John and Mary "Goody" Tilton

    John was educated at Rugby School in Rugby, England. John came to Lynn, Massachusetts sometime around 1639. In 1643, John and his young family moved to Gravesend, Long Island, in what was then New Amsterdam. Within a couple years of her marriage to John Tilton, Mary "Goody" Tilton got into trouble with the Salem Church. The Court proceedings, under the date of December 1642, report that "Lady Deborah Moody, Mrs. King, and the wife of John Tilton were presented for houldinge that the baptising of Infants is noe ordinance of God." Shortly after this John, Mary and their young children moved to Gravesend, Long Island, along with Lady Deborah Moody and several other families. On September 7, 1646, John was elected Town Clerk, a position he held until 1662. 
    John, and his wife, Mary "Goody," were among the first Americans to become Quakers. The Dutch Governor of New Amsterdam, Peter Stuyvesant, made continual efforts to stamp out "these raving Quakers" by fines and imprisonment. John Tilton and his wife Mary were among those who had to endure hard persecutions. Goody Tilton, wife of John Tilton, was charged with the crime of having, like a sorceress, gone from door to door to lure and seduce the people, even young girls, to join the Quakers. John was charged with having permitted Quakers to quake at his house in Gravesend. John was a signatory to a letter to the Governor of New York which explained why the Friends (Quakers) could not help build the fort in New York harbour. The letter was dated October 30, 1672. 
    Over the years, John help create several new settlements of Quakers. He negotiated the purchase of more Long Island land from the Carnaise Indians, and purchased the Barren Islands off the coast of Long Island from another Indian tribe. He gained a reputation as an Indian interpreter, as well as an effective negotiator. John assisted as an interpreter in the first purchase of Indian land in an area of New Jersey which was later to become Monmouth County. The purchase was finalized on January 25, 1664.

    On the morning of Jan. 10, 1661, the under schout of New Amsterdam and Nicholas Bayard came from Jamica to Gravesend having heard there was a Quaker meeting at the latter place. Arriving at the house of Samuel Spicer, they learned that George Wilson, a Quaker preacher, had just held a meeting there, but being informed of the approach of the officers had made his escape by so precipitous a flight as to leave his cloak behind. This the officers seized and also arrested Samuel Spicer, who, with Mary, the wife of John Tilton, had attended a Quaker meeting at Jamica, the day previous; and on the 20th of January, John Tilton, "for being at the Quaker meeting January 9, and at a Quaker meeting at Gravesend January 10th ," was sentenced to be banished from the Province, but, through the influence of Lady Moody, he was pardoned. This experience, however, does not seem to have at all intimidated this courageous couple, and, September 19, 1662, the Director and Council notified the magistrates of all the English towns on Long Island to assist Resolved Waldron in arresting " all persons who attend unlawful or prohibited meetings ." At the same time complaint was made against John Tilton, for attending meetings of Quakers and harboring persons of that persuasion, and against Mary, his wife, for " attending meetings of that abominable sect called Quakers. " They were both arrested and imprisoned, and, October 6th, were sentenced to banishment from the Province.

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