Another post in the year-long challenge, #52Ancestors by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow. I am way behind, but every post is another post! Today I am sharing information on Isaac HUNT, my children's 7th great-grandfather [joining with their father's RICE line].
There were three Isaac HUNT father-sons in a direct genealogical line in Massachusetts from the early 1640s to 1699. It is always challenging trying to hunt for specific men when the families use the same name for their sons, sons name their sons the same name, and on it goes. To be certain I had the correct man, I labelled them in my software program as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, attached as a "suffix" to their name! The first two married a Mary as well, just to make it a touch more challenging! This post is focused on the middle one, Isaac HUNT 2nd, who apparently married Mary WILLARD.
I say "apparently" married Mary WILLARD, as the marriage took place in Braintree MA - a fair distance away from Concord MA where he was born, and from Sudbury MA where he and his family lived and later, died. How many Isaac HUNT men could there be marrying a Mary, in these early Massachusetts settlements? For now, I'm accepting the line, which is detailed in several related genealogies, but obviously more research is required. Records of Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records online from NEHGS [AmericanAncestors.com] site, Probate/Administration records naming children and other relatives [NEHGS site], and Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1750 were particularly helpful in this early research project.
Isaac 2nd HUNT was the 2nd son, and second Isaac son [first Isaac died within a year], of Isaac 1st HUNT & Mary STONE, who married in Concord, May 14, 1667.
Other children were Hannah, Samuel, and Ebenezer. His father died unexpectedly in Oct 12 1680, aged about 33, when all the children were quite young. His mother married within a few years.
Isaac 2nd HUNT was a farmer, amassing a large amount of land in Middlesex county. He married Mary WILLARD, April 26, 1698. They had 9 known children, not all thoroughly researched nor verified as yet; all born Middlesex county, MA:
1. Isaac 3rd, [ancestor], b. 25 Feb 1699, d. 22 Aug 1781; m. 28 Dec 1721
Martha GOODENOW, in Essex, MA; 9 known children.
2. Thomas, b. 20 Aug 1701, d. 5 Sep 1727, aged 26
3. Mary, b. est 1704, d. 16 May 1769
4. Ebenezer, b. est 1707, d. 20 Jan 1774
5. Samuel, b. 11 Jan 1709
6. John, b. 12 Feb 1712, d. 14 Feb 1778
7. Simon, b. 20 Apr 1715
8. Henry, b. 10 Mar 1716
9. Abidah, b. 31 Jul 1717, d. 12 Sep 1789
On Dec 5, 1717, Isaac 2nd HUNT died intestate, meaning no will. Isaac 3rd as the eldest son received a double share of the final reckoning of the estate. The inventory and administration is full of details with notes for the widow's dowry, administration costs, children's guardianship/welfare, and more. It took several years to organize the division of the estate - over £1477 value - and it was formally wrapped up March 27, 1724.
By the time the estate was settled, Mary WILLARD Hunt had married a second time, to Ebenezer Leland [sr.], on Aug 29, 1721 in Sudbury, Middlesex, MA. Two of her HUNT children married a Leland relative also.
It is clear I have a great deal more research to do in this family. I have set out research questions and likely sources where I might find some documented details, in addition to identifying which online sites might be useful.
If these are your ancestors, I am happy to share what little I have on these ancestors. And if there are errors, please do let me know, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below and I will get back to you either by email or in the Comments. I appreciate the opportunity to correct any issues in these family trees.
