William was the emigrant ancestor of his family. He came to this country in the spring of 1635 on the ship "Elizabeth and Ann", out of London. He was a carpenter, 21 years of age. He was not indentured to any person, nor was it mentioned that he carried papers of recommendation from the Church of England.
The years 1629 through 1643, encompassed the time when the English were fleeing the reign of King Charles, many were wealthy. This 'mass migration' to New England was via the 'Winthrop Fleet'. Winthrop was the man given the papers that legalized the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Plymouth Colony was not blessed with such official papers. The original settlers of Plymouth were for the most part very poor and were labeled separtists'. They were not destined for New England when they left England but it is a popular belief by many people that the landing in New England by the Pilgrims was not a mistake on their part but was a deliberate move.
If William settled in the Mass Bay Colony, it was for a very short period, because on 24 MAR 1637, he purchased land of Richard Wright at Eele River in what was called the New Plymouth Colony. It is obvious he settled on this land because in June of 1638, he was part of a inquistion panel selected to investigate a death of a fellow citizen. This panel was comprised of 'honest and lawfull men' of the New Plymouth Colony. The inquistion from the Plymouth Colony records reads as follows:
Plymouth Colony Record - June 5, 1638:
An Inquisicon taken at New Plymouth aforesaid, at the General Court there held, the fift Day of June, in the Yeare of our Souraigne Lord, Charles, by the Grace of God of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland Kinge, Defendor of the Fayth, &c., the fourteenth.
Before: Thomas Prince, gent, Gounor William Bradford, Captaine Miles Standish, John Alden, John Atwood & John Browne
Gentlemen, and Assistants of the Goument aforesaid. Whereby it is manefest and appeareth by the oathes of John Done, John Barnes, Nicholas Snow, Richard Burne, Richard Sparrow, Giles Ricards, Josias Cooke, Anthony Snow, William Hiller, Richard Clough, Willm Fallowell, Thomas Atkinson, Richard Wright, John Smaley, Walter Horton, & John Wood, honest and lawfull men of the colony aforesaid, who being sworne, and charged vpon the view taken of the body of John England, found dead vpon the flatts of the shores of Plymouth aforesaid, dilligently to enquire how the said John England came to his death, vpon their oath aforesaid, doe say that the said John England, sayleing in a canow of Mr Thomas Burnes betwixt Greenes Harbor and Plymouth aforesaid, by reason of the insufficiency of the said canow, to make way in stormy weather, was ouer sett, and so the said John England was drowned. And so they say all that the said cannow was the cause of the death of the said John England, and do fynd the said cannow to be forfaited to our souaigne lord the Kinge, and doe apprise it at tenn shillings sterl and haue committed the same to the keeping of the go–ment of new Plymouth aforesaid. In witnesse whereof they haue herevnto put their hands, the day & yeare first aboue written, 1638.
The next appearance is ten months later when William apparently has performed some act without the required license for which he is taken before the court by Richard Clough (of Eele River). The record indicates that William Hiller was to appeare at the next General Court but I could not find this appearance. The Plymouth County Record reads as follows:
Plymouth Court Record - March 12, 1638/9:
Willm Hiller, of Plym, carpentr, acknowledgeth to owe the King, &c, . . . . . The condicon that the said Wilm Hiller shall keepe the peace towards our souaigne lord the King, and all his leigh people, and especially towards Richard Clough, and appeare at the next Genall Court to be holden for our sd souaigne lord the King for this gount, & not dept the same without lycence; that then, &c.
The next record found on William reports his sale of a parcell of land in Eele River, undoubtedly to have assets for the series of agreements and land purchases that follow one day later.
Plymouth Colony Record - November 6, 1639
Memorand that Willm Hiller for and in consideracon of the sume of foure pounds sterl and twenty bushells of Indian Corne in hand payd by Marke Mendloue hath freely and absolutely sould vnto the said Marke Mendloue all those his fiue acrees of lands be it more or lesse lying at the Eele Riuer betweene the lands of Willm Dennis and Thomas Clark which the said Willm hath lately bought of Richard Wright and all his right title & interrest of & into the same wth the fence about yt and all & singuler the prmisss therevnto belonging To haue and to hold the said fiue acrees of lands and all and singuler thapprtencs therevnto belonging vnto the said Marke Mendloue his heires and Assignes foreur– to the onely pp use and behoofe of him the said Marke Mendloue his heires and Assignes foreur.
The next few appearances of William in the records show that he would soon, if not already, reside in the Town of Duxbury in the Plymouth Colony. Duxbury was the location where the original pilgrims were given land grants after their seven years servitude to the "Merchants Adventurer's" was over. The pilgrims started to 'improve' their land in Duxbury as early as 1629 but they were required to return to Plymouth during the winter months in order to support the church. Duxbury became incorporated as a town in 1637. Some of the famous pilgrims who settled in Duxbury were John Alden, Miles Standish, George Soule, Alice Southworth, Governor Bradford and Jonathan Brewester, to mention a few. These next few appearances in the records are interesting in that they show the agreement between the Town of Duxbury and the partnership of William Hiller and George Pollard who agree to build and operate the first grist mill for the people of the Town of Duxbury on condition of certain guarantees and promises of land from the town. These records read as follows:
Plymouth Court Record - November 7, 1639:
At a genall Townes meeting holden by the Inhabitants of the Towne of Duxborrow vpon the seauenth day of November in the year of our Lord God 1639 for the making of such lawes and orders as should be thought good and beneficiall for the said Towne of Duxborrow, It was agreed as followeth. viz,
Imprimis It is couenanted and agreed of betweene Georg Pollard late inhabitant of the Towne of Stokeclere in the Realme of England yeoman and Willm Hiller of the Towne of New Plym Carpenter of the one pte and the Inhabitants of the Towne of Duxborrow of the other pte in manner following To witt the said George Pollard and Willm Hiller is at their owne pper cost and charges to build frame and set vp one sufficient water Milne to grind Corne on both English & Indion, within the terme of one whole yeare next after the date hereof. As also stampers to beate Indian Corne at, as speedyly as possible they cann. And that they parties aforesaid are to build the said Milne and Stampers vpon a certain brooke comonly called or knowne by the name of Stony brooke lying by the house of Phillip Delanoy In consideracon whereof we the Inhabitants of the Towne of Duxborrow do bynd our selues to the aboue said pties as followeth.
Imprimis That no other Millne shalbe set up or erected within our Towne limmitts alwayes prouided that the foresaid pties at their Millne be able well & sufficiently to grind all the Corne of thaforesaid Inhabitants of the Towne of Duxborrow in tyme convenyent.
2ly Wee the Inhabitants of the Towne of Duxborrow do pmise to vse all our best endeavours to pcure all the Comon lands that lyeth vpon the north side of the said brooke vndisposed of next to the place where the said Milne shall stand, as also that meddow land that lyeth next to yt.
3ly Wee the Inhabitants aforesaid do pmise to do our best endeavours to pcure the lands of John Irish and Henry Wallis, and to pcure them lands elswhere in exchange or ortherwise, but if said parties will not so exchaung, that then the said Georg Pollerd and Willm Hiller may if they can pcure the said lands either by purchase or otherwise of the owners thereof That wee the said Inhabits do pmise to giue vnto the said parties the sum of six pounds towards the purchase of the same.
4ly Wee pmise to help the said Georg Pollerd & Willm Hiller to land both meddow and arrable in some place further of from the Towne of Duxborrow for their use, when their stocks of cattell shall require the same, as we shall allow to other of our townes man and neighbours.
And also that the said pties are to take a pottle of Corne for grinding euery bushell that shall be brought vnto them and no more. ffurther and lastly It is couenanted graunted and agreed vpon betwixt the Inhabitants of the Towne of Duxborrow and pties aboue said That the said Georg Pollard & Willm Hiller shall haue hold occupie use & ymploy the said Milne, together with all and euery the seuall priuiledges prorogatiues benefits immunities and appurtences whatsoeur before specifyed in this present writing To haue and to hold the same to them their heires executers and Assignes foreur Dated the seauenth day of November in the fifteenth yeare of the now Raigne of King Charles King of England Scotland ffranc & Ireland Defendor of the fayth &c Anno Dni 1639.
Subscribed by
Wm Collier
Jonathan Brewster
Christopher Waddesworth
Miles Standish
Plymouth Court Record - May 5, 1640:
Vpon report made to the Court by Mr Willm Collyer, Capt Standish & Mr John Browne, (who were appoynted to take a view of the water passage desired to be turned to the milne to be erected at Stony Brooke, in Duxborrow, for the good & benefit of the said towne of Duxborrow) that the same will not be any way prejudiciall to any man, the Court doth graunt that Willm Hiller and Georg Pollerd shall haue liberty to turne that part of the said streame so viewed vnto the said milne.
Plymouth Colony Record - April 6, 1640:
Willm Hiller & George Pollerd are granted a pporcon of land containing about fourty acres, be it more or less, abutting vpon the Stony Brooke, in Duxborrow, & lying on the north side thereof; to be viewed and layd forth for them by Mr Collyer, Jonathan Brewster, & Wm Bassett, which was bounded thus, viz: lying on the south side of a swampe aboue the homesteads on Stony Brooke, or the Milne Brooke, from a marked tree on the north side of the said swamp to another marked tree south & by west along the said riuer side, in breadth containing 80 pole, and in length to another marked tree, west south west, runing to a pcell of land graunted to John washborne, thelder, on thone side of the said land, & on thother side to runn all along by the said swamp as the marked tres are marked on the north side thereof, runing to the head of the said swampe, then from other marked trees to an arme at Greens harbour Brooke; and also all the meddow land that lyeth before the said land vppon the said Stony Brooke on that side the brooke.
Plymouth Colony Record - July 6, 1640:
Willm Hiller & Georg Pollerd are graunted a pcell of vpland by the heigh way at the Stony Brooke, in Duxborrow, containeing by estimacon three or foure acrees or there abouts, to set the mille vpon, puided that there be a sufficient way left & layd forth; and likewise haue liberty graunted to mowe the two acrees of marsh meddow lying betwixt Rowlands Leighorns & Edmond Chaundlers marsh. The said lands lye betwixt John Irish & John Caruers meadsteads, with a pcell of comon land, lying from the said John Irish marked trees & Edward Bumpasse meddow land lying vpon the said brooke.
The mill was a wooden frame building, and William Hiller mortgaged his half of the mill to pay Robert Carver, for the planks. This mortgage was apparently sold to Nathaniel Sowther and eventually paid off. The only records I could find were 1) a court order relative to the agreement between William and Robert Carver and 2) the transfer of the mortgage reads as follows:
Plymouth Colony Record - August 2, 1642:
The differrence betwixt Robte Caruer & Willm Hiller, about the payment of the corne, the Court doth order that the corne shalbe valued by two men chosen by either pt; & if they cannot agree, then they two to choose a third man to apprise yt as corne will then passe when it is payable.
Plymouth Colony Record - August 2, 1642:
Memorand That Willm Hiller doth acknowledg That for and in consideracon That Nathaniell Sowther of Plym is bound with the said Willm Hiller and for his pper debt in the sum of xxviijl for the payment of fourteene pounds sterl in merchantable Corne at certaine dayes menconed in a writing beareing date the last day of May 1642 vnto Robert Carver made betweene the said Robert Carver and the said Willm Hiller Hath (for the securing discharging and saueing harmelesse the said Nathaniell Sowther his heires Executers & Administraters & euery of them of and concerning the said debt) freely & absolutely bargained and sold assigned and mortgaged all that his moyitie of the milne in Duxborrow with all and singuler the prmisss & pfitts therevnto belonging and all his Right and interrest of and into the same & every pt thereof To haue and to hold the said moyitie of the said milne & all thapptencs therevnto belonging vnto the said Nathaniell Sowther his heires and Assignes foreuer to the only pper use and behoofe of him the said Nathaniell Sowther his heires and Assignes for euer. Prouided alwayes That if the said Willm Hiller do from tyme to tyme and at all tymes well & sufficiently saue and keep harmelesse the said Nathaniell Sowther his heires Executers & Administraters and eurey of them concerning the said debt & payments and do well and truly satisfye the said payments as they shall grow due and payable, That then the bargaine & sale aforesd to be voyd or els remayne in full force strengh & vertue.
The mortgage was paid off which indicates a successful mill operation. Although the mill was successful for the builders and the investors, it was not always satisfactory to the customers and employees. A Town Order was issued which reminded the miller to "Keep his Mortars clean and the Dogs from out his milne." Also a court order was issued as follows:
Plymouth Colony Record - January 5, 1640/41:
It is ordered by the Court, that Willm Hiller shall pay vnto John Holmes, the messenger, liijs iiijd in corne, for his man wages.
Very few Duxbury Town records survive, if at all they ever existed, for the period prior to 1660. The following record was found as one of many in an apparent attempt by the town to recover from the missing or non-existant records.
Duxbury Town Record - 1684:
The Bounds of the upland lands, formerly granted to William Hilier and George Pollard, and now in possession of Samuel West, is as followeth, viz, Lying on the south side of a swamp, and the west side of the Stony or Mill brook, running up said brooke from the north side of said swamp, south and by west, Eighty poles for the breadth, and to a red oak tree marked with stones, from thence by trees marked running west south west to a white oak tree marked, for the corner bound, from thence by trees marked with heaps of stones by them, ranging to a white oak marked, by Green's Harbour brook, with a heap of stones by it, and from said tree, running eastwardly upon a straight line to a red oak tree marked, at the head of aforesaid swamp, and so running a long said swamp on the north side to the homestead, or house lots, with all the meadow land on the north side of said brook lying before the land. -
John Wadsworth
John Soule
John Tracy.
In 1644 William bought a parcell of land, consisting of ten acres of upland and two acres of meadow, from Robert Mendame through a third party, Thomas Clarke, of Eele River. This humorous record reads as follows:
Plymouth Colony Record - November 5, 1644:
Whereas there was a suite comenced by Arthur Howland against Robte Mendame for the sum of six pounds, for goods which the said Robte Mendams wyfe brought for the said Arthur Howland out of England, and did not deli– them, but sould them, and conurted the money to her owne use, as was proued in the Court; and whereas the said Robte Mendame hath authorized Thomas Clarke, of the Eele Riuer, to sell a pcell of land that said Robte Mendam hath at Duxborrow, viz, tenn acrees of vpland, and two acrees of meddow, the which the said Thomas Clarke had pformed for him, and made sale thereof vnto Willm Hiller, of Duxborrow, for one Dutch cowe, valued at six pounds, and hath confirmed the same vnto the said Wilm Hiller, his heires and assignes foreur, by quiet and peaceable liuery and seisen by twigg & turffe of the pmisses, as appeareth by the oathes of Phillip Delanoy and Thomas Chillingsworth, the same being donn in their psence; and that the said Arthur Howland comenced his suite as aforesaid by attaching the said cowe; and vpon tryall the jury found the six pounds due to the said pltiff Howland, and the charges of the suite. The Court hath, therefore, graunted judgnt and execucon vpon the said cowe for the said pltiff Howland, and do order and confirme the said lands, viz, the tenn acrees of vpland, & two acrees of meddow, with their appurtences, to be and remayne vnto the said Willm Hiller, his heires and assigns fore–, according to the said bargaine and sale made thereof vnto him by Thomas Clarke: to haue and to hold the said tenn acrees of vpland and two acrees of meddow, with their appurtencs, vnto the said Willm Hiller, his heires and assigns foreur, and to their onely pper use and behoofe foreur, prouided it shalbe lawfull for the said Robt Mendam to bringe the suite about againe at any tyme within a yeare and a day now next ensuing if he please.
The next appearance is when William sells the upland parcell of land that he bought from Robert Mendame.
Plymouth Colony Record - June 12, 1645:
Memorand That Willm Hiller of Duxborrow Carpenter doth acknowledge that for and in consideracon of the sum of fourty shillinges to him in hand payd by Willm ffoard of the same Miller wherewth he doth acknowledg himself fully satisfyed & payd Hath freely and absolutely bargained and sold vnto the said Willm ffoard all that pcell of vpland lying on Duxborrow side of the west side of the heigh way leading from Plymouth to Duxborrow mill pcell of the lands lately purchased of Robert Mendame contayneing by estimacon nine acrees be it more or lesse all his Right title and interrest of and into the said prmisss wth all and singuler thapprtences therevnto belonging to Haue and to hold the said nine acrees of vpland be it more or lesse wth thapprtences vnto the said Willm ffoard his heires and Assignes for euer to the onely pp use and behoofe of him the said Willm ffoard his heires and Assignes for euer.
In August of 1643, William Hillier was on a list of eighty Duxbury men submitted to the Court, who were between the ages of sixteen and sixty and able to bear arms in the Indian wars. It is not known if William was ever called to serve.
Plymouth Colony Record - November 10, 1646:
Anno 1646. The .10. of Nouember William Hillier of Duxburie Carpenter came before the Gour and acknowledged ye sale of his house & lands and all ye purtenances belonging to all, or any parte of ye same. And his halfe of ye mille at Duxburie with all ye appurtenances thervnto belonging, or any way appertaineing to ye same, and his parte of all those lands and meadows, that any way belongs to ye same being in partnership betweene Georg Pollerd, and him; To Constant Southworth of Duxburie aforesaid to him & his heires for euer, as appears more at large in the writing following. These presents doe witnes that William Hillier of Duxburie Carpenter, for & in consideration of ye sume of threeskore pounds sterling to be payed by Constante Southworth of Duxburie planter in maner & forme following, that is to say thirtie pounds in hand twenty pounds of ye said thirtie in money or beauer, and the other tenn pound in Cattle. And the other thirtie pounds in wheat by ten pounds a year, in three seuerall payments, viz. tenn pounds the twenty of october .1647. And ten pounds ye .20. of ye afforsaid month Anno .1648. and the other .10 li. at ye same day Ano: 1649. All which three payments are to be made at Boston in ye Massachusett Bay, as the price goes commonly betweene man & man. Hath freely and absolutly barganed & sould, and by these presents doth bargaine and sell vnto the said Constante Southworth all that right and title which he hath vnto the mille at Duxburie standing vpon Stonie riuer being in partnership betweene him and Georg Pollerd late of Duxbury affore said, that is to say the on halfe therof, and all & all manner of things thervnto belonging, with all the rights, & Interests which he hath, or euer had, or may haue vnto the same and all that parcell of land wher the mille stands being thre or foure acres or ther abouts, with tow acres of meadow be it more or less, lying betweene Rowland leighorns and Edmond Chanlers march, with fortie acres of land be it more or less, abutting vpon Stonie broke in Duxburie, & lying on ye north side thereof, thus bounded, viz. lying on the south side of a swampe, aboue ye home steads on x y brooke, or the mill brook, from a marked tree on ye north side of x said swampe to an other marked tree west southwest, runing to x parcell of land granted to John Washburne ye elder on ye one side of, x land and on ye other side to rune all along by the said swampe as xked trees are marked on ye north side therof, runing to the head of ye said swampe, and then from other marked trees to an arme of greens harbor brooke, and also all ye meadowe lands that lyeth before ye said land vpon ye said Stony brooke, on yt side the brooke. Also ten acres of vpland lying on ye north side of Stony brooke, and on ye east side of ye lands of ye said William Hillier & georg Pollarde, with tow acres of march meadow adjoyning to ye said vpland, with all & singuler the appurtenances ther vnto belonging. And also ten acres of vpland, & one acre of meadow (which the said William & Georg bought of Rowland Leighorne) as it stands bounded vpon recorde, To haue and to hold the said halfe of the mill, and all the halfe of all ye afforesaid vpland & meadows, and all the housing, fences, and all & all maner of appurtenances belonging to any part & parcell therof. vnto the said Constant Southworth his heires and asignes for euer, and to the only proper vse & behoofe of him the said Constante Southworth his heirs and asignes for euer, and with warranties against all people from, by, or vnder him claiming any right, title or Interest of and into the said premisses, or any part therof. Also the said Constante is to be freed from all acconts, reckonings, or charges, aboute ye mille or any of the premises, in partnership betweene ye said William Hillier and Georg Pollard, by the said William, any way acrewing before the day of date herof; prouided notwithstanding it shall be free and lawfull for ye said William to demande satisfaction of the said George Pollerd or his Assignes for any charg he hath been at before the making of this bargane about ye mille, so as ye said Constante be no way charged, or molested aboute ye same. Also one dwelling house with a barne & all other out housing and three acres of land, with garden fences & all, and all maner of appurtenances ther vnto belonging, and also a parcell of vpland lying on ye east side of ye comone hige way and .2. acers of meadow thervnto belonging be it more or less, which ye said William bougte, belonging some time to Robart Mendame. All which dwelling house, barne, out-housing lands fences and ye apurtenances being his owne proper, and no way belonging to ye afforsaid partnership, he for ye afforsaid consideration before expresed, hath freely, and absolutly bargained & sould, and by these presents doth bargaine and sell vnto ye said Constante Southworth, all that his dwelling house barne garden & lands afforsaid with all & singuler ye premises, & apurtenances, to haue and to hold, to the only behofe & proper vse of him, his heires and assignes for euer, with warrenty as aboue said. In witnes wherof the said William Hilliard hath put too his hand to these presents, before ye Gour this .10. of Nouember Ano: Dom. 1646.
In ye presence of Wittnes hereof
Myles Standish
Thomas Southworth
And Captaine Standish gaue in a certificate at ye same time, yt the wife of ye said William Hillier, before him gaue her free consent to ye sale of all ye premises aboue said. William Hillar
Constant Southworth, son of Alice Carpenter Southworth who married Governor Bradford, moved to a house included in the purchase, a house on the so-called Crab Island. Three generations of Southworths ran the grist mill. Below is a portion of a panoramic picture taken of the property in about 1890-1899.The buildings were destroyed as a prank by teen-age boys on 4 JUL 1900. The fact that there ever was a grist mill is now indicated by the presense of a permant memorial located on the main land.
The next record is why historians were unable to determine the maiden name of William Hiller's wife. The record is as follows and as you can see nothing was recorded. It was like the recorder was going to enter the information at a later date and simply forgot.
Plymouth Court Record - 1640:
Georg Pidcock & Sarah Ricard marryed the xvjth May, 1640.
John Mynard & Mary Starr marryed.
William Fallowell & Martha Beels marryed.
Benjamin Noye and Katherne Tupper marryed the xixth October, 1640.
Willm Hiller and
William Nelson and Martha Forde marryed the xxixth of Octobr, 1640.
From the above record it can be seen that William married his wife in Duxbury between 19 OCT 1640 and 29 OCT 1640. No records show her surname but her Christian name is believed to be Hester, or Esther. A search of known residents of Duxbury in 1640 failed to reveal any possible 'Esther'. Since the births of their daughters, Esther and Mary, were recorded in Boston and it is known the family lived in Duxbury, possibly Esther went home to her parents to have the babies. The birth record of the son William could not be located.
The next appearance of the family is in Hingham 25 JUN 1655 when on that date in Hingham a William, Esther, and Mary Hilliard were baptized by Rev. Peter Hobart. I believe that it was the three children who were baptized because baptism of either or both of the parents would leave somebody out; either the child Esther or the mother Hester and it is more logical in my mind that the parents were not baptized at this time, especially since of the four other persons baptized on that day at least three and probably all four were children or youths. These other four persons were as follows:
1. Hannah Sprague, tenth child of this family baptized by Rev. Hobart starting in the year 1638.
2. Ephraim Foulshom (Folsom), seventh child of this family bapt. by Rev. Hobart starting in year 1641.
3. Simon Burr, prob. a teenager. The records show that he does not have children for ten years.
4. Hannah Burr, probably the sister of Simon.
The History of Hingham publication states that the family lived in an area called Liberty Plain, but I could find nothing in the Hingham records concerning either William or Hester, not even a record of their death. The marriages of William, Esther and Mary and the subsequent births of their children are in those records.
He was married to Esther in OCT 1640 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., MA. William Hillard and Esther had the following children:
+2 i. William Hillard.
+3 ii. Esther Hillard.
4 iii. Mary Hillard was born on 6 JUN 1644 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA. She was baptized on 25 JUN 1655 in Hingham, Plymouth Co., MA. She died on 14 SEP 1689 in Hingham, Plymouth Co., MA.