In 1635, Reverend Joseph Hull arrived in Wessagusset (later called Weymouth) with twenty-one families totaling approximately one hundred people. The exact count is not known. Most families were from Dorset, England, many families from Weymouth in Dorset. Two of the families listed on the passenger list are our ancestors:
Our 10th great grandparents Henry Kingman, his wife Joane, and their children Edward age16, Joane age 11, Anne age 9, Thomas age 7 (our ancestor), and John age 2 (our ancestor)
Our 10th great grandparents William Kinge, his wife Dorothy, and their children Mary age 12 (our ancestor), Katheryne age 10, William age 8, and Hanna age 6
The area known as Wessagusset had some settlers as early as 1622, but this large influx of settlers resulted in some changes. In 1635, Massachusetts Bay Colony incorporated Wessagusset as the Town of Weymouth and the boundaries of the town were established in 1635 and 1636. The boundaries of Weymouth have little changed to the present day.
William Kinge (1595-1649) was born about 1595. On 17 January 1621, he married Dorothy Dibble (1601-1684) who was born about 1601. William and Dorothy had five children before departing England and had three more children after arrival. Although the Kinge family was initially in Weymouth, they were soon after in Salem. William Kinge was a member of the First church at Salem, but in 1637 joined the Antinomians and came under the ban of the Salem authorities. He was requested to sever his connection with the new church or have his arms (guns) taken away from him. He remained with the new faith and gave up his gun to Lieutenant Danforth. Later he was banished for a time for sheltering the persecuted Quakers. One of his children, Katherine, married a staunch Quaker, John Swezey. Son William, Jr. was persecuted by his community for supporting Quakers. William Hallock disinherited one of his sons for marrying one of the Quaker daughters of Katherine and converting to the Friends. William Kinge died in Salem in 1650. His widow and several of their children relocated to Southold, Long Island. Dorothy did return to Salem after about ten years in Southold, but then later returned to Southold where she died in 1684. William and Dorothy’s daughter Mary (1623-1668) is our ancestor. Mary married John Scudder (1619-).
Henry Kingman (1595-1667) was born about 1595. He married Joanna (1596-1659) before 1619. They had six children before leaving England and a seventh child after arriving in Weymouth. Henry Kingman was granted seven separate parcels of land in Weymouth totaling 33 acres. He was also licensed to operate a ferry and allowed to charge two pence per person on the ferry. He was also licensed to keep a house of entertainment. He served as deputy (representative) from Weymouth to the General Court in Boston. Two of the children of Henry and Joanna are our ancestors, Thomas (1628-) and John (1633-1690).
References:
First Church in Weymouth. n.d. The First Church in Weymouth: A History. Accessed June 17, 2019. http://firstchurchweymouth.webs.com/ourhistory.htm.
Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild. 2000. The Reverend Hull Company. Accessed June 17, 2019. https://www.immigrantships.net/v3/1600v3/hullcompany16350320.html.
Weymouth Historical Society. 1923. History of Weymouth Massachusetts in Four Volumes. Weymouth, MA: Weymouth Historical Society.