William Hilton Sr migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 2, p. 951)

Biography

Capt. William Hilton, Sr. was born in 1585 in Northwich, Cheshire, England. His parents were William Hilton and Unknown (Unknown) Hilton. He died on June 28, 1655 in York, York County, then in Massachusetts, later in Maine. He was a ferryman and innkeeper.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hilton-18

"William Hilton of Northwich county Chester" arrived at Cape Cod on the "Fortune" 9 Nov. 1621.[2] His letter badly misrepresented conditions there and was addressed to his "cousin" and was printed in Capt. John Smith's book, New Englands Trials, being dated two days later. The "cousin" may have been a blind for Capt. Smith himself or one of William's nephews or one of his wife's. He stated "I know not anything a contented mind can here want". In the letter he directed that his wife be sent over and she arrived at Plymouth with two children about 10 July 1623 and they were still in Plymouth in 1624/

William had two sons named William. It was not an unusual occurance to have two children by the same name by two different mothers. The elder of the two lived in Newbury and Charlestown. A deposition of 30 May 1683 shows that: Willia Hilton now resident in York ... was commonly known, & reputed, to be the son of William Hilton Senior deceased, & formerly lived in York.[29]

Family

William married 1st wife of William Hilton in 1616 in Northwich, Cheshire, England. Together they had the following children:

1. Elizabeth Hilton;
2. William Hilton, "the Elder";
3. Mary Hilton;
4. John Hilton.

William married Frances (unknown) White in 1642 in York, York, Maine, United States. Together they had the following children:

1. William “The Younger” Hilton;
2. Mainwaring Hilton;
3. Anne Agnes (Hilton) Beale;
4. Magdalene (Hilton) Kenning.

After his death, the widow Frances Hilton married Richard White.

Research Notes

Fishmonger? William Hilton had a brother, Edward Hilton (1596-bef.1671). There is an ongoin dispute over whether that brother is in fact the same person as Edward Hilton (abt.1600-), London fishmonger. See their profiles for details.

Some sources claim that William Hilton had a brother Edward Hilton, Fishmonger, who also immigrated to New England. The tax lists for London for 1641 gives the name of Edward Hilton in the list of fishmongers with the note "Newe England" after it.[30] However, there is no direct contemporary evidence that this Edward Hilton was in fact a brother of William. He was most likely a kinsman, but the exact relationship has not been established. In the petition of William's son William, cited by Anderson GMB, p. 955, he claims "your petitioner (William Hilton) came about one year and a half after, and in a little time following settled ourselves upon the river of Piscataqua, with Mr Edw Hilton, who were the first English planters there." (SCJ Case # 362; NEHGR 31: 41-42.) No relationship is claimed, despite Anderson's assumption.

It is also not the case that "the Hiltons were all Fishmongers ." No connection between William Hilton and the Fishmongers Company has been shown, despite the claims of many genealogists. Charles Hilton of London was a member of the Fishmongers Company, as were his sons Paul and (probably) Edward, but there is no evidence for a connection with William Hilton of Witton, Cheshire, whose family were more likely salt workers, an industry prevalent in Northwich.

See also William Hilton from PlymouthAncestors

MA Bay Settlers web site: Mr. William HILTON; Born c1590; Died a June 1656; English Origin Northwich, Cheshire; Came to New England 1621 With the Fortune; Occupation tavernkeeper, ferryman; First Spouse unk (c1595 - a1646); Children Elizabeth, William, Mary, John, Magdalene; Second Spouse Frances _____ (c1618 - p1688); Children Mannering, Agnes, William (Oops. This same second wife and children are also given to brother William at the site); William was elder brother of Edward Hilton.

Sources

1. William Hilton from Northwich bound for Plymouth 1623. Dover N.H. 1624, (Banks, Mass. 36 pg 14).[1]
2. Pedigree of the Family of Hilton- David Manly Hilton, Damariscotta, 1933
3. Barbour, P. (1986). The Complete Works of Captain John Smith, pp. 430-431.
4. Williamsburg; Hassam, 1877, p. 179.
5. read letter...[2]
6. Shurtleff, N. & Pulsifer, D. (1855/61). Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, XII, pp. 5-6. Boston.
7. Bradford, W. (n.d.). Of Plimouth Plantation. N.p.
8. Haubrich, A. (1990). Early History of the New Hampshire Settlements. Piscataqua Pioneers.
9. Bell, C. (n.d.). The Squamscott Patent, 24, pp. 264-9. NEHGR.
10. York Deeds,. I, pt. 1, fol. 60
11. "The Winthrop Papers," (1920). Massachusetts Historical Society, III, p. 119ff. Boston.
12. "The Winthrop Papers," (1929). Massachusetts Historical Society, III, p. 449. Boston
13. Bouton, N. (1867). Documents and Records Relating to the Province of New Hampshire, I, pp. 138. Concord.
14. Bouton, 1867, p. 141
15. Rockingham County Registry of Deeds, I, fol.7, 12
16. Winthrop Papers, IV, p. 101
17. Hassam, J. (1877). Some of the Descendants of William Hilton. NEHGR, 31, p. 181. (citing Dover Town Records: Book I).
18. Rockingham County Registry of Deeds- Vol. I, fol. 95; Some of the Descendants of William Hilton- NEHGR- Vol. 31, 181
19. Dover Town Records- book I, fol. 20
20. Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, I, pp. 125, 135, 147; Hassam, 1877, p. 181-2
21. Hassam, 1877, p. 182
22. Province and Court Records of Maine, I, p. 135
23. Province and Court Records of Maine, I, pp. 138, 145, 156, 160, 169
24. York Deeds, I, pt. 2, fol. 15
25. Province and Court Records of Maine, II, p. 11,19
26. Province and Court Records of Maine, II, p. 43-4
27. Province and Court Records of Maine, II, p. 47, 51, 54
28. Maine Province & Court Records, II, p. 50, 56
29. Maine Province & Court Records, II, p. 52
30. ↑ Maine Province & Court Records, II, p. 63, 91, 260, 307
31. York Deeds, III, p. 125, NEHGR, 31, p. 184; 36, 40
32. Cutter, W.R. (1908). Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, IV, pp. 1813. NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Co.
33. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., paginated continuously (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995), 951-957 (William Hilton); digital images by subscription, AmericanAnderson.
34. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, I-III, 3 vols., paginated continuously (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995), 947-951 (Edward Hilton); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
35. Sybil Noyes, Charles Thornton Libby and Water Goodwin Davis, Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire (Portland, Maine, Southworth Press [originally in 5 parts, paginated consecutively], 1928-1938; rpt, Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012), 334-335 (17-William Hilton); digital images, InternetArchive (borrow).
36. Sybil Noyes, Charles Thornton Libby and Water Goodwin Davis, Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire (Portland, Maine, Southworth Press [originally in 5 parts, paginated consecutively], 1928-1938; rpt, Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012), 331-332 (1-Edward Hilton); digital images, InternetArchive (borrow).
37. Charles Edward Banks. "History of York, Maine" published Boston, Mass., 1931
38. Reprint of the 1931-35 by Baltimore, Regional Pub. Co., 1967. William Hilton sketch at 2:47-50. (Accessed 3 May 2023) InternetArchive
39. Kerry S. Davis "William Hilton" on Davis-Bean Trees, archived website.
40. MPCR: Province and Court Records of Maine, 6 volumes (Portland 1928-1975, Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1991), MPCR 2:47; 2:51; 2:54.
41. John T. Hassam, "Some Descendants of William Hilton," The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass.) 31:179-87 (1877).
42. John T. Hassam, "The Dover Settlement and the Hiltons," The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass.) 36:40-46 (1882).
43. Bell, Charles Henry. History of the Town of Exeter, New Hampshire (J.J. Little & Co., Astor Place, New York, 1889)p. 27 https://books.google.com/books?id=ngo1AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA27
44. Scales, John,, ed., Piscataqua Pioneers, 1623-1775; register of members and ancestors,,pp. 111-117, PDF https://archive.org/stream/piscataquapionee00pisc#page/111/mode/1up
45. Wikipedia: Passengers of 1621 Fortune voyage
46. Wikipedia: Passengers of the Anne and Little James 1623 for (Mrs) ____ Hilton (Wife of William Hilton) & 2 children on the Anne:
47. Hotten, John Camden, The Original Lists Of Persons Of Quality (John Camden Hotten, 1874) Page xxviii
48. https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/william-hilton_c8fcl1n9-...: According to this source, William had several wives and many children, none of which have been added because the source may not be entirely correct.
49. New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. [3]
50. William HILTON
51. Marriage 1610
52. Location England
53. Original Text HILTON, William1 (?1581-1655/6) & 1/wf ____ ____ (-1635(±?)); in Eng, ca 1618?, by 1610?; Plymouth/Exeter, NH/Dover, NH/York, ME {GDMNH 334; Reg. 31:179, 36:40; Hilton-McCurda 3-4; Dover NH Mar. 107; Plymouth (Davis) 134; Cross Anc. 64}
54. Spouse UNIDENTIFIED
55. Later Residences Exeter, NH, Dover, NH, York, ME
56. Volume Name Volume 2 Page 760
57. William Hilton from PlymouthAncestors
58. from WikiTree contributors, "William Hilton Sr (abt.1590-bef.1656)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hilton-18 : accessed 13 February 2025).
59. A genealogical profile of William Hilton." Plimouth Plantation & NEHGS. PlymouthAncestors.org < PDF >