F 74
.Y2 H39
Copy 1
No. 44.
LIBRARY of
Cape Cod
HISTORY & GENEALOGY
CAPTAIN WILLIAM HEDGE
OF YARMOUTH
By James W. Hawes
YARMOUTHPORT, MASS.:
C. W. SWIFT, Publisher and Printer,
The "Register" Press,
i914.
F 74
.Y2 H39
Copy 1
No. 44.
LIBRARY of
Cape Cod
HISTORY & GENEALOGY
CAPTAIN WILLIAM HEDGE
OF YARMOUTH
By James W. Hawes
YARMOUTHPORT, MASS.:
C. W. SWIFT, Publisher and Prikter,
The "Register" Press,
:1914.
CAPTAIN WILLIAM HEDGE (a)
OF YARMOUTH.
By James W. Hawes.
Copyright, 1914,
By Charles W. Swift.
William^ Hedge, b. in England;
m. probably 1st and
2d Blanche Hull, a widow.
He was a freeman of Lynn
May 14, 1634. He was prob-
ably the soldier in the Pequot
war of his surname, who was
well mentioned, and was called a
gentleman of Northhamptonshire.
He removed to Sandwich and
from there to Yarmouth. (b) He
brought suit in Essex county in
1637. (c) He was styled gentleman
and Mr. in the records in 1638 and
after. He took the oath of fidel-
ity in Sandwich. (d) He is first
mentioned in the Plymouth Colony
records Nov. 5, 1638, when for the
consideration of £12 sterling he as-
signed to Gov. Thomas Prence the
unexpired term of service of
Robert Wicksen(e) due him under
an indenture, (f) Dec. 4, 1638, he
was fined for keeping a hog un-
ringed.(g) April 16, 1640, he re-
ceived 14 acres of meadow land
in Sandwich, (h)
May 3, 1642, Mr. Hedge of Yar-
mouth won a suit for 14 bushels
of corn from Walter Devell.(i) In
August, 1643, he is among those
between 16 and 60 in Y'armouth
able to bear arms.(j)
In 1643 he had a controversy
with Richard Hore of Yarmouth
about six acres of meadow which
had formerly been given to the
church. It was decided that the
church was to hold the land and
Hedge might sue him or them
that sold him the same.(k)
March 6, 1648-9, he was pre-
sented by the grandjury for
letting an Indian have a gun,
powder and shot. His wife was
presented for receiving stolen
goods. (1) June 9, 1650, with Rob-
ert Dennis he was on a bond for
the appearance of John Besthope,
and they were given till the
next court to produce him.(m) In
1650 he appears as constable of
Yarmouth, (n)
He had a controversy with Rob-
ert Nash of Boston respecting
cattle and sued him for £11. The
jury March 6, 1649-50, awarded
him £8 and the charges of the
suit, and left him to sue concern-
ing the yearlings and the rest of
the cows included in the suit.(o)
Oct. 2, 1650, he was one of the
plaintiffs in a suit against William
Nickerson.(p) Oct. 5. 1652, he was
presented for selling wine and
strong waters in Yarmouth with-
out license, ((i) June 9, 1653, he
was approved as ensign bearer of
I he military company of Yar-
i;iouth.(r)
Feb. 24, 1652-3, he was sworn
as one of the jurors to lay out a
way from Sandwich to Plymouth,
and on the 27th he signed their
report, (s) Aug. 7, 1655, he was
ordered to exercise the military
company, (t) In 1656 the estate of
John Darby, deceased, was indebted
to him.(tl) Oct. 2, 1658, he was
appointed on the council of war.(u)
Oct. 2, 1658, he was fined 10s. for
threatening Edward Sturgis.(v)
June 7, 1659, he was on the grand-
jury, (w) Aug. 2, 1659, he was
approved as captain of the mil-
itary company of Yarmouth, (x)
In October, 1659, as one of a jury
of inquest he signed the verdict
in the case of the death of Mary
Chase of Yarmouth. (y) June 3,
1662, he was again appointed cap-
tain of the military company of
Yarmouth, (z)
In 1662, 1663 and 1664 Mr. Hedge
brought into Yarmouth liquors,
powder, shot and load, (a) June
18. 1666. he was witness to a
letter of William Nickerson to the
Plymouth Court, (b)
He died between Juno 30, 1670,
date of his will, and July 5, 1670,
the date when the order was given
for his executor to apr>oar at
Plymouth to prove his will and
inventory. (c) They were proved
Aug. 11, 1670, and letters testa-
mentary were then granted to his
executor Elisha Hedge, (d) The
will mentions his sons Abraham,
Elisha. William, John, and Elorn-
uel, his daughters Sarah Mat-
thews. Eliznboth Barnes, Mary
Sturgis and Marcy (Mercy) Hedge,
hi.s sister Brookes (to whom he
gives £30 in Virginia due him
from her deceased husband), and
his wife Blanche, who had left
him, to whom he gives 12d. and
to whom he directs to be returned
what he had received of hers.
The will also says: "likewise it
is my mind and Will that my
sister Brookes shall have lively-
hood amongst my Children soe
Longe as she Continues a widdow."
He appoints his son Elisha sole
executor and makes "my beloved
friends Mr. Thomas Thornton Mr.
Edmond howes [should be Hawes]
and Richard Taylor, tayler," over-
seers, (e) The inventory of his
estate amounted to £487 16s. (f)
Children, (fi)
Abraham, b.
Elisha, b. about 1642; m. Mary
;d. May 17, 1732, in his 92d
year, leaving issue, (g)
William, b.
John, b.
Elomuel (Lemuel), b.
Sarah, b. ; m. Mat-
thews (perhaps James^).(h)
Elizabeth, b.(i) Yarmouth May
21, 1647; m.(j) Jonathan Barnes in
Plymouth Jan. 4, 1665-6. (k)
Mary, b.(l) Yarmouth in 1648;
ni. Sturgis. (m)
Marcy (Mercy), b. . Lt.
Howes of Y'armouth was appointed
her guardian July 4, 1673. (n) She
m. Elkanah Watson of Plymouth
in 1676. (o)
Will of Capt. William Hedge.
Tlic Last Will and Testament of
Captain William hedge of Yar-
mouth in the jurisdiction of Ply-
moulli in New England Late de-
'CU3S7b'27
NOV 19 1914
ceased exhibited to the Court or
meeting of the Magestrates for
that purpose held att the Town
of Plymouth the eleventh day of
August 1670 on the oathes of Capt.
Matthew Fuller and John Davis
as followeth.
Witnesseth These presents That
I William hedge senr., in Yar-
mouth in the Collonie of New
Plymouth being weake of body
yett of perfect sense and memory
doe ordaine this my Last Will and
Testament as followeth.
first I bequeath my soule to
the Lord that gave it me and my
body to a civil and comely Buriall
and my estate as followeth.
Item I give unto my beloved
son Abraham hedge this my now
dwelling house; with all the
household stuffe in the Parlour,
beding Curtaine Gurtaines bed-
sLeed and all the moveables there-
unto belonging in the same, and
all my land that belongeth to my
dwelling house and alsoe all my
lands both upland and meddow
that I have in the prime field.
Item I doe give unto my be-
loved son Elisha hedge my necke
of Land and meddow belonging
thereunto provided that liee pay
his brother my son William five
pounds.
Item I doe give further unto
my beloved son William forty
pounds in debts and my beste
suite of Clothes and my best hatt
Item I doe give unto my be-
loved son John fifty pounds and
my next suite of Clothes and my
brasse muskett and my Rapier and
belt and two mares and two Colts.
Item I doe give unto my be-
loved son Elemuell fifty pounds
and two mares and two Coults.
Item I doe give unto my be-
loved daughter Sarah Matthews
five pounds.
Item I doe give unto my be-
loved daughter Elizabeth Barnes
five pound.
Item I doe give unto my be-
loved daughter Mary Sturgis forty
pound.
Item I doe give unto my be-
loved daughter Marcye fifty
pounds.
Item. I doe give unto my be-
loved sister Brookes thirty pounds
that is mine in Verginia that is
due to mee from Brother Brookes
deceased likewise it is my mind
and Will that my sister Brookes
shall have livelyhood amongst my
Children soe Longe as she Con-
tinues a widdow.
Item I make my beloved son
Elisha my sole executor of this
my last Will and Testament.
Alsoe I doe heer by substitute
and appoint my beloved friends
Mr. Thomas Thornton Mr. Edmond
howes [HawesJ and Richard Tay-
lor, tayler, the overseers of this
my last Will and Testament.
And whereas Blanche my Wife
hath dealt falcly with mee in the
Covenant of Marriage in departing
from mee, therefore I doe in this
my Last Will and Testament give
her twelve pence, and alsoe what
I have Received of hers my will
is shal be Returned to her againe.
And heerunto I have sett my
hand and seale this 30th of June
i670. In the presence of these
Witnesses.
William hedge
And a seale
Matthew Fuller
John Gray.
John Davis.
NOTES.
(a) The name is also written
Edge in the ancient records. As
early as 1648 there was a William
Hedges of Taunton. (2 Plym. Col.
Reos. 135.)
(b) 2 Savage, 400; Swift, 63.
(c) Pope, 226.
(d) 8 Plym. Col. Recs. 184.
(e) Afterward spelled Wixon.
(f) 1 Plym. Col. Recs. 102.
(g) lb. 107.
(h) lb. 147-149.
(i) 7 ib. 29, 30.
(j) 8 ib. 194.
(k) 2 ib. 62.
(1) Ib. 137.
(m) Ib. 151.
(n) lb. 153.
(0) 7 ib. 47.
(p) Ib. 50.
(q) 3 ib. 17.
(r) Ib. 38.
(s) Ib. 61,62.
(t) Ib. 87.
(tl) 14 Mayflower Descendant,
112.
ui) 3 Plym. Col. Rocs. 153.
(v) lb. 150.
(w) Ib. 162.
(X) lb. 169.
(y) Ib. 172.
(z) 4 ib. 15.
(a) Ib. 28, 52.
(b) Ib. 135.
(c) 5 ib. 43.
(d) Ib. 47.
(e) Recopied Plym. Col. Wills
in Barn. Prob. Of. 299; 3 Plym.
Col. Wills, part 1, p. 20; 7 N. E.
Reg. 235.
(f) Recopied Wills, 301.
(fl) The dates and places of
birth are mostly unknown. The
order of births is similarly un-
known, except that the order of
the sons and daughters among
themselves respectively is as
given in the will and is probably
correct.
(g) The late Wm. P. Davis,
town clerk of Yarmouth, an
authority on town history.
(h) Will of Wm. Hedge, 3 Plym.
Col. Wills, pt. 1, p. 20; 3 Savage,
176, 652.
(i) 8 Plym. Col. Recs. 3.
(j) Ib. 31; 1 Savage, 121; Pope,
226.
(k) Wm. P. Davis erroneously
says she m. Joseph Bassett of
Plymouth.
(1) 8 Plym. Col, Recs. 7.
(m) Wm. P. Davis and Capt.
Hedge's will.
(n) 5 Plym. Col. Recs. 124.
(o) 18 N. E. Reg. 305.
LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS
014 111 075 5
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