EDMUND ATHERTON 1576-1613

[Ancestral Link: Harold William Miller, son of Edward Emerson Miller, son of Anna Hull (Miller), daughter of William Hull, son of Anna Hyde (Hull), daughter of Mehitable Marvin (Hyde), daughter of Deborah Mather (Marvin), daughter of Samuel Mather, son of Richard Mather, son of Catherine Atherton (Mather), daughter of Humphrey Atherton, son of Edmund Atherton.]

Winstanley coalfield

Edmond and son Humphry macro history
Atherton, Edmund (*1575 - ) born in England died in Winstanley Hall, Manchester, England
Reporter Janiary 1881 p 67 "The Atherton Family in England" communicated by John C. J. Brown,Esq of Boston. "Inquisition taken at Wigan 18 January, 11th James-1613-14, before Edward Rigbye, Esq, Escheator, after the death of Edmund Atherton of Winstanley, by oath ofRobert Markland of Wigan, Gentelman, and the other jurors named in the previous inquisition, who say that the said Edmund was seised of a messuage in Billindge and 4 acres of arable land, 4 acrse of medow, and 6 acres of pasture thereto belonging, which are held of Richard Fleetwood, Knt and Bart, as his Barony of Newton, in free and common socage by fealty and a pepper-corn rent, nad are worth per annum (clear) 20s. Edmond Atherton died 10 April last (1613); Humphry Atherton, his son and next heir is aged at the time of taking theis inquisition 4 years and 3 months or thereabouts" QED born 18 October 1610. spouse: ----------child: Atherton, Humphry (1610 - 1661)
Atherton, Humphry (1610 - 1661) born 18 October 1610 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA died 6 September 1661 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
Father: Atherton, Edmund(*1575 - )
The Athertons descend from "Robert of Atherton, Shrieve (sheriff) of Lancaster, England in the time of King John. 1199 to 1226.31Jul16,5695; See Edmund Biography;He was Captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery in 1650, Selectman and Representative nine years from 1638; an assistant in 1657, and until his death. In 1658 he was senior commander of all New England colonial military forces. In 1656 he succeeded General Sedwick as Major General. [FN::FN]officiated as Deputy Governor on a number of wills, performed many marriages, acquired and disposed of land, was at the Narraganset war and peace, and several notes suggest his character may have lacked universal approval[CI:139:?2:CI]. Edward Johnson described the train band at Dorchester, headed by Cap6tain Humphry Atherton "with his stout and valient Lieutenant Clapes, strong for the truth"[ Roger Clapp[CI:168:?3:CI]]

spouse: Wales, Mary (*1610 - 1672) - married about 1629 in Preston, Lancashire, England ----------child: Atherton, Margaret (1638 - 1674)
Atherton, Margaret (1638 - 1674) born 30 April 1638 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts died 17 August 1674 in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Father: Atherton, Humphry (1610 - 1661)
Mother: Wales, Mary (*1610 - 1672)
Spouse: Trowbridge, James (1636 - 1717) - married 30 December 1659 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts
Child: Trowbridge, Margaret (1666 - 1710)
http://members.tripod.com/lsi_2/wga2.html

also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey_Atherton for more information.
Atherton had believed in witches and "felt it to be a duty which he owed to God and to his Country to mete out to the poor creatures, against whom accusations were brought, the punishment, which, in his opinion, they so richly merited."
Atherton was involved in the deaths of Mrs. Ann Hibbins and Mary Dyer, as well as others.
His death is recorded as, in part: he was returning home in the evening, near the place where they usually loosed the Quakers from the cart, after they had whipped them, his horse, suddenly frighted, threw him with such violence, that he instantly died; his eyes being dashed out of his head, and his brains coming out of his nose, his tongue hanging out at his mouth, and the blood running out at his ears: Being taken up and brought into the Courthouse, the place where he had been active in sentencing the innocent to death, his blood ran through the floor, exhibiting to the spectators a shocking instance of the Divine vengeance against a daring and hardened persecutor;
And the Quakers were almighty happy about it.
The man was a nasty bit of work, and came to a just and fitting end.
found on ancestry.com

Winstanley FreeholderIn 1600 the freeholders were James Bankes, Edmund Atherton, and James Winstanley of Blackley Hurst. (fn. 18) William Bankes and William Blackburne contributed to the subsidy of 1628. (fn. 19) William Bankes, Thomas Blackburne of Blackley Hurst, clerk, and the heirs of James Winstanley of Hough Wood, contributed in 1663. (fn. 20) A number of Winstanley Quakers were in 1670 convicted as 'Popish recusants,' two-thirds of their properties being sequestrated. (fn. 21) Thomas Marsh, John Buller, William Jameson, and Thomas Appleton, as 'papists,' registered estates here in 1717
From: 'Townships: Winstanley', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4 (1911), pp. 87-89. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41383 Date accessed: 22 April 2011.
found on ancestry.com

Edmund Atherton of Winstanley and Humphrey AthertonFamily Tree maker Edmund Atherton (died 10 April 1613)
Edmund Atherton was born in Winstanley, England, and died 10 April 1613 in Winstanley, England177. Notes for Edmund Atherton: References: NEHGS Register; Vol.35, pp67-72.Savage's Gen. Dictionary Vol. 1. p 73. The origin of the name is English, one who came from Atherton (Ethelhere's homestead) in Lancashire.Humphrey and James Atherton were the first of their name to come to this country from England. The following is an extract from "The Atherton Family in England" which traces the family from The town of Atherton, ten miles north-west of Manchester, where the family originated and Robert De Atherton lived in the time of King John, 1199-1216:"Inquisition taken at Wigan, 18 January, 11th James -1613-14, before Edward Rigbye, Esq., Escheator, after the death of Edmund Atherton of Winstanley, by oath of Robert Markland of Wigan, Gentlemen, and the other jurors named in the previous inquisition, who may say that the said Edmund, was seised of a messuage in Billindge and 4 acres of arable land, 4 acres of meadow and 6 acres of pasture thereto belonging, which are held of Richard Fleetwood, Knt. and Bart. as his Barony of Newton, in free and commonsocage by fealty and a pepper-corn rent, and are worth per annum ( clear) 20s.Edmund Atherton died 10 April last (1613); Humphrey Atherton, his son and next heir is aged at the time of taking this Inquisition 4 years and 3 months or there abouts."This Inquisition merely indicates the lands held under the semi-feudal system which prevailed over a great part of this country; he may have owned absolutely in Winstanley other real estate, and probably did, that town being designated as his home Both Billings and Winstanley were in the parish of Wigan. The town of Atherton is ten miles north-west of Manchester. Here the family originated with Robert De Atherton who lived in the time of King John 1199-1216. He was the Shreave, (High Sheriff) of the County, and held the Manor of Atherton of the Barons of Warrington. See The Atherton Family in England. NEHGS Register January 1881 for lineage.More About Edmund Atherton:Will: 18 January 1613/14, Winstanley, England.Children of Edmund Atherton are:
+Humphrey Atherton, born about 1610, Lancashire, England178, 179, d. 17 September 1661, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts180, 181
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/us ers/s/c/h/Beverly-J-Schonewolf/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0484.html
found on ancestry.com

Family HistoryFrom: http://www.stoughtonhistory.com/BIO-JAtherton.htm
One of the wealthiest portions of Lancashire is confined in the area bounded thus: Beginning at Liverpool, the southwest boundary of Lancashire, and following the coast line of the Irish Sea twenty miles north, we reach the river Ribble; from there going eastward fifteen miles, thence south to Manchester and down the river to Liverpool. This section is rich in coal-mines, quarries of useful stones, iron-works, and is the wealthiest cotton-manufacturing district in the world. Through the centre of this territory the Athertons for nearly one thousand years have had immense possessions, which were increased by marrying heiresses, until it became one of the richest families of the great commoners of England. In their manorial estate the town of Atherton lies ten miles northwest of Manchester; here the family originated, and Robert de Atherton (1) lived (1199-1216) as the shreve (high sheriff) of the county under King John, and held the manor of Atherton of the barons of Warrington. William de Atherton, his son, held the manors of A therton and Pennington (1251). (By intermarriage with the Derby family the title is now vested in that line.) William Atherton (3), of A therton (1312), had wife Agnes (1339), whose son Henry Atherton (4), of Atherton (1316-30), married Agnes (1387), and had for second son Sir William Atherton (5), of Atherton (1351), knight. He married, first, Jane, daughter of W illiam and sister of Sir Ralphe Woberly, knight; married, second, Margerie, a widow (1396). In the private chapel of the Athertons, in the parish church of Leigh, is a family vault, and the arms of the family hang there. As entered in the Visitation of S ir William Dugdale Norrey, King of Arms (1664-65), they are: Gules, three sparrowhawks, argent crest; a swan, argent, another crest; on a perch a hawk billed, proper. By first wife, William (5) had Sir William Atherton (6), knight; born 1381; died 1416; his wife was Agnes, sole daughter and heiress of Ralphe Vernon, Baron of Shipbroke. Their third child, Sir William Atherton (7), knight, married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Pilkinto, knight; by her had Margaret and Sir William Atherton (8), who married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Byron, knight, and died in 1441. Among their children was John Atherton (9), whose son George (10), born 1487, by first wife, Anne Ashton, had Sir John Atherton (11), knight, born 1514; died 1513; married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Alexander Ratcliffe, knight. This marriage was recorded in the Visitation of 1533, where the arms were also entered; he married, second, Margaret, daughter of Thomas Caterall. He was high sheriff under three sovereigns, in 1551, 1555, and 1561, and commander of the Military Hundred in 1553. Among his children was John (12), Esq., born 1556; high sheriff 1583, who was twice married; first, to Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Byron, knight; second, to Katherine, daughter and co-heiress of John, Lord Conyers, of Hornby Castle. By each wife he had a son John; the first John Atherton (13), of Atherton, who had John (14), died in 1646; married Eleanor, daughter of Sir Thomas Ireland, of Beansey, knight. They had numerous children; one John (15), high sheriff, died in 1655; the second,
John Atherton, of Skelton, was heir to his mother's large estate and title. We have thus far followed the line of heirship, the scions, all worthy representatives of the name, being found in different parts of the country. As the American branch deflected at this period, we have no need of further tracing the English family.
In 1613, Edmund Atherton did in Wigan, Lancashire, his son and next heir, Humphrey, being at this time four years old, thus giving his birth in 1608. This Humphrey is referred to by Mr. Brown in an article on "The Atherton family in England," "New England Historical and Genealogical Register," January, 1881, as perhaps being the identical Humphrey Atherton, major-general of Dorchester, progenitor of the American line. That they are different persons is clearly shown by the fact that Gen. Atherton was killed in 1661, when only thirty-six years old. The other Humphrey would have been fifty-three years old at this time. Humphrey Atherton, born in Lancashire, perhaps son of above, married Mary Wales, probably daughter of John Wales, of Idle, England, and, with three children, Jonathan, Isabel (married Nathaniel Wales, Jr.), and Elizabeth came in the ship "James" from Bristol to America in 1635. Rev. Richard Mather, in his journal of the voyage, names but few of the one hundred passengers, among them Nathaniel Wales, whose will was witnessed by Humphrey Atherton who was styled in it "loving brother-in-law." They settled in Dorchester. Humphrey was married when an infant. His first child was born when he was fourteen years old, and his wife thirteen. They had twelve children, those mentioned above and the following nine born in Dorchester: Consider, Mary, Margaret, Rest, Increase, Thankful, Hope, Watching, and Patience. Appleton's "American Encyclopaedia" says this of him, "Atherton, Humphrey , a military officer whose name is mentioned with much honor in the early annals of Massachusetts. He came from England about 1636, when he signed the covenant of the church of Dorchester. He was admitted as a freeman in 1638, and was deputy in the General Court from Dorchester for that year, and also in 1639-41, and in 1653, from Springfield, when he was chosen Speaker. The next year he was chosen assistant and soon after Major-General. He was much employed in negotiations with the Indians, and made use of his influence with them in a great purchase in the colony of Rhode Island. He died by a fall from his house, at Boston, September 17, 1661. The manner of his death is made matter of comment by Hubbard as one of the judgments of God." His wife died in 1672. In the old Dorchester cemetery is this epitaph:
" Here lies our Captain and Major of Suffolk was withall; A godly magistrate was he, and Major General; Two troop horse with him here comes, such worth his love did crave. Ten companies of foot also mourning march to his grave, Let all that read be sure to keep the faith as he has done With Christ he lives now around his name was Humphrey Atherton."
Consider (2 American gen.), son of Humphrey, married Anne Annably, December 14, 1671. His son Humphrey (3), had a son John (4), who became "deacon," and whose son John (5), married Mary, daughter of Rev. Jedediah Adams, the first settled pastor of Stoughton, where he ministered with great acceptability for many years (see "History of First Parish," on another page). They had nine children, John, Jedediah, Humphrey, Mary, Rachel, Elijah, Samuel, Mary, and Nathan. Samuel (6), born Sept. 19, 1784, was a man much esteemed, possessing good sterling qualities. He was a farmer, owning about eighty acres of the homestead of his father near Stoughton Centre, on which he was born and lived his long life of over ninety-two years. He married Feb. 28, 1811, Abigail, daughter of R alph and Abigail (Soran) Pope, of Stoughton. She came of an old New England family of repute, the first American ancestor, John Pope, coming about 1633 from the neighborhood of London, England, and settling in 1640 in "Dorchester New Grant," now Stoughton, the line being John (1), John (2), Ralph (3), Ralph(4) (a physician of great kindness and benevolence), Col. Frederick (5) (he was a justice, colonel, serving in 1756 with his regiment on the Canada frontier in the French and Indian war; was State representative from Stoughton. In the Revolution, when the summons came to take the field he was plowing. Taking the harness from his horse he at once made ready, and with his two eldest sons, Ralph and Samuel Ward, joined the army. He served in several campaigns, his sons acting as his aids. His third son, Alexander, then but sixteen, fulfilled faithfully the task of carrying on the farm and supporting the family), Ralph (6) (he was born in Stoughton, 1759, and died 1797. He served through the Revolution; married Abigail, daughter of Maj. Robert andRachel (Draper) Swan, born 1761, died 1852, aged ninety-one. Their daughter, Abigail (7), who married Samuel Atherton, was born in Stoughton, Massachusetts, December 5, 1785, dying March 19, 1868, aged eighty-two years, three and a half months). Samuel Atherton was of energetic temperament, cheerful disposition, eminently social, enjoying humor, and always ready with some bright remark, pointed with fun. He was honest, straightforward, prudent, saving, and perfectly just in all the relations of life. He had musical tastes, was a great singer, and when prevented sometimes from talking by an impediment (stammering) which afflicted him, he would sing clearly the words he wished to speak. He and his brother Nathan were among the originators of the "Stought on Musical Society." He was selectman in his younger days, and held other positions of trust. Although a great sufferer from rheumatism in his later years, he continued cheerful even to the time of his death. He was very fond of his brother, Nathan, four years his junior; they lived all their lives a few rods apart; both attained great age, and died within three months of each other; Nathan' s death occurring Nov. 13, 1876, at eighty-eight. A short time previous to his death, Nathan walked to and from church for morning service, a distance of two and a quarter miles.
Samuel was a successful farmer, and at one time the largest land-holder in town. He voted at every election from 1805 till 1876, when his last vote was cast for the Hayes electoral ticket. The children of Samuel and Abigail Atherton were six, -Mary (Mrs. William Belcher), Vashti (Mrs. James Swan), Samuel, Abigail (Mrs. Joseph Swan), James, and William. James Atherton (7) - Humphrey (1), Consider (2), Humphrey (3), John (4), John (5), Samuel (6) -was born on the homestead mentioned above May 6, 1819. He had common-school and academic education; remained with his father on the farm until he was of age, teaching, however, several terms of winter schools. He married, first, May 5, 1853, Phebe, daughter of John and Phebe Reed, born in Boston, February 9, 1831, died March 11, 1868. Her father was a civil officer of Boston for many years, and was strong, fearless, and uncompromising in the discharge of duty. His ancestors trace their origin through early New England to one of England's most honored families, dating from a period anteceding the Norman conquest by over a century, and which has, in each successive -generation, held places high in the counsels of royalty. After marriage, Mr. Atherton continued on the old place, and there began the manufacture of boots with his brother William, under the firm title of J. and W. Atherton. This firm continued in business some years, and was prosperous. It was finally merged with the firm of A therton, Stetson and Co., a solid Boston house, the Athertons being Samuel, James, and William. James' health not being robust, after his business energies had been rewarded with a sufficient competency, he retired from active labor. This was in 1867, his connection with Atherton, Stetson and Co. ceasing in 1861. About 1838 he removed to: the house now occupied by his sons. His children, all by his first wife, are James (8), born July 26, 1854; William (8), April 30, 1859; and Walter (8), March 18, 1863. Mr. Atherton married, second, Mary B. Marshall, of Boston, June 1, 1869. She died February 5, 1880. Always in delicate health, Mr. Atherton was a man of energy, and accomplished much. In early life he was fond of discussions, and took an active part in debating societies. He was a quick and ready speaker, a clear logician, and there showed the sound judgment which distinguished him in later life. He was a great reader, and kept abreast of the current of the world's affairs, and always liked to discuss matters of thought and moment. He engaged but little in public life, devoted himself wholly to his business, which rewarded his attention with a liberal competency. This was not obtained by any of the fraudulent devices so common in business life, but the motto, dated 1855, which, worn by long use, was found in his pocket-book after his death, furnishes the motive which actuated him through all life's changes, and is a better delineation of his character than any words of ours: "Do unto others as you would that others should do to you under like circumstances." He sympathized with the Universalist creed, attended its services, and was active and liberal in all church matters. He was systematic and orderly in all things. A good citizen, aiding much in building up the interests of Stoughton, his counsel was often sought in critical and important affairs. He was Whig and Republican in politics.
Source: D. Hamilton Hur, Hi story of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. (PPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, J. W. Lewis and Co., 1884), pgs. 415-417.
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