Richard Hunnewell (abt. 1645 - abt. 1703)

Born about Aug 1645 in Saco, Maine, American Colonies [uncertain]

Husband of Elizabeth (Stover) Downing — married 31 Mar 1674 in Scarborough, Cumberland, Maine

Descendants

Died about 6 Oct 1703 at about age 58 in Massacre Pond, Black Point, Scarborough, Maine

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Biography

Richard Hunnewell was born about 1 Jul 1645.^[1] His birthplace is shown variously in accounts as Salisbury, Merrimack, New Hampshire, or Saco, York, Maine, or England.

He was the first son of Roger Hunnewell who settled in Saco, Maine, and died 1654. His mother was Bridget Gray.^[2]

Richard was one of the early settlers of Scarborough, Maine, also known as Black Point. He was a noted killer of Indians, and finally lost his life at their hands.^[2]

He married Elizabeth Stover Moore on 31 March 1674 in Scarborough, Maine.^[3]

They had the following children: ^[4][1][2]

1. Elizabeth born 1868

2. Patience born 1674 in Bristol, Massachusetts or Maine

3. Roger born 1676 in Maine

4. John born about 1680

In 1676, Richard deposed that he was 31 years old. In August 1677 he was a Corporal and soon gained promotion to Ensign in 1680 while serving under Captain Joshua Scottow. By 1681 he was serving under Sergeant Major Richard Walderne who was under Major Brian Penolton in the York Regiment.^[5]

Richard Hunnewell was one of the leading inhabitants of Scarborough. Richard deposed in 1686 that he was aged 40 and lived in Scarborough for 28 years.^{[6] [7]}

No further record was found until July 2, 1687 when Richard was commissioned a Lieutenant by New England Governor Sir Edmund Androse. On November 11, 1689 he was ordered to command twenty soldiers at the "Blew Point", Black Point, and Spurwinck Garrisons. During this period, he served under the command of Major Benjamin Church, the well known Indian fighter, who was in command of the forces at the Eastward (Maine).^[5]

In 1690 there were many skirmishes which eventually led to the complete depopulation of the area. In one of these at the Saco River near Winter Harbor, Church wrote in a letter dated September 17, 1690, "At this skirmish Lt. Hunnewell was shot through the thigh." In a letter dated November 27, 1690, Church wrote, "My kind respects to Maj. Frost, Capt. Walton, Lieut. Hunnewell, with due respects to all Gentlemen by friends in the Eastward parts..." On August 7, 1691 Richard, as Lieutenant and "Pilott", was reported as wounded "in the late expedition Eastward."^[5]

Richard was promoted to the rank of Captain on July 24, 1693. In 1696, again with Major Church in the expedition to St. John, the only mention of this being found in the latter's account, which speaks of Captain Hunnewell as "one of the commanders of the forces belonging to the Eastward parts."^[5]

In March 1696, Richard "Honnywell of Yorke" petitioned William Stoughton, Esq. and Commander in chief of province of Massachusetts Bay in New England and Council and representatives, for compensation for his injuries in battles against the "common enemy." The petition was signed Richard Honnywell, by his marke "R." It appears that his petition for compensation and a stipend was granted.^[8]

He was a defendant in York Court of Sessions in April 1703 for breach of the Sabbath.^[9]

The second settlement of Scarborough is regarded as dating to 1702. A fort was erected on the western shore of Garrison Cove, Prout's Neck. Other stockades were at Spurwink and Blue Point. The Hunnewell House was known as the "outpost for the defense of Black Point."

Richard Hunnewell, and eighteen other men were killed on 6 Oct 1703 at Massacre Pond in Black Point, Scarborough, Maine. This incident took place after peace negotiations had been made. The event is commemorated with a plaque at Massacre Pond.^[10]

His wife Elizabeth survived and married again.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Hunnewell, James Melville and Samuel Willet Honeywell. The descendants of Roger and Ambrose Hunnewell (Honeywell). S.W. Honeywell, 1972. pp. 2-4.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Charles Thornton Libby. The Libby Family in America 1602-1881. B. Thurston & Co., Portland, Maine, 1882, pp. 44-45.
3. ↑ New England Marriages Prior to 1700, database, Ancestry.com, entry for Richard Hunnewell & Elizabeth Stover / Moore, citing Clarence A. Torry, New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, database, Ancestry.com (accessed 28 March 2018), Surnames G-H, Page 362.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Honeywell Family Newsletter, Honeywell Heritage, Vol 2, No 1, database, Honeywell Family Association, entry for Richard Hunnewell.
6. ↑ Inhabitants of Black Point Garrison (Scarborough), 1676
7. ↑ York Deeds, dated 1692
8. ↑ Mass. Prov. Laws, vol 7, page 557 (1696-97), chap 79, citing council records, Vol VI, p 519, preserved archives Vol 70, Pg. 332, Petition of Richard Honnywell, 1696.
9. ↑ Maine Court Records, 1696-1854, database, Ancestry.com, entry for Richard Hunnewell, April 1703 (accessed 28 March 2018), citing York County Court of Common Pleas (1696-1760), Kennebec County Supreme Court (1799-1854), and Washington County District Court (1839-46), Vol 6-290-335-YORK.
10. ↑ Find A Grave Index, database, FamilySearch (accessed 15 December 2015), Richard Hunnewell, ; Burial, Scarborough, Cumberland, Maine, United States of America, Massacre Pond; citing record ID 139457037, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI), database, Ancestry.com, entry for Lt. Richard Hunnewell, 1650, citing Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library, Vol 87, Pg 81.
• Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, Vol. III, database, Ancestry.com, entry for Richard Hunnewell, 1686, Pages 268-69, citing Historical Sketches in Scarborough, Dr. J.H.S. Fogg.

• Kim's New England Ancestors (and more), owner Kim Branagan

• Scarborough Garden Club - Hunnewell House, accessed 28 Jun 2023.