About James
Hine and His Son Noble Hine Introduction
James Hine spent his adult life and his son Noble Hine his entire life living in New Milford, Connecticut. When I first started researching my Hine ancestors and found some in "Milford", CT (Thomas and Samuel) and others in "New Milford", CT (James and Noble) I erroneously assumed that these were one and the same location. I eventually figured out that this wasn't the case. Milford is on the Connecticut coast on the north shore of Long Island Sound while New Milford is about 35 miles inland from Milford along the Housatonic River in west-central Connecticut. Today New Milford is a charming New England town with a population of around 28,000 but in the early 1700's when James and Margaret Noble-Hine settled there it was a tiny village in the wilderness. Much of what I've learned
about James Hine and his son Noble has come from the book "History of the Towns
of New Milford and Bridgewater, Connecticut, 1703-1882" by Samuel Orcutt
(published in 1882). I was able to obtain a copy of this rare publication
on a Compact Disk from which I was able to search for mentions of James and
Noble as well as James' father-in-law (and my 5th great grandfather) John Noble,
the founder of New Milford). I've captured the pages mentioning them
and organized them into a file. Click here to view the file:
Another primary source has been
"Hine Genealogy, and history
of the descendants of Thomas Hine of Milford, Conn, 1639" by Robert C. Hine
published in 1898 which regularly references the aforementioned Samuel Orcutt
publication regarding James and Noble. For excerpts from Robert Hine's
publication regarding my branch of the family, click here:
The names and dates for James and Noble's children shown below in the header information for each are from several sources, some of which conflict in minor ways. When in doubt I've used my best guess. James Hine married Margaret Noble, daughter of New Milford's founder John Noble (more below). When I visited New Milford's old Center Cemetery in the fall of 2008 it had recently completed computerizing it's long list of interments which had occurred over almost 3 centuries. I was thus able to easily count from the alphabetical list over 200 burials with the surnames Hine (142) and Noble (70). I'm sure that I'm somehow related to almost all of them (in addition to likely many others who's surnames I didn't recognize due to marriage). A final tangential note regarding New Milford, CT:
Both James and son Noble Hine were prominent citizens in the early days of New
Milford. Another early and prominent settler of New Milford starting
around 1712
was the Rev. Daniel Boardman (1665-1744). Several generation of his
descendents and of my Hine and Kirtland descendents knew, interfaced with , and
in two cases married each other over the course of two centuries both in
Connecticut and in the Connecticut Western Reserve (Northeast Ohio). See:
James Hine
and
Margaret Noble-Hine
About James Hine James Hine was born in Milford, Connecticut on October 16 1696 and was the 4th of the 9 children of Samuel Hine and Abigail Miles-Hine. I've found nothing regarding his childhood though he apparently trained as a blacksmith, a valuable and respected trade in those days. In the autumn of 1723 at about age 27 he moved to the relatively new settlement of New Milford, CT. Apparently New Milford was in need of a blacksmith and James was heavily recruited to fill the position. Robert C. Hine in his "Hine Genealogy......" wrote regarding James: "He came to New Milford as a blacksmith, under an agreement of which the following is the substance. He subsequently became an independent farmer. His shop was the second enterprise of public convenience in the town." Robert continues regarding an agreement dated Dec. 16, 1723: "That we in consideration that James Hine do become our smith and do faithfully endeavor to do our work with reasonable satisfaction for the full term of four years next ensuing do give him the several parcels of land hereinafter named. This was signed by 21 citizens 17 of whom each gave one acre and the other 4 each 1/2 acre making 19 acres. " Subsequently "..... 5 other persons signed it each giving one acre thus making a total of 24 acres. He subsequently became a large land owner by purchase and a very influential citizen, whose judgment was often called into requisition in town meetings, committees, &c. and he held many influential positions. (Orcutt's Hist of New Milford PP. 69.70)" Robert Hine indicates that "He is called Lieutenant" and more than once refers to "Lt. Hine" but doesn't indicated the derivation of the title. On Dec 23, 1726 at age 30 James married 22 year old Margaret Noble. The couple would have 6 children between 1727 and 1744 the first of which died young. The surviving children included 2 boys and 3 girls. About Margaret's Father John Noble and New Milford Margaret Noble's father was John Noble (1662-1714, my 5th great grandfather) who is considered the founder of New Milford, CT. In 1706 he obtained land in what became New Milford and in 1707 at age 45 built the family's first log home there becoming the first settler in an area that was otherwise occupied by only the indigenous Indians. Robert Hine's "Hine Genealogy...." reads: "John Noble, Sen. (b. Mrch. 6, 1662 d. Aug 17 1714 the first death in New Milford Conn.) on June 22 1706 purchased of Richard Bryan of Milford, who stood 15th on the list of proprietors his original 'right' or a one hundred and fourth part of the undivided territory then recently bought from the Indians named 'The Plantation." He [John Noble] came from Westfield Mass. He is called in the deed 'planter'. In 1707 in the Spring or Summer he made his way through the wilderness and took up his habitation among the Indians at Weantinock [New Milford]. He first built a 'hut' at the foot of Fort Hill a little north of the Indian burying place where he lived while he built a commodious house at the south end of the Town Plat. 'The Plantation' contained about 26,000 acres so that his 'right' consisted of about 357.5 acres." John Noble was the first to be buried in New Milford's
Center Cemetery (in 1714). There's a great deal of information about John Noble in Orcutt's history of New Milford.
More About James According to Robert Hine: "In 1729 the Town voted that 'James Hine have oversight over the female sex during exercises', referring to church exercises. What this 'oversight' was I am at a loss to determine, but it has been suggested that it referred to supplying the ladies with warming pans &c. as was customary in those times." "In 1741 he was on a committee to take charge of the Great Bridge across the Housatonic River and to order its affairs. This bridge was built in 1740 and was carried away by floods in 1755 and re-built by the town , but it stood little over a year when it was again carried away and then the town, discouraged at the fortunes of the bridge, offered it to any persons who should build and maintain it as a toll-bridge. James Hine was one of the persons who took charge of it." "He was first of the name in New Milford and his wife was said to have been the first white female that came to the place." I note that this suggests that John Noble's daughter Margaret was the first white female settler in New Milford however other sources suggest that the first white female settler was Margaret's older sister Sarah. "He and his wife joined the 'First Church of Christ' there on August 20, 1727. It was organized Nov. 21 1716.......... He gave land in New Milford Dec. 12 1756 to 'My well beloved son Abel', also March 27, 1767 to his son Noble." "October 1748 he was a delegate to the Conn, General Assembly from New Milford." The "History of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley Ohio" by Jos. G. Butler, Volume II (1921) reads: "The third generation is represented by James Hine, son of Samuel and Abigail, who was born at Milford October 16, 1696, and was known in early Connecticut annals as Lieutenant Hine. He settled at New Milford about 1723. He died April 1, 1774. He was not only a large property owner but his name frequently appears in connection with colonial affairs, including membership in the General Assembly." James's Brothers Daniel and George Roughly 14 years after James settled in New Milford in 1723 his younger brother Daniel also moved there from Milford in about 1737. Their father Samuel purchased land in New Milford from a Milford resident and titled it to Daniel who then moved there and began farming. Today, parts of Daniel's New Milford dairy farm and it's buildings survive along with a neighbor's farm and are now collectively known as the Hunt Hill Farm and/or the Hine-Buckingham Farms. Located about 4 miles north of central New Milford, these farms and buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operate as a nonprofit arts and culinary site hosting such activities as weddings and corporate events. I've also run into a mention that James's brother George and his family moved from Milford to New Milford sometime before 1793 but I've been unable to confirm this. James and Margaret Hine's Final Resting Place I've been unable to determine the final resting place
of James (d. 1774) and Margaret (d. 1796). Logic would suggest that they
would have been put to rest in New Milford's Center Cemetery as it was
established many years before their deaths and Margaret's father John Noble is
buried there along with their son Noble who died the same year as his mother.
However, when I visited in 2008 the cemetery's interment records didn't show
them. Perhaps the cemetery had lost the interment records and/or possibly the
gravestones had become unreadable if this was a source for the computerized list. Another possibility is that they were buried with James' parents in Milford or, as was
sometimes the case in those days, they were buried in a small family cemetery
plot on their land.
Noble Hine
and
Patience Hubbell-Hine
About Noble and Patience Hine Noble, born August 12, 1744 in New Milford, was the youngest surviving child of James and Margaret Hine and was born when James was age 48 and Margaret 40. He had a brother and 3 sisters. Another brother (also named Noble) had died as a young child. Nothing is known about Noble's childhood nor education but it is known that his land-rich father transferred land to him in 1767 (when he would have been 23 years old) and Noble probably inherited more of his father's land upon James' death a few years later in 1774. On February 02, 1768 Noble married Patience Hubbell in New Milford so its possible that the land transferred to Noble the previous year was in anticipation of the marriage. At the time Noble was 24 and Patience 23. It's not clear where Patience was born nor how she came to know Noble but I've found the following regarding her parents: "Elnathan Hubbell, father of Patience was born 22 Sep 1718 in Stratford CT (son of James Hubbell and Patience ___), died 21 Jul 1788 in Bennington VT, buried at the Old Bennington Cemetery in Bennington VT. He married Mehitable Sherwood, born 21 Feb 1720 in CT (daughter of Lemuel Sherwood and Experience Wheeler), died 24 Sep 1770 in Bennington VT, and is buried with her husband." The couple would have 10 children between 1769 and 1790 which included 7 girls and 3 boys. I've run into nothing to suggest what Noble might have done for a living but I would suspect that he was a farmer having taken over his father's land (some of which went to his brother Able). He must have been financially successful as raising 10 children wouldn't have been cheap and in the mid 1790's around the time of his death he and/or his widow could afford to send son Homer (my 2nd great grandfather) to college at Yale. I have no information as to whether any of the other children attained an advanced education. Noble's Service In the American Revolution Noble would have been in his early 30's at the time of the American Revolution and there are several references to his service in in it. From Robert Hine's "Hine Genealogy...." "[Noble Hine] was an Ensign in Col Ward's regiment, Capt. Couch's company, in Spring of 1776 and went to New York"......."The company was in service 2 months and 23 days. He is also called 'Captain' probably from the office which he held in the Revolutionary War or in one of the companies of town militia. He took the oath of freemanship Sept. 16 1777 and of fidelity Sept. 21 1777. He was quite a prominent man in town and Church and was many times representative to the State Legislature."........."His widow was prominent on the tax list." The "History of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley Ohio" by Jos. G. Butler, Volume II (1921) reads: "Noble Hine, son of Lieutenant James and Margaret (Noble) Hine was born at New Milford August 12, 1744, and served as an ensign in Colonel White's Regiment, Captain Cowle's Company, during the Revolutionary War. He represented his district in the State Legislature many terms. He died October 1, 1796." I note that this death date is not consistent with other information I have which shows Oct. 15 of that year. I also note that the references in the above two paragraphs regarding the leaders of the mentioned regiments (Col. Ward / Col. White) and companies (Capt. Couch / Capt. Cowle) are different. Perhaps Noble served in two different regiments. Another source shows additional service in the American Revolution by Noble. "Two Centuries of New Milford, Connecticut -- 1707-1907" by a number of authors and published by Grafton Press (New York) in 1907 reads on page 52: "The following New Milford men served under Lieutenant Colonel Canfield in the Tryon invasion : Benjamin Stone, Nathaniel Barnes, William Cogswell, Ebenezer Couch, Noble Hine, Ruben Bostwick, Adam Hurlburt." The Tyron raids occurred in July of 1779 when British Major General William Tryon attacked the Connecticut ports of New Haven, Fairfield, and Norwalk from the sea. An article in an 1896 issue of the Plain
Dealer (Cleveland) says regarding one of Noble's granddaughters,
"Her father, Homer Hine, was a son of Col. Noble Hine of
New Milford, Ct., one of those officers of that state during the Revolution.
And at his home were then stored large quantities of powder and other army
supplies."
Orcutt's history of New Milford shows that Noble was a Captain in an apparently ongoing town Militia along with many others of that rank over a period of multiple decades so it's not clear to me whether he served in this capacity during the Revolutionary War or at some other time. Public Service There are references to the fact that Noble was a prominent citizen and was civic minded but I've run into only a few specifics. He was apparently active in his local church and there is a suggestion (Orcutt) that in Sept. of 1780 he was a "Selectman of the Town of New Milford" (the elected town council) as his signature appears as such on an official town document. There is no indication as to how long he may have served in this capacity. Like their father James, Noble and his brother Abel served in the Connecticut General Assembly representing New Milford. Orcutt indicates that Noble served in the periods from 1780-81 (during the Revolutionary War) and from 1793-95. His brother Abel served several terms between 1769 and 1784 which was before, during, and just after the American Revolution. Abel's son Beebe Hine (Noble's nephew) served between 1806 and 1812. Final Resting Place Noble Hine passed away on October 15, 1796 at age 52 from unknown causes and likely in New Milford. Patience survived almost another 33 years and passed away on March 05, 1829 also likely in New Milford, CT at about age 84. They are buried next to each other in New Milford's Center Cemetery (Section O, Row 16). I took the following photos when visiting New Milford in October of 2008. The gravestones are quite weathered and hard to read however there's a relatively recent ground level concrete addition at the foot of Noble's tombstone honoring his service during the Revolutionary War. I'm no expert on aging concrete but I'm guessing it can't be more than several decades old and was likely put there by a distant cousin that I have yet to identify. I recently and unexpectedly found a copy
of Noble's probate file online. It's long and hard to read so I haven't
yet studied it in detail but suspect that his estate would have been divided in
some equitable way between his widow and 10 children.
A Final Note Three of Noble and Patience's children would
eventually leave New Milford and become early settlers near each other in the Connecticut
Western Reserve (northeastern Ohio) in the early 1800's, a hundred years after
their grandparents (James and Margaret) had become early settlers in New Milford.
Noble and Patience's son Homer (my 2nd great grandfather) relocated to the
Connecticut Western Reserve in about 1801, son Bildad around 1808 and daughter Sophia Hine-Boardman with
her husband in perhaps
the 1820's or 1830's. Bildad's 1st wife was Lowis Bostwick, a decedent of
another founding and prominent family in New Milford. |
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