Timothy Hatherly

     Timothy Hatherly was baptized on 29 September 1588 in Winkleigh, Devon, England.¹ He was the son of Robert Hatherly and Ellinor (—?—) (Hatherly).¹ He married Alice Collard on 26 December 1614 in St. Olave Southwark, Surrey, England.¹ He married Susan by 11 January 1634/35.¹ He married Lydia, widow of Nathaniel Tilden after 1641.¹ He died on 24 October 1666 in Scituate at age 78.¹
     
     Timothy Hatherly of St. Olave, Southwark, Surrey, was a feltmaker and London merchant. He first came to New England in 1623, but being more interested in trade than in settlement, he soon returned to England. He made annual trips to New England 1631 through 1634, settling permanently in New England in 1634. That same year he gave his sister Eglin Hatherly, a widow still living in England, five acres of land in Scituate, Plymouth Colony, and she arrived there with her two youngest daughters the following year. It is likely that her two oldest daughters came over with their uncle in 1634.

     Timothy first lived in Plymouth, then removed to Scituate. Reverend John Lothrop listed "Mr. Hatherlye's" house first among the nine that were already built when Lothrop arrived at Scituate "about [the] end of September 1634." He appears often in the Plymouth Colony land records, and many of the transactions were of a speculative nature.

     On 11 January 1634/5, "Mr. Hetherly and his wife" joined Scituate church as members #15 and #16. He was made a freeman of Plymouth Colony on 5 January 1635/36. He was Plymouth Colony Assistant, 1636-1637, 1639-58; Treasurer, 1640; Commissioner of the United Colonies, 1646, 1651. He was on the committee to "lay out the most convenientest way from Plymouth to Scittuate," 6 June 1654; committee to resolve dispute over church rate at Rehoboth, 8 June 1655; committee on the Kennebec trade, 5 March 1655/6; committee to revise colony laws, 3 June 1657. He was appointed to "administer marriage at Scittuate as occasion shall require," grant warrants and administer oaths, 2 October 1658, 7 June 1659, 13 June 1660, 10 June 1662, 1 June 1663. On 3 June 1652 the court "ordered Mr. Hatherley that he take course that the military company of Scittuate do train according to order this year, and that he see that some fit persons be joined with the constables of Scittuate, to take view of their ammunition, and to see that they have powder and shot according to order." He was a member of the "Council of war, 6 April 1653, 12 May 1653, 1 June 1658.¹ On 24 February 1640/41, "Tymothy Hatherley of Scituate of Scituate" deeded to "Egline Hanford of Scituate aforesaid five acres of land ... which land lyeth in Scituate on the north side of the Stony Brook the third lot from the brook"; annotated "This land was given to the said Egline Hanford the xxvijth day of September in the year Anno Domini 1634" (the year before her arrival).¹

     In his will, dated 20 December 1664 and proved 30 October 1666, Timothy Hatherly bequeathed to "my wife Lydia Hatherly my house I now dwell in with the rest of the housing ... with all the land I die possessed of during her natural life," also "my silver plate with all my pewter and brass that I do not otherwise dispose of by will," also "what moveables soever are in my parlor and parlor chamber ..., also all my linen ..., [also] my gray mare two cows and two oxen and my cart with all my wearing clothes"; to "Edward Jenkens his wife and children £12"; to "Nicholas Wade his wife and children £12 ... also one great brass kettle"; to "Sussanna the wife of William Brookes and her children £12 and acquit her of her first husband's debt to me, as also one copper kettle with three ears"; to "Timothy Foster £5 and to Elizabeth Foster £3"; to "Mr. Thomas Hanford" £10; to "Fear Robinson now the wife of Samuell Baker 40s. and to the other three children of Isacke Robinson John Isacke and Mercye" 40s. each; to "Lydia Garrett my wife's daughter three acres of land part of which her house stands on ... and £5 ... and likewise acquit all former accounts and reckonings between she and I from the beginning of the world to this day"; "to the four children of the said Lydia Garrett" 40s. at age twenty-one; to "Gorge Sutton his wife and children £5"; to "the wife of Will[i]am Bassett my wife's daughter £5"; to "the widow Preble my wife's daughter 50s."; to "Lydia Lapham an heifer worth 50s. or 50s. in goods"; to "Thomas Lapham 30s."; to "Stephen Tilden £5 to be paid when his service is expired"; to "Lydia Hatch the daughter of William Hatch" £8 at age twenty-one or marriage; residue to "my trusty and well-beloved friend Joseph Tildin" executor. Joseph Tilden, refusing to be executor of the estate of Timothy Hatherly, was on 31 October 1666 appointed to be adminstrator of the estate, and letters of administration were granted on 5 June 1667. The inventory of the personal estate of Timothy Hatherly was taken 9 November 1666 and totalled £224 12s. 8d., with no real estate included.¹