Nathaniel Whiting, Sr

Nathaniel Whiting or Whitin as the name was often spelled was born in 1609 in England He is mentioned in the will of his grandfather John Smith who bequeathed to his mother Sarah Smith Whiting lands in Hoxden county Middlesex England He had a brother Samuel Whiting also mentioned in this will Nathaniel Whiting came first to Lynn Massachusetts as early as 1638 when he was a proprietor of that town In the first records his name is spelled Whyting and Whytinge He moved to Dedham where he was a proprietor in 1640 He was made freeman May 18 1642 and admitted to the church July 30 1651 He died at Dedham January 15 1682 83 His will was dated May 15 1677 and proved April 19 1683 He gave his whole estate to his wife Hannah to distribute at her own discretion She died November 4 1714 aged eighty nine years He married November 4 1643 Hannah Dwight daughter of John and Hannah Dwight of Dedham She came from England with her parents and her brothers John and Timothy Children Nathaniel born September 26 1644 John born September 28 1646 died November 26 1646 John born November 3 1647 died September 25 1656 Samuel born December 20 1649 Hannah born February 17 1651 Timothy born January 5 1655 Mary twin born July 8 1656 died October 29 1656 John twin born July 8 1656 died same year Mary born October 12 1658 Sarah born December 3 1660 Abigail born June 7 1663 John mentioned below Jonathan born October 9 1667 Judith born March 30 1670 Anna born January 23 1672

He owned 10 acres of land at Lynn in 1638

Occupation: a miller, and the first to operate a corn mill in Dedham

He left an estate of £519

Was granted the privileges of a freeman

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NATHANIEL WHITING

Our ancestor is first mentioned in this country in the Salem Quarterly Court files, in the return made by the Proprietor's Clerk of the number of acres belonging to each of the landholders at Lynn in 1638; "Nathaniell Whiteinge 10." In Lewis' History of Lynn the name appears as "Whiteridge," but the correct spelling has been given by later writers.

He is next mentioned on the records of the First Church at Dedham: -- "Nathaniell Whiting was admitted into ye Church 30th 5mo 1641." He was granted the privilege of a freeman May 18, 1642.

He was by occupation a miller, and the first to operate a corn mill in Dedham.

One of the most important duties of the early colonists was to secure facilities for grinding their corn. Thus, in Dedham, on Feb. 21, 1736-7 [sic, should read 1636-7], at their eighth meeting, the townsmen voted to grant liberty to Abraham Shaw to erect a "Cornemill"; a month later a grant of sixty acres was made "to belong unto ye sayd Mill soe erected provided allwayes ye the same be a Water Mill, els not." Shaw's death, late in 1638, delayed matters for a while. On March 25, 1639, it was

"Ordered ye a Ditch shalbe made at a Comon Charge through purchased medewe unto ye East brooke. ye may both be a p[..]con fence in ye same: as also may serve for a Course unto a water mill: ye it shalbe fownd fitting to set a mill upon ye sayd brooke by ye Judgemt of a workeman for ye purpose."

By this ingenious method a portion of the water of Charles river was diverted into Neponset river, and a sufficient supply and fall of water obtained. On the same day it was

"Ordered ye yf any man or men will undrtake & erect a water Cornemill shall have given unto him soe much grownd as was formrly granted unto Abraham Shawe for ye same end & purpose wth such other benefitts and privelidges as he shold have had in all Respects accordingly. provided ye ye sayd Mill doth grinde Corne before ye First of ye tenth month as it is Intended."

The records do not give us the date of completion of the dam and mill, but a committee was appointed on July 14, 1641, to lay out "a cartway to our watermill."

A grant of eight acres was made to John Elderkin and Nathaniel Whiting jointly on the south side of the millpond for a house lot. There is no date to this grant, but the next entries are: --

"John Elderkin alienateth & Selleth to Nathaniell Whiteing & his assignes forever his part in the land granted for a house Lot to the mill with the house and buildings thereon & the part of the Damm & ditchings belonging to halfe the mill as appeares by a deed dated the 22 of the 9 month 1642."

"John Elderkin alienateth and selleth to Mr. Jno. Allin pastor & Nathan Aldus and John Dwight and to their assignes for ever all his rights & interest in the Water Mill standing upon the East Brooke in Dedham with the Mill house dams & works thereunto belonging viz: the one halfe of the sd premises and Twenty acres of upland yet to be layd out and Ten acres of Meadow not yet layd out all which sd premises are alienated as followeth: vix: the one halfe to Mr. Jno Allin one fourth part to Nathan Aldus the other fourth part to John Dwight."

By the following deed, recorded in the Suffolk Co. Registry, iv: 285, Nathaniel Whiting completed his title to the mill: --

"Bee it knowne to all men by these Presents that wheras wee John Allin pastr Nathaniel alsuc. John Dwite yeomen all of Dedham were Joint. Purchasers of one halfe of the Water Mill in Dedham. with appurtenances thereof. & also of ten. acres of meadow & twenty acres of upland. some times belonging to John Elderkin as appeareth by the deede of the said John Elderkin made Unto us bearing date the 8 6m: 1642 Now wee the Said John Allin. Nathan. Aldus & John Dwite for us & Every of us our heires execcutors & administrators have upon. Sundry good & Sufficient consideration. bargained & Sould Unto. Nathaniel Whiting of Dedham aforesaid in the County of Suffolke in New England & to his heires forever all our right title & Interest in the Said watermill Standing upon the East brooke in Dedham wth our rights & appurtenances Propprly belonging to the Said mill as also our right in trhee acres of upland lying neere unto the said mill reserving to ourselves & heires our Just rights: in tenn acres of meadow & seventeene acres of upland wch was laid out to us by the Towne of Dedham as the rights & Priviledges. of. the said John Elderkin Which we Purchased of him In Wittnes. whereof wee the Parties aforesaid have set our hands & seales the. 29d of ye 7mo. 1649"