William Fifield, Sr., Immigrant

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Fifield-117
https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~fifield/fif0001.htm#id800

He was the son of John Fifield & was born about 1615 in Littleton, Hampshire, England [1] [2]

Twelve passengers had intended to travel on the ship "Mary & John" from London, England to New England, but were changed to another ship. They were put in the charge of Mr. Kiddey of the ship "Hercules" with John Witherley, Master. [3] On 24 Mar 1634 "William Fifeilde" took the Oath of Allegiance before embarking [4] aboard the ship "Hercules" of London, England, [5] which left London that day & Southhampton on April 18. Later that month, the ship landed at Ipswich, MA.

On arriving in New England, he lived for a time at Ipswich, a coastal town in Essex Co, Massachusetts. Ipswich was founded by John Winthrop the Younger, son of John Winthrop, one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 & its first governor, elected in England in 1629.

He next went to the Newbury Plantation in Massachusetts. It was settled & incorporated in 1635, by a group of about 100 pioneers from Wiltshire, England. The site had once been a village of the Pawtucket Indians, who hunted, fished or farmed. Many settlers would do the same.

In 1639 William moved to Rockingham Co, New-Hampshire in what was then called Winnicowett, but would become Hampton, where he was one of the original settlers. [2] [6]

On 2 June 1641 in Hampton, Rockingham Co, New-Hampshire, he was declared "Freeman"[2] which was a title given to merchants, who were free to come into towns & trade their goods or services.

The Quakers praised his humanity. Records indicate that he had the confidence of his townspeople & other tories in settlement of affairs in dispute. He was often named in court records as an attorney for others. [2]

He married a Mary of unknown maiden surname d=9 Nov 1683 [7] & their children were [7] ...

1. - William m=Hannah Cram (with 7 children)
2. - Lydia
3. - Elizabeth
4. - Hannah
5. - Deborah
6. - Benjamin m=Mary Colcord with 8 children (including Benjamin Jr. who died unmarried).

His name appears often in the court records of Hampton, Rockingham Co, New-Hampshire, as an attorney for others & his signature is attached to many of the early documents of the town.

On 4 March 1649\50 he was in the second seat on the list of "Seating at the Meeting House" in Hampton. [8]

He served on a jury in 1651, 1662, 1667, 1669, 1677 & 1678. [2]

In 1652 & 1659 he was selectman. [2]

In 1662 he was constable.[2]

He was deposed on 9 March 1669\70 aged "about 55".

He was on the list of persons from Hampton, called to general assembly in Portsmouth on 16 Mar 1679\80.

He was deposed on deposed 2 May 1696 "aged about 80 years".

He was deposed on deposed 29 March 1699 "aged about 85 years".

William FIFIELD of Hampton, Rockingham Co, New-Hampshire is said to have fought in King William's War (1688–1697), per a claim by the Honorable Benjamin Franklin FIFIELD who was admitted to the Society of Colonial Wars (Vermont State Society #31 & National Society #2427) in Feb 1895 [9]

The record of his death on 18 Dec 1700 mentions him as "ould William FIFIELD - above 80", [2] [10] [11] [12] referring to his many good years of living on this earth.

In the USA most FIFIELDs descend from William. Even today the state of New-Hampshire has the largest percentage of FIFIELD families in the USA. However the largest number of FIFIELDs is in the state of New York.

William immigrated from London on the ship Hercules, John Kiddey, Master, which left London M arch 24, 1634 and Southampton April 18 with 12 passengers. It landed Ipswich MA in April. H e became one of the original settlers of Hampton, NH in 1638 and died there in 1700 at over 80 years of age. Records indicate that he had the confidence of his townspeople and other tori es in settlement of affairs in dispute. He acted as Attorney, Constable and Sheriff in cases of record.

Links

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/h/a/Angela-R-Chapman-C...

• http://www.cyberancestors.com/cummins/ps32/ps32_441.htm
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=47565598 Peter Fifield Well Contributor - Fifield Graves collected over 15 years
• _________
• Juliet Gayton of England has a lot of data on the English Fifields. The following data is derived from her research plus that of Glen Fifield of Logan, Utah, and includes the family that William possibly came from. Here are some pertinent excerpts (The entire report can be found at http://homepages.rootsweb.com/%7Efifield/engl0001.html#t1 ):
• John Fifield (of Hampshire, England), born around 1544, married Gyllian, of Littleton, Hampshire, England, died 1610 in Headbourn Worthy, Hampshire, England.
• He left a will on 19 Feb 1609/10 in Headborne Worthy, Hampshire, England.
• He had a son named William (born about 1567), who had a son named John (born about 1589, died 1654/55). John left a will dated 5 Oct. 1653. John had a son, named William, who was named in the will. An interesting fact is mentioned in the document: "While the other children were in the area thereafter, William does not appear in the records of Hampshire after 1634, and is not mentioned in the wills of his siblings who otherwise mention each other. Bank's Topological Dictionary of English Emigrants to New England says William came from that area. Therefore the assumption that this John was the father of William..."
• 'The record says of William: "William immigrated from London on the ship Hercules, John Kiddey, Master, which left London March 24, 1634 and Southampton April 18 with 12 passengers. It landed Ipswich MA in April. He became one of the original settlers of Hampton, NH in 1638 and died there in 1700 at 88 years of age. Records indicate that he had the confidence of his townspeople and other tories in settlement of affairs in dispute. He acted as Attorney, Constable and Sheriff in cases of record." (end of excerpts)
• http://buchananspot.com/BuchananNews/v3n3index.html
• _________

Edward A. Mallang Submittal, 27 Mar, 2013;

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/MWBC-8QR&view=basic

Ancestral File

William FIFIELD (AFN: 8JD9-6V) birth:, about 1615 , Littleton, Hampshire, England

death:

18 December 1700

, Rockingham, New Hampshire

marriage:

about 1644

Hampton, Rockingham, New Hamp.

Parents John FIFIELD (AFN: WC1D-B5) Mrs. FIFIELD (AFN: 1ZSH-DW7)

Marriages (1) spouse: Mary (AFN: 8JD9-72) , about 1644, Hampton, Rockingham, New Hamp.

child 1: John FIFIELD (AFN: L3LT-8H) Born: 8 August 1645, , Hampton, Rockingham, NH Death; 18 January 1665, , Hampton Falls, Rockingham, NH burial: January 1665 , , NH

child 2: Benjamin FIFIELD ;[Rev.] (AFN: 8JCW-4W) birth, 1646, Hampton, Rockingham, New Hamp. death: 1 August 1706, Hampton, Rockingham, New Hamp. burial: August 1706, , , NH

child 3: Sarah FIFIELD (AFN: GR1R-1H) birth: ESTIMATED 1653 , Hampton, Rockingham, NH death: 18 December 1717, Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire burial: December 1717,

child 4: William FIFIELD (AFN: JQWD-92) birth: 1 April 1652, Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire death: 8 March 1715, Hampton, Rockingham, NH

child 5: Lydia FIFIELD (AFN: L3LT-QW) birth: 21 January 1654, Hampton, Rockingham, NH death: after 1690, Prob. Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire

child 6: Hannah FIFIELD (AFN: 281M-83B) birth: 7 September 1657, Portsmouth, Rockingham, NH death: 6 January 1660

child 7: Elizabeth FIFIELD (AFN: L3LT-S8) birth: 7 September 1657, Hampton, Rockingham, NH death: 6 October 1732, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts

child 8: Mira FIFIELD (AFN: 1V9H-0RK) birth: 12 December 1658, Hampton, Rockingham Co, NH death: 1 January 1659, Hampton, NH

child 9: Mary FIFIELD (AFN: 51F7-W6) birth: 28 November 1659, Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire death: 9 December 1659, Greenland, Rockingham, New Hampshire burial: Greenland, Rockingham, New Hampshire

child 10 Hannah FIFIELD (AFN: L3LT-FC) birth:10 December 1659, Hampton, Rockingham, NH death: 1 January 1660, Hampton, Rockingham, NH burial: 1 January 1660, Hampton, Rockingham, NH

child 11: Deborah FIFIELD (AFN: L3LT-VL) birth: 6 February 1661, Hampton, Rockingham, NH death: before 1730, Prob. Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire

Submitted By (22) gharrison2186492 dwking2346854 cestutznegger1090895 jpeterson3825909 frharris2207727 ldseaman204554 ctbullock249985 cwilson2214215 gvstwfknox750652 jhschwab2296442 jrbrann2347899 cehunt1812057 rdhutchings2264808 hrlindstorm1834893 hepoulson3765511 gbasnhaycock1299491 rbieber2358313 dhartman2457340 djahlstrom2298134 krallen2834614 gecollins2210817 msjackson2786619

microfilm: 1512651 submission: AF91-001263

Citing This Record

"Ancestral File", database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/MWBC-8QR : accessed 2013-03-27), entry for William FIFIELD.

1. WILLIAM1 FIFIELD (801) (Glen Fifield, online Glenf@cc.usu.edu, Glen Fifield (Utah), downloaded 5 May 1998.) (Ibid.) was born circa 1615 in Littleton, Hampshire, England (Ibid.) (The New Hampshire Genealogical Record : April 2003, Vol. 20 #2 page 60. Discussion on the origins of various Fifield branches worldwide including William.). He married Mary Batchelder? (802) say 1642 (Pauline J. Oesterlin, compiler, Hillsborough N.H. Court Records, 1772-1794 (Bowie, Md: Heritage Books, 1996), Inferior Court Papers Vol 1; 28 June 1661, Sara Fifield aged 18 deposed. Hereinafter cited as NH Court Records.). He died on 18 Dec 1700 in Hampton, provincial N.H (New Hampshire Vital Records,: Age 80,-,-, New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, Hazen Drive, Concord, Merrimack, N.H. 03301.) (George & Melinde Sanborn, compiler, Vital Records of Hampton, New Hampshire to the end of the year 1900 (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1992), Page 120. Hereinafter cited as Hampton NH Vital Records V 1.); Aged above 80 years. William immigrated from London on the ship Hercules, John Kiddey, Master, which left London March 24, 1634 and Southampton April 18 with 12 passengers. It landed Ipswich MA in April. He became one of the original settlers of Hampton, NH in 1638 and died there in 1700 at over 80 years of age. Records indicate that he had the confidence of his townspeople and other tories in settlement of affairs in dispute. He acted as Attorney, Constable and Sheriff in cases of record. NOTE: About 1652 Giles Fifield appeared in Charlestown MA, married Mary Perkins, moved to Hampton. His descendants were relatively few. His daughter Mary was recorded in Hampton on 9/28/1659. While Sheppard made the assumption that William and Giles were related based on their concurrent appearance in Hampton, it is my opinion that they were not. NOTE: The Descendants of William Fifield published in The American Genealogist by Walter Lee Sheppard Jr provides the basis for information on many of the first 6 generations. Many of the notes on these generations are derived from his notes. Some years of birth have been extrapolated on the assumption of 2 year intervals between children plus correct ordering (not necessarily a good assumption!) by Sheppard. This file represents work in process and may well contain some errors. Further documentation for much of the newer original research is contained in issues of The FIFIELD Flyer, available at NEHGS, New Hampshire Historical Society, the LDS Library in Salt Lake City plus a few other miscellaneous repositories. He lived in 1639 in Hampton, provincial N.H. He was freeman on 2 Jun 1641 in Hampton, provincial N.H. He was land trans John Sanders of Wells for 6 pounds conveys to William Fifield a house lot in Hampton bounded by land of Samuel and Aquila Chase. Witness Robert Tuck. Memo: Aquila Chase says he has sold part of this lot with a house on it to William Fifield for 4 pounds, 4 October 1649, witness Steven Kent on 29 Jul 1644 in Hampton, provincial N.H ("Old Norfolk County Records," The Essex Antiquarian I:3 (March 1897): Page 49. Hereinafter cited as "Norfolk Records."). He was land trans William Fifield conveyed to Anthony Taylor 5 acres of salt march, witnesses Joseph Mason and Humphrey Humber. Essex Antiquarian I:7:114 on 6 Oct 1653 in Hampton, provincial N.H. Samuel Winsley of Salisbury discharged William Fifield of Hampton from debt. Acknowledged in court at Salisbury. Essex Antiquarian II:1:13.

Children of William1 Fifield (801) and Mary Batchelder? (802) all born in Hampton, provincial N.H, were as follows:

         i.   JOHN2 (914) was born circa 1645. He died on 18 Jun 1665 in Hampton, provincial N.H (Sanborn, Hampton NH Vital Records V 1, Page 114.).

2. ii. BENJAMIN (803) was born circa 1648. He married Mary Colcord (804), daughter of Edward Colcord (15010) and Ann Warde (15013), on 28 Dec 1670 in Hampton, provincial N.H. He died on 1 Aug 1706.
3. iii. SARAH (915) was born circa 1643. She married James Hobbs (916) on 31 Jul 1673 in Hampton, provincial N.H. She died on 18 Dec 1717.
4. iv. MARY (1225) was born on 28 Nov 1650. She married Samuel Haines (1226) on 9 Jan 1672 in Kingston, provincial N.H. She died in 1725.
5. v. WILLIAM (805) was born on 1 Feb 1651. He married Hannah Cram (806), daughter of Benjamin Cram (11754) and Argentine Cromwell (15021), on 26 Oct 1693 in Hampton, provincial N.H. He died on 8 Mar 1714/15 at age 64.
6. vi. LYDIA (807) was born on 12 Jan 1654. She married Benoni Macrest (808) on 12 Sep 1681.
7. vii. ELIZABETH (809) was born on 7 Sep 1657. She married John Tidd (810) on 12 Jun 1678 in N.H. She died on 6 Oct 1732 at age 75.
viii. HANNAH (811) was born on 10 Dec 1659 (NHVR,: Parents given as William and Mary.). She died on 1 Jan 1659/60 in Hampton, provincial N.H (NHVR.); Age 20 days.
8. ix. DEBORAH (812) was born on 6 Feb 1660/61. She married Thomas Crosby (813) on 29 Oct 1685 in Hampton, provincial N.H. She died circa 1729.
Source: https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~fifield/fif0001.htm#id800