Individual Details
Solomon KEYES
(Say 1631 - 28 Mar 1702)
SOLOMON KEYES AND HIS DESCENDANTS.
I. 1. SOLOMON KEYES. A tradition prevailed among the earlier descendants of Solomon, and is now current among the older members of the "Keyes" family, that two brothers from England, settled in this country and were the ancestors of all of the name in America. Various names have been ascribed to the brothers, and different ports have been mentioned as their place of landing, but I find no record relating to either of them, earlier than that of the marriage of
"Solomon Keies and Frances Grant at Newbury, Mass., Oct. 2, 1653."
The birth of the five elder children is recorded at Newbury. In 1664 and 1665, Solomon aud Joseph Keyes took up land in Chelmsford, Mass., and in that town is recorded the birth of the other children of Solomon and Frances.
There appears to be no record of the marringe of Joseph, supposed to be the the brother of Solomon, or of the birth of children. He might have had children born in England, or before he came to this country.
Solomon was town clerk and tything man in Chelmsford, and seems to have been a man of influence in those early days.
"The old Keyes homestead, par excellence, a roomy, two story white house, now more than two hundred years old, stands in the town of Westford, which was set off from Chelmsford, and incorporated in 1729, and most of the families of the name in that vicinity, are now said to be of Westford. The village according to an old writer, is handsomely situated on a swell of fine land, commanding a beautiful prospect of great extent, and contains an academy of ancient date and respectable standing."
p. 60
There are beautiful views of the Monadnock mountain from certain points in the town, and a fair amount of summer visitors, gives variety to the society, while the academy gives to it a tone of unusual intelligence.
In an old town book of Chelmsford, we find the following: "Sar g nt Solomon Keys, dyed, Mich 28, 1702."
His wife Frances, died, 1708.
The name is spelled Keyes in the Newbury records, with one exception, where the second e is omitted, probably by mistake. At Chelmsford, the records make it Keies, generally, during the life of Solomon, although during the few years preceding, (as in the record of his death, we find it sometimes Keys.
CHILDREN OF SOLOMON AND FRANCES.
2. Hannah, l. Sept. 4, 1654.
3. Sarah, b. Aug. 24, 1656.
4. Mary, b. Sept. 26, 1658.
5. Jane, b. Oct. 5, 1660, m. May 17, 1680, Sam'1 Cleaveland.
6. Judith, b. Sept. 16, 1662.
7. Solomon, b. June 24, 1665, said to have been born in Billerica, Mass. There is no record of his birth in that place.
8. Joseph, b. May 24, 1667.
9. Ruth, b. April, 1669.
10. Moses, b. Mar. 21, 1671.
11. John, b. Aug. 14, 1674.
Events
| Birth | Say 1631 |  | |||
| Birth | 1632 | England | | ||
| Baptism | 23 Mar 1632/33 | New Buckenham, Norfolk, England | | ||
| Marriage | 2 Oct 1653 | Newbury, Massachusetts Bay, British America - Frances GRANT | | ||
| Removed | 1664 - 1665 | with wife and with brother Joseph - Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America |  | | |
| Residence (family) | 1664 | (in the area that would become Westford) - Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America - Frances GRANT | | ||
| Will | 16 Dec 1701 | Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America | | ||
| Burial | 1702 | Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America | | ||
| Death | 28 Mar 1702 | Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America | | ||
| Probate | 12 Apr 1702 | Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America | | ||
| Alt name | Solomon KEIES | | |||
| Alt name | Sergeant Solomon KEYES | | |||
| Alt name | Solomon KEYS | | |||
| Election | town clerk and tithing man - Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, British America | |
Families
| Spouse | Frances GRANT (1634 - 1708) |
| Child | Hannah KEYES (1654 - ) |
| Child | Sarah KEYES (1656 - ) |
| Child | Mary KEYES (1658 - ) |
| Child | Jane KEYES (1660 - ) |
| Child | Judith KEYES (1662 - ) |
| Child | Solomon KEYES (1665 - ) |
| Child | Joseph KEYES (1667 - 1757) |
| Child | Ruth KEYES (1669 - ) |
| Child | Moses KEYES (1671 - 1746) |
| Child | John KEYES (1674 - 1768) |
| Father | Robert KEYES (1606 - 1647) |
| Mother | Sarah SWETT (1605 - 1681) |
| Sibling | Joseph KEYES (1634 - ) |
| Sibling | Sarah KEYES (1633 - ) |
| Sibling | Peter KEYES (1635 - ) |
| Sibling | Rebecca KEYES (1637 - ) |
| Sibling | Phebe KEYES (1639 - 1701) |
| Sibling | Mary KEYES (1641 - ) |
| Sibling | Elias KEYES (1643 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary KEYES (1645 - 1671) |
Notes
Removed
In the area that was set off as Westford and incorporated in 1729.Endnotes
1. "New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635," database index with page images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2496/: accessed 13 May 2024), image of p. 1128 ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2496/images/42521_b158319-00454 ).
2. Find a Grave, database (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 10 May 2024), SGT Solomon Keyes, memorial #54994709; ( https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54994709/solomon-keyes ) .
3. "Middlesex County, Massachusetts Deponents, 1651-1700," database index, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5233/: accessed 16 May 2024), Solomon Keyes, age 60, deposition year 1692, Middlesex; ( https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1656:5233 ).
4. Randy A. /West/, Robert Battle and Robert Charles Anderson, "The English Connection of Robert Keyes of Watertown and Newbury, Massachusetts, and John Swett of Newbury," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 176:1 (Winter 2022):pp. 5-17, specifically pp. 10-17, Genealogical Summary; online archives, AmericanAncestors.org (https://www.americanancestors.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/nehgr-2022-1-winter-v2.pdf : accessed 11 May 2024).
5. Asa Keyes, Genealogy: Robert Keyes of Watertown, Mass., 1633, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford, Mass., 1653; and their Descendants; also Others of the Name (Brattleboro: Geo. E. Selleck, printer, 1880), pp. 59-63; online page images, Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/ : accessed 3 December 2021) K > Keyes > Genealogy : Robert Keyes of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1633 : Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsfor , images 65-69 of 325.
6. Randy A. /West/, Robert Battle and Robert Charles Anderson, "The English Connection of Robert Keyes of Watertown and Newbury, Massachusetts, and John Swett of Newbury," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 176:1 (Winter 2022):pp. 5-17, specifically pp. 10-17, Genealogical Summary; online archives, AmericanAncestors.org (https://www.americanancestors.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/nehgr-2022-1-winter-v2.pdf : accessed 11 May 2024).
7. " U.S., New England Marriages prior to 1700," database index with page images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3824/: accessed 12 May 2024), > "New England Marriages Prior to 1700", image 450 of 1022 ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/3824/images/gpc_newenglandmarriages-0451 ).
8. "New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635," database index with page images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2496/: accessed 13 May 2024), image of p. 1128 ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2496/images/42521_b158319-00454 ).
9. "Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850," database of transcription, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Provo, UT, 2005, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7853: accessed 14 May 2024), Sollomon Keyes, Fracis Grant, m. 2 Oct 1653, Newbury ( https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/420228:7853 ).
10. Joshua Coffin, A sketch of the history of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury, from 1635 to 1845 (Boston: Samuel G. Drake, 1845), p. 307, Keyes, Solomon and Robert; page images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/sketchofhistoryo00coffrich/ : accessed 15 May 2024). Also available at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/19318/images/dvm_LocHist005924-00174-1.
11. "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," database index of page images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2495/: accessed 16 May 2024) > Newbury > "Births, Marriages and Death", image 75 of 2384, image of p. 146, "Sollomon Keyes & Francis Grant was maryed Octob: 2 1653" referencing "(Orig. Rec. Pg. 367)"; ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2495/images/40143_269047__0157-00074 ); citing Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Vital and Town Records; Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
12. "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," database index of page images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2495/: accessed 16 May 2024) > Newburyport > "Births, Marriages and Death", image 1764 of 4542, "Solomon Keyes & Frances Grant was maryed June 13, 1653"; ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2495/images/40143_270402__0001-00003 ); citing Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Vital and Town Records; Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
13. Asa Keyes, Genealogy: Robert Keyes of Watertown, Mass., 1633, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford, Mass., 1653; and their Descendants; also Others of the Name (Brattleboro: Geo. E. Selleck, printer, 1880), pp. 59-63; online page images, Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/ : accessed 3 December 2021) K > Keyes > Genealogy : Robert Keyes of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1633 : Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsfor , images 65-69 of 325.
14. Edwin R. Hodgman, History of the town of Westford in the county of Middlesex, Massachusetts : 1659-1883 (Lowell, MA: Westford Town History Association, 1883), p. 8; page images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/21533/ : accessed 16 May 2024). The first permanent settlers of the area to become Westford..
15. "Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871," index and images, New England Historical Genealogy Society, American Ancestors (http://americanancestors.org: accessed 20 January 2022), https://www.americanancestors.org/DB536/i/14463/13203-co3/38308208; citing records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.
16. "Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991," database index with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9069/: accessed ) > Middlesex > Probate Papers 13101-13208, image 1173+ of 1222, probate of Solomon Keyes, 1702, including transciription of will, file #13203; ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9069/images/007553485_01173 ); citing Massachusetts County, District and Probate Courts.
17. "Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991," database index with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9069/: accessed 16 May 2024) > Middlesex > "Probate Records, Vol 7-10, 1689-1704", image 653+, transcription of will by clerk; ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9069/images/007637537_00653 ); citing Massachusetts County, District and Probate Courts.
18. Asa Keyes, Genealogy: Robert Keyes of Watertown, Mass., 1633, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford, Mass., 1653; and their Descendants; also Others of the Name (Brattleboro: Geo. E. Selleck, printer, 1880), pp. 59-63; online page images, Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/ : accessed 3 December 2021) K > Keyes > Genealogy : Robert Keyes of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1633 : Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsfor , images 65-69 of 325.
19. Find a Grave, database (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 May 2024), SGTSolomon Keyes, memorial #54994709; ( https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54994709/solomon-keyes ) .
20. "Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850," database index with page images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, AmericanAncestors (https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/i/7680/408/141931870: accessed 20 January 2022), "Chelmsford Deaths...Keyes...Solomon, Serg., Mar. 28, 1702".
21. Asa Keyes, Genealogy: Robert Keyes of Watertown, Mass., 1633, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford, Mass., 1653; and their Descendants; also Others of the Name (Brattleboro: Geo. E. Selleck, printer, 1880), pp. 59-63; online page images, Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/ : accessed 3 December 2021) K > Keyes > Genealogy : Robert Keyes of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1633 : Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsfor , images 65-69 of 325.
22. "Massachusetts, U.S., Town Death Records, 1620-1850," database index, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/4080/: accessed 10 May 2024), Solomon Keys, d. 28 Mar 1702, bur. Chelmsford; ( https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/51152:4080 ).
23. Find a Grave, database (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 10 May 2024), SGT Solomon Keyes, memorial #54994709; ( https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54994709/solomon-keyes ) .
24. " U.S., New England Marriages prior to 1700," database index with page images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3824/: accessed 12 May 2024), > "New England Marriages Prior to 1700", image 450 of 1022 ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/3824/images/gpc_newenglandmarriages-0451 ).
25. "Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871," index and images, New England Historical Genealogy Society, American Ancestors (http://americanancestors.org: accessed 20 January 2022), https://www.americanancestors.org/DB536/i/14463/13203-co3/38308208; citing records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.
26. "Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Index, 1648-1870," database index, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/4775/: accessed 14 May 2024), Solomon Keyes, 1702, will, Chelmsford, #13203; ( https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30386:4775 ).
27. "Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991," database index with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9069/: accessed ) > Middlesex > Probate Papers 13101-13208, image 1173+ of 1222, probate of Solomon Keyes, 1702, including transciription of will, file #13203; ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9069/images/007553485_01173 ); citing Massachusetts County, District and Probate Courts.
28. Asa Keyes, Genealogy: Robert Keyes of Watertown, Mass., 1633, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford, Mass., 1653; and their Descendants; also Others of the Name (Brattleboro: Geo. E. Selleck, printer, 1880), pp. 59-63; online page images, Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/ : accessed 3 December 2021) K > Keyes > Genealogy : Robert Keyes of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1633 : Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsfor , images 65-69 of 325.
29. Asa Keyes, Genealogy: Robert Keyes of Watertown, Mass., 1633, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford, Mass., 1653; and their Descendants; also Others of the Name (Brattleboro: Geo. E. Selleck, printer, 1880), pp. 59-63; online page images, Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/ : accessed 3 December 2021) K > Keyes > Genealogy : Robert Keyes of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1633 : Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsfor , images 65-69 of 325.
30. Asa Keyes, Genealogy: Robert Keyes of Watertown, Mass., 1633, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford, Mass., 1653; and their Descendants; also Others of the Name (Brattleboro: Geo. E. Selleck, printer, 1880), pp. 59-63; online page images, Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/ : accessed 3 December 2021) K > Keyes > Genealogy : Robert Keyes of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1633 : Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsfor , images 65-69 of 325.
31. Asa Keyes, Genealogy: Robert Keyes of Watertown, Mass., 1633, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford, Mass., 1653; and their Descendants; also Others of the Name (Brattleboro: Geo. E. Selleck, printer, 1880), pp. 59-63; online page images, Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/ : accessed 3 December 2021) K > Keyes > Genealogy : Robert Keyes of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1633 : Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsfor , images 65-69 of 325.