David Stowell

David Stowell was born in Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts, on April 8, 1660. He married first to Mary Champney, on December 4, 1685 in Billerica, Massachusetts. She died in 1690, leaving him with at least two children, Samuel and Ruth. He married second to Mary Stedman on April 7, 1692, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, with whom eight more children were born at Watertown, Massachusetts, including Jonathan, John, Nathaniel, Mary, David, Josiah, Benjamin and Elizabeth. They were all baptized at Watertown on the 20th of November, 1709, with the exception of Elizabeth, who was baptized there on the 15th of July, 1711. David died on September 9, 1724 at Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

According to Stowell Genealogy, twelve of Samuel’s eighteen grandsons were children of David’s. On page 32 of the same source, we read this about David:

“David was undoubtedly a man of great strength and character and of good social standing for his children all married well and became prominent citizens in their respective communities. This was especially so of Mary who married John King and was the mother of the numerous Kings who occupied such prominent positions in the early days of our country.

Although only sixty-four when he died he had long been known in Newton as ‘Old Stowell’. He was in Woburn in 1686 and in Watertown in 1708, but was identified with Newton. He was a weaver by occupation. The only office he held was Surveyor of Highways, 5 March 1715.

David died on 9 Sep 1724 in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts at the age of 64. His will makes mention of all his children, with the exception of Elizabeth and Josiah who probably died young”.