William Tilton [642]

  General Notes:

Married : 1630
Note - Great Britain his name may have been Digby de Tilton

This letter was written by G. H. Tilton who lived in Laconia, New
Hampshire to Sara Tilton from Darlington, S.C. The letter is dated 14
December 1915. The letter was attached to a mini ancestor listing that
was in my grandmother, Lillian's personal papers. Some simple editing was
done, for ease of reading. Mr Tilton writes: "I wrote you some days ago
that I would shortly send you the papers you wished for. I enclosed the
different generations from the settlement in this country and will
explain their history as well as possible. The first generation you will
notice was William Tilton and his wife, Susanna, who came from England
about the year 1640. Susanna, was undoubtedly his second wife. Our
records show that one of his sons, Peter, came to this country about 1639
and he came the next year to bring with him his son, John. He settled in
Lynn, Mass; was a strong man in the colony, giving much attention to
legal matters, but died in 1653, survived by his wife, Susanna, he had
three sons, Samuel, Abraham, and Daniel. Samuel was the original settler
of Martha's Vinyard Island, Mass. Abraham settled in Ipswich, Mass, while
Daniel settled in Hampton, N. H., This you will notice is the second
generation. Daniel was born in Lynn in 1646 and married Mehitabel Sanborn
December 23, 1669. From Daniel you would get your authority to join the
Society of Colonial Dames for he was a prominent man, was an officer in
the Colonial Army during King Philip's War and in defense of his home and
family he received the title of Ensign in the Colonial Army, was
Hampton's Representative in the New Hampshire Assenbly from 1690 to 1713,
was speaker of the Assembly in 1702. He was undoubtedly one of the ablest
men in New Hampshire's early history. His oldest son, the third
generation was Samuel Tilton, who was born February 14, 1675 in Hampton
and who married Meribah "Page" Shaw, January 7, 1703. He died in 1709 and
she in 1725. Their son Josiah, of the fourth generation was born April
10, 1709. His wife was Sarah Flanders, born November 6, 1710. I have not
the date of her death, but he died October 15, 1796. His son was the
famous Col Philip Tilton of the fifth generation, who was born April 21,
1741, and died January 26, 1835. His wife was Molly Bachelder, who was
born July 14, 1740 and died August 27, 1807. It is from this Molly that
you inherit your marvelous resemblance to the New Hampshire Bachelder
family which I noticed the first time I ever saw you and which Mrs Tilton
was so much surprised about when she saw you first. Their oldest son was
Nathaniel Tilton of the sixth generation, born in East Kingston, July 24,
1767 and died February 1841. His wife was Nancy Smith, born January 27,
1767, and died March 1846. He was dr. Nathaniel Tilton, a graduate of
Harvard and who in early life moved over into the state of Maine, a very
able man. His oldest son was Nathaniel Henry Tilton who according to your
record was born in the year 1800, but we have not the date of his death.
His wife Rebecca Wood, who died about 1850 is the one whose record you
are more familiar with than I am. Your grandfather told me when I met him
in Savannah one time that his father, Nathaniel Henry died I think in
Egypt while there as an officer of the United States Government in some
capacity. I presume we could find out from the records in Washington just
what it was. The eighth generation Sara Mills Tilton, which you would
have to fill out yourself, so you see you are of the tenth generation in
this country. Now concerning Col Philip Tilton, he was a Captain in John
Starks Regiment at the outbreak of the Revolution, afterwards served
during the Rhode Island compaign as adjutant has a very good
Revolutionary War record, but his title of Colonel was given him by the
State of New Hampshire, when he commanded one of the New Hampshire
regiments. From him you get your authority to join the Society of the
Daughters of Revolution , and from Daniel Tilton of Hampton, second
generation, you are entitled to membership in the Colonial Dames. Of the
first generation, William Tilton, we never have located for a certainity
in what part of England he resided before he moved to this country. There
are many traditions concerning his early life in England, but we have
very little for fact. He was a highly educated man as were his older sons
John and Peter. His eldest son John, after marrying in Lynn, moved to
what was know as Graves End and, Long Island, now Brooklyn, about
somwhere around 1650 and the records which he kept of the early
settlement of Graves End are said to be extremely fine as far as hand
writing and scholarship is concerned. We are not sure about the date of
his wifes death. After his death in 1653, she married Roger Shaw at
Cambridge, Mass and who was in some ways connected with the home
governments and they moved to Hampton, and settled there. After her
death, Daniel, the youngest son was cared for by his oldest brother
Samuel until he became of age. His history is a very interesting one. You
will notice that in the list I gave you that Nathaniel Henry Tilton of
the Seventh generation was the one who left New England for the South. In
one of my records, I find that he was said to have moved to the west, but
this undoubtedly was incorrect. He was as able a man as his father,
Nathaniel, he must have made himself a prominent man in South Carolina,
as was his son, your grandfather Nathaniel Octavius Tilton. I think from
this record that you will be able to establish your claims to the
different societies and you could fill out the papers yourself. If you
should need any court records, I can get from the Secretary of the State
of New Hampshire, official copies showing our statements to be correct.
The Coat of Arms of the Tilton's which you have written about, I have
never used. It was the Coat of Arms of the old English family which was
used at the time of the Crusades, but, as long as I am not able to make
direct connection with the Digby family, I have never used it. although
many of the Tilton families do it in this country. I think, though,
without proper authority. Should you want the Coat of Arms, I will see if
I can get it made for you in colors. I should have to have it done by one
who is familiar with that kind of work." Hoping these papers will reach
you and prove satisfactory, Very truly yours G. H. Tilton



A Genealogical Account of the Tilton Family Find Old Friends A
Genealogical Account of the Tilton Family This story was taken from the
'Exeter News-Letter,' Exeter , NH, Tuesday, January 29, 1839 A short time
before the death of the venerable Doct. Tilton of this town, his
attention was called to the genealogy of his family, and it's early
history. One of his relations has obligingly furnished us with the
following part, the results of his investigations. The notes are, of
course by another hand. Still other notes will be given hereafter . About
two centuries since, there emigrated to this then howling wilderness,
from the West of England, three brothers of the name of Tilton, viz.
Daniel, Jacob and Peter. They were Protestants, and left their native
land, in consequence of cruel persecutions, for religious opinions. They
were willing to undergo toil, suffering and peril, for conscience sake.
When they arrived on these shores, they found that the red men were the
chief proprietors of the soil, - but few Europeans having established
themselves in this inhospitable part of the globe. Daniel, the elder
brother, settled in Hampton; Jacob in Newbury, and Peter in Lynn, in
order to secure the advantages which might be derived from the salt
marshes and fisheries. The writer of this sketch is a lineal descendant
from Daniel, who resided for some years in Hampton, and married Mehitabel
Sanborn; but his family increasing, he afterwards bought a tract of land,
situated about four miles nearer to Exeter, called the Huggins location.
Here he built a house, and having several athletic sons, undertook to
clear and cultivate the land. But unfortunately the Indians became
hostile, and a sanguinary warfare commenced. Daniel Tilton, and the other
settlers were obliged to build a block house to protect them from their
designing enemies. The war lasted some time, and the whites found, great
difficulty in cultivating their land. They were in continual jeopardy of
their lives. Their families resided in the block house; and when it was
necessary to work at a distance from the garrison - This was the only
strong hold betwen Exeter and Hampton. The Indians claimed territory over
the whole country from the sea to Canada, and by force or fraud obtained
possession of many villages, as Haverhill, Concord, NH, Dover, and Saco.
Many of the whites were killed or carried into captivity; but when the
peace returned, the greater part were ransomed, and allowed to rejoin
their families or friends. During the war, to which I have alluded, there
was not a single settlement from Exeter to No.4- and from No.4. to
Canada, it was all a howling and desolate wilderness, inhabited only by
savages. But now, (in 1836), the inhabitants have multiplied to such a
degree, that in case of war, we could bring into the field more than one
hundred thousand men, well equipped, and armed for offence and defence.
The different tribes of savages have been driven back to unknown regions
and are almost extinct. Daniel Tilton, the author's great Grand father,
had five sons, viz. David, Joseph, Jethro, Abraham and Josiah.. At his
death he gave the old farm to David, Josiah and Joseph my Grandfather. He
settled Abraham in Strathom, and Jethro in Hampton Falls My Grandfather
died in 1744, age 68 years. He had three wives, viz. Mary Sherburne,
Widow Shaw and Widow Hilliard. He left four sons, viz. Sherburne, John,
Johathan and Joseph, by his first wife - and two sons, Daniel and Timothy
by his second wife. Daniel died young, and Timothy settled in Kingston.
My father, Johathan had one third of the Huggins location, where stood
the old Garrison (in which the author was born) until 1757, when it was
taken down and a new house built on the spot. I will now give some
account of the second brother, Jacob, who settled in Newbury. after the
tomahawk and scalping knifes were buried, he removed with his family to
Nantucket, with the exception of two of his sons, Daniel and Jacob, who
followed the occupation of farming and fishing; each of these men were
remarkable for atheletic powers, being upwards of six feet in height,
with large and muscular frames, roman noses, and nerves which never
trembled at the approach of danger. They came to New Hampshire, and
purchased a tract of land in New Market, on Swamscot river, which they
cleared of wood and converted into a good farm, where they lived and died
universally respected as good members of society. The family of Jacob
built a small vessel at Nantucket, and opened a trade with the
neighboring tribes of Indians, exchanging their coarse cloth for furs.
This traffic carried on in a very friendly manner for some time, when
some disputes and difficulties took place, which ended in an attempt on
the part of the indians to massacre them and despoil them of their
property. They attacked the trading vessel in a number of canoes, being
armed with their bows and arrows and war clubs. But were received with a
volley of fire arms which prevented them from carrying the vessel by
boarding. A fierce battle ensued, which lasted for three hours, and many
of the Indians were killed and wounded, and the remainder were compelled
to retreat. The party returned to their homes in Nantucket in safety.
Many of the descendants of Jacob are living in Nantucket and Martha's
Vineyard to this day. The third brother, Peter, I have already said
settled in Lynn. He purchased a tract of land on the road leading to
Nahant, and carried on the business of fishing and tilling the earth. He
was a man of wisdom and goodness, who prospered exceedingly in all his
undertakings and was much beloved. He was a zealous christian, was much
respected in the community, and exercised the duties of a Justice of the
Peace, being an active and impartial magistrate. A single incident will
give an i dea of his puritanical zeal, a zeal which was indeed
characteristic of the inhabitants of New England at that time. A young
man who had just returned from sea, on a fishing voyage, on proceeding
towards his home, met a young woman, his sweetheart, who was going to a
meeting. She was so delighted to met with her lover, and he was so
overcome with joy, that forgetting both the time and place, he pressed
her to his heart and kissed her. The fact came to the knowledge of the
severe magistrate, who was much scandalized at the indecorous act, and in
order to punish such warm manisfestations of affection from being common
on the Lord's day, he at the next morning sent for the gay man, and after
a severe reprimand for his conduct, he ordered him to pay a considerable
fine, or be seated in the public stocks for three hours. Peter lived to
an advanced age, and died in Lynn. The male descendants from this branch
are now almost extinct. But the rise of ground where he lived, continues
to be called Tilton's Hill. Jonathan Tilton the son of Joseph, and
Grandson of Daniel, was the father of Joseph the writer of this sketch.
He was born June 6, 1708, and died December 5, 1797, aged 90. He married
Magaret Shaw, and their union was blessed with nine sons, of whom two
died young. The others, viz. Daniel, Jacob, Caleb, Joseph, Josiah and
Peter, were all brought up to be farmers, with the exception of Joseph.
Daniel was born March 5, 1729 and died August 21, 1803. Jacob was born
May 17, 1734 and died Nov 7, 1776. Jonathan was born July 21, 1740 and
died July 6, 1816. Joseph was born Sept 26, 1744. Josiah was born March
18, 1747, and died April 13, 1828. Peter was born Dec. 2, 1750, and died
December 18, 1829. Note by the Editor Joseph Tilton, the author of the
above sketch, was born in Hampton Falls, as already stated in 1744. He
received such education as the times afforded, The advantages of schools
being then much less that at present. At the age of 16 he commenced the
study of medicine and surgery with Dr. A. Cutter, of Portsmouth, where he
remained until he was 21 years of age. At that time he married the
daughter of John Shackford of Portsmouth, and soon after removed to
Exeter and commenced the practice of medicine. Here he had much to
struggle with, his duties being excessively ardous, and his practice
extending to 13 towns within a few years after he located himself in
Exeter. He continued in practice for nearly 60 years, with the exception
of a short time during the revolutionary war, when he was absent one or
two cruises as surgeon of a privateer. He was always remarkable temporate
in his diet, using but little meat, and no ardent spirit. His
constitution which was weak and slender until he reached age of 40 years,
then grew more vigorous, and during the remainder of his life he enjoyed
uninterrupted good health, enjoying his mental and bodily faculties
remarkably well until a few years before his death, which took place in
January 1838, in the house in which he resided for sixty-eight years. He
left no male descendants.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence: M/Vineyard Island, Mass.

• Death, 1653, Lynn Essex Mass. his will inventoryed by his widow 1653 Lynn Esex Mass
Probate - 1653 Salem Quarterly Court Vol-3 Leaf-58
His surname may have been Digby De Tilton
Family History for the state of NH by Ezra S- Stearn Pueblo, Co Library

William married Susanna Tilton (Pecton) [645] [MRIN: 198]. (Susanna Tilton (Pecton) [645] was born in 1618 in Wolston England and died in 1654 in Hampton N.H.)