On the 'Hercules', as co-owner, 1635.
Thomas and William Hatch were born in co. Kent, England about 1596 and 1598 respectively. They were the second and third sons of William Hatche (1563) and Anne Tilden. They were named in the will of their uncle John Hatche of Tenterden dated 23 March 1628/1629.(3) John Hatche of Tenderden did not have any children and left his property to his brothers and sisters and their children. Thomas is named as the second son and William was called the "now youngest" son of William Hatche. Thomas and William, immigrated to Plymouth Colony in the 1630s and their oldest brother, John (born about 1590) moved to Mayfield, East Sussex, England and was living there in 1628/1629.(4) Pope made an interesting comment when he wrote, "John Hatch, yeoman(5), of Scituate, endorsed a bond Jan. 3, 1636."(6) Possibly he was the older brother of Thomas and William. Pope did not name a source for his information and unless more information is found, John cannot be identified. John could have he died soon after his arrival in Scituate or he could have returned to, England. The only other reference to a John Hatch around 1636 is John, son of William who was about twelve years old and too young to be called a yeoman or to have signed a bond.
William was living in Ashford when he married Jane Young of Thannington by license dated 9 July 1624 at Thannington,(7) which is a short distance southwest of Canterbury. The marriage record states, "William Hatch of Ashford, woolen draper,(8) bachelor, about 25, and Jane Young of Thannington, maiden, about 27, whose friends are dead, at Thannington, 9 July [1624]. Bondsmen: Edward Young of Thannington, husbandman, and William Page of Canterbury, blacksmith." Jane was probably his second wife since William's oldest son, Walter, was born about 1623. By 1625 William was living at Wye where his son, John, was baptized at the parish at Wye 7 August, 1625. Other children of William that were baptized at Wye are: Anne, 3 December 1626; William 9 August 1629; Jane 19 June 1631; and Andrew 3 November 1633 who died and was buried at Wye 6 November 1633. In addition, a "newborn son of William Hatch was buried at the parish of Wye 31 July 1628."(9) This son either died right after birth or was stillborn since the record at Wye is only for the burial of an unnamed newborn son.
In preparation for his journey to the colonies, William Hatch moved his family to Sandwich(10) sometime before 1634. Sandwich is on the seacoast, directly east of Canterbury. He set sail from Sandwich on the Hercules with his wife Jane, five children, and six servants, his cousin, Lydia Huckstep Tilden and her husband, Nathaniel Tilden, and their children along with Dr. Comfort Starr and his family.(11) William, Nathaniel Tilden, and Dr. Comfort Starr were co-owners of the Hercules.
On February 11, 1634/5, the eve of the departure of the Hercules, Dr. Comfort Starr of Ashford, a surgeon aged 45, made the deposition that about the latter end of November 1633/1634, John Witherley of Sandwich, mariner, bought a Flemish(12) built ship at Dunkirk called the St. Peter for �340. Dr. Starr said he was not a seaman and could not be specific about the ship, but guessed it to be about twelve feet broad above the hatches, fourscore feet long, and sixteen feet deep and is of the burthen of 200 tonnes. That he and William Hatch, John Witherley, Nathaniel Tilden and Mr. Osborne had purchased the ship and named it the Hercules.(13)
William Hatch and his family settled at Scituate where he built a house on Kent Street. His house lot was the first south of Greenfield Lane.(14) An old map of Scituate(15) has the location of his property closer to Kent Street and Meetinghouse Lane. William was admitted a freeman on 5 January 1635/6 and became a planter.(16) He returned to, England as a joint venturer on the Castle of London with Thomas Rucke of Charlestowne and Joseph Meriam of Concord. The Castle "was docked at London on the River Thames in April of 1638 and arrived at the ports of Boston and Charlestowne in New, England in July 1638."(17) Passengers were on the ship. It is possible that William's brother, Thomas, and their sister, Elizabeth Soan, the wife of Robert Soan, deceased, of Brasted, England, and her son, William, were on the Castle. Elizabeth later became the second wife of John Stockbridge.(18)In 1643 William Hatch was chosen the first ruling elder of the Second (Vassal's) Church of Scituate(19)and he became known as "Elder William Hatch." The Second Church of Scituate was founded in 1643, for William Witherell, after long agitations following the removal of Lathrop to Barnstable.(20) In August of that year, William and his sons, Walter and John appear on the list of those in Scituate able to bear arms.(21) William was also lieutenant of the Scituate trainband or military company.(22) "In 1638, William Vassall and William Hatch were appointed by the Colony court to exercise the people in arms at Scituate."(23)
Elder William made his will 5 November 1651. He named his wife, Jane; daughters, Jane Lovell and Ann Torrey; grandchildren, John Lovell, James, William, Joseph and Damaris Torrey; and sons, Walter and William, who were named as his executors. William died at Scituate 6 November 1651.(24) His widow, Jane, married Elder Thomas King in Scituate 31 March 1653. Elder Thomas King succeeded Elder William in the office of Elder.(25) "Thomas King, of Scituate, came in the Blessing, from London, 1635, aged 21, in company with William Vassal."
