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View Tree for Hannah HawesHannah Hawes (b. 1600, d. 05 Apr 1658)

Hannah Hawes109, 110, 111 was born 1600 in Spaldhurst, Kent, England, and died 05 Apr 1658 in New Haven, CT112. She married (1) unknown Potter. She married (2) John Beecher on 1622 in England113, son of Willian Bechar and Judith Quarles.

 Includes NotesNotes for Hannah Hawes:
Hannah Beecher sailed from England with her son Isaac and was a widowat the time she left England. Husband John Beecher, one of the sevenwhom Eaton sent to New Haven in advance of the colony ,died before thecolony arrived. He did not survive the first winter. It isestablished that this ship load of people was rather wealthylandowners from Steldhurst County, Kent, England. Since the companywas rather young, it was felt that Hannah's services of midwife wouldbe greatly needed. She therefore was offered her husband's land rightin the new world if she would agree to go and fulfill this need, whichshe did.

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The will of Hannah Beecher was proved April 5, 1659 and is recorded infirst part, vol i., p 80 of New Haven Probate Records as follows:

"I Hannah Beecher of New Haven, expectying my great change do makethis my last will and testament, I bequeath my soul unto the hands ofmy Lord Jesus Christ by whose meritt I hope to be saved and my body tobe burried at the discretion of my Son William Potter my Executor.And for my worldly goods I give unto John Potter my Grand child twentyshillings and to Hannah Blackly, my Grand child twenty shillings to bepaid to them within three months after my decease. And for the restof my estate I give one third part to my son Isaac Beecher and twothirds to my eldest son William Potter, making him my Executor,desiring him to be as a father to his younger brother and hischildren. And in dividing my goods my will is that my son Williamshould have my feather bed with that belongeth to it, unto his partand that the rest be divided at the discretion of my Overseers withthe assistance of Sister Wakeman and sister Rutherford and I desire myloving friends Mr Mathew Gilbert and Job Wakeman to be overseers ofthis my last will whereunto I have set my hand this 13th day of June,Anno 1657.

Witnesses, the mark of
Mathew Gilbert, Hannah Becher
John Wakeman,
Sarah Rutherford.

This source also indicates that the inventory of Hannah's estatefollowing her death in 1659 amounted to 55 pounds, 5 shillings, and6d.

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Hannah (Potter) Beecher appears in early New Haven as a widow withsons: John Potter, William Potter, and Isaac Beecher. She has beenconsidered to be the mother of Isaac Beecher, for she calls him herson in her will and gave him one third of her property, but recentinvestigations (source unproven ) suggest that Isaac was a step son,the son of her second husband by a former wife. SEE NOTE ON ISAACBEECHER ENTRY.


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Note: There was in New Haven, says G.F. Tuttle, as early as 1641, awidow Hannah Potter, known as widow Potter the midwife. In 1643 shehad two persons in the family, thirty pounds estate and twenty and onequarter acres of land. She is called "sister Potter the midwife," inseating the meeting house in 1646. She is supposed to have been akinto the other Potters, but there is no record to show it. She hasoften been confounded with the widow Hannah Beecher, but the recordsclearly show that they were two different persons.

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Per "Families of Ancient New Haven", Hannah's surname was Hawes
Other sources indicate her to be Hannah Mead, father John Mead.

 Includes NotesMarriage Notes for Hannah Hawes and unknown Potter:
Son William Potter came to Massachusetts as an adult with his motherHannah, his wife Frances, and his son Joseph. They all arrived aboardthe "Abigail" in 1635 according to source. However, this informationis inconsistent with the arrival of Hannah and John and company in1637. Hannah arrived probably 1637/8.

More About Hannah Hawes and John Beecher:
Marriage: 1622, England.113

 Includes NotesMarriage Notes for Hannah Hawes and John Beecher:
RootsWeb, World Connect Project genealogy shows her to be Hannah Mead,having father John Mead. Same source shows marriage to John Beecherabout 1622.

Children of Hannah Hawes and unknown Potter are:
  1. John Potter, d. 1643.
  2. William Potter, b. Abt. 1608, d. 1662.

Children of Hannah Hawes and John Beecher are:
  1. +Isaac Beecher, b. 1623, Kent, England, d. 12 Nov 1690, New Haven, CT.
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