American Pelton Genealogy: John Pelton First of Boston and Dorchester, Massachusetts

Date: 1616 to 1700
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Pelton Polton

John Pelton, born in England, place and time unknown, though probably about 1616, and a descendant of Essex Peltons or Poltons (See Introduction), came to Boston about 1630 to 1633, as his name and a description of his property appears in the "Book of Possessions," the oldest land record of Boston, made by order of The General Court in 1634. The record therein on page 91 runs thus: "Mr. Owen Roe his possession in the limits of Boston. One house and garden bounded with the streete north; the lane west; the Cove south; and John Pelton east.

John Pelton's possession in Boston. One house and household lot bounded with Owen Roe west; the streete north; the Cove south; and the marsh on the east."

These lands were Lot 104 to 108, on the south side of Essex St., from Washington St., easterly. See Map F. or No. 6, page 74 where Owen Rowe, (as here spelled,) has lot 107 and John Pelton 108.

Soon after, in 1635, probably, he removed to Dorchester, then a few miles out of Boston peninsula, now a part of that city, and which had been settled in the same year but a few months earlier. In 1635 or 1636, he became by grant or purchase a joint owner of the Dorchester Patent, and received his share, as also did his heirs in its many divisions. He was also one of the forty-seven owners of the "Great Lots." (See Clapp's History of Dorchester.) That he was admitted among the very select company at Dorchester, is sufficient proof that his character and religious opinions were considered correct.

In Dorchester he lived by the side of the Glovers and other of the best families, as this extract from the "Glover Memorial" shows. "On Dec. 25, 1700, Nathaniel Glover, Sen. and his wife Hannah, conveyed to their son, Nathaniel Glover, Jr., in Dorchester, several parcels of land, among them his house-lot of fifteen acres, being butted and bounded on the Easterly end upon the Sea or Saltwater, on the Northerly side by land of widow Pelton and Joseph Hall, on the Westerly end upon the Highway leading to Tileston's Mills, standing upon Neponsett River, and on the Southerly side by land of Mrs. Brick (Breek)."

The time and place of his marriage and the maiden name of his wife and unknown; we learning only from his will that her Christian name was Susanna. They were probably married about 1643, a date that strengthens the opinion (See Introduction, p. 19) that he came to Boston when young, and received his allotment of land there as an "able youth." His occupation and history are unknown, excepting that from his will we learn that he was engaged in the fisheries, then, as now, a valuable business. He died in Dorchester, January 23, 1681. His will dated January 3, 1681, twenty days before his death, proved March 16, following, mentions of his wife Susanna, his sons John, Samuel, and Robert the youngest, and his daughter Mary. His widow probably lived until May 7, 1706, and was doubtless the "Old Mother Pelton" buried May 10, 1706, as given in Clapp's History of Dorchester, page 282, taken from the records of the oldest church there, and supposed as such a record was very unusual, to have been that of a very well-known person. Children, born in Dorchester:

I John, b., probably early in 1645; baptized March 2, 1645; m. about 1673, wife's name unknown; d. before 1699. II Samuel, b. about 1647; m. "5th mo." May 16, 1673, Mary Smith; d. probably, 1713-14. III Robert, born, probably, about 1649-51, at Dorchester, Mass. He was a mariner, and on July 7, 1680, he "affirmed the loss at sea of the sloop 'Anne and Elizabeth' of New York, commanded by Alexander Watts." (Glover Memorial) He was lost at sea, July, 1683; probably unmarried as his brother Samuel took out letters of administration, and no mention is made of wife or children. IV Mary, born about 1653 or '54, baptized Feb. 18, 1654 (Ch. Rec.) Was living at the death of her father; may have been older than Robert as the exact order of births is unknown. Nothing is known as to her marriage or her death.