Richard Sparrow

Richard Sparrow (c. 1674–1728), son of Captain Jonathan Sparrow and Hannah Prence

Mercy Cobb (b. 1685), daughter of Sergeant James Cobb and Sarah Lewis

Richard Sparrow was the son of Captain Jonathan and Hannah (Prence) Sparrow. [1] He was born about 1674. Richard Sparrow, Sr. died on 13 April 1728 in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. [2, 15: 56] He married Mercy Cobb on 4 February 1701 in Eastham. [2, 7: 19] She was the daughter of James and Sarah (Lewis) Cobb. [1]

Richard is buried in the Orleans Cemetery in East Orleans, Barnstable County. His inscription says: [3]

Here lyes ye body of Mr Richard Sparrow aged 53 years dec'd April 13 1728.

Mercy, the daughter of Sergeant James Cobb and Sarah Lewis was born on 9 April 1685 in Barnstable. [4] Mrs. Mercy Sparrow married second Mr. Israel Doane on 17 April 1729 in Eastham. [1][2, 15: 55] Israel married first Ruth Freeman, the daughter of Lieutenant Edmond Freeman and his wife Sarah Mayo. [5] Ruth was born about 1680 and died on 7 June 1728. [5]

Richard Sparrow of Eastham made his will on 23 February 1727/8. He named his wife Mercy, his son Richard, and his seven daughters: Rebecca Sparrow, Mercy Young, Sarah Sparrow, Hannah Sparrow, Elizabeth Sparrow, Mary Sparrow, and Priscilla Sparrow. His witnesses testified on 28 May 1728. Inventory was taken on 10 May 1728 and presented on 22 May. It was untotalled, but his homestead was valued at 1,000 pounds. [6]

On 14 June 1740 Richard Mayo and Rebecca his wife, Zebulon Young, Edmond Freeman and Sarah his wife, Josiah Cook and Hannah his wife, Elisha Doane and Elizabeth his wife, and Isaac Smith and Mary his wife sold land they inherited from their father Richard Sparrow to Richard Sparrow, yeoman of Eastham. [1]

Children of Richard Sparrow and Mercy Cobb: Births recorded in Eastham as the children of Richard and Mercy. {2, 7: 19]

i. Richard Sparrow was born on 10 November 1702. Richard Sparrow, Jr. married Hannah Shaw on 26 September 1723. [2, 16: 33]

ii. Rebecca Sparrow was born on 12 October 1704. She married Richard Mayo on 26 December 1728 in Eastham. [2, 16, 203]

iii. Mercy Sparrow was born on 6 December 1706. She apparently died by 14 June 1740. She married Zebulon Young on 22 February 1725/6 in Eastham. [2, 16: 141]

iv. Sarah Sparrow was born on 12 July 1708. She married Edmond Freeman on 25 September 1729 in Eastham. [2, 16: 203] He died on 22 July 1782 and is buried in the Orleans Cemetery. [3]

v. Hannah Sparrow was born on 12 October 1711. She married Josiah Cook.

vi. Elizabeth Sparrow was born on 18 April 1717. Elizabeth, the daughter of Richard, was baptized on 23 June 1717 in Truro. [7] She married Elisha Doane on 14 March 1733/4 in Eastham. [2, 17: 140]

On 22 May 1728 Mr. Joseph Rogers of Eastham was appointed Elizabeth's guardian. [1]

vii. Mary Sparrow was born on 10 March 1718/9. She married Isaac Smith on 9 March 1737/8 in Eastham. [2, 17: 149]

On 22 May 1728 [Mary's brother] Richard Sparrow, yeoman of Eastham, was appointed her guardian. [1]

viii. Priscilla Sparrow was born on 8 July 1722. She might be the Priscilla who married David Snow of Eastham on 7 March 1747 in Eastham. [2, 28: 83]

On 22 May 1728 [Priscilla's stepfather] Israel Doane, yeoman of Eastham, was appointed her guardian. [1]

ix. Jonathan Sparrow was born on 17 December 1724 in Eastham. [1] He died there on 13 April 1728. [1]

Endnotes:

1. George Ernest Bowman, "Richard and Mercy Sparrow's Children and Their Marriages," Mayflower Descendant (1909): 1–5.

2. "Eastham and Orleans, Mass., Vital Records," The Mayflower Descendant, various issues.

3. Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 18 July 2023), memorial pages for

Richard Sparrow (1675–13 Apr 1728), Memorial ID 42993264, citing Orleans Cemetery, East Orleans, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; Maintained by Tracy Rowlett (contributor 47802147).

Lt Edmund Freeman (1702–22 Jul 1782), Memorial ID 51023018, citing Orleans Cemetery; Maintained by happi (contributor 47230744).

4. Philip L. Cobb, A History of the Cobb Family (Cleveland: n.p., 1907), from Barnstable town records.

5. Alfred Alder Doane, The Doane Family and Their Descendants, 2nd Edition (Boston: the author, 1960)

6. "Massachusetts, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1635–1991," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9069) > Barnstable > vol. 4–5, 1721–1741, images 231–3.

7. "Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620–1850," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Truro, 2: 2.

Last revised: 05-Aug-2023