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John Hutchins (c. 1604–1685)
Frances ___ (d. 1694)
John Hutchins was born about 1604. He died on 6 February 1685 in Haverhill. [1]
Frances, the wife of John, died on 5 April 1694 in Haverhill. [1]
The 1638 passenger list of the Bevis has the entries for the John Hutchison, carpenter, age 30, and Frances Alcock, virgin, age 26, employees of Richard Dummer. As Dummer settled in Newbury, and John Hutchins (of about this age) was a carpenter with a wife Frances, it is tempting to conclude that these entries are for our John and Frances. However, by 1638, John was married to Frances and they had at least two children. The John on the list might have been the John here, traveling alone to New England before his wife and children, but Frances Alcock is not the Frances here. See Martin [2]
John Hutchins of Newbury accused James Hayward and Hugh March of slander at the 19: 1: [March] 1642 court at Ipswich. [3, 1: 41]
The wife of John Hutchins was presented at the 27: 7 [September] 1653 court at Ipswich for wearing a silk hood, something forbidden to anyone with an estate of less than 200 pounds. She was discharged upon testimony that she was brought up above the ordinary rank. [3, 1: 303]
On 6 March 1657 John Hutchins of Newbury was granted permission to set up a weir in the Merrimack, in the little island above the falls. He was also granted a house lot and land in Haverhill. [4]
John was on the grand jury at the 25: 7: [September] 1665 court at Ipswich. [3, 1: 396] He was the constable in Haverhill on 12 (9) [November] 1661 and in 1662. [3, 2: 331, 380] He was on the trial jury at the 14: 2:[April] 1668 court in Salisbury. [3, 4: 20]
John, Thomas Davis and Daniel Hendrick owned equal shares in a sawmill in Haverhill. However, this turned out to be an unhappy arrangement. On 14 October 1662, James Pecker sued the three owners. On 14: 2 [April] 1663, Thomas sued John for disbursements related to the sawmill and John counter-sued; the suits were withdrawn. Thomas also sued John for debt—for beet, butter, cheese, and labor. The court appointed a committee to audit the accounts. On 12 April 1664 Thomas again sued John for debt and for forfeiture of a bond. The court found for Thomas. On 11 October 1664 Thomas again sued John for debt. Captain Paul White of Newbury sued all three owners for debt. A writ dated 21 March 1664/5 was served by attaching the persons of Thomas and John and Daniel's house and orchard. On 11 April 1665, a jury that was supposed to make a ruling found it too dark to proceed. Another committee was formed to resolve the issue. [3, 3: 1, 57, 59–60, 146, 198, 248, 249–50]
In 1664 the court paid John Hutchins, who had been the constable of Haverhill, several pounds for corn that he had collected for taxes but which had burned while in his hands and 20 shillings for the "apprehending of an Indian for killing his squaw." [4]
Richard Dummer sued John for debt and John acknowledged the judgment for the plaintiff on 26 September 1665. [3, 3: 272]
In 1666 John was given permission to build a gallery at the west end of the meeting house. After he built it, he was allowed to sell seats. [4]
John deposed that he was about 65 on 27 November 1669. At the time, he was no longer a partner in the sawmill. [3, 4: 193]
John Hutchins of Haverhill, in "indifferent" health, made his will on 24 June 1674. His witnesses took oath to it on 30 March 1686; probate was on 28 June 1687. John mentioned his older children: his eldest son William, his daughters Elizabeth Ayer and Love Sherborn, and his son Samuel. He said he had given them their portions and left them each only 20 shillings. The rest of his estate he left to his wife Frances, for her benefit and to dispose of to their children. [5]
A warrant was issued for the arrest of Mrs. Frances Hutchins of Haverhill on the charge of witchcraft on 18 August 1692. It says [6]
Complaint being made to me this day by Timothy Swan of Andover: & Mary Wallcott & Anna Putnam of Salem Village, Against Mrs: frances Hutchins & Ruth Willford, of Havehill that the s'd frances Hutchins & Ruth Willford, hath sorely afflicted them ... in their bodies, by witchcraft Severall times ... These therefore require you in their Majests names to Apprehend & seise the bodies of the afores'd frances Hutchins & Ruth Wilford, upon sight hereof, & them safely Convey to [to] Salem ...
The constable of Haverhill reported that he had brought in Frances. She was apparently released when on 21 December 1692, Samuel Hutchins and Joseph Kingsbury, husbandmen of Haverhill, posted bond of 200 pounds for her appearance in court. [6] Joseph was married to Frances's granddaughter Love Ayer.
Frances Hutchins of Haverhill made her will on 4 March 1689; it was proved on 16 May 1694. She left bequests to her son William, her two daughters Elizabeth and Love, her daughter-in-law Johannah Hutchins, her sons Benjamin and Samuel, and her deceased son Joseph's children. She named her son Samuel and her son-in-law Samuel Sherborn her executors. Inventory was taken on 9 April 1694 and amounted to £132-02-00. It was presented by Samuel Hutchins in May 1694. [5]
Children of John Hutchins and Frances Unknown:
i. Elizabeth Hutchins was born say 1633. She married Thomas Ayer.
ii. William Hutchins was born say 1635. He died after 26 October 1711, when he was named in his brother Samuel's will. He married first Sarah Hardey on 1 July 1661 in Haverhill. [1] She died on 19 September 1684 in Bradford. [7] William married second Elizabeth Grath on 30 April 1685 in Bradford. [7]
William was dismissed from all military training on 8 April 1662; he was to pay the Haverhill military company five shillings per annum. [3, 2: 383]
William and Sarah had a son William who was born and died in 1662 in Haverhill. [1] They had children Benjamin (b. 1668), Sarah (b. 1671), John (b. 1673), Mary (b. 1676), and Samuel (b. 1683) in Bradford. [7]
iii. Joseph Hutchins was born on 15 November 1640 or 10 October 1641 in Newbury. [8] He died 19 April 1689 in Haverhill. [1] He married Johannah Corliss on 29 December 1669 in Haverhill. [1] Johannah, the daughter of George and Joannah (Davis) Corliss, was born on 28 April 1650 in Haverhill. [1] The widow Johannah married second Stephen Dow on 7 February 1715/6 in Haverhill. [1] He is probably—although it would make him ten years younger than Johanna—the son of Stephen and Ann (Story), born on 10 September 1670 in Haverhill. [1] He died on 3 July 1717 in Haverhill. [1]
Joseph and Johanna had four children born in Haverhill: John (b. 1671, m. Sarah Page), Johannah (1673–1677), Frances (b. 1676, m. John Heath), Mary (b. 1678/9, m. Stephen Dow, Jr.), Andrew (1681–1681), Samuel (b. 1682), Joseph (b. 1689). [1]
iv. Benjamin Hutchins was born on 15 May 1641 in Newbury. [8] He died after 26 October 1711, when he was named in his brother Samuel's will.
Benjamin's birth record is inconsistent with both records for Joseph.
v. Ensign Samuel Hutchins died on 18 January 1712/3 in Haverhill. He apparently left no wife or children.
Samuel Hutchins "being very weak & ill" made his will on 26 October 1711; it was proved on 2 February 1712/3. His main beneficiaries were his "beloved sister" Johannah Hutchins and her children Samuel, Joseph, and John, whom he refers to as his cousins. He also left bequests to his brothers William and Benjamin, his sister Sherborn, his cousin Stephen Dow, Jr., and his cousin Thomas Ayer. [5]
iv. Love Hutchins was born on 16 July 1647 in Newbury. [8] She married Samuel Sherborn on 15: 10m: [December] 1668 in Haverhill. [1]
References:
1. Vital Records of Haverhill, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849, 2 vols. (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1910, 1911), vol. 1: 181–2 (Hutchins births); vol. 2: 176–7 (Hutchins marriages), 425 (Hutchins deaths).
2. David Kendall Martin, "A Look at John Hutchins of Newbury and Haverhill," Essex Genealogist 27 (2007): 71.
3. George Francis Dow, ed., and Harriet S. Tapley, trans., Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, 9 vols., digitized books, Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project (http://salem.lib.virginia.edu).
4. George Wingate Chase, The History of Haverhill, Massachusetts (Haverhill: the author, 1861).
5. "Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638–1881," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org, cases 14370 (Francis), 14372 (John), 14379 (Samuel).
6. "6 No. 074: Frances Hutchins," original documents and transcriptions, Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project (http://salem.lib.virginia.edu).
7. Vital Records of Bradford, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1907).
8. Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911), vol. 1: 231, 235 (Hutchins births).
26-Apr-2023