Lieut. Richard Hitchcock

On 7 September 1636, "Rich[ard] Hitchcock" was assessed 1lb. 10s. in the Saco minister's rate."⁶

Richard Hitchcock, a resident of Saco, took the freeman's oath at Wells, York County, Maine,, on 5 July 1653.^7,8

On 7 February 1636/37, "Richard Hitchcock" appeared before Saco Court as plaintiff in a slander suit, and continued to visit the court as plaintiff or defendant regularly until 1671.⁹

Lieut. Richard Hitchcock held the following offices at Saco between 1640 and 1666:

• Petit jury, 8 September 1640, 21 October 1645, 30 June 1656, 26 July 1666, 13 November 1666.¹⁰
• Saco constable, 21 October 1645.¹¹
• "Appointed and authorized as a sergeant to exercise the soldiers at Saco" 7 September 1653.¹²
• Commissioner to end small causes, 29 June 1654, 6 July 1657, 4 July 1659.¹³
• Grand jury, 5 July 1658, 12 July 1658, 3 July 1660.¹⁴
• Selectman, 1659 to 1668.¹⁵
• Coroner's jury, 1 September 1660, 17 May 1661.¹⁶
• Deputy for Saco to Massachusetts Bay General Court (as "Mr. Rich[ard] Hitchcoke"), 30 May 1660.¹⁷ On 7 July 1663, "
• Rich[ard] Hitchcocke" was presented for "neglecting his office in not commanding the soldiers to their due exercise according to law for the space of two years."¹⁸
• Appointed lieutenant for Saco company, 18 July 1665.¹⁹

On or about 26 June 1654, "Richard Vines of Sacoe, gentleman," sold to "Rich[ard] Hitchcocke of Sacoe, planter, all that messuage or tenement, where he now dwelleth, with one hundred acres of land thereunto belonging."²⁰

On 12 July 1658, "whereas some complaints are made to this Court by Richard Hitchcocke, that his servant a small boy whom he hath kept this 5 years, will be now taken away from him by the boy's father, old Shaw, it is hereby ordered that the selectmen of the town of Sacoe shall bind out the boy aforesaid to Ric[hard] Hitchcocke according to law, having respect to the former agreement made between Ric[hard] Hitchcocke & the boy's father."²¹

On 22 July 1668, "William Phillips of Sacoe River" sold to "Mr. Rich[ar]d Hitchcock of the same place ... certain tracts & parcels of land as marsh & upland lying & being bounded as followeth, to say the house lot on which the said Hitchcock's house now stands ..., also ten acres of woodland ..., also a piece of marsh lying by Duck Pond ..., also a piece of marsh known by the name of Batten's Island, which the town of Sacoe gave me, also a tract of marsh & a neck of upland, lying on the west side of the Little River, in Cape Porpus bounds, which William Scadlocke formerly possessed."²²

Richard Hitchcock made a will on 6 June 1670 in which he mentions his wife, though not by name, as co-heir and executrix, and children Thomas, Jerusha, Lydia, Rebecca, Ann and Margaret.^2,23

The inventory of the estate of "Richard Hitchcocke deceased of the town of Sacoe," taken 20 September 1671, totalled 278lb., of which 107lb. 15s. was real estate: "a dwelling house & a corn field," 12lb; "57 acres of marsh," 90lb. 5s; and "310 acres of woodland," 15lb. 10s. It also included "books" valued at 1lb. 10s., "a gun" valued at 1lb. and "a sword & belt" valued at 1lb.²⁴ He was a planter.²

On 14 October 1714, "James Emery of Berwick ..., husbandman," sold to "my son," James Emery Junior ... four acres & half of salt marsh situate, lying & being at Winter Harbor being the middle part ..., also eight acres and half more of salt marsh on Casco Side in the middle part ..., also one-third part of one hundred and seventy-four acres of woodland ..., also one-third part of the houselot of Mr. Hitchcock's, the third part being five acres ..., also one-third part more of Rebeca Hitchcock's right, the third part being four acres & one-third salt marsh."²⁵