William Cutter Sr (1650 - 1723)

Born 22 Feb 1650 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Rebecca (Rolfe) Whitmore — married 4 Dec 1679 (to 1 Apr 1723) in Woodbridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 1 Apr 1723 at age 73 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

William Cutter married Rebecca Rolfe, daughter of John Rolfe of Cambridge, originally from Newbury, Mass who went to Cambridge about 1670 from Nantucket Island. William and Rebecca were admitted to membership in the Cambridge church on 28 July 1700. A cherished relic, the family Bible, bears evidence of frequent use. (1)

His residence was in that part of Cambridge which became the district of Menotomy, and on the banks of the stream flowing from Lexington into the Mystic River. On the occasion of John Rolfe's decease, on 1 October 1681 he received an acre of land. On 10 April 1684, he purchased of John Rolfe, Jr. four additional acres on which he built the house, afterwards his son John's. This land was the "west corner" of the Rolfe's homestead, and with the purchase William had "liberty to build a dam for the convenience of the mill" near his house, together with "the half part of a sawmill" on Sergeant Francis Whitmore's estate. He dwelt in the house until he sold it for 60 pounds to his son, John, on 9 April 1717, with 10 acres of land "adjoyning the place called the 'Rocks', and lying on both sides of the mill brook." (1)

He removed to the comfortable, old-fashioned two story house, which was probably built by John Rolfe in about 1671, which is remembered by the descendants of William Cutter as the family mansion. It was purchased in 1844 by Albert Winn Esq., and demolished thereafter. While undergoing demolition, a fireplace beam was removed from the chimney, inscribed 1671. (1)

William was a carpenter or housewright by profession, and somewhat of a husbandman, and dealt in real estate, as the multitude of deeds and other documents bear evidence. He did not confine his land speculations to his immediate neighborhood, but sometimes extended his operations to other localities, and in several instances, gave mortgages. He appears to also have been a miller and carried on the mill business erected on the stream near his house. (1)

William Cutter was respectably affluent. His will and inventory are curious and interesting documents. The former exhibits good sense and paternal care; the latter minutely enumerates the pecuniary value of his "moveable estate." Choice passages of scripture, inscribed in his handwriting on the fly leaves of the family Bible, reveal his general religious sentiments. (1)

He was buried beside his parents at Old Cambridge, where his gravestone reads: "Here lyes ye Body of Mr. William Cutter; who decd April ye 1st 1723 in ye 74th year of his age." His widow married John Whitmore, Snior, a Deacon and highly trustworthy citizen of Medford, on 3 June 1724. She gave 6 pounds towards defraying the expense of communion utensils for Menotomy church in 1739, and died 23 November 1751, aged 90 years. Deacon Whitmore died 22 February 1739-40, aged 84 years. (1)

The will of William Cutter mentions his dear and loving wife Rebeckah, four sons Richard, John, William and Samuel Cutter, youngest son Ammi Ruhamah Cutter, daughter Elizabeth Harrington, daughter Hannah Winshipp, son-in-law Joseph Adams (husband of daughter Rebeckah, now deceased), and daughter Sarah Cutter. The will was written 1 June 1722, and proved 29 April 1723. Wife Rebeckah and sons Richard, John, William and Cutter were named executors. The debts and legacies totalled 799 pounds, 11 shillings, two pence. The moveable estate totalled 224 pounds, 3 shillings 8 pence. (1) ^[1]

Records

Birth: CUTTER, William, s. of Richard and Elizabeth, Feb. 22, 1649 (1649-50); Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts^[2]

Death: CUTTER, William, Spr. 1, 1723, in his 74th y. GR1; Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts ^[3]

1st generation Descendant of Richard Cutter of Cambridge

Sources

1. ↑ (1) Dr. Benjamin Cutter, "History of the Cutter Family of New England", David Clapp and Sons, Boston, 1871.
2. ↑ Baldwin, Thomas W., Vital Records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 Volume 1. Births (Boston, Mass. 1914)(Free e-book) (Records are also available at ma-vitalrecords.org) p. 181
3. ↑ Vital records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to the year 1850; Cambridge Deaths, page 521

• Cambridge MA VRs to the Year 1850; Title: Thomas W. Baldwin (compiler), Vital Records of Cambridge, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston, Mass.; New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1915)
• http://www.americanancestors.org
• World Family Tree, Volume 1, pre-1600 to present
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59133787/william-cutter
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHXD-XF7
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay