Around 1680, the blacksmith and Groton landholder named Jonas Prescott (b. 1648), son of John and Mary Prescott, built the first iron works in nearby Forge Village and began its 300-year history of industrial activity. He lived with his wife Mary (Loker) at the southwest corner of Pine and Town Farm Roads. He mined bog-ore in Groton to be smelted into iron at the mill site on Stony Brook. The iron was used for making candlesticks, farm tools and household items such as irons according to local historian Gordon Seavey's 1988 local news article on the influence of Stony Brook. Mr. Prescott might also have operated a grist mill at the outflow of Forge Pond at this time according to town histories of Westford and Chelmsford.
Some of his descendants who influenced the development of the town are the town clerk Jonas Prescott Jr. (1678-1750) and his wife Thankful Wheeler (1682-1716), Jonas Prescott III (1701-1784) and his wife Esther Spalding (1705-1730) and Lieutenant Jonas Prescott (1727-1813). (Information from Westfords Historic Commission)
Jonas and Mary, had 12 children:
(birth listed in both Lancaster and Groton)
Mary, Feb, 3, 1674 -
Elizabeth, Jan. 23, 1676 - Mar. 17, 1744
(birth listed in Lancaster, Groton, Sudbury)
Jonas, Oct. 26, 1678 - Sep. 12, 1750
(b. in Groton, MA)
Nathaniel, Dec. 21, 1680 - Jan. 9, 1681
Dorothy, Feb. 16, 1681 -
James, Mar. 16, 1684 - May 9, 1704
Sarah, May 3, 1686 -
Abigail, May 8, 1688 - Aug. 14, 1751
Martha, Feb. 20, 1690 -
Susannah, Dec. 31, 1691 - Sep. 19, 1771
Deborah, Mar. 5, 1694 - Sep. 16, 1723
Benjamin, June 4, 1695 - Aug. 3, 1738
Jonas himself is listed in both the Lancaster and Groton, MA Vital Records under births.
- Lancaster VRs, births, pg 452,
Jonas, s. John and Mary (Platts) Prescott, 1648
- Groton VRs, births, pg 190,
Prescott, Jonas, s. John and Mary, June 1648
Around 1680, the blacksmith and Groton landholder named Jonas Prescott (b. 1648), son of John and Mary Prescott, built the first iron works in nearby Forge Village and began its 300-year history of industrial activity. He lived with his wife Mary (Loker) at the southwest corner of Pine and Town Farm Roads. He mined bog-ore in Groton to be smelted into iron at the mill site on Stony Brook. The iron was used for making candlesticks, farm tools and household items such as irons according to local historian Gordon Seavey's 1988 local news article on the influence of Stony Brook. Mr. Prescott might also have operated a grist mill at the outflow of Forge Pond at this time according to town histories of Westford and Chelmsford.
Some of his descendants who influenced the development of the town are the town clerk Jonas Prescott Jr. (1678-1750) and his wife Thankful Wheeler (1682-1716), Jonas Prescott III (1701-1784) and his wife Esther Spalding (1705-1730) and Lieutenant Jonas Prescott (1727-1813). (Information from Westfords Historic Commission)
Jonas and Mary, had 12 children:
(birth listed in both Lancaster and Groton)
Mary, Feb, 3, 1674 -
Elizabeth, Jan. 23, 1676 - Mar. 17, 1744
(birth listed in Lancaster, Groton, Sudbury)
Jonas, Oct. 26, 1678 - Sep. 12, 1750
(b. in Groton, MA)
Nathaniel, Dec. 21, 1680 - Jan. 9, 1681
Dorothy, Feb. 16, 1681 -
James, Mar. 16, 1684 - May 9, 1704
Sarah, May 3, 1686 -
Abigail, May 8, 1688 - Aug. 14, 1751
Martha, Feb. 20, 1690 -
Susannah, Dec. 31, 1691 - Sep. 19, 1771
Deborah, Mar. 5, 1694 - Sep. 16, 1723
Benjamin, June 4, 1695 - Aug. 3, 1738
Jonas himself is listed in both the Lancaster and Groton, MA Vital Records under births.
- Lancaster VRs, births, pg 452,
Jonas, s. John and Mary (Platts) Prescott, 1648
- Groton VRs, births, pg 190,
Prescott, Jonas, s. John and Mary, June 1648
Inscription
Here Lyes Buried
the Body of
JONAS PRESCOTT
Esqr Who Deceased
Decembr ye 31st, 1723
Aged 76 Years.
Family Members
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Mary Prescott Farnsworth
1674–1735
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Elizabeth Prescott Green
1676–1744
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Capt Jonas Prescott
1678–1750
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James Prescott
1684–1704
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Sarah Prescott Longley
1686–1718
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Abigail Prescott Parker
1688–1751
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Martha Prescott Hobart
1690–1774
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Susanna Prescott Lawrence
1691–1771
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Deborah Prescott Parker
1694–1723
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Benjamin Prescott
1696–1738
