Category Archives: Butterworth

Origins and Family of Mary Butterworth, Wife of Sampson Mason of Rehoboth, Massachusetts

The identity of Sampson Mason’s wife, Mary Butterworth, has been known for decades. John Butterworth was identified in Alvarado Hayward Mason’s 1902 book, Genealogy of the Sampson Mason Family as a likely brother of Mary; John was also identified as a potential father of Mary Butterworth. The Butterworth surname was almost non-existent in the early days of Massachusetts.

Much more recently an article by Clifford L. Stott, “Henry Butterworth of Halifax, Yorkshire, and Weymouth, Massachusetts,” was published in the January 2014 issue of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, pages 58-61.

From Mr. Stott’s research, Mary Butterworth’s parents and siblings have been identified:

Henry Butterworth, son of Henry and Ephan Hileley, was baptized on 28 February 1601/1602 in Halifax, West Riding, Yorkshire, England. Henry married Mary Longbotham on 1 February 1627/1628, also in Halifax. He died between 18 January 1641 and 31 December 1646, in Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts.

Mary was born c1600 in England and died on 26 January 1686/1687 in Newport, Newport, Rhode Island. She married (2) Thomas Clifton not long after 28 January 1640/1641. The Cliftons lived in Rehoboth and later Newport, Rhode Island.

Henry and Mary were the parents of five children:

  1. John, baptized 16 September 1627, Halifax, West Riding, Yorkshire, England; died 1708, Bristol, Bristol, Massachusetts. He married (1) Sarah, c1650 (2) Hannah Bowerman, c1697-1700. Hannah was the widow of Anthony Fry.
  2. Abraham, baptized 9 August 1629, Heptonstall, Yorkshire, England; died after 13 October 1684. Abraham married, but the name of his wife is not known. He had a daughter, Ann.
  3. Mary, baptized 9 August 1629, Heptonstall, Yorkshire, England; married Sampson Mason, about 9 March 1650/1651. She died 20 August 1714, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts.
  4. Samuel, baptized 6 January 1631/1632, Halifax, West Riding, Yorkshire, England; no further record.
  5. Henry, baptized 26 May 1634, Halifax, West Riding, Yorkshire, England; no further record.

Before emigrating to Massachusetts, the Butterworth children were baptized in two different parishes within ten miles of each other. Abraham and Mary were twins. Perhaps that pregnancy was more difficult and expectant mother Mary sought help with the birth. It’s also possible that the family actually moved between the two villages.

Given that the Butterworth family arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony about 1635 or early 1636 and that Henry died about 1636, leaving but a small family, it is easy to see why the origins of John and Mary Butterworth remained unknown for so long.

American Ancestors is a subscription site; the full article by Clifford Stott can be found there.

Sampson Mason and Mary Butterworth of Rehoboth, MA: Who Were Their Parents?

Have you taken a good look at any of your ancestral lines that have been ignored for quite a few years? This is exactly what I’ve been doing and I’ve made some terrific discoveries. Many of my colonial New England lines have been extended further back in time because other researchers have worked on them.

Sampson Mason and Mary Butterworth are my 8X great grandparents.  They married by 1651 and first settled in Dorchester. Sampson was a cordwainer, a man who made shoes from new leather,  who acquired wealth over time.

Their children:

  1. Noah, born c1651, probably in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts; died 2 March 1699/1700, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; married (1) Martha, c1674 (2) Sarah Fitch, 6 December 1677, Rehoboth, Bristol, Rhode Island
  2. Sampson, born c1654; died after 1743
  3. John, born c1656, probably Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, as he was about four years old when John Gurnell brought him to be baptized; died 18 March 1682/83, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts; married Content Wales, 15 October 1679, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts. for whatever odd reason, John lived with John Gurnell and his wife, raised by them in Dorchester. John Mason and wife Content Wales, had no children.
  4. Samuel, born c1656, probably Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts; married Elizabeth Miller, 28 March 1682, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts
  5. Sarah, born 15 February 1657/58; no further record. Died young?
  6. Mary, born 7 February 1659/60, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 15 November 1727, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Ephraim Wheaton, 7 January 1684/85
  7. James, born 30 October 1661, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; died young
  8. Joseph, born 6 March 1662/63, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; married (1) Anna Daggett, 12 March 1682/83, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts (2) Lydia Bowen, 4 September 1686, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts
  9. Bethiah, born 15 October 1665, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; died before 1712; married John Wood, 23 May 1688, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts
  10. Isaac, born 15 July 1667, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 25 January 1741/42, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Hannah (MNU)
  11. Pelatiah, born 1 April 1669, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; died 29 March 1763, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Hepzibah Brooks, 22 May 1694, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts. Hepzibah was born 1674; died 1727. Peletiah married (2) Hannah Hale, 22 November 1733, Swansea, Bristol, Masschusetts (3) Sarah Allen, 17 January 1760, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts
  12. Benjamin, born 20 October 1670, Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; died cAugust 1740; married Ruth Rounds
  13. Thankful, born c1672; died after 1743, probably Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts; married Thomas Bowen, 17 June 1689, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts

I am descended from their thirteenth, and last, child, Thankful:

  1. Thankful Mason married Thomas Bowen
  2. Josiah Bowen married Mary Child
  3. Thankful Bowen married Samuel Hicks
  4. Ira Hicks married Sarah Thornton
  5. Israel Hicks married Abigail Carlisle
  6. Elida Ann Hicks married Charles Stewart/Stuart
  7. Annie Maude Stuart married Charles Edwin Adams
  8. Vernon Tarbox Adams married Hazel Ethel Coleman
  9. Doris Priscilla Adams married George Michael Sabo
  10. Linda Anne Sabo Stufflebean – me

So, back to the title of this post – who were the parents of Sampson Mason and Mary Butterworth?

There is one baptismal entry at Bolton, Lancashire, England for one Sampson Masson, baptized on 6 December 1624. Father is identified as Robert Masson. Given that the age of my Sampson Mason closely matches the age of Sampson in Bolton and Sampson is a very uncommon given name for the time, it appears that Bolton may be the ancestral home of Sampson Mason of Rehoboth, Massachusetts.

Tomorrow, I will share the story of Sampson’s father, Robert Mason. There is also unsubstantiated lore about Sampson in England, which I will review.

As for the parents of Sampson’s wife, Mary Butterworth, her origins have been proven and I will write about her family next week. Stay tuned!