Surname Saturday ~ SAWTELL of Watertown and Groton, Massachusetts

SAWTELL  SARTELL  SATELLE  SATELL  SATLE

There are several good sources of information on the SATELL family of New England.  The first is an article in the NEHGS Register “Richard Sawtell of Watertown, MA”, Volume 126 (1972), pages 3 – 17. One of the authors of this early article was John Brooks Threlfall who wrote a book Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England and Their Origins in 2008 which updated a lot of the information on the SATELL family. 

Richard Sawtell, my 10^th great grandfather, was baptized on April 7, 1611 at Aller, Somerset, England, the son of John Sawtell and Agnes Pittard.  There are many records in Somersetshire of the SAWTELL family.

The first record of Richard Sawtell in New England was on July 25, 1636 on the list of proprietors of Watertown, Massachusetts when he received Lot 8 in the 4^th division as a single man.  His brother, Thomas Sawtell, was made a freeman in Boston in 1649, where he died childless in 1651 and named his brother Richard and a sister Ann Kendrick of Muddy River (Suffolk County Probate #111).

Richard Sawtell removed from Watertown to the new settlement of Groton in 1655, where he again received a large grant of land as one of the first, original proprietors.  He was made the first town clerk, and the records show that he was highly educated.  Richard’s homestead was one of five garrison houses in Groton.   There were several raids and massacres in Groton during King Philip’s War, so the family removed back to Watertown.   Two of his sons went back to resettle the town of Groton.  He was chosen to be a selectman in Watertown in 1689.

Richard Sawtell adopted the illegitimate son of Zechariah Smith in 1670.  In 1672 he sued Thomas, John and Joseph Smith for the child’s estate.  They were charged with illegally administering the estate.

In his will, dated May 16, 1692, Richard Sawtell left his lands in Groton and Watertown to his wife, with instructions to his son Obadiah to work the land in Groton, and instructions to his son Enoch to work the land in Watertown. 

Richard Sawtell is the ancestor of presidents Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon.

My SATELL genealogy:

Generation 1:  Richard Sawtell,  son of John Sawtell and Agnes Pittard, was baptized on 4 April 1611 in Aller, Somersetshire, England, died on 21 August 1694 in Watertown, Massachusetts; married first on 5 February 1627 in High Ham, Somersetshire to Elizabeth Pople, daughter of William Pople.  Married second in 1637 to Elizabeth Waite, daughter of Phineas Waite and Mary Hubbard.  Eleven children with Elizabeth Waite, all born in Watertown.

Generation 2:  Hannah Satell, born on 10 December 1642 in Watertown, died 18 February  1723 in Woburn, Massachusetts; married on 13 July 1665 in Woburn to Increase Winn, son of Edward Winn and Joanna Unknown.  He was born 5 December 1641 in Woburn and died 14 December 1690 in Woburn.  Nine children.

Generation 3: Mary Winn m. Nathaniel Wyman

Generation 4: Increase Wyman m. Deborah Pierce

Generation 5: Increase Wyman m. Catherine Unknown

Generation 6: Jemima Wyman m. Colonel Joshua Burnham

Generation 7: Jemima Burnham m. Romanus Emerson

Generation 8: George Emerson m. Mary Esther Younger

Generation 9: Mary Katharine Emerson m. George E. Batchelder

Generation 10: Carrie Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

Generation 11: Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ SAWTELL of Watertown and Groton, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted August 20, 2016, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/08/surname-saturday-sawtell-of-watertown.html:  accessed [access date]).