Go
929.2
H5461h
bk.l
1915
1279747
M.U
GENEALOGY
COUL-ECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 01332 6464
^
FIRST PUBLICATION
OF THE
HILDRETH
FAMILY ASSOCIATION
JOHN LEWIS Hir.DRETH, A. B., M. D., LL. D.
president of
The Hti.dreth Family Association
FIRST PUBLICATION
HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL DATA
RELATING TO
RICHARD HILDRETH (1605-1693), FREEMAN 1643
Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass.
THOMAS HILDRETH (died 1657), OF LONG ISLAND
Southampton, N. Y.
INCLUDING
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
SEVENTH REUNION
March 27, 1915
COLLATED AND EDITED
BY JOHN LYMAN PORTER
PUBLISHED BY
THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
1915
1279747
FOREWORD
WE do not hesitate to admit for ancestor research a
charm which fascinates the mind and engages the
heart. It interests us in village legends, family tra-
ditions, and in the memories of old people often wonderfully
vivid and accurate. It introduces us to our forefathers, hands
us a chair at their fireside, and makes us familiar in their house-
holds. And soon we begin to love our stern old ancestors. We
study them, their opinions, their hatred of tyranny, those old
fellows who " called no man master." We who have " Hil-
dreth " ancestors have learned of their persistent determination
for justice, and of their unyielding courage and honesty. And
so we seek to know more of them.
The Hildreth Family Association has in its possession a mass
of genealogical and historical data regarding the Hildreths of
America. The largest single collection is that by Mr. Henry
Orin Hildreth of Cambridge, Mass., made previous to 1893, con-
sisting of correspondence, individual family records, notes, mem-
oranda, copies of records, etc., but before Mr. Hildreth could
arrange it in manuscript form suitable for publication he was
taken suddenly ill and died. That was twenty-two years ago.
Since then numerous valuable contributions have been made to
our Association. A few, such as Arthur Hildreth's Early Hil^
dreths of New England and Brig.-General Philip Reade's First
Generation of the Name of Hildreth in Middlesex County in
Massachusetts, tell of the Hildreths of the early colonial period;
several tell of the local branches such as those of Westford, Dra-
cut and Lowell, Mass., Lewiston, Me., Wheeling, W. Va., etc.;
many cover individual family histories as far back as known;
and two or three contributions relate to the Long Island (N. Y.)
Hildreths; besides which there are hundreds of letters containing
more or less detached data.
Dr. John Lewis Hildreth, president of our Association since
1893, has contributed a manuscript copy of the Origin and Gene-
alogy of the American Hildreths written by Richard Hildreth,
the historian, in 1856. And other loyal members have contrib-
3
4 FOREWORD
uted to the Association numerous books, pamphlets and manu-
scripts relating to the Hildreths.
To arrange the earlier genealogical and historical data and to
combine it with the later for preservation in printed form is most
desirable, and this, our First Publication, is preliminary to such
work. The articles herein are by members who have gathered
their material a little at a time and by long-continued search;
and the references and authorities are given for the benefit of
readers who may wish to pursue further any particular point.
There must be, of necessity, occasional errors in dates and
names ; but it is well known to searchers for genealogical mate-
rial that dates found on town records frequently differ from
those contained in family Bibles or given on gravestones, and
even varying dates for the same event have been furnished by
different members of the same family. So it is in the spelling
of names; different members of the same family occasionally
have used different spellings of their own name. It is earnestly
requested that every reader who can do so will promptly furnish
us with corrections where we seem to be in error and to give
authorities for such corrections in order to make them more
valuable.
In our next or second publication, which will be uniform in
style to this, we plan to tell of the second generation of Hildreths
in America. We shall have in it special articles on Hildreth
families who were early settlers in the several sections of our
country, telling of those who settled in Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Connecticut, New York State, Ohio, Indiana, West
Virginia, and other sections, including more about the Early
Hildreths of Long Island.
We also expect to have in our next or second publication some
contributions relating to the Hildreths of Barnard Castle and
of Yorkshire, England.
We believe we shall be able to give in our next or second pub-
lication the reproduction of a genuine Hildreth seal and we hope
our investigations will result in the discovery of an ancient crest
or coat-of-arms.
In our next or second publication we will give a partial list of
Colonial Hildreths through whom their descendants, who wish
to, may claim lines of royal ancestry running back through
English and Saxon kings to the year A. D. i, and through the
House of Bourbon (France) to the year A. D. 418, and through
other interesting lines.
FOREWORD 5
And we would like to give a very complete list of lines through
which many of our members who wish to may qualify for mem-
bership in such societies as the Mayflower, Colonial Dames,
Colonial Wars, etc., but in our efforts to do this we must rely
on our members furnishing us with dates, names, birthplaces,
marriages, etc., of their own ancestors. If each of our members
would supply us with what they know we would soon have a
complete whole. Our Family is now scattered from ocean to
ocean. Many records are already gone; the old family Bible
has often been carried off by the daughters and thus lost to the
family name; and soon, all too soon, our older members will
be passing away and much valuable history we now can get will
then have gone into oblivion. And so we ask you to collect for
our Family the dates of births, marriages and deaths of the Hil-
dreths you know, and of other Hildreths as far back as you can
learn of them. Find out where they lived, whom they married,
the names of their children and where they moved to. If you
will do just this it will be a wonderful help to us.
The Hildreth Family Association.
Boston, 191 5.
CONTENTS OF FIRST PUBLICATION
PAGE
Foreword ........ 3
Proceedings of the Seventh Reunion of The Hil-
DRETH Family Association . . . . -13
Including Revised Articles of Association and By-Laws.
Historical Sketch of The Hildreth Family Associa-
tion (1893-1915) . . . . . .20
By John Lewis Hildreth, A. B., M. D., LL. D.
Origin of the " Hildreths " and Variations of the
Name ........ 26
By Miss Carrie A. Hildreth.
The Parish Registers of Gainford, County of Dur-
ham, England ....... 30
By John Lyman Porter.
Coat-of-Arms(?) — Description of Richard Hil-
dreth's Seal ....... 35
By John Lyman Porter.
Surnames of Families Who Intermarried with the
Hildreths ........ 37
Compiled by John Lyman Porter.
Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War by
THE Name of Hildreth . . . . -41
Compiled by Brig.-General Philip Reade, U. S. Army,
Retired.
Chart — Thomas Hildreth of Long Island (Died
1657), First Three Generations . . .42
Arranged by John Lyman Porter.
Thomas Hildreth, of Long Island (Died 1657) . . 43
By John Lyman Porter.
The Two Wives of Richard Hildreth (Freeman,
1643) 47
By Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth.
7
8 CONTENTS OF FIRST PUBLICATION
PAGE
The " Old Style " Legal Year, and the Graves of
Richard Hildreth and His Wife Elizabeth . 49
By John Lyman Porter.
Chronological History of Richard Hildreth (1605-
1693) ; Freeman, 1643 • • • • • 5^
Compiled by John Lyman Porter.
Chart — Richard Hildreth (1605-1693), First Three
Generations ....... 70
Arranged by John Lyman Porter.
Memoranda — Blank Pages for Notes and Corrections . 71
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
John Lewis Hildreth, A. B., M. D., LL. D. Frontispiece
President of The Hildreth Family Association.
facing page
Henry Orin Hildreth . . . . . .20
Founder of The Hildreth Family Association.
Gravestone of Elizabeth Hildreth . . . -So
Wife of Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelms-
ford, Mass.
The Richard Hildreth Memorial . . . .52
Erected to Preserve the Original Headstone.
OFFICERS
OF
THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
FOR THE YEARS 1915-1916
President
JOHN LEWIS HILDRETH, A. B., M, D., LL. D., Winchester, Mass.
Senior Vice-President
HENRY giddings HILDRETH .... Aubumdale, Mass.
Vice-Presidents
prof. philo c. hildreth .
david merrill hildreth
dr. eugene a. hildreth .
j. homer hildreth .
charles w. robinson
eugene westel hildreth
mrs. rowena hildreth palmer
mrs, cornelia s. hildreth .
Fairfield, Iowa
Washington, D. C.
Wheeling, W. Va.
New York, N. Y.
. Stow, Mass.
Melrose, Mass.
Lowell, Mass.
Boston, Mass.
Corresponding Secretary
JOHN LYMAN PORTER .... Cambridge, Mass.
Recording Secretary
EDWARD c. HILDRETH .... Cambridge, Mass.
Treasurer
HENRY GIDDINGS HILDRETH . . Aubumdalc, MaSS.
Historian
miss CARRIE A. HILDRETH .
Worcester, Mass.
Executive Committee
HORACE EDWIN HILDRETH .
ALFRED HITCHCOCK HILDRETH .
HERBERT V. HILDRETH .
ALLEN B. M. HILDRETH .
MRS. ROWENA HILDRETH PALMER
JOHN LEWIS HILDRETH, CX ofUcio
EDWARD C. HILDRETH, CX ofUcio .
11
. Boston, Mass.
. Boston, Mass.
. Boston, Mass.
Cambridge, Mass.
. Lowell, Mass.
Winchester, Mass.
Cambridee, Mass.
FIRST PUBLICATION
OF THE
HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH REUNION
INCLUDING
REVISED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND BY-LAWS
Boston, Mass., March 27, 191 5.
AT a duly called meeting and dinner of The Hildreth
Family Association held this day at the " Colonial
House," No. 301 Newbury Street, there being present
some over sixty members, the following business was transacted,
to wit :
The meeting was called to order at 12 145 P. M. by the presi-
dent, Dr. John L. Hildreth of Winchester, Mass. The members
then took seats at the tables and grace was asked by Mr. Charles
W. Robinson of Stow, Mass. Following the dinner :
The Secretary read the records of the last meeting, which was
held at Chelmsford, Mass., June 8, 19 12, and same were ap-
proved.
The Treasurer reported that the Association had neither cash
assets nor liabilities excepting the expenses pertaining to this
meeting. His report was accepted and approved.
The Historian reported her record of deaths of members and
same was accepted and placed on file.
The question of amending the Articles of Association was then
brought up. The Secretary made a statement that because of
the great amount of work falling upon the office of the Secre-
tary-Treasurer as heretofore provided in the Articles of Associ-
ation it seemed advisable to divide that work and have three
separate officers for it, namely: a Corresponding Secretary, a
Recording Secretary and a Treasurer. It was also suggested
that the influence of the Association might be broadened and
13
14 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
greater results be obtained by increasing the number of Vice-
Presidents to nine (9) one of whom should be termed Vice-
President Senior. Another suggestion was made that the regu-
lar meetings of the Association be biennial instead of triennial,
and that other meetings could be called by the Executive Com-
mittee. And to carry on research work regarding the origin
and genealogy of the Hildreths that was begun some sixty years
ago by Richard Hildreth, the historian, and to prepare for pub-
lishing the results as well as to assist our members to more val-
uable data concerning their Hildreth ancestors it was proposed
that the ordinary Dues of One Dollar ($1.00) be payable an-
nually instead of once in three years as heretofore. A tentative
set of By-Laws embodying substantially these recommendations
had been prepared by a committee and were submitted for dis-
cussion. These By-Laws were read, article by article, and all
changes suggested were actively discussed by the members and
separately voted upon by the raising of hands. The approved
changes and amendments were written in as authorized and the
Revised Articles of Association and By-Laws were then by unan-
imous vote adopted as a whole, reading as follows :
REVISED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND BY-LAWS
AS ADOPTED MARCH 27, 191 5
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
This Association is formed for the purpose of organizing into a
friendly union and for the common good all persons in America who
have a Hildreth ancestor or who are united by marriage to those
who have a Hildreth ancestor, having in mind the descendants of
the two Puritan forefathers who bore the name of Hildreth — one
by the name of Richard Hildreth who appeared in Cam-
bridge, Mass., in 1643 as Freeman in the Massachusetts Bay Col-
ony and who died in Chelmsford, Mass., in 1693, the other by the
name of Thomas Hildreth who appeared also in 1643 ^s one of
the first settlers of Southampton (Long Island), N. Y., and who
died there in 1657.
BY - LAWS
article I.
Name
This Association shall be called "The Hildreth Family Associa-
tion."
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH REUNION 15
ARTICLE II.
Purpose
Its purpose shall be to collect and preserve information respect-
ing the Hildreths in America and their ancestors and particularly
respecting Richard Hildreth buried in Chelmsford, Mass., in 1693,
and Thomas Hildreth buried in Southampton (L. I.), N. Y., in
1657, and by meetings to form a more intimate acquaintance with
one another and to promote good-fellowship.
ARTICLE III.
Membership
The members of this Association shall be those who state they
bave a Hildreth ancestor or who are united by marriage to those
who have a Hildreth ancestor.
ARTICLE IV.
Officers
The officers shall be President, nine Vice-Presidents (one of
whom shall be called Senior), a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary,
a Corresponding Secretary, a Historian, and an Executive Com-
mittee of seven (two of whom shall be the President and Recording
Secretary). All other committees shall be appointed by the Execu-
tive Committee.
ARTICLE V.
Election of Officers
The officers of the Association shall be elected by the majority
voting at any regular meeting and shall hold office until their suc-
cessors are elected. Vacancies may be filled by appointment by the
Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI.
Duties of Officers
The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings
of the Association and of the Executive Committee and to discharge
the duties which usually pertain to his office.
The duties of the Senior Vice-President shall be, in the absence
of the President, to preside at all meetings of the Association and
of the Executive Committee and discharge the duties of the Presi-
dent.
The duties of the Treasurer shall be to receive and hold all mon-
ies of the Association and to disburse same only on orders signed
by the President and one other member of the Executive Committee
and to render an account of same at all regular business meetings of
the Association and Executive Committee. No debts shall be con-
tracted by the Association beyond the amount of available means
within its control.
i6 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
The duties of the Recording Secretary shall be to notify the mem-
bers of all meetings and keep a record of same, and also to act as
secretary for the Executive Committee.
The duties of the Corresponding Secretary shall be to keep a list
of members of the Association, assist members who are seeking
information regarding their Hildreth ancestors, do genealogical re-
search work for the Association regarding the Hildreths in Amer-
ica, keep records of such work and of all correspondence, and to
make reports at all regular meetings of the Association.
The duties of the Historian shall be to inform the Association
from time to time of such facts, worthy of note or mention, relative
to the members of the Association, and to keep so far as possible a
register of births, marriages and deaths of the Hildreths whether
members or not and at the Association's next meeting report the
same.
The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to arrange for
the meetings of the Association and in the interim to have the man-
agement of the Association's affairs not delegated to other officers
or committees and to attend to any business pertaining to the Asso-
ciation's welfare.
ARTICLE VII.
Meetings
The regular meetings of the Association shall be held once in two
years in Boston, Mass., in the month of April, at such hour and place
as the Executive Committee may determine.
Other meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive
Committee.
ARTICLE VIII.
Dues and Assessments
Members shall not be required to pay dues of any kind except an
assessment for ordinary expenses which shall not exceed One Dol-
lar ($i.oo) per capita for one year. Such assessment shall be
termed Annual Dues, and the payment of same by any member of
a family shall include his or her immediate family, provided their
names are given at the time the payment is made. The member
making the payment shall be called an Active Member, and the
other members shall be called Associate Members.
ARTICLE IX.
Amendments
These Articles of Association and By-Laws may be altered or
amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of the number
present and voting.
It was then voted that the Association proceed to elect officers
in accordance with the new By-Laws. The Nominating Com-
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH REUNION 17
mittee, consisting of three members, Messrs. W. Clifton Jones,
Henry G. Hildreth and Mrs. Rowena H. Palmer, appointed by
the President, was asked to retire and prepare its nominations
for the offices to be filled as required by the new By-Laws.
While the Nominating Committee was out the president. Dr.
John L. Hildreth, gave an interesting review of the history of
our Association, beginning with the Preliminary Conference held
twenty-two years ago at the Parker House, Boston, to which
twenty-five representatives of the families of Hildreth in New
England had been invited and at which fifteen of those repre-
sentatives were present. He told of the important genealogical
notes and data contributed to the Association by Mr. Henry O.
Hildreth of Cambridge, Mass., and the great blow the Associa-
tion received by his sudden death, March 12, 1893, only six days
after that first meeting at the Parker House. Dr. Hildreth then
referred to the erection and dedication in 1909, at Chelmsford,
Mass., of a substantial granite memorial preserving in it for all
time the old slate gravestone of the first Richard Hildreth in this
country. He told of the several contributions made to the Hil-
dreth genealogy beginning with the letter of 1856 to Mr, D. M.
Hildreth of New Orleans by Richard Hildreth, the historian.
He emphasized how we now had three most important things to
discover, ( i ) the English birthplace of our Hildreth ancestors,
(2) the date or dates our Hildreth ancestors emigrated to this
country, and (3) the family names of their wives. These three
things he believed could be found with the united help of our
members. At the conclusion of Dr. Hildreth's remarks it was
recommended that they be prepared for publication at an early
date.
The Nominating Committee, having returned, then submitted
its nominations for the offices specified. Its report was unani-
mously adopted and the Secretary was authorized to cast one
vote — which he did — for the election and the Chair announced
the officers as reported by the Nominating Committee to be duly
elected to serve for two years in accordance with the new By-
Laws, as follows :
PRESIDENT
John Lewis Hildreth, A. B., M. D., LL. D., Winchester, Mass.
SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT
Henry G. Hildreth, Auburndale, Mass.
i8 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
VICE-PRESIDENTS
Prof. Philo C. Hildreth, Fairfield, Iowa.
David M. Hildreth, Washington, D. C.
Dr. Eugene A. Hildreth, Wheeling, W. Va.
J. Homer Hildreth, New York City.
Charles W. Robinson, Stow, Mass.
Eugene W. Hildreth, Melrose, Mass.
Mrs. Rowena H. Palmer, Lowell, Mass.
Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth, Boston, Mass.
TREASURER
Henry G. Hildreth, Auburndale, Mass,
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
John Lyman Porter, Cambridge, Mass.
RECORDING SECRETARY
Edward C. Hildreth, Cambridge, Mass.
HISTORIAN
Miss Carrie A. Hildreth, Worcester, Mass.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Horace Edwin Hildreth, Boston (and Cambridge)
Alfred H. Hildreth, Boston (and Winchester)
Herbert V. Hildreth, Boston (and Westford)
Allen B. M. Hildreth, Cambridge, Mass.
Mrs. Rowena H. Palmer, Lowell, Mass.
Dr. John Lewis Hildreth, President, ex officio
Edward C. Hildreth, Recording Sec'y, ex oMcio
Following the election of officers were read three papers of
especial interest to the members of The Hildreth Family Asso-
ciation, namely:
1st Paper, " Richard Hildreth, Freeml\n, 1643," ^Y Miss
Carrie A. Hildreth of Worcester, Mass., in which Miss Hildreth
reviewed her research work in this country and in England for
data and information regarding the Richard Hildreth who was
made Freeman in 1643 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, living
in Cambridge, Mass., until 1654-5 when he removed to Chelms-
ford, Mass., where he died in 1693.
2nd Paper, " Thomas Hildreth of Long Island, 1643-
1657," by John Lyman Porter of Cambridge, Mass., in which
Mr. Porter told of the Thomas Hildreth who appeared as one
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH REUNION 19
of the first settlers of Southampton, L. I., in 1643 (the same
year in which Richard Hildreth of Cambridge was made Free-
man). This Thomas Hildreth died in Southampton, L. I., in
1657, leaving a widow and four small children.
Srd Paper, "Wives of Richard Hildreth," by Mrs. Cornelia
S. Hildreth of Boston, Mass., in which Mrs. Hildreth gave ex-
tracts from the records of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass.,
regarding Sarah the first wife, and Elizabeth the second wife of
Richard Hildreth, Freeman 1643. She had found records of the
deaths of both wives and the place of burial of Elizabeth the
second wife, but as yet she had been unable to find the place of
burial of Sarah the first wife.
Following the reading of these papers was held a general dis-
cussion on them and a recommendation was made that search
be continued for the discovery of the relationship between Rich-
ard and Thomas Hildreth, the place from which and the time
when they emigrated to this country, and the family names of
their wives.
A unanimous vote of thanks was given by the members to Mr.
Eugene W. Hildreth, the retiring Secretary-Treasurer, for his
efficient, faithful and untiring work during the eight years of
his service.
It was then moved and carried to adjourn after declaring this
to have been one of the most enjoyable meetings and reunions
of the Family.
Edward C. Hildreth,
Recording Secretary.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE HILDRETH FAMILY
ASSOCIATION (1893-1915)
By John Lewis Hildreth, A. B., M. D., LL. D.
THE first gathering of the Hildreth Family was at the
Parker House, Boston, March 6, 1893, and fourteen
years later The Hildreth Family Association was form-
ally organized at a large meeting held at " The Brunswick " in
Boston on Saturday, March 16, 1907, at which time Articles of
Association were drawn up and adopted. Between the times of
these two meetings were held family reunions at Chelmsford,
Mass., where in 1693 was buried Richard Hildreth — the com-
mon ancestor of nearly all of the New England Hildreths, and
perhaps a brother or a close relative of the Thomas Hildreth
who was buried in Southampton (L. I.), N. Y., in 1657.
This first meeting, the one at the Parker House in Boston
twenty-two years ago, was called by Mr. Henry O. Hildreth of
Cambridge, Mass., and he acted as Chairman. It was a Prelim-
inary Conference to which twenty-five representatives of the
family of Hildreth in New England had been invited, and at
which fifteen were present, namely:
Sylvanus B. Phinney
C. M. Hildreth . .
Samuel E. Hildreth
Stanley B. Hildreth
Amelia P. Hildreth
Harriet Hildreth Porter
Mrs. Geo. A. Macintosh
Maria Gilbert Bradley
Henry G. Hildreth .
H. W. Robinson
William H. Hildreth
Ella F. Hildreth .
Mrs. J. L. Hildreth
Arthur Hildreth
Henry O. Hildreth .
Barnstable, Mass.
, Lebanon, N. H.
Worcester, Mass.
Cambridge, Mass.
Worcester, Mass.
. . . . Corinth, Vt.
Lowell, Mass.
Haverhill, Mass.
. Auburndale, Mass.
Brockton, Mass.
Newton Upper Falls, Mass.
Lowell, Mass.
. Cambridge, Mass.
Boston, Mass.
, Cambridge, Mass.
20
HKXRY OUIX HILDRETH
Died March 12, 1&9:.
foundkr of
The Hii.okktii Family Association'
The largest single collection of Ilildieth genealogical data in onr possession was made hy
Mr. Ilenrv Orin Ilildrctli,
HISTORICAL SKETCH 21
Previous to this meeting, Mr. Hildreth had called upon me
several times, as he had upon other Hildreths, to enlist our inter-
est and support for bringing about a permanent organization of
the Hildreth families. Of his several visits to me there is one
of which I have a very vivid recollection. I was just recovering
from a severe illness and was obliged to receive him in bed. I
remember how earnest he was when he told me what he wanted
to do and how he hoped to have in the near future what he called
" a full fledged organization of the Hildreth families." He also
said that later he wanted to see a book published containing the
sayings and doings of the Hildreths together with their genealo-
gies.
Mr. Hildreth was taken sick the next day after this meeting
and six days later, March 12, 1893, came the news of his death.
As I think what a terrible shock it was to all of us when we
heard of his sudden death, and how it seemed impossible to
carry out his plans without him, I wonder now we had any cour-
age to go forward with the work he had but just begun and for
which his last act in life was the first attempt to unite the scat-
tered branches of the Hildreth family into one great union.
To Mr. Henry O. Hildreth is due the honor of having been
the principal mover in getting the Hildreths together. He was,
as we all know, no ordinary man. He had high ideals of citizen-
ship, was distinctly literary in his tastes and a gentleman of the
highest order. He is easily placed with our Richard Hildreth
of Cambridge of 1643 and with Richard Hildreth the historian.
And right here let me quote a few words from a memorial of
him prepared for the Dedham Historical Society of Massachu-
setts, viz. :
" The memory of a man, who, in a spirit of self-forgetfulness and
with a singleness of purpose as to exclude any idea of personal ad-
vantage to himself, for thirty-five years and more, has devoted a
large fraction of his time to promote the best social interests of the
community in which he lived, and to advance the personal interests
of others, deserves to be perpetuated by more than a simple recital
of the official positions which he held and the dates of his birth and
death. All this may be truly said of the late Henry Orin Hildreth ;
and it gives the writer a peculiar satisfaction to have the opportunity
offered him to pay a tribute due to the memory of an old friend and
associate, whose modesty was so retiring and whose life was so
unobtrusive, that the world could not know his true worth."
This memorial closes with this beautiful sentence:
22 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
" In private life he was sincere, loyal to his friends, sensitive in
matters of principle and without reproach."
Now let me briefly review what has been done since the first
meeting of the Hildreths up to the present time, a period of
twenty-two years, to carry out the purpose of the Hildreth
Family Association.
1st. The First Reunion was held June i6, 1894, at Chelms-
ford, Mass. At this meeting Mr. Arthur Hildreth, son of Rich-
ard Hildreth, the historian, read a very comprehensive paper on
" The Early Hildreths of New England," which was afterwards
published under that title and is now found in our public libra-
ries.
2nd. The Second Reunion was held also at Chelmsford, June
16, 1904. At this meeting Mrs. Rowena Hildreth Palmer of
Lowell, Mass., read a paper on " The Dracut Hildreths and the
Characteristics of the Hildreths in General."
3rd. The Third Reunion was held at The Brunswick, Boston,
March 16, 1907, when the Association was formally organized
and Articles of Association adopted as I have previously stated.
How well these Articles of Association have served us now for
more than eight years is a proof of Ex-Mayor Palmer's ability
as an organizer and his loyalty to the Hildreth families. Only
once, on June 12, 1909, have they been amended. This was when
Article III was changed so as to include " all Hildreths in
America." At this meeting after the business part was over
Dr. John Hildreth McCollom read a paper on '' Richard Hildreth
the Historian." This paper has not yet been published but we
are now making plans to publish this with several others that have
been read at our reunions.
4th. The Fourth Reunion was held in Chelmsford, June 12,
1909. At this meeting the old slate gravestone of our earliest
Richard, which had been enclosed in a block of granite and
placed over his grave as a memorial to him in the old Chelmsford
burial ground, was dedicated with appropriate exercises. This
memorial, substantial and dignified in its design, was secured
through the patient and persistent efforts of Mr. Charles W.
Robinson, of Stow% Mass., one of our charter members and with
us here to-day. We are all proud of it. At this meeting short
addresses were made by the President and by Mr. Robinson, and
a more lengthy one by General Philip Reade on the First Gener-
ation of the Name of Hildreth in Middlesex County in Massa-
HISTORICAL SKETCH 23
chusetts. General Reade's address has been published under that
title and is also found in the public libraries and Historical Soci-
eties. It contains many valuable references regarding the Hil-
dreths and has two excellent illustrations of the Richard Hildreth
Memorial in the Chelmsford burial ground.
5th. The Fifth Reunion was held in Maiden, Mass. The day
was fearfully cold and rainy. Tables were set for fifty but only
fourteen were present at the dinner. The papers which had been
prepared by Miss Carrie A. Hildreth of Worcester, Mass., and
by Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth of Boston, to be read at that meet-
ing, were omitted.
6th. The Sixth Reunion was held at Chelmsford, June 8,
191 2, at which some forty were present. A paper prepared by
Mrs. A. M. Hildreth of Hallowell, Me., on " Paul Hildreth and
His Descendants the First Settlers of Lewiston, Maine," was
read by the Secretary. This was followed by a paper on " The
Two Wives of Richard Hildreth " by Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth
of Boston. Miss Carrie Hildreth of Worcester, Mass., also told
what she found, while visiting England, from her researches
there for the birthplace of our earliest Richard Hildreth.
I have briefly outlined what our Hildreth Family Association
has already done in order to show that we have accomplished
some very creditable work in trying to live up to the purposes
for which we were organized. Also to show that we have laid
a good foundation on which we can now all work together and
more rapidly collect the genealogical and historical data con-
cerning the Hildreths of America. There are still three very
difficult problems to solve, as you will realize when you have
heard the papers that are to be read this afternoon, but they are
problems which, with your united help, I believe can be solved.
They are: (i) Where in England were our Hildreth ancestors
born, and what is the exact date of Richard Hildreth's birth?
(I use the word " exact " because the record on his gravestone
in Chelmsford, Mass., has been questioned.) (2) What were
the family names of their wives, when and where were they
born, and where was Sarah, the first wife of Richard Hildreth,
buried? (3) What relationship, if any, to Richard Hildreth
was Thomas Hildreth who appeared in 1643 in Southampton
(L. I.), N. Y., as one of the first settlers there, the same year
that Richard Hildreth was made Freeman in Cambridge. Mass. ?
Even if these three problems cannot be solved at once, still
some real valuable genealogical work can be done by each one
24 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
of us. It is to furnish our Corresponding Secretary with our
individual genealogy so far as we are able to. The names and
dates that you can furnish, when combined with the names and
dates that are already in the possession of our Association, will
enable him to prepare for most of us our complete genealogical
line back to our old colonial ancestor. And these genealogical
lines are not only interesting to you but will be of great assist-
ance in preparing the Hildreth books for publication.
Of the books and pamphlets already published containing im-
portant historical and genealogical data regarding our Hildreth
ancestors there are four which I will mention and which will
be worth while for you to read if you have not already done so.
(i) The oldest of them is a letter written in 1856 by Richard
Hildreth the historian to Mr. D. M. Hildreth, then a resident of
New Orleans and proprietor there of the St. Charles Hotel. It
was an answer to an inquiry made by Mr. Hildreth of New
Orleans asking Richard Hildreth the historian regarding his
ancestors. This letter contains a great deal of information about
the Hildreths of America and some accounts of those in Eng-
land. A manuscript copy of this letter is now among the papers
of our Association and may be consulted by our members at any
time. (2) Is a book published in 1891 entitled " The Life and
Times of Azro B. F. Hildreth." This, of course, is largely a
personal narrative but Chapters I to VII inclusive have consid-
erable valuable and interesting data not only of Mr. Azro Hil-
dreth's immediate family but also of his Hildreth ancestors, their
near relatives and their descendants. A copy of this is also
among the papers and books of our Association for reference
and consultation. Mr. Azro B. F. Hildreth was a Director of
our Association and one of our charter members, and a lively
one too, when he visited us June 16, 1894, as many of us very
pleasantly remember. He was at that time 78 years old. His
interest in the Hildreths and their Association never faltered in
the least till the day of his death. (3) The third is the very
interesting book containing Mr. Arthur Hildreth's address,
which I have already mentioned, made at the Hildreth Reunion
at Chelmsford, June 16, 1894, entitled "The Early Hildreths
in New England." A copy of this book our Association also
has among its papers. (4) The fourth is a pamphlet compiled
by General Philip Reade after a great deal of time and labor
spent in consulting old records. Its title is " The First Genera-
tion of the Name of Hildreth in Middlesex County, Massachu-
HISTORICAL SKETCH 25
setts, from 1643 ^^ 1693." General Reade gave in this compila-
tion the names of the many authorities he consulted for the
benefit of the readers who desire to investigate further.
In closing this brief historical sketch of the Hildreth Family-
Association and its work already done and telling what it hopes
and expects to do in the future, the thought comes to me and
I feel sure it has come to many others, of the very many pleasant
gatherings we have had, and of the pleasant acquaintances we
have made and of the good friendships we have formed, all
because of these occasional meetings. And during the twenty-
two years in which I have had the honor to be your president I
have often thought, and as I have looked over these gatherings
and have noticed the individual faces of our members, I have
said to myself : " You Hildreths are a good, wholesome-looking
people, and you carry the evidence of a large supply of common
sense in your honest faces, and I am glad it came my lot to be
one of you."
Winchester, Mass., 19 15.
ORIGIN OF THE " HILDRETHS " AND VARIATIONS
OF THE NAME
By Miss Carrie A. Hildreth
IT is not easy to trace the family name back through its many
variations to its source, but it undoubtedly dates back to
early Saxon times in England, and there is a possibility that
we may have had remote ancestors in Switzerland. The name
Heildreich is not uncommon there to-day, and there is some rea-
son for believing that refugees fleeing from persecution for their
faith in that country centuries ago, may have found an asylum
in Northern England, and settled there as agriculturists. How-
ever that may be, the ancestors of the twentieth century Hil-
dreths may be found for many generations in the northern part
of England.
The term " Hild " is a prefix to hundreds of words, mostly
names of people and places, and goes almost as far back as his-
tory. In the Saxon Chronicle, Hildrine, a British warrior, led
a band of Celts, Scots, and Danes against the Saxons and was
defeated. The name is found in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire,
where tradition is that Hildreth means " Chief of the Council,"
but the generally accepted Saxon translation is " Quick in
Battle."
A few years ago the writer attempted to investigate in Eng-
land, to determine, if possible, the ancestral home of the family,
but extended research revealed little of definite value.
The library of the British Museum contains much genealogical
material, and copies of all parish registers that have been pub-
lished in the British Isles may be found there, as well as hun-
dreds of other volumes of interest to students of genealogy.
After many hours of careful search, under the guidance of an
expeit in such matters, the writer was forced to the conclusion
that either the early Hildreths were not people of great achieve-
ment, or else they were a singularly modest family, as little
mention of them could be found. After a long search, the name
was discovered in the records of the Surtees Society of York-
shire. There, beginning with Johannes Hyldreyth, in 1482, a
26
ORIGIN OF THE " HILDRETHS " 27
list contained the names, Ildreth, Hyldryth, Hildred, Hildrik,
Ricardus Hildreth, and numerous others, ending with Francis
Hildreth, in 1768.
Further search brought to Hght a list of Hildreth wills filed at
the Probate Office at York. Twelve Hildreths were men-
tioned, beginning with Rauf Hildreth, 1521, and ending with
Henry Hildreth, 1658. This list contained the names of two
Richards, one of Bridlington, in 1533, and one of Upper Silton,
in 1626. All these people lived in Yorkshire, from which region
our ancestor Richard undoubtedly came.
After noting nearly a score of different spellings of the name,
it naturally led to a hunt for the origin and meaning of the earli-
est form. The Familiae Minorum Gentium gave two brief state-
ments, all that could be found. In 926, a man named Aldred
was expelled from the royal town by the Saxon king Athelstan,
and probably Hildred and Eldred, mentioned in the records of
that year, were the sons of this Aldred.
The next mention of the name occurs in 1131, when a Hildred
was Sheriff of Cumberland.
Although the name is so evidently of English origin, it is
almost unknown in London. There is record of a marriage
license granted to Richard Hildreth in 1682, then, in 1775, Sarah
Hildreth, of Sheffield, married a clergyman connected with St.
Paul's, but this was more than a century after our ancestors had
come to America. Search in the London directories for the past
three years has revealed few persons of the name living in the
city, and those mentioned either were inaccessible to the writer,
or could give no helpful information. The directories of York
and Durham each mentioned one Hildreth — the Supt. of Police
in Durham, and a shopkeeper in York, but letters to these people
failed to bring any reply, and the prospect of finding what we
sought seemed most discouraging, when light suddenly dawned
upon us from a most unexpected source.
A cousin bearing the family name met at a business meet-
ing in New York an Englishman who greeted him with the
statement that he bore a familiar name, as Hildreth had been
the name of many of his early associates in his boyhood in
England. A few weeks later, a business trip brought this
gentleman to Worcester, and the writer was privileged to
meet him and gain some helpful suggestions as to the where-
abouts of the recent Hildreths in England. The birthplace
and early home of this man were in the village of Pierce-
28 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
bridge, a chapelry of Gainford parish, and in this village, and
also in the neighboring towns of Darlington, Barnard Castle,
and Over Silton, he had known several families by the name
of Hildreth, all of whom he believed to be related, and to be
traced more or less directly to the earlier generation in Gain-
ford. He had traveled extensively in England, and said he
felt convinced that all branches of the family in England
could be traced to this region, which Hes in the Tee valley,
on the border of North Yorkshire and South Durham, a most
beautiful district, immortalized by Sir Walter Scott in his
well-known poem, " Rokeby."
Unfortunately the Gainford branch of the family has dis-
appeared. The older members have died and the younger
people have scattered to more enterprising communities. (The
Supt. of Police at Durham is one of the sons.)
The Hildreth family in this region at one time was very
prosperous, and in the seventeenth century, the branch at
Over Silton were extensive land-owners and of important
social standing.
My informant also said that an Index to the Parish Regis-
ter at Gainford had been published about twenty years ago
by a vicar of the parish church, and that a copy could be found
in the British Museum. This was welcome news, and a sub-
sequent visit to the Museum gave me an opportunity to con-
sult the record. A large number of Hildreths were men-
tioned, — enough to indicate that we were in the vicinity which
must yield us valuable information, even though we might not
find the actual record for which we sought. Births were
mentioned of a Richard and a Thomas, apparently brothers,
but the date of Richard's does not correspond exactly with
that of our Richard's on the Chelmsford tombstone. It is
indicated as uncertain (possibly blurred in the record), and
there is no record of the burial of either Richard or Thomas
in Gainford though that is not conclusive proof that they were
not buried there as the burial record is defective for three
years.
Realizing the careless way which English records were kept
in small towns three hundred years ago, and that the events
were often recorded years after they occurred by members of
the family who were willing to pay the required registration
fee, also that records become faded and blurred by time, it
seems to the writer quite possible that these were brothers and
ORIGIN OF THE " HILDRETHS " 29
may have been the Richard and Thomas who came to New
England, or if not, that they were related to the ones who did,
and that we have probably found the birthplace of our revered
ancestors. Until some more definite information is unearthed
we must remain somewhat uncertain but always hopeful that
sometime we may find exactly the proof we seek.
Worcester, Mass., 19 15.
THE PARISH REGISTERS OF GAINFORD
COUNTY OF DURHAM, ENGLAND
By John Lyman Porter
BECAUSE of the several references made to the Parish
Registers of Gainford, England, and to the numerous
HiLDRETHS whose baptisms, marriages and burials
are recorded in them, a few excerpts from an Index to these
Registers are given here. The first page of the Register reads
as follows :
A Register booke conteininge the
Names of all the personnes baptized Married
and Buried at the Parishe Churche of
Gaineforde since the beginninge of the reigne
of our Soueraigne Ladie Elizabethe by
the grace of God Queene of England
ffraunce and Ireland Defender
of the ffaithe etc viz : ex decimo
Septimo die Nouembris A° DHi
1558: Deinceps
The parish of Gainford consists of the townships of Gain-
ford (including the districts of Alwent and Selaby), Pierce-
bridge, Bolam, Morton Tinmouth, Summerhouse, Headlam,
Langton, and part of Cleatlam, all in the county and diocese of
Durham.
The earliest register, now kept with the others in an iron
safe in the vestry, is a book of 155 parchment leaves bound in
30
THE PARISH REGISTERS OF GAINFORD 31
calf, measuring 11^ inches x 754 inches, and i^ inches
thick. (Note: On Dec. 11, 1579, " Gain ford lacked a register
book." — Siirtees Society.)
It appears to be a copy down to about the year 1600, and
on the first page is
" Collect, et exam., Jo. Cradocke, vicariu Ibm. 1594."
The entries are all in English, with the exception of a few in
Latin in 1601 and 1602, and on the whole are in a good state
of preservation. The volume was bound in 1795, and the
writing slightly cut into in some places. The baptisms, mar-
riages, and burials, are arranged separately, to wit:
(i) Baptisms, 1560-1784, omitting 1564-8. Two leaves
are lost, making a gap from 20th August to 12th January,
1605-6, and another from 14th May, 1775, to ist January,
1778.
(2) Marriages, 1 569-1 761, with some later entries omit-
ting 1570 and 1744, and in this there is recorded under the
dates of 1622 and 1633 " Noe weddings." And in 1653 the
entries were begun again in a different part of the book.
(3) Burials, 1569- 1784, omitting 1570 and part of 1744.
** Some entries, particularly in the Baptisms, from about 1636
to 1662, have been inked over without much attention to the
original writing. This was done by Richard Wilson, curate
1785-98, as appears from a note by him in the Register at
Whorlton. He was afterward curate at Whorlton, where he
interested himself in the preservation of the old Register and
made a quantity of curious genealogical notes in a later one."
— Surtees Society, iv. 45.
In May, 1889, Mr. W. H. D. Longstafife wrote "...
that Mr. John Church Backhouse, of Blackwell Holme, lent
him a curious sort of collateral register of Gainford, extend-
ing from 1574 to 1598 . . . and used up to 1614, at least, for
ordinary parochial transactions. Mr. Edmund Backhouse, of
Darlington, has most kindly made inquiries about this book
but, unfortunately at present, without success." (Gainford,
1890.)
The following are the Hildreth names as they appear in the
Index :
BAPTISMS — GAINFORD REGISTER— 1560- 1784
Hildreth, Florence, 7 Aug., 1575.
Hildreth, Agnes, 25 Dec., 1577.
32 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
HiLDRETH, John, 25 Dec, 1579.
Hildreth(e), Margret, 28 Jan., 1581-2,
HiLDRETH^ Thomas, 13 March, 1585-6.
HiLDRETH, Meriall, 26 Dec, 1588.
HiLDRETH, John, 4 Sept., 1591.
HiLDRETH (Hyl-e), PhilHp, 5 May, 1594.
HiLDRETH (Hyl-), Richard, 13 Feb., 1596-7.
HiLDRETH, Marie, 6 May, 1599.
HiLDRETH, Thomas, s. John, 5 May, 161 1.
HiLDRETH, John, s. John, 7 Feb., 1612-3.
HiLDRETH (e), Marie, d. John, 20 April, 1617.
HiLDRETH, WilHam, s. Phillip, 30 Aug., 1617.
HiLDRETH, Nicholas, s. John, 22 Nov., 1618.
HiLDRETH, John, s. Phillip, 5 Dec, 1619.
HiLDRETH, Ann, d. John, 20 May, 162 1.
HiLDRETH, Ann, d. Phillip, 28 July, 1622.
HiLDRETH (Hyl-), Thomas, illeg. s. Thos., 17 Nov., 1633.
HiLDRETH (-dred). Faith, d. Thos., 22 Dec, 1637.
HiLDRETH, Mary, d. Thos., 8 Dec, 1639.
HiLDRETH, Raphe, s. Thos., 6 Nov., 1642.
HiLDRETH, John, s. Thos., 18 Feb., 1643-4.
HiLDRETH, Mark, s. Thos., 30 April, 1648.
HiLDRETH, Ann, d. Thos., 18 Feb., 1650-1.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Peircebridge, 23 Nov., 1679.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth, d. John, Peircebridge, 16 Oct., 1681.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth, d. John, Peircebridge, 29 Oct., 1682.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, Peircebridge, 14 Aug., 1684.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Mary, d. John, jun., Peircebridge, 18 Oct., 1685.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, sen., Peircebridge, 15 Nov., 1685.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Thomas, s. John, jun., Peircebridge, 22 April,
1688.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, sen., Peircebridge, 2 June, 1688.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Nicholas, s. John, Peircebridge, 3 June, 1688.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Gcorge, s. John, Peircebridge, 24 June, 1690.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, sen., Peircebridge, 4 April, 1693.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Peircebridge, 17 March, 1693-4.
HiLDRETH (-dred), William, s. John, Peircebridge, 17 March,
1693-4.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, sen., Persebridge, 14 Sept., 1697,
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. Nich. & Sarah, PerselDridge, 17 Oct.,
1714.
HiLDRETH (-dred), William, s. Nich. & Sarah, Persebridge, 21 Feb.,
1716-7.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Mark, s. Mark, Pearcebridge, i Dec, 1730.
HiLDRETH, George, s. Wm. & Anne, Piercebridge, 6 Feb., 1732-3.
HiLDRETH, Mary, d. Mark & Dorothy, Piercebridge, 24 Feb., 1733-4-
HiLDRETH, Margaret, d. Wm. & Anne, Piercebridge, i Jan., 1734-5.
HiLDRETH, Anne, d. Wm. & Anne, Piercebridge, 20 Feb., 1736-7.
HiLDRETH, Thomas, s. Wm. & Anne, Piercebridge, 9 Dec, 1739.
HiLDRETH, Hannah, d. Wm. & Anne, Piercebrigg, 30 July, 1742.
THE PARISH REGISTERS OF GAINFORD 33
HiLDRETH (-dred), Thomas, s. Wm., Piercebridge, 3 July, 1749.
HiLDRETH, George, s. Thos., Morton, 3 Jan., 1773.
HiLDRETH, John, s. Thos., Morton, 4 April, 1779.
HiLDRETH, Charles, s. John, Morton, 2 June, 1782.
MARRIAGES — GAINFORD REGISTER— 1569 - 1761
HiLDRETH (e), Florence — Peter Wawbancke, 1594.
HiLDRETH, Anne — Edward Shut, 1601.
HiLDRETH, Margret — Nicholas Tyndell, 1606.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth — Guy Tincler, 1672.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Marke — Margaret Spencer, i May, 1679.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth — Joseph Goundrey, 1708-9.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Mark — Margaret Wastel, both Pearcebridge,
19 May, 1725.
HiLDRETH, Mark — Dorothy Haykins, Pearcebridge, i Dec, 1729.
HiLDRETH, William — Anne Hog, Pearcebridge, 2 May, 1730.
HiLDRETH, Dorothy — George Bird, 1743.
BURIALS — GAINFORD REGISTER — 1569 - 1784
HiLDRETH (e), Jenet, 26 Sept., 1573.
HiLDRETH (e), William, 22 Nov., 1580.
HiLDRETH (Hy-), , w. Wm. 24 Dec, 1585.
HiLDRETH, Thomas, 25 June, 1589.
HiLDRETH, John, 2 Sept., 1608.
HiLDRETH, Mary, 28 Nov., 1617.
HiLDRETH, Thomas, illeg., 19 Nov., 1633.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Faith, w. John, i Dec, 1637.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, jun., 4 Jan., 1640-1.
HiLDRETH, Raphe, s. Thos., 3 March, 1642-3.
HiLDRETH, John, s. Thos., Pearsbrigge, 23 Feb., 1643-4.
HiLDRETH (blank), s. Thos., Pearsbridge, 8 Sept., 1644.
HiLDRETH, Thomas, 17 April, 1650.
HiLDRETH, , young child of Nicholas, 27 Feb., 1654-5.
HiLDRETH, John, 25 April, 1659.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Mr. Richard, Persebridge, 25 Aug., 1663.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Nicholas, Piercebridge, 12 Sept., 1670.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Margaret, widow, Peircebridge, 17 Sept., 1680.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Mary, w. Thos., Piercebridge, 3 July, 1683.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Thomas, Peircebridge, 11 Dec, 1683.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, Peircebridge, 15 Aug., 1684.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Peircebridge, 19 Feb., 1684-5.
HiLDRETH (-DRED), Anne, spinster, Peircebridge, 27 Feb., 1684-5.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Persebridge, 4 June, 1688.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, Peircebridge, 14 June, 1690.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth, d. John, Persebridge, 31 March, 1706.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Margaret, w. John, Persebridge, 2 June, 1706,
HiLDRETH (-dred), Thomas, s. John, sen., Persbridge, 13 Jan.,
1707-8.
34 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, Persbridge, i6 April, 1710.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, s. John, Persbridge, 24 Sept., 1714.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Elizabeth, widow, Persbridge, 10 May, 17 16.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Sarah, w. Nicholas, Persbridge, 6 Jan., 1718-19.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Nicholas, Persbridge, 10 Feb., 1719-20.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Anne, d. John, Pearcebridge, 10 Feb., 1721-2.
HiLDRETH (-dred), Margct, w. Mark, Pearcebridge, 31 Aug., 1724.
HiLDRETH (-dred), John, Pearcebridge, 30 Nov., 1725.
HiLDRETH, Margaret, Pearcebridge, 29 Oct., 1729.
HiLDRETH, Mark, Piercebridge, 20 Jan., 1734-5.
HiLDRETH (Hill-), , child of Wm., Pearcebridge, 29 Sept.,
1745-
HiLDRETH, , child of Wm., Pearcebridge, 21 Jan., 1746-7.
HiLDRETH, William, Pearcebridge, 30 May, 1762.
HiLDRETH, George, Langton, 23 Jan., 1767.
HiLDRETH, , child of Thos., Morton, 2 Aug., 1775.
HiLDRETH, Hannah, widow, Langton, 17 Jan., 1777.
HiLDRETH, , child of Thos., Morton, 8 Jan., 1778.
HiLDRETH, Mary, Piercebridge, 26 Jan., 1778.
HiLDRETH, Ann, Piercebridge, i June, 1784.
1279747
COAT-OF-ARMS (?) — DESCRIPTION OF RICHARD
HILDRETH'S SEAL
By John Lyman Porter
NO reliable authority, so far as the compiler knows,
has stated that the Hildreth family in England had
a coat-of-arms. And one of our noted members,
Brig.-Gen. Philip Reade, U. S. Army, retired, who has made
considerable search along this line, has written : " no es-
cutcheon known to a Heraldic college," known to him, " could
be claimed by any descendant of the Massachusetts Hildreths."
But in describing the seal on Richard Hildreth's will (1686)
Gen. Reade gives us the following interesting data :
" The seal is of red wax, stamped by embossed designs, not un-
derstood by the writer. In outline they resemble a coin impression,
or, perhaps, achievement per saltire, — being divided by a diagonal
dexter and a diagonal sinister crossing each other at the center of
the seal. The achievements outline an arquebuse, or matchlock, or
flintlock ; a crescent, dexter side, base ; an urn on dexter side. On
sinister side, a heart crossed by a line. The points are obscured by
a protecting cover of thin silk."
{Reade's First Generation . . . of Hildreth . . . in Mass., p. 22.)
This old Richard Hildreth seal (1686) may or may not
prove to be a clue to anything armorial, but it certainly is in-
teresting. Achievements per saltire are found in the numerous
bishops' arms, — two keys in saltire in those of the Lord Arch-
bishop of York (the most ancient of Archbishoprics, founded
A. D. 180) ; two swords in saltire in those of the Lord Bishop
of London. In the old MacGregor arms is found a sword
crossing another figure. A human heart is a well known
charge in the arms of the famous house of Douglas. The
crescent is frequently introduced to distinguish the different
members or branches of the same family; for instance, in the
Douglas-Scott-Montagu arms (1606) appear both heart and
crescent.
As the Hildreths undoubtedly are of early Saxon origin, and
35
36 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
flourished in northern England in the i6th and 17th centuries,
we may sooner or later find records in that section showing
an earlier seal than that on old Richard Hildreth's will of
1686. A seal frequently displayed the shield of one's arms
and is admittedly at the head of the earliest existing authori-
ties in English heraldry. Because of their legal importance
seals were preserved, their presence being required soon after
the Norman Conquest (1066) on every species of legal
document.
Without doubt we shall be able to determine whether or not
the " Hildreths " have an ancient seal, crest, or coat-of-arms,
after we have established to a certainty the earliest spelling or
variation of their name. To assist those of our members who
have opportunity and inclination for this search we would first
suggest looking up the following names :
HiLDRiNE, British warrior, defeated by Saxons (Saxon Chronicles).
Aldred, bishop of Leicester, A. D. 839.
Aldric, St., Saxon bishop of Mans, France, 800-856.
Aldred, expelled by Saxon king Athelstan from royal town, 926.
HiLDRED, supposed to be son of above expelled Aldred, mentioned
927.
Eldred, supposed to be son of above expelled Aldred, mentioned 927.
Ealdred, bishop of Chester le Street, 857 ; d. 968.
Ealdred, bishop of Cornwall, ( ?) 990.
Alread, or Ealred, archbishop of York, 1061 ; d. 1069.
HiLDRED, sheriff of Cumberland, 1131.
Hyldreyth, Iljdreth^ Hyldryth, Hildred, Hildrek, Hildreth,
1482-1768
Hildreth, Rauf, and others. (Wills, York Probate Office), 1521-
1658.
References: Saxon Chronicles; Familiae Minorum Gentium;
Records of Surtees Society, Yorkshire ; Stubb's Registrum Sacrum
Anglicanum; LeNeve's Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae; Rose's Gen-
eral Biographical Dictionary; Phillips' Dictionary of Biographical
Reference; Didot's Nouvelle Biographic Universelle; Chalmers'
General Biographical Dictionary; Michaud's Biographic Universelle.
SURNAMES OF FAMILIES WHO INTERMARRIED
WITH THE HILDRETHS
Compiled by John Lyman Porter
ACCORDING to our present data Richard Hildreth of
Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass. (1605-1693),
had 76 grandchildren, of whom only 18 were boys
bearing the name of Hildreth ; and Thomas Hildreth of South-
ampton, N. Y. (died 1657), had only 11 grandsons bearing the
name of Hildreth. This explains why there are now so many
descendants of these two old Hildreth forefathers bearinsf
other names than that of Hildreth
list of their surnames:
The following is a partial
Abbot
Abraham
Adams
Ainsworth
Albee
Aldrich
Allison
Ames
Amsden
Anderson
Andrews
Angier
Ansart
Ansort
Archibald
Annstrong
Atherton
Avery
Ayer
Ayres
Babson
Eachman
Eachus
Bailey
Baird
Baldwin
Baley
Ball
Baly
Banker
Bard
Earford
Barker
Barnes
Barrett
Barron
Barrow
Barry
Bartholf
Bartlett
Bassett
Bates
Baxter
Bayley
Bell
Bennett
Berry
Bickford
Bicknell
Bigelow
Billings
Bingham
Bishop
Bixby
Blaisdell
Blakeley
Blanchard
Blodgett
Bodwell
Bohannon
Booth
Boswick
Bourne
Bowden
Bowen
Bowker
Bowler
Boyce
Boydent
Brackett
Bradford
Bradish
Bradley
Brady
Breed
Briggs
Brigham
Britton
Bromley
Brooks
37
Brown
Browne
Bryam
Bryham
Buchanan
Buell
Burgess
Burke
Burnett
Burnham
Burt
Butler
Butterfield
Byam
Caffrey
Cain
Caldwell
Canstors
Capen
Carbet
Carey
Carlisle
Carpenter
Carr
Carson
Carter
Carver
Caswell
Chadbourne
Chaffin
Chamberlain
Champney
Chandler
Charles
Cheever
Chesby
Chichester
Child
Childs
Church
Clark
Clarke
Clay
Clemens
Clement
Cleveland
Clogston
Coburn
Coffin
Colburn
Collum
Comings
Conant
38 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
Constantine
Eddy
Gerry
Hayes
Jewett
Converse
Edmands
Gibson
Haynes
Johnson
Cook
Edwards
Gilbert
Hayward
.ones
Cooley
Eliot
Glover
Hazeltine
, osleyn
Coombs
Ellenwood
Goddard
Hazelton
Corey
Ellinwood
Gokin
Heald
Kallicut
Corinth
Elliot
Goodhue
Heard
Keeley
Cotterell
Elwell
Goodnow
Hemmenway Keep
Cox
Emerson
Goodrich
Herrick
Kelley
Craggin
Emery
Gore
Heywood
Kelsea
Cragin
Enthrop
Goulding
Hibbard
Kemp
Cressy
Estabrook
Grace
Higgins
Kendrick
Crossberry
Evans
Gragg
Hilborn
Kennedy
Culver
Grater
Hildreth
Kent
Cumber
Fabens
Graves
Hill
Keyes
Cumings
Fairbanks
Gray
Hills
Keyser
Cummings
Farmer
Green
Hilts
Kidder
Cushman
Farr
Greene
Hinds
Kimball
Cutler
Farrington
Greenlaw
Hitchcock
Kinsman
Fassett
Griffin
Hodgman
Knight
Daly
Farwell
Griffiths
Holden
Knowlton
Dana
Fay
Grogg
Holland
Darling
Felt
Holman
Lackey
Davidson
Field
Hackett
Holmes
Ladd
Davis
Fifield
Hadden
Hopper
Lakin
Day
Fisk
Hadley
Hopkins
Lambert
De Camp
Fiske
Hagar
Hosley
Laphender
De Cordova
Fitzgerald
Hale
How
Large
Dennison
Flagg
Halev
Howard
Larrabee
Denton
Fletcher
Half
Howe
Lathrop
Detamore
Florida
Hallock
Howell
Lawrence
Dexter
Fogg
Halsey
Hoyt
Learned
Dillon
Follansbee
Hamlin
Hubbard
Leavitt
Dodge
Ford
Hanchett
Hulin
Leighton
Dolaff
Fosdick
Handerson
Hunnewell
Lincoln
Dooling
Fossman
Handy
Hunt
List
Doolittle
Foster
Hannaford
Huntington
Litchfield
Dore
Francis
Hanson
Hurtley
Lloyd
Douglas
Frederick
Hardy
Hutchins
Locke
Drury
Freeland
Harrington
Hutchinson
Lombard
Dunn
Freeman
Harris
Hyde
Loud
Dun Stan
French
Hart
Lovejoy
Dunton
Frink
Hartwell
Ingalls
Lowd
Dustin
Frost
Harvey
Ingals
Ludlow
Dutton
Fuller
Harwood
Dwelley
Haskell
Jaquith
Mack
Gale
Hastings
Jennings
Malone
Eager
Gardner
Havens
Jenny
Manning
Early
Gates
Hawkins
Jepson
Mansfield
Eaton
Gay
Hayden
Jessup
Marble
FAMILIES INTERMARRIED
39
Marsh
Odell
Marstin
Osborne
Marstins
Osgood
Martin
Mason
Maxwell
Pain
Maynard
Palmer
Means
Palton
Meire
Parish
Mellen
Parker
Merriam
Parlin
Messerve
Parmenter
Metcalf
Parry
Miller
Patch
Miner
Patten
Minis
Patterson
Minot
Patton
Moore
Pearson
Morgan
Penon
Morris
Perkins
Morrison
Perrin
Morse
Pettee
Moxon
Phillips
Munro
Phinney
Murdock
Phipps
Murray
Pierce
McCaul
Pierson
McClure
Pike
McCollom
Pillsby
McColum
Pinkham
McConnell
Piper
Mcintosh
Pippen
Mclver
Pitts
McLeod
Pittsby
McMechen
Piatt
McMechim
Pollard
Porter
Negus
Potter
Nesmith
Powers
Newcomb
Pratt
Newman
Prescott
Nicholson
Pressey
Nickerson
Prichard
Nickless
Prime
Noble
Proctor
Noyes
Prouty
Nurse
Pulsipher
Nute
Putnam
Nutting
Nye
Quesnal
Ramsdale
Randall
Rawley
Raymond
Raynor
Reade
Redman
Reed
Rice
Richardson
Riley
Ripley
Robbe
Robbins
Robinson
Roby
Rockwood
Rogers
RolHns
Root
Rose
Ross
Royce
Rugg
Rumrill
Rusk
Russell
Rust
Ryder
Safiford
Sanderson
Sanford
Santun
Sargent
Saunders
Sawtell
Sawyer
Say re
Scales
Scott
Scribner
Searle
Searles
Sentor
Shank
Shattuck
Shaw
Shepard
Shephard
Sherwin
Shorey
Shurtleff
Simkins
Simonds
Simpson
Skuse
Smith
Snow
Somes
Spafford
Spalter
Spaulding
Spear
Spencer
Spofford
Squire
St. Clair
Stafford
Stanlocke
Stearns
Steel
Steele
Stephenson
Sterling
Stevens
Stewart
Stone
Story
Stover
Stratton
Streeter
Strong
Studley
Stump
Sturgis
Sutton
Swallow
Swan
Swearengen
Sweat
Sweet
Sweetser
Sweetzer
Swett
Taft
Tagger
Tapley
Tarbell
Tayler
Taylor
Templeton
Tenney
Thayer
Thomas
Thomielly
Thompson
Tibbetts
Tobin
Todd
Topping
Trask
Treadwell
Trow
Tucke
Tucker
Turner
Tuttle
Tyler
Upham
Valentine
Vanerman
Varnum
Vaughn
Verder
Wadsworth
Walker
Wallace
Wallingford
Ward
Warren
Wason
Wasserman
Watson
Watts
Way
Weatherbee
Weatherhead
Webb
Webber
Webster
Welch
Wellington
Wells
Wentworth
Westgate
40 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
Wheeler
Whittemore
WiUis
Woodward
Yeaton
Whitcomb
Whitton
Wilmot
Woodworth
Young
White
Wilber
Wilson
Woolley
Whiting
Wilder
Winship
Worcester
Zane
Whitman
Wilkins
Winslow
Worthen
Zehring
Whitney
Willard
Wood
Wright
Whittacus
Williams
Woods
Wyman
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY
WAR BY THE NAME OF HILDRETH
Compiled by Brig. Gen. Philip Reade, Retired
THIS compilation is made up from " Massachusetts
Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War " —
as shown by the Archives in the office of the Secre-
tary of State, Vol. VII, pages 855 to 861. The given names
only are given by me. The surname in each case is Hildreth,
Hildderick, Hildrith, Hildrick, Hilderick, Hildich, Hildrek,
Hildre, Hildrich, Hildith, Huldreth. These forms include
Zachariah, William, Sampson, Peters, Olivers, Micah, Jonathan,
Josiah, John, Jeremiah, James, Israel, Hesekiah, Hosea,
Ephraim, Elijah, Ebenezer, Abijah, Amaziah, Abel and others.
In other words, these are some of the names of Hildreths
who smelt powder on land and sea during the Revolutionary
War. Sincerely,
Philip Reade.
Abel, 1776-77 Cambridge
Abijah, 1775-77 Townsend
Amaziah, 1775-78 Westford
Amaziah, 1778-79
Abijah, 1775-78 Townsend
Abel, 1777 Ashby
Ebenezer, 1777-78 Acton
Elijah, 1775 Dracut
Elijah, 1775 Westford
Elijah, 1776
Elijah, 1776
Elijah, 1778
Ephraim, 1780-81 Westford
Hesekiah, 1776
Hesekiah, 1776-77 Westford
Hesekiah, 1782 Sloop " Win-
throp "
Hosea, 1775 Westford
Hesekiah, 1776 Westford
Israel, 1779
James, 1775-77 Townsend
Jeremiah, 1776-77 Westford
John, 1775 Westford
John, 1775
Jonathan, 1777 Ashby
Jonathan, 1775 Townsend
Jonathan, 1775-80 Westford
Jonathan, 1776
Josiah, lyjS-yy Dracut
Jonathan, 1775 Westford
Josiah, 1775 Dracut
Jonathan, 1775-79 Ashby- West-
ford
Micah, 1775-76 Dracut
Oliver, 1775-78 Townsend- West-
ford
Oliver, 1775 Townsend
Peter, 1778 Westford
Peter, 1778 Westford "Stature
6 feet "
Sampson, 1775 Ashby
William, 1775 Dracut
William, 1776 Dracut
William, 1775 Westford
William, 1776 Declined Major's
rank in 7th Middlesex Co.
Regt. 22 March 1776.
William, 1777-79 Ensign, then
Lieut.
William, 1775 Dracut
Zachariah, 1777-80 Fitchburg
Zachariah, 1777 Suffolk Co.
Zachariah, 1776 Lieut 6 Middle-
sex
Zachariah, 1776 Cambridge
Zachariah,
41
CHART — THOMAS HILDRETH
Arranged by John Lyman Porter
First Three Generations Of Hildreths On Long
Island, N. Y.
Naming
THOMAS HILDRETH, OF SOUTHAMPTON, N. Y,
(Who died in 1657 at Southampton)
HIS WIFE HANNAH, FOUR CHILDREN, AND ELEVEN GRAND-
CHILDREN
One of the Early Settlers. Property Owner. First mentioned
Oct. 26, 1643, on the Southampton (L. L) Town Records. Believed
to have been born in or near the Parish of Gainford, county of Dur-
ham, England. Died in 1657 at Southampton (L. L), N. Y., leaving
a widow Hannah and four children. Jonas Bower married the
widow.
FOUR (4) CHILDREN, Viz: ELEVEN (ii) GRANDCHILDREN, Viz:
JOSEPH
m. Sept. II, 1678, Ch: <
Hannah Jessup.
Joseph, b. July 2y, 1679.
Benjamin, b. Sept. 22, 1681.
Nathan, b. March 17, 1684-5.
Ephraim, b. , 1689.
Daniel, b. , .
Jonathan, b. , .
(?) Joseph, b. , .
John, b. , 1702 (?).
LIsaac, b. , .
HANNAH
m. Did she grow up and marry, or did she die young?
JAMES ( James, b. — — — .
b. , . Ch: ] He married Deborah
m. , . ( and raised a family.
PETER (Peter, b. , .
b. , . Ch: \ He also married and had
m. , . ( a family.
(Note: A glance at the above chart shows how very many im-
portant dates and names are missing concerning the first three gen-
erations of the Hildreths of Long Island, N. Y. Even the few de-
tails we do give are not yet satisfactorily proven. It is hoped that
eventually a more complete chart of the first three generations can
be prepared of this loyal old family.)
42
THOMAS HILDRETH, OF LONG ISLAND
(DIED 1657)
By John Lyman Porter
IN 1643 ^ certain ThomiAS Hildreth was having a
" controversee " with one of the settlers in the town of
Southampton, L. I. — the same year that Richard
Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass., was made
Freeman in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. About 14 years
later (in 1657) this Thomas Hildreth died at Southampton,
leaving a widow Hannah and four small children : Joseph,
Hannah, James, and Peter. It is thought that he was a com-
paratively young man when he died, because his widow mar-
ried again and his children did not marry until some twenty
or more years after his death — Joseph marrying in 1678.
This son Joseph married and had a family of eight or nine
boys; the son James married but had only one boy; and the
son Peter married and also had only one boy. Thomas
Hildreth, therefore, had but ten or eleven grandsons bearing
the name of Hildreth. How many granddaughters there were
we have not yet ascertained. The names of seven of his grand-
sons and one great-grandson appear on the muster rolls of 171 5
of companies raised to " resist " all " Enemies, pirates &
Rebells, both at Sea & Land," according to the colonial records
of New York State compiled by the state historian. One
grandson went in a party with Peter Stuyvesant (perhaps a
grandson of the famous Peter Stuyvesant) in an expedition in
1704 against a French privateer off the coast. A later descend-
ant (Dr. Shadrach Hildreth) was a surgeon in the American
Army of the Revolution, served under General Washington, and
died in service.
In 1776, when the British gained control of Long Island, the
people of the Island were obliged to take the Oath of Allegiance
to the Crown, or flee. Evidently the Hildreths preferred to flee,
many of them escaping to Connecticut. In a book entitled The
Refugees of 1776 from Long Island to Connecticut, by
43
44 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
Frederick G. Mather, considerable space is given to the Hildreth
Family and 43 Hildreths are mentioned.
In the First Book of Records of Southampton, Long
Island, is a copy of an agreement dated March 10, 1639, stating
that " Daniell How " agrees to " furnish a vessell to be ready at
the Towne of Lynne " to transport persons to Long Island to
form a plantation at Southampton, agreeing to transport " a
person and a tunne of goods free." Thompson's History of
Long Island says that Southampton was founded in 1640 by
some forty families from Lynn, Mass., and gives the name of
Thomas Hildreth in a list of the early settlers.
The earliest town records of Southampton, L. I., show that
Thomas Hildreth was a property holder there and also a holder
of somewhat independent views of right and justice. On
October 26, 1643, his " controversee " with Richard Smith, who
was afterwards the famous patentee of Smithtown, was settled
at a final hearing and the following entry was made on the Town
Records :
" Y^ is ordered that Thomas Hyldreth shall satisfy unto Mr. Smith
to the value of 3 pounds 12 shillings 4 pence to be payd unto him in
English Wheate after the rate of 4 shillings by the bushel, betwixt
this and the first of March, and that this order shall be a finall ende
of all controversee whatsoever betwixt them."
Evidently Thomas was not so successful in his " controversee "
with Mr. Smith of Southampton as Richard was in his little
difficulty with Parson Fisk of Chelmsford. It cost Thomas 18
or 20 bushels of " English Wheate " to end his troubles while
Richard got off by simply saying he was " sorry " although he
didn't make it quite clear just what he was sorry for.
When the land was apportioned to the settlers at Southampton
that of Thomas Hildreth was in the " 3d ward " with the land
of ten other persons whose names were mentioned. On March 6,
1645, referring to divisions of land, the Records say:
"... and what is left as overplus of Thomas Hyldreth's 8-acre
lotte shall lye in length next to Mr. Gosners and John Moores 8
The date of Thomas Hildreth's arrival at Southampton we
have not yet found, nor is it yet clear where he came from.
If he sailed from Lynn he may have come there from Salem, or
from Charlestown or from Boston. Perhaps he was one of the
THOMAS HILDRETH, OF LONG ISLAND 45
party from Lynn who, in 1640, tried to settle near the western
end of Long Island under one of Farrett's grants and was driven
away by the Dutch soldiers. Lynn was settled mostly by people
from Salem and Charlestown where many ships from England
made port with their passengers, but we have found no Passenger
List of that period (1630-40) giving the name of Hildreth or
anything like it. Nevertheless, thousands of immigrants came to
New England during those years whose names are not found
on any Passenger List. Persons desiring to leave England were
obliged to pay a subsidy to the Crown and also take an Oath
of Allegiance and Superiority. Persons who left England not
paying this subsidy and taking the Oath must have left secretly
and it is doubtful if a list of them was ever made. If records
were made of the names of the passengers arriving at the ports
of Salem or Charlestown or at any other port in New England,
such records would undoubtedly have been removed or destroyed
by the British when they evacuated Boston, as most of the ship-
ping ports and all of the ports of entry here were then under
the control of England.
Thomas Hildreth of Long Island, and Richard Hildreth of
Cambridge and Chelmsford undoubtedly emigrated from the
northern part of England from either the county of Durham,
Northumberland or Yorkshire, as most of the early immigrants
to New England originally came from that quarter. In the parish
of Gainford, county of Durham, was kept a Register of baptisms,
marriages and burials. Among the Baptisms are found the
names of 52 Hildreths, beginning August 7, 1575, and ending
June 2, 1782. Among them is a Thomas Hildreth, son of
John, bapt. 5 May, 161 1. This year, 161 1, could have easily been
the year in which Thomas Hildreth of Long Island was born,
making him 46 years old at the time of his death, and we might
easily have believed him to be the same Thomas until we saw
in the Gainford parish records the baptisms of Thomas' children
from the year 1633 up to the year 1650. There is another and
an older Thomas Hildreth (baptized in 1585-6) in the Gainford
parish, but this earlier Thomas would have been a rather old
man to be the father of the Joseph Hildreth of Southampton who
was born about 1657 according to the Southampton records.
And so we cannot yet say we have found the birthplace of our
Thomas although we think we are in its vicinity.
Thomas Hildreth of Long Island and Richard Hildreth of
Cambridge and Chelmsford may have been brothers and they
46 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
may have come from the county of Durham, England, but the
Gainford Parish Register has no record of a Richard Hildreth
being baptized in the year 1605 (the year of Richard's birth
according to his gravestone in Chelmsford). Still that is not con-
clusive that Richard was not born in the Gainford parish because
it is now known that two leaves from that Register are lost mak-
ing a gap from the 20th of August to the 12th of January, 1605-6
— the very year in which he was born as indicated by his grave-
stone. Mr. Longstafife, author of the History of Darlington,
Eng., stated in 1889 that he had seen a " curious sort of a
collateral register of Gainford used up to 16 14, at least, for
ordinary parochial transactions." Inquiries have been made to
find this " curious sort " of a book but so far without success.
Perhaps when it is found we may have more definite information
whether our Richard and Thomas Hildreth were from that
parish or not.
It seems reasonable to think that Thomas Hildreth of Long
Island was a younger man and more adventurous than was
Richard of Cambridge and Chelmsford from the fact that he
went off to Long Island, taking greater risks there than he would
have taken had he stayed in New England. And from data we
now have it seems reasonable to conclude that he and Richard
came to New England together. We have just begun active
search for more facts regarding Thomas and, with the help of his
descendants, and of the Long Island historians, we hope to make
some important discoveries regarding him and his family,
Cambridge, Mass., 1915.
THE TWO WIVES OE RICHARD HILDRETH
(FREEMAN, 1643)
By Mrs. Cornelia S. Hildreth
WHEN our president asked for an article on what we
know of the wives of Richard Hildreth of Cam-
bridge and Chelmsford, Mass., it occurred to me that
ive could tell a great deal more of what we do not know about
them, there being so few places where any mention is made of
them at all.
In our early Colonial days the women, unless they were the
wives of men in high position, lived very quiet and uneventful
lives. They were occupied with their housekeeping, rearing large
families, spinning and weaving, and with the many cares and
duties incident to the wives and mothers of those times, often
guarding the home from the attacks of Indians when the good-
man happened to be away. There were no Daughters of the
Revolution then, no Women's Clubs, no Whist Parties, no
Parent's Associations, no Church Sociables, to bring women into
notice. When the goodwife died she was buried with a simple
service, and on her gravestone, if she outlived him, she was often
termed her husband's " relict." But for all that, her quiet life
had its influence and the stalwart men of the Colonies paid
tribute to the lives of their wives and mothers.
Richard Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass., had
two wives. On the Cambridge Town Records is found this entry :
"Sarah, wife of Richard Hildreth, died 15 : 4: 1644." And
about two years later, also on the Cambridge Town Records, is
found this entry : " Elizabeth, daughter of Richard and
Elizabeth Hildreth, born 21: 7: 1646." But of Richard's
marriage to this Elizabeth, his second wife, no record has yet
been found.
Sarah, Richard's first wife, bore him two children who were
probably born in England. Their names were Jane and James.
Of the location of the grave of Sarah, Richard's first wife, no
mention or trace has yet been found.
47
48 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
Elizabeth, Richard's second wife, was born in 1625 accord-
ing to her gravestone in the old Bell Rock Cemetery, Maiden,
Mass., which states " Here lyes ye body of Elizabeth wife to
Richard Hildreth aged 68 years died august 3, 1693." She
was, therefore, about 20 years old when she married Richard,
and he about 40 years old. Her family name and the place of
her birth are not mentioned on any records which I have seen.
No doubt she also was born in England but evidently she was
married here and possibly in Cambridge. The records show that
she bore Richard nine children.
Between the years 1654 and 1656 Richard Hildreth and his
wife Elizabeth moved from Cambridge to Chelmsford, Mass.,
where he was buried in 1693. ^^ his will, made in 1686-7 in
Chelmsford, he provided for his wife as follows : " And for my
beloved wife Elizabeth I have obliged my son Ephraim for her
maintenance in all respects so long as she remaineth with him."
She died August 3, 1693, ^'^d her body was buried in the Bell
Rock Cemetery, Maiden, Mass. It is an unsolved question why,
after living so many years in Chelmsford, she should be buried in
Maiden. Possibly she was staying there with her own relatives
and was buried beside those of her own family, but I have found
no evidence on this point nor have I found any connection be-
tween her and any Maiden family.
Boston, 1915.
THE " OLD STYLE " LEGAL YEAR
AND
THE GRAVES OF RICHARD HILDRETH AND HIS
WIFE ELIZABETH
By John Lyman Porter
(Note: Referring to the change of the style of the year, etc., see
Acts and Laws of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, A. D. 1751,
entitled " An Act for Regulating the Cornmencement of the Year
and for Correcting the Calendar now in Use.")
THE Old Style legal year of the early colonial period
began with March 25 and ended with March 24.
March was called the first month of the year although in
the eye of the law the first day of the year was not until March
25th or Lady Day. The days from the ist to the 24th of March
inclusive are generally considered by our writers as belonging to
the subsequent year. Thus : March i, 1693, is frequently written
as March i, 1693-4. Accordingly the months and days of the
calendar for the legal year 1693 were in the following order:
LEGAL CALENDAR FOR 1693
March 2 5 to 3 1 . ( The year beginning with March 25.)
April I to 30.
May I to 31.
June I to 30.
July I to 31.
Aug. I to 31. Elizabeth Hildreth died August 3d.
Sept. I to 30.
Oct. I to 31.
Nov, I to 30.
Dec. I to 31.
Jan. I to 31.
Feb. I to 28. Richard Hildreth died February 23d.
March i to 24.
Beginning with the year 1752 the present, or New Style, cal-
endar came into use with January i as the first month and day
49
50 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
of the year, the legal year of 1751 having lost the months of
January and February and the first twenty- four days of ]\Iarch ;
and to bring the calendar into conformity with the Gregorian
calendar eleven day were dropped in September, 1752, —
September 3 being called September 14.
The year 1693 ^s taken to illustrate the Old Style legal calen-
dar because in that year both Richard Hildreth and his wife
Elizabeth died ; — the town records and the gravestones stating
that she died in August and he in February. It seems possible,
therefore, that her death may have occurred some six months
earlier than that of her husband instead of some six months
later, as many of us have supposed.
This would confirm the use of the word " wife " in the in-
scription on Elizabeth Hildreth's gravestone in the old Bell Rock
Cemetery in Maiden, Mass., which states that she was " zvife
to Richard Hildreth." (Note: Had she been his widow she
would probably have been called " relict of.") Her stone states,
too, that she died August 3, 1693, which corresponds with the
date of her death as given -on the Chelmsford records. And the
stone also states that she was 68 years old at the time of her
death, which is confirmed by her sworn testimony as to her age
in 1680. (See "Chronological History of Richard Hildreth"
in this publication.) All this evidence removes any lingering
doubt that the grave of Elizabeth Hildreth in the Bell Rock
Cemetery, Maiden, Mass., is that of the wife of our Richard
Hildreth of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass. But why she
was buried in Maiden we do not yet know. Maiden and Woburn
were originally a part of Charlestown. She had children and
grandchildren living in Woburn and she may have been visiting
them at that time. Many of her old neighbors in Chelmsford
came from Woburn and Charlestown and perhaps her own
people lived there. Bell Rock Cemetery was then quite an old
"burying ground, in which many interments had been made, and
she may have expressed a wish to be buried in it; whereas the
burying ground at Chelmsford, where her husband was buried,
must have been a very new one, as we have read that Richard
Hildreth's was the third interment there.
That Richard Hildreth should be buried in Chelmsford is not
strange. He was one of the founders and settlers of the town,
was one of its largest property owners and one of its most
active citizens for more than thirty years, and there still lived
in it at the time of his death many of his children and grand-
GRAVESTONE OF ELIZABETH HILDRETH
WIFE OF
RICHARD HILDRETH OF CAMBRIDGE AND
CHELMSFORD
In the old Bell Rock Cemetery, Maiden, Mass., can be seen the above gravestone
bearing the following inscription:
HERE LYES YE BODY
OF ELIZABETH
WIFE TO RICHARD
HILDRETH AGED
68 YEARS DIED
AUGUST 3
1693
And about six feet back of it is a little footstone on which are the letters: E. H.
Although these stones have been standing there for more than two centuries they show
but little wear and they look as if they could withstand the elements for still another
century.
THE "OLD STYLE" LEGAL YEAR
51
children. In his old age he may have become homesick for the
old associations and he probably wanted to live and die among
them notwithstanding some six years previous to his death he
had conveyed all his property in Chelmsford (including his home
place) to his son Ephraim Hildreth of Stow, Mass., presumably
for his and his wife's support during the remainder of their days.
(See copy of his deed and of his will in his " Chronological His-
tory " in this Publication.) We find at the time of his death that
he had a few household goods, two cows, an axe, some books,
candlesticks, and other things, and we like to think of him in
his declining years as a proud, somewhat independent, yet kindly
old man, well physically and clear in intellect.
Cambridge, Mass., 19 15.
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF RICHARD HILDRETH
(1605 - 1693) ; FREEMAN, 1643
Compiled by John Lyman Porter
(Note: Dates in our early colonial history are sometimes con-
fusing. For instance, we find that previous to 175 1 an ancestor
could be dead in January and alive in July of the same year. This
is because the " Old Style " legal year began March 25th. March
was called the first month, April was the second month, and so on,
making February the twelfth or last month. The following dates
are believed to be all Old Style except that the name of the month
is given instead of its number.)
i6oj(f) — . Born, according to many authorities, in
northern England and in or near the parish of Gainford, in
county of Durham. The year of his birth is established by
the inscription on his slate gravestone in the old burying
ground at Chelmsford, Mass., which states : " Richard
HiLDRETH, Aged 88 years. Died February 23, 1693." He
was twice married and is known to have had two children
by his first wife and nine by his second. Wanted: Place
and full date of his birth.
. Married (ist) Sarah , probably
in England. Wanted: Her surname, date and place of her
birth and date and place of her marriage to Richard Hil-
dreth.
1628(f) . Birth of Jane, his daughter, probably in Eng-
land. She married Robert Proctor, of Concord, Mass.,
Dec. 31, 1645, ^"<i by him had 12 children. She died April
28, 1697. (Chelmsford Records.) Wanted: Date and
place of her birth.
l6ji(f), . Birth of James, his son, probably in England
The year of James' birth is satisfactorily established by his
recorded testimony in a lawsuit held in Cambridge, Mass.,
Aug. 27, 1 65 1, stating he was then 20 years old and the
52
The original slate gravestone of Richard Hildreth (1605-1693) has been preserved by
setting it in a memorial of solid granite erected over his grave in Chelmsford, Mass.
On the back of this memorial is engraved
Erected by
HILDRETH FAMILY
ASSOCIATION
June 12, 1909.
Appropriate exercises were held at the unveiling.
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 53
son of Richard Hildreth. James married Margaret Ward
June I, 1659 (Chelmsford Records), and by her had 11
children; was made Freeman May 3, 1665 (Mass. Rec-
ords, Vol. 4, Part 2, p. 582) ; died April 14, 1695
(Chelmsford Records). Wanted: Place and full date of
James' birth.
. Richard Hildreth, and probably his wife
Sarah and perhaps their two children Jane and James, emi-
grated to New England, Wanted: Dates of their emigra-
tion and arrival, and in what boat or boats.
164s, May 10. Richard Hildreth admitted Freeman to Mass.
Bay Colony. (Mass. Records, Vol. 2, p. 293.) This is
the first direct notice we have of him although he may have
arrived in New England some 5 to 10 years earlier. From
this time his name frequently occurs in town and church
affairs in Cambridge, Mass., and after 1656 in Chelmsford,
Mass. Wanted: Earlier notices of or allusions to him.
1644, -^^^^^ ^5- Sarah, his wife, died in Cambridge, Mass.
(Cambridge Records, Vol. i, p. 489.) Wanted: Location
of her grave.
1645(f) • Married (2nd) Elizabeth ,
and continued to reside in Cambridge, Mass. The year of
her birth is established as 1625 by the inscription on her
gravestone in Bell Rock Cemetery, Maiden, Mass., which
states : " Here Lyes ye Body of Elizabeth wife to Richard
Hildreth Aged 68 years Died August 3, 1693." Wanted:
Her surname, and date and place of her birth and date and
place of her marriage to Richard Hildreth.
1645, Nov. 12. Richard Hildreth chosen one of the five
Townsmen of Cambridge, Mass. The records reading as
follows : " At a towne meting according to An order ma —
ye 3d of ye 9th mo 1634: there was then chosen these
severall officers as foUoweth :
r Herbert pelham Esqr
, I Roger Shaw
rj. i Edward Oakes
Townsmen \ r^., -r, ,
I Tho. Beale
[ Richard Hildreth
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 51.)
54 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
1646, Sept. 21. Birth of Elizabeth, his daughter, in Cam-
bridge, Mass. (Camb. Records, Vol. i, p. 491.) She
married John Stevens, of Boston and Chelmsford, Dec. 15,
1664 (Chelmsford Records, p. 762), and by him had three
children. She died Jan. 19, 1717 (widow), (Chelmsford
Records).
1646, Nov. 4. Richard Hildreth appointed Collector of Fines
for Cambridge. The records reading as follows : " 4
(9) mo 1646. Ordered by ye Townsmen that Richard
Hildreth and Thomas Danforth gather up the fines for this
present year."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 56.)
1646, Nov. 5. Richard Hildreth and four others sign an order
to pay Tho. Longhorne for beating the drum in Cambridge.
The records reading as follows: "5 (9) 1646. It is
ordered by ye Townsmen that there shall be fifty shillings
payde unto Tho. longhorne for his service to ye Towne in
beating ye drum this two years past."
Herbert Pelham
Richard Hildreth
Edward Oakes
Thomas Beale
Tho. Danforth
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 56.)
164"/, May 8. Bro. Hildreth is appointed to keep the Cam-
bridge cow common (now vicinity of Massachusetts Avenue,
Linnaean and Garden Sts.) clear of cattle. The records
reading as follows: " 8d (3 m) 47. Bro. Hildreth is ap-
poynted for to see that the Cow Comon be kept Clear of
any steeres or any dry Beastes & what ever shalbe found
Contrary to the former towne orders the owner of the same
shall pay 3 d pr heade except the townsmen uppon Just
Complaint shall finde Just Cause for to remitt It."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 61.)
164/', May — . Richard Hildreth, of Cambridge, Mass., signs
as witness to an agreement between Mr. Henry Dunster and
Edward Goffe vs. Nicholas Withe, G. Richard Wilson and
Daniel Hudson, masons.
(Paige's Hist, of Cambridge, p. 372.)
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 55
1641, Oct. II. Bro. Hildreth's name with 17 others appear
on the Cambridge Town Records in a Hst of persons from
whom assessments or fines are to be collected, viz. :
" of Bro. Hildreth £0 o^ M "
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 63.)
1648, April p. Richard Hildreth was voted a farm in Shaw-
shine {now Billerica). The vote, in part, being- as follows:
to "Tho. Oakes & Richard Hildreth Each of them a
farme, for there Incouragement, if they see it make for
their suport, & desire it. provided allwaies, uppon this
Condition if they or any of them shall depart the towne
then there land to fall into townes hands againe, & then they
shall have no Power to sell, alinate, or give to any other
there right therein if they depart from this place, onely the
towne shall pay them for it shall then be found better
by there Improvement of It being valued by indifferent
men."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 75.)
1648, Aug. 8. Birth of Sarah, his daughter, in Cambridge,
Mass. (Camb. Records, Vol. i, p. 493). She married David
Stone, Dec. 31, 1674 (Camb. Records, Vol. i, p. 521), and
by him had two children. Wanted: Date and place of her
death, and age and parentage of David Stone, her husband.
1648-g, March 12. Richard Hildreth is appointed to execute
the Town and Court orders concerning fences for Menottime
Fields {now Arlington) . The Records reading as follows:
" I2th (i) 1648-9 Edward Winship and Richard Hildreth
appointed to execute Towne & Court orders concerning
fences for Menottime feilds."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 80.)
164Q, May 2g. Goodman Hilderike, of Cambridge, called
neighbor Hilderike, appointed Fence Viewer of Menotomy
fields.
(Wyman's Genealogies & Ests. of Charlestown. p. 499.)
1650(f) . Birth of Mary, his daughter, probably in
Cambridge, Mass. She married Jacob Warren in 1667
" when she was 17 " (see Early Hildreths of N. E., p. 46).
56 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
By him she had 5 children. She died 1 689-90 ( ?)
(Chelmsford Records), and her husband married again
i69o(?). Wanted: Date and place of her birth, and date
and place of her death, and the age, birthplace and parentage
of Jacob Warren, her husband.
1650, Nov. II. Richard Hildreth is chosen Surveyor of
Highways. The records reading as follows : " Severall offi-
cers Chosen for the yeare ensueing."
r Richard Robbins
for Surveyours of high waies < Rj ; Hildreth
lTho:ffox
At this meeting he was also appointed to listen to complaints
of persons on the other side of the water. The records
reading, viz. :
" Edw. winship & Richard Hildreth appointed to view
the complaintes of severall on the other side of the
water and make returns to the townsmen."
He was also appointed to settle a boundary question relating
to some meadow land owned by Wm. Clemance. The order
reading as follows:
" Edw : winship & Richard Hildreth to bound Wm.
Clemance meadow which he bought of Tho. Danforth
nere alcocks meadow."
Also to listen to a land complaint of Wm. Clemance, Sr.
The order reading as follows :
" Edw: winship & Richard Hildreth to view the Com-
plaint of Wm. Clema — Senr for want of land."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 87.)
1650, Jan. 7j. Richard Hildreth was appointed to execute
the General Court orders regarding fences about the Men-
ottime Fields {now Arlington). The Records reading
as follows: "13 (11) 1650 Edw: Winship and Richard
Hildre — are appointed by the Townsmen to looke over the
fences about Menottime ffield."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p 90.)
1650-51, Mar. 10. The size of Richard Hildreth's farm
granted him in Shawshine (nozu Billerica) was fixed at 200
acres. The records reading as follows: " 10 (i) 1650-165 1
The Townsmen doe determine that the Quantity of Richard
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 57
Hildreths ffarme granted him by the Tovvne at Shawshine
shalbe two hundred acres adjoining to other farmes allready
determined."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 91.)
1631, Apr. 14. Richard Hildreth and three others are ap-
pointed to look after the Cow Common (now vicinity of
Massachusetts Avenue, Linnaean and Garden Sts.) with
authority to impound stray cattle, etc. The records reading
as follows: " 14 (2) 1651. The Townsmen doe order that
Mr. Boman, Richard Hassell, Ric: Hildreth and william
Hamlet looke to the cow comon, that no cattle trespasse
uppon the Same to the damage of the Cow heard, and in case
they do or any of the inhabitants shall find any cattel soe
trespassing they may impound the same either in the towne
pound or there own yards provided they give owners notice
and request of the owners of such cattle 3 ^ a head."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 92.)
j6ji, Aug. 27. Hildreth v. Sam'l Eldred. Case of trespass
done by hogs. Plaintiff living in Minottime Fields {nozv
Arlington) in Charlestown complains that his corn was des-
troyed by defendant's hogs, etc. Aug. 27, 1651, James
Hildreth, aged 20 years, testified to driving out the swine
about 30 or 40 at a time. The Jury found for plaintiff,
45 bushels merchantable corn damaged; value: i pound,
18 shillings, 10 pence. (Sept. 7, 165 1.)
(E. Camb. County Court Records. Vol. i, p. 12.)
1652, Nov. 8. Richard Hildreth was chosen Surveyor of
Highways. The records reading as follows : "8th (9) mo
1652. At a genrall meeting of the Inhabitants the Town do
choose
Ri : Hildreth ]
Ri : Robbins, and > ^or Surveyors of highways
Thomas Danforth J
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 99.)
1653, May 10. Richard Hildreth and 28 others petition the
General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for a large
tract of land " on the river Merrimack at a necke of lande
next to Concord river, near to Pawtucket," it being " a very
58 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
comfortable place to accomodate a company of God's people
upon; that may with God's blessing and assistance live com-
fortably and do good in that place for church and common-
wealth." (The land was granted — is now partly Chelms-
ford, Westford and Lowell.)
(Allen's Hist, of Chelmsford, pub. 1820.)
J(55J, Nov. J. Ri : Hildreth was a member of Jury at Charles-
town on a case of bond forfeiture, John Ridgeway v. Jon.
Phillips.
(Mx. County Court Records, Vol. i, p. 47.)
165s, Feb. ij. Richard Hildreth and Thomas Fox are au-
thorized to enforce orders regarding illegal cutting of the
Cambridge town woodlot. The records read as follows:
" 13th 12 1653. Whereas many Complaintes are made to
the Townsmen of the unreasonable stroy that is yet made by
many persons of the wood and timber wch lieth in Comon
in this Towne, not with standing all orders that have
formerly bin made for the preservation thereof. It is there-
fore ordered by the Townsmen that no man shall cutt of the
boughes of any tree, nor fell any tree uppon the Comon for
firewood, (excepting only such as are dead and fare) ; uppon
poenalty of five shillings forfeiture for everie tree so felled
or stowed contrary to this order."
"Richard Hildreth and Tho : ffax are desired to see this
order executed and are to have one fourth part of the
fines for their Labour."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 102.)
^^53~54> March jj. Richard Hildreth is appointed Fence
Viewer. The records read as follows : " Att a meting of the
Select men the 13th of the ist mo. 1653, Richard Hildreth
and Tho. Hall are appoynted to view the ffences about
Winnottime ffield."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 104.)
1654, Sept. J. Richard Hildreth and his wife Elizabeth
give testimony in case E. Evans v. Richard Ffrench for
abuse of Elizabeth Hildreth's maid Jane Evans. French
found guilty and heavily fined.
(County Court Records at E. Camb. Vol. i, pp. 62-64.)
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 59
1654, Oct. 26. Richard Hildreth chosen to serve on Jury at
Charlestown in famous case of Gov. Ri. Bellingham, Esq.,
et al. V. Robt. Jordan.
(M'x Co. Records, Vol. i, p. 67.)
i6j4-5, March 12. Sergt. Hildreth appointed Fence Viewer.
The records reading as follows : " At a meeting of the Select
men the 12 (ist) 1654-5 Ensigne Winship and Sergt.
Hildreth are appointed to view the ffences about Winottime
ffield."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 108.)
1655, Feb. 10. Richard Hildreth appointed Fence Viewer.
The records reading as follows: " loth 12 mo 55. Richard
Hildreth and Ensig. Winship are appointed to view the
fences about Winittime field."
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 109.)
16^-, . Richard Hildreth and his Avife Elizabeth
move from Cambridge to Chelmsford, Mass. (Hurd's M'x.
Co. Perham, p. 239.) Wanted: Correct date of their re-
moval to Chelmsford.
i655(?), . Birth of Ephraim, his son, in Cambridge or
Chelmsford, Mass. Ephraim married (ist) Dorothy
Barnes, of Stow, June 11, 1685, "when he was some 30
years of age" (Early Hildreths of N. E., p. 51), and by
her had one child which died young. He married (2nd)
Anna Moore, of Sudbury, Oct. 8, 1686 (Stowe Records,
p. 595), and by her had 11 or 12 children. He died April
5, 1731 (Stow Records). Wanted: Date and place of his
birthj and correct number and names of his children by his
second wife Anna.
1656, . Richard Hildreth, Selectman, Chelmsford,
Mass.
(Chelmsford Records.)
1656, April 2y. Sergt. Hildreth of Cambridge received at the
sacrament of the Lord's Supper in church at Chelmsford,
Mass. The church records read as follows : " 2y. 2. ( 1656)
Serg. Hildrick of ye Ch of Cambridge received into ye
sacrament of ye Supper as a member of ye church."
(Rev. Fiske's Chelmsford Church Records.)
6o THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
i6^6(?), . Birth of Abigail, his daughter, probably in
Chelmsford, Mass. She married Moses Parker of Chelms-
ford ( ?) June 19, 1684 (Chelmsford Records), and by him
had seven children. Wanted: Date and place of her birth,
and the date and place of her death, also birth and parentage
of Moses Parker, her husband.
1657, Oct. — . Richard Hildreth, Grand Juror.
( County Court Records. Vol. i.)
1658, April 16. Birth of Joseph, his son, in Chelmsford, Mass.
Joseph married Abigail Wilson, of Woburn, Dec. 25, 1683,
(Chelmsford Records), and by her had 10 children. He
died Jan. 28, 1706.
1658, May J/. Sergeant Richard Hildreth is given permis-
sion to trade with the Indians.
1659, Feb. 8. Birth of Persis, his daughter, in Chelmsford,
Mass. She married Samuel Cleveland May 23, 1682,
(Chelmsford Records), and by him had six children.
Wanted: Date and place of her death.
1660, April so. Richard Hildreth owns land in Chelmsford,
Mass. (See town grants to Robert Proctor.)
1661(f), Feb. I. Birth of Thomas, his son, in Chelmsford,
Mass. (Chelmsford Records of B. M. & D.) Thomas died
May 28, 1662. (Chelmsford Records.) Wanted: Further
verification of date of Thomas' birth.
1661, April 2. Richard Hildreth appointed Commissioner, a
sort of a judge, to hear small cases, at Chelmsford. He
takes oath to faithfully discharge the trust and power com-
mitted to him.
(M'x County Court Records, Vol. i, p. 227.)
1661(f), July 20. Birth of Isaac, his son, in Chelmsford,
Mass. (Chelmsford Records.) Isaac married Elizabeth
Wilson, of Woburn, July 24, 1685 (or Nov. 12),
(Chelmsford Records) and by her had five children. Isaac
died (funeral) Nov. 24, 1742 (Chelmsford Records).
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 6i
Wanted: Further verification of the dates of Isaac's birth,
marriage and death.
1616-2, . Richard Hildreth appointed Surveyor of
Highways.
(Chelmsford Town Records.)
1662, . Sergeant Richard Hiudreth, Serg't Thomas
Adams, and William Fletcher named as Commissioners for
Chelmsford.
(County Court Records.)
1662, April 2. Richard Hildreth took the oath of Commis-
sioner for Chelmsford for the year ensuing.
(M'x County Court Records, Vol. i, p. 252.)
1662-^, . Richard Hildreth's yard mentioned in the
route for a new highway between Chelmsford and Groton.
(Chelmsford Records.)
166^, . Richard Hildreth, of Chelmsford, petitions
for a grant of land because he has " a wife and many small
children, and being a husbandman, am greatly disadvantaged
partly by the hand of God depriving " him some few years
since of the use of his right hand, whereby he was " wholly
disabled to labor."
166^, Sept. 20. Richard Hildreth received into fellowship
of the Chelmsford church. The church records read as
follows: "20, 7 (1663), Rich Hildrick having been Tryed,
propounded, presented his Ltrs of Dismsn from Cambridge
after a manifestation of God's work upon his soule, with
sever'l experiences of God's going along with him since
joined in church fellowship at Camb both there and thence
. . . was reed into ye cov'nt & fellowship of this Church."
(Rev. Fiske's Chelmsford Church Records.)
166^-64, March j. Richard Hildreth had received, prior to
this date, no less than eight (8) separate lots of land
granted him by the Great and General Court of Massachu-
setts Bay Colony.
(Reade's Origin & Gen. of Lowell Hildreths.)
62 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
1664, May 18. Richard Heildrich of Chelmsford was granted
one hundred fifty (150) acres of upland and meadow land
" wherever it may be conveniently found, not prjudijciall
to any plantation."
(Records Mass. Bay Colony, Vol. IV, Part 2, p. 106.)
1664, . Richard Hildreth named as Commissioner for
Chelmsford.
(Chelmsford Records.)
1664, . Richard Hildreth appointed Viewer of Fences.
(Chelmsford Town Records.)
1664, . Richard Hildreth chosen to Grand Jury by
Chelmsford.
(Chelmsford Town Records.)
1666-7, . Richard Hildreth appointed Surveyor of
Highways.
(Chelmsford Town Records.)
1667, . Richard Hildreth appointed Viewer of Fences.
(Chelmsford Town Records.)
1667 or 1668, . In a sketch of Stow, Mass., in Drake's
History of Middlesex County, page 350, occurs the
following :
" In 1666, a lot of 500 acres was ' layed out unto the
Worshipful Major Eleazer Lusher ' for services ren-
dered the government."
" A year or two later another lot of 500 acres was
assigned to Capt. Daniel Gooken & also one of 150
acres to Richard Heldridge. Probably none of these
men ever resided upon their farms."
i66g, Oct. 12. Richard Heildreth's grant of 150 acres of
land is allowed by the General Court as laid out by David
Fiske, surveyor, bounded " with Concord lyne on the South
east, Capt. Daniel Gookins farme northerly, & the Avildemess
elsewhere surrounding, according to a plot returned & on
file with the records of this Court."
(Records Mass. Bay, Vol. IV, Part 2, p. 44i-)
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 63
i6jo, June 4. Richard Hildreth of Chelmsford warned to
appear to answer for " reproachful speech of the minister
of that place," etc.
(County Court Records.)
i6yo, June 20. Thomas Hinchman testifies that " Richard
Hildreth of Chelmsford ... at a publick town meeting
. . . made a very large speech to ye wholl towne then
present to ye purpose to stirr ym up to the calling of another
minister, arguing ye necessity of ye same & amongst many
other things spoken he used these expressions; our pastor
had lived 14 or 15 years in this place & there had bin little
or no fruit of his ministry, . . ."
(County Court Records, Cambridge.)
iSyo, June 22. Abraham Parker testifies that he was " present
& heard Richard Hildreth in a publick towne meeting at
Chelmsford upon the ist day of March last make a long
speech to the towne to exhort to the getting of another min-
ister, in which speech he had this passage : that Master Fisk
had been there these 13 or 14 years & had done no good,
or very little; and there were two sermons preached by
another that did much affect & cause severall weeping eyes ;
and other passages of like nature . . . And as to the paper
he carryed about to get hands for another minister, . . .
he conf est to me that hee and John Barrett did carry about
such a paper . . . But he never brought it to me . . ."
(County Court Records, Cambridge.)
1612, J^^h ^7- Richard Hildreth, at a church meeting in
Chelmsford at the house of Rev. Fiske concerning a contro-
versy between Richard Hildreth and Robert Proctor, stated
he was " sorry for it — hoped it would be a warning for
him, etc."
(Rev. Fiske's Chelmsford Church Records 1673, 27: 5.)
167s, Jan. 18. Richard Hildreth " had his dismission & 3
of his children, Joseph, Persis, & Isaac, granted him to ye
Church of Cambridge, according to his desire, he declaring
his purpose of settling there, and living and dying there."
(Rev. Fiske's Chelmsford Church Records 1673, 18: 11.)
64 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
1674, May nth. Richard Hildreth is fined in Cambridge one
shilling for felling a green walnut tree upon the Rockes
{now Arlington).
(Camb. Town Records. Ptd. 1901. Vol. i, p. 219.)
1(5/7, P^^- 5- Richard Hildreth owned land in Chelmsford.
(See town grant to Jacob Warren.)
i6y8, March 26. Richard Hildreth of Chelmsford and 9
other men petition the court to remit fines etc., laid on
Thomas Barrett.
(County Court Proceedings.)
1680, April 2. Elizabeth Hildreth, aged 55, testifies in case
of Elizabeth Proctor v. Thomas Marrables that she was the
midwife during Elizabeth Proctor's confinement. Testi-
mony was taken in Billerica before Jonathan Danforth.
(Note: The above record confirms the age of Elizabeth Hil-
dreth as given on her tombstone in the Bell Rock Cemetery, Mai-
den, Mass., and also as recorded in Chelmsford.)
1686, Feb. 28. " The Record of The Accomodation of Upland and
Meadow granted by the Town of Chelmsford to Richard Hil-
dreth with the Bounds and Butments of the Same :
" His Upland. (First) North by the Highway to the Town ;
South by the meadow belonging to the Sd Richard Hildreth;
and partly Southeast by the land of Robert Proctor; West by
the land of James Hildreth ; East by the Town Common.
(Secondly) Seven acres more or less Lying by the North cor-
ner of the Pond ; bounded South by the Town Common ; East
by the land of Robert Proctor; West by the land of James
Hildreth. (Thirdly) Eighteen acres more or less, Bounded
South by the pond ; and West by the land of Robert Proctor ;
North by the Highway near the Great Swamp ; East by the
Town Common.
" His Meadow. (First) one acre and half by his Home Lott
more or less, bounded East by the land of Robert Proctor;
South by the Common; North by his Home Lott; West by
the land of James Hildreth. (Secondly) Seven Acres more or
less, Lying at Hither Tadnack: bounded Southeast by the
meadow of James Hildreth ; and all other points by the Town
Common. (Thirdly) Fourteen acres more or less: Lying in
two parcels being towards the Further Tadnack, bounded on
all points by the Town Common. (Fourthly) Five acres and
half more or less lying in further Tadnack. Bounded South
by the meadow of Robert Proctor; East and West by the
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 65
Town Common. (Fifthly) an Addition of Upland granted by
the Town of Chelmsford to Richard Hildreth with Bounds and
Butments of the same : To Say : Thirty-two Acres more or
less Lying of one parcell through which there is Laid a High-
way ; bounded East and North by the Land of Robert Proctor ;
on all other points by the Town Common ; North by the Pond ;
West by a brook running in to the Pond."
" By the Selectmen's order. Jacob Parker, Qerk. The
above is a true transcript taken out of the old book : the 28th
the 12 month, 1686, by Samuel Adams, Clerk."
1686-'/, Feb. I. Richard Hildreth and his wife Elizabeth
of Chelmsford deed without restrictions to their son
Ephraim Hildreth, of Stow, Mass., nine (9) parcels of real
estate including their home place of 20 acres where they then
lived with house, barn, orchards, etc.
(Camb. Registry of Deeds, Vol. 10, pp. 39-40.)
The deed reads as follows :
" To All People to Whom These Presents Come, or
May Concerne. Know ye, that I, Richard Hildereth and
EHzabeth Hildereth, my present wife, of ye Towne of Chelms-
ford, in ye County of Middlesex in ye Massachusetts Colonic in
New England, upon good Consideration and for good causes
moving us thereuntO', especially for that He is our Natural &
well beloved sonne & desiring his welfare. Have given to our
Sonne Ephraim Hildereth of the Towne of Stow in ye afore-
said County of Middlesex, and by these presents doe fully,
freely & absolutely, give grant, alien, enfeoffe & confirme unto
him our said sonne Ephraim Hildereth, several parcels of Land
& meadow ground situate lying and being within the limits and
bounds of ye afore^. Towne of Chelmsford & is now laid out,
the butts & bounds thereof are recorded to me Richard Hil-
dereth in the Towne book of Chelmsford the several parcels
are as follows.
" The Houselot on wch I now dwell, as it is butted & bounded
& lyeth for twenty acres, be ye same more or lesse, w*** the
House & Barne & Orchards, fences thereon.
" Secondly. Seven acres lying at ye Northend of ye great
pond, ye most part broken up & Improved, be ye same more or
lesse.
" Thirdly. Eighteen acres, be ye same more or lesse & is
bounded South by ye said great pond.
" Fourthly, Seventeen acres, be ye same more or lesse, boimded
North by ye said great pond ; East by Gershom Proctors ; and
one acre and a halfe of Meadow ground lying in or Joyning to
the aforesd. Houselot. Seven acres of Meadow be ye same
more or lesse lying in heather Tadnack: Nine acres of
66 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
Meadow lying on the South of Brushy meadow, be ye same
more or lesse ; Five acres & a halfe in further Tadnack, be ye
same more or lesse.
" To Have & to Hold ye above granted premises as they are
laid & butted & bounded in several parcels, be ye same more or
lesse, as they are recorded in ye Towne-book w^^ all privilidges,
rights, & appurtenances to ye same appertaining or in any wise
belonging unto him ye said Ephraim Hildereth, his Heirs &
Assigns, to his & their only proper use & behopfes as a free &
full estate of Inheritance from ye day of ye date hereof & so
forever.
" And ye above named Rich'^. Hildereth & Elizabeth Hildereth
for our Heirs, Executors, Administrators doe Cove"*. ; promise
& grant to & with ye above named Ephraim Hildereth, his
Heirs Executors, Administrators & Assigns by these presents,
that ye above granted premises are free & cleere & shall by us
our Heirs & Assigns freed & cleered from time to time & at all
times from all former bargaines sales, leases. Mortgages, Wills,
Entails, Legacies Joyntures, Dowers, whatsoever, had, made or
obtained. And that we ye s'^ Rich^. Hildereth & Elizabeth Hilder-
eth, have good right, full power & Lawful authority to grant,
convey & confirme ye above granted premise unto him our s**.
Sonne Ephraim Hildereth, his Heirs & Assigns forever, and that
ye said Ephraim Hildereth, his Heirs & Assigns shall & may
from time to time & at all times forever hereafter peacefully &
quietly have, hold use, occupy & possesse & enjoy ye above
granted premises, be ye same more or lesse, with all rights,
privelidges & appurtenances thereto^ appertaining or in any wise
belonging without ye least denyall, disturbance or Contradic-
tion of us ye said Rich'i. Hildereth & Elizabeth Hildereth, our
Heirs, Executors, Administrators, & Assigns, from them or any
one of them, or any other person or persons whatsoever Law-
fully claiming or having any right or title or Interest therein
or in any part or parcel thereof, by, from or under in or by any
other Law full wayes or means whatsoever.
" In witness hereof we ye above signed Rich'd Hildereth &
Elizabeth Hildereth have hereunto put our hands & Seals this
first day of February in ye year of our Lord Christ, one thou-
sand six hundred eighty & six seven."
Rich'd Hildreth, his mark & Scale
Elizabeth Hildreth, her mark & Scale
Signed, Sealed & Delivered
in presence of us —
Tho. Hinchman
Tho. Clarke
j no. butterick
Richard & Elizabeth Hildereth personally appearing before
me one of his Majety's Council in Newengland, Chelmsford,
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 67
April 6, 1687 freely acknowledged this Instrument to be their
act & Deed.
Jonathan Tyng.
A true copy of the original Recorded and attested this 21st
day of April 1687.
By Lawr. Hammond, Recorder.
(Note: In colonial times the word " Natural " was used to dis-
tinguish one's own child from a step-child, child-in-law, or adopted
child ; it often occurs in the records to the misleading of careless
and censorious readers.)
I
1686-/, Feb. II. Richard Hildreth, of Chelmsford, Mass.,
makes his will, reading as follows: (See M'x County,
Mass., Probate Records. Vol. 8, pp. 186-8, No. 8004.)
" Know ye that I Richard Hildreth of ye towne of Chelms-
ford in ye County of Middlesex in ye Massachusetts Colony of
New England, being aged, sick and weakly in body, tho' sounde
in mind. Judgment and understanding, taking into Considera-
tion my own mortality, do herein make known my minde and
will in the disposall of myself, and Estate that Remaineth to be
my own to Dispose.
" First, I bequesth my precious and Immortall Soul unto
Christ yt hath Redeemed it, and my body to ye Grave till
Christ shall raise it.
" And for my beloved wife Elizabeth I have obliged my nat-
urall son Ephraim Hildreth for her maintenance in all respects
so long as she remaineth with him.
" And to my Sonnes and Daughters, children God hath
given me, I have discharged my duty in some measure in all
respects so that they are disposed in marriage, and I have been
doing for them all as I could : But because my hand is cut off,
and because of Impotency and Infirmity, I have been constrained
to make use of what I had for ye Reliefe of my Selfe and my
wife so that I have neither House nor Lands to bequeath them,
But after my decease, my Creditors being paid and Debts dis-
charged. Whatsoever shall be found to be my Estate, I will that
it be equally Divided to all my Children that each one may have
a Token of their ffathers Love after his Death, they or theirs.
" And after my Decease my son Ephraim shall pay, or cause
to be paid, to my eldest son James Hildreth out of his own
Estate, the sum of Twenty Shillings, or one Pound, as a full
free portion more than ye rest of the children.
" I have betrusted my Son Ephraim with the use of my Es-
tate whilest I live and after my death to execute this my last
Will and Testament.
68 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
" In Witness hereof, I, ye said Richard Hildreth, have sett to
my hand and seal This eleventh day of February in the year of
our Lord 1686-7."
his ( )
Richard X Hildreth ( seal )
mark ( )
Signed and sealed in presence of
us as witnesses to this will
Thomas Hinchman
Thos. Clark Exad per Samll Phipps Regtr
Jno. Butterfield
i6pj, Aug. J. Elizabeth Hildreth, his wife, died. (Chelms-
ford Records.) She was buried in the old Bell Rock Ceme-
tery, Maiden, Mass. Her gravestone is inscribed : " Here
Lyes ye body of Elizabeth wife to Richard Hildreth
Aged 68 Years Died August 3, 1693." Wanted: The
reason why she was buried in Maiden. Were her own people
buried there? If so, who were they?
169^, Feb. 2^. Richard Hildreth died. (Chelmsford Records.)
He was buried in the old cemetery at Chelmsford, Mass.
His slate gravestone is inscribed : " Richard Hildreth,
Aged 88 years. Died February 23, 1693."
The inventory of Richard Hildreth's estate was filed by
Ephraim Hildreth, Exr. Appraisers were Sam'l Foster, Sr.,
and Eliazer Brown. Total valuation: 17 pounds, 3 shillings, 6
pence. The inventory included :
2 Cows
I Wicker Basket
I Calf
I Skil—
I Feather Bed
I Old Gun Barrel
I Straw Bed
(Value 10 shillings)
I Feather Bolster
I Wainscott Chest
2 Pillows
I Cupboard
2 Old Bolsters
I Chest
I Coat and i Hat
I Old Bedstead
I pr. Breeches
I Table Chair
2 Pewter Platters
2 Chairs
I Candlestick
I Little Horn
I Iron Mortar and Pestle
I Dough Tray
CHRONOLOGICAL
, HISTORY
2
Cleavers
I Old Chest
I
Flesh Hook
2 Trays
I
Axe
I Old Pail
2
Pease Hooks
I Jar and Cheese Tongs
I
Frammell
4 Books
I
Churn
I Dry Cask
I
Iron Gridiron
69
CHART — RICHARD HILDRETH
Arranged by John Lyman Porter
First Three Generations of Hildreths in New England
Naming
RICHARD HILDRETH (1605-1693), AND HIS TWO WIVES (SARAH
AND ELIZABETH),
of Cambridge and Chelmsford, Mass.,
HIS ELEVEN ( II ) CHILDREN, DATES OF BIRTH AND DATES OF
MARRIAGES
and whom they married,
and
HIS SEVENTY-SIX (76) GRANDCHILDREN.
CHILDREN
GRANDCHILDREN
By his I St wife — SARAH
JANE
b. , 1628 (?) in England (?)
m. Dec. 31, 1645, in Concord, Mass.,
Robert Proctor, of Concord.
JAMES
b. , 1 631 (?) in England (?)
m. June i, 1659, in Dorchester,
Margaret Ward, (Chelmsford records).
I Sarah, Gershom, Mary, Peter,
Ch: I Elizabeth, James, Dorothy, Lydia,
(John, Samuel, Israel, Thomas.
( Margaret, Sarah, James, Elizabeth,
Ch: J Mary, Thomas, Hannah, Abigail,
( Richard, Ephraim, Dorothy.
By his 2nd wife — ELIZABETH
ELIZABETH
b. Sept. 21, 1646, Cambridge, Mass.
m. Dec. 15, 1664, Chelmsford, Ch:
John Stevens, of Boston and Chelmsford.
Elizabeth, John, Elizabeth,
Richard, Joseph.
Ch : Sarah, Elizabeth.
SARAH
b. Aug. 8, 1648, in Cambridge, Mass.
m. Dec. 31, 1674, Chelmsford,
David Stone, of Cambridge (?).
MARY
b. , 1650 (?) Cambridge (?)
m. June 21, 1667, in Chelmsford,
Jacob Warren.
EPHRAIM (
b. , 165s (?) Cambridge (?) Ch: JEphraim — died in infancy.
m. (i) June 11, 1685, (Stow records) (
Dorothy Barnes, d. June 17, 1686,
(2) Oct. 8, 1686, (Stow records)
Anna Moore, of Sudbury, Mass. Ch
Ch:
Joseph, Jacob, Elizabeth,
' Ephraim, Sarah.
Ephraim, Joseph, Richard, James,
Ebenezer, James, Jonathan, Anna,
Thomas, Jacob, David.
ABIGAIL
b. — , 1656 (?) Chelmsford (?)
m. June 19, 1684, in Chelmsford, Ch:
Moses Parker.
JOSEPH
b. April 16, 1658, in Chelmsford,
m. Dec. 25, 1683, in Chelmsford, Ch:
Abigail Wilson, of Woburn.
PERSIS
b. Feb. 8, 1659, in Chelmsford,
m. May 23, 1682, in Chelmsford.
Samuel Cleveland, (his 2d wife).
THOMAS
b. Feb. I, 1661 (?) in Chelmsford,
d. in infancy.
ISAAC
b. July 20, 1 66 1, in Chelmsford,
m. July 24 or Nov. 12, 1685,
Elizabeth Wilson, of Woburn.
Ch:
Ch:
I Abigail, Moses, Aaron, Elizabeth,
' Joseph, Benjamin, Mary.
Hannah, Joseph, Richard, Abigail,
Abigail, Elizabeth, Joseph, John,
Ephraim, Elizabeth, Benjamin (d. 1706).
Persis, Samuel, Ephraim, Joseph,
Elizabeth, Mary.
Elizabeth, Persis, Joanna,
Isaac, Sarah.
70
NOTES AND MEMORANDA
(The following blank pages are for the reader to make note of
any errors found in this publication and to record any new informa-
tion or data he may discover regarding the Hildreths and their
origin.)
71
^2. THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
NOTES AND MEMORANDA 73
74 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
NOTES AND MEMORANDA 75
76 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
NOTES AND MEMORANDA ^^
78 THE HILDRETH FAMILY ASSOCIATION
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