Notes |
- Emigrating from Rutland about 1637, he was first at Charlestown and later at Lynn. He came to Gravesend with Lady Moody's group in 1643. He was magistrate of Gravesend in 1645, 1651, 1653, 1663, and 1664, and schout fiscaal of Gravesend in 1650. With Baxter and Grover, he rebelled against the Dutch in 1655, for which he was imprisoned. He represented Gravesend at the Hempstead convention of 1665.
From One Thousand Years of Hubbard History (citation details below):
About [1643] he removed to Long Island with many other families holding anabaptist and other religious doctrines odious to the rulers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Among these migrators was a famous and beautiful lady of high rank, remarkable virtues and noble Christian character, Lady Deborah Moody, accompanied by her son. Sir Henry Moody. She, her son, Ensign George Baxter, and Sergeant JAMES HUBBARD were granted land December 19, 1645, where is now the town of Gravesend. This town was laid out by JAMES HUBBARD, "a surveyor by trade," who in January, 1648, was elected "scout," a position at that belligerent period of considerable importance. This action was because he was "a man as had been seen of great respectability and influence." He owned a "plantation lot " in Gravesend, but how much other land is unknown, though it is known that he had "176 acres at the head of Fresh Kil, on Staten Island." His Long Island land was obtained from the Indian Chief "Pamamora," and the confirmation of this patent by Governor Richard Nicholls of New York was made out to "JEAMES HUBBARD, John Brown, Job Tilton, Jr., Richard Stout and William Goulding," and recorded at Albany, N. Y., Feb. 25, 1664-5. An additional confirmation was given by Governor Francis Lovelace July 1, 1670, who appointed as commissioners to report title "Mathias Nicholls, JEAMES HUBBARD, Jacques Cortelyou, Elbert Elbertson and Elias Doughty." [Footnote: These "confirmations " were introduced by rapacious English governors in order to extort illegal fees from Holland's subjects.]
JAMES HUBBARD was termed "Sergeant," and Apr 12, 1646, John Underhill sued him for "hireing his servant man"; in 1650-1-3 he was a magistrate for Gravesend, Kings Co., L.-I. February 20, 1653, he sold by his agent and assignee, Daniel King, of Lynn, merchant, for £8, eleven acres of land to Allen Bread, of Lynn, Mass., husbandman. November 26, 1653, he represented Gravesend at New Amsterdam "to devise and recommend measures for the public security, and to put a stop to the piracies and robberies of one Thomas Baxter." History says also that "he rebelled with a George Baxter and Grover, July 27, 1655, against the Dutch authorities and was imprisoned." Apr 18, 1663, proceedings were begun by the "Town of Utrecht against James Hubbard for trespass." December 10, 1663, he was a delegate to a meeting "to represent the state of the country to the authorities in Holland, Europe," also held at New Amsterdam. He frequently clashed with the Dutch Governor, and it was generally the personal influence of Lady Deborah Moody that permitted him to retain public office. He endeavored at one time to enlist the protection of Connecticut as an Englishman, to guard his rights, was thus recognized and made "Commissioner" from that Colony May 12, 1664, together with Mr. William Wilkins, both of "Graves-inn." In 1654 he was the town assessor. "In 1655 he had a wife Martha." No record of any issue. December 31, 1664, he married Elizabeth Bailes (or Bayles), who died in Gravesend in 1693. JAMES is supposed to have died before that time.
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