The family of Dutton takes its name from the ancient town of Dutton in England. In the records, one part of this town was held by a man named Odard or Udard, also spelled Hudard and Hodard, who came from Normandy in 1066 with William the Conqueror. In the distribution of the conquered lands, Hodard received a good part of the town of Dutton in Cheshire, and settled there. Hodard was Lord of Dutton and his descendants added the name of the town to their Christian names after he received the land. The names of Dutton and Dunton have the same origin, and in the same American family the two spellings were used as late as the revolution. It is assumed therefore that the Dutton and Dunton pioneers of Reading, MA, namely, Thomas, Josiah, Robert, and Samuel, may have been the sons of John Dutton. Cutter, Genealogical and Memorial of New England Families, pp. 194-195.
Thomas and Susannah (Palmer) Dutton |
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| Husband: Thomas Dutton |
Born: | in England, circa 1621 |
| Died: | in Billerica, MA, 22 January 1687 | |
| Parents: | Uncertain. Refer to text below | |
| First
Wife: Susannah Palmer |
Born: | circa 1626 |
| Died: | in Billerica 27 August 1684, age 58 years | |
| Father: | John Palmer | |
| Mother: | Unknown | |
| Married: | probably in Reading, MA. | |
| Second Wife: Ruth Hooper, probably the widow of William Hooper of Reading, MA. | ||
| It
is thought that Thomas came to America in 1630 with the
man we assume was his father, John. There is a record
that John, the father, came before the General Court of
Massachusetts, 29 October 1640. Thomas
Dutton and his wife lived in Reading, MA, for seven
years. In 1668, they had lived in Woburn, MA, for ten
years. They moved to Billerica, MA, in 1669 and settled
on the south side of Fox brook. Thomas was accepted as an
inhabitant of Billerica on 22 November 1669. Thomas and his wife Susannah (Palmer) Dutton had nine children:
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