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The History of the Longfellows
The Longfellows were simple sons of the soil. The first one mentioned was a day laborer, and he paid four pence as his share to help Henry V111 fight against France. Later those Longfellows became church wardens and overseers of highways and gradually climbed to higher places. Those ancient Longfellows were as purely bits of nature as the oaks in the woods or the heather on the hillside. They had a certain old Saxon insistence upon what they believed was their right. They believed that game belonged to them as much as to the great Lords and Land owners, hence the Longfellows were leaders in raids on game. It was the fight of the Saxon against the Norman. Our Longfellow is the flower of all the centuries of his family history, and he makes the race immortal. The earliest Longfellow was James Langfellay of Otley, who left a will dated 06/18/1486 proved at York County, England 07/28/1486 He willed that his body be buried in the monastery of St. John, of Helagh Park, and named Alice his wife, and John Langfellay executors, but the relationship of John to James was not stated. They were believed to be brothers. In 1522 one John Langfellows was fined at Middleton, along with twenty two other offenders, for carrying away the Lords wood. In 1524 he paid 4d. towards the expenses of the French wars. There was another Longfellow in Otley (Richard) who left a will dated 1537; however there has been no linkage to William 6, the first Longfellow to arrive in this country. WILLIAM LONGFELLOW 1475Married Isabel , Surname unknown. He was likely the brother of Richard Langfellay of Otely who left a will dated 1537 and named his wife Elizabeth and Peter Langfellay, Vicar of Huddersfield, who on 08/12/1510 was instituted as Vicar of Calverly. Peter Langfellay resigned his Calverly vicarage before 01/09/1526-7, the date his successor, Thomas Moorton was instituted. Peter (accepted the living of Leathley) near Otley, where he died and was succeeded by Richard Roundall about 1530. A Peter Langefellows, clerk, was one of the original trustees of Magna's Charity, there is no evidence, but the probability is they do. No will by Peter was found. William (1st) made his will 10/26/1546 and bequeathed his soul to Almighty God, the Virgin Mary, and all the holy company of Heaven, and his body to be buried in the parish church of Leathley, to which church he gives 3s,4d. To Sir Richard Langfellay he bequeaths six marks, to sing for his soul for a year, the one half-year in the parish church of Lethley, and the other half-year in Calverley Church, if that he will; and if he will not, to take "another" priest, and pay him at every quarter. Also he makes Isabel, his wife and John Teel the younger, his executors. To Percival Langfellay, his son, he bequeaths all his goods which he should have at Bagley (in Calverley Parish), that is to say, debts and other goods and the debts which belongeth to Sir Peter Langfellay to be paid again for his part of the same goods. Also to John Teel the elder, his son in law the residue of his goods. Witnesses: Thomas Rushworth, Percival Jenkinson, William Fontyman, Barnard Brodbelt, and Christopher Wharton. Proved 03/06/1543-4 by Isabel Langfellow and John Teel.
Percival Longfellow was born Bagley, parish of Calverley, in the West Riding of the County of York, England,1500 He married in 1533 and died in 1577. Wife unknown. In his will dated 11/03/1577, he declared his body was to be buried in the Calverley churchyard. He left the Calverley Church 12d. To John Charley and Andrew Charley, he left each, one yowe (ewe). To Thomas Langfellow, his son, a cupboard, great chair, and a pair of bedsooks. To Janet Langfellow, his daughter, a brass pot, two pans, one fryen-panre, a red gave sideboard, (ambery) in the parlour, great ark, pewter, viz. five doublers and one carver, spit, candlestick, and chair. The residue of his goods he left to Isabel Langfellow and Elizabeth Langfellow his daughters, who were appointed sole executors. William Webster vicar of Calverley and Thomas Langfellow. Proved 02/21/1577-8
(3-1) THOMAS LONGFELLOW 1535
(4-2) EDWARD LONGFELLOW 1583
In 1625 Edward Longfellow purchased Upper House in Horsfoth, and in 1647 he makes over his house and lands to his son William. (5-1) WILLIAM LONGFELLOW 1619-1704
William was a well to do clothier who lived in Upper House, and, besides, possessed three other houses or cottages with gardens, closes, crofts, etc. He had two sons, Nathan and William, and four or five daughters. He came to Newbury, Massachusetts about 1670 where he was seen as a man of ability and education, but rather improvident in his manner of life, preferring fun and frolic to work and study. He engaged in trade, keeping a store at the first falls of Parker River at the head of tide water in the town. Samuel Sewall(Annes brother) in a letter from Boston in 1680 to his brother Stephen in England wrote that William Longfellow lives at Horseforth near Leeds in Yorkshire. Tell him bro. has a son wm. a fine likely child, a very good piece of land & greatly wants a little stock to manage it, and yt Father hath paid for him upwards of an hundred pounds to get him out of debt. (6-2) WILLIAM LONGFELLOW 1650
William the immigrant and progenitor of those families in America, was baptised Guiseley, Yorkshire, England 10/20/1650. William enlisted in the expedition to Quebec under Sir William Phips, and was drowned at Cape Breton on Friday night the last of October, 1690. He married a Mrs. Anne Sewall born 09/03/1662 on 11/10/1678 while her parents were on there second voyage across the Atlantic. She was the daughter of Henry Sewall and Jane Drummer and sister of one of Massechusetts most distinguished Jurists of the Colonial period. Anne died 12/18/1706 at Newbury Mass. Her father, Henry Sewall Jr. and grandfather, Sr. were the chief men in founding Newbury Mass., being very wealthy and staunch Puritans. Anne Sewall's Great Grandfather, Henry Sewall, was mayor of Coventry, England, 1589-1606, being a very wealthy linen draper, whose ancestry dates back to before the conquest, to a Saxon Thane who spelled his name "Saswald" and owned a church. Mayor Sewall died in 1628. In his will dated 08/17/1678 Henry Sewall bequeathed to his son in law William Longfellow and his daughter Anne a tract of land with the house on it commonly known by the name of the high field, with a parcel of meadow, containing about seven or eight acres. In a sale of 11/16/1686, William purchased the legacies of John Wallingford, James Wallingford, and Joseph Poore, the children of Nicholas Wallingford of Newbury for 40 pounds each that was left them by there great-uncle, William Gore, by his will of 01/22/1656. It was likely that William returned to England in 1687 in connection with his brothers death (or to obtain his patrimony) According to the law of distribution William would get no share whatever of his brother' estate, since there father administered to the intestate, and would take the whole of his estate, real and personal, as his heir at-law amd next of kin. It was assumed that Nathan must have had real or personal estate, or both, from some other source than his father. Supposing any copyhold land descended to him from his mother, or grandfather, and that he had a younger brother of the whole blood, that brother would succeed to the copyhold estate, and would have to be admitted tenant of the same. William was back in Newbury in 1688 when he was taxed for (2-houses; 1-heads;6- plow lands meadow; 1-horse; 1 cow; 2-3 year old, 1-1 year old, 10 sheep and 2-hoggs.) (7-6) NATHAN LONGFELLOW 02/05/1690
Nathan was born 02/05/1690 probably while his father was on the expedition to Quebec under Govenor Phipps. He died 01/15/1731 in Hampton N.H. He married Mary Green the daughter of Jacob Green of Hampton Falls N.H. and the grand-daughter of Judge Henry Green, the earliest owner of the falls at Hampton Falls River, where he built and for four generations the family owned a gristmill and a sawmill. It was in the house near these mills that their first child was born. In 1966 the mills were owned by ex-Governor Wesley Powell. An independent person who was not afraid to voice his opinion he refused to be qualified by taking of ye oath on 03/18/1722 and on 11/30/1726. He dissented against the legality of the meeting at a legal meeting of the inhabitants. He voted against a salary of 120 pounds and the appointment of Rev. Joseph Whipple to settle with us to the works of the ministry. He left a will that reached Probate 02/02/1731 The Last will and Testement of Nathan Longfellow of Hampton in the Province of New Hampshier in New England being week and in low condition of body;
My will further is that all my just debts that I do in right and conscience owe to any person or persons to gather with my funeral charges, be truly paid and satisfied out of my personal Estate in Sum Covenant time after my Decease by my Executors hereafter named. My will further is that those Children of mine that are chargeable for maintenance in their bringing up, that they shall be brought up with an equal proportion of each of my childrens portions above mentioned. And I do by these presents make constitute and apoint my dear and well beloved wife Mary Longfellow and my well beloved and dutyfull son Jonathan Longfellow to be my sole executors to this, my last will and testement to see that it be performed in every particular and to take special care for my decent and christian burial, and my will further is that if any one of my above mentioned children should meet with any difficulty or disturbance in their respective porticons as above said, then each one of them to bare an equal proportion of all charges and for the confirmation of all above written I the said Nathan Longfellow have hereunto set my hand and seal this Twenty Second day of December annoque domini one thousand seven hundred and thirty and in the fourth year of the reaign of our soveragian Lord George the Second by the grace of God King over Grate Brittian & c.
Mary is shown residing in Kensington N.H. in 1732, as part of a list of 60 householders representing persons owning homes and living there in 1732. When Nathan died, Mary was granted guardianship on 03/06/1733 of Ann (then about age 13 years); Jacob (age 11 years), Sewall (age 8 years), Abigail (age 6 years), Nathan (age 4 years) and Green (age 23 mos.) Her bond was granted for this guardianship; however, 2 years later she felt the burden of raising this young family, and guardianship of Ann was granted to Joseph Norton; three years later guardianship of Jacob was granted to his brother Jonathan; and on 12/20/1740 guardianship of Abigail, Nathan and Green was granted to Joseph Wadleigh of Hampton Falls, Yeoman.Mary married 2nd. Salisbury Mass. Joseph Macress 08/27/1733 In 1736 she signed with the consent of her present husband, an indenture of partition between her and son Jonathan that was unrecorded in the registry of deeds, Rockingham County N.H. These Provincial Deeds from 1702-1792 were part of a gift from E. Lawrence Sampter to the Philips Exeter Academy, Exeter N.H. This indenture served to split the real estate inheritance by deed of gift dated 04/11/1726(From her father Capt. Jacob Green) between herself, (Then to her son Jacob upon her death) and Jonathan. The property was real estate in Hampton (Homestead; land at Red Oak Bridge, so called; Crankway Pasture bought of Jona. Fellows; land at Great Hill; Land on town side of Grasshopper Plain, so called; one great lot of salt marsh at George's Wigwam, so called, bought of Thomas Cram; one corn mill in mill river at the falls" The indenture was dated 04/22/1736, and signed only by Joseph and Mary Macress Ackn. Newbury, 04/30/1736, Richard Kent J.P. Mary must have been concerned about the care young Green was getting as he was commited to the care of Timothy Hilliard by Mr. Wadleigh, his guardian. but she may have also been taken seriously ill, close to death, and saw the need for legal advice. On 04/28/1742 (The year of her death) she petitioned The Honorable Richard Waldron Esqr. Judge of ye Probate of wills &c. In and for the Province of New Hampshire in New England" for relief from Green's guardianship order, while stating her concerns. He suffers very much for want of suitable provision as to meat and clothing and proper Instruction & Education so that his health is much impaired and his life rendered very burdensome to him. And his Estate also is much neglected and Great waste and spoil made of ye wood and timber thereupon by sundry persons whether by the indulgence or allowance of his said Guardian I cannot say yr Petitioner therefore humbly prays that the said Minor may have relief under or release from his present servitude and be commited to such as will take more Effectual care for his suitable provision and Education And to that end that yr Honor would please to constitute me (his natural) to be a Legal Guardian of his person and some other meet person, Guardian to his Estate for the better preservation and Improvement of the same if need be so shall yr petitioner ever pray &c"Mr. Wadleigh, as guardian, provided the court a financial accounting for the three children that was allowed 08/25/1742, and which probably strengthens the belief the court granted Mary's Petition. It showed expenditures of L51, AND 12 shillings; and receipts of L73, 18 shillings. A year later guardianship of Nathan, the other younger child was granted Jonathan Gove of Hampton Falls, yeoman, 06/29/1743. By then, his siblings had reached maturity in their guardianship care. (8-8) NATHAN LONGFELLOW 1729 (8-8) NATHAN LONGFELLOW born in Kensington N.H. 06/08/1729 Married Susanah Healy born 05/07/1731 Marr. in Hampton Falls N.H. sometime in 1754.
Susanah was the daughter of Nathaniel and Susanah Healy, an influential citizen chosen in 1775 by the town of Kensington as one of 5 deputies to the Second Provincial Convention meeting at Exeter. The same year he was voted by the town as deputy to the regular Assembly session at Portsmouth. This was the radical assembly that Gov. John Wentworth found against the British. On 12/20/1740 Nathan at the age of 11 was placed under the guardianship of Joseph Wadliegh of Hampton Falls, yeoman. He moved his family to Whitefield, Maine after 01/05/1758 when A notice of advertisement was posted in Hampton Falls by John Chase, Constable adviseing "8 stray sheep 5 white and 3 black, owner may claim by paying the charges to Nathan Longfellow". In his father's 1730 will, Nathan was bequeathed A home lot of 16-17 acres which his father bought from Caleb Swaine and John Swaine; and also forty acres of land laid out to me by ye Province Lott Layers and returned to me on this province records, and eight acres of land I bought of Jacob Stanyan, and A lott of land I bought of John French Containing about sixteen acres, and also A lott of land I bought of Jonathan Godfrey Containing about sixteen acres. Although not specified, the land is assumed to be in Hampton, N.H. In his advanced years Nathan again found himself in A guardian situation. At the age of 86, "The subscribers overseers of the of the poor of the town of Whitefield represent that Nathan Longfellow, Husbandman is A non compos, and incapable to take care of himself, that institution thereof be made and A guardian appointed" Eliakim Scammon, Jesse Crowel and Moses King signed the petition; An inquisition was held and Nathan was examined and Moses Peaslee named guardian 04/04/1815. In his notice to the inhabitants, he enjoined anyone indebted to Nathan to make payment, while also stating " All persons are forbidden to have any dealings with the said Longfellow". Nathan got an Attorney and on 05/17/1815 he petitioned the court to declare himself A person composementis and capable to take care of himself; that he was restored to his reason and asked that he be released from the guardian order. At A hearing Nathan appeared with his attorney and was examined; but Judge Jeremiah Bailey declared on 06/02/1815 he was still non-compos. 25 days later Nathan appealed, as he was aggrieved at the order. In his reasons he said the judge declared him non-compos when he should have declared him composmentis; that Nathan had never been the subject of guardianship, that he had always been and was then of sound mind and very capable of taking care of himself, and finally, because the judge ordered that he not be disharged from the guardian order when he should have ordered that he should be discharged from the order. The probate file does not reveal whether he was successful. (9-2) SAMUEL LONGFELLOW 1754
Samuel Longfellow farmer, was born in 1754, in Hampton N.H.(Samuel Longfellow affidavit, signed 05/11/1818 deposed before Nathan Weston, Chief Justice, Circuit Court, Kennebec County, Eastern Circuit that he was aged sixty two years and was born in Hampton, in the state of New Hampshire) Filed as part of his pension application #24590 Elizabeth Osgood 08/28/1838, grand-daughter of Rev. Jeremiah Fogg who married Samuel Longfellow and Mary Perkins, filed as part of Mary Longfellow's Application for A widows pension, #W24590 who was born 07/05/1759, Kensington, N.H. (affidavit, Mary Longfellow, 08/20/1838, deposed she was "aged seventy nine years" the daughter of Jonathan and Abigail (Blake) Perkins. Samuel served in the Revolutionary War as A private in Colonel Enoch Poor's New Hampshire Regiment. At age 19, he served from May 1775 for 8 months in CapWinthrop Rowe's Company; and in Capt. Samuel Adam's Company, enlisting Jan. 1776 and serving 1-year, when he was honorably, but verbally discharged at Morristown, in the state of New Jersey in Jan. 1777. At age 21, he reenlisted in Jan. 1777, serving again in Capt. Adam's Company, for 2 Mons. Immediately after that enlistment he was taken sick, and remained at Morristown until after the expiration of his enlistment, having been discharged, he returned home. Owing to the destruction of vital records in Palermo, the record is unclear when Samuel and Mary arrived in Palermo after their marriage in 1779. They probably went immediately to the great pond settlement, Lincoln County (now Palermo). Samuel appears as head of family (1-2-4-0-0) in the 1790 Census of Great Pond Settlement, living next to his brother Stephen. He was still there in 1797 when, in the probate of Samuel Waters Jr. "an Inventory by Samuel Longfellow, Amos Dennis, and George Carr, all of the Great Pond Settlement,08/25/1797 $434.20. In the 1800 census, Samuel is still at the Great Pond Settlement, as was his brother Stephen. He was A member of the First Baptist Church, Palermo, sometime during the years 1804 until his death in 1834. He participated in the battles of Trenton and Princeton and on 05/11/1818, he applied for and received A pension for his service. Living with him were his wife Mary, age 64 years, and infirm, his daughter Olive age 23 and healthy, and daughter Salina age 16 feeble and unable to work. he was A farmer unable to work due to age and infirmity and; "from my reduced circumstances in life I am in need of assistance from my country for support" He also revealed he had slaughterd A heifer, Oct. 1822 that was killed and eaten in the family and that one calf was sold in June 1822 to pay taxes. An affidavit from his friend, Isaac Worthen of Palermo, attested to Samuel's statement of service and truthfulness. Another affidavit was by Elizabeth Osgood of Kensington, N.H., the grand-daughter of the Rev. Jeremiah Fogg, former Minister of the Church in Kensington, who married Mary and Samuel. She attested to the fact that the original being now lost, "one said manuscript copy" of their marriage on 28 Mar. 1779 in the same Church, was A true copy of the original record in her possession. Samuel died 02/03/1834, in Palermo Me. Based on Samuel's service during the Revolutionary War, Mary filed for A widows pension on 08/20/1838, at the age of 79. Her application was allowed and she received an annual pension of $63.33 She died 04/06/1849 at the age of 90 years. They are both buried in the Greely Corner Cemetery, Palermo, Me. (10-5) JONATHAN PERKINS LONGFELLOW
(11-10) FRANKLIN DAVIS LONGFELLOW
Alice died 03/22/1888 two years after her last child was born. Alice is shown in the 1851 Quebec Census residing in the family of James Richard Moy, Shoemaker, age 44, born England, and Alice Moy (Etta Alice) age 37, born England. Franklin Davis has been found listed in some records as Frank Davis or Franklin. Inthe 1871 census he appears (Frank Longfellow) with his wife Arizina and son Judson with his occupation as Construction and A member of the Universalist Church Province of Quebec. He appeared on the 1878 list of voters; in 1879 he was A road Inspector; and appears on the 1880 list of voters. He also shows up in the Eastern Township Directory of 1892, residing on lot 16, Range V11. After his first wife died he was left with 6 children ranging in age from 2 to 18 and there is no record of there care until he married the second timtoE.J. Swett (Her original maiden name) in Troy, Vermont on 11/13/1895. At some point in time they moved to Franklin N.H. where he died in 1909 of heart disease at the age of 70 years. (12-7) GEORGE RUSSELL LONGFELLOW
George Russell was born in Sutton, Quebec 08/22/1886. His mother died when he was 2 years of age in 1888. It is unclear when his father and stepmother moved to Franklin N.H. His father died there in 1909 and was buried in the cemetery of England ,South Bolton P.Q. Canada with his first wife Alice. George Russell served in the first World War and saw action in Europe. Sometime after he was discharged he met and married Mammie Fletcher daughter of Edwin J. and Mary P. Fletcher. They had no children and were divorced. On Feb. 9,1927 he married Beatrice Gertrude Trottier who was born in Franklin 11/19/1908, the daughter of Peter and Vina (Lepage) Trottier. George Russell Committed suicide 8 years later 05/24/1935, two months before his last child was born. (reason unknown) (13-2) GEORGE JAMES LONGFELLOW
Marr. 2nd. Arlene Blanche Lord (bn.10/30/1936) 09/23/1995 George James moved to Manchester N.H. with his mother and family in 1944, joining the Navy in May of 1945, and serving with the Seabees on the Island of Okinawa. He was discharged in April of 1946 and returned to Manchester where he met and married Elizabeth. He worked for the Johnson & Johnson Co. locally known as Chicopee Mills. In 1961 he moved his family to Hooksett N.H.Where he served the town in several capacities P.T.A. President, Cubmaster, President, Hooksett Youth Athletic Assoc. President Hooksett Mens Club and Lions Club, Parks and Rec. Com. Police Comm., and Selectman. He was named in 1979 as Hooksett's Citizen of The Year. He resigned his position from Johnson & Johnson as an Industrial Engineer in 1969 after 23 years to open an auto service and repair station that he retired from in 1985, Turning it over to his son Richard, and Daughter Catherine. His son David was murdered in 1974 in a driveby shooting. This killing remains unsolved by the Police to date. (14-2) WILLIAM KEITH LONGFELLOW William Keith was born in Manchester N.H. on 10/13/1958 Married Cindy Lee Young in Hooksett on 07/19/1975 Divorced in 1977.
Married Kathleen Ann Dostie 08/06/1977. She was born in Manchester N.H. on 07/03/1959 Children; In 1979-80 William Keith moved his family to the Pheonix area of Arizona in 1977, where they live today in 1998. 
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