William Haskell (bef. 1618 - 1693)

Born before 8 Nov 1618 in Charlton Musgrove, Somerset, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Tybbott) Haskell — married 6 Nov 1643 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 20 Aug 1693 after age 74 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

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William Haskell migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Captain William Haskell (aka Hascoll or Haskall), son of William Haskell and Elinor Foule, was baptized 8 Nov 1618 in Charlton Musgrove, Somerset, England.^[1][2][3][4] His birthplace may have been Wincanton, Somerset, but no evidence has been found to substantiate that claim.

Haskell family tradition says that William and family sailed from Bristol, England, probably in the spring of 1635, arrived in Salem and settled across the North River in the Basse River section (Cape Ann side, now Beverly) of Salem, Massachusetts by 1636.^[5][6] He emigrated with his brother and sister, Roger and Joan, his step-father and mother, John and Elinor Stone, and probably two sons from John Stone's first marriage, John and Nathaniel.^[3][4][7]

William lived with (or near) his mother and step-father in Cape Ann/Beverly at least until the time of his marriage and possibly periodically after his marriage. The births of his first two and last three children are listed in the Gloucester Vital Records, while the three born between 1646 and 1658 are not recorded and dates of birth have been approximated from their ages at later depositions.^[1] The date and place of birth of one of their children, Mary, has not been determined.^[5]

William married Mary Tybbot (aka Tybbott, Tybott, Tibbetts), daughter of Walter Tybbott and Mary Unknown, on 6 Nov 1643^[8] in Gloucester, Massachusetts,^[1][4][5][9] or on 16 Nov 1643^[6][2] in Salem, Massachusetts.^[3] It is possible that they were married in a civil ceremony performed by a magistrate in Salem, Massachusetts, but the marriage was recorded in the Vital Records of Gloucester.^[7]

William and Mary had the following children:^[4][5][6]

• William, b.26 Aug 1644 in Gloucester, d.5 Jun 1708, m.Mary Browne 1667;
• Joseph, b.2 Jun 1646 in Gloucester, d.12 Nov 1727, m.Mary Graves 1674;
• Benjamin, b. abt. 1648, d.25 May 1741, m.Mary Riggs 1677;
• John, b. abt. 1649, d.2 Feb 1718, m.Mary Baker 1685;
• Ruth, b. abt. 1654, d.26 Nov 1714, m.Nehemiah Grover 1673/4;
• Mark, b.8 Apr 1658, d.8 Sep 1691, m.Elizabeth Giddings 1685;
• Sarah, b.28 Jun 1660 in Gloucester, d.4 Mar 1692, m.Edward Harraden 1684;
• Elinor, b.28 May 1663 in Gloucester, d. after 1733, m.Jacob Griggs 1685;
• Mary, unknown DOB, d.13 Feb 1737, m.Edward Dodge 1673. She was likely their first-born daughter, born about 1651,^[3] but she could be a twin, as some show her DOB 28 Jun 1660 (the same as her sister, Sarah), or perhaps she was baptized in 1660. No records have been found to prove or disprove.

William is first found in Gloucester in 1643, when his marriage was recorded.^[9] It is possible, even likely, that he spent the summer of 1643 laying out a farm and building a house on land that was recorded in 1645 as being on "Planter's Neck" (now Annisquam).^[10] It is also likely that William and Mary resided on the Planter's Neck property from the time of their marriage in 1643 until they ran out of timber on their Planter Neck property, possibly about 1655.^[7] Although he had owned land and resided there for several years, William does not appear in Gloucester records again until 1656, when he purchased from Richard Window a 10 acre lot of upland with a house and barn located on the westerly side of Walker's Creek, along with [8-]10 acres of salt marsh.^[5][6] This property had been granted to joiner, Richard Window, before 1651 and purchased by William Haskell in 1656, but the purchase was not recorded in Gloucester records until 16 Jun 1663.^[1][7] This William Haskell house still exists, although greatly altered, on Lincoln Road in West Gloucester, Massachusetts.

In the seven years after the purchase of the Walker's Creek property, William made twelve additional purchases of land nearby, totaling 36 acres, mostly consisting of salt marsh.^[3][7]

William was a farmer who may also have engaged in some fishing. He was active in public affairs, including service as a deputy representing Gloucester at the General Court of Massachusetts between 1672 and 1685^[2][11] and again in 1692, he also served as a juror several times and as a Selectman four times between 1672 and 1688.^[1][4][5]

William appeared at the court at Ipswich in 1678 as "Sergeant Haskell", returning a list of men who had taken the Oath of Fidelity.^[1] On 16 Mar 1680/81 the General Court appointed William as lieutenant of the "trayned band" or "train band" and he later became its Captain.^[5] He was one of the first two known deacons of the first church at Gloucester, the date he was made a deacon is unknown,^[5][6] but it is known that he was a member of the church from 1659 until his death.^[1]

Because William was a Deacon of a church and had held public office, it is surprising that William's name does not appear on the Lists of Freemen in Massachusetts, 1630-1691.^[1]

In 1679, William was appointed guardian of his nephew Samuel Haskell, son of his brother, Roger, deceased.^[5] In Feb 1681, William Haskell joined with several others in a petition to the King clear the title of certain New England lands from the claims of Robert Mason.^[2][12] In 1688, during one of his terms as Selectman, William was one of 6 Gloucester town officers who refused to assess the taxes levied upon them by Governor Sir Edmund Andros and the Council of New England. The Superior Court at Salem fined each selectman 40 shillings, with £3 1 sh. added as fees.^[1][5][6]

William died on 20 Aug 1693 in Gloucester, Massachusetts,^[1][3][9][2] just four days after the death of his wife, Mary.^[10]

William Haskell signed his will on 5 July 1692 and it was probated 4 Sep 1693.^[6] He named his sons, Joseph and Benjamin, and his grandsons, Mark and William [sons of his deceased son Mark] as his executors. The will was signed by William/his mark with Timothy Day, John Riggs, and John Butman serving as witnesses, and made bequests to the following people:^[1][4][8]

• His wife, Mary (who died between the date William wrote his will and the date it was proved);
• Sons: William Jr. (eldest), Joseph, Benjamin, John (and Mark, deceased);
• Daughters: Ruth Grover, Mary Dodge, Eleanor Griggs, and the heirs of his deceased daughter, Sarah Harraden;
• Grandsons: Mark and William, sons of his deceased son, Mark, along with their mother, Elizabeth.

An inventory of William's estate's was taken 25 Sep 1693 by Thomas Riggs Sr. and William Goodhew and totaled £ 548: 12s,^[5][6][10] including £457: 20s in real estate.^[1][4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} "The English Background and First Generation." Haskell Journal, Issue 32, Vol. 8, #4, (Summer/Fall 1992) p.527-529. Note: source also quoted in HFA #24.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Haskell, Ira J., "Chronicles of the Haskell Family," Lynn MA: Ellis Printing Co., 1943. Accessed online 15 Jul 2018 at HathiTrust. Pages 4(bap.), 172-176.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Haskell Family Database. Online database accessed 18 Mar 2018. Research by Susan Haskell.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6} "Haskell Family in North America - Descendants of William Haskell and Elinor Foule." Online tree maintained by the Haskell Family Association, accessed 18 Mar 2018: profile HFA #24.
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10} Ferris, Mary Walton, “Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines: A Memorial Volume Containing the American Ancestry of Rufus R. Dawes.” Accessed at HathiTrust. Pgs. 351-352.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7} Haskell, Ulysses G., "A Short Account of the Descendants of William Haskell of Gloucester MA" from the Historical Collections of the Essex Institute, vol. 32,1896. Accessed online at Ancestry.com. Page 3-5 (135-137).
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4} Williams, Howard V., "Richard Window, William Haskell and Subsequent Owners of a 1651 Grant of Land in the Walker Creek Valley, of West Gloucester, Massachusetts." Haskell Journal, Issue 34, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Spring 1993) Page 558-576. Source quoted in HFA #24.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Babson, John James, "Notes and Additions to the History of Gloucester: Part First, Early Settlers, Volume 1." M.V.B. Perley; 1876, p.35-36. Accessed online 10 Jul 2018 on GoogleBooks.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} Topsfield Historical Society, Vital Records of Gloucester, Massachusetts to The End Of The Year 1849 (Topsfield, MA: The Topsfield Historical Society, 1917) Marriages Vol. 2, p. 265 "Hascall, Will[iam], and Marie Tybb[ot, T.C.], d.Wa[l]ter, Nov. 6, 1643."; Deaths Vol. 3, p.162 "Haskall, William, Capt., Aug. 20, 1693"]
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Babson, John J. "History of the Town of Gloucester, Cape Ann, Including the Town of Rockport." Procter Bros.: Gloucester MA, 1860. p.99.
11. ↑ Savage, James. "Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England." Boston, 1860-1862.
12. ↑ Bullard, Edgar J. and Pritchard, Gail Wheeler. "Bullard and Allied Families. Part Two - Newton Lines, the American Ancestors of George Newton Bullard and Mary Elizabeth Bullard." Detroit MI, 1930. Page 208.

See Also

• "Americana Illustrated" (American Historical Magazine). The American Historical Society, Inc.: New York. Vol. XXI, No.3.
• Find A Grave, database and images: accessed 14 July 2018, Capt William Haskall (8 Nov 1618–20 Aug 1693), Memorial #67381125; Maintained by Nareen, et al (contributor 46613568). Unsourced.
• "Ancestry of Bob and Mary Beth Wheeler. Online tree w/sources on RootsWeb.
• Perley, "History of Salem, Massachusetts," 1924.
• William Haskell. Unsourced note on Ancestry.com.
• Lt. William Haskell. Unsourced note on Ancestry.com.