The origins of John and Frances (___) Hill of Dorchester, Mass are unknown to me.

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Born:  Abt 1615, 25 years before est date of marriage.

Immigration: Possibly by Feb 1631/32, but no later than Jan 6, 1633/34  Probably migrated with wife and oldest son.
 

The Great Migration Begins, (Anderson, p 937), says: " "Governor William Bradford and the Assistants of Plymouth Colony wrote on 6 February 1631/32 to their Massachusetts Bay counterparts saying "Now there are diverse gone from hence, to dwell and inhabit with you, as Clement Brigges, John Hill, John Eddy, Daniel Ray, etc, the which if either your, or they desire their dismissions, we shall be ready to give them"
 
Comments [by Anderson]: Clement Briggs went to Weymouth, John Eddy went to Watertown and Daniel Ray went to Salem. With many John Hills in evidence in the 1630's, it is difficult to determine which, if any of them, the Plymouth man might be. While the Dorchester John Hill appearing as an abutter in 1633/34 is a strong possibility, no firm identification is made here."
 
The article on John Hill and his descendants in NEHGR 58:157-168, 1904, says "John Hill is first mentioned in the Dorchester Records as follows: "Jan 6, 1633/34. It is agreed that the great lotts from Mr. Rosciter's to John Hills lott tow[ward] Naponset in bredth and eight score in length shall be forthwith enclosed by good sufficient Pale."
 
Spouse: Frances (___),  married in either England or Mass abt 1629, England, per Torrey born say 1610. (First born abt 1630, babies into the 1650's). Torrey notes she may have been "sister of Robert Turner's wife". She was left with a large family when John died, as so often happened in the early days, kids aged from possibly ages under 10 to 21. She then married Jonas Austin of Taunton, Mass, in 1667, three years after his death. She died on November 18, 1676, at Dorchester, age in her  60's. (She had as many as 12 children from 1630-165?).
 
Observation: The lapse in time between the oldest child (1630, per Torrey) and estimated dates of birth of the following children suggest the oldest child could possibly be from an earlier wife. This is further suggested by reference to John and Mary (he also referred to Samuel, but that seems to be because Samuel took care of him in his old age.), while referring to the other nine as "my nine youngest children". However, none of these dates or suggestions are firm enough to draw a definite conclusion. nmt
 
Residence:  Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Mass (Just south of Boston)

Not in a Church?  Most of our ancestors were Puritans or Quakers, and most were pronounced "freemen" (ie full citizens, with powers to vote). The John Hill article, in NEHGR 58:157-168 says there is no evidence of him becoming a member of the church, no record of becoming a freeman, and no record of holding any office. (However, do not that his wife and children were apparently church members, as the church records took note of her daughter's removal to Taunton and her marriage to Jonas Austin. nmt)

Life Events:
 

Signatory on petition for Bogistow ((now Medway) May 7, 1662, although this could be the son.
 
Death:  May 31, 1664, Dorchester, Mass

Estate:
 

NEHGR Vol 12:346, 1858: Abstracts from the Earliest Wills on Record in the County of Suffolk, Mass, Prepared by William B. Trask of Dorchester:

"Will of John Hill, of Dorchester, made 11th of April 1660. I give unto my Eldest sonne, John Hill, that Estate of myne now in his hands, & for a remembrance I give him 5c. For the Rest of my Estate, house, Land & mooueables I giue unto my wife, Francis, During her life, for her Maintenance & for ye Bringing up of my Children, and at her Death my will is that my whole Estate bee giuen unto my nine youngest children, or to so many of them as shall be then alive, alway provided there be respect had to my sonne, Samuell, who hath been helpfull unto mee in my Infirme Dayes. I give my wife power to dispose of any parte of my estate as shee shall Judge meet, with the Advise of my Louing Freinds Tho: Tileston & John Minott. My dau Mary, hauing had her portion according to my abilitye alreadye, I Doe for a Remembrance give her 5c. And being confident of the Faithfulness and Care of my beloved Wife I make her my Executrix of this my Last will.

John x Hill

Signed in the presence of

Thomas Tileston
John Minott
who deposed 30th, 4th, 1664
[Jun 30, 1664]
 

Inventory of the estate taken 9th of June 1664, by Thomas Tileston, Jno Mynott. Amt ##281.1. Francis Hill deposed to this Inventory of the estate of her Late husband, June 30, 1664."

_____________

Note, from
NEHGR: 58:158, 1904

John Hill of Dorchester, Mass and His Descendants

"On Feb 14, 1733-4, representatives of all of his children who had issue sold out their interests in his rights in the undivided lands in Stoughton."

[This article mentions, one at a time, within a register-style report, which descendants (mostly grandchildren) who signed that agreement.]
 

Associations:
 
Witnessed will: Thomas Tileston, Timothy Tilston, John Minott

Notable Kin include:
 
President William Howard Taft - three lines - See lineage

Savage, Dictionary of New England Settlers

Torrey, New England Marriages Before 1700

New England Families Genealogical and Memorial, Vol IV, pp 2020-1

The History of Peter Parker and Sarah Ruggles, pp 534-5

Search of Persi reveals the following references:
 

John Hill of Barbados, NEHGR, 16/4, Oct 1862
John Hill, Mass will, NEHGR 12/4, Oct 1858
John Hill, England will, NEHGR 37/3, Jul 1883
John Hill of Dorchester, Part 1, NEHGR 58/2 Apr 1904
John Hill of Dorchester, Part 2, NEHGR 58/3 Jul 1904
John Hill of Dorchester, Part 3, NEHGR 59/1 Jan 1905

Was There a Kinship Between John and William Hill, both of Dorchester? > NO

"It is probable that William and John Hill, of Dorchester, were brothers, although there does not seem to be any documentary proof of the fact." New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Volume IV, Pg 2020.

"It has been proved that William Hill of Dorchester, in 1633, came from Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire, and that he was NOT a brother of John Hill of Dorchester." NEHGR 58:157-168, 1904.
 

Dedham, Norfolk Co is abt 10 mi SE of Dorchester, Suffolk Co
Dorchester, Suffolk Co,  is abt 10 mi South of Boston, Suffolk Co.
Taunton, Bristol Co is abt 30 mi So of Dorchester, Suffolk Co.
Medfield, Norfolk Co is abt 18 mi SouthWest of Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Mass
Medway, Norfolk Co is abt 26 mi SouthWest of Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Mass
Neighboring towns include Boston and Roxbury to the north, Braintree and Dedham to the North, Hingham, Weymouth and Scituate to the south (down the coast).

See mapquest.com

The 1904 genealogy of John Hill and his descendants, starting in NEHGR 58:157 in installments, shows a daughter, Frances, who married Jonas Austin, and had no children. (Possibly following the same assertion made by Savage, or vice versa.) This was actually the marriage of the WIDOW of John Hill: Frances (__). (See Torrey). The daughter was a "ghost" made up to fit the marriage. There was no such person. (Note, if one counts John, Samuel and Mary, who were mentioned by name in the will, one arrives at twelve children. The genealogy lists 13 children. Subtract the "ghost" of Hannah from that list, and one is back to the twelve we count from the will. The death date given for this "ghost", Nov 18, 1676, is that of the mother: Frances (___) (Hill) Austin.

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For our branch (Hannah), see the Daniel Fisher Home Page.

 

Descendants of John Hill

1   John Hill 1605 - 1664
..  +Frances (___) 1610 - 1676
.............. 2   John Hill 1630 - 1718
..................  +Hannah 1630 - 1690
..............  *2nd Wife of John Hill:
..................  +Elizabeth Ellis 1650 - 1719
.............. 2   Mary Hill 1636 - 1726
..................  +Thomas Breck 1630 - 1703
.............. 2   Samuel (1) Hill 1638 - 1640
.............. 2   Samuel Hill 1639 - 1709
..................  +Martha 1640 - 1715
.............. 2   Jonathan Hill 1640 - 1709
..................  +Mary 1640 - 1718
.............. 2   Hannah Hill 1641 -
..................  +Daniel Fisher 1640 -
.............. 2   Mercy Hill 1643 - 1709
..................  +Elkanah Willis 1643 - 1711
.............. 2   Ruth Hill 1644 - 1736
..................  +Roger Willis 1644 - 1690
.............. 2   Rebecca Hill 1646 - 1676
..................  +Joseph Gray 1646 - 1695
.............. 2   Martha Hill 1648 -
.............. 2   Ebenezer Hill 1650 - 1696
..................  +Ruth Bailey 1650 - 1688
..............  *2nd Wife of Ebenezer Hill:
..................  +Sarah [Bailey?] 1650 - 1696
.............. 2   Mehitable Hill 1651 - 1679
.............. 2   Israel Hill 1653 - 1677
 

 
 1   John Hill 1605 - 1664 b: Abt. 1605 in England
....  +Frances 1610 - 1676 b: Abt. 1610 in England
. 2   Hannah Hill 1641 - b: 1641 in Dorchester, Suffolk Co,  Mass
.......  +Daniel Fisher 1640 - b: Abt. 1640 in Dorchester, Mass
.... 3   Eliezer Fisher 1673 - 1750 b: May 12, 1673 in Taunton, Bristol Co, Mass
..........  +Hannah Eddy 1676 - 1724 b: December 06, 1676 in Taunton, Bristol Co, Mass
........ 4   Nehemiah Fisher 1703 - b: September 03, 1703 in Norton, Bristol Co, Mass
..............  +Sarah Morse 1706 - 1744 b: Abt. 1706 in Mass
........... 5   Edmund Fisher 1733 - b: August 21, 1733 in Norton, Bristol Co, Mass
.................  +Ruth Willis 1735 - b: Abt. 1735 in Prob Taunton, Mass ?
.............. 6   Nehemiah Fisher, Deacon 1764 - 1846 b: April 23, 1764 in Norton, Bristol Co, Mass
....................  +Lucretia Marsh 1764 - 1851 b: October 23, 1764 in Thompson, Killingly, Windham Co, Conn
.................. 7   Nehemiah Willis Fisher 1805 - 1859 b: June 23, 1805 in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont
........................  +Abigail Whitney Bruce 1806 - 1884 b: April 02, 1806 in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont
..................... 8   Eleanor Serepta Fisher 1843 - 1924 b: October 30, 1843 in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont
...........................  +Henry Gilbert Baldwin 1836 - 1894 b: June 14, 1836 in Dover, Vermont, USA
........................ 9   Arthur Willis Baldwin 1876 - 1961 b: July 06, 1876 in Near Ada, Fountain Twp, Ottawa Co, Kans
..............................  +Inez Evangeline Hallock 1886 - 1976 b: October 14, 1886 in Near Milo, Lincoln Co, Kansas

Related Links:

Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Mass GenWeb Page

Timeline of Dorchester, Mass History

Hill Page at FamilyHistory.com

Hill GenForum
 

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