“John Ware, son of Robert Ware, was born in Dedham, Massachusetts, October 6, 1646 died in Wrenthan, Massachusetts, April 7, 1718.
He settled in Wrentham in 1671, two years before it was incorporated as a town. In March 1676, the town was deserted by settlers on account of the Indians, and they did not return until 1680, after King Philip’s was was over. John built his house, it is thought, as early as 1668 on the south slope of Knockings Hill. The farm is now or was lately occupied by Richard Dimond. His brothers Robert and Nathaniel, also settled in Wrentham.
John was one of the first board of selectmen of the town. He was lieutenant and captain of the first military company. His commission as lieutenant of the First Company of Militia of the town of Wrentham, signed by Governor Stoughton, is still extant. He seems to have served as lieutenant from 1689 to 1704 and as captain till 1715. He was engaged in King Philip’s war and led his men in attack against the Indians at Indian Rock, the eastern part of of what is now Franklin, Massachusetts.
He married (first) in Dedham, December 10, 1668, Mary Metcalf, daughter of Michael Metcalf Jr. and his wife Mary Fairbanks… She was born August 15, 1646 and died in Dedham, March 22, 1676-7. He married (second), March 24, 1678-9, Joanna Gay Whiting, daughter of John and Joanna Gay, of Dedham, and widow of Nathaniel Whiting, Jr. She was born March 23,1644-5, and died at Wrentham, October, 26, 1708. He married (third), December 21, 1709, Dorothy Wood, widow of Eleazer Wood, of Sherborn. She died in Sherborn, December 10, 1728.
The children of John and Mary (Metcalf) Ware were: John, born June 17, 1670, in Dedham, died March 29, 1751 in Wrentham; Elizabeth, born July 13, 1672, in Dedham, died February 20, 1672-3, in Dedham; a son born and died in Wrentham, February 10, 1673-4, first burial in new ground; Eleazer, died in Wrentham, September 1675; Eleazer, born October 2, 1676, in Dedham, or September 28,1676 (Wrentham records), died July 23, 1750, in Wrentham. The children of John and Joanna (Gay) Ware were: Abigail, born in Dedham, January, 1680, married in Wrentham, November 18, 1702, Thomas Throop; he died November 18, 1708; Joseph, born June 2, 1681, in Wrentham, died January 20, 1754 in Sherborn; Zachariah, born November 16, 1683, died January 13, 1684; Mary, born November 15, 1684, died December 27, 1747, in her sixty-fourth year, married March 1730, Deacon Francis Nicholson; Hannah, born September 24, 1686, died June 3, 1730; married, December 20, 1709, Joshua, son of John and Hannah Fairbanks; Benjamin, born July 8, 1688, died July 16, 1744.”
Source: Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester Co., Mass., Vol. 4, Ellery Bicknell Crane, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1907, page 13
