The family of John Hitchcock 1642-1712

 John Hitchcock, the son of Luke and Elizabeth Gibbons Hitchcock, is the first Hitchcock in our line to be born in the New World.  He was born in 1642 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut.  His wife is Hannah Chapin, the daughter of Samuel and Cicely Penny Chapin, whom he married in 1666 in Springfield, Massachusetts.  John was a soldier in King Philip's war, promoted to lieutenant for bravery following the horrible battle at Turner's Fall.  He was wounded there, but recovered and also served in King William's war.  He was a freeman, a deacon, a constable, a selectman, and a deputy to the General Court, so he was one of the more respected men in town.  

John and Hannah had a large family, as was typical of the time.  We have lines through two of the sons, so this is another tangled family tree in our forest.  The first child, an unnamed daughter, was born or stillborn in 1667, but soon there were more children.

Hannah was born in 1668, and died in 1748 in Enfield, Hartford County, Connecticut.  She married Samuel Parsons, the son of Benjamin and Sarah Vere Parsons.  Their children are Samuel, John, Luke, Hannah, Nathaniel, Moses, and Miriam.

John was born next, in 1670, and died in 1761, in Springfield.  He married Mary Ball, the daughter of Samuel and Mary Graves Ball, who also was born and died in Springfield.  Their children are John, Mary, Sarah, two more daughters named Mary, Abigail, Nathaniel, THankful, Jerusha, Margaret, and Samuel.  I'll follow this family in a future post.

Samuel was born next, in 1672, and died in 1727 in New Milford, Litchfield County, Connecticut.  He married Sarah Weller, the daughter of John and Mary Alward Weller.  Their children are Samuel, Jonathan, Sarah, Esther, Deborah, John, and Hannah. 

Another son, Luke, was born in 1674.  He also stayed in Springfield, dying in 1752.  He married Elizabeth Walker, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Wheeler Walker.  Their children are Hannah, Ruth, Jacob, Moses, Eunice, and Aaron.  I will follow this family also, in a future post.  

Nathaniel was born in 1677 and died in 1762 in Brimfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.  He married Abigail Lombard, the daughter of David and Margaret Filley Lombard.  Their children are Nathaniel, Noah, Moses, Joseph, and John.  

David was born in 1678 and died in 1762 in Monson, Hampden, Massachusetts.  He married Elizabeth Mighill, the daughter of Thomas and Bethuia Weld Mighill.  Their children are Paul, David, Grace, and Jonathan.

The family ended as it began, with the early deaths of two more children.  Jonathan was born in 1682 and died three months later, in February 1683.  The last child, Sarah, was born in 1685 and died in 1690.

I'm not sure that I've found all of John and Hannah's grandchildren, but I am confident that those that I have found will have stories.  The Hitchcock name is an honorable one, and at one time was influential in town life.  Since the male line stayed mostly in or near Springfield, it is more than possible that they served in the militia and responded in one way or another to the Deerfield massacre of 1704.  Life was unsettled in that part of the country for many years, as this was still part of the frontier of the time.