Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

GENEAIiOGIOAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. 463
which he professed. He was not a man of note, yet he was an
honest man and a good neighbor. It is unnatuial to suppose
that a man who sustained the character that Thomas Hatch did,
would have allowed his only son, and only daughter, to have been
exposed to temptations, as they were, if there had not been some
superior controling influence at home.
Of the family of Thomas Hatch little is known beside what
has been already stated. His childrenf were both probably born
in England. At his death in 1661 he was probably aged, not "a
young man." Of the time of the death of his widow Grace, I
find no record.
2. Jonathan, born about the year 1624.
3. Lydia, born about the year 1626, married Henry Taylor Dec.
19, 1650, and had a family.
He probably had other children, but none are named as surviving
in 1661.
Jonathan Hatch was a man of indomitable energy of character—no
difficulties discouraged him—no misfortunes swayed him
from his onward and determined course of life. He was a pioneer
in the march of civilization, and the history of his life, if
faithfully written, would present many points of romantic interest.
"The boy was the father of the man." At the early age of
fourteen, it appears that Jonathan was bound as an apprentice to
Lieut. Richard Davenport, of Salem. His father and mother and
sister removed to Yarmouth, leaving him among strangers, in a
strange land. Davenport was a soldier,—a man of impetuous
spirit, and Jonathan, after remaining with him two years, deserted
from his service and came to Boston, probably with the intention
of obtaining a passage by water to Yarmouth. Sept. 2, 1640, he
was arrested in Boston as a fugitive from service, and "was censured
to bee severely whiped, and for the present is committed
for a slave to Lieut. Davenport." [Mass. Rec] Whether
Jonathan escaped "the severe whipping," does not appear;
however that may be, it is certain that twenty severe whippings
would not have compelled a boy of bis spirit to have returned to
the servitude of Lieut. Davenport. He had legs and he made a
legitimate use of them, and they brought him safely to his father's
house in Yarmouth.
His troubles did not cease on his arrival at the Cape. Dec.
1, 1640, Capt. Nicholas Sympkins charged him with slandering
him. The result was, the Captain had a fine of forty shillings
tThe eTidence that Jonathan and Lydia were children of Thomas Hatch is not entirely
satisfactory. It rests on these facts : May 27, 1661, his widow Grace presented an inrentory
of his estate. March 3, 1662-3, Jonathan Hatch and Lydia, wife of Henry Taylor, were appointed
administrators on the estate of Thomas Hatch, deceased. They are not called his
children, but the presumption is that they were. It will be noticed that nearly three years
elapsed after the death of Thomas, before administrators were appointed. If Thomas had
been a brother of Jonathan and Lydia, they would have had a right to claim letters of administration
after the death of Grace. 1 name this as possible, not as probable.