Jonathan Hill

Jonathan Hill was born in Billerica on August 21, 1669, the eldest son of Jonathan Hill and Mary Hartwell and a grandson of the settler Ralph Hill. He farmed all his life on the Hill land between the old road to Bedford and Concord, now Concord Road, and the Concord River, about a mile south of the meeting house, and while his father lived he was known as Jonathan Hill Jr.

On May 16, 1704 he married Mary Bracket, a daughter of Peter Bracket. Their children were Mary (1705/6), who married Daniel Stickney; Jonathan (1708); Peter (1709); Elizabeth (1711), who married Francis Kidder; Esther (1712/3); Joseph (1717); and Bethyah (1718), who married Braviter Gray.

On March 27, 1717 his father, then Jonathan Hill Sr., gave "my Son Jonathan Hill Junr," husbandman, his share of the family farm: seventy acres of upland on the west side of the Concord River, fifty acres of upland and meadow bounded by the land of Capt. Samuel Hill and of his brother Samuel Hill Jr., "the lines to Run to the River," twenty acres on the east side of the country road, and further meadow and upland. On the tax list of 1733 he was rated on the south side of the town, and in the seating of the meeting house of about 1736 he was one of the twenty men given the title "Mr."

In January 1741/2, past seventy, he settled his land on his sons. He sold his son Peter three acres of meadow in Bedford, two acres of river meadow and twenty-three acres on the west side of the river for 40 pounds, and for 150 pounds ten acres on the east side of the county road, fifteen acres "being the southwesterly part of my homestead," and an acre at the corner of the homestead "taking in about half my Dam" and running "to the road about four poles South of the said Peter Hill's house." His will of March 19, 1741/2 left his wife Mary half of his lands and buildings for life, noted that "my Eldest Son Jonathan Hill I have already given to him in Lands by deeds to the value of about Six Hundred Pounds," and gave Peter "my Homestead or lands and Buildings thereon standing," about twenty-five acres between the road and the river, with twenty pounds each to his daughters Mary, Elizabeth and Bethiah, who was to have a room in the house while single. Peter was the sole executor.

Jonathan Hill died on December 15, 1743, aged 74. The inventory valued "about twenty acres of land, with a house and part of a barn" at 500 pounds old tenor. His widow married John Hartwell of Bedford on December 3, 1744. The homestead stayed in the family through his son Peter and grandson Peter until 1823, and then passed through his great-granddaughter Elizabeth to the Judkins family (see Benjamin L. Judkins House).

References

1. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 179: seating list of about 1736, "Mr. Jonathan Hill"
2. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), Genealogical Register p. 69, HILL 9
3. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 203: tax list of 1733, "Hill, Jonathan, S."
4. Vital Records of Billerica (1908), births p. 99: Jonathan, s. Jonathan and Mary, Aug. 21, 1669
5. Vital Records of Billerica (1908), marriages p. 269: Jonathan Jr. and Mary Bracket, May 16, 1704
6. Vital Records of Billerica (1908), deaths p. 368: Jonathan, Dec. 15, 1743, a. 74
7. Middlesex probate case 11467 (1743): will and inventory of Jonathan Hill of Billerica, husbandman

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.