Person:Peter Bulkeley (9)

From The Genealogical Advertiser, vol. 1, p. 121 - Article by Ruth Wood Hoag of Boston

"On 11 May 1670, Peter Bulkeley was 'admitted to freedome.' Three years later, 7 May 1673, he was elected deputy for Concord to the General Court. He was re-elected for the three succeeding years, and during the last year, 1676, he served as Speaker. For eight years, from 1677 to 1684 inclusive, he was elected to the office of Assistant, and in 1682 and '83, he was, besides, Second Commissioner, and in 1684, First Commissioner in Reserve. During this time he frequently performed important duties. When various charges had been raised in England against Massachusetts, especially in regard to the colony's usurping authority over land claimed by Gorges in Maine and by Mason in New Hampshire, and also in regard to the great independence of the colony in making laws, it was Peter Bulkeley, who, with William Stoughton, was sent to England to treat with the King. They sailed 6 Sept. 1676, and returned in Dec. 1679. On 19 May 1680, Peter Bulkeley was appointed a member of a committee to revise the laws in accordance with the demands of the King. When the militia needed reorganization, Bulkeley, with the title of Major, was given command of half of the former regiment of Middlesex. This was 13 Oct. 1680. On 30 Mar. 1683, Major Bulkeley was appointed one of the magistrates to keep a court in Essex for the trial of the cases in reference to the claims of Mr. Mason in that county.

When, in 1686, the charter of the colony was revoked and Joseph Dudley was appointed President, Major Peter Bulkeley was one of the counsellors in the commission associated with Dudley. Later in the year, when Andros became governor, Bulkeley was named in his commission. He was reappointed in Apr. 1688. By the order of Gov. Andros issued 3 Mar. 1687, 'for the establishment of courts of judicature and public justice,' Joseph Dudley was made Chief Justice with Peter Bulkeley and William Stoughton his associates. But, if we are to credit Randolph's statements, Maj. Bulkeley was by this time quite infirm and hardly equal to the duties devolving upon him. Randolph says, in a letter to Mr. Blaithwait dated 28 July, 1686; 'Honest Major Bulkeley is quite tyred out and can hardly be per swaded to come to Boston.' Later, writing to Mr. Povey, 24 Jan. 1688, of the great necessity of sending judges from England, he says: 'As for Mr. Bulkeley, he is stupified and drowned in melancholy and almost useless, being seldom with us.' Sewall writes of his death thus: 'May 25, 1688. Col. Peter Bulkeley of Concord, died, having languished for a long time. Died this Friday about eleven o'clock.'"^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} 16. Hon. Peter³ Bulkeley, in Jacobus, Donald Lines. The Bulkeley Genealogy: Rev. Peter Bulkeley--Being an Account of His Career, His Ancestry, the Ancestry of His Two Wives, and His Relatives in England and New England, together with a Genealogy of His Descendants through the Seventh American Generation. (New Haven, Conn.: The Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor Company, 1933)
   129-31, 1884.

   "16. (Hon.) Peter³ Bulkeley (Edward², Peter¹), born at Concord, Mass., 3 Jan. 1640/1, died there 24 May 1688; … He was graduated from Harvard College, 1660. His father's half-brother, Dr. Peter Bulkeley, younger than himself, was a member of the class of 1662, and has sometimes been confused with him. …
   
   Administration on the estate of 'Collonel Peter Bulkly of Concord' was granted, 1 Oct. 1689, to Mr. William Stoughton of Dorchester, Maj. Thomas Hinchman of Chelmsford, and Mr. Francis Burroughs of Boston, who apparently were creditors. The inventory included such items as silverware, a watch, six gold rings, a small rapier, gloves with gold fringe, coats with gold buttons, books, and hundreds of acres of land in Dunstable and Concord and at Nashobe; but the estate was heavily involved and was represented as insolvent. A list of books sent to New England by him, dated 1679 and 1681, gives the titles of about a hundred books. Distributions were made to the creditors, but the heirs were not named."

2. ↑ Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1891)
   1.

   Peter the sonne of mr Edward Buckley was borne the 3. (11.) 1640. [3 Jan 1640/41]

3. ↑ Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1891)
   55.

   Peter Bulkely Esq'r one of his majestyes Councell the Husband of Rebeckah his wife dyed May ye 24th 1688.