KNIGHT of York, Maine

I have previously written blog posts about two other KNIGHT ancestors (all unrelated): 

Philip Knight of Charlestown and Topsfield, Massachusetts:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/03/surname-saturday-knight-of-charlestown.html 

John Knight of Charlestown, Massachusetts:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/03/surname-saturday-knight-of-charlestown.html

Robert Knight, my 11^th great grandfather, was born about 1585 in England to unknown parents.  He was in York, Maine before 1643, and took an oath of allegiance on 22 November 1652.  He has depositions in the court records on 7 December 1658 (about 71 years old) and on 6 July 1671 (about 86 years old). 

Robert Knight was a mason.  He bought Robert Blaisdell’s house and land in York in 1642, and received grants of more land in 1648 and 1658. He does not appear often in the court records except for a case in 1655 when he sued Nicholas Frost for stealing his newly mown hay, and in 1668 when Arthur Clapham sued him for the expenses of treating Rowland Young’s son who Robert Knight was raising “as his owne childe” [Provincial and Court Records of Maine, 1931, Volume 2, pages 34 and 167].  According to The History of York, page 158, his children were Richard, Joan, and Margaret.

Robert Knight gave some of his land to his grandson, John Redman, Jr. on 18 February 1666.  He gave more land to his grandson Rowland Young on 12 August 1673, which was witnessed by his sister Mary Mowlton [Moulton].  He wrote his will in Boston on 23 June 1676 and his will was proved on 24 August 1676, which left his remaining land to his son Richard Knight in Boston. It is supposed that Robert Knight died in Boston sometime between these two dates.

From History of York by Banks:...

The last Will and Testament of Robert Knight of Yorke/ Concerning the small estate left by the providence of god unto me, I doe bequeath & dispose of as followeth/ Imprs:fie Acres of Marsh bounded west and by south, on the one side, West & by North on the other side, upland butting on the on Thomas Beeson & soe back unto the swampe untill it come to a parcel of land of Mr. Samll Mauericks, with an house and barn on the syd Land, of Robert Knights, also two cows & a bull all wch as above expressed, also whatsoever else shall be found to mee belonging, on or in the sayd house land or barne, I do whooley & for ever bequeath, unto my son Richd Knight liuveing in Boston, and to his Assignes for ever/ In witness of all which as above written, I have here unto set my hand & seale this 23d day of June 1676--The marke of Robert X Knight (Locus)(Sigilli) Owned & Delivered in the Presence of: Nicholas Willmott/his marke X John Tucker William Bartholomew

In the next generation I descend from his daughter Margaret (about 1622 – 1658) who married John Redman of Hampton Falls.  They had four children.  See the Surname Saturday sketch for the REDMAN lineage at this link:  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/12/surname-saturday-redman-of-hampton-new.html  

More KNIGHT information:

Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire 1623 to 1660, by Charles Henry Pope, 1908

York Deeds, by the Maine Historical Society, 1884, Volume 1

The History of York, by Charles Edward Banks, 1931

My KNIGHT genealogy:

Generation 1: Robert Knight, born about 1585 in England, died before 24 August 1676 probably in Boston, Massachusetts; his wife’s name is unknown. They had four children:

1.       Richard Knight, born about 1620, died about 1690 in Boston

2.      Margaret Knight, born about 1622 (see below)

3.      Daniel Knight, servant to Thomas Gorges

4.      Joan Knight, born about 1625, married Rowland Young

Generation 2:  Margaret Knight, born about 1620 in England, died 30 May 1658 in Dover, New Hampshire; married before 1647 to John Redman, born about 1620 in England and died 16 February 1700 in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.  Four children.

Generation 3:  Mary Redman m. Leonard Weeks

Generation 4:  Joshua Weeks m. Comfort Hubbard

Generation 5:  Mary Weeks m. Jonathan Chesley

Generation 6:  Comfort Chesley m. Stephen Perkins

Generation 7:  Mary Perkins m. Nathaniel Batchelder

Generation 8:  Jonathan Batchelder m. Nancy Thompson

Generation 9:  George E. Batchelder m. Abigail M. Locke

Generation 10: George E. Batchelder m. Mary Katharine Emerson

Generation 11: Carrie Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

Generation 12: Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “KNIGHT of York, Maine”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted September 7, 2019, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/09/knight-of-york-maine.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ REDMAN of Hampton, New Hampshire

Founder's Park, Hampton, New Hampshire

REDMAN / REDMANN / REDMOND / READMAN / RODMAN

My 10^th great grandfather, John Redman (about 1620 – 1700), is of unknown origins and his birthdate is unknown, too.  He was a blacksmith who settled in Hampton, New Hampshire.  He first appeared in the records around 1642.  He also testified in the witchcraft trial of Eunice Cole on 4 September 1656, along with Abraham Perkins  (my 1^st cousin 12 generations removed). 

John married Margaret Knight as his first wife.  She was the daughter of Robert Knight and Margaret Grimsley early settlers at York, Maine.  She died in 1658 after giving him four children, and he remarried to Sabina Page, the widow of Captain William Marston.  I descend from their only daughter, Mary, who married immigrant Leonard Weeks, and had eight children.  They lived in Greenland, New Hampshire.

The REDMOND Family DNA project   https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/redmond/about  

My REDMAN genealogy:

Generation 1:  John Redman, born about 1620, died 16 February 1700 in Hampton, New Hampshire; married first about 1647 to Margaret Knight, daughter of Robert Knight and Margaret Grimsley.  She was born about 1622 and died 30 May 1658 in Dover, New Hampshire (four children); married second to Sabina Page, widow of William Marston.  She married Nathaniel Locke as her third husband. 

Generation 2: Mary Redman, born 15 December 1649 in Hampton, died about 1694, married Leonard Weeks about 1667 as his first wife.  Eight children.

Generation 3: Joshua Weeks m. Comfort Hubbard

Generation 4: Mary Weeks m. Jonathan Chesley

Generation 5: Comfort Chesley m. Stephen Perkins

Generation 6:  Mary Perkins m. Nathaniel Batchelder

Generation 7:  Jonathan Batchelder m. Nancy Thompson

Generation 8: George E. Batchelder m. Abigail M. Locke

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

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 ~ REDMAN of Hampton, New Hampshire”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 15, 2018, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/12/surname-saturday-redman-of-hampton-new.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ WAY of Dorchester, Massachusetts

Second Church of Dorchester

WAY / WAYE

My 11^th great grandfather, Henry Way (1583 – 1667), lived in Bridport in the parish of Allington, Dorset, England where his six children were baptized.   Some say that he arrived in New England aboard the ship Mary and John with his wife Elizabeth Bachelor, and five children, but there is no passenger list for that ship.   They arrived at Nantasket on 30 May 1630 and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The first record of Henry Way is in 1631 when his fishing boat rescued three men from a sinking ship [from The History of New England from 1630 to 1649, by John Winthrop, volume 2, page 71].  He signed a document to support the Dorchester school teacher on 7 February 1641/2 and he was admitted to the Second Church of Dorchester on 5 May 1643. 

Henry Way was a merchant, and he is often seen in records that have to do with mariners or boats. There was another merchant named “Mr. George Way” who had business in New England and might have been a kinsman.  George Way made a trip to Dorchester.

In a 1632 record “A shallop of one Henry Way of Dorchester, having been missing all the winter, it was found that the men in her, being five, were all killed treacherously by the eastern Indians.  Antoher shallop of his being sent out to seek out the other, was cast away at Aquamenticus, and two of the men drowned.” [ from The History of New England from 1630 to 1649, by John Winthrop, volume 2, page 95] In his book Great Migration Begins, Anderson believes that the author William Hubbard, in his book A General History of New England from Discover to MDCLXXX, 1815, page 198”erroneously supposed that these entries indicated that Henry Way not only owned the shallops, but was in one of them when the tragedies occurred”.

I descend from Hannah Way (b. 1615/6), my 10^th great grandmother who married Bray Wilkins.  You can read all about the WILKINS lineage at this link:  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/03/surname-saturday-wilkins-of-dorchester.html  

Henry Way's youngest son, Richard Way (1624 - 1697) had four wives.  His second wife, Bethia Mayhew, is also my 10th great aunt.  I descend from her brother Rev. Thomas Mayhew (about 1620 - 1657) and her sister, Hannah Mayhew (1635 - 1723) who married Thomas Daggett in 1657. Yes, a double Mayhew lineage with a cousin connection, too! 

For more information on the WAY family:

The Great Migration Begins, by Robert Charles Anderson, 1995, Volume III, pages 1951 – 1953.

Way Family History, by Mary Elizabeth Way, published 1974.

The American Genealogist, Volume 61, pages 241 – 256.

My WAY genealogy:

Generation 1:  Henry Way, born about 1583, in Allington, Bridport, Dorset, England, died 24 March 1667 in Dorchester, Massachusetts; married 22 January 1615 in Bridport to Elizabeth Bachelor.  She was born about 1587 and died 23 June 1665 in Dorchester.  Six children.

Generation 2:  Hannah Way, baptized on 3 March 1615/6 in Allington, Bridport; married about 1636 to Bray Wilkins.  He was born about 1610 in Wales, and died 2 January 1702 in Middleton, Massachusetts.  Eight children.

Generation 3:  Margaret Wilkins m. Philip Knight

Generation 4:  Elizabeth Knight m. Samuel Towne

Generation 5:  Rebecca Towne m. Stephen Johnson

Generation 6:  Ruth Johnson m. Richard Cree

Generation 7:  Stephen Cree m. Hannah Smith

Generation 8:  Sarah Cree m. James Phillips

Generation 9:  Hannah Phillips m. Thomas Russell Lewis

Generation 10:  Hannah Eliza Lewis m. Abijah Franklin Hitchings

Generation 11:  Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

Generation 12:  Gertrude Matilda Hitchings m. Stanley Elmer Allen (my grandparents)

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Surname Saturday ~ WAY of Dorchester, Massachusetts”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 24, 2018, (  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/03/surname-saturday-way-of-dorchester.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ WILKINS of Dorchester, Lynn, and Middleton, Massachusetts

WILKINS / WILKENS

Bray Wilkins (about 1610 – 1702), my 10^th great grandfather, is of unknown origins, although family tradition says he was from Wales.  He was at Dorchester, Massachusetts as early as 1633, and he joined the church there in 1640 and is recorded as “Brave Wilkins”. The baptisms of his first six children are recorded at Dorchester.  In 1654 he removed to the church in Salem.  Later, in 1689, Bray Wilkins and his wife were dismissed from Salem so they “might be a church of themselves” at Salem Village, which later became the town of Danvers.  He lived at “Wills Hill” which became part of the town of Middleton, adjoining Danvers.

One of Bray Wilkins granddaughters had a husband who was hanged as a witch in 1692.  His son Thomas had a daughter named Margaret who married John Willard.   The Wilkins family had not approved of Willard’s marriage.  They testified against him during the witch hysteria, which led to his arrest and he was eventually found guilty.  Willard was blamed for the death of young Daniel Wilkins “bewitched to death”.  He was also blamed for killing a Lydia Wilkins and one of Philip Knight’s children (Philip married Bray’s daughter Margaret, my 9^th great grandparents).  Bray Wilkins testified in early August 1692 about his kidney stones and blamed Willard for the death of his grandson Daniel Wilkins.  On 19 August 1692 John Willard was hanged along with John Proctor (also my 10^th great grandfather), Reverend George Burroughs, Martha Carrier, and George Jacobs (also my 11^th great grandfather).   

I descend from Bray’s daughter, Margaret (1648/9 – after 1710), my 9^th great grandmother, who married Philip Knight around 1668.  She had nine children born in Topsfield, Massachusetts, all baptized on the same day, 24 May 1691.  Her husband was a “husbandman” or farmer. Her daughter, Elizabeth, my 8th great grandmother, married Samuel Towne (from the same Topsfield TOWNE family with three accused witches - Rebecca (Towne) Nurse, Mary (Towne) Eastey, and Sarah (Towne) Cloyse.) 

Some WILKINS resources:

The Family of Bray Wilkins “Patriarch of Wills Hill”, by William Carroll Hill, 1943.

The Great Migration Begins,  by Robert Charles Anderson,  1995, Volume III, pages 1991 – 1994.

The American Genealogist, Volume 60, pages 1 – 18 and pages 101 – 113.

My WILKINS genealogy:

Generation 1:  Bray Wilkins, born about 1610 maybe in Wales, died 1 January 1702 in Middleton, Massachusetts; married about 1636 to Hannah Way, daughter of Henry Way and Elizabeth Bachelor.  Eight children.

Generation 2:  Margaret Wilkins, baptized on 10 February 1648/9 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, died after 1710; married about 1668 in Topsfield to Philip Knight, son of Philip Knight and Margery Williams.  He was born about 1646 and died after 1724.  Nine children.

Generation 3:  Elizabeth Knight m. Samuel Towne

Generation 4:  Rebecca Towne m. Stephen Johnson

Generation 5:  Ruth Johnson m. Richard Cree

Generation 6:  Stephen Cree m. Hannah Smith

Generation 7:  Sarah Cree m. James Phillips

Generation 8:  Hannah Phillips m. Thomas Russell Lewis

Generation 9:  Hannah Eliza Lewis m. Abijah Franklin Hitchings

Generation 10:  Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

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

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Surname Saturday ~ WILKINS of Dorchester and Middleton, Massachusetts”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 17, 2018, (  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/03/surname-saturday-wilkins-of-dorchester.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ KNIGHT of Charlestown and Topsfield, Massachusetts

I have written a previous “Surname Saturday” post about a John Knight (1601 – 1674) of Charlestown, Massachusetts at this link:   

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/12/surname-saturday-knight-of-charlestown.html  

I don’t think there is any kinship between John Knight and the subject of this new blog post, Philip Knight, my 10^th great grandfather, who is recorded as living in Charlestown before removing to Topsfield, Massachusetts.   He is recorded in Charlestown as a cooper, and he kept the ferry in 1651.  His wife was Margery, and they had five children. She joined the church on 7 (3) 1650 in Charlestown.  He died before 1668/9 when his wife remarried to Thomas Bateman of Concord.

In Essex County Quarterly Court Files, Volume 13, Leaf 121 it lists the children and their ages as Jonathan, age 26; Phillip, age 23; Rebeca, age 17; Eliza, age 13; and Mary, age 11.  I descend from Philip Knight, Jr. (1646 – 1724), my 9^th great grandfather, who married Margaret Wilkins.  They had nine children, and the living children were all baptized on the same day in Topsfield, on 24 May 1691.   He was described as a husbandman (farmer) in deeds and court records.

His daughter, Elizabeth Knight (1677 – 1752) is my 8^th great grandmother.  She married Samuel Towne in 1696 and had four children. 

For more information on KNIGHT:

The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, by Thomas Bellows Wyman, 1879, Volume II, page 590.

Genealogical Guide to Early Settlers of America, by Henry Whittemore, 1898, page 309.

Topsfield Historical Collections, Volume 25, page 107

Salem Quarterly Court Records

The Family of Bray Wilkins, Patriarch of Will’s Hill, of Salem, by William C. Hill, 1943

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My KNIGHT lineage:

Generation 1:  Philip Knight, born about 1614 probably in England, died 1668 in Charlestown, Massachusetts; married about 1641 to Margery Unknown.  Six children. Margery remarried to Thomas Bateman.

Generation 2:  Philip Knight, born about 1646, died after 1724; married about 1668 in Topsfield to Margaret Wilkin, daughter of Bray Wilkins and Hannah Way.  She was baptized on 10 February 1648/9 in Dorchester, Massachusetts and died after 1710.  Nine children.

Generation 3:  Elizabeth Knight, born 25 January 1677 in Topsfield, died 17 May 1752 in Topsfield; married on 20 October 1696 in Topsfield to Samuel Towne, son of Edmund Towne and Mary Browning.  He was born 11 February 1673 in Topsfield, and died 1714 probably in Topsfield.  Four children. Elizabeth remarried to Elisha Perkins.

Generation 4:  Rebecca Towne m. Stephen Johnson

Generation 5:  Ruth Johnson m. Richard Cree

Generation 6:  Stephen Cree m. Hannah Smith

Generation 7:  Sarah Cree m. James Phillips

Generation 8:  Hannah Phillips m. Thomas Russell Lewis

Generation 9:  Hannah Eliza Lewis m. Abijah Franklin Hitchings

Generation 10:  Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

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

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Surname Saturday ~ KNIGHT of Charlestown and Topsfield, Massachusetts”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 10, 2018, (  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/03/surname-saturday-knight-of-charlestown.html:  accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ BROWNING of Topsfield, Massachusetts

[Note:  This blog post corrects an earlier blog post on the BROWNING family.  See this link:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/09/surname-saturday-browning-of-topsfield.html ]

Topsfield 1872

Thomas Browning, my 10th great grandfather, appears in the Salem, Massachusetts records in 1636.  He took the Freeman’s oath in Salem on 17 April 1637.  By about 1657 the Browning family had moved to Topsfield, because I found a lawsuit dated 1657 suing Thomas Browning for fencing land that belonged to the town.  He wasn’t dismissed from the Salem church to Topsfield until 8 November 1663.

Thomas and his wife, Mary, only had four daughters, so the name is not carried any further in Topsfield.  He was about 50 years old when his first daughter was baptized.  We know this because in 1660 he gave his age as 73 years old in a deposition. 

Thomas made his will 16 Feb 1670/1:

The last Will and testament of Thomas Browning of Salem being sicke in bodie yett of pfct understanding this 16th day if febewari: 1670 Imprimis I doe apoint my wife to bee my whole Executres and do giue my grandchild Thomas Towne twenty two pounds: which twelue pounds is in the hands of his father & ten pounds is in the hands of his uncle Jacob Towne: to be paid to the sd Thomas Towne aforesaidwhen he come to be twentie & one yeares of Age.

Itam I giue my wifes deseace All my land and housing at Topsfield, to my daughter Towne her husband & my daughter Simons & her husband during their lives. And after their deceace to be disposed by the two daughters abousd to the Children of their own bodies Laufully And there husbands All my land and Howsing at Salem. After my wifes deceace as aboue is Exprest And after their deceace as abouvesaid, And if anie of my daughters die without issew: Then the estate to be deuided among the Children of my daughters siruiuing And if my wife should dy without a will, whatsoever id Left to be deuided betwin my fowr daughters or there Children.        

Thomas (his mark) Browning _____ Witness Joseph Grafton, sr., George Gardner. Proved in Salem court 28: 4m: 1671 by the witnesses.

will found in the book Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society by George Francis Dow, 1920, Volume 25, pages 108 to 109.

For more information:

Genealogy of the Brownings in America: 1621 – 1908, by Edward F. Browning, 1908 (see Archive.org)

Massachusetts and Maine Families in the Ancestry of Walter Goodwin Davis, by Walter Goodwin Davis, 1995.

My BROWNING genealogy:

Generation 1:  Thomas Browning, born about 1587 probably in England, died February 1699/70 in Topsfield, Massachusetts; married to Mary Unknown before 1635.  Four daughters:

       a.  Elizabeth, born about 1635, married James Symonds

       b.  Mary (see below, my 9th great grandmother)

       c.  Sarah, born about 1640, married Joseph Williams

       d.  Deborah, born 31 January 1647, m. Isaac Meacham and removed to Enfield, Connecticut

Generation 2. Mary Browning, born 7 November 1637 in Salem, Massachusetts, died about 1717 in Topsfield; married on 25 March 1652 in Salem to Edmund Towne, son of William Towne and Joanna Blessing.  He was born about 1628 in Yarmouth, England, and died before 3 May 1678 in Topsfield.  Seven children.

Generation 3:  Samuel Towne m. Elizabeth Knight

Generation 4:  Rebecca Towne m. Stephen Johnson

Generation 5: Ruth Johnson m. Richard Cree

Generation 6: Stephen Cree m. Hannah Smith

Generation 7:  Sarah Cree m. James Phillips

Generation 8: Hannah Phillips m. Thomas Russell Lewis

Generation 9: Hannah Eliza Lewis m. Abijah Franklin Hitchings

Generation 10: Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

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

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Surname Saturday ~ BROWNING of Topsfield, Massachusetts”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted  March 3, 2018, (  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/03/surname-saturday-browning-of-topsfield.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ TOWNE of Salem and Topsfield, Massachusetts

Topsfield, Massachusetts 1872

TOWNE / TOWN

William Towne, my 10^th great grandfather, was baptized in the Saint Nicholas Church at Great Yarmouth in England on 18 March 1598/9, the son of John and Elizabeth Towne.  He married his wife, Joanna Blessing in Great Yarmouth, and six of his eight children were born there before they came to Salem, Massachusetts.  On 11 October 1640 his first land was in a part of Salem called Northfields “Graunted to William Townde a little neck of land right over against his howse on the other side of the riuer to be sett out by the towne.”

In 1652 William Towne removed his family to "New Meadows", now called Topsfield, where he bought forty acres, and bought more land in 1656.  He gave his youngest son, Joseph, two thirds of his Topsfield land in 1663 when he married Phebe Perkins.  I descend from the third son, Edmund Towne (about 1628 – 1678), who married Mary Browning, my 9^th great grandparents. 

William’s mother-in-law (Joanna’s mother), Joanne (Priest) Blessing, had been accused of being a witch in England.  During the trials, Ann Putnam testified that three of Joanna (Blessing) Towne’s daughters were witches because her mother was a witch.  [Salem Village Witchcraft: A Documentary Record of Local Conflict in Colonial New England, by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum, 2016, page 28]   Mary (Towne) Easty was accused on 1 April 1692, and hanged on 22 September 1692.  Rebecca (Towne) Nurse was accused on 2 May 1692 and hanged on 19 June 1692.  Sarah (Towne) Cloyse was accused on 3 April 1692. She spent four months chained in jail, and her case was dismissed in January 1693.   A fourth daughter, Susannah, died in 1678, before the trials began, or she probably would have been accused, too!

In his youth, Edmund Towne was an apprentice to Henry Skerry of Salem.  He was known as “Sergeant Towne” in the Topsfield records.  He was part of the militia, and in 1674 he formed a committee to petition to form a military guard for Topsfield, which was considered the frontier.  Edmund Towne died without a will.  His wife, Mary, was named administrix, and she divided the estate among the daughters. 

In the next generation, I descend from Samuel Towne, my 8^th great grandfather, who married Elizabeth Knight. He also died without a will, and his wife divided the estate between herself and the four children.   Their youngest daughter, Rebecca Towne, is my 7^th great grandmother, who married Stephen Johnson in 1730. Stephen died in 1734, leaving her with two small children, and Rebecca remarried to her second cousin, Joshua Towne, the son of Jacob Towne and Phebe Smith.

Some TOWNE resources:

The TOWNE Family Association: http://townefolk.com  

“TOWNE Cousins” on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/townecousins2014/  

Towne Family, William Towne and Joanna Blessing, Salem, Massachusetts, 1635, Five Generations of Descendants, by Lois Payne Hoover, 2011, from the Towne Family Association.

(An older compiled genealogy) The Descendants of William Towne: Who came to America on or about 1630 and settled in Salem, Mass., by Edwin Eugene Towne, 1901, reprinted by Higginson Book Co., 2006.

Some of the Towne Family and the Salem Witchcraft Delusion, by Joseph L. Wheeler, 1969

Gary Boyd Roberts, “Notable Kin:  The Progeny of “Witches” and “Wizards”: Some Descendants of George Burroughs and William and Joanna (Blessing) Towne, Parents of Mary Easy and Rebecca Nurse”, NEHGS, NEXUS Volume 9, pages 108 – 11 which was also printed in his book Notable Kin, Volume Two, pages 79 -86 (descendants of fifteen 1692 Salem witch trial victims).

My TOWNE genealogy:

Generation 1:  William Towne, born about 1598, probably in England, died about 1672 in Topsfield, Massachusetts; married on 25 April 1620, St. Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England to Joanna Blessing, daughter of John Blessing and Joanne Priest.  She was born about 1594 in Great Yarmouth, and died 1682 in Topsfield.  Eight children.

Generation 2:  Edmund Towne, born about 1628 in Yarmouth, England, died before 3 May 1678 in Topsfield, Massachusetts; married on 25 March 1652 in Salem to Mary Browning, daughter of Thomas Browning and Mary Unknown.  She was born 7 November 1637 in Salem, and died about 1717 in Topsfield.  Seven children.

Generation 3:  Samuel Towne, born 11 February 1673 in Topsfield, died 1714; married on 20 October 1696 in Topsfield to Elizabeth Knight, daughter of Phillip Knight and Margaret Wilkins.  She was born 25 January 1677 in Topsfield, and died 17 May 1752 in Topsfield.  Four children.  Elizabeth remarried to Elisha Perkins on 4 April 1715 in Topsfield.

Generation 4:  Rebecca Towne,  born 8 February 1699/1700 in Topsfield; married on 2 December 1730 in Topsfield to Stephen Johnson.  He was born about 1700 and died 29 August 1734 in Topsfield.  Two children.  Rebecca remarried to her cousin, Joshua Towne, on 7 August 1739 in Topsfield, and had one more child.

Generation 5:   Ruth Johnson married Richard Cree

Generation 6:  Stephen Cree married Hannah Smith

Generation 7:  Sara Cree married James Phillips

Generation 8:  Hannah Phillips married Thomas Russell Lewis

Generation 9:  Hannah Eliza Lewis married Abijah Franklin Hitchings

Generation 10:  Arthur Treadwell Hitchings married Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

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

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Surname Saturday ~ TOWNE of Salem and Topsfield, Massachusetts”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted February 24, 2018, (  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/02/surname-saturday-towne-of-salem-and.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ HOYLE of Marblehead, Massachusetts

HOYLE / HOILE

The first mention of my 9^th great grandfather, John Hoyle, is his children’s births in the Marblehead, Massachusetts Vital Records.  In 1674 the town of Marblehead listed the names of the heads of the 114 households, with their commonage, and we can see the name of John Hoyle. He left no other records, not even a deed, but John Hoyle left a will dated 1705.  He has two files in the Essex County Probate files because one file lists him as testate (file 14129) under the name of HOYLE, and another lists him as intestate (14097) under the name of HOYT. 

The Last Will and Testament of John Hoyle of

Marblehead in the County of Essex

I john Hoyle being sick of body, but sound memory, and desirous

To settle the outward estate lent me by God, doe by those revoke all

Former Wills by me made, and declare this as my last will; Imps  I

Commit my soul into the hands of God my Creator & Redeemer, my body

To the earth decently to be buried; my termporall estate I dispose of as

Follows, Imps  I will, that my just debts be firstly paid out of my personal

Estate by my executor hereafter named; Item I give to my eldest son

Samuel Hoyle the lower room part of my dwelling house, with the

???, sellar, and garden all ye and of the house, to be held , and enjoyed by him, and his heirs forever; Item as to ye rest of all my estate, Reall and personal

I give and bequeath the same to my other four children, and grandchild

The only son of my son Martin dec’d, and their heirs, to be equally divided

Among them, being called: Christian Moss, Mary, Anna & Susanna Hoyle &

John Hoyle, willing that the part given to my grandchild John Hoyle may

Not withstanding abide in the hands of all my other children, son & daughters

For their benefit, till the child come of Age, and then to be actually paid

And delivered to him, in case of his death only before such time, to revert

To my other surviving children part & part alike; Item So by those

Appoint my son Samuel to be sole Executor of this my

Will, and in Testimony of all, have hereunto sett my hand and seale

This thirtieth day of November Anno Dom.  One thousand seven hundred

And five.  ??? x   x  Anno ????

Signed Sealed and Delivered

In the presence of                                 John Hoyle

William Hind                                             his xxx marke

Saml Cheever

Sholial Dimond

Joseph  x  Dod

       His marke

Sarah  S  Sodgemore

       Her marke

My 8^th great grandfather was Samuel Hoyle (1677 – 1710), who married Mary Fortune and had five children. After his death, his wife remarried to John Morris.  He left no deeds or probate, and I don’t even know his profession.   His daughter, Mary (baptized in 1702/3) married Peter Homan, a Marblehead fisherman, in 1723.

My HOYLE genealogy:

Generation 1: John Hoyle, born about 1646 in England, died about January 1706 in Marblehead, Massachusetts; married about 1668 probably in Marblehead to Ann Knight, daughter of Robert Knight and Mary Unknown.  She was born about 1650, died 30 November 1705 in Marblehead.  Eight children.

Generation 2:  Samuel Hoyle, born 15 January 1677 in Marblehead, died October 1710 in Marblehead; married 16 November 1699 in Marblehead to Mary Fortune, daughter of Elias Fortune and Mary Pitman.  She was born in 1680 in Salem and died in October 1710 in Marblehead. Five children.

Generation 3:  Mary Hoyle, baptized on 21 March 1702/3 in Marblehead; married on 12 December 1723 in Marblehead to Peter Homan, son of Edward Homan and Elizabeth Gould.  He was born 26 June 1699 in Marblehead. Seven children.

Generation 4: William Homan m. Elizabeth Unknown

Generation 5:  Thomas Homan m. Tabitha Glover

Generation 6: Betsey Jillings Homan m. Jabez Treadwell

Generation 7: Eliza Ann Treadwell m. Abijah Hitchings

Generation 8: Abijah Franklin Hitchings m. Hannah Eliza Lewis

Generation 9: Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

Generation 10: Gertrude Matilda Hitchings m. Stanley Elmer Allen (my grandparents)

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Surname Saturday ~ HOYLE of Marblehead, Massachusetts”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted November 25, 2017, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/11/surname-saturday-hoyle-of-marblehead.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ FORTUNE of Marblehead

FORTUNE / FORTIN

Elias Fortune, my 9^th great grandfather, first  arrived in Marblehead as a fisherman for Moses Maverick, my 10^th great grandfather in another lineage.    He was granted a lot of land in Marblehead, Massachusetts in 1673 [Essex Register of Deeds, book 39, leaf 22].  Not much is known about Elias, except that he built a house on his lot and lived there.  This house was gone in 1729 when his son, Samuel Fortune, sold this land to his brother-in-law. [Essex Registry of Deeds, Book 55, leaf 96].

Elias married Mary Pittman, the daughter of another Marblehead fisherman, Thomas Pittman, and they had thirteen children.  Elias Fortune’s will left his estate to his wife, and eight surviving children. (See below).   I descend from his daughter, Mary, who married Samuel Hoyle, my 8^th great grandparents.

Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638- 1881. Online database. American Ancestors.org.  New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014 https://www.americanancestors.org/DB515/i/13765/9780-co1/245240739   accessed October 9, 2017.   Probate no. 9780, page 4

"The Last Will and Testament of Elias Fortune

Of Marblehead in the County of Essex

I Elias Fortune being sick in body, but sound memory, and being desirous to

settle the estate lent me by God, Doe by these patents revoke all former Wills by

me made, and declare this onely to be my last Will and Testament ??? I commit my

soul into the hands of God my Creator and Redeemer, my body to the earth dec-

ently to be buried, my temporall estate I dispose of as followes, I will that all

my just Debts be firstly satisfied by my Exectutrix hereafter named, and as to the

Remainder of my estate, I will that ye who of ye same, Reall and personal with all

the profits and benefits thereof so abide and remain in the hands and possession of

my dear wife Mary for her comfortable maintenance, so long as she continues, and

remains a Widdow, and for ye educating of my children till they shall come of Age,

and furthermore I do will, that after my wife’s decease, if not remarried, what ever

of my estate, Reall or personal shall be found left, descend to and be enjoyed by my children

equally part and part alike, and hold to by them and their Heirs for ever, being named

Elias, John, Samuel, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary, Rebecca, Anna,  Elias namely my eldest

son to have my ??? and I do also hereby give liberty to my wife Mary, in case of

her reall need, to alienate in her life time, so much as shall be judged by her friends

necessary, of any part of the Reall estate, whither of that given her by her father

or any other any other, that she may not be brought to want; for case my wife see cause to marry

again, I doe then give her Ten pound, of such of the moveables as she shall take

the estate then left, I will it be forthwith distributed equally among my children

my eldest son Elias to have the first choice, and be executor, take the inheritance

of his Uncle Thomas Pitman in the affair, desiring there may be no strife among my chil-

dren, but that all acquainted in their determination, impairing also my children

Hereby to make any ?? of any part of their lands one to another for

conveniency sake, I appoint my dear wife Mary full and solo Executrix

of this my Will and my Brother Thomas Pitman Overseer of this my will

and to see that all my children may have their just Right according to this my Will.

In witness where of I have hereunto sett my hand and seale this nineteenth

Day of January: Anno Dom: one thousand, seven hundren and four/five.

Signed, Sealed and declared                                   Elias    EL         Fortune

In the presence of:                                                       his marke

Thomas   TD Dod   son

His marke

James Hawkings

Thomas dod Junr

Samuel Cheever"

For more about Elias Fortune:

Farmers and Fishermen: Two Centuries of Work in Essex County, Massachusetts, 1630 - 1850, by Daniel Vickers, 1994, Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press,  see page 134.

Marblehead in the Year 1700, by Sidney Perley, see page 52 (available online at the Marblehead Museum website http://marbleheadmuseum.org/Perley%20Final-1.pdf )

My FORTUNE genealogy:

Generation 1:  Elias Fortune, born about 1640, probably in England; died November 1705 in Marblehead, Massachusetts; married about 1669 to Mary Pitman, daughter of Thomas Pitman and Joan Unknown.  She was born about 1648 in Salem, Massachusetts, and died 1734 in Marblehead.  Thirteen children.

Generation 2:  Mary Fortune, born 1680 in Salem, died October 1710 in Marblehead, married on 16 November 1699 in Marblehead to Samuel Hoyle, so of John Hoyle and Anne Knight.  He was born 15 January 1677 in Marblehead, and died October 1710 in Marblehead.

Generation 3:  Mary Hoyle m. Peter Homan

Generation 4:  William Homan m. Elizabeth Unknown

Generation 5:  Thomas Homan m. Tabitha Glover

Generation 6: Betsey Jillings Homan m. Jabez Treadwell

Generation 7: Eliza Ann Treadwell m. Abijah Hitchings

Generation 8:  Abijah Franklin Hitchings m. Hannah Eliza Lewis

Generation 9:  Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

Generation 10:  Gertrude Matilda Hitchings m. Stanley Elmer Allen (my grandparents)

---------------------------------

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Surname Saturday ~  FORTUNE of Marblehead”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 21, 2017, (https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/10/surname-saturday-fortune-of-marblehead.html: accessed [access date]).

Surname Saturday ~ KNIGHT of Charlestown, Massachusetts

John Knight (1601 – 1674), my 11^th great grandfather, was a Watertown proprietor in 1636.  He sold his land in Watertown on 5 June 1640 and removed to Salisbury where he was a proprietor.  He removed to Charlestown.  His will is dated 14 December 1672 and was probated 10 June 1674.  The will mentions his son-in-law, Robert Pierce of Woburn, my 10^th great grandfather.

My ancestor John Knight was a cousin to the John Knight who came to New England in 1635 aboard the ship James with his brother Richard Knight.  They both settled in Newbury, Massachusetts, and their genealogies are often tangled with John Knight of Charlestown.  In fact, both Johns were considered to be one person in some compiled genealogies.

Recent genealogists have discovered John Knight’s English origins.  He was born in Romsey, Hampshire, England, the son of Nicholas Knight and Jane Hewatt.  His paternal grandparents were William Knight and Elizabeth Wild of Romsey.  His maternal grandfather was John Hewete of Romsey.

On 8 September 1649 John Knight of Charlestown bought 80 acres in Woburn, Massachusetts.  Then on 9 October 1654 John Knight, inhabitant of Woburn, bought 18 acres back in Charlestown.  On 29 Dec 1671 John Knight, malster, sold his home in Woburn to William Johnson. 

Robert Pierce of Woburn gave all his land to his son Benjamin in return for maintenance for the rest of his life, and his wife Mary’s life on 3 July 1693.  This document refers to the 20 acres of land in Woburn he bought from his father-in-law, John Knight, of Charlestown, deceased.   My 9^th great grandmother was Elizabeth Pierce (1659 – 1690) the daughter of Robert Pierce and Mary Knight. 

KNIGHT resources:

Stand By My Servant Joseph: The Story of the Joseph Knight Family and the Restoration, by William G. Hartley, 2003.  Available in paperback at Deseret Books 801-517-3315.

A manuscript at the New England Historic Genealogical Society “The Knight Family” call number SG KNI 21, part 1 is the family of John Knight of Newbury, and part 2 is the John Knight of Charlestown, Massachusetts. 

Our Knight line: from John Knight (ca. 1600 – 1674) of Watertown, Woburn, and Charlestown, Massachusetts, to Mary (Knight) Near (1848 – 1923) of Racine, Wisconsin, by Virginia S. Hooper, 1971. 

My KNIGHT genealogy:

Generation 1:  John Knight, son of Nicholas Knight and Jane Hewatt, born 1601 in Romsey, South Hampton, England, died 22 May 1663 in Charlestown, Massachusetts;  married Mary Pickering about 1619 in Romsey.   Mary was born about 1598 in Romsey, and died 16 May 1676 in Charlestown. 

Children: 

a.) Mary  born 14 July 1620 in Romsey, died 18 March 1701 in Woburn, Massachusetts. 

b.) Joseph (1624 – 1687) married Hannah Lamb

c.) John, Jr.  (1630 – 1714) married Ruhamah Johnson, married second to Abigail Stowers, married third to Mary Bridge, married fourth to Mary (Rocke) Clemments, the widow of William Clemments, married fifth to Sarah (Rowlins) Holsworth, widow of Joshua Holsworth. 

And perhaps a fourth child, Samuel 

Generation 2:  Mary Knight, born 14 July 1620 in Romsey, died 18 March 1701 in Woburn, married to Robert Pierce before 1646. He was the son of John Pierce and Elizabeth Hart.  Seven children.

Generation 3:  Elizabeth Pierce m. Samuel Wilson

Generation 4: Mary Wilson m. Ebenezer Pierce

Generation 5: Deborah Pierce m. Increase Wyman

Generation 6: Increase Wyman, Jr. m. Catherine Unknown (see the blog post HERE)

Generation 7: Jemima Wyman m. Joshua Burnham

Generation 8: Jemima Burnham m. Romanus Emerson

Generation 9: George Emerson m. Mary Esther Younger

Generation 10: Mary Katharine Emerson m. George E. Batchelder

Generation 11: Carrie Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

Generation 12:  Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

------------------------------------------------

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ KNIGHT of Charlestown, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 10, 2016, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/12/surname-saturday-knight-of-charlestown.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ TOWNE of Topsfield, Massachusetts

TOWNE

The front door of the
Rebecca (Towne) Nurse Homestead
Danvers, Massachusetts

William Towne and Joanna Blessing were married in the town of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England and their first six children were born there.  Around 1635 they Salem, Massachusetts where two more children were born.  On 11 October 1640 they were granted land “…a little neck of land right over against his howse on the other side of the riuer to be sett out by the towne.”  He asked for more land, along with Francis Nurse, on 20 March 1647.  In 1652 he removed inland to Topsfield where he bought 40 acres, and later purchased more land. In 1663 he gave his son, Joseph, two thirds of his property and kept one third for himself.

William died in 1673 and his estate was given to his widow. When Joanna died about 1682 the six surviving children signed a petition for the land to be divided between the three sons, and the moveables divided among the three daughters.

Almost thirty years after his death, and twenty years after Joanna’s death, those three daughters were all accused of witchcraft during the 1692 Salem witch hysteria.  Rebecca Nurse was hanged as a witch on 16 July 1692, and Mary Esty was hanged on 19 September 1692.  Sarah Cloyes was arrested but was not executed before the trials were brought to a halt.

For more TOWNE information:

Massachusetts and Maine Families in the Ancestry of Walter Goodwin Davis, 1996, Volume III, pages 485 – 507.  See the ancestry of Joanna Blessing in Volume I, pages 193 – 199. 

The Descendants of William Towne, by Edwin Eugene Towne, 1901

The Towne Family Association, Inc.,   www.townefolk.com

Town Cousins group on Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/groups/townecousins2014/

For famous descendants of this family see NEXUS Volume 9, pages 108 – 111 and also there are a plethora of good books (and poorly researched books) on the three TOWNE sisters accused of witchcraft.  

My TOWNE lineage:

Generation 1: William Towne,  son of John Towne and Elizabeth Unknown, baptized on 18 March 1598 at St. Nicholas church, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England , died about 1672 in Topsfield, Massachusetts; married on 25 April 1620 at St. Nicholas church, Great Yarmouth to Joanna Blessing.  She was born about 1594 in  Great Yarmouth and died 1682 in Topsfield.  Eight children including three daughters accused of witchcraft in 1692 – Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Cloyes and Mary Esty. 

Generation 2: Edmund Towne, baptized on 28 June 1628 in St. Nicholas church, Great Yarmouth,  died before 3 May 1678 in Topsfield; married on 25 March 1652 to Mary Browning, daughter of Thomas Browning and Mary Unknown.  She was born 7 November 1637 in Salem, and died about 1717 in Topsfield. Seven children.

Generation 3: Samuel Towne, born 11 February 1673 in Topsfield, died 1714; married on 20 October 1696 in Topsfield to Elizabeth Knight, daughter of Phillip Knight and Margaret Wilkins.  She was born 25 January 1677 in Topsfield and died 17 May 1752 in Topsfield.  Elizabeth married second to Elisha Perkins as his second wife.  She had four children with Samuel Towne.

Generation 4: Rebecca Towne,  born 8 February 1699/1700 in Topsfield; married on 2 December 1730 in Topsfield to Stephen Johnson.  He was born about 1700 and died 29 August 1734 in Topsfield. Two children.  She remarried to Joshua Towne, son of Jacob Towne and Phebe Smith, as his second wife and his second cousin.  Rebecca and Joshua had one daughter.

Generation 5:   Ruth Johnson m. Richard Cree

Generation 6: Stephen Cree m. Hannah Smith

Generation 7: Sarah Cree m. James Phillips

Generation 8: Hannah Phillips m. Captain Thomas Russell Lewis

Generation 9: Hannah Eliza Lewis m. Abijah Franklin Hitchings

Generation 10: Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

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

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Published under a Creative Commons License

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ TOWNE of Topsfield, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 5, 2015 (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/surname-saturday-towne-of-topsfield.html: accessed [access date]).