John Sutton, 1594 to 1672 of Norfolk, England, Hingham and Rehoboth, Mass.

John Sutton was baptized July 1594 in Great Snoring, Norfolk, England, the son of John Sutton and Dionysia Clements. He is my 11^th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side. Great Snoring is my new favorite place name!

Saint Mary the Virgin Mary Church, Great Snoring

There has been a lot of conflicting information about the identity of John’s wife. The latest research by Eugene Cole Zubrinsky shows he married Julian Adcocke 22 October 1620 at Eaton, Norfolk. Julian’s name is also seen as Judeth and Judith. She was baptized February 1598/99 in Attleborough, Norfolk, the daughter of John Adcocke and Elizabeth Eldred. 

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Attleborough, Norfolk where Julian was baptized

John Sutton and Julian Adcocke were married 22 October 1620 at Eaton, Norfolk. 

St. Andrew's Church, Eaton, where Sutton's married with a modern addition

The Suttons immigrated to Plymouth Colony on the Diligent in 1638.

Children of John and Julian:

John Sutton who m. Elizabeth Howes/House

Elizabeth Sutton, did not immigrate to Plymouth with her family

Mary Sutton, married John Fitch

Judith Sutton, died 1631 in Great Snoring, Norfolk

Anne Sutton, married John Daggett

Hannah Sutton, d 1642 at Hingham

Esther Sutton, m. Richard Bowen  

Margaret Sutton, m. Joseph Carpenter

I descend from their son John.

The family settled in Hingham, moving to Rehoboth about 1649. In June 1644 John Sutton participated in a division of Rehoboth woodland. In Jan 1644(/45), he was one of 18 men who "have forfeited their lots for not fencing, or not removing their families according to a former order."

Most of these men, including Sutton, were still among the proprietors who registered their land holdings about that time. In June 1645 he was one of those who drew lots for a division on Rehoboth's Great Plain. On 26 December 1645 "it was voted that the house-lot and the rest of the accommodations that was laid out for John Sutton forasmuch as he hath not come to live amongst us, nor fulfilled the order agreed upon, and bearing date the 24th of the 9th month (October) 1643, be granted to William Devell."

Finally on 11 January 1648/9 the lot that was given unto George Robinson had been forfeited to the town and then was given to John Sutton. I’m not sure why the Suttons did not move to Rehoboth earlier.  No record is found of John Sr. deeding the Hingham land to John Jr.

Some people believe John Sutton was a follower of non-conformist Rev. Samuel Newman, but I need to do more research on that.

John Sutton died 1 Jun 1672 in Rehoboth, Bristol Co., Mass.

Julian Sutton died Jun 1678 in Rehoboth.

Sources:

Eugene Cole Zubrinsky, Julian Adcocke, Wife of John 1 Sutton of Hingham and Rehoboth, Mass., and Their Family, NEHG Register, January 2013, vol 167:7-14

Eugene Cole Zubrinsky, The English Origin of John 1 Sutton of Hingham and Rehoboth, Mass., NEHG Register, Winter 2018

Howard Dakin French for William Arthur Whitcomb, Sutton Family, NEHGR, Vol 91, 1937