Return to main Aikens file

Send comments and corrections to anneb0704@yahoo.co.uk

REVEREND RICHARD BOURNE (d. 1681/2)

BATHSHEBA UNKNOWN (d. by 1677)

---

Richard died after 18 August 1681, when he is mentioned in the town records, and by 1682, when letters of administration on his estate were granted to his sons Shearjashub and Elisha. [1] Ayer says that he married first Bathsheba, the daughter of Andrew Bartlett. [1] Brownson and McLean say there was no one named Andrew Bartlett in that period and that possibly she was the daughter of Andrew Hallett. [2] This Andrew Hallett is referred to as Andrew Hallett, Sr. to distinguish him from the younger Andrew Hallett. Richard married second the widow Ruth (Sargent) Winslow on 2 July 1677 in Sandwich. [3][4] She died 4 October 1713. [2] Ruth, the daughter of William Sargent, was born on 25 October 1642 in Charlestown. [4] She married first Jonathan Winslow of Marshfield, the nephew of Governor Edward Winslow. [4] She married third Elder John Chipman in 1684. [4] John was born about 1615 and married first Hope Howland. [2]

It has been alleged that Richard brought a substantial estate to New England. However, there is no evidence of this. However, he acquired a reasonably large estate. He is consistently referred to in the records as "Goodman Bourne" until fairly late in late in life. From as early as 1676 he is referred to as "Mr. Bourne." He was industrious and of great use to the town of Sandwich and the Cape Cod Indians. It appears that he was not formally trained as a minister, but in 1670 he was ordained pastor of the Indian church at Mashpea. For this reason he is often referred to as "Rev. Richard Bourne," although his contemporaries did not appear to use this title.

A Richard and a Thomas Borne are on a Jan 1634 list of passengers bound for St. Christopher and Barbados. Richard is listed as 24. [1] Ayer suggests that this is our Richard and that he somehow ended up in Sandwich. [1] There is no evidence of this.

The first conclusive records of Richard are from early 1637, when he shows up in Sandwich. On 2 January 1636/7 Richard was granted seven acres there to go with his dwelling house. [2] He was a freeman on 7 March 1636/7. [2] He is in the Sandwich section of the 1643 list of those between 16 and 60 able to bear arms in Plymouth Colony. [5] Richard and his son Job are on a 1675 list of Sandwich men who have a right to the privileges of the town. [2]

In his most serious brush with the law, on 4 September 1638, the court ordered that fines were to be charged for unringed swine in Sandwich and Richard was assessed for three pigs. [6]

Richard Bourne was on the committee for the town of Sandwich on 4 June 1639. [7]

Richard was allocated seven acres of meadow on 16 April 1640 in Sandwich. [6] In 1644 Richard requested some land at Mashpee pond and ten acres of meadow. The following May he was granted a right to upland meadow at Mashpee pond. [1] On 13 June 1660, Richard and Thomas Tupper were granted liberty to look up lands for their accommodation towards the South Sea. [1] According to a 17 May 1661 deed, the land cost Richard £15, purchased under an order of 2 October 1660. On 4 June 1661 when the deed was confirmed, the court also granted Richard a parcel of meadow at Mashpee. [1] On 13 November 1660, the town gave Richard 40 acres of land by the little swamp on the west side of the highway as it goes to 'Maspow' [Mashpee?]. [6]

Richard held many public offices. He was on a committee to lay out highways on 2 May 1637. [2] He was a grand juror at the 5 June 1638 court. [2] He was the deputy to the General Court from Sandwich for six years starting in 1639 and again in 1652, 1664–7 and 1670. [2][6 chosen 24 May 1665] On 11 May 1665, he was chosen constable. [6] In 1652 he was the authorized agent for Sandwich to supervise the collection of [whale] oil. [2] On 21 February 1659/60 he was appointed to deliver oil to its owners. [6] On 16 February 1662 Goodman Bourne, Goodman Skiffe and Thomas Tobey were chosen to dispose of the town's oil. [6]

Richard was often empowered to help set and collect taxes and to act as agent for the town in other fiscal transactions. On 13 May 1653 Mr. Dillingham, Thomas Harper, Mr. Vincent and Richard Bourne were to collect £37 in taxes, to be paid in money or butter. [6] On 23 November 1654 Goodman Bourne, Thomas Tupper and James Skiffe were two of five men appointed to make a rate of £18. [6] He was again appointed a rater on 24 June 1658, 28 October 1658, 29 November 1659, 13 October 1660, 24 May 1665 and 20 February 1667. [6] On 20 June 1676 Mr. Richard Bourne, Daniel Wing, Thomas Tupper and Steven Skiffe were appointed to examine who was entitled to what in King Philip's war. [6] On 8 August 1676 and 11 June 1678, he was appointed to take the constable's accounts with Thomas Tobey. [6] Also on 8 August 1676, Mr. Richard Bourne and his choice of two others were appointed raters. [6] On 12 September 1676, Mr. Richard Bourne, William Swift and Steven Wing were assigned to take account of the town's charges since the last June court. [6] On 21 May 1678, Mr. Bourne, Daniel Wing and Thomas Tupper were appointed to accept accounts from the town's creditors. [6] On 11 June 1678, he and Thomas Tupper were to take the constable's accounts. [6] On 6 April 1678 the town decided that "Skawten Neck" was to be improved over the next ten years and Mr. Bourne and William Swift were appointed to take account of disbursements by town agents for this. [6] On 14 Aug 1679, Mr. Bourne and William Bassett were assigned to take the last year's constable's accounts. [6]

Richard was frequently called upon to lay out land or deal with land transactions. On 22 May 1658 he was appointed to lay out land. [6] On 28 October 1658, Richard Bourne was one of seven men chosen to lay out the bounds of each inhabitant's land for the Plymouth Court. [6] On 1 March 1666, Goodman Bourne was part of a committee to finish setting the boundaries of the land in Sandwich for the Court. [6] On 11 May 1665, he was asked to lay out six acres for 'Ludowack Hawkse'. [6] On 24 May 1665, he was asked to lay out land for Richard Smith. [6] On 18 March 1669 he was chosen to help lay out land for Mr. Edmond Freeman and Benjamin Nye. [6] On 10 May 1670 the town sold land that was previously Edmond Freeman's to Thomas Burge, Sr. and Richard was chosen to help lay out this land. [6] On 2 September 1673 Richard Bourne and James Skiffe were appointed to lay out lands for the use of the ministry. [6] On 22 February 1675/6 Richard was one the people chosen to go with Daniel Wing to view a piece of meadow and make an exchange with him. [6] On 18 August 1681, he was assigned to help reach an agreement with Thomas Tupper about the road from the dock to the common. [6]

He was entrusted with many important tasks. In 1645, he was on the committee to draft laws for Plymouth colony. [2] On 7 June 1650, the town paid Richard 10 shillings and gave him a tax rebate in consideration of the work he had done on behalf of the town. [6] On 13 May 1654, Goodman Bourne and Goodman Tupper were two of five men appointed to frame a petition to the Court to grant and assist them in buying Manumet. [6] On 26 June 1654, the town of Sandwich empowered Richard and Mr. Edward Dillingham to agree with Thomas Dexter on building a mill. [6] In 1658, he was appointed to settle a boundary despite between Yarmouth and Barnstable. [2] On 29 November 1659, he was appointed to meet with Barnstable men to fix the bounds between the towns. [6] In 1659, he and Mr. Thomas Hinckley were appointed to purchase land from the Indians in Suckinessett (Falmouth). [2] He and Mr. Edmund Freeman were authorized to view land in Manomet and confirm it to Thomas Burge. [2] On 13 November 1660, Richard Bourne and Thomas Tupper were put in charge of the town's powder. [6] On 16 May 1662, the town asked Goodman Bourne to be helpful to the Deputies. [6] On 2 April 1667, William Bassett, Richard Bourne and James Skiffe were appointed to the council of war for Sandwich. [2] On 19 November 1672, the town engaged Edward Perry and Joseph Holloway to attempt to get the best information from both the English and the Indians on behalf of the town. Edward and Joseph were to consult with Richard Bourne about the information provided by the Indians. [6]

For many years Richard and Thomas Tupper carried on religious exercises at Sandwich. [1] Richard was paid by the Corporation for Propagating the Gospel in New England for his evangelical work with Indians. [1] It is said that the Mashpee or 'South Sea' Indians' grant of land near Sandwich was obtained for them by Richard Bourne. [1] In his will of 1 March 1669, Nonquid Nummack asked Edmond Freeman and Richard Bourne to watch over his children, whom he desired to have brought up in the Christian faith. [8] In 1670, Richard was formerly ordained pastor of the Indian church at Mashpee. [2] A deed dated 9 March 1672 from several Indians to 'our well beloved Richard Bourne' was witnessed by Elisha and Ezra Bourne and Isaac Wampom. [2]

Richard's love letters to the much younger Ruth Winslow survive. On 4 June 1677, he wrote, "I would entreat you to signifie to me ... whether you are not inclined to change your name ... ." [2]

In the 31 October 1682 settlement of his estate, the children of his deceased son Job were to have the house he lived in and accompanying land, valued at £300, plus 20 acres of land lying at a place called "ye great hollow" after his widow Ruth's decease. The remainder went to Elisha and Shearjashub. His movables were valued at about £134; his land at £300; his debts from English people at £502 and his debts from Indians at £173. [1]

The town of Bourne is named after Richard's descendant Jonathan Bourne, a state legislator in 1884 and successful owner of whaling ships.

Children of Richard Bourne and Bathsheba Unknown:

i. Job Bourne was born about 1639 in Sandwich. He died in February 1676/7 in Hingham. He married Ruhamah Hallett.

ii. Elisha Bourne was born about 1641. [2] He died on 21 December 1706. [2] He married Patience, the daughter of James Skiffe, on 26 October 1675 in Sandwich. [3] She died on 25 October 1716 in Sandwich. [1][3]

On 19 May 1677, Elisha's father deeded land in Manomet to him. [2] He was a freeman on 7 June 1681. [2] In 1695, liberty was given to Elisha to set up a grist mill on Herring River. [2] On 10 May 1673, he was appointed grand juryman. [6]

In his will, dated 9 June 1698, Elisha gave Patience the house her father James Skiffe gave her. [1] He mentions his sons Nathan and Elisha and five unnamed daughters. [2] The inventory of his estate in 1706 values his real estate at £500. [1] In the settlement of the estate of Mrs. Patience Bourne on 8 Apr 1718 we find that her eldest daughter married John Pope, Abigail married William Bassett, Hannah married Seth Pope, Bathsheba married Micah Blackwell and Mary married John Parsival. [2]

iii. Shearjashub Bourne was born about 1643. [2] He died on 7 March 1718/9 in Sandwich. [2] He married Bathsheba Skiffe, the sister of his brother's wife Patience. [1]

Shearjashub presided over Indian affairs at Mashpee after his father's death. [1] He was appointed grand juryman on 29 April 1673. [6] On the last of August 1680, Shearjashub, William Bassett and Thomas Tupper were chosen to raters. [6] He was a freeman on 7 Jun 1681. [2] He was a selectman on 3 June 1684. [2] He was appointed deputy on 4 Juli 1684. [2]

In the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York are two beakers described as a gift of Shearjashub Bourne, Esq. to the church of Sandwich. [2 cites Betsy Keene, History of Bourne, 1937] His daughter Remember was the mother of Jonathan Mayhew, DD, father of the Unitarian Church. [2]

iv. Ezra Bourne was born on 12 May 1648. [3] He died after 9 Mar 1672, when he witnessed a deed, and before his father's estate was settled on 31 October 1682. [2]

References:

1. Mary Farwell Ayer, "Richard Bourne: Missionary to the Mashpee Indians," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 62 (1908) 139–43.

2. Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean W. McLean, "The Rev. Richard Bourne of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1610–1682)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 118 (1964): 83–89, 197–214.

3. Caroline Lewis Cardell and Russell A. Lovell, Vital Records of Sandwich, Massachusetts: To the Year 1850, 2 vols. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996), vol. 1: 3 (birh of Ezra), 7 (marriage of Elisha), 23 (marriage of Richard and Ruth).

4. G. Andrews Moriarty, "Gifford - Sargent," Genealogical Research in England Series, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 17 (1920): 142.

5. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, "List of Those Able to Bear Arms in the Colony of New Plymouth 1643," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 4 (1850): 255–9.

6. Sandwich and Bourne Colony and Town Records, Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy (Yarmouthport: C.W. Swift, 1912), no page numbers.

7. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, vol. 1, Court Orders, 1633–1640 (Boston: William White, 1855).

8. Justin Windsor, "Abstract of the Earliest Wills in the Probate Office, Plymouth," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 7 (1853): 235.

---

Last revised: 29-Feb-2024