Rev James HILLHOUSE

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Mr. Hillhouse was pastor of the church about sixteen years, and the fruits of his labors still remain. He died young in the ministry, and his early death was probably hastened by the care and perplexity attending his troubles and lawsuits near the close of his ministry on earth.

Rev. James Hillhouse came to new England early in the last century. His father, John Hillhouse of Free Hall, was the eldest son of Abraham Hillhouse, who resided at Artikelly. His uncle, James Hillhouse, was one of the commissioners to treat with Lord Mountjoy in the memorable defense of Derry against the forces of James II, and was a mayor of Londonderry in 1693. This Abraham Hillhouse was among the signers of an address to King William and Queen Mary on the occasion of the relief of the siege f Londonderry, dated 29 July, 1669.

Rev. James Hillhouse was educated at the famous University of Glasgow in Scotland, and afterwards read divinity at the same college under the care of Rev. Mr. Simson, then professor of divinity there. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Londonderry in Ireland, and appears to have resided at or near the ancestral home till the death of his father in 1716. The estate descended to his older brother, Abraham. His mother died a few months afterwards, in January of the following year. Not long after that date he came to seek a home on this side of the Atlantic. he is supposed to have come with the other Presbyterian emigrants from the north of Ireland, who, in 1719, established themselves in New Hampshire, where the towns of Derry and Londonderry, and the Londonderry Presbytery are the permanent memorials of that migration. At the close of the year 1720 he appears in Boston, committing to the press a sermon which he had written nearly four years before on the occasion of his mother's death, but which does not appear to have been preached. "This work, though entitled a sermon," says his historian, "was more properly a treatise in a volume of more than one hundred and forty pages." Cotton Mather speaks of its author as 'a valuable minister,' and 'a worthy hopeful young minister lately arrived in America.'

At the Parish meeting of the North Parish of New London (Now Montville) held on the 5th day of February, 1721-2, it was voted,'that Mr. Joseph Bradford be chosen a committee to go to the governor, Mr. Saltonstall, and request him to write to Rev. James Hillhouse to ascertain if he could be obtained as pastor of the church.' It is probable that the official acts on the part of Mr. Bradford were speedily performed, for on the third day of October, 1722, Mr. Hillhouse was installed pastor of the church in the North parish of New London. this church was organized only a short time previous to the call given to Mr. Hillhouse.

James married Mary FITCH in 1726. Mary (daughter of Capt Daniel FITCH and Mary SHERWOOD) was born in Sep 1707; died in 1768. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]