Leftenant, local militia James HILDRETH^{[1, 2]}

c.1631 - 1695

• Name	James HILDRETH
  Title	Leftenant, local militia
  Prefix	Leftenant, local militia
  Birth	c.1631	England   [2]
  	The estimate for James' birth year is based on a deposition he made at Cambridge Court on 27 August 1651. He stated that he was 20 years old and the son of Richard Hildreth.
  Gender	Male
  OFFH	1661	Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [3]
  	James served as the town Constable of Chelmsford during 1661. He was elected as one of Chelmsford's five Selectman during 1690, 1691, 1692, 1693 and 1694.
  Freemanship	3 May 1665	Massachusetts Bay Colony   [4]
  	James was granted freemanship within the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on 3 May 1665. The prerequisite for obtaining this status was proof of one's membership and good standing in a Congregational Church. The Freeman's Oath legally bound the individual to the government of the colony, and thereby, its laws and orders. Additionally, the Oath required participation by the individual in local and colonial affairs when called upon.
  military service	27 Jun 1689	Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [5]
  	James was confirmed as Leftenant of the Chelmsford Foot Company on 27 June 1689 by the Selectmen of the town. His promotion from Sargent to "Leftenant" had been made by the Council at Boston one week earlier.
  Death	14 Apr 1695	Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [6, 7]
  	The heading of his Estate Inventory notes "An inventory of the Estate of Leiunt James Hildreth deceased Aprill. 14: 1695"
  admin of estate	24 May 1695	Charlestown, Suffolk Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [7]
  	James died intestate. Administration of his estate was granted to his son-in-law Isreal Proctor at a Court held at Charlestown on 24 May 1695.
  inventory	24 May 1695	Charlestown, Suffolk Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [7]
  	An inventory and appraisal of James' estate was presented to the Court at Charlestown on 24 May 1695. It had been taken at Chelmsford on 21 May 1695 by Eliazer Brown, Sr., Samuell Foster and Joseph Barret. The appraisal for land and moveable property was £286-10-00. Debts against the estate amounted to £23-07-02.
  Prop	4 Nov 1696	Charlestown, Suffolk Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [7]
  	The property division was made among James' five living children on 9 November 1696. On 4 November 1696, the Court at Charlestown directed Isreal Proctor to proceed with the division of James' estate.
  Person ID	I3778	mason
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

  Father	Sergeant, local militia Richard HILDRETH,   b. c.1605, England d. 23 Feb 1692/3, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay
  Mother	Sarah (UNKNOWN),   b. England d. 15 Jun 1644, Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony
  Marriage	England
  Family ID	F4974	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Margaret WARD,   b. c.1636   d. Aug 1693, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay
  Marriage	1 Jun 1659	Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   [8]
  	The couple was married at Dorchester on 1 June 1659.
  Children	1. Margaret HILDRETH,   b. 22 May 1660, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony   2. Sarah HILDRETH,   b. 22 Feb 1660/1, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. 1682, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony (Age 20 years)   3. James HILDRETH,   b. 9 Apr 1664, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. 1682 or 1683, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony (Age 18 years)   4. Mary HILDRETH,   b. 28 Mar 1666, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. Before 4 Nov 1696 (Age 30 years)   5. Elizabeth HILDRETH,   b. 28 Mar 1666, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. 27 Jun 1666, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony (Age 0 years)   6. Thomas HILDRETH,   b. 12 Aug 1668, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. Before 4 Nov 1696 (Age 28 years)   7. Hannah HILDRETH,   b. 2 Oct 1670, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. Before 4 Nov 1696 (Age 26 years)   8. Abigail HILDRETH,   b. 3 Oct 1672, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Bay Colony d. 30 Dec 1729, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay (Age 57 years)   9. Dorothy HILDRETH,   b. c.1674   d. 19 Apr 1757, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay   10. Ens. Richard HILDRETH,   b. c.1678   d. 26 Apr 1760, Chelmsford, Middlesex Co, Province of Massachusetts Bay   11. Maj. Ephraim HILDRETH,   b. c.1681   d. 26 Sep 1740
  Family ID	F433	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

• Sources

  [S1647] Richard Hildereth, Middlesex Co, MA probate file no. 11376 (1693). [S1648] John Lyman Porter, editor, Porter, Genealogical and Historical Data relating to Richard Hildreth (1605-1693)...., ((np: Hildreth Family Association, 1915)). p. 57 [deposition, Hildreth v. Sam'l Eldred, Middlesex Co Court Records, 27 Aug 1651: Vol. 1, p. 12] [S1651] Rev. Wilson Waters, Waters, History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, ((Lowell, MA: Courier-Citizen Co, 1917)), pp. 22 & 755. [S1637] Records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony 1628 -1686, Five Volumes in Six Texts, (CD-ROM (np: GenealogyCDs.com, 2003)). Vol. IV, Part II 1661-1674, p. 582 [name hand printed in the margin of p. 464]. [S1651] Rev. Wilson Waters, Waters, History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, ((Lowell, MA: Courier-Citizen Co, 1917)), pp. 128 & 130. [S144] Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, ((Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914)). p. 402. [S1646] James Hildreth, Middlesex Co, MA probate file no. 11331 (1695). . [S144] Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, ((Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914)). p. 248 [Middlesex Co. Quarterly Court Records].