Person:John Damon (1)

John Damon and his sister Hannah came to Plymouth Colony about 1628 under the guardianship of their mother's brother, William Gillson, who had been a miller in England. Mr. Gillson was one of a group called "Men of Kent", having come from that county in England (to the south and east of London). This further identifies them in that they resided on the west side of the Medway River, and claimed supremacy over those to the east, known as "Kentish Men". The distinction has existed since the early days of English History, and is generally referred to the belief that the "Men of Kent" were either the original inhabitants, or to the stout resistance they offered to William the Conqueror on his march to London after the Battle of Hastings (1066).

Mr. Gillson was devoted to his nephew and neice and "that he might leave them something after his dayes was ended" he applied for and received from the court an allotment of land more than he could conveniently cultivate because "although he had no children of his owne, yet that he had two of his sister's children, which he looked upon as his own." Mr. Gillson died in 1639 at the age of 40 and in his will made the following legacies: "to my wife Frances various gifts and to my nephew John Damon my lot on the Third Cliff, after the next crop is taken off"; to his neice Hannah Damon "20 pounds in money"; "to my pastor John Lothrop, five pounds in money". In 1649, after Mrs. Gillson's death, by order of the Court of Plymouth, John and his sister Hannah were recognized as sole heirs of William Gillson. There is no further record of Hannah, wether she married and when she died.

John succeeded to his uncle's residence on Kent Street, just north of Satuit Brook. The land on the Third Cliff included a windmill, erected in 1637 by Mr. Gillson. It was clearly the first windmill in the Plantation, if not the Colony. John was one of the leaders in his community, being a deputy to the Colony Court and Selectman. He performed his full share in those other public services to which he was from time to time assigned. When a Council of War was established in 1653, John Damon, the Windmiller was made Seargent. He took command of the Scituate Militia in 1666 under Miles Standish, holding this position until 1669.

1.   Scituate Historical Society. Scituate Historical Society Website.

   http://www.scituatehistoricalsociety.org/families/DamanJohn.htm contains genealogy of John Damam/Damon derived from:
   * "History of Scituate" by Samuel Deane
   * Geneology's by Marion Hatch - 1995
   * Samuel Damon - 1882
   * Briggs History
   * Scituate Town Archives "Vital Records"
   * Damon Geneology by D. Bradford Damon

2.   John Damon & sister, Hannah, came in 1628 as minor children with uncle, William Gillson. John & Hannah were allowed to inherit from Wm Gilson. [Colony Records, 1649]