Richard Pettengill was born in England about the year 1620, as we learn from the following deposition. "The deposition of Richard Pettengill, aged 47, testifyeth that John Webster came to me of a Lord's day before the sun was down and charged me and my son to take charge of John Atkinson untill he had occasion to call for him. Afterwards wee went to Mr. Thomas, his house, and John Atkinson proferred m'Thomas that if m'Thomas would pay him within one month what he owed to him he shold have that Cagg of sturgeon which was now in John Kents boat, delivered to him for his use at Boston againe but m'Thomas would not. (Not signed) Testified at a meeting of the Commissioners for small causes in Newbury, Sept. 4, 1667. (Essex Court Files XIII49) When giving testimony in the court at Hampton (now in New Hampshire) 14 Aug. 1673, he deposed that he was "about 52 years old"; in 1678 when he took the oath of allegiance, he is said to have been "about 60". The statements were approximate, of course. His testimony at Hampton was in a trial about the rights of certain heirs to Giles Fuller's estate and was, viz: "Richard Pettengill aged about 52 years saith yt being very well acquainted with Giles Fuller of Hampton, deceased and with Mr. Fuller of Bastable, doctor; both in old England and here in New England and both told mee they were of kinn and ye sd Giles Fuller have told mee in old England and now that Matthew Fuller, doctor, now of Bastable, was ye nearest kinsman he had. "Sworn before ye county court held att Hampton ye 14: 8 month; 1673 as attested" Fuller is positively known to have come from Topcroft in Norfolk, England, and it is the opinion of one of the Fuller family who has investigated the problem, that Pettingill came from Shottesham in the same county. Elsewhere we present an article upon this subject. Richard was a resident of Salem before 1641, and must have been a member of the church; for he was admitted to the freemanship of the colony, June 2, 1641, a dignity to which none attained at that date except members of the church, recommended by the minister of the place. he had a grant of a lot of land- 10 acres, at "Enon" (afterwards Wenham) in 1642, and removed to that section, where he resided several years. He was received to the church there by letter from that of Salem June 4, 1649. He witnessed the will of Samuel Smith at Enon May 10, 1642. Richard Pettengill was a man of weight of character, as the following shows: (From the Salem Town Records) At a general towne meeting held the sevent day of the fifth month 1644, ordered,-That twoe be appointed every Lords day to walke forthe in the time of Gods worshippe, to take notice of such as either lye at home, or in the fields without giving good account thereof, and to take the names of such psons, to present them to the magistrate, whereby they may be accordinglie pceeded against; the names of such as are ordered to doe this service are: (here follows a list) on the seventh day Richard Pettengill and John Ingersoll. He again made a change of residence to a place further east, the plantation of Newbury, where he bought a tract of land April 8, 1651, having sold his houses and lands in Wenham to Samuel Forster. He made his home near what is now known as "The Upper Green", on the high road, on the right-hand side; part of the house is still standing(1900). The town gave him in 1651, 14 acres of marsh in consideration of his giving a right of way 4 rods wide through his land, situated on what is now called Ocean Avenue (formerly Rolfe's lane). In 1661, Richard Pettengill and others, were chosen grand jurymen for the year. In 1665, he was granted an island in Plum Island River near Sandy Beach, by a committee appointed by the town to settle the dispute between Richard Pettengill and John Emery, regarding the division as laid out. He was one of those chosen in 1671 "for a Jury of Tryalls at Ipswich Court". July 15, 1695, in separate deeds, he conveyed certain houses and farms in Newbury and other interests to his sons; Samuel, Matthew, and Nathaniel. He died shortly after, his wife having died two or three years before. The family became one of much note in Newbury; in the tax list of 1711 we find the following names of descendants of Richard--Matthew, Matthew Jr., Nathaniel, Nathaniel Jr., John, Nicholas, Samuel, Richard, Joseph, Thomas, and the Widow Sarah. Daniel and Cutting, of taxable age, were also living in the town, as we believe, at that time. In subsequent years, also, the family has been largely represented, as will be seen in the following pages. Richard married some time before 1644, Joanna, daughter of Richard Ingersoll (names sometimes written Ingerson and Inkerson) probably by his wife Ann.
Matthew Pettengill, son of Richard, born about 1648; married in Newbury, Mass. April 13, 1674. He married Sarah Noyes, daughter of Nicholas and Mary (Cutting) Noyes. Sarah was born August 22, 1653. Her father was a brother of Rev. James Noyes and a son of Rev. William and Anne (Parker) Noyes of Cholderton, Wiltshire, England. Nicholas Noyes is said to have been the first man to step ashore at Parker river, Newbury, in 1635. Matthew is said to have lived on the old road from Newbury to Boston, just beyond the 37th milestone; his grandson, Nicholas, lived there awhile, then removed to the house on the high road with brick ends, near the head of Ocean Avenue. Matthew's house was torn down in 1830 and the little white house built near it. Matthew Pettengill Senior took the oath of allegiance in 1678 "aged 30". He bought land of Joseph Woodbridge, Jan. 11, 1699; sold land to Ezra Rolfe on Oct. 1, 1707; to Samuel Homans-same date; bought land of James-March, Nov 3, 1708; bought marsh land on Little River of Robert Hale, Oct 26, 1710; bought from the heirs of John Wolcott, 22 acres at the upper common, June 10, 1691. He was a feltmaker. Oct. 24, 1714, he willed to his wife; to eldest son Nathaniel and other children, Matthew, Hannah, Nicholas, Cutting, Sarah, Mary, John, and Abigail. In the papers relating to the division it appears that Joanna was the wife of Joseph Mussey and that the other daughters were still single; that Major James Noyes was guardian for Abigail.
Matthew Pettengill II, son of Matthew , was born in Newbury, Mass. Nov. 18 (bapt. 29) 1678; married (published Oct. 23, 1703 at Newbury) Joanna, daughter of Samuel and Hester French of Salisbury, born Dec. 16, 1683, a sister of the wife of his cousin Daniel Pettengill. Joanna's father died in 1692 and her mother moved to Newbury in 1696. Matthew's name is attached to a petition relating to a division of the Salisbury Church, Jan. 31, 1743. He bought land in Hampton, New Hampshire on June 20, 1738. He and his wife were admitted to Salisbury Church July 28, 1723. They sold land in Newbury, on Muzzy Lane, to Thomas Clark, Apr. 27, 1721; bought land in Salisbury, of William Daniels - 11 acres, Jan. 10, 1721-2. residing at Salisbury, he bought other lands there on the highway to Sargent's Ferry. Sept. 26, 1729. He was a weaver. He died in 1756. He willed his property to sons-Abraham, Ben, and Samuel; his daughters-Judith and Esther; to the children of his daughter Joanna Worcester and daughter Mary; and to wife, Joanna. Proved Dec. 6, 1756. Caleb Cushing was a witness to the document.
Abraham Pettengill, son of Matthew II, was born in Newbury on Dec. 4, 1704. He was married Feb. 29, 1727/8 to Hannah (called Anna in baptismal record of child at North Yarmouth) daughter of Edward and Mary (Winsley) French of Salisbury, born Aug. 19, 1706. He was admitted to the Salisbury Church (whither his father had removed) in 1727. He was enrolled in Capt. George Berry's Co. 36 weeks and one day in 1747; also in Lieutenant Benjamin Morgridge's Co. in 1749. He was captured by the indians while in the service and taken to Louisburg, whence he was brought with other exchanged prisoners to Boston in the schooner Britannia- Capt. Aylmer Granville. Oct. 26, 1729, he bought of John Stevens, one-half right in Capt. John Alden's lot No. 94 at North Yarmouth, Maine not far from that time he removed to that place; he witnessed the will of Benjamin Ingersoll there, April 9, 1755. In 1765 he sold land to Elisha Pettengill, both of North Yarmouth; sold part of three islands at the same place. He was a juryman there in 1760. The time of his death had not been ascertained by the compiler.
Mark Pettengill, son of Abraham, was born in Salisbury, Mass. on Dec. 22, 1728; He married Jan. 13, 1754, Sarah, daughter of Ebenezer and Sarah Anna (Webber) Clough. Sarah was born May 18, 1738. Mark resided at North Yarmouth, Maine. His name appears on the roll of Capt. Powell's Co. Dec. 9, 1748, for service 6 weeks and 3 days and on that of Capt. Bryant Morton from July 22 to Aug 30, 1751, for scout and guard duty. He is said to have been drowned in the Androscoggin River, date not known.
Samuel Pettengill, son of Mark, was born at North Yarmouth, Maine on April 25, 1759; married on Jan. 18, 1783 to Hannah Cole. On August 1, 1831, Samuel Pettengill of Crotch Island sold one-half of said island to Samuel Pettengill, he, having sold, Dec. 24, 1826, the other half to Nathaniel Pettengill. Samuel and his wife Hannah sold Small Green Island to Charles L. Pettengill of Long Island, mariner.
Nathaniel Pettengill, son of Samuel, was born at Jewell's Island, Maine on Nov. 3, 1797. He died at Long Island, Maine (Portland Harbor) on Feb 1st, 1882; married on April 9, 1822, Deborah T. Griffin. She was born on Long Island on May 27, 1803. She died at Cliff Island on Aug 4, 1880. Nathaniel bought land at Lewiston, Maine 1825-1832 and lived there part, at least, of that time.
Moses G. Pettengill was born at Cliff Island, Portland, Maine, on Sep. 16, 1832; married on Oct. 16, 1853 to Harriet M. Fowler, both of Portland, Maine. He is a farmer and resides at Cliff Island. (1900)
Alvra Willis Pettengill, son of Moses and Harriet (Fowler) Pettengill was born on Cliff Island, Maine. He married Mary Elizabeth Horr.
Alvra Clarence Pettengill was born Jan. 28, 1900 at Cliff Island, Maine. He married Gladys Mildred Randall. They are my parents.
Background courtesy of The Background Boutique.
