Born: 7 February, 1680 in Scituate Massachusetts
Died: 1 May, 1750 in Scituate Massachusetts
Nicholas Litchfield, son of Josiah, grandson of Lawrencce, was born in Sciutate on Feb 7, 1680, and was baptized a year later on Oct. 16, 1681.
He was a most prominent citizen of Scituate and one of the wealthiest men in the town and county, and as such he was active in all the business, civil and religious life within the community. He was honored with many positions of trust and responsibility as reflected in the records of the Church, town and county show. His chosen profession at that time was as a "cordwainer" [shoemaker], but he remained active in the purchase and sale of real estate. His real estate dealings greatly increased his wealth. He was a Conihasset Partner, both in his own right and that of his father Josiah.
These land deals began in 1699 when Nicholas was nineteen years of age and continued throughout his life. As stated above, he was active within the community and the Church and he was elected to represent his native town in the General Court from the May 1738 session to the close of the session of 1741-2 when he was succeeded by Thomas Clap. The "Journal of The House of Representatives of Massachusetts Bay Colony", may be consulted in the State Archives in Boston. At the beginning of each session's records is the list of members composing the General Court. His name always occurs as, "Mr. Nicholas Litchfield." These records show his votes on diverse topics respective bills of Credit and other financial dealings within the Colony. There is no record of him having served on any special committees.
Nicholas Litchfield, having had much experience in the sale and purchase of land was a natural choice as an assessor, and was so elected in April of 1717, in the Pastorate of Rev. Nathaniel Pitcher. In 1724 his business acumen was again put to good use when he was elected society pulpit supply agent following the death of Rev. Pitcher. In 1726 he was on the committee to repair the patronage and the committee to audit the treasurers accounts. Nicholas Litchfield became treasurer Mar 17, 1729 until 1732.
When a new meeting house needed to be built in 1730, Nicholas Litchfield served on the committee. On Feb 9, that same year Nicholas gifted to the North Society a one acre parcel of land for the construction of a new meeting house. Nicholas continued to serve on various committees, hold various positions and provide other services to the Church until his death May 1, 1750, 100 years following the death of his grandfather Lawrence.
Upon his death, he was buried near his brother, Josiah in the First Parish burying ground. His marker was simple and was inscribed:
"Here lyes the body of Mr. Nicholas Lechfield who died May the 1st 1750, in the 70 year of his age."
Nicholas Litchfield was as careful in the preparation of his will as he was in all of his other business, spelling out with great detail how his property and holdings should be divided. While I have not found an itemized appraisal of his estate, the information contained in the four pages of his will might be used to approximate his worth at the time of his passing. In cash he dispensed in excess of 3000 pounds. In stocks, bonds and other instruments, another estimated 8000 pounds. His land and houses, livestock and other belongings would have been valued in the range of 3000-4000 pounds. Such would have made Nicholas Litchfield among the wealthiest of the inhabitants not only of Scituate but of all the New England Colonies. For a full transcript of his will I would refer you to "The Litchfield Family in America" pp. 92 - 95.
Spouse(s)
Bathsheba Clark
Experience b. 20 Nov 1705 d. 6 Jan 1706
Josiah b. 20 Dec 1706 d. 1 Aug 1787. Married Susanna Morey 4 Jul 1732. Children; Lot b. 23 Apr 1733 d. 1755; James b. 12 Nov 1733 d. 5 Apr 1812; Jonah b. 30 Aug 1736; Josiah b. 30 Aug 1736 d. 1 Aug 1787; Nicholas b. 8 Jan 1737 d. 1783; Susanna b. 4 Mar 1740 d. 31 Oct 1826; Daniel b. 21 Mar 1742 d. 26 Oct 1820; Sarah b. 14 Feb 1743 d. 6 Jun 1810; Penelope b. 17 Feb 1746 d. 22 Oct 1825; Bathsheba b. 9 Apr 1749 d. 23 Jan 1783; Jacob b. 13 Mar 1750 d. 19 Feb 1825; Isreal b. Jul 1753 d. 15 Jan 1840.
Nicholas b. 10 Mar 1708 d. 1780. Married Sarah Studley.
Bathsheba b. 8 May 1709.
James b. 12 Jun 1711 d. 1734. Married Ruth Tilden.
John b. 1712 d. 20 Jan 1785. Married Lucy Cady.
Israel b. 1714. Married Penelopah Burden and Phebe Holt.
Eleazer b. 1715. Married Desire White.
Susanna b. 1717 d. 13 Nov 1756. Married Job Clap
Thomas b. 1721 d. 5 Mar 1803
Isaac b. 1719 d. 11 Dec 1800
The following is the lengthy oath which was administered to him as a member of the General Court:
"I, Nicholas Litchfield, Do sincerely Promise and Swear, that I will be faithfull, and bear true Allegiance to His Majesty King George the second. - So help me God.
I, Nicholas Litchfield, do sear, that I do from my Heart abhor, detest, & abjure as Impious & Heretical that Damnable Doctrine & position, that Princes excommunicated of deprived of the Pope, or any Authority of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects, or any other whatsoever; & I do declare that no foreign prince, Person, prelate, or Potentate hath or ought to have, any Jurisdiction, power, Superiority Pre-emminence or Authorty, Exclesiastical or Spiritual within the Realm of Great Britain. - So help me God.
I, Nicholas Litchfield Do Solemnly & Sincerely i the Presencce of God, profess, Testify, & Declare, that I do believe that in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper there is not any Transubstantiation of the Elements of Bread & Wine, into the Body and Blood of Christ, at or after the Consecration thereof by any person whatsoever: And thaat the Invocation or Adoration of the Virgin Mary, or any other Saint, & the Sacrifice of the Mass, as they are now used by the Church of Rome are Superstitious & Idolatrous; I do solemnly in the Presence of God profess, testify & declare, that I do make this Declaration & every part thereof, in the Plain and ordinary Sense of the Words read unto me as they are commonly understood by English Protestants, without any Evasion, Equivocation or mental Reservation whatsoever, and without any Dispensation already granted me for this Purpose by the Pope or any Authority or person whatsoever or without thinking that I am or can be acquitted before God or Man or absolved of this Declaration or any Part thereof altho the Pope or any other Person or Persons whatsoever should dispence with or annul the same, or declare that it was null & void from the beginning.
I Nicholas Litchfield to truly & sincerely Acknowledge, Profess, Testify and Declare in my Conscience before God & the World that Our Sovereign Lord King George the Second is lawfull & rightfull King of this Realm, & all other his Majestys Dominions & Countries thereunto belonging, & I do solemnly & sincerely declare that I do believe in my Conscience that the Person pretended to be the Prince of Wales during the Life of the late King James, and since his Decease pretending to be & taking upon himself the Stile & Title of King of England by the name of James the third or of Scotland by the name of James the Eighth, or the Stile & Title of King of Great Britain, hath not any Right or Title whatsoever to the Crown of this Realm or any other the Dominion thereto belonging. And I do renounce Refuse & Abjure any Allegiance to His Majesty King George the Second & him will defend to the utmost of my Power against all traiterous Conspiracies & Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his Person, Crown or Dignity; And I will do my utmost Endeavor to disclose & make known to His Majesty & his Successors, all Treasons & Traiterous Conspiracies which I shall know to be against him or any of them; And I do faithfully promise to the utmost of my Power to support, maintain & defend the Succession of the Crown against him, the said James ad all other Persons whatsoever; which Succession by and Act entitled an Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, is and stands limited to the Princess Sophia Electress & Duchess Dowager of Hanover, & the Heirs of her Body being Protestants. And all these things I do plainly & sincerely acknowledge & Swear, according to these Express words by me Spoken & according to the plain & common Sence of the same Words without any Equivocation metal Evasion or Secret Reservation whatsoever. And I do make this Recognition, Acknowledgement, Abjuration, & promise, heartily, Willingly & truly upon the true Faith of Christian. - So help me god.
DEED OF NICHOLAS LITCHFIELD TO FIRST PARISH, SCITUATE
Mch 16, 1730-1, Nicholas Litchfield, Scituate, to "the first Church and Society in Scituate it being the Northeerly Princint in said Scituate," for 3 pounds, "a certain Piece or Parcel of Land containing one Acre* ro set their Meeting House on for the publick worship ofGod, Bounded, Beginning at a Stake and Heap of Stones in Conihasset in Scituate the breadth of the high way southerly from Nathaniel Tilden's Southeasterly Corner. Thence running with said way ten Rods westerly to a Heap of Stones Thence running south & by West Seventeen Rods to the Road that goeth from James Cudworths to Benjamin Balches and with said Road Easterly ten Rods, Thence running North & by East to the Country Road that Goeth by John Otis's, Then with that Road to the first-mentioned Corner,- which said acre of Lany lyes in the North East Corner of that lot of Land formerly laid out for a Parsonage Lot, And Since exchanged with the Town of Scituate for other Lands,"
*This acre of land is included partly between the present Willows and Branch streets, between Scituate Centre and Scituate Harbor.