Person:Luke Hill (1)

Origins

His English origins have not yet been confirmed.

From the testimony which Luke Hill gave in 1693, as below, that he was "80 years or thereabouts" we know that he was born about 1613. The event was celebrated in England somewhere, but we have no idea yet as to the place. His wedding at Windsor, Ct., is the first record of him in America. (Bassett, p. 430)

Life in New England

One Bassett Family in America, pp 430- The Luke Hill Family Luke Hill, b. a. 1614; m. May 6, 1651 Mary Hoyt (b. ____; d. after husband); d. a. 1696 ae a 83 [see below for many more details]

Whittemore, p. 255: LUKE HILL, Windsor, 1651, married that year, Mary Hoyt, had Lydia, born 1652; Mary, 1654; Eleazur, at Farmington, and there rec. 1657; Tahan, 1659; Luke, 1662; Abigail, 1664; Elizabeth, 1666; and John, 1668; removed to Simsbury, was living there 1694. Mary married, 1677, John Saxton.

Listed as a freeman in the Public Records of the colony of Connecticut (2_101); (6_357)

The next many entries from One Bassett Family in America, pp 430-433: 1651, May 6. Vol. I, p57 B M D, Windsor: "Luke Hill and Mary Hout were married May: 6th: 1651." Luke is now 38 if his testimony above is correct and we estimate that she is at least some ten years his junior.

1655, June 26, Vol. I, p. 152, L R: "Luke Hill hath by purchas of John Strong, a home Lott six acres bounded North by Walter Gaylord, South by John brook, West and East by high ways."

1656/7, March. Vol. 57, p. 87, NEH&G: The birth of son Eliazer this month at Farmington, Ct., as here reported, would indicate the family was living there. If so it could not be for long for in the following record we see him purchasing another dwelling in Windsor. Stiles says that was in Backer Row and that he sold it in a few months and moved to Middletown. The fact, however, is certain that he returned in a year or two to Windsor, since Mr. Grent shows that seven of the eight children were born at Windsor. In tis connection we have searched both the land and the town meeting records in both Farmington and Middletown; but we could not find any reference to the Hills whatever.

1658, Apl. 13. Vol. I, p. 165 L R: "Luke Hill Hath by purchase of Tahan Grant his Dwelling Howse and Home lott with all appurtenances and Common privleges thereto belonging seven acres and a halfe .... Luke Hill hath granted by the committee of the Court 15 acres of land at Masaco on the west side the river bounded out by Mr. Grant Apl 19, 1660." He bought also 20 acres of meadow and 77 acres of upland of Aron Cooke.

1663, Dec. 3. Vol. III, p 9 CC: "Captn Aran Cooke plntf: Contra Luke Hill defnt. In an action of the case for moneys due upon Book, Bill or any otherwise with the damage to the value of Tenn pownds upon attachment." Our Mikel Griswold was one of the jury on this case. Later, on the same day, the jury find for the Def'n't: "cost of Court, cost allowed, Twelve shillings. In Court Captn Cook owned to pay thirty one shillins & fower pence to Luke Hill."

1667, Apl. 22. Vol. II, p 7 T V: "When the freemen meet in charge of debetys Luke Hill made a sad complaint that if the towne would not add to the summe they had set him for keeping the fery at the former meeting he must leave the ferry and his wife came in and sadly bemoaned the inconvenience we are upon it was voted that they would ade the action L3 as it was before." This was the Rivulet Ferry and he was to have "L12 per annum besides what he gets from travellers and persons b night."

1668, Sept. 28, Vol. I, p. 184 Stiles: The town makes new agreement with John Willington to keep the Rivulet ferry "he to have the use of the cellar which the town has now bought of Luke Hill & for his use to dwell in and the little House by it." This indicates that Luke Hill was determined to leave Windsor for the new town of Massaco and the next item shows that he is located there at least before the year is out.

1669, May 13, Vol. II, p. 274 G C: "This Court orders that the selectmen and constables in the severall plantations shall take a list of all the freemen in theire respective plantations where they dwell, and send it up under their hands fayrely written by their deputies to the Genll Court in October next, and the Secretry is to record the same in a booke for that purpose, that soe when theyre may be any occasion or difficulty about that matter, whoe are freemn, it may be the easier determined." In accord with this order the census of Massaco was turned in on October 11th, and it showed 13 freemen at that place, "who had first been freemen at Windsor." Luke Hill is one of these.

1670, May 12. Vol. III, p. 1 GC: "This Court orders that the plantation at Massacoe be called Simmsbury."

1671, May 5. History of 200dth anni of Simsbury Church: At a meeting held at Capt. Cook's house in Terry's plain it was voted to erect a meeting house near "Luke Hills in Hope Meadow" (not far from Dr. Barber's place in 1897). There were many disputes as to location until in 1683 it was decided by lot and the house was built by Col. Barber for L33 "in equal portions of pease, pork, corn & wheat" at point on west side near Thomas Rowell's, size 24 x28 x 14 ft high. This first meeting concerning a meeting house was yeld 26 years before the First Church was organized there.

1677, Aug. 17. Vol I, p 882 Stiles: Luke Hill is on Rev. Matthew Grant's list of this date as having had 7 children born at Windsor.

1679, Oct. Vol I, p. 23 T V, Simsbury: "The Committe appoynted by the Hond. Generall Court Oct. 1679 for the settleling of ye plantation of Simsburty being met this month of March, 1679/80 determine as followeth: luk hil" apepars under "Hope Meadow men to build according to order." This action was taken after the King Philip War which had laid Simsburty to a barren weaste.

1681/2, March 2. Vol. IV, p 49 C C: "This Court appoynted the secrety'r to grant out a Levy or execution upon the estate of John rookesfor sattisfaction for his wifes keeping at Luke Hills Ten weeks the 3d of March last for Three shillings & six pence p weeke."

1687, June 25. Vol. VI, p. 18 C C: Arthur Henbery, son-in-law, of Hartford makes will: "I being now neer forty one yeares old, and being now upon my sick bed and for ought I know my dyeing beed, my estate... I will to ech child, haveing but only five and they being daughters, in maner as followeth: to each a like in portion to be distributed equally, only my daughter Lidia Henbery I bequeath to my Father and mother hill to bring her up till she Come of ye Age of eighten years. The said lydia being of a wekly body, and being my father & mother Hill's desire, so it also is my will, that wht remayens of my wife's portion shall be given and added to what shall be her portion... and I do ordain & appoynt and constitute and give full power by vertue of these presnts to my Honored father Hill.... to distribute to my children... to ech an equal propotion as they come of agg."

1688, May 21. Vol. IV, No. 204 P C: "Given to these men under written as foloweth by the Inhabitants of Simsbury: To Luk Hill 50 Rods in Bredth over the Mountain towards Stony Brook to go from our east lyn towards or to the mountain."

1688/9, Mch. 26. Vol. I, p 64 T V, Simsbury: A highway is laid out to run "bettwn Luk Hills house lot and Jonath Gilletts house lot to ye Cove."

1692, Feb'y 27. P 87 Do: "Also Nathanll Holcomb desires tow acckes on the South of the way and Northerly of Goodman Hils hom lot."

1693, Sept. 8. Vol. IV, No. 199 P C: "The testymoney of Luke Hill senr of Simsberry aged 80 years or there aboutts sayeth thatt those Lotts of Land yt ware granted by the town of Simsberry May 21, 1688, viz: yt division of Land yt is over the mountayn towards Stony Brook: ware layd out to them yt it was grantted too them June following by the town Consent. Sworne in Court Sept 8th 1693."

1693, Vol 2-1/2, p 2 TV: In the "Town Rates made for 1693" 63 names appear, including Luke Hill Sen'r at 13s-06d and Luke Jun'r at 06s-03d. Total tax was L28-05-06. In Mch., 1693/4, a like tax was assessed "to defray the Towne's dbt of '92, '93."

1695, May 9. Vol. III, p. 259 GC: "This Court free Thomas Norton, Luk Hill and John Ruscoe, their persons from the list of estates by which rates are made." Age as well as a good past record probably contributed to the General Court's consideration in this case.

1696. Vol. 2-1/2, p 3 T V: Here is spread against 68 citizens of Simsbury "Mr. Dudley Woodbridges rate made and published for 1696." Luk Hil pays L00-11-03. There is but one Luke Hill in the list, and we take this as referring to son Luke since Luke Sen'r is freed from taxes anyway, as per the preceeding item. From this point in the records and running into the next century there are various references to Luke Hill, but we can find nothing further re Luke Hill Sen'r. It is probably that his end is near, though no record of his death exists.

According to American Marriages before 1699 (see Master Source file), there was a Luke Hill who married Mary Hoyt on 6 May 1651 in Windsor, CT. This is an appropriate time frame for then having a son, Luke Hill, b. 1661 in Windsor, CT.

Other HILL marriages that took place in Windsor (per same source) during this time frame included: Mary HILL, dau of Luke Hill, m. John Saxton on 30 July 1677 Sarah HILL m. Joseph Loomis on 17 Sept 1646 [she might be the dau of William Hill who came in 1639]

May also have been one of the early settlers of Simsbury (or Massacoe?), CT by 1670. See History of Simsbury, Granby and Canton from 1642 to 1845, p. 14, 16

NEHGS Register, Volume 5, p. 248: These are parsons that have been of Windsor: But now stated inhabitant of Masaco [Simbsbury] and this yeare are left out of Windsor list of Estates yet an owned free men of this Jurisdiction... Barber, Thomas... Griffen, John... Hill, Luke...

Legacy

Records of Windsor, CT: Luke HILL, m. Mary Hout, 6 May, 1651; chil. Liddya, b. 18 Feb. 1651; Mary, b. 20 Sep 1654; Tahan, b. 23 Nov 1659; Luke, b. 6 Mar 1661; Abigayl, b. 16 Apr 1665; Elisabeth, b. 8 Oct 1666; John, b. 28 Nov 1668.

May have had a daughter Mary who married 30 Jul 1677 John Saxton (b. 4 Mar 1649/50). See Hotten's Emigrants, Volume I, p. 108; New England Register XIV, p. 321; Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, Ser. 3, Volume VIII, p. 271. See also: Genealogical Dictionary of New England Settlers, Volume IV; p. 32.

May also have had a daughter Lydia, who m. 5 May 1670 Arthur Henbury (b. abt. 1646). She is identified as daughter of Luke Hill of S. Source: Memorial History of Hartford County, Volume I, Part II, Chapter I, Section II, p. 274.

"Luke Hill of Windsor, Conn., and John Hill of Guilford, Conn., and their Descendants," compiled by Hon. Ralph D. Smith, and communicated by Dr. Bernard C. Steiner: "Two families of HILLs are connected with the early history of Guilford, but no relationship between them has been traced."

1. Luke HILL, of Windsor, later removed to Simsbury, where he was living in 1694. He married Mary Hart [sic], May 6, 1651. Their children were:

i. Lydia, b. Feb. 18, 1651-2.

ii. Mary, b. Sept. 20, 1654; m. July 30, 1677 John Saxton

iii. Ebenezer, b. at Farmington, March 1656-7.

iv. Tahan, b. Nov 23, 1659; d. Dec 16 or 18, 1692 [see his notes]

v. Luke, b. March 6, 1661 [see his notes]

vi. Abigail, b. April 16, 1664.

vii. Elizabeth, b. Oct. 18, 1666.

viii. John, b. Nov. 28, 1668 [see his notes]

From One Bassett Family in America, pp 432-433: 1693/4, Feb'y 26. Vol. I, p 167 T Acts: "To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come greeting: Know ye that I Luk Hill Senr of Simsbury being agged above seventy years and being through this my agg utterly disenabled & In capacitated to labr and provd for my self being but week in body &c but of perfect Mynd and Memory through the blesing of god: and consdering the present Circumstantes and fificulties Is tand under: still desiring to wait upon the good pleasure of my most Mercifull Creator and gracious reemer and eternall untill my Appoynted chang shall come. Therefore do by these presents Covenant to and with my son John Hill this presnt febry 1693/4 in Maner and after the tennor and form following:

  "That this my sonne to whom I bare good will and affection too being now presnt with me, being in the 25 year of his agge, & Further disrigin him my sd sonne to be with me and take yee care of me and his agged mother durring the full time of our life providing good cloaths, Phisicks & all such necessaries as is nedfull for us Durring life; and this my sonn haveing engaged thus to do: And for his doeing Therefore Have given granted & by these presents do fully, freely, clearly and absolutely give and grant to my son John Hill his heyrs executors Administrators and assigns for ever al and singular (besires my Measuag or Tenements and those parcells of land &c mentioned in a deed of Allination given him for his enssurence of his Title, possession, Claym, chal date with these presents I give him my whol stock, Viz: oxen being ore plowes and plow, tacklyn chaines and horse tackling and what Furniture for horse service that I have, Swin and Swin kind that I ahve, and cart wheels rings, boes, bands, ringes, pins, cops and pine betl rings, wedges, axes, hoves, gun, swords or any other Implements for husbandry that is mine either for choping or digging as also all my household stufe bed an d bed Furniture, pots, kitles, puter or brasse or Iron and also my wooden warre, dishes, platers, tubes, Barrells, spining wheels, Boxes, chests, churs, &c. Further his my sd Son John Hill is to pay and fully discharge all my debts, as also to pay his sister Abigall Pamerly her portion which is Fourteen pounds as also to do it as soon as he can conveniently, and whereas sd Abigall had given her the grat Iron Pot she shall not have it till after her parents deth; but that beed with the filling therein and one bolster and pillow sd abigall is to have after our death. Freely it is given her; but the pot above mentioned is to goe to her for part of her portion. And as for the Legacies formerly mentioned is by these presents Remited and cut off: yea: every  branch Article and clause of the same so that sd John shall have singulare all the peculares above mentioned (excepting wht is here excempted) respecting which I may Justly clayme as in right my owen whether alive or dead; as well moveable as things Imoveable both reall & personall in whose hand & custody or possession so ever they may be or wheresoever the same or any of them or any part of them can or may now or hereafter be found remaing or being, to have & to hold All the sd Parcells of land Mesuage and appurtinances thereunto belonging and wharsoever is due to me by debts or other dues to take for his use and receive & all other the presmises unto his the ayd John Hill his heyrs executors adminsitraots and assigns frome hence forth as hiss and their proper goods forever absolutely without any maner of other conditions then what is aov exprest, as I the sd Luk Hill, have absolutely and of my own accord set and put in further Testimony: in witnesses whereof I have here unto set my hand and seall this 13 day of Feb 1683/4 and in the 5th year of the Reign of our Soverieng Lord Wm & Lady Mary King and queen of England &c.

Witness: John Slater, Registr; Abia A. Slater. Luke X Hill Senr"

"John Hill upon consideration of above sd premises and having Received of my Honored father Luk Hill a deed of his mesuage & sundry parcells of land I do covenant to & with my father & mother Mary Hill to Continue with them during their term of their Naturall life & provide for them as far as my ability may extend both for food, cloathing, phisick & other necessities"....

Additional Sources

(Incorporate into Sources)

1. Meredith R. Colket, Jr. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants from Europe, 1607-1657. Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, 1975. 366p. Page 145 [have yet to pursue]

2. Buell Burdett Bassett, One Bassett Family in America. Chapter: "The Luke Hill Family" New Britain, CT: Unknown, 1988. [On Ancestry.com; excellent]

3. Samuel H. Parsons, Esq. (communicator), "Record of Marriages and Births, in Windsor, CT", NEHGS Register, Volume 5 (1851), p. 228: Records of Windsor, CT [Lists Luke, his marriage, and those of his children born in Windsor.]

4. "List of Freemen of Windsor, CT," NEHGS Register, Volume 5 (1851), p. 248 [lists Luke Hill as one of many free men who left Windsor for Simsbury]

5. Ralph D. Smith (compiler), "Luke Hill of Windsor, Conn., and John Hill of Guilford, Conn., and their Descendants," NEHGS Register, Volume 57 (1903), p. 87. [Lists Luke Hill, Sr., and his three sons and their families.]

6. Frederick A. Virkus (editor), Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy: The Standard Genealogical Encyclopedia of the First Familes of America. Vols. I-VII, Chicago, IL: F.A. Virkus & Company (1925-1942). Vols II-VII, Reprinted by the Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Md., 1968. [not yet reviewed]

7. John Savage, Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England showing Three Generations of those who came before May, 1692 on the Basis of Farmer's Register. Vol. I A-C, Vol. II D-J, Vol. III K-R, Vol. IV S-Z, Originally published Boston, 1860-62; Reprinted by the Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Md., 1965.

8. List of Officials Civil, Military, and Ecclesiastical of Connecticut Colony from March 1636 through 11 October 1677 and of New Haven Colony throughout its separate existence also Soldiers in the Pequot War who then or subsequently resided within the Present Bounds of Connecticut. Jacobus, D.L., Connecticut Tercentenary Publication, Clearfield Company Reprints & Remainders, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Md., 1989. [SEARCHABLE VERSION (FEE) AT WORLDVITALRECORDS.COM.d]

9. Donald L. Jacobus, History and genealogy of the old families of Fairfield. n.p., 1930. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co. Available on Ancestry.com in two volumes. [I found no instance of "Luke Hill" in either volume.]

10. Great Migration Begins-Immigrants to New England 1620-1633. Anderson, R.C., Vol. I A-F, Vol. II G-O & Vol. III P-W, Great Migration Study Project, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1995. [not yet reviewed]

11. Milton, Chittenden County, Vermont town records. Film Roll 0028496, Microfilmed by the Genealogical Society, Church of the Latter Day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. [not yet reviewed; not on Ancestry.com as of Jan 2008]

12. Henry Whittemore. Genealogical Guide to the Early Settlers of America With a Brief History of Those of the First Generation. Excerpted and Reprinted from The Spirit of '76, Vols. V-XII, Sept., 1898-June, 1906. Reprinted, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1967; p. 255. Available on Ancestry.com. [Small paragraph, ala Savage, on Luke Hill.]

13. John W. Barber and Lemuel Smith Punderson, History and Antiquities of New Haven, Conn., from the earliest settlement to the present time with Biographical Sketches. New Haven, Conn.: Punderson & Barber, 1856. (Also seeing 1832 and 1870 editions.) [no online version.]

14. Munson Association 1637-1896: Thomas Munson 1612?-1685. Munson, Myron Andrews & Bushnell, Clarence Munson, Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, New Haven, 1887. [not online]

15. George Frederick Tuttle, Descendants of William and Elizabeth Tuttle. Rutland, VT: Tuttle & company (1883). Ancestry.com. [no mention of Luke, Uri or Frederick Hill]

16. Frank R. Holmes (compiler), Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families 1620-1700. Comp. by Frank R. Holmes, Originally published New York 1923, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, Md., 1974. On Ancestry.com. [Luke Hill mentioned briefly on cxvii.]

17. Donald L. Jacobus (compiler), Families of Ancient New Haven. Cross index by Helen. L. Scranton, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Md., USA, 1981; Originally published as New Haven Genealogical Magazine, vols. I-VIII, 1922-32. Cross-index indicates that Luke Hill is mentioned on Vol II, 372 (Hannah Butler's marriage to Luke Hill, Jr.), Vol II, 436 (marriage of Isaac Cook to Anna, dau of Luke Hill Jr. and their children), Vol III 535 (marriage of John Dibble to Lydia, dau of Luke & Hannah (Butler) Hill; their children), Vol III 624 (Sarah Frederick's marriage to Luke Hill; her lineage).

18. Clarence Almon Torrey, New England Marriages prior to 1700. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, Microfilm, 7 Reels of the Original handwritten manuscript, 35mm, FILM T694, Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Republished by Genealogical Pub. Co., Baltimore, Md., 1985. [yet to review]

19. Supplement to Torrey's New England marriages prior to 1700. Sanborn, M.L., Genealogical Pub. Co., Baltimore, Md., ca 1991.

20. Second Supplement to Torrey's New England marriages prior to 1700. Sanborn, M.L., Genealogical Pub. Co., Baltimore, Md., 1995.

21. Elizabeth T. Pike, Pioneer History of Camden, Oneida County, New York. Utica, N.Y.: T. J. Griffiths (1897). [Not sure why this is listed here; I find no HILL data within it.]

22. Vermont Historical Gazetteer: a magazine, embracing a history of each town, civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military. Ed. by Abby Maria Hemenway. Vols. 1-5, Burlington, Vt., 1868-1891, Vol. 1, pp. 840- 841; Town of Milton. [not yet reviewed]

23. Pomroy Jones, Annals and Recollections of Oneida County. Rome, NY: published by the author (1851). [Not sure why this is listed; no Hill information found here.]

24. History of Chittenden County, Vermont. Rann, William S., D. Mason & co., Syracuse, N.Y.,1886. [Not yet reviewed]

25. Daughters of the American Revolution. Lineage book. (Indexes) Index of the Rolls of Honor (ancestor's index) in the Lineage books of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, volumes 1 to 160. [need more direction for where in these 160 volumes we're going to find something]

26. Catalogue of Genealogical and Historical Works, Library of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. Authored by Daughters of the American Revolution. Library. Washington, D. C., 1940. [not reviewed yet]

27. Genealogical Gleanings in England; abstracts of wills relating to early American families, with genealogical notes and pedigrees constructed from the wills and from other records. With the addition of Genealogical Gleanings in England. (new series) A-Anyon. Waters, Henry F., 1907. Reprint, Genealogical Pub. Co., 2 vols., Baltimore, 1969. (Index in centre of Vol. II) [not yet reviewed]

28. The Hotchkiss Family; Descendants of Samuel Hotchkiss (ca. 1622-1663) of New Haven, Connecticut. Cowdell, Nellie, Volume: I, Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore, 1985. [not yet reviewed]

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Hill Jr., George P.. (Email correspondence).