Esther Warham Stoddard, d. 1736

ESTHER WARHAM STODDARD (OR MATHER STODDARD) Wife of the first two ministers of Northampton b. 1644 m. Rev. Eleazer Mather, Sept. 29, 1659 m. Solomon Stoddard, March 8, 1670 d. February 10, 1736 For 57 years she was the only minister's wife in Northampton. Through her two husbands she was a pastor's wife for 69 years. She had twelve children with Stoddard and three with Mather. One of these was Eunice Mather Williams, who was killed by the Indians in the Deerfield massacre. The 77 years of her life spent in Northampton showed great changes; she came in 1659 when the town was first settled in the wilderness. At the time of her death the population numbered 1100, and the church had 600 members.

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