Hampton & Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
Source: Prescott Memorial by William Prescott, Concord, N.H. 1870
James Prescott founder of Hampton Falls, N.H., Prescott Memorial, Part II
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James Prescott, the record of whose descendants form the subject of this portion of the Memorial, came from Dryby in the County of Lincolnshire and settle in Hampton, N.H. which then, and for some time afterward, was comprised within the "Old County of Norfolk, Mass." He commenced a farm on which he resided until he removed to Kingston in 1725, in that part of Hampton which since 1712 has constituted the town of Hampton Falls. This farm was situated some one and a half, or two miles north of Hampton Falls Acedemy, on the highway to Exeter, of late years owned and occupied by the late Wells Healey, Esq., and is one of our finest and most desirable farms.
The precise time of Mr. Prescott's admission to the church is not known, but it must have been before he was admitted a freeman in 1678, as none but members of the church were eligible to that important and earnestly sought privilege. He was transferred to the church at Hampton Falls soon after its incorporation as a town, in 1712. From thence he was transferred to the church at Kingston on the 29th of Sept. 1725.
In 1668 he married Mary the daughter of Nathaniel & Grace Boulter, born at Exeter May 15, 1648, As Mary Boulter was the maternal ancestor of the New Hampshire branch of the Prescott families, and as the name became extinct in America upon the death of her brothers, Nathaniel and John Boulter, (the end of the 2nd generation) it cannot be deemed irrelevant to give in this connection, a brief notice and record of the Boulter family. Nathaniel Boulter was born in England in 1625, as appears in an affadavit given by him and John Redman in Nov 1685, and published in the first Volume pp.46-7 of the New Hampshire Provincial Papers. It appears by said affidavit that he settled at Hampton as early as 1642 (43 years before) yet by the said Provincial Papers, Ibid., pp. 170, 179, he appears as an inhabitant of Exeter in 1645, his name being fixed to sundry petitions from that town to the Governor and General Court at Boston. In 16747 he married Grace Swaine. They had the following children:
1. Mary Boulter b. at Exeter May 15, 1648; m. in 1668 James Prescott. 2. Temperance Boulter b. prob. at Hampton, NH Jan 8, 1651. 3. Nathaniel Boulter Jr. b. at Hampton, March 4, 1653; m. Mary Drake. He died Sept 8, 1689 leaving two daughters (no sons), the oldest, Elizabeth b. Sept 8, 1688 and the other, Mary Boulter born posthumously. They were both baptized Nov 19, 1699. His widow Mary m. for a second husband, Richard son of Lieut John Sanborn, on the 20th of Dec 1693, who was b. Jan 4, 1655. 4. Joshua Boulter b. at Hampton May 1, 1655 died in infancy. 5. Joshua Boulter 2d, b. at Hampton Jan 23, 1657, d. Nov 15, 1661. 6. Rebecca Boulter b. at Hampton Oct 12, 1659, d. Nov. 8, 1661. 7. Grace Boulter b. at Hampton, Dec. 27, 1662; d. Jan 26, 1663. 8. Hannah Boulter b. at Hampton Feb 20, 1665. 9. Elizabeth Boutler b. at Hampton Feb 23, 1669; m. May 6, 1689, Joseph Fanning. 9. John Boulter b. at Hampton Dec 2, 1672.
The following scraps of information relating to James Prescott have been gleaned from various sources:
In 1692, James Prescott is mentioned as a creditor of His Majesty's Province.
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In 1694 the town of Kingston was granted by Lieut Governor Usher to James Prescott, Ebenezer Webster and othes, who became extensive landholders and influential proprietors. In 1700 Dec 19th, James Prescott was moderator at the meeting of the proprietors of Kingston at which meeting James Prescott and Ebenezer Webster were chosen a committee to run the line between Kingston and Hampton, in conjunction with a like committee from the latter town. At the same meeting it was voted to grant to James Prescott, Thomas Philbrick and Jonathan Sanborn, each, two hundred acres of land in the westerly part of the town of Kingston. On the 18th of July 1701, James Prescott was again chosen moderator of the proprietor's meeting when the house, or near meadow was granted to him Beside the above, the proprietors of Kingston voted him tracts of land in 1705, 1710, 1715, 1719, 1720 and 1721.
In 1708 the Commons of Hampton voted to give to James Prescott ten acres of land where his house then stood, John Sanborn dissenting. On the 10th of April, 1711 they voted him four acres of land for eight pounds of money, agreeably to the report of a committee consisting of Josiah Chase, John Stanyan, John Sanborn, John Redman, Joseph Swett and Samuel Dalton.
In 1709, James Prescott, Sr., Nathaniel & James Jr., signed a petition for a new Parish at the "Falls".
In 1710, James Prescott Sr., Jonathan & Nathaniel Prescott signed a petition for a new parish at Hampton Falls which was set off and incorporated into a new town by the name of Hampton Falls on the 20th of April, 1712.
James Precott removed from Hampton Falls to Kingston in 1725, where he died Nov 25, 1728 aged 85. The record of his death on the books in Kingston reads thus:
"November 25,
1728, James Prescott an aged father, died." Mary his widow died at Kingston Oct 4, 1735 aged 87 years, 4 mos and 20 days.
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth