The Cutter family is believed to be from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England. (See Michael Roman's web page, link below, for more on the evidence pointing to Newcastle as their ancestral home.
 
See the Northumberland, England Home Page for background on this part of England.

The widow Elizabeth (possibly Leatherhead) Cutter is the matriarch of this family of immigrants to Cambridge, Mass. Her husband, most say Samuel, one reference I've seen to his name possibly being William, likely died in England before the family migrated; or, if he migrated, died shortly after arrival. Torrey shows died in England.

Born:   The Widow Elizabeth Cutter was born about 1575, in England, perhaps near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England. (Savage reports under son William Cutter's entry:  "I think his mo. wh. d. 10 Jan. 1664, in her will of 16 Feb. preced. calls hers. a. 87 yrs.", which would be about 1575.

Last Name:  Torrey shows unknown. Notable Kin 1 shows unknown. The Cutter genealogy (dated before Torrey and Notable Kin) reported "Leatherhead", source not known to me.

Immigration:   About 1640 to Cambridge. May have been a part of the Rev Shephard's flock, a group of settlers from Newcastle-upon-Tyne who settled in Cambridge.

Spouse:  Torrey: Samuel?. Per Notable Kin 1 Samuel? Per the Cutter Genealogy: Samuel. Nothing further known. He would have died apparently before Elizabeth's migration to the New World, 1640, or shortly after arrival, if he migrated.

Residences:   She lived for 20 years with daughter Barbara (Cutter) Corlet, in Cambridge, Mass.

Died:  Late 1663, early 1664, in probably Cambridge, Mass

Estate / Will:   Per Roman: "The widow Elizabeth Cutter, died in Jan. 1663-4, and her will was probated April 1, 1664. Having lived with her daughter for the last twenty years of her life, Elizabeth left all her estate to her daughter Barbara (Cutter) Corlett, wife of Elijah Corlett, the Latin teacher and grammar schoolmaster in Cambridge.[1/89] She was 87 years old at the time the will was written, February 16, 1662.[4/2:172]."
 

Notes:
 

History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, page 174:
 
"Cutter, Elizabeth [b. ab. 1575 in Eng., wid. prob. Samuel, came to New Eng. ab. 1640, confession in manuscript of Rev. Thomas Shepard], lived ab. 20 years. with dau. Barbary, wife of Elijah Corlet, will made Feb. 1662, proved 5 Ap. 1664, 521; land at Shawshine, 59 M. W."
Savage, under entry for her son William, who returned to England:
 
"Cutter, William, Cambridge 1636, freeman. 18 Apr. 1637, ar. co. 1638, brother. of the preceding. was liv. some yrs. later; had gr. 1648, of land. in Cambridge. and in short time aft. went home, and sent power of Atty. in 1653 to his brother(in-law). Corlet from Newcastle on Tyne. Eliz. I think his mother who died 10 Jan. 1664, in her will of 16 Feb. preceding calls herself about 87 yrs says she has living now about 20 yr. with Mr. Elijah Corlet, who married her daughter Barbara, and gives them all her little property. making the daughter executrix."
 
Her confession, per Roman:
 
"From Elizabeth Cutter's confession we have that she, "was born in a sinful place where no sermon preached". She apparently didn't know her father, and her mother sent her to Newcastle where she was placed with a godly family. After at least six years, she "went to another family where the people were carnal and there fell to a consumption". Later she married and it sounds like her husband and friends went to New England. "And I desired to come this way in sickness time and Lord brought us through many sad troubles by sea and when I was here the Lord rejoiced my heart".[2/1445] Elizabeth's children Richard and Barbara also indicated a difficult voyage. Richard stated, "and so I came to this place and coming by sea and having a hard voyage ...".[2/179] And Barbara's "sad passages by sea".[2/90]"
 
On-Line Cutter Pages:
 
The Cutter Family of New England - at BJ's Place web page.
 
Biography of the Cutter family and early generations at the Michael Roman Web Page. (Note that this page differs from the majority of other information about this family. It identifies the father of the immigrant family as William, although saying there is no clear evidence of his name, does not identify Elizabeth as Leatherhead, and a few other minor details. He quotes a 1981 source for this information.
 

Cutter Notable Descendants
 
Roger Sherman, Signer of the Declaration of Independence.
President George Bush
Nathan Hale - "I regret that I have but one life to give...."
Roger Sherman Baldwin - Defender of the Amistead passengers

ancestry.com has loads of Cutter vital records in it's collection in the History of Cambridge, Mass
This book is available from NEHGS:
 
CUTTER -- The Cutter Family of New England
By William Richard Cutter
1871. 432 pp. Photocopy.
$70.00
Item #P3-12900

Wife of Richard Cutter Was Not Daughter of Robert Williams

Marsha Hoffman Rising, in her article "Was Elizabeth, Wife of Richard-1 Cutter of Cambridge, Mass, a Daughter of Robert Williams of Roxbury?", TAG 74:292-298, Oct 1999, presents evidence to show that the age of the wife of Richard Cutter (as given from her headstone, died 1662[3?], age 42 = 1620, and a deposition she gave 1657 when she was 39 years old = 1618) prevents her from being the daughter of Robert Williams of Roxbury. Robert Williams was born 11 Dec 1608 and would be too young to be her father.

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Descendants of Elizabeth (Leatherhead) Cutter, the "Widow" Cutter

 1   Elizabeth Leatherhead 1575 - 1664
..  +Samuel? Cutter 1575 - 1640
.................. 2   William Cutter 1603 - 1693
.................. 2   Elizabeth Cutter 1605 -
.................. 2   Joyce Cutter 1608 - 1638
......................  +Edward Goffe 1608 -
.................. 2   Barbara Cutter 1609 - 1687
......................  +Elijah Corlett 1608 - 1687

Ancestor of Nathan Hale:
.................. 2   Joanna Cutter 1614 - 1679
......................  +Robert Hale 1609 - 1659

..................  *2nd Husband of Joanna Cutter:
......................  +Richard Jacob 1614 -

Ancestor of President Bush
.................. 2   Isabel Cutter 1620 - 1679
......................  +Thomas Sweetman 1630 - 1698

Our ancestral branch:
.................. 2   Richard Cutter 1621 - 1693
......................  +Elizabeth (NOT Williams) 1620 - 1662
..................  *2nd Wife of Richard Cutter:

Frances Perriman is likely the sister of our ancestor Rebecca Perriman, who md Daniel Forbush
......................  +Frances Perriman 1632 - 1702
 
 

The Kansas Pioneers line from the "Widow" Cutter is:

 Direct Descendants of Elizabeth [Leatherhead?]
 
 1   Elizabeth [Leatherhead?] 1575 - 1664 b in England, Prob Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland
....  +[Samuel?] Cutter 1575 - 1640 b in England, Prob Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland
 2   Richard Cutter 1621 - 1693 b in England, Prob Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland
......  +Elizabeth (___), NOT Williams 1620 - 1662 b in England

Identity of wife, formerly accepted as Williams, disproved in "American Genealogist, The," TAG 74:292-298, primarily based on her age.


... 3   Elizabeth Cutter 1645 - 1693 b in Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Mass
.........  +William Robinson 1640 - 1693 b in England or Mass ?
..... 4   Mercy Robinson 1676 - 1740 b in Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Mass
...........  +Nathaniel Whitney II 1675 - 1730 b in Watertown, Middlesex Co, Mass
........ 5   Nathaniel Whitney III 1696 - 1776 b in Watertown, Middlesex Co, Mass
..............  +Mary Child 1700 - 1776 b in Westborough, Worcester Co, Mass
........... 6   Nathaniel Whitney IV 1728 - 1776 b in Westborough, Worcester Co, Mass
.................  +Abigail Joslin 1735 - b in Westborough, Mass
............. 7   Abigail Whitney 1763 - 1847 b in Grafton, Worcester Co, Mass
...................  +Elijah Bruce 1760 - 1835 b in Westborough, Worcester Co, Mass

Abigail (Whitney) Bruce was a first cousin to Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin. They shared common grandparents Nathaniel and Mary (Child) Whitney.

................ 8   Abigail Whitney Bruce 1806 - 1884 b in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont
......................  +Nehemiah Willis Fisher 1805 - 1859 b in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont

After 8 generations of New England (Mass to Vermont), the family moves to Kansas. See the diary of their trip as written by Eleanor Serepta (Fisher) Baldwin.
 

.................. 9   Eleanor Serepta Fisher 1843 - 1924 b in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont
........................  +Henry Gilbert Baldwin 1836 - 1894 b in Dover, Windham Co,  Vermont
..................... 10   Arthur Willis Baldwin 1876 - 1961 b in Near Ada, Fountain Twp, Ottawa Co, Kans
...........................  +Inez Evangeline Hallock 1886 - 1976 b in Near Milo, Lincoln Co, Kans

 
 

Related Links:

 
The Bird Family database has Cutters including the immigrant.

Fillebrown Web Page. I count at least five marriages between Cutters and Fillebrowns early on. This page is dedicated to Fillebrowns.

Patricia's Cutter Page

See the Cutter GenForum
 

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