Robert Spurr

Return to main file

Robert Spurr (c. 1610–1703)

Robert Spurr was born about 1610. He died on 16 August 1703, aged about 93, in Dorchester. [1] He married Anne Unknown. She died on 12 December 1712. [1]

Nathaniel Dunkan of Boston sold property to Robert Spurr, Henry Merryfield and Robert Stanton, husbandmen of Dorchester, on 21 February 1654/[5?]. [2]

Robert Spurr was admitted into full communion in the church in Dorchester on 26 (9) 1665. On 10 (10) 1665 a motion was made whether his two elder daughters (one married and one grown) could be baptized as well as his younger children. Some objected but it was decided that Mr. Mather would baptize them the next Lord’s day. [3, 23, 49]

In his will of 26 April 1675, Thomas Swift of Dorchester left a bequest “to Anne the wife of Rob[ert] Spurr who were formerly my servants.” [4]

At the 25 January1675/6 session of the Suffolk County Court, it was recorded “Spur admonish’t: Robert Spurr of Dorchester … for entertaining persons at his house at unseasonable times both day & night to the greife of their wives & Relations &c The Court … do Sentence him to bee admonish’t … and charge him … not to entertain any married men to keep company with his daughter especially James Minott & Joseph Belcher.” [5] In 1677 Robert Spurr was called before the church to acknowledge his offense “of giving entertainment in his house to loose and vain persons, especially John Belcher his frequent coming to his daughter contrary to the admonition of the Court, which was greatly to the offence of the said Belcher’s nearest relations and diverse others.” [6, 232]

In 1679 Robert Spurr, like Nathaniel Wyatt, was called for questioning by the church. He had withdrawn from the sacrament because of some conflict with the pastor. He tried to make his case but, “could not make it out but a misrepresentation of him.” He was afterwards admonished. He was taken into the church again on 21 March 1680. [3, 70, 81, 84][6, 237]

Robert Spurr was “a very prominent man in [Dorchester], and more liberal in his religious beliefs than most of his contemporaries.” [6, 279]

“The 24th of ye 10th Mo 1665 was baptized the Children of Robert Spur who was latly admitted a member: Mary, who was a married woman, Johana, Waitstill, Elizabeth, John, Robert, patience.” [3, 175]

Children of Robert Spurr: all baptized on 24 (10) 1665 in Dorchester. [3]

i. Mary Spurrmarried first Teague Crehore of Dedham. She married second, as his third wife, Matthias Puffer on 14 May 1697 in Milton. Matthias, the son of George and Martha (Hoare) Puffer, was baptized on 25 February 1626/7 and was buried on 9 May 1717 in Dorchester. He married first Rachel Farnsworth, the daughter of Joseph Farnsworth of Dedham. She was killed in the 10 July 1675 Indian raid on Mendon. Mathias married second Abigail Everett on 11 April 1677 in Dedham. Abigail, the daughter of Richard and Mary Everett, was born in December 1647 in Dedham and died on 27 1685 in Dedham. [7]

ii. Joanna Spurr was born about 1648. She died on 22 March 1678/8 in Dorchester. She married Nathaniel Wyatt.

iii. Waitstill Spurr married Isack Ryalls.

“Isack Ryalls wife who was Wait Spur brought her child to be baptized & herself to enter into the covenant but ye vote being put to ye church it was denied her because it was not p’pose to the church before.” [3, 88]

iv. Elizabeth Spurr

v. John Spurr married Mercy Hoare on 26 December 1676 in Dorchester. [1]

John was a soldier from Dorchester in King Philip’s War. [6, 229]

In 1679, the Dorchester church called for John Spurr to give satisfaction for his “contemptuous carriage.” [6 , 237] In January 1769 John Spur made a humble confession, was absolved from excommunication and dismissed to the church at Taunton. [3, 116]

vi. Robert Spurr was born about 1661. Robert Spurr, Esq. died on 16 January 1738/9, age 77. [1] He married Elizabeth Tilstone on 24 October 1684 in Dorchester. [1] Elizabeth, the daughter of Timothy and Sarah (Bridgman) Tileston, was baptized on 1 (2) 1666. [8] She died on 27 July 1738, age 72. [1]

Robert Spur, Jr. owned the covenant at the church in Dorchester on 29 May 1687. [3, 14]

Robert was a selectman in Dorchester for eight years; a representative for four years and a lieutentant colonel. “He appears to have been quite a popular man in the town, and unusually liberal in his religious opinions.” [6 , 302]

vii. Patience Spurr

Endnotes

1. "Dorchester Births, Marriages, and Deaths to the End of 1825," (Boston: Rockwell and Churchill, 1891), vol. 1, 125, 128. Robertt Spur aged about 93 years Died August the 16 1703 (125); Ye widow Anne Spur dyed he 12 day of Decenb – 1712 (128). Robert Spur and Elizabeth Tilstone, October : 24th : 84 (100); 138, Robert Spur Esq. Died January ye 16th 1738/9 in ye 78th Year his Age (138); Mrs. Elizabeth Spur ye Wife of Robert Spur Esq. Died July 27th. 1738, in ye 73d Year of her Age (138); John Spurr & Mercy Hoare were Married … Decr 26th, 1676 (23).

2. Suffolk Deeds, vol. 2 (Boston, Rockwell and Churchill, 1883), 113–6.

3. Records of hte First Church of Dorchester in New England, 1636–1734 (Boston: George H. Ellis, 1891).

4. "Great Migration 1634–1635, R–S," digitized book, AmericanAncestors.org, originally published as: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634–1635, Volume VI, R–S (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009), 622–3.

5. Records of the Suffolk County Court, 1671–1680 (Boston, Colonial Society of Massachusetts, 1933), 676.

6. Worcester Antiquarian and Historical Society, History of the Town of Dorchester (Boston: Ebenezer Clapp, Jr., 1859).

7. Randy A. West, "The English Origin of George Puffer of Braintree, Massachusetts," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 171 (2017): 315–7.

8. J. Gardner White, “Tileston,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 13 (1859), 122, Elizabeth’s parents and baptism date.

Revised July 5, 2023