Joseph Hills of Malden
Joseph Hills, born in 1602 in Essex, England, emigrated to New England in 1638, settling in Charlestown, Malden and Newbury, Massachusetts. He was a prominent figure in the early colonial government, serving as a selectman and speaker of the House of Deputies. Joseph married four times, his first wife being Rose Clarke, who died in 1650. He is noted for compiling the first codification of Massachusetts laws. Hills died in Newbury in 1688, leaving a legacy as Malden’s first deputy and significant contributions to the colony’s governance and legal framework.