James Hawkins

Bricklayer, of Boston from 1635; he came from St Ives, Huntingdonshire, with his parents. Mollie calls him “Col.” James Hawkins; nothing shows he was a colonel.

At the court of 4 Aug 1635, “Mr. Hutchingson witnessed vpon oath” that “James Hawkens” took “2s 6d a day” of him for 36 days, above the legal wage, and Mr. Cogan swore to 14 more days. The court ordered his forfeits levied, “& in case hee hath noe goods, his body shalbe taken & imprisoned till it be payde.” The forfeit of £11 5s was later remitted to 50s (Records of the Court of Assistants 2:56-57; Records of Mass. Bay 1:153-154, 244). His co-defendants Bulgar and Munt were also building tradesmen, so this is probably the bricklayer, and “Mr. Hutchingson” was probably William, Anne Hutchinson’s husband [inferred].

On 1 Mar 1641/2, “James Hawkins for prophaining the Sabbath hee was censured to bee whipt, & bound with his Brother Thomas Hawkins in 40l, to appeare at the Generall Co’rt, & answer for venting his corrupt Opinions” (Court of Assistants 2:118).

His will of 25 June 1669, proved 30 Apr 1670, named his wife Mary, his son James and five daughters, and “left a Bible for each of ten grandchildren at the age of twelve” (Sumner 1948, p. 139).

Open questions

• His birth. TAG 89:307-308 (via WikiTree) gives a baptism at Bluntisham-cum-Earith, Huntingdonshire, on 1 Jan 1609/10, but his age at death (67) and a 1660 deposition (“about fifty-six,” Sumner) both put his birth about 1603/4. Left out until the conflict is settled.
• His father: the colonial tree marks Richard Hawkins as his father on documentary evidence. The records name Jane as “wife of Richard” and as the mother of James, Job and Thomas, and Richard’s 1644 deed calls Richard and Jane Job’s “owne ffather and Mother,” but none names Richard as James’s father, so the page keeps the link as inferred, probable.