John Hill II (abt. 1624 - aft. 1698)

Born about 1624 in England

Husband of Elizabeth (Strong) Hill — married 16 Jan 1657 in Boston, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died after 1698 after about age 74 in Greenland, Rockingham, New Hampshire

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Biography

The following is from Stearns:

John Hill, no doubt of English birth, was in Dover, New Hampshire, as early as 1649, for we find him on the list of those taxed in that year. It is probable that he was the same John Hill who was married in Boston, January 16, 1656, to Elizabeth Strong, for John Hill, whose wife was Elizabeth, received a grant of land at Oyster River (now Durham) in 1656 and three subsequent grants. He was a grand juryman from Dover in 1668 and 1671, and in 1683 he was defendant in one of the many suits brought by John Mason, which proves that he was a land owner. Evidently he was annoyed by the suits for about this time he was summoned to court at Great Island for saying "he did not judge that neither the king nor Mason had anything to do here." He was taxed in Dover as late as 1684. In 1659 he gave a deposition, saying he was about thirty-rive years of age, from which it would seem that he was born about 1624. He had sons: Joseph, Samuel, John and Benjamin.^[1]

Research Notes

The marriage of John Hill and Elizabeth Strong is recorded by Torrey on January 16, 1657 in Boston/Portsmouth.^[2]

Robert Charles Anderson lists four John Hills in "The Great Migration Directory". ^[3] None of them appear to be this John Hill, although it is possible that one of them may be his father. There is no evidence for this, however. This John Hill was known to be born about 1624 and living in Dover in 1649 at 35 years of age. He probably came to America as a young man, after the 1640 limit for the Great Migration.

John was admitted as a freeman at Boston 6 March 1645. He apparently inherited land in Dover, NH from his father as he was taxed for it in 1650 and in 1657. "Oyster River provition Rate maed the 22:9::59... Mr. Hill 2-12-8 The great Rate 5-5-4... John Hill 0-6-8 Rate 0-13-4." "Oyster River 3d Raet. 4:9 mo. in ye yeir 61", the second group of figures was probably in the same year but, another levy and is headed "Oyster Riv- in the yeir-...John hill 0-17-6 0-11- 8."^[4]

John was excused from training in June 1661 "on account of the smallness of his stature".^[5]

"Oyster River Provetion Rate made throwe the hole towneship ye 7th 10th month 1663... Mr. Hills estat 1-5- 0."^[6]

John was on the grand jury in 1661/2, 1665, 1668, 1671, 1674 and in 1677. John signed a petition to incorporate Dover into a township "so the clergy may prosper" 19 May 1669. He signed a 1680 deposition about the Drew and Giles land.

John was taxed in Greenland, NH in 1690/1. Elizabeth witnessed a Crockett deed in 1683. In 1698 John Sr. of Greenland formerly of Portsmouth sold his Portsmouth grant.

There were two John Hills; John Hill moved from Plymouth to Boston in 1630. He was made a freeman 18 Mar 1642. Another John Hill was admitted as freeman at Boston 6 Mar 1645, perhaps son of the first.^[7]

John Hill I was one of the grantees of Nashaway in 1640 and died in 1647. He seems to have been interested in land speculation in several places.

A John Hill was taxed in Dover, H.H, Oct 8, 1639. This could have been the John Hill of Dover, who in 1659 in a deposition stated that he was about thirty-five years of age, , therefore born about 1624 and could be only fifteen years of age in 1639. John Hill of Dover had a wife Elizabeth, and John Hill of Boston married Elizabeth Strong Jan 16, 1656. The births of his children so far as known indicate that the John of Boston was the John of Dover.

It is probable that his father, the first John Hill mentioned above acquired land in Dover and was taxed for it in 1639; that he returned to Boston and died in 1647; that his son John Hill inherited land of his father in Dover and was taxed for it in 1650; that he married Elizabeth Strong in Boston in 1656 and settled in Dover at once, where he was taxed in 1657 and mentioned frequently in land deeds until 1685.

John Hill lived in that part of Dover called Oyster River, now Durham, H.H He was a grand juryman in 1668 and in 1671.

Marriage

Husband: John Hill^[8]

Wife: Elizabeth Strong 1634–1683

Marriage Date: 16 Nov 1656

Marriage Place: Boston, Massachusetts

Children:

1. Joseph Hill 1657–1713
2. Samuel Hill 1659–1723
3. John Hill 1661–1718
4. William Hill 1661–1739
5. Hannah Hill 1663–1727
6. Elizabeth Hill 1670–1747

Sources

1. ↑ Stearns, Ezra S., "Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 4", New York, Lewis Publishing Co., 1908, page 1985, Google Books
2. ↑ 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. NEHGS
3. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles, "The Great Migration Directory", Boston, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015, page 161.
4. ↑ Scales, John History of Dover, New Hampshire, published 1923. Reference page 238
5. ↑ Piscataqua Court Files
6. ↑ Scales, page 244
7. ↑ Stackpole, Everett Schemerhorn. Old Kittery and Her Families. P.515 Found at : Google Books: Old Kittery: John Hill
8. ↑ Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).

• Old Kittery and Her Families- Everett S. Stackpole, pp. 515-6
• Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England- Savage, Vol. II, pp.416-7
• Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire- pp. 327-8
• Mass. Archives- Vol. 10, p.104

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Ancestral File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:M7RT-1R7 : accessed 2017-09-17), entry for John B. HILL.