Thomas Holt

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The notes below apply to some other profile.

Nicholas, the progenitor of the Pembroke family, was born 1602 in england. Sailed probably with his wife Elizabeth from South Hampton in the ship James of London.William Cooper, master, April 6 and reached Boston June 3, 1635. He was bred a tanner, was one of the grantees of Newbury Mass, 1635-1645 and one of the first to settle in Andover Mas in 1645. Married Elizabeth. (2)June 20 1658 Hanna, widow of Daniel Rolfe and daughter of Humphrey Bedford of Andover. (3) May 21 1666, Mrs Martha Preston. and died there Jan 30 1685. His 1st wife died Nov 9 1656, 2nd June 20 1665, 3rd Mar 221 1703

Emigrated to the US from Romsey, Hampshire County, England in the summer of 1635 with wife, Elizabeth.

Came over on ship, James of London from England. Lived in Newbury and then Andover Massachusetts.

- - - - - - - -

Alternate way to describe location of birth:

Huntington, Ramsey, England

copyright 1999. Joan Barnes. All rights reserved.

Nicholas Holt, First Generation Holt in the New World, Immigrant, Pioneer

"SOUTHon. -- A List of names of suche Passengrs as shipt themselues at the towne of Hampton, in the James of London of iijc tonnes William Cooper Mr vrs New-England, in and aboute the vt (5th) of Aprill, 1635."(1)

Forty-three males passengers were counted including one Nicholas Holte of Romsey, England, occupation cited as tanner. Females and children were mentioned as being on board the James but not individually named. The James arrived at Boston on June 3, 1635. Several sources report that Nicholas was accompanied by a wife, Elizabeth Short, and at least one child, Hannah. He and his family went from Boston to Newbury, where they were some of the first settlers, and remained there for about ten years. According to the Vital Records of Newbury, Elizabeth and Nicholas expanded their family with the birth of three more children (Elizabeth, Mary, and Samuel).(2) For the entire list of children see the ancestoral record I compiled on Nicholas Holt taken from the vital records mentioned above and the vital records of Andover, Massachusetts(3).

Nicholas was a very active citizen in both Newbury and Andover(4-6). On May 17, 1637 his name appears as one of ten people who walked from Newbury to Cambridge and took the freeman's oath to qualify to vote in the Governor's election. In April of 1638 Nicholas was also chosen to be one of the surveyors of the highways and in June of 1638 all the able bodied men of Newbury were enrolled and formed into four companies under the command of John Pike, Nicholas Holt, John Baker and Edmund Greenleafe. They were required "to bring their arms complete one Sabbath day in a month and the lecture day following," and "stand sentinell at the doores all the time of the publick meeting."(7)

In 1644, Nicholas Holt and his family became, once again, pioneers. They moved from Newbury to accompany their pastor, the Reverend John Woodbridge, to "Cochichawicke," now Andover, Massachusetts. "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."(8)

It is hypothesized by a secondary source that Nicholas's motivation for emigration into the wilderness was "that he might enjoy the privilege of worshipping God according to the convictions of his own mind..."(9) Religious freedom may indeed have been a motivation and it was true for many but one cannot forget the other motivation: land.

According to Greven(10), the "third largest estate in Andover was owned by Nicholas Holt and provided the basis for the settlements of five sons and for the maintenance of paternal control for most of a long lifetime." He owned no land outside of Andover and he acquired little besides the original division grants from the town. This vast estate would provide settlements for all of his sons.

In 1662, Nicholas received the fourth-division grant of 300 acres from the town and at some time prior to 1675, he moved his family from the village to build a house located on his third division. The land is in the area later known as South Parish. His house was built on a great hill, Holt's Hill, later known as Prospect Hill. On today's map of Andover, Holt and Prospect Roads mark what was probably the dwelling area of the Holt family and part of their land grant holdings.

The paternal control Greven speaks about pertains to the fact that Nicholas Holt was slow to grant lands to his sons so they could marry and start families. "With the exception of two daughters who married in the late 1650's, the Holt family remained together on their farm until 1669, when the two oldest sons and the eldest daughter married"(11) (Samuel, Henry, and Hannah). Both sons were given land in the third division to build upon but neither son was given the deed to the land, which meant that Nicholas retained legal rights and control of that land.

Finally, in 1681, Nicholas gifted Samuel and Henry with the titles to each half of the third division of land. In return for the gifts each son was to pay Nicholas twenty shillings a year for so long "his naturall life Shall Continue". (Essex Deeds, v. 32, p 130-131, v. 34, p 225-256)

Nicholas's life continued until January 30, 1685 with a disputed life span of 104 years or 83 years depending on the source. "In his early life he carried on the business of manufacturer of woodenware. A few years before his death, in distributing his property among his children, he styles himself a dish turner. The word "tanner" on the roll of the ship James is probably an error of the recording official."(12) He married three times and fathered eleven children. Henry was his second son.

Nicholas Holt came from Warwickshire, England on the ship "James," and settled in Newberry. MA in 1635. His family traces back to the Holts of Aston Hal, Warwickshire, who were descended from John atte Holt (ie John living at Holt), during the reign of Edward II. He landed in Boston on 6/3/1635.

In 1644 Nicholas, with nine other settlers removed to what is now Andover, MA. He was evidently a surveyor or engineer, for various records refer to roads which he was commissioned to lay out.

His first wife, Elizabeth Short, bore him four sons and four daughters.

After Elizabeth's death, he married (second) Hannah Rolfe. They had one son and one daughter.

Married Elizabeth 1624 in Hamp. England (she was probably 18); Occupation: tanner; 1637 - addmitted Freeman.

Elizabeth died in 1656. Married Hannah Bradstreet in 1658. She died in 9-Nov-1665. Married Martha Preston on May 21, 1666. Widow Preston married Nicholas Holt, 21 May 1666. It is said that this marriage was arranged by Nicholas' sons, they promising that if she should survive their father, they would care for her the rest of her life. This they did, for Nicholas died 30 Jan 1685 at age 83 and Martha lived until 21 Mar 1703 to about 80 years of age.

HOLT, NICHOLAS, Newbury 1635, removed to Andover, and was one of the founders of the church there 1645, died in 1685. He had sons, Samuel, b. at Newbury, 6 Nov. 1641; Henry; Nicholas; James; and John. He had two daughters b. at Newbury in 1636 and 1638.

HOLT. Massachusetts.

Nicholas Holt, Newbury, 1635.

(Warwickshire.)

Azure, two bars or; in chief a cross formée fitchée of the last.

CREST -- A squirrel sejant or, holding a hazel-branch, slipped and fructed; all ppr.

MOTTO -- Exaltavit humiles.

Children by Elizabeth: Hanna, Elizabeth, Mary, Samuel, Henry, Nicholas, James, Priscilla (died at 4 months)

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The following info comes from Joan Barnes:

Introduction

My research began about 10 years ago, Paul, my brother, found a

Bible among some picture albums or papers given to him. Inscribed on the

inside cover were names: Alva Holt, Rhoda, Juliett, Alva Dexter and so

on. We knew Vera Holt (our paternal grandmother), her brothers and

sister, and had listened to her stories of Alfred Holt, her father, but

we had never encountered these names before. Thus began our search. We

started by walking through cemeteries in Canaan, Clinton, Benton, and

Winslow, Maine. We found them in the last row of the New and Old

Cemeteries of Canaan. We moved from there to resources at the Maine State

Library, State Archives, and the National Archives. We produced a

skeleton of the Holt lineage and with this narrative I hope to fill out

that skeleton with any interesting information beyond vital statistics.

These were people, not numbers.

Information about each person was gathered from primary and

secondary sources. Bibliographic citations are provided when available.

Before we go much further I would like to beg pardon if there are

mistakes. I depend on the accuracy of public records, church documents,

and the like. The humans that created these records may have made errors.

I continue to do research and appreciate any help gathering facts. I also

try to confirm items in more that one source, but sometimes that is

difficult to do. Please notify me at joan@harwoodhill.com if you find

research that supports or contradicts what I have found.

I don't profess to be a professional historian, genealogist, or

writer. These are only hobbies of mine. Hobbies like the forementioned

tend, at times, to consume one to the exclusion of all else. Lately I

have felt consumed. I started creating this web site in early December of

1998 and it continues to change and expand. I would like to take a moment

to thank various people who have assisted me: Charlotte Welch, for the

server space; David Phillips for those HTML and web design lessons; my

brother Paul for starting all of this; and those family members, living

and deceased, who told stories about their childhoods, relatives, and

lives. I listened.

copyright 1999. Joan Barnes. All rights reserved.

Marriage 2: Martha Preston 21-May-1666(?) in Andover, MA

Marriage 3: Hannah Bradstreet 12-Jun-1658 Andover - children Rebecca (1662), John (1663/64)

The Holt family is extremely large, and is known for its attention to education. Many descendants went to Harvard and Dartmouth Colleges. Men in the Holt lineage were also military heroes during all the major wars of the period. Some, like Joshua Holt, esq., found their calling in the government, serving to the General Courts.

There is large speculation as to where Nicholas Holt's homestead stood, though there is little doubt it was in North Andover. The home owned by Mr. Dean Holt, on Holt's Hill, stands a likely chance of once being a place where Nicholas lived. Parts of his immediate lineage moved into the South Parish in town, where he also likely resided.

Had lawyer brother "Thomas".

Durrie, Daniel S. 1985. A genealogical history of the Holt family in the United States: more particulary the descendants of Nicholas Holt of Newbury and Andover, Mass., 1634-1644, and of William Holt of New Haven, Conn. Decorah, Iowa: Anundsen.

http://books.google.com/books?id=V-ZUAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#

http://books.google.com/books?id=V-ZUAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1

(page 9)

HOLT FAMILY.

NICHOLAS HOLT AND HIS DESCENDANTS.

FIRST GENERATION AND CHILDREN.

Nicholas Holt was one of the first settlers of Newbury and Andover in the county of Essex, state of Massachusetts. Neither the exact time nor the place of his birth is known. From the record of his death it appears he was born in the year 1602.

The first definite information we have respecting him, is as a passenger in the ship James of London, William Cooper, master, which sailed from the port of Southampton, Eng., in and about the sixth day of April, 1635, and of his arrival at Boston, in Massachusetts, on the third of June following, after a voyage of fifty-eight days. The names of fifty-three male persons are found as passengers on the ship roll, besides the wives and children of dyvers of them." Among the former occurs the name of Nicholas Holte of Romsey, tanner. He was undoubtedly accompanied by his family, which consisted of a wife, and at least one child. Ho proceeded the same year to Newbury, and resided there for the period of ten years.

In the volume of the Proprietors' Records of that town as one of the grantees, his allotments of lands are thus described: "A house lot of four acres be it more or less, bounded by High street on the South, Mr. [Edward] Rawson on the North, Archelaus Woodman on the West, and James Brown on the East. Also, a field lot of forty acres, be it more or less, over the little river, bounded by Nicholas Noyes on the South, the little river on the North and East, and Abraham Tappan on the West. Another field lot of thirty acres, be it more or loss of upland and meadow, bounded by a great creek on the South, Henry Rolf on the North, the little river on the West, and the way, on the East." The present location of the first two grants of land, and the exact date when they were granted, can not now be ascertained. The last lot of meadow

(page 10)

and upland was granted in 1641, and afterwards became the property of William Trotter, and from him deeded to Nicholas Wallington, and from him to John. Wolcott, and is now owned by Tristram Little, and is called Holt's Neck.

The first book of church records of Newbury, prior to 1674, is lost, and consequently his name is not found; though there is no possible doubt of his being a member of the church at that place.

In 1637, his name appears, as one of ten persons who in order to vote to prevent the re-election of Sir Henry Vane as governor, and to strengthen the friends of Gov. Winthrop, went from Newbury to Cambridge on foot (40 miles), qualified themselves to vote by taking the freeman's oath on the 17th of May, 1637. Winthrop was chosen. governor, and Sir Henry Vane and his friends were in a minority.

His name further appears on the Newbury records: Feb. 24,1638, when it was voted that Nicholas Holt and five others should be fined two shillings and six pence apiece for being absent from town meeting, having "due and fitt warning." And on the 21st of April following, he was fined the same amount for the same cause.

While residing at Newbury his children, Elizabeth, Mary, and Samuel were born.

In 1644, Nicholas Holt removed with his family to Andover, and was one of the original settlers of that place. On a leaf in the town records, containing the list of householders in order as they came, his name is the sixth. He was one of the ten male members including the pastor elect that composed the church, at the ordination of Mr. John Woodbridge, Oct. 24, 1645.

As the early records of the town were destroyed by the Indians, with the exception of a few fragments, it is difficult at this date to ascertain definitely the allotments of lands to him, by the proprietors. In 1656, there is a memorandum "to enter grants of land in a new book, ye old being rent and in many places defective and some grants lost." In 1714, the proprietors made their report separate from those of the town, and in them is to be found many records of land sales to the Holts in small lots.

As near as can be ascertained, he had a house lot of 15 acres, 160 acres of meadow land, and 360 acres, on what was known as the Stony Plain. A portion of this land still remains in the family. The exact spot where his homestead was situated is not definitely known. The following notices of him, are taken from the Records of Massachusetts.

"May 26, 1647, he was appointed in connection with Sergeant Marshall to lay out the way from Reading to Andover, and with Lieut. Sprague and Sergeant Marshall to view the river, and make return to the court of the necessity and charge of a bridge, and make return to the next session of this court. "At a general Court held May 27, 1652, he was appointed with Capt. Johnson of Woburn, and Thomas Danforth of Cambridge, to lay out the bounds of Andover." And May 18, 1653, he was appointed with Capt.

(page 11)

Richard Walker, and Lieut. Thomas Marshall, to lay out the highway betwixt Andover and Reading, and at the next term of court, Sept. 10, 1658, the committee made a report of said Survey.

Nicholas Holt was married in England, a few years before he came to Massachusetts. The Christian name of his first wife was Elizabeth, of whom nothing further is known than that she died at Andover, Nov. 9, 1656. He married second, June 20, 1658, Hannah, widow of Daniel Rolfe, and daughter of Humphrey Bradstreet. She died June 20, 1665, at Andover.

He married third Mrs. Martha Preston, May 21, 1666. She died March 21, 1708, aged 80 years.

Nicholas Holt lived to a good old age, and died at Andover, January 30, 1685, aged 83 years. He had the privilege of seeing his family grow up to manhood and womanhood. Of his ten children, eight were married and had families, one died before one year of age, and one probably died unmarried. As the infirmities of age came upon him he distributed his property to his children, and they agreed to provide for his comfortable maintenance as well as his wife if she survived him. There is no will on record. In early life he probably carried on the business of a tanner, as that calling is attached to his name on the ship roll. While in the prime of life, he was engaged in agricultural pursuits; a few years before his death, in dividing his property among his children, he styles himself "Dishturner," probably a manufacturer of woodenware.

There can be no doubt but what the same motives that actuated the other early settlers of New England, in leaving their pleasant homes in England and emigrating to this country had their due Influence on him. That he was a religious man is evident from the fact that he was one of the original members of tie Andover church, and in forsaking his native home in England to encounter the privations and difficulties of the wilderness, it was to enjoy the privilege of worshiping God, according to the convictions of his own mind, and his understanding of his word. While honestly and conscientiously discharging his duty in this regard by a consistent walk and conversation, he took an active interest in the public affairs of the town, and his appointment on important committees in laying out roads and other improvements, indicated that his services were valuable, and duly appreciated.

Children of NICHOLAS-1 (1) Holt and first wife Elizabeth.

2. 1. Hannah-2 (12) prob. eldest child b. in England and come with her parents to Mass. She m. March 8, 1669, Robert Gray then of Salem, Mass., who d. at Andover 1718, aged 80. In 1669, he was sued for attending a Quaker meeting. His father-in-law, March 10, 1680, deeded him lands in Andover, at which time he was a resident of that place. His children were born in Salem and recorded there. 4 ch.

(page 12)

3. 2. Elizabeth-2 (16) b. at Newbury, Mass., March 30, 1636; m. by Rev. Simeon Bradstreet, Oct. 26, 1658, Ralph Farnum of Andover. She d. at Andover, Aug. 26, 1683, aged 47. He d. at Andover, Jan. 8, 1692. 7 ch.

4. 3. Mary-2 (28) b. at Newbury, Oct. 6, 1638; m. at Andover, July 5, 1657, Thomas Johnson. She d. at Andover, Nov. 15,1700. He d. same place, 1719, aged 88. 6 ch.

5. 4. Samuel-2 (29) b. at Newbury, Oct. 6, 1641. He m. Sarah ____, her name, and date of m. not recorded. He d. at Andover, Nov. 7, 1703, aged 62. She d. at same place, April 3, 1716, aged 70. His father by deed, dated June 16, 1682, deeded him one-half of his sixty acres of upland, on which his house then stood; one hundred and thirty acres of his great division; one-half of his meadow called Ladle meadow, and various small pieces. In consideration of which, he was to pay fifteen shillings to the town and church yearly, as a part of his rate to the ministry, and twenty shillings a year to him, the said Nicholas, for his maintenance. Samuel and wife were members of the Congregational church in 1686. He was made a freeman, 1691. 2 ch.

6. 5. Henry-2 (31) b. in Andover, 1644; m. Feb. 24, 1669, Sarah, daughter of William Ballard. She d. at Andover, Nov. 25, 1733. He d. Jan. 17, 1719, aged 75. They united with the Andover church, June 3, 1716. He was a prominent man in the town, and his name is frequently found on committees. In 1686, he received permission, to erect a mill on Ladle brook. His father deeded him a portion of his estate, 1681. 14 ch.

7. 6. Nicholas-2 jr. (45) b. at Andover, 1647; m. Jan. 8, 1679, Mary probably dau. of Robert Russell. He d. at Andover, Oct. 8, 1715, aged 68. His wife d. April 1, 1717. Sept. 9, 1684, his father deeded him "one-third of the farm where he now dwells," also several parcels of land, also his dwelling house with "ye cellar rooms and Leantowe, and other convenience of house room adjoining." In consideration of which Nicholas jr. agrees to fulfill certain conditions, and to provide for his father until death, and afterwards to pay a certain sum to his mother-in-law. 11 ch.

8. 7. James-2 (56) b. at Andover, 1651; m. Oct. 12, 1675, Hannah Allen, who d. Sept. 30, 1698. He d. Dec. 13, 1690, aged 39 of Small Pox, on which day his youngest child d. of same disease. Himself and wife united with the Andover church 1686 (North Parish). He received from his father, April 15, 1681, by deed, a portion of his estate. He left no will, His property was appraised at £230:10. 7 ch.

9. 8. Priscilla-2 b. at Andover June 20, 1653; d. Oct. 16, 1653, aged 4 months.

Children of Nicholas Holt (1) by second wife Hannah.

10. 9. Rebecca-2 b. at Andover, Nov. 14, 1662. No further information is found on the records. She probably died young.

(page 13)

11. 10. John-2 (63) b. at Andover, Jan. 14, 1663-4; m. July 3, 1685, Sarah Geerey [*sic]. He d. March 10, 1687, aged 24. His widow m. 2d, Nov. 2, 1687, John Preston. He received from his father, June 19, 1685, a portion of his father's estate. 2 ch.

• called Geary in Savage's Gen. Dict. (Julie Watts)

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October 19, 1602

Christening, Romsey, Hampshire, England

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Nicholas Holte (tanner) from Romsey, Hampshire who sailed on the first passage of the James, 1635. [James Savage, Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England]

Savage, James, John Farmer, and O. P. Dexter. 1860. 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.

http://books.google.com/books?id=PDkPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA454

HOLT, HENRY, Andover, s. of Nicholas, m. 24 Feb 1670, Sarah, d. of William Ballard. JAMES, Andover, br. of the preced. m. 12 Oct. 1675, Hannah Allen, had James, wh. d. 13 Dec. 1690, and he d. the next day, both of smallpox. His wid. d. 30 Sept. 1698. JOHN, New Haven, eldest s. of William, m. Eliz. Thomas, had Eliz. b. 23 Sept. 1674; John, 23 Mar. 1679; Joseph, 22 June 1680; and Daniel, 30 Mar. 1689. JOSEPH, Haverhill 1690. NATHANIEL, New London 1673, sec. s. of William, m. 5 Apr. 1680, Rebecca, d. of Thomas Beebe, had William, b. 15 Jul 1681; and Nathaniel, 18 July 1682. Descend. are num.

http://books.google.com/books?id=PDkPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA455

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 Eliz. 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. Eliz. m. 26 Oct. 1658, Ralph Farnum; and Mary m. 5 July 1657, Thomas Johnson. NICHOLAS, Andover, s. of the preced. m. 8 Jan. 1680, Mary Russell. SAMUEL, Andover, freem. 1691, was s. of Nicholas. WILLIAM, New Haven 1643, by w. Sarah had John, b. 1645; Nathaniel 1647; Mercy, 1649; Eleazer, 5 Apr 1651; Thomas, 3 July 1653; Joseph, 2 Apr 1655; the last three bapt. in right of their mo. July 1656; Benjamin, 6 Jan. or Mar. 1657; and Mary. Mercy m. 9 Nov. 1680, Abraham Doolittle of Wallingford. John and Eleazer were proprs. at New Haven in 1685; and Thomas d. 1676.

http://www.mhl.org/andover/Abbott/Holt%20Family%20Annotated.pdf

Father Ralph Farnham b. 1633, d. 8 Jan 1692 Mother Elizabeth Holt b. 20 Mar 1636, d. 14 Oct 1710