William Knowlton (abt. 1644 - 1718)

Born about 1644 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Griffin) Ford — married about 1700 in MA

Died 16 Mar 1718 at about age 74 in Wenham, Essex,Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

• BIrth: William's age given in depositions establishes that "about 1644" is a good guess as to his birth year^[1][2]

Residence & Property

• Ipswich, Essex Co., MA (1664). In court testimony in 1679, William stated he lived with Sargent Richard Jacob "about 15 years ago" as his servant.^[3]

• Wenham, Essex Co., MA (1678). Sidney Perley has William in Wenham in 1678.

• Wenham, Essex Co., MA (28 Dec 1681). Deed "William Knowlton to his father Richard Hutton of Wenham."^[4]

• Wenham, Essex Co., MA (February 1684/85). William executed a Deed of Trust in favor of his uncle, Thomas Knowlton, secured by Wenham property and is said to be "of Wenham".^[5]

• Wenham, Essex Co., MA (29 Mar 1704). Deed from "William & Lydia Knowlton and Richard Hutton to Rice Knowlton."^[6]

• Ipswich, Essex Co., MA (20 Jan 1715/16): William and Lydia sold his 1/8 part of a common right in Ipswich by right of his father William to his "cousin" (nephew) Joseph Knowlton of Springfield (his brother Benjamin's son).^[7]

Court Records

• Plaintiff in a lawsuit for slander (1668): Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. William sued the Whittridge family for calling him a thief. He won the case but was not satisfied with the damage award and appealed. On appeal, he lost and the verdict was overturned in favor of the Whittridges.^[8]

• William is sued by his brother, Thomas (Mar 1670): Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. William had agreed to work for his brother as a shoemaker. He got the money in advance but didn't do the work. The Court ordered William to pay back his brother plus 5 shillings damages.^[9]

• Final administration of his father's estate (5 Dec 1715): Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. William appoints his nephew, John, final administrator of his father William's estate. In this document he is said to be "of Ipswich."^[10]

Military Service

• King Phillip's War (1675-1675): Soldier in King Phillip's War in the Narragansett Expedition under Major Samuel Appleton.^[11]

• Land Grant Soldiers in King Phillip's War: Moses Mitchell drew Lot E-18 in the First Division on the right of William Knowlton.^[12]

Marriage

• Mary Hutton (abt. 1677). Mary is likely a daughter of Richard Hutton as William calls him "father" in a 1681 deed.^[4]

• Lydia Griffin (abt. 1700).^[6]

Death

• 15 Mar 1718 (Wenham, Essex Co., MA)^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Sanborn, Melinde Lutz, comp. Essex County, Massachusetts Depositions, 1645-1686 (Deposition, 1674). Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Provo, UT (2000).
2. ↑ Sanborn, Melinde Lutz, comp. Essex County, Massachusetts Depositions, 1645-1686 (Deposition, 1681).
3. ↑ Essex County, Massachusetts Depositions. Vol. 7, pgs. 120, 219.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Essex County Deeds, Book 11, pg. 228.
5. ↑ Essex Co. Records, Vol. 5, Pg. 339.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Roser, Susan E. Mayflower Deeds and Probates: From the Files of George Ernest Bowman at the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1994.
7. ↑ Essex County Deeds, Book 28, pg. 82.
8. ↑ Essex County, Massachusetts Depositions. Vol. 4, Pg. 54, 55.
9. ↑ Essex County, Massachusetts Depositions. Vol. 4, pg. 223.
10. ↑ Knowlton, George Henry. Errata and Addenda to Dr. Stocking's History and Genealogy of the Knowltons of England and America New York (1903) pg. 7.
11. ↑ Bodge, George Madison. Soldiers in King Phillip's War (pg. 154). Clearfield Company, Inc (Boston, MA) 1906.
12. ↑ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. XXII, pg. 280.
13. ↑ Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).

See also:

• Stocking, Rev. Charles Henry Wright. D.D. The History and Genealogy of the Knowltons of England and America. Vols.1, & 2. New York: The Knickerbocker Press, 1897. (Stocking ID 10). Stocking is incorrect in nearly every detail; the Errata (above) has a much better picture.
• Source: S00140 Author: Compiled by Rodney A Griffin of Franklin, assisted by Mrs Alice Thompson, Concord Consultant Genealogist, Indexed by Chester A Griffin, Franklin Title: Griffins of Franklin, New Hampshire, a partial genealogy and some descendants of Humphrey Griffrin 1605-1661 Repository: #R00017 Call Number: G853g 929.2