Another point is that the name John appears in several generations in NH and Maine line of Witherells. The question is why can no records be found for James Witherell prior to being in NH militia in 1723? It is a fact reported in history of Barnstable county (Cape Cod) that records for the Witherell family still living in area have been largely lost. James was granted land in Dover, NH. His family had some standing in the community given the families his line connected to, Gerrishes, Waldrons, Wentworths, etc. I am sure he didn't just arrive from England in 1723 and he had to be at least 16 at the time to bear arms, of course, he could have been older than that. He was still on tax rolls in Dover in 1753. There is much evidence that the folks who settled Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies (which merged in 1691) expanded into NH in the late 1600s/early 1700s. I sure wish there was a record to know his wife Elizabeth's maiden name.