Individual Details
Anna Curwen Stone
( - )
A romance is connected with Anna, which is thus preserved for us by her grandson, Amos A. Parker, Esq., who is still living:
"Before the Revolution an Englishman came to Boston and engaged in trade. He belonged to an aristocratic family in England and was successful in business. In time he married a widow with three children. Two children, a boy and a girl, were born unto them. When these two children, who were named Christopher and Anna,(*) were eight or ten years of age, the Englishman, whose name was Curwen, fell heir to a large estate in England by the death of an elder brother. Thereupon he sold out in Boston, took the three children of his wife, and left the two children of his own and returned to England. Why he abandoned any of the children, or took those of his wife, does not appear. What became of the boy Christopher I know not, but the girl Anna has a history.
"A man in Lexington by the name of Isaac Stone, a well-to-do farmer, took much of his produce to market at Boston, especially milk. In his rounds he saw this girl Anna, and as she was a bright, intelligent girl about 13 years old, and he having no children, informally adopted her as his daughter. She then was called Anna Stone. She soon became a favorite in the family. In process of time my grandfather, Amos Parker, married her, and after three children were born unto them, came to Shrewsbury. This was about 1750. She died in 1799. I remember seeing her once at my father's. She was then rather under size, but a brisk, bright, intelligent woman. She talked with me much and I long remembered what she said. This visit was when she was a widow and not long before her death. I remember when my father went to her funeral at Shrewsbury and quite a number of things he brought home with him.
"It is said that Curwen had no children in England, and why he left his own children and heirs and took those of his wife who were not his heirs is a mystery. It would seem he did not wish to have any heirs in England; and how a mother could consent to abandon any of her children when abundantly able to support them, for they were all hers, is a problem difficult to solve. Perhaps our family are heirs to a large estate in England, but I shall not trouble myself about it. These facts I learn by tradition in our family, and also by a diary kept by my uncle Frederick, which has lately fallen into my hands, and which is now before me. In it I find these words:
"'Widow Kent, born in Boston, married an Englishman who died leaving her 3 children--after which by Mr. Curwen she had Christopher and Anna, then left these 2 children and went with the 3 to England to heir a large estate--Curwen of high extraction.'
"This extract is under the date of January, 1791."
Out of ten children nine grew to maturity, the oldest and youngest being daughters, while all of the seven sons were in the Revolutionary War, more or less, except the youngest. He was the common ancestor of very numerous descendants, and these have won worthy laurels for themselves and their ancestors. He d. Dec. 23, 1790, at the age of 68 years. The widow Anna d. Nov. 18, 1799, at the age of 73.
"Before the Revolution an Englishman came to Boston and engaged in trade. He belonged to an aristocratic family in England and was successful in business. In time he married a widow with three children. Two children, a boy and a girl, were born unto them. When these two children, who were named Christopher and Anna,(*) were eight or ten years of age, the Englishman, whose name was Curwen, fell heir to a large estate in England by the death of an elder brother. Thereupon he sold out in Boston, took the three children of his wife, and left the two children of his own and returned to England. Why he abandoned any of the children, or took those of his wife, does not appear. What became of the boy Christopher I know not, but the girl Anna has a history.
"A man in Lexington by the name of Isaac Stone, a well-to-do farmer, took much of his produce to market at Boston, especially milk. In his rounds he saw this girl Anna, and as she was a bright, intelligent girl about 13 years old, and he having no children, informally adopted her as his daughter. She then was called Anna Stone. She soon became a favorite in the family. In process of time my grandfather, Amos Parker, married her, and after three children were born unto them, came to Shrewsbury. This was about 1750. She died in 1799. I remember seeing her once at my father's. She was then rather under size, but a brisk, bright, intelligent woman. She talked with me much and I long remembered what she said. This visit was when she was a widow and not long before her death. I remember when my father went to her funeral at Shrewsbury and quite a number of things he brought home with him.
"It is said that Curwen had no children in England, and why he left his own children and heirs and took those of his wife who were not his heirs is a mystery. It would seem he did not wish to have any heirs in England; and how a mother could consent to abandon any of her children when abundantly able to support them, for they were all hers, is a problem difficult to solve. Perhaps our family are heirs to a large estate in England, but I shall not trouble myself about it. These facts I learn by tradition in our family, and also by a diary kept by my uncle Frederick, which has lately fallen into my hands, and which is now before me. In it I find these words:
"'Widow Kent, born in Boston, married an Englishman who died leaving her 3 children--after which by Mr. Curwen she had Christopher and Anna, then left these 2 children and went with the 3 to England to heir a large estate--Curwen of high extraction.'
"This extract is under the date of January, 1791."
Out of ten children nine grew to maturity, the oldest and youngest being daughters, while all of the seven sons were in the Revolutionary War, more or less, except the youngest. He was the common ancestor of very numerous descendants, and these have won worthy laurels for themselves and their ancestors. He d. Dec. 23, 1790, at the age of 68 years. The widow Anna d. Nov. 18, 1799, at the age of 73.
Families
| Spouse | Amos Parker ( - ) |
| Child | Frederick Parker (1762 - 1802) |