| Note |
- According to the Hull Family History, "Joseph was educated at St. Mary's Hall, Oxford, from which he received his degree of B.A. at graduation 14 Nov 1614. During the five years immediately following, he studied theology, serving meantime as a teacher and curate under his elder brother William Hull, vicar of Colyton in Devonshire. On 14 April 1621, having been ordained a clergyman of the Church of England, he was duly instituted rector of Northleigh, diocese of Exeter, which was the scene of his labours for eleven years. At the end of that period he evidently found himself out of accord with those in ecclesiastical authority over him, and, as shown by the records, voluntarily resigned his rectorship. Leaving Northleigh he moved with his family to the vicinity of his ancestral home at Crewkerne, and there gathered a company of 106 souls, who, on 20 March 1635, set sail with him from the harbor of Weymouth, bound for New England.' This group is historically called 'Hull's Colony'. Hull's Colony reached Boston, Mass. on 6 May 1635. 'The arrival of Hull's Colony at Wessagascus doubled its population, and the plantation was soon created a full-fledged town, invested with municipal rights, re-christened Weymouth and allowed representation in the General Court. 'Mr. Hull was a magistrate and member of the general court of Massachusetts Bay Colony, as well as minister at Weymouth. He however was in antagonism to the Boston Puritanical Party, retaining his attachment for the old establishment. He was the political and religious opponent of Governor Winthrop, being more than suspected of Prelacy. Mr. Hull moved in 1639 to the Old Colony of Plymouth, and there founded the present town of Barnstable, at a place called by the Indians, Mattakeese. The rock still stands in the middle of the highway from which he preached, surrounded by his armed parishioners. Plymouth Colony was, however, not much more congenial for a man of his political and religious sentiments than the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Separatists party increased, the opening of the civil war in England checked immigration in 1639, and Mr. Hull and his political friends were left in a hopeless minority. He soon after moved to the Episcopal Colony of Sir Ferdinando Gorges in Maine, and under his patronage was minister at Accomenticus, and had the Isles of Shoals also under his charge. There he remained until 1653, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony subjected the provinces of Maine to their jurisdiction, and Mr. Hull again felt the power of his old enemies on the Bay. A sound Puritan preacher, Mr. Brock, was sent to supercede him, and shortly afterward, we find, Mr. Hull returned to England and was Rector of St. Burien in Cornwall, near Lands End. The children of Mr. Hull remained in this country, married here and settled. He again returned and was minister at Oyster River for a short period, and then recovered his old parish at Accomenticus, where he died in 1665. Reviewing all, it is concluded that in England Mr. Hull was a conformist, and remained within the pale of the church obedient to authority, that in New England he still endeavored to hold to a middle course, as a latitudinarian or low churchman, but that failing in this, after repeated attempts, he finally withdrew to a province where he was free to practice and profess as best suited his conscience. No whisper has reached that he was unorthodox or weak in his theology, and of his moral nature we catch glimpses of but three traits; that in habit he was scholarly, in temperament religious, and in spirit contentious. 'The following condensed record of some of the prominent events in his strenuous career in America, given in chronological order will doubless be appreciated by his descendants: 1635. May. Rev. Joseph Hull and company of 106 persons reached New England, and in July where allowed to 'sit down at Wessaguscus,' now Weymouth, Mass. 1635 or 1637. He moved to Nantasket, then a part of Hingham, was twice elected Deputy to General Court. 1639. Preached his farewell sermon at Weymouth in May. Settled at Barnstable, on land granted to him, and founded the town in June. Thanksgiving service held there in his house in November. Was one of the tow first Deputies to the General Court elected from Barnstable and took his seat in December. 1640. His name appears on the Barnstable list of 'Men able to bear Arms.' On April 14, he invested 'Bro. Moe into office of Teacher.' 1641. Moved to Yarmouth. Was excommunicated for breaking communion with Barnstable Church and joining himself with a company at Yarmouth to be their pastor, contrary to the advice and council of the Church of Barnstable. Preached also to a congregation at York several times during the year. A 'Church-Chapel' was also erected by the inhabitants of the Isles of Shoals on Hog Island for a congregation of which the records say, Rev. Joseph Hull was the minister. 1642. March 7. It was ordred at a session of the General Court 'that a warrant shall be directed to the Constable of Yarmouth to apprehend Mr. Joseph Hulll (if he do either exercise his ministry amongst them or administer the Seals), to bring him before the next magistrate, to find sufficient sureties for his appearance at the next General Court, to answer his doings (being an excommunicant).' 1643. The Barnstable records state that Rev. Joseph Hull acknowledged his sin and was again received. 'Our sister Hull renewed her convenant, renouncing her joining at Yarmouth and confessed her evil in so doing, with sorrow.' Before the end of the year he moved with his family to York, ME. 1644. Nantasket was made a town and named Hull, in honor of the Rev. Joseph Hull. 1645. In that year's record of Volunteers for the Narragansett War, the name of Rev. Joseph Hull appears as 116. It also appears on the later list of Soldiers of the Narragansett War that drew 'Cedar Swamp' lots, his being No. 37. 1652. He returned to England and was given the living at St Burien in Cornwall, where he remained for about ten years. 1662. He came again to New England and settled at Oyster River where he had considerable trouble with the Quakers. 1665. Nov 19. He died intestate at Isles of Shoals, leaving an estate valued at 52 pounds, 5 shillings and 5 pence--10 pounds of which was put down for books and 20 pounds as due him from the Isles of Shoals for his ministry. 'Col. Robert B. Hull, retired and living in New York City, prepared a sketch of the life and times of his ancestor, the Rev. Joseph Hull, which lay in manuscript many years… Mr. James W. Hull had printed for private distribution a small edition of this exhaustive and carefully prepared sketch, which makes a booklet of 32 pages."
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1596 - 1665 (~ 69 years)