Keene, Cheshire County, New Hampshire was settled after 1736 and was a fort protecting Massachusetts during the French and Indian Wars. It was called Upper Ashuelot. When New Hampshire separated from Massachusetts in 1741 it became Keene, New Hampshire.
During King George's War, the village was attacked and burned.
A freemason (mason) is a member of an international fraternal and charitable organization pledged to mutual assistance and brotherly love.
Isaac Estey was born September 30, 1731 in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts. His parents were Aaron Estey and Esther Richards. He was named for his grandfather, great grandfather, and older brother who died as an infant.
He married Hannah Smith of Boxford on September 2, 1775 in Topsfield. Hannah was born on October 13, 1734. Her father was John Smith.
He served in the militia under Governor John Wentworth before the Revolution. He was a sergeant in the Keene foot company [infantry] and a freemason.
Isaac and Hannah's children included:
Stephen Estey (April 14, 1756),
Abigail Estey (September 3, 1758, died young),
Hannah Estey Thompson (August 9, 1760, married Ebenezer Thompson),
Isaac Estey (August 7, 1771, married Polly Warner),
Esther Estey Wood (about 1733, married Abijah Wood), and
Sarah (Sally) Estey Davison (April 28, 1774, married Henry Davison).
The older children were born in Topsfield and the younger two were born in Keene. At the time of the 1790 census they were in Keene.
Both Hannah and Isaac died in Readsboro, Bennington County, Vermont. Isaac died on November 17, 1807 and Hannah on March 14, 1807. They are buried at North Hill Cemetery.
Three daughters of William Towne and Joanna Blessing were wrongly accused of practicing witchcraft in Salem. Rebecca Towne Nurse, Mary Towne Estey, and Sarah Towne Bridges Cloyes were persecuted in 1692. The children of people in the line below are all descendants of Mary Estey.
Essex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643 by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when it ordered "that the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four sheires."
A militia is a military unit composed of citizens who are called up in time of need.
