John Cutt

John Cutt
President of New Hampshire
In office
1680–1681
Succeeded by Richard Waldron
Personal details
Born John Cutt
Wales
Died April 5, 1681 (age 68)
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Spouse(s) Hannah Starr, Ursula
Children John, Elizabeth, Hannah, Mary, Samuel
Occupation President (Governor) of colonial New Hampshire and merchant, magistrate, councilor.
Signature

John Cutt (1613 April 5, 1681) was the first President of the Province of New Hampshire.

President Cutt's widow, Ursula, built her house at the Cutt family's Pulpit Farm between 1681-5[1]

Cutt was born in Wales, emigrated to the colonies in 1646, and became a successful merchant and mill owner in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was married to Hannah Starr, daughter of Dr. Comfort Starr of Boston, a founder of Harvard College and a surgeon who emigrated from Ashford, Kent, England.[2] Starr is buried in King's Chapel Burying Ground, Boston.

On January 1, 1680, John Cutt became the first President of the royal Province of New Hampshire, when New Hampshire was first separated from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Cutt was the head of the seven-member royal provincial council.[3] An early copy of the document appointing Cutt and his council is now preserved by the State of New Hampshire.[4]

Soon after his appointment he fell ill. On March 1, 1681 the provincial Council and General Assembly designated March 17, 1681, "A day of public fasting and prayer." The Council and Assembly believed Cutt's illness and the recent sighting of a comet were signs of "divine displeasure." The day of fasting and prayer was unsuccessful, as John Cutt died on April 5, 1681.

After his decease Richard Waldron was named acting President.

Family

John Cutt was accompanied from Wales to Portsmouth by two brothers, Richard and Robert.[5] A descendant of brother Robert Cutt was Hon. Hampden Cutts (as the family styled themselves, with the 's' in succeeding generations) of North Hartland, Vermont. Hampden Cutts married Mary Pepperrell Sparhawk Jarvis, daughter of William Jarvis of Weathersfield, Vermont, and the man who introduced merino sheep to America. Cutts's wife Mary Jarvis was herself a descendant of John Cutt through her father.[6][7]

References

  1. C.S. Gurney, Portsmouth, Historic and Picturesque, (1902) after p.54 at: https://archive.org/stream/portsmouthhistor00gurn#page/54/mode/2up
  2. "Harvard Charter of 1650, Harvard University Archives, harvard.edu". Hul.harvard.edu. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  3. Aside from Cutt, the other members of the Council were Richard Martin, William Vaughan and Thomas Daniel of Portsmouth, Richard Waldron of Dover, John Gilman of Exeter and Christopher Hussey of Hampton.
  4. "State of New Hampshire, Executive Council, History of the Executive Council nh.gov/council/history.html". Nh.gov. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  5. "The Cutt Family, Brewster's Rambles about Portsmouth". Seacoastnh.com. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  6. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Henry Fitz-Gilbert Waters, Boston, 1880. Google. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  7. The Founders: Portraits of Persons Born Abroad Who Came to The Colonies, Charles Knowles Bolton, Boston Athenaeum, Boston, 1919. Google. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
Government offices
Preceded by
Simon Bradstreet
as Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony
President of the Province of New Hampshire
1680-1681
Succeeded by
Richard Waldron (acting)
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