John Howlett and Abigail Powell

In the early records Hulet, Hulett, Howlett, and Hewlett are used interchangeably.

We will begin our history with John Hulet or Howlet, a mariner and blacksmith of Boston and Newton Massachusetts. He was born about 1646 or 1647. He married Abigail Powell, daughter of Michael Powell and Abigail Bedele.

In 1662 Charles II granted Connecticut a very liberal charter (from sea to sea). Two copies were made. In 1685, his brother James II became king of England; and as he didn't share the views of Charles II, he appointed the tyrant Sir Edmond Andros as governor of New York and New England. He took away the Massachusetts charter of liberty and in 1687 arrived in Hartford to take away the Connecticut Charter. But as Andros was reading the order, the Captain ordered the band to play. Andros ordered the music to stop. The Captain ordered the band to play and said to Andros, "If you tell them again to stop, “I’ll let daylight through you.”

Suddenly the light went out. When the candles were again lit, the charter had disappeared. (Tradition has it that a Hartford Councilor fell in a swoon over the candles and put them out. In the meantime they were supposedly passed out the window to Captain Joseph Wadsworth who in turn hid them in an old oak tree, which stood nearby.)

Historical evidence is lacking on the exact part that Wadsworth played in the “hiding of the Charter”, but he evidently hid it in some fashion, as he was later awarded 20 schillings for “faithful and good service, especially in securing the duplicate charter of this Colony when our constitution was struck at.” (This same captain Joseph Wadsworth is a direct ancestor of our Whiting relatives.)

John Howlett refused to live in Boston near the tyrant Andros, so abandoned his blacksmith shop and removed to Newton.

John died at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, probably November 6, 1708. John and Abigail had three sons of record: Samuel, Michael, and John. He was born about 1676 or 1682 in Boston (the date of 1680 has been chosen as his birth date by the family).

Written, collected and edited by Ruth H. Barker

Source: Documents in the possession of David McKay Barker

History by Emma Hulet Hanks, Historian for the Sylvanus Hulet Family Organization - document in the possession of David McKay Barker

http://oscox.org/hulet/huletnews1962.html