Person:William Tilton (8)

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William Tilton
m. 18 Nov 1583
  1. William Tilton1586/87 - Bef 1653
m. 30 Jan 1610/11
  1. John Tilton1612/13 - Bef 1688
  2. Peter Tilton1620 - 1696
  • HWilliam Tilton1586/87 - Bef 1653
  • WSusanna _____Est 1604 - 1654/55
m. 18 Dec 1638
  1. Samuel Tilton1637 & 1640 - 1731
  2. Abraham TiltonAft 1641 - 1728
  3. Ens. Daniel TiltonAft 1641 - 1714/15
Facts and Events
Name William Tilton
Gender Male
Christening[14] 28 Feb 1586/87 Wolston, Warwickshire, England
Marriage 30 Jan 1610/11 Claybrooke, Leicestershire, Englandto Ursula Pycroft
Marriage 18 Dec 1638 Wolston, Warwickshire, Englandto Susanna _____
Death[14] Bef 16 Apr 1653 Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United Statesthe inventory of his estate being enumerated April 16
References
  1.   Massachusetts (Colony). Quarterly Courts (Essex County). Records and files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. (Salem, Massachusetts: The Essex Institute, 1911-1925, 1975)
    Vol. 1, p. 287.

    "Court held at Salem, 1 : 5 : 1653 [In 1653, 5th month is July: 1 Jul 1653]"
    "Widow Tilton of Lin brought in will of her late husband, William Tilton, deceased. Proved by Edward Burcham and John Hurd, Also an inventory ["of Willyam Tilton of Line"], amount 128li. 4s. 10d.

  2.   Davis, Walter Goodwin. The ancestry of Phoebe Tilton, 1775-1847, wife of Capt. Abel Lunt of Newburyport, Massachusetts. (Portland, Maine: The Anthoensen Press, 1947)
    8+.

    link 1. William Tilton first appears upon New England records in the year 1643, at Lynn, where he had possibly settled several years before. Born about 1589 in England, he was a man of more than middle age when he emigrated with his two grown sons and his wife Susanna, who was with him in Lynn and who was the mother of three younger sons, two of whom were possibly born in England.

    The records give little information about William Tilton. On March 16, 1643/4, he and Edward Tomlins took the inventory of the estate of Abraham Belknap of Lynn, Tilton signing the document with a mark, and on December 21, 1646, Edward Burcham, Francis Ingalles and William Tilton were the appraisers of the estate of another Lynn neighbor, Francis Lightfoot. In 1646 we find "William Tilton of Lynn freed from training, paying 6s. yearly, but to keep his arms fixed," and in June, 1647, he was entirely freed from training because of his age. Such action was customarily taken when a man reached the age of sixty, and therefore we may guess with good reason that 1589 was the year of his birth. John Deakin, James Axey, Edward Burchum and William Tilton took the inventory of the estate of Edmund Lewis of Lynn on March 12, 1650/1, and, as he again affixed his mark, it is probable that he could not write.

    William Tilton died in the spring of 1653, leaving a will which is unfortunately missing from the probate records. It was proved in July, 1653, by Edward Burcham and John Hud (Hood) and on the same day Susanna Tilton, the widow, produced an inventory which had been taken on April 16, 1653, by Edward Burcham, Henry Collins and Francis Ingols. The estate was valued at £128: 4: 10. The house and land, the largest item, were worth £30, and other interesting entries were "his purse & aparill & cloth" valued at £7: 18: 0, "too bibles and a hammer" 9s., 6d., and "sword, muskett & bandeleres" £1: 10: 0. [The Probate Records of Essex County, I: 155.]

    Susanna Tilton soon married Roger Shaw of Hampton, making with him a prenuptial contract by which Shaw agreed to make certain payments to her children when they came of age. On March 8, 1653/4, Roger and Susanna Shaw sold to Thomas Chadwell, Richard Rooten and John Hude the Lynn house and land "lately in the occupation of the lately deceased William Tilton and his by reason of purchase from John Wing, and by him left to Susanna, his wife, as sole executrix, and now in the hands of Roger Shaw aforesaid by way of contraction and marriage of the said executrix." The homestead is described as "two acres, more or less, the house now standeth upon adjoining upon the town common on the East, and West upon the lands of Richard Rooten, South upon the Sea, and North upon the lands of Francis Ingalls." There were also included three acres at Sagamore hill, four acres of salt marsh on the Saugus river and twelve acres of planting-ground. [Essex Deeds, 6]

    responsibility for her three sons fell to Roger Shaw, their stepfather. Shaw was a man of ability and character. He had settled in Cambridge about 1638 and served that town as selectman and town clerk before moving to Hampton in 1647. There he was also a selectman and represented the town in the General Court in 1651, 1652 and 1653. He died on May 29, 1661. His will, made August 25, 1660, was proved October 10, 1661. In it he gave to his "son Daniell Tilton ffive pounds" and directed his son Benjamin Shaw to "pay unto Daniell Tilton the sum of Twenty five pounds when hee comes to the aige of 21 yeares." In a codicil he relieves Benjamin of this duty and appoints his son Joseph Shaw "to pay Abraham and Daniell Tilton their portions according to Covenant when they shall Come of Age." [Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Historical Society, 1907, I: 47.]

    Of William Tilton's four proven children, all sons, Peter was married and had his first child in 1642. It is highly probable that John Tilton, who was in Lynn with William, and who was married and had his first child in 1640, was Peter's brother by the whole blood rather than William's brother. John Tilton named his second son Peter. There is, however, no documentary proof of John Tilton's relationship to William Tilton.

    Children, by a first wife:
    2. i. John, possibly born about 1615.
    3. ii. Peter, possibly born about 1617.
    By wife Susanna:
    4. iii. Samuel, b. about 1636.
    5. iv. Abraham, b. about 1638.
    6. v. Daxiel, b. about 1642.

    [Note the author examines English records for William Tilton and his research is inconclusive but he leaves us his best effort for further investigration]:

    This Thomas is presumably the Thomas Tylton of Narborough whose will is dated March 26, 1594. He had a wife Elizabeth, an only son William and daughters Mary Cooke and Amie Tylton. William was under age and, if William Tylton, the testator of 1578, was his grandfather, he was born after that year.

    What became of this William Tilton, the last of the Narborough line? He may be the William Tilton of Broughton Astley, co. Leicester, who was buried there on January 19, 1615/6, and on whose goods administration was granted to Elizabeth Tilton, his next-of-kin, on March 2, 1615/6. On the other hand, as he is of the proper age to be the emigrant and not fully accounted for, he will bear further investigation if the record sources permit it. The same may be said for William Tilton of Churchlawford, co. Warwick, who was licensed to marry Ursula Pycroft of Cleybrook, co. Leicester, in 1610, if, indeed, he is not identical with William of Narborough. In any event Leicestershire and Warwickshire seem to offer the most logical home for the emigrant William Tilton. William settled in Lynn, and from the controversial interest which his family took in religion it is probable that Puritanism was the basis for his departure from England. One of the most prominent of the Lynn settlers, Mr. Edward Holyoke, who had a keen religious sense, was a Warwickshire man, having been of Tamworth in that county, and his wife was the daughter of a Leicestershire clergyman. Some of his Lynn neighbors, including the Tiltons, may have sailed with him or followed him to the New World. William's son, Peter Tilton, by a tradition which seems plausible, came over before his father and family with Rev. Ephraim Huet with whom he is found in Windsor, Connecticut. Parson Huet was from Wroxall, also in Warwickshire.

    [The only other modern theories as to the origin of William Tilton were published by Earle Barrett Tilton and Debrett Research in 1987 and then by William Haslet Jones in 1997. See below]

  3.   Edgar Joseph, Shaw, English Origins of Roger and Ann Sahw, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
    @158:313, 2004.

    link Roger1 Shaw... married presumably as his second wife, perhaps at Lynn, MA, in the fall of 1653, Susanna (____) Tilton, who died at Hampton 28 Jan 1654/6, widow of William Tilton. Citing EQC 1:287 on 1 Jul 1653 "Widow Tilton of Lin" brought in the will of her late husband William Tilton, and it was proved. William died prior to 16 Apr 1653 when his inventory was taken. Death of Susannah from Hampton VR 1:557; & Ancestry of Walter Goodwin Davis [note 1] 3:446. The author review the will of Roger Shaw.

  4.   Tilton, Francis Theodore. History of the Tilton family in America. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1981)
    Vol. 1, #4, p.8.
  5.   Massachusetts (Colony). Quarterly Courts (Essex County). Records and files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. (Salem, Massachusetts: The Essex Institute, 1911-1925, 1975)
    2:57.

    Inventory taken 16 : 2 : 1653, by Edward Burchum, Henry Collins and Francis (his mark) Ingols: 2 oxen & five kine, 40li.; six younge Cattell, 14li, 10s.; 3 Calves & five awien 5li.; in putter, Ieren pots & ould brase, 2li. 7s. 4d.; frynge pan & hooks, 5s.; his purse & aparill & cloth, 7li. 18s.; 2 hogheades,3 payles & a bottell with other Lumber, 1li. 6s.; too bibles & a hammer, 9s. 6d.; 3 sheete & 5 lambes, 6li. 13s. 4d.; plow & Ierens & yocks, 15s.; in Lineinge, 2li.; in beddinge, bolsters & Coveringe, 6li.; a warminge pan, Chiste & churen, 12s.; in coren, backen & porke, 6li. 10s.; in wheles, sith & yaren grinestone & barley, 2li. 8s. 8d.; house & Lande, 30li.; sword, mustkett & bandeleres, 1li. 10s.; total, 128li. (librae=pounds) 4s. (solidi=shillings) 10d. (denarii = pence)

  6.   Roberts, Gary Boyd. Ancestors of American Presidents. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009)
    38.

    Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States, was a 6th generation descendant of William through his son Abraham Tilton and his granddaughter Abigail Tilton m John Filmore.

    17 Abigail Tilton, Ipswich 1 Apr, 1679-Norwich, Conn. 13 Nov. 1727 m (2) Robert Bull
    34 Abraham Tilton, c. 1638=42-Ipswitch 28 Mar 1728
    35 Deliverance Littlefield, d 1730-33 (prob. Ipswich Mar. 1728
    68. William Tilton c 1589-Lynn, Mass. c.1653
    69. Susannah ____, d, Hampton, N.H. 28 Jan 1654/5, m. (2) Roger Shaw
    70. Francis Littlefield, bp. Titchfield, Hampshire 17 Jun 1619-Wells, Maine c. Jan. 1712/3, by 1649
    71 Rebecca ___, b. 31 Jan. 1630, living 1683
    140 Edmund Littlefield (1592-1661), Tichfield, Hampshire to Wells, Maine = 1614
    141. Agnes (Anne, Annis) Austin (1596/7-1677/8_
    (END)

    Note that like Walter Goodwin Davis and peer reviewed journals the author does not accept the English Origin of William Tilton nor the maiden name of his wife.

  7.   The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
    21:186, 1867.
  8.   The Granite Monthly: A New Hampshire magazine; devoted to literature, history, and state progress. (Salt Lake City, Utah, United States: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1982)
    2:77.
  9.   Noyes, Sybil; Charles Thornton Libby; and Walter Goodwin Davis. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. (Portland, Maine: Southworth Press, 1928-1939)
    687.
  10.   Jones, William Haslet. William Tilton, his English origins and some American descendants. (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, c1997).

    This book is out of print but is still available from the publisher on CD: Genealogies, Volume 6 for anyone interested. RHBIII is ordering this CD tonight (9/29/2018) and will edit this entry with new information.

  11.   Perley, Sidney, ed. Essex Antiquarian. (Salem, Mass.: Essex Antiquarian)
    5:169.
  12.   Barbara B Marden, CALS, Descendants of William Tilton of Lynn, Massachusetts through the line of his son Daniel Tilton, in The Essex Genealogist (Massachusetts). (Lynnfield, Massachusetts: Essex Society of Genealogists)
    7:129, 1987.

    link This is part of a series of articles spanning several volumes (starting in Aug 1987). See also additions and corrections Vol 12 p 203 1992 citing writings of George H Tilton (b. 13 May 1845), a Tilton family historian and the work of Debrett Ancestry Research engaged by Barrett Tilton which was published in 1986/7 (see below). Without citing their evidence the claim is made that Susannah maiden name was Stoddard. However, this information is not cited by any peer reviewed journal except this one nor by recent publications by Gary Boyd Roberts and Myrtle S Hyde, FASG, etc. Indeed the marriage record in England does not show the maiden name of Susannah (assuming this is the same man later of Lynn).

  13.   Tilton, Earle Barrett, and Ltd Debrett Ancestry Research. The Tilton family. (Winchester, England: Debrett Ancestry Research, 1986-1987).

    Also published in England as Tilton family genealogical notes by Debrett Ancestry Research (Winchester, England) 1986/7 [1] A copy of these documents were published in Vol 12 p 6104+ in The ancestry of Anthony Morris Johnson including an updated Corrigenda dated 3 Mar 1992.

    (1) William Tilton, husbandman of Narborough, Leicestershire, England; will made January
    21, 1542/3 (married Agnes, living 1542).

    (2) William Tilton, husbandman of Narborough, Leicestershire, England; will made May 14, 1578, proved June 19, 1578 (married Alice, living 1578).

    (3) Robert Tilton, buried December 22, 1606, Wolston, Warwickshire, England

    (4) Robert Tilton of Wolston, Warwickshire, buried August 7, 1642, Wolston Elizabeth Focel, November 18, 1583, buried November 4, 1620, Warwickshire, England).

    (5) William Tilton, born Wolston Parish, Warwickshire, England; baptized February 29, 1586/7. Lived at Churchlawford Parish, Warwickshire, England, on January 30, 1610/11, when he married Ursula Pycroft of Claybrooke (Cleybrooke, Claybrook) Parish, Leicestershire, England. Claybrooke Parish is about four miles northeast of Churchlawford. Wolston Parish adjoins Churchlawford Parish on the west. The Town of Claybrook is in the Claybrooke Parish. The Town of Wolston is in Wolston Parish. The Town of Churchlawf ord is in Churchlawf ord Parish. Ursula Pycroft died after birth of their sons John Tilton and Peter Tilton at Wolston. Sometime after his marriage to his second wife, Susanna, on December 18, 1638 at Wolston, Warwickshire, England, the whole family emigrated to Saugus (Lynn), Massachusetts. Peter Tilton, son of William Tilton, came over before his father with Reverend Ephraim Huet (from Wroxall , Warwickshire, England) and they went to Windsor, Connecticut (vide Ancestry of Phoebe Tilton 1775-1847, by Walter Goodwin Davis).

    etc.

    Note the maiden name of Susannah was not located. The full document includes the names of sibling for a few generations.

  14. 14.0 14.1 Posted by Myrtle S Hyde FASG in 2014.

    William Tilton’s family was well established in the parish of Wolston, Warwickshire, when William was born there in late 1586 or early 1587. His christening is upon the church records as February 28, 1586/7, the son of “Robert Tillton.” The marriage record of his parents in the same parish provides his mother’s name as Elizabeth Focell.

    In 1610 William married Ursula Pycroft of Claybrooke, Leicestershire, around twelve miles to the northeast of Wolston. At this time William’s residence was Church Lawford, a parish adjoining Wolston. After their wedding William and Ursula resided in Wolston, where two children were born to them, John in 1613 and Peter in 1620.

    In May 1638 Ursula passed away. The following December William married a second time. In the marriage entry, in Wolston, the minister failed to record the bride Susanna’s maiden name.

    To William and Susanna in England came probably the son they named Samuel in about 1639, and maybe their son Abraham in about 1642. Around this time the family left their native land, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and settled in Lynn, Massachusetts.

    The first record of them in Lynn is dated March 16, 1643/4, when William helped with the inventory of an estate. Being this early in the year, the family’s sailing would have been at the latest 1643 and maybe earlier. Sons John and Peter had come before this. John had married in England in January 1640, in the parish of Claybrooke where resided relatives of his mother. With his bride he left England that early spring, and their son John was born in Lynn, Massachusetts in June. Peter came with a group who settled in Windsor, Connecticut, as his marriage is on record there in May 1641. John and Peter may have come together and settled in different areas after their arrival.

    The last child of William and Susanna was a son born in about 1646, and they named him Daniel.

    This same year the records have “William Tilton of Lynn freed from [military] training, paying 6s. yearly, but to keep his arms fixed,” and in June 1647 he was entirely freed from training because of his age. Such action was customarily taken when a man reached the age of sixty, which is what he was.

    William died in the spring of 1653, the inventory of his estate being enumerated April 16. The listing contained his house and about two acres of land. On the east the property adjoined the town common, north and west other homesteads, and on the south “the Sea.” Among the other items were “too bibles and a hammer,” also a “sword, muskett & bandeleres.”

    The winter after William’s death, widow Susanna apprenticed her son Abraham to a Lynn neighbor, John Hood, a weaver by trade. The indenture sets forth the duties of master and servant (“ye” in the document is here transcribed as “the,” which is what it meant and how it was spoken):

    This indenture made the fifth day of December in year 1653 between Abraham Tilton the sonne of the Widdow Tilton of Lynn in New England and County of Essex on the one part and John Hud of the same town and County, Weaver Witnesseth that Abraham Tilton aforesaid hath, with the consent of his friends put himself apprentice to John Hude Weaver in the town and County aforesaid after the manner of an apprentice with him to dwell from the day and date hereof the full time and term of eight years and during the said time shall 2 William Tilton 1587 the said Abraham his said Master faithfully shall serve, his secrets shall keep, his lawful commands everywhere gladly shall Doe, taverns shall not frequent, matrimony hee shall not contract, Damage to his said Master hee shall not doe nor suffer others, hee shall not absent himselfe from the house of his said Master by day nor by night unlawfully, but everywhere behave himselfe as a faithful servant ought to do. And the said John Hud to his said servant shall teache and inform, or cause to be taught and informed in the art craft misterie and occupation of a Weaver as much as thereto belongeth or anywise apperteineth to the uttermost skill that John Hud himselfe hath, finding to his said Servant meat, drink, hoseri, shoes Woolen linnen Clothes Washing and ordering, and att the end of his time to learn to write between Yuletide and Januarie the servants friends paying for his writing and the said John hath liberty in case hee goe to Old England to give his servant his time; the said Abraham is to have double now at his coming to service. In Witness Whereof Wee Jno Hud and Abraham Tilton hath interchangably sett hands and seales the day and year above written
    His Mark John Hud

    This same winter, early 1653/4, Susanna remarried to widower Roger Shaw of Hampton, New Hampshire (then in Massachusetts jurisdiction), a man of ability and character. They signed a prenuptial contract by which Roger agreed to make certain payments to her children when they came of age. Susanna, with her sons Samuel and Daniel, moved to Roger’s home in Hampton. Because the pre-marriage residences of Roger and Susanna were far from each other, several suggestions arise about how they became acquainted. Perhaps they had common friends or relatives, or knew one another in England. Both Lynn and Hampton were on the seacoast, which may have been a factor.

    From England Roger Shaw had come to Cambridge, Massachusetts in about 1638 and served that town as selectman and town clerk before moving to Hampton in 1647. Here also he served as selectman and represented the town in General Court in 1651, 1652, and 1653.

    March 8, 1653/4 Roger and Susanna sold the Lynn parcel that she had inherited.

    Ten months after the sale Susanna died, January 28, 1654/5, in Hampton, and Roger assumed the care of her two sons who were living with him, the older aged about sixteen, the younger aged about nine.

    Meanwhile, back in Lynn, John Hood did in fact return to old England, as the apprentice indenture stated he might. This was probably in the summer of 1654, just months after Abraham Tilton began his apprenticeship. This left Abraham in the care of John’s wife, Elizabeth Hood, who no doubt felt that she could watch out for his needs until her husband returned. It seems that his return became delayed beyond what was expected, as the point arrived when Elizabeth felt that Abraham should be living with his own family until John Hood came back and continued the training. She knew of his mother’s death, and asked leaders in Lynn what they recommended she do. Then, the records state, “taking the advice of the Elders at Lynn,” she, through officials, negotiated with Abraham’s much older half-brother, “Peter Tilton living in Connetticott,” who would take Abraham and pay her thirty shillings “in lieu of w’t charges I had been att hee being young & but a little W’th us.” Abraham was taken to Connecticut.

    Then the scenario changed. Deciding to remain in England, John Hood wrote to his wife Elizabeth in 1655 asking her to wind up his affairs in Lynn and join him. He directed her “to William Tilton 1587 3 deliver his prentice Abraham Tilton to his mother.” As the boy’s mother had died in January, 1654/5, this was impossible, but, of course, John did not know of Susanna’s passing.

    When Roger Shaw, who was a very conscientious step-father, heard of what was happening, he traveled from Hampton to Lynn and asked that the boy be delivered to him. He talked with townsfolks who had known Susanna’s family well, and one man told him, and entered it into the court record, that he had “some speeche with Abraham Tilton before hee was sent away to Conecticott” and that “hee was altogether unwilling to goe to his brother but rather chose to goe to his father goodman Shaw.” Roger Shaw applied to the County Court at Hampton and obtained an order that Abraham should be placed in his care. He served it on Goodwife Hood. This had the desired effect, for in November, 1655, after explaining her position in detail she revoked the contract made with Peter Tilton “yielding & submitting to Wt the Court hath granted to his father in law [step-father] Rodger Shaw.” Thus Abraham’s stay in Connecticut was short, and the rest of his boyhood was spent with his brothers Samuel and Daniel in the Shaw household in Hampton.

    April 6, 1660, Roger Shaw deeded to Samuel Tilton “ye son of Susana, my late wife, now deceased,” fifteen acres of upland and five acres of marsh in Hampton.

    Roger lived until May 29, 1661. In his will he gave to his “son Daniell Tilton Five pounds” and directed his son Benjamin Shaw to “pay unto Daniell Tilton the sum of Twenty five pounds when hee comes to the aige of 21 yeares.” In a codicil he relieved Benjamin of this duty and appointed his son Joseph Shaw “to pay Abraham and Daniell Tilton their portions according to Covenant when they shall Come of Age.” Two weeks after Roger’s death, June 12, 1661, Joseph Shaw, his father’s executor, received from Samuel Tilton an acknowledgment that the £30 which Roger and Susanna Shaw had agreed should fall to him when he reached the age of twenty-one had been fully paid to his satisfaction. Samuel married in 1662. April 13, 1663, he, as then guardian of his brother Daniel, acknowledged the receipt of £10 from Joseph Shaw on Daniel’s account. Undoubtedly, whatever else might have been eventually due to Daniel was also paid.

    Abraham married in 1666. May 13, 1669, he, then of Sturgeon Creek in the Maine town of Kittery, gave a receipt to the same step-brother, Joseph Shaw of Hampton, for £20, half of which was due to him by the will of his father, William Tilton of Lynn, and half by the contract of marriage between Roger Shaw and his mother. To be noted is that Abraham, when grown, earned his living as a house carpenter and millwright (builder of mills). Obviously he had not continued an apprenticeship of weaving, but instead had taken up the building trades.

  15.   External Links.

    Ancestors of the Tilton Family, compiled by Carl James Tilton Sr.; no documentation