Humphrey ATHERTON (b. 1607, d. September 16, 1661)
Humphrey ATHERTON (son of Edmund ATHERTON and Mary RUDD) was born 1607 in Lancashire, Winwick, England, and died September 16, 1661 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts. He married Mary WALES, daughter of John WALES and Margaret HOBSON.
Notes for Humphrey ATHERTON: Soldier, Speaker Of Assembly, Comm. Of Mass. Colonial Forces
Good source: "Clement Topliff and his Descendents in Boston"
1 Came to America from England 8/17/1635 in the "James". He was an important military character in early New England. ------------------------ [From Alan Beeson] First mentioned in records, 18 March 1637, freeman, Deputy 2 May 1638. He was a magistrate, deputy governor, and active in the affairs of the United colonies, Major General. See Pope, "Pioneers of MA". Came to America in the "James". Returning fron a military review on Boston Commons, his horse stepped over a cow, he was thrown and died early the next morning. There were those who said the manner of his death was "judgement". Mary: surname not proven. Husband called brother-in-law Nathaniel Wales. [From John F. Chandler] Humphrey was buried in "1st burying place". A birthdate Oct. 1609 apparently based on a declared age at some point. Note that it is likely that his descendants moved to Chesterfield, NH. Many of these children are named "Humphrey" Atherton. He was of the English parrish Atherton (Leigh) and settled in Dorchester and Milton.
Humphrey Atherton, Maj. Gen'l b. 1609 Winwick, England, d. December 17, 1661 Boston, Massachusettes. He came to America on 'James' from Bristol 1635. Humphrey lived in Lancashire, England and Dorchester and Boston, MA. Admitted freeman at Dorchester May 2, 1638; member of artillery company 1638; Lt. 1645; Capt. 1650; Maj. 1652; Speaker of the House 1653; Maj. Gen. 1661. Tradition says death resulted from a fall when his horse stumbled over a cow lying in the road.
Humphrey Atherton (1609, Lancashire, Eng - 1661, Boston), prominent in Mass Bay Colony politics and military affairs, principal of Atherton Land Company in Naragansett area of Rhode Island.
Maj. Gen. Humphrey Atherton b. 1609 in England. Married Mary who died in 1672 in Dorchester, MA. Humphrey died on Sept.17, 1661 (accident while riding a horse). Both are buried in North Burying Ground, Dorchester. Humphrey Atherton is beleived to be the son of Edmund Atherton of Winstanley, in Lancashire, who was a descendant of Humphrey Atherton of Winstanley in the latter part of the fifteenth century. Humphrey in turn is believed to be the son of James Atherton. The immigrant Humphrey settled at Dorchester, MA. in 1635 and became Major General of the Military forces of the Massachusetts colony. He was the father of Jonathan, Catharine or Elizabeth, Isabel, Rest, Increase, Thankful, Hope, Mary, Margaret, Watching, Patience and Consider. Humphrey Atherton was born in the English Atherton castle. He came to America with his brother James Atherton whose date of birth is recorded as 1624. They came in the ship JAMES from Bristol, England". The Atherton brothers were two of the earliest settlers in MA. and prominent in Colonial and military life. Hundreds of Athertons living today are descended from Humphrey and James.
He came to America on the James from Bristol, England in 1635. He lived at Lancashire, England and Dorchester and Boston, Massachusetts. He was admitted Freeman at Dorchester May 2, 1638. A member of the artillery company 1638; Lt. 1645; Capt 1650; Maj. 1652; MajGen 1661. He was Speaker of the House in 1653. Tradiation says his death resulted from a fall when his horse stumbled over a cow lying in the road. Humphrey was married "when an infant".
Atherton, Maj. Gen. Humphrey, from Lancashire, England,to Boston, Mass., 1635, d. Sept. 17, 1661. A descendant of Robert de Atherton of the Manor of Atherton, England, 1199, and of Sir William Atherton, Knight, 1351. General Atherton was killed by a fall from his horse while returning home from a review of the troops on Boston Common. His gravestone is still standing in the North Burial Ground, Dorchester, Mass., and bears a drawn sword over the following inscription:
"Here lyes our Captaine, Major of Suffolk was withall, A Godly Magistrate was he and Major Generall, Two Troops of horse with him here came, Such worth his love did crave, Ten companies of Foot also marched mourning to his grave. Let all who read be sure to keep the Faith as he has done With Christ he lives now crowned;--his name was Humphrey Atherton."
He was born 1609 probably in Winwick, Lancashire, England, the son of Edmund and Mary (Rudd) Atherton. He married Mary Wales, 1627 in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was born 1610 in Idle, Yorkshire, England and died 17 Aug 1672 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Nathaniel and Susanna (Greenaway) Wales.
From Savage - N.E. Settlers, N.E. Vol. 1: Humphrey, Dorchester 1636, came, perhaps, from Preston in Lancash. where the name continues so late as 1780; was freeman 2 May 1638, Artillery Co. the same year and it's Captain 1650, often selectman, and representative nine years from 1638, but not success. yrs. and an Assist. chos. ann. 1654 to his death, and in 1656, succeeded Sedgwick, as Major Gen. He died 16 Sep. 1661, says the inscription printed in Alden's Epit. and as that was Monday, and prob. refers to the cause of his death thrown from his horse, on return from military rev. on Boston common by riding over a cow, I prefer to say 17 Sept. (a. one o'clock A.M. acc. the MS of John Hull's Diary). ( Savage - N.E. Settlers, N.E. Vol. 1)
Children of Humphrey ATHERTON and Mary WALES are:
+Thankful ATHERTON, b. April 28, 1644, Dorchester, Norfolk, Massachusetts, d. April 11, 1719, Dorchester, Norfolk, Massachusetts.
Humphrey ATHERTON (b. 1607, d. September 16, 1661)
Notes for Humphrey ATHERTON: