The origins of William Hagar are unknown to me. See essay below re an William Agar in Salem, who more than one "old"genealogy says was the father of William Hagar of Watertown. There is no evidence to support any relationship between the two.

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Born:   About 1620, using 25 years before date of marriage.

Immigration: Before 1645. There is apparently no record of him before his 1645 marriage record.

Spouse:   Mary Bemis, sister of Joseph Bemis (1619-1684). Their marriage is recorded in Watertown Vital Records on March 20, 1645. If she were twenty, which seems reasonable since she had children for up to twenty-five years afterwards, she would have been born approximately 1625. They had ten children from 1645-1670. She survived William and died December, 1695, in Watertown, Mass, estimated age: 70.

Occupation:  I've not seen him associated with any trade. He likely was a landowner and farmer.

Residence:  Watertown, Middlesex Co, Mass

Death:  January 10, 1684 in Watertown, Middlesex Co, Mass. Probable age about 64.

Will / Estate:  Dated Jan 10, 1683/4, proved Apr 1, 1684.

Associations:  Mary Bemis was the sister of Joseph Bemis, and an immigrant on her own account, as she likely accompanied her brother to the New World.

See biography, early generations, and research material on our Hagar ancestry at the Michael Roman web Page.

William and Mary (Bemis) Hagar are ancestors of  Calvin Coolidge. See the Calvin Coolidge Page.

Hagar Marriages at Watertown

Mary Bemis' brothers' genealogy:
 

BEMIS -- The Bemis History and Genealogy, by Colonel Thomas Draper, An account of the descendants of Joseph Bemis of Watertown, Massachusetts, 1900. 287pp. Photocopy. $48.00 Item #P3-04000
Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts - Henry Bond, 1860
 

Bullard, Edgar J. Bullard and Allied Families, Detroit 1930.

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Andersen, in The Great Migration Begins, lists a William Ager of Salem, who migrated in 1630. TGMB shows his birth to be about 1610 based on estimated age of eldest child, death between 3 March 1653/4 (date of will) and 20 June 1654 (date of inventory). He was married by 1636 to Alice ________. Andersen lists four children for William, but is unsure if Alice is the mother of all of them. They are:
 
Joseph, b about 1633 and not in New England at the time of father's will
Abigail, b about 1635, married Arthur Kibben (or Kibbey) of Salem.
Benjamin, baptized Salem 12 Feb 1636/7, married Anna _______.
Jonathan, baptized Salem 10 Nov 1639, married Rebecka Hide.
 
Andersen makes the comment that "Banks has an entry for a William Agar of Watertown, said to be from county Essex in England; this has nothing to do with William Ager of Salem, and refers to William Hagar, who first appears in Watertown in the early 1640s."

Background:

There is no single, authoritative list of the Winthrop Fleet passengers. One name that appears in most versions, however, is the name William Agar. No record of a William Agar appears in the colonies, however, until 1645 in Watertown, Mass. This gives rise to the thought by some that the William Agar in the Winthrop's Fleet died shortly after arrival, and that the William Hagar in Watertown is his son. As far as I am aware, this is not proven, and I am not aware of any English research that ties the two together.

The Bullard Genealogy states there was a William Hagar in Winthrop's Fleet and, even though there is no further record of him, "he was, no doubt, the father of William Hagar, Jr", who married Mary Bemis.

Bond's History of Watertown, Vol. II, under "Hagar," says:"In the church records, Rev. Mr. Angier wrote this name Agar.  Perhaps it will be ascertained that William Hagar, of Watertown, was a son of that William Agar, that was adm. freeman May 18, 1631.  Both names are found in England, and their arms may indicate some early affinity, a lion being their chief characteristic.".

This Winthrop's Fleet page shows William Agar as a passenger with some details of his life, including four children. However, our William is not listed there.  At any rate, we can be sure the William Hagar of Watertown is our ancestor.

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 1   William Hagar 1620 - 1684
..  +Mary Bemis 1625 - 1695
.............. 2   Mary Hagar 1645 -
.............. 2   Ruhamah Hagar 1647 -
..................  +Joseph Waight 1647 -
.............. 2   Samuel Hagar 1647 - 1705
..................  +Sarah Mixer 1657 -
.............. 2   Hannah Hagar 1649 - 1702
..................  +Joseph Priest 1649 -
.............. 2   Sarah Hagar 1651 - 1722
..................  +Nathaniel Whitney 1647 - 1733
.............. 2   Susannah Hagar 1655 -
..................  +Joseph Grout 1649 -
.............. 2   William Hagar 1659 - 1731
..................  +Sarah Benjamin 1663 - 1745
.............. 2   Rebecca Hagar 1661 -
..................  +Nathaniel Healey 1658 - 1706
.............. 2   Abigail Hagar 1667 -
..................  +Benjamin Whitney 1660 - 1736
.............. 2   Mehitabel Hagar 1669 - 1691
..................  +Nathaniel Norcross 1665 -
 

 1   William Hagar 1627 - 1684
....  +Mary Bemis 1627 - 1695
. 2   Sarah Hagar 1651 - 1722
.......  +Nathaniel Whitney 1647 - 1733
.... 3   Nathaniel Whitney II 1675 - 1730
..........  +Mercy Robinson 1676 - 1740
........ 4   Nathaniel Whitney III 1696 - 1776
..............  +Mary Child 1700 - 1776
........... 5   Nathaniel Whitney IV 1728 - 1776
.................  +Abigail Joslin 1735 -
.............. 6   Abigail Whitney 1763 - 1847
....................  +Elijah Bruce 1760 - 1835
.................. 7   Abigail Whitney Bruce 1806 - 1884
........................  +Nehemiah Willis Fisher 1805 - 1859
..................... 8   Eleanor Serepta Fisher 1843 - 1924
...........................  +Henry Gilbert Baldwin 1836 - 1894
........................ 9   Arthur Willis Baldwin 1876 - 1961
..............................  +Inez Evangeline Hallock 1886 - 1976

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Related Links:

Descendant Register Report of Nathaniel and Sarah (Hagar) Whitney. Sarah Hagar is a first generation descendant of William and Mary (Bemis) Hagar.

One of Robert Kline's databases has a line of Hagar's including Mirick's and Stratton's through son Samuel.

Hagar GenForum

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Copyright 1998, 1999 Norris Taylor