By Arthur Hildreth

Richard Hildreth, the ancestor of the New England family was born in 1605 in the north of England, the year of the Gunpowder Plot, and this was inscribed on his gravestone in Chelmsford, Mass. His first wife was Sarah. They had two children Jane and James. Between the births of these two children around 1628 and 1631 the Colony of Massachusetts Bay had been founded. After about 16-20 years of marriage Sarah died and Richard, age 40, married Elizabeth who was twenty years old. During the next several years they had nine children. Boston and other towns were established (1630) and a tide of emigrants poured in and settled. This book delves into what day to day life was like in the early days of New England, the first schools, religion, social statuses and public office.

(60p. 1894)