The Founding Families

Kingston, Massachusetts, incorporated in 1726, emerged from the "lands about Jones River," a northern section of Plymouth. Its establishment was the culmination of a decade-long effort by its resident families to achieve local autonomy for civic and religious affairs. The process began formally in 1717when dozens of families, burdened by the long journey to the Plymouth meetinghouse, successfully petitioned for the creation of a separate precinct.

The founding of this new community was anchored by families with deep roots in Plymouth Colony, including many with direct lineage to passengers of the Mayflower. Descendants of Mayflower passengers, including members of the Bradford, Allerton, Cushman, and Howland families, received land grants and settled along the Jones River. These families were the architects of Kingston's social, religious, and economic framework, transforming a colonial outpost into a distinct and self-sustaining town.