Capt. William Hodges

From "Genealogical record of the Hodges Family of New England"

William Hodges settled in Taunton North Purchase (Norton), "about 8 miles" from the Taunton Meeting-house, and was among the petitioners (1707 to 1709) for having the North Purchase made a separate church precinct. He built his house at the easterly end of what is now called the Common Burying Ground, which was then a Common, used for many years as a burying place and a training field. His house, near the principal highway from Attleborough to Bridge- water, was where Rev. Joseph Palmer afterwards lived. He took up some land which was claimed to be a part of the Common. Against this action protests were made and the town offered to give other land in exchange. He seems to have stood on his rights and not until 1728 was an exchange effected. After the death of his father, he moved to Taunton and occupied thenceforth his father's homestead on Tremont Street. About 1730, or earlier, he tore down his father's house, and, on the same site, built the house now stand- ing on the east comer of Tremont and Granite streets. He was evidently a person of influence in Taunton, and was Captain of the Third Military Company of that town. He was one of the founders, in 1735, of the town of New Taunton on the Connecticut river. This place, then supposed to be in Massachusetts, is now Westminster, Vermont.