Christopher Hussey (died 1686)

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Christopher Hussey
Member of the Massachusetts General Court representing Hampton
In office
1658–1660
Preceded byRobert Page
Succeeded byWilliam Fuller
In office
1672–1672
Preceded bySamuel Dalton
Succeeded bySamuel Dalton
Personal details
Born1599 (1599)
Dorking, Surrey, England
Died1686 (aged 86–87)
Hampton, New Hampshire, British America
OccupationColonial official, Landowner
Known for
Initial settler in New England

Captain Christopher Hussey (1599–1686) was a moderate English Puritan colonial official and initial settler of Hampton, New Hampshire and Nantucket in New England. He served mostly in town positions, but was appointed by the Crown to be a member of the New Hampshire Executive Council in 1679. He was also a deacon of the First Congregational Church in Hampton, serving under his father-in-law Stephen Bachiler.

Early Life and Arrival in New England

Christopher Hussey was born in Dorking, Surrey, England, in 1599 to John and Mary Hussey (née Wood).[1]

At some point in his youth, he went to Holland where he spent time with the group of English non-conformists living there. While in Holland, he courted Theodate Bachiler, who was the daughter of Puritan minister Stephen Bachiler. Bachiler would only consent to their marriage if Hussey would agree to move to New England with him. He agreed and he and Theodate were married in 1629.[2]

Keeping his promise, Hussey, his wife, and his widowed mother traveled to New England on the ship William and Francis, arriving at Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1630, and settling in Saugus (now Lynn, Massachusetts).[3][4] Hussey's son, Stephen, became the first English child baptized in Lynn.

When Bachiler had to leave Lynn in 1636, he settled in Newbury, Massachusetts and Hussey, his wife, and mother joined him.[5] It is possible that Bachiler had to move because he cast the only dissenting vote against the banishment of Roger Williams.

Career

By 1638, Bachiler had to move again and Hussey willingly followed him north to Winnacunnet, where he purchased land.[6] Hussey, his mother, and Bachiler successfully petitioned Massachusetts to incorporate a town in Winnacunnet in 1639. They named the town Hampton which was incorporated into Norfolk County, Massachusetts Colony. Bachiler began a church there and Hussey was his deacon.[7] He was appointed to his first political office, becoming the Commissioner for Small Causes in 1639 in which he adjudicated financial disputes under 20s.[8]

In 1650, Hussey stepped down from his role as deacon so he could join the militia. He became a lieutenant in 1653 and a captain in 1664.[9]

Deputy to the General Court

Hussey was elected to the Massachusetts General Court in 1658 and served for three one-year terms and then again in 1672. While he was in office, Massachusetts passed a law requiring the death penalty for being a Quaker. Given his close affiliation with Reverend Bachiler and that he purchased Nantucket with 8 men who held Quaker sympathies, Hussey was probably a dissenting vote against the death penalty bill.

Proprietorship of Nantucket

Hussey was one of the original proprietors of Nantucket, Massachusetts, becoming a landowner there in 1659. He, along with 8 other moderate Puritan men of Norfolk County, Massachusetts Colony purchased the land from Thomas Mayhew for thirty pounds and two beaver hats.[10]

Notably, after securing the land rights from Mayhew, the proprietors signed a treaty with the Native Americans to secure the land rights from them.

There is no record of Hussey ever visiting Nantucket, but his son Stephen Hussey settled there on his father's property and become a prominent member of Nantucket society.

Quaker Admonishment

He was fined and admonished for attending a Quaker meeting in 1674.[11]

Appointment to the Royal Council

In 1679, he was appointed by name in the Commission of John Cutt to be a member of the Executive Council of the newly created Province of New Hampshire. [3][12] He was appointed along with Richard Waldron, Thomas Daniel, William Vaughan, Richard Martyn, and John Gilman.[13]

After John Cutt died in 1681, Edward Cranfield was appointed by King Charles II to replace him, arriving in New Hampshire in October 1682. Hussey was not mentioned in the new commission as a member of the council. This is presumed to be his retirement from active politics.

However, he last appears as a name on a petition to the king in 1685 asking for relief against the excesses of Cranfield's administration.[14]

He died in March 1686.[12][15] Contrary to what was reported in Jeremy Belknap's The History of New-Hampshire, Hussey did not die shipwrecked off the coast of Florida, but rather peacefully in Hampton.[16]

Family and Legacy

Family

He married Theodate Bachiler in 1629 and they had 5 children. Stephen was born in 1632, John in 1635, Mary in 1638, Theodate in 1640 and Huldah in 1643.

After his wife Theodate dies, he marries the widow Ann Mingay of Hampton in 1658.

Legacy

Christopher Hussey's father was reportedly descended from John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford, by first wife Margaret Blount. Lord Hussey was beheaded by King Henry VIII in 1537 for treason.[17][18] The New England Historic Genealogical Society, however, say that his descent from noble houses "seems highly unlikely".[19]

Christopher Hussey's direct descendant is Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.[20]

References

  1. Dow, Joseph. (1893). History of the town of Hampton, New Hampshire, from its settlement in 1638 to the autumn of 1892. Vol. 1 & 2. Salem Press Publishing and Printing Co. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofh02dowj/page/760/mode/2up?q=hussey
  2. Macy, Obed. (1835). The History of Nantucket: Being a Compendious Account of the First Settlement of the Island by the English. Hillard, Gray, and Co. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/historynantucke00macygoog/page/n42/mode/2up?q=hussey
  3. The Owl – Volumes 60-69. Wing Family of America, Incorporated. 1966. p. 1334. Retrieved 28 November 2017. When New England was made a Royal Province, he (Hussey) was one of the councillors...
  4. Lewis, Alonzo and James R. Newhall. (1865). History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts : including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant. John L. Shorey publisher. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RQx39omkfOYC/page/124/mode/2up?q=bachiler
  5. Lewis, Alonzo and James R. Newhall. (1865). History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts : including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant. John L. Shorey publisher. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RQx39omkfOYC/page/124/mode/2up?q=bachiler
  6. Sweet, L. (1980). "Chapman and allied families". L.E. Sweet 1980. p. 105. Retrieved 1 November 2019. Christopher and wife and his mother came to America on the "William and Francis" in July of 1630.
  7. Dow, Joseph. (1893). History of the town of Hampton, New Hampshire, from its settlement in 1638 to the autumn of 1892. Vol. 1 & 2. Salem Press Publishing and Printing Co. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofh02dowj/page/760/mode/2up?q=hussey
  8. Bouton, Nathaniel. (1867). Provincial papers. Documents and records relating to the province of New-Hampshire, from the earliest period of its settlement: 1623-[1776] Concord : G. E. Jenks, state printer [etc.]. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/provincialpapers00boutrich/page/577/mode/2up
  9. Boyd, M. (2004). "Christopher Hussey and Theodate Bachiler". Michelle Boyd. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  10. Macy, Obed. (1835). The History of Nantucket: Being a Compendious Account of the First Settlement of the Island by the English. Hillard, Gray, and Co. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/historynantucke00macygoog/page/n24/mode/2up?q=hussey
  11. Dow, Joseph. (1893). History of the town of Hampton, New Hampshire, from its settlement in 1638 to the autumn of 1892. Vol. 1 & 2. Salem Press Publishing and Printing Co. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofh02dowj/page/760/mode/2up?q=hussey
  12. Robertson, William (1834). A General History of North and South America: Including the Celebrated Work by Robertson. Mayhew, Isaac, and Company. p. 424. Retrieved 6 November 2017. 18th September 1679....The king was represented by a president and council of his own appointment....to govern the province of New Hampshire.....Christopher Hussey of Hampton, Esquire...to be of the council...
  13. "State of New Hampshire, Executive Council, History of the Executive Council nh.gov/council/history.html". Nh.gov. Archived from the original on 6 October 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  14. Bouton, Nathaniel. (1867). Provincial papers. Documents and records relating to the province of New-Hampshire, from the earliest period of its settlement: 1623-[1776] Concord : G. E. Jenks, state printer [etc.]. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/provincialpapers00boutrich/page/577/mode/2up
  15. Huffman, J. (2017). Starbuck, Waldschmidt, & Huffman Family of Bangor, Michigan. Lulu.com. p. 61. ISBN 978-1387103201. Retrieved 20 November 2017. The Founder's Burial Ground commemorates the other Founding Fathers of Nantucket...
  16. Dow, Joseph. (1893). History of the town of Hampton, New Hampshire, from its settlement in 1638 to the autumn of 1892. Vol. 1 & 2. Salem Press Publishing and Printing Co. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofh02dowj/page/760/mode/2up?q=hussey
  17. Furness, Hannah (19 November 2017). "King Henry VIII ordered for Meghan Markle's ancestor to be beheaded". Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 19 November 2017. ...he (Captain Christopher Hussey, Esquire) left England in the 1630s to become a Founding Father of Nantucket....Lord Hussey m (married) Dame Margaret Blount....
  18. Duboff, Josh. "Prince Harry's Ancestor Reportedly Executed Meghan Markle's Ancestor". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  19. "Royal Ancestry of Meghan Markle". americanancestors.org. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  20. Furness, Hannah (19 November 2017). "King Henry VIII ordered for Meghan Markle's ancestor to be beheaded". Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 19 November 2017.