NICHOLAS PHILLIPS [#352 & #376], b. abt. 1611, d. Weymouth, MA between 2 Jun 1671 and 7 Sep 1672, m? Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England 26 Jun 1631 ELIZABETH JEWSON, bap. Wendover, England 29 Nov 1612.

Nicholas Phillips was a resident of Dedham (then known as Contentment) in the Massachusetts Bay Colony by August 18, 1636 for on that day he was granted 12 acres of land there.[2/3:20] He had probably moved there within the year as he was not listed as an attendee of the first town meeting, held September 1, 1635, but was for subsequent ones. The 12 acres bordered the Charles River and, interestingly enough, the land of Ezekiel Holliman, who is possibly an ancestor in the Westcott line. Ezekiel moved to Providence by 1637 and joined in founding the first Baptist Church in America. In November of 1637 Nicholas and three others were commissioned to fell trees for a meeting house.[2/3:39] He was also chosen on August 28, 1638 to mow, gather up, and bring in thatch for the meeting house.[2/3:48]

On August 1, 1639 Nicholas sold his Dedham land and no longer attended town meetings after that date. This is probably about the time he removed to the nearby town of Weymouth. He became a freeman on May 13, 1640. By Feb. 8, 1660 Nicholas Phillips had become a deacon in the First Congregational Church in Weymouth. The fact that he was such an active and respected member in the church suggests that he may have come to this country for religious freedom. It may also give the reason he left Dedham. It is known that Ezekiel Holliman left Massachusetts because of its religious intolerance. Dedham may not have been to Nicholas' liking. Martin Phillips had also moved from Dedham to Weymouth and was a neighbor to Nicholas in the latter town. Martin may have been a brother to Nicholas as was Henry Phillips who remained in Dedham.[3] Nicholas promised part of his lot to Martin,[2/3:33] which is a very good indication of a family relationship. Nicholas sold some of his land to Henry Phillips.[2/3:84]

The name of Nicholas' wife was Elizabeth. This fact is established from a record in which Elizabeth Phillips, the wife of Nicholas Phillips of Weymouth, acknowledges before the commissioners appointed to end small causes her consent to her husband's sale of a house and several parcels of land to Francis Smyth of Hingham. Dated "11th day of the Sixth month 1651 in the presence of John Whitman, Thomas Dyer, Willm Torrey Commissioners". She signed with E P as a mark.[5/63:298] This appears to be the only existant record in which she is mentioned.

Elizabeth's surname may have been Jewson as a marriage was recorded between Nicholas Phillips and Elizabeth Jewson on June 26, 1631 in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England.[4/2:6] It is not known from where in England the immigrant ancestor Nicholas Phillips came, but in his will Nicholas mentioned his loving friend Jonas Humphrey. Jonas was the son of another ancestor, Jonas Humphrey, who came from Wendover. The evidence, other than names, linking Nicholas of Wendover with Nicholas of Massachusetts is therefore very weak. In addition, Nicholas and Elizabeth of Wendover had a daughter Elizabeth born in 1633, but Nicholas of Dedham did not have a daughter of this name. She may have died young however. The births of several Phillips children were recorded in Wendover in the early 1600s, the time frame for Nicholas' birth. However neither Nicholas' nor his brother's name is among them. In fact, Sarah Phillips was baptised in 1611, the year that Nicholas is presumed to have been born. Further research needs to be done in this area as Nicholas and his brothers might be found in a nearby town which would solidify the connection. Elizabeth's parents were Richard Jewson and Elizabeth Kipping who married October 29, 1607. In addition to Elizabeth they were the parents of Helen, bap. Sep. 22, 1611, Mary, bap. March 26, 1615, and Sarah, bap. July 28, 1620.[4]

Nicholas was probably born about 1611 as he made his will June 2, 1671 "age about Sixty Yeares or theirabout".[1/7:248] He died prior to September 7, 1672 when the inventory of the estate was taken, which amounted to 257.11.6 and was presented by his son Richard on October 3, 1672.[1/7:250] In the will he mentioned his sons in order: Richard, Joshua, and Benjamin. He also mentioned his daughters Alice Shaw, Experience King, Hannah White, and Abigail Phillips and "My loving brother Henry Phillips and my loving friends Thomas Dyer and Jonas Humphrey".[1]

REF: [1] Suffolk County Probate (Docket 610)
     [2] Dedham Town Records, 1892
     [3] The History of Weymouth - George Chamberlain, 1923 (pgs.464-5)
     [4] Buckinghamshire Parish Registers - W. Phillimore, 1904
     [5] New England Historic Genealogical Register, 1909 (pg.298)

Children:

1. Richard, "eldest son" on 2 Jun 1671, d.
   Weymouth, MA 1695, m(1) Mary Packard, m(2) Elizabeth (Edson)
   Kingman (dau. Samuel Edson and Susanna)
2. Alice, b. abt. 1632, d. after 17 Oct 1704, m. abt. 1651 John
   Shaw, bap. Halifax, Yorkshire, Eng. 23 May 1630, d. Weymouth,
   MA 16 Sep 1704
3. Experience, b. Weymouth, MA 8 May 1641, m. Weymouth 17 Sep
   1658 Samuel King
4. Caleb, b. Weymouth 22 Jan 1643, prob. d. before 2 Jun 1671
5. Joshua, b. abt. 1647, d. Weymouth 1679 Benjamin, d. Charlestown,
   MA 13 Feb 1687, m. Anne ___
6. Hannah, m. 1671 Ebenezer White of Weymouth (son of Thomas White),
   b. 1648
7. Abigail, m. prob. abt. 1684 John Blanchard of Weymouth