Mary (Hitchcock) Potter (1638 - aft. 1706)

Born 2 Feb 1638 in New Haven, New Haven Colony

Ancestors

Wife of Ralph Russell — married 12 Oct 1663 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut Colony

Wife of John Potter Jr — married 29 Dec 1679 in New Haven, Connecticut

Descendants

Died after 1706 after age 67 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut Colony

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Biography

Mary Hitchcock was born on 2 February 1637/8 in New Haven, New Haven Colony. Her parents were Edward and Mary (Unknown) Hitchcock.^[1] She was baptized along with her mother and two siblings on 15 December 1644, in the New Haven church.^[2]

Her mother died sometime before May 1656 when her father remarried, to a Frances (Unknown). Mary was 18 in that year, and in 1657 she was working as a live-in servant in the home of Magistrate John Brooke. An Edward Neele "frequented that home" and somehow a contract of marriage was drawn up between her and this Edward Neele. However, it was declared a "lye" by her father and ended up in the New Haven courts on 6 October 1657.^[3] Mary continued working at the home of John Brooke but did not keep out of trouble. Sometime before her father died she must have been accused of theft, because in a court appearance in December 1661 Mary was "minded of a former miscarriage of her in the way of Theft for which she was corrected by her father." She was in court at the time on a charge of fornication. By this time her father had died, as on 11 May 1659 Mary received her inheritance of £20.12.2. ^[4] So by age 21 she had lost both of her parents.

As mentioned above, Mary was back in court on 7 December 1661, when she and a fellow servant in the household of John Brooke had each confessed to a consensual sexual relationship. Richard Matticks testified that she had lured him into her bedchamber. Mary testified she had only suggested it was time to retire for the night as the Mr. and Mrs. had gone to bed. ^[5] Richard Matticks also testified that he had offered her marriage and asked her if she was pregnant. She had responded no to both. The court then asked if she was willing to marry Richard Matticks. She said no even though that probably meant corporal punishment. Mary may have then told the court she thought she was pregnant, because her punishment was delayed. When she reappeared in court nine months later on 2 September 1662, childless, her expressions of remorse were seconded by several church members. She was then sentenced to a fine of £4, which her friend John Herriman promised would be paid. ^[6]

Mary Hitchcock married Ralph Russell on 12 October 1663.^[7][8] She was 25 years old and Ralph was probably in his early forties. Ralph was an expert in the process of extracting iron from peat bog limonite deposits. He had almost certainly been brought over from England in 1643 by John Winthrop Jr. to help run the Braintree iron works, and then the Saugus iron works, the latter located in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He eventually ended up working at the New Haven iron works. Ralph was closely associated with the notorious Pinion family, possibly the most dysfunctional family on record in early New England, who also came from Saugus to New Haven.^[9] They were also iron workers. The Russells and Pinions were constantly embroiled in tawdry affairs and frequent court appearances. Mary did not have to modify her early behavior to fit in with them. Patrick Morran, a clerk at the ironworks, was a serial sexual predator and at one point roomed with the Russells. In 1667 Patrick was accused of "unsuitable and unseasonable familiarity" with Hannah Pinion and Goody Mary Russell.^[10]

Mary and Ralph had children:^[11]

1. John (14 Dec 1664 - 13 Feb 1723/4), married Hannah Moulthrop
2. Joseph (20 Mar 1666/7 - ?), married Jane Blakeman
3. Samuel (ca 1671 - 26 Jun 1724), married Esther Tuttle
4. Edward (25 Feb 1673/4 - 3 Aug 1684)

Ralph died before 12 December 1675, when the inventory of his estate was taken, leaving Mary with four young children, ages 11, 8, 4, and 2.

In September 1677 John Potter, a blacksmith who worked at the ironworks, and who was a neighbor of Mary, made an inquiry at a town meeting asking whether she could have the use of a lot adjoining her property. John's wife had died in 1675, leaving him with a son just 12 days old.^[12] Mary and John Potter married on December 29, 1679.^[13] Nine months later she and her new husband had a daughter:^[14]

1. Abigail 23 Sep 1680 - ), married Samuel Thompson, then Thomas Smith

John Potter died on 24 December 1706, leaving a will naming his wife Mary, daughter Abigail, and sons John and Samuel by his first wife, and grandchildren of both wives. The will was proved "1st Monday Jan 1706/7" and referred to Mary as "a laborious, loving tender-hearted wife to me." By prenuptial agreement, all of Mary's estate had already been given to her children with Ralph.^[15][16]

John's will was that Mary was to enjoy his estate for her remaining life. His son John Potter was to inherit the estate upon Mary's death or remarriage, so she probably died on that property.

Sources

1. ↑ Connecticut U.S. Church Record Abstracts 1630-1920 (Hitchcock) Abigail, Mary & John, children of ( ) w. of Edw. bb. Dec 15, 1644; Mary b. Feb 2, 1638; John b. Feb last, 1643 https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/3032/images/41107_620303988_0369-00259?pId=637632
2. ↑ Vital Records from the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, v.9 p.359. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (Compiled from articles originally published in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.) AmericanAncestors (by subscription)
3. ↑ New Haven Town Records, 1649-1684 By New Haven (Conn.) page 323 https://books.google.com/books?id=CGU9AQAAMAAJ&pg=PP14&dq=New+Haven+Town+Records+1649-1684+Volume+1&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjm8s-Ojez1AhVqVTABHaI2AdsQ6AF6BAgKEAI#v=snippet&q=Mary%20Hitchcock&f=false
   • Isack Hall, Thomas Weede, Edward Neale, Mary Hitchcock and John Brookes were called before the Court, and the said Isack was charged with writing, and the said Thomas with setting up a writing upon the meetinghouse, publishing a contract of marriage betwixt the said Edward Neale and ye said Mary Hitchcock, when as there is no such matter, as the father of the said Mary (who complained of this wrong) declared; which thing is the publishing of a lye, and the abuse of that wholesome Order made by the Court.
4. ↑ New Haven Town Records, 1649-1684 By New Haven (Conn.) page 401 https://books.google.com/books?id=CGU9AQAAMAAJ&pg=PP14&dq=New+Haven+Town+Records+1649-1684+Volume+1&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjm8s-Ojez1AhVqVTABHaI2AdsQ6AF6BAgKEAI#v=snippet&q=edward%20Hitchcock&f=false
   • At a Meeting of the Court the 11th of May, 1659
   Francis, the widow of Edward Hitchcock, deceased, having informed that there was a considerable alteration of ye estate of her deceased husband since the inventory was taken, the Court ordered that a new inventory should be taken, before they proceeded to the division of the estate betwixt the widow and others ye were interested therein, which accordingly was done & presented to the Court, amounting to £185.10.09; Deacon Miles and John Cowper did testify upon the oath they had taken ye appraisement was just, according to their best light; with estate being divided, ye proportions are as follows: to Francis, the widow of the deceased, £61.16.11; to John, the eldest sonne £41.5.0 which was by his consent committed to Ensigne Lindon; to Mary, the eldest daughter, £20.12.2; to Abigaile, £20.12.2 1/2, which was at her desire committed to Sergeant Munson; to Samuel, £20.12.2, who being not of age to choose his guardian, it was at the present to remain under the care of the Court; to Elizabeth Perry, a kinswoman to the widow, who according to ye minde of the deceased was to have a childs part, as by ye records doth appear, £20.12.2 which was left with the widow until further orders; all which amounted to £185.10.9; but what shall appear due to Wm Andrewes or Edward Pattison, out of the estate is to be paid by the parties ye possess the estate, according to proportion.
5. ↑ New Haven Town Records, 1649-1684 By New Haven (Conn.)  page 497 https://books.google.com/books?id=CGU9AQAAMAAJ&pg=PP14&dq=New+Haven+Town+Records+1649-1684+Volume+1&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjm8s-Ojez1AhVqVTABHaI2AdsQ6AF6BAgKEAI#v=snippet&q=Mary%20Hitchcock&f=false
   • "that he had committed Fornication with Mary Hitchcock, he thought 6 or 7 times, but whether more than 6 or 7 times he knew not. The first time (he said) began thus his mr and mrs being gone to Bedd they two being together in the kitchen in ye darke, Mary told him, that he looked like a wenching Fellow, saying come, shall we goe to Bedd." When Mary testified "she thought it was about 3 or 4 times, the first time about 6 months since, the last about 4 months since (as she thought)-- Richard and shee being in the kitchen together, she said to him, Come shall wee goe to Bedd; haveing so said, she went into her chamber, & shut the doore closse, being in bed & covered up closse he coming to the doore, she asked him what he did there. -- She told him she did not bid him come to bed there, but to his owne bedd, & therefore bid him be gone, upon which he went away."
6. ↑ New Haven Town Records, 1649-1684 By New Haven (Conn.) page 497 https://books.google.com/books?id=CGU9AQAAMAAJ&pg=PP14&dq=New+Haven+Town+Records+1649-1684+Volume+1&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjm8s-Ojez1AhVqVTABHaI2AdsQ6AF6BAgKEAI#v=snippet&q=Mary%20Hitchcock&f=false
   • "if she was willing to mary Richard Matticks; she said she was not willing; they were told that by their wickedness they had made themselves one flesh & so unfit for any other; - They were told that by the law they are to be punished, either by enjoyning marriage or fines or Corporall punishment, any or all, as most agreeable to ye Word of God." When she reappeared in court nine months later on September 2, 1662 John Herriman spoke that "he hoped she had in some measure seen her evil and he desired the lord may help her to see it more. Therefore desired a fine might be taken for her instead of corporal punishment." Sister Herriman also spoke that "she had a godly mother, but did not walk in her godly steps yet she did hope that god had begun a repentance in her." Sister Glover also spoke. The judges, 'hoping she would become a new woman,' thereupon changed Mary's sentence to a fine of "foure pounds, which Jn Herriman or his wife promised to see payd to ye treasurer."
7. ↑ New England Marriages to 1700. (Torrey's v.2 p.1315) (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. AmericanAncestors (by subscription)]
   • Torrey's text: "RUSSELL, Ralph (-1679, 1675?) & Mary HITCHCOCK, m/2 John POTTER 1679; 12 Oct 1663; New Haven {Hitchcock 479; Peabody Anc. 117; New Haven Gen. Mag. 749, 1572; Reg. 81:131; Tuttle 172}"
8. ↑ Index to Marriages, Births and Deaths, New Haven 1639-1754 FHL film 1405824 image 96 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BY-6H2Y?cat=580583
   • Marriages:
   Ralph Russell to Mary Hitchcock 12 Oct 1663 --- Mary Russell to John Potter 29 Dec 1679
   • Births:
   John Russell 14 Dec 1664--- Joseph Russell 20 Mar 1666/7--- Edward Russell 25 Feb 1673
   • Deaths:
   Edward Russell 3 Aug 1684
9. ↑ Norton, Mary Beth, Founding mothers & fathers: gendered power and the forming of America, 1996. Pinion family on pages 27-38; Mary Hitchcock on page 130.
   • The Pinions had a "two-generation record of twenty-six prosecutions over two decades in four colonies.." Their offenses ranged "from profanity and absence from Sabbath services to theft, adultery, and infanticide."
10. ↑ New Haven town records, 1649- , by New Haven (Conn.); Dexter, Franklin Bowditch compiler. [https://archive.org/details/newhaventownreco02newh/page/204/mode/1up? InternetArchive
11. ↑ New Haven, CT: Families of Ancient New Haven. V.7 pp.1572-4 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as New Haven genealogical magazine. vols. I-VIII. Compiled by Donald Lines Jacobus. 8 vols. Rome, New York: Clarence D. Smith, 1923-1932.AmericanAncestors (by subscription)]
12. ↑ New Haven Town Records, 1649-1769, 1662-1684 By New Haven (Conn.) page 367 https://www.google.com/books/edition/New_Haven_Town_Records_1649_1769_1662_16/ShEoAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%20367
    • Town Meeting Held at Newhaven ye 18th of September 1677
    John Potter made a motion on ye behalf of Mary Russell, widow, about a piece of Land (about 1.2 of acre) of ye towns which was fence in adjoining to ye house of her late Husband, Ralph Russell; that ye Towne would grant to her ye use of ye said ground and the fruit trees upon it for two or three years, or until ye town see cause upon consideration, further or otherwise to dispose of it.
13. ↑ New Haven, CT: Vital Records, 1649-1850. v.1 p.48 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org.New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2007), (Vital Records of New Haven, 1649-1850, Connecticut Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, Hartford, CT, 1917.) AmericanAncestors (by subscription)]
14. ↑ New Haven, CT: Vital Records, 1649-1850. v.1 p.51 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org.New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2007), (Vital Records of New Haven, 1649-1850, Connecticut Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, Hartford, CT, 1917.) AmericanAncestors (by subscription)]
15. ↑ New Haven Conn. probate records, Probate records v. 3-4 1703-1719, pp. 93-95, FHL film #7626740, images 54-55 FamilySearch
16. ↑ John and William Potter and Their Descendants, page 25 Ancestry (by subscription)

• Potter, Charles Edward. Genealogies of The Potter Families and Their Descendants in America to The Present Generation (Alfred Mudge & Son, Boston, 1888) Page 279
• Shepard, James. The New Haven (Conn.) Potters, 1639, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1900) Vol. 54, Page 23