Boynton, Hilkiah

Hilkiah BOYNTON (1687 - 1745) and Priscilla JEWETT (1690 - 1777)

my 7g-grandparents

Hilkiah BOYNTON was born 19 Nov 1687 in Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, son of Joseph BOYNTON and Sarah SWAN. He died 16 Nov 1745, age 57, in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA. He married on 2 Feb 1709 to Priscilla JEWETT, daughter of Capt. Joseph JEWETT and Ruth WOOD. Priscilla was born 9 Aug 1687, baptized 1 Feb 1690 in Rowley, and died 13 Apr 1777 at age 87 in Lunenburg.

Hilkiah and Priscilla had 10 children in Rowley, but 6 of them died in childhood. About 1726 they removed about 40 miles west, with their 4 surviving children, to Lunenburg, then part of Hampshire County, MA. They had 2 more children in Lunenburg.

Rowley and Lunenburg

Massachusetts Bay Colony began in the area that became known as Essex County, in northeastern MA. One of the first of the English settlements was in Rowley, settled and incorporated in 1639. English civilization gradually advanced westward, and by 1718, Lunenburg was settled, and officially incorporated as a town in 1728, just 89 years after Rowley. It was in the part of Hampshire County that became Worcester County in 1731.

So in 1726, when the BOYNTON family removed 40 miles west, from Rowley to Lunenburg, they were leaving an established community for one being carved out of the wilderness.

The early records of Lunenburg contain many references to Hilkiah BOYNTON and his brother, Benoni BOYNTON, as leading citizens. Benoni owned a house in Lunenburg as early as 6 Nov 1727. Hilkiah BOYNTON first appeared in the records of Lunenburg, on 19 Aug 1728, when he was 1 of 5 men chosen as Selectmen. He was appointed Constable on 31 Mar 1729. [WAD]

In his will, written 10 Dec 1744 and probated 28 Nov 1745, Hilkiah BOYNTON of Lunenburg named his wife as Priscilla. He named his son Jewett BOYNTON, and says he was under 21, hence born in 1723 or later. (Later records indicate 1735.) He names his 5 daughters: Joanna GROUT, Sarah WHITNEY, Priscilla PAGE, Jane and Ruth. Also, his son-in-law, Phillip GOODRIDGE, is named executor. It's not clear which daughter Phillip was married to. (Later records indicate it was Jane.)

Ancestry of Hilkiah and Priscilla

Conflicting Records

The History of the Boynton Family [BF, pp. 54-5] lists 9 children of Hilkiah and Priscilla, all born in Rowley:

I. Jane, b. 19 Nov 1709, d. 25 Nov 1722
II. Joanna, b. 17 Aug 1712, m. Col. John GROUT
III. Hilkiah, b. 11 Apr 1714, d. 28 Apr 1714
IV. Priscilla, b. 11 Apr 1714
V. Joseph, b. 4 Dec 1717, d. 8 Feb 1717/18
VI. Sarah, b. 1 Jan 1718/19, m. Aaron WOODS
VII. Ruth, d. Jul 1721
VIII. Hilkiah, bapt. 9 Aug 1725, d. 24 Aug 1725
IX. Mehitable, bapt. 9 Aug 1725, d. 15 Sep 1725

Only 2 or 3 of these 9 children survived to adulthood. "He rem. from Rowley to Lunenburgh, probably with his brother Benoni, about 1726; and afterward to Winchendon and Rindge. He was the first Selectman of Lunenburgh. Was a joyner by trade." There is no mention of Priscilla after the baptism of her twins in 1725.

History and genealogy of the Jewetts of America [JOA, p. 56] lists 10 children of Hilkiah and Priscilla, all born in Rowley:

297 Jane, b. 19 Nov 1709, d. 25 Nov 1722
298 Johannah, b. 17 Aug 1712
299 Hilkiah, b. 11 Apr 1714, d. 28 Apr 1714
300 Priscilla, b. 11 Apr 1714
301 Joseph, b. 4 Dec 1717, d. 7 Feb 1717/18
302 Sarah, bapt. 1 Jan 1718/19
303 Ruth, bapt. 2 July 1721, d. Jul 1721
304 Jane, bapt. 10 Mar 1722/23
305 Hilkiah, bapt. 8 Aug 1725, d. 24 Aug 1725
306 Mehitable, bapt. 8 Aug 1725, d. 15 Sep 1725

This record agrees pretty well with [BF], except a second Jane is included, Sarah's birth date is a baptism date, and Ruth's baptism date is given. No spouses are named. Also "They settled in Rowley, but left town about 1726." Later records indicate that some of the younger children were born in Lunenburg, so the move may have taken place before 1726.

The records of Lunenburg [WAD, p. 273] list the following children of Hilkiah and Priscilla:

(1.) Sarah, b. 1 Jan 1718/19
(2.) Jane, b. 4 Mar 1722/23
(3.) Ruth, b. 31 Mar 1727
(4.) Jewet, b. 14 Feb 1735/36

Presumably, only the last 2 births were in Lunenburg.

Descendants

For brevity: Rowley is in Essex County, MA, and Lunenburg was in the part of Hampshire County, MA that became Worcester County, MA in 1731.

1 Hilkiah BOYNTON b: 19 Nov 1687 in Rowley, d: 16 Nov 1745 in Lunenburg, age 57
+ Priscilla JEWETT b: 9 Aug 1687 in Rowley, m: 02 Feb 1709 in Rowley, d: 13 Apr 1777 in Lunenburg, age 89
......2 Jane BOYNTON b: 19 Nov 1709 in Rowley, d: 25 Nov 1722 in Rowley, age 13
......2 Joanna BOYNTON b: 17 Aug 1712 in Rowley, d: 1806 in Lunenburg, age 93-4
...... + Col. John GROUT b: 14 Oct 1704 in Sudbury, Middlesex, MA, m: 23 Nov 1727 in Lunenburg, d: Jun 1771 in Jaffrey, Cheshire, NH, age 66
......2 Hilkiah BOYNTON b: 11 Apr 1714 in Rowley, d: 28 Apr 1714 in Rowley, age 17 days
......2 Priscilla BOYNTON b: 11 Apr 1714 in Rowley, d: 1782, age 68
...... + David PAGE b: 1707 in Lunenburg, m: 22 Jan 1734/35 in Lunenburg, d: 1785 in NH, age 78
......2 Joseph BOYNTON b: 04 Dec 1717 in Rowley, d: 08 Feb 1717/18 in Rowley, age 2 months
......2 Sarah BOYNTON bapt: 01 Jan 1719 in Rowley, d: 29 Apr 1775 in Shirley, Middlesex, MA, age 56
...... + Aaron WOODS b: 26 May 1707 in Groton, Middlesex, MA, m: 01 Apr 1739 in Groton, Middlesex, MA
...... + Zachariah WHITNEY b: 28 Dec 1711 in Watertown, Middlesex, MA, m: 11 Apr 1739 in Lunenburg, d: 14 Nov 1781 in Lunenburg, age 69
......2 Ruth BOYNTON bapt: 02 Jul 1721 in Rowley, d: Jul 1721 in Rowley, age 1 month
......2 Jane BOYNTON b: 04 Mar 1722/23 in Lunenburg, d: 13 Dec 1806 in Lunenburg, age 83
...... + Phillip GOODRIDGE b: 06 Jul 1714 in Newbury, Essex, MA, m: 03 Nov 1743 in Lunenburg, d: 18 Dec 1797 in Fitchburg, Worcester, MA, age 83
......2 Hilkiah BOYNTON bapt: 08 Aug 1725 in Rowley, d: 24 Aug 1726 in Rowley, age 1 year
......2 Mehitable BOYNTON bapt: 08 Aug 1725 in Rowley, d: 15 Sep 1725 in Rowley, age 1 month
......2 Ruth BOYNTON b: 31 May 1727 in Luneburg, d: 13 Sep 1786 in Winchendon, Worcester, MA, age 59
...... + John DARLING b: 28 Apr 1728 in Lynn, Essex, MA, m: 29 Sep 1744 in Lunenburg
......2 Jewett BOYNTON b: 14 Feb 1735 in Lunenburg, d: 08 Jun 1759 in MA, age 24

1. Jane BOYNTON was born 19 Nov 1709 in Rowley, and died 25 Nov 1722 in Rowley, age 13. She had seen 4 of her younger siblings die before her, and when she died, her family was left with only 2 children.

2. Joanna BOYNTON was born 17 Aug 1712 in Rowley, and 1806 in Lunenburg. She married on 23 Nov 1727 in Lunenburg, to
Col. John GROUT, born 14 Oct 1704 in Sudbury, Middlesex, MA, died Jun 1771 in Jaffrey, Cheshire, NH, age 66.

Joanna and John were my 6g-grandparents. See the John GROUT page.

3. Hilkiah BOYNTON was born 11 Apr 1714 in Rowley, died 28 Apr 1714 in Rowley, age 17 days. Hilkiah Jr and Priscilla were twins.

4. Priscilla BOYNTON was born 11 Apr 1714 in Rowley, died in 1782, age 68. She married on 22 Jan 1735 in Lunenburg to David PAGE, born 1707 in Lunenburg, died 1785, age 78.

The SAR membership application of Crendall MELVIN contains some important information, including the death dates of 1782 and 1785 for Priscilla and David. Their daughter Mehitable PAGE, born 5 Mar 1743, married on 19 Nov 1767 to Benjamin MELVIN, born 30 May 1741, of Winchester, Cheshire, MA. David PAGE was a Delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and a Colonel in the Revolution, serving at Winter Hill for 8 months in 1776, in Col. STARK's regiment.

There was also a Sarah PAGE, born 8 Aug 1743 in Lunenburg, to parents David and Priscilla PAGE. They can't have had children on 5 Mar and 8 Aug of the same year, so there is some mistake. This Sarah PAGE married her first cousin, Jonathan GROUT, who became a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. See the John GROUT page.

Priscilla and David lived in Lunenburg, and had about 10 children.

1 Priscilla BOYNTON b: 11 Apr 1714 in Rowley, d: 1782
+ David PAGE b: 1707 in Lunenburg, m: 22 Jan 1734/35 in Lunenburg, d: 1785 in NH
......2 Priscilla PAGE b: 22 Oct 1735 in Lunenburg, d: 07 May 1815 in Chester, Windsor, VT
...... + Solomon WILLSON m: 19 Dec 1751 in Petersham, Worcester, MA
......2 Solomon PAGE b: 07 Jun 1737 in Lunenburg, d: 15 Nov 1741 in Lunenburg
......2 Davis PAGE b: 06 Aug 1738 in Lunenburg, d: 12 Nov 1741
......2 Caleb PAGE b: Feb 1739 in Lunenburg, d: 04 Nov 1741 in Lunenburg
......2 Martha PAGE b: 26 Apr 1741 in Lunenburg, d: 06 Oct 1819 in Winchester, Cheshire, NH
...... + Joseph STOWELL b: 01 Feb 1736 in Newton, Middlesex, MA, m: 02 Feb 1761 in Petersham, Worcester, MA, d: 29 Feb 1812 in Winchester, Cheshire, NH
......2 Mehitabel PAGE b: 05 Mar 1743 [?] in Lunenburg, d: 21 Jan 1821 in St Johnsbury, Caledonia, VT
...... + Benjamin MELVIN b: 30 May 1741, m: 19 Nov 1767
......2 Sarah PAGE b: 08 Aug 1743 [?] in Lunenburg, d: 22 Mar 1814 in Petersham, Worcester, MA
...... + Rep. Jonathan GROUT b: 23 Jul 1737 in Lunenburg, m: 1760, d: 08 Sep 1807 in Dover, NH
......2 David PAGE b: 05 Jun 1745 in Lunenburg, d: 26 Apr 1830 in Lancaster, Coos, NH
...... + Rachel b: 21 Jan 1751 in Lunenburg, m: 08 Feb 1773 in Amesbury, Essex, MA, d: 28 Apr 1817 in NH
......2 Ruth PAGE b: 25 Oct 1747 in Lunenburg, d: 21 Mar 1827 in Lancaster, Coos, NH
...... + Emmons STOCKWELL b: 01 Sep 1741 in Sutton, MA, m: 1765, d: 08 Nov 1819 in Lancaster, Coos, NH
......2 Johannah PAGE b: 17 Feb 1748 in Lunenburg

5. Joseph BOYNTON was born 04 Dec 1717 in Rowley, died 08 Feb 1717/18 in Rowley, age 2 months.

6. Sarah BOYNTON was baptized 01 Jan 1719 in Rowley, died 29 Apr 1775 in Shirley, Middlesex, MA, age 56. She married on 1 Apr 1739 to Aaron WOODS, born 26 May 1707 in Groton, Middlesex, MA.

Zachariah WHITNEY and Sarah BOYNTON, both of Lunenburg, were married by the Rev. Mr. David STEARNS, minister of Lunenburg, on 11 Apr 1739.

The records say that Sarah's marriage to Zachariah WHITNEY was 10 days after her marriage to Aaron WOODS. There must be a mistake. Based on the birth dates of the children, I suspect that Sarah married Aaron WOODS on 1 Apr 1739, a little over a month after the birth of their first child, and then Aaron must have died or left the family between 1742 and 1745, after which Sarah married Zachariah WHITNEY.

1 Sarah BOYNTON bapt: 01 Jan 1719 in Rowley, Essex, MA, d: 29 Apr 1775 in Shirley, Middlesex, MA, age 56

+ Aaron WOODS b: 26 May 1707 in Groton, Middlesex, MA, m: 01 Apr 1739 in Groton, Middlesex, MA
......2 Sarah WOODS b: 30 Jan 1739 in Groton, Middlesex, MA
......2 Lemuel WOODS b: 23 Sep 1742 in Groton, Middlesex, MA
...... + Sarah HOLDEN

+ Zachariah WHITNEY b: 28 Dec 1711 in Watertown, Middlesex, MA, m: 11 Apr 1739 [?] in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA, d: 14 Nov 1781 in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA, age 69
......2 Abigail WHITNEY b: 17 Jan 1746 in MA, d: 31 Jan 1826, age 80
......2 Zachariah WHITNEY b: 11 Jan 1747 in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA, d: 09 Apr 1828 in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA, age 81
...... + Elizabeth "Betty" WEATHERBEE b: 1774, m: 18 Aug 1774 in Harvard, Worcester, MA
......2 Mary WHITNEY b: 08 Apr 1752 in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA, d: 04 Feb 1827 in Townsend, Middlesex, MA, age 74
...... + Jonas FARMER m: 15 Apr 1776 in Townsend, Middlesex, MA

7. Ruth BOYNTON was baptized. 02 Jul 1721 in Rowley, died Jul 1721 in Rowley, in infancy.

8. Jane BOYNTON was baptized 04 Mar 1723 in Lunenburg, died 03 Nov 1743, age 20. She married on 3 Nov 1743 in Lunenburg, to Philip GOODRIDGE. They lived in Lunenburg, and had at least 13 children.

This must be the Jane mentioned in her father's will, written 10 Dec 1744. She had only been married 1 year, so that may explain why she wasn't called Jane GOODRIDGE.

1 Jane BOYNTON b: 04 Mar 1722/23 in Lunenburg, d: 13 Dec 1806 in Lunenburg
+ Phillip GOODRIDGE b: 06 Jul 1714 in Newbury, Essex, MA, m: 03 Nov 1743 in Lunenburg, d: 18 Dec 1797 in Fitchburg, Worcester, MA
......2 Abigail GOODRIDGE b: 31 Jul 1745 in Lunenburg
...... + Abner HALE b: 22 Jul 1737 in Boxford, Essex, MA, m: 12 Mar 1767 in Lunenburg
......2 Jane GOODRIDGE b: 07 Jul 1747 in Lunenburg
...... + Elijah CARTER m: 07 Sep 1769 in Lunenburg
......2 Priscilla GOODRIDGE b: 15 Jan 1749 in Lunenburg, d: 21 Mar 1834 in Billerica, Middlesex, MA
...... + William D. BOWERS b: 20 Apr 1744 in Billerica, Middlesex, MA, m: 27 Apr 1780, d: 17 Nov 1820
......2 Phillip GOODRIDGE Jr b: 04 Oct 1750 in Lunenburg, d: 15 Mar 1796 in Lunenburg
...... + Sybil RITTER
......2 Sybil GOODRIDGE b: 10 Jun 1752 in Lunenburg, d: 03 Sep 1758 in Lunenburg
......2 Mary GOODRIDGE b: 15 Feb 1754 in Lunenburg, d: 25 Jun 1844 in Lunenburg
...... + Samuel KIMBALL b: 13 Aug 1749 in Wenham, Essex, MA, m: 01 Jan 1785, d: 17 Jun 1830 in Lunenburg
......2 Joseph GOODRIDGE b: 14 Sep 1755 in Lunenburg, d: 10 Apr 1781; died in the Rev War
......2 William GOODRIDGE b: 17 Jul 1757 in Lunenburg, d: 12 Aug 1830 ; res. Bedford
...... + Hannah BOWMAN b: Abt. 1761, m: 02 Jul 1791 in Concord, Middlesex, MA, d: 20 Jan 1819 in Bedford, Middlesex, MA
......2 Jewett GOODRIDGE b: 08 Aug 1759 in Lunenburg, d: ; res. in Maine
......2 Abel GOODRIDGE b: 19 Sep 1761 in Lunenburg, d: 12 Jan 1841 in Merrimack, Hillsborough, NH
...... + Mary CUMMINGS b: 02 Jun 1799 in Merrimack, Hillsborough, NH, m: 22 Mar 1823 in Merrimack, Hillsborough, NH, d: 03 Mar 1830 in Merrimack, Hillsborough, NH
......2 Simeon GOODRIDGE b: 09 Aug 1763 in Lunenburg, d: 07 Nov 1832
...... + Sally BAILEY b: 1771, m: 17 Jun 1794 in Lunenburg, d: 20 Mar 1839
......2 Sarah GOODRIDGE b: 12 Feb 1766 in Lunenburg
...... + FULLER
......2 Elizabeth GOODRIDGE b: 14 Jul 1768 in Worcester, Worcester, MA, d: 11 Oct 1810 in Lunenburg
...... + Levi STEARNS b: 12 Jan 1765 in Littleton, Middlesex, MA, m: 07 Jan 1794 in Lunenburg, d: 25 Dec 1810 in Lunenburg

Jane GOODRIDGE, daughter of Jane BOYNTON and Phillip GOODRIDGE, had birth date 7 Jul 1767, and married Elijah CARTER, according to [GFA, p. 362]. However, Lunenburg records has the marriage on 7 Sep 1769. Also, [GFA, p. 362] has Jane listed between her siblings Abigail, b. 31 Jul 1745 and Priscilla, b. 15 Jan 1749. So I suspect that Jane was actually born 7 Jul 1747, not 1767.

9. Hilkiah BOYNTON was baptized 08 Aug 1725 in Rowley, died 24 Aug 1726 in Rowley, age 1 year.

10. Mehitable BOYNTON was baptized 08 Aug 1725 in Rowley, died 15 Sep 1725 in Rowley, age 1 month.

11. Ruth BOYNTON was born 31 May 1727 in Lunenburg, died 13 Sep 1786 in Winchendon, Worcester, MA, age 59.

This second Ruth is not mentioned in [BF] or [JOA]. If the first Ruth died in infancy, this Ruth is probably the one mentioned in her father's will.

Lunenburg records have a marriage entered 29 Sep 1744, taking place 13 Oct 1744, between Ruth BOYNTON and John DARLIN Jr, both of Lunenburg. Performed by by the Rev Mr. David STEARNS, minister of Limenbiirg. She would have been 17, if this is the right Ruth. [WAD, p. 226]

1 Ruth BOYNTON b: 31 May 1727 in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA, d: 13 Sep 1786 in Winchendon, Worcester, MA
+ John DARLING b: 28 Apr 1728 in Lynn, Essex, MA, m: 29 Sep 1744 in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA
......2 Jewett Boynton DARLING b: 23 Feb 1760 in Lunenburg, Worcester, MA, d: 25 Aug 1831 in Winchendon, Worcester, MA
......2 Priscilla DARLING b: 13 Jun 1765 in Winchendon, Worcester, MA

12. Jewett BOYNTON was born 14 Feb 1735 in Lunenburg, and died 8 Jun 1759. His gravestone in Petersham Center Cemetery, Petersham, Worcester County, MA, says he was 23, but he must have been 24.

Sources

[1830] 1830 Map of Rowley, MA.

[1833] 1833 Map of Lunenburg, MA.

[BF] The Boynton family. A genealogy of the descendants of William and John Boynton, who emigrated from Yorkshire, England, in 1638, and settled at Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts (1897) by John Farnham Boynton and Caroline Foster Harriman Boynton

[CS] History of Cheshire and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire edited by D. Hamilton Hurd

[GFA] The Goodrich family in America : a genealogy of the descendants of John and William Goodrich of Wethersfield, Conn., Richard Goodrich of Guilford, Conn., and William Goodridge of Watertown, Mass., together with a short historical account of the family in England, the origin of the name, a description of Goodrich Castle, etc. / edited for the Goodrich-Family-Memorial Association, by Lafayette Wallace Case. (1889) by Lafayette Wallace Case

[JOA] History and genealogy of the Jewetts of America; a record of Edward Jewett, of Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and of his two emigrant sons, Deacon Maximilian and Joseph Jewett, settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts, in 1639; also of Abraham and John Jewett, early settlers of Rowley, and of the Jewetts who have settled in the United States since the year 1800 by Frederic Clarke Jewett (1908) Vol. I Vol. II

[WAD] The early records of the town of Lunenberg, Massachusetts (1896) Walter A Davis

Updated 16 Jun 2021 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.