Hugh Jameson 1713-1790

Hugh Jameson lived in or near Coleraine, in the Bann Valley, Ulster, Ireland. See: map. He was as a cordwainer (shoemaker) by trade.[1] The earliest record we have of him is in 1740, from a compilation of Protestant Household Returns,[2] living in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ulster Ireland. It is likely he was born here, probably the son of Alexander Jameson and from a family of Jamesons who may have been in Ulster for some time.[3]

Hugh Jameson, with his wife, Christine (nee Whitehead), and their children, all born in Ireland, except Molly, emigrated to America in 1746. They sailed August 4, 1746 on the "sloop Molly" from Portrush, on the northern Coast of Ireland, for Boston, New England. The cost of passage was agreed and bound by a contract ("Note of Hand"), signed August 4, 1746, the actual day of sailing, with Robert Gage of Coleraine, Ireland, where Hugh and a fellow passenger, Robert Parkinson (his niece's husband) promised to pay the cost, £6-13s (for both), two years from the date of arrival in Boston in America.[1]

With him on board that ship, in addition to his wife, Christine, and six or seven of their children, were his sister Elizabeth (Jameson) Woods, his niece Esther (Woods) Parkinson and her husband Robert Parkinson, as well as all the other passengers who were most likely all people he knew. Among his children were two young sons, who’s names are no longer known, who died during the trip. It is said the second boy died at the grief of the loss of his younger brother. They were both buried at sea.[4] It is interesting to note that about two years after arriving in America, Hugh and Christine had a daughter born to them, to who they gave the name Molly.

Their route most likely would have been down the western coast of Ireland, the usual course of ships in those days bound for America from the northern ports of Ireland. This would have been a difficult and dangerous trip in the mid 1750's, lengthy too, especially for smaller ships like those typically sailing from Portrush. The “sloop Molly,” with fair sailing, would have reached the American coast in the early autumn of 1746, and probably landed her passengers in Boston, Massachusetts Bay, as that was the intended port, although the ship belonged in Salem, Massachusetts.

In June of 1753, Hugh Jameson and Robert Parkinson were summoned into court in Portsmouth, NH, having been sued by Robert Gage of Coleraine, Ulster, Ireland, for not having been paid the monies due per the agreement by Jameson and Parkinson to do so, two years after arriving in America.[5] Although both Hugh Jameson and Robert Parkinson denied owing any money both were found guilty on September 6, 1753 and ordered to pay in the amount of 18 pounds, two shillings and 4 sixpence, new tennor bills, as damages for both men, including court costs. More details here.

Hugh Jameson arrived in the new world apparently penniless. Documents associated with the above mentioned court case describe how he was nearly pulled off the boat at the very last moment as the ship was actually weighing anchor and about to leave port, when three men arrived unexpectedly, demanding money from him. Unable to pay, a collection was taken by several of the other passengers on board to prevent that from happening.

Soon after arriving in New England, Hugh first settled in Londonderry, New Hampshire, where some of his relatives, including his brother Thomas, had settled a few years earlier. It is very likely Hugh lived with his brother, or at least on his brother's land during the time he lived in this part of New Hampshire.

In 1753, Hugh. Jameson with at least all his children (see below), moved several miles northwest, onto about 150 acres of land that was granted to him and others as part of a new settlement (township) they named Starkstown. This was at that time a mostly unoccupied area immediately north of Goffstown (township) in Hillsborough County originally known as Gorhamtown. Starkstown was eventually renamed Dunbarton in 1765 and that area was made part of newly created Merrimack County in 1823.[6] A more detailed and complete detail of the Jameson New Hampshire homestead can be found here.

It is not known when exactly Hugh's first wife, Christine, died, or where she is buried. Her last child was born in Londonderry, NH about 1748 and Hugh married, for a second time, in the early 1750's. We also do not know for sure if Christine died in Londonderry or if she had made the move with Hugh and the children to Starkstown with Hugh where she died. Furthermore, we do not know exactly when or where Hugh married his second wife Jane. We do know they had two children who died young before their third child, Alexander, was born in 1760. This would put their marriage as late as the early or mid 1750's. It's possible they were married in Londonderry after the death of Christine, but more likely in Starkstown about the time, or soon after, Hugh moved there from Londonderry.

of Jane Jameson, Hugh's Second Wife

Hugh married Jane Barr, after the death of his first wife. Although her maiden name is not known with any certainty, it is generally believed to be Jane McHenry.

It can be assumed Hugh Jameson farmed the land where he lived. It is also known that he was a shoemaker[9] and that he took a prominent part among the settlers in public affairs while living in Dunbarton. He was one of the foremost in calling meetings of the area’s inhabitants and in the transaction of public business.[10] In 1773, Mr. Jameson was chosen constable and town collector.

Hugh Jameson was a Minuteman from Londonderry, New Hampshire and after the battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, although in his early 60's, marched 90 miles to Boston and back, under the command of Captain Robert Wilson and Lieutenant Joseph Hogg.[11]

Hugh Jameson signed the Association Test at Dunbarton, NH, November 25, 1776[12] which made him an early and bonafide patriot.

Hugh and his wife Jane were both still living November 15, 1782, as appears from the following bond given by their sons Alexander and Daniel in consideration of a deed to them of his farm.

On September 23, 1888, Hugh’s sons Alexander and Daniel, divided their father’s farm, which had been deeded to them. Hugh is mention, and therefor presumed to be still living, but Jane, his wife, their mother, was probably deceased, as no mention is made of her.

It is said that Hugh Jameson aided his third and youngest son Thomas with his education, at Dartmouth College - Class or 1797, in lieu of a stake in the farm as given to his two older brothers, Daniel and Alexander.[13]

It is not known exactly when or where either Hugh or Jane Jameson died, nor is it known where they are buried. There are no known records for any of these events. The dates commonly given for death, 1788 for her and 1790 for him, are educated guesses and reasonable. It is widely assumed they died at home in Dunbarton, NH, as both were most certainly living there at that time. We know they were alive in 1782 when they signed the bond (above) and it appears that only Hugh was still alive at the time of the 1790 Federal Census (and living with son Daniel),[14] hence these guesses. It would also be safe to assume both Hugh and his wife Jane are buried somewhere in the Dunbarton area, either somewhere on the property where they had lived in now unmarked graves, or perhaps in the town cemetery. The Dunbarton Center Cemetery does not have records of their burial however the current cemetery on Stark Highway north of town is a result of having moved the original, older cemetery from it's earlier location on the west side of Prospect Hill, when it became unsuitable.[15][16] It is possible the move somehow obscured the Jamesons, at least so far as to records, had they actually been buried there.