Holbrook line: Francis Chickering Immigrant

Francis Chickering just missed being considered part of the "Great Migration", arriving in America in 1637, two  years past the cut off date of 1635.  He has therefore not been as extensively researched as those who arrived earlier, but we do know bits and pieces about him. His parents were Henry Chickering and Mary, and Francis was born about 1597 in Ringsfield, Suffolk, England.   The church in Ringsfield is very old, but the older records have been destroyed by fire or flood or both, so documentation of his birth is not available.  We know from his father's will, however, that he had siblings John, Judith, Mary, Symon, Reynold, and Henry, although there is no indication whether these are all full siblings. There was also another sibling but she had died when the will was written and her first name is not recorded.  Nicholas Wolnough was reported as a son-in-law.

Francis married Anne Fiske about 1630 in St James, South Elham, Suffolk County, England and they came to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1637.  His parents in law were also on the ship and the family suffered the loss of Anne's mother, Anne Lawter Fiske, on the voyage.  This was not an unusual occurrence.  Health conditions were aggravated by the stresses of the sea, poor diet, and communicable diseases, and sometimes the passengers simply didn't survive.  It must have been a sad beginning for the Chickerings in their new home.  Francis and Mary brought two children with them and had five more in America.

He was made a freeman May 13, 1640 and went to live in Dedham,  He was a member of the artillery train, and was chosen or elected Ensign (junior officer) at some point during this career.  It does not seem that Dedham was ever a particular target of the natives, but that doesn't mean that the unit never responded to an alarm, nor that it never was engaged in battle.  They would certainly have trained at regular intervals, in case they were needed to protect their family or their property.  He was a representative to the general court in 1644 and 1653, a selectman of the town for 15 years, and one of the first two deacons of the church.  He could at least write his name because his signature is found on a 1654 appraisal, where the other appraisers merely made their mark. 

Anne died on December 5, 1649 and Francis married Sarah, the widow of John Sibley, on June 13, 1650, He was a widower with small children and needed help in caring for them.  Sarah may have had her reasons for marriage, also, but we can hope that the two at least liked each other.

Francis died on October 2, 1658 and left "a good estate" to his five daughters.  Sarah apparently went to court to argue for more than was allotted her in the will. She was to receive 150 pounds as part of a pre-nuptial agreement, and the court gave her another 200 pounds "considering the good report of the pious and prudent bahvior of Sarah, and bringing up the children of Francis".  The rest of the houses, lands, debts and good were to be divided among the five daughters.  The estate was valued at 1820 pounds, 18 shillings, 8 pence.  This was a substantial value (A history of the town of Dedham says that he was the largest landowner in the town) and it makes me wonder what Francis did, as an occupation.  We don't know that. Perhaps he was a merchant, a fur trader, or a ship owner,or some combination of the three, but we just don't know   We also don't know how much he might have inherited from his father or other relatives, that would have helped him get a start in life.  Now I'm eager to find more about this man!

The line of descent is:

Francis Chickering-Anne Fiske
Anne Chickering-Stephen Paine
John Paine-Elizabeth Belcher
Stephen Paine-Sarah Vallett
Stephen Paine-Sarah Thornton
Nathan Paine-Lillis Winsor
Deborah Paine-Enos Eddy
Joseph Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen