Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

72 RAMBLES ABOUT PORTSMOUTH.
married Mary, daughter of Grove Hirst, Esq., a merchant
of Boston. He was knighted for his services, and his biog.
raphy has been written by a descendant of his father, Dr.
Parsons.
36. Mary Meserve. died 1759, aged 47.
Nathaniel Meserve of Portsmouth willed property to his
wife Mary and died in 1758. Mary was to bring up the
children under age. He had sons Nathaniel, John, George
and Hanson; and daughters Annah Wills, Sarah Odiorne,
Mary Batson, Esther, Jane, Elizabeth and Ann. See Ram.
ble 35. He died at Louisburg of small pox in 1758. It
is said that his last words to his wife on leaving were"Don't break my will." She did break it, however, and the
story is that his apparition harshly upbraided her in the
entry of her place of residence, (the Boyd house by the
mill.) It appears that she died the next year.
37. Ann Tash, died 1759, aged 63.
Exeter Probate records give nothing about Tash until
1811, when John Tash of New Market died at an advanced
age.
3;8. John Wentworth was son of Gov. Benning, and was
born Jan. 1720. He was never married. Adams alludes to
his death in his Annals. He was christened at Boston, Jan.
29th, 1720, as his mother, the first wife of Gov. Benning,
Abigail Ruck, was a member of the South Church there.
His portrait is now at the house of the late Ebenezer in
this city.
39. Samuel Smith, died 1760, aged 74.
He was a Provincial Counsellor from 1740 to the day of
his death. He willed property to Mary, widow of Timothy
Ermerson; Elizabeth wife of Solomon Emerson; Hannah, wife
of Richard Waldron; Temperance, wife of Joseph Varney;
Sarah, wife of Lemuel Chesley; Joseph Knight, husband of
deceased daughter Patience Knight; to his son Joseph
Smith.