32 JAMES LOCKE, [48] m. ELIZABETH BURNAP, Jany. 11, 1727,

at Hopkinton, who was b. at Reading May 1, 1708, the dau. of Dea. Benjamin

Burnap, who m. Elizabeth Newhall, of Malden, June 19, 1700. Dea.

Burnap was b. June 8, 1677, and was the son of Robert Burnap, Jr., by wf.

Ann, who was the son of Robert Burnap, Sen'r, who was the first of the name

in New England, and whose wife's name was also Ann.

[Burnap was the original orthography of this name in this country, at Reading, where the family first settled, and has so remained until the present time with most of the descendants of Robert; but in 1771 Dea. Benjamin, the brother of Elizabeth, changed his name to Burnet, and his descendants, some of whom resided at Southboro', are now known by that name. Previous to that time there were Burnets in Boston and other places, but I think they were not connected with the Reading family. I am inclined to think that Burnet is the true name, as the name of Burnap I have not been able to find in England.]

James Locke was a farmer and settled in Hopkinton about 1725. He was appointed Administrator on his father's estate in Wob. in June 1745. On the division of the estate, his share was œ146.6.8. He remained at Hopkinton, where all his chil. were b. till 1749, when he removed to Ashby, then Town send, where he purchased a farm (of Amos Whitney?) it being the first farm surveyed in that part of Townsend which is now in the bounds of Ashby. I have the original plan, which is before me, and is dated April, 1736, and is recorded in the Proprietors' books, Dec. 4, 1736. It was situated in the North-Easterly part of Ashby, on what, for many years, was the principal road from Townsend, through New Ipswich, N. H. to Keene, N. H. This road was laid out Jany. 15, 1750, by Townsend, and is described as "Beginning at Pearl Hill Brook, near the Bridge, near John Conant's fence; thence Northerly to John Stevens'; thence towards the bridge across Willard's stream; thence up to James Locke's; thence to the Brook running out of Locke's meadow to the Beaver Dam, and across said Dam, so on to the Westerly side of Pine Hill, near Ebenezer Taylor's House, to the Province Line." At the same time the Town voted to pay James Locke œ10, for building a Bridge across the stream that runs out of his meadow, and he to maintain the same for ten years. The original house stood in the orchard North of where the present house stands; the cellar and well are both now to be seen. Large additions were made to the farm, by him or his son Jonathan.

In 1767, Ashby, taken from Townsend, Ashburnham and Fitchburg, was incorporated. Mr. Locke became one of the influential men in the town, and for many years was nearly always Moderator of the Town meetings; and when the church was organized in 1776, June 17, his name stands first on the list of members. In 1773 he sold all his real estate to his son Jonathan, (who resided with and took care of his parents,) and d. Sep. 1, 1782, a. 79 yrs. and 2 mos.; and his wid. d. Nov. 25, 1785, a. 77, at the house of her dau. Rebecca, who m. Dea. Ephraim Adams, of New Ipswich, N. H., where she was buried, and on whose tomb-stone is the following Epitaph:

The following Epitaph is inscribed on his tomb-stone at Ashby:

Source: "Book of the Lockes: A genealogical and historical record of the descendants of William Locke, of Woburn. With an appendix containing a history of the Lockes in England, also of the family of John Locke, of Hampton, N. H., and kindred families and individuals" ¹⁴⁹⁸