William Sanborn Jr. (1652-1744) of Hampton, New Hampshire

William Sanborn was born about 1652 the son of immigrant William Sanborn and his wife Mary Moulton. He was their third child, but first son. The town of Hampton had been founded by his contentious grandfather, The Reverend Stephen Bachiler who left New England about the time that William was born. The small town was a web on inter-related families. William was probably kin to most of them in some fashion or another. He was lucky to have two parents who lived to a great old age and brothers and sisters who survived the ravages of childhood disease and grew to adults.

adulthood
Children grew up fast in the 1600s. They took on tasks as soon as they were able. Young boys helped their fathers out in the fields and with caring for livestock. William became a freeman of the colony on 25 April 1678. He would soon be expected to preform civic duties for the town.  William was about 27 when he married. His father had deeded him land on 22 June 1681. He received two and a half acres of upland with a house, three acres of upland in the 'east field,' forty acres in Hampton near a place called Brick Hill, two and a half acres of fresh meadow near the beach, and a half share in the cow common. In his will his father left him a second share in the cow common and one cow.

The threat from Indian attack was very real for the residents of New England and Hampton was no exception. All able-bodied men were required to drill with the militia and help defend their town in times of threat. The New Hampshire towns built garrison houses to retreat to in times of danger. Families would hunker down behind the thick walls of the fortified house defended by the militia. William performed garrison duty in Oyster River in 1694 and again in Exeter in 1695/6.

marriage and family
William married Mary Marston on 1 January 1680, their first child was born 11 months later. They had only three children, one of whom did not survive.

1. John  b: 8 NOV 1680 in Hampton, N.H.
2. Mary  b: 1683 in Hampton, N.H., died unmarried in 1770
3.Unknown baby b: 21 JUN 1686 in Hampton, N.H.

Tragically, Mary died on 11 Oct 1686, a few months after the birth of her unknown child. It is possible that the pregnancy contributed to her death. Unusually, William did not remarry despite living until 1744, dying at age 92. His only daughter never married. His son John was highly successful and became very wealthy.