Massachusetts Bay Colony Freeman ************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth Massachusetts Bay Colony Freemen to take the Oath: 1630 Submitted by Janice Farnsworth * Applied for Freeman Status, October 19th, 1630 What follows is the entire record of the Court of the session of October 19, 1630. The men that applied for freemen status were mostly arrived in 1630 with the Winthrop fleet and the Mary & John. However, the earlier arrivals are also represented here, and this list contains many of the surviving settlers from the the Abigail and the Higginson fleet, as well as a few who came before 1628. All names were inscribed by the Court clerk, and give an indication of the pronunciation, if not the oath-taker's prefered spelling of his name. The spelling of surnames and most prenames is given here as originally written down, but we have replaced abbreviated prenames by the common full spelling. Where prenames were omitted, they are inserted here in italics. The order of the names as written down originally can be seen here. There is no apparent indication of their social status in the order of the names, but some of the earliest settlers appear first, and study has revealed groupings according to the MBC township of origin. At General Court, holden at Boston the 19th of October, 1630 Present, The Governor (John Winthrop) The deputy Governor (Thomas Dudley) Sir Richard Saltonstall Mr. (Roger) Ludlowe Capt. (John) Endicott Mr. (Increase) Nowell Mr. (William) Pinchon Mr. (Simon) Bradstreete For establishing the government, it was propounded if it were not the best course that the Freemen should have the power of choosing Assistants when there are to be chosen, and the Assistants from among themselves to choose a Governor and a Deputy Governor, who with the Assistants should have the power of making laws and choosing officers to execute the same. This was fully assented unto by the general vote of the people and erection of hands. Ralfe Sprage is chosen constable of Charlton, John Johnson of Rocksbury,and John Page for Waterton, for the space of one whole year, and after till new be chosen. It is ordered that the sawyers shall not take above 12d a score for sawing oak boards, and 10d a score for pine boards if they have their wood felled and scored for them. Walter Palmer made his personal appearance this day, and stands bound, he and his sureties, till the next Court. The names of such as desire to be made Freeman Mr. Samuell Mavracke Mr. Edward Johnson Mr. Edward Gibbins Mr. William Jeffries Mr. John Burslin Mr. Samuel Sharpe Mr. Thomas Graves Mr. Roger Conant John Woodbury Peter Palfrey Mr. Nathaniel Turner Mr. Samuel Freeman Eprahim Childe Mr. William Clerke Mr. Abraham Palmer John Page Nicholas Upsall Stephen Terree Henry Smyth Roger Williams (Roger Williams of Dorchester, not the Minister and later founder of Rhode Island.) John Woolridge Thomas Lumberd Bigatt Egglestone John Grinoway Christopher Gibson John Benham Thomas Williams alias Harris Richard Garrett John Howman John Crabb Capt. Walter Norton Mr. Alexander Wignall Mr. William Jennison Mr. Thomas Southcoate Mr. Richard Southcoate James Pemberton Mr. John Dillingham John Johnson Mr. Robert Coles Jehu Burr Thomas Rawlins Richard Bugby Richards Hutchins Ralfe Mushell Thomas Lambe William Throdingham William Chase (Richard) Foxewell Mr. Charles Gott Henry Harwood Mr. George Phillips Mr. John Wilson Mr. John Mavracke Mr. Robert Feake Mr. William Pelham Mr. Benjamin Brand Mr. William Blackstone Mr. Edmond Lockwood Mr. Richard Browne John Strickland Ralfe Sprage Mr. George Ludlowe James Penn Henry Woolcott Thomas Stoughton William Phelpes George Dyar John Hoskins Thomas Ford Mr. John Warham Mr. Samuell Skelton Mr. William Colbron Mr. William Aspinwall Edward Converse Mr. Richard Palgrave John Taylour Richard Church Richard Silvester William Balstone Robert Abell Mr. Giles Sexton Robert Seely John Mills John Cranwell Mr. Ralfe Glover William Hulbird Edmond James John Pillips Nathaniell Bowman John Doggett Laurence Leach Charles Chadwicke William Drakenbury John Drake John Balshe Mr. Samuell Coole Mr. William Traske William Gallard William Rockewell Henry Herricke Samuel Hosier Richard Mylett Mr. Abraham Pratt William James William Allen Samuel Archer Thus ends the record of the Court of October, 1630 Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth See also: The Winthrop Fleet of 1630 _http://www.usigs.org/library/books/ma/WinthropFleet/index.html