Ephraim Hix (1687 - 1765)

Born 1687 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Kingsley) Hix — married 10 Feb 1709 in Swansea, Bristol, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 21 Oct 1765 at about age 78 in Richmond, Cheshire, New Hampshire

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Biography

Birth Date and Place

• 1685
• Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America

Parents

• Ephraim Hix

Marriages

Ephraim Hix married four times:

• Sarah (Kingsley) Hix, m in Rehoboth, Massachusetts 10 February 1708 [maybe should be 1709?]^[1][2][3] Marriage intention date: 18 Dec 1708.
• Johanna Luther, m in Swansea 1728^[4][5][6] She died sometime after Mar 1731/2 when she signed a deed with Ephraim (BCM Deed 21:121) deeding her inherited property to her brother Daniel.
• Eunice ______, m 1733; There appear to have been several children of this marriage, although none were recorded in the Rehoboth vital records. NOTE: The record of his (Ephraim's) third marriage has not been found, but Eunice _____ died Feb 25, 1748/9 at Rehoboth as the wife of "Deacon Ephraim Hix".^{[citation needed]} Mr. Gayle Hix feels she was Eunice Ludden, daughter of Benjamin and Eunice (Holbrook) Ludden, b Nov 9, 1689 at Weymouth, MA. but she would have been over 44 when Ephtaim's wife Eunice was having children, AND Eunice Ludden was married to someone else at the same time. ^[7]
• Ann Pierce Hicks, 1725–1798; m 1749^[8][9] Mr. Gayle Hix feels she was the daughter of Richard Pearce and Susannah Lawton, b. Sept 21, 1725 in Bristol. RI. However the Pearce Genealogy claims that Ann to have married Col. Nathaniel Carey of Bristol. There appear to have been several children of this marriage also.

Children

By his first wife:

• Benjamin Hicks, 1708-1798
• Ephraim Hicks II 1708–1713
• Samuel Hicks 1709–
• James Hicks 1711–
• Elder John Hicks Rev., 1712-1799
• Ephraim Hicks, 1714
• Barnard Hicks, 1719 -1797
• Alethea Hicks Kelton,1723/24

No documented children by second wife.

Children by third wife, Eunice:

• Moses Hix b: 28 NOV 1734 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts
• Mary Hix b: ABT 1736
• Amos Hix b: ABT 1738 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts
• Peleg Hix b: BET 1736 AND 1740 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts

Children by fourth wife Ann:

• David Hix b: ABT 1750 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts
• Oliver Hix b: ABT 1752 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts
• Thomas Hix b: ABT 1754 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts
• Samuel Hix b: ABT 1756 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts

"The probable identification of the various children of Ephraim by his 3rd wife, Eunice, and 4th wife, Ann Pearce and their probable birth dates as given in this file are made by Mr. Gayle Hix based on his deeds research in New Hampshire and elsewhere, and various later records of these descendants, etc. The bulk of the "NH Hicks" in Richmond, NH seem to be his children by these later marriages."^[10]

Property

From Hodge, p 17:

"This Ephraim is called "junior" in deeds before 1746. That he was "Deacon Ephraim Hix" is clear from the 1759 and 1765 tax lists of Rehoboth, where he and son Barnard are taxed as one unit, since Ephraim had sold Barnard part of his house as well as some land (BCM Deed 48:418). In addition, the death record of his third wife also designates him as "Deacon Hix". The date of Ephraim's ordination as deacon is unknown, but he was probably a member of the Baptist Church, as his son John and two of his grandsons were Baptist ministers. Most, if not all, of the Hicks familes of Rehoboth were Baptists."

"This Ephraim 4 could sign his name, which helps to distinguish his records from those of his father, Ephraim 3, who signed by mark, and also those of his son, Ephraim 5, who also signed by mark. Grandson Ephraim 6 could write his name.

"The following are his Bristol County, MA Probate and Deed records:

---May 2, 1717 - (BCM Deed 16:433) Given - Ephraim Hix, Jr was deeded 50 acres at Rehoboth "for love" by his father, Ephraim Hix (thus proving his parentage).

---Feb 26, 1733/4 - (BCM Probate 8:67 & 68) Ephraim Hix, Jr of Rehoboth chosen as guardian by Mary Hix, above the age of 14, daughter of James Hix, deceased (his brother). On the same day he was also appointed guardian of Lois & Freelove Hicks, underage, also daughters of James Hix. (These children obviously his nieces)

---Nov 10, 1727- (BCM Deed 26:95) Bought - Ephraim Hix, Jr of Rehoboth, yeoman, for L 70, to Seth Garnsey of same, husbandsman, 20 acres near Rocky River and Manwhague Swamp.

---Dec 29, 1734 - (BCM Deed 30:434) Sold - Ephraim Hix, Jr of Rehoboth, yeoman to Samuel Bullock, Jr of Rehoboth, yeoman, for L 25, a piece of saltmarsh or meadow 3 acres, on west side of New Meadows River of Barrington. Deed acknowledged by said Ephraim on Mar 18, 1741/2.

---Mar 5, 1733/4 - (BCM Deed 48:417) Bought -

Death Date and Place

Gayle Hicks, who visited the property in the 1970s, believes that the graves of Ephraim and Ann are probably marked by the two large fieldstones in the small family burial plot located about 100 feet southeast of where the original house stood in Richmond, NH.

Sources

1. ↑ Swansea Vital Records, V1, Page 175: "Ephraim Hix and Sarah Kingsley were married february ye 10:1708"
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCDM-7NT : 4 December 2014), Ephraim Hix and Sarah Kingsley, 10 Feb 1708; citing reference ; FHL microfilm 0903395 IT 1-8.
3. ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). See: https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/i/14010/460/253488643.
4. ↑ Swansea VR, vol 1, p 176: "Ephrim Hix and Johannah Luther was married August the :28:1728"
5. ↑ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850. See: http://ancstry.me/2AZLHGr.
6. ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). See: https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/i/13932/176/251746725
7. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/collaborate/LX1V-7L6
8. ↑ Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film # 0562559.
9. ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). See: https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/i/14010/461/253488655
10. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/collaborate/LX1V-7L6