, married
_______Twitchell; Ruth married _________Martin ; Rachel.
(V) Seth Aldrich, son of Jacob Aldrich (4), was born in Uxbridge, formerly
Mendon. Massachusetts, 1738. He married Mary Aldrich, who was born July 1,
1745, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Prentice) Aldrich. He died in
1818 and all his children named below were mentioned excepting Joseph. The
children of Seth and Mary Aldrich were all born at Uxbridge, viz : Joseph,
August 2, 1764. died March 21, 1766: Noah, October 4, 1766, died May 13,
1812 : Ephraim, October 11, 1769, died August 24, 1826; Joel, July 14, 1772.
died December 25, 1838; Elizabeth, July 12, 1775, died February 14, 1829;
married ___Gaskill; Mary, February 23, 1781; Joseph, May 13, 1784, died July
24, 1785; Rachel, September 28, 1788, died February 17, 1843; married
___Fletcher; Jacob, August 24, 1792, of whom later.
(VI) Jacob Aldrich, son of Seth Aldrich (5), was born at Uxbridge,
Massachusetts, August 24, 1792 and settled in that town. He also was a
farmer. He married three times (first) Mary Blanchard, who died June
18, 1816. He married (second) Mebitable Daniels, who died Febmary 4,
1833, and (third) Hannah Underwood. The child of Jacob and Mary Aldrich
was: Valentine M., born April 2, 1815, of whom later. Children of Jacob and
Mehitable Aldrich were: Sarah D born at Uxbridge, November 8, 1819, died
September 13, 1901 ; Gilbert born April 20 1821, died December 13, 1889;
Edwin A., born December 6, 1823, died October 18, 1888 Mary Jane born
February 12, 1826, died March 20, 1906; Leander H., born July 1, 1828; Allen
P. born Octoner 24, 1830.
(VII) Valentine M. Aldrich son or Jacob Adrich (6)was born in Uxbridge,
Massachusetts, April 2, 1815. He was educated in the public schools of his
native town and at the Friends school in Providence, Rhode Island. He
worked at home on the farm in summer and taught school in winter for several
years. He had schools in Uxbridge and in Burrillville, Rhode Island. He
worked with his father, also, making brick. He spent his active years
mainly farming and brick-making. He was a noble figure in town affairs, and
was elected to many positions of public honor and trust. He was a member of
the school committee and of the board of selectmen He was very active and
consisent member of the Congregational Church and very pious and religious
He was natuarally generous and won the affection and esteem of all his
townsmen during his long and honorable life in his native town He was a
Republican in politics, after that party was organized He died at Uxbridge
June 29 1894 He married Jul, 3 1844 Abigail Williams, daughter ot Siephen
Williams Their chi1dren, all born at Uxbridge were: 1) Eleanor Williams
born Jul, 27 1845, is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, 1865 tought
school in Uxbridge about about 18 monthts then went to Northbrige to teach
at the end of the spring term May 1906. 2). Abbie Elizabeth, born March
18, 1848, in Uxbridge died December 29, 1848. 3) Bayliss W., born December
5, 1849. Valentine M Aldrich married second, Betsey Williams, daughter of
Stephen Williams and sister of his first wife, November 6, 1851