Hi Janice, An FYI to Listers is that there is a "NUTTING's Lake" in Billerica which was a "summer resort area" for "city people" during the 1940's / 1950's ! Perhaps the Town Historian in Billerica would disagree with me, but I don't think a Mr. NUTTING ever lived in Billerica ! One thought is that during the 1600's it wasn't far from there to the Woburn line, so maybe a NUTTING family from Woburn used to spend a lot of time at the Lake ! (I've never heard the story of how the Lake got it's name ! And, I'm pretty sure it is not mentioned in the "History of Billerica.") Betty (near Lowell, MA) ----- Original Message ----- From: <Farns10th@aol.com> To: <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 6:49 PM Subject: John Nutting Part 1 of 2 > Subject: NUTTING FAMILY > Source: Groton Historical Series by Dr. Samuel A. Green Vol 2 1890 > > p. 259 > > Boston, September 1, 1888 > > My Dear Dr. Green, > > I am sorry to say that of the early NUTTINGS I know much more concern- > ing those who settled in Cambridge, Medford and Salem, than of those > who remained at Groton. > > John Nutting, my great-great-great-great-grandfather, came to this > country not long before 1650. I think he came from County Kent, but > cannot make the conjecture a certainty. He was married in Woburn, Aug > 28 (28 of 6 mo), 1650 to Sarah Eggleton, who is believed to have died > on the voyage over, in the ship Castle. In the Woburn town records > there is a further entry: "____, son of John Nutting, borne ye ____ > 1651." > > This first John, the emigrant, was one of the petitioners for the town > of Chelmsford, in the spring of 1655. I have not examined the Chelms- > ford town books, so I cannot give the exact date of his settling there. > But I have seen a record, kept by Reverend John Fiske, minister of the > church in Chelmsford at that time. According to the record, on the > 6 of 5 mo., 1656, "Testimony was given touching John Nutting and his > wife, who had propounded themselves to our fellowship;" and on the 13 of > 5 mo., "There was joyned to the church John Nutting, after his rela- > tion made and assent manifested to the profession and covenant of the > church, [and] John Nutting's wife, her relation being repeated by an > officer of the church." Under date 3 of 6/56 there is a record of the > baptism of their children: > > John, 5 years old 25 of 6 mo./56. > > James, 3 years old 30 of 4 mo./56 > > Mary, 1 year old 10 of 11 mo./56 > > This five-year-old John Nutting was evidently the son born at Woburn in > 1651 > > p.260 > > There is a hint that the father was zealous for his children's education, > as he is entered as having contributed 11s.3d., out of f4 > 11s.3d., for the purchase of catechisms, the number of contributors > being eight. > > Under date 9 of 9 mo./61, John Nutting and others "propounded to the > church that having some thought and inclination to a remove, they de- > sired that they may have the church's prayers for a blessing of God > upon their undertaking." This move being discussed, Brother Nutting > assigned as a reason that having several small children both himself > and his wife "were much deprived of the ordinances by their present > situation;" he therefore wished to live nearer the Meeting-house. This > wish was fulfilled; for in Groton, whither he went, his house must have > been hard by the sanctuary. > > He seems not to have taken the Freeman's oath until several years after > he had joined the church; for the date is given in the Massachusetts > Records as 30 May, 1660. > > He was one of the proprietors of Groton, and as nearly as I can make > out from copies of deeds, etc., had about a hundred acres of land > "bounded northerly by Capt. Josiah Parker's, southerly by Baddicook > Pond, and easterly by the town common;" with another tract about the > same extent "over the river," as well as smaller parcels, etc. His > house was one of the earliest garrisons of the town. It would be imp- > ossible to distinguish between him and his son John altogether; but the > tradition of captivity among the Indians refers possibly to his son. > In the history of the attack upon Groton in King Philip's War, it is > said that the garrisoned houses, five in number, all escaped but one, > which was taken, there being of the English one slain and two wounded. > It is a matter of history that Nutting's garrison was the one which > did not escape, and the family tradition is distinct that he was killed > at that time. > > This letter from the descendant, Mary E. Nutting to Dr. Samuel A. > Green will be continued in Part 2, "John Nutting" > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth > > ______________________________