Person:Jonathan Hatch (5)

According to Pack this little band of a dozen first families in Yarmouth depended on each other to lend a helping hand in all the work of hate season, and Jonathan undoubtedly did his part. He must have become well acquainted with Mr. Stephen Hopkins when the latter came to cut hay to winter his cattle; perhaps he raked hay for him and in doing so earned his first money, after which, like many another boy, he felt himself no longer a child and became impatient to make his way in the world. Whether for this reason or imbued with the spirit of adventure, he appears to have run away and in so doing, came to grief.^[8]

The law of the land made it illegal to pass thru Plymouth Colony lands without a permit and could be whipped. So for the sin of being away from home and not hastening to some employment he was to be whipped and committed for a slave to Lt. Davenport . At age of 14 Jonathan was bound as an apprentice to LT Richard Davenport of Salem. His father and "Step-mother removed to Yarmouth, leaving him among strangers, in a strange land. Davenport was a soldier and after remaining with him for two years, deserted from his service and came to Boston There he was arrested as a fugitive from service and was censured to bee severely shipped and for the present is committed for a shave to Lt. Davenport (MA Rec.) He did run away again and got to his father's in Yarmouth.

According to Pack if Thomas Hatch was "feeble" it may have been very necessary that Jonathan should be bound out at an early age, as was quite a general practice. The laws of the colony and the the church at that period tended more to the hardening process than to fostering of parental tenderness. Mrs. Grace Hatch was energetic and capable and had been able as a young woman to win out in doing a man's work.

There he continued to get into trouble until he was appointed to dwell with Stephen Hopkins who was to have a special care of him. Tho Mr. Hopkins lived only a few years longer, he had a profound influence on Jonathan's life.

Mr. Stephen Hopkins came in the Mayflower from the "London quarter" and brought with his immediate family, two servants making a household of eight souls in his Plymouth home. Always dignified with the title of Mr. an honor which was accorded to but few, his was one of three master minds of Plymouth Colony and from the time of the first exploration off Provincetown, he was a leader in all hazardous adventures. He accompanied Standish as Counselor. As colleague of Winslow's, he had made the dangerous visit got Massasoit and established friendly relation, had served as one of the Governor's Council at least four years, had owned a wharf, a share in a ship and had established his son Giles at Yarmouth. There was little need for an inn at Plymouth during the first decade of its existence, but Stephen Hopkins evidently kept "open House" which later became a house of public entertainment. The first guest in the house seems to have been the Indian Chief Samoset, who paid the settlement a visit on March 26, 1621. He was uninvited and not feeling altogether safe with such a house guest "they lodged him at Stephen Hopkins" ^[9]

In 1657 Jonathan took the oath of fidelity. He was granted lands,but went to South Sea Few whites settled at South Sea and Roger Goodspeed who resided at Mystic was probably his nearest neighbor for years. According to Azuba Ward, West Barnstable was often referred to as "ye South Sea"

In 1661 the proprietors voted that as Jonathan Hatch had built his house, he shall have the lot by his houses. Goodman Hatch's farm at Falmouth contained eighty acres and for several years he was the agent of the proprietors.

June 24 1690 Jonathan took the freeman's oath at the County Court in Barnstable. He was then about 64 years old and time had tempered the fire of his youth and had become the venerable patriarch of a large and esteemed family .

Mrs. Elizabeth Hopkins, who died before her husband, was living when Jonathan Hatch became a member of the family, which then included the younger daughters and the son Caleb. There were games allowed and doubtless music, recalling pleasantly to Jonathan the violin which was on of his father's treasures. Regular attendance at divine service was compulsory. The character of Jonathan Hatch seems to have been very like that of Stephen Hopkins and the courage and manliness of the boy must have awakened a spirit of admiration which challenged the Pilgrim Magistrate to take him under his special care. After Mr. Hopkins death Jonathan returned to Barstable and the following year found him among those going out in defense of the Colony. ^[10]

Following his marriage Jonathan seems to have made his home in West Barnstable for 8 eights. From the courts it appears that he was prosecuted Oct 7, 1651 for hiring land of the Indians. He was prosecuted for furnishing an Indian with a gun and with powder and shot ^[11]

Jonathan was married in Barnstable and lived there till about 1653, when he moved to South Sea Island and resided there till early in 1661 after the death of his father, when he and 14 others purchased a tract of land in Falmouth.

Jonathan was a large land holder and prominent in the administration of the town. It seems probable that Jonathan moved his family after his father's death in 1661 to Falmouth as soon as he sold his South Sea farm. July 1677 it was agreed by the proprietors of Succanesset that the land at Woods Hole should be laid out equally to every purchaser and Jonathan Hatch was one of the 13 entitled to his allotment. The deed of the Indian Job Notantico dated 15 Jan 1679 seems to prove Jonathan Hatch to have been Falmouth's first settler and to prove that Isaac Robinson came about hate same time - ^[12]

As Saconnessett was not strong enough to support a Minister of the Gospel, for 25 years its people had to travel 15 weary miles to the mother church at West Barnstable. In 1685 there is a record the Jonathan Hatch of Sacconnessett was granted a license to keep a house of entertainment, the said Hatch to keep a victualling house, retailing liquor for the entertainment of stranger, passengers or others as occasion may require.

June 24, 1690 Jonathan Hatch, Sr. and Jonathan Hatch, Jr. took the freeman's oath at the County Court in Barnstable. The previous year the latter was chosen Ensign of the Military Company at Sucionessett. ^[13]

In 1690 the Proprietors held a general meeting at the home of Jonathan Hatch, It was voted that all the undivided lands within Suckanesset be divided up. In March 1701 this was accomplished and Benjamin, Moses, and Jonathan took land.

November 4, 1690 Jonathan Hatch, Sr. was the appointee for Succonessett

to inspect whales. ^[14]

To the Falmouth home Jonathan brought 6 sons and a daughter, Thomas his eldest son being in his thirteenth year. To Moses his eighth child tradition accords the honor of being the first white child born at Falmouth. The date Barnstable records give as March 4, 1662 while Falmouth makes the year 1663. The History of Falmouth states as probably literally true that ht he first company of settlers arrived in 1660 in boats from Barnstable and landed between Fresh Pond know na also as Hatch's Pond and Salt Pond where the clomped until their homes were constructed. The wife of Jonathan Hatch had a son born somewhat unexpectedly the night of the landing and she said she named him Moses as he was born amongst the flags and rushes. However, his mother had a brother Moses Rowley (Deputy from Falmouth in 1692) which doubtless had more to do with his bearing the name of Moses. Three daughters were born in this home which stood between the Fresh and Salt Ponds on the east of the Herring River. Two centuries later the descendants of Jonathan Hatch continued to possess this property, the original house having stood about where the late Richard Olney's home now stands.^[15]

In will dated 15 Sept 1705, Jonathan bequest to all sons, but Nathaniel and to daughters Mary Weeks, Sarah Wing and Mary Rowley, wife of Nathaniel, Lydia sister of Jonathan before court 1641/2 ^[16]

Thomas Hatch, his wife Grace and two children, Jonathan and Lydia, emigrated from Kent Co. England to the Mass. Bay Colony about 1630. Thomas was made a freeman in the Bay Colony in 1634. Later he settled in Barnstable in the Plymonth Colony and died there in 1661. He was one of the nine original settlers in Yarmouth in 1639 and one of the 25 first settlers in Barnstable on Cape Cod.

References

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Thomas Hatch, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995)
   II:876.

   Jonathan Hatch, b. say 1621.

2.   Barnstable Town Clerk's records Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families - Otis Pack says 1728. The other two say 1721.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Hatch-Hale, Ruth A., and Hatch Genealogical Society. Genealogy and History of the Hatch Family: Descendants of Thomas and Grace Hatch of Dorchester, Yarmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts. (Salt Lake City, Utah. 1925.).
4. ↑ Pack, Charles Lathrop. Thomas Hatch of Barnstable & Some of His Descendants, Second Publisher: Genealogy.com, Second Address: Fremont, California. (The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey, Newark, 1930)
   page 74.
5. ↑ Robert Paine Carlson, Writer Role: compiler. 17th, 18th & 19th Century Cape Cod Gravestones, Url: http:/www.capecodgravestones.com/index.html
   The marker is a white marble monument erected in 1991 commemorating Jonathan Hatch. JONATHAN HATCH Died Dec 1710 Aged 84 Years Settler of Falmouth Friend of Indians Erected May 25 1991.
6. ↑ Jonathan Hatch, Sr, in Find A Grave.
7. ↑ PAck says Jonathan was born about 1626 and died shortly before January 4,
   1710/11 He got his info from J.M. Hatch "Decendants of Moses and Sarah K.
   Porter, Page 114
   
   According to Pack - The late Edwin T. Hatch, M.D. of Denver, CO after
   years of research leaves the following note: I think the mother of
   Jonathan and Lydia Hatch was related to Isaac Robinson, son of Rev John
   Robinson of Leyden and that Jonathan was born in the year 1628 as he was
   not 16 in 1643. Lydia was probably two years younger as a record in 1650
   calls her 20 years old. That both children were born in England seems
   quite certain, but in what town or towns is a question. Thomas Hatch at
   the time of his embarkation, may have been "of London" or "from the London
   quarter" as others were listed, with whom he sees to have been identified
   after his arrival in New England.
8. ↑ Pack - Thomas Hatch of Barnstable
9. ↑ Pack, supra
10. ↑ Otis
11. ↑ Barnstable Families p. 465
12. ↑ Freeman, History of Cape Cod pp426-7
13. ↑ Records of Plymouth Colony p 170
14. ↑ Plymouth Colony Records page 251.
15. ↑ Barnstable Families p 467
16. ↑ Pioneers of MA - Coop