Hester ‘Esther’ Hilliard

Family

The wife of William Hilliard was Hester (also seen as Esther), married October 1640 at Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, without recording her maiden name.

Their children were probably born at Duxbury, Plymouth Colony.

1. William Hilliard, born about 1641. Married Deborah Warren.
2. Hester "Esther" Hilliard, birth recorded as 25 Mar 1642 in the records of Boston, Massachusetts Bay. Married Joseph Bate.
3. Mary Hilliard, birth recorded as 7 Jun 1644 in the records of Boston, Massachusetts Bay. Married John Farrow.

These children were baptized at Hingham on 25 February 1654/5 by Rev. Hobart.

Date and place of birth have also been (erroneously?) reported to be 1621 in an unspecified nation that is now a member of the United Kingdom.

Supporting data

Married to William HILLARD in OCT 1640 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA.

Note: This Plymouth Court Record in 1640 is why historians were unable to determine the maiden name of William Hiller's wife. The record is as follows and as you can see nothing was recorded. It was like the recorder was going to enter the information at a later date and simply forgot Georg Pidcock & Sarah Ricard marryed the xvjth May, 1640. John Mynard & Mary Starr marryed. William Fallowell & Martha Beels marryed. Benjamin Noye and Katherne Tupper marryed the xixth October, 1640. Willm Hiller and William Nelson and Martha Forde marryed the xxixth of Octobr, 1640.

From the above record it can be seen that William married his wife in Duxbury between 19 OCT 1640 and 29 OCT 1640. No records show her surname but her Christian name is believed to be Hester, or Esther. A search of known residents of Duxbury in 1640 failed to reveal any possible 'Esther'. Since the births of their daughters, Esther and Mary, were recorded in Boston and it is known the family lived in Duxbury, possibly Esther went home to her parents to have the babies. The birth record of the son William could not be located. 1

Children

1. William HILLARD b: ABT 1641 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts (probably)
2. Esther HILLARD b: 25 MAR 1642/3 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
3. Mary HILLARD b: 6 JUN 1644 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts

References

1. Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Newsletter. Boston, MA: Great Migration Study Project, 2003) Vol. 12, Page 29. Focus on Revising Sketches. View with NEHGS Membership < AmericanAncestors >; (document attached)
2. Sources: Abbrev: New Plymouth Colony Records Title: Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Court Orders. (Press of William White, 1855)gland, Court Orders.gland, Court Orders. Press of William White, 1855. Page: Volume I. Pages 88, 119, 145, 152-153, 158.