Luke Hill Sr. (abt. 1613 - abt. 1695)

Born about 1613 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Mary (Hoyt) Hill — married 6 May 1651 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut Colony

Descendants

Died about 1695 at about age 82 in Simsbury, Hartford County, Connecticut Colony

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This profile is part of the Simsbury, Connecticut One Place Study.

Biography

No record has been found of Luke Hill's birth date. However, from the testimony that Luke Hill gave in 1693 (see "Chronological Record" below) that he was "80 years or thereabouts," it can be assumed that he was born about 1613. He was probably born in England,^[1] but his place of birth and parentage are unknown. No relationship has been established between Luke Hill and his contemporaries, William Hills of Windsor, Connecticut^[2] and John Hill of Guilford, Connecticut.^[3]

Luke married married Mary Hoyt in Windsor, Connecticut on May 6, 1651,^{[4][5][6][7][2]} when Luke was about 38. Based on his age, it is reasonable to speculate the Luke had previously been married and had children by a prior wife. However, no records of either a prior wife or children have been found. Based on the birth dates of Luke's and Mary's children, it can be assumed that Mary was probably 20-25 at the time of her marriage to Luke. Mary's last name is variously spelled as "Hoyt",^[4][5][6][2] "Hout"^[7][6] or "Hart."^[6][3] Luke and Mary initially settled in Windsor, where Luke owned a farm and operated the Rivulet Ferry (see "Chronology Record" below).

Luke and Mary had the following children, all born in Windsor except Eleazer/Ebenezer who was purportedly born in Farmington:

1. Lydia, b. February, 18 1651/2;^[8][4][5] m. November 5, 1670 Arthur Henbury; d. before February 1688^[4]
2. Mary, b. September 20, 1654;^[8][4][5][2] m. July 30, 1677 John Saxton^[4]
3. Eleazer/Ebenezer^[9], b. March 1656/7;^[4][5][2][3] m. December 29, 1679 Sarah Gillet^[10]; d. March 3, 1724/5^[11]
4. Tahan, b. November 23, 1659;^[8][4][5][2] d. December 16 or 18, 1692^[4]
5. Luke, b. March 6, 1661;^[8][4][5][2] m. Hannah^[4]
6. Abigail, b. April 16, 1664/5;^[8][4][5][2] m. Pamerly^[4]
7. Elizabeth, b. October 8 or 18, 1666;^[8][4][5][2] m. William Buckland^[4][2]
8. John, b. November 28, 1668;^[8][4][5][2] m. April 22, 1708 Sarah Terry^[4]

In 1669, Luke and his family moved from Windsor to nearby Massacoe (later renamed Simsbury),^[12] Connecticut in 1669, as shown by his removal that year from the list of freemen of Windsor^[13] and inclusion on the list of freemen of Masaco.^[12][14]

No record of Luke Hill's death has been found. However, it can be assumed that he died about 1695, as he was included on the Simsbury tax list for 1694 but not the tax list for 1696 (see "Chronological Record" below).

Chronology of Records

Set forth below is a chronological listing of records relating to Luke Hill. All of the listed records are from Bassette, Buell Burdett. "One Bassett Family in America." The F.A. Bassette Company, 1926. p 430-433 unless otherwise footnoted. Source abbreviations used in the chronology are: BMD = birth, marriage and death town record; CC = county court record; GC = general court records at Hartford or New Haven; LR = land record; NEH&G = New England Historical & Genealogical Register; PC = "Private Controversy" volumes at State Library, Hartford; Stiles = Stiles' History of Windsor, CT; TV = town votes or minutes of town meetings.

• 1651, May 6. Vol. I, p. 57 BMD, Windsor: "Luke Hill and Mary Hout were married May: 6th: 1651." Luke is now 38 if his testimony above is correct and we estimate that she is at least some ten years his junior.
• 1655, June 26, Vol. I, p. 152, LR: "Luke Hill hath by purchas of John Strong, a home Lott six acres bounded North by Walter Gaylord, South by Johnbrook, West and East by high ways."
• 1656/7, March' Vol. 57, p. 87, NEH&G: The birth of son Eliazer this month at Farmington, Ct., as here reported, would indicate the family was living there. If so it could not be for long for in the following record we see him purchasing another dwelling in Windsor. Stiles says that was in Backer Row and that he sold it in a few months and moved to Middletown. The fact, however, is certain that he returned in a year or two to Windsor, since Mr. Grant shows that seven of the eight children were born at Windsor. In this connection we have searched both the land and the town meeting records in both Farmington and Middletown; but we could not find any reference to the Hills whatever.
• 1658, Apl. 13. Vol. I, p. 165 LR: "Luke Hill Hath by purchase of Tahan Grant his Dwelling Howse and Home lott with all appurtenances and Common privleges thereto belonging seven acres and a halfe . . . Luke Hill hath granted by the committee of the Court 15 acres of land at Masaco on the westside the river bounded out by Mr. Grant Apl. 19, 1660." He bought also 20 acres of meadow and 77 acres of upland of Aron Cooke.
• 1663, Dec. 3. Vol. III, p. 9 CC: "Captn Aran Cooke plntf: Contra Luke Hill defnt. In an action of the case for moneys due upon Book, BIll or any otherwise wth the damage to the value of Tenn pownds upon attachment." Later, on the same day,the jury find for the Def'n't: "cost of Court, cost allowed, Twelve shillings. In Court Captn Cook owned to pay thirty one shillings & fower pence to Luke Hill."
• 1667, Apl. 22. Vol. II, p. 7 TV: "When the freemen meet in chage of debetys Luke Hill made a sad ocomplaint that if the towne would not ad to the sume they had set him for keping the fery at the former meeting he must leave the fery and his wife came in and sadly bemoned the inconvenience whereupon it was voted that they would ade the action L3 as it was before." This was the Rivulet Ferry and he was to have "L12 per annum besides what he gets from travellers and persons by night."
• 1668, Sept. 28, Vol. I, p. 184 Stiles: "Voted that the town should be at the cost to procure a new rope for the ferry because Luke Hill is not able to be at the cost himself."
• 1669, May 11. Vol. I, p. 186 Stiles: The town makes new agreement with John Willington to keep the Rivulet ferry "he to have the use of the cellar which the town has now bought of Luke Hill & for his use to dwell in and the little House by it." This shows that Luke had already moved out of Windsor and had relinquished his position as ferryman.
• 1669, May 13, Vol. II, p. 274 GC: "This Court orders that the selectmen and constables in the severall plantations shall take a list of all the freemen in theire respective plantations where they dwell, and send it up under their hands fayrely written by their deputies to the Genll Court in October next, and the Secretry is to record the same in a booke for that purpose, that soe when there may be any occasion or difficulty about that matter, whoe are freemn, it may be the easier determined." In accord with this order the census of Massaco was turned in on October 11th, and it showed 13 freemen at that place, "who had first been freemen at Windsor." Luke Hill is one of these.
• 1669, October 7: "These are Persons that have been of Windsor: But now stated inhabitant of Masaco [Simsbury] and this yeare are left out of the Windsor list of Estates and yet an owned Free man of this Jurisdiction." List includes Luke Hill.^[13]
• 1670, May 12. Vol. III, p. 1 GC: "This Court orders that the plantation at Massacoe be called Simmsbury."
• 1671, May 5. History of 200dth anni of Simsbury Church: At a meeting held at Capt. Cook's house in Terry's plain it was voted to erect a meeting house near "Luke Hills in Hope Meadow" (not far from Dr. Barber's place in 1897). There were many disputes as to location until in 1683 it was decided by lot and the house was built by Col. Barber for L33 "in equal portions of pease, pork, corn & wheat" at point on west side near Thomas Rowell's, size 24 x 28 x 14 ft high. This first meeting concerning a meeting house was yeld 26 years before the First Church was organized there.
• 1677, Aug. 17. Vol I, p. 882 Stiles: Luke Hill is on Rev. Matthew Grant's list of this date as having had 7 children born at Windsor.
• 1679, Oct. Vol I, p. 23 T V, Simsbury: "The Committe appoynted by the Hond. Generall Court Oct. 1679 for the settleling of ye plantation of Simsbury being met this month of March, 1679/80 determine as followeth: luk hil" appears under "Hope Meadow men to build according to order." This action was taken after the King Philip War which had laid Simsbury to a barren waste.
• 1681/2, March 2. Vol. IV, p. 49 CC: "This Court appoynted the secrety'r to grant out a Levy or execution upon the estate of John Brookes for sattisfaction for his wifes keeping at Luke Hills Ten weeks the 3d of March last for Three shillings & six pence p weeke."
• 1687, June 25. Vol. VI, p. 18 CC: Arthur Henbery, son-in-law, of Hartford makes will: "I being now neer forty one yeares old, and being now upon my sick beed and for ought I know my dyeing beed, my estate . . I will to ech child, haveing but only five and they being daughters, in maner as followeth: to each a lik in portion to be distributed equally, only my daughter Lidia Henbery I bequeath to my Father and mother hill to bring her up till she Come of ye Age of eighten years. The said lydia being of a wekly body, and being my father & mother Hill's desire, so it also is my will, that wht remayens of my wife's portion shall be given and added to what shall be her portion . . and I do ordain & appoynt and constitute and give full power by vertue of these presents to my Honored father Hill . . . to distribute to my children . . . to ech an equal proportion as they come of agg."
• 1688, May 21. Vol. IV, No. 204 PC: "Given to these men under written as foloweth by the Inhabitants of Simsbury: To Luk Hill 50 Rods in Bredth over the Mountain towards Stony Brook to go from our east lyn towards or to the mountain."
• 1688/9, Mch. 26. Vol. I, p. 64 TV, Simsbury: A highway is laid out to run "bettwn Luk Hills house lot and Jonath Gilletts house lot to ye Cove."
• 1692, Feb'y 27. p. 87 T V, Simsbury: "Also Nathanll Holcomb desires tow acckes on the South of the way and Northerly of Goodman Hils hom lot."
• 1693, Sept. 8. Vol. IV, No. 199 PC: "The testymoney of Luke Hill senr of Simsberry aged 80 years or there abouts sayeth thatt those Lotts of Land yt ware granted by the town of Simsberry May 21, 1688, viz: yt division of Land yt is over the mountayn towards Stony Brook: ware layd out to them yt it was grantted too them June following by the town Consent. Sworne in Court Sept 8th 1693."
• 1693, Vol 2-1/2, p. 2 TV: In the "Town Rates made for 1693" 63 names appear, including Luke Hill Sen'r at 13s-06d and Luke Jun'r at 06s-03d. Total tax was L28-05-06. In Mch., 1693/4, a like tax was assessed "to defray the Towne's dbt of '92, '93."
• 1693/4, Feb'y 26. Vol. I, p. 167 T Act: Luke Hill's will and testament is recorded. The text of his will is reproduced separately below in "Last Will & Testament."
• 1694: Both Luke Hill, Sen. and Luke Hill, Jun. are in the list of persons against whom taxes were laid in the town of Simsbury.^[15]
• 1695, May 9. Vol. III, p. 259 GC: "This Court free Thomas Norton, Luk Hill and John Ruscoe, their persons from the list of estates by which rates are made." This action by the General Court may indicate that Luke died before that date.
• 1696: Only one Luke Hill (presumably Luke Hill, Jr.) is in the Minister's Rate list in Simsbury.^[15]

Deed in Consideration for Covenant of Maintenance

The following is a transcription of a deed by Luke Hill to his youngest son, John, of his home and all his other properties in consideration for John agreeing to support his parents until their deaths. The transcription is from Bassette, Buell Burdett. "One Bassett Family in America." The F.A. Bassette Company, 1926. p 432:

1693/4, Feb'y 26. Vol. I, p 167 T Acts: "To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come greeting: Know ye that I luk Hill Senr of Simsbury being agged above seventy years and being through this my agg utterly disenabled & In capacitated to labr and provid for my self being but week in body &c but of perfect Mynd and Memory through the blesing of god: and considering the present Circumstances and difficulties I stand under:still desiring to wait upon the good pleasure of my most Mercifull Creator and gracious redemer and eternall untill my Appoynted chang shall come.Therefore do by these presents Covenant to and with my son John Hill this presnt febry 1693/4 in Maner and after the tennor and form following:

That this my sonne to whom I bare good will and affection too being now presnt with me, being in the 25 year of his agge, & Further disiring him my sd sonne to be with me and take yee care of me and his agged mother durring the full time of our life providing good cloaths, Phisicks & all such necessaries as is nedfull for us Durring life; and this my sonn haveing engaged thus to doe: And for his doeing Therefore Have given Granted & by these presents doe fully, freely, clearly and absolutely give and grant to my son John Hill his heyrs executors Administrators and assigns for ever all and singular (besides my Measuag or Tenements and those parcells of land &c mentioned in a deed of Allination given him for his enssurence of his Title, possession, Claym, chal date with these presents I give him my whol stock, Viz: oxen being ore plowes and plow, tacklyn chaines and horse tackling and what Furniture for horse service that I have, Swin and Swin kind that I have, and cart wheels, rings, boxes, bands, ringes, pins, cops and pine betl rings, wedges, axes, hoves, gun, swords or any other Implements for husbandry that is mine either for choping or digging as also all my household stuffe bed and bed Furniture, pots, kitles, puter or brasse or Iron and also my wooden warre, dishes, platers, tubes, Barrells, spining wheels, Boxes, chests, churs, &c. Further this my sd Son John Hill is to pay and fully discharge all my debts, as also to pay his sister Abigall Pamerly her portion which is Fourteen pounds as also to do it as soon as he can conveniently, and whereas sd Abigall had given her the grat Iron Pot she shall not have it till after her parents death; but that beed with the filling therein and one bolster and pillow sd abigall is to have after our death. Freely it is given her; but the pot above mentioned is to goe to her for part of her portion. And as for the Legacies formerly mentioned is by these presents Remited and cut off: yea: every branch Article and clause of the same so that sd John shall have singulare all the peculares above mentioned (excepting what is here excempted) respecting which I may Justly clayme as in right my owne whether alive or dead; as well moveable as things Imoveable both reall & personall in whose hand & custody or possession so ever they may be or wheresoever the same or any of them or any part of them can or may now or hereafter be found remayning or being, to have & to hold All the sd Parcells of land Mesuage and appurtinances thereunto belonging and wharsoever is due to me by debts or other dues to take for his use and receive & all other the premises unto his the sayd John Hill his heyrs executors adminsitrators and assigns frome hence forth as hiss and their proper goods forever absolutely without any maner of other conditions then what is abov exprest, as I the sd Luk Hill, have absolutely and of my own accord set and put in further Testimony: in witnesses whereof I have here unto set my hand and seall this 13 day of Feb 1683/4 and in the 5th year of the Reign of our Soveriegn Lord Wm & Lady Mary King and queen of England &c.

Witness: John Slater, Registr; Abia A. Slater. Luke X Hill Senr"

John Hill upon consideration of above sd premises and having Received of my Honored father Luk Hill a deed of his mesuage & sundry parcells of land I do covenant to & with my father & mother Mary Hill to Continue with them during their terme of their Naturall life & provide for them as far as my ability may extend both for food, cloathing, phisick & other necessities . . .

^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Bassette, Buell Burdett. "One Bassett Family in America." The F.A. Bassette Company, 1926.p 430
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11} Stiles, Henry R. "Families of Ancient Windsor Connecticut, Vol II." 1892. p 392
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} "Luke Hill of Windsor, Conn., and John Hill of Guilford, Conn., and their Descendents." New England Historic and Genealogical Register, Vol. 57 (1903), p 87
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17} Bassette, Buell Burdett. "One Bassett Family in America." The F.A. Bassette Company, 1926. p 433
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10} Savage, James. "A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Vol. II." Little, Brown and Company, 1860. p 418
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4} Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Simsbury, Vol 2, page 755
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Connecticut Vital Records to 1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. Windsor, p 156
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7} Connecticut Vital Records to 1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. Windsor, p 145
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Bassett and Savage show the name of the son born in Farmington as "Eleazer," while the 1903 NEHGR on the Hills shows his name as "Ebenezer." Subsequent marriage and birth records relating to an Eleazer Hill of an appropriate age and an absence of such records for an Ebenezer Hill of the appropriate age strongly suggest that his name was Eleazer.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Simsbury, Vol 2, page 753
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Connecticut Vital Records to 1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. Windsor, page 145
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} Phelps, Noah A. "History of Simsbury, Granby and Canton from 1642 to 1845." Press of Case, Tiffany and Burnham, 1845. p. 15
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2013.) Vol 5 (1851), p 248
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} See also "Chronological Record" in this profile.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Phelps, Noah A. "History of Simsbury, Granby and Canton from 1642 to 1845." Press of Case, Tiffany and Burnham, 1845. p. 152

See also:

• Genealogical Gleanings in England; abstracts of wills relating to early American families, with genealogical notes and pedigrees constructed from the wills and from other records. With the addition of Genealogical Gleanings in England. (new series) A-Anyon. Waters, Henry F., 1907.Reprint, Genealogical Pub. Co., 2 vols., Baltimore, 1969. (Index in centre of Vol. II)
• John W. Barber and Lemuel Smith Punderson, History and Antiquities of New Haven, Conn., from the earliest settlement to the present time with Biographical Sketches, New Haven, Conn.: Punderson & Barber, 1856. (Also seeing 1832 and 1870 editions.)
• Nellie Cowdell, The Hotchkiss Family; Descendants of Samuel Hotchkiss (ca. 1622-1663) of New Haven, Connecticut, Volume: I, Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore, 1985.
• Frank R. Holmes (compiler), Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families 1620-1700, New York 1923, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, Md., 1974. On Ancestry.com. [Luke Hill mentioned briefly on cxvii.]
• Meredith R. Colket, Jr. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants from Europe, 1607-1657, Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, 1975. 366p. Page 145
• Donald L. Jacobus (compiler), Families of Ancient New Haven, originally published as New Haven Genealogical Magazine, vols. I-VIII, 1922-32. Cross-index indicates that Luke Hill is mentioned on Vol II, 372 (Hannah Butler's marriage to Luke Hill, Jr.), Vol II, 436 (marriage of Isaac Cook to Anna, dau of Luke Hill Jr. and their children), Vol III 535 (marriage of John Dibble to Lydia, dau of Luke & Hannah (Butler) Hill; their children), Vol III 624 (Sarah Frederick's marriage to Luke Hill;her lineage).
• D. L. Jacobus, List of Officials Civil, Military, and Ecclesiastical of Connecticut Colony from March 1636 through 11 October 1677 and of New Haven Colony throughout its separate existence also Soldiers in the Pequot War who then or subsequently resided within the Present Bounds of Connecticut, Connecticut Tercentenary Publication, Clearfield Company Reprints & Remainders, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Md., 1989.
• Munson Association 1637-1896: Thomas Munson 1612?-1685. Munson, Myron Andrews & Bushnell, Clarence Munson, Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, New Haven, 1887.
• Samuel H. Parsons, Esq. (communicator), "Record of Marriages and Births, in Windsor, CT", NEHGS Register, Volume 5 (1851), p. 228: Records of Windsor, CT [Lists Luke, his marriage, and those of his children born in Windsor.]
• Frederick A. Virkus (editor), Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy: The Standard Genealogical Encyclopedia of the First Families of America, Vols. I-VII, Chicago, IL: F.A. Virkus & Company (1925-1942). Reprinted by the Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Md., 1968.
• NEHGR 107 (1953):71, Notes, Donald Lines Jacobus