Christopher Latimer, of Marblehead

Christopher Latimer

• Born 1620
• Died October 5, 1690
• Married Mary Pitts dau of William Pitts (aka Pitt)

Biography

CHRISTOPHER LATIMER was born about 1620 and died at Marblehead on October 5, 1690, at the age of 70 years. His will was dated November 8, 1688, and his inventory, valued at 463:68:00, was probated November 25, 1690. Latimer was probably from Leicester, and said to be a descendant of the Protestant martyr Bishop Hugh Latimer. He was called a mariner in 1659, 1661, and 1673; a yeoman and fisherman in 1663; and a vintner in 1680 and 1687. He was at Marblehead as early as 1647, when he was stinted for 1 cow for John Coit. Latimer was a selectman and signed 'the customs petition of 1668/9.

William Pitt had a daughter Mary Pitt, born about 1632 who died at Marblehead, May 8, 1681, at the age of 49 years; her gravestone is the oldest on Burial Hill. She married Christopher Latimer. William Pitts (father of his wife Mary) conveyed to Christopher Latimer the house and stage in Codner's Cover on February 2, 1659 that he has purchased by John Coit. Christopher Latimer also took over his father's business and his fishing fleet. On February 1, 1663, he returned to Boston, leaving his son-in-law Christopher Lattimore in charge of his property at Marblehead." William's wife's inventory was dated September 8, 1668 and allowed December 10, 1670. Her will records "unto my husband one half and unto my daughter Mary Lattimore (of Marblehead) the other half." On February 1, 1663, he conveyed to Robert Hooper "all that dwelling house of mine in Marblehead which standeth on ye hill where John Goytes house Stood, which he sold unto my father Pitt," Latimer conveyed the north part of his holdings to his son-in-law, Captain Nathaniel Norden, on June 13, 1687. (William Pitt had acquired the holdings of John Coit at the foot of State Street (Codner's Cove) in 1647). Chirstopher Latimer, first called a fisherman and mariner, probably operated a fishing fleet of his father-in-law's, who was then a merchant. After Pitt left for Boston, Latimer operated the business which consisted of flakes and a stage.

He was also in the same business as his step-father, William Pitt as well as Moses Maverick, Isaac Allerton (Mayflower), John Legg and Francis Johnson in provisioning supplies to the fishing fleets of Marblehed. It must have been a good businessman as £463 was a large sum for a Marblehead estate in this age.

Children

Children of Christopher and Mary ( Pitt ) Latimer.

1. HUGH, born about 1657 and living in 1679.
2. SUSANNAH, born in 6 Jan 1666/7 in Salem and living in 1690, a widow. She married John Pederick, November 29, 1682, and was deceased by December 8, 1725.
3. MARIE was born about 1661/2 and found dead in a well, the jury of inquest on March 6, 1668/9, found her death to be an accident.
4. ELIZABETH was born about 1663; married William Waters, August 1 or 4, 1686, and died February 10, 1698/9, at the age of 35 years.
5. JOAN married John Baker of Salem.
6. JANE born say 1656 married Captain Nathaniel Norden of Boston (he was bonr 1653) and died April 20, 1722.

Sources

1. Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts , , 1636-1686, 9 volumes (Salem 1911-1975), 7:57,71,77-79,lll,112,134,151,152, 226; 9:62, 241,265,516;
2. Essex Institute Historical Collections , Volume 1 to present (1859+) 46:15,71,230,309; 47:71,72,77,226; 54:26
3. Essex Probate Docket #16435)
4. Thomas E. Gray, The Founding of Marble-head (Baltimore 1984)

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Feb 11 2017, 18:05:15 UTC