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- The Deposition of Richard Pettingall aged 47 testifyeth that JohnWebstercame to me of a Lords day before the sun was down & charged meand my sonto take charge of John Atkinson until he had occasion tocall for hi
Afterwards wee went to Mr. Thomas his house & John Atkinson proferredmrThomas that if mr Thomas wold pay him within one month what he owedtohim he shold have that Cagg of sturgeon which was now in John Kentsboatdelivered to him for his use at boston againe but mr Thomas woldnot.[Not signed.]
Testified at a meeting of the Commissioners for Small Causes inNewburySept. 4, 1667. [Essex Court Files XIII, 49.]
When giving testimony in the court at Hampton (now in NewHampshire),14(8) 1673, he deposed that he was "about 52 years old;" in1678, when hetook the oath of allegiance, he is said to have been"about 60." Thestatements were approximate, of course. His testimonyat Hampton was in atrial about the rights of certain heirs to GilesFuller's estate and was,viz.: "Rich. Pettingell aged about 52 yearssaith yt being very wellacquainted wth Giles Fuller of Hamptondeceased & wth Mr Fuller ofBastable doctor both in Old England & herein New England & both told meethey were of Kinn & ye sd Giles Fullerhave told mee in old England & nowthat Matth. Fuller doctor now ofBastable was ye nearest kinsman he had. "Sworn before ye County Court held att Hampton ye 14:8 mo. 1673asattested." Fuller is positively known to have come from TopcroftinNorfolk, England,(*) and it is the opinion of one of the Fullerfamilywho has investigated the problem that Pettingell came fromShottesham inthe same county. Elsewhere we present an article uponthis subject.
Richard was a resident of Salem before 1641, and must have been amemberof the church; for he was admitted to the freemanship of thecolony June2, 1641, a dignity to which none attained at that dateexcept members ofthe church, recommended by the minister of the place.He had a grant of alot of land -- 10 acres -- at "Enon" (afterwardWenham) in 1642, andremoved to that section, where he resided severalyears. He was receivedto the church there by letter from that of Salem4(6)1649. He witnessedthe will of Samuel Smith at Enon 10(5)1642.
Richard Pettingell was a man of weight of character, as thefollowingshows: [From the Salem Town Records.]
At a general towne meeting held the sevent day of the fifth month1644,ordered,--That twoe be appointed every Lords day to walke forthin thetime of Gods worshippe, to take notice of such as either lye athome, orin the fields wthout giving good account thereof, and to takethe namesof such psons, to present them to the magistrate, wherebythey may beaccordinglie pceeded against; the names of such as areordered to doethis service are: [here folows a list] on the seventhday RichardPettingell and John Ingersoll.
He again made a change of residence to a place further east,theplantation of Newbury, where he bought a tract of land April 8,1651,having sold his houses and lands in Wenham to Samuel Forster. Hemade hishome near what is now known as "The Upper Green," on the highroad, onthe right-hand side; part of the house is still standing(1900). The towngave him, in 1651, 14 acres of marsh in (*) N. E. H. G. Register, LV, 192.
consideration of his giving a right of way 4 rods wide through hisland,situated on what is now called Ocean avenue (formerly Rolfe'slane). In1661 Richard Pettingell and others were chosen grand jurymenfor theyear. In 1665 he was granted an island in Plum Island rivernear Sandybeach by a committee appointed by the town to settle thedispute betweenRichard Pettingell and John Emery regarding thedivision as laid out. Hewas one of those chosen in 1671 "for a Jury ofTryalls at Ipswich court."
July 15, 1695, in separate deeds, he conveyed certain houses and farmsinNewbury and other interests to his sons Samuel, Matthew, andNathaniel.He died shortly after, his wife having died two or threeyears before.
July the 21th: 1644 I Richard Ingerson of Salem in the County of Essex in New England,beingweake in body; but through Gods mercye in pfect
memorye, doe make this my last will & testament as followeth, Vidz:
I give to Ann my wife all my estate of lands, goods &chattells,whatsoever, except as followeth
viz:
I give to George Ingerson my son six acres of meddow lying in thegreatmeddow:
It. I give to Nathaniell my youngest son a percell of ground withalittle frame thereupon, which I bought of John Pe . . . but if thesaidNathaniell dy, without issue of his body lawfully begotten, thenthe landabovesaid to be equally shared, between John Ingerson my son &RichardPettingall & William Haines my sons in law:
It. I give to Bathsheba my youngest daughter two cowes.
It. I give to my daughter Alce Walcott, my house at Tow . . . withtenAcres of upland & the meddow after my wives decease.
RICHARD V INGERS his marke Witnes TOWNSEND BISHOP: I read this will to Richard Ingerson & he acknowledged it to be hiswil
JO: ENDECOTT Presented in Court upon oath: 2: 11 mo.: 1644 p. me Ralp ffogg. &AnnIngersoll made executrix:
this is a true copie compd with the originall on file in SalemCourtRecords atestes Hillyard Verin.
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