Boynton, John

John BOYNTON (1610 - 1670) and Eleanor PELL (1620 - 1689)

my 9g-grandparents

(For brevity: Rowley, Bradford, Ipswich and Newbury are all towns in Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and also in England. Unless stated otherwise, I will use these names to refer to the towns in MA.)

John BOYNTON was born about 1614 in Knapton, Wintringham, Yorkshire, England, son of William BOYNTON. He came to America in 1638 as a single man, with his older brother William BOYNTON Jr, and William's wife Elizabeth JACKSON. They traveled with the party of Rev. Ezekiel ROGERS, and were among the first settlers in Rowley, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in April 1639. Rowley was in central Essex County, formed in 1643. [BF, p. XII]

Sir Matthew BOYNTON, one of the financial backers of the expedition led by Rev. Ezekiel ROGERS, was probably related to John and William, although the exact relationship is unclear. John and William were citizens in good standing, but they did not seem to have been among the wealthier men in Rowley.

John married Ellen/Eleanor PELL, a maid-servant of Atherton HOUGH, in Boston. Ellen was admitted to the Boston Church on 4 Jul 1641, and dismissed to the Rowley Church on 1 Oct 1643, so the marriage was probably in Fall 1643. [GBB, p. 26]

Atherton HOUGH was a leading citizen of early Boston. He was Mayor of Boston, Lincolnshire, England in 1628. [GMB, p. 1008] He immigrated in 1633 on the Griffin, which also carried the influential reverends Cotton, Hooker and Stone. [SGD, pp. 157, 188, 238] Whether Eleanor was among the 200 passengers on the Griffin is unknown.

Eleanor was first married about 1643, and had her first child on 13 May 1644, so she was probably born no later than 1628. Her husband was born in 1614, so she was probably born no earlier than 1610. So a wild guess would be that she was born about 1620, in England. There were others named PELL in early New England, but no connections are known.

In 1643, John and his brother were issued adjacent 1.5-acre lots on Bradford Street in Rowley. See the map on the Essex Co MA page. John was a tailor by trade, but as many in Rowley worked with cloth in one way or another, his role is not known.

John and Ellen lived in Rowley and had 7 children. John was buried on 18 Feb 1670/71, so he lived to about age 56.

Ellen after John

Ellen was between 40 and 60, with 7 children, aged 11 to 26, when her first husband died.

Ellen married (2) on 30 Aug 1671, to Maximilian JEWETT, one of the original settlers and leading citizens of Rowley. He died 19 Oct 1684, in Rowley. They were married 13 years, and had no offspring that are known.

Maximilian JEWETT was a brother of my 9g-grandfather, Joseph JEWETT Sr. They were sons of Edward JEWETT and Mary Taylor, of Bradford, West Riding, Yorkshire, England. The two brothers came to New England in 1638, and settled in Rowley by 1639.

Ellen married (3) on 1 Jun 1686 in Ipswich, to Daniel WARNER Jr. Ellen died, widow of Daniel, on 5 Aug 1689 in Rowley. So they were married about 3 years. It was the 3rd and last marriage for each. Whether Ellen outlived Daniel is unclear.

Daniel WARNER was the son of William WARNER, from Boxstead, Essex, England, a widower who came to New England with his children, Abigail, John and Daniel in 1635, and settled in Ipswich. If they are related to my 9g-grandfather John WARNER, of CT, the connection must be back in England.

Descendants

The 7 children of Eleanor (PELL) (BOYNTON) (JEWETT) WARNER were all from her 1st husband, John BOYNTON.

1 Eleanor PELL b: abt. 1620 in Boston, d: 05 Aug 1689 in Rowley

+ John BOYNTON b: 1614 in Knapton, Yorkshire, England, m: 1 Aug 1645 in Rowley, MA, d: bef. 18 Feb 1670/71 in Rowley, age 55
......2 Capt. Joseph BOYNTON b: 13 May 1644 in Rowley, d: 16 Dec 1730 in Rowley, age 86
...... + Sarah SWAN b: 30 Mar 1644 in Rowley, m: 13 May 1669 in Rowley, d: 27 Feb 1717/18 in Rowley, age 73
...... + Elizabeth WOOD b: 05 Sep 1664 in Rowley, m: 05 Mar 1719/20 in Rowley
......2 Sergt. John BOYNTON b: 17 Sep 1647 in Rowley, d: 22 Dec 1719 in Bradford, age 72
...... + Hannah KEYES m: 08 Mar 1675, d: 11 Apr 1717 in Bradford
...... + Mary m: 19 Feb 1718/19 in Bradford
......2 Sergt. Caleb BOYNTON b: 1649 in Rowley, d: 13 Sep 1708 in Rowley, age 59
...... + Hannah HARRIMAN b: 22 May 1655 in Rowley, m: 21 May 1674, d: 19 Feb 1725/26, age 70
......2 Mercy BOYNTON b: 05 Dec 1651 in Rowley, d: 22 Dec 1730 in Rowley, age 79
...... + Josiah CLARKE m: 14 Dec 1670, d: 27 Sep 1691
...... + Joseph GOODHUE m: 04 Jul 1692 in Ipswich
...... + John HOVEY m: 30 Nov 1712 in Ipswich
......2 Hannah BOYNTON b: 26 Mar 1654 in Rowley, d: Feb 1694 in Ipswich, age 39
...... + Nathaniel WARNER m: 24 Nov 1673 in Ipswich
......2 Sarah BOYNTON b: 19 Apr 1658 in Rowley, d: 14 Dec 1704 in Charlestown, Middlesex (later Suffolk), MA, age 46
...... + Hopewell DAVIS m: 18 Sep 1682 in Charlestown, Middlesex (later Suffolk), MA
......2 Samuel BOYNTON b: 1660 in Rowley
...... + Hannah SWITCHER m: 17 Feb 1686, d: 13 Mar 1717/18 in Rowley

+ Dea. Maximillian JEWETT bapt: 4 Oct 1607 in Bradford, West Riding, Yorkshire, England, m: 30 Aug 1671 in Rowley, d: 19 Oct 1684 in Rowley, age 77

+ Daniel WARNER b: 1618 in England, m: 01 Jun 1686 in Ipswich, d: 09 Sep 1688

1. Capt. Joseph BOYNTON was born 13 May 1644 in Rowley, and died 16 Dec 1730 in Rowley. He married (1) on 13 May 1669 in Rowley, to Sarah SWAN, born 30 Mar 1644 in Rowley, died 27 Feb 1717/18 in Rowley. They had 10 children, in Rowley, and removed to Groton in 1715. When Sarah died in 1718, Joseph returned to Rowley, and married (2) on 05 Mar 1719/20 in Rowley, to Elizabeth WOOD, born 5 Sep 1664 in Rowley.

Capt. Joseph BOYNTON and Sarah SWAN were my 8g-grandparents. See the Joseph BOYNTON page.

2. Sergt. John BOYNTON was born 17 Sep 1647 in Rowley, and died 22 Dec 1719 in Bradford. He married (1) on 8 Mar 1675, to Hannah KEYES, who died 11 Apr 1717 in Bradford. John and Hannah had 2 children in Rowley, and 2 more in Bradford.

John sold the homestead that was his father’s, to Andrew STICKNEY, on 23 Oct 1678, and moved to Bradford, which had been formed in 1672, from the northwest part of Rowley. He was a husbandman and weaver by trade. He was called Sergt. in [BF, p. 47].

He married (2) on 19 Feb 1718/19 in Bradford, to Mary, widow of Simon WAINWRIGHT. John died after 10 months of marriage, and his widow Mary remarried on 30 Oct 1727 to Joshua BOYNTON, a 1st cousin of John. [GBB, p. 27]

1 Sergt. John BOYNTON b: 17 Sep 1647 in Rowley, d: 22 Dec 1719 in Bradford, age 72

+ Hannah KEYES b: 12 Sep 1654 in Newbury, m: 08 Mar 1675 in Rowley, d: 11 Apr 1717 in Bradford, age 62
......2 Ichabod BOYNTON b: 19 Apr 1676 in Rowley, will proved 08 May 1758, age 82 or less
...... + Elizabeth HASELTINE/HAZELTINE b: 28 Oct 1683 in Bradford, m: 18 Feb 1706, d: Apr 1758, age 74
......2 Jane BOYNTON b: 09 Aug 1678 in Rowley
......2 Hannah BOYNTON b: 17 Feb 1682/83 in Bradford
...... + Joseph BARNES m: 08 Dec 1712
......2 Zachariah BOYNTON b: 16 Feb 1688/89 in Bradford
...... + Mary BOYNTON b: 21 Jan 1692/93 in Ipswich, m: 19 Feb 1718/19

+ Mary m: 19 Feb 1718/19 in Bradford

Ichabod BOYNTON was a Selectman in Bradford, 1711, and a school teacher in 1713 and 1714. [BF, p. 56]

Zachariah BOYNTON married his 2nd cousin, Mary BOYNTON, daughter of Caleb BOYNTON, who was a son of William and Elizabeth. "The great earthquake of 1727 was the occasion of their conversion, and they united with the Bradford chh., Jan. 7, 1728. They res. in Bradford until their removal to No. 4 in 1746" [BF, p. 57]

3. Sergt. Caleb BOYNTON was born about 1649 in Rowley, and died 13 Sep 1708 in Rowley. He married on 21 May 1674 to Hannah HARRIMAN, born 22 May 1655 in Rowley, died 19 Feb 1725/26. [GBB. pp. 27-8]

Hannah was the daughter of Leonard and Margaret HARRIMAN, of Rowley. [BF, p. 48]

Like his brother, Caleb was called Sergt. He was a blacksmith, and a "worthy man," according to Rowley church records. [BF, p. 48]

1 Sergt. Caleb BOYNTON b: 1649 in Rowley, d: 13 Sep 1708 in Rowley, age 59
+ Hannah HARRIMAN b: 22 May 1655 in Rowley, m: 21 May 1674, d: 19 Feb 1725/26, age 70
......2 Hannah BOYNTON b: 05 Sep 1675 in Rowley, d: bef. 1706, age 30 or less
......2 Margaret BOYNTON b: 23 Sep 1677 in Rowley, d: 22 Apr 1735 in Rowley, age 57
...... + John CHAPLIN b: 26 Oct 1674 in Rowley, m: 09 Apr 1701, d: 24 Jan 1767 in Rowley, age 92
......2 Ruth BOYNTON b: 02 Jan 1681/82 in Rowley
...... + Judah CLARKE b: 07 Feb 1681/82 in Rowley, m: 01 Feb 1714/15
......2 Jeremiah BOYNTON b: 08 Jan 1685/86 in Rowley, d: 01 Jun 1709 in Rowley, age 23
......2 Ebenezer BOYNTON b: 17 May 1688 in Rowley
...... + Sarah WHEELER b: 04 Jul 1692 in Newbury

Hannah BOYNTON, daughter of Caleb and Hannah, was not mentioned in her father's will, dated 17 May 1706, so she probably died before that date. [GBB. p. 27]

Margaret BOYNTON married John CHAPLIN, and they had 8 children, in Rowley. On 22 Apr 1735 in Rowley, she died “suddenly, she was distracted for many years". [GBB. p. 65]

Ruth BOYNTON married Judah CLARK/CLARKE, as his second wife. His first wife was Hannah KILBOURN. Judah had 4 children by each wife. Ruth and Judah and family removed to Lexington, Middlesex, MA. [GBB, p. 78]

Jeremiah BOYNTON died at age 23, unmarried. [GBB. p. 28]

Ebenezer BOYNTON's wife or wives are in dispute.

According to [GBB], Ebenezer married Sarah WHEELER, daughter of Nathan WHEELER. They had 6 children in Rowley, and moved to Weston, Middlesex County, between 1724 and 1726. Ebenezer was a blacksmith. [GBB, p. 30] Sarah's birth was 4 Jul 1692 in Newbury. [GBB, p. 405]

According to [BF], Ebenezer married (1) Sarah GROUT, daughter of Caleb GROUT. They lived in Byfield Parish, Rowley, until 1726, when they removed to Weston. They had 6 children in Rowley, the same 6 named in [GBB], so Sarah GROUT is Sarah WHEELER. But Sarah GROUT died in Weston, Feb 1727/28, and Ebenezer married (2) on 7 Jun 1728 in Weston, to Abigail CHADWICK, and they went to Waltham in 1735, Hopkinton in 1737, Waltham in 1744, Mendon in 1746, and he died 16 Sep 1761 in Milford. [BF, p. 57]

4. Mercy BOYNTON was born 5 Dec 1651 in Rowley, and died 22 Dec 1730 in Rowley, age 79. She married 3 times. [GBB, p. 26]

She married (1) on 14 Dec 1670, to Josiah CLARKE, who died 27 Sep 1691, after more than 20 years of marriage.

She married (2) on 4 Jul 1692 in Ipswich, to Joseph GOODHUE, born about 1639 in Ipswich, and died 2 Sep 1697 in Ipswich. "At the time of his death he was Moderator, Selectman, Assessor, and Representative to the Gen. Court, and also Deacon of the First Church." They had one son. [JEG, pp. 11-2]

She married (3) on 30 Nov 1712 in Ipswich, to John HOVEY.

5. Hannah BOYNTON was born 26 Mar 1654 in Rowley, and died Feb 1694 in Ipswich. She married on 24 Nov 1673 in Ipswich, to Nathaniel WARNER, who was born about 1646 in Ipswich, and died on 29 Apr 1684 in Ipswich. She was 19 and he was about 27 when they married. They lived in Ipswich and had 5 children. No one in this family lived to old age, except possibly the youngest.

Nathaniel was the son of John WARNER and Priscilla SYMONDS, and nephew of Daniel WARNER, who was the 3rd wife of Hannah's mother, Eleanor. In other words, Hannah's step-father and her father-in-law were brothers.

1 Nathaniel WARNER b: 1646 in Ipswich, d: 29 Apr 1684 in Ipswich, age 37
+ Hannah BOYNTON b: 26 Mar 1654 in Rowley, m: 24 Nov 1673 in Ipswich, d: Feb 1694 in Ipswich, age 39
......2 Nathaniel WARNER Jr b: 28 Mar 1676, d: 08 Dec 1697, age 21
......2 Daniel WARNER b: 11 Jan 1678, d: 02 Aug 1686, age 8; killed by a horse
......2 John WARNER b: 12 Oct 1679, d: 19 Nov 1679, age 1 month
......2 Hannah WARNER b: 13 Feb 1681, died young
......2 Hannah WARNER b: 28 Aug 1684
...... + Ephraim FELLOWS m: 19 May 1703

6. Sarah BOYNTON was born 19 Apr 1658 in Rowley, and died 14 Dec 1704 in Charlestown, Middlesex (later Suffolk), MA. She married on 18 Sep 1682 in Charlestown, to Hopewell DAVIS.

7. Samuel BOYNTON was born about 1660 in Rowley. He married on 17 Feb 1686, to Hannah SWITCHER, who died on 13 Mar 1717/18 in Rowley.

They had 14 children, in Rowley. He was a wheelwright. In 1717 he sold his land in Rowley, and removed to Groton, Middlesex, MA. It's not clear whether Hannah moved to Groton and back, before she died. [BF, p. 49]

1 Samuel BOYNTON b: 1660 in Rowley
+ Hannah SWITCHER m: 17 Feb 1686, d: 13 Mar 1717/18 in Rowley
......2 Samuel BOYNTON b: 23 Nov 1687 in Rowley, d: 08 Mar 1687/88 in Rowley
......2 Samuel BOYNTON b: 24 Feb 1688/89 in Rowley, d: 15 May 1689 in Rowley
......2 Ellen BOYNTON b: 15 Mar 1689/90 in Rowley
...... + Daniel PIERCE m: 09 Dec 1719 in Groton, Middlesex, MA
......2 Daniel BOYNTON b: 26 May 1692 in Rowley
...... + Jemimah BROWN m: 01 Mar 1721
......2 Samuel BOYNTON b: 19 Sep 1694 in Rowley, d: 31 Dec 1711 in Rowley; froze to death
......2 Eleazer BOYNTON b: 15 Nov 1696 in Rowley
......2 Isaac BOYNTON b: 11 Apr 1699 in Rowley
...... + Elizabeth
......2 Stephen BOYNTON b: 14 Jul 1701 in Rowley, d: 1756 in Groton, Middlesex, MA
......2 Moses BOYNTON b: 15 Nov 1703 in Rowley, d: 07 Dec 1706 in Rowley
......2 Abraham BOYNTON b: 15 Nov 1703 in Rowley, d: May 1706 in Rowley
......2 Abraham BOYNTON bapt: 24 Nov 1706 in Rowley, d: 01 Dec 1706 in Rowley
......2 Hannah BOYNTON b: 05 Dec 1707 in Rowley
...... + Nathan WHIPPLE m: 07 May 1730
......2 Abraham BOYNTON bapt: 30 Oct 1709 in Rowley
...... + Esther LAKIN
......2 Sarah BOYNTON bapt: 11 Jul 1713 in Rowley

Samuel and Hannah tried 3 times with the name Abraham, although [BF, p. 49] omits the 2nd, and has Moses as a twin of the 1st. The 3 brothers all died in 1706, probably in an epidemic.

Stephen BOYNTON appears on the Muster Roll of Capt. Josiah WILLARD's Company, from 8 Jun to 10 Nov 1725. [BF, p. 59] He died in Groton, 1756, probably unmarried, as his will doesn't mention a wife or children. [GBB, p. 28]

Sources

[AA] American ancestry: : giving the name and descent, in the male line of Americans whose ancesters settled in the United States previous to... 1776.. by Thomas Patrick Hughes and Frank Munsell, Vol XI

[1830] 1830 Map of Rowley, 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

[DWED] Daniel Warner and Elizabeth Dane, on An American Family History

[GBB] Early settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts : a genealogical record of the families who settled in Rowley before 1700, with several generations of their descendants (1933) by George B. Blodgette

[GMB] The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins (requires Ancestry license)

[JEG] History and genealogy of the Goodhue family: in England and America to the year 1890, by Jonathan Elbridge Goodhue (1891)

[KF] History of the Kimball Family in America (1897) by Leonard Allison Morrison and Stephen Paschall Sharples

[SGD] The history and antiquities of Boston (1856) by Samuel Gardner Drake

[TB] BOYNTON, Thomas (1523-82), of Acklam and Barmston, Yorks. on the History of Parliament website

[TF] The Tenney Family, or, The descendants of Thomas Tenney of Rowley, Massachusetts, 1638-1904, revised with partial records of Prof. Jonathan Tenney (1904) by Martha Jane Tenney and Jonathan Tenney

[WSB] Ancestry of William Seaman Bainbridge (1950) by Louis Effingham De Forest

Updated 23 Aug 2022 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.