The Non-Conformist of Hampton

...Stephen Batchelder, variously spelled Batcheller and Bachiler, was not only a Non-Conformist - he was a leading Non-Conformist who settled the town of Hampton and is reputed to have named it.

Born in England in 1561, he matriculated through St. John's College, Oxford and studied for the ministry. He was named, at an early age, to be vicar of the Church of the Holy Cross and St. Peter. Being unable to conform to the Church of England, the spirited Reverend found himself in continuously troubled waters.

From this time onward, his life was one legend after another; one myth after another; one sordid and questionable truth after another. The Mythos of Stephen Batchelder, whether true or untrue, followed him for the remainder of his long life. He was excommunicated in England for refusing to follow church rules which often made life difficult for its members.

On the death of Elizabeth, in 1603, James I, of the House of Stuart, came to the throne. In January, 1604, the famous Hampton Court Conference was held, when King James uttered his angry threat against the Puritans, "I will make them conform or I will harry them out of the kingdom." The next year the king's threat was carried out against Reverend Batchelder. He was furiously harried after his excommunication. Of Batchelder, Governor Winthrop remarked that Bachiler had suffered much at the hands of the bishops.

At some point in 1631, Batchelor went to Holland to seek religious freedom and to visit his children. It was here that his daughter, Theodate, had met Christopher Hussey who became enamoured of her. He sought her hand in marriage and Batchelder consented to the union only if they would accompany him to America. Theodate Batchelder and Christopher Hussey are my 9-times-great-grandparents and Stephen my tenth. I have not researched Stephen Batchelder's parentage because records are missing. Some have said that all traces to Reverend Batchelder were destroyed by King James, who detested him to the core.