THOMAS MIGHILL [#988], bur. Rowley, MA 14 Jul 1654,[4] m(1) Ellen ____, bur. Rowley 12 Mar 1640-1,[4] m(2) ANN PARROTT, d. Rowley, MA 17 Nov 1694.[4]
Thomas Mighill came to America with his wife Ellen and settled first in Roxbury about 1636. They removed to Rowley in 1639 where he was ordained a deacon of the church on Dec. 3, 1639. His wife was recorded as the first person buried in Rowley. Thomas' second wife was Ann Parrott, sister of Deacon Francis Parrott. Thomas was made a freeman May 13, 1640 and had a three acre house lot on Weathersfield Street in 1643.[2/235] Thomas often served on Essex County court juries and grand juries and was chosen one of three men in 1649 to end small causes in Rowley.[5/1:179]
An early town inventory of lands showed Thomas with a three acre house lot on Wethersfield Street bounded west by the highway and east by Mrs. Margery Shove.[6/4] He also had 56.5 acres in numerous plots around the town.[6/1037] Thomas Mighill was a selectman in 1650[6/56] and had a mault kiln across the street from his house.[6/57] He also viewed and divided land for the town on different occassions. On Feb. 10, 1670-1 215 acres were laid out to widow Mighill of Rowley, bounded north by the Merrimack River, east by Thomas Kimball and Johnson's Pond, south by commons, and west by John Watson.[6/209]
Thomas Mighill and Humphrey Rayner were chosen as guardians by the children of George Abott, late of Groton, in 1648.[3/1:86] These two men also witnessed the will of John Jarratt in 1647.[3/1:98] In 1649 Thomas took the inventory of the estate of Robert Johnson, who was a cousin of Humfrey Rayner.[3/1:117] Thomas also was made an overseer of the will of Thomas Barker and took the inventory of Barker's estate with Rayner and Joseph Jewett.[3/1:129] There may be clues in this information about Thomas' extended family (i.e. his in-laws, etc.). This is especially the case with George Abott.
Thomas made his will June 11, 1654. It was proved March 27, 1655 and mentions his wife Ann; three children by his first wife: Samuel, John, and Thomas; and his four children by his second wife: Ezekiell, Nathaniel, Stephen, and Mary. He also made provision for a child his wife was then carrying. This was his postumous daughter Ann, who died shortly after birth. He also mentioned his "sister Ann Tenny", which might be of some use in locating his English home. Ann Mighill was made the executrix. Inventory of his estate was taken June 24, 1654 and amounted to 571.14.11 of which 70 pounds was used to pay off debts.[3/1:206] Ann Tenney was the wife of Thomas Tenney. She was buried 26. 7 mo. 1657.[4/526] Thomas Tenney then married the widow Elizabeth Parrat Feb. 24, 1657-8.[4/413]
Thomas' widow Ann died Nov. 17, 1694. Ann made a bequest to her sister Faith Parrott Senior.[2/266] Family tradition has it that Thomas was born in 1606 and wife Ellen in 1610.
Ann Parratt probably came to America with her brother Francis and sister Faith. Francis was born about 1610 and was a man of influence and ability, with an unusual amount ot education for the time. He was in New England by 1640 when he was made a Freeman in Rowley May 13 of that year. He served in town office and was a deacon in the Rowley church. Francis died in England about 1656 while there on business. He married Elizabeth Northend, who remarried 24 Feb 1657-8 Thomas Tenney.[7/271] Faith married twice - first to Smith and second to Law. "The Aged widow Faith Law" died 30 Mar 1705.[7/271] The Parratts probably came from Yorkshire with the Rev. Ezekiel Rogers.[7/271]
REF: [1] The Mighill Kindred of America - George Wakefield, 1935
[2] Early Settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts - Amos E. Jewett,
1933 (pgs.234-5)
[3] Probate Records of Essex County - Essex Institute, 1916
[4] Rowley Vital Records (Mighill births pgs.136-138; marriages
pgs.348-349; deaths pgs.493-494)
[5] Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County,
1911
[6] The Early Records of the Town of Rowley - Benjamin Mighill
and George Blodgette, 1894
[7] Ancestry of Charles Stinson Pillsbury and John Sargent Pillsbury
- Mary Lovering Holman, 1938
Children (by Ellen):
1. Samuel, b. abt. 1632, d. Rowley, MA 31 Jan 1698-9,[4] m. Rowley
26 Mar 1657[4] Elizabeth Tappan, d. Newbury, MA before 1704
2. John, b. abt. 1634, d. Suffield, CT 4 May 1714, m. Rowley,
MA 6 Jul 1659[4] Sarah Batt, b. 2 Jun 1640
3. Thomas, b. Rowley, MA 29 Oct 1639,[4] d. Scituate, MA 26 Aug
1689, m. 8 Nov 1669 Mrs. Bethula Weld, d. Boston, MA Sep 1711
Children (by Ann):
4. Ezekiel, b. Rowley, MA 6 Oct 1642,[4] d. Rowley 3 Jul 1694,[4]
m. Rowley 10 Oct 1686[4] Elizabeth (Northend) Hobson, b. Rowley
19 Oct 1656[4/146]
5. Timothy, b. Rowley 21 Jun 1644,[4] d. at 10 years of age
6. Nathaniel, b. Rowley 1646,[4] bur. Rowley 14 Oct 1677[4]
7. Mary, b. Rowley 1 May 1649,[4] d. before 4 Mar 1694-5, m. Rowley
17 Jun 1668[4] John Bailey, b. Rowley 2 Feb 1642,[4/156] d. 19
Nov 1690
8. Stephen, b. Rowley, MA 27 Feb 1651-2,[4] d. Rowley 6
Apr 1687,[4] m. Rowley 3 Nov 1680[4] Sarah Phillips, b.
7 Feb 1656-7, d. Taunton, MA 10 Feb 1706[4/2:14]
9. Ann, b. Rowley 8 Sep, bur. 28 Oct 1654[4]
STEPHEN MIGHILL [#494], b. Rowley, MA 27 Feb 1651-2,[2] d. Rowley, MA 16 Apr 1687,[2] m. Rowley 3 Nov 1680[2] SARAH PHILLIPS (dau. of Samuel Phillips and Sarah Appleton), b. Rowley 7 Mar 1656-7, d. Taunton, MA 10 Feb 1706.[2/2:14] She m(2) Rowley 6 Mar 1687-8[2] Robert Greenough, d. Rowley 30 Mar 1718.[2/2:14] He m(1) Martha ___, m(3) Rowley 29 Apr 1710[2/301] Mary Daniels.
Stephen Mighill is mentioned as late of Rowley, deceased, in the administration of his will which was granted 27 Nov 1687 to his widow Sarah. In a petition to the Ipswich Probate Court with regards to the estate of their father Thomas, Stephen's brother Ezekiel indicated that Stephen was the father of three children at the time of his death and that Robert Greenough was later their father.[3/1:210]
REF: [1] The Mighill Kindred of America - George Wakefield, 1935
[2] Vital Records of Rowley, Massachusetts to the end of the
Year 1849 - The Essex Institute, 1931 (Mighill births
pgs.136-138; marriages pgs.348-349; deaths pgs.493-494)
[3] Probate Records of Essex County - Essex Institiute, 1916
[4] Notes upon the Ancestry of Ebenezer Greenough - Franklin
Platt, 1895
Children:
1. Sarah, b. Rowley, MA 23 Oct 1681,[2] m. Rowley 24 Jun 1700[2]
Jonathan Woodman
2. Nathaniel (Capt.), b. Rowley 4 Jul 1684,[2] d. Rowley 26 Aug
1762,[2] m. Rowley 3 Oct 1705[2] Priscilla Pearson, b. abt. 1682,
d. Rowley 27 Feb 1776
3. Ann, b. Rowley, MA 8 Mar 1685-6,[2] d. 31 May 1764, m.
Rowley 4 Apr 1706[2] Benoni Boynton, b. Rowley 25 Feb 1681-2,[2/24]
d. 30 Dec 1758
Sarah's children by Robert Greenough:[4]
1. Elizabeth Greenough, b. Rowley 1 Dec 1688,[2/82] m . Rowley
17 Nov 1710[2/301] Thomas Kimball
2. Mary Greenough, b. Rowley 17 Sep 1696,[2/82] m. Rowley 18 Jun
1722[2/301] Enoch Muttleberry
Robert's children by Martha:
1. Robert Greenough, b. Rowley 28 Feb 1682-3,[2/82] m . Rowley
Jan. 170-[2/301] Hannah Dolle
2. Daniel Greenough, b. Rowley 22 Feb 1685-6,[2/82]
Robert's child by Mary:
1. John Greenough, b. Rowley 16 Jun 1712[2/82]
Send e-mail to Michael Roman