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1279747

M.U

GENEALOGY

COUL-ECTION

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

3 1833 01332 6464

^

FIRST PUBLICATION

OF THE

HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

JOHN LEWIS Hir.DRETH, A. B., M. D., LL. D.

president of The Hti.dreth Family Association

FTRS^" PTuninxxiON

HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

AI/XMCAL AND HISTORICAL DATA

REi ATJNG TO

)RETH (160S-1693), FREEMAN 164J - ami '-'hc]iT>*'t.ni, Mass.

n-R )MAS h ii {dicis i')3") OF lom:; island

^outhampton, '

INCLUDING

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

F\ ENTH REUNION

COLLATED AND EDITED BY JOHN LYMAN PORTER

. PDBLLSHED BY THE HlLDREl^H FAMILY ASSOCIATION 1915

JOHN LEWIS HILDRETH, A. .

PRESIDENT OF

I'lif. HiM)«KTn Family AHsotiAiiu:

RE

Rica^

THOM.\S

THE

FIRST PUBLICATION

HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL DATA

RELATING TO

RICHARD HILDRETH (1605-1693), FREEMAN 1643

Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass.

THOMAS HILDRETH (died 1657), OF LONG ISLAND

Southampton, N. Y.

INCLUDING

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

SEVENTH REUNION

March 27, 1915

COLLATED AND EDITED BY JOHN LYMAN PORTER

PUBLISHED BY

THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

1915

1279747

FOREWORD

WE do not hesitate to admit for ancestor research a charm which fascinates the mind and engages the heart. It interests us in village legends, family tra- ditions, and in the memories of old people often wonderfully vivid and accurate. It introduces us to our forefathers, hands us a chair at their fireside, and makes us familiar in their house- holds. And soon we begin to love our stern old ancestors. We study them, their opinions, their hatred of tyranny, those old fellows who " called no man master." We who have " Hil- dreth " ancestors have learned of their persistent determination for justice, and of their unyielding courage and honesty. And so we seek to know more of them.

The Hildreth Family Association has in its possession a mass of genealogical and historical data regarding the Hildreths of America. The largest single collection is that by Mr. Henry Orin Hildreth of Cambridge, Mass., made previous to 1893, con- sisting of correspondence, individual family records, notes, mem- oranda, copies of records, etc., but before Mr. Hildreth could arrange it in manuscript form suitable for publication he was taken suddenly ill and died. That was twenty-two years ago.

Since then numerous valuable contributions have been made to our Association. A few, such as Arthur Hildreth's Early Hil^ dreths of New England and Brig.-General Philip Reade's First Generation of the Name of Hildreth in Middlesex County in Massachusetts, tell of the Hildreths of the early colonial period; several tell of the local branches such as those of Westford, Dra- cut and Lowell, Mass., Lewiston, Me., Wheeling, W. Va., etc.; many cover individual family histories as far back as known; and two or three contributions relate to the Long Island (N. Y.) Hildreths; besides which there are hundreds of letters containing more or less detached data.

Dr. John Lewis Hildreth, president of our Association since 1893, has contributed a manuscript copy of the Origin and Gene- alogy of the American Hildreths written by Richard Hildreth, the historian, in 1856. And other loyal members have contrib-

3

4 FOREWORD

uted to the Association numerous books, pamphlets and manu- scripts relating to the Hildreths.

To arrange the earlier genealogical and historical data and to combine it with the later for preservation in printed form is most desirable, and this, our First Publication, is preliminary to such work. The articles herein are by members who have gathered their material a little at a time and by long-continued search; and the references and authorities are given for the benefit of readers who may wish to pursue further any particular point. There must be, of necessity, occasional errors in dates and names ; but it is well known to searchers for genealogical mate- rial that dates found on town records frequently differ from those contained in family Bibles or given on gravestones, and even varying dates for the same event have been furnished by different members of the same family. So it is in the spelling of names; different members of the same family occasionally have used different spellings of their own name. It is earnestly requested that every reader who can do so will promptly furnish us with corrections where we seem to be in error and to give authorities for such corrections in order to make them more valuable.

In our next or second publication, which will be uniform in style to this, we plan to tell of the second generation of Hildreths in America. We shall have in it special articles on Hildreth families who were early settlers in the several sections of our country, telling of those who settled in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York State, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and other sections, including more about the Early Hildreths of Long Island.

We also expect to have in our next or second publication some contributions relating to the Hildreths of Barnard Castle and of Yorkshire, England.

We believe we shall be able to give in our next or second pub- lication the reproduction of a genuine Hildreth seal and we hope our investigations will result in the discovery of an ancient crest or coat-of-arms.

In our next or second publication we will give a partial list of Colonial Hildreths through whom their descendants, who wish to, may claim lines of royal ancestry running back through English and Saxon kings to the year A. D. i, and through the House of Bourbon (France) to the year A. D. 418, and through other interesting lines.

FOREWORD 5

And we would like to give a very complete list of lines through which many of our members who wish to may qualify for mem- bership in such societies as the Mayflower, Colonial Dames, Colonial Wars, etc., but in our efforts to do this we must rely on our members furnishing us with dates, names, birthplaces, marriages, etc., of their own ancestors. If each of our members would supply us with what they know we would soon have a complete whole. Our Family is now scattered from ocean to ocean. Many records are already gone; the old family Bible has often been carried off by the daughters and thus lost to the family name; and soon, all too soon, our older members will be passing away and much valuable history we now can get will then have gone into oblivion. And so we ask you to collect for our Family the dates of births, marriages and deaths of the Hil- dreths you know, and of other Hildreths as far back as you can learn of them. Find out where they lived, whom they married, the names of their children and where they moved to. If you will do just this it will be a wonderful help to us.

The Hildreth Family Association.

Boston, 191 5.

CONTENTS OF FIRST PUBLICATION

PAGE

Foreword ........ 3

Proceedings of the Seventh Reunion of The Hil-

DRETH Family Association . . . . -13

Including Revised Articles of Association and By-Laws.

Historical Sketch of The Hildreth Family Associa- tion (1893-1915) . . . . . .20

By John Lewis Hildreth, A. B., M. D., LL. D.

Origin of the " Hildreths " and Variations of the

Name ........ 26

By Miss Carrie A. Hildreth.

The Parish Registers of Gainford, County of Dur- ham, England ....... 30

By John Lyman Porter.

Coat-of-Arms(?) — Description of Richard Hil-

dreth's Seal ....... 35

By John Lyman Porter.

Surnames of Families Who Intermarried with the

Hildreths ........ 37

Compiled by John Lyman Porter.

Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War by

THE Name of Hildreth . . . . -41

Compiled by Brig.-General Philip Reade, U. S. Army, Retired.

Chart — Thomas Hildreth of Long Island (Died

1657), First Three Generations . . .42

Arranged by John Lyman Porter.

Thomas Hildreth, of Long Island (Died 1657) . . 43

By John Lyman Porter.

The Two Wives of Richard Hildreth (Freeman,

1643) 47

By Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth.

7

8 CONTENTS OF FIRST PUBLICATION

PAGE

The " Old Style " Legal Year, and the Graves of

Richard Hildreth and His Wife Elizabeth . 49

By John Lyman Porter. Chronological History of Richard Hildreth (1605-

1693) ; Freeman, 1643 • • • • • 5^

Compiled by John Lyman Porter. Chart — Richard Hildreth (1605-1693), First Three

Generations ....... 70

Arranged by John Lyman Porter. Memoranda — Blank Pages for Notes and Corrections . 71

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

John Lewis Hildreth, A. B., M. D., LL. D. Frontispiece

President of The Hildreth Family Association.

facing page Henry Orin Hildreth . . . . . .20

Founder of The Hildreth Family Association.

Gravestone of Elizabeth Hildreth . . . -So

Wife of Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelms- ford, Mass.

The Richard Hildreth Memorial . . . .52

Erected to Preserve the Original Headstone.

OFFICERS

OF

THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

FOR THE YEARS 1915-1916

President JOHN LEWIS HILDRETH, A. B., M, D., LL. D., Winchester, Mass.

Senior Vice-President HENRY giddings HILDRETH .... Aubumdale, Mass.

Vice-Presidents

prof. philo c. hildreth . david merrill hildreth dr. eugene a. hildreth . j. homer hildreth . charles w. robinson eugene westel hildreth mrs. rowena hildreth palmer mrs, cornelia s. hildreth .

Fairfield, Iowa

Washington, D. C.

Wheeling, W. Va.

New York, N. Y.

. Stow, Mass.

Melrose, Mass.

Lowell, Mass.

Boston, Mass.

Corresponding Secretary JOHN LYMAN PORTER .... Cambridge, Mass.

Recording Secretary EDWARD c. HILDRETH .... Cambridge, Mass.

Treasurer

HENRY GIDDINGS HILDRETH . . Aubumdalc, MaSS.

Historian

miss CARRIE A. HILDRETH .

Worcester, Mass.

Executive Committee

HORACE EDWIN HILDRETH . ALFRED HITCHCOCK HILDRETH . HERBERT V. HILDRETH . ALLEN B. M. HILDRETH . MRS. ROWENA HILDRETH PALMER JOHN LEWIS HILDRETH, CX ofUcio EDWARD C. HILDRETH, CX ofUcio . 11

. Boston, Mass.

. Boston, Mass.

. Boston, Mass. Cambridge, Mass.

. Lowell, Mass. Winchester, Mass. Cambridee, Mass.

FIRST PUBLICATION

OF THE

HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH REUNION

INCLUDING

REVISED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND BY-LAWS

Boston, Mass., March 27, 191 5.

AT a duly called meeting and dinner of The Hildreth Family Association held this day at the " Colonial House," No. 301 Newbury Street, there being present some over sixty members, the following business was transacted, to wit :

The meeting was called to order at 12 145 P. M. by the presi- dent, Dr. John L. Hildreth of Winchester, Mass. The members then took seats at the tables and grace was asked by Mr. Charles W. Robinson of Stow, Mass. Following the dinner :

The Secretary read the records of the last meeting, which was held at Chelmsford, Mass., June 8, 19 12, and same were ap- proved.

The Treasurer reported that the Association had neither cash assets nor liabilities excepting the expenses pertaining to this meeting. His report was accepted and approved.

The Historian reported her record of deaths of members and same was accepted and placed on file.

The question of amending the Articles of Association was then brought up. The Secretary made a statement that because of the great amount of work falling upon the office of the Secre- tary-Treasurer as heretofore provided in the Articles of Associ- ation it seemed advisable to divide that work and have three separate officers for it, namely: a Corresponding Secretary, a Recording Secretary and a Treasurer. It was also suggested that the influence of the Association might be broadened and

13

14 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

greater results be obtained by increasing the number of Vice- Presidents to nine (9) one of whom should be termed Vice- President Senior. Another suggestion was made that the regu- lar meetings of the Association be biennial instead of triennial, and that other meetings could be called by the Executive Com- mittee. And to carry on research work regarding the origin and genealogy of the Hildreths that was begun some sixty years ago by Richard Hildreth, the historian, and to prepare for pub- lishing the results as well as to assist our members to more val- uable data concerning their Hildreth ancestors it was proposed that the ordinary Dues of One Dollar ($1.00) be payable an- nually instead of once in three years as heretofore. A tentative set of By-Laws embodying substantially these recommendations had been prepared by a committee and were submitted for dis- cussion. These By-Laws were read, article by article, and all changes suggested were actively discussed by the members and separately voted upon by the raising of hands. The approved changes and amendments were written in as authorized and the Revised Articles of Association and By-Laws were then by unan- imous vote adopted as a whole, reading as follows :

REVISED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND BY-LAWS AS ADOPTED MARCH 27, 191 5

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

This Association is formed for the purpose of organizing into a friendly union and for the common good all persons in America who have a Hildreth ancestor or who are united by marriage to those who have a Hildreth ancestor, having in mind the descendants of the two Puritan forefathers who bore the name of Hildreth — one by the name of Richard Hildreth who appeared in Cam- bridge, Mass., in 1643 as Freeman in the Massachusetts Bay Col- ony and who died in Chelmsford, Mass., in 1693, the other by the name of Thomas Hildreth who appeared also in 1643 ^s one of the first settlers of Southampton (Long Island), N. Y., and who died there in 1657.

BY - LAWS

article I.

Name

This Association shall be called "The Hildreth Family Associa- tion."

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH REUNION 15

ARTICLE II.

Purpose

Its purpose shall be to collect and preserve information respect- ing the Hildreths in America and their ancestors and particularly respecting Richard Hildreth buried in Chelmsford, Mass., in 1693, and Thomas Hildreth buried in Southampton (L. I.), N. Y., in 1657, and by meetings to form a more intimate acquaintance with one another and to promote good-fellowship.

ARTICLE III.

Membership

The members of this Association shall be those who state they bave a Hildreth ancestor or who are united by marriage to those who have a Hildreth ancestor.

ARTICLE IV.

Officers

The officers shall be President, nine Vice-Presidents (one of whom shall be called Senior), a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, a Historian, and an Executive Com- mittee of seven (two of whom shall be the President and Recording Secretary). All other committees shall be appointed by the Execu- tive Committee.

ARTICLE V.

Election of Officers

The officers of the Association shall be elected by the majority voting at any regular meeting and shall hold office until their suc- cessors are elected. Vacancies may be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VI.

Duties of Officers

The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee and to discharge the duties which usually pertain to his office.

The duties of the Senior Vice-President shall be, in the absence of the President, to preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee and discharge the duties of the Presi- dent.

The duties of the Treasurer shall be to receive and hold all mon- ies of the Association and to disburse same only on orders signed by the President and one other member of the Executive Committee and to render an account of same at all regular business meetings of the Association and Executive Committee. No debts shall be con- tracted by the Association beyond the amount of available means within its control.

i6 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

The duties of the Recording Secretary shall be to notify the mem- bers of all meetings and keep a record of same, and also to act as secretary for the Executive Committee.

The duties of the Corresponding Secretary shall be to keep a list of members of the Association, assist members who are seeking information regarding their Hildreth ancestors, do genealogical re- search work for the Association regarding the Hildreths in Amer- ica, keep records of such work and of all correspondence, and to make reports at all regular meetings of the Association.

The duties of the Historian shall be to inform the Association from time to time of such facts, worthy of note or mention, relative to the members of the Association, and to keep so far as possible a register of births, marriages and deaths of the Hildreths whether members or not and at the Association's next meeting report the same.

The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to arrange for the meetings of the Association and in the interim to have the man- agement of the Association's affairs not delegated to other officers or committees and to attend to any business pertaining to the Asso- ciation's welfare.

ARTICLE VII.

Meetings

The regular meetings of the Association shall be held once in two years in Boston, Mass., in the month of April, at such hour and place as the Executive Committee may determine.

Other meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VIII.

Dues and Assessments

Members shall not be required to pay dues of any kind except an assessment for ordinary expenses which shall not exceed One Dol- lar ($i.oo) per capita for one year. Such assessment shall be termed Annual Dues, and the payment of same by any member of a family shall include his or her immediate family, provided their names are given at the time the payment is made. The member making the payment shall be called an Active Member, and the other members shall be called Associate Members.

ARTICLE IX.

Amendments

These Articles of Association and By-Laws may be altered or amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of the number present and voting.

It was then voted that the Association proceed to elect officers in accordance with the new By-Laws. The Nominating Com-

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH REUNION 17

mittee, consisting of three members, Messrs. W. Clifton Jones, Henry G. Hildreth and Mrs. Rowena H. Palmer, appointed by the President, was asked to retire and prepare its nominations for the offices to be filled as required by the new By-Laws.

While the Nominating Committee was out the president. Dr. John L. Hildreth, gave an interesting review of the history of our Association, beginning with the Preliminary Conference held twenty-two years ago at the Parker House, Boston, to which twenty-five representatives of the families of Hildreth in New England had been invited and at which fifteen of those repre- sentatives were present. He told of the important genealogical notes and data contributed to the Association by Mr. Henry O. Hildreth of Cambridge, Mass., and the great blow the Associa- tion received by his sudden death, March 12, 1893, only six days after that first meeting at the Parker House. Dr. Hildreth then referred to the erection and dedication in 1909, at Chelmsford, Mass., of a substantial granite memorial preserving in it for all time the old slate gravestone of the first Richard Hildreth in this country. He told of the several contributions made to the Hil- dreth genealogy beginning with the letter of 1856 to Mr, D. M. Hildreth of New Orleans by Richard Hildreth, the historian. He emphasized how we now had three most important things to discover, ( i ) the English birthplace of our Hildreth ancestors, (2) the date or dates our Hildreth ancestors emigrated to this country, and (3) the family names of their wives. These three things he believed could be found with the united help of our members. At the conclusion of Dr. Hildreth's remarks it was recommended that they be prepared for publication at an early date.

The Nominating Committee, having returned, then submitted its nominations for the offices specified. Its report was unani- mously adopted and the Secretary was authorized to cast one vote — which he did — for the election and the Chair announced the officers as reported by the Nominating Committee to be duly elected to serve for two years in accordance with the new By- Laws, as follows :

PRESIDENT John Lewis Hildreth, A. B., M. D., LL. D., Winchester, Mass.

SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT Henry G. Hildreth, Auburndale, Mass.

i8 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Prof. Philo C. Hildreth, Fairfield, Iowa. David M. Hildreth, Washington, D. C. Dr. Eugene A. Hildreth, Wheeling, W. Va. J. Homer Hildreth, New York City. Charles W. Robinson, Stow, Mass. Eugene W. Hildreth, Melrose, Mass. Mrs. Rowena H. Palmer, Lowell, Mass. Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth, Boston, Mass.

TREASURER Henry G. Hildreth, Auburndale, Mass,

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY John Lyman Porter, Cambridge, Mass.

RECORDING SECRETARY Edward C. Hildreth, Cambridge, Mass.

HISTORIAN Miss Carrie A. Hildreth, Worcester, Mass.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Horace Edwin Hildreth, Boston (and Cambridge) Alfred H. Hildreth, Boston (and Winchester) Herbert V. Hildreth, Boston (and Westford) Allen B. M. Hildreth, Cambridge, Mass. Mrs. Rowena H. Palmer, Lowell, Mass. Dr. John Lewis Hildreth, President, ex officio Edward C. Hildreth, Recording Sec'y, ex oMcio

Following the election of officers were read three papers of especial interest to the members of The Hildreth Family Asso- ciation, namely:

1st Paper, " Richard Hildreth, Freeml\n, 1643," ^Y Miss Carrie A. Hildreth of Worcester, Mass., in which Miss Hildreth reviewed her research work in this country and in England for data and information regarding the Richard Hildreth who was made Freeman in 1643 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, living in Cambridge, Mass., until 1654-5 when he removed to Chelms- ford, Mass., where he died in 1693.

2nd Paper, " Thomas Hildreth of Long Island, 1643- 1657," by John Lyman Porter of Cambridge, Mass., in which Mr. Porter told of the Thomas Hildreth who appeared as one

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH REUNION 19

of the first settlers of Southampton, L. I., in 1643 (the same year in which Richard Hildreth of Cambridge was made Free- man). This Thomas Hildreth died in Southampton, L. I., in 1657, leaving a widow and four small children.

Srd Paper, "Wives of Richard Hildreth," by Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth of Boston, Mass., in which Mrs. Hildreth gave ex- tracts from the records of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass., regarding Sarah the first wife, and Elizabeth the second wife of Richard Hildreth, Freeman 1643. She had found records of the deaths of both wives and the place of burial of Elizabeth the second wife, but as yet she had been unable to find the place of burial of Sarah the first wife.

Following the reading of these papers was held a general dis- cussion on them and a recommendation was made that search be continued for the discovery of the relationship between Rich- ard and Thomas Hildreth, the place from which and the time when they emigrated to this country, and the family names of their wives.

A unanimous vote of thanks was given by the members to Mr. Eugene W. Hildreth, the retiring Secretary-Treasurer, for his efficient, faithful and untiring work during the eight years of his service.

It was then moved and carried to adjourn after declaring this to have been one of the most enjoyable meetings and reunions of the Family.

Edward C. Hildreth, Recording Secretary.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION (1893-1915)

By John Lewis Hildreth, A. B., M. D., LL. D.

THE first gathering of the Hildreth Family was at the Parker House, Boston, March 6, 1893, and fourteen years later The Hildreth Family Association was form- ally organized at a large meeting held at " The Brunswick " in Boston on Saturday, March 16, 1907, at which time Articles of Association were drawn up and adopted. Between the times of these two meetings were held family reunions at Chelmsford, Mass., where in 1693 was buried Richard Hildreth — the com- mon ancestor of nearly all of the New England Hildreths, and perhaps a brother or a close relative of the Thomas Hildreth who was buried in Southampton (L. I.), N. Y., in 1657.

This first meeting, the one at the Parker House in Boston twenty-two years ago, was called by Mr. Henry O. Hildreth of Cambridge, Mass., and he acted as Chairman. It was a Prelim- inary Conference to which twenty-five representatives of the family of Hildreth in New England had been invited, and at which fifteen were present, namely:

Sylvanus B. Phinney C. M. Hildreth . . Samuel E. Hildreth Stanley B. Hildreth Amelia P. Hildreth Harriet Hildreth Porter Mrs. Geo. A. Macintosh Maria Gilbert Bradley Henry G. Hildreth . H. W. Robinson William H. Hildreth Ella F. Hildreth . Mrs. J. L. Hildreth Arthur Hildreth Henry O. Hildreth .

Barnstable, Mass.

, Lebanon, N. H.

Worcester, Mass.

Cambridge, Mass.

Worcester, Mass.

. . . . Corinth, Vt.

Lowell, Mass.

Haverhill, Mass.

. Auburndale, Mass.

Brockton, Mass.

Newton Upper Falls, Mass.

Lowell, Mass.

. Cambridge, Mass.

Boston, Mass.

, Cambridge, Mass.

20

HKXRY OUIX HILDRETH

Died March 12, 1&9:.

foundkr of

The Hii.okktii Family Association'

The largest single collection of Ilildieth genealogical data in onr possession was made hy Mr. Ilenrv Orin Ilildrctli,

HISTORICAL SKETCH 21

Previous to this meeting, Mr. Hildreth had called upon me several times, as he had upon other Hildreths, to enlist our inter- est and support for bringing about a permanent organization of the Hildreth families. Of his several visits to me there is one of which I have a very vivid recollection. I was just recovering from a severe illness and was obliged to receive him in bed. I remember how earnest he was when he told me what he wanted to do and how he hoped to have in the near future what he called " a full fledged organization of the Hildreth families." He also said that later he wanted to see a book published containing the sayings and doings of the Hildreths together with their genealo- gies.

Mr. Hildreth was taken sick the next day after this meeting and six days later, March 12, 1893, came the news of his death.

As I think what a terrible shock it was to all of us when we heard of his sudden death, and how it seemed impossible to carry out his plans without him, I wonder now we had any cour- age to go forward with the work he had but just begun and for which his last act in life was the first attempt to unite the scat- tered branches of the Hildreth family into one great union.

To Mr. Henry O. Hildreth is due the honor of having been the principal mover in getting the Hildreths together. He was, as we all know, no ordinary man. He had high ideals of citizen- ship, was distinctly literary in his tastes and a gentleman of the highest order. He is easily placed with our Richard Hildreth of Cambridge of 1643 and with Richard Hildreth the historian. And right here let me quote a few words from a memorial of him prepared for the Dedham Historical Society of Massachu- setts, viz. :

" The memory of a man, who, in a spirit of self-forgetfulness and with a singleness of purpose as to exclude any idea of personal ad- vantage to himself, for thirty-five years and more, has devoted a large fraction of his time to promote the best social interests of the community in which he lived, and to advance the personal interests of others, deserves to be perpetuated by more than a simple recital of the official positions which he held and the dates of his birth and death. All this may be truly said of the late Henry Orin Hildreth ; and it gives the writer a peculiar satisfaction to have the opportunity offered him to pay a tribute due to the memory of an old friend and associate, whose modesty was so retiring and whose life was so unobtrusive, that the world could not know his true worth."

This memorial closes with this beautiful sentence:

22 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

" In private life he was sincere, loyal to his friends, sensitive in matters of principle and without reproach."

Now let me briefly review what has been done since the first meeting of the Hildreths up to the present time, a period of twenty-two years, to carry out the purpose of the Hildreth Family Association.

1st. The First Reunion was held June i6, 1894, at Chelms- ford, Mass. At this meeting Mr. Arthur Hildreth, son of Rich- ard Hildreth, the historian, read a very comprehensive paper on " The Early Hildreths of New England," which was afterwards published under that title and is now found in our public libra- ries.

2nd. The Second Reunion was held also at Chelmsford, June 16, 1904. At this meeting Mrs. Rowena Hildreth Palmer of Lowell, Mass., read a paper on " The Dracut Hildreths and the Characteristics of the Hildreths in General."

3rd. The Third Reunion was held at The Brunswick, Boston, March 16, 1907, when the Association was formally organized and Articles of Association adopted as I have previously stated. How well these Articles of Association have served us now for more than eight years is a proof of Ex-Mayor Palmer's ability as an organizer and his loyalty to the Hildreth families. Only once, on June 12, 1909, have they been amended. This was when Article III was changed so as to include " all Hildreths in America." At this meeting after the business part was over Dr. John Hildreth McCollom read a paper on '' Richard Hildreth the Historian." This paper has not yet been published but we are now making plans to publish this with several others that have been read at our reunions.

4th. The Fourth Reunion was held in Chelmsford, June 12, 1909. At this meeting the old slate gravestone of our earliest Richard, which had been enclosed in a block of granite and placed over his grave as a memorial to him in the old Chelmsford burial ground, was dedicated with appropriate exercises. This memorial, substantial and dignified in its design, was secured through the patient and persistent efforts of Mr. Charles W. Robinson, of Stow% Mass., one of our charter members and with us here to-day. We are all proud of it. At this meeting short addresses were made by the President and by Mr. Robinson, and a more lengthy one by General Philip Reade on the First Gener- ation of the Name of Hildreth in Middlesex County in Massa-

HISTORICAL SKETCH 23

chusetts. General Reade's address has been published under that title and is also found in the public libraries and Historical Soci- eties. It contains many valuable references regarding the Hil- dreths and has two excellent illustrations of the Richard Hildreth Memorial in the Chelmsford burial ground.

5th. The Fifth Reunion was held in Maiden, Mass. The day was fearfully cold and rainy. Tables were set for fifty but only fourteen were present at the dinner. The papers which had been prepared by Miss Carrie A. Hildreth of Worcester, Mass., and by Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth of Boston, to be read at that meet- ing, were omitted.

6th. The Sixth Reunion was held at Chelmsford, June 8, 191 2, at which some forty were present. A paper prepared by Mrs. A. M. Hildreth of Hallowell, Me., on " Paul Hildreth and His Descendants the First Settlers of Lewiston, Maine," was read by the Secretary. This was followed by a paper on " The Two Wives of Richard Hildreth " by Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth of Boston. Miss Carrie Hildreth of Worcester, Mass., also told what she found, while visiting England, from her researches there for the birthplace of our earliest Richard Hildreth.

I have briefly outlined what our Hildreth Family Association has already done in order to show that we have accomplished some very creditable work in trying to live up to the purposes for which we were organized. Also to show that we have laid a good foundation on which we can now all work together and more rapidly collect the genealogical and historical data con- cerning the Hildreths of America. There are still three very difficult problems to solve, as you will realize when you have heard the papers that are to be read this afternoon, but they are problems which, with your united help, I believe can be solved. They are: (i) Where in England were our Hildreth ancestors born, and what is the exact date of Richard Hildreth's birth? (I use the word " exact " because the record on his gravestone in Chelmsford, Mass., has been questioned.) (2) What were the family names of their wives, when and where were they born, and where was Sarah, the first wife of Richard Hildreth, buried? (3) What relationship, if any, to Richard Hildreth was Thomas Hildreth who appeared in 1643 in Southampton (L. I.), N. Y., as one of the first settlers there, the same year that Richard Hildreth was made Freeman in Cambridge. Mass. ?

Even if these three problems cannot be solved at once, still some real valuable genealogical work can be done by each one

24 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

of us. It is to furnish our Corresponding Secretary with our individual genealogy so far as we are able to. The names and dates that you can furnish, when combined with the names and dates that are already in the possession of our Association, will enable him to prepare for most of us our complete genealogical line back to our old colonial ancestor. And these genealogical lines are not only interesting to you but will be of great assist- ance in preparing the Hildreth books for publication.

Of the books and pamphlets already published containing im- portant historical and genealogical data regarding our Hildreth ancestors there are four which I will mention and which will be worth while for you to read if you have not already done so. (i) The oldest of them is a letter written in 1856 by Richard Hildreth the historian to Mr. D. M. Hildreth, then a resident of New Orleans and proprietor there of the St. Charles Hotel. It was an answer to an inquiry made by Mr. Hildreth of New Orleans asking Richard Hildreth the historian regarding his ancestors. This letter contains a great deal of information about the Hildreths of America and some accounts of those in Eng- land. A manuscript copy of this letter is now among the papers of our Association and may be consulted by our members at any time. (2) Is a book published in 1891 entitled " The Life and Times of Azro B. F. Hildreth." This, of course, is largely a personal narrative but Chapters I to VII inclusive have consid- erable valuable and interesting data not only of Mr. Azro Hil- dreth's immediate family but also of his Hildreth ancestors, their near relatives and their descendants. A copy of this is also among the papers and books of our Association for reference and consultation. Mr. Azro B. F. Hildreth was a Director of our Association and one of our charter members, and a lively one too, when he visited us June 16, 1894, as many of us very pleasantly remember. He was at that time 78 years old. His interest in the Hildreths and their Association never faltered in the least till the day of his death. (3) The third is the very interesting book containing Mr. Arthur Hildreth's address, which I have already mentioned, made at the Hildreth Reunion at Chelmsford, June 16, 1894, entitled "The Early Hildreths in New England." A copy of this book our Association also has among its papers. (4) The fourth is a pamphlet compiled by General Philip Reade after a great deal of time and labor spent in consulting old records. Its title is " The First Genera- tion of the Name of Hildreth in Middlesex County, Massachu-

HISTORICAL SKETCH 25

setts, from 1643 ^^ 1693." General Reade gave in this compila- tion the names of the many authorities he consulted for the benefit of the readers who desire to investigate further.

In closing this brief historical sketch of the Hildreth Family- Association and its work already done and telling what it hopes and expects to do in the future, the thought comes to me and I feel sure it has come to many others, of the very many pleasant gatherings we have had, and of the pleasant acquaintances we have made and of the good friendships we have formed, all because of these occasional meetings. And during the twenty- two years in which I have had the honor to be your president I have often thought, and as I have looked over these gatherings and have noticed the individual faces of our members, I have said to myself : " You Hildreths are a good, wholesome-looking people, and you carry the evidence of a large supply of common sense in your honest faces, and I am glad it came my lot to be one of you."

Winchester, Mass., 19 15.

ORIGIN OF THE " HILDRETHS " AND VARIATIONS OF THE NAME

By Miss Carrie A. Hildreth

IT is not easy to trace the family name back through its many variations to its source, but it undoubtedly dates back to early Saxon times in England, and there is a possibility that we may have had remote ancestors in Switzerland. The name Heildreich is not uncommon there to-day, and there is some rea- son for believing that refugees fleeing from persecution for their faith in that country centuries ago, may have found an asylum in Northern England, and settled there as agriculturists. How- ever that may be, the ancestors of the twentieth century Hil- dreths may be found for many generations in the northern part of England.

The term " Hild " is a prefix to hundreds of words, mostly names of people and places, and goes almost as far back as his- tory. In the Saxon Chronicle, Hildrine, a British warrior, led a band of Celts, Scots, and Danes against the Saxons and was defeated. The name is found in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where tradition is that Hildreth means " Chief of the Council," but the generally accepted Saxon translation is " Quick in Battle."

A few years ago the writer attempted to investigate in Eng- land, to determine, if possible, the ancestral home of the family, but extended research revealed little of definite value.

The library of the British Museum contains much genealogical material, and copies of all parish registers that have been pub- lished in the British Isles may be found there, as well as hun- dreds of other volumes of interest to students of genealogy. After many hours of careful search, under the guidance of an expeit in such matters, the writer was forced to the conclusion that either the early Hildreths were not people of great achieve- ment, or else they were a singularly modest family, as little mention of them could be found. After a long search, the name was discovered in the records of the Surtees Society of York- shire. There, beginning with Johannes Hyldreyth, in 1482, a

26

ORIGIN OF THE " HILDRETHS " 27

list contained the names, Ildreth, Hyldryth, Hildred, Hildrik, Ricardus Hildreth, and numerous others, ending with Francis Hildreth, in 1768.

Further search brought to Hght a list of Hildreth wills filed at the Probate Office at York. Twelve Hildreths were men- tioned, beginning with Rauf Hildreth, 1521, and ending with Henry Hildreth, 1658. This list contained the names of two Richards, one of Bridlington, in 1533, and one of Upper Silton, in 1626. All these people lived in Yorkshire, from which region our ancestor Richard undoubtedly came.

After noting nearly a score of different spellings of the name, it naturally led to a hunt for the origin and meaning of the earli- est form. The Familiae Minorum Gentium gave two brief state- ments, all that could be found. In 926, a man named Aldred was expelled from the royal town by the Saxon king Athelstan, and probably Hildred and Eldred, mentioned in the records of that year, were the sons of this Aldred.

The next mention of the name occurs in 1131, when a Hildred was Sheriff of Cumberland.

Although the name is so evidently of English origin, it is almost unknown in London. There is record of a marriage license granted to Richard Hildreth in 1682, then, in 1775, Sarah Hildreth, of Sheffield, married a clergyman connected with St. Paul's, but this was more than a century after our ancestors had come to America. Search in the London directories for the past three years has revealed few persons of the name living in the city, and those mentioned either were inaccessible to the writer, or could give no helpful information. The directories of York and Durham each mentioned one Hildreth — the Supt. of Police in Durham, and a shopkeeper in York, but letters to these people failed to bring any reply, and the prospect of finding what we sought seemed most discouraging, when light suddenly dawned upon us from a most unexpected source.

A cousin bearing the family name met at a business meet- ing in New York an Englishman who greeted him with the statement that he bore a familiar name, as Hildreth had been the name of many of his early associates in his boyhood in England. A few weeks later, a business trip brought this gentleman to Worcester, and the writer was privileged to meet him and gain some helpful suggestions as to the where- abouts of the recent Hildreths in England. The birthplace and early home of this man were in the village of Pierce-

28 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

bridge, a chapelry of Gainford parish, and in this village, and also in the neighboring towns of Darlington, Barnard Castle, and Over Silton, he had known several families by the name of Hildreth, all of whom he believed to be related, and to be traced more or less directly to the earlier generation in Gain- ford. He had traveled extensively in England, and said he felt convinced that all branches of the family in England could be traced to this region, which Hes in the Tee valley, on the border of North Yorkshire and South Durham, a most beautiful district, immortalized by Sir Walter Scott in his well-known poem, " Rokeby."

Unfortunately the Gainford branch of the family has dis- appeared. The older members have died and the younger people have scattered to more enterprising communities. (The Supt. of Police at Durham is one of the sons.)

The Hildreth family in this region at one time was very prosperous, and in the seventeenth century, the branch at Over Silton were extensive land-owners and of important social standing.

My informant also said that an Index to the Parish Regis- ter at Gainford had been published about twenty years ago by a vicar of the parish church, and that a copy could be found in the British Museum. This was welcome news, and a sub- sequent visit to the Museum gave me an opportunity to con- sult the record. A large number of Hildreths were men- tioned, — enough to indicate that we were in the vicinity which must yield us valuable information, even though we might not find the actual record for which we sought. Births were mentioned of a Richard and a Thomas, apparently brothers, but the date of Richard's does not correspond exactly with that of our Richard's on the Chelmsford tombstone. It is indicated as uncertain (possibly blurred in the record), and there is no record of the burial of either Richard or Thomas in Gainford though that is not conclusive proof that they were not buried there as the burial record is defective for three years.

Realizing the careless way which English records were kept in small towns three hundred years ago, and that the events were often recorded years after they occurred by members of the family who were willing to pay the required registration fee, also that records become faded and blurred by time, it seems to the writer quite possible that these were brothers and

ORIGIN OF THE " HILDRETHS " 29

may have been the Richard and Thomas who came to New England, or if not, that they were related to the ones who did, and that we have probably found the birthplace of our revered ancestors. Until some more definite information is unearthed we must remain somewhat uncertain but always hopeful that sometime we may find exactly the proof we seek.

Worcester, Mass., 19 15.

THE PARISH REGISTERS OF GAINFORD COUNTY OF DURHAM, ENGLAND

By John Lyman Porter

BECAUSE of the several references made to the Parish Registers of Gainford, England, and to the numerous HiLDRETHS whose baptisms, marriages and burials are recorded in them, a few excerpts from an Index to these Registers are given here. The first page of the Register reads as follows :

A Register booke conteininge the

Names of all the personnes baptized Married

and Buried at the Parishe Churche of

Gaineforde since the beginninge of the reigne

of our Soueraigne Ladie Elizabethe by

the grace of God Queene of England

ffraunce and Ireland Defender

of the ffaithe etc viz : ex decimo

Septimo die Nouembris A° DHi

1558: Deinceps

The parish of Gainford consists of the townships of Gain- ford (including the districts of Alwent and Selaby), Pierce- bridge, Bolam, Morton Tinmouth, Summerhouse, Headlam, Langton, and part of Cleatlam, all in the county and diocese of Durham.

The earliest register, now kept with the others in an iron safe in the vestry, is a book of 155 parchment leaves bound in

30

THE PARISH REGISTERS OF GAINFORD 31

calf, measuring 11^ inches x 754 inches, and i^ inches thick. (Note: On Dec. 11, 1579, " Gain ford lacked a register book." — Siirtees Society.)

It appears to be a copy down to about the year 1600, and on the first page is

" Collect, et exam., Jo. Cradocke, vicariu Ibm. 1594." The entries are all in English, with the exception of a few in Latin in 1601 and 1602, and on the whole are in a good state of preservation. The volume was bound in 1795, and the writing slightly cut into in some places. The baptisms, mar- riages, and burials, are arranged separately, to wit:

(i) Baptisms, 1560-1784, omitting 1564-8. Two leaves are lost, making a gap from 20th August to 12th January, 1605-6, and another from 14th May, 1775, to ist January, 1778.

(2) Marriages, 1 569-1 761, with some later entries omit- ting 1570 and 1744, and in this there is recorded under the dates of 1622 and 1633 " Noe weddings." And in 1653 the entries were begun again in a different part of the book.

(3) Burials, 1569- 1784, omitting 1570 and part of 1744. ** Some entries, particularly in the Baptisms, from about 1636 to 1662, have been inked over without much attention to the original writing. This was done by Richard Wilson, curate 1785-98, as appears from a note by him in the Register at Whorlton. He was afterward curate at Whorlton, where he interested himself in the preservation of the old Register and made a quantity of curious genealogical notes in a later one." — Surtees Society, iv. 45.

In May, 1889, Mr. W. H. D. Longstafife wrote "... that Mr. John Church Backhouse, of Blackwell Holme, lent him a curious sort of collateral register of Gainford, extend- ing from 1574 to 1598 . . . and used up to 1614, at least, for ordinary parochial transactions. Mr. Edmund Backhouse, of Darlington, has most kindly made inquiries about this book but, unfortunately at present, without success." (Gainford, 1890.)

The following are the Hildreth names as they appear in the Index :

BAPTISMS — GAINFORD REGISTER— 1560- 1784

Hildreth, Florence, 7 Aug., 1575. Hildreth, Agnes, 25 Dec., 1577.

32 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

HiLDRETH, John, 25 Dec, 1579.

Hildreth(e), Margret, 28 Jan., 1581-2,

HiLDRETH^ Thomas, 13 March, 1585-6.

HiLDRETH, Meriall, 26 Dec, 1588.

HiLDRETH, John, 4 Sept., 1591.

HiLDRETH (Hyl-e), PhilHp, 5 May, 1594.

HiLDRETH (Hyl-), Richard, 13 Feb., 1596-7.

HiLDRETH, Marie, 6 May, 1599.

HiLDRETH, Thomas, s. John, 5 May, 161 1.

HiLDRETH, John, s. John, 7 Feb., 1612-3.

HiLDRETH (e), Marie, d. John, 20 April, 1617.

HiLDRETH, WilHam, s. Phillip, 30 Aug., 1617.

HiLDRETH, Nicholas, s. John, 22 Nov., 1618.

HiLDRETH, John, s. Phillip, 5 Dec, 1619.

HiLDRETH, Ann, d. John, 20 May, 162 1.

HiLDRETH, Ann, d. Phillip, 28 July, 1622.

HiLDRETH (Hyl-), Thomas, illeg. s. Thos., 17 Nov., 1633.

HiLDRETH (-dred). Faith, d. Thos., 22 Dec, 1637.

HiLDRETH, Mary, d. Thos., 8 Dec, 1639.

HiLDRETH, Raphe, s. Thos., 6 Nov., 1642.

HiLDRETH, John, s. Thos., 18 Feb., 1643-4.

HiLDRETH, Mark, s. Thos., 30 April, 1648.

HiLDRETH, Ann, d. Thos., 18 Feb., 1650-1.

HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Peircebridge, 23 Nov., 1679.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth, d. John, Peircebridge, 16 Oct., 1681.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth, d. John, Peircebridge, 29 Oct., 1682.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, Peircebridge, 14 Aug., 1684.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Mary, d. John, jun., Peircebridge, 18 Oct., 1685.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, sen., Peircebridge, 15 Nov., 1685.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Thomas, s. John, jun., Peircebridge, 22 April,

1688. HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, sen., Peircebridge, 2 June, 1688. HiLDRETH (-dred), Nicholas, s. John, Peircebridge, 3 June, 1688. HiLDRETH (-dred), Gcorge, s. John, Peircebridge, 24 June, 1690. HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, sen., Peircebridge, 4 April, 1693. HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Peircebridge, 17 March, 1693-4. HiLDRETH (-dred), William, s. John, Peircebridge, 17 March,

1693-4. HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, sen., Persebridge, 14 Sept., 1697, HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. Nich. & Sarah, PerselDridge, 17 Oct.,

1714. HiLDRETH (-dred), William, s. Nich. & Sarah, Persebridge, 21 Feb.,

1716-7. HiLDRETH (-dred), Mark, s. Mark, Pearcebridge, i Dec, 1730. HiLDRETH, George, s. Wm. & Anne, Piercebridge, 6 Feb., 1732-3. HiLDRETH, Mary, d. Mark & Dorothy, Piercebridge, 24 Feb., 1733-4- HiLDRETH, Margaret, d. Wm. & Anne, Piercebridge, i Jan., 1734-5. HiLDRETH, Anne, d. Wm. & Anne, Piercebridge, 20 Feb., 1736-7. HiLDRETH, Thomas, s. Wm. & Anne, Piercebridge, 9 Dec, 1739. HiLDRETH, Hannah, d. Wm. & Anne, Piercebrigg, 30 July, 1742.

THE PARISH REGISTERS OF GAINFORD 33

HiLDRETH (-dred), Thomas, s. Wm., Piercebridge, 3 July, 1749. HiLDRETH, George, s. Thos., Morton, 3 Jan., 1773. HiLDRETH, John, s. Thos., Morton, 4 April, 1779. HiLDRETH, Charles, s. John, Morton, 2 June, 1782.

MARRIAGES — GAINFORD REGISTER— 1569 - 1761

HiLDRETH (e), Florence — Peter Wawbancke, 1594.

HiLDRETH, Anne — Edward Shut, 1601.

HiLDRETH, Margret — Nicholas Tyndell, 1606.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth — Guy Tincler, 1672.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Marke — Margaret Spencer, i May, 1679.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth — Joseph Goundrey, 1708-9.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Mark — Margaret Wastel, both Pearcebridge,

19 May, 1725. HiLDRETH, Mark — Dorothy Haykins, Pearcebridge, i Dec, 1729. HiLDRETH, William — Anne Hog, Pearcebridge, 2 May, 1730. HiLDRETH, Dorothy — George Bird, 1743.

BURIALS — GAINFORD REGISTER — 1569 - 1784

HiLDRETH (e), Jenet, 26 Sept., 1573. HiLDRETH (e), William, 22 Nov., 1580.

HiLDRETH (Hy-), , w. Wm. 24 Dec, 1585.

HiLDRETH, Thomas, 25 June, 1589. HiLDRETH, John, 2 Sept., 1608. HiLDRETH, Mary, 28 Nov., 1617. HiLDRETH, Thomas, illeg., 19 Nov., 1633. HiLDRETH (-dred), Faith, w. John, i Dec, 1637. HiLDRETH (-dred), John, jun., 4 Jan., 1640-1. HiLDRETH, Raphe, s. Thos., 3 March, 1642-3. HiLDRETH, John, s. Thos., Pearsbrigge, 23 Feb., 1643-4. HiLDRETH (blank), s. Thos., Pearsbridge, 8 Sept., 1644. HiLDRETH, Thomas, 17 April, 1650.

HiLDRETH, , young child of Nicholas, 27 Feb., 1654-5.

HiLDRETH, John, 25 April, 1659.

HiLDRETH (-dred), Mr. Richard, Persebridge, 25 Aug., 1663. HiLDRETH (-dred), Nicholas, Piercebridge, 12 Sept., 1670. HiLDRETH (-dred), Margaret, widow, Peircebridge, 17 Sept., 1680. HiLDRETH (-dred), Mary, w. Thos., Piercebridge, 3 July, 1683. HiLDRETH (-dred), Thomas, Peircebridge, 11 Dec, 1683. HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, Peircebridge, 15 Aug., 1684. HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Peircebridge, 19 Feb., 1684-5. HiLDRETH (-DRED), Anne, spinster, Peircebridge, 27 Feb., 1684-5. HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Persebridge, 4 June, 1688. HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, Peircebridge, 14 June, 1690. HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth, d. John, Persebridge, 31 March, 1706. HiLDRETH (-dred), Margaret, w. John, Persebridge, 2 June, 1706, HiLDRETH (-dred), Thomas, s. John, sen., Persbridge, 13 Jan., 1707-8.

34 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

HiLDRETH (-dred), John, Persbridge, i6 April, 1710. HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Persbridge, 24 Sept., 1714. HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth, widow, Persbridge, 10 May, 17 16. HiLDRETH (-dred), Sarah, w. Nicholas, Persbridge, 6 Jan., 1718-19. HiLDRETH (-dred), Nicholas, Persbridge, 10 Feb., 1719-20. HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, Pearcebridge, 10 Feb., 1721-2. HiLDRETH (-dred), Margct, w. Mark, Pearcebridge, 31 Aug., 1724. HiLDRETH (-dred), John, Pearcebridge, 30 Nov., 1725. HiLDRETH, Margaret, Pearcebridge, 29 Oct., 1729. HiLDRETH, Mark, Piercebridge, 20 Jan., 1734-5. HiLDRETH (Hill-), , child of Wm., Pearcebridge, 29 Sept.,

1745-

HiLDRETH, , child of Wm., Pearcebridge, 21 Jan., 1746-7.

HiLDRETH, William, Pearcebridge, 30 May, 1762. HiLDRETH, George, Langton, 23 Jan., 1767.

HiLDRETH, , child of Thos., Morton, 2 Aug., 1775.

HiLDRETH, Hannah, widow, Langton, 17 Jan., 1777.

HiLDRETH, , child of Thos., Morton, 8 Jan., 1778.

HiLDRETH, Mary, Piercebridge, 26 Jan., 1778. HiLDRETH, Ann, Piercebridge, i June, 1784.

1279747

COAT-OF-ARMS (?) — DESCRIPTION OF RICHARD HILDRETH'S SEAL

By John Lyman Porter

NO reliable authority, so far as the compiler knows, has stated that the Hildreth family in England had a coat-of-arms. And one of our noted members, Brig.-Gen. Philip Reade, U. S. Army, retired, who has made considerable search along this line, has written : " no es- cutcheon known to a Heraldic college," known to him, " could be claimed by any descendant of the Massachusetts Hildreths." But in describing the seal on Richard Hildreth's will (1686) Gen. Reade gives us the following interesting data :

" The seal is of red wax, stamped by embossed designs, not un- derstood by the writer. In outline they resemble a coin impression, or, perhaps, achievement per saltire, — being divided by a diagonal dexter and a diagonal sinister crossing each other at the center of the seal. The achievements outline an arquebuse, or matchlock, or flintlock ; a crescent, dexter side, base ; an urn on dexter side. On sinister side, a heart crossed by a line. The points are obscured by a protecting cover of thin silk."

{Reade's First Generation . . . of Hildreth . . . in Mass., p. 22.)

This old Richard Hildreth seal (1686) may or may not prove to be a clue to anything armorial, but it certainly is in- teresting. Achievements per saltire are found in the numerous bishops' arms, — two keys in saltire in those of the Lord Arch- bishop of York (the most ancient of Archbishoprics, founded A. D. 180) ; two swords in saltire in those of the Lord Bishop of London. In the old MacGregor arms is found a sword crossing another figure. A human heart is a well known charge in the arms of the famous house of Douglas. The crescent is frequently introduced to distinguish the different members or branches of the same family; for instance, in the Douglas-Scott-Montagu arms (1606) appear both heart and crescent.

As the Hildreths undoubtedly are of early Saxon origin, and 35

36 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

flourished in northern England in the i6th and 17th centuries, we may sooner or later find records in that section showing an earlier seal than that on old Richard Hildreth's will of 1686. A seal frequently displayed the shield of one's arms and is admittedly at the head of the earliest existing authori- ties in English heraldry. Because of their legal importance seals were preserved, their presence being required soon after the Norman Conquest (1066) on every species of legal document.

Without doubt we shall be able to determine whether or not the " Hildreths " have an ancient seal, crest, or coat-of-arms, after we have established to a certainty the earliest spelling or variation of their name. To assist those of our members who have opportunity and inclination for this search we would first suggest looking up the following names :

HiLDRiNE, British warrior, defeated by Saxons (Saxon Chronicles).

Aldred, bishop of Leicester, A. D. 839.

Aldric, St., Saxon bishop of Mans, France, 800-856.

Aldred, expelled by Saxon king Athelstan from royal town, 926.

HiLDRED, supposed to be son of above expelled Aldred, mentioned

927. Eldred, supposed to be son of above expelled Aldred, mentioned 927. Ealdred, bishop of Chester le Street, 857 ; d. 968. Ealdred, bishop of Cornwall, ( ?) 990. Alread, or Ealred, archbishop of York, 1061 ; d. 1069. HiLDRED, sheriff of Cumberland, 1131. Hyldreyth, Iljdreth^ Hyldryth, Hildred, Hildrek, Hildreth,

1482-1768 Hildreth, Rauf, and others. (Wills, York Probate Office), 1521-

1658.

References: Saxon Chronicles; Familiae Minorum Gentium; Records of Surtees Society, Yorkshire ; Stubb's Registrum Sacrum Anglicanum; LeNeve's Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae; Rose's Gen- eral Biographical Dictionary; Phillips' Dictionary of Biographical Reference; Didot's Nouvelle Biographic Universelle; Chalmers' General Biographical Dictionary; Michaud's Biographic Universelle.

SURNAMES OF FAMILIES WHO INTERMARRIED WITH THE HILDRETHS

Compiled by John Lyman Porter

ACCORDING to our present data Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass. (1605-1693), had 76 grandchildren, of whom only 18 were boys bearing the name of Hildreth ; and Thomas Hildreth of South- ampton, N. Y. (died 1657), had only 11 grandsons bearing the name of Hildreth. This explains why there are now so many descendants of these two old Hildreth forefathers bearinsf other names than that of Hildreth list of their surnames:

The following is a partial

Abbot

Abraham

Adams

Ainsworth

Albee

Aldrich

Allison

Ames

Amsden

Anderson

Andrews

Angier

Ansart

Ansort

Archibald

Annstrong

Atherton

Avery

Ayer

Ayres

Babson

Eachman

Eachus

Bailey

Baird

Baldwin

Baley

Ball

Baly

Banker

Bard

Earford

Barker

Barnes

Barrett

Barron

Barrow

Barry

Bartholf

Bartlett

Bassett

Bates

Baxter

Bayley

Bell

Bennett

Berry

Bickford

Bicknell

Bigelow

Billings

Bingham

Bishop

Bixby Blaisdell Blakeley Blanchard Blodgett Bodwell Bohannon Booth Boswick Bourne Bowden Bowen Bowker Bowler Boyce Boydent Brackett Bradford Bradish Bradley Brady Breed Briggs Brigham Britton Bromley Brooks 37

Brown

Browne

Bryam

Bryham

Buchanan

Buell

Burgess

Burke

Burnett

Burnham

Burt

Butler

Butterfield

Byam

Caffrey

Cain

Caldwell

Canstors

Capen

Carbet

Carey

Carlisle

Carpenter

Carr

Carson

Carter

Carver

Caswell

Chadbourne

Chaffin

Chamberlain

Champney

Chandler

Charles

Cheever

Chesby

Chichester

Child

Childs

Church

Clark

Clarke

Clay

Clemens

Clement

Cleveland

Clogston

Coburn

Coffin

Colburn

Collum

Comings

Conant

38 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

Constantine

Eddy

Gerry

Hayes

Jewett

Converse

Edmands

Gibson

Haynes

Johnson

Cook

Edwards

Gilbert

Hayward

.ones

Cooley

Eliot

Glover

Hazeltine

, osleyn

Coombs

Ellenwood

Goddard

Hazelton

Corey

Ellinwood

Gokin

Heald

Kallicut

Corinth

Elliot

Goodhue

Heard

Keeley

Cotterell

Elwell

Goodnow

Hemmenway Keep

Cox

Emerson

Goodrich

Herrick

Kelley

Craggin

Emery

Gore

Heywood

Kelsea

Cragin

Enthrop

Goulding

Hibbard

Kemp

Cressy

Estabrook

Grace

Higgins

Kendrick

Crossberry

Evans

Gragg

Hilborn

Kennedy

Culver

Grater

Hildreth

Kent

Cumber

Fabens

Graves

Hill

Keyes

Cumings

Fairbanks

Gray

Hills

Keyser

Cummings

Farmer

Green

Hilts

Kidder

Cushman

Farr

Greene

Hinds

Kimball

Cutler

Farrington

Greenlaw

Hitchcock

Kinsman

Fassett

Griffin

Hodgman

Knight

Daly

Farwell

Griffiths

Holden

Knowlton

Dana

Fay

Grogg

Holland

Darling

Felt

Holman

Lackey

Davidson

Field

Hackett

Holmes

Ladd

Davis

Fifield

Hadden

Hopper

Lakin

Day

Fisk

Hadley

Hopkins

Lambert

De Camp

Fiske

Hagar

Hosley

Laphender

De Cordova

Fitzgerald

Hale

How

Large

Dennison

Flagg

Halev

Howard

Larrabee

Denton

Fletcher

Half

Howe

Lathrop

Detamore

Florida

Hallock

Howell

Lawrence

Dexter

Fogg

Halsey

Hoyt

Learned

Dillon

Follansbee

Hamlin

Hubbard

Leavitt

Dodge

Ford

Hanchett

Hulin

Leighton

Dolaff

Fosdick

Handerson

Hunnewell

Lincoln

Dooling

Fossman

Handy

Hunt

List

Doolittle

Foster

Hannaford

Huntington

Litchfield

Dore

Francis

Hanson

Hurtley

Lloyd

Douglas

Frederick

Hardy

Hutchins

Locke

Drury

Freeland

Harrington

Hutchinson

Lombard

Dunn

Freeman

Harris

Hyde

Loud

Dun Stan

French

Hart

Lovejoy

Dunton

Frink

Hartwell

Ingalls

Lowd

Dustin

Frost

Harvey

Ingals

Ludlow

Dutton

Fuller

Harwood

Dwelley

Haskell

Jaquith

Mack

Gale

Hastings

Jennings

Malone

Eager

Gardner

Havens

Jenny

Manning

Early

Gates

Hawkins

Jepson

Mansfield

Eaton

Gay

Hayden

Jessup

Marble

FAMILIES INTERMARRIED

39

Marsh

Odell

Marstin

Osborne

Marstins

Osgood

Martin

Mason

Maxwell

Pain

Maynard

Palmer

Means

Palton

Meire

Parish

Mellen

Parker

Merriam

Parlin

Messerve

Parmenter

Metcalf

Parry

Miller

Patch

Miner

Patten

Minis

Patterson

Minot

Patton

Moore

Pearson

Morgan

Penon

Morris

Perkins

Morrison

Perrin

Morse

Pettee

Moxon

Phillips

Munro

Phinney

Murdock

Phipps

Murray

Pierce

McCaul

Pierson

McClure

Pike

McCollom

Pillsby

McColum

Pinkham

McConnell

Piper

Mcintosh

Pippen

Mclver

Pitts

McLeod

Pittsby

McMechen

Piatt

McMechim

Pollard

Porter

Negus

Potter

Nesmith

Powers

Newcomb

Pratt

Newman

Prescott

Nicholson

Pressey

Nickerson

Prichard

Nickless

Prime

Noble

Proctor

Noyes

Prouty

Nurse

Pulsipher

Nute

Putnam

Nutting

Nye

Quesnal

Ramsdale

Randall

Rawley

Raymond

Raynor

Reade

Redman

Reed

Rice

Richardson

Riley

Ripley

Robbe

Robbins

Robinson

Roby

Rockwood

Rogers

RolHns

Root

Rose

Ross

Royce

Rugg

Rumrill

Rusk

Russell

Rust

Ryder

Safiford

Sanderson

Sanford

Santun

Sargent

Saunders

Sawtell

Sawyer

Say re

Scales

Scott

Scribner

Searle

Searles

Sentor

Shank

Shattuck

Shaw

Shepard

Shephard

Sherwin

Shorey

Shurtleff

Simkins

Simonds

Simpson

Skuse

Smith

Snow

Somes

Spafford

Spalter

Spaulding

Spear

Spencer

Spofford

Squire

St. Clair

Stafford

Stanlocke

Stearns

Steel

Steele

Stephenson

Sterling

Stevens

Stewart

Stone

Story

Stover

Stratton

Streeter

Strong

Studley

Stump

Sturgis

Sutton

Swallow

Swan

Swearengen

Sweat

Sweet

Sweetser

Sweetzer

Swett

Taft Tagger Tapley Tarbell

Tayler

Taylor

Templeton

Tenney

Thayer

Thomas

Thomielly

Thompson

Tibbetts

Tobin

Todd

Topping

Trask

Treadwell

Trow

Tucke

Tucker

Turner

Tuttle

Tyler

Upham

Valentine

Vanerman

Varnum

Vaughn

Verder

Wadsworth

Walker

Wallace

Wallingford

Ward

Warren

Wason

Wasserman

Watson

Watts

Way

Weatherbee

Weatherhead

Webb

Webber

Webster

Welch

Wellington

Wells

Wentworth

Westgate

40 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

Wheeler

Whittemore

WiUis

Woodward

Yeaton

Whitcomb

Whitton

Wilmot

Woodworth

Young

White

Wilber

Wilson

Woolley

Whiting

Wilder

Winship

Worcester

Zane

Whitman

Wilkins

Winslow

Worthen

Zehring

Whitney

Willard

Wood

Wright

Whittacus

Williams

Woods

Wyman

SOLDIERS AND SAILORS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR BY THE NAME OF HILDRETH

Compiled by Brig. Gen. Philip Reade, Retired

THIS compilation is made up from " Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War " — as shown by the Archives in the office of the Secre- tary of State, Vol. VII, pages 855 to 861. The given names only are given by me. The surname in each case is Hildreth, Hildderick, Hildrith, Hildrick, Hilderick, Hildich, Hildrek, Hildre, Hildrich, Hildith, Huldreth. These forms include Zachariah, William, Sampson, Peters, Olivers, Micah, Jonathan, Josiah, John, Jeremiah, James, Israel, Hesekiah, Hosea, Ephraim, Elijah, Ebenezer, Abijah, Amaziah, Abel and others. In other words, these are some of the names of Hildreths who smelt powder on land and sea during the Revolutionary War. Sincerely,

Philip Reade.

Abel, 1776-77 Cambridge

Abijah, 1775-77 Townsend

Amaziah, 1775-78 Westford

Amaziah, 1778-79

Abijah, 1775-78 Townsend

Abel, 1777 Ashby

Ebenezer, 1777-78 Acton

Elijah, 1775 Dracut

Elijah, 1775 Westford

Elijah, 1776

Elijah, 1776

Elijah, 1778

Ephraim, 1780-81 Westford

Hesekiah, 1776

Hesekiah, 1776-77 Westford

Hesekiah, 1782 Sloop " Win-

throp " Hosea, 1775 Westford Hesekiah, 1776 Westford Israel, 1779

James, 1775-77 Townsend Jeremiah, 1776-77 Westford John, 1775 Westford John, 1775

Jonathan, 1777 Ashby Jonathan, 1775 Townsend Jonathan, 1775-80 Westford Jonathan, 1776

Josiah, lyjS-yy Dracut

Jonathan, 1775 Westford

Josiah, 1775 Dracut

Jonathan, 1775-79 Ashby- West- ford

Micah, 1775-76 Dracut

Oliver, 1775-78 Townsend- West- ford

Oliver, 1775 Townsend

Peter, 1778 Westford

Peter, 1778 Westford "Stature 6 feet "

Sampson, 1775 Ashby

William, 1775 Dracut

William, 1776 Dracut

William, 1775 Westford

William, 1776 Declined Major's rank in 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. 22 March 1776.

William, 1777-79 Ensign, then Lieut.

William, 1775 Dracut

Zachariah, 1777-80 Fitchburg

Zachariah, 1777 Suffolk Co.

Zachariah, 1776 Lieut 6 Middle- sex

Zachariah, 1776 Cambridge

Zachariah,

41

CHART — THOMAS HILDRETH

Arranged by John Lyman Porter

First Three Generations Of Hildreths On Long Island, N. Y.

Naming

THOMAS HILDRETH, OF SOUTHAMPTON, N. Y,

(Who died in 1657 at Southampton)

HIS WIFE HANNAH, FOUR CHILDREN, AND ELEVEN GRAND- CHILDREN

One of the Early Settlers. Property Owner. First mentioned Oct. 26, 1643, on the Southampton (L. L) Town Records. Believed to have been born in or near the Parish of Gainford, county of Dur- ham, England. Died in 1657 at Southampton (L. L), N. Y., leaving a widow Hannah and four children. Jonas Bower married the widow.

FOUR (4) CHILDREN, Viz: ELEVEN (ii) GRANDCHILDREN, Viz:

JOSEPH

m. Sept. II, 1678, Ch: <

Hannah Jessup.

Joseph, b. July 2y, 1679. Benjamin, b. Sept. 22, 1681. Nathan, b. March 17, 1684-5.

Ephraim, b. , 1689.

Daniel, b. , .

Jonathan, b. , .

(?) Joseph, b. , .

John, b. , 1702 (?).

LIsaac, b. , .

HANNAH

m. Did she grow up and marry, or did she die young?

JAMES ( James, b. — — — .

b. , . Ch: ] He married Deborah

m. , . ( and raised a family.

PETER (Peter, b. , .

b. , . Ch: \ He also married and had

m. , . ( a family.

(Note: A glance at the above chart shows how very many im- portant dates and names are missing concerning the first three gen- erations of the Hildreths of Long Island, N. Y. Even the few de- tails we do give are not yet satisfactorily proven. It is hoped that eventually a more complete chart of the first three generations can be prepared of this loyal old family.)

42

THOMAS HILDRETH, OF LONG ISLAND (DIED 1657)

By John Lyman Porter

IN 1643 ^ certain ThomiAS Hildreth was having a " controversee " with one of the settlers in the town of Southampton, L. I. — the same year that Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass., was made Freeman in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. About 14 years later (in 1657) this Thomas Hildreth died at Southampton, leaving a widow Hannah and four small children : Joseph, Hannah, James, and Peter. It is thought that he was a com- paratively young man when he died, because his widow mar- ried again and his children did not marry until some twenty or more years after his death — Joseph marrying in 1678. This son Joseph married and had a family of eight or nine boys; the son James married but had only one boy; and the son Peter married and also had only one boy. Thomas Hildreth, therefore, had but ten or eleven grandsons bearing the name of Hildreth. How many granddaughters there were we have not yet ascertained. The names of seven of his grand- sons and one great-grandson appear on the muster rolls of 171 5 of companies raised to " resist " all " Enemies, pirates & Rebells, both at Sea & Land," according to the colonial records of New York State compiled by the state historian. One grandson went in a party with Peter Stuyvesant (perhaps a grandson of the famous Peter Stuyvesant) in an expedition in 1704 against a French privateer off the coast. A later descend- ant (Dr. Shadrach Hildreth) was a surgeon in the American Army of the Revolution, served under General Washington, and died in service.

In 1776, when the British gained control of Long Island, the people of the Island were obliged to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown, or flee. Evidently the Hildreths preferred to flee, many of them escaping to Connecticut. In a book entitled The Refugees of 1776 from Long Island to Connecticut, by

43

44 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

Frederick G. Mather, considerable space is given to the Hildreth Family and 43 Hildreths are mentioned.

In the First Book of Records of Southampton, Long Island, is a copy of an agreement dated March 10, 1639, stating that " Daniell How " agrees to " furnish a vessell to be ready at the Towne of Lynne " to transport persons to Long Island to form a plantation at Southampton, agreeing to transport " a person and a tunne of goods free." Thompson's History of Long Island says that Southampton was founded in 1640 by some forty families from Lynn, Mass., and gives the name of Thomas Hildreth in a list of the early settlers.

The earliest town records of Southampton, L. I., show that Thomas Hildreth was a property holder there and also a holder of somewhat independent views of right and justice. On October 26, 1643, his " controversee " with Richard Smith, who was afterwards the famous patentee of Smithtown, was settled at a final hearing and the following entry was made on the Town Records :

" Y^ is ordered that Thomas Hyldreth shall satisfy unto Mr. Smith to the value of 3 pounds 12 shillings 4 pence to be payd unto him in English Wheate after the rate of 4 shillings by the bushel, betwixt this and the first of March, and that this order shall be a finall ende of all controversee whatsoever betwixt them."

Evidently Thomas was not so successful in his " controversee " with Mr. Smith of Southampton as Richard was in his little difficulty with Parson Fisk of Chelmsford. It cost Thomas 18 or 20 bushels of " English Wheate " to end his troubles while Richard got off by simply saying he was " sorry " although he didn't make it quite clear just what he was sorry for.

When the land was apportioned to the settlers at Southampton that of Thomas Hildreth was in the " 3d ward " with the land of ten other persons whose names were mentioned. On March 6, 1645, referring to divisions of land, the Records say:

"... and what is left as overplus of Thomas Hyldreth's 8-acre lotte shall lye in length next to Mr. Gosners and John Moores 8

The date of Thomas Hildreth's arrival at Southampton we have not yet found, nor is it yet clear where he came from. If he sailed from Lynn he may have come there from Salem, or from Charlestown or from Boston. Perhaps he was one of the

THOMAS HILDRETH, OF LONG ISLAND 45

party from Lynn who, in 1640, tried to settle near the western end of Long Island under one of Farrett's grants and was driven away by the Dutch soldiers. Lynn was settled mostly by people from Salem and Charlestown where many ships from England made port with their passengers, but we have found no Passenger List of that period (1630-40) giving the name of Hildreth or anything like it. Nevertheless, thousands of immigrants came to New England during those years whose names are not found on any Passenger List. Persons desiring to leave England were obliged to pay a subsidy to the Crown and also take an Oath of Allegiance and Superiority. Persons who left England not paying this subsidy and taking the Oath must have left secretly and it is doubtful if a list of them was ever made. If records were made of the names of the passengers arriving at the ports of Salem or Charlestown or at any other port in New England, such records would undoubtedly have been removed or destroyed by the British when they evacuated Boston, as most of the ship- ping ports and all of the ports of entry here were then under the control of England.

Thomas Hildreth of Long Island, and Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford undoubtedly emigrated from the northern part of England from either the county of Durham, Northumberland or Yorkshire, as most of the early immigrants to New England originally came from that quarter. In the parish of Gainford, county of Durham, was kept a Register of baptisms, marriages and burials. Among the Baptisms are found the names of 52 Hildreths, beginning August 7, 1575, and ending June 2, 1782. Among them is a Thomas Hildreth, son of John, bapt. 5 May, 161 1. This year, 161 1, could have easily been the year in which Thomas Hildreth of Long Island was born, making him 46 years old at the time of his death, and we might easily have believed him to be the same Thomas until we saw in the Gainford parish records the baptisms of Thomas' children from the year 1633 up to the year 1650. There is another and an older Thomas Hildreth (baptized in 1585-6) in the Gainford parish, but this earlier Thomas would have been a rather old man to be the father of the Joseph Hildreth of Southampton who was born about 1657 according to the Southampton records. And so we cannot yet say we have found the birthplace of our Thomas although we think we are in its vicinity.

Thomas Hildreth of Long Island and Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford may have been brothers and they

46 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

may have come from the county of Durham, England, but the Gainford Parish Register has no record of a Richard Hildreth being baptized in the year 1605 (the year of Richard's birth according to his gravestone in Chelmsford). Still that is not con- clusive that Richard was not born in the Gainford parish because it is now known that two leaves from that Register are lost mak- ing a gap from the 20th of August to the 12th of January, 1605-6 — the very year in which he was born as indicated by his grave- stone. Mr. Longstafife, author of the History of Darlington, Eng., stated in 1889 that he had seen a " curious sort of a collateral register of Gainford used up to 16 14, at least, for ordinary parochial transactions." Inquiries have been made to find this " curious sort " of a book but so far without success. Perhaps when it is found we may have more definite information whether our Richard and Thomas Hildreth were from that parish or not.

It seems reasonable to think that Thomas Hildreth of Long Island was a younger man and more adventurous than was Richard of Cambridge and Chelmsford from the fact that he went off to Long Island, taking greater risks there than he would have taken had he stayed in New England. And from data we now have it seems reasonable to conclude that he and Richard came to New England together. We have just begun active search for more facts regarding Thomas and, with the help of his descendants, and of the Long Island historians, we hope to make some important discoveries regarding him and his family,

Cambridge, Mass., 1915.

THE TWO WIVES OE RICHARD HILDRETH (FREEMAN, 1643)

By Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth

WHEN our president asked for an article on what we know of the wives of Richard Hildreth of Cam- bridge and Chelmsford, Mass., it occurred to me that ive could tell a great deal more of what we do not know about them, there being so few places where any mention is made of them at all.

In our early Colonial days the women, unless they were the wives of men in high position, lived very quiet and uneventful lives. They were occupied with their housekeeping, rearing large families, spinning and weaving, and with the many cares and duties incident to the wives and mothers of those times, often guarding the home from the attacks of Indians when the good- man happened to be away. There were no Daughters of the Revolution then, no Women's Clubs, no Whist Parties, no Parent's Associations, no Church Sociables, to bring women into notice. When the goodwife died she was buried with a simple service, and on her gravestone, if she outlived him, she was often termed her husband's " relict." But for all that, her quiet life had its influence and the stalwart men of the Colonies paid tribute to the lives of their wives and mothers.

Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass., had two wives. On the Cambridge Town Records is found this entry : "Sarah, wife of Richard Hildreth, died 15 : 4: 1644." And about two years later, also on the Cambridge Town Records, is found this entry : " Elizabeth, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Hildreth, born 21: 7: 1646." But of Richard's marriage to this Elizabeth, his second wife, no record has yet been found.

Sarah, Richard's first wife, bore him two children who were probably born in England. Their names were Jane and James. Of the location of the grave of Sarah, Richard's first wife, no mention or trace has yet been found.

47

48 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

Elizabeth, Richard's second wife, was born in 1625 accord- ing to her gravestone in the old Bell Rock Cemetery, Maiden, Mass., which states " Here lyes ye body of Elizabeth wife to Richard Hildreth aged 68 years died august 3, 1693." She was, therefore, about 20 years old when she married Richard, and he about 40 years old. Her family name and the place of her birth are not mentioned on any records which I have seen. No doubt she also was born in England but evidently she was married here and possibly in Cambridge. The records show that she bore Richard nine children.

Between the years 1654 and 1656 Richard Hildreth and his wife Elizabeth moved from Cambridge to Chelmsford, Mass., where he was buried in 1693. ^^ his will, made in 1686-7 in Chelmsford, he provided for his wife as follows : " And for my beloved wife Elizabeth I have obliged my son Ephraim for her maintenance in all respects so long as she remaineth with him." She died August 3, 1693, ^'^d her body was buried in the Bell Rock Cemetery, Maiden, Mass. It is an unsolved question why, after living so many years in Chelmsford, she should be buried in Maiden. Possibly she was staying there with her own relatives and was buried beside those of her own family, but I have found no evidence on this point nor have I found any connection be- tween her and any Maiden family.

Boston, 1915.

THE " OLD STYLE " LEGAL YEAR

AND

THE GRAVES OF RICHARD HILDRETH AND HIS

WIFE ELIZABETH

By John Lyman Porter

(Note: Referring to the change of the style of the year, etc., see Acts and Laws of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, A. D. 1751, entitled " An Act for Regulating the Cornmencement of the Year and for Correcting the Calendar now in Use.")

THE Old Style legal year of the early colonial period began with March 25 and ended with March 24. March was called the first month of the year although in the eye of the law the first day of the year was not until March 25th or Lady Day. The days from the ist to the 24th of March inclusive are generally considered by our writers as belonging to the subsequent year. Thus : March i, 1693, is frequently written as March i, 1693-4. Accordingly the months and days of the calendar for the legal year 1693 were in the following order:

LEGAL CALENDAR FOR 1693

March 2 5 to 3 1 . ( The year beginning with March 25.)

April I to 30.

May I to 31.

June I to 30.

July I to 31.

Aug. I to 31. Elizabeth Hildreth died August 3d.

Sept. I to 30.

Oct. I to 31.

Nov, I to 30.

Dec. I to 31.

Jan. I to 31.

Feb. I to 28. Richard Hildreth died February 23d.

March i to 24.

Beginning with the year 1752 the present, or New Style, cal- endar came into use with January i as the first month and day

49

50 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

of the year, the legal year of 1751 having lost the months of January and February and the first twenty- four days of ]\Iarch ; and to bring the calendar into conformity with the Gregorian calendar eleven day were dropped in September, 1752, — September 3 being called September 14.

The year 1693 ^s taken to illustrate the Old Style legal calen- dar because in that year both Richard Hildreth and his wife Elizabeth died ; — the town records and the gravestones stating that she died in August and he in February. It seems possible, therefore, that her death may have occurred some six months earlier than that of her husband instead of some six months later, as many of us have supposed.

This would confirm the use of the word " wife " in the in- scription on Elizabeth Hildreth's gravestone in the old Bell Rock Cemetery in Maiden, Mass., which states that she was " zvife to Richard Hildreth." (Note: Had she been his widow she would probably have been called " relict of.") Her stone states, too, that she died August 3, 1693, which corresponds with the date of her death as given -on the Chelmsford records. And the stone also states that she was 68 years old at the time of her death, which is confirmed by her sworn testimony as to her age in 1680. (See "Chronological History of Richard Hildreth" in this publication.) All this evidence removes any lingering doubt that the grave of Elizabeth Hildreth in the Bell Rock Cemetery, Maiden, Mass., is that of the wife of our Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass. But why she was buried in Maiden we do not yet know. Maiden and Woburn were originally a part of Charlestown. She had children and grandchildren living in Woburn and she may have been visiting them at that time. Many of her old neighbors in Chelmsford came from Woburn and Charlestown and perhaps her own people lived there. Bell Rock Cemetery was then quite an old "burying ground, in which many interments had been made, and she may have expressed a wish to be buried in it; whereas the burying ground at Chelmsford, where her husband was buried, must have been a very new one, as we have read that Richard Hildreth's was the third interment there.

That Richard Hildreth should be buried in Chelmsford is not strange. He was one of the founders and settlers of the town, was one of its largest property owners and one of its most active citizens for more than thirty years, and there still lived in it at the time of his death many of his children and grand-

GRAVESTONE OF ELIZABETH HILDRETH

WIFE OF

RICHARD HILDRETH OF CAMBRIDGE AND

CHELMSFORD

In the old Bell Rock Cemetery, Maiden, Mass., can be seen the above gravestone bearing the following inscription:

HERE LYES YE BODY

OF ELIZABETH

WIFE TO RICHARD

HILDRETH AGED

68 YEARS DIED

AUGUST 3

1693

And about six feet back of it is a little footstone on which are the letters: E. H.

Although these stones have been standing there for more than two centuries they show but little wear and they look as if they could withstand the elements for still another century.

THE "OLD STYLE" LEGAL YEAR

51

children. In his old age he may have become homesick for the old associations and he probably wanted to live and die among them notwithstanding some six years previous to his death he had conveyed all his property in Chelmsford (including his home place) to his son Ephraim Hildreth of Stow, Mass., presumably for his and his wife's support during the remainder of their days. (See copy of his deed and of his will in his " Chronological His- tory " in this Publication.) We find at the time of his death that he had a few household goods, two cows, an axe, some books, candlesticks, and other things, and we like to think of him in his declining years as a proud, somewhat independent, yet kindly old man, well physically and clear in intellect.

Cambridge, Mass., 19 15.

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF RICHARD HILDRETH

(1605 - 1693) ; FREEMAN, 1643

Compiled by John Lyman Porter

(Note: Dates in our early colonial history are sometimes con- fusing. For instance, we find that previous to 175 1 an ancestor could be dead in January and alive in July of the same year. This is because the " Old Style " legal year began March 25th. March was called the first month, April was the second month, and so on, making February the twelfth or last month. The following dates are believed to be all Old Style except that the name of the month is given instead of its number.)

i6oj(f) — . Born, according to many authorities, in

northern England and in or near the parish of Gainford, in county of Durham. The year of his birth is established by the inscription on his slate gravestone in the old burying ground at Chelmsford, Mass., which states : " Richard HiLDRETH, Aged 88 years. Died February 23, 1693." He was twice married and is known to have had two children by his first wife and nine by his second. Wanted: Place and full date of his birth.

. Married (ist) Sarah , probably

in England. Wanted: Her surname, date and place of her birth and date and place of her marriage to Richard Hil- dreth.

1628(f) . Birth of Jane, his daughter, probably in Eng- land. She married Robert Proctor, of Concord, Mass., Dec. 31, 1645, ^"<i by him had 12 children. She died April 28, 1697. (Chelmsford Records.) Wanted: Date and place of her birth.

l6ji(f), . Birth of James, his son, probably in England

The year of James' birth is satisfactorily established by his recorded testimony in a lawsuit held in Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 27, 1 65 1, stating he was then 20 years old and the 52

The original slate gravestone of Richard Hildreth (1605-1693) has been preserved by setting it in a memorial of solid granite erected over his grave in Chelmsford, Mass. On the back of this memorial is engraved

Erected by

HILDRETH FAMILY

ASSOCIATION

June 12, 1909.

Appropriate exercises were held at the unveiling.

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 53

son of Richard Hildreth. James married Margaret Ward June I, 1659 (Chelmsford Records), and by her had 11 children; was made Freeman May 3, 1665 (Mass. Rec- ords, Vol. 4, Part 2, p. 582) ; died April 14, 1695 (Chelmsford Records). Wanted: Place and full date of James' birth.

. Richard Hildreth, and probably his wife

Sarah and perhaps their two children Jane and James, emi- grated to New England, Wanted: Dates of their emigra- tion and arrival, and in what boat or boats.

164s, May 10. Richard Hildreth admitted Freeman to Mass. Bay Colony. (Mass. Records, Vol. 2, p. 293.) This is the first direct notice we have of him although he may have arrived in New England some 5 to 10 years earlier. From this time his name frequently occurs in town and church affairs in Cambridge, Mass., and after 1656 in Chelmsford, Mass. Wanted: Earlier notices of or allusions to him.

1644, -^^^^^ ^5- Sarah, his wife, died in Cambridge, Mass. (Cambridge Records, Vol. i, p. 489.) Wanted: Location of her grave.

1645(f) • Married (2nd) Elizabeth ,

and continued to reside in Cambridge, Mass. The year of her birth is established as 1625 by the inscription on her gravestone in Bell Rock Cemetery, Maiden, Mass., which states : " Here Lyes ye Body of Elizabeth wife to Richard Hildreth Aged 68 years Died August 3, 1693." Wanted: Her surname, and date and place of her birth and date and place of her marriage to Richard Hildreth.

1645, Nov. 12. Richard Hildreth chosen one of the five Townsmen of Cambridge, Mass. The records reading as follows : " At a towne meting according to An order ma — ye 3d of ye 9th mo 1634: there was then chosen these severall officers as foUoweth :

r Herbert pelham Esqr

, I Roger Shaw

rj. i Edward Oakes

Townsmen \ r^., -r, , I Tho. Beale

[ Richard Hildreth

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 51.)

54 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

1646, Sept. 21. Birth of Elizabeth, his daughter, in Cam- bridge, Mass. (Camb. Records, Vol. i, p. 491.) She married John Stevens, of Boston and Chelmsford, Dec. 15, 1664 (Chelmsford Records, p. 762), and by him had three children. She died Jan. 19, 1717 (widow), (Chelmsford Records).

1646, Nov. 4. Richard Hildreth appointed Collector of Fines for Cambridge. The records reading as follows : " 4 (9) mo 1646. Ordered by ye Townsmen that Richard Hildreth and Thomas Danforth gather up the fines for this present year."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 56.)

1646, Nov. 5. Richard Hildreth and four others sign an order to pay Tho. Longhorne for beating the drum in Cambridge. The records reading as follows: "5 (9) 1646. It is ordered by ye Townsmen that there shall be fifty shillings payde unto Tho. longhorne for his service to ye Towne in beating ye drum this two years past."

Herbert Pelham Richard Hildreth Edward Oakes Thomas Beale Tho. Danforth (Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 56.)

164"/, May 8. Bro. Hildreth is appointed to keep the Cam- bridge cow common (now vicinity of Massachusetts Avenue, Linnaean and Garden Sts.) clear of cattle. The records reading as follows: " 8d (3 m) 47. Bro. Hildreth is ap- poynted for to see that the Cow Comon be kept Clear of any steeres or any dry Beastes & what ever shalbe found Contrary to the former towne orders the owner of the same shall pay 3 d pr heade except the townsmen uppon Just Complaint shall finde Just Cause for to remitt It."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 61.)

164/', May — . Richard Hildreth, of Cambridge, Mass., signs as witness to an agreement between Mr. Henry Dunster and Edward Goffe vs. Nicholas Withe, G. Richard Wilson and Daniel Hudson, masons.

(Paige's Hist, of Cambridge, p. 372.)

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 55

1641, Oct. II. Bro. Hildreth's name with 17 others appear on the Cambridge Town Records in a Hst of persons from whom assessments or fines are to be collected, viz. : " of Bro. Hildreth £0 o^ M " (Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 63.)

1648, April p. Richard Hildreth was voted a farm in Shaw- shine {now Billerica). The vote, in part, being- as follows: to "Tho. Oakes & Richard Hildreth Each of them a farme, for there Incouragement, if they see it make for their suport, & desire it. provided allwaies, uppon this Condition if they or any of them shall depart the towne then there land to fall into townes hands againe, & then they shall have no Power to sell, alinate, or give to any other there right therein if they depart from this place, onely the towne shall pay them for it shall then be found better by there Improvement of It being valued by indifferent men."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 75.)

1648, Aug. 8. Birth of Sarah, his daughter, in Cambridge, Mass. (Camb. Records, Vol. i, p. 493). She married David Stone, Dec. 31, 1674 (Camb. Records, Vol. i, p. 521), and by him had two children. Wanted: Date and place of her death, and age and parentage of David Stone, her husband.

1648-g, March 12. Richard Hildreth is appointed to execute the Town and Court orders concerning fences for Menottime Fields {now Arlington) . The Records reading as follows: " I2th (i) 1648-9 Edward Winship and Richard Hildreth appointed to execute Towne & Court orders concerning fences for Menottime feilds."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 80.)

164Q, May 2g. Goodman Hilderike, of Cambridge, called neighbor Hilderike, appointed Fence Viewer of Menotomy fields. (Wyman's Genealogies & Ests. of Charlestown. p. 499.)

1650(f) . Birth of Mary, his daughter, probably in

Cambridge, Mass. She married Jacob Warren in 1667 " when she was 17 " (see Early Hildreths of N. E., p. 46).

56 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

By him she had 5 children. She died 1 689-90 ( ?)

(Chelmsford Records), and her husband married again i69o(?). Wanted: Date and place of her birth, and date and place of her death, and the age, birthplace and parentage of Jacob Warren, her husband.

1650, Nov. II. Richard Hildreth is chosen Surveyor of Highways. The records reading as follows : " Severall offi- cers Chosen for the yeare ensueing."

r Richard Robbins for Surveyours of high waies < Rj ; Hildreth

lTho:ffox At this meeting he was also appointed to listen to complaints of persons on the other side of the water. The records reading, viz. :

" Edw. winship & Richard Hildreth appointed to view

the complaintes of severall on the other side of the

water and make returns to the townsmen."

He was also appointed to settle a boundary question relating

to some meadow land owned by Wm. Clemance. The order

reading as follows:

" Edw : winship & Richard Hildreth to bound Wm. Clemance meadow which he bought of Tho. Danforth nere alcocks meadow." Also to listen to a land complaint of Wm. Clemance, Sr. The order reading as follows :

" Edw: winship & Richard Hildreth to view the Com- plaint of Wm. Clema — Senr for want of land." (Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 87.)

1650, Jan. 7j. Richard Hildreth was appointed to execute the General Court orders regarding fences about the Men- ottime Fields {now Arlington). The Records reading as follows: "13 (11) 1650 Edw: Winship and Richard Hildre — are appointed by the Townsmen to looke over the fences about Menottime ffield."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p 90.)

1650-51, Mar. 10. The size of Richard Hildreth's farm granted him in Shawshine (nozu Billerica) was fixed at 200 acres. The records reading as follows: " 10 (i) 1650-165 1 The Townsmen doe determine that the Quantity of Richard

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 57

Hildreths ffarme granted him by the Tovvne at Shawshine shalbe two hundred acres adjoining to other farmes allready determined."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 91.)

1631, Apr. 14. Richard Hildreth and three others are ap- pointed to look after the Cow Common (now vicinity of Massachusetts Avenue, Linnaean and Garden Sts.) with authority to impound stray cattle, etc. The records reading as follows: " 14 (2) 1651. The Townsmen doe order that Mr. Boman, Richard Hassell, Ric: Hildreth and william Hamlet looke to the cow comon, that no cattle trespasse uppon the Same to the damage of the Cow heard, and in case they do or any of the inhabitants shall find any cattel soe trespassing they may impound the same either in the towne pound or there own yards provided they give owners notice and request of the owners of such cattle 3 ^ a head." (Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 92.)

j6ji, Aug. 27. Hildreth v. Sam'l Eldred. Case of trespass done by hogs. Plaintiff living in Minottime Fields {nozv Arlington) in Charlestown complains that his corn was des- troyed by defendant's hogs, etc. Aug. 27, 1651, James Hildreth, aged 20 years, testified to driving out the swine about 30 or 40 at a time. The Jury found for plaintiff, 45 bushels merchantable corn damaged; value: i pound, 18 shillings, 10 pence. (Sept. 7, 165 1.)

(E. Camb. County Court Records. Vol. i, p. 12.)

1652, Nov. 8. Richard Hildreth was chosen Surveyor of Highways. The records reading as follows : "8th (9) mo 1652. At a genrall meeting of the Inhabitants the Town do choose

Ri : Hildreth ]

Ri : Robbins, and > ^or Surveyors of highways Thomas Danforth J (Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 99.)

1653, May 10. Richard Hildreth and 28 others petition the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for a large tract of land " on the river Merrimack at a necke of lande next to Concord river, near to Pawtucket," it being " a very

58 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

comfortable place to accomodate a company of God's people upon; that may with God's blessing and assistance live com- fortably and do good in that place for church and common- wealth." (The land was granted — is now partly Chelms- ford, Westford and Lowell.)

(Allen's Hist, of Chelmsford, pub. 1820.)

J(55J, Nov. J. Ri : Hildreth was a member of Jury at Charles- town on a case of bond forfeiture, John Ridgeway v. Jon. Phillips.

(Mx. County Court Records, Vol. i, p. 47.)

165s, Feb. ij. Richard Hildreth and Thomas Fox are au- thorized to enforce orders regarding illegal cutting of the Cambridge town woodlot. The records read as follows: " 13th 12 1653. Whereas many Complaintes are made to the Townsmen of the unreasonable stroy that is yet made by many persons of the wood and timber wch lieth in Comon in this Towne, not with standing all orders that have formerly bin made for the preservation thereof. It is there- fore ordered by the Townsmen that no man shall cutt of the boughes of any tree, nor fell any tree uppon the Comon for firewood, (excepting only such as are dead and fare) ; uppon poenalty of five shillings forfeiture for everie tree so felled or stowed contrary to this order."

"Richard Hildreth and Tho : ffax are desired to see this

order executed and are to have one fourth part of the

fines for their Labour."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 102.)

^^53~54> March jj. Richard Hildreth is appointed Fence Viewer. The records read as follows : " Att a meting of the Select men the 13th of the ist mo. 1653, Richard Hildreth and Tho. Hall are appoynted to view the ffences about Winnottime ffield."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 104.)

1654, Sept. J. Richard Hildreth and his wife Elizabeth give testimony in case E. Evans v. Richard Ffrench for abuse of Elizabeth Hildreth's maid Jane Evans. French found guilty and heavily fined. (County Court Records at E. Camb. Vol. i, pp. 62-64.)

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 59

1654, Oct. 26. Richard Hildreth chosen to serve on Jury at Charlestown in famous case of Gov. Ri. Bellingham, Esq., et al. V. Robt. Jordan.

(M'x Co. Records, Vol. i, p. 67.)

i6j4-5, March 12. Sergt. Hildreth appointed Fence Viewer. The records reading as follows : " At a meeting of the Select men the 12 (ist) 1654-5 Ensigne Winship and Sergt. Hildreth are appointed to view the ffences about Winottime ffield."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 108.)

1655, Feb. 10. Richard Hildreth appointed Fence Viewer. The records reading as follows: " loth 12 mo 55. Richard Hildreth and Ensig. Winship are appointed to view the fences about Winittime field."

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 109.)

16^-, . Richard Hildreth and his Avife Elizabeth

move from Cambridge to Chelmsford, Mass. (Hurd's M'x. Co. Perham, p. 239.) Wanted: Correct date of their re- moval to Chelmsford.

i655(?), . Birth of Ephraim, his son, in Cambridge or

Chelmsford, Mass. Ephraim married (ist) Dorothy Barnes, of Stow, June 11, 1685, "when he was some 30 years of age" (Early Hildreths of N. E., p. 51), and by her had one child which died young. He married (2nd) Anna Moore, of Sudbury, Oct. 8, 1686 (Stowe Records, p. 595), and by her had 11 or 12 children. He died April 5, 1731 (Stow Records). Wanted: Date and place of his birthj and correct number and names of his children by his second wife Anna.

1656, . Richard Hildreth, Selectman, Chelmsford,

Mass.

(Chelmsford Records.)

1656, April 2y. Sergt. Hildreth of Cambridge received at the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in church at Chelmsford, Mass. The church records read as follows : " 2y. 2. ( 1656) Serg. Hildrick of ye Ch of Cambridge received into ye sacrament of ye Supper as a member of ye church."

(Rev. Fiske's Chelmsford Church Records.)

6o THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

i6^6(?), . Birth of Abigail, his daughter, probably in

Chelmsford, Mass. She married Moses Parker of Chelms- ford ( ?) June 19, 1684 (Chelmsford Records), and by him had seven children. Wanted: Date and place of her birth, and the date and place of her death, also birth and parentage of Moses Parker, her husband.

1657, Oct. — . Richard Hildreth, Grand Juror.

( County Court Records. Vol. i.)

1658, April 16. Birth of Joseph, his son, in Chelmsford, Mass. Joseph married Abigail Wilson, of Woburn, Dec. 25, 1683, (Chelmsford Records), and by her had 10 children. He died Jan. 28, 1706.

1658, May J/. Sergeant Richard Hildreth is given permis- sion to trade with the Indians.

1659, Feb. 8. Birth of Persis, his daughter, in Chelmsford, Mass. She married Samuel Cleveland May 23, 1682, (Chelmsford Records), and by him had six children. Wanted: Date and place of her death.

1660, April so. Richard Hildreth owns land in Chelmsford, Mass. (See town grants to Robert Proctor.)

1661(f), Feb. I. Birth of Thomas, his son, in Chelmsford, Mass. (Chelmsford Records of B. M. & D.) Thomas died May 28, 1662. (Chelmsford Records.) Wanted: Further verification of date of Thomas' birth.

1661, April 2. Richard Hildreth appointed Commissioner, a sort of a judge, to hear small cases, at Chelmsford. He takes oath to faithfully discharge the trust and power com- mitted to him.

(M'x County Court Records, Vol. i, p. 227.)

1661(f), July 20. Birth of Isaac, his son, in Chelmsford, Mass. (Chelmsford Records.) Isaac married Elizabeth Wilson, of Woburn, July 24, 1685 (or Nov. 12), (Chelmsford Records) and by her had five children. Isaac died (funeral) Nov. 24, 1742 (Chelmsford Records).

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 6i

Wanted: Further verification of the dates of Isaac's birth, marriage and death.

1616-2, . Richard Hildreth appointed Surveyor of

Highways.

(Chelmsford Town Records.)

1662, . Sergeant Richard Hiudreth, Serg't Thomas

Adams, and William Fletcher named as Commissioners for Chelmsford.

(County Court Records.)

1662, April 2. Richard Hildreth took the oath of Commis- sioner for Chelmsford for the year ensuing.

(M'x County Court Records, Vol. i, p. 252.)

1662-^, . Richard Hildreth's yard mentioned in the

route for a new highway between Chelmsford and Groton.

(Chelmsford Records.)

166^, . Richard Hildreth, of Chelmsford, petitions

for a grant of land because he has " a wife and many small children, and being a husbandman, am greatly disadvantaged partly by the hand of God depriving " him some few years since of the use of his right hand, whereby he was " wholly disabled to labor."

166^, Sept. 20. Richard Hildreth received into fellowship of the Chelmsford church. The church records read as follows: "20, 7 (1663), Rich Hildrick having been Tryed, propounded, presented his Ltrs of Dismsn from Cambridge after a manifestation of God's work upon his soule, with sever'l experiences of God's going along with him since joined in church fellowship at Camb both there and thence . . . was reed into ye cov'nt & fellowship of this Church." (Rev. Fiske's Chelmsford Church Records.)

166^-64, March j. Richard Hildreth had received, prior to this date, no less than eight (8) separate lots of land granted him by the Great and General Court of Massachu- setts Bay Colony.

(Reade's Origin & Gen. of Lowell Hildreths.)

62 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

1664, May 18. Richard Heildrich of Chelmsford was granted one hundred fifty (150) acres of upland and meadow land " wherever it may be conveniently found, not prjudijciall to any plantation."

(Records Mass. Bay Colony, Vol. IV, Part 2, p. 106.)

1664, . Richard Hildreth named as Commissioner for

Chelmsford.

(Chelmsford Records.)

1664, . Richard Hildreth appointed Viewer of Fences.

(Chelmsford Town Records.)

1664, . Richard Hildreth chosen to Grand Jury by

Chelmsford.

(Chelmsford Town Records.)

1666-7, . Richard Hildreth appointed Surveyor of

Highways.

(Chelmsford Town Records.)

1667, . Richard Hildreth appointed Viewer of Fences.

(Chelmsford Town Records.)

1667 or 1668, . In a sketch of Stow, Mass., in Drake's

History of Middlesex County, page 350, occurs the following :

" In 1666, a lot of 500 acres was ' layed out unto the Worshipful Major Eleazer Lusher ' for services ren- dered the government."

" A year or two later another lot of 500 acres was assigned to Capt. Daniel Gooken & also one of 150 acres to Richard Heldridge. Probably none of these men ever resided upon their farms."

i66g, Oct. 12. Richard Heildreth's grant of 150 acres of land is allowed by the General Court as laid out by David Fiske, surveyor, bounded " with Concord lyne on the South east, Capt. Daniel Gookins farme northerly, & the Avildemess elsewhere surrounding, according to a plot returned & on file with the records of this Court."

(Records Mass. Bay, Vol. IV, Part 2, p. 44i-)

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 63

i6jo, June 4. Richard Hildreth of Chelmsford warned to appear to answer for " reproachful speech of the minister of that place," etc.

(County Court Records.)

i6yo, June 20. Thomas Hinchman testifies that " Richard Hildreth of Chelmsford ... at a publick town meeting . . . made a very large speech to ye wholl towne then present to ye purpose to stirr ym up to the calling of another minister, arguing ye necessity of ye same & amongst many other things spoken he used these expressions; our pastor had lived 14 or 15 years in this place & there had bin little or no fruit of his ministry, . . ."

(County Court Records, Cambridge.)

iSyo, June 22. Abraham Parker testifies that he was " present & heard Richard Hildreth in a publick towne meeting at Chelmsford upon the ist day of March last make a long speech to the towne to exhort to the getting of another min- ister, in which speech he had this passage : that Master Fisk had been there these 13 or 14 years & had done no good, or very little; and there were two sermons preached by another that did much affect & cause severall weeping eyes ; and other passages of like nature . . . And as to the paper he carryed about to get hands for another minister, . . . he conf est to me that hee and John Barrett did carry about such a paper . . . But he never brought it to me . . ." (County Court Records, Cambridge.)

1612, J^^h ^7- Richard Hildreth, at a church meeting in Chelmsford at the house of Rev. Fiske concerning a contro- versy between Richard Hildreth and Robert Proctor, stated he was " sorry for it — hoped it would be a warning for him, etc." (Rev. Fiske's Chelmsford Church Records 1673, 27: 5.)

167s, Jan. 18. Richard Hildreth " had his dismission & 3 of his children, Joseph, Persis, & Isaac, granted him to ye Church of Cambridge, according to his desire, he declaring his purpose of settling there, and living and dying there." (Rev. Fiske's Chelmsford Church Records 1673, 18: 11.)

64 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

1674, May nth. Richard Hildreth is fined in Cambridge one shilling for felling a green walnut tree upon the Rockes {now Arlington).

(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 219.)

1(5/7, P^^- 5- Richard Hildreth owned land in Chelmsford. (See town grant to Jacob Warren.)

i6y8, March 26. Richard Hildreth of Chelmsford and 9 other men petition the court to remit fines etc., laid on Thomas Barrett.

(County Court Proceedings.)

1680, April 2. Elizabeth Hildreth, aged 55, testifies in case of Elizabeth Proctor v. Thomas Marrables that she was the midwife during Elizabeth Proctor's confinement. Testi- mony was taken in Billerica before Jonathan Danforth.

(Note: The above record confirms the age of Elizabeth Hil- dreth as given on her tombstone in the Bell Rock Cemetery, Mai- den, Mass., and also as recorded in Chelmsford.)

1686, Feb. 28. " The Record of The Accomodation of Upland and Meadow granted by the Town of Chelmsford to Richard Hil- dreth with the Bounds and Butments of the Same :

" His Upland. (First) North by the Highway to the Town ; South by the meadow belonging to the Sd Richard Hildreth; and partly Southeast by the land of Robert Proctor; West by the land of James Hildreth ; East by the Town Common. (Secondly) Seven acres more or less Lying by the North cor- ner of the Pond ; bounded South by the Town Common ; East by the land of Robert Proctor; West by the land of James Hildreth. (Thirdly) Eighteen acres more or less, Bounded South by the pond ; and West by the land of Robert Proctor ; North by the Highway near the Great Swamp ; East by the Town Common.

" His Meadow. (First) one acre and half by his Home Lott more or less, bounded East by the land of Robert Proctor; South by the Common; North by his Home Lott; West by the land of James Hildreth. (Secondly) Seven Acres more or less, Lying at Hither Tadnack: bounded Southeast by the meadow of James Hildreth ; and all other points by the Town Common. (Thirdly) Fourteen acres more or less: Lying in two parcels being towards the Further Tadnack, bounded on all points by the Town Common. (Fourthly) Five acres and half more or less lying in further Tadnack. Bounded South by the meadow of Robert Proctor; East and West by the

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 65

Town Common. (Fifthly) an Addition of Upland granted by the Town of Chelmsford to Richard Hildreth with Bounds and Butments of the same : To Say : Thirty-two Acres more or less Lying of one parcell through which there is Laid a High- way ; bounded East and North by the Land of Robert Proctor ; on all other points by the Town Common ; North by the Pond ; West by a brook running in to the Pond."

" By the Selectmen's order. Jacob Parker, Qerk. The above is a true transcript taken out of the old book : the 28th the 12 month, 1686, by Samuel Adams, Clerk."

1686-'/, Feb. I. Richard Hildreth and his wife Elizabeth of Chelmsford deed without restrictions to their son Ephraim Hildreth, of Stow, Mass., nine (9) parcels of real estate including their home place of 20 acres where they then lived with house, barn, orchards, etc.

(Camb. Registry of Deeds, Vol. 10, pp. 39-40.)

The deed reads as follows :

" To All People to Whom These Presents Come, or May Concerne. Know ye, that I, Richard Hildereth and EHzabeth Hildereth, my present wife, of ye Towne of Chelms- ford, in ye County of Middlesex in ye Massachusetts Colonic in New England, upon good Consideration and for good causes moving us thereuntO', especially for that He is our Natural & well beloved sonne & desiring his welfare. Have given to our Sonne Ephraim Hildereth of the Towne of Stow in ye afore- said County of Middlesex, and by these presents doe fully, freely & absolutely, give grant, alien, enfeoffe & confirme unto him our said sonne Ephraim Hildereth, several parcels of Land & meadow ground situate lying and being within the limits and bounds of ye afore^. Towne of Chelmsford & is now laid out, the butts & bounds thereof are recorded to me Richard Hil- dereth in the Towne book of Chelmsford the several parcels are as follows.

" The Houselot on wch I now dwell, as it is butted & bounded & lyeth for twenty acres, be ye same more or lesse, w*** the House & Barne & Orchards, fences thereon.

" Secondly. Seven acres lying at ye Northend of ye great pond, ye most part broken up & Improved, be ye same more or lesse.

" Thirdly. Eighteen acres, be ye same more or lesse & is bounded South by ye said great pond.

" Fourthly, Seventeen acres, be ye same more or lesse, boimded North by ye said great pond ; East by Gershom Proctors ; and one acre and a halfe of Meadow ground lying in or Joyning to the aforesd. Houselot. Seven acres of Meadow be ye same more or lesse lying in heather Tadnack: Nine acres of

66 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

Meadow lying on the South of Brushy meadow, be ye same more or lesse ; Five acres & a halfe in further Tadnack, be ye same more or lesse.

" To Have & to Hold ye above granted premises as they are laid & butted & bounded in several parcels, be ye same more or lesse, as they are recorded in ye Towne-book w^^ all privilidges, rights, & appurtenances to ye same appertaining or in any wise belonging unto him ye said Ephraim Hildereth, his Heirs & Assigns, to his & their only proper use & behopfes as a free & full estate of Inheritance from ye day of ye date hereof & so forever.

" And ye above named Rich'^. Hildereth & Elizabeth Hildereth for our Heirs, Executors, Administrators doe Cove"*. ; promise & grant to & with ye above named Ephraim Hildereth, his Heirs Executors, Administrators & Assigns by these presents, that ye above granted premises are free & cleere & shall by us our Heirs & Assigns freed & cleered from time to time & at all times from all former bargaines sales, leases. Mortgages, Wills, Entails, Legacies Joyntures, Dowers, whatsoever, had, made or obtained. And that we ye s'^ Rich^. Hildereth & Elizabeth Hilder- eth, have good right, full power & Lawful authority to grant, convey & confirme ye above granted premise unto him our s**. Sonne Ephraim Hildereth, his Heirs & Assigns forever, and that ye said Ephraim Hildereth, his Heirs & Assigns shall & may from time to time & at all times forever hereafter peacefully & quietly have, hold use, occupy & possesse & enjoy ye above granted premises, be ye same more or lesse, with all rights, privelidges & appurtenances thereto^ appertaining or in any wise belonging without ye least denyall, disturbance or Contradic- tion of us ye said Rich'i. Hildereth & Elizabeth Hildereth, our Heirs, Executors, Administrators, & Assigns, from them or any one of them, or any other person or persons whatsoever Law- fully claiming or having any right or title or Interest therein or in any part or parcel thereof, by, from or under in or by any other Law full wayes or means whatsoever.

" In witness hereof we ye above signed Rich'd Hildereth & Elizabeth Hildereth have hereunto put our hands & Seals this first day of February in ye year of our Lord Christ, one thou- sand six hundred eighty & six seven."

Rich'd Hildreth, his mark & Scale Elizabeth Hildreth, her mark & Scale

Signed, Sealed & Delivered in presence of us —

Tho. Hinchman Tho. Clarke j no. butterick

Richard & Elizabeth Hildereth personally appearing before me one of his Majety's Council in Newengland, Chelmsford,

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 67

April 6, 1687 freely acknowledged this Instrument to be their act & Deed.

Jonathan Tyng.

A true copy of the original Recorded and attested this 21st day of April 1687.

By Lawr. Hammond, Recorder.

(Note: In colonial times the word " Natural " was used to dis- tinguish one's own child from a step-child, child-in-law, or adopted child ; it often occurs in the records to the misleading of careless and censorious readers.)

I 1686-/, Feb. II. Richard Hildreth, of Chelmsford, Mass., makes his will, reading as follows: (See M'x County, Mass., Probate Records. Vol. 8, pp. 186-8, No. 8004.)

" Know ye that I Richard Hildreth of ye towne of Chelms- ford in ye County of Middlesex in ye Massachusetts Colony of New England, being aged, sick and weakly in body, tho' sounde in mind. Judgment and understanding, taking into Considera- tion my own mortality, do herein make known my minde and will in the disposall of myself, and Estate that Remaineth to be my own to Dispose.

" First, I bequesth my precious and Immortall Soul unto Christ yt hath Redeemed it, and my body to ye Grave till Christ shall raise it.

" And for my beloved wife Elizabeth I have obliged my nat- urall son Ephraim Hildreth for her maintenance in all respects so long as she remaineth with him.

" And to my Sonnes and Daughters, children God hath given me, I have discharged my duty in some measure in all respects so that they are disposed in marriage, and I have been doing for them all as I could : But because my hand is cut off, and because of Impotency and Infirmity, I have been constrained to make use of what I had for ye Reliefe of my Selfe and my wife so that I have neither House nor Lands to bequeath them, But after my decease, my Creditors being paid and Debts dis- charged. Whatsoever shall be found to be my Estate, I will that it be equally Divided to all my Children that each one may have a Token of their ffathers Love after his Death, they or theirs.

" And after my Decease my son Ephraim shall pay, or cause to be paid, to my eldest son James Hildreth out of his own Estate, the sum of Twenty Shillings, or one Pound, as a full free portion more than ye rest of the children.

" I have betrusted my Son Ephraim with the use of my Es- tate whilest I live and after my death to execute this my last Will and Testament.

68 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

" In Witness hereof, I, ye said Richard Hildreth, have sett to my hand and seal This eleventh day of February in the year of our Lord 1686-7."

his ( )

Richard X Hildreth ( seal )

mark ( )

Signed and sealed in presence of us as witnesses to this will

Thomas Hinchman

Thos. Clark Exad per Samll Phipps Regtr

Jno. Butterfield

i6pj, Aug. J. Elizabeth Hildreth, his wife, died. (Chelms- ford Records.) She was buried in the old Bell Rock Ceme- tery, Maiden, Mass. Her gravestone is inscribed : " Here Lyes ye body of Elizabeth wife to Richard Hildreth Aged 68 Years Died August 3, 1693." Wanted: The reason why she was buried in Maiden. Were her own people buried there? If so, who were they?

169^, Feb. 2^. Richard Hildreth died. (Chelmsford Records.) He was buried in the old cemetery at Chelmsford, Mass. His slate gravestone is inscribed : " Richard Hildreth, Aged 88 years. Died February 23, 1693."

The inventory of Richard Hildreth's estate was filed by Ephraim Hildreth, Exr. Appraisers were Sam'l Foster, Sr., and Eliazer Brown. Total valuation: 17 pounds, 3 shillings, 6 pence. The inventory included :

2 Cows

I Wicker Basket

I Calf

I Skil—

I Feather Bed

I Old Gun Barrel

I Straw Bed

(Value 10 shillings)

I Feather Bolster

I Wainscott Chest

2 Pillows

I Cupboard

2 Old Bolsters

I Chest

I Coat and i Hat

I Old Bedstead

I pr. Breeches

I Table Chair

2 Pewter Platters

2 Chairs

I Candlestick

I Little Horn

I Iron Mortar and Pestle

I Dough Tray

CHRONOLOGICAL

, HISTORY

2

Cleavers

I Old Chest

I

Flesh Hook

2 Trays

I

Axe

I Old Pail

2

Pease Hooks

I Jar and Cheese Tongs

I

Frammell

4 Books

I

Churn

I Dry Cask

I

Iron Gridiron

69

CHART — RICHARD HILDRETH

Arranged by John Lyman Porter

First Three Generations of Hildreths in New England Naming

RICHARD HILDRETH (1605-1693), AND HIS TWO WIVES (SARAH AND ELIZABETH),

of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass.,

HIS ELEVEN ( II ) CHILDREN, DATES OF BIRTH AND DATES OF MARRIAGES

and whom they married, and

HIS SEVENTY-SIX (76) GRANDCHILDREN.

CHILDREN

GRANDCHILDREN

By his I St wife — SARAH

JANE

b. , 1628 (?) in England (?)

m. Dec. 31, 1645, in Concord, Mass., Robert Proctor, of Concord.

JAMES

b. , 1 631 (?) in England (?)

m. June i, 1659, in Dorchester, Margaret Ward, (Chelmsford records).

I Sarah, Gershom, Mary, Peter,

Ch: I Elizabeth, James, Dorothy, Lydia,

(John, Samuel, Israel, Thomas.

( Margaret, Sarah, James, Elizabeth, Ch: J Mary, Thomas, Hannah, Abigail, ( Richard, Ephraim, Dorothy.

By his 2nd wife — ELIZABETH

ELIZABETH

b. Sept. 21, 1646, Cambridge, Mass.

m. Dec. 15, 1664, Chelmsford, Ch:

John Stevens, of Boston and Chelmsford.

Elizabeth, John, Elizabeth, Richard, Joseph.

Ch : Sarah, Elizabeth.

SARAH

b. Aug. 8, 1648, in Cambridge, Mass. m. Dec. 31, 1674, Chelmsford, David Stone, of Cambridge (?).

MARY

b. , 1650 (?) Cambridge (?)

m. June 21, 1667, in Chelmsford, Jacob Warren.

EPHRAIM (

b. , 165s (?) Cambridge (?) Ch: JEphraim — died in infancy.

m. (i) June 11, 1685, (Stow records) (

Dorothy Barnes, d. June 17, 1686, (2) Oct. 8, 1686, (Stow records)

Anna Moore, of Sudbury, Mass. Ch

Ch:

Joseph, Jacob, Elizabeth, ' Ephraim, Sarah.

Ephraim, Joseph, Richard, James, Ebenezer, James, Jonathan, Anna, Thomas, Jacob, David.

ABIGAIL

b. — , 1656 (?) Chelmsford (?)

m. June 19, 1684, in Chelmsford, Ch:

Moses Parker.

JOSEPH

b. April 16, 1658, in Chelmsford,

m. Dec. 25, 1683, in Chelmsford, Ch:

Abigail Wilson, of Woburn.

PERSIS

b. Feb. 8, 1659, in Chelmsford, m. May 23, 1682, in Chelmsford. Samuel Cleveland, (his 2d wife).

THOMAS

b. Feb. I, 1661 (?) in Chelmsford, d. in infancy.

ISAAC

b. July 20, 1 66 1, in Chelmsford, m. July 24 or Nov. 12, 1685, Elizabeth Wilson, of Woburn.

Ch:

Ch:

I Abigail, Moses, Aaron, Elizabeth, ' Joseph, Benjamin, Mary.

Hannah, Joseph, Richard, Abigail, Abigail, Elizabeth, Joseph, John, Ephraim, Elizabeth, Benjamin (d. 1706).

Persis, Samuel, Ephraim, Joseph, Elizabeth, Mary.

Elizabeth, Persis, Joanna, Isaac, Sarah.

70

NOTES AND MEMORANDA

(The following blank pages are for the reader to make note of any errors found in this publication and to record any new informa- tion or data he may discover regarding the Hildreths and their origin.)

71

^2. THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

NOTES AND MEMORANDA 73

74 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

NOTES AND MEMORANDA 75

76 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION

NOTES AND MEMORANDA ^^

78 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION