Notes for Benjamin Balch: Benjamin, eldest son of John and Margery Balch was born in the Sagamoreship of Naumkeag during the severe and trying winter of 1628/29 which followed the arrival of Endicott. The evidence which conclusively fixes his birth in this winter was collected by David M. Balch and published in the Salem Gazette on May 10, 1878, and in Balch leaflets, Nos. 1-3. Twenty two years after the death of Benjamin's third son John the tradition of the family was committed to writing, that Benjamin was the first born male child in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Since it was in September 1628 that the Naumkeag settlers learned that they were the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the name of the place was changed to Salem in the following July, the tradition is interpreted as indicating that Benjamin's birth was between these dates. April 10, 1706 he gives his age in a sworn deposition as about 77. This places his birth prior to April 1629 and fixing it in the winter above mentioned. The word male pres3ented in the tradition seems to hint that a female was born in the Colony before him. Claims conflicting with the tradition that Benjamin was the first born have been held by the descendants of others, and it will therefore be important to notice them in passing. After the place took the name of Salem, Roger Conant Jr. was born, and when ten years old was granted 20 acres of land as the "first born child in Salem." He died in 1672. This left John Massey entitled to describe himself as the "oldest planter living in Salem who was born there." He was, however, as several depositions show, two years younger than Benjamin Balch who lived in Beverly. Benjamin received at his father's death half of the farm and sundry other goods. From his brother John he purchased his share in the old homestead on Bass River, and in 1658 secured possession of his brother Freeborn's share in his father's estate. He lived in the old home from its building when he was nine years old, and in it all of his children were born. His independence of the rigid puritanical notions of the times appears in several instances. For entertaining and giving a night's lodging to a stranger on foot, he was arrested and fined, and he left the baptism of his children to their own desires. Previous to Benjamin's last marriage he gave part of his farm to three of his sons, and after his last wife's death he deeded the home lot for a maintenance in his old age to his grandson Benjamin. He executed other deeds to his sons, and the last of these which has been found was given January 31, 1714-15, and shows that he completed his 86th year. He left no will as most of his property was disposed of while living. The date of his death is not known. Benjamin was married first about 1650 to Sarah, eldest daughter of Thomas Gardner, the overseer of the first Cape Ann Plantation. They had eleven children the first ten were baptized 10 April 1670. Samuel, Benjamin, John, Joseph, Freeborn, Sarah, Abigail, Ruth, Mary, Jonathan and David. Sarah died 5 April 1686 and he married Abigail, widow of Matthew Clarke, of Marblehead on 5 Feb 1689. She died in 1690, aged 55. His third and last marriage was to Grace Mallet, performed 15 March 1691-2 by Simon Bradstreet, Esq. They had two daughters Deborah and Lydia. His wife Grace probably died before 1704, since he signed a deed alone that year.
Ref: Genealogy of the Balch Families in America. 1897, Galusha Balch.
More About Benjamin Balch and Sarah Gardner: Marriage: Abt. 1650198
Children of Benjamin Balch and Sarah Gardner are:
+John Balch, b. 1654, Salem, Essex,Co., MA199, d. 19 November 1738, Beverly, Essex Co., MA200.
Benjamin Balch (b. Abt. 1629, d. Aft. 1715)
Notes for Benjamin Balch: