Christopher Hawxhurst was born in Nuneaton, Warwick. England at an unknown time, probably about 1620, and died after 1683 in Oyster Bay, Nassau Co., NY. He married about 1655, Mary Ruddock, who was born in Providence, Rhode Island about 1638, and died in Oyster Bay after 1678,daughter of Henry and Mabel (Burroughs) Ruddock. (The date of his birth is approximated by me from the date of his marriage). He was the second son of Samson Hawxhurst who was the Vicar of Nuneaton in 1626. Samsonwas the son of another Christopher, also a Vicar, of St. Chad, Shrewsbury, Shropshire who had been appointed to this position on the accession of Queen Elizabeth.
Not being the eldest son, our Christopher did not enter the ministry, but instead struck out for America, arriving sometime before 1643. At that time he was named as one of a commission to pick up escaped prisoners, Gortonites*, at Shawomet, now Warwick, Rhode Island. He was the brother of Mary Hawxhurst, the second wife of Robert Cole. He must have been impressed by Gorton's friends for by 1655 he had joined the group at Warwick who were living with Gorton after his return from prison. That year he was made freeman, elected deputy to the Rhode Island General Court, and also married. Christopher and Mary stayed in Warwick for ten years, then moved with Richard Townsend to Oyster Bay on Long Island, where he bought lot number 60, seventy acres at Matinecock. (Miller, LIF, 1:478-9)
*Samuel Gorton. an early settler of Rhode Island, had strong religious beliefs which were different from the Puritan theology; and he was very outspoken. He became the leader of a small sect known as Gortonites, and was often in trouble with authorities. He was a man of great learning, and believed passionately in God, the King, and the individual man, but he was harshly critical of the Magistrates and ministers who filled positions that he considered meaningless.