Person:Nicholas Holt (1)

Origins

The James passenger list shows Nicholas Holt, tanner of Romsey, Hampshire.^[4]

The “tanner” on the ships roll is probably a mis-understood “turner” - he manufactured woodenware, and when distributing property to his children before his death, he called himself a “dish-turner.” ^[5]

There is no mention of him in the well-preserved records at Romsay, so it seems the entry on the passenger list was incorrect.

He was deposed 11 Apr 1671 and gave his age as 63. Death records say he was "aged 104", but he was likely exaggerating.

Life in New England

Savage infers that he was made a freeman in Boston in 1637 and that he was a resident of Boston before moving to Andover; but other sources demonstrate that he moved to Newbury before going to Andover. ^[6] He was one of the first settlers of Newbury, where he witnessed a legal paper on 1 September 1635; his daughter Elizabeth was born 30 March 1636; and he was chosen as town surveyor 19 April 1638. ^[7] In 1637 his also name appears as one of the ten persons who in order to prevent the relection of Sir Henry Vane to the office of governor, and to strengthen the friends of Governor Winthrop, went from Newbury to Cambridge on foot, forty miles, and qualified themselves to vote by taking the freeman's oath May 17, 1637. He was also part of the team that divided Newbury into lots, and served as a commander of militia forces in 1638.^[8]

In 1644 Nicholas Holt was one of the ten original settlers who removed their families from Newbury and accompanied their pastor, the Rev. John Woodbridge, to "Chochichawicke," now Andover. On a leaf in the town records containing the list of householders in order as they came to the town his name is sixth. He was one of the ten male members, including the pastor elect, who composed the church at the ordination of Mr. John Woodbridge, October 24,1645. He was later on several committees charged with setting the boundaries of Andover and laying out a highway to Reading.

Nicholas married three times while his children were young - he first had 9 children with Elizabeth, then married widow Hannah, who had two young children and they had two children together. Then he married widow Martha, who also had two young children.^[9]

Text References

1. ↑ Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1912).
2. ↑ Frequently cited but unsourced date.
3.   Savage, James. A 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. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862).

   NICHOLAS, Newbury, a tanner from Romsey in Hants, came in the James 1635, from Southampton, perhaps with w. arr. at Boston, 3 June, freem. 17 May 1637, had Elizabeth b. 30 Mar. 1636; Mary, 6 Oct. 1638; and Samuel, 6 Oct. 1641; rem. to Andover, where he was one of the found. of the ch. 1645; there had Henry; Nicholas; James; and John, wh. m. 3 July 1685, Sarah Geary, and d. 10 Mar. 1687; beside Priscilla wh. d. young, 16 Oct. 1653; he d. 30 Jan. 1685, aged 104 yrs. says the rec. but Coffin, with more prob. says 83. His first w. d. a. 1654, and he m. 12 June 1658, Hannah, wid of Daniel Rolfe, d. of Humphrey Bradstreet, wh. d. 20 June 1665; and he m. 21 May 1666, wid. Preston. His d. Elizabeth m. 26 Oct. 1658, Ralph Farnum; and Mary m. 5 July 1657, Thomas Johnson.

4. ↑ Winthrop Society, http://www.winthropsociety.org
5. ↑ Cutter, William Richard. New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series, Volume IV. 1915. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., inc., 1996. Quoted at http://www.family2remember.com/bios/nholt1602.htm
6. ↑ Savage 2:455
7. ↑ History of Newbury, pp. 32, 41, Note: 48, 59
8. ↑ The First Three Generations of Holts in America
9. ↑ The First Three Generations of Holts in America

See also A Genealogical History of the Holt Family in the U.S.: more particularly the descendants of Nicholas Holt of Newbury Andover,Mass,1634-1644, and of William Holt of New Heaven, Conn by Daniel S Durrie (Published by J. Musell, Albany NY, 1864).