#52Ancestors: Isaac HUNT 1675-1717, Massachusetts

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. 

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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.

Blogger - or my computer - is not letting me "reply" to your comments. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented! You truly make my day!! 

52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS, No. 49: Benjamin GRAVES, 1645-1724

Following the challenge from Amy Johnson Crow to write a post weekly, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, here is my 49th installment, my 7th Great-grandfather, Benjamin GRAVES, son of the immigrant, John GRAVES. 

John GRAVES is the #166 family line in the GRAVES FAMILY ASSOCIATION lineages.  DNA is being used to clarify the relationships between the various "Graves/Greaves" immigrants who came early to the New England colony in approximately 1635ish, settling in Concord, Massachusetts. We have no information about his wife, and can only assume she died at some point after the 3rd child. The FindAGrave memorial on John states his wife was Joan Anne (Joanne) Bird, but I have not found/seen proof of this statement. 

Benjamin GRAVES, b. 1645 in Concord, was the eldest of the three siblings: John b. 1647 - d.after 1692, Sarah b. 1650 - d.1694. All the children married and had children as well.

On 21 Oct 1668, in Concord, Benjamin married Mary HOAR(E); she was b. abt 1648 in Concord, 2nd daughter of John & Alice HOAR(E).  Record from New England Marriages Prior to 1700.

Benjamin & Mary had the following children, born in Concord except for the last child born in Saybrook, Connecticut:
  1.  Mary, b. 18 Jan 1669/70, d. 22 Oct 1736 Marlborough MA;  in Sudbury CT, m. 1 Apr 1691 Benjamin Rice, son of Edward Rice & Anne/Agnes Bent; 9 children.  Note - Mary & Benjamin Rice line links to my children's father's direct Rice line. 
  2.   Elizabeth/Mehitable, b. 25 Apr 1671, d. 4 Apr 1730 Lyme CT; in New London CT, m. 20 Dec 1706 Joseph Beebe, 10 children
  3.   Ruth, b. 25 Nov 1674, d. 12 Nov 1755; In Saybrook CT, m.(1) 25 Jan 1699/00 John Webb, 7 children; m. (2) William Merriam 7 Nov 1711, 4 children
  4.   Benjamin (jr), b. 2 Mar 1676/77, d. 30 Dec 1752 Colchester CT;  in 1698, m. (1) Ruth Sterling, 5 children; abt 1711 m. (2)  Mary Haynes, 8 children
  5.   Joseph [ancestor], b. 1 Sep 1679, d.after 2 Apr 1756 New Cambridge CT; m. abt 1718 to Sarah [unknown]. 3 known children
  6.   Joanna, b. 2 Feb 1680/81; no further information on Joanna.
  7.   John, b. 1683, d. 29 Dec 1766 Walpole NH; m. 30 May 1710 Killingworth CT to Hannah Farnum, 11 children
  8.    Rebecca, b. abt 1685 Saybrook CT; m. 12 Dec 1706 in New London CT to Jonathan Daniels

He provided service in the Indian Wars, fighting in Capt. Wheeler's Concord Company in 1675, and again did military service in 1676.  

Benjamin and his younger brother John, along with others, purchased in May 20, 1681 from Christopher Hall, "all the mines and minerals of one kind and another, found, or to be found, or that may be found, on his land in Groton Mass, at a place called Cold Spring, near William Longley's house, with liberty to dig, delve or use theland and to erect buildings."  No record apparently exists to show that Benjamin actually developed these mineral rights.  

He and his family moved to Saybrook MA about 1684, and bought lands in the north part of Saybrook (Pattaconke) in January 1703.  

On Mar 18 1715 he deeded half his farm lands to his second son Joseph, and on Sep or Nov 14, 1716 deeded other lands to his third son John.  It is not clear why he did not deed lands to his eldest son Benjamin, but he may have already provided land or goods to him at an earlier date. 

It is assumed he died shortly after Nov 1716, but although there are various individuals showing a 1715 or 1716 death, I have not found a record of his death.  Another date shown by several researchers suggests it was before 23 Mar 1723/24.  A date of 5 Jun 1697 is given for his wife's death, Mary Hoar(e), on a memorial page at  FindAGrave, for the Old Burying Ground, Concord, Massachusetts.  I have not found a record stating such.

Details from above may be found on the Graves Family Association, under John Graves of Concord #166; History of the Hoare Family in America;  Concord Register; New England Marriages Prior to 1700.  


If you have additional information or details, I would appreciate learning more about Benjamin GRAVES, b. 1645.  Corrections are very welcome and received gratefully.  And do contact me via calewis at telus dot net or through the Comments below.  Thank you for visiting.