Peter Hill

Peter Hill was born in Billerica on October 10, 1709, the second son of Jonathan Hill and Mary Bracket, and spent his life on the old Hill farm on the west side of the road from Billerica to Bedford and Concord, now Concord Road, running down to the Concord River about a mile south of the meeting house. This was the land his great-grandfather, the settler Ralph Hill, had farmed.

On January 20, 1735/6 he married Rachel Crosby, a daughter of Nathan Crosby; she died on February 11, 1736/7, a week after the birth of their daughter Rachel, who married Seth Crosby in 1757. By January 1741/2 he had a house of his own on his father's farm, which his father's deeds placed by the road "about four poles South of the said Peter Hill's house." That month his father sold him meadow in Bedford and Billerica, twenty-three acres across the river and the parcels around the homestead, and by his will of March 1741/2 left him "my Homestead or lands and Buildings thereon standing," about twenty-five acres, and made him executor. His father died in December 1743. In 1748 Peter sold two acres of river meadow to his cousin Jonathan Hill.

On January 30, 1745/6 he married Abigail Danforth, the widow of William Danforth. Their children were Peter (1747/8); Samuel (1749/50), who was killed at Bunker Hill; Jonathan (1751), who died about 1772; Betty, baptized in 1754; Jeremiah (1756), a soldier of the Revolution who lived in Boston; Rhoda (1757); and the twins David and Mary (1761). David served in the army and also settled in Boston; Mary married Samuel Blanchard.

In March 1773 he deeded his eldest son Peter half of the homestead, "the east end of my dwelling House throughout, being the upright part of said house and the whole of the Back Kitchen," with half of the barn and of the land across the river, keeping for himself and his unmarried daughter Mary the right to pass through the fore room and to use its oven. His will of July 13, 1773 left Peter the rest of his Billerica land, the homestead with all its buildings and the meadow and woodlot on the west side of the river, with forty pounds each to be paid to his sons Samuel, Jeremiah and David. Peter Hill died on August 12, 1774, aged 64, and was buried in the Old South Burying Ground. The house later became the Benjamin L. Judkins House.

References

1. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), Genealogical Register p. 70, HILL 17
2. Vital Records of Billerica (1908), births p. 100: Peter, s. Jonathan and Mary, Oct. 10, 1709; his children by Abigail
3. Vital Records of Billerica (1908), marriages p. 270: Peter and Rachel Crosbey, Jan. 20, 1735-6; Peter and Abigail Danforth, Jan. 30, 1745-6
4. Vital Records of Billerica (1908), deaths p. 368: Peter, Aug. 12, 1774, a. 64 (g.r.1)
5. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 179: seating list of about 1736, "Peter Hill"

Title References Expand all

Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted; Probate # is a Middlesex probate case, Ctf a Land Court certificate of title.