Jonathan Knowlton (1677 - 1728)

Born 16 Mar 1677 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1728 at about age 50 in Hopkinton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Jonathan was born March 16, 1677 in Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony, the son of Samuel Knowlton and his wife Elizabeth Witt. He was baptized in 1677 or 1678 in the Wenham Congregational Church, although the records do not give an exact date.

He married Elizabeth, whose identity is unknown, about 1702 in probably Ipswich or Wenham.

Jonathan's farm was located in The Hamlet of Ipswich which later became the town of Hamilton. In the early days of The Hamlet, the residents did not have their own church so most Hamlet residents attended the church in Wenham. Consequently, Jonathan and Elizabeth's children were baptized in the Wenham Congregational Church.

In July 1722 Jonathan and Elizabeth sold their farm in The Hamlet of Ipswich to Jonathan's brother Ebenezer and their wood lot was sold to Daniel Dodge. Jonathan and his family likely moved to Hopkinton, Massachusetts Bay Colony shortly thereafter.

The town of Hopkinton was incorporated in 1715 but the first official meeting of the town did not occur until March 25, 1724. At that meeting Jonathan was voted a surveyor of highways. In addition, the records of the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton list Jonathan among the settlers of the town who arrived before 1730.

On November 17, 1727 the records of the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton noted the following: "Jonathan Knowlton is dismissed from Ipswich and received in full communion".

Jonathan passed away in 1728 intestate and insolvent. Administration was granted on his estate April 21, 1728 to his widow, Elizabeth, and eldest son, Jonathan. His probate also mentions Benjamin Caryl as his son in-law, the husband of his daughter Mary.

Research Note: Stocking's History of the Knowltons contains many errors and omissions. However, the Errata to the History often corrects many of these errors and omissions. Unfortunately that is not true of this Jonathan and his descendants. The many errors and omissions contained in the History pertaining to this branch are not corrected in the Errata. In the Stocking History Jonathan's daughters Ruth and Sarah are shown in the wrong family and daughters Mary and Abigail are not referenced at all. There is no correction in the Errata. But the baptismal records of the Wenham Congregational Church prove all four women are daughters of Jonathan and Elizabeth.

It should also be noted that the expert research of Evelyn H. Knowlton has done much to enlighten us on many of the details of this Jonathan's line of descendants.

Sources

• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915" database, FamilySearch: 4 December 2014, Jonathan Knowlton, 16 Mar 1677; citing Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, 110; FHL microfilm 877,468
• Ancestry.com Wills and Probate Records Probate records 1648--1924 (Middlesex County, Massachusetts); Author: Massachusetts. Probate Court (Middlesex County); Probate Place: Middlesex, Massachusetts.
• Stocking, Rev. Charles Henry Wright. D.D. The History and Genealogy of the Knowltons of England and America. Vols.1, & 2. New York: The Knickerbocker Press, 1897. Stocking ID 54.
• Knowlton, George Henry. Addenda and Errata to Dr. Stocking's History ... of the Knowltons pg. 17 Boston, MA (Everett Press Company) 1903. ) (Children reference IDs: 160A, 160B, 160C)
• Wenham Congregational Church Baptismal Records; https://archive.org/stream/newenglandhisto19unkngoog#page/n44/mode/2up
• First Congregational Church of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Records, List of Hopkinton settlers before 1730, 1708-1885 Collection, page 71; http://nehh-viewer.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/#/content/Hopkinton/viewer/Church20records2C2017081885/71
• First Congregational Church of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Records, Jonathan Knowlton Admitted to the Hopkinton church, 1724-1864 Collection, page 7; http://nehh-viewer.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/#/content/Hopkinton/viewer/Church20records2C2017241864/7
• History of Middlesex County, Volume 3, Duane Hamilton Hurd; https://archive.org/stream/historyofmiddles01hurdh#page/782/mode/2up
• Essex County, Massachusetts, Deed Records, Volume 40, Page 169 and Volume 79, Page 136.