Quimby Family

The Quimby (Quinby, Quenby) name is ubiquitous in Sandwich, NH but for clarity I've chosen to begin the story in 1638 in Amesbury, MA.

Robert Quimby was probably born around 1625 in Farnham, Surry, England, and came from England to Salem, MA in the company of his uncle, William Quimby in 1638. Robert was a ship's carpenter and bought land in Amesbury, MA in 1658.

Robert married Elizabeth Osgood in 1657, daughter of William Osgood and Elizabeth Cleer of Rowley, MA. The Osgood and Quimby families came to America on the ship "Confidence" in 1638, as did other ancestors ~ Roger Eastman and his wife, Sarah Smith, and William Boynton and his wife, Elizabeth Jackson.

Robert and Elizabeth had eight children. Their son, William, was born 1660 in Salisbury but lived in Amesbury. His parents, Robert and Elizabeth were attacked in 1677 by the Indian, Symon, who was thought to be a friend of the families. Robert was killed and Elizabeth wounded and left for dead.
.
William Quimby married Sarah. No information was to be found for her. They had at least two children, one of whom was William, born Oct. 8, 1693 in Amesbury. William's second wife was Martha Eastman. She was born 1705, daughter of Zachariah Eastman and Martha Thorne. William and Martha were married Jan. 9, 1729. They both died 1781 in Ipswich, MA. William and Martha had nine children, including twins, Moses and Aaron Quimby, born 1733 in Kingston, NH.

Aaron married Mary Johnson in 1766. She was probably a 2nd wife. Mary was born in 1744, the daughter of Samuel Johnson and Susanna Davis. These were pioneering families who settled Haverhill, MA. Major Aaron Quimby died 1809 in Weare, NH and Mary died 1825 in Sandwich, NH. Aaron was one of the first selectmen of Weare and fought with distinction in the "old French war". He fought in Canada in 1755.

Aaron and Mary had son Benjamin Quimby, one of nine children, April 17, 1782 in Sandwich, NH. He changed his name by act of New Hampshire Legislature in 1817 to Johnson Davis Quimby, using his mother's family surnames. He served in the New Hampshire Militia and was Justice of the Peace. He was a General by 1830.

Johnson Davis married Mary (Molly) Collins, born in 1783 in Shapleigh, ME-in 1802. He died 1855 and she died 1879. They are buried in the cemetery behind the Baptist Church in Center Sandwich. His stone reads "HE LIVED TO DO GOOD" and her's reads, "SHE DID THE BEST SHE COULD".

They had son, Charles Quimby, born 1803 at the family farm in North Sandwich. He married in 1828, Susanna Shorey Fullerton of Wolfeborough, NH. Charles was a farmer and was a Representative to the Legislature in 1852/3. Susanna was sister of Elizabeth Fullerton who married Col. Joseph L. Quimby. Charles and Susanna had eight children.

Their daughter, Katherine Piper Quimby was born 1844 in Sandwich. She married in 1868 in Charlestown, MA, Marshall Brown Smith of Lexington, MA. He was born March 8, 1841, son of Joshua Stearns Smith and Maria Lawrence. He died in Maine, 1910, and she in 1916 in W. Sommervile, MA.

Their daughter was Martha Augusta Smith who married Clovis Norton Johnson of E. Boston, MA. They had seven children. My grandmother, Marcia Wellington Johnson was their sixth child, and was born in 1901 in Arlington, MA.

Marcia told me many times of the trips "up country" to Sandwich to visit the grandparents at the farm. She was left the key to the Baptist church that Susanna used to gain access so that she might practice the organ for Sunday services.

Contributed by Suzanne D. Larson