An American Family History

Ensign Jonathan Stanhope was born in 1632 in England.

He married Susannah Ayres in 1656 when he was twenty-four years old. Their children and life together is described in detail in the section on Jonathan and Susannah Stanhope.

On April 21, 1676, Jonathan participated in the Sudbury fight and in October signed the petition that described the battle. 

. . .the Indians began to gather in towards the frontier towns in large numbers . . . Upon April 18th they came upon Marlborough again, and burned the houses they had left in the former attack. They hovered about the town for two days, evidently seeking to draw out the soldiers from the . . . they began to creep slowly in about Sudbury upon Thursday, April 20th. . . learning that the enemy had gone towards Sudbury, . .

. [Wadsworth] marched hastily back towards Sudbury. While this company were thus marching to and from Marlborough, the enemy were gathering more closely about Sudbury. . .The Enemy well knowing our Grounds, passes, avenues, and Scituations had neare surrounded Our towne in ye Morning early (wee not knowing of it) till discovered by fireing severall disserted houses: the Enemy with greate force & fury assaulted Deacon Haines House well fortified yet badly scituated, as advantageous to ye Enemys approach & dangerous to ye Repellant, yet (by ye help of God) ye garrison not onely defended ye place from betweene five or six of ye clock in ye Morning till about One in ye Afternoon but forced ye Enemy with Considerable slaughter to draw-off.

Many Observables worthy of Record hapned in this assault, Vizt That noe man or woman seemed to be possessed with feare; Our Garrison men kept not within their garrisons, but issued forth to fight ye Enemy in theire sculking approaches: Wee had but two of our townesmen slaine, & yt by indiscretion, none wounded; The Enemy was by few beaten out of houses which they had entered and were plundering; And by a few hands were forced to a running flight which way they would; The spoyle taken by them on ye East side of ye river was in greate pte recovered.       

After Susannah died, he married Sarah Griffin on May 11, 1674 in Sudbury. Their children and life together are described in detail in the section on Jonathan and Sarah Stanhope.

He died on October 25, 1702, aged 70..

Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine by George Thomas Little, Henry Sweetser Burrage, Albert Roscoe Stubbs published by Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1909

Ensign Jonathan Stanhope, immigrant ancestor, settled early in Sudbury, Massachusetts, where he died October 22, 1702, aged seventy years. Therefore he was born in 1632, doubtless in England. He married, at Charlestown, April 16, 1656, Susanna Ayer.

He married (second) Abigail, who died at Sudbury, his widow, September 17, 1722.

Children, born at Sudbury:
1. Jonathan, February 2, 1657, married, May 11, 16/4, Sarah Griffin; children: i. Isaac, born June 27, 1675; ii. Jonathan, November 5. died November 19, 1681.
2. Sarah, March 25, 1658.
3. Hannah, married, April 1, 1686, Stephen Jennings.
4. Joseph, September 13, 1662, mentioned below.
5. Jemima, June 5, 1665.
6. Mary, January 29, 1667, married William Wesson. [I don't think that the Mary Stanhope who married William Wesson was the daughter of Jonathan and Susannah since she was considerably older than William]
7. Rebecca, October 29, 1670.
8. Jemima, married, October 15, 1689, Thomas Rutter.