NORTHERN NEW YORK
Genealogical and family history of northern New York: a record of the achievements of her people
in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation.
New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co. 1910.



HOLDEN



Transcribed by Coralynn Brown



The surname Holden, Holding or Houlding, is ancient and distinguished in England. Various branches of the family bear coats-of-arms and titles.

(I) Richard Holden, immigrant ancestor, born in England, in 1609, came to this country in the ship "Francis," sailing from Ipswich, England, April 30, 1634. He settled first at Ipswich, Massachusetts, where he was for a time a land owner. His brother, Justinian, born in 1611, came a year later, and settled in Watertown, Mass., whither Richard removed soon afterward. A manuscript family record, written about 1800, states that they had brothers Adam and William, and an uncle James Holden, "one of the Lords of England," who secured their release by the sheriff who had arrested them for attending a "dissenting meeting" on condition that they would do so no more "in that country" - an instance of the intolerance of that day.
Richard Holden resided at Cambridge for a time, but Justinian settled there. Richard was a proprietor of Woburn in 1658. He sold his place in Watertown in 1655 to J. Sherman. He was admitted a freeman May 6, 1657. In 1656-57 Richard settled in Groton, where he had nine hundred and sevety-five acres of land in the northerly part of the town, now (1910) in Shirley, part of which was lately occupied by Porter Kittridge. His land extended on the west bank of the Nashua river from a point near Beaver pond to the northward. He spent his last years with his son Stephen, to whom he gave his real estate, March 23, 1691, calling himself at the time "aged, infirm and a widower." He died at Groton, March 1, 1696; his wife died at Watertown, Dec. 6, 1691.
He married in 1640, Martha, daughter of Stephen Fosdick, of Charlestown. The latter left a forty-acre lot of land to Richard, situated in Woburn.
Children:
1. Stephen, born July 19, 1642; killed by a fall from a tree at Groton in 1658.
2. Justinian, born 1644, mentioned below.
3. Martha, Jan. 15, 1645-46; married Thomas Boyden.
4. Samuel, June 8, 1650; settled in Groton and Stoneham.
5. Mary, married Thomas Williams.
6. Sarah, married dec. 20, 1677, Gershom Swan.
7. Elizabeth.
8. Thomas, born 1657.
9. John, 1667. [transcriber's note: this date seems out of sync.]
10. Stephen, about 1658.

(II) Justinian, son of Richard Holden, was born in 1644. He lived at Billerica and Groton, Mass., and perhaps at Cambridge. He left Billerica on account of some differences with the tax collector. He was a carpenter by trade. He gave a power of attorney to his wife and son, Dec. 14, 1696.
He married (first) Mary ____, who died May 15, 1691, at Billerica; (second) Susanna ____.
Children:
Mary, born May 10, 1680.
James, mentioned below.
Ebenezer, May 11, 1690, at Woburn.
Susanna, Oct. 16, 1694, at Billerica.
Perhaps others.

(III) James, son of Justinian Holden, was born in 1685, and died at Barre, Worcester county, Mass. in 1766. The only clue to his parentage is given in the probate records, which give his father's name when he had a guardian appointed March 17, 1700. He was then fifteen years old. He resided in Groton, Cambridge and Charlestown. He came to Worcester about 1719, and removed about twenty years later to Barre, then Rutland district. His will was offered for probate at Worcester, Dec. 3, 1766. He bequeathed to his wife Hannah; grandson John, son of eldest son James; Jeduthan, eldest son of son Daniel and other children of Daniel - Rachel, Daniel, Martha, Katharine, Nathan and James; sons Josiah, Thomas and Aaron; daughters Mary, wife of Israel Green, and Abigail, wife of Josiah Bacon. (Worcester Record, 30, 202).
He spelled the name Holdein in the will.
He married, Feb. 17, 1708-09, at Charlestown, Hannah Adams of Cambridge.
Children, born at Charletown, and baptized at Cambridge, Nov. 18, 1711:
1. Hannah, born Dec. 18, 1709.
2. James, Aug. 2, 1711.
Other children:
3. Abigail, married Josiah Bacon.
4. Daniel, born at Worcester.
5. Mary, Feb. 11, 1719.
6. Josiah, July 24, 1721; married Abigail Bond, of Watertown.
7. Thomas, Oct. 26, 1723; mentioned below.
8. Abigail, May 5, 1726.
9. Keziah, Aug. 15, 1729.
10. Aaron, Jan. 26, 1731-32; had the homestead at Barre.

(IV) Thomas, son of James Holden, was born in Worcester, Oct. 26, 1723. He was a farmer and miller, and sold out just before the close of the revolution for Continental money, which became valueless.
He married Ruth ____.
Children, born at Barre:
1. Thomas, March 23, 1752, died young.
2. Lavinia, Sept. 2, 1753.
3. Joseph, June 23, 1755.
4. Aaron, see forward.
5. Kezia, April 8, 1757.
6. Thomas, killed during the revolution, shot by an Indian at Cherry Valley, N.Y.
7. Anna, May 27, 1759.
8. Ruth, May 12, 1761.
9. John, Oct. 13, 1763.
10. David, killed in the revolution.

(V) Aaron, son of Thomas and Ruth Holden, was born at Barre, Mass., June 23, 1755, and died at Ellisburg, N.Y. His uncle of the same name was a captain in the revolution and a man of prominence in Barre. Aaron moved to Shrewsbury, Vermont, in 1791, to Middletown and Chester, Vermont, and then to Ellisburg, New York. He appears to have served briefly in the revolutionary war.
He married Anna ____.
Children:
Aaron, David, John, Eli, Charles, Rachel, Easter, Jemima, Sally, Anna, Harriet and Lucy.

(VI) Asa, son of Aaron and Anna Holden, was born in Barre in 1791. He was by trade a blacksmith. He was a soldier during the war of 1812, serving in the New York state militia in the companyof Captain Emigh. For many years he lived in Floyd, Oneida county, N.Y., removing later to Turin, Lewis county, N.Y., where he spent the remainder of his life.
He married Pluma Wilcox, who was born at Farmington, Conn. Oct. 29, 1791.
Children:
Emery Bennett, see forward.
Elery Rufus.
Betsey Douglas.
Phebe Leonard.

(VII) Emery Bennett, son of Asa and Pluma (Wilcox) Holden, was born in Floyd, Oneida county, N.Y. Oct. 28, 1814, and died at Turin, N.Y., April 2, 1878. He was educated in the common schools and lived in Floyd until about 1832, when he came to Turin and engaged as a clerk in the dry goods store of his uncle, Ozias Wilcox, later becoming a partner of his employer. Subsequently he formed a partnership with N. W. Moore, under the firm name of Holden & Moore, and was also associated with Albert G. Dayan. About 1845 he engaged in the drug and grocery business, which he conducted until 1858, when he organized the firm of Holden & Dewey (Duane Dewey), whikch continued until the death of the latter in 1862. From that time until his death he conducted the drug business in the same location.
He took an active interest in all town affairs, serving for a number of years as supervisor, justice of the peace, and justice of sesssions, and was also active in educational matters, and served as a member of the board of education for many years.
During the civil war he was a member of the senate war committee. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and was trustee and treasurer many years.
He married (first) at Turin, May 27, 1840, Delia Helen Dewey, born Sept. 3, 1821, died Nov. 7, 1843.
Child:
1. Delia Melinda, born Aug. 28, 1841.
He married (second) Aug. 15, 1845, Maria Dewey (see Dewey). She died Aug. 1, 1898.
Children:
2. Emery Dewey, born in Turin, Sept. 8, 1846 ; educated in Lowville Academy, Cazanovia Seminary and Eastman's Business College; entered his father's store, where he remained until the death of the latter, and afterward formed a partnership with his brother under the firm name of Holden Brothers. During the civil war he enlisted in the company of Captain root, but failed to pass the examination.
3. Helen Maria, born May 22, 1849.
4. William Duane, see forward.
5. Royal Dwight, born Oct. 25, 1860, died May 14, 1862.

(VIII) William Duane, son of Emery Bennett and Maria (Dewey) Holden, was born at Turin, N.Y., May 25, 1857, and was educated in the public schools of his native town. In 1876 he entered the employ of his father, who was at that time proprietor of a drug store and a general merchant in Turin. After his father's death he and his brother, E. Dewey Holden, became associated in partnership as Holden Brothers to carry on the business, and they have continued together very successfully up to the present (1910) time.
In politics he is a Republican, and served as clerk of the board of supervisors in 1903.
In relgion he is a Presbyterian, and is an elder of the Turin Presbyerian church. He has been superintendent of the Sunday school since 1886.
Mr. Holden married, Oct. 17, 1883, Carrie H., daughter of Alfred H. and Elizabeth (Hunt) Lee.
Children:
1. Kate E., born at Turin, April 22, 1885; educated at Turin, graduated from Chicago high school in 1903, and from Mount Holyoke College in 1907; is now head of the English department of the Watertown high school, N.Y.
2. Helen C., born at Turin, Jan. 14, 1887; was graduated from Turin Union School in 1905; student for two years at the Elms Springfield, Mass., and was graduated from the kindergarten department of the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y.; is now teaching in the Bethany Memorial Kindergarten, of Brooklyn.
3. William Stuart, born at Turin, March 14, 1896.

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