Joseph Hills of Malden

Joseph Hills, was born in the parish of Great Burstead, Billericay, Essex, England. The record of his baptism reads, “1602, March, Joseph Hilles the sonne of George, was baptized the third day.” Neither the birthplace nor parentage of George Hills has yet been discovered. The earliest known record* in relation to him is that of his marriage,—”George Hilles, linen draper, and Mary Symonds, of Billericay, County Essex, widow of William Symonds, late of same, tanner, general license of the Bishop of London, 13 Oct. 1596.” An unfortunate break in the register of Great Burstead, all records between 1579 and 1596 being missing, will probably prevent the discovery of the maiden name and parentage of the wife of George Hills.

Joseph Hills, as shown by his signatures, used but five letters, in the form now commonly used, in his surname. In the baptismal records of his brothers and sisters born before 1607, like that which relates to himself, the name has two vowels. The change to Hills in the entry of the christening of his sister Rebecca in February, 1608, and of two younger children, doubtless followed the advent of a new Vicar into the living of Great Burstead. In that parish, on the twenty-second day of July, 1621, Joseph Hills was married to Rose Clarke whose birth record has not yet been found. There his elder children were born. Not later than March, 1632, the family removed to Maldon, also of Essex, which was the birthplace of sons John and “Steven” and of daughter Sarah.

In 1638 he was the “undertaker” of the voyage of the ship “Susan and Ellen,” which arrived July 17 of that year, and landed her passengers and cargo at Boston, in New England. His first abiding place was where the settlement of Charlestown was located by Governor Winthrop, between the Charles and Mystic rivers, and which, about the middle of the nineteenth century, became a city. In 1874 it was annexed to Boston. The family dwelling was “near the market place,” but in a few years he was a resident of that part of the town north of the Mystic river, establishing his home at “Mystic Side” on a farm of considerable size. He soon became active in public affairs, was selectman of the town in 1644, and in 1646 represented it in the General Court, as the colonial assembly was then named, and as its legislature is still known under the Constitution of the State. Re-elected in 1647, he was chosen speaker of its House of Deputies. When “Mystic Side” was set off as a separate town, it was doubtless named by him for the place where he last dwelt in Old England. That part of ancient Charlestown has long since outgrown the town form of government, and with more than thirty thousand inhabitants, is known as the city of Malden.

While a resident of Mystic Side and Malden he was captain of its trainband. At his death he willed his “buffe coate” to his son Samuel, and his “backsword” to Henry Lunt, his stepson. He was Malden’s first deputy, and the town had no other representative until after 1664. In 1665 Malden was not represented, Mr. Hills having removed to Newbury, on the Merrimac river. In 1666 his son-in-law, John Waite, was his successor, and “for an unbroken series of nineteen years he filled this office,” being Speaker of the House of Deputies in 1684 and nominated as a magistrate in 1683.

In 1645 Joseph Hills was the first named on a committee “to set out lots to the settlers of Nashaway plantacon.” In 1648 he was first of a committee of four to change the location of the highway “between Winnesemet and Redding.” In 1650 he was second of a committee, of which the governor was chairman, appointed to draw up instructions for the Massachusetts delegates to a gathering where “the commissioners of all the colonies shall meete.” In 1653 he was one of a committee of six to consider the question, “if the Vnited Colloujes haue power by the articles of Agreement…. to ingage the Collonjes” “in warre.” In 1654, with Captains Hawthorne and Johnson, and the treasurer of the Colony, he was appointed to frame a reply to the home government, which had demanded an explanation of certain acts. Three times, in 1650, 1653 and 1661, he was of committees to audit the treasury accounts, but his greatest public service was that of the leading member of the committee that in 1648 reported to the General Court the first codification of the laws of the Colony. The story of his part of the work is well told by one of his descendants, Mr. D. P. Corey, in his history of Malden, published in that city, in 1899. That he was the actual compiler of the laws, that he prepared the copy for the press and supervised their printing, is clearly proved. The colony recognized the great value of his work, not only by money payment but by a grant of five hundred acres of land on the Nashua river, now a part of Southern New Hampshire, and the remission of his taxes in his old age. But new laws were from time to time enacted and old ones changed, and “the Courte finding by experience the great benefitt that doth redound to the country by putting of the lawes into printe,” in 1649-50, 1653, 1654 and 1661 appointed committees as stated in the vote of the last-named year “to peruse such lawes as are vnprinted & vnrepealed & comitt them to the presse.”

For this work Joseph Hills had such prominence that his appointments to these committees were three times as numerous as those of any of his colleagues except Governor Bellingham who, notwithstanding his official position, was outranked by his less distinguished associate in the number of times he was designated for such service.

Rose Clarke, the first wife of Joseph Hills, died at Malden, March 24, 1650, and he married, June 24, 1651, Hannah (Smith), widow of Edward Mellows, of Charlestown, who died about 1650. He was son of Abraham, born about 1580; of Charlestown before 1635 and who died there in 1639. In January, 1656, he married Helen, or Elline, or Eleanor, daughter of Hugh Atkinson, of Kendall, Westmoreland, England, who died at some date between January 8, 1661, and November 10, 1662. In connection with this marriage a noteworthy incident occurred. In the early days of the Colony all marriages were solemnized by magistrates, the clergy having no part in the ceremony. In 1641 Governor Bellingham, as magistrate, married himself to Penelope Pelham, and when called on to come down from the bench and plead to a complaint against him for the act, refused to do so. Joseph Hills was a magistrate “for the trial of small causes,” and followed the Governor’s example in his marriage of January, 1656, but, unlike the Governor, did not escape public censure. The records of the Court for Middlesex County show that, April 1, 1656, “Mr. Joseph Hills of Mauldon being presented by the Grand Jury for marrying of himself, contrary to the law of this Collony page 38 in ye old Booke. Hee freely acknowledged his offence therein, and his misunderstanding the grounds whereon he went w^ch he now confesseth to be unwarrantable, And was admonished by the Court.” In 1665, he married, at Newbury, the widow of Henry Lunt, of that town, who died in 1662, and until his death made her dwelling his home. The town clerk’s record reads “Joseph Hills and Anne Lunt was marryed Oct. 8, 1665.”

His petition to the General Court, dated May 24, 1682, recites that “in the latter part of his pilgrimage” he was “totally” bereaved of “the sight of his eyes for more than 4 years now past.” He died at Newbury, February 5, 1688.

Source

Hills, William Sanford; Hills, Thomas; The Hills family in America; the ancestry and descendants of William Hills, the English emigrant to New England in 1632; of Joseph Hills, the English emigrant to New England in 1638, and of the great-grandsons of Robert Hills, of the parish of Wye, county of Kent, England, emigrants to New England 1794-1806, pages 255-258; New York : The Grafton press, 1906.

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Identity of the Wives of Joseph Hills of Malden

Joseph Hills married 1st Rose Clarke on 22 Jul 1624 in Great Burstead, England

There has been long-standing confusion regarding the maiden name of Rose Hills, first wife of Joseph Hills Sr., the immigrant ancestor. The error arose when an early family historian noted that Henry Dunster, the first president of Harvard College, referred in his will to “my sister, Mrs. Hills, of Maulden.” It was assumed this referred to Joseph’s first wife, and “Dunster” was entered as her maiden name. In reality, Dunster meant Joseph’s third wife, Helen Atkinson, who was the sister of his own second wife, Elizabeth Atkinson. Later research confirmed the correct record: Joseph Hills and Rose Clarke were married at Great Burstead, Billericay, Essex, England, on 22 Jul 1624. Rose would die in Malden, Massachusetts, 24 Mar 1650.

Dean Crawford Smith and Melinda Lutz Sanborn postulate that Rose was “likely “probably” related to James Clarke, grocer, and Josias Clarke, both business associates of Joseph Hills in Great Burstead in the 1630s.

Joseph Hills married 2nd Hannah (Smith) Mellows on 24 Jun 1651 at Malden, Massachusetts

Hannah was previously married to Edward Mellowes (1609-1650) whom she married about 1636 and had at least 2 children by: Abraham and Hannah. She was baptised at St. Martin, Leicester, England on 6 Sep 1612, the daughter of William Smith, and died about 1655. This William Smith is likely the William Smythe, mercer, who was apprenticed to Mr. James Clarke, mercer, and granted the status of freeman in 1608/09.

Joseph Hills married 3rd Helen (_______) Atkinson in Jan 1655/56 at Malden, Massachusetts

Dean Crawford Smith and Melinda Lutz Sanborn postulate that Helen was the widow of Hugh Atkinson of Kendall, co. Westmoreland, England and not his daughter. ^[1]The ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton, 1878-1908, part 4, p.399, Boston : New England Historic Genealogical Society. 1996. But squaring that with the will of Henry Dunster, is difficult. It has been suggested by others that Dunster’s second wife, Elizabeth, was the daughter of Hugh Atkinston of Kendall and that Helen was another daughter. If Helen is the widow of Hugh, it leaves that interpretation of “sister” as not plausible. Smith and Sanborn did not resolve that issue.

Joseph Hills married 4th Ann (_______) Lunt on 8 Mar 1664/65 at Malden, Massachusetts

Ann was the widow of Henry Lunt of Newbury, Massachusetts and was Joseph’s landlady before they were married. She was born about 1621-1623; died after 1695, when she testified in Middlesex County Court.

Source

Partridge, Dennis, Identity of the Wives of Joseph Hills of Malden, Massachusetts Genealogy, 2025.

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Children of Joseph Hills of Malden

Children of Joseph Hills and Rose Clarke:

1. Mary Hills, baptized 13 Oct 1625 at Great Burstead, England. Married John Waite (1618-1693) on 22 Jul 1642 at Malden, Massachusetts. She died 25 Nov 1674 at Malden, Massachusetts. They had 7 children. See the The Waite family of Malden, Mass.
2. Elizabeth Hills, baptized at Great Burstead 21 Oct 1627; died at Malden, Massachusetts between 1661-1663. She married John Blanchard (1618-1700). They had 2 daughters: Hannah and Elizabeth.
3. Joseph Hills, baptized 2 Aug 1629 in Malden, England; died at Malden, Massachusetts 19 Apr 1674. Like his father, Joseph married a woman named Hannah Smith and for genealogists this has led to much confusion between the two women. They had 8 children.
4. James Hills, baptized at Great Burstead 6 Mar 1631 ; probably died young.
5. John Hills, baptized at Malden, England, 21 Mar 1632; died at Malden, Massachusetts 28 Jun 1652.
6. Rebecca Hills, baptized at Malden, England, 20 Apr 1634; died at Malden, Massachusetts 6 Jun 1674. She married Capt. Thomas Green abt 1652 and had at least 2 children. He died in Malden, Massachusetts 15 Apr 1674.
7. Steven Hills, baptized at Malden, England, 1 May 1636; died at Malden, England before 1638.
8. Sarah Hills, baptized at Malden, England, 14 Aug 1637; died at Malden, England, 14 Aug 1637.
9. Gershom Hills, born at Charlestown, Massachusetts, 27 Jul 1639; died at Malden, Massachusetts between 1710-1721. He married 11 Nov 1667 at Malden, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Chandwick, probably daughter of John Chadwick, born in Malden, 1 Apr 1648.
10. Mehitable Hills, born at Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1 Jan 1640/41; died at Malden, Massachusetts, in July 1653.

Some genealogists attribute an Amy Hills who they say married John Harris of Charlestown, as being a child of Joseph and Rose Hills. Rose did not die until 9-10 years after the birth of Mehitable and it is possible she birthed more children in that period that are not in the official records of Malden, those being incomplete for that time.

Children of Joseph Hills and Hannah (Smith) Mellows:

11. Samuel Hills, born at Malden, Massachusetts in Jul 1652; died at Newbury, Massachusetts, 18 Aug 1732. He married at Newbury, 30 May 1679, Abigail Wheeler, daughter of David and Sarah (Wise) Wheeler of Newbury, born in Newbury, 2 Feb 1655/56, died there 13 Apr 1742. They had 14 children and some of his family would settle in Hudson, New Hampshire.
12. Nathaniel Hills, born at Malden, Massachusetts, 19 Dec 1653; died at Malden, Massachusetts, 26 Feb 1653/54.
13. Hannah Hills, born at Malden, Massachusetts abt 1655. She married Abiel Long, born at Newbury 19 Feb 1648/49; died there Apr 1743, son of Robert and Alice Long. Three children.

Children of Joseph Hills and Helen (_______) Atkinson:

14. Deborah Hills, born at Malden, Massachusetts in Mar 1657; died at Malden, Massachusetts, 1 Oct 1662.
15. Abigail Hills, born at Malden, Massachusetts, 6 Oct 1658; died at Malden, Massachusetts, 9 Oct 1662.
16. Abigail Hills, born at Boston, Massachusetts, 5 Feb 1663/64; died before her father’s will. The birth of this child is problematic with the death of Hellen who is recorded as having died the month prior. One of the dates is off.

Children of Joseph Hills and Ann (_______) Lunt:

There were no known children by this marriage.

Source

Partridge, Dennis, Children of Joseph Hills of Malden, Massachusetts Genealogy, 2025.

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The Will of Joseph Hills

In the name of God and by his assistance, I Joseph Hills late of Malden now of Newbury do humbly commit my soul, body and spirit both in life and death into the everlasting armes of God all sufficient my heavenly Father and to Jesus Christ my alone Saviour and blessed Redeemer through the power and presence of the Eternal Spirit, my body to the earth whence its original was taken, in hope of an happy resurrection in the great day of the man Christ Jesus to whom be glory forever Amen. And for the good things of this world as it hath pleased God in this my pilgrimage to commit to my stewardship (I as much as in me is) do dispose as hereafter expressed.

Imprimis. Whereas by one obligation of the first month 1664 I have given to Anne my wife liberty in case of her dying before me to give by will to her own children such and so much of her household goods as were her former husband’s not exceeding £50 for that her jointure of £6 per annum in my lesser house and ground at Malden will then expire, which was the real ground of that liberty, yet that I may not seem unmindful of her readiness in her way to procure the welfare of the family and for her better assistance I freely give her all the household goods now remaining, which were her former husband’s, to be brought together and inventoried by themselves and not mixed with my estate. Also all such household goods which were her own before our marriage. I also give her own half part of all bedding, clothing and table linen made in the house since my solitary sojourning under her roofe, as also my best set of curtains and valents together with all the provision for food, which shall be in the house at my death. Also all my milch cows and one third part of my ewe sheep with all my swine together with all the wool and flax and yarn of both sorts that at my death shall be left in the house as also £4 in money a year to be carefully and conscionably paid yearly by my executors out of all the yearly payments due from Thomas Newhall if she so long shall live. Also I give her my great testament and book of Martyrs and new warming pan during her natural life. I also give her that fourscore acres of land lying in Reading, bought of Nathaniel Cowdree to her and her heirs and assigns forever besides what she hath formerly received of me upon the sale of my house to Wilson and otherwise all which is, provided she rest satisfied without any further demand from my executors.

Item. I give to Daniel Lunt my brass still yards.

Item. To Henry Lunt I give my back sword.

Item. To my son Samuel I give the £40 in money by him received and to be received by bills of Joseph Wilson of Malden. Also one pair of cob irons, one brass pot, one set of curtains and valents, one flock bed, £6 due to me for bricks, about £7 more in money lent and paid for him mentioned in my debt book of accounts (provided he make no demands of me or my estate for anything he may account due to him for work or otherwise.) Also Dod upon the Commandments and my buffe coat.

Item. To my son Waite I give my great trunk, brass kettle, brass mortar, winding blades and scales that are in his hands. Also 45 acres of my farm land at Dunstable at that side or end thereof next to that which I have given unto my daughter Hannah with my right in the little island there and my 6 acre piece of meadow. Also 5 acres of my meadow ground next to my daughter Hannah’s.

Item. To my grandchildren Hannah and Elizabeth Blanchard I give 45 acres of upland and 5 acres of my meadow ground of my farm at Dunstable next to my son Waite’s.

Item. To my son Gershom I give the like quantity of upland and meadow next to said Blanchard’s.

Item. To Rebecca Newhall I give my limbeck and meadow called the reedy pond with 5 shillings in money.

Item. To Hannah Winton and Samuel Green my grandchildren I give ten shillings apiece in money and 45 acres of upland and 5 acres of meadow apiece of my farm at Dunstable next to my son Gershom’s.
Item. To the children of Joseph Hills and Hannah his wife, deceased, I give all that parcel of land that was in his possession at his death according as is expressed in my deed bearing date October 26th Anno 1674 and is witnessed by Samuel Hills and Anthony Somerby, provided they rest satisfied with my care in providing and disposing of the estate by me and my son Waite as Cambridge Court ordered us October 5th 1674.

Item. To my son Gershom I do hereby give and confirm the land his house standeth upon with two acres of salt marsh which said land and meadow I formerly gave him possession of and he now enjoyeth being 12 acres or thereabouts. Also I give him £3 a year in money out of the annual payments due from Thomas Newhall or proportionable benefit at any time falling by the forfeiture of the mortgage thereof.

Item. To Elizabeth the daughter of my son Gershom I give 45 acres of upland and 5 acres of meadow at Dunstable next to the land given to Hannah Winton and Samuel Green.

Item. I give to my daughter Hannah 90 acres of upland and 10 acres of meadow of my farm at Dunstable at the end of said farm next to Chelmsford, also my silver porringer, also my Holland sheets, also my oxen, desiring my son-in-law Abiel Long to be helpful to my wife in the plowing her land the next said time after my death provided she keep the land in her own hands.

Item. All the rest of my farm at Dunstable both upland and meadow I give to my son Samuel Hills.

All other my estate both real and personal whether housing or lands at Malden falling at any time to me or my successors forfeited by nonpayment expressed in the mortgage to me thereof or the annual payment of £24 per annum in money there expressed together with all debts due to me from Mr. Edward Collins, Mr. William Sergeant, Job Lane, John Poore, Thomas Newhall, Edward Rauger, Roger Holmes, George Broughton by bill, bond or otherwise due from them or any other person or persons whatsoever with all my household goods, chattels or other things whatsoever not before disposed of I give to my son Samuel and daughter Hannah to be equally apportioned to them by my wife and overseers hereafter named unless themselves shall agree upon an equal division thereof.

My will further is that for the good of the inhabitants of this town of Newbury from generation to generation that there be the sum of 40 shillings in money paid into the hands of Capt. Daniel Pierce or such other person as the inhabitants of this town shall appoint towards the procuring of a good bell for the meeting house now built or such other as shall be built for the better comfort of the inhabitants provided the said inhabitants shall make it up the sum of £30 or more within three years after my decease, the said 40 shillings to be paid by my executors out of my estate.

Also I appoint my son Samuel and my son-in-law Abiel Long to be the executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills of mine and my debts and funeral charges to be discharged by my executors out of my estate. Also I desire my Christian friends Capt. Daniel Pierce and Lieut. Tristram Coffin of Newbury to be the overseers of this my last will and testament hereby willing and requiring my executors to satisfy for what time and pains they shall spend therein.

In witness of all and every the premises above said as my last will and testament I do set my hand and seal this 14th of September Anno Dom. 1687 in the third year of his Majestie’s Reign.

Joseph Hills (LS)

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
Benjamin Sambourne, Joshua Pierce, Henry Short

Mr. Henry Short, Joshua Pierce and Benjamin Sambourne appeared in Court March 14th 1687-8 and made oath that they saw Joseph Hills of Newbury sign, seal and declare this to be his last will and testament and that he was then of a disposing mind to the best of their understanding.
Attests William Browne Judge of the Inferior Court, Stephen Sewall Clerk.

Source

The New England historical and genealogical register, vol VIII, Oct. 1854, No. 4, pp. 309-311.

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