Nathaniel Underhill (1690 - 1775)

Born 11 Aug 1690 in New Castle, New York Province

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Hunt) Underhill — married 19 Apr 1711 in Westchester, New York

Descendants

Died 27 Nov 1775 at age 85 in Westchester, New York Province

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Biography

Birth

Nathaniel was born in Westchester, New York in August 1690.^[1]

Marriage

Nathaniel married Mary Hunt in Westchester County on April 19, 1711^[2]

Research on this Marriage

It has not been clear who was Nathaniel's wife. Some sources point toward Anna/Anne/ Mary Honeywell, others to Mary Hunt. so which one, or was it both? And which one was the mother of his children? It doesn't help that Nathaniel is the son of a Nathaniel and the father of another. The wills of their parents provide some evidence:

In her will dated May 26, 1722, proved Dec. 8, 1724, Grace (Fowler) Hunt, widow of John Hunt, leaves a legacy to daughter Mary Underhill. (The will was witnessed by Israel Honeywell) ^[3] That verifies that Mary Hunt was married to an Underhill, although not necessarily Nathaniel. On the other hand, this researcher has found no record or even unsupported assertion that any other Underhill married Mary Hunt.

In his will, dated twenty years later on Feb.1, 1743, (and not proved for another twenty years, in 1762) her father Israel Honeywell (son of Israel, father of Israel) grants a legacy to his daughter Anne, wife of Nathaniel Underhill.^[4]. That verifies that Anne/Anna Honeywell was the wife of Nathaniell Underhill, in 1743, although not necessarily this Nathaniel, it might be his son instead, since Anne/Anna was born in 1719, much too late to be the mother of his children.. On the other hand, Bolton's pedigree chart of the Underhills says that this Nathaniel's wife was "Anna, daughter of Israel Honeywell."

Conclusions, subject to correction if further evidence turns up: This Nathaniel (1690-1775) was married to Mary Hunt (1692-1770). Their son Nathaniel (1725-1782) was married to Anne Honeywell (1719-1782). Corrections and additions being made based on those conclusions. Halsey Bullen

Death and Last Will

Nathaniel died in 1775, likely shortly before his will was proved on December 1.

His will, abstracted in full detail by Pelletreau,^[5], provides a wealth of genealogical information. In it, Nathaniel:

• leaves to wife Mary furniture and £25 per annum.
• conveys to son Israel all his houses and lands in Westchester or elsewhere
• leaves son Bartow £300
• mentions Gilbert, Nathaniel, Elizabeth, and Frances Drake, sons and daughters of his daughter Elizabeth,
• mentions the children of my daughter (Phebe) Purdy
• mentions daughter Mary, wife of Dr. Nicholas Bayley,
• mentions sons William and Nathaniel
• mentions daughters Helena Morgan, wife of James, and Sarah Hyatt
• mentions the heirs of son John,
• mentions granddaughter Mary (Hyatt) Bugbee, wife of John Buckbee
• and directs Israel to set apart an eternal family burying ground 4 rods square.

Children

Nathaniel and Mary had, in Eastchester, New York (then in Westchester County, now in the Bronx, New York City):^[6][7]

• Phebe, b. November 8, 1713, married Obadiah Purdy, died perhaps 1769, definitely before 1775 since only mention in father's will is to "The children of my daughter Purdy."
• Sarah, b. March 9, 1715, married Elisha Hyatt, then Samuel Embree
• John, b. August 2 1718, married Ann Elizabeth Bowne
• Mary, b. January 2, 1720, married Nicholas Bayley
• Nathaniel, b. August 31, 1723, married Ann Honeywell
• Bartow, b. October 23, 1725
• William, b. February 16 1727, married Mary Dean
• Helena, b. January 26 1729, married James Morgan
• Israel, b. September 10, 1732, married Abigail Lispenard
• Elizabeth, b. February 17, 1735, married Gilbert Drake

Research on Two Daughters

An Underhill Family genealogy^[8] and some other genealogies show Mary Underhill as the wife of first Obadiah Purdy and then Dr. Nicholas Bayley. But this seems to result from a misreading of their father's will dated 1775.^[9] It first mentions and provide for "The children of my daughter Purdy" and separately mentions "my daughter Mary, wife of Dr. Nicholas Bayley." That wording indicates that "daughter Purdy" must have died before 1775, and that daughter Mary was still alive then. All other daughters of Nathaniel married other men, so, if only by deduction, the Underhill who married Obadiah Purdy must have been Phebe.

Sources

1. ↑ Underhill Family record viewed at [1]
2. ↑ Underhill Family record viewed at [2]
3. ↑ Pelletreau, William, Early Wills of Westchester County, New York, (New York: 1847), page 224-225, viewed online at www.archive.org
4. ↑ Pelletreau, William, Early Wills of Westchester County, New York, (New York: 1847), page 224-225, viewed online at www.archive.org
5. ↑ Pelletreau, William S, Wills of Early Residents of Westchester County, NY 1664-1784 (New York: Francis P. Harper:1898), abstract of will of Nathaniel Underhill, page 279, viewed on [https://archive.org/details/earlywillsofwest00pel/page/279/mode/1up?view=theater archive.org.
6. ↑ Underhill Genealogy[3]
7. ↑ Pelletreau, William S, Wills of Early Residents of Westchester County, NY 1664-1784 (New York: Francis P. Harper:1898), abstract of will of Nathaniel Underhill, page 279
8. ↑ Underhill [4]
9. ↑ Pelletreau, William S, Wills of Early Residents of Westchester County, NY 1664-1784 (New York: Francis P. Harper:1898), abstract of will of Nathaniel Underhill, page 279

• | Find a Grave record for Nathaniel Underhill

• Daughter Sarah's connection to Nathaniel is supported by Underhill Society records, and by the Underhill pedigree chart on Volume II, page 229 of Robert Bolton's History of the County of Westchester.(New York: 1848). Bolton's chart shows only eight of the children, omitting Phebe and Helena.

• Dutchess County - Adolph Philipse Patent, Page 82 *https://archive.org/details/historicalgeneal01oxfo/page/82/mode/1up?view=theater

Acknowledgement

This person was created on 13 September 2010 through the import of 124-DeCoursey.ged.