SIMON HUNTINGTON’S ANCESTRY EXPLORED
One of the biggest “brick walls” in the Huntington family genealogy, and perhaps of all the Great Migration families, is of course, the origins of Simon Huntington Sr.
Famously dying of small pox on board the Elizabeth Bonaventure, in the spring of 1633, he left his middle-aged wife, with five children, to fend for themselves in the wilds of New England.
What we do know of Simon is scant. He was a merchant and practiced his puritanism most likely in secret meetings in Norwich.
Simon is mentioned in English records a few times, especially in parish records from Norwich. He married Margaret Baret on May 11, 1623 which was recorded in the parish records of St. Andrew’s Church, next door to Margaret’s family home, “The Suckling House.” It is likely that he had a step-son, William, from a brief first marriage.
There was a quick succession of children born and baptized to Margaret and Simon under the Church of England auspices. Christopher was baptized on July 25, 1624 at St. Andrew’s Church. Thomas was most likely the next child born, and baptized, sometime in 1625/26. Ann came next and was baptized on September 9, 1627 at St. Simon and St. Jude’s Church (one block away from The Suckling House). Simon Jr. was baptized on July 9, 1629 also at St. Simon and St. Jude’s. Finally, another son, Henry, was baptized on December 16, 1631 back at St. Andrew’s Church. He died on June 8, 1632 and was buried in the St. Andrew’s churchyard.
Careful research has uncovered Simon’s name in a few seventeenth-century English records. The “Freeman of Norwich Register,” of 1628, has Simon listed as a “grocer,” along with his father-in-law Christoper Baret. In addition, Simon had an apprentice, named Thomas Toft, who probably lived in Simon and Margaret’s household.
A legal dispute between Toft and Simon, over worsted weaving, required Toft to name arbiters, including Jos Faly and Thomas C. Boyer, to resolve their differences. Multiple instances of defective goods and related fines, as well as the involvement of Francis Date and James Marris, are noted in the legal dispute.
In the 1629 Bishop’s Visitation of the Diocese of Norwich, Simon Huntington, of St. Simon & St. Jude, was presented for “not standing up at the Creed nor bowing to the name Jesus.” This indicates that Simon was a staunch puritan, and lends support to the idea that he left England due to potential religious persecution.
The Church records of Roxbury, MA contain the earliest record of the Huntington name in New England. It is in the handwriting of the Reverend John Eliot, the leader of the Roxbury congregation:
“Margret Huntington, widow, came in 1633. Her husband died by the way of the small pox. She brought ____ children with her.”
Thus, many questions still remain unanswered regarding Simon Huntington Sr. and two of his children:
His birth, or baptism date, and place
His first marriage record, prior to Margaret
William’s baptism record/place and mother
Thomas’ baptism record/place.
Sources: St. Andrew Parish Records, Norwich, Norfolk, England, St. Simon and St. Jude Parish Records, Norwich, Norfolk, England; John Eliot’s Parish Records, Roxbury, MA, located online via Harvard University, Norwich, Norfolk England Court Records 1619–1630
Last Updated: January 2026