Barnstable Families

I am willing to exchange information on these pioneers, and their English origins:

BURSLEY, John Bursley, one of the founders of the town of Barnstable was born in England about 1599, came to Weymouth about 1629, to Barnstable in 1639, where he married Joanna Hull, daughter of the founding minister. Earlier he was Deputy to the General Court 1636, died in W. Barnstable 1660, where his
home site can be shown today.

CHIPMAN. Elder John Chipman, born in Brinspittel, Dorsetshire about 1621, came to America about 1637, and married about 1647 Hope Howland, daughter of two Mayflower passengers, John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley (whose parents were also passengers). They went to Barnstable in 1649, where he became ruling elder of the church, and Deputy for five years.
He died in Sandwich in 1708 aged 87.

CROCKER. William Crocker, a founder of the town of Barnstable (1639) was born in England (Devon) 1612, came to Roxbury 1634, where he married Alice, whose family name is unknown. In Barnstable he became Deacon of the church, and its Deputy to the General Court 1670, 1671, 1674. In 1643 he moved to West Barnstable, where he died in 1692. Among his numerous progeny were the first settlers of Cotuit.

DIMMOCK. Thomas Dimmock, born in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, came to Dorchester on the "Hopewell" in 1635. He built the first house in Barnstable, and the town's foundation dates from record of his organizing the militia there in 1639. He was an Elder of the church and Deputy for six years. He died in today's Cummaquid in 1648.

GORHAM. Capt. John Gorham, born in 1621 at Bennefield, Northamptonshire, came with his parents to Plymouth about 1637. In 1643 he married Hope Howland, daughter of two Mayflower passengers John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley. In 1652 they moved to the Mill Pond in Yarmouth/Barnstable where he established a tannery. He died in Swansea in 1676 after the massacre of the Indians in the Great Swamp Fight. His family became the first whalers in America, and ancestors of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

HAWES. Edmund Hawes, a founder of the town of Yarmouth, was born in England about 1613, came from London on the "James" in 1635. In 1645 he settled east of Dennis Pond, on today's Summer St., becoming Town Clerk and Deputy. He died there in 1693.

HINCKLEY. Governor Thomas Hinckley, last Governor of the united Plymouth colony, was born in Tenterden, Kent in 1618, came in 1634 to America on the "Hercules" with his parents, who were early settlers of Barnstable. He was deputy in 1640, Assistant in 1680, and governor 1681-92. He died in Barnstable in 1705, aged 85.

HOWLAND. Mayflower Pilgrim John Howland, born 1592 Fenstanton, Huntingtonshire, married about 1625 Pilgrim Elizabeth Tilley, born in Henlow, Bedfordshire 1609, daughter of the Pilgrim merchant John Tilley and his wife Joan Hurst. Tilley and his wife died in the first cold winter of Plymouth. Howland and his wife lived to be over 80, he dying in 1673; she in 1697.

HULL. Rev. Joseph Hull, was one of the most interesting dissident ministers, ousted from Barnstable by Lothrop. Born in Crewkerne, Somerset in 1596, he graduated from Oxford at age 19, brought 21 families to Weymouth in 1635, founded Barnstable in 1639, was excommunicated by Lothrop, and died at the Isle of Shoals in 1665.

NEWCOMB. Andrew Newcomb, born perhaps in Devon about 1618, came to Boston 1663, had a son Andrew Jr. a fisherman on Marthas Vineyard, who was father of Sandwich innkeeper Peter Newcomb (1674-1723), and ancestor of John Kendrick, the pioneer merchant on the Northwest Coast of America.

SMITH. Rev. John Smith, dissident minister, was born in England about 1614. He was an early settler and Deputy of Barnstable, but left town after a controversy with Rev. Lothrop. Among his sins was pleading tolerance of Quakers, but this brought him back to the church in Sandwich 1673-89. He married the sister of Gov. Hinckley.

SWIFT. William Swift, who came from Bocking, Essex to America in 1630, was a pioneer settler of Sandwich in 1637, was ancestor of Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Nixon. His son William Jr. was Deputy for four years, and many times Selectman and Constable of Sandwich.