In 1689 Maj. Wm .Bradford having made some claim to all the territory comprehended within the limits of Taunton, the town paid him Ð20 for his alleged rights, and he gave a deed of release and confirmation, to
John Poole, William Harvey, Thomas Harvey, Sr., Thomas Harvey, Jr., and others, " pro-pritors" [See orginal deed in possession of the Old Colony Historical Society, Taunton.] William Harvey's death occureed at Taunton in the Summer of 1691. As the name of his wife is not mentioned in his will it is supposed that her death took place some time before. The following is a copy of his will taken from the Brisol county (Massachusetts) Probate Records, Book I., page 41 : "In ye Name of God Amen. I WILLIAM HARVEY, being growne to a considerable age through ye patience of God and now being sick and weake in Body though of sound memory & judgemt [sic] blessed be God Doe [sic] make & constitute this my last Will & Testamt [sic]. Impe. Doe commit my Soule to ye Lord Jesus Christ my Redeemer in hopes of acceptance thro free Grace & my Body to be Decently buryed by my Execr. in hopes of a joyfull Resurrection through Christ our Lord
--
Secondly to my son Thomas Harvey I give ye house and land he lives upon from ye River up to ye Highway & another parcell at ye higher end of my Land that runneth home to Joseph Willis Land bounded against my other lands by a samll white oake by yt [sic] side next ye Cart path on ye Swampe side by a Tree yt lyes along & so [sic] home to Joseph Willis his land. Also to Thomas I give three score acres of land lying by Three mile River Bridge. Also a Lott of meadow at Scaddin's should be about four acres. Also one half of my late fifty acre Division lying easterly from ye three mile River. All sd [sic] parcells of Land to be my son sd Thomas Harvey & his heirs and assigns forever. Thirdly to my son Jonathan the remiander of this my home lott at Towne with ye house thereon & Barne to Jonathan allso all my Land upland and meadow lying up by Three mile River on ye Easterly side thereof & a small parcell of meadow lying by Winnicunnitt Ponds, a small quantity of meadow lying at ye Brooke called Rumford Brooke with all my share of Land yt is called ye North Purchase. Also to Jonathan ye other half
of my late fifty acre Division.
Fourthly to ye chidlren of my son Joseph Harvey Deceased a parcell of land Lying at a place called ye streights being about eight acres more or less & another parcell of land being about nine acres more or less lying near a place called ye Wolfe pitt swamp the sd parcells to be equally Divided amongst the children of my son Joseph. Alsoe the meadow at ye west side of three mile River to ye sd children of my son Joseph.
Fifthly to Nathan Thare, Junr I give a parcell of land about or three acres lying at ye Norwest from ye meadow which we usually mow at three mile River.
Sixthly -- my comon Rights and all future Divisions to be my two Sons Thomas & Jonathan to be equally divided.
Seventhly all ye rest of my movable estate I give unto my Son Jonathan whom I Doe hereby Constitute ye sole Exectr of this my last Will & Testamt who is to receive any Debts due to me & to pay what is due
from me. In Witness hereof I ye sd William Harvey have hereunto sett my hand and Seal this twelfth Day of June sixteen hundred Ninety one.
Signed & sealed inWilliam Harvey
presence of us,
Joseph + Willis
his mark
Henry Hodges
Samuel Danforth
Source:William Harvey/Joan Hucker first proprietor of Taunton California 1639
Colket, Meredith B., Jr. Founders of Early American Families:
Emigrants... Cleveland: General Court of Order ..., 1975.
Thomas arrived in Massachusetts in 1636. Pg. 137.
William arrived in Massachusetts in 1636. Pg. 137.
Source:William, tanner, Taunton, 1639. Rem. to Boston. He m. 2 April, 1639, Joane Hucker of Cohannett; she was adm. with him to the chh. of Boston in 1643. His [second] wife, Martha was adm. chh. 16 FEB 1654. Ch. Abigail b. 25 FEB 1640, Thomas b. 13 OCT 1641, Experience, dau., b. 4/1/1644, Joseph b. 8 OCT 1645, William b. 27 AUG 1651, Thomas b. 16 AUG 1652, John b. 5 FEB 1654, Mary bapt. 2 JUN 1657.
He d. Aug. 15, 1658. Admin. gr. to widow Martha for herself and 4 young ch. April 28, 1659. [Reg. IX, 346.] The widow m. 10 NOV 1659, Henry Tewxbery.
Source:The Pioneers of Massachusetts
"William Harvey was probably quite a young man at the settlement of the town. He was married April 2, 1639, to Joane Hucker, the second recorded marriage in Cohannet. He was admitted a freeman in 1656, but strangely his name is not on the military list of 1643. His first home lot was on the easterly corner of the present Winter Street, fronting on Dear Street, and a strip two rods wide was sold to the town for the town Way, then called Hoar's Lane, since Winter Street. He was chosen constable in 1661, in 1662 one of the surveyors, and in 1664 a deputy to the General Court. From that time until 1690 there were but two or three years that he was not in office as a deputy or selectman, and often holding both offices the same year. No man in the town seems to have been more constantly trusted by his fellow townsmen with the responsibilities of public office. He died in 1691, leaving a will, in which he mention his sons Thomas, Jonathan, and Joseph, a deceased son, and Nathan Thare, Jr., who was the son probably of a deceased daughter."
Source:Source:History of Bristol County Massachusetts with Biographical
Sketches of many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. Compiled under the
supervision of D. Hamilton Hurd. Illustrated. Philadelphia J.W.Lewis &
County,1883