Seeking contact with researchers who are exploring the family and ancestry of Capt. Zimri Heywood [1731-1798] married to Jane Foster [born Abt 1731]. Would appreciate any information that will validate, correct or add to the following information we've collected:


(Capt.) Zimri Heywood , born Sep 05, 1731 in Lunenburg, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died Jul 14, 1798 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine. He was the son of Nathan Heywood and Esther Willis. He married Jane Foster of Dorchester, Canada Jun 05, 1756 in Ashburnham, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.
Jane Foster , born Abt. 1731 in Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She was the daughter of (Deacon) Moses Foster and Mary Rust.

Notes for Capt. Zimri Heywood:
1. RESIDENCE: According to information on their marriage record, Zimri Heywood and Jane Foster were originally from Dorchester, Canada. He and Jane were married in Ashburnham, Massachusetts and started their family there. Prior to 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts, so the statement below may reflect a change in state name status rather than an actual migration.

“Zimri was an original grantee of Kingswood Plantation, Winslow ME in 1768. He brought his wife and 5 children to Maine from MA; had another 5 children born in Winslow. In Ashburnham, MA marriage records, he and Jane Foster are called ‘of Dorchester, Canada’ .”

2. MILITARY SERVICE: Zimri Heywood served his country as a Captain in the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment, in the Militia from Lincoln County, Maine (then Massachusetts) during the Revolutionary War , .

3. PUBLIC SERVICE: Zimri Heywood was a member of the Committee of Safety, Winslow, Maine (then Massachusetts) in 1779.

4. BURIAL INFORMATION: Grave stone inscription information included in “Winslow-#1 Fort Hill Cemetery” listings:

“Haywood [Heywood]. Capt. Zimri. Mass. Mil. Rev. War [Revolutionary War] .”

5. WITNESS OF PROBATED WILL: On April 19, 1775 Zimri Heywood, along with Jonathan Whiting, Daniel Smith and Obadiah Parker, signed as a witness in the probate of the Last Will and Testament of Joel Crosby of Winslow, Lincoln Co., Province of the Massachusetts Bay .

6. INVENTORY OF ESTATE: Lincoln Probate Records note that on Sep 6, 1790 Zimri Heywood, along with James Stackpole and William Richardson, all of Winslow, inventoried the estate of Luke Barton, late of Hancock .

7. PROBATE OF ESTATE: Lincoln Co. Probate Records include an administration on the estate of Zimri Heywood, late of Winslow [Maine], dated July 1798, with administration granted to his widow, Jane [Foster], and a Samuel Heywood, presumably a son to Zimri. An excerpt from “Lincoln Probate Records” includes:

“Zimri Heywood, late of Winslow. Jane [Foster] Heywood, widow, and Samuel Heywood, both of Winslow, Adm’rs, 25 July, 1798. [IX,8.] Josiah Crosby, of Winslow, and Samuel Grant, of Clinton, sureties. Inventory by Ezekiel Pattee, Josiah Hayden and Edmund Freeman, all of Winslow, 29 Sep., 1798. [VIII, 36 to 39.] Account filed 2 Feb., 1802. [XIII, 432-3.] .”

The following entries are included in the “Kennebec Superior Court Index 1799-1804 ”:

Surname DEF/PLTL Location Page #
HEYWOOD, JANE ET AL (ADMIN) PLT Winslow 18

HEYWOOD, SAMUEL (ADMIN) PLT Winslow 19

Notes for Jane Foster:
1. GIVEN NAME: The name of Zimri Heywood’s wife is reported by various sources as both “Jane” and “Jean.” Because “Jane” is seen in records of marriage and in the Kennebec Superior Court Index, it will be used as the given name in this genealogy report.

More About Capt. Zimri Heywood:
Burial: Fort Hill Cemetery, Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine .
Military Service: Captain in the Militia during the Revolutionary War.

Notes for the Marriage and Family of Capt. Zimri Heywood and Jane Foster:
1. MARRIAGE RECORD: According to Ashburnham, Massachusetts Record of Marriages [original spellings intact] :

“HEYWARD, Zimri and Jane FOSTER, both of Dorchester, Canada, June 5, 1756. In Lunenburg. Intention was recorded.”

[RESEARCHER COMMENT: It can be assumed that the marriage was in close proximity to the date the intention was filed.]

2. HOUSEHOLD: In 1790 [the first year of the U.S. Federal Census] Zimri lived in Winslow, Maine with a household composition of 4-1-4. The male under 14 was most likely Samuel, the youngest son. This is based on the “1790 U.S. Federal Census” information :

Head of Household: Zimri Heywood
Location: Winslow, Maine
Free White Males Over 15: 4
Free White Males under 15: 1
Free White Females: 4
All Other Persons: 0
Slaves: 0

Children of Zimri Heywood and Jane Foster are :
i. Samuel Heywood, born Feb 21, 1777; died Mar 04, 1825 in Kennebec Co., Maine. He married Elizabeth Faxon Hayden Nov 27, 1800 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine.
ii. Rebecca Willis Heywood, born Jan 09, 1757. She married John Heald Apr 24, 1775 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine.
iii. Nathan Heywood, born 1758 in Ashburnham, Worcester Co., Massachusetts [NOTE: needs to be verified].
iv. Eunice Heywood, born Jun 16, 1760 in Ashburnham, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died May 17, 1836 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine. She married Hezekiah Stratton April 29, 1778 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine.
v. Nathan Heywood, born Mar 15, 1762 in Ashburnham, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died Sept 21, 1841 in Albion, Kennebec Co., Maine. He married Mary Lovejoy Dec 11, 1788 in Albion, Kennebec So., Maine.
vi. Elizabeth Heywood, born May 20, 1764 in Ashburnham, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married Ebenezer Heald.
vii. Thomas Heywood, born May 05, 1766 in Ashburnham, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died Oct 20, 1834 in Miami Co., Ohio. He married Sarah Copeland Apr 22, 1792 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine.
viii. William Heywood, born Feb 27, 1768 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine; died Jan 14, 1848 in Miami Co., Ohio. He married Jane McKechnie on Oct 14, 1797 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine.
ix. Sarah Heywood, born Jun 28, 1770 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine. She married Abraham Copeland Dec 16, 1791 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine.
x. Esther Heywood, born May 22, 1772 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine; She married William Getchell Dec 4, 1794 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine.
xi. Zimri Heywood, born Jun 29, 1774 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine; died Mar 11, 1814 in Winslow, Kennebec Co., Maine. He married Ann Williams Dudley Feb 2, 1798 in Winslow Co., Maine.

This information came from the following sources:

"Heywood Genealogy" http://www.heywoods.info/h/ZHeywood01.html.
“Blodgett Genealogy” http://www.geocities.com/bigchipchipbabychip/Blodgett/79.htm. Accessed Dec 19, 2004.
WINSLOW-#3 FORT HILL CEMETERY. Excerpted from unknown publication listing tombstone inscriptions. E-Mailed by Melville Fletcher Nov 14, 2004.
“Lincoln Probate Records” Printed from Family Treemaker, CD523 Maine & New Hampshire Settlers, 1600s-1900s, Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine. Genealogy.com. Dec 5, 2004 [copy mailed to J. Darnall by Lynne A. Jones Dec 2004].
Gower, Janice. Membership Sec., ME Genealogy Society. E-Mail to J. Darnall Dec 5, 2004.
“Kennebec Superior Court Index 1799-1804” http://www.raynorshyn.com/megenweb/ cumberland/kcourt.html. Accessed Dec 5, 2004.
“Ashburnham, Massachusetts Records-Marriages” Transcribed and reported by “Heywood Genealogy” http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~heywood/documentati... /ashburnham.html. Accessed Nov 29, 2004.

Many thanks for helping us!

Jean Darnall
<jdarnall@ix.netcom.com>