Hester was a daughter of Solomon Horton and Susannah Badcock. She was baptised at the First Congregational Church in Milton, Mass. on 27 May 1711 and identified as "Hester, Dau. of Solomon Horton" in the church records. [1]
In 1725, the minor children of Solomon and Susannah were placed in guardianships in Rehoboth, Mass. Hester, listed by that name, was put in guardianship of John Wilmouth along with her sister, Patience. Hester was over 14, and Patience was under 14. Both were still minors.
Hester's guardians (and her sister Patience), were John Wilmouth/WIlmarth and his wife, Dorothy Ormsby, the first cousin of Ichabod Franklin, Hester's future husband. Hester's other siblings were put into other guardianships, viz: Hannah Horton was placed in guardianship with Joseph Garnzey (and wife Elizabeth Badcock, the sister of Susannah Badcock, thus the aunt of the children of Solomon Horton and Susannah Badcock). Solomon and Simeon Horton were placed in guardianship of Solomon Horton Sr.'s brother John Horton (and wife Mehitable Garnzey, sister of Joseph). Anna, Daniel, and Moses Horton were placed in guardianship of Solomon Horton's brother Thomas Horton (and wife Hannah Garnzey, sister of Mehitable and Joseph). Thomas and Hannah (Garnzey) Horton's daughter, Rachel, married Ichabod Franklin's brother, Philip Franklin. Rachel Horton was 1st cousin of Hester Horton. [2]
When Hester was married in 1735, she also went by the name Hester at that time. Certain records say Easter, etc, but are clearly in error with that spelling.
She married Ichabod Franklin on 22 Nov 1735 in Rehoboth, Bristol County, Massachusetts.[3]
Although the FamilySearch index lists her husband's surname as "Francis" it is listed under the surname "Franklin" in the actual record. [3]
Porter or Horton? The transcribed birth records of Hester's children in Attleborough list her as Easter Porter. However, going back to the handwritten family vital records list it reads, "Easter his wife which before Mariage (sp) was horter" (with a lower case h). Ancestry family listing See copy in images.
Abstract, Inventory of Estate of Solomon Horton of Rehoboth, dated 23 Jan 1724/25, pres by Susanah Horton, Adm. Apprs: Jonathan Ormsbee, James Redaway, & John Wilmouth [5:36]. [4]
Solomon Horton died Jan 1724/25. Susannah (Badcock) Horton died 19 July 1725. [5]
Probate of Solomon Horton, including land given to Ester or Hester (the "E" doesn't look like other "E's" so it may be the way to spell Hester at that time, his 5th daughter. Several pages. Children supposedly itemized in order of birth (contrary to the order of birth I have from birth records. The list from the probate lists males first, then females), viz:
Hester may have died during childbirth of second son, Ichabod Franklin Jr on 28 Apr 1739, in Attleboro per Dorothy Raymoure's Franklin genealogy. In the Attleboro vital records, there is a listing for an Ichabod Franklin of Attleboro's marriage to Hannah Andrews or Andras of Norton on 20 Sep 1739 which corroborates the theory that Hester died. But no death record has yet been found for her. And the Attleboro vital records of the children born after 1739 still list their mother as Easter Porter.
Ichabod Franklin, son of James Franklin and Martha Ormsby, married Hester Horton, daughter of Solomon Horton and Susannah Badcock (sic). Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850. Franklin Genealogy by Dorothy Raymoure, Massachusetts Marriages 1633-1850 (Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film # 0562559.), VRs of Rehoboth, marriage record with David Turner officiating, The marriage is also listed in Attleboro, but gives Hester or Esther Porter by mistake. Probably died during childbirth of second son, Ichabod Franklin Jr, 28 Apr 1739, in Attleboro, which is why that is the probable date of her death, per Dorothy Raymoure's Franklin genealogy. Hester's parents had both died and she and her minor siblings were put up in guardianships of several individuals. On 1 Nov 1725, in Rehoboth, Mass., Hester was put into legal guardianship of John Wilmouth/Wilmarth. [7] Ten years later, also in Rehoboth, Hester married Ichabod Franklin. He was 22, and she was 24. Ichabod and Hester only had Stephen and Ichabod and then Hester died, and Ichabod married Hannah Andrews, who was the mother of the remaining children (John, Hannah, Nathan, Esther, James). Rev David Turner, who married Ichabod Franklin and Hester Horton, also married Hester's cousin Rachel to Ichabod's brother Philip Franklin, as well as Hester's siblings, Susannah, Anna, Patience, Simeon, and perhaps others. Rev. David Turner was the pastor of the Palmer River Church, now known as the Rehoboth Congregational Church.
Ichabod Franklin and wife Hannah joined the Church at Norton, Massachusetts in 1758. [8]
Ichabod Franklin moved the family to Winchester, Cheshire, New Hampshire, in 1761, according to Dorothy Raymoure's Franklin Genealogy. It seems that Hannah may have remained in Norton at least until after her father died on 28 January 1763, and his Will was probated. Her father left land and items and responsibility to her son Nathan, as well as land and money to her, along with his other children.
Hannah Franklin and her son, Nathan Franklin listed in the Will of Hannah's father (1763), Deacon John Andrews, in Norton. [9]
Nathan married, 20 August 1764, in Norton just after receiving land from Hannah's father. He had at least two children in Norton. He later moved to Westmoreland, Cheshire County, New Hampshire where other Franklins in his family had moved to, in nearby Winchester.
Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988: Rehoboth Vital Records Transcripts
Franklin Genealogy by Dorothy Raymoure Biographical information on Ichabod Franklin and Hester Horton.
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Hester is 24 degrees from Herbert Adair, 21 degrees from Richard Adams, 17 degrees from Mel Blanc, 22 degrees from Dick Bruna, 19 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 28 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 20 degrees from Sam Edwards, 17 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 21 degrees from Marty Krofft, 14 degrees from Junius Matthews, 13 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 20 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
edited by Terry Olson
edited by Lisa Franklin RN, BSN
edited by Terry Olson