Sprague's Mill- Upwey, Dorset
m. CHRISTIAN ______ (m.2. John Corbin)
will 6 June- 13 Oct. 1614 PCC
Sprague's Mill- Upwey, Dorset
Edward's parents remain unknown. It has been stated that he is the son of Tristram Sprague of Fordington, however, looking at the parish registers for Fordington St. George and Puddletown does not give any entries for Edward. It does give a complete account of Tristram's children however. At this point Edward's origins remain a mystery. A possibility is that Edward was the son of Christopher of Tincleton and that Christopher, Tristram and Edward were brothers and were sons of John Sprag of Puddleton.
St. Laurence Church- Upwey
In his will Edward Sprague, fuller, of Upwey, Dorset, mentioned his eldest son Ralphe, his eldest daughter Alice, his second son Edward, his third son Richard, his fourth son Christopher, and his youngest son William as well as his wife Christian:
"The Vith daye of June in the yeare of our Lord God, one thousand six hundred and fourteen. In the name of God, Amen
I, Edward Sprague of Upwey in the County of Dorset, ffuller, being sicke and weake of body, but well and perfect in mind, thanks being unto Almighty God, do ordaine and appoint this my last Will and Testament to be made in manner and forme following. That is to say, ffirst of all, I do bequeath my Soul unto Almighty God, my Saviour and Redeemer, and my bodie to be buried within the church yard. As for such temporall goods as God has blessed me withall, I give and bequeath as hereafter follows: viz.
I give unto the parrishe church of Upwey tenne shillings.Item:- I give unto the poor of the said parrishe of Upwey tenne shillings
Item:- I give unto unto Ralphe Sprague my eldest sonne one of the oldest paire of shears in my shoppe and one lesser payer called the quarrel.
Item:- I give and bequeath unto my eldest daughter Alice Sprague fiftie poundes to be paid within one yeare after my decease.
Item:- I give and bequeath unto Edward Sprague my second sonne two paire of shears and twentie poundes to be paid likewise within one year after my decease.
Item:- I give and bequeath unto Richard Sprague my third son twenty poundes to be paid when he shall be one and twenty years of age.
Item:- I give and bequeath unto Xpofer [Christopher] Sprague my fourth sonne twenty poundes to be paid when he shall be of the age be one and twenty years.
Item:- I give and bequeath unto William Sprague my youngest sonne xx L [twenty pounds] to be when he shall be of the age of one and twenty years.
All the rest of my goods movable and unmovable I give and bequeath unto Christian Sprague my wife whom I do make my whole [sole] executrix of this my last Will and Testament.
Memorandum: that if Richard Sprague , Christopher Sprague or William Sprague shall happen to die either of them before they shall be of age of one and twenty years, that then their legacie to be devided betweene the other two or if two of them shall happen to dye before they shall be of the age of one and twenty years that the their legacies to remain to the other then living
ffinally, I do appoint Henry Samways and William Bryar overseers of this my last Will and Testament in the presence of those whose names are underwritten John Bishoppe John Taylor his marke
Memorandum: that whereas the living of the aforesaid Edward Sprague doth fall unto his sonne Ralph Sprague after his decease the said Ralph Sprague doth upon his fathers request promise that his mother Christian Sprague shall quietly enjoy the said living until he shall be one and twenty years of age.
Probate: On the 13th day of October 1614 Probate was granted in London to Christian Sprague widow and executrix therein named.Inventory:
A True and perfect Inventory indented of all and singular the goods, rightes, chattels and debts of Edward Sprague late of Upwey in the County of Dorset, FULLER deceased made the sixth day of June and appriced and valued by Thomas Leball, John Seller, William Bryar and Francis George as followeth, viz 1614
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IMPRIMUS his wearing apparell............................................................iii
Item: a piece of Russet cloth....................................................................i
Item: two beds furnished........................................................................iii
Item: one coverled and a carpet................................................................i
Item: ten pair of sheets, board cloths, with two pair of pillow byes,
and six table napkins.............................................................................iiii
Item: thirteen silver spoons.....................................................................ii x
Item: one cupboard, nineteen pewter vessels, three candle sticks,
and three salts.......................................................................................ii x
Item: four coffers, one chest. two chairs and a flasket....................................xvi
Item: a sword and dagger.............................................................................vii
Item: two other beds furnished...............................................................ii
Item: mill..............................................................................................i x
Item: a sack of wheat and a sack of malt.................................................i x
Item: iron ropes, with other old yron.......................................................i
Item: one willow, four old tubs with a hedlop...............................................vi
Item: one table, board and cupboard............................................................x
Item: five barrels with other timbre vessels..............................................ii
Item: two frying pans, one spit, two andyrons three pair of pothooks,
with other kytchin stuff..............................................................................x
Item: one and twenty brass vessels.......................................................viii
Item: butter and cheese..........................................................................i vi
Item: a cheese press, a ladder thread, with other small implements............ii
Item: four payer of fullers shears with the shear bords
and iron bar, beams, and seales and weights
with other things at the mill...................................................................iiii
Item: three saddles.....................................................................................xv
Item: one pyge......................................................................................i
Item: seven kyne [cows], with three yearlings........................................xx
Item: one horse...................................................................................iii
Item: fourscore sheep and forty two lambs...........................................40
Item: four acres and a half of corn......................................................viii
Item: due unto the administrix without specially...................................xvi x
Item: due upon bond........................................................................131 vi
Suma Totalissimus Inventury......................................................� cclviii vi" (1)
Issue-
Ref:
(1) PCC- PROB 11/124
The Sprague Project- Richard E. Weber at: http://www.sprague-database.org
m.c. 1635 MILICENT EAMES (d. 8 Feb. 1695/6 Hingham)
St. George's Church- Fordington
According to family tradition William arrived at Salem with his brothers Ralph and Richard in 1629.
"Amongst other yt Arrived at Salem at their owne cost, were Ralph Sprague with his Brethren Richard & William... The inhabitants yt: first settled in this place (Charlestown) & brought it into denomination of An English Towne was in Anno 1628 as follos, vizt: Ralph Sprague, Richd Sprague, William Sprague..."(1) The Sprague brothers most likely sailed on the "Abigail", Henry Gauden master, departing from Weymouth 20 June 1628 and arriving in Naumkeag (Salem) 6 Sept. 1628.(2)
The brothers went with Governor John Endicott to what became Charlestown on the Mystic River. On 10 Feb. 1634 William and his brother Richard signed the order creating a Board of Selectmen for the town. On 2 Jan. 1635/6 William was an inhabitant of Charlestown and Millesaint was admitted to the church there. He moved to Hingham in 1636 as land was granted to him that year on "the Playne". Other lots were given him for planting purposes. On 28 Mar. 1651 he purchased from Thomas Hammond a dwelling house with five acres of land adjoining his own homestead together with other lands in the vicinity along with 20 acres on the opposite side of the river. At one time he was a resident of Marshfield but, returned again to Hingham. He was a selectman in Hingham in 1645 and a constable in 1661. On 21 Feb. 1673 he sold land to his son Anthony for �36 and �9 in corn.
In the Name of God, Amen. The nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord God, One thousand, six hundred, seventy & five. I, WILLIAM SPRAGUE, senior, of Hingham, in New England, being sick in body, but yet of perfect memory; praised by almighty God! do make and declare this my last will and testament, in manner and form following: Revoking, and by these presents, making void, and of no force, all and every will and wills heretofore by me made, and declared, either by word or writing, and this to be taken only, for my last will, and none other.
FIRST and principally, I commit and commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, and my body to the earth, to be decently buried, at the discretion of my executor hereafter mentioned, hoping of salvation, both of soul and body, by the mercies of God in the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ. And as for such temporal estate as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me, I do order, give and dispose the same in manner and form as followeth -- that is to say:
FIRST -- I will that all those just debts and duties that I owe in right and conscience to any person whatsoever, shall be well and truly contented and paid by my Executor hereafter named out of my Estate, with my funeral charges, which I will shall be first paid. Item -- I give and bequeath unto Millesaint Sprague, my loving wife, the sum of Ten pounds in money, and one Cow and one Horse.
Item -- I give unto the said Millesaint, my wife, ten pounds per annum during the term of her natural life, (to be paid to her by my son, William Sprague, which I have reserved for her, as may fully appear by a deed of gift under my hand and seal to my said son, William, of my house and several lands and commons, as is therein expressed, ) and the summering and wintering of one cow and one horse, and the use of one half of my dwelling house, and half the orchard, according as I have reserved upon the said deed of gift.
Item -- I give unto Millesaint, my said wife, thirty and five pounds which is due from me by my son, Anthony Sprague, to be paid five pounds a year till the whole be paid: that is to say, in case my said wife live till all the said payments be made to her: but if my wife decease, before all the said payments of thirty and five pounds be made, then my mind and will is, that what is remaining unpaid of the said thirty and five pounds at my wife's decease, shall be divided equally amongst all my children hereafter named, that is to say: my son Anthony Sprague, my son Samuel Sprague, my son William Sprague, my daughter, Perses Doggett, the wife of John Doggett, Joanna Church, the wife of Caleb Church and Mary King, the wife of Thomas King, every one of them to have part and part alike.
Item -- I give unto Millesaint, my said wife, all my household stuff and furniture, linen, woolen, and utensils of household whatsoever, for and during the term of her natural lie; and after my wife's decease my mind and will is, that it shall be divided amongst all my aforesaid children, every one of them to have part and part alike. And all my cattle not before given to this my will, to be immediately after my decease, disposed of by my Executor, as followeth; that is to say: to my son William Sprague two steers three years old and the [?] and one cow; and all the rest of my cattle to be equally divided among the rest of my children aforenamed, every one of them to have part and part alike.
Item -- I give and bequeath unto Anthony Sprague, my SWORD, which was my brother Richard Sprague's and one of my biggest pewter platters, and twenty shillings in money; which, with what I have given him before, in Land, and other things, and his part of my household stuff and cattle, after the decease of myself and my wife, as it is afore expressed, I judge a sufficient portion for him.
Item -- I give unto my son John Sprague, a piece of salt marsh, lying at Lyford's liking river, in Hingham, containing two acres and a half, be it more or less, which was given me by the town of Hingham, to enjoy to him, and his heirs, and assigns forever. And I do give unto my son John Sprague my searge suit of apparel, which with a Neck of Upland, called Sprague's Island, lying by the aforesaid meadow which I formerly gave to him, I judge a sufficient portion for him.
Item -- I give unto my son Samuel Sprague my cloth coat, which was my brother's and one of my biggest pewter platters.
Item -- I give and bequeath unto my son Jonathan Sprague, threescore acres of Land, lying in the bounds of the township of Providence, in New England, which I lately purchased of John Dexter, of the said Providence which said threescore acres of land, I do give to my son Jonathan during the term of his natural life; and after his decease unto his heirs male, lawfully begotten of his body, lawfully begotten or to be begotten; and for want of such hairs, the said threescore acres of Land to return to the next heirs of the Spragues descended from me. Also, I give unto my said son Jonathan Sprague my best cloth suit of apparel.
Item -- I give unto William Sprague one feather bed, which the used to lodge upon when he lived with me, and one on my biggest pewter platters.Item -- I do make and ordain Millesaint Sprague, my loving wife, my full and sole executrix of this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof, I the said William Sprague have hereunto set my hand and seal, the day above written.
WILLIAM SPRAGUE and a seal.
Signed, sealed, published and delivered by the above said William Sprague, senior, to be his last will and testament, in the presence of us witnesses.
DANIEL CUSHING, sen
MATTHEW CUSHING (3)
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Minutes of the Selectmen of Charlestown, 19 Apr. 1664, Vol. 2
The Sprague Project- Richard E. Weber at: http://www.sprague-database.org
History of the Town of Hingham- George Lincoln, Vol. III, pp.163-4