Biography
Richard Pettingill was born 6 January 1610 in Shotesham St. Mary, Norfolk, England to Matthew Petingale (c1580-) and Mary Cooke (c1580-) and died 15 July 1695 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. He married Joanna Ingersoll (1624-1693) 1642 in Essex County, Massachusetts.
Richard was a resident of Salem before 1643, and must have been a member of the church for he was admitted a freeman of the colony on 2 June 1641, a dignity to which none attained at that time except members of the church, recommended by the minister of the place.
Richard Pettingill one of the early first settlers of Massachusetts. His name is listed on the Massachusetts First Settlers Monument. Richard married Joanna Ingersol in 1643 @ Salem MA.
Research Notes
Research of 1986
An investigation in 1986 by a professional genealogist in England showed that Richard Petingale was baptized in Shotesham All Saints parish, Norfolk, England on Jan. 6, 1610/11 to Mathew Petingale and his second wife, Mary Cooke. Richard was the second son born to Mathew Petingale. Richard's older brother, Robert, remained in England, while Richard decided to go to New England. Richard was not in line to inherit his father's land as the second son. This was also a period of heavy war taxation, economic depression, overpopulation, war with France and Spain and the determination of the government to force the Puritans to conform to the Established Church. People who wanted to sail to New England and could not pay for their passage often became indentured servants or apprentices in order to obtain passage.
According to an article in the journal Americana, on board the ship "Lion's Whelp" was a passenger listed as Richard Pengil, which arrived in Newbury, MA, on June 29, 1629. Richard Pengil is believed to be Richard Pettingell, although the Norfolk county emigrations or shipping records are incomplete for that time period.
According to the records, Richard was a member of the First Church of Salem in 1637. On June 2, 1641 he was made a freeman upon the recommendation by his minister, being over 20 years of age and worth at least 200 pounds in real or personal property. He had a grant of 10 acres at Enon (Wenham), MA, in 1642, and was a witness to the will of Samuel Smith of Enon in December of that year. He soon married Joanna Ingersoll, daughter of Richard Ingersoll of Salem who named him as one of his sons-in-law in his will of 1644.
Richard was still a member of Salem church when, on July 7, 1644, he and his brother-in-law, John Ingersoll, were appointed to arrest Sabbath day violators. His first child, Samuel, was baptized at Salem on 9 Feb 1644. He was constable of Wenham in 1648 and in that year he was a witness against George Norton for "scandalizing" the church. Matthew, his second child was born about 1648 in Enon. After Wenham had a church, Richard was received by letter from Salem on Aug. 4, 1649.
In 1651, having sold his house and land in Wenham to Samuel Forester, Richard bought a tract of land in the plantation of Newbury, about 15 miles north of Wenham, on the High Road, near "The Upper Green". The town gave him 14 acres of marsh in 1651 in exchange for a right-of-way on Ocean Avenue or Rolfe's Lane. Later the town committee, to settle a land dispute with John Emery, granted him an island in Plum Island River near Sandy Beach. He was chosen as a trial juryman in 1654 and 1671, and a grand juryman in 1658, 1665, and 1672. He took the Oath of Allegiance in 1678.
In King Philip's War, Richard supplied for the troops cheese, a pair of bandoleers, bullets, a pound of powder and a worm, a horse for 20 weeks, a knapsack, and a saddle and bridle. He asked 5 shillings for curing a horse as well.
Richard Pettingell did not make a will but divided his houses and lands between his three sons by deeds. On July 15, 1695, he granted to his son Matthew the two acres on which he lived, several other small acreages and one-third interest in the third of the farm of 70 acres in Salem which his father-in-law, Richard Ingersoll, had conditionally willed to him. Two days later, on July 17, he granted to his son Samuel the upland where Samuel dwelt and other small lots, but the one third of one third of the Ingersoll farm was to go to Samuel's son Samuel. On the same day his own homestead of five acres and other small lots went to his youngest son Nathaniel together with a third of a third of the Ingersoll farm in Salem. He died soon afterwards.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Samuel Pettingill (1644-1710) | |||
| Matthew Ingersoll Pettingill (1648-1714) | |||
| Mary Ingersoll Pettingill (1652-1705) | 6 July 1652 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts | 19 September 1705 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts | Abraham Adams (1639-1714) |
| John Pettingill (1654-) | |||
| Nathaniel Pettingill (1654-1717) | |||
| Richard Pettingill (1657-1657) | |||
| Henry Pettingill (1659-1659) | |||
Siblings
Residences
See Also
- Richard Pettingill
- Pettingill in Norfolk
- Pettintill in Essex County, Massachusetts