John Kittredge
1630 - 1676
Our emigrant ancestor
In New England history there is perhaps no single surname having a greater
number of its representatives in the profession of medicine and surgery than that
of Kittredge, and not infrequently has it been remarked that the name has been
regarded as almost synonymous with doctor. Few families in this country can lay
claim to equal distinction, and even if we put numerical supremacy out of
consideration it is doubtful if any family in America can boast professional sons of
more distinguished prominence in the general practice of medicine and surgery
than are found among the descendants of Dr. John Kittredge who “sat down in the
old town of Billerica, Massachusetts, about the year 1660.” More than all, the
family seem to have possessed a strong moral fiber which has given its members
character and substance wherever located.
There are various accounts and traditions regarding the emigration of John
Kittredge, one being that he came from England with his mother when he was a
young man, while the earliest mention of him in any record extant speaks of him
as “one on whom time healing art had descended and come down through many
generations.” Another contemporary writer says there is a tradition that the
ancestor of the Kittredge family in this country was the master of an English ship
and a bearer of dispatches between the medical faculty of England and a foreign
country, and that he settled in Kittery, Maine. Captain John Kittredge fled from
England to America; he was in charge of a ship which plied from England to
some foreign port. He had in charge, medical receipts, and being of a surgical
turn of mind, he studied them carefully. He began experimenting by breaking
animal’s limbs; then setting them, seeing how fast he could get them to heal. One
of his men broke an arm, and the Captain set it. Soon after this, another man
broke a leg, and asked the Captain to set
it for him. The Captain said he would, “If he would take a room and place himself
entirely in his care”; which he did. He being very successful, it
became known to the authorities, and as the laws were very stringent at that
time, allowing no one to practice without a medical diploma, it became
necessary for him to flee from England and come to this country, where he
settled in Billerica, Mass., September 25, 1660.The “History of Billerica,” in
speaking of the early settlers of that town, says, “a few came from England
direct to Billerica, Massachusetts,’’ and among mentions John Kittredge
“whose descendants have been many and honorable. ‘‘
John Kittredge was an inhabitant of Billerica and “lived and died southeast of Bear
Hill,” His “house lot was ten acres of land ;“ he received “five acres grant
September 25, ió6o,” and in 1663 the town granted more to him that “instead of
tenne poles of land which he should have had upon ye township (by william
patten’s house lot) to sett a shop upon”, “that now he shall have it added to his
house lot upon the south side of it.” His first grant of land contained sixty-four
acres and lay in that part of Billerica which afterwards was set off to Tewksbury,
Massachusetts. In 1665 a committee was appointed to make a gratuity division of
land in the town and in pursuance of that appointment, John Kittredge is granted
“one, third part of five acres adjoining to the South side of his house lot & he is
content.” That part of Billerica where John Kittredge’s descendants located was
incorporated into the town of Tewksbury, December 23, 1734. Among the forty—six
families from Billerica taken into the new town there were eleven by the name of
Kittredge.
Estate of John Kittredge
An Inventory of the estate of John Kitterige of Billerica: (Middlesex County Probate records)
Lb s d
Imp’s—One feather bed, bolster, 1 pr of sheets,
blanket, rug, curtains & bedsteadle.
4 0 0
1 Trundle bedsteadle, straw bed, 2 coverletts,
1 pr of sheets & bolster.
2 10 0
3 sheets, 18d, wareing apparell, 35s, match
lock muskett, 7s.
3 0 0
A pr of Pistols, 20s, Cutlash, 5s. Sadle, 2 bridles,
breast plates.
2 0 0
In Pewter 12s. earthen ware 2s, 6d. glasses 8d.
Kettle 7s. warmeing pan 6s. Skillett 3s.
1 11 2
3 Iron pots 20s. 4 trayes 2s. a Can is. piggin is.
3 payles 3s. 2 Keelars 6s. beere barrel 18d.
i 14 6
A churn 3s. butter tub 18d. powdring tubs 8s.
Old tub is. 3 Sceives 18d. Kneading trough
2s.
0 17 0
A chest 3s. box 2s. Dishes & Spoones 3s. 6d.
frying pan 3s. Tongs & slice 2s. tramell 2s. 6d. 0 16 0
Two chayre 2s. Chest & box Sd. Dry tubs 5s.
cradel 5s. woollen wheels 3s.
1 0 0
Indian corn 30 bush 4 Lb lOs. 4 wedges & beetle
rings Ss. 2 axes 5s. a plow 3s.
5 3 0
Old cart & wheels 20s. slead 2s. 2 yoaks 4s. 3
howes 3s. English come 3 Lb 16s.
5 5 0
A black horse 40s. 2 steers, 3 cowes, 1 yeare
old, one calfe & halfer, 18 Lb
20
0 0
House & barne, orchard 18 acres land home
stead
55 0 0
3 q’ter of an acre of meadow, west of Concord
river.
1 0
Half an acre of meadow at prospect, lOs. inead
ow upon Hamlett’s brook, 5 Lb.
5 10
25 acres of upland upon Content Playne.
2 0
36 acres of land bought of Sam’l Trull in the
old Comon field.
15 0
12 acres of land on the south of Shawshin river.
2
16/10/1676. Apprized by us
128
Jonathan Danforth.
Ralph Hill.
more added in sundry which afterward.
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
8
(Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Middlesex ss. Registry of Probate.)
Ralph Hill and Mary Kitteridge are granted administration on the estate of John Kitterige her
husband deceased. An Inventory whereof she presented in Court on oath. Vol. 3, Page 159
(at a County Court Dec. 19, 1676).
April 2, 1678:
John Kitterige, for setling of ye estate of John Kitterige deceased, It is ordered that his relict
widd, the now wife of John french shall have the improvem’t of the whole estate to her owne
use during ye childrens minority, & yt ye house & lands shall be preserved for ye children and
they shall have their portions set out thereof as the Court shall order when they come of age
to choose their guardians. To ye eldest sonne a double portion, & ye rest equally, and the
widow shall have besides the moveable estate, Twenty pounds out of ye houses & lands, the
which with ye moveables shall be in full recompence of ye sd Jno french for bringing up ye
children, untill they come of age to choose their guardians and for ye sd widows porcion or
dowry from her sd husband’s estate.