William Hodges (abt. 1620 - 1654)

Born about 1620 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Mary (Andrews) Pitts — married 1648 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1654 at about age 34 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

William Hodges was doubtless born in England. He may have been the "William Hedges" appointed on the jury at the Court held in Salem on March 27, 1638, although this may have been William Hedge of Lynn.^[1]

William went to Taunton shortly after it was purchased by the first proprietors. He was in the second list of early settlers compiled by the town clerk, John Wilbore.^[1] He was in the list of males in Taunton able to bear arms in 1643.^[2]

On March 24, 1644, the town voted "that sufficient carte-way be made from the houses into the woods behind the ground of William Hodges, William Evans and Aaron Knapp, where it is most convenient."^[1]

William married Mary Andrews circa 1648 in Taunton.^[3]

William was one of the original stockholders of the first Taunton Iron Works, subscribing £20 for a whole share.^[1]

William Hodges died April 2, 1654, in Taunton, Plymouth Colony. He seems to have held considerable property and probably was comparatively young when he died.^[1][4]

Name

William Hodges. Some sources may show his surname as "Hedges".^[1][3][5]

Occupation

Stock holder, Taunton Iron Works^[1]

Parents

Unknown^[1]

Birth

Perhaps born around 1620 to 1627. Origins unknown. Most likely born in England.^[1][5]

He would have been at least 16 years old in August 1643 because he was listed among the men of Taunton, between the ages of 16 and 60, who were able to bear arms.^[2]

Places of Residence

1. Most likely England^[1][5]
2. Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay. Arrived by 1643.^[4][6]

Freeman

William was admitted freeman on 5 Jun 1651.^[1]

Marriage

William married ca 1648 to Mary Andrews, daughter of Henry Andrews Sr..^[3]

In his will, Henry Andrews named his daughter Mary, wife of William Hodges.^[7]

Children

William and Mary had the following children in Taunton:^[1][5]

1. John, b. about 1650; d. 1719 in Taunton.
2. Henry, b. about 1652; d. 30 Sep 1717 in Taunton.

Death

2 Apr 1654 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay.^[4]

Burial

Unknown.

Probate

Inventory taken by James Wyate, William Barker and Oliver Purchas. Amount: 157. 9s.^[4]

Research Notes

Disputed Birth Date: A previous version of this profile claimed William was christened on 21 Mar 1623/4 in St. Alfege, Greenwich, Kent, England. This date was based on a record found there.^[8] However, another record indicates William Hodges of Greenwich, Kent, son of William Hodges, died there 26 Sep 1627.^[9] References to the 1624 birth in Kent have been removed from this profile.

Disputed Parents: A previous version of this profile claimed William was a son of William Hodges (1580-1639) and Alice (Symes) Hodges (1582-1655) without adequate source citations. This connection appeared to be based on a 21 Mar 1623/4 christening record for a William who was a son of another William Hodges.^[8] However, that son was buried in Greenwich, Kent, England on 26 Sep 1627.^[9] Furthermore, the profile of the alleged father indicated he died about 1639 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. No research explaining the connection between William Hodges of Isle of Wight to the William Hodges from Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay was provided. The alleged parents have been disconnected from this profile until further proof can be provided. Contact: Laurence Mohr

Captain Hodges: A previous version of this profile, without source or citation, indicated he was granted the rank of captain. This title has been removed until a supporting source is found. There was a Captain William Hodges at Boston as early as 1633,^[7] but no sources have been found to connect that William Hodges to the one who lived in Taunton. No records in from Taunton identified William by title of Captain.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} Hodges, Almon D.. Genealogical Record of the Hodges Family of New England, ending December 31, 1894. Boston: Printed for the family by F.H. Hodges. pp. 71-73. Available on Archive.org.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1850. Vol. 4, p. 258. Available on Google Books.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Torrey, Clarence Almon. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011. Vol. 2, p. 770. Available with sources on American Ancestors ($).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1851. Vol. 5, p. 261. Available on Google Books.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts. Chicago, IL: J.H. Beers & Co, 1912. Vol. III, p. 1584. Available on Archive.org.
6. ↑ William New Hodges in the Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890. Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. Massachusetts Census, 1790-1890. Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890, database on-line. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. ($)
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Bennett, Edmund Hatch. History of Taunton, Massachusetts: From its Settlement to the Present Time. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., 1893. Pp. 30, 89. Available on HathiTrust.org.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} William Hodges in the Kent, England, Tyler Index to Parish Registers, 1538-1874. The Tyler Collection, The Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies; Kent, England, Tyler Index to Parish Registers, 1538-1874. Ancestry.com. Kent, England, Tyler Index to Parish Registers, 1538-1874, database on-line. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, database, FamilySearch : 19 March 2020, William Hodges, 1623.

See also:

• Abridgement of the Genealogical Record of The Hodges Family of New England, ending December 21, 1954, Compiled by George F Hodges and other members of the Family, page 17. Appears without publishing information, printed sometime after 20 Jan 1956, the last date in the book. (T. H. Bredehoft, private library collection) No. 43 of 200 printed.
• HOLMES, FRANK R., COMPILER. Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families, 1620-1700. New York, 1923. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, 1964. Page: 120. William Hodges; Arrival Year: 1638; Arrival Place: Salem, Massachusetts
• VIRKUS, FREDERICK A., editor. Immigrant Ancestors: A List of 2,500 Immigrants to America before 1750. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1964. 75p. Repr. 1986. Page: 38. William Hodges; Arrival Year: 1643; Arrival Place: Salem, Massachusetts.