Hezekiah USHER

Male 1615 - 1676  (61 years)


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  • Name Hezekiah USHER 
    Born 1615  [1
    Gender Male 
    Died 14 May 1676  Boston, MA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3
    Buried King's Chapel Cemetery, Boston, MA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I06681  Sorensen-Remington Family Tree
    Last Modified 7 Aug 2018 

    Family Frances Unknown,   d. 25 Apr 1652, Boston, MA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married Abt 1638 
    Children 
     1. Hezekiah Usher, Jr.,   b. 6 Jun 1639, Cambridge, MA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Jul 1697, Lynn, MA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 58 years)
     2. Rebecca Usher,   b. Abt 1641
     3. Elizabeth Usher,   b. 1 Feb 1645/46, Boston, MA Find all individuals with events at this location
     4. John USHER,   b. Between 9 and 17 Apr 1648, Boston, MA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Sep 1726, Medford, MA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 171 years)
     5. Mehetabel Usher,   b. Abt May 1649, Boston, MA Find all individuals with events at this location
     6. Sarah Usher,   b. Abt Nov 1650, Boston, MA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Feb 1712/13  (Age ~ 62 years)
    Last Modified 7 Aug 2018 
    Family ID F09343  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Hezekiah was of Cambridge and Boston. His family origins are possibly in Bednall Green, England (source: A Brief Genealogy of the Usher Family of New England, by William Henry Whitmore, at Google Books). In Massachusetts he was a prominent merchant and a member of the Old South Church.

      He was made freeman at Cambridge 14 March 1638 (source: A memorial sketch of Roland Greene Usher, 1823-1895 by Edward Preston Usher). He was the first bookseller and publisher in English America. From 1660 to 1663 he oversaw the printing of the Bible in the Indian language. He was one of the original founders of the Old South Church in 1669. Hezekiah held many civic offices.

      Hezekiah and Frances had six known children (see above source).

      He married second to Elizabeth Symmes (by whom he had Hannah & Zechariah, both d y) on 2 Nov 1652; he married third to Mary Alford, widow of Peter Butler; she is mentioned as his "deare and wellbeloved wife Mary Usher" in his will.

      The will of Hezekiah Usher Sr. of Boston is dated 11 May 1676. Besides his wife Mary, it mentions gifts to sons Hezekiah and John; daughter Sarah Tyng, wife of Johnathan, and their children John & Mary; grandchildren Hezekiah and Elizabeth Browne; wife's daughter Hannah Butler; Mary Butler; wife's sons Peter and Samuel Butler; brother Samuel Usher in England; Robert Usher and his sister Elizabeth Usher [nephew and niece, ch of bro Robert dec'd]; son-in-law Samuel Shrimpton; Elizabeth "now wife" of son John Usher and John's daughter Elizabeth; sister Elizabeth Harwood; "brother John Harwood"; Hannah Scotten; Rachel wife of Thomas Harwood; my mother Mrs. Sarah Syms; my brother Mr. Zackery Syms; Brother Savage and his wife; Capt. William Davis and his wife; my brother Brock and his wife; sister Brock's four children; my Brother Mr. William Syms; Timothy Syms and his wife; Timothy Proute Jr. and his wife; Brother Willis and his wife; Harvard College; the poor in Boston; and so on -- the text may be read in "A memorial sketch of Roland Greene Usher, 1823-1895" by Edward Preston Usher, p 143ff (at Google Books). Appointed as joint executors were his wife Mary Usher and sons Hezekiah and John.

      John & Frances had a younger son John who was buried at Boston 10th (Dec) month 1645.

  • Sources 
    1. [S013844] A memorial sketch of Roland Greene Usher, 1823-1895, Edward Preston Usher, 79.

    2. [S013843] A Brief Genealogy of the Usher Family of New England, William Henry Whitmore.

    3. [S013844] A memorial sketch of Roland Greene Usher, 1823-1895, Edward Preston Usher, 7.