Richard Pettingell was born in England about the year 1620, as we learn from the following deposition:
The Deposition of Richard Pettingell aged 47 testiyeth that John Webster came to me of a Lords day before the sun was down & charged me and my son to take charge of John Atkinson untill he had occasion to call for him.
Afterwards we went to Mr. Thomas his house & John Atkinson proferred mr Thomas that if mr Thomas would pay him within one month what he owed to him he shold have that Cagg of sturgeon which was now in John Kents boat delivered to him for his use at boston againe but mr Thomas would not. (Not signed.)
Testified at a meeting of the Commissioners for Small Causes in Newbury Sept.4, 1667. (Essex Court Files XIII, 49)
When giving testimony in the court of Hampton (now in New Hampshire), 14 (8) 1667, he deposed that he was “about 52 years old”; in 1678, when he took the oath of allegiance, he is said to have been “about 60.” The statements were approximate, of course. His testimony at Hampton was in a trial about the rights of certain heirs to Giles Fuller’s estate and was, viz.: “Richard Pettingell aged about 52 years saith yt being very well acquaintd wth Giles Fuller of Hampton deceased & wth Mr. Fuller of Bastable doctor both in Old England & here in New England & now that Matth. Fuller doctor now of Bastable was ye nearest kinsman he had.
“Sworn before ye County Court held att Hampton ye 14: 8 m 1673 as attested.” Fuller is positively known to have come from Topcroft in Norfolk, England, and it is the opinion of one of the Fuller family who has investigated the problem that Pettingell came from Shottesham in the same county. Elsewhere we present an article upon this subject.
Richard was a resident of Salem before 1641, and must have been a member of the church; for he was admitted to the freemanship of the colony June 2, 1641, a dignity to which none attained at that date except members of the church, recommended by the minister of the place. He had a grant of a lot of land – 10 acres – at “enon” (afterward Wenham) in 1642, and removed to that section, where he resided several years. He was received to the church there by letter from that of Salem 4(6)1649. He witnessed the will of Samuel Smith at Enon 10(5)1642.
Richard Pettingell married Joanna Ingersoll sometime before 1644. Joanna (1624-1693) was the daughter of Richard Ingersoll (1587-1644). Richard’s great-great grandson, Captain Samuel Ingersoll (1744-1804) bought the House of Seven Gables in Salem, MA in 1782 from John Turner III. His daughter, Susanna, inherited the house upon Samuel’s death in 1804. She was the cousin of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Nathaniel was well familiar with the house, having visited it many times, and used it as inspiration for his famous 1851 fictional novel “The House of the Seven Gables”.
Richard Ingersoll (1587-1644) – great-great-great-great grandfather of Susanna
– Joanna Ingersoll (1624-1693) – our ancestor
– John Ingersoll (1620-1684) – great-great-great grandfather of Susanna
– John Ingersoll (1644-1694) – great-great-grandfather of Susanna
– Samuel Ingersoll (1676-1739) – great-grandfather of Susanna
– John Ingersoll (1712-1768) – grandfather of Susanna
– Captain Samuel Ingersoll (1744-July 15, 1804)…father of Susanna, bought House of Seven Gables
– Susanna Ingersoll (1784-1858) – Nathaniel Hawthorne’s aunt, as sole living child of Samuel, she inherited the House of Seven Gables when he died.

House of Seven Gables in Salem, MA (2016)
Richard Pettingell was a man of weight of character, as the following shows: (from the Salem Town Records.)
At a general towne meeting held the sevent day of the fifth month 1644, ordered, – That twoe be appointed every Lords day to walke forth in the time of Gods worshippe, to take notice of such as either lye at home, or in the fields wthout giving good account therof, and to take the names of such psons, to present them to the magistrate, whereby they may be accordinglie pceeded against; the names of such as are ordered to doe this service are: (here follows a list)……. in the seventh are Richard Pettingell and John Ingersoll.
He again made a change of residence to a place further east, the plantation of Newbury, where he bought a tract of land April 8, 1651, having sold his houses and lands on Wenham to Samuel Forster. He made his home near what is known as “the Upper Green,” on the high road, on the right-hand side; part of the house is still standing (1900). The town gave him, in 1651, 14 acres of marsh in consideration of his giving a right of way 4 rods wide through his land, situated on what is now called Ocean avenue (formerly Rolfe’s lane.) In 1661 Richard Pettingell and others were chosen grand jurymen for the year. In 1665 he was granted an island in Plum Island river near Sandy beach by a committee appointed by the town to settle the dispute between Richard Pettingell and John Emery regarding the division as laid out. He was one of those chosen in 1671 “for a Jury of Tryalls at Ipswich court.”
July 15, 1695, in separate deeds, he conveyed certain houses and farms in Newbury and other interests to his sons Samuel, Matthew, and Nathaniel. He died shortly after, his wife having died two or three years before.
The family became one of much note in Newbury; in the tax list of 1711 we find the following names of descendants of Richard: Matthew, Matthew, Jr., Nathaniel, Nathaniel, Jr., John, Nicholas, Samuel Richard, Joseph, Thomas, and the widow Sarah. Daniel and Cutting, of taxable age were also living in the town, as we believe, at that time. In subsequent years, also, the family has been largely represented, as will be seen in the following pages.
Richard Pettingell married some time before 1644 Joanna, daughter of Richard Ingersoll (name sometimes written Ingerson and Inkerson), probably by his wife Ann.
Richard Ingersoll came from Bedfordshire, England to Salem in 1629, under contract with the Massachusetts Bay Company to take a place in the force of planters they were gathering. His family was to be brought over, and he was well spoken of by the company’s secretary in a letter to Gov. John Endecott. (See Suffolk Deeds, I.) He maintained a ferry at Salem in 1636; had large property. He died in 1644. His will is interesting.
July the 21st : 1644
I Richard Ingerson of Salem in the County of Essex in New England, being weake in body; but through Gods mercye in pfectmemorye, doe make this my last will & testament as followeth,
I give to Ann my wife all my estate of lands, goods & chattells, whatsoever, except as followeth
viz:
I give to George Ingerson my son six acres of meddow lying in the great meddow:
It. I give to Nathaniell my youngest son a percell of ground with a little frame thereupon, which I bought of John Pe... but if the said Nathaniell dy. without issue his body lawfully begotten, then the land abovesaid to be equally shared, between John Ingerson my son & Richard Pettingell & William Haines my sons in law:
It. I give to Bathsheba my youngest daughter two cowes.
It. I give to my daughter Alce Walcott, my house at Tow.....with ten acres of upland & the meddow after my wives decease.
Richard V. Ingerson
his mark
Witness
TOWNSEND BISHOP
I read this will to Richard Ingerson & he acknowledged it to be his will.
JO. ENDECOTT
Presented in Court upon oath; 2: 11mo 1644 p. me Ralp ffogg and Ann
Ingersoll made executrix:
this is a true copy compd with the originall on file in Salem Court Records atestes
Hillyard Verlin.
It has been asserted that a certain house at Salem was built by Inkersoll and was the original of the romance by Hawthorne – “House of the Seven Gables.” Ann, the widow, marries second John Knoght, Sen., of Newbury. Some years later litigation arose over the farm her husband had willed her, and in the trial her son-in-law gave the following testimony:
“I, Richard Pettingell, aged about 45 years doe testify that this farm of land that is now in contriversy was Reserved by the widow Inkersoll to her self before her marriage to John Knight Senior and shee verbally gave this land to John Inkersoll her son. I Richard Pettingell doe farder testify that about the year 52 the said John Knight cam home too Newbury and tould his wife that he had promised mr pain sum timber at the lot at frost fish river: She was then troubled at it and said what have you to doe to sell my timber wher upon siad John Knight promised her twenty shillings: and the saud John Knight senior did thenoun that he had no right in that land.” (Essex Court Files, XIV, 28-32). Mr. Knight then joined with his wife in conveying the farm to her sons John and Nathaniel “Ingerson.” as the deed was written by the scrivner.
CHILDREN OF RICHARD AND JOANNA (INGERSOLL) PETTINGELL
SAMUEL Baptized at Salem on Dec 9, 1644
MATTHEW Born at Enon (probably) about 1648
MARY Born at Newbury July 6, 1652. She married Sgt. Abraham Adams Nov 6, 1670. He was born at Salem in 1639, the son of Robert (born in England in 1601) and Eleanor Adams. Abraham died at Newbury on June 14, 1714. Mary died there on Sep 19, 1705.
They had ten children:
Mary Adams, b. Jan 16, 1672; m. George Thurlow, who died Jan 17, 1714
Robert Adams, b. May 12, 1674
Abraham Adams, b. May 2, 1676; m. Ann Longfellow, niece of Judge Samuel Sewall
Isaac Adams, b. Feb 26, 1678/79
Sarah Adams, b. Apr 15, 1681
John Adams, b. Mar 7, 1684
Matthew Adams, b. May 25, 1686
Israel Adams, b. Dec 25, 1688; m. Rebecca Atkinson Oct 15, 1714; died Dec 12, 1714 at Waltham, MA; no children
Dorothy Adams, b. Oct 25, 1691; unmarried in 1715
Richard Adams, b. Nov 22, 1693
NATHANIEL Born at Newbury Sep 21, 1654
A son, b. Nov 15, d. 17, 1657
Henry, b. Jan 16, d. 20, 1659
SAMUEL PETTINGELL
Samuel came to his manhood at old Newbury. He was a good hunter, whether with traps or flint-lock gun deponent saith not; but the town paid him a bounty of a shilling for killing a fox in 1667. In 1687 he is noticed on the town records as one of those who were raising sheep. He took the oath of allegiance with other townsmen in 1678, “aged 33.”
He married, on Feb 13, 1673/74, Sarah, daughter of John Poore, an early resident of Newbury. She was born on June 5, 1655, and was the second child of the name. Samuel died in 1711. In his will dated July 9, 1709, proved Jan 2, 1711, he bequeathed his property to his wife Sarah, and children: Samuel, Richard, Daniel, john, Thomas, Mary, Sarah, joanna, and Benjamin. His wife survived him and was recorded a member of the church in 1716
CHILDREN OF SAMUEL AND SARAH (POORE) PETTINGELL
A daughter Born Mar 13, 1674/75; died young
SAMUEL Born Feb 3, 1675/76
RICHARD Born Aug 26, 1677; died young
RICHARD Born Jan 24, 1678/79
DANIEL Born Feb 16, 1679/80
JOHN Born Sep 20, 1680
THOMAS Born Nov 12, 1682
JOSEPH Born Nov 27, 1684
MARY Born Jan 20, 1685/86. Married Jacob Pillsbury, born at Newbury Mar 20, 1686, son of Abel and Mary Pillbury.
Children of Jacob and Mary (Pettengill) Pillsbury:
Jacob Pillsbury, b. Feb 26, 1709; first settler in Boscawen, N. H.
Joanna Pillsbury, b. Jun 14, 1710; m. Dec 7, 1726 Thomas Johnson
Benjamin Pillsbury, b. Jul 16, 1716
Mary Pillsbury, b. Jul 22, 1728
SARAH Born Jan 20, 1685/86. Married Aug 12, 1708, John Weed, Jr. (his 2nd wife)
JOANNA Born Feb 10, 1688/89. Married Jan 27, 1714/15, Samuel Wooster (his 2nd wife), born Oct 23, 1691, son of Timothy and Hulda (Cheney) Wooster.
Children of Samuel and Joanna (Pettingell) Wooster:
Timothy Wooster, b. Nov 12, 1715; m. Nov 1, 1743 Elizabeth Clark
Jemima Wooster, b. Dec 1722
Richard Wooster, b. Oct 11, 1727
BENJAMIN Born Dec 18, 1692
DANIEL PETTINGELL
Daniel Pettingell was born in Newbury on Feb 16, 1679/80. He married first Mary Stickney on Nov 13, 1699. In 1700, Daniel applied for a sword. Mary died on Mar 7, 1706/07, three days after the birth of their fourth child, Mary.
CHILDREN OF DANIEL AND MARY (STICKNEY) PETTINGELL
AKERMAN Born June 30, 1700
DANIEL Born Jan 5, baptized Mar 18, 1704/05
MEHITABLE Born (?). Married at Bridgewater on Oct 18, 1733 to Jonathan Pitcher of Norwich, Connecticut.
MARY Born Mar 4. Baptized April 6, 1707. Published at Newbury Apr 8, 1727 to John Sampson
Daniel was married second on Mar 26, 1707/08 to Esther (Hesther) French, daughter of Samuel and Esther French of Salisbury. She was born on Sep 22, 1688. On Mar 21, 1707, they sold land in Salisbury which she had inherited from her grandfather, Edward French. (Edward French was born in England in 1590, and died at Salisbury in 1674.) They were admitted to the church on May 9, 1712
On Nov 3, 1715, Daniel Pettingell of Newbury bought 60 acres of land in Abington and Bridgewater, adjoining that of his brother, John, from Jacob Nash, for $60. He then removed thither. He was chosen constable in 1723. He was a cooper by trade. Daniel died at Abington May 12, 1726. As his widow, Esther sold land Mar 15, 1755.
CHILDREN OF DANIEL AND ESTHER (FRENCH) PETTINGELL
A son Born Mar 6, 1708/09. Died young.
ESTHER Born Oct 24, 1712. Died unmarried at Abington Jul 19, 1735.
JOHN Born Feb 4, baptized at Newbury Feb 6, 1714
JOSEPH Born at Abington May 28, 1717
BENJAMIN Born Feb 16, 1719/20
JOANNA Born Nov 10, 1722. Died unmarried at Abington Beb 18, 1810.
SARAH Born Feb 23, 1724. Married Joseph Bates of Abington on Jan 9, 1746.
OBADIAH Born with Samuel about 1710
SAMUEL twin to Samuel
AKERMAN PETTINGELL
Akerman Pettingell was born in Newbury June 30, 1700. He first married, at North Bridgewater on Sep 17, 1723, Joanna Kingman, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Mitchell) Kingman. Joanna was born in 1701. Akerman and Joanna had four children
CHILDREN OF AKERMAN AND JOANNA (MITCHELL) PETTINGELL
DANIEL Born Oct 10, 1726.
NATHAN Born in 1732.
JACOB Born in 1734.
HANNAH Married at Preston, Connecticut on Dec 18, 1746 to Solomon Averill. Lived at New London, Connecticut.
Akerman Pettinegll married second Mehitable. They had two children.
CHILDREN OF AKERMAN AND MEHITABLE PETTINGELL
STEPHEN Born Apr 28, 1743.
SILENCE Born Feb 9, 1745. Married at Taunton, Jun 16, 1767 to Silas Aldridge, “both of Easton.” Published at Bridgewater Nov 8, 1766.
He married third, at North Bridgewater, widow Deborah (Sprague) Colson on Aug 23, 1749.
He married fourth, Ann Byram, of Bridgewater, born 1712. (Published Nov 20 and Dec 3, 1766) Their banns were forbidden by both parties the first time, but they were published again and married. Akerman was taxed in Bridgewater, North Parish, in 1744. He bought land in 1722 and 1753, etc. On Dec 29, 1737, he was forbidden by the town authorities from harboring William Melaford and family, who had been warned out. He was one of the petitioners to General Court in 1738 for incorporation. He was a surveyor of highways in 1747. He died in 1770.
His wife Ann survived him and married John Kingman on Feb 13, 1772. Solomon Averill and wife Hannah (Pettingell) conveyed their interest in a piece of land that had been Akerman’s.
DANIEL PETTINGELL
Daniel Pettingell was born in Bridgewater on Oct 10, 1808. He was a cooper. He charged the town in 1775 for “whooping” several barrels of powder. He held several town offices from 1754 to 1772. There were several land transfers from 1771 to 1790. He married Hannah Soper on Oct 15, 1750, daughter of Samuel and Esther (Littlefield} Soper. Hannah was born in 1733. Daniel and Hannah had ten children.
CHILDREN OF DANIEL AND HANNAH (SOPER) PETTINGELL
OLIVER Born Aug 4, 1752 in Bridgewater. Married Mary (?). He enlisted in Capt. John Durkee’s Company, Col. Putman’s Regiment, of Norwich, Connecticut. “Oliver was at the battle of Bunker Hill and was conspicuous for his bravery. As Gen. Putman stood by a deserted field-piece, urging the retreating soldiers to make one more stand, Oliver came to his assistance; his smoking gun and begrimed face were evidence of his work, and amidst it all he calmly took a chaw of tobacco.” (History of Windham County) He settled in Aurora, Niagrara County [later Erie Co.], New York. When the British invaded Buffalo, New York, on Dec 30, 1813, they made Oliver carry the torch that set Buffalo on fire, and then made him run the gauntlet. He died in 1820. His widow was still living in Aurora on Mar 1, 1821, and received a deed of land from her son John.
MOLLY Born Aug 24, 1754
SARAH Born Sep 22, 1756
HANNAH Born May 2, 1759
SYLVIA Born May 8, 1761
JACOB Born Aug 1, 1763
ASA Born Aug 14, 1765. Married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Carr in 1789.
SUSANNAH Born May 21, 1767
SIBBEL Born Dec 23, 1771. Married Josiah Hathaway Oct 6, 1788.
SELA Born Dec 23, 1771; twin with Sibbel. Published to Redding Carr March 23, 1792; banns forbidden by her a week later.
JACOB PETTINGELL
Jacob Pettingell was born in Bridgewater Aug 1, 1763. He married first Betsy Wellington; second , a wife unknown, and third, Prudence Soper, born about 1780.
Jacob Pettingell of Bristol, Ontario Co., New York, formerly of Norwalk, Connecticut, enlisted in Nov or Dec 1781 for three years in the 1st Connecticut of Col. Grosvenor; was transferred to the 3rd Connecticut of Col. Webb, to the Company of Capt. Stevens. He served three years; was at the surrender of Cornwallis. He was paid from Feb 6 to Dec 31, 1781, as of Capt Steven Bett’s Co., of Norwalk, Connecticut. He died in 1838. He was buried in the Pioneer Cemetery on Oakwood Ave., between Elm St., and Olean Rd., in East Aurora, New York. On his grave is a DAR replacement stone slab marker having at the top a cross inside a circle, with the following insriptions below it:
JACOB
PETTINGELL
CONNECTICUT
PVT
COL S WEBB'S
CONN REGT
REV WAR
Jacob’s stone is in the 2nd row from the east, 11th stone from the north, Lot 41. The cemetery lists him as born about 1764, died 1838; wife Prudence. Jacob’s brother Oliver is buried next to him with a similar stone.
He was a farmer in Aurora, New York in 1820. Jacob had eight children.
HIRAM
GEORGE Born about 1804; unmarried
PHILANDER Born about 1808
JACOB WELLINGTON Born Feb 26, 1810 in Aurora, New York
ASAPH Born 1819. Married Sally Arnold
MARIETTA Born about 1820; died unmarried
SARAH Married a Simmons
EDWARD “youngest child”
SOURCE:
A PETTINGELL GENEALOGY
Compiled by Charles I. Pettingell
Edited by Charles I. Pettingell
Boston, Massachusetts 1906
Fort Hill Press - Samuel Usher
176 to 184 High St.
Boston, Massachusetts
