My Family Tree

ROBERT HARRINGTON came to the Colonies aboard the ship "Elizabeth" in 1634.He came with the family of DEACON THOMAS HASTINGS (possibly a kinsman). One of the Harrington cousins, Richard L. Harrington, III, having done research on this ancestor, says that Robert Harrington is probably the same ROBERT HERRINGTON of Southwold, Suffolk County, England (on the southeast coast approximately 50 miles south of Great Yarmouth) who was baptized on October 1, 1616, whose father was also named ROBERT HERRINGTON. His mother was JOAN JENTILMAN (baptized July 5, 1603). They were married on March 7, 1613. It is surmised that Robert the elder died sometime before 1622. JOAN JENTILMAN HERRINGTON married a REVEREND JOHN YOUNGES of St. Margretts, Suffolk. Rev. Mr Younges tried to leave for the Colonies in May of 1637, but was forbidden by authorities from doing so. The first husband of Joan Jentilman Younges was the son of another ROBERT HERRINGTON, who had been bailiff of Southwold for many years. Joan died in 1630 and Robert the youngest was now an orphan, but lived with his stepfather until 1634 when he immigrated to New England. He was listed as an INDENTURED SERVANT of the Hastings Family. Deacon Hastings paid for Robert's passage on the condition that he act as his helper for 6 years.
ROBERT HERRINGTON somehow had the spelling of his last name changed to HARRINGTON. He was a founder of Watertown, MA and served as Surveyor of Highways for the town in 1654 and Selectman for 15 consecutive terms before his death in 1707. On October 1, 1648 he married SUSANNA GEORGE daughter of JOHN GEORGE. They had 13 children. When he died at age 91 on May 11, 1707, his list of holdings included a house, a mill, 16 lots of land totaling 642.5 acres,
a barn several outbuildings and a cider press. The family homestead was inherited by his youngest and favorite son, Edward. Part of this land included the Oldham Farm, and continued in the family for 250 years. The Watertown Arsenal (Mall) and the Perkins School for the Blind stand on land that once was owned by the family.