Zoeth Howland (1636 - 1676)

Born 31 Jan 1636 in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony

Ancestors

Son of Henry Howland and Mary (Unknown) Howland [uncertain]

Husband of Abigail (Unknown) Kirby — married Dec 1656 in Newport, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died 28 Mar 1676 at age 40 in Sinning Flesh River, (Pocasset) Tiverton, Plymouth Colony

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bobbie Coray [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Howland Name Study.

Name

According to those records, Zoeth Howland was variously called Zoeth, Zoar, or Zeoth.

Birth

Zoeth Howland was born say 1631 in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony.

Life

Zoeth Howland, son of Henry, was born in Duxbury and settled at Dartmouth as early as 1662. The Newport Friends' records, and the inventory of his estate, refer to him as Zoeth of Dartmouth, and that his mother owned a house there

Zoeth Howland took the oath of fidelity in 1657 in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony^[1] and probably about this time with his father became a convert to Quakerism, and Quaker meetings were held at his house, for which he was fined in December 1657, in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony.^[1]

He was arraigned by the court for speaking opprobriously (scornfully) of the ministers of God's Word in March, 1657/8 in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony.^[1]

Tiverton and Little Compton were known as Pocasset and later as Tiverton; and at the present, stone bridge was Howland’s ferry, which was later kept by Daniel, son of Zoeth Howland. Zoeth’s widow married secondly Richard Kirby in 1678. Zoeth’s sons were all active members of the Apponegansett Meeting except Samuel, his other children being

Residence

Zoeth Howland left Duxbury about 1662 and settled in Dartmouth, Barnstable County, Plymouth Colony, on land where his father Henry Howland had purchased.^[1]

Religion

Zoeth was a Friend (Quaker)

"Thomas Prence, known as that "Terrour to evill doers", as written by Nathaniel Morton, was not known for being lenient towards Quakers".^[2] And few families were more identified with the Quakers than those of Arthur and Henry Howland, the two brothers of Mayflower passenger and erstwhile Assistant, John Howland. As early as 22 December 1657, Mr. William Collier and Capt. Josias Winslow, having knowledge of a Quaker meeting to take place at Arthur Howland's [p.94] house in Marshfield, sent Constable John Phillips of Marshfield to interrupt the meeting and arrest a Quaker leader, Robert Huchin. As Phillips testified, he could not apprehend Huchin, being hindered by Howland, who told Phillips "hee would have either a sword or a gun in the belly of him."

The following deposition of seventeen-year-old Samuel Hunt will show the esteem in which he held the Puritan clergy and their teachings, and he testified that Zoeth Howland, son of Henry, had told him he would not go to a church meeting with him to hear lies and that the devil could teach as good a sermon as the ministers; and that a second time being at the house of the said Zoeth Howland, and his brother, John Hunt, and Thomas Delano being with him, he questioned with the said Zoeth Howland whether he would not go to the meeting, because the ministers taught lies, and that the devil could teach as good a sermon as the ministers; and he said he denied it not. Also, Thomas Delano questioned him whether the ministers taught lies; and he said "yes", and let him look in the Scriptures and he should find it so. Henry Howland himself was disenfranchised, along with William Newland, on 6 October 1659 for being an abettor and entertainer of Quakers. Governor Prence would not have relished being related to this conglomeration of radicals.

He took the oath of Fidelity at Duxbury in 1657 and became a convert to the Friends' sect about the same time. Meetings were held at his house, for which he was fined in December 1657.

The Court of Plymouth recorded:

“About a fortnight before the date hereof, being at the house of Zoeth Howland, hee said hee would not goe to meeting to hear lyes, and that the diuill [devil] could teach as good a sermon as the minnisters; and that a 2cond time being att the house of the said Zoeth Howland, and his brother, John Hunt, and Tho Delano being with him, hee questioned with the said Zoeth Howland whether hee would not goe to the meeting, because the minnesters taught lyes, and that the diuill could teach as good a sermon as the minnesters; and hee said hee denied it not. Also, Tho Delano questioned him whether the minnesters taught lyes, and hee said yes, and lett him looke in teh Scriptures and hee should find it soe.”

For this audacious utterance, Zoeth Howland was arraigned at the term of Court in March 1657-58 “for speaking opprobriously of the minnesters of Gods Word,” and he was sentenced to sit in the stocks for the space of an hour or during the pleasure of the Court; which accordingly was performed, and so released.^[3] In March 1659, his wife was fined ten shillings for not attending the meetings of the Puritans. Obviously, she was a sharer in his sympathies and fate.

Zoeth Howland and his wife Abigail moved to Dartmouth from Duxbury in the spring of 1657 for more congenial society, and they attended Quaker Meeting in Newport from Dartmouth.^[1]

Marriage

In the Friends' records at Newport, Rhode Island, is the marriage record of Zoeth Howland: "Zoar Howlan of Dartmouth in plimoth Colony was maried to Abigall his wife in the tenth month of the year one thousand six hundred fifty-six" (December 1656).

Issues

All but Nicholas were recorded in the vital records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts.^[4] This reference does not provide a maiden name for Zoeth's wife name. Zoeth and his wife had nine children, as follows:^[5][6]

1. Nathaniel Howland, b. 5 Oct 1657; m. Rose Allen. [Proven.] [Confirmed from Howland DNA project at Family TreeDNA.] His yDNA haplogroup is R-A9703 → R-FGC58211.
2. Benjamin Howland, b. 8 May 1659; m. Judith Samson.
3. Daniel Howland, b. 1 March 1661/2; m. Mary ____.
4. Lydia Howland, b. 23 Jun 1663.
5. Mary Howland, b. 23 Feb 1665/6; "no evidence to back up the claims that she married Nathaniel Freeman, son of John and Mercy (Prence) Freeman."
6. Sarah Howland, b. 2 Apr 1668.
7. Henry Howland, twin, b. 30 Aug 1672; m. Deborah Briggs and Elizabeth Northrup.
8. Abigail Howland, twin, b. 30 August 1672.
9. Nicholas Howland; m. Hannah Woodman.

Death

Now here came King Philip's War, which was roughly 1675-76, and involved the settlers of Massachusetts and the Wampanoag Indians. King Philip was the son of the famous Massasoit; Massasoit made a treaty with the pilgrims after they landed at Plymouth, and helped them through the first winter. After Massasoit’s death in 1661, his son Philip and the other Wampanoags felt the pressures as the settlements expanded and the game retreated, and they fought back.

It was March 28, 1676, and Zoeth Howland was in the area of Pocasset (now Tiverton, Rhode Island),^[7] possibly en route to or returning from a Quaker Meeting. He had to be careful of wolves and rattlesnakes, and, because of the ongoing King Philip's War, ticked-off Indians, so his journey from his home in Dartmouth to worship in Newport with fellow Quakers should have been an easy one. However, as he rode alone alongside a small brook, six Native Americans suddenly beset him. Seemingly attacked without provocation, he was tortured until he died, his mutilated body thrown into the brook." The murder was retaliation for a previous attack by the colonists upon the Indians in Rhode Island. After the discovery of Howland's body, the brook became known as "Sinning Flesh River." Over the years the name has been colloquialized to Sin and Flesh Brook.^[8]

His widow married (second) February 12, 1678, John Kirby Jr.

In the Friends' records at Newport, Rhode Island, are the death record of Zoeth Howland: "Zoar Howland was killed by the Indians at Pocaset the twenty first day of 1st mo. 1676".

Just where he was killed, and how he came to be there, is unknown.

The section of Rhode Island including Tiverton and Portsmouth was originally known as Pocasset, and later the name was confined to Tiverton. There existed a ferry at that date, and which was subsequently owned and kept by Zoeth's son, Daniel. It is conjectured that Zoeth was likely going to, or from, a Friends' meeting when he was killed.

Two verisons of his death date There was a different version of the death date. He was killed by Indians on January 31, 1676 in Duxbury, Massachusetts.^[9] Jane Fletcher Fiske, editor of the NEHGR, published old court records in 1996 (Records of the Rhode Island General Court of Trials). In the book are records relating to the trial of those who murdered Zoeth. The notes would be added here as that seems to be something to pursue at a later time.^[1]

However, there was another version of the death date. It was March 28, 1676, and Zoeth Howland, a pious Quaker, was riding through the deep woods of Pocasset, as he was wont to travel, for the purpose of attending the meetings of his sect at Newport. It was quite a distance to travel in those days, and all the more so because of the dangers en route. Howland had to be careful of wolves and rattlesnakes, and, because of the ongoing King Philip’s War, ticked-off natives. Having come about fifteen miles from Dartmouth, and with a like distance still to go, Howland was following a small stream through a forest in Tiverton when he was ambushed by six natives, one of whom went by the name Manasses. Without any provocation, the peaceful Friend was slain in cold blood and the assassins satisfied their passion by mutilating the dead body. Then they carried the mangled corpse to the stream which flows into Nannaquaket Pond at the foot of Highland Road and threw it in the water. His horrified friends, when they discovered the outrage, called the brook “Sinning Flesh River”.^[10]

Rhode Island vital records gives his death date as "Zoar, killed by Indians at Pocasset, 31 March 1676."^[5]

Will

Inventory of Zoeth Howland, June 7, 1677, Plymouth Colony.^[11]

(Plymouth Colony Wills 3(2):84 #P267).

An Inventory of the estate that Zoeth howland of the Towne of dartmouth whoe was slaine by the Indians the 28th of march 1676 died posessed of; exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the 7th of Iune 1677 on the oath of Abigaill howland widdow

L s d

Impr: 1 quarter share of land prised att 15 [MS smudged]

Item 1 yoak of oxen 07 00 00

Item 3 Cowes 06 10 00

Item 1 mare 01 10 00

Item 1 brasse kettle 02 06 00

Item 1 Chest 00 06 00

Item 2 kettles 00 08 00

Item 1 brad axe 00 05 00

Item old tooles 00 06 00

Item 1 Gun 00 10 00

Item plow tackling 00 13 00

Item in pewter 00 13 00

Item 1 brasse skillett 00 03 06

Item 1 frying pan 00 04 00

Item 1 Iron pott 00 10 00

Item 2 paire of pothangers and hookes 00 05 00

Item 1 old Iron pot 00 [00] 00

--------------

36 14 06*

Iohn Russell

Iohn Smith

Plymouth Colony Wills, Vol. III, part 2, f. 84.

The Newport Friends' records and the inventory of his estate which was dated June 1677, refer to him as Zoeth Howland of Dartmouth, and his mother owned a house there. Pocasset, where Mr. Howland was killed, is now Tiverton, Rhode Island. His sons, with the exception of Samuel, were active members of the old Apponegansett meeting.

DNA

Paternal relationship is confirmed through Y-chromosome DNA STR and SNP testing. Anonymous Howland and Frank Howland match on 105 out of 111 markers and share one common SNP, as reported by Family Tree DNA. This confirms their direct paternal lines back to their most recent common ancestor, Henry Howland Sr.

The parentage of Zoeth Howland has been confirmed by SNP testing by Frank Howland and FGC kit #E8PEF which shows that they share two unique SNPs and are therefore all-male lineal descendants of Henry Howland Jr.

Two variants, FGC58203 and FGC58211 are the unique SNPs that occurred between the birth of Henry Howland, Jr. and the birth of Nathaniel Howland and belong to two male descendants of Henry Howland, Jr through his son, Zoeth Howland’s line. Two SNPs identify three generations starting with Henry, Jr., Zoeth, Nathaniel. Two SNPs prove that the relationship between Nathaniel Howland's two sons John Howland and James Howland is genetically related. So far no Y-DNA descendants from Henry's other son, Samuel have done 111 STR or SNP testing so it is possible some of these mutations may be common to all descendants of Henry. However, both Arthur and John Howland's male descendants (FTDNA #861275 and Big Y-500 tester) do not have two SNPs in their Y-DNA results.^[12] It is confirmed by SNP testing by Frank Howland and FGC kit #E8PEF.

In addition, four descendants of Henry Howland, Jr. through his son Zoeth Howland have taken 111 STR testing and have two STR mutations in the 68-111 STR panel (from FTDNA): DYS485=14 and DYS505=11.^[13]

Research Notes

Zoeth's parents, Henry Howland and Mary Sarah Newland were from Fen Stanton, England (https://kessgen.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/52-ancestors-24-zoeth-howland-quaker-rebel/)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} Ancestry.com Boards This information can be found in the Quaker meeting at Newport, R.I.
2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. "William Collier (colonist)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 20 Feb. 2018. Web. 23 Nov. 2018.
3. ↑ Howland Heirs, p.4.
4. ↑ Robert S. Wakefield and Robert M. Sherman, "Henry Howland of Duxbury, Massachusetts, 1633, his Children and his Grandchildren," in NGSQ, 75, starting on page 108 for Zoeth/Zoar.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Arnold, James N. 1895. Vital Record of Rhode Island 1636-1850, Vol. VII, http://search.ancestryinstitution.com
6. ↑ Society of Friends, Births of Friends Children in Rhode Island and Other Places, Film No. 22414, https://familysearch.org
7. ↑ The section of Rhode Island including Tiverton and Portsmouth was originally known as Pocasset.
8. ↑ Elon Cook, “Sin and Flesh Brook,” Sakonnet Historical, accessed November 23, 2018, http://sakonnethistorical.org/items/show/41.
9. ↑ National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 75 June 1987 No. 2, pp.
10. ↑ http://www.tivertonhistorical.org/tiverton-stories/the-spirit-of-sin-and-flesh-brook/
11. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897D-V3XK : 13 March 2023), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 437 of 616; State Archives, Boston.
12. ↑ Howland DNA Project. Family TreeDNA. Family TreeDNA.com, 2023, https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/howland/about.
13. ↑ Howland DNA Project - Y-DNA Colorized Chart. Family Tree DNA. FamilyTreeDNA.com, https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Howland?iframe=ycolorized.

• “Howland Family of Dartmouth and New Bedford, Massachusetts Access Genealogy.” Accessgenealogy.com, 2020, https://accessgenealogy.com/massachusetts/howland-family-of-dartmouth-and-new-bedford-massachusetts.htm.

• http://www.tivertonhistorical.org/tiverton-stories/the-spirit-of-sin-and-flesh-brook/

• The Great Migration Begins, by Charles Robert Anderson, under the auspices of the New England Historical Society, profile of Henry Howland; GL: A Brief Genealogical History of Arthur, Henry and John Howland and Their Descendants, by Franklin Howland, 1885, pp 67-68, 70-74.

• (https://accessgenealogy.com/massachusetts/howland-family-of-dartmouth-and-new-bedford-massachusetts.htm)

• Howland, Franklyn; A Brief Genealogical and Biographical History of Arthur, Henry, and John Howland & Their Descendants, of the USA & Canada, 1885., pg. 69; "Zoeth, b. in Duxbury, d. 31,1,1676, killed by Indians, m. 10th month 1656 to wife Abigall. Abigail m. 2d, 2,12,1678 to Richard Kirby, Jr."

• Cutter, William Richard. New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial (Lewis Historical Publishing, New York, New York, 1913) Third Series, Volume III, Genealogy.com

• The Plymouth Colony Archive Project

• Plymouth Colony: Its History and People 1620-1691: Part One: Chronological Histories Chapter 5: Quaker Ranters, Baptist Schismatics, and Indians with Tongues Running Out (1657-1675)

• Ancestry.com. Boards: RE: wife of Zoeth Howland & early Howland line, [email address removed], http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=an&p=surnames.howland&m=711.1.1.1 (As of November 22, 2018, this link is no longer available). Original text: "The date of the marriage of Abigail to John Young is in dispute. According to Howland's History, this Abigail married Young on 2 9m [November] 1678, a date not found in any records relating to Abigail and one too late to accord with her being called Abigail Young in her mother's will of 1674. Howland's alleged date is the one found in the Friends Records for the marriage of an Abigail Howland to Richard Keerby (see Abigail, widow of No. 2, Zoeth Howland). The names of some of the children born to John Young and wife Abigail (e.g., Joseph, Henry, and possibly Robert) are Howland names and re compatible with a presumption that the mother was a daughter of Henry Howland; but if she were, Abigail was married many years earlier. A likely record of the marriage is the previously cited one in 1684. Extensive information is available on the family, both published and unpublished. A quick review of the Youngs in Plymouth Colony, made by the the authors Wakefield and Sherman, suggests that this John is the only Young in the colony likely to be Abigail's husband. Note: This is a decently sourced out report with lots of potential for further study."

• Our Kingdom Come, Eileen McKinnon-Suggs ([email address removed]) (http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=emsuggs&id=I39737 Last updated October 10, 2004 Accessed December 2, 2005)

• Yates Publishing, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 (Provo, UT, USA, The Generations Network, Inc., 2004)

• Emery, William M. The Howland Heirs (E. Anthony and Sons, Inc., New Bedford, Mass., 1919) Page 4-5

• Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/52430249/zoeth-howland : accessed 12 July 2021), memorial page for Zoeth Howland (1631–31 Mar 1676), Find A Grave: Memorial #52430249, ; Maintained by Linda Mac (contributor 47062703) Unknown.