Genealogr of the HIBBARD FAMILY

GENEALOGr of the HIBBARD FAMILY Who a1·e. DESCENDANTS of ROBERT HIBBARD of S .A L E M, M .A S S .A C H U S E. 'I' TS 0 Compzled and Published by AUGUSTINE GEORGE HIBBARD, WooDSTOCK, CONNECT IC u T, u. s. A. • 1 9 0 1 "The main thing is to jind honest, high-minded, God fearing, merciful, and righteous men and women enough along one's lines qf descent to feel the pride qf honorable heredity and gain a spur to se[Frespea and seij~help." • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Printed by THE CAsJ:, Loci::wooD & BaAINARD COMPANY, Hartford, Connt8icut I 9 0 I CONTENTS. Introductory, . 5 The Family Surname, 8 Robert the Immigrant, II Second Generation, 16 Third 22 Fourth 27 Fifth 41 Sixth 81 Seventh 1 55 Eighth 280 Ninth 372 Revolutionary S9ldiers, 393 Descendants of Mary, No. 1493, 401 Index, . 407 INTRODUCTORY. It is nearly fifty years since Harvey Hebard, then of Hartford, turned his attention to gathering the facts so that the genealogy of his family might be ascertained and pre served. U oder his name some account is given of what he did in this direction. Ill-health compelled him to relinquish the work, and he sought to interest his nephew, George H. Heb bard, to continue it and prepare the matter gathered for publication. He was not successful in this, and nothing was done for some time, when Allen A. Hibbard was persuaded to engage in the work, and his sister, Miss Ellen M. Hibbard, arranged the facts gathered in proper order and with great skill. This was a trying and difficult task, the facts being scattered through some four hundred letters, without order and often in a form requiring no little study to analyze them. This accomplished the work ceased. Eliphaz B. Hibbard, my father, had been greatly inter ested in what was done by Harvey H. From my boyhood I had been accustomed to bear him recount particulars that had come to his knowledge and to express the wish that some day the family history might be written and pub lished. It is fifteen years since I made the resolution that I would gather the facts, compile them, and do all in my power to realize my father's wishes. In the furtherance of that resolution I opened correspondence with every Hibbard whom I knew or of whom I could hear in any part of the country. Some two hundred letters bad been written when I was informed that a Baptist clergyman had the history nearly prepared. I gave up my correspondence and waited to hear from the historian, whose name and address I bad not ascertained. At this time I knew nothing of what bad been done by Miss Hibbard or where the correspondence of Harvey H. was to be found. After five years of waiting I resumed my labors, visited 6 INTRODUCTORY. Salem, learned an the facts there obtainable, copied or hired copied an probate, town, and provincial records relating to the Hibbards and spent much time in public libraries examining town histories to obtain traces of members of the family. In this way I collected nearly two thousand names, and had many families properly classified. The Windham genealogies, prepared by William L. Weaver, were of great help to me. Through the kindness of Salmon P. Hibbard of Boston, the correspondence of Harvey Hebard came into my possession at this time, and I com menced the work already done by Miss Ellen M. Hibbard. Mr. Salmon P. Hibbard also informed me in regard to her work and where it could be found. After a few months Miss Hibbard succeeded in gaining possession of her record and placed it in my hands, and it has proved a most valuable , assistant in the way of tracing residences and opening com munication with branches of the family scattered all over the States and Canada. ' Nearly fifty years have passed since the data had been obtained which constituted that record. It was during those _years that the great emigration from the East to the West had taken place. This had caused many families to be lost sight of and explains why the facts pertaining to some families are so limited. I have found families at the West entirely ignorant of their ancestry in the Eastern States. During the last three years I have been largely engaged in collecting the data upon which the following history is based. In that time I have sent nearly or quite two thous and letters, printed and written, and have enclosed in nearly every envelope a stamped envelope for the answer. I hav~ examined more than two hundred family genealogies in search of the Hibbard name and relationships. Have devoted at least one-half of the working-hours to this cor respondence and its arrangement. Have had the directories of all the large and many of the smaller cities searched for the family name, and have addressed every name found in this way and in any other. It has seemed to me best to make the preceding statement, for others beside myself are entitled to acknowledgment of work done in the preparation of this history. INTRODUCTORY. 7 The record which follows is far from perfect. It could be made more nearly perfect if its publication were delayed another year, but that my health will not permit. With me, it is now or never. No pains, within my ability, have been spared to make this a correct record. In cases of doubt or disagreement of reporters I have written again and again, have consulted many of whom it might be presumed that they would have knowledge of the facts. There are many to whom I am under special obligation for encouragement and assistance, whose names I mention, with the assurance that they will be always remembered and their kindness never forgotten: - Miss Ellen Maria Hib bard, Gorham, Maine; Miss Marie Hibbard, Toledo, Ohio; Miss Grace Raymond Hebard, Laramie, Wyoming; Mrs. J. B. Mace, Branchport, New York; Mrs. L. J. Harris, Rich field, Michigan; Miss Annie Hibbard, W. Roxbury, Mass.; Mr. John D. Hibbard, Chicago, Ill.; D. R. Hibbard, M.D., Sturgis, Michigan; Mr. C. A. Hibbard, Rochester, New York; Omri Ford Hibbard, Esq., New York City; Thomas Hibbard, Esq., Dorchester, Mass.; Mr. George E. Hibbard, Chicago, Illinois; J. H. Sprague, Esq., East Brookfield, Ver mont; and Hon. Ellery A. Hibbard, Laconia, N. H. THE SURNAME. Any person who has had occasion to search the records of the .Colonies planted in New England during the seven teenth century has learned that very little attention was paid to the spelling of words and especially of surnames. It is not uncommon to find a· writer who spells the same name in different ways upon the same page. From this common practice our family has not been free. We find our family name in the following forms: - " Hebard, Hebbard, Hebert, Hibard, Hibberd, Hibbart, Hibbert, Hebberd," but most frequently "Hibbard." In two instances noted, it has been written" Hibboard," and in one" Herbert." The name "Hebard" has been adopted by some who believe that the first immigrant came from Wales and that the name Hebard is a Welch form meaning," the bard," or "poet," or "singer." They understand that the first syllable, "He" means "the." This theory is more fanciful than correct. Among the early court files, unrecorded, in the clerk· of court's office, Salem, on a piece of paper about four inches square and browned by age, the upper portion in the hand writing of Robert Hibbard, we find the following: - '· Robert Hebard & Jon. Hebard his wife hath theere child ren borne in Salem, the first is marie in the 1641 in the ninth month the 27 day 2 is John he is born yr 1642 in n month 24 day & the 3 is born in the year of 1644 in the seventh mont 26 day her name is Sarah and she died in the tenth month 8 day of the month." "Robert Hibbard." The lower part is in the hand-writing of the Recorder. "Marie ye d: of Robb Hibberd by Joan his wyf bo: 27h of 9 mo in yr 1641. & their sonn John bo: 24th of II mo 1642 & their daughter Sarah bo: 26th of 7 mo 1644. & their sd daughter Sarah dyed 8th of 10th mo Last as witness my hand this 13th of II mo 1644." "Robert hebard." THE SURNAME. 9 A petition is found in Mass. Archives, May 21, 1671, pray ing that the name of Beverly may be changed to Budleigh, and among the signers is the name "Robert Hibbard." In the Colonial Records of Conn. we find a petition signed by Joseph and Robert, who write their names "Hibbard." In the preparation of this genealogy I have corresponded with four families, each one having come to this country during the present century, from different parts of England, and all spell the surname " Hibbard." It will be noticed that the first Robert signs bis will "Hibberd," but he made his mark, probably being too weak to write. The following entries were copied from the Baptismal Records of St. Edmund's Parish, Salisbury, England: "George son to John Hibbard Mch 14, 1601. "Ellonor dau. to John Hibbard Apr. 6, 1610. "Johns to Richard Hibbard, Oct. 3, 1613. "Roberts to John Hibbard Mch 13, 1613. "Marrie d to John Hibbertt July 2, 1618." "Laborer." The evidence is cumulative, and unless new evidence appears I think that all will be ready to admit that the proper name is Hibbard.

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