Hezelelponah Willix was the oldest of three daughters born to Balthazar and Hannah Willix. In May or June1648, when Hazelelponah was 12 years old, her mother was waylaid on the road from Doverto Exeter, robbed, and murdered. Her body was thrown into the river. Balthazar, who hadbeen active in colonial politics and had been one of the signers of the 1643 Exeter Petition tothe General Court of Massachusetts requesting that Exeter be admitted to Massachusetts,appears to have been crushed by the tragedy. On September 7, 1648, he filed suit in NorfolkCounty Court at Hampton against Robert Hithersay:for raising an evil report of his deceased wife, and for breach of promise in carrying his wife toOyster River in a canoe and not bringing her in a conoe again."One commentator remarks that "Hithersay, who roved from Concord to Lynn, Exeter, andYork, was apparently a wayward character, and may have been suspected of the murder."Shortly after, Balthazar moved to Salisbury, Massachusetts. After 1650, he married thewidow Mary Hauxton. He died March 23, 1655.