Richard CHURCH of Dedham, MA

CHURCH

1. RICHARD-

b.c.1608 ?Polstead, Suffolk
m.c.1636 ELIZABETH WARREN (d. of Richard Warren of the "Mayflower", d. 9 Mar. 1669/0 Hingham)
d. 27 Dec. 1668 Dedham
bur. Hingham

Richard arrived in Boston in 1630 and was made a freeman in 1632.(1)

"The Names of the Freemen of eich Towne. Plymouth (1643)... Richard Church." "August, 1643. The Names of all the Males that are able to beare Armes from xvj. Yeares old to 60 Yeares, wthin the sevrall Towneshipps. Plymouth... Richard Church."(<b2)

He came over as a servant of Mr. Richard Webb of Cambridge(3). From 1633 until 1649 he was a resident of Plymouth before moving to Eastham and then to Charlestown. On 24 Jan. 1653 he purchased from Thomas Joy "one halfe or moytie of his Corne mill standeing upon ye Ryver caled ye towne Cove in hingham It is with ye damme head & streame thereunto belongeing and halfe ye lott of Lande Lying there unto contayneing fower or six acres wch was formerly ye lands of Abraham Martyn..."(4) Richard was a selectman in 1665.

Issue-

I.Elizabeth- b.c. 1636 Plymouth, m. 20 Jan. 1657/8 Hingham, Caleb Hobart (b.c.1633, m.2. 17 Apr. 1662 Braintree, Mary Elliot (d. 22 July 1675), 3. 15 Jan. 1676 Elizabeth _____ (m.1. Richard Faxon, d. 9 Aug. 1704 Braintree), d. 4 Sept. 1711 Braintree), d. 3 Feb. 1658/9

II. Joseph- b.c.1638, m. 30 Dec. 1660 Hingham, Mary Tucker

III. Benjamin- b.c.1640, m. 26 Dec. 1667 Hinghamd, Alice Southworth, d. 17 Jan. 1717/8 Little Compton

2IV. CALEB- b.c.1643 Plymouth, m. 16 Dec. 1667 Hingham JOANNA SPRAGUE (d. 11 July 1678 Watertown)

V. Nathaniel- m. Sarah Barstow

VI. Hannah-

VII. Abigail- b. 22 June 1647 Plymouth, m. 19 Dec. 1666 Hingham, Samuel Thaxter (b. 19 May 1641 Hingham, m.2. 13 June 1678 Deborah Lincoln (b. 3 Aug. 1645 Hingham, d. 7 Dec. 1694), d. 27 May 1725 Hingham), d. 25 Dec. 1677 Hingham

VIII. Charles- killed by the overturning of his cart 30 Oct. 1659

IX. Richard- d.s.p.

X. Sarah- m. 8 Dec. 1674 Hingham, James Burross

XI. Mary- d. 30 Apr. 1662 Duxbury

XII. Deborah- b. 27 Jan. 1657, bpt. 22 Mar. 1656/7 Hingham, m. ? Sylvanus White of Scituate. After her husband's death Deborah moved to Little Compton, RI to be near her brothers Joseph and Benjamin.(5) Ref:
(1) Mass. Archives- Vol.I, p.80
(2) "Records of the Colony of New Plymouth"- Nathaniel Shurtleff, M.D., Boston, 1857, pp.173- 4, 187-8
(3) "The Winthrop Fleet of 1630"- Charles Edward Banks, 1930, p.64
(4) "History of the Town of Hingham"- George Lincoln, New England History Press, Somersworth, NH, 1982- Vol.II, p.125
(5) TAG- Vol.40, p.101

2IV. CALEB (RICHARD 1)

b.c.1643 Plymouth, MA
m.1. 16 Dec. 1667 Hingham, MA, JOANNA SPRAGUE (d. 11 July 1678 Watertown)
2. Deborah ______ (d. 17 Jan. 1690 Boston)

Caleb settled first at Dedham and then moved to Watertown. He was admitted a freeman on 22 Mar. 1689/0.(1) He kept a tavern from 1686 until 1711 and was also a miller and millwright. He or his son was a member of the General Court in 1713. He was elected surveyor of highways for Watertown 6 Nov. 1676.(2) On 2 Nov. 1677 he was paid 13/4 "for wurk at the mill bridg".(3)

On 26 Apr. 1671 Caleb gave a deposition concerning the murder of Zachary Smyth by an Indian.(4)

Caleb petitioned Governor Leverrett and the Council on 22 June 1676 to release him from watching and warding so he could protect his mill from Indian raids.(5)

"At a Jenarall town metting the 5th of the 9th munth 1677... Caleb Church Requesting the town: to lett him have a parsill of land containing about one hundred Rod lying against goodman tredaways land the town declared by avoat that he should have the land provided yt if he sell the land that the town & goodman tredaway shall have the Refusall of it."(6)

Caleb was again paid "to mend the bridg at mill", 24 Oct. 1679. He was paid 7/6.(7)

"A meting of the selectmen at Corporall willingtons december 29th 1682... Voated that Sargent Coolidg Caleb church and John Bard be joyned with the selectmen to see that the please for the booyes be conveniant for them and that the platforme of the meting house be mead tight with as much convenient speed as may be."(8)

"At ameting of the selectmen at the house of Simon Stone the (15th) Janiuary 1683/84... Chosen Tything men... Calib Church."(9)

"Ye 11th of Aprill 1684... The select men sent Caleb Church to dezyre Him to make the Bridg over the mill Crick the ould Bridge Being Caryed away by the flud and promised that he should Be payed for it by the towne."(10)

"10th of 9th munth 1685... That thear shall Be an House Built for the ministry... this wurk to be dun with all convenient speede... Caleb Church... desired by avoate to do this building for the ministry."(11)

"26th of march 1686... Caleb Church Cuming to the Select men to dezire liburty to ceep apublick house of enturtainment he being So much over burdoned with Strangers the Select men grant him his Request So far as Lyeth in thear power: dannill warrin desenting."(12)

"The select men meting the 22d of febuary 1686 and Being informed by justice Bond of the nesesitus Condityon of awooman that had bin Enturtained by Caleb Church for sum time & now by him put out of his house the selectmen have agreed with naybur lovarin to enturtain hur for the present and that thay will teak cear that he be payed for so doeing Caleb Church to bear the Charg thear of the best meanes being yoused that she may be imployed that so she may bear hur owne Charge if posibell this to Remaine untill sum farther ordur be taken or the wooman be Removed from amongst us."(13)

In Oct. 1689 John Perry petitioned the court to remove Caleb from keeping an ordinary "for it is a very disorderly house, as himself is a stirrer of strife in our town, and entertaining such as himself, who makes lyes and spreads them abroad". Perry was evidently stirring trouble himself as in Dec. 1688 he was bound over for � 10 for "giving forth words tending to move discord, strife, and dissension among his neighbors and for breaking the common pound of the town in August last".

In Mar. 1689 Caleb signed a contract to build a corn or grist mill in the village of Oxford for the French Hugenot settlers and on 4 Feb. 1689/0 he signed the receipt "in full, following our bargain".(14)

Caleb was elected a selectman and collector of the minister's rate on 7 Nov. 1692.(15) He signed a petition asking for assistance in obtaining a minister and settling a dispute concerning building the meeting house on 28 July 1692.(16) Caleb agreed to join those of the east part of town if Rev. Henry Gibbs was to be the minister.(17)

Issue-

I. Hannah- b. 1 Nov. 1668 Hingham

3II. RUTH- bpt. 12 Dec. 1697 Hingham, m.1. 23 June 1689 Watertown JOHN MADDOX (b. 16 May 1663 Watertown, d. 1 Feb. 1703 Watertown), 2. 25 July 1705 Watertown, Joseph Child (d. 3 Nov. 1711 Watertown), 3. Thomas Ingersol of Springfield, d. 10 Jan. 1746/7 Westfield, MA

III. Lydia- b. 4 July 1671 Dedham, m. 4 Jan 1686/7 Samuel Hastings (b. 12 Mar. 1665/6, m.2. 10 July 1701 Sarah Coolidge (d. Jan. 1724), will 11 Apr. 1722-19 Aug. 1723), d. 9 Feb. 1690/1 Watertown

IV. Caleb- b. 16 Dec. 1673 Dedham, m. 6 Nov. 1691 Watertown, Rebecca Scottow

V. Abigail- d. 2 Sept. 1677 Watertown

VI. Joshua- b. 12 June 1678 Dedham

VII. Deborah- d. 17 Jan. 1690/1

VIII. Isaac- b. 27 June 1678 Watertown, m. 14 May 1702 Mary Hutchins

IX. Rebecca- b. 27 June 1678, m.c.1695 Joshua Warren (b. 4 July 1668, d. 30 Jan. 1760), d. 1 Apr. 1757

Ref:

(1) Mass. Archives- Vol.35, p.351a
(2) Watertown TR- p.193
(3) Ibid- p.197
(4) Mass. Archives- Vol.30, p.167- See also Vol. 31, p.78
(5) Ibid- Vol.69, p.2
(6) Watertown TR- p.198
(7) Ibid- p.206
(8) Ibid- book III, p.18
(9) Ibid- p.20
(10) Ibid- p.21
(11) Ibid- p.27
(12) Ibid- p.29
(13) Ibid- p.33
(14) Mass. Hist. Col.- Ser. II, p.31
(15) Watertown TR- pp.53,55
(16) Mass. Archives- Vol.11, p.64
(17) Ibid- Vol.113, p.268

Watertown VR

"Genealogies of the Families & Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown"- Henry Bond, M.D., Boston, 1860, Vol.I, p.158

Return to Home Page