Luke Hitchcock (1615 - 1659)

Born 1615 in Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, England [uncertain]

Husband of Elizabeth (Gibbons) Baldwin — married Jan 1641 in Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 1 Nov 1659 at about age 44 in Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut

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

Disputed Origins

Following PGM guidelines, he is being detached from unproven parents John Hiscockes and Mary Franklin, an unsourced claim made on his Find-a-Grave Memorial. The Memorial also gives a birth date of 1 July 1614 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England that is similarly without source.

There is also no source that he was son of one Luke Hitchcock and Mary Franklin.

Some (IGI) say Luke Hiscocke was christened 17 Mar 1610/11 Melksham, Wiltshire, England, son of Luke Hiscocke.^[1] But this is three years prior to his supposed parents' marriage and is in a wholly different part of England than claimed parents.

Others say he was probably born in Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, England.^[2] This might be because his wife's supposed family was from that area.

H.G. Cleveland, in 1884, suggested that Luke was probably the brother to Matthias Hitchcock, New Haven, Ct., 1639.^[3] Jacobus agreed with him, taking it further and adding a brother Edward Hitchcock:

"Edward and Matthias Hitchcock [took] the [freeman's] oath at the same time [as Luke]. Edward was married by 1638, Matthias perhaps as early, and Luke within four years later. Matthias at least was an original settler, for he signed the fundamental agreement at New Haven, 4 June 1639. It is a reasonable assumption that the three were brothers. At Edward's death, Matthias testified regarding his testamentary wishes, and Matthias and Luke bore the names of two gospel writers. But while Matthias and Edward remained in New Haven until death, Luke shortly removed to Wethersfield."^[4]

But Anderson (2001) disagreed with Jacobus about Luke as a brother of these two.^[5]

Biography

Luke Hitchcock^[6][7] took the freeman's oath in New Haven, Connecticut 1 July 1644.

Soon after removed to Wethersfield, CT.

He served on juries of the Connecticut Court 5 June 1646 and 2 Mar 1647/8.

He was Selectman of Wethersfield in 1653 and 1656.

While the 1884 genealogy states he was a captain at Crown Point in 1645, that's a century off. No record of military service has been found.

In his last year of life, he signed an agreement to remove to Hadley, Massachusetts.

His will was dated 17 Oct 1659 and provides for wife Elizabeth, sons John and Luke, and daughter Hanna, all under 18.

He died 1 Nov 1659,^[8] leaving a wife Elizabeth, probably sister of William Gibbons of Hartford, CT.

Children

1. John Hitchcock, m. 27 Sep 1666 Hannah Chapin (dau of Dea. Samuel Chapin); d. 9 Feb 1712
2. Hannah b 1645; m 2 Oct 1661 Chiliab Smith of Hadley, MA
3. Luke b 5 Jun 1655; m 14 Feb 1676/7 Mrs. Sarah Dorchester, widow of Benjamin Dorchester and dau of Jonathan Burth, and d. Jan 24, 1727.

Sources

1. ↑ Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre; Chippenham, Wiltshire, England; Reference Number: 1368/1 By subscription image 39 https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/61187/45582_1831109331_0792-00040?pid=1359496
2. ↑ International Genealogical Index(R) Title: International Genealogical Index(R) Author: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Publication: Copyright (c) 1980, 2002; downloaded 17 Jan 2011. Better citation needed.
3. ↑ H.G. Cleveland, "Excerpts from the Hitchcock Genealogy," in NEHGR, 40(1886):307
4. ↑ Donald Lines Jacobus, "Luke Hitchcock (profile)," in Hale, House and Related Families, Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1952, p 611.
5. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, “The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635”, Boston, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1999-2011, Vol III G-H, pages 336-338.
6. ↑ H.G. Cleveland, p. 307
7. ↑ See also Jacobus, op cit.
8. ↑ Hartford Vital Records, published in The American Genealogist, 9(1932-33):31: "Page 39: Hitchcok, Luke died 1 Nov. 1659"

• Genealogy of the Hitchcock Family 1894 p. 207, 298

See also:

• Mrs. Edward Hitchcock, The Genealogy of the Hitchcock Family who were descended from Matthias Hitchcock of New Haven, Conn., and Luke Hitchcock of Wethersfield, Conn., Amherst, MA: Press of Carpenter & Morehouse, 1894.
• Dr. Clarence H. Hitchock & Grace Hitchcock, Genealogy of one direct line of the Hitchcock family who are descended from Luke Hitchcock of Wethersfied, Conn..., Toronto, Canada: Northern Miner Press Ltd (1958)
• "Descendants of Lt. Samuel Smith"; James Hook, 1953.
• History of Hadley, p 124 (Genealogies: Smith)