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Rev Joseph Hull

Rev Joseph Hull

Male - 1665

 

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Bound for New England - Joseph Hull and his immigrant flock

Excerpted from from John Camden Hotten's "Original Lists of Persons of Quality: Emigrants, Religious Exiles, etc. who went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, from 1600 to 1700"

THE HULL COMPANY

Reverend Joseph Hull, a native of Somersetshire, England, a graduate of St. Mary's Hall, Oxford, and a preacher of some celebrity in southwest England, either became dissatisfied with his position, or became inspired with a desire to see the new world just dawning upon the eyes of Europe, and toward which many of his friends and neighbors were flocking. In 1632, he resigned the rectorship of Northleigh, Devon, which he had held for 11 yrears, and gathering a company of devoted followers who were willing to share with him the dangers, difficulties and pleasures of this unknown country, set sail on March 20, 1635, from Weymouth, Old Dorset, England, for the lands of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

They came over in the Episcopal interest, and Hull's sympathies appear to have leaned in that direction, although while in America he was professedly a non-conformist, or Independent. He must have been a popular man from his success in securing followers to make up his company of emigrants, although his relations with them appear to have ceased not very long after reaching the new land.

The company consisted of 21 families - about 105 individuals - with no definite destination, preferring to leave the precise spot of their location to the direction of Providence. After a passage of 46 days, a fair one for that period, they passed the verdant islands of that beautiful bay, leaving on their left the bustling settlement of Hull, then a harbor for the inner plantations, and after a pleasant sail of about 10 miles cast anchor at Governor Winthrop's infant village of Boston. This was on May 6, 1635, and it was not until July 2, 1635, that, with the permission of the General Court, they length settled upon Wessaguscus as their future home.

This selection was a serious business for the new colonists, whose eyes were familiar only with the highly cultivated fields of old England, who knew little of the capacities of the soil upon which they now trod, of whose history they knew nothing, and whose outlines they could hardly discern, so thickly were they wooded. There was no lack in quantity of land, but there was a choice in quality and location, and even that was left to Providence. So they sailed down the harbor, passing the many islands that thickly dot the surface. Entering Fore River, they came to anchor in a small cove about 4 miles from its mouth, afterward known as Mill Creek, and not far from the spot where Weston's colony landed 13 years before.

Wessaguscus was not wholly a wilderness, for with the Weston settlement of 1622, scattered remnants of people remained upon the ground and others who had since come in, quite a population had gathered within the limits of Wessaguscus. The Gorges company settled upon the deserted plantations of Thomas Weston's people in September 1623. This company was wholly broken up in the following spring, yet a number of its emigrants remained and became permanent settlers. These were joined from time to time by single families or small companies, until, upon the arrival of Mr. Hull's company, the settlement had attained quite respectable proportions. When the Hull company arrived, there were not less than 50 families, and perhaps 70 or 80 already residing there. A flourishing colony already established was sufficient evidence of good soil, a good location, a favorable position for trade with the Indians, for communications with other plantations about the bay, as well as protection from the savages.

More than this, many of the previous settlers were relatives or friends of the later arrivals. The land had been so generally taken up, and the plantations were so closely connected that the newcomers were obliged to make their settlement upon territory further south.

There was already religious dissension in the community when Mr. Hull and his families arrived, introducing a new element of discord into the already divided community. The newcomers, not in full sympathy with either faction, deemed themselves strong enough and of sufficient importance to have at least an equal voice in the councils of the town. And as there was no minister at their coming, and as they brought one ready-made at their hands, what better could they do than accept him for all? This at once aroused the opposition of the older settlers, and measures were immediately taken to prevent such a result. Mr. Hull eventually retired from the contest.

As a result of the dispute, the authority of the colonial government was gradually extended over the settlement. The town was reorganized, and September 2, 1635, the name of the settlement was changed from Wessaguscus to Weymouth, the name of which, in pleasant memory of the port in Dorset they had so recently left. It was made a plantation with a privilege of a deputy to the General Court. However, because of the three opposing elements, the little town chose 3 deputies instead of the one to which it was entitled. John Upham was the selection of the Hull emigrants, yet eventually retired, leaving the position to William Reade.

On June 12, 1636, a meeting of the town was held to distribute lots among the settlers. It was decided to "lott unto every compleate person 6 acres, and to ~very half passenger under 12 yearsrs of age, to have 3 to a head. And the place to begin is at the lower end of the pond and to run 84 Rodd eitherwards to the great plantation lotts."

The tract selected was situated southerly from Burying Hill (beyond which, to the north, were the larger portion of the older farms), with King Oak Hill for a central point, a sightly, beautiful hill overlooking Boston Bay. The temporary habitations of the Weymouth colonists of 1635 were located in the valley lying along its western base, reaching to Burying Hill. Upon the latter were the meetinghouse, watchhouse, and the burying-place, while the farms were scattered for a distance to the west, south and east. The rude shelters first erected were replaced from time to time by more substantial structures built upon the farms themselves, when the lands had become better improved, and the danger from Indians less imminent.

"Berrying Island" has a history: Weymouth was the second settlement in the colony, after Plymouth. The first settlers have not been held in the highest repute. They landed upon this "burying island", and lived upon it, and near to it, in 1622-3. They had trouble with the Indians, and Miles Standish came from Plymouth to save them - the story of his march is historical.

The following is a complete list of the Hull company, with notes of correction. Several of the emigrants came from Broadway, Somerset. It is conjectured that most if not all the first settlers of Wessaguscus were West country people, and came from that point where the counties of Somerset, Dorset and Devon join.

BOUND FOR NEW ENGLAND

WAYMOUTH ye 20th of March, 1635

Joseph Hall of Somerst a Ministr aged 40 year Agnis Hall his Wife aged 25 yr
Joane Hall his daught aged 15 Yeare
Joseph Hall his sonne aged 13 Yeare
Tristram his son aged .11 Yeare
Elizabeth Hall his daught aged 7 Yeare
Temperance his daught aged 9 Yeare
Grissell Hall his daught aged 5 Yeare
Dorothy Hall his daught aged 3 Yeare
Judith French his s'vamt aged 20 Yeare
John Wood his s'vaunt aged 20 Yeare
Rob Dabyn his s'vamt aged 27 Yeare (should be Robert Davys)
Musachell Bernard of batcome Clothier in the County of Somersett 24 Yeare
Mary Bernard his wife aged 28 Yeare
John Bernard his sonne aged 3 Yeare
Nathaniell his sonne aged 1 Yeare
Rich pearsons salter & his s'vant: 30: yeare
Francis Baber Chandler aged 36 yeare
Jesope Joyner aged 22 Yeare
Walter Jesop Weaver aged 21 Yeare
Timothy Tabor of Som'st of Batcombe taylor aged 35 Yeare
Jane Tabor his Wife aged 35 Yeare
Jane Tabor his Daughtr aged 10 Yeare
Anne Tabor his daughtr: aged 8 yeare
Sarah Tabor his daughtr aged 5 Yeare
Willm Fever his s'vaunt aged 20 Yeare
Jno Whitmarck aged 39 yeare (should be Whitmarsh)
Alce Whitmarke his Wife aged 35 yeare
Jmo (John) Whitmarke his sonne aged 11 yeare
Jane his daughtr aged 7 yeare
Ouseph ( or Onseph) Whitmarke his sonne aged 5 yeare
Rich: Whytemark his sonne aged 2 Yeare
Willm Read of Batcombe Taylor in Som'stt aged 28 Yeare
Susan Read his Wife aged 29 Yeare
Hanna Read his daughtr aged 3 yeare
Lusan (probably Susan) Read ;his daughtr aged 1 yeare
Rich Adams his s'vante 29 Yeare
Mary his Wife aged 26 yeare
Mary Cheame his daughr aged 1 yeare
Zachary Bickewell aged 45 Yeare
Agnis Bickwell his Wife aged 27 yeare
Jno Bickwell his sonne aged 11 year
Jno Kitchin his servaunt 23 yeare
George Allin aged 24 Yeare (George Allen was an old man, aged 67 in 1635. He had been preceded by two sons (by a first wife) Henry and Samuel, who came in 1629-30.)
Katherin Allyn his Wife aged 30 yeare
George Allyn his sonne aged 16 yeare
Willm Allyn his sonne aged 8 year
Mathew Allyn his sonne aged 6 yeare
Edward Poole his s'vaunt aged 26 yeare
Henry Kingman aged 40 Yeares
Joane his wife beinge aged 39
Edward Kingman his son aged 16 year
Joane his daught aged 11: yeeare
Anne his daughtr aged 9 Yeare
Thomas Kingman his sonne aged 7 Yeare
John Kingman his sonne aged 2 yeare
Jn Ford his servaunt aged 30 yeare
William Kinge aged 40* Yeare
(* or 30. One figure is written over the other, and it is impossible to tell which is the later.)
Dorothy his wife aged 34 yeare
Mary Kinge his daughtr aged 12 year
Katheryn his daughtr aged 10 Yeare
Willm Kinge his sonne aged 8 year
Hanna Kinge his daughtr: aged 6 year

Somerset

Thomas Holbrooke of Broudway aged 34: yeare
Jane Holbrooke his wife aged 34 yeare
John Holbrooke his sonne aged 11 yeare.
Thomas Holbrooke his sonne aged 10 yeare
Anne Holbrooke his daught aged 5 yea[re]
Elizabeth his daught aged 1 yeare
Thomas Dible husbandm aged 22 yeare
Francis Dible soror aged 24 Yeare
Robert Lovell husbandman aged 40 year
Elizabeth Lovell his Wife aged 35 yeare
Zacheus Lovell his sonne 15 yeares
Anne Lovell his daught: aged 17 yeare
John Lovell his sonne aged 8 yeare
Ellyn his daughtr aged.1 yeare
James his sonne aged l yeare
Joseph Chickin his servant 16 year
Alice Kinham aged 22 yeare
Angell Hollard aged 21 yeare
Katheryn his Wife 22 yeare
George Land his servaunt 22 yeare
Sarah Land (originally written Lang) his kinswoman 18 yeare
Richard Joanes of Dinder
Robt Martin of Badcombe husbandm 44
Humfrey Shepheard husbandm32
John Vpham husbandman 35 (should be Upham)
Joane Martyn 44
Elizabeth Vpham 32
John Vpham Jun 07
William Graue [Grave] 12
Sarah Vpham 26
Nathaniell Vpham 05
Elizabeth Vpham 03

Dorset

Richard Wade of Simstuly Cop [Cooper] aged 60
Elizabeth Wade his Wife 6+
Dinah his daught 22
Henry Lush his s'vant aged 17
Andrewe Hallett his s'vaunt 28
John Hoble husbandm 13 (should be Hubble)
Robt Huste husbandm 40 (should be Harte)
John Woodcooke 2 (should be Woodcock)
106-Rich Porter husband.(age should probably be 23 or 33)

{Signed by}
JOHN PORTER Deputy
Cleark to EDW: THOROUGHGOOD

These emigrants were joined on this side of the water by Edward Bennett, Mr. Thomas Jenner, sen., Thomas White, William Frye, Thomas Rawling (or Rawlings), Richard Sylvester, William Smith, Mr. Wright, Thomas Appelgate, Clement Briggs, Arthur Warren, Edmond Harte, Stephen French and others.


Excerpted from Original Lists of Persons of Quality: Emigrants, Religious Exiles, etc. who went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, from 1600 to 1700 by John Camden Hotten, Chatto and Windus, Gildford, England.
(This book has been reprinted many times, as recently as 2017


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