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He attended school in England and in 1635 accompanied his parents to New England, arriving in Boston, Nov. 7, 1635. He attended for a short time the first school in Boston, established by Philemon Potmort, April 23, 1635; but was then taken out to help his father plant corn, and he aided him in farm-work for seven years. He then learned the goldsmith's trade. John Hull was chosen corporal under the command of Major Gibbons in 1618, and was made a sergeant in 1652. In that year the general court, in direct defiance of the Mixt Moneys Case decision of 1604 that the Crown of England had the sole right to coin money, ordered a mint to be set up in Boston for the coloring of shillings anti their fractions, every shilling to be 66 2/3 grains of fine silver, and in form flat and square on the edges, stamped on one side with "N. E.," and on the other "XIId." and the fractional coins "VId." and "IIId." The issue for forty years bore the one date "1652," except the "IId."pieces first issued in 1662. On Oct. 19, 1652, it was ordered that, to prevent "clipping or washing," they should have a double ring on either side with the inscription "Massachusetts" and a tree in the centre on the obverse and "New England" and the year on the reverse. John Hull was named for the employment and took his oath of office, June 11, 1652, having Robert Sanderson as a partner in the enterprise. He held the position of mint-master until his death, and received as payment one out of every twenty shillings coined and made a large fortune at that rate, computed at from £30,000 to £40,000. It was also subsequently claimed that the shilling pieces which he coined contained only about 602/3 grains of fine silver, in which case be also made a profit of 6 grains of silver on every shilling coined. In 1686 silver coinage was suspended and colonial bills of credit were issued, the royalists of the colony called the issue the money of treason and claimed that it was made from silver stolen from the Spaniards, that it was dishonest money, that it lowered the royal standard, inflated the colonial currency and that the seigniorage was exorbitant. The contest over the Pine Tree money was more intense when bills of credit were issued. Hull was chosen ensign of the South Military company in 1654, and was selected by the sergeant major and military officers to keep the records of their proceedings in 1656. He was one of the seven selectmen of Boston, 1657-63, and treasurer of the board, 1660-63. He became a member of the artillery company in 1660, afterward known as the Ancient and Honorable artillery; was elected ensign under General Leverett in 1663; lieutenant in 1664; and served as captain, 1671-78. He was deputy for the town of Wenham to the general court in 1668; for the town of Westfield, 1671, 1673 and 1674, for Concord in 1676 and for Salisbury, 1679-80. He was appointed by the council, June 25, 1675, to be one of the war committee and also treasurer-at-war, and served as county treasurer, 1676-79, and as an assistant, 1680-82. He was one of the principal American merchants, if not the greatest of his time, and owned two vessels, which were constantly engaged in voyages to and from the West Indies, England and France, while from year to year he was interested in numerous ventures in beaver, and various other commodities in other ships. He helped to found the Old South church, which was the third church in Boston, 1669. Of his several children, Hannah, who was married to Samuel Sewall, Feb. 28, 1675, was the only one who reached maturity. President Quincy calls John Hull one of the earliest benefactors of Harvard college and a gift of £100 is recorded in 1681.⁶