Joseph Harding (bef. 1632 - aft. 1687)

Born before 1632 in England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Bethia (Cooke) Harding — married 4 Apr 1660 in Eastham, Barnstable County, Plymouth Colony

Descendants

Died after 31 May 1687 after age 55 in Eastham, Barnstable, Plymouth Colony, New England

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Disputed Origins

Some believe his father's name was Joseph Harding Sr but without proof. Anderson in Great Migration Begins does not name him.

Biography

Joseph Harding immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

“Martha Harding, widow, the immigrant ancestor, was in Plymouth as early as 1632. Robert Charles Anderson places son Joseph's birth as "by 1632." ^[1].

She died in 1633, leaving her son Joseph to the care of John Doane, probably her brother. It is believed that her husband came to Maine in 1623 with Governor Gorges, and when the colony was abandoned he took refuge at Plymouth, but he may have died before his family removed to Plymouth. It appears that the widow had previously committeed her elder son, John, to the care of John Doane."^[2]

"Joseph Harding, son of Martha Harding, was born about 1635. He was given into the care of Deacon John Doane by his mother, and lived with his guardian during his minority, at Duxbury and Eastham, Massachusetts. About 1650 he came to Braintree, taking possession apparently of lands inherited from his father and from time to time his name is found in the probate records from 1650 to 1660.

On 3 June 1652 a complaint was filed against Joseph for “carrying an Indian’s gun unto the smith to be mended in his uncle’s name”.^[3]

He married, April 4, 1660, Bethia, daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth (King) Cook, of Eastham, formerly of Plymouth, and grantee of Little Compton, Rhode Island. Joseph settled early at Eastham.”^[2]

Joseph Harding and Bethiah Cook ware mareied the fourth Day of Apreill in the yeare one thousand Six hundered & Sixty. ^[4]

Joseph took the oath of allegiance in 1657 and was made a freeman in Eastham in 1664. In Mar. 1671/2 he was fined 10/ for abusing the constable. ^[5]

Josiah Cooke, Sr. mentions his son Joseph Harding and daughter Bethiah Harding as well as his grandsons Joseph, Josiah and Amaziah in his will dated 22 Sept. 1673.^[6]

Vet. of King Phillip's War (Capt. John Gorham's Co.)^{[citation needed]}

Bethia, her brother Josiah and their half-sister Miriam Deane all fought over the estate of their father Josiah Cooke. This was finally settled by the prerogative court in Barnstable on 31 May 1687: ^[7]

"Whereas there was great contest, varianc and strife betweene Josiah Cook, Bethiah Harding and Meriam Deane all of Eastham… about tuching or conserning the Estate of Josiah Cook of Eastham deceased that was Left after the death of Elizabeth the relict of sd Josiah Cook deceased.

Know all whome it may conserne that the parties at variance as above sd have agreed before the Prerogative Court held in Barnstable the 31st of May 1687. Clearly fairly and plainly as followeth, that the sd Josiah first above mentioned shall pay or cause to be paid unto Bethiah his sister the sd wife of Joseph Harding of Eastham… out of his own Estate the full sum of fifty shillings in good merchants pay to her or her order on or before the last day of November next ensuing the date above mentioned: and for the Estate of the said Josiah Cook deceased left after the death of the sd Elizabeth relict of sd Josiah Cook deceased, the sd Josiah Cook first above mentioned and the sd Bethiah his sister to have the first choise of fifty shillings thereof at the prise as the sd Estate is praised at and then the abovesd Meriam Deane to have the second choise of five pounds of said Estate as it is praized at and then the aforesaid Josiah Cook and sd Bethiah to have the 3d choise of fifty shillings more of sd Estate at the prise as abovesd and then the sd Meriam Deane to have the Choise of four pounds and three Shillinggs thereof at the prise aforesd and of all that of sd Estate that is left when the said Meriam Deane hath her due which is nine pounds and three shillings the rest to be equally devided between the sd Josiah Cook and his sister Bethiah the wife of the sd Joseph Harding." ^[8]

Children born Eastham:^{[9] [10]}

1. Martha, b. 13 Dec 1662
2. Mary, b. 19 Aug 1665
3. Joseph, b. 8 Jul 1667
4. Josiah, b. 15 Aug 1669
5. Maziah, b. 1 Nov 1671
6. John, b. 9 Oct 1673
7. Nathaniel, b. 25 Dec 1674
8. Joshua, b. 15 Feb 1675[/6?]
9. Abiah, (son) b. 26 Jan 1679
10. Samuel, b. 1 Sep 1683

Sources

1. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols. (1995), 854-55 (Martha Harding), at 854 ; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Cutter, William Richard. Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, Volumes 1-4, published online by Google Books, 2006; original publisher: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, 1910. Vol. 4, Page 1921
3. ↑ The Great Migration Begins- NEHGS, 1995- entry for Martha Harding
4. ↑ Eastham VR- Vol. I, p. 64
5. ↑ Records of Plymouth Colony- Nathaniel Shurtleff, Genealogical Pub. Co., 1979- pp. 136, 184, 208
6. ↑ The Will of Josiah Cooke, Sr. of Eastham- George Bowman, in the Mayflower Descendant- Vol. XV, pp. 34-38.
7. ↑ The Widow Mary Ring of Plymouth- John Coddington, TAG- Vol. 42, pp. 193-205
8. ↑ Barnstable County Probate Records- Vol. I, fol. 17
9. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G979-9XBR?cc=2061550&wc=Q4DW-7MF%3A353349701%2C353418401%2C353418402 : 20 May 2014), Barnstable > Eastham, Orleans > Births, marriages, deaths, land grants 1649-1722 > image 128 of 157; town clerk offices, Massachusetts.
   Eastham & Orleans Births, Marriages, Deaths, Land Grants 1649-1722, Vol. 1, part 2, p. 64.
10. ↑ George Ernest Bowman, "Eastham & Orleans, Mass., Vital Records," Mayflower Descendant Vol. 7:13.

    Joseph Harding and Bethiah Cook ware mareied the fourth Day of Apreill in the yeare on thousand Six hundered & Sixty.

    Martha Harding the daughter of Joseph Harding was borne the thirteenth day of december on thousand Six hundred and Sixty two

    Mary Harding the daughter of Joseph Harding was borne the 19th of August 1665.

    Joseph Harding the sonne of Joseph Harding was borne the eight of July 1667.

    Josiah Harding the sonne of Joseph Harding was borne the 15 of August 1669 .

    Maziah harding the sonne of Joseph harding was borne the first day of November in the yeare 1671 [The "1" was written over "3."]

    John harding the sonne of Joseph harding Was borne the 9th day of october in the yeare 1673

    Joshua Harding the son of Joseph Harding was borne the 15th day of feburarie in the year : 1675. [/1676?]

    Nathannel Harding the sonn of Joseph Harding was borne the 25th day of december in the yeare : 1674 [sic]

    Abiah Harding the son of Joseph Harding was borne the : 26th : of Jenuarie 1679.

    Samuel Harding the sonne of Joseph harding was borne the first day of September : 1683.

• Our Harding Family: A Record of the Family and Descendants of Samuel Harding- Mary E. Harding Baird, typescript, 1957- pp. 5-6
• The Hardings in America- A Genealogical Register of the Descendants of John Harding, of England, Born A.D.1567- Wilbur J. Harding, Harding Printing Co., Keystone, Iowa, 1925
• Smith Jr., Leonard H. and Norma H. Smith. Vital Records of the Towns of Eastham and Orleans: An authorized facsimile reproduction of records published serially 1901-1935 in The Mayflower Descendant, With an added index of persons, published online by Ancestry.com, The Generations Network, Inc., Provo, UT, 2007. Original publisher: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, 1993.
• Freeman, Frederick, The History of Cape Cod: The Annals of The Thirteen Towns of Barnstable County, Volumes I-II, Boston, 1862
• Cutter, William Richard. Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, Volumes 1-4, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, 1910.
• [S1052] Family of John Perkins, online.
• [S187] VR of Massachusetts (published).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 March 2021), memorial page for Joseph Harding (1629–1685), Find A Grave: Memorial #112739583, citing Cove Burying Ground, Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Ells-Katcher (contributor 47766321) . (No gravestone, no sources.)