m. RUTH ______ (d. 1676)
will 7 May-12 July 1667
John came from Slymbridge, Glouc. probably under the influence of Humphrey Hooke who was Lord of the Manor of Frampton adjoining Slymbridge and went to Newbury, then to York and finally to Wells. Gooch in his genealogy states that John was the same as the John Gooch of Alvingham, Linclonshire descendant of Iorwerth Goch ap Bleddyn, Lord of Powys, however his evidence is lacking and the Lincolnshire Pedigrees state John of Alvingham died in 1634 at Long Stanton, Cambridge.(1)
St. John the Evangelist- Slymbridge, Gloucestershire- History & Visitors Guide, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7
Gooch states: "It is interesting to note that 'The Booke of Orders for the Council For New England' covering the period from May 1622 to 21 June 1623 and from 4 Nov. 1631 to 1 Nov. 1638 in possesion of the American Antiquarian Society covers the period of Dr. Barnabe Goche's service as Treasurer for the Council for New England with Gorges as President. The book was given to the Society by Mrs. Carew of Crowcombe Court, Somerset having been part of the Carew family papers. No ancestor of the Carews of Crowcombe Court is recorded among the members of the New England Company and it was surmised in the Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts that the books were acquired by the Carews in the middle of the 18th century. it is interesting to note that John Gooch's great, great grand-daughter Martha Gooch, daughter of James Gooch of Boston, married in 1753 in Boston William Carew of Barbadoes. This raises the question that the papers may have been passed down through the Gooch family and that Barnabe Gooch was John Gooch's uncle.
In his will Dr. Barnabe Goche gave �120 to his nephew John. It is interesting that following Barnabe's death and the death of his brother Matthew, Matthew's oldest son Barnabe inherited the Alvingham estate and the younger sons John, William, Geoffrey, Matthew and Henry vanish from Alvingham and 16 years later in Virginia there is found a William, Geoffrey, Matthew and Henry Gooch and in New England a John Gooch. These people were the only ones of the name of Gooch in America at the time and the fact that Matthew's sons disappear from England and five people with the same names appear in America afterwards can hardly be mere coincedence."
John lived on "Gooch's Neck" on the northeast shore of the Cape Neddick River near the mouth which he acquired by grant from Oliver Godfrey about 1639.(2) He also owned property near the Meeting House and at the Little River but, he had moved to Wells before 1662.(3)
John was a proprietor of York and a representative of Agamenticus in 1640. On 19 June 1640 he headed a committee for settling their government.(4)
"WHEREAS we the Inhabitants of Agamenticus have bin summoned by Richard Vines, Esq. Steward Generall to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, knight, lord porprietor of the Province of Mayne, to appeare at a Generall Court to be holden at Saco on the 25th day of June next, for the setleing of government within the said Province.
Now we the said Inhabitants of Agamenticus aforesaid... have deputed Mr. Edward Jonson, John Baker George Puddington and Bartholomew Barnett to appeare for us at the said Courts...". Signed 19 June 1640 by John Gooch, Henry Linn and Ralph Bleasdall.(5)
On 18 Oct. 1644 William Hooke deeded to John Gooch and Peter Weare 20 acres each near Cape Neddick on Weare Point on the eastern shore of the Cape Neddick River. This river became the centre of fishing for herring and ground fish near its mouth. The land surrounding the river was once a part of Wells. On 21 July 1645 John purchased the point on the south side of the Agamenticus River from Christopher Ropes.
John was an Alderman in 1647/8 and sometime before 1650 he sold eight acres on the south side of the ministereal lot to George Parker.(6) He was at Wells on 4 July 1653 as a member of the first board of Wells selectmen(7) yet, he was of York 8 March 1653/4 when he sold a house and 10 acre lot and all his right to grants of common land in the town to Abraham Preble. He had settled permanently at Wells by 1655 where on 3 Apr. 1661 he purchased marsh land in Wells from John Wakefield as well as more land and marsh on 3 Feb. 1667 from William Hammond. On 20 Oct. 1662 John sold to Daniel Epps 250 acres of upland in Wells and marsh on the southeast side of the Cape Porpoise River.
Nicholas Greene 16 March 1650/1 witnessed two deeds of Peter Weare to John Gooch conveying marsh land in Agamenticus granted to Weare by Gorges, however his not signing the submission to Massachusetts two years later puts his civil status under suspicion unless he was absent at that time. It is possible that he was a servant of John and therefore not regarded as eligible to sign a political acknowledgement as a freeman.(8)
John took the oath of allegience to Massachusetts 22 Nov. 1652 in York.(9).
Oath of Allegience- Page 1, Page 2
Map of York- showing the homes of the people who signed the submission to Massachusetts in 1652 
Evidently he was satisfied with the Massachusetts government as he signed the petition to Cromwell 12 Aug. 1656 which referred to the complaints presented to the Protector by "some gentlemen of worth" (i.e. Godfrey) for restitution of their right of juisdiction and asked that they be not heeded, intimating that they are instigated by "professed Royalists whose breathings that way... have been so farre stifled."(10) John received 100 acres of upland and meadow from Godfrey which was confirmed 20 Apr. 1655.(11) On 28 June 1648 Edward Godfrey was the plaintiff in a land dispute against John Gooch. Godfrey won the case and was awarded the land in question and �5 damages.
"For deflowering Ruth, wife of John Gooch of Agamenticus aforesaid," George Burdett was fined �20. The wife, Ruth, was found guilty "By the Grand Inquest, of adultery with Mr. George Burdett" and "is censured by this court, that six weeks after she is delivered of child, she shall stand in a white sheet, without other clothing, publickly in the congregation at Agamenticus two several sabbath days, and likewise one day at this General Court when she shall be thereunto called by one or all of the counsellors of this Province, according to his Majesty's laws in that case provided." A witness in the case testified that he heard "John Gouch say that he was minded to shoote Mr. Burdett, but that his wife persuaded him to the contrary, and he thought that John Gouch carryed a pistoll in his pockett to shoote Mr. Burdett." (12) Supposedly this story was the basis of Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter".
John was a juror in 1640, 1650 and 1655 and was on the grand jury in 1650 and 1657. He was a constable in 1651 and 1662. He also signed the petition to Oliver Cromwell and the petition to Massachusetts.(13)
On 11 June 1664 John willed to his son James his house, garden and orchard in Slymbridge having bought it of William Hammonds. John bequeathed to "my Loveing wife, Ruth Gooch, my soole executrix" a life interest in his houses and lands and seven pounds yearly for her maintenance. He also left his "horse kind" to Ruth, this was the earliest mention of horses found in possession of a resident of York. His son John received the homestead. Mr. William Symonds and "my brother, William Hamond" were appointed overseers of his will. We surmise that John was not too fond of Peter Weare as he gave the legacy to the children so that it might not fall into Peter's hands. The same situation occured with regard to his daughter Francis, he giving the legacy to his grand-daughter Elizabeth Donnell since her father Henry had deserted his family leaving them to take care of themselves.(14)
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