Richard Butts (abt. 1646 - abt. 1697)

Born about 1646 in Devon, England [uncertain]

Husband of Deliverance (Hoppin) Butts — married 1669 in MA

Descendants

Died about 6 Feb 1697 at about age 51 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Suzane Oliver [send private message] and Sheila Stahl [send private message]

Biography

Dorchester, Massachusetts was primarily a farming community that was settled in May 1630, one month before it's neighbour, Boston.

He emigrated from England and is probably the Richard BUT, who was recorded on 13 Feb 1662 as going to New England, bound to Edward Thomas. ^[1]

In February 1669 Richard Butt appeared in the records of Dorchester, Massachusetts ^[2] ...

"At a meeting of the Select men at Captin ffosters house the 20th of the (2) 1669, the prsons under named were brought by the Constable before the Select men in referance to the order of Court requiring the Selectmen to take inspection of ther orderly walking and Submitting to famely Gournment" ... list includes the name of Richard Butt. (p158-159).

"At a meeting of the Select men the 8 (11)1671 ... The same day Richard Butt appeared to answer for his entertaining of his father in law Steven Hoppen, whos answer was, that he did not entertaine him, but have enformed him, that it is not the mind of the Select men that he should continue at Thomason Lland or elce where in Dorchester, but for to turne him out of doares, he could not Considering the relation that is between them, but he would willingly be ridd of him if he could." (p181).

1672 "The same day Richard Butt was Called before the Select men, to answer for his Entertaining of Steven Hoppin, Junr., whos answere was that the said Hoppen was gon from him, and that his Master Paine had sent for him to imploy him". (p186).

By 1670 Richard Butt had married the widow Deliverance (Hoppin) Woodward ^[3] (1648-1699, daughter of Stephen Hoppin and Hannah Makepeace). Their children were born in Dorchester, Massachusetts^[4] and included ...

1. Nathaniel Butt^[4], b: 02 Dec 1670; d: 10 Dec 1721; m: Elizabeth Breck, d: 20 Oct 1743
2. Samuel Butt^[4], b: 01 Mar 1672/73; d: 30 May 1747; m: Sarah Maxfield, b: 01 Jul 1680; d: 27 Aug 1727
3. Sherebiah Butt^[4], b: 18 Sep 1675; m: 19 Nov 1697 Silence Rigby, b: 22 Sep 1678
4. Deliverance Butt^[4], b: 02 May 1677; d: 10 Feb 1679
5. Barachiah Butt^[4], b: 08 Jan 1679 (twin) c: 11 Jan 1679/80 (twin) d: 22 Jan 1679
6. Hannah Butt^[4], b: 08 Jan 1679 (twin) c: 11 Jan 1679/80
7. Mary Butt^[4], b: 18 Mar 1682; c: 02 Jul 1682; m: Ebenezer Lawrence
8. Joseph Butt, b: 14 May 1684; c: 18 May 1684; d: 29 Mar 1713.
9. Elizabeth Butt.

By 1675 he was well settled at Dorchester, Massachusetts ^{[5] [6]} and the BUTT family were affiliated with the first church there ^[7] ...

- Admitted as a church member, "ye wife of Richard Butt, 14 Feb 1678" (p25)

- 08 Oct 1689 "the was a generall contrebution for ye poore in Dorchester ... for Frances Baall (donated by Richard Butt) 1 bl of corn" (p99)

- "The 26 March 1678 was the wife of Richard Butt baptised, being lately admitted a member; and ye same time her children weer also baptized whos names are Smith (Woodward), Nathanell (Butt), Sherebiah (Butt), Samuell & Elizabeth (Butt)" (p188).

- "Barachiah & Hannah ye two children of Richd Butt, baptized ye 11 Nov 1779, being twins ye mother being in full communion" (p190).

On 18 April 1690 "Richard Butt" was listed as a freeman of Dorchester, Massachusetts. ^[8]

In 1690 a company of soldiers was raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts, under the command of Capt. John Withington to embark in the Canada expedition. Richard was a "Sargt" in this company. ^[9]

On 30 July 1690 he made his last Will before leaving for Quebec. ^[10] It was an abortive crusade and 46 members of Richard's company never returned, many of them likely dying at sea. Richard was never heard from again, presumed dead. ^[6]

In 1694 his last Will was probated with the widow as executrix. In 1699 their son, Sherebiah Butt, succeeded his mother as administrator for his father's estate. ^[5]

Some years later, the soldiers and officers who served in the Canadian Expedition under Capt. John Withington, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, received grants from the General Court. In a list of persons admitted as settlers and grantees in a new township called "Dorchester Canada", fourth on the list was "Samuel Butt, in the Right of his Uncle, Richard Butt" ^[11] Later in 1765 when the town was incorporated, it was renamed Ashburnham, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

On 08 Feb 1698/9 the Suffolk probate records show that Deliverence Butt, of Dorchester, widow and relict of Richard Butt, yeoman, entered into an agreement with her sons that the estate should be divided into two parts, she to have one-half the property on Squantum Neck. The Dorchester town record uses this probate record to list Richard's death as 08 Feb 1698/9.

His widow Deliverance died on 22 Jul 1699 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts ^[12] and on 18 Aug 1700 the Court ordered that her half of the property be appraised.

By decree of the court her property was given to the eldest son Nathaniel, and he was to pay his brother and sister each 7 pounds 11 shillings 5 pence. Of the other, Samuel had bought the larger portion of his brothers, Nathaniel and Sherebiah, and appears to not have sold it until 1725 or 1728, although he had already moved to Connecticut.

Will

I, Richard Butt of Dorchester in the County of Suffolk in New England , husbandman ... I being now going forth a Souldier in the present Expedition against the French and Indians to Canada and not knowing how it may please the Lord to dispose of me I do make ordain and declare his my last Will & testament ...

And First: I humbly bequeath my soul into the Arms of Almighty God, my Saviour and blessed Redeemer, hopeing and trusting in the merits of Jesus Christ, for pardon of all my Sins and gracious acceptance in him, and for my body to be disposed of as the blessed God in his good providence shall please.

AND as to that worldly Estate that the Lord was pleased to bestow upon me, my will is that it be in my Wife's hands to be improved for the good of her and our children, and I wholly leave it with her for that end, for her to dispose of it according to her discretion to those of our children that may best deserve it, and carry it most dutifully and respective to her desiring that God would be pleased to bless her and them and prosper them in Soules and bodies.

Item: I do hereby constitute & appoint my said loveing wife, Deliverence Butt, to be the sole Executrix of this my last Will and testament, desiring her and ordering her to take all possible care to satisfy my just Debts to any I am justly indebted to.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Thirtieth day of July, Anno Dn, one Thousand Six hundred and ninety.

(signature) Richard Butt

Witnesses: William Rawson, Nathaniel Jewell, Joseph Webb.

Sources

1. ↑ "Servants bound to Foreign Plantations from Bristol, England to New England 1657-1686" by NEHGS in Oct 1939 v93 p383; Record Book#1 p540 for 13 Feb 1662 includes Richard BUT.
2. ↑ "Fourth Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston 1880 Dorchester Town Records" edition#2 in 1883 by Rockwell & Churchill, City Printers, Boston.
3. ↑ Torrey, Clarence Almon. New England Marriages Prior to 1700, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Film #929494, image 944 of 1964. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSM4-8FJV?cat=290345
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7} New England Historical and Genealogical Register (NEHGR) Vol. 16 (1862), p. 79, Marriages, Births, and Deaths in Dorchester, Mass. 1648-1683; listing children of Richard Butt. Oldest son Nathaniel born 2 Dec 1670. https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/new-england-historical-and-genealogical-register/image?pageName=79&volumeId=11592
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "History of Captain Roswell Preston of Hampton, Connecticut" p41 by Edward M. Preston & published by New England Historic Genealogy Society of Boston, MA in 1899.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "Genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families" by Edmund Janes Cleveland and Horace Gillette Cleveland in 1899; v1 p7 8;
7. ↑ "Records of the First Church at Dorchester in New England 1636-1734" compiled by the Genealogical Society of Utah & published by George H. Ellis of Boston, MA in 1891.
8. ↑ "List of Freeman in Massachusetts" v2 p22-24 by NEHGR in Oct 1849 v3 p349).
9. ↑ "History of Dorchester" p256
10. ↑ "Genealogical Dictionary of First Settlers of New England" v1 p321-322 by James Savage & available at genealogylibrary.com
11. ↑ Massachusetts Archives, book #114 p193-194 for January 1737/8.
12. ↑ "Inscriptions from the Old Burial Ground in Dorchester, Massachusetts" by NEHGR, April 1850, v4 p170; Text: "Here Lyeth Ye Body of Deliverance Butt, Relict of Richard Butt, Aged 54 Years, Decd July Ye 22 1699.

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 12 June 2020, 21:56), entry for Richard Butts(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LCRR-T41); contributed by various users.
• Preston, Edward M. A History of Captain Roswell Preston of Hampton, Connecticut (E.M. Preston, Nevada City, California, 1899) Page 41

[edit]

• Preston, Edward M. A History of Captain Roswell Preston of Hampton, Connecticut (E.M. Preston, Nevada City, California, 1899) Page 41
• "Genealogical Guide to the Early Settlers of America" p73 Text: "Richard Butt, of Dorchester, Mass., by wife Deliverance, who died 1699, had Jerebiah or Sherebiah 1675, Bachariah and Hannah (twins) 1680; Mary 1682, Joseph 1684".

• Some Descendants of Nathaniel Woodward, Mathematician, by Mary Lovering Holman, compiled by Percy Emmons Woodward p8

• Butts-671 was created by Suzane Oliver through the import of the doctor.ged on 21 Feb 2015.