Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

HUCKINS.
Mr. Thomas Huckins, the ancestor of this family, was born
in the year 1617. Of his early history little is known. He came
over before he was twenty-one years of age, and was a resident
of Boston, or its vicinity,* for he was one of the twenty-three
original members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company
chartered in 1638, and in 1639 bore its standard. To be
the ensign of that company, was a mark of honor. At that time
aristocratic notions had far more influence than at the present
time, and it was very rare indeed that a young man in the twentysecond
year of his age was elected to an office of honor or profit,
without he belonged to an influential family in the mother country.
His name is written Hutchins, Huckins, Huchens, and Hug-
gins, the latter being the manner in which it was pronounced in
early times. A Eobert settled in Dover in 1640, who had a son
James ; George in Cambridge, freeman 1638 ; John at Newbury,
1640, or earlier ; and Joseph of Boston, married 1657. There
was also a Richard Hutchins who requested to be admitted a freeman
19th Oct. 1630, and who probably came over in the fleetwith
Gov. Winthrop. There is no record that he took the oath, and
Mr. Savage infers that he died that year,or returned home. The
names in these early families indicate that they were relatives.
Among the wealthy and influential promoters in England, of
the settlement of Massachusetts, was a Mr. Thomas Hutchins.
He was an assistant of the Governor, while the administration of
the affairs of the company were conducted in England. His name
*There is some evidence that he was of Dorchester. In 1638 there was a stream on the
boundaries between that town and Dedham, called "Hugffins Creek." This was the manner
in which the name was proaounced ia early times, and often written. The name of that
creek proves that a man of the same name resided in its vicinity, for all the names of creeks
and places not having well known Indian or legal names are thus derived. Mr. Richard
CoUicut, also a charter member of the Artillery Company, to whom the lands in Barnstable
were first granted, was a Dorchester man, and his associates were principally from that
town. Thomas Huckins* lot was one of those laid under the authority of Mr. CoUicut, bore
one of the earliest dates of grants, Sept. 14, 1640. This combination of circumstances may
have been accidental, but in the absence of better evidence, I think that it may be safely
inferred that Thomas Huckins was one of the associates of Mr. Richard CoUicut, and one
of the earliest settlers in Barnstable.