Holbrook line: Nathaniel Joslin 1627-1694 Immigrant

 Nathaniel qualifies as an immigrant because he arrived in New England in 1635, along with his parents, Thomas and Rebecca Jude Josselyn.  He was eight years old at the time, and was also accompanied by three sisters.  His oldest brother came separately, and two sisters apparently died as children in England.  

I wonder whether Nathaniel enjoyed the voyage.  A ship could be highly interesting to a young boy, but with three older sisters to keep an eye on him, and a younger sister that perhaps he helped care for, the ship may have become confining at some point during the trip.  He was likely either pestered or spoiled, as the only young boy of the family on that trip.

Nathaniel's parents lived first at Hingham, for about 19 years, but by 1654 they were in Lancaster, which is about 40 miles west of Boston.  Thomas had interest in several ships and in trade, so it's hard to imagine why the family went west, but west they went.  Likely they saw better economic opportunity there.  

Nathaniel was 27 years old, but we migrated with his parents, and married Sarah King, daughter of Thomas and (possibly) Ann Collins King, in 1656, in either Lancaster or Marlborough (home of Sarah and her family).  They settled in Lancaster and had a family of nine children, the first two dying young.  

I'd love to tell you how Nathaniel supported the family, but I'm not sure of the answer to that.  At his death, he owned at least 14 different properties in Lancaster and in Marlborough, so one answer would be that he farmed.  He may also have rented land to others.  

Nathaniel became a freeman in 1673, so he was a church-goer.  Becoming a free man meant he had the right and duty to vote in town meetings.  He also would have been expected, even before becoming a freeman, to join in protecting the town.  This became important as King Philip's War broke out.  I have not found him on any list of soldiers who fought in the war.  We know that much of Lancaster was burned to the ground in February of 1675/76, and we know the family fled to Marlborough, but we don't know whether they fled prior to the attack (there had been an earlier, less destructive raid) or afterwards.  We do know they didn't go back to Lancaster, but stayed in Marlborough, perhaps 12 miles as the crow flies.  Whenever they made the trip, it must have been a frightening time for the family, especially since Sarah was either pregnant or had a newborn baby with her.  

Nathaniel was nearly 50 years old when he "started over" in Marlborough.  His father in law, Thomas King, died that same year and perhaps Sarah received a bequest (I've not located Thomas's will, so far).  I wonder if the family ever felt physically or financially secure again, having lost so much in the war.

Based on his inventory, I think Nathaniel did at least begin to recover the financial security he apparently had in Lancaster.  When he died (April 3 or 8, 1694) he had fourteen different pieces of land, totaling several hundred acres, located in Lancaster and Marlborough.  The valuation for the land was about 150 pounds, and the personal property about 124 pounds, for a total of 274 pounds, 9 shillings and 8 pence.  This was enough that his wife, probably having received her widow's third, could live comfortably.  I've not found anything that says that Sarah remarried, and she lived another 12 years after the death of her husband.  Nathaniel's will includes guns and ammunition, as well as books, with the first being valued higher than the second.  Still, there was over 1 pound in books and that is a fair sum, indicating more than only a Bible and a psalm book.  

This is what we know of Nathaniel.  He grew from that 8 year old boy either pestered or spoiled on ship to a man who had raised a family and kept them safe during King Philip's War, to a man who could look back with perhaps a bit of pride on the financial blessings he was able to leave his children.  We are grateful for men like Nathaniel, who faced danger and hardships, but were faithful to their family and their community.

The line of descent is

Nathaniel Joslin-Sarah King

Nathaniel Joslin-Esther (or Hester) Morse

Israel Joslin-Sarah Cleveland

Sarah Joslin-Edward Fay

David Fay-Mercy/Mary Perrin

Luceba (Euzebia) Fay-Libbeus Stanard

Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy

Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick

Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook

Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen

Their descendants