from

Vital Records of Tewksbury, Massachusetts to 
the end of the Year 1849
Published by the Essex Institute, Salem, Mass.,1912, Newcomb & Gauss, Printers.
(page 4)


The territory comprised within the limits of this town was originally 
a part of Billerica, and was established Dec. 17, 1734 as the town of 
Tewksbury. It is supposed to have derived its English name from Tewksbury 
in the County of Gloucester, England. The Indian name was Wamesit, 
from the tribe of that name whose camping ground was in this locality.

A part of Tewksbury was annexed to Lowell Mar. 29, 1834.

The population of Tewksbury at different periods was as follows:
1765, 781.		1810,   943.	1850, 1,044.
1776, 821.		1820, 1,008	1900, 3,683.
1790, 958.		1830, 1,527.	1910, 3,750.
1800, 944.		1840,   906

FAMILIES:
HARDY
The HARDY family came to Tewksbury from Bradford, Massachusetts. 
Their immigrant ancestor was Thomas HARDY from Dorsetshire, England, 
one of 12 men selected to settle Ipswich, MA in 1633-4. An extensive description of Thomas HARDY 
and his descendants can be found in Hardy & Hardie, Past and Present by H. Claude Hardy 
& Edwin Noah Hardy, 1935, Syracuse, NY. (I will be happy to do lookups on request from this book.

My first HARDY to move to Tewksbury was James HARDY, great-grandson of Thomas HARDY. 
(James4, Joseph3 m. Mary BURBANK (d/o Caleb BURBANK & Martha SMITH), John2 m. 
Mary JACKMAN (d/o James JACKMAN & Joanna (GAGE?)), Thomas1 m. (Lydia in England or Anne in MA?))

James HARDY was b. 14 Apr 1699 in Bradford, Essex Co., MA, 
He was the son of Joseph & Mary. (Bradford VR p.70) 
He m. Hannah BAILEY 4 Jul 1727 in Bradford. (VR p. 179) 
Hannah BAILEY was the daughter of James & Hannah BAILEY, b. 30 Jul 1706 in Bradford, MA 

Both James & Hannah (BAILEY) HARDY were among the original members of the Congregational
 Church in Groveland, transferring their membership from the First Church Bradford, he on 
7 Jun 1727 & she on 28 Jul 1727. This church is unique in having been founded [with] only 
male members, the female members being admitted nearly two months later. 
All neighboring churches were founded with both male and female members.

James & Hannah HARDY moved to Tewksbury in 1764. 
James died there 12 Nov 1792, age 93 years, 6 months, 28 days. He was buried in Tewksbury. 
Hannah died in Tewksbury 23 Jun 1797, age 90 years, 11 months, and 7 days, 
and was also buried in Tewksbury. (deaths in Tewksbury VR, p.214)

Children listed in the source below for James & Hannah (BAILEY) HARDY are: 
Abigail, Peter, Beulah, Asa, Zelpha, Ednah, James, jr., Aaron, & Peter

(the above information on James & Hannah HARDY is from Extracts for the old Parish 
& Church Records of the Congregational Church in Groveland in An Outline of Groveland 
History, by Sarah DeWhirst Parker, unless otherwise cited)

The following children are listed in the vital records as children of James & Hannah HARDY:
Abigall b. 17 Mar 1728 (Bradford VR p.65)
Peter (1) baptised 21 Dec 1729 (Cong. Church rec.-Bradford VR p.74)
Bulay b. 7 Feb 1730/1 (Bradford VR p.66)
Asa b. 20 Jan 1732/3 (Bradford VR p.66)
Zilpha b. 3 Dec 1734 (Bradford VR p.77)
Ednah b. 30 May 1737. (Bradford VR p.67)
James, Jr. b. 12 Jan 1739. (Bradford VR p.70)
Aaron b. 30 Aug 1742. (Bradford VR p.65)
Hepsebath b. 16 Dec 1745. (Bradford VR p.69)
Peter (2) b. 25 Apr 1748. (Bradford VR p.74)
David b. 12 Dec 1750. (Tewksbury VR p.43)*

*The birth of David HARDY, son of James & Hannah, 1750 in Tewksbury would seem 
to indicate that James & Hannah HARDY moved to Tewksbury a bit earlier than the Groveland Church 
history indicated. I would assume that they moved between the births of Peter in 1748 in Bradford 
and David’s birth in Tewksbury in 1750.

According to Hardy & Hardie, Past & Present, p. 413, James HARDY owned a house at 
Sandy Bay, Mass (Gloucester) in 1741 (citing History of Gloucester, Mass, by John J. BALESON, 
p.337). Since his children were born in Bradford through 1748, I assume that he was not 
living in the house in Gloucester.

Deaths of children of James in the Bradford VRs include:
unnamed child of James & Hannah d. 3 Jan 1730. (Groveland Church records; Bradford 
VR p.324) (according to Hardy & Hardie, p.413, this was the death of the first child named Peter)

unnamed twin child of James d. 14 Jun 1740, age 1 or 2 days.(Groveland church records; 
Bradford VR p.325) (according to Hardie & Hardy, p. 413, both twins died on this date)

Deaths of children of James in the Tewksbury VRs include:
Hepzibath d. 4 Jul 1750.** (Cong. Church rec.; Tewksbury VR p.214)
Asa d. 27 Jan 1797 in his 64th year (Cong. Church rec.; TewksburyVR p.213)

(The death of daughter Hepzibath in Tewksbury in 1750 also indicates the family’s presence 
in Tewksbury at that time.)

Marriages of remaining children of James & Hannah (BAILEY) HARDY
(all but Beulah m. in Tewksbury, MA):
Abigail HARDY m. Gardner PAGE 30 Apr 1750. (Tewksbury VR p.135)
Beulah HARDY m. Jonathan PHILBRICK 6 Aug 1756 Newbury, MA (Hardy &Hardie p. 413)
Zilphah HARDY m. Samuel FARMER 30 May 1753. (Tewksbury VR p.136)
an Ednah HARDY m. Peter FARMER 8 Jun 1758. (Tewksbury VR p.135)
( .. is this the Edna HARDY d/o James & Hannah?? Seems like right date ..)
James HARDY, jr. m. Jemime PALMER 19 Apr 1764. (Tewksbury VR p.135)
      (more on this couple later)
Aaron HARDEY m. Abigal DOTTEN [Abigail DUTTEN] 11 Jan 1770(Tewksbury VRs p.134)
Peter HARDY m. Dorcas JONES of Dracut at Dracut 24 Jan 1771. (Tewksbury VRs p.135)
David HARDEY m. Rebeckah MANNING 26 Dec 1771. (Tewksbury VRs p.134)

The family of James HARDY, Jr. is described on pp.480-482 of Hardy & Hardie, Past & Present. 
James HARDY, jr. was born in Bradford in 1739 (see above) before his family moved to 
Tewksbury. His marriage in 1764 in Tewksbury to Jemima PALMER is also listed above. 
Jemima PALMER was his first cousin. She was the daughter of his father’s sister, 
Jemima HARDY, who married Andrew PALMER. They settled in Tewksbury and 
their first 9 children were born in Tewksbury. 

They moved to Andover MA about 1785. [before birth of last son, Micajah HARDY.] 
James HARDY, jr. d. in Andover MA 7 May 1825, age 85 years. 
Jemima (PALMER) HARDY probably died in Andover, Mass. 13 Mar 1811. 

James HARDY, Jr. was a soldier in the French and Indian War.

(quotes from Hardy & Hardie p.480)

Children of James HARDY, jr. & his wife, Jemima (PALMER) HARDY:
John b. 1 Mar 1765. (Tewksbury VR p.43)
Jemima b. 5 Nov 1766. (Tewksbury VR p.43)
Benjamin b. 11 Aug 1768. (Tewksbury VR p.42)
Simeon b. 14 Apr 1770. (Tewksbury VR p.44)
James, III b. 1 Apr 1773. (Tewksbury VR p.43)
Hepzibah b. 11 Jan 1776. (Tewksbury VR p.43)
unnamed child (probably the one who d. 1778  see below)
Stephen b. 4 Jun 1780. (Tewksbury VR p.44)
Aaron b. 14 Dec 1781. (Tewksbury VR p.42)
Micajah b. 4 Oct 1786 in Andover, MA. (Hardy & Hardie, p. 482)

An unnamed child of James HARDY, jr. d. of dysentery 17 Oct 1778. 
(Cong. Church records; Tewksbury VR p.214)

Marriages of children of James HARDY, jr. & Jemima (PALMER) HARDY:
(unless noted, marriages from Hardy & Hardie pp.480-482)
John HARDY m. (1) Elizabeth MERRILL at Andover 19 Nov 1789.(she d. 4 Sep 1822),  
       m. (2) Rebecca BAILEY,   
       m. (3) Hannah JOHNSON
Jemima HARDY m. Jonathan BOUTWELL 19 Feb 1795 at Andover.
Benjamin HARDY m. Phebe DANE 10 Nov 1794 at Andover.
Simeon HARDY m. Lois MOOAR 18 Apr 1793 at Andover.
James HARDY III m. Priscilla MOOAR abt. 1798.
Hepzibah HARDY m. Jedediah PRESTON of Hillsborough NH 5 Feb 1799 at  Andover.
Stephen HARDY m. Sarah BAILEY [intention] 9 Mar 1805. (Tewksbury VR p.134) 
      (Hardy & Hardie p.481: m. 11 Apr 1805 at Dracut to Sarah BAILEY of Dracut.)
       (more on this family below)
Aaron HARDY m. Sarah STICKNEY 4 Mar 1805 at Andover.
Micajah HARDY m. Susan BAILEY [Micajah HARDY of Andover m. Suky BAILEY 22 Oct 1809. 
       (Cong. Church records, Tewksbury VR p.135)

(Information on the family of Stephen HARDY & Sarah (BAILEY) HARDY from 
Hardy & Hardie pp.583-4, unless otherwise noted.)
Stephen HARDY and his wife, Sarah BAILEY, settled in Tewksbury at first, but removed to 
Andover MA later on. The homestead was situated on the river road (Merrimack River), 
halfway between Lowell and Lawrence, Mass. It was still  occupied by their descendants in 1935.

Children of Stephen & Sarah (BAILEY) HARDY (all b. in Tewksbury, MA):
Sarah b. 28 Sep 1805. (Tewksbury VR p.44)
Abigail b. 1807.
Elizabeth (Betsy) b. 18 Feb 1808. (Tewksbury VR p.42)
Nehemiah b. 6 Feb 1810. (Tewksbury VR p.43)
Henry b. 6 Aug 1811. (Tewksbury VR p.43)
Simeon b. 1813.
Stephen b. 1815.
Catherine b. 1816.
William b. 22 Jun 1818.
Elbridge G. b. 1822.
Rufus b. 8 Jun 1819.
Mary b. 13 Sep 1825.


There is no more on this family in Tewksbury. But the granddaughter of 
William (b. 1818), Jennie Blanche HARDY of Andover, m. Albert Augustus FULLER 
of North Tewksbury 24 Apr 1907. Their children were b. in N. Tewksbury, including my mother, 
Dorothy Esther FULLER, b. 24 Sep 1919, m. 28 Jun 1940 in N. Tewksbury, and d. 28 Jul 1996 
in Middlebury, Addison Co., VT.




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