Barnstable’s Early Families (1637-1640)

Barnstable was first settled by English immigrants in 1637.  By 1640, more than 30 families lived along what is now Route 6A (Old King’s Highway), from the intersection of what is now Iyannough Road (Route 132) to the West and Cummaquid to the East.

The first grant of lands in Mattakeeset (now Barnstable) was to Mr. Richard Collicut (1604-1686). He was born in Barnstaple, England and came to Massachusetts in 1631/32.  It is believed that Mr. Collicut never came to Barnstable, but he left his mark by allocating the first plots of land here. 

It is likely that all of the English settlers who were in Barnstable before Reverend John Lothrop arrived in October 1639 were associates of, or were known to, Mr. Collicut. He established two settlements along 6A. One was around Hinckley Pond (formerly known as Cooper’s or Coggin’s Pond).

Hinckley Pond, Barnstable Village

The other settlement stretched from what is now Cobb’s Hill (formerly known as Goodspeed’s Hill, then Meeting House Hill) to perhaps as far as Cummaquid. 

Cobb's Hill (formerly Goodspeed's Hill), Barnstable Village

When Rev. Lothropp arrived from Scituate in 1639, the land between those two sites was then divided and assigned to those who came with him, and shortly after him.

First English Arrivals:

Reverend Stephen Bachiler (arrived 1637-38) – came from Newton Stacy near Wherwell in Hampshire, England.  He graduated from St. John’s College at Oxford University in 1586.  He may have spent time in Holland.  In 1632, he sailed on the ship William and Frances from London to Boston, and settled first in Saugus (now Lynn), and then in Ipswich, Massachusetts.  He likely settled in what is now Cummaquid (in an area then called “Old Town”) with five or six families to whom he was related.  Life was harsh. By 1638, they had left.  Rev. Bachiler eventually moved back to London, England. 

From the Westcountry of England:

Mr. (Deacon / Elder) Thomas Dimock (arrived March 1639) – possibly came from Devon, or Somerset, or Dorset in England.  In 1635, he sailed on the ship Hopewell from Weymouth, Dorset, to Massachusetts Bay.  He first settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts, then Hingham, then Scituate.  The suffix “Mr.” denoted a person of significant wealth or connected to gentry or nobility.  Mr. Dimock received the charter for land in Barnstable together with Rev. Joseph Hull.  In 1643, he built a fortification house at 3704 Main Street, Barnstable, which is now commemorated with a plaque. It was one of four built that year for the protection of the colony, but was never used.

Reverend Joseph Hull (arrived May 1639) – came from Crewkerne in Somerset, England. He graduated from St. Mary’s Hall at Oxford University in 1614. He lived in Silverton and in Northleigh in Devon, and then in Broadway, Somerset.  In 1635 he sailed from Weymouth, England to Dorcester, Massachusetts.  He lived first in Wessagusset (Weymouth) and then in Beverly.  His land at 2786 Main Street, Barnstable is commemorated with a plaque.  He later moved to Maine, before returning to Cornwall in England. Returning again to Maine in 1662, he lived on Appledore Island, one of the Isle of Shoals, until his death in 1665. 

John Bursley (arrived May 1639) – possibly came from Crewkerne in Somerset, England.  He emigrated perhaps as early as 1629, and he lived in Wessagusset (Weymouth) before moving to Barnstable.

Mr. Henry Coggin (arrived spring 1639) – came from Taunton in Somerset, England. In 1637 he sailed on the ship Speedwell with John Crocker.  He lived in Dorchester, then Scituate before moving to Barnstable. In 1649 he travelled back to England, where he died. 

From Other Areas of England:

Reverend John Mayo (arrived 1639) – came from Thorpe Mandeville in Northamptonshire, England. He was educated at Magdalen College at Oxford University, and he emigrated to Massachusetts in 1638. 

Lawrence Litchfield (arrived spring 1639) – possibly came from Kent, England.  He settled first in Boston, and then Scituate. He returned to Scituate before 1646.

John & William Casley (arrived spring 1639) – sailed in 1637 and lived in Plymouth and Scituate, before moving to Barnstable. 

James Hamblin (arrived spring 1639) – may have lived in London, England, and may have come to New England first in 1634, before returning and then moving here permanently in 1639. 

Roger Goodspeed (arrived spring 1639) – possibly came from Wingrave in Buckinghamshire, England.  He was the first European owner of Cobb’s Hill in Barnstable Village, which used to be called Goodspeed’s Hill.

Families Who Moved with, or Shortly After, Rev. Lothropp:

Reverend John Lothropp (arrived October 1639) – came from Cherry Burton and Etton in Yorkshire, England. He was admitted to Christ Church college at Oxford University in 1602 and was admitted to Queen’s College, Cambridge from which he graduated in 1607 (BA) and in 1609 (MA).  He lived in Chaderton, Little Chart, and Edgerton in Kent, and in Benington in Lincolnshire before moving to London.  In 1634, he sailed 1634 on the ship Griffin from London to Boston. He settled first at Scituate, and then in 1639, moved with his congregation to Barnstable. His first plot of land and his first house was situated at what is now 3010 Main Street, Barnstable Village.  He later lived in a house built in 1644, that is now occupied by Sturgis Library at 3090 Main Street.

Mr. (Deacon) Robert Linnell (arrived October 1639) – in 1638 sailed possibly on the ship Castle (owned by William and Thomas Hatch of Scituate) which landed in Boston.  He was a member of Rev. Lothropp’s congregation in Southwark in London, and he also attended the church of St. Andrew Hubbard in Eastcheape, Billingsgate, London, which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.

From the Westcountry of England:

Thomas and Bernard Lombard (arrived October 1639) – came from Thorncombe in Dorset.  They sailed in 1630 on the ship Mary & John, from Weymouth, England to Dorchester, Massachusetts.  The Lombards settled first in Scituate.

(Deacon) William Crocker (arrived October 1639) – possibly came from Devon or Somerset or Dorset in England, possibly via London. He may have lived a short while in Roxbury before moving to Scituate.  He moved to Barnstable with Rev. Lothropp.

John Crocker (arrived 1639/40) – brother of William.  Possibly came from Devon or Somerset, or Dorset in England.  In 1637 he sailed on the ship Speedwell from Poole in Dorset.  He lived in Scituate before moving to Barnstable.

Thomas Shaw (arrived 1639) – possibly came from Somerset.  In 1633 he sailed on the Recovery from Weymouth, Dorset to Massachusetts Bay.  He settled first at Hingham.

Henry Rowley (arrived October 1639) – possibly from Devon, England.  He possibly sailed in 1632 on the ship Charles from Barnstaple, England to Boston, with Timothy Hatherley. 

Henry Bourne (arrived October 1639) – possibly from Devon or Somerset.  He settled first in Scituate.

Richard Foxwell (arrived October 1639) – possibly from Somerset or Dorset.  He may have lived for a while in London, England.  He settled first at Plymouth and then Scituate, Massachusetts.

Mr. Thomas Allyn (arrived 1639/40) – possibly from Taunton in Somerset, England.

James Cudworth (arrived 1640) – from Aller in Somerset.  He also lived in London, England, where he was a member of Rev. Lothropp’s congregation.  He sailed in 1634, and lived first in Scituate.

William Tilley (arrived before July 1640) – possibly from Dorset, England.  In 1635 he sailed on the ship Abigail from London.  He left Barnstable for Boston by 1647.

From Kent in England:

George Lewis (arrived October 1639) – from Staplehurst in Kent.  He may also have lived in London.  He sailed in 1632, and settled first in Plymouth, then Scituate.

Samuel Hinckley (arrived October 1639) – from Tenterden in Kent, England.  He sailed in 1634 on the ship Hercules from Sandwich, England.  He settled first in Scituate.

(Elder / Deacon) Henry Cobb (arrived October 1639) – possibly from Reculver near Canterbury in Kent, England.  In 1632, he sailed on “the second boat” to Plymouth, Massachusetts.  He lived first in Plymouth, then Scituate.

William Betts (arrived October 1639) – sailed in 1635 from Gravesend in Kent, England.  He lived first in Scituate.

John Scudder (arrived 1640) – from Horton Kirby or Strood in Kent, England.  He also lived in Oxford.  In 1635, he sailed on the ship James from London to Boston.

Dolar Davis (arrived 1640) – from East Farleigh in Kent, England.  He sailed in 1634, and settled first in New Town (Cambridge), before moving to Duxbury, and then Scituate.

From Essex in England:

Robert Shelley (arrived October 1639) – possibly from Essex, England.  In 1632, he sailed on the ship Lyon from London to Boston.  He lived first in Boston or Roxbury, before moving to Scituate.

From Other Locations in England:

Isaac Robinson (arrived October 1639) – his parents were from Sturton Le Steeple in Nottinghamshire, England.  He was born in Leiden in Holland.  He migrated first to Plymouth, Massachusetts, then Duxbury, then Scituate.

Mr. Edward Fitzrandolphe (arrived October 1639) – possibly from Sutton-In-Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, England.  He sailed in 1630 in the Winthrop fleet to Boston.  He settled first in Scituate.  In 1649 he moved to West Barnstable.

Austin Bearse (arrived 1639) – possibly from Longstock near Stockridge in Hampshire, England.  In 1638, he sailed on the ship Confidence from Southampton, England to Boston.  He settled first in Plymouth.

Nathaniel Bacon (arrived 1639) – possibly from Stretton in Rutland, England. 

Anthony Annable (arrived 1640) – from Cambridgeshire, England. In 1623 he sailed on the ship Ann from London to Plymouth, Massachusetts.  He settled first in Scituate.

English Origins Unknown:

Deacon John Cooper (arrived October 1639) – settled first in Plymouth, and then Scituate.

Samuel Jackson (arrived October 1639) – sailed before 1637, and settled first in Plymouth, then Scituate.

Isaac Wells (arrived October 1639) – settled first in Scituate.

Mr. Thomas Huckins (arrived 1639) – sailed before 1637, and settled first in Boston, and then possibly Dorchester, Massachusetts. 

John Smith (arrived 1639/40).

Sources include:

Otis, A., Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families (1888)

Deyo S., History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1890)

Church Records, 1639-1853, West Parish Church of Barnstable, Mass, Congregational Library & Archives

This is a work in progress. 

If you have corrections to anything stated here please email us at BarnstableHistoricalSociety@gmail.com