William Hathorne (–1681) was a widely influential man in early New England. He arrived on the ship Arbella.
[Anderson, Robert, ''The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633,'' Entry for William Hathorne, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, MA, 1999.]
Hathorne is also the first American ancestor of the distinguished author
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associated with that t ...
(who added the "w" to the spelling of his last name).
Early life
Hathorne was the son of a plain English yeoman who came to America in 1630 and rose to prominence through his own talent and efforts.
Life in Massachusetts
He was a prosperous merchant in
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...
, was admitted as a freeman in 1634, served as a deputy representing Salem for many terms and when the House of Deputies elected a speaker for the first time, he was the one chosen. He served in that capacity for several years thereafter and was Salem's commanding character of the time period.
[Jameson, J. Franklin, ed. ''Johnson's Wonder-Working Providence, 1628-1651,'' pp. 142, 143, 231, Barnes & Noble, Inc., New York, New York, 1910.]
Hathorne was a zealous advocate of the personal rights of freemen against royal emissaries and agents.
Hathorne served as a magistrate on the highest court, and received a grant of 640 acres for service to the state. He was elected assistant to the governor in 1662 and served until 1679. He was appointed as captain of the Salem military company on May 1, 1646, and led troops to victory in
King Philip's War
King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1676 between indigenous inhabitants of New England and New England coloni ...
. He was commissioned as a major in 1656.
Personal life
Later, Hathorne married a certain Anne Smith and had at least two children, one of whom, Elizabeth (b. 22 July 1649), married Israel Porter (1643-1706) and was the grandmother of
Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam (January 7, 1718 – May 29, 1790), popularly known as "Old Put", was an American military officer and landowner who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). He als ...
.
Influence on Nathaniel Hawthorne
William Hathorne was a reflection of the
Puritan
The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...
society in which he lived. Puritans came to Massachusetts to obtain religious freedom for themselves, but had no particular interest in becoming a haven for other faiths. The laws were harsh, with punishments that included fines, deprivation of property, banishment or imprisonment. For example, Hathorne had
Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...
whipped in the streets of Salem.
Hathorne's son, Judge
John Hathorne
John Hathorne (August 1641 – May 10, 1717) was a merchant and magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Salem, Massachusetts. He is best known for his early and vocal role as one of the leading judges in the Salem witch trials.
Hatho ...
, is also a symbol of this period. People believed that witches were real. There was no scientific explanation for individuals' bizarre behavior, so witchcraft appeared to be the logical explanation for people's fits (which experts now suspect may have been the result of
ergotism). Nothing caused more fear in the Puritan community than people who appeared to be possessed by the devil. Witchcraft was a major felony. Judge Hathorne is the best known of the witch trial judges, and he became known as the "Hanging Judge" for sentencing witches to death.
Author Nathaniel Hawthorne, who descended from these men, used his ancestors as inspiration for some of his most famous works. He was much interested in colonial history, good vs. evil, and the psychology of Puritan society. His classic novels ''The Scarlet Letter'' and ''The House of the Seven Gables,'' and the short story "Young Goodman Brown" reflect his studies.
[Hawthorne, Manning, Biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne in ''Readers' Encyclopedia of American Literature.]
File:House of the Seven Gables (front angle) - Salem, Massachusetts.jpg, The House of the Seven Gables
Image:GallowsHillPark Salem Massachusetts.jpg, Gallows Hill Park. Popular legend places the execution of the Salem Witches near this site.
Image:SalemCommon Salem Massachusetts.jpg, Salem Common in 2006
Image:PickmanHouse Salem Massachusetts.jpg, The Pickman House, c. 1664, located on Charter Street and believed to be Salem's oldest surviving building
References
*
External links
Salem, MA Web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hathorne, William
Year of birth uncertain
1681 deaths
People from Salem, Massachusetts
1606 births