HE Bicknell family is one of the oldest in America. So far as is now known, all of the name now living in this country, are traceable to Zachary and Agnes Bicknell, who, with their son John, and servant John Kitchin, sailed from England, in the spring of 1635, and landed at Wessaguscus, now Weymouth, within the limits of Massachusetts Bay Colony, in the summer of that year, with the Rev. Joseph Hull and one hundred and one others, mostly from the counties of Somerset and Dorset in the southwest part of England.
The ship’s record is as follows:
"ZACHARY BICKNELL aged 45 yeare.
AGNIS BICKNELL his wife aged 27 yeare.*
Jno. BICKNELL his sonne aged 11 yeare.
Jno. Kitchin his servaunt 23 yeare."
From this little family has sprung a numerous progeny, scattered over all parts of the country. In correspondence with a number of the family it was suggested that an Association be formed for social and genealogical purposes. The plan was promptly responded to by those of the family in and near the old home town, and as the result of the consultation, the following circular was prepared and sent to as many of the Bicknells and their descent as were then known to the subscribers.
*There is probably an error in the transcription of Agnes’ age from the London records. The record of deaths in Braintree states that Agnes died in 1643, aged forty-eight years. If this be correct, she was thirty-seven years of age instead of twenty-seven in 1635, eight years prior to her death.