Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 8.

[p. 66] of a witch, a mark of great liberality for those times. He served in some of the Indian wars. It is on record at the State House that he received ten shillings for services so rendered. He probably went with Captain Sill, who took a company of militia from Cambridge to the relief of Groton, March 12, 1675, under Major Willard. He was married twice. His first wife was Isabel Parke. They were probably married in England in 1648. His second wife was Margaret Harty. He died October 12, 1685.

John Whitmore, son of the preceding Francis, was born October 10, 1654, and died February 22, 1737, in Medford. The first record I have found of him was in a deed of land sold to him March 29, 1675. This land had already been built upon and houses and barns are mentioned. This was part of the land once owned by Edward Collins. He had it from the heirs of Governor Cradock, who by instruments dated June 2 and September 16, 1652, ‘quit-claimed all the messuage farm or plantation called Meadford, by them owned.’

This is the Edward Collins, called by Rev. Charles Brooks the first land speculator in New England. Besides his frequent purchases and sales of land in Medford and its neighborhood, we find him making investments in many towns some distance from here; as for instance, he sold land in Billerica, in 1655, to the Richard and Jane Champney, who sold land to Francis Whitmore in Cambridge, November 25, 1663. As the latter also owned land in Billerica, it is possible that it was through Mr. Collins that the Whitmores first came to Medford.

On December 24, 1680, John Whitmore, Thomas Willis, Stephen Willis and Stephen Francis, divided the balance of the Collins Farm between them. John Whitmore had already purchased one-fourth of this estate from Caleb Hubbard. The Whitmore house was in that part of West Medford where Usher's Block now stands, and the Whitmore brook, which runs a few rods from it, received its name from this John Whitmore. This house was built in 1680, and torn down in 1840;