Nicholas Hathaway, the immigrant ancestor, came to this country in 1639. He settled in Braintree, where he had a grant of land February 24. 1639-40, and the records show that he had a wife and two children at that time.
(II) John Hathaway, son of Nicholas, born in 1617, came to this country at the age of eighteen, in the ship “Blessing,” sailing in July, 1635. He was before the general court in July, 1637. He settled in Barnstable, Plymouth county, and was living in Taunton in 1649. He was reported able to bear arms in the list dated 1643. Once he was before the court for lending a gun to an Indian. He was in Barnstable in 1656, and later at Yarmouth, was admitted a freeman in 1670 and bought land at Freetown in 1671 ; was constable in 1676, and in 1690 at Taunton; was often on the grand jury; selectman of Taunton in 1680-84; deputy to the general court at Plymouth, 1680-84, and in 1691; to the general court of Massachusetts in 1696-97. His home was in what is now (1910) Berkeley, known as the Farms, just north of where the land abuts on Great River. The site of his house was marked by the Old Colony Historical Society in 1889. His will, dated August 3, 1689, proved February 15, 1696-97, bequeathed to wife Elizabeth, sons Thomas, John, Gideon and Edward, daughters by a former wife, etc. He married (second) Martha , who died before 1693, and (third), November 25, 1692, Ruth Dyer, a widow, who died in September, 1705. Children: John, mentioned elsewhere; Abraham, born 1652; Isaac, 1655; Ephraim, 1668; Abigail, married James Phillips; Rebecca, married Jared Talbot.