Ephraim Hildreth (abt. 1654 - 1731)

Born about 1654 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Dorothy Barnes — married 11 Jun 1685 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Anna Moore — married 8 Oct 1686 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 5 Apr 1731 at about age 77 in Chelmsford, Middlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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This profile is part of the Hildreth Name Study.

Biography

Note: The first mention of Ephraim Hildreth is his appointment as Viewer of Fences in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. in 1673.

Ephraim Hildreth probably went to Stow, Massachusetts about 1675, when he is on record as a private under Major Willard in a troop of horse rushing from Lancaster 30 miles through woods and swamps to Brookfield, Massachusetts, rescuing there the inhabitants found huddled in the one surviving house - a fortified one - all the other houses having been burned by the Indians. For this service, he was paid 2 pounds, 7 shillings.

In a sketch of Stow, there were 12 allotments of land made in the Stow plantation. Lot No. 1 was set apart for the first minister, and the other 11 were taken in 1678 or 1679 and were assigned to Ephraim Hildreth, Thomas Stevens and others. In 1680, he made an agreement with John Haywood of Boston to have a lot of land secured for him in the Stow plantation, and in 1681 he is the recorded owner of Lot No. 5. When the Stow lots were drawn, it was assumed he came from Concord. Why he first settled in Stow is not known, possibly his interest there may have come through his father, for whom 150 acres of land had been allowed by the General Court in 1669. On the town records of Stow in 1685 he is named one of the "ancient planters" and is granted a license to keep a house of entertainment, or "ordinary" (ie, to be an innkeeper), and in 1686 this license was renewed.

About this time his father deeded him eight parcels of land in Chelmsford and in the same month made his will naming Ephraim as his executor.

Ephraim Hildreth was twice married. He married (1) Dorothy Barnes, daughter of Thomas and Abigail Barnes of Marlboro, Massachusetts, at Stow on 11 June 1685. They had one child, Ephraim, who died soon after birth. Dorothy died 17 June 1686, probably due to complications of childbirth.

Ephraim married (2) Anna Moore, daughter of John and Anne (Smith) Moore of Lancaster and Sudbury, Massachusetts. They were married at Stow by William Brunsmead, minister of Marlboro.

In 1687 he moved back to Chelmsford to help his father and was deeded the Chelmsford land mentioned in the information above. He served as Surveyor of Highways in Chelmsford in 1688 and 1690; other public service included the charge of "Benj. Haywood's garrison" in the West Regiment of Middlesex in 1691/2, Tythingman in 1693, and Selectman in 1694 - 99, 1701, 1703, 1706, 1709 -11, 1719, 1721 - 22.

He served on various juries during his life and on 17 Jul 1695 was named guardian of the 14 year old son of his brother Lieutenant James Hildreth. In 1705-7 he served as Chairman of Town Committee for laying out roads and is listed on several tax lists and petitions.

Ephraim was on a committee in 1710 to finish the new meetinghouse, and on 1712 was on a committee to seat the meetinghouse. Six years later he was voted room for a new pew in the meetinghouse. Highways were laid out to his properties, buildings were erected on them, and he prospered.

He resided in that part of Chelmsford which in 1729 was set off and became the town of Westford.

Ephraim and Anna began to convey land to their "dutiful" children, starting in 1724 (to sons James, Joseph, Ebenezer on 11 Aug 1724; to "well beloved sons" Jonathan and Jacob, both of Chelmsford on 23 May 1729).

Ephraim Hildreth died testate, having written a will on 5 March 1730/1. His will (Cambridge Probate Records No 7952) was probated 12 April 1731. His probate records are in Middlesex County Probate Records, Packet #11,316 [found on FHL Microfilm 0,397,093]. Sons Jonathan and Jacob were appointed executors. Property was given to wife Anna, Daughter Anna Butterfield, Sons Joseph (the oldest), Ebenezer, James, David (a minor in his 20th year), Jonathan and Jacob.

The will reads:

In the Name of god, Amen. The Fifth Day of March, in the year of our Lord 1730/31. I Ephraim Hildreth of Westford, in County of Middl-x in New England, Youman, being very Sick & weak in Body, but of perfect mind & memory, thanks be given unto God; therefore calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is expected for men once to dye, Do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament that is to ???? & principally and first of all, I give and recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, trusting through the Merits, Death and Passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my Sins and to inherit Everlasting Life, and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently Buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God. And as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form: That is to say,

"First I will that those Debts and deuties as I do owe in Right or conscience to any maner of parson or parsons What so ever Shall be well and truly contented and paid or ordained to be paid in convenient time after my decease by my Executor here after named.

"Item I give and bequeath to Anne my dearly beloved Wife all my houshold movebales and stuff and one cow during her natural life and after her decease to Return and Remain to my daughter Anna Butterfield as by a deed I signed to her.

"Item I give and bequeath to my Wife all my money and Bonds which is due or owing or will becom due: and also all my Estate that I have not deeded away all Ready and two cows and four swine to her and her dispose for ever and all so one heffer two years olde to be at her dispose for ever and allso one calf to her and her dispose for ever.

"Item My Will is that my oxen and all my husbandtre tools and instruments and my Waring appariel be Equioly devided amongst all my sons but ondly Joseph Heldreath my Eldest son to have a duble share of ye same.

"Item I give to my well beloved son Joseph Heldreath all the lands that I fgave to him by a deed of gift and allso a duble share of my oxen and husbandtre tools and a duble share of my waring apparriel for his full portion of my Estate.

"Item I give to my well beloved son Ebenezer Heldreath all the lands that I gave to him by a deed of gift and all so a seventh part of my oxen and husbandtre tools and a seventh part of my waring apparrel for his full portion of my estate.

"Item I give to my well beloved son James Heldreath all the lands that I gave to him by a deed of gift and allso a seventh part of my waring apparrieland a seventh part of my oxen and husbandtre tools for his full portion of my estate.

"Item I give to my well beloved son David Heldreath all the lands that I gave him by a deed of gift and all so a seventh part of my waring appariel and a seventh part of my oxen and husbandtree tools for his full portion of my estate.

"Item I give to my well beloved daughter Anna Butterfield forty and six pounds at marradg and a deed I signed to her of several things more which is her full portion of my Estate.

"Item I give to my well beloved son Jonathan Heldreath and to my well beloved son Jacob Heldreath all the land that that I let them have by a deed of sail and Eatch one of them a seventh part of my warring apparriel and all so Each one of them a seventh part of my oxen and husbandtre tools for there full portions of my estate.

"And the sd Jonathan Heldreath and Jacob Heldreath I do likewise constitute make and ordain my ondly and sol Executors of this my last will and testement and I do utterly disalow revoake and disanull all and Every other former Testements Wills Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any ways before this time named willed and bequeathed Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my Last will and testement in Witness where of I have here unto set my hand and seal the day and year above Written.

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Ephraim Hildreth as his last Will and testement in the presence of us the Subscribers

Nathaniel Boynton

Samuel Chamberlin Ephraim Hildreth

Joseph Underwood."

Jonathan Hildreth and Jacob Hildreth presented the will of Ephraim Hildreth of Westford, deceased, to the Judge of Probate of Middlesex County on 12 April 1731. Nathaniel Boynton and Joseph Underwood took an oath that they witnessed the signing and sealing of the will and that Ephraim Hildreth was of sound and disposing mind. The widow, Anna Hildreth, requested in writing that the will be proved.

Jonathan Hildreth, Jacob Hildreth and Joshua Fletcher, yeomen all of Westford, posted bond of 1,000 pounds on 12 April 1731.The Court approved the will and directed the executors to well and faithfully execute the will and administer the estate of the deceased.

On 5 February 1735, Jonathan Hildreth of Chelmsford and Nathaniel Russell of Littleton posted bond of 250 pounds to support Anna Hildreth, widow of Ephraim. In 1752, Anna Hildreth conveyed land to Ephraim Hildreth which formerly belonged to Ephraim Hildreth Sr.

Marriage

Husband: Ephraim Hildreth

Wife: Dorothy Barnes

Marriage:

Date: 11 JUN 1685

Place: Stow, Middlesex County, Massachusetts^[1][2]

Husband: Ephraim Hildreth

Wife: Dorothy Barnes

Marriage:

Date: 8 Oct 1686

Place: Connecticut, United States

Source: #S-1987314543 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=mamarriages_ga&h=358924&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

Source: #S-1975066326 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=amr-1699&h=4394&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

Husband: Ephraim Hildreth

Wife: Anna Moore

Marriage:

Date: 08 OCT 1686

Place: Stow, Middlesex County, Massachusetts^[3][4]

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S333 Page: 4-8
2. ↑ Source: #S-1988904251 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=genepool&h=4227745&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=genepool&h=4227742&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
3. ↑ Source: #S333 Page: 4-8
4. ↑ Source: #S586

• Source S586 Title: Vital records of Stow, Massachusetts to the year 1850 (Boston, Mass. : New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1911) Repository: #R3

• Source S517 Vital records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1999. Open Library

• Source: S333 Title: The Ancestry of Sarah Hildreth, 1773 - 1857, Wife of Annis Spear of Litchfield, Maine Author: Davis, Walter Goodwin Publication: Anthoensen Press, Portland, Me., 1958

• Philip Hildreth Reade. Origin and genealogy of the Hildreth family. [Lowell, Mass.]: 1892. Open LIbrary

• Source S-1975066326 Title: American Marriages Before 1699 Repository: #R-1992163608 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997.Original data - Clemens, William Montgomery. American Marriage Records Before 1699. Pompton Lakes, NJ, USA: Biblio Co., 1926.

• Source S-1987314543 Title: Massachusetts Marriages, 1633-1850 Repository: #R-1992163608 Author: Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.Original data - With some noted exceptions all marriage records in this collection can be found at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and may be available through FamilySearch.org

• Source S-1988887953 Title: American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) Repository: #R-1992163608 Author: Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library.

• Source S-1988904251 Title: Family Data Collection - Individual Records Repository: #R-1992163608 Author: Edmund West, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

• Source S-1992136522 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Repository: #R-1992163608 Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

• Repository R3 Name: New England Historic Genealogical Society (99-101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116, USA) Web Address: http://www.americanancestors.org

• Repository R-1992163608 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com

See Also

• New England Marriages prior to 1700; page 369 (both marriages)