John “Goodman” Hill Sr.

• BIRTH around 1602 [1] / in 1623 in (perhaps) Northamptonshire, England
• DEATH 8 Jun 1689 (aged 73–74) Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, USA
• WILL PROVED 17 June 1689
• ESTATE INVENTORY taken 13 June 1689.
• BURIAL Village Green Cemetery, Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, USA
• MEMORIAL ID 170432018

Biography

In May of 1639, a band of puritans, led by the Reverend Henry Whitfield, left England to seek religious freedom in the New World. They set sail for Quinnipiac (now called New Haven) and arrived there later that Summer. After negotiating with the local Native Americans, who were represented by their squaw sachem (female chief) Shaumpishuh, the group purchased land halfway between New Haven and Saybrook. There they established the plantation of Menuncatuck, which would later be known as Guilford.

Like most 17th century New England towns, Guilford was organized around a common or green. The first houses were small huts with thatched roofs, wooden walls, and dirt floors. Guilford, unlike other villages, had no protective palisade fence surrounding the community; instead they build four large stone houses for the leaders of the plantation. These homes were strategically located and used for shelter during times of danger. Life in Guilford was extremely primitive and resembled a medieval village for several generations. Later in the 17th century, Guilford became part of the New Haven Colony and then Connecticut Colony. By the 18th century, the town had become a thriving coastal community with agriculture and the sea supporting the economy.

John Hill, by trade a carpenter, came from Northamptonshire in England as early as 1654 He and came early to Guilford, but not in the first company; that he was at Branford in 1646, but came with his family soon after to Guilford, the thought being that the Hill family were "North Britons." He was a freeman in Guilford before 1657. Suits against him for slander are discussed in 'Steiner's History of Guilford' page 95: On the 14th of May, 1655. John Hill and Goodwife Hill testified in court at Guilford. John Hill was one of the lesser planters, being known as Goodman Hill. His home lot was on the south side of the Green, on the land now [in 1877] occupied by E.C. Bishop and Miss Mary Smith, and contained about an acre and three-fourths. In addition to this, he had other lands. [3]

He 1st married Frances Symonds in 1641 in London, England. They had 6 children. He later married Katern (Post) Chalker, widow of Alexander Chalker, 23 September 1673 in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut. John was known as Goodman Hill and became freeman at Guilford before 1657. During the troubles between Connecticut and New Haven, he was of the Rossiter faction. Suits against him for slander are discussed in "Steiner's History of Guilford," page 95. He was one of the lesser planters, being known as Goodman Hill. His home lot was on the south side of the Green, and contained about an acre and three-fourths. In addition to this, he had other lands.

"on 02 Dec 1658 John Hill, of Guilford, sued Thomas Clark for slander. The plaintiff declared that the defendant hath slanderously reported that he John Hill laid violent hands upon him and shook him and offered to strike him with his fork and another while with his fists, which the said Hill denied, and so looks upon himself as wronged, and desires satisfaction for the slander. Mr Clark gave the truth in evidence, which he fully sustained, so the court awarded that the Defendant was not guilty of slandering Hill and awarded the Defendant his costs."

Last Will & Testament

Names his wife Katherine, his sons John ,and James, his daughter Tapping, and the children of his deceased daughters Sarah and Elizabeth, of whom Frances Allen was to receive a double portion. On the second Monday of June, 1695, the following record was made (New Haven County Court Records, I., 232): "The legacies yet due out of ye estate of John Hill of Guilford deceased is 9 lb 20s which is to be distributed to 13 grandchildren of the deceased the eldest of them viz. Frances Allen to have I lb 5s 5d as a double portion, and each of the rest to have 12s 20d as a single portion to every of them." - was proved June 17, 1689

Notes

• Hon. David B. Hill (#6848716) of New York is a descendant.
• Of his English ancestry and date of birth nothing is known, but there is a family tradition of Welsh origin.

Inscription
Although this person was likely interred in Guilford's original village cemetery (now the commons and public park in downtown Guilford), no surviving gravestone was known in 1818 when all gravestones at the Village Green, but not the people's remains, were dispersed to other town cemeteries.

Parents
Unknown

Spouses
Frances Draper Symonds Hill 1618–1673 (m. 1645)
Katherine Post Chalker Hill 1627–1693 (m. 1673)

Children 7x all with Frances and b in CT.
James Hill 1646–10/8/1707 m. Sarah Griswold, children: Isaac and Michael
Ann Hill 1648-1706
John Hill Jr. 1650–1690 m. Thankful Stow 1646 – 1711
Hannah Hill Tapping 1/18/1652-1732 m. James Tapping of Mlford (1643) may be son of Capt Thomas Tapping of Wethersfield by his wife Emma.
Elizabeth Hill Beckwith abt 1653-bef 1680/8 m. Beckwith
Sarah Hill Allen abt 1654-bef 1680 m. Henry Allen daughter Frances Allen b 1676

References

1 Smith, p. 24.

2 History of Guilford, New Haven County, CT

3 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/170432018/john_hill

4 Lawrence. John Hill was probably born about 1602. He was a landholder at Dorchester, Mass. in 1633.

5 History of the Plantation of Menunkatuck, by Bernard Christian Steiner, published Baltimore 1897, pg 128

6 gleaned with notes

7 Boyer and Munson Family from Washington state

8 NEHGS, Vol. 57, Jan. 1903, page 87, 88. He married first, Frances NN, who was the mother of his children, and who died May, 1673; he died June 8, 1689.

9 Atwater, Edward E. History of the Colony of New Haven to Its Absorption into Connecticut. New Haven: Printed for the author, 1881. Print. read online

10 Smith, Ralph D, and Lewis H. Steiner. The History of Guilford, Connecticut: From Its First Settlement in 1639. Albany: J. Munsell, printer, 1877. Print. read online

11 Hill, Edwin A., Esq. Genealogies of Connecticut Families Vol. II Notes on the Family of John Hill of Guilford, Conn: pages 163-165. read online

12 http://www.archive.org/details/papersofnewhaven05innewh Papers of the New Haven Colony Historical Society (1865)]||New Haven Museum Manuscript Collections

13 Ricker, Jacquelyn Ladd. The Ricker Compilation of Vital Records of Early Connecticut: Based on The Barber Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records and Other Statistical Sources. Baltimore: 2006. p. 6265, John, Elder, d. 8 Jun 1689 - Guilford Births & Deaths

14 Lawrence, John S., Compiler. The Descendants of Moses and Sarah Kilham Porter of Pawlet, Vermont: with some notice of their ancestors and those of Timothy Hatch, Amy and Lucy Seymour Hatch, Mary Lawrence Porter and L Lucretia Bushnell Porter. Grand Rapids: 1910, p. 128.

15 "Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FC9K-12D : accessed 11 Sep 2014), John Hills, 1652; citing Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, reference p 351; FHL microfilm 14774.

16 Roberts, Gary B, and Judith McGhan. Genealogies of Connecticut Families: From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1983. Print. p. 163-165.||find in a library||read online

17 Genealogies of Connecticut families, page 163 "Notes on the Family of John Hill of Guilford,Conn." by Edwin A. Hill Judith McGhan, Genealogical Publishing Co. Genealogical Publishing Com, 1983.
History of Guilford, New Haven County, CT

18 Ancestral File (R) Title: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R) (Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998) Subsequent Source Citation Format: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R) BIBL The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ancestral File (R). Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998. TMPLT TID 0 FIELD Name: Footnote VALUE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R) (Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998) FIELD Name: ShortFootnote VALUE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R) FIELD Name: Bibliography VALUE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ancestral File (R). Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998. Repository: #R1 Repository: #R1 TMPLT FIELD Name: Page * Repository: R1 Name: Family History Library Address: 35 N West Temple Street CONT Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA Address 1: 35 N West Temple Street Address 2: Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA

More Information

Those interested in this family might like to know that Dr. Alvan Talcott's manuscript genealogies of Guilford families contain quite an extended account of the descendants of John (1) of Guilford. The original is in the library of the New Haven Colony Historical Society at New Haven, Conn., and a copy is filed in the office of the town clerk of Guilford. Papers of the New Haven Colony Historical Society (1865)||New Haven Museum Manuscript Collections

Discussion

re: Ebenezer b: ABT 1644 in Dorchester, Massachusetts [5] died 1696 in Bridgewater, Litchfield, CT.
He shows as the son of John Hill (1606-1664) and Frances Tilder (1608-1676). However John Hill of Guilford died in 1683 and John Hill of Dorchester is known to be the son of John Hill (1571-1635) and Frances Gaud (1575-1682), who seem well documented. Therefore I am removing any links or associations. - Erica Howton 2 Dec 2010