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| Notes for Hugh Parsons | ||||||||||||
| p 144 Austin Gen Dic of RI: He lived in Portsmouth RI 3 Jul 1662 - He and w Eliz sold 18 acres 1663 Freeman 10 Aug 1667 Enlisted in troop of horse. 10 Apr 1673 both gave testimony and gave ages as 66 1678 Deputy 11 Jan 16849 | ||||||||||||
| Misc. Notes | ||||||||||||
| NEH&GR - Jan95 p69 has an article suggesting that the Hugh Parsons of Springfield, MA may be the same one as the Hugh of Portsmouth RI. Born in England, settled at Springfield before 1645, and was living in Boston in May 1654. He married at Springfield 27 Oct 1645 Mrs Mary ( ) Lewis formerly of Wales and "the wife of one Lewis a papist, she hath bin aboue 7 y[ears] seperated from her husband." [quote from Winthrop Papers,5,1645-1649:45] Hugh Parsons settled in Springfield before 20 Oct 1645 on which date he agreed to make bricks for a chimney for William Pynchon. He signed his name to the agreement "Hugh Parson" (Note that the final s is not there; did the pen go dry or was this the way he spelled his name?). Hugh and Mary Parsons were both accused of witchcraft in 1651. Mary was cleared of the charges on 13 May 1651 but found guilty of the murder of her child. She was sentenced to death by hanging, but was reprieved until 29 May 1651. No further record appears, so most writers accept the view that she died in prison shortly after sentencing. Hugh was found guilty of witchcraft by the Court of Assistants in Boston 12 May 1652, but the General Court judged him not guilty on 31 May 1652. Hugh Parsons never returned to Springfield and was in Boston from 1652 to 29 May 1654, on which date his account with Pynchon was closed. It has been claimed that Hugh Parsons of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, was the same man as Hugh Parsons of Springfield, MA. This conclusion is based on the fact that Springfield Hugh had a daughter Hannah born there in 1646 and that Portsmouth Hugh had a daughter hannah born about the same time who married about 1670, Henry Matteson. Also Hugh Parsons first appeared in the Portsmouth records in Feb 1658/9 only a few years after the last known appearance of Springfield Hugh in Boston. Although it is tempting to think so these facts do not prove that these two men were one and the same.9 | ||||||||||||
| Will | ||||||||||||
| Will Proved 14 Mar 1684 - to grandson Hugh Bailey, at decease of wife, house and land and 1/3 of stock of movables. To dau Hannah Matteson 1s. to gdau Hannah Matteson 4 ewe sheep. to 2 daus living on LI - Susannah Carpenter and Eliz Doty the rest of the estate.9 | ||||||||||||
| Last Modified 23 May 1998 | Created 25 Aug 1998 by Reunion for Macintosh |