Alt Spellings: Raymond, Raiment, Raymont, or Rayment

Capt. William Raymond, son of George and Jane (Shell) Raymond of Glastonbury, Somerset, England.
Married 1st - Hannah Bishop abt 1665 in Beverly, Essex, MA and had 5 children: William, Edward, George, Hannah and Abigail.
Married 2nd - Ruth Hull abt. 1680 in Beverly, Essex, MA and had 3 children: Mary, Ruth and Ebenezer

Capt. William, his wives, Hannah Bishop and Ruth Hull, graves have been lost to time. The author has by deductive reasoning created their memorials in the cemetery which was the only known cemetery of Beverly at the time of their deaths and associated with their church; the First Parish Church of Beverly; under Rev. Hale
This memorial will allow descendants to have a place to which can be referenced and information shared.

The Beginning:
From the Genealogies of the Raymond Families of New England 1630 to 1886 by Samual Raymond, Published by Press of J. J. Little & Co. Asotr Place, 1886:
The Court records of Salem, Dec. 28, 1697, say: "The testimony of William Raymond, aged 60 years or thereabouts. Testifieth and saith that I, said Raymond, came to New England about the year '52."
He was a prominent citizen of the town; he was in the *Narragansett fight, 1675; was appointed by the General Court, in 1683, Lieut. Commander of Beverly and Wenham troop; he commanded a company in the Canada Expedition, 1690, and was a Deputy for Beverly, 1685 and 6.

* Narragansett Fight know also as "The Great Swamp Fight" - The Great Swamp at South Kingston, Rhode Island, was the site of the last stand of the Narragansett Indians in King Philip's War against the Colonists. In the bloody engagement which took place there on Sunday, December 19, 1675, troops from the Confederation of the United Colonies of New England including Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Connecticut and Rhode Island took part and because of the numbers participating, killed and wounded, the battle had been unequaled in New England up to that time. As a result of the battle, the military strength and resources of the most powerful Indian tribe in New England were broken forever.

Was a member, as was his brother John, a member of the 1st Unitarian Church of Beverly, MA, was a collector of church dues for Rev. John Hale as noted in the Beverly contract with Rev. John Hale.
Both brothers and family, then started and were members of the 2nd Unitarian Church of Beverly.
Many of the Raymond family is buried in the old cemetery located approximately 50 yrds from the 2nd Unitarian Church. There is a historical marker inside the church inside a covered wall that shows John and William

The Court records of Salem, Dec. 28, 1697, say:
"The testimony of William Raymond, aged 60 years or thereabouts. Testifieth and saith that I, said Raymond, came to New England about the year '52." He was a prominent citizen of the town; he was in the Narragansett fight, 1675; was appointed by the General Court, in 1683, Lieut. Commander of Beverly and Wenham troop; he commanded a company in the Canada Expedition, 1690, and was a Deputy for Beverly, 1685 and 6.

William Rayment was in King Philip's War 1675, was appointed by the General Court in 1683 as Lieut. Commander of Beverly and Wenham troops, in the ill-fated Phipps Expedition to Canada (also known as the Canada Expedition), 1690. He was deputy to the General Court from Beverly in 1685 and 1686.
William Rayment's will, dated 25 February 1708, proved 21 May 1730 mentions wife; Ruth Hull; sons, Ebenezer and Edward; grandsons, William, Daniel and Paul, sons of William, deceased; grandson, George, son of George, deceased; daughters,Hannah, widow of Nathaniel Haywood; Abigail, wife of John Giles; Mary, wife of Josiah Batchelder; Ruth, wife of Jonathan Batchelder; executors, wife Ruth and Edward and Ebenezer. 6.
William Rayment died 29 January 1709, age seventy-two, at Beverly, Mass.

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Soldiers in King Philip's War," NEHGR, Vol. 41, 1887, p. 273.

June 24th 1676
Edward Bishop 07 03 02
William Rayment 04 02 07
[Pounds, shillings, pence?]

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From Charles Upham book SALEM WITCHCRAFT Volume I
With an Account of Salem Village
and
A History of Opinions on
Witchcraft and Kindred Subjects

Page 129.

The dividing line between Beverly and Salem Village, as seen on the map, finally agreed upon in 1703, ran through the "Old Planters' Farms," particularly the portions belonging to the Dodges, Raymonds, and Woodbury. It went through "Captain John Dodge's dwelling-house, six foot to the eastward of his brick chimney as it now stands." At the time of the witchcraft delusion, the Raymonds and Dodges mostly belonged to the Salem Village parish and church. They continued on the rate-list, and connected with the proceedings entered on the record-books, until the meeting-house at the "horse bridge" was opened for worship, in 1715, when they transferred their relations to the "Precinct of Salem and Beverly."

When Sir William Phipps got up his expedition[i.132] against Quebec, in 1690, William Raymond raised a company from the neighborhood; and so deep was the impression made upon the public mind by his ability and courage, and so long did it remain in vivid remembrance, that, in 1735, the General Court granted a township of land, six miles square, "to Captain William Raymond, and the officers and soldiers" under his command, and "to their heirs," for their distinguished services in the "Canada Expedition." The grant was laid out on the Merrimack, but, being found within the bounds of New Hampshire, a tract of equivalent value was substituted for it on the Saco River. Among the men who served in this expedition was Eleazer, a son of Captain John Putnam, who afterwards, for many years, was one of the deacons of the Salem Village Church.

The short, rapid, sharp, and sanguinary campaign against the Narragansett seems to have tried to the utmost, not only the courage and spirit of the men, but the powers of human endurance. The constitutions of many were permanently impaired. As much fatigue and suffering were crowded into that short month as the physical forces of strong men could bear. We find such entries as this in the town-books:—"Salem, 1683. Samuel Beadle, who lost his health in the Narragansett Expedition, is allowed to take the place of Mr. Stephens as an innkeeper." A petition, dated in 1685, is among the papers in the State House, signed by men from Lynn, the Village, Beverly, Reading, and Hingham, praying for a grant of land, for[i.133] their services and sufferings in that expedition. The petition was granted. The following extract from it tells the story: "We think we have reason to fear our days may be much shortened by our hard service in the war, from the pains and aches of our bodies, that we feel in our bones and sinews, and lameness thereby taking hold of us much, especially in the spring and fall."

While there is "reason to fear" that the days of many were shortened, there were some so tough as to survive the strain, and bid defiance to aches and pains, and almost to time itself. In a list of fourteen who went from Beverly, six, including Thomas Raymond and Lott, a descendant of Roger Conant, were alive in 1735!

The grants of land made to these gallant men and their heirs amounted in all, and ultimately, to seven distinct tracts, called "Narragansett Townships." They were made in fulfilment of an express public promise to that effect. It is stated in an official document, that "proclamation was made to them, when mustered on Dedham Plain" on the 9th of December, just as they took up their march, "that, if they played the man, took the fort, and drove the enemy out of the Narragansett country, which was their great seat, they should have a gratuity in land, besides their wages." The same document, which is in the form of a message from the House of Representatives to the Council of the Province of Massachusetts, dated Jan. 10, 1732, goes on to say, "And as the condition has been performed, certainly the promise, in all equity and justice,[i.134] ought to be fulfilled. And if we consider the difficulties these brave men went through in storming the fort in the depth of winter, and the pinching wants they afterwards underwent in pursuing the Indians that escaped, through a hideous wilderness, known throughout New England to this day by the name of the hungry march; and if we further consider, that, until this brave though small army thus played the man, the whole country was filled with distress and fear, and we trembled in this capital, Boston itself; and that to the goodness of God to this army we owe our fathers' and our own safety and estates,"—therefore they urge the full discharge of the obligations of public justice and gratitude. They did not urge in vain. The grants were made on a scale, that finally was liberal and honorable to the government.

I have dwelt at this great length on the Narragansett campaign and fight, partly because the details have not been kept as familiar to the memory of the people as they deserve, but chiefly because they demonstrate the military genius of the community with whose character our subject requires us to be fully acquainted. The enthusiasm of the troops, when Winslow gave the order for the assault, was so great, that they rushed over the swamp with an eagerness that could not be restrained, struggling as in a race to see who could first reach the log that led into the fiery mouth of the fort. A Salem villager, John Raymond, was the winner. He passed through, survived the ordeal, and came unharmed out of the terrible fight.[i.135] He was twenty-seven years of age. He signed his name to a petition to the General Court, in 1685, as having gone in the expedition from Salem Village, and as then living there. Some years afterwards, he removed to Middleborough, joined the church in that place in 1722, and died in 1725. The fact that his last years were spent there has led to the supposition that he went from Middleborough to the Narragansett fight; but no men were drafted into that army from Middleborough. It was not a town at the time, but was organized some years afterwards. It had no inhabitants then. Philip had destroyed what few houses had been there, and slaughtered or dispersed their occupants.

Thus far our attention has been directed to that portion of the population of Salem Village drawn there by the original policy of the company in London to attract persons of superior social position, wealth, and education to take up tracts of land, and lead the way into the interior. It operated to give a high character to the early agriculture of the country, and facilitate the settling of the lands. Without taking into view the means they had to make the necessary outlays in constructing bridges and roads, and introducing costly implements of husbandry and tasteful improvements, but looking solely at the social, intellectual, and moral influence they exerted, it must be acknowledged that the benefit derived from them was incalculable. They gave a powerful impulse to the farming interest, and introduced a high tone to the[i.136] spirit of the community. They were early on the ground, and remained more or less through the period of the first generation. Their impress was long seen in the manners and character of the people. There was surely a goodly proportion of such men among the first settlers of this neighborhood.

Around 1648, William (Captain) and John are found at Salem, Essex, MA and Beverly, Essex, MA. The proof of the brother's relationship is found on a deed of record in the Salem Registry, Book 17, page 24. In it John Raymond, Middleboro, Plymouth, MA, the son of John the emigrant, gives an estate to his brother, Jonathan. The boundary is described as:
"until it comes to the land which I sold to my uncle Capt. William Rayment and to his son George Rayment."

From the Essex, Massachusetts Probate Records, 1638-1840:
File #: 23286
Name: Capt. William Rayment; Raymond
File Date: 25 Feb 1709
Residence: Beverly
Type: testate
The term "Intestate" meaning that he had a valid Will and Last Testament

His father George Raymond, of Glastonbury, England, Last Will and Testament:

From his will in the NEHG Volume 41-45 page 136 George states that he lived in a house in St. John's Churchyard
Also mentioned is clothes to Dorthy Robyns husband of Streete.

George Rayment of the parish of St. John's in Glaston in the Co. of Somerset, 26 June 1651, proved 30 October 1651. My body to be buried in the churchyard of St. John's &c. To my daughter Dorothy Robyns and her child forty shillings, and all the goods that I have in the house that I lived in, in the churchyard, I give to said Daughter Dorothy Robins, and my best breeches and jacket and my best shoes to my daughter Dorothy's husband of Streete. To the wife of my Maurice Rayment and her child forty shillings.
Item, I give and bequeath to William Rayment my son that is in New England six pounds, to be paid if ever he doth come to Glaston to demand it. Item, I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Rayment my daughter that is in New England twenty chillings, to be paid if ever she doth come to Glaston to demand it. To John Seemer, the son of William Seemer, twenty chillings. To Luce Seemer. The daugher of William Seemer of the said Glaston, twenty chillings. Twenty shillings I give to discharge my funeral expences. All the rest of my goods &c. I give to Maurice Rayment my son, whom I make my whole and sole executor. For overseers I do appoint William Seemer and William Billocks. ( THen follows the date.) Item, I give to John Rayment my son that is in New England one shilling.
The witnesses were William Seemer, William Zealee (by mark) and George Rosier. Grey, 196.

Note: Of 11 children: 4 Males 7 Females: Only Dorothy, Elizabeth, Maurice, William and John are mentioned in the will. Not mentioned are: George, Jane, Mary, Joanna, Martha, and Elizabeth(2 the younger)

Interesting Note:
Raymond, NH, originally named Freetown, NH was named after Capt. William Raymond who with his men, help secure Freetown on his way to Quebec, Canada in support of the Phipps Expedition. He safeguarded his men and upon returning to Beverly, MA, he and his men were awarded 30,000 acres in what is now Raymond, ME.