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If you wish to pursue the history of the area, see the Kent, England Heritage Page.
Immigration: Tradition, not supported by any evidence, tells us they went first to Nova Scotia, where the father may have died, before 1635. Another theory, in "Knowlton Errata and Addenda" is: "If the Hingham widow Ann was the wife of Capt. William, then he did not die on the voyage from England, but may have lived a short time in Nova Scotia, settled in Hingham about 1635, and died 1639, perhaps while on a voyage to Nova Scotia, and was buried there." (As mentioned below, it is doubtful the Ann Nolton/Norton of Hingham is the wife of William Knowlton)
Residences: Perhaps first in Nova Scotia, but this may be a mythical fairy tale. At any rate, John was in Ipswich by 1639; and William and Thomas were there by 1642. A "William Nolton" was granted planting and meadow land on June, 1635, in Hingham, which has variously been thought to be the father immigrant, or the brother William (who was in Ipswich by 1642). However, this may very well have been a William Norton, and not a Knowlton at all. The brother Samuel very well may have gone to Hingham, however, as the estate inventory of Samuel Knowlton of Hingham was taken in 1655 by a "John Naulton." Since there were no other Knowltons in Hingham, Errata says this should be John Knowlton, the nephew of Samuel (it can't be his brother John, as his brother John had died in 1654.)
Spouse: Her identity is unknown.
She would have likely been born by 1592 (18 years before first child.)
They were likely married about 1605-10 in England. She likely was living
in 1653, in America, as Thomas Knowlton's will of February, 14, 1653/4
says: "the rest for my mother's use during her life." Her first name or
identity have not been established, that I am aware of.
Knowltons in America: Pg 20 "The English tradition is that her name was Ann Elizabeth Smith." The author gives no evidence of this identity nor of her family.
Errata and Addenda: Pg 2.
Gives a presentation trying to make the case that Ann, widow of William
"Nolton" of Hingham, who married John Tucker, and died October 8, 1675,
is the immigrant widow and mother of the Knowlton brothers. However, he
quotes portions of her will and she gives legacies to others who appear
to be from her first marriage, not any of them being Knowltons that I know
of.
What this means is that both Savage and Torrey believed the man whose
estate was probated in Hingham in 1639, and referred to at times in the
records as William Nolton, was actually William Norton, not William Knowlton,
the Captain, our ancestor.
Estate/Will: No will has
been found, but there was an estate inventory of a William Norton/Nolton,
surviving wife Ann, who the author of "Errata" thought to belong to our
immigrant parent, William the Captain. As mentioned above under "spouse",
this is doubtful.
The Knowltons of England and America, Charles Henry Wright Stocking, 1897, Level of Scholarship is VERY LOW - Do not use without the "Errata and Addenda".
Knowlton Errata & Addenda; with a complete index to both books (this one and Stocking), by G. H. Knowlton. 239 pages 1903. (I have seen this book advertised for $36 at Alden's On-Line Books. I'm quite sure this book is on LDS film. Tuttle's also has Stocking, but not the Errata at the moment I write this..)
"The Ancient Records of the Town of Ipswich, Vol 1 1634-1650, Edited and published by George A. Schofield, Chronicle Motor Press, Ipswich, Mass; 1899 (Note: this is a compilation of early records of Ipswich appearing in the Ipswich Chronicle newspaper in a periodic format during the year of 1898.)
The Hammatt Papers, by Abraham Hamatt, 1854 (Use with care...old resource.)
Savage, Torrey.
This is the immigrant Knowlton family.
Read the Story of First Day in Canterbury,
Conn of William Knowlton's granddaughter's family: Benjamin and Hannah
(Knowlton) Baldwin.
Copyright 1998 Norris Taylor