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Governor Thomas Prence (c. 1600–1673)
Patience Brewster (say 1603–1634), daughter of William Brewster and Mary Unknown
Mary Collier (bp. 1612–by 1662), daughter of William Collier and Jane Yates
Thomas Prence was the son of Thomas Prence, a carriage-maker of Lechdale, Gloucestershire. [1] He was born about 1600. He died on 29 March 1673, age 72. [1] Thomas Prence married first Patience Brewster on 5 August 1624 in Plymouth. [1][2] He married Mary Collier on 1 April 1635 in Plymouth. [2][3, 1: 34] He married third Apphia (Quicke) Freeman before 8 December 1662. [2][4] Apphia was the daughter of William Quicke—citizen, grocer, and apothecary of London. [4] She married first Samuel Freeman—gentleman of St. Ann and later East Malling, co. Kent and Watertown—on 14 July 1624 in St. Ann, Blackfriars, London. [4] Samuel, the son of John and Priscilla (Angelo or Angell) Freeman, was born about 1600. [4] Thomas married fourth Mary Howes, the widow of Thomas Howes of Yarmouth, before 1 August 1668. [2][5] Mrs. Mary Prence, relict of Governor Prence, died at the house of her son Jeremiah Howes in 1695. [6]
Patience Brewster, the daughter of William Brewster, was born say 1603. [1] She died on 12 December 1634. [7]
Mary Collier, the daughter of William Collier and Jane Clark, was baptized on 18 February 1611/2 in St. Olave, Southwark, co. Surrey. [1] She died before 8 December 1662.
When Thomas died, Plymouth colony secretary Nathaniel Morton recorded: [8, 105]
Thomas Prence, Esquire, Govr of the jurisdiction of New Plymouth, died the 29th of March 1673, and was interred the 8th of Aprill following. After hee had served God in the office of Govr sixteen years, or neare therunto, hee finished his course in the 73 yeare of his life. Hee was a worthy gentleman, very pious, and very able for his office, and faithful in the discharge therof, studious of peace, a welwiller to all that feared God, and a terrour to the wicked. His death was much lamented, and his body honorabley buryed att Plymouth the day and yeare above mensioned.
Thomas Prence's father left a bequest to his son Thomas Prence "now remaining in New England in the parts beyond the seas." [1]
Thomas Prence came to New England in the Fortune, arriving at Cape Code on 9 November 1621. [9, ch. 12, fn. 9]
Patience Brewster came to New England in the Ann, arriving in July 1623. [7]
The Pilgrims borrowed heavily from English merchant adventurers to come to America. Their money making efforts were unsuccessful 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. [9, 194–6, ch. 18, fn. 5]
Thomas was on a 2 January 7 Charles [1631/2] tax list in Plymouth. [3, 1: 9–11]
In 1632 Thomas followed his father-in-law William Brewster and settled in Duxbury. [10] Thomas, his [brother-in-law] Jonathan Prence, John Alden and Myles Standish were among the first settlers of Duxbury. [9, editors note, 253 ]
Thomas was a freeman in Plymouth in 1633. [9, 1:3–4] Mr Thomas Prence was elected governor on 1 January 1633/4 and an Assistant to the governor on 1 January 1634/5, 5 January 1635/6, 3 January 1636/7. He was chosen Treasurer on 3 January 1636/7. He was chosen governor on 6 March 1637/8, but he was unwilling to reside in Plymouth, so it was agreed that William Bradford would continue as governor until the next court. He was sworn in as governor on 5 June 1638. [3, 1: 21, 32, 36, 48, 79, 86–87] He was elected Assistant on 5 March 1638/9 and 3 March 1639/40. [3, 1: 116–7, 140–1] He was an Assistant, but absent from the court because of sickness on 2 June 1640. [3, 1: 154–6] He was elected Assistant on 2 March 1640/1, 1 March 1641/2, 7 March 1642/3, 5 June 1644, 1 June 1647, 7 June 1648, 6 June 1650, 5 June 1651, 3 June 1652, 7 June 1653, 6 June 1654 and 8 June 1655. [3, 2: 8, 33, 52, 71, 115, 123, 158, 166; vol. 3: 7, 30, 48, 77]
Mr. Prence was given part of the ground "upon Jones his river" in a land distribution on 14 March 1635. [3, 1: 40–41] He was given the hay ground he had the previous year on 20 March 1636/7. [3, 1: 55–57] He was granted the garden place between Spring Lane and Mr. John Reynor's on 2 April 1638. [3, 1: 83] He was granted a small parcel of land on Smilt River on 3 December 1638. [3: 1: 103] He was granted an enlargement of his lot at Jones River on 16 September 1641. [3, 2: 26] He was granted six acres, if it was available, of North Meadow by Jones River on 4 June 1645. [3, 2: 497]
Thomas Prence, gentleman, was on a 7 March 1636/7 list of freemen in Plymouth. [3, 1: 52–54]
Plymouth Colony was called upon to aid the Connecticut Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Pequot war and on 7 June 1637 it was decided to send men for land service. Mr. Thomas Prence was elected by lot to be for the council of war and to go with the men. [3, 1: 60–62]
Mr. Thomas Prence and Captain Standish were appointed to hear and determine controversies among committees and people in Sandwich on 3 October 1639. [3, 1: 133]
On 5 May 1640 Mr. Prence was appointed to view the meadow at Jones River and report on the number of acres. [3, 1: 151–3]
He was appointed to the Council of War on 27 September 1642 and 2 June 1646. He was appointed a commissioner of the United Colonies on 4 June 1645. [3, 2: 47, 83, 100]
He was appointed to a committee for trade at Kennebec on 4 July 1649. [3, 2: 144]
He was appointed to a committee to propose new laws that are necessary and laws that should be repealed or altered on 29 August 1643. [3, 2: 62]
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. [11]
On 4 May 1652, Mr. Prence and Mr. Collier were to go to Scituate to report on the boundaries. [3, 3: 6]
He was appointed to receive oil for Eastham on 5 October 1652. [3, 3: 21]
He was appointed a commissioner to the United Colonies on 7 June 1653. [3, 3: 30]
After Plymouth heard the news about the conflict between England and Holland a council of war was appointed on on 1 March 1652/3 and Mr. Prence was a member. [3, 3: 26]
On 7 March 1653/4 Thomas Prence, Esq. was commissioned for erecting some orderly government amongst the inhabitants of Kennebec. [3, 3: 44]
Thomas took over as governor after Bradford's death and served for sixteen years from 1657 to 1673. [8, 151]
An undated deed says, "A declaration of the Right and Interest of sundry persons, sometimes members of the Church of Plymouth have; to a tract of land of Township lying in the betome of Cape Codd being comonly called Nausett, Now Eastham, both by an acte of Court and also by purchase from the Natives, the Names of the persons are these, Mr. Thomas Prence, Mr. John Dowe, Nicholas Snow, Josias Cooke, Richard Higgens, John Smalley, Edward Bangs &c:" [12]
Thomas Prence made his will on 13 March 1672/3 and added a codicil on 29 March, before dying the following day. His will was probated on 10 June 1673. [5] Thomas left bequests to his wife Mary; his daughters Jane the wife of Mark Snow, Mary Tracy, Sarah Howes, and Elizabeth Howland; his grandchildren Theophilus Mayo and Susanna Prence, the daughter of his deceased son Thomas Prence; his seven daughters, Hannah, Mercy, Jane, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Judith; John Freeman; and Lydia Sturtivant. His inventory was taken on 23 April 1673 and valued at £422-10-07. His real estate was listed at the end, but not valued. [1]
On 10 June 1673, seven of his sons-in-law signed a receipt to his executrix, his widow Mary. They were: John Freeman, Jonathan Sparrow, John Tracy, Mark Snow, Jeremiah Howes, Arthur Howland, and Isaac Barker. [5]
On 10 June 1676 Susanna Prence—a single woman living at Catheren Gate near the Tower; John Freeman in right of his wife Mary; Thomas's widow Mary; Jonathan Sparrow and his wife Hannah; Mark Snow and his wife Jane; Jeremiah Howes and his wife Sarah; John Tracy and his wife Mary; Arthur Howland and his wife Elizabeth; and Isaac Barker and his wife Judith sold their house in Plymouth to Constant Southworth. [1]
For an excellent treatment of Thomas Prence, see Mary Walton Ferris. [10]
Children of Thomas Prence and Patience Brewster:
i. Rebecca Prence was born by 1627. [10] She married Edmond Freeman, Jr. on 22 April 1646. [3, 2: 98]
ii. Mercy Prence was born say 1631. She died on 28 September 1711 in Eastham. She married Major John Freeman.
iii. Hannah Prence was born say 1636. She died before 10 October 1677. She married first Nathaniel Mayo. She married second Captain Jonathan Sparrow.
iv. Thomas Prence died before 13 March 1672/3 in England.
Children of Thomas Prence and Mary Collier:
v. Jane Prence was born on 1 November 1637 in Duxbury. [10] She married as his second wife Mark Snow on 9 January 1660/1. [5][10][13]
vi. Mary Prence married John Tracy of Duxbury. [10]
vii. Sarah Prence was born about 1644. She died on 3 March 1706.married Jeremiah Howes.
viii. Elizabeth Prence married Arthur Howland. [5][10] Arthur was the son of Arthur Howland of Marshfield. [10]
On 5 March 1666/7 Arthur Howland—a Quaker—was fined five pounds by the General Court, presided over by Governor Thomas Prence, for "inveigling of Mistris Elizabeth Prence and makeing motion of marriage to her, and prosecuting the same contrary to her parrents likeing, and without theire consent and directly contrary to theire mind and will." He was ordered to desist and on 2 July 1667 he pledged to do this. However, on 9 December 1667, he married Elizzabeth Prence. [8, 94]
ix. Judith Prence married first Isaac Barker. [5][10] She married second William Tubbs. [5][10]
References:
1. "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620–1633, Volumes I-III," digitized book, AmericanAncestors.org, originally published as: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, 3 volumes (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995), 227–30 (Brewster); 446–50 (William Collier); 1518–24 (Thomas Prence).
2. Ella Florence Elliot, "Gov. Thomas Prence's Widow Mary, Formerly the Widow of Thomas Howes, and the Inventory of Her Estate," Mayflower Descendant 6 (1904): 230–5.
3. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of Plymouth Colony: Court Orders, vol. 1, 1633–1640, vol. 2, 1641–1651, vol. 3, 1651–1661, vol. 4, 1661–1668, vol. 5, 1668–1678, vol. 6, 1678–1691 (Boston: William White, 1855, 1866).
4. Willis Freeman, "The Ancestry of Samuel Freeman of Watertown," The American Genealogist 11 (1934): 171–295.
5. The Editors, "A Receipt of the Heirs of Governor Thomas Prence," Mayflower Descendant 33 (1935): 97–100.
6. Charles F. Swift, History of Old Yarmouth (Yarmouthport: the author, 1884).
7. Lucy Hall Greenlaw, "Early Generations of the Brewster Family," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 53 (1899): 109–14.
8. Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People 1620–1691 ( Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1986).
9. William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620–1647, edited with and introduction and notes by Samuel Eliot Morison (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001).
10. Mary Walton Ferris, Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines, vol. 2 (n.p.: privately printed, 1931), 683–94.
11. David Hamlin, "First Settlers of Eastham, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 6 (1852): 41–46.
12. "Massachusetts: Plymouth Colony Deeds, 1671–1673," digitized book, deeds, volume 3, part 2, p. 123.
13. John Insley Coddington, "The Widow Mary Ring of Plymouth, Mass., and Her Children," The American Genealogist 42 (1966): 193–205.
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07-Sep-2023