Rebecca White

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Hundreds of people left Boston in 1775 to get away from the British occupation after the events in Concord and Lexington. Many people returned after the British left the town in 1776, but some chose to stay at the homes of their friends and relatives or make new lives for themselves in other places. The elderly Mrs. Rebecca White chose to remain with her son first in Charlestown then in Billerica.

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Rebecca was born in Boston, MA on May 19, 1688. She was the only child of James Green, mariner, and Anna Greenwood. Her father died not long after her birth. In 1694/5 her mother married Nathaniel Henchman, and Rebecca was raised with her younger half-siblings. Nathaniel Henchman was a merchant and bookbinder, and held several money-related elected offices in Boston. Her mother died in 1706/7 and is buried on Copp's Hill. It is likely that Rebecca continued to live with her step-father until her own marriage.

As one of only two surviving heirs of her mother's father, Nathaniel Greenwood, she was entitled to a portion of his estate. She chose to quitclaim her interest to her cousin, Samuel Greenwood, for £50, likely to give herself a dowry for marriage.

On June 11, 1711 she traded one color name for another when she married Isaac White, also of Boston. The Reverend Dr. Cotton Mather officiated the wedding. Their marriage intentions had been published a few days prior on June 6.

From Bonner's 1722 Map of Boston

Isaac was a ship carpenter and shipwright, and was based out of the North End of Boston. The Whites had a house with a garden and water pump on Charter Street. Ship carpenters travelled as hired men on ships and did any maintenance or repairs that were required during the voyage. He likely worked on the ships that he had built at his shipyard on Lynn Street (modern Atlantic Avenue). He was well-regarded by many others in Boston, and was well connected.

Isaac and Rebecca had ten children, four of whom died young. Of the surviving children, three were girls and three were boys.

When Isaac died in September 1758, his widow and son Isaac were made the executors of his estate, and John Adams was one of the witnesses. He directed that the land he owned at Fort Dummer in Leicester, inherited from his father, be sold and the proceeds be divided amongst his widow and heirs. In addition to the widow's third of the estate, he left Rebecca 1/2 of the house for her personal use, most of the good silver, and the "negro woman named Venus."

Rebecca did not remarry after Isaac's death, and remained in their house on Charter Street until 1775 when British soldiers occupied Boston. She went to live with her son John in Charlestown in mid-1775. Shortly after and his family left and moved to Billerica, MA. Rebecca went with them, an aged widow of 87.

Rebecca died in Billerica, MA at the home of her son on September 13, 1782, and is buried in the Old South Burying Ground.

Here lies the Body of

Mrs. REBECCA WHITE

Widow of Mr.

ISAAC WHITE late of Boston.

When the British Troops took possession

of the Town of Boston, she went

to her Son JOHN WHITE Esq.

of Charlestown and continued in his

Family 'til She died at Billerica,

Sept. 13th 1782 Aged 94 Years.

This gravestone was carved by the Lamson shop.