NUTTING GENEALOGY Compiled by Homer W. Brainard; Collaborated and Privately Printed by Walter M. Nutting, Faribault, Minnesota SECTION I. JOHN NUTTING, THE FOUNDER John Nutting, born about 1620-25 in England; died at Groton, Mass., March 13, 1676; married at Woburn, Mass., August 28, 1650, Sarah Eggleston, daughter of Stephen and Jane Eggleston. The dates of her birth and death are not known. There is said to be among the Winthrop papers a copyhold deed to “John Nutton (Nutting) a lifelong tenant of one noiety of the lands of Groton Manor,” given at the time when John Winthrop,---later the governor of Massachusetts,--succeeded his father, Adam Winthrop, Esq., as lord of the manor of Groton, in Suffolk, England. The date of the deed is 1618. The grantee is called John Nutton, Senior. This implies a John Nutting, Jr., living in 1618, and of age. If not, the distinction Senior would not have been used. If living in 1618, the John Nutting of New England would have been a very young child. Hence his connection with the Nuttings of old Groton cannot be proved. It is said that the name of Nutting does not appear in the Parish Register of Groton. In a letter dated June 20, 1623, John Winthrop, the later governor, writing to his son, John, who was a student at Trinity College, Dublin, says: “Commend me to my little cousins, and to my god-daughter Susannah Nutton.” It does not appear whether Susannah was a wife or a daughter of a Nutting. The earliest date that can be certainly assigned to John Nutting of New England is therefore the date of his marrige in 1650. He appears to have lived a few years at Woburn, but before June 29, 1656, he had removed to Chelmsford, settling perhaps in the western portion, now Westford, where some of his descendants have lived. On July 13, 1656, John Nutting and his wife were received into full communion with the Chelmsford church, Rev. John Fiske, pastor. Three weeks later, three of their children were baptized and in 1659 another child. On November 9, 1661, James Parker, John Nutting and James Fiske asked the Chelmsford church for leave to remove and for their prayers for a blessing on their undertaking. Thereupon the brethern objected, demanding their reasons for removal. Brother Parker answered that each of them had personal reasons, but in the main all agreed that it was because of several things pressing upon their spirits in reference to church administration, and added that if he could enjoy all ordinances and their administration according to rule, he for his part would not remove. Brother Nutting also offered his remote location as a reason for removal; having several small children, he and his wife were deprived of the ordinances of religion and he wished to dwell near the meetinghouse. The church could not agree upon any action. There had evidently been disagreement or controversy of which we are not informed. It was finally voted that, “if the brethern concerned shall in the meantime settle themselves in the proposed way, we shall leave the matter with God.” It is possible that these three men had already made preparations for their homes at Groton. They would not, having wives and small children, remove as winter was coming on, unless they had provided shelter for them. Then too, they must be on the ground in season for the next year’s crop. The exact date of their removal is not known, but by September 21, 1663, John Nutting was established in a home near the meeting house in Groton, for on that date the town voted that “the said John shall keep clean or cause it to be kept clean, and for his labors he is to have fourteen shilling.” In June 1663, John Nutting had expressed his disapproval of the town’s vote to call Mr. Willard to be their minister. During this summer he and James Fiske were laboring to lay out the highway to Chelmsford for which they were to have twenty shillings. In November 1663, he was with four others chosen selectman, and was re-elected in 1667 and 1669. In 1668 he was chosen constable, which made him rate-maker and tax collector. December 15, 1669, he was one of a committee to see that Mr. Willard, the town minister, had his maintenance well and truly paid to him. On November 13, 1672, he received a bounty of ten shillings for a wolf’s head. On March 7, 1672-3, the town sequestered for use as a common about the meeting-house some land that was bounded by John Nutting. This shows that he was still living on the lot “nigh unto the meeting-house,” as he had desired when about to be removed to Chelmsford in 1661. On December 11, 1675, he was elected with others a surveyor (inspector) of highways, and on December 10, 1673, a fence viewer. These facts give us some insight into John Nutting’s life and character as a man and pioneer. His standing in the town was, if not the highest, at least worthy and respectable. The town of Groton at that time comprised some 41,000 acres of land. James Parker, the wealthiest, had a fifty-acre right; John Nutting a seventeen-acre right. This does not mean that James Parker owned but fifty acres and John Nutting but seventeen. As there were about four hundred acre-rights in all, each acre-right was entitled to about 54 acres, pro rate, in the subsequent “divisions” or stock dividends in land. This would entitle John Nutting to about 400 acres of land as well as to actual acreage. Tradition affirms that he had a tract extending from Maumux spring to the Nashua River, large tracts to the west of the river in what is now Pepperell, and land in the north end of Baddycook. It is said that his house was a fortified garrison, to which the people might go in times of danger from the Indians. Groton was on the frontier at that time, and such danger was real. The house was perhaps built like a blockhouse, with projecting upper story, loop-holes in the walls for musketry, and a stockage about it. John Nutting would be obliged to defend the house in case of attack. It was this obligation that lead to his death. The Indian War, known as King Philip’s War, began in the early spring of 1676, after long preliminary warnings. Trouble began at Groton, March 2, 1676. On March 13 a force of 400 Indians attacked Groton by stealth, as was their habit. Nutting’s house and others were captured and John Nutting was shot to death in its defense. It is said that his head was severed and put upon a pole. The women and children escaped to safety to Parker’s house, not far away. Nutting’s wife and children escaped with the others to the safer settlements. The eldest son was married at this time and cared for his own. He and his brother, James, returned to Groton at the resettlement. The younger children never returned to Groton. Mrs. Nutting probably went to Woburn, where her mother was living. Her mother, Mrs. Jane Cole, widow of Stephen Eggleston, of James Briton and of Isaac Cole, died at Woburn, March 10, 1687. Her sister, Ruth, wife of Samuel Blodgett, may have lived at the same place. John Nutting left no will. At a court held at Cambridge, April 1, 1684, administration was granted to John and James Nutting on the estate of John Nutting, late of Groton, deceased. On December 4, 1716, James Nutting of Groton, yeoman, Ebenezer Nutting of Medford, “practioner of physic”, Jonathan Nutting of Cambridge, locksmith, John Stone of Groton and Sarah Stone, alias Nutting, his wife, and Jacob Taylor of Concord, husbandman, and Deborah Taylor, alias Nutting his wife, children of John Nutting of Groton aforesaid, deceased and intestate, for L60 paid by our brother, John Nutting, of Groton, husbandman, conveyed to him all their interests in the estate of John Nutting lying in Groton. (Middlesex County Deeds, Volume 18, Page 290.) This deed is evidence for his legal heirs that were living December 4, 1716. Children of John Nutting (The Founder), Second Generation: A-2 i. John, born August 25, 1651. B-2 ii. James, born June 30 1653. iii. Mary, born January 10 (or 16), 1655. Probably married about 1678 Samuel Howe of Concord, Mass. and Plainfield, Conn., born at Concord October 14, 1654; died at Plainfield, Conn., December 29, 1724. Mrs. Mary (Nutting) Howe died at Plainfield, Conn. September 1, 1727. Her children were Samuel, Sarah, Hannah, Deborah, John, Josiah, Abigail and Elizabeth. iv. Josiah, born June 10, 1658; died December 10, 1658. v. Sarah, born January 7, 1659; died young. vi. Sarah, born March 29, 1663, at Groton; married first Matthias Farnsworth who died 1693 at Groton; second December 16, 1698, John Stone, son of Simon and Mary (Whipple) Stone of Watertown, Mass. She had at least six children. C-2 vii. Ebenezer, born October 23, 1666. D-2 viii. Jonathan, born October 17, 1668 ix. Deborah, (not recorded), married Jacob Taylor of Concord, Mass. before February 1728-9. B-2 JAMES BRANCH, 2ND GENERATION B-2 James Nutting (John,1) born June 30,