Ixvi 



ANCESTORS AND FAMILY. 



The following additional notices may be interesting to many of Mr. Picker- 

 ing's friends. 



The first-named John Pickering, as stated in Allen's Biographical Dictionary, 

 came to New England about 1630, and died at Salem in 1657. " February 

 7, 1637, he was admitted to the privileges of an inhabitant." He left two sons, 

 John and Jonathan. The latter died in 1729, at the age of 90, without issue. 

 John, born about 1637, married Alice, daughter of William Flint, and died May 5th, 

 1694, leaving his wife, Alice, and sons, John, Benjamin, and William (who mar- 

 ried a Higginson), and daughters, Elizabeth (married to a Nichols), and Hannah 

 (married to John Buttolph). To John he bequeathed " Broad Field by the mill- 

 pond," as stated in Felt's Annals of Salem (whence these facts are principally 

 taken), who states also, that " he was frequently of the selectmen, and a capable, 

 enterprising, and public-spirited man." The third John Pickering married Sarah 

 Burrill of Lynn, and died June 19, 1722, aged 64, leaving his wife, Sarah, sons, 

 Theophilus and Timothy, and daughters, Lois (married to Timothy Orne), Sarah 

 (married to Joseph Hardy), and Eunice (married to her cousin, William Picker- 

 ing). " He was selectman and representative in the legislature. His decease 

 was a loss to the community." 



Timothy Pickering married Mary Wingate, and died June 7th, 1778, aged 75, 

 leaving his wife, Mary, sons, John and Timothy, and daughters, Sarah, Mary, Lydia, 

 Elizabeth, Lois, Eunice, and Lucia; all of whom were married (except John), and 

 had numerous descendants. " Deacon Timothy Pickering sustained principal of- 

 fices in town, and was an intelligent, active, and useful man." His elder brother, 

 Theophilus, deserves notice as one of the remarkable men of his time. He was 

 educated at Harvard College, graduating in 1719, and settled in the ministry in 

 that part of Ipswich which is now Essex. He was remarkable for his bodily 

 strength, mechanical ingenuity, and theological ability. Tradition says, that a cer- 

 tain man, who had the presumption to challenge him to a wrestle, was not only 

 thrown by him at once, but thrown over the wall. His friends thought him equally 

 successful against some of the New Lights of that day, who wrestled with 

 him in religious controversy. He died, unmarried, at the age of forty-seven. 



