The Faces and Families of William Leonard Pressey of Bradford MA & Jennie Eliza Stacey of Dover NH

As family history researchers know so well, our ancestors moved around much more than we expected them to. This applies to both the Pressey and Stacy families whose research is presented here. William Pressey’s family lived in Bradford MA, Sutton NH and Amesbury MA. The Stacy family were from the Dover-Farmington area of New Hampshire, and before that the York Co. Maine area. Both families had ties to Salem Massachusetts and the infamous witchcraft trials.

Their faces are distinctive–William Leonard Pressey and Jennie Eliza Stacey each married twice and lived long and productive lives.

This is astonishing, at least for William, because of his past. He was a Civil War veteran, a member of the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (also known as Henry Wilson’s Regiment), Company H. The surprise is that William survived the War of the Rebellion at all. During service the regiment lost  9 officers and 207 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded; and 1 officer and 102 enlisted men by disease. (A total of 319 deaths).  Of Company H that started with 146 men: 18 were killed in action, 2 died of wounds, 11 died of disease, 1 died in prison, 54 were discharged for disability, 1 was dropped from the roll, 2 drowned, 31 were transferred, 6 deserted and at the end of service, 17 were mustered out.  

William and Jennie’s marriage produced five children, and so they have descendants and cousins who will find their photographs of interest. No doubt some of them carry the handsome features of one or both of them.

And so with no further patter, I simply present the genealogy of both of these individuals. I hope if you are related you will gain a keener insight into the lives of these families, and if you have relevant information to share, that you will do so.

 

 

 

=====GENEALOGY OF THE PRESSEY and STACEY/STACY FAMILIES====

John Pressey & Marah/Mary Gouge/Gage [of England & Amesbury MA][He testified in the Salem witchcraft trials against Susanna North Martin] Children: John, Mary and William.

Thomas Stacey & Susan Wooster of England & Salem MA

——Next Generation————–

William Pressey & Susanna Jameson [2nd link]

William Stacey & Mehitable Weymouth [2nd link] Testified against Bridget Bishop during the Salem witchcraft trials.

——Next Generation————–

Jonathen Pressey [Pressee], son of William & Susanna (Jameson) Pressey, b 3 July 1707 in Amesbury MA, d by 11 July 1748 Amesbury MA when his estate was administered; m. 16 August 1733 in Newbury MA to Annis/Annes Weed, daughter of Ephraim & Hannah (Annis) Weed, and granddaughter of the immigrant John Weed of England and Amesbury MA. She b. 15 January 1705; d —
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Children of Jonathan & Annis (Weed) Pressey
1. Susanah Pressey 1st, b. 8 March 1734-5 died young
2. Susannah Pressey 2d, b. 4 November 1736 Amesbury MA
3. Mary Pressey b. 29 March 1739 Amesbury MA
4. Capt William Pressey, b 5 February 1744 Amesbury MA

Samuel Stacy, son of William & Mehitable (Weymouth) Stacy, b. 19 April 1698 Kittery Maine, d. ?. He m. 2 Nov 1721 Mary Pray, dau of Samuel & Mary (Fernald) Pray. She d. 1789.
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SEE Genealogy of descendants of Nicholas Hodsdon-Hodgdon
SEE Old Kittery and her families
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Children of Samuel & Mary (Pray) Stacy:
1. +William Stacy, b 17 March 1723-24; m. Elizabeth Clark
2. Samuel Stacy, b. 31 Jan 1724-5
3. John Stacy, b. 21 Jan 1726-7
4. Ebenezer Stacy, b 20 Feb 1728-9, d. 11 Aug 1826; m. Joanna McClanon; 10 children
5. Benjamin Stacy, b 26 April 1731
6. Timothy Stacy, b. 31 May 1733

——Next Generation————–

Capt. William Pressey/Presse, son of Jonathan & Annis (Weed) Pressey was b. 5 February 1744 in Amesbury MA and d. 14 March 1813 in Sutton NH. He came from Haverhill MA to Sutton NH in 1773. He married 26 March 1767 in Haverhill MA to Elizabeth Church [Smiley] of Beverly MA. She was b. 1735 and d. 20 Dec 1819 in Sutton NH. [Info from History of Sutton NH, p 904] They are buried in North Sutton Cemetery, North Sutton, Merrimack Co. NH. In 1797 lots of land in Sutton NH to be sold at public vendue for non payment of taxes took place in his home, as Constable.
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Children of Capt. William & Elizabeth (Smiley) Pressey
1. +Amos Pressey, b. 18 July 1767; d. 3 October 1839 Sutton NH
2. Nancy Pressey, b. April 1769; m. 17 Nov 1796 Joseph Wells. No children.
3. Polly Pressey, b. June 1771; m. 12 April 1792 Benjamin Wells
4. Ednah Pressey, b. –; m. 3 Dec 1794 Joseph Persons
5. John Pressey, b. 22 Nov 1776; d. 17 Aug 1858; m. 28 Nov 1799 Ruth Moores. She b. 19 Dec 1774 and d. 28 May 1846 in Sutton, had 5 children.

William Stacey, son of Samuel & Mary (Pray) Stacey, b. 17 March 1724 in Kittery, York Co. Maine, d. 1792 Kittery, Maine. He m. 26 April 1747 in York Co Maine to Elizabeth Clark, daughter of John & Judith Clark. She was b. 2 Feb 1728 in Kittery ME and d. 1790 Kittery ME.
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SEE “Old Kittery and her Families”
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Children of William & Elizabeth (Clark) Stacey: [probably more]
1. (Capt) Samuel Stacey, b. 1750 Kittery Maine, d. Feb 1786 Kittery Maine; m. Alice Shapleigh; had children
2. William Stacey b 1751 Kittery Maine, d. 1 March 1840 Kittery ME; m. Hannah Frost
3. Mary Stacey, b. 1751 Kittery Maine, d. 2 Dec 1831 Wolfboro NH
4. +Timothy Stacey, b. 28 March 1770 Kittery Maine; m. Rachel Brown

——Next Generation————–

Amos Pressey, son of Capt. William & Elizabeth (Smiley) Pressey,  b 18 July 1767, d 3 October 1839 Sutton NH; m. Aug 1787 to Betsey Gillingham of Fishersfield NH (?Newbury). She b 17 Sep 1765 Rowley MA, and d. 14 Nov 1853. He was often chosen moderator of the town meetings. He was deputy sheriff for many years, and auctioneer at vendues. He was considered witty and a humorist.
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Children of Amos & Betsey (Gillingham) Pressey:
[children from The History of Sutton NH, p 904-905]
1. William Pressey, b. 22 Nov 1788 Sutton NH; he m1) 15 Sep 1809 Polly Chadwick, dau of Joseph & Bethia (Davis) Chadwick. She d. 3 June 1813. He m2d) Feb 1815 Susan A. Cheney of Warner, dau of Samuel & Abigail (Joseph) Cheney.
2. Betsey Pressey, b. 27 April 1791 Sutton NH; d. 14 June 1864; unmarried
3. John Pressey, b. 20 March 1793 Sutton NH
4. Mary Pressey, b. 14 Nov 1794 Sutton NH; d. 9 Sep 1823
5. Clarissa Pressey, b. 7 Oct 1796 Sutton NH; d. 7 Sep 1867 in Sutton NH
6. Horace Pressey, b. 15 Feb 1799 Sutton NH; died April 1822 at sea [per NH Gazette newspaper, Portsmouth NH, dated 16 April 1822, page 3: “Died At Sea, Mr. Horace Pressey, a native of Sutton NH.”
7. Winthrop Pressey, b. 3 Dec 1800 Sutton NH; d. 12 April 1858; m. 23 Nov 1833 to Hannah Bean of Sutton, dau of Joseph & Hannah (Wadleigh) Bean. Had children.
8. Pickering Pressey, b. 20 April 1802 Sutton NH; d. 22 August 1822
9. Sophronia Pressey, b. 24 May 1803 Sutton NH; m. David Chadwick
10. +Ebenezer Gage Pressey, b 1 August 1805 Sutton NH
11. Louisa Pressey, b. 5 May 1810 Sutton NH, d. 30 June 1887; m. 28 Dec 1845 John Colby of Warner, NH. Children b. in Sutton NH.

Timothy Stacey, son of William & Elizabeth (Clark) Stacey, b 28 March 1770 in Kittery, York Co. ME, baptized April 1771, d 13 July 1845 in Waterboro Maine; m. by 1798 to Rachel “Nancy” Brown. She b. 9 Oct 1776, d 3 Jan 1858 Kittery Maine. They are buried in North Pine Grove Cemetery, North Waterboro, York Co. Maine
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Tombstone: Rachel wife of Timothy Stacy, Died Jan 3, 1858, Æ 70 ys. 2 mo., “Sacred is the memory of a kind Mother”
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Children of Timothy & Rachel (Brown) Stacey:
1. Timothy Stacey, b 1798 Waterboro ME, d. 5 Feb 1876 in Groveland MA
2. +Rev. Robert Boardman Stacey, b 12 May 1803 Waterboro, York, Maine
3. Rachel Stacey, b. 1 April 1814 Limington, York, Maine; d. 21 Aug 1902 Kennebunk, York Maine; m. George Phillips.
4. Sarah Ann Stacey, b. c1817; d. 13 April 1903 Kennebunkport, Maine; m. Daniel M. Proctor
5. Ezekiel H. Stacey, b. 1818, d. 31 December 1895 Augusta Maine; carpenter; married

——Next Generation————–

Ebenezer Gage Pressey, son of Amos & Betsey (Gillingham) Pressey, b. 1 August 1805 in Sutton NH, died 6 September 1880 in Bradford MA of phthisis; m. Hannah Hunt Sitckney, daughter of Joseph & Olive (Parsons/Pearson) Stickney. She b. abt 1817 in Groveland MA, and died 22 January 1896 in Bradford MA. Shoemaker. They resided in Bradford and Haverhill MA.
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1860 US Census > MA > Essex > Bradford
E G Pressey M 54 NH
Stickney H. Pressey F 43 MA
Wm L. Pressey M 15 MA
Ella J. Pressey F 12 MA
Ann M. Pressey F 10 MA
Viola V. Pressey F 5 MA
Charlie C. Pressey M 2 MA
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Children of Ebenezer G. & Hannah (Stickney) Pressey:
1. Mary Louisa Pressey, b 31 July 1837 Bradford MA; m. 13 Sep 1853 in Bradford MA to Charles E. Carr, son of Walter Carr
2. +William Leonard Pressey, b. 6 Jan 1845 Bradford MA
3. Ella Jane Pressey, b 28 July 1847 Bradford MA; m. 14 August 1870 in Haverhill MA to Christopher C. Cook, son of Dennis & Ann Cook
4. John Gillingham Pressey, b. 29 June 1849 Bradford MA; d. 19 Dec 1849 Bradford MA
5. Anne Maria Pressey b 15 July 1851 Bradford MA; m. 23 December 1869 in Haverhill MA to William H. Quimby, son of Alvin & Mary C. Quimby
6. Viola Victoria Pressey, b. 25 Oct 1855 Bradford MA. She m1) 30 April 1874 in Haverhill MA to Charles G. Sargent, son of Gilbert A. & Lucinda S. Sargent. She married 2d) 19 February 1880 in Bradford MA to Charles A. Davis, son of Elbridge G. & Elizabeth B. Davis
7. Charles C. “Charlie” Pressey, b 4 Dec 1857 Bradford MA; He married 31 Dec 1896 in Lawrence MA to Jennie F. Bartlett, daughter of Cyrus A. & Mary (Pratt) Bartlett

Rev. Robert Boardman Stacey, son of Timothy & Rachel (Brown) Stacy, b 12 May 1803 Waterboro, York, Maine d 29 October 1877 Waterboro Maine; m. 9 December 1827 in Dover NH to Lydia Ann Wiggins, dau of James Wiggin. She b. 16 January 1811 in Durham, Strafford Co. NH, d prob before 1863. He is buried in North Pine Grove Cemetery, North Waterboro, York Co., Maine. He m2d) 1 Oct 1863 in Waterboro Maine to Mehitable Smith-Ham, dau of Samuel & Betsy Smith. In 1850 the family is living in Barrington, Strafford Co. NH. He was a farmer. In 1865 Charles and Eliza are living with a parent in Bradford MA
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Children of Rev. Robert & Lydia Ann (Wiggins) Stacey:
1. Edward B. Stacy, b. 24 November 1831 Barrington NH; m. 17 Jan 1856 to Lucy M. Hayes. She was b. 1835 NH.  He died 10 May 1910 in Madison Lake, South Dakota.
2. John O. Stacy, b abt 1835; m. 29 Oct 1855 in Barrington NH to Adelina A. Gear
3. George Woodbury Stacy, b. 13 Jan 1841 in Farmington NH, d. 3 July 1927 in Dayton Ohio. He m. Martha Ann Avery, daughter of Enoch & Sarah (Dutton) Avery. She was b. 19 Nov 1839 in Farmington Maine and d. 22 Nov 1915 in Haverhill MA. Children: Minnie Ada, Cornelius Dutton, Charles Edward, George W., and Robert Boardman.
4. +Jennie Eliza “Eliza J.” Stacy, b. 24 Aug 1845 in Dover, Strafford Co. NH.
5. Charles W. Stacy b 15 July 1847 NH, d. 25 July 1910 Chicago IL; m. Ellenora Ellis. She was b. 19 June 1852 in Salem MA. They had 2 children: Stella M. and Fred W. They lived at Fitchburg MA, Dayton Ohio, Chicago IL.

——Next Generation————–

William Leonard Pressey [this story is about him, see photograph and info

above], son of Ebenezer G. & Hannah H. (Stickney) Pressey, b. 6 Jan 1845 Bradford MA, d. 11 Nov 1908 Haverhill, Essex Co., MA (at Haverhill City Hospital. He is buried in Linwood Cemetery, Haverill MA. [a 2nd listing in Elmwood Cemetery, Bradford MA* This is where his death cert says he is buried] He married 1st) 30 September 1865 in Bradford MA to Jennie Eliza Stacy [this story is about her, see photograph above], daughter of Robert B. & Lydia Ann (Wiggins) Stacy. She was b. 17 Aug 1845 Dover, Strafford Co. NH, and d. 1 Feb 1924 in Hampstead NH. William L. & Jennie divorced. He was a Civil War Veteran, a Private in Co. H 22nd MA Infantry, mustered out 17 Oct 1864; member of Major Howe GAR Post #47 Haverhill MA. At the time of his death was living at 10 Water Street in Haverhill MA. He was a “stitcher” at the time of his marriage. In 1880 living in Bradford MA as a family. Jennie m2d as his 2nd wife) 1 May 1898 in Haverhill MA to Charles W. George, son of Warren & Sarah (Tucker or Griffin) George. He was b. 24 Aug 1845 in Hampstead NH, and d. 3 Nov 1945 in Hampstead NH She lived the last 23 years of her life in Hampstead NH. They are buried in Hampstead NH Cemetery.
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Children of William L. & Jennie E. (Stacy) Pressey:
1. William Henry Pressey, b 3 Nov 1866 Bradford, Essex, MA; he m. 24 April 1894 in South Groveland MA to Sarah Horne, dau of Benjamin & Nancy (Illisngworth) Horne. Children: Rachel (b 1895) and John Benjamin (b 1899). He was a shoemaker.
2. Ada Florance Pressey, b 27 Feb 1868 Bradford, MA; m. Charles E. Sargent. Children include: [SARGENT]: Ada Florence, Sadie May, Fred Manchester, Harold Lester, Ruth Marion, Bertha J.
3. John Robert Pressey, b 14 March 1870 Bradford MA; m. 12 July 1896 in Bradford MA to Lizzie E. Tucker-Durgin, dau of Daniel & Martina (Ham) Tucker. She was b. abt 1862 in So. Berwick, Maine. He was a machinist. She had m1st) 21 July 1883 in Somersworth NH to George D. Durgin, son of Charles D. & Mary L. Durgin.
4. Helen Mona/Marie Pressey, b 21 June 1873 Bradford MA; m. 26 March 1894 in Haverhill MA to John Willis Adams, son of Adam W. & Anne M. (Bean) Adams. He was b. 3 April 1865 in Rumsford Falls Maine and d. 4 July 1961 in Haverhill MA
5. Lydia Ann Pressey, b. 16 Aug 1876 Bradford MA, d. 8 January 1879 Bradford MA

***ADDITIONAL READING***

22nd Mass / USSC Boston Branch [Re-enactors]