Family of Godfrey * DEARBORN and Dorothy DALTON

Husband:	Godfrey * DEARBORN (1603-1684)
Wife:	Dorothy DALTON (c. 1605-1696)
Marriage	25 Nov 1662	Hampton, Rockingham, NH, US1

Husband: Godfrey * DEARBORN

Wife: Dorothy DALTON

Name:	Dorothy DALTON4
Sex:	Female
Father:	-
Mother:	-
Birth	1605 (cal)
Death	1696 (age 90-91)

Note on Husband: Godfrey * DEARBORN

Godfrey and his family came to America by 5 June 1639, when he signed (by making his "D" mark) the "Exeter Combination," an agreement for self-government signed by 35 men, at the establishment of Exeter, NH. Godfrey was one of the followers of Rev. John Wheelwright, the founder of Exeter, who was from Alford, Lincolnshire (just a few miles from Hannah), and was banished from the Mass. Bay Colony in 1639 along with his flock, for supporting his sister-in -law, the celebrated Anne Hutchinson, in the Antinomian controversy. Godfrey lived in Exeter for about ten years after which he moved to the neighboring town of Hampton, NH. He built a house (still standing at 73 Exeter Rd. [Rte 27]) reputed today to be the oldest frame house in the state."

 

Note: Exeter, never officially incorporated, is the only NH town settled for religious reasons where founder John Wheelwright and his 175 followers could practice their Puritan beliefs undisturbed following Wheelwright's banishment from Boston (the Massachusetts Bay Colony). Exeter's tiered local government, called the Exeter Combination, became a model for town meetings and selectmen-ruled communities all over the state of NH. Godfrey served as a selectman in Exeter NH and again in Hampton NH where he moved to in 1648. He owned farms in both communities.

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Godfrey Dearborn, the patriarch of the Dearborn family in the United States, was born in England, and Exeter, in the county of Devon, is said to have been the place of his nativity, but the date of his birth and the time of his advent in America are unknown. He died in Hampton. New Hampshire, February 4, 1686.

 

In 1639 Rev. John Wheelwright, with a company of his friends, removed from the colony in Massachusetts Bay to Exeter, in the province of New Hampshire, and founded a settlement. Supposing themselves to be out of the jurisdiction of any existing company or government, they formed and signed amongst themselves a kind of social compact, which bore the signatures of thirty-five persons, of whom Godfrey Dearborn was one. His signature to this document, like that attached to his will more than forty years afterward, he executed by making his mark. He seems to have been a man of considerable standing and importance among the colonists, which is proved by his being elected one of the selectmen both of Exeter and Hampton. His farm is said to have been situated within the present limits of the town of Stratham. He had in 1644 a grant of meadow land "on the second run, beyond Mr. Wheelwright's creek, toward Captain Wiggins." In 1645, in connection with two other persons, he had a grant of meadow "at the head of the Great Cove Creek, about six acres, if it be there to be found." Other land is mentioned as joining his "on the east side of the river." In 1648 he was elected one of the "Townsmen" or "Selectmen."

 

Between 1648 and 1650 he removed to Hampton, where he spent the remainder of his life. March 4, 1650, seats in the Hampton meeting house were assigned to "Goodman and Goody Dearborn." On his arrival in Hampton, Godfrey Dearborn settled at the "West End," so called, on a farm ever since occupied by his descendants. One house, built between 1650 and 1686, is still standing and constitutes a part of the present dwelling. On his removal to Hampton, Godfrey became a considerable landholder, and a man of some importance in the affairs of the town. In 1651 he drew share number one in the great ox pasture, though he voted against the division and entered his protest upon the record of the town. In 1670 he had a grant of eighty acres in addition to the extensive farm which he already possessed in the vicinity of his dwelling. His tax in 1653 was ISS- tod., and he was one of the selectmen in 1655, 1663 and 1671. He made his will in 1680. He married first in England, but the name of his wife is unknown. She died some time between May 4, 1650, and November 25, 1662. at which date Godfrey married Dorothy, the widow of Philanon Dalton. She died between 1680 and 1696. The children, all by the first wife, were: Henry, Thomas, John, Sarah, and two other daughters whose names are not known. (Thomas and descendants are mentioned in this article).

 

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Will of Godfrey Dearborn

 

I Godfreey Dearbarne of Hampton in the provenc of New Hampshier in New England Being aged and Inferme of Body * * *

 

I give and Bequeath Unto Dorothy Dearbarn my loveing wife for the term of her life my Dwellinng House & Barne & orchyard and the Use and Improvementt of all my land both Areable land pastuer & marsh land for her Comfortable subsistenc Duering the terme of Her life, and the use and Improvementt of all my moveables within Dores and withoutt Duering the terme of her life

 

Itt I doe Give and bequeath Unto my Grand Child Ann Shatredg that now liveth with mee one two year old Heffer which she is to Receive att the End of Her time yt she is to live with mee

 

Itt I Doe Give Unto my sone Thomas Deararne my Dark Browne horse which I Use to Rid on

 

Itt I Doe Give Unto my son Thomas and Henry Dearbarn all the Rest of my Cattle thatt shall Remaine att the Decease of the longest liver of mee or my wife Excepting Sheep and swine which are other wayes Disposed of

 

Itt my will and pleasure is thatt all the Sheepe and swine that shall Remaine att my wives Decease shall be Equally Divided betwixt all my Grand Children yt shall be then living: and the Division to be made by my Executors & over seers

 

Itt I Doe Give and Bequeath Unto my Son John Dearbarn my House barne and house lott and all my land both Areable land pastuers medows & marshes and all Towne Rights and priveledges thereunto belonging and all my tooles and Carts & other Implements of Husbandry: and I Doe appointt my son John Dearbarne to bee my Exectuer to this my will and the Estate the which he is to Enter Upon and possesse att my wives Decease and to bee and Remaine to him and his Heires for Ever

 

Itt I Doe ordaine and Appointt my two Eldest sons Thomas Dearbarne and henry Dearbarne to bee my over seers to this my last will and testamentt whom I appointt to see to the managmentt of my Estate thatt my wife may have a Comfortable living outt of itt Duering the terme of her life

 

And for whatt Houshold stuff I shall leave thatt my wife shall have the use and Improvement thereof Duering the terme of her life, and then to bee Equally Devided Between my three Daughters only leaving itt to my wives liberty to Dispose of whatt was her owne before I maried Her viz one fether Bed & boulster & Rug & Coverlett and her Greatt Bible & her Red flannell petticoate to ye wife of John morse

 

And this my last will and testamentt I Conferme with my Hand & Seale Affixed therto this fourteenth Day of December in the year of our lord one thousand Six hundred & Eighty

 

His

Godfrey Dearbarn X [seale]

Mark & Seale

 

Signed Sealed & Declared

to bee ye last will of Godfrey

Dearbarn in pr of

Samuell Dalton senr Mehetable Dalton

 

This was sworn to ye 26 of agust: 86 by mehetable Dalton alice [alias] Simins befor mee

Henry green Justis Peace

 

Province of New Hampshire June 7th 1711 Philemon Dalton personally appearing before the Honourable Richard Waldron Esqr Judge of probate of Wills and Granting Letters of Administration within the said province made oath that he was present when his Mother Mehitabell appeared before Justice Green and made oath as a Wittness to this Will as is incerted in the Margin thereof./

Richd Waldron

 

And further by the Compareing of Several hand writeings of mr Samuel Dalton a wittness to this will I am Satisfied that the Said Will is Legally Signed & Sealed And therefor it is proved Approved and Allowed off

Richd Waldron

 

[Inventory, Feb. 13, 1685.6; amount, £183.12.0; signed by Henry Dow and John Smith.]

[Probate Records, vol. 3, p. 255.]

 

To his Excellency ye Governour & Councell sitting at portsmouth may 10th 1711 the petition of John Dearborn of Hampton in said province humbly sheweth--

that your pitioners father Godfree Dearborn of Hampton Deceased about 26 years since, the witneses to his Will & testament the one of them Dyed before ye testater by Reason of which the Will above said Will not be accounted well proved before the Judge of probats, your pitisioner humbly prays your Excellency & Councill Would Receive the testimoneys to prove, the deceased Witneses hand, which is Generell known he being for many years a Justice of peace, & Clerke of ye town and so to order that ye said testiment may be Executed, by the Executor otherwise there will be a foundation for Controversy here after

Which your pitisioner humbly prays

John Dearborn

 

philemon Dalton was prsent when his Mother Mehitabell appeared before mr Justice Green made oath as a Wittness to this will as incerted in the Margin

And further by Compareing of Several hand writeings of mr Samll Dalton a wittness to this will, the Judge of the Probates is Satisfied that the Said will is Legall signed & sealed and therefore Allows and Approves

[Probate Records, vol. 3, pp. 253, 254.]

 

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The original part of this house was constructed in 1648 for Godfrey Dearborn and is believed to be one of the first frame dwellings in the colony of New Hampshire. Dearborn settled first at Exeter and was one of the thirty-five men responsible for establishing the local government there in 1639. He then came to Hampton and built this house. Eight generations of Dearborns lived on the place until 1892. Many of the Dearborns became prominent in the life and history of Hampton. George Dearborn fought in the Civil War and died at the infamous Confederate prison at Andersonville in 1864. George's elder brother, Joseph Frederick, a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School became a successful lawyer in New Bedford where he was an investor in many enterprises, including the whaling industry for which that town became the foremost center in the world. He always remained fond of his native town, often returned here, and was finally laid to rest in the local cemetery. His widow provided the funds for the Dearborn obelisk in the High Street Cemetery as a memorial to all Dearborns. There is much historical lore connected with the location of this house on Exeter Road which was laid out very early in the town's history as an Indian trail through the woods. Tradition tells us that the road was originally laid out by a bear. It appears that the old beast made a night raid on the settlement. The men in pursuit of it followed its tracks through the snow as far as the Squamscott Falls in Exeter, and later followed their trail in laying out the winding road. At any rate, this is one of the legends. The area directly across Exeter Road from the Dearborn House was originally known as Wigwam Row because of an Indian settlement along the Southern slope which the natives wisely chose as their habitat, protected as it was from the cold north winds and storms by both the slope of the land and the dense forest which grew on the high ground above. The Dearborn House is presently (1961) owned by Mrs. Helen Bourn, who has been carrying out a faithful restoration of the original house and of a second part built in the 1700's. Thanks to http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/history/oldhome/61dearbo.htm

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In the old and renowned state of New Hampshire are many interesting spots to the curious student of American history. The ancient town of Hampton is rural and furnishes much material for the ardent historian. Among its early settlers was the distinguished name of Dearborn. Godfrey Dearborn was born in Exeter, in the county of Dover, in England, and when arriving in America settled in Exeter. He, was one of the thirty-five men to sign the constitution for the government of Exeter, in 1639.* In 1649* he moved to Hampton, where he died February 4, 1686.* From that sturdy oak of New England life the subject of this memoir descended. He is none other than Henry Dearborn, born at Hampton, February 23, 1751, son of Simon and Sarah (Marston) Dearborn. *I have corrected the dates as this author had written the dates as taking place in the 1700's, which is incorrect.

Celeste LeFave, Ancestry.com

 

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Exeter, signed the combination 5 (4) 1639, and the petition for local court in 1645. Grand juryman, 1650. Town officer. Rem. to Hampton; bought house and land before 12 (1) 1658. [Norf. rec. I.] He m. (1) --; he m. (2) Nov. 25, 1662, Dorothy, widow of Philemon Dalton. Ch. Thomas, Henry, Esther, Sarah, John. He d. Feb. 4, 1685-6. Will dated Dec. 14, 1680; "aged"; beq. to wife Dorothy, ch. Thomas, Henry, John and "three daughters"; gr. ch. Ann Shatredg. Wife to have what was hers before he married her. Proved Aug. 26, 1686. See Bachiler, Marian, Ward. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Maine Pioneers, 1623-60 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1999. Original data: Pope, Charles Henry. The Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire, 1623-1660. n.p., 1908.^5,6

Sources

1	"NH Marriage Records Index, 1637-1947".

2	"England and Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906" (On line - Provo, UT).

3	"NH Death and Disinterment Records 1754-1947".

4	"Vital Records of Hampton, NH through 1900".

5	"http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/history/probate/godfreydearborn1680.htm".

6	Charles Henry Pope, "The Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire, 1623-1660".