U-H William 001 (1688-1783); Son of John Hastings I

William Hastings, son of John Hastings I and Abigail (Hammond) Hastings, was born in Watertown, Massachusetts.

As was noted in the discussion of John Hastings I in chapter 3, there is a gap in the Watertown records pertaining to the family of John. It was noted that the birth of John Hastings II was not recorded, and in the case of daughters Elizabeth and Hephzibah, only dates of baptism were provided.  The same is true of sons William, Samuel, and Joseph. William’s brother Samuel and Joseph were baptized on the same day, i.e. July 10, 1698. William was baptized on July 13, 1690. It appears that he was born in 1688, since William died on October 22, 1723, in Watertown, 35 years of age. He is buried in Grove Hill Cemetery, Waltham. This is the same cemetery where his parents are buried. It was noted in chapter 3, that in 1737, the formation of the town of Waltham occurred, and John Hastings’s homestead was then located in Waltham.

     Bond and Buckminster record that William married a woman named Abigail, and that his estate was administered by his widow on November 22, 1723. The Abigail in question is Abigail Simonds, born in 1695 to Sergeant Joseph and Mary (Tidd) Simonds. The Simonds family lived in Lexington, where the births of Abigail’s siblings Rebecca (June 111, 1682), Joshua (January 23, 1686/7), Mary (December 15, 1684), Joseph (June 8, 1689), and Elizabeth (baptized November 13, 1698) are recorded. Abigail’s birth, along with that of Daniel (November 3, 1693) and Jonathan (1692/3) are not recorded in Lexington. However, the William Hastings family lived in Waltham. The marriage of William Hastings and Abigail Simonds produced two sons: Edmund and William Jr.

     More information is provided by the will of Abigail’s father Joseph, who made provision for his two grandsons. He left them a portion of his estate, which they would receive “as they come of age.” Since Joseph Simonds died on August 12, 1733, William and Edmund were not yet 21 years of age in 1733.

     Abigail (Simonds) Hastings remarried approximately 1723.  Her new husband was John Knight of Woburn, who in 1722/1723, sold his homestead in Woburn and moved to Killingly, Connecticut. The decision to move to Killingly may have been due to the fact that Abigail’s brother Joseph lived there.

     The question of the two sons remains. Abigail (Simonds) Hastings remarried shortly after William Hastings death. One might presume that Abigail’s decision to marry so soon after William’s death may be due in part to having two young children. As noted above, both William Jr and Edmund are mentioned in the will of their grandfather, Joseph Simonds Sr. He ordered that the part of his estate left to his daughter Abigail be held by the executor to be used on behalf of William and Edmund. It is further ordered that his grandsons will receive their inheritance when they turn twenty-one years of age. If one of the grandsons dies before that time, then the survivor is to receive the whole inheritance. If both are deceased, then the full amount is to be paid to Abigail. One would normally expect that William and Edmund accompanied their mother and stepfather to Killingly, Connecticut. However, it is worth noting that Edmund may have lived in Watertown, and his brother, William Hastings Jr, may have lived in Medford, stepfathers.  These possibilities will be discussed in a subsequent chapter dedicated to the two sons of William Hastings I.