John Hinchcliff

John Hinchcliff and his wife were part of the idealistic Transcendental Generation. His children were part of the nomadic, reactive Gilded Generation.

In his early twenties, according to one of his descendants, John emigrated from his home in southwestern Yorkshire in England to Massachusetts. This would be in 1818, soon after relations between the United Kingdom and the United States had thawed, following the Treaty of Ghent that ended the War of 1812.

An alternate spelling of Hinchcliff appears to be "Hencklieff," found in the records of Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts.

Six years after establishing himself in New England, John married Susan Fry (variously spelled "Frye" or "Frey") from North Andover, presumably from the well-established Frye family there. They had at least three children, including our ancestor Hannah Elizabeth Hinchcliff. They bestowed the middle name of Jackson on the youngest of these children (who unfortunately died quite young), born during the presidency of Andrew Jackson, which suggests that the Hinchcliff family favored the Democrats, in that year at least.

John was a spinner (according to his death record). There is a record of a John Hinchcliff in Saugus who purchased land in 1865 from the Mansfields, and this is perhaps our John.

Late in life, John and Susan lived with their daughter Hannah and son-in-law Ephraim Mansfield and their many children in Saugus.

Year by year in the life of John Hinchcliff

The very early childhood years of John Hinchcliff in their historical context
The childhood and early adulthood of John Hinchcliff in their historical context
The prime adult years and midlife of John Hinchcliff in their historical context
The elderhood years of John Hinchcliff in their historical context

Descent chart

*Birth of John Hinchcliff*
Born:	1796
Birthplace:	"Near Holfirth" or Ossett, West Riding, Yorkshire, England(1) ("Pat") for much of the information about our common ancestor John. She shared with me her findings from the "Hinchcliff Family Genealogical Forum," sponsored by Genealogy.com. Richard Heiser (of the Sun City Genealogical Society), another descendant of John (through his son Henry Hinchcliff), has John being born in Ossett. Apparently, Pat has learned from Dorothy Hinchcliff, still another descendant of John (also through Henry), or from the Hinchcliffe family site, that John was originally from West Riding near Holfirth. Ossett, too, is in West Riding (and I could actually find it on a map), so perhaps there is little argument here. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close)
*Parents*
No information on parents (except that John's mother was named Hannah)
*Siblings*
Brother:	Thomas Hinchcliff(2) Pat cites the Henry Hinchcliff descendants about this brother Thomas. It is conceivable that Thomas might be the father of the Joseph Hinchcliff and his family documented in the 1860 census and on gravestones in the Riverside Cemetery in Saugus: Joseph Hinchcliff ---- b. 1833 in England ---- Spinner ---- m. Marie (Maria?) UNKNOWN (1833-1901) ---- d. 1903 Children: Frank Hinchcliff ---- d. 25 August 1872 Mary Jane Hinchcliff ---- b. 1854 ---- d. 21 October 1872 Hannah M. Hinchcliff ---- b. 1868 ---- d. 5 June 1890 Thomas Hinchcliff ---- b. 1886 ---- d. 1904 Pat also cites a Mary Hinchcliff (Joseph's sister?), born 1834, died 1912, at the age of 78. Pat also cites the Saugus Town Hall records about a Jane Hinchcliff, whose parents were Joseph and Rebecca Beaumont. Jane might have been the wife of Thomas and the mother of Joseph and Mary? Jane was born in 1812 in England and died 29 May 1870 in Saugus. Her gravestone has "Beaumont" written on the back, and included on it is the name Jonathan Beaumont, who died 26 April 1879 at the age of 58 (making his birthyear 1821)--or maybe (this must be verified) age 78 (making his birthyear 1801). Here are my entirely unverified speculations: The Hinchcliffs emigrated piecemeal from Yorkshire over two or three decades beginning in 1818, when relations thawed between the United Kingdom and the United States. John Hinchcliff emigrated at the beginning of this period. His brother Thomas came at the end of that period. Thomas married Jane Beaumont. who had a brother named Jonathan. Perhaps the Beaumonts also emigrated from England, because at least Thomas's eldest child, Joseph, was born in England in 1833. Thomas (and Jane?) also had a daughter, Mary, born 1834. Joseph married Marie (Maria?) UNKNOWN, and they had young children documented in the 1860 census. Among Joseph and Marie's children would be Frank, Mary Jane, Hannah, and Thomas. Obviously, these speculations need to be investigated. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close)
No information on any other siblings
*Spouse and children*
Wife:	Susan Fry, 1800-1885 (our ancestor) (No information on her parents, but there is a likely connection to our Frye ancestors [see Descent from John and Ann Frye]) from Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts. Married 1824 probably in North Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts
Son:	Henry Kitteredge Hinchcliff Born 1825 ---- in North Andover, Essex Co., MA Married Eliza Gale ---- b. 1837, d. 1877 Died 1900 Children: Henry Clayton Hinchcliff ---- b. November 1864 ---- m. Mary Amelia Hudson (1862-1957) ---- d. 1928 Walter H. Hinchcliff Fredrich Hinchcliff ---- b. 1868 Milton H. Hinchcliff ---- b. 1869
Daughter:	Hannah Elizabeth Hinchcliff, 1826->1900 (our ancestor)
Son:	William Jackson Hinchcliff Born 1834 ---- in North Andover, Essex Co., MA Died 1840(3) According to Richard Heiser, William died in infancy (in 1834), but Dorothy Hinchcliff maintains that William died at the age of 6 (1840) in North Andover. To close this footnote, click the number again or click (Close)
No information on any other children
*Other information*
Occupation:	Spinner
Religion:	No information available
*Death of John Hinchcliff*
Died:	20 August 1877 (age 81 years) (of "fever")
Deathplace:	Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts
*Back to the top*

Sources on John Hinchcliff:

("Pat"), b. 1951, great-granddaughter of Arthur Seymour Edmands, 1862-1951, for considerable information, including from the Saugus Town Hall records, from census data, and from gravestones in the Riverside Cemetery in Saugus.

Pat Mathews also cites Richard Heiser and Dorothy Hinchcliff, two descendants of John's son, Henry Kitteredge Hinchcliff, for several facts. From Richard Heiser, the Ossett birthplace, the year of John's marriage, the fact of John's purchasing land in 1865 from the Mansfields, the alternate spelling "Henckclieff," the children of Henry Kitteredge Hinchcliff, and the fact that John died of a "fever." From Dorothy Hinchcliff, the age of John's wife at her death and a number of other details. From both Richard and Dorothy, the surname Fry of John's wife.

Back to the top