Individual Details
John Knowles
(Abt 1632 - 5 December 1705)
John Knowles was a mariner, born in England, who was in Hampton, New Hampshire by 1660 where he married Jemima Austin. He was blind during the last 10 years of his life.
Many internet sources suggest that he was the son of Hanserd Knollys, but this seems impossible. The following is taken from the autobiography of Hanserd Knollys (available at this link: http://www.vor.org/rbdisk/html/the_life_and_death_of_hanserd_knollys_knollys.htm).
Knollys's wife dies in 1671. He has this to say about his only surviving son after the time of his wife’s death:
Since the death of my dear Wife, it hath pleased God to stretch forth his Hand upon my only Son then living, and to afflict him with a deep Consumption, occasioned,as I judge, by Grief for his dearly loving and beloved Mother, for he drooped ever since she first was taken ill of that Distemper of Rhume, which fell from her Head into her Face, of which she dyed: And he hath been worse and worse ever since she dyed. And I having had great Expenses and a great Charge of dear Relations, and owing some considerable debts, I was necessitated to teach School again in my old Age.
Elsewhere in the autobiography, Knollys mentions that his sons are teaching with him.
As John Knowles (1632-1705) was apparently alive and well and living in Hampton, New Hampshire at that time that Knollys is describing the very ill health of his only living son who was then in England with him, it does not seem that John Knowles of Hampton can be a son of Hanserd Knollys. In addition, John Knowles signed his will by his mark rather than signature which suggests he was not literate – which would be quite unusual for the son of such an educated person as Hanserd Knollys.
Many internet sources suggest that he was the son of Hanserd Knollys, but this seems impossible. The following is taken from the autobiography of Hanserd Knollys (available at this link: http://www.vor.org/rbdisk/html/the_life_and_death_of_hanserd_knollys_knollys.htm).
Knollys's wife dies in 1671. He has this to say about his only surviving son after the time of his wife’s death:
Since the death of my dear Wife, it hath pleased God to stretch forth his Hand upon my only Son then living, and to afflict him with a deep Consumption, occasioned,as I judge, by Grief for his dearly loving and beloved Mother, for he drooped ever since she first was taken ill of that Distemper of Rhume, which fell from her Head into her Face, of which she dyed: And he hath been worse and worse ever since she dyed. And I having had great Expenses and a great Charge of dear Relations, and owing some considerable debts, I was necessitated to teach School again in my old Age.
Elsewhere in the autobiography, Knollys mentions that his sons are teaching with him.
As John Knowles (1632-1705) was apparently alive and well and living in Hampton, New Hampshire at that time that Knollys is describing the very ill health of his only living son who was then in England with him, it does not seem that John Knowles of Hampton can be a son of Hanserd Knollys. In addition, John Knowles signed his will by his mark rather than signature which suggests he was not literate – which would be quite unusual for the son of such an educated person as Hanserd Knollys.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1632 | England | |||
| Immigration | By 1660 | Hampton, New Hampshire | |||
| Marriage | 10 May 1660 | Hampton, New Hampshire - Jemima Austin | |||
| Death | 5 December 1705 | Hampton, New Hampshire |  |
Families
| Spouse | Jemima Austin (1641 - ) |
| Child | John Knowles (1661 - 1733) |
| Child | Ezekiel Knowles (1663 - 1666) |
| Child | James Knowles (1665 - 1682) |
| Child | Simon Knowles (1667 - ) |
| Child | Joseph Knowles (1672 - ) |
| Child | Sarah Knowles (1676 - 1742) |
| Child | Hannah Knowles (1678 - 1769) |