Lieut. William Lakin and his brother Ens. John Lakin, both original proprietors of Groton, Massachusetts, emigrated to New England with their mother Mary and stepfather William Martin about 1644. Richardson in 199534 published a comprehensive study of their English origins which supersedes all earlier work on that subject, much of which was confused, and Manning in 190921 reported on William and John’s descendants.

According to Richardson, this William Lakin “was born in England about 10 June 1623. He died at Groton, Massachusetts, on 22 February 1700/1 (VR, 2: 238). By the terms of his father’s will, he was to receive his inheritance at the age of 23. He apparently reached this age on or about 10 June 1646, at which time he gave a receipt for £20 to his stepfather, William Martin, this being payment for a legacy owed to him from his late father, William Lakin Sr., estate. A 1623 birth date for William is supported by a deposition given by him in 1694, at which time he was reportedly 70 years old (or born about 1624) (NEHGR 63 [1909]: 319).”37

According to Butler’s History of Groton38 the brothers Lieut. William and Ens. John Lakin “each had a twenty acre right, as original proprietors of Groton. William’s house lot was on both sides of the road leading to Hawtree-meadow, (probably Chicopee row, or somewhere in that direction,) and John’s was at Nod. John also had ninety acres at the ‘sledges,’ [Butler’s footnote: “This word seems to signify strips of meadow, or parcels of low lands, abounding in iron ore.”] afterwards the homestead of David Green. From these two militia officers, it is believed, sprung all the families of Lakins in this and the neighboring towns.”