William Tilton

William Tilton

• Born 15 Feb 1586 in Wolston, Warwickshire, England
• Died before 16 Apr 1653 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony
• Son of Robert Tilton and Elizabeth Focell
• Husband of Ursula (Pycroft) — married 30 Jan 1611 in Claybrook, Leicestershire, England
• Husband of Susannah (Unknown) — married 18 Dec 1638 in Wolston, Warwickshire, England

*William married a second time on 18 December 1638, to Susannah, whose surname was not recorded.[9] [10][11]

• Their three sons were Abraham, Samuel, and Daniel. (See Note below) Probably the next year, 1639, William and his family sailed for New England, although it is possible that Peter went separately, with Ephraim Huit to Connecticut.

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Notable Descendants

President Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States, a 6th generation descendant of William through his son Abraham. [16]

George Eastman, Founder of Eastman Kodak company, descendant of William through his son Peter.

Biography

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

William Tilton became the founding father of a long line of Tilton descendants in America after emigrating from England just before 1640. The family had lived for several generations in Narborough, Leicestershire, where they were husbandmen, but William’s father Robert Tilton moved to nearby Wolston, Warwickshire, when on 18 November 1583, he married Elizabeth Focell of that town.[1] William was born in Wolston and baptized there in Feb 1586.[2] [3]

Although the school at nearby Rugby was then taking students, it is not likely that William was among them, as on several occasions when he witnessed documents, he did so by making his mark rather than a written signature.[4] [5] His sons John and Peter, however, who also grew up in the area, were educated men.

In 1611, William married Ursula Pycroft[6] of nearby Claybrook. At that time, he was called “yeoman” and was recorded as residing in the nearby town of Church Lawford. There appear to have been two marriage licenses: one dated 30 January 1610/11 by Doctor Chippendale, the other 29 May 16111, performed by the Reverend John Higginson. Their son John[7] was baptized 4 March 1612/3, and Peter[8] on 2 April 1620 – both recorded in the parish register of Wolford.[3]

It is conceivable that this change in ministers represented doctrinal differences. At this period, England was undergoing a religious schism under the Stuart kings, who attempted to enforce conformity in the established church. The puritan element correctly felt threatened. The region around Claybrook was a strong center of puritanism. The Reverend Higginson’s son and successor at Claybrook, Francis Higginson became an influential puritan preacher, but he was deprived of his license at the orders of the bishops and decided to emigrate to Massachusetts in 1629. Another charismatic puritan, Ephraim Huit (Hewett), was preaching in the area despite having no valid license: he was known to be at Kenilworth, Wroxall, and Knowle, all within seven miles of Wolston. Huit also emigrated - to Windsor, Connecticut, in 1639. For anyone with strong puritan convictions, the area offered sufficient precedents for the move; and Peter Tilton, at least, was notably a zealous puritan.

In May 1638, Ursula Tilton died; she was buried at Wolston on 5 May.[3] William married a second time on 18 December 1638, to Susannah, whose surname was not recorded.[9] [10][11]

Their three sons were Abraham, Samuel, and Daniel. (See Note below) Probably the next year, 1639, William and his family sailed for New England, although it is possible that Peter went separately, with Ephraim Huit to Connecticut.

Immigration to New England

William settled at Lynn, Massachusetts, where he became a respected member of the community, acquiring land and property. He is first documented there in 1643, when he took an inventory of the estate of Abraham Belknap. At the quarterly court session held at Salem, Massachusetts on April 30, 1646, "William Tylton" was "sworn freeman." At the same session, "William Tilton of Lynn, was freed from (required militia) training, by paying 6 shillings yearly, but to keep his arms fixed," although by 1649 he was excused because of his age, which would have been over 60.[12]

William died in February 1653. His will was proved at Salem in May 1653, but does not survive; his widow Susannah was named executor. The inventory shows an estate worth (£128.4s.10d.), including livestock, house and lands.[13] In December, Susannah married Roger Shaw and conveyed the property to him in exchange for maintenance and support for her three minor sons until they came of age. The Shaw family fulfilled this obligation. Susannah died September 23, 1665.[14]

Descendants

The following list of William's descendants is derived from genealogists William Haslet Jones[3] and Francis Theodore Tilton[14] (See Note below)

Children of Ursula

1. John bp 4 March 1612/13, d 1688 m Mary (Pearsall)
2. Peter bp 2 April 1620, d 11 July 1696 m (1) Elizabeth ____; (2) Mary ____; (3) Sarah Heath

Children of Susannah

1. Samuel b c 1640, d 17 Nov 1731 m Hannah Moulton
2. Abraham b c 1641, d 28 March 1728 m (1) Mary Cram; (2) Deliverance Littlefield
3. Daniel b 1646, d 10 Feb 1714/15 m Mehitebal Sanborn

Disputed children

No sources found for

• William Tilton b 1641 at Lynn
• Isaac Tilton b 1643 at Lynn

They have been disconnected as his children.

Note: Disputed Birthdates

The generally-accepted birthdates for the children of William Tilton and Susannah, while specific, have not been documented. With the exact date of their immigration unclear, it is not possible to be certain about the place of birth and dates for the older two. Nonetheless, the strength of the evidence suggests that Samuel was the older son.

Francis Theodore Tilton[14] p 51-53, contradicts himself, saying at one point (p 10) that Abraham was the oldest son, but later (p 51) that Samuel was. Abraham's gravestone gives his date of death as March 28, 1728, at "ninety years of age", which would place his birthdate about 1638. Francis Tilton refers to one deposition of October 8 1714, in which Abraham gives his age as "70 and two years or thereabouts", giving a birthdate of about 1642. This is not conclusive.

However Francis cites yet another deposition from Samuel, dated 12 June 1661, in which Samuel is called the oldest son. He also (pp 9-10) refers to the 1660 Will of Roger Shaw and its codicil, in which he pledges to make payments to the three sons when they turn 21 years of age. On June 12 1661, his executor made this payment to Samuel Tilton, indicating a birthdate of 1640. On this date, Samuel acknowledged receipt. In 1662, Samuel Tilton was chosen as the guardian of his youngest brother Daniel and in 1663 received money on his behalf, again clear evidence that he was over age 21. On May 13 1669, the executor of paid the agreed legacy to Abraham Tilton, but this payment must have been delayed.

On p 61, Francis states that Samuel's gravestone bears the date of death 29 November 1731, "in the ninety-fourth year of his age,"[15] which would, if correct, mean a birthdate of 1637 or 1638 - before (or at) the death of Ursula Tilton, making him her son, not the son of Susannah. However, this evidence is only anecdotal and can't be taken as hard proof without a source showing how Homes had firm evidence for Samuel's birthdate.

Davis [5] lists the children of William Tilton as follows:

Children, by a first wife

• John, possibly born about 1615
• Peter, possibly born about 1617
• Children by wife Susanna
• Samuel, b about 1636
• Abraham, b about 1639
• Daniel, b about 1642

However, Davis is incorrect about John and Peter's birthdates, as well as other matters, and can't be taken as entirely reliable. No conclusive evidence supports a birthdate for Samuel as early as 1636.

The conclusion can only be: this issue is not resolved. While the argument for Samuel being the oldest son is strong, there can be no clear conclusions about exact birthdates.

Supporting data

Puritans In the late 1630's, during the mass immigrating of English Puritains to America and at which time, King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell were feuding, the children of Robert Tilton and Elizabeth Focell (Tilton)-William and John Tilton migrated and settled in Lynn, Massachusetts. The reason for this migration was that they were discontented with the situation in England at that time. John and his wife Mary, later moved to Long Island, New Amsterdam. Mary and a friend, Deborah Moody stood up in the Ana-Baptist Church and denounced infant baptism, saying that they did not believe that infants were doomed to hell just because they were not baptized. The Tiltons were run out of town. After they were in Long Island only a short time, they allowed the Quakers to hold a meeting in their house. The court records show that the townspeople threw rocks at their house for allowing such a meeting, as they said, 'For the Quakers to Quake at their house". They later joined the Quakers and many of their descendants were Quakers.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH FROM SEVERAL SOURCES: :

William Tilton, the son of Robert and Elizabeth (Focell) Tilton, probably was born in about February, 1586/1587 in Wolston, Warwickshire, England, where he was baptized (christened) on 29 Feb1586/1687 or 1 March 1586/1587.

He married Ursula Pycroft, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Daffern) Pycroft, by license dated 29 May 1611 at Claybrooke, Leicestershire, England. They had two sons:John and Peter. Ursula died in May 1638. He then married Susannah, maiden name unknown, on 18 December 1638 in Wolston. They had four children: Samuel, Abraham, Daniel and Mary. Samuel and Abraham probably were born in England, while the other two children likely were born in Lynn.

The first record of William Tilton in New England is in Lynn (formerly Saugus), Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony on 16 Mar 1643/1644, when he and Edward Tomlins took inventory of the estate of Abraham Belnap. He signed the document with a mark. On 21 Dec 1646 he was one of the appraisers of the estate of a Lynn neighbor, Francis Lightfoot. In 1646, "William Tilton of Lynn freed from training, paying 6s. yearly, but to keep his arms fixed," and in June, 1647, he was entirely freed from training because of his age. Such action was customarily taken when a man reached the age of 60. On 12 Mar 1650/1651 he was one of the appraisers of the estate of Edmund Lewis of Lynn, again affixing his mark as his signature.

William Tilton died in Lynn before 1 May 1653, leaving a will which is unfortunately missing from the probate records. "Widow Tilton of Lin brought in the will of her late husband, William Tilton deceased." The will was proved by Edward Burcham and John Hood. In the inventory of his estate, it was valued at 128 pounds, 4s., 10d.

His widow, Susanna, was remarried, to Roger Shaw, and Susanna and the children went to live in Shaw's home in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire. Under a prenuptial agreement between Mrs. Susanna Tilton and Robert Shaw, Shaw agreed to make certain payments to her children when they came of age. She had died before 6 Apr 1660, when Roger Shaw deeded to Samuel Tilton , " ye son of Susana, my late wife, now deceased," fifteen acres of upland and five acres of marsh in Hampton.

SOURCES INCLUDE:

• (a) "The Ancestry of Phoebe Tilton 775-1847," by Walter Goodwin Davis. Pages 8 - 9 (Anthoensen Press: Portland, ME, 1947) FHL #929.273 T476
• (b) "William Tilton: His English Origins and Some American Descendants," by William Haslet Jones. Pages 56 - 57 (Heritage Books: Bowie, MD, 1997) FHL #929.273 T479
• (2) "England Marriages, 1538–1973 " Name William Tilton Spouse's Name Ursula Picroft Event Date 30 Jan 1611 Event Place Claybrook,Leicester,England
• (3) "Warwickshire, England, Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812":(Ancestry.com) Name: Vrsula [Ursula Tilton] Burial Date: 5 May 1638 Burial Place: Wolston, Warwickshire, England
• (4) William Tilton, Find A Grave Memorial #135996724: Birth: Feb. 29, 1586 Warwickshire, England Death: Jan. 28, 1653 Lynn Essex County Massachusetts, USA

*   BIRTH: DEATH: Genealogical & Personal Memoirs, Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. William Richard Cutter, A.M., Vol 11,New York, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1908. page 884.

In the late 1630's, during the mass immigrating of English Puritains to America and at which time, King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell were feuding, the children of Robert Tilton and Elizabeth Focell (Tilton)-William and John Tilton migrated and settled in Lynn, Massachusetts. The reason for this migration was that they were discontented with the situation in England at that time. John and his wife Mary, later moved to Long Island, New Amsterdam. Mary and a friend, Deborah Moody stood up in the Ana-Baptist Church and denounced infant baptism, saying that they did not believe that infants were doomed to hell just because they were not baptized. The Tiltons were run out of town. After they were in Long Island only a short time, they allowed the Quakers to hold a meeting in their house. The court records show that the townspeople threw rocks at their house for allowing such a meeting, as they said, 'For the Quakers to Quake at their house". They later joined the Quakers and many of their descendants were Quakers. I do not know if this story holds true for William and his family as well, but chances are it may. Sources: Barts Genealogy pages, Bartsgenealogypages@groups.msn.com

William was educated at Rugby School in the village of Rugby, about two miles east of Wolston. William and his second wife Susanna came to Lynn, Massachusetts in about 1639. William Tilton first appears in the records of Lynn, Massachusetts in 1643 when he took inventory of the estate of Abraham Belknap of Lynn. Also, at the court held at Salem, Massachusetts on April 30, 1646, "William Tilton of Lynn, was freed from training, by paying 6 shillings yearly, but to keep his arms fixed." In addition, his name is found on several estate inventories. The inventory of his own estate was taken February 16, 1653 by Edward Burchum, Henry Collins and Francis Ingals. William Tilton is listed in some sources as a "Freeman," which indicates he was a voting member of the Massachusetts Bay Company (founded by Samuel Sewell in 1636). Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States, was a 6th generation descendant of William through his son Abraham.

Estate of William Tilton of Lynn The will and inventory of William Tilton of Lynn, deceased, brought in by his widow, 1:5:1653 (1 day, 5 mo, 1653). Proved by Edward Burcham and John Hurd. Salem Quarterly Court Records, ovl. 3, leaf 58. Inventory taken 16 : 2 : 1653, by Edward Burchum, Henry Collins and Francis (his mark) Ingols: 2 oxen & five kine, 40li.; six younge Cattell, 14li, 10s.; 3 Calves & five awien 5li.; in putter, Ieren pots & ould brase, 2li. 7s. 4d.; frynge pan & hooks, 5s.; his purse & aparill & cloth, 7li. 18s.; 2 hogheades,3 payles & a bottell with other Lumber, 1li. 6s.; too bibles & a hammer, 9s. 6d.; 3 sheete & 5 lambes, 6li. 13s. 4d.; plow & Ierens & yocks, 15s.; in Lineinge, 2li.; in beddinge, bolsters & Coveringe, 6li.; a warminge pan, Chiste & churen, 12s.; in coren, backen & porke, 6li. 10s.; in wheles, sith & yaren grinestone & barley, 2li. 8s. 8d.; house & Lande, 30li.; sword, mustkett & bandeleres, 1li. 10s.; total, 128li. (librae=pounds) 4s. (solidi=shillings) 10d. (denarii = pence) Essex Co. Quarterly Court Files, vol. 2, leaf 57.

Family links:

Spouses:

• Ursula Pycroft Tilton (1586 - 1638)
• Susannah Stoddard Tilton Shaw (1594 - 1654)*

Children [partial list]:

• Abraham Tilton (1639 - 1728)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Unknown
Created by: jmkeifer Record added: Sep 16, 2014

(3) Susannah Stoddard Tilton Shaw, Find A Grave Memorial #84535407 [INFO AS TO BIRTH & PARENTS IS SPECULATIVE, NOT PROVEN]:

Birth: 1594 Claybrooke Magna Harborough District Leicestershire, England
Death: Jan. 28, 1654 Hampton Rockingham County New Hampshire, USA

Family links:

Spouses:

• William Tilton (1586 - 1653) (Married William Tilton 18 DEC 1638 in Claybrooke, Leicestershire, England)

* Roger Shaw (1594 - 1661)* (Married Roger Shaw 1654 in Lynn, Essex Co., MA)

Children [partial list]::

• Abraham Tilton (1639 - 1728)*

Calculated relationship

Burial: Old Cemetery (Hampton) Rockingham County New Hampshire, USA

Created by: jmkeifer Record added: Feb 05, 2012 Find A Grave Memorial# 84535407 Comments: 0 Views: 90

• Ursula Pycroft
• Memories
• William Tilton
• Memories
• Mrs. Susannah [perhaps Morreal, Hayes or Stolddard]] Tilton
• Memories

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William Tilton

• Born: 15 Feb 1586/1587 - Lawford, Leicestershire, England
• Marr: 30 Jan 1610/1611 - Claybrook, Leicestershire, England
• Died: May 1653 - Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts
• Father: Robert Tilton
• Mother: Elizabeth Focell
• Other Spouses: Susanna Hayes
• Wife

Ursula Pycroft

• Born: 1586 - Claybrook, Leicestershire, England
• Died: 5 May 1638 - Wolston, Warwickshire, England
• Father: Thomas Pycroft
• Mother: Mary Daffern
• Other Spouses:

http://www.tilton.org/gp565.htm

Sources

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tilton-18

1. Warwickshire County Record Office. [1]
2. Warwickshire Baptisms 1559-1734, Warwickshire Record Office. [2]
3. Jones, William Haslet. William Tilton: His English Origins and Some American Descendants. Heritage Press: 2000, pp 8-9.
4. Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1636-1686. The Essex Antiquarian, vol V. [3] p 27.
5. Davis, Walter Goodwin. The Ancestry of Phoebe Tilton. Portland Maine: Anthoensen Press, 1947. [4]
6. "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NK6T-XPJ : 10 February 2018), William Tilton and Ursula Picroft, 30 Jan 1611; citing Claybrook, Leicester, England, reference
7. https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/59e316e8f493fdfb2507ff97/...
8. https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/59e316edf493fdfb25080073/...
9. Warwickshire Marriage Index 1538-1900. [5]
10. FreeReg.org UK, transcript of Parish Register, St. Margaret, Wolston, Warwickshire, https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_queries/5da3c91a4325a663c249fcee?...
11. Link to Wolston Parish Register by subscription at: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2416/4291942_00460
12. Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1636-1686. The Essex Antiquarian, vol V. [6] p 159, p 169.
13. Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1636-1686 Vol. 1 (The Essex Institute, 1911) probate p. 287; Inventory: Belknap p. 60
14. Tilton, Francis Theodore. A History of the Tilton Family in America. New Jersey: 1927. pp 8-10.
15. Diary 1715-1747 of Rev. William Homes, New England's Hidden Histories: Colonial-Era Church Records, Congregational Library and Archives [7]
16. ↑ Roberts, Gary Boyd; Ancestors of American Presidents
17. See Also Noyes/Libby/Davis, "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire," (1939), pg. 687
18. Marden, Barbara B. Descendants of William Tilton of Lynn, Massachusetts, Through the Line of his son, Daniel Tilton. The Essex Genealogist 7:129 (1987)(Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2018.); https://www.americanancestors.org/DB396/i/12592/129/0 (subscription).
19. Genealogical & Personal Memoirs, Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts.
20. Early Settler of Essex and Old Norfolk Abbreviation: Early Settler of Essex and Old Norfolk Publication: New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1854, Volume 8.
21. William Richard Cutter, A.M., Vol 2, New York, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1908. page 884. Please note that Cutter translated the months wrong, translating 5th month as May not July.[8] Note: Some information from this source has been found to be erroneous.
22. https://tiltonbranches.com/1148.htm

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Bay_Colony