Governor Thomas Prence

Patience Brewster, daughter of Elder William Brewster.

Mary Collier

Mrs. Mary Prence, relict of Governor Prence, died at the house of her son-in-law Jeremiah Howes in 1695. [HOY]

The Pilgrims borrowed heavily from English merchant adventurers to come to America. Their money making efforts were unsucessful and in 1627 eight colonists, known as undertakers renegotiated and undertook to repay the debt in return for a monopoly on the fur trade and other considerations. These undertakers were William Bradford, John Howland, Myles Standish, Isaac Allerton, Edward Winslow, William Brewster, John Alden and Thomas Prence. [OPP, 194–6, ch. 18, fn. 5]

Thomas Prence was chosen governor of Plymouth Colony in 1634 and 1638. [OPP, 262, 299]

In 1644 the Court granted land to "those that goe to dwell at Nausett [Eastham]." Governor Thomas Prence was an early settler of Eastham and his name appears on a 22 May 1655 list of inhabitants. [FSE]

Children of Thomas Prence and Patience Brewster:

i. Mercy Prence married Major John Freeman.

ii. Hannah Prence married Captain Jonathan Sparrow.

Children of Thomas Prence and Mary Collier:

iii. Jane Prence married as his second wife Mark Snow on 9 January 1660/1. [WMR]

iv. Sarah Prence married Jeremiah Howes.

References:

WMR. John Insley Coddington, "The Widow Mary Ring of Plymouth, Mass., and Her Children," The American Genealogist 42 (1966): 193–205.

FSE. David Hamlin, "First Settlers of Eastham, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 6 (1852): 41–46.

OPP. William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620–1647, edited with and introduction and notes by Samuel Eliot Morison (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001).

HOY. Charles F. Swift, History of Old Yarmouth (Yarmouthport: the author, 1884).

Last revised: 17-Jul-2023