Belknap, who wrote the history of New Hampshire and several volumes of American biography, born June 4, 1744, and graduated at Harvard College in 1762, was a son of Joseph (1742) and Sarah (Byles) Belknap.

Lieut. Joseph (1742) was elected constable of Boston in 1745, but, declining to serve, paid the fine. He served as scavenger in 1748 and 1749, and as "informer of deer" from 1755 to 1762 inclusive. He was a clerk of the market in 1763. Feb. 11, 1756, a committee representing the various trades was appointed by the town to make inquiry and report as to the decline of their respective trades in Boston since 1746, and reduce the same to writing. Joseph Belknap (1742) was one of that committee. He was then called "leather dresser." He was a member of the Boston militia, and became a lieutenant. In 1746 he served as third sergeant of the Artillery Company. He joined the Old South Church, Nov. 16, 1735, and died at Dover, N. H., August, 1797, aged eighty-one years.

Nathan Blodgett (1742), of Woburn, son of Samuel and Huldah (Simonds) Blodgett, and uncle of Seth (1756), was born in Woburn, March 15, 1704. He was third sergeant of the Artillery Company in 1745.

Joseph Butler (1742), carpenter, of Boston, son of Matthew and Sarah Butler, was born in Boston, Dec. 28, 1713. He married, June 1, 1738, Sarah Hunt, of Boston.

He was elected constable of Boston, March 15, 1742, and was a viewer of boards and shingles from 1753 to 1756; was excused the latter year, but was re-elected from 1769 to 1777 inclusive. He had charge of the scavenger work in Ward 4 during 1776 and 1777. In 1746 he served as third sergeant of the Artillery Company. His brother John joined the Artillery Company in 1745. He lived in Salutation Alley, and died. there, March 11, 1793, aged seventy-nine years.

Benjamin Church (1742), vendue-master, of Boston, was the only son of Edward and Elizabeth Church, and grandson of Col. Benjamin Church, of Little Compton, R. I. Benjamin Church (1742), recorded as of Newport, married Hannah Dyer, of Boston, March 6, 1731. "Hannah Church, widow of Deacon Benjamin Church," died March 24, 1794, aged seventy-nine years. Their dwelling-house was on Newbury (Washington) Street. He graduated at Harvard College in 1727.

May 4, 1743, Mr. Benjamin Church (1742) petitioned the town for "the grant of Wheeler's Pond and the land thereunto belonging." Pond Street ran from Wheeler's Corner (Bedford and Washington streets) by Wheeler's Pond toward Wheeler's Point, near the foot of Summer Street. Dea. Church (1742) lived near this pond. In 1739, the town contemplated filling it up; in 1743, Mr. Church (1742) asked the town to give it to him, and, in 1753, a piece of land, less than fifty by one hundred feet, including the pond, was sold by the town at auction to Mr. David Wheeler, father of Lieut. Wheeler, Jr. (1765), for fifty-one pounds.

Benjamin Church (1742) served as a constable of Boston in 1745, and was an assessor from 1752 to 1777 inclusive. In 1764, he was chosen a warden, and May 11, 1773, was one of the committee chosen to locate the street lamps. He then represented Ward 12. April 13, 1763, a memorial of Benjamin Church (1742), setting forth that

Joseph Butler (1742). AUTHORITY: Boston Records.

Benjamin Church (1742). AUTHORITY: New Eng. Hist. and Gen. Reg., 1857, p. 155.

"he had the misfortune of having a house burnt in the late fire, and another, occupied by Hanners and Smith, valued at one hundred and twenty pounds, pulled down to the ground in order to prevent the spreading of the fire, and praying satisfaction may be made," was presented to the town. It was unanimously voted that no allowance be made Benjamin Church (1742) died Oct. 10, 1781.1

Thomas Johnson, Jr. (1742), escutcheon maker, of Boston, was the son of Thomas. He was published May 2, 1739, to marry "Susanna Mackmillion."

He built the first organ of American manufacture used in Boston. March 16, 1747, he petitioned the town for permission to build a shop on the north side of Faneuil Hall, "on the town's land at the head of the dock," which was disallowed by the town. He died in 1765, and was buried in King's Chapel Burial-Ground.

Caleb Phillips (1742), of Roxbury, son of Caleb and Hannah Phillips, was born in Roxbury, Oct. 5, 1705. He married,2 Dec. 31, 1730, Elizabeth Wentworth, daughter of Samuel Wentworth (1693). He was first sergeant of the Artillery Company in 1747, its clerk in 1747 and 1748, and a member of the Masonic Fraternity.

The record of the Artillery Company for 1742 is as follows:
:-

"April 5th, 1742. The Company, being under arms, made choice of the Rev. Mr. Seth Storer, of Watertown, to preach the Artillery sermon in June next, and voted, that the commission officers of this Company, with Mr. Ebenezer Storer [1732], be a committee to wait on him and request the same.

"May 7th, 1742. The committee appointed to wait on the Rev. Mr. Seth Storer to desire him to preach the Election sermon, returned that it was Mr. Storer's desire he might be excused for several considerations and prayed that we might have the smiles of Heaven that day. The Company, being under arms, made choice of the Rev. Mr. John Taylor, of Milton, to preach the Election sermon, on Mr. Storer's refusal; and voted that the field officers, with the commission officers of this Company and Mr. William Taylor [1738], Clerk of the Company, be a committee to wait on him and request the same; and in case of his refusing, the above committee were voted to get a minister for to preach on that day.

"June 7th. The Company being under arms; voted, that the present commission officers, with those to be chosen this day be a committee to return the Rev. Mr. John Taylor thanks for preaching the Election Sermon."

Rev. Seth Storer, of Watertown, was invited to deliver the Artillery election sermon in 1742, but "he desired to be excused." He was the youngest son of Col. Joseph and Hannah (Hill) Storer, of Wells, Me., a brother of Capt. Ebenezer Storer (1732) and of Capt. John Storer (1739), and was born May 26, 1702. He graduated at Harvard College in 1720; was called Feb. 3, and ordained in Watertown, July 22, 1724. He died Nov. 27, 1774, after a ministry of more than fifty years.

Rev. Seth Storer. AUTHORITY: Bond's Hist. of Watertown.

Col. Benjamin Church, the warrior, who resided in Little Compton and Bristol, R. I., had, by Alice (Southworth) Church, Edward Church, of Boston, vendue-master. The latter married Elizabeth -, who died April 18, 1766. They had one

son, Benjamin (1742), also vendue-master and deacon of Dr. Byles's church. This Benjamin (1742) was the father of Dr. Benjamin Church, a distinguished patriot at the commencement of the Revolution, but a traitor at its close.

"Caleb Phillips was published to marry Mary Henkley, Sept. 19, 1739.". Boston Records.

Rev. John Taylor, of Milton, delivered the Artillery election sermon in 1742. He was a son of John and Ann (Winslow) Taylor, and brother of Col. William Taylor (1738), clerk of the Artillery Company in 1742 and its captain in 1760.

Rev. John Taylor was born in 1704, graduated at Harvard College in 1721, and settled in Milton, Nov. 13, 1728, as pastor of the church. He held this relation for twenty-one years, and died Jan. 26, 1750. Dr. Chauncy said of Mr. Taylor: "Few men were more universally loved while they lived, and lamented when dead." Rev. Thomas Thacher spoke of him "as remarkable for his high rank in the republic of letters, for his uniform virtues and elegant social manners." His residence stood where the town hall in Milton now stands. There he lived and died.

The officers of the Artillery Company elected in 1743 were: Joseph

1743. Dwight (1734), captain; Jabez Hunt (1727), lieutenant; John Salter (1727),

ensign. Daniel Watts (1736) was first sergeant; William Taylor (1738), second sergeant; William Simpkins (1739), third sergeant; James Butler (1739), fourth sergeant, and John Dixwell (1741), clerk.

Capt. Nathaniel Cunningham (1720), Thomas Hutchinson (1694), and Joseph Marion, appointed in May, 1742, reported to the town, March 16, 1742-3, upon the distressed state of the town of Boston. It was presented to get a reduction of the province tax. The committee compares the state of the town in 1735 and 1742. During these seven years the general trade of the town diminished one half; distilling business one third; cod-fishery became very small; trade to the West Indies "almost nothing"; trade to London "altered for the worse"; town expenses, on account of the poor, increased from £2,069 in 1735 to £4,800 in 1740; whole town rate increased from £8,600 in 1738 to £11,000 in 1742, and the polls decreased 423 in four years, being, in 1738, 3,395, and in 1741, 2,972. Provisions greatly increased in price, and the support of the ministry of Boston, which was £8,000 in 1735, was £12,000 in 1742.

The members of the Artillery Company recruited in 1743 were: John Gore, Jacob Hurd, Kenelm Winslow, Jr.

John Gore (1743), painter, of Boston, son of Obadiah and Sarah (Kilby) Gore, of Boston, was born Dec. 29, 1718. He married, May 5, 1743, Frances, daughter of John Pinckney. She was born Sept. 20, 1726. They had thirteen or more children, nine of whom lived to be married. Capt. John (1743) was a great-grandson of John Gore (1638), and the father of Samuel Gore (1786) and of Christopher Gore, governor of Massachusetts. He was also grandfather of Lieut. Christopher Gore (1814).

Capt. John (1743) was second sergeant of the Artillery Company in 1747, also in 1755, and lieutenant in 1758. He was elected constable of Boston, March 13, 1743, but declined to serve and paid the fine. He was clerk of the market in 1752 and 1753; warden in 1764 and 1771, and overseer of the poor from 1767 to 1774 inclusive. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity, and, in 1759, was senior warden of the First Lodge in Boston, of which, at that time, Adino Paddock (1762) was master and Joseph Webb (1761) junior warden.

Rev. John Taylor. AUTHORITY: Teele's Hist. of Milton, 1640 to 1887, pp. 255-257.

John Gore (1743). AUTHORITIES: Boston Records; Sabine's American Loyalists.