| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. "The Great Migration," VI:436-39, by Robert Charles Anderson:
"Michael Spencer
Origin: Stotfold, Bedford.
Migration: 1634 (based on grant of land at Cambridge on 1 September 1634 [CaTR 10]).
First Residence: Cambridge.
Removes: Lynn.
Church Membership: Admission to Lynn church by March 1637/8 implied by freemanship.
Freeman: [blank] March 1637/8 [MBCR 1:374].
Education: Signed his bill of exchange on 19 January 1648[/9] [EQC 4:385].
OFFICEHOldING: Essex petit jury, 24 September 1639 [EQC 1:12].
Estate: On 1 September 1634, "Michaell Spencer" was granted four acres "on the west side the river" in Cambridge [CaTR 10]. In the Cambridge land inventory on 10 October 1635, "Michaell Spencer" held one parcel: "on the south side the river about four acres" [CaBOP 30].
In the 1638 division of land at Lynn, "Micaell Spenser" received thirty acres [EQC 2:270].
On 17 March 1667/8, "Danyell Salmon of Lynn ..., husbandman," sold to "John Hathorne of the same town ... a parcel of salt marsh or meadow lying & being in Linn, in Rumney Marsh, containing by estimation six acres ... being sold unto the aforementioned Salmon by the town of Lin, or selectmen thereof, being three two-acre lots, being given by the town to Michaell Spencer, Nathaniell Whiting & Jerard Spencer" [ELR 3:37].
On 29 November 1653, "Garrod Spencer of Linn was appointed administrator of Mihill Spencer's estate" [EQC 1:320; EPR 1:1 59]. On 6 March 1653/4, "Garrard Spencer brought in an inventory of the estate of his brother, Michaell Spencer. Amount, £22 4s. l0d. Garrard Spencer and Capt. William Trask of Salem were ordered to dispose of the estate for the bringing up of Michael's children" [EQC 1:327; EPR 1:159].
On 30 November 1654, "Thomas Robins of Salem had some of the estate of Michaell Spencer, deceased, a bill of 52s. 6d., 2 cows with rent of same for one year, & a rug of 18s. Court ordered, with consent of Garrud Spencer, administrator of said deceased, that Robins was to have it as he had a child of the deceased to bring up. The child's name was Michaell Spencer, and he was six years old" [EQC 1:378; EPR 1:159].
On 26 June 1655, "Sergeant Garrard Spencer, administrator of [the] estate of Michael Spencer," sued Edward Richards for debt, for "about £5 which he was to pay to Mr. Dan[ie]ll King" [EQC 1:391].
Birth: Baptized Stotfold, Bedford, 5 May 1611, son of Gerard and Alice (Whitbread) Spencer [TAG 27:84].
Death: By 29 November 1653 (appointment of administrator).
Marriage. By about 1640 Isabel ___. She married (2) by 30 November 1654 Thomas Robbins [EQC 1:378; EPR 1:159] and died at Salem on 9 October 1674. (On 31 March 1657, "Thomas Robins and Henry Skerry [were] bound for the appearance of Elizabeth Robins when the court shall call for her" [EQC 2:32]. At the same court, "Thomas Robins [was] bound to bring his wife, Isbaell Robans, to next court at Salem to answer suspicion against her" [EQC 2:37]. On 1 July 1657, "Thomas Robins [was] bound for his wife's appearance to answer to a charge of concealing things stolen by her son. She was fined, and ordered to pay Rob[er]t Lord" [EQC 2:48].)
Children:
I. JohnSpencer, b. by 1640 (granted land at Westerly in 1661 [TAG 27:168]); m. by 1666 Susanna (eldest known child b. 20 April 1666 [RIVR 1:East Greenwich:146; Austin 186-88; TAG 27:168]). (Jacobus assembled the evidence, from Rhode Island records, for the placement of this man as a son of Michael Spencer [TAG 27:163-64].)
ii. SUSANNAH Spencer, b. say 1644; m. Salem 1 August 1664 Daniel Bacon.
iii. Michael Spencer, b. about 1648 (aged six on 30 November 1654 [EQC 1:378]); m. Salem 7 December 1671 Rebecca Sweetman, daughter of Thomas SWEETMAN {1637, Cambridge} (on 10 December 1677, "Thomas Swaetman of Cambridge" deeded land in Cambridge to "Michael Spenc[e]r, shipcarpenter, of the same town," in return for lifetime maintenance of himself and of "Isabell Swaetman the wife of the said Thomas" [MLR 8:287]).
Associations: Michael Spencer was brother of William Spencer {1631, Cambridge} [GMB 3:1721-25], Thomas Spencer {1633, Cambridge} [GMB 3:1718-21], and Jared Spencer {1634, Cambridge} [TAG 27:84].
Elizabeth, the wife of Timothy Tomlins {1632, Cambridge}, was probably sister of Michael Spencer [TAG 41:109-18; GMB 3:1828-30].
Comments: In his will of 17 March 1645[/6?], "Richard Spencer of London, gent.," included bequests to "Jarrard Spencer, Thomas Spencer, Michaell Spencer, sons of my brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, the sum of fifty pounds apiece, and unto the children of William Spencer, son of my said brother deceased, to be divided between them equally, the sum of fifty pounds" [Waters 514-15, abstracting PCC 79 Twisse; TAG 27:81-83]. On 19 January 1648[/9], "Michaell Spencer of Linne did constitute Mr. Thomas Broughton of Watertowne in New England, merchant, & Mr. Samuel King of London, woollendraper, his true & lawful attorneys granting them power jointly & severally for him &c., to ask leave &c. of the executors of the last will & testament of Richard Spencer late of London, linendraper, ... a certain legacy bequeathed to the said Michael" [Aspinwall 190]. Daniel Spencer of London, executor of the estate of Richard Spencer, refused to pay the legacy [EQC 4:385-86].
On 29 September 1640, "Michaell Spencer" sued John Pickering for defamation [EQC 1:21]. On 2 January 1650[/1], "Micaell Spencer" sued William Sergeant for "detaining corn and other goods" [EQC 1:205].
Some accounts of this family include a son William. Jacobus stated that "He is placed in this family with great misgiving, and may not have been connected with the four brothers at all" [TAG 27:164].
Bibliographic Note: In 1951 Donald Lines Jacobus prepared an account of three generations of agnate ancestry of the four Spencer brothers [TAG 27:79-87] and then compiled genealogical summaries of the families of the four brothers, their sons and grandsons [TAG 27:161-65]."
2. The book "Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut," Lucius Barnes Barbour, 1982 ed.: "Gerald Spencer, son of Michael and Elizabeth, bp. May 26, 1576 (Eng.) mar. Alice. Children:
William, bp. Oct 11, 1601 m. Agnes.
Thomas, bp. Mch 29, 1607, m/1 (), m/2 Sarah Bearding.
Michael, bp. May 5, 1611.
Gerald, bp Apl 25, 1614, m. Hannah.
3. The book "The Thomas Spencer Family of Hartford, Connecticut in the Line of Samuel Spencer of Cromwell, Connecticut 1744-1818," comp. by Frank Farnsworth Starr for James J. Goodwin, Hartford, Conn., copy in Connecticut Historical Society Library, Hartford, CT, pp. 8-10:
"From the foregoing bill of exchange, it will be seen that Michael Spencer, a legatee of Richard Spencer of London, and brother of Jarrard, Thomas and William, was living in New England in 1648.
Paige's History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, p. 659, states that Michael Spencer owned land on the south side of the river, in that town, in 1635. His name appears among the list of the 'inhabitants of the towne of Lynn,' to whom lands were granted in 1638. His name was 55th in the list, and he was given 30 acres. (Essex County Court Papers, vol. 16, p. 77.)
We find this entry concerning Michael Spencer on the Land Records of Hartford, Connecticut: - 'Land in Hartford upon Coneckticott River belonging to Mikill Spencer and to his heirs forever. On p sill on which his dwelling house now standeth with other outthouses yerdes and dardins tharein being wich he bought of John Bidwell contain. by estima three roodes be it more of les, abutting on the hyway leading to the mill on the South and on the Widow Bettes her land towerd the West and on the buriing place on the East, and on Seath Grantes land on the North. One p sill wich he boughtt of John Bidwell Contain, by Estima, two roodes be it more of less being a Iland Abutting on the River on the South & on a creek coming out of the Rifer betwen that Iland and the hyway on the North.' (Hartford, Conn., Land Records. Book of Distributions, p. 457.)
Whether he actually resided in this house or not it is impossible to determine; but if he did, it was not for any great length of time, as about Feb. 1646, or soon after, he sold the house and lot to Peter Busicer. (Hartford, Conn., Land Records. Book of Distributions, p. 339.) He died some time prior to November, 1653, at which date is this entry on the Court Records of Essex County, Massachusetts: -
'9th month 1653, No 32. The Admininstrat'on of the estate of Mikill Spencer is grainted to Garrod Spencer of Linn & he is to bring in an inventory of his Estate the next Court.' (Essex County, Mass., Court Records, vol. 1648-55.)
'6th of 1st mo. 1653-4, No. 67. Garrard Spencer brought in into this Court an Inventory of 22-4s.-10d. of his Brother Michael Spencer & Bush... onions at sea ventured & debts 10s this Court doth Joyne Capt. Will'm Trask of Salem w'th ye the saide Garrard Spencer for the disposng of he Estate for the bringing up of the children of ye said Michaell Spencer.' (Essex County, Mass., Court Records, vol. 1648-55.)
'30th of 9th mo 1654, No. 38. Whereas there is in the hand of Thomas Robins of Salem of ye estate of Michaell Spencer deseased a bill of 52s, 6d & 2 cowes w'th ye rent of y'm for one yere & a Rugg of 18s. The Court doth order and agree w'th the Consent of Garrard Spencer Administrar'r to ye estate of ye s'd Michall... In consideration of a child of the s'd Michall put unto him to bring upp, until he be 21 yeers ould w'h child by name is Michaell Spencer of about 6 yeers ould.' (Essex County, Mass., Court Records, vol. 1648-55.)"
4. The book "Spencer Family Record of the Springfield, VT. and Evansville, Wis. Spencers. (Descendants of Garrard Spencer of Haddam, Conn. Emigrant of 1630," by William Henry Spencer, New York, Tobias A. Wright, 1907, children of Gerat Spencer:
"William Spencer, bapt. Oct. 11, 1601, at St. Mary's Parish, Stotfold, emigrated with his three brothers to New England, 1630. Settled in "New Town," now Cambridge, Mass., till 1638, when he moved to Hartford, Conn. Was Selectman, Deputy to Court, a Commissioner to revise the laws, etc. He d. 1640, leaving wife Agnes and three children.
Elizabeth Spencer, bap. Oct. 21, 1602; m. Tomlyers as appears in Richard's will.
John Spencer, bap. June 22, 1604, at Stotford.
Henry Spencer, bap. Aug. 11, 1605, at Stotfold; buried Oct. 20, 1607.
Thomas Spencer, bap. March 29, 1607 at Stotfold; emigrated to New England, 1630, with three brothers. Settled in Cambridge (New Town) till 1637; then moved to Hartford, Conn. Freeman 1634; in Pequoit War 1637; Sergt. Train Band, 1650; he m. (1) ___, who d. 1644; left three sons; m. (2) 1645, Sarah Reading; had six children; he d. 1687.
Richard Spencer, bap. Dec. 11, 1608, at Stotfold; d. May 6, 1614.
Michael Spencer, bap. May 5, 1611, at Stotfold; emigrated ot New England, 1630, with his three brothers. Lived at Cambridge and Lynn, Mass.; d. 1653; had two children. His first wife unknown; m. (2) widow Robbins. It is not known that any descendants of this emigrant brother are living.
Garrard Spencer, bapt. April 25, 1614, at St. Mary's Parish, Stotfold; emigrated to New England, 1630, with his three brothers, Thomas, William, and Michael. Settled in Cambridge till 1637; moved to Lynn, thence to Hartford in 1660, and to Haddam, Conn., in 1662. He was made Freeman in 1637; Ensign of Lynn Train Band, 1636; Deputy from Haddam to General Court from 1674 to 1680. His will of Sept. 17, 1683, probated in 1685, at Hartford."
5. The following partial excerpt concerning Thomas' brothers is from "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633," Volumes I-III (see notes of Thomas Spencer for full transcript):
"Thomas Spencer
Origin: Stotfold, Bedfordshire
Migration: 1633... Birth: Baptized Stotfold, Bedfordshire, 29 March 1607, son of Gerard and Alice (Whitbread) Spencer [TAG 27:162]...
Associations: Thomas Spencer was brother of William Spencer of Cambridge and Hartford, and of Michael Spencer and Gerard Spencer of Lynn [TAG 27:79-87, 161-65]. In this article Jacobus makes the three sons by the first wife of Thomas Spencer slightly younger than we do here..."
6. Partial excerpt from the biography of William Spencer from the book "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633," Volumes I-III (see notes of William Spencer for full citation):
"William Spencer
Origin: Stotfold, Bedfordshire
Migration: 1631... Birth: Baptized Stotfold, Bedfordshire, 11 October 1601, son of Gerrard and Alice (Whitbread) Spencer [TAG 27:162]...
Associations: William Spencer was brother of Thomas Spencer of Cambridge and Hartford, and of Michael Spencer and Gerard Spencer of Lynn [TAG 27:79-87, 161-65]..."
7. "The Great Migration," by Robert Charles Anderson:
"Jared Spencer
Origin: Stotfold, Bedford.
Migration: 1634 (based on grant of land at Cambridge on 1 September 1634 [CaTR 10]).
First Residence: Cambridge.
Removes Lynn 1636, Hartford 1660, Haddam 1662...
Associations: Jared Spencer was brother of William Spencer {1631, Cambridge} [GMB 3:1721-25], Thomas Spencer {1633, Cambridge} [GMB 3:1718-21], and Michael Spencer {1634, Cambridge} [TAG 27:84].
Elizabeth, the wife of Timothy Tomlins {1632, Cambridge}, was probably sister of Jared Spencer [TAG 41:109-18; GMB 3:1828-30]..."
8. "The American Genealogist," Vol. 27 "The Four Spencer Brothers: Their Ancestors and Descendants," compiled by Donald Lines Jacobus, M. A., pp. 163-64:
"Michael(1) Spencer, baptized at Stotfold, Beds, England, 5 May 1611, died at Lynn, Mass., in 1653; married Isabel ___, who died at Salem, Mass., 9 Oct. 1674... married second, Thomas Robbins, a carpenter, of Salem, born about 1618, living 1681. Robbins married second, 11 Mar. 1674/5, Mary (Gould), widow of Richard Bishop.
Michael is the only one of the four brothers of whose family we lack a complete account. Administration on his estate was granted, 29 Nov. 1653, to Gerard Spencer, who was also then living in Lynn, and Gerard was called his brother when he brought in the inventory. The estate was small and was ordered sold "for the bringing up of Michael's children." On 30 Nov. 1654, we read that Thomas Robbins of Salem had some of the estate and, with the consent of Gerard Spencer, was to keep it, as Robbins had a child of the deceased to bring up, Michael, aged six years. This is almost certain evidence that Michael's widow had married Robbins, especially as in 1657 she is mentioned as having a young son.
It is possible that Isabel was not the first wife of Michael Spencer, and that he had more children than have been discovered. His proved son Michael settled in East Greenwich, R.I., where a John Spencer had earlier settled. That, and the fact that John named a son Michael, establishes a presumption that John was an older son of Michael of Lynn. There is, moreover, some direct evidence. The will of Michael2 of East Greenwich in 1723 named his friend and kinsman Major Thomas Fry and Thomas Spencer overseers. The latter was a son of John2, and obviously chosen because he was a relative.
Major Thomas Fry was a prominent man, later Deputy-Governor. Michael Spencer witnessed a deed, 11 Mar. 1688/9, which this Thomas Fry of East Greenwich had from his father, Thomas Fry, Sr. On 14 July 1710, Thomas Fry deeded to his "cousin" John Spencer, for love, 13-1/2 rods for a burial place. This was John3 Spencer Jr., son of John2. It thus appears that both Spencer families of East Greenwich, those of John and Michael, were related in some way to Thomas Fry.
The notion that John Spencer of East Greenwich was nephew of John Spencer of Newbury has already been considered and dismissed as false in the first chapter of our account. We conclude that John was son of Michael1.
Children (incomplete record):
i. John2, b. say 1638; of age by 1661; d. 1684.
ii. Susannah, b. ca. 1643; deposed 12 Oct. 1725 ae. about 85; m. at Salem, Mass., 4 Aug. 1664, Daniel3 Bacon (Daniel2, Michael1) of Salem, b. ca. 1641. It is likely that Susannah lived at Salem with her mother and step-father. Both John2 and Michael2 Spencer named a dau. Susannah, though that was also the name of John2's wife and hence not evidential in his case.
iii. Michael, b. ca. 1648; d. 16 Mar. 1722/3.
iv. William, b. say 1652; d. 1712/13. He is placed in this family with great misgiving, and may not have been connected with the four brothers at all. If he was, he can only be placed as a son of Michael(1). He first appears of record in Saybrook in 1606, about the time he must have married. Since his wife was an East Haddam girl, and he later settled there, it has been surmised that his uncle Gerard1 took him there as a child. It will be noted that if a child of Michael and born in the last year of his father's life, he would have been 34 at marriage, and still older if born earlier."
9. "The American Genealogist," 27:161: "The Four Spencer Brothers: Their Ancestors and Descendants," by Donald Lines Jacobus:
"The New England Spencers made efforts to obtain payment of the £50 apiece bequeathed to them by their uncle, Richard Spencer of London, whose chief heir and executor was their cousin, Daniel Spencer of London. On 8 (11) 1648, i.e. 8 Jan. 1648/9, Garrard [Gerard] Spencer appointed Thomas Broughton of Watertown, Mass., and Samuel King of London, England, his attorneys to collect his legacy under the last will of Richard Spencer, late of London, linen draper, deceased and the same date, "Michaell Spencer of Linne" did likewise ["Aspinwall Notarial Records" (1903), 182, 190]. On 19 Jan. 1648, i.e. 1648/9, Michaell Spenser (as he signed his name) signed in Boston a bill of exchange to Mr. Thomas Ruck, "haberdasher att the Seauen starres on London bridge," for £30, "part of the Legacy gyuen mee by my Unckle Richard Spencer," and directed to "my Louinge Cousen, Mr Danyell Spenser Grocer in Friday Streete in London." This bill of exchange was protested, 5 Apr. 1650, by a London notary, who swore that upon presentation "the said Danyell Spencer answered, that hee will pay noe monneyes nor haue to doe with the sayd bill of exchange." [Quarterly Courts of Essex County," 4:385; quoted also in Waters, op. cit., 515.]
The cousin Daniel Spencer was at death of Cony Hatch, Co. Middlesex, citizen and grocer of London, and left a will dated 26 July 1665, proved 6 Nov. 1668 [Waters, op. cit., 913]. He evidently died a wealthy man, mentioning messuages or lands in Lothbury, near Greene's Court, London; in Hitchin, Hippoletts and Preston, co. Hertford, including the Red Lion Inn in Hitchin; in Gravesend and Rochester, Kent, and in Tilbery, Essex. He named wife Sarah; eldest son Samuel; son Daniel; daughters Rebecca and Hannah Spencer; daughters Mary wife of Thomas Thatch and Anne wife of William Tilsley; and kinsman William Carter. The son Samuel died by 1674, leaving a widow Rebecca and daughter Mary Spencer. No mention was made of the American cousins.
Whether the legacies were ever collected, we are not prepared to state. The amount at stake was sufficient to have made it worth the trouble and cost of suing through an attorney in England. Possibly a search of Chancery records would reveal something of interest. An action of this nature, naming the parties at interest, would be of immense value if brought after the death of Michael Spencer in 1653, for it should name his surviving Children. We have full records of the families of the other three brothers, but, as we shall presently see, the New England records are very defective with respect to the children of Michael Spencer.
Before concluding this chapter, it seems advisable to dispose of an error which occurs in many printed sources to the effect that the four Spencer brothers were accompanied to New England by a fifth brother, the John who was baptized at Stotfold, 22 Jan. 1603/4.
It has already been pointed out that neither John nor his heirs were named in the will of his uncle Richard and that he consequently had probably died without issue prior to 1645-6. Nevertheless, he has often been identified with a Mr. John Spencer, who came on the "Mary and John," 1634, settled at Newbury, Mass., which he represented in the General Court, 1635; was made Captain in 1637; was a follower of Wainwright and accused of heresy and returned to England in 1638. His will, made 1 Aug. 1637, "before Mr. Spencer's going to England," was proved 29 Mar. 1649. He made his chief heir his nephew John Spencer, with remainder to the testator's brother Thomas Spencer and his children, and children of his brother Nicholas Kidwel and sister Rachel Kidwel and mentioned also the children of his cousin Anne Knight of Newbury, and of his cousin Gardner.
Austin in his "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island" (p. 186) suggests that John Spencer, head of the Rhode Island family, may have been son of Michael [of Stotfold and Lynn] and also may have been identical with the nephew John named in the will of John of Newbury. With the first of these suggestions we are in accord, since there is evidence for placing John of Rhode Island as son of Michael, but he was not the nephew of John of Newbury. The records have been so long available in print that we consider it unnecessary here to repeat the full details, which may be found by consulting "The Probate Records of Essex County, 1:107-8; Waters, "Genealogical Gleanings in England," 467-8, 553; and "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire," 650-1. The following pedigree of the family of John Spencer of Newbury is based on these sources. There were two brothers and one sister:
i. Thomas Spencer, gent., b. ca. 1593 by age stated in marriage license; bur. at Kingston-upon-Thames, Co. Surrey, 29 June 1648; m. at St. Peter's, Paul's Wharf, 25 Sept. 1623, Penelope (Jernegan) Fillioll, bapt. at Shalford, Essex, 24 Oct. 1591, widow of Western Fillioll, by whom she had a daughter Anne Fillioll who was living unmarried in 1656. The will of Thomas, dated 22 June 1648, was proved 23 Aug. 1648. Children, bapt. at Chertley, Surrey (dates not given in sources consulted):
1. John, eldest son; heir of his uncle John of Newbury, Mass.; apparently came to New England, but d. in Jamaica, W. I., unm., before Dec. 1656 when adm'n on his estate was granted to his half-sister Anne Filliol, his mother Penelope, brother Thomas and sister Rachel Spencer having renounced.
2. Thomas, a physician, of Plymouth, co. Devon.
3. Penelope, m. at Newbury, Mass., 15 Jan. 164-, John Treworgye and left descendants in New England. It is of interest that their son James named a daughter Penelope and had a grandson named Spencer Treworgye.
4. Rachel, living unm. in 1656.
ii. John, of Newbury, Mass.; dignified in the records by the prefix of respect (Mr.); returned to England, and bur. at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, 23 June 1648, six days before his brother Thomas. His will was proved in Essex County, Mass. (supra).
iii. Rachel, m. Nicholas Kydwell of Kingston-upon-Thames, whose will, dated 25 July 1676, was proved 16 Sept. 1679. Only surviving Child:
1. Rachel, m. John Gatton."
10. FHL book 929.273 Sp33 "The Spencers of the Great Migration," by Jack Taif Spencer and Edith Woolley Spencer (Gateway Press, Baltimore; 1997) vol. 1, pp.159-160:
"THE EARLY DAYS IN NEWE TOWNE (CAMBRIDGE)...
In 1630 or 1631, when the Spencer siblings made their arrival in New England (Elizabeth perhaps in 1629), they were all very young adults and all of the males were unmarried. William1 Spencer, the oldest, was about age 30. The second sibling, Elizabeth, was about 27 years of age and most likely already married to Timothy Tomlins of Gloucestershire. Elizabeth1 Spencer very likely came to the New World at least one or two years in advance of her four brothers, settling first at Salem and later at Lynn. Thomas1 Spencer, the subject of this article, was 23 years of age in 1630 and came to New England as a young bachelor. Michael1 Spencer was 19 and Gerard1 was was only 16 years of age. We believe that all four brothers probably came at the same time (1630?) in the first vessels of the Winthrop Fleet. All of their names appear in the very early records of Newe Towne (Cambridge), Massachusetts.
In the past, some historians have believed that the Spencer brothers were members of the famous "Braintree Company" of County Essex, England, whose members first settled at Wollaston (Quincy) south of Boston. There is clear evidence now (records of the General Court at Newe Towne) that William1 Spencer already was at Cambridge at least one year before the Braintree Company came to that town in the late summer of 1632. Hence, the Spencer siblings did not have a close affiliation with the Rev. Thomas Hooker, the leader of the Braintree Company. Indeed, both William1 and Thomas1 seem not to have been in the first and second contingents (or perhaps a third) of Hooker's congregation which went to Hartford in 1635 and 1636. Thomas, nevertheless, was a member from Hartford of Major JohnMASON's army which fought the Pequot War of 1637. William Spencer, a leading figure in Cambridge, does not appear among the Hartford residents until about 1638 (or more likely 1639), perhaps attracted by the presence of his brother Thomas who apparently had become an "inhabitant" by virtue of his service in the Pequot War."
11. FHL book 929.273 Sp33 "The Spencers of the Great Migration," by Jack Taif Spencer and Edith Woolley Spencer (Gateway Press, Baltimore; 1997) vol. 1, pp. 79-114, provides a long article on "Why and How did the Spencer Siblings of Bedfordshire Come to America," "The First Generation of the Spencer Siblings in America," and "The Five Spencer Siblings of Bedfordshire, the Role of the Braintree Company, and the Beginnings of Cambridge, Massachusetts." I have fully transcribed all three of these chapters within the notes of Thomas Spencer, the immigrant, who is my direct ancestor. Rather than include the same lengthy article in all four of the other immigrant Spencers, I include this reference only to the notes of Thomas Spencer. The same author does include many (but not all) of the important facts from the three chapters in later chapters which focus on the individual siblings and which I fully transcribe in their individual notes.
12. FHL book 929.273 Sp33 "The Spencers of the Great Migration," by Jack Taif Spencer and Edith Woolley Spencer (Gateway Press, Baltimore; 1997) vol. 1, pp. 107-108:
"L.R. Paige in the History of Cambridge provided a map showing the general pattern of land distribution prior to 1635, about four years after the arrival of the first settlers in 1631. There was also a second map showing the location of lots in the town itself in 1635 and a list of names for the new owners in 1642. The change between the two years was nearly one hundred percent because of the departure of the Hooker Company from Cambridge in 1635 and 1636. Actually, the turnover in the population of Newe Towne in 1635 and 1636 was almost complete. On the lot plan for 1635 there were 63 names. If each name is compared with the same lots in 1642, there is scarcely a repeat owner in the same location. Nearly all had emigrated to Hartford.
The street map of Cambridge in 1635 identifies the location of William Spencer's property as No. 31 at the intersection of Mt. Auburn St. and Creek Lane. The house of Sgt. Thomas Spencer was at No. 32 on Creek Lane. The Rev. Thomas Hooker was at No.4. Others were Matthew Allen No. 38, 56, 60; William Andrews No. 41. We note that neither Michael Spencer or Gerard Spencer are shown on this map, but it is a certainty they were in Newe Towne at this time (1635) because of land grants which had been made to each in 1634. Perhaps both of the younger brothers were living with one or the other of their older brothers."
13. FHL book 929.273 Sp33 "The Spencers of the Great Migration," by Jack Taif Spencer and Edith Woolley Spencer (Gateway Press, Baltimore; 1997) vol. 1, pp. 105-106:
"Since the achievement of "Freemanship" was so important a designation, how was such a distinction attained in the Puritan society? First of all, Freemanship was entirely dependent upon membership in the Church, which in turn was dependent on a "Confession of Faith". This latter step constituted an important hurdle to overcome before attaining the desired goal. In its essentials, the Confession required each candidate to recount step by step how he or she had arrived at a "saving grace".
Fortunately, the MBC maintained full records of the names and dates of those persons who attained the status of Freemen in the various communities under the jurisdiction of the General Court. These dates give important clues as to the presence of individuals in each community. It does not necessarily indicate time of arrival, because "Confession of Faith" often required months and even years to be attained.
In the following tabulation for attainment of "Freeman", we will list only the names of the Spencer siblings or individuals possibly related in future generations as collateral families. The other names are included because they were prominent in the affairs of the MBC.
16 May 1631 - a total of 18, including William Spencer, Timothy Tomlyns (husband of Elizabeth Spencer).
1 April 1633 - a total of 78, including Rev. Thomas Hooker, Thomas Spencer, James Parker
4 March 1634 - many, including Mr. William Andrews Robert Parker.
6 March 1635 - many, including Joseph Andrews
6 May 1635 - many, including Robert Andrews, George Phelpes.
26 May 1636 - many, including Barnaby Deryfall (Derifield) brother to Ann Deryfall first wife of Sgt. Thomas1 Spencer. Also Mr. William Coddington for whom Ann Deryfall worked as a maid servant.
9 March 1637 - Gerrett (Gerard1) Spencer.
17 May 1637 - John Hanchet.
March, 1638 - Michael Spencer
3 May 1638 - Thomas Sweetman, whose daughter Rebecca married Michael Spencer, son of Michael. Michael's son owned the land on which the famous Harvard yard is now located.
13 March 1638 - Mr. Joseph Peck, Mr. Robert Peck.
13 May 1640 - William Andrews. There were two Freemen in Cambridge bearing this name, one being a ship captain.
2 June 1641 - William Parker."
14. FHL book 929.273 Sp33 "The Spencers of the Great Migration," by Jack Taif Spencer and Edith Woolley Spencer (Gateway Press, Baltimore; 1997) vol. 1, pp. 115-133:
"THE FOUR Spencer BROTHERS of Bedfordshire IN The EARLIEST Records of NEW England.
I. THE BEGINNINGS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COMPANY.
The voluminous records of the Massachusetts Bay Company (six volumes) were commenced in England in 1628. After the arrival at Boston of the first six ships of the Winthrop Fleet in the summer of 1630, the records were maintained either at Boston or at Newe Towne (Cambridge). Weshall review all the entries for the decade from 1630 to 1640 because this is the period in which the Four Spencer Brothers (William, Thomas, Michael, and Gerard) first lived at Newe Towne in Massachusetts. Their sister Elizabeth, who was married to Timothy Tomlins, probably also spent some early years at Newe Towne since we believe Timothy was a resident there when he first went to New England.
William spent most of his early years at Newe Towne, but removed to Hartford late in the 1630s. His younger brother Thomas had emigrated to Hartford earlier, probably in 1635. Michael arid Gerard also lived in Newe Towne for several years, but emigrated to Lynn about 1637.
In a later chapter we will review the history of Timothy Tomlins and Eizabeth Spencer Tomlins at Lynn. Timothy's brother Edward also was a prominent citizen of Lynn.
There is another Spencer in the early records of MBC who did not appear to be a direct relative of the Four Spencer Brothers. John Spencer of Newbury represented that town for several years in the meetings of the General Court of the MBC. John of Newbury apparently was a native of Kingston-on-the-Thames, county Surrey. Actually, the Four Spencer Brothers also had a brother John who was born in 1604 and was the third child after William (b. 1601) and Elizabeth (b. 1602). D.L. Jacobus in his extensive publications on the Spencer siblings could not say exactly what happened to John of Bedfordshire other than that he probably died before 1646. On the other hand, there was a John Spencer on the same ship with William when he made his second voyage back to New England in the spring of 1633. C.E. Banks lists this passenger as John Spencer of Kingston-on-the-Thames and a settler at Newbury.
The first Court of Assistants of the Massachusetts Bay Company met at Charlestowne on 23 August 1630, the same year of the arrival of the first ships in the Winthrop Fleet Only the names of the Governor Deputy Governor, and seven Assistants were listed at this initial meeting. They met again on 7 September with ten Assistants present. An important meeting was held 19 October when the names of 77 men were considered for election as Freemen. None of the Spencer siblings or relatives were on this list. Several meetings were held in 1631 with still no mention of any of the Spencer family in the Bay records.
The records of Newe Towne itself give us the very first proof of the presence of William Spencer in the initial group of eight men who settled in the town early in 1631. The other settlers were Thomas Dudley (Deputy Governor), Symon Bradstreet, Edmund Lockwood, Daniell Patrike, John Poole, John Kirman, and Symon Sackett. There was no mention of the other Spencer siblings.
The next mention of William Spencer was on 7 Jan 1632 when the "paling" (fence) list was completed for Newe Towne. This list gave the number of rods assigned for each settler, including 12 for William and two for Thomas. Here we have the first mention of Thomas Spencer which seems ample proof that he (like William) was in New England at least by 1631 (which does not preclude the possibility that both came with the first Winthrop arrivals in 1630).
The next notation for William1 Spencer was 4 March 1632 on which date he was elevated to Freeman. Timothy Tomlins, husband of Elizabeth1 Spencer, also became a Freeman this date, just a year after his brother Edward achieved the same title. These dates probably indicate that the Tomlins siblings as well as the Spencer siblings all had reached New England at least by 1631, and very likely a year earlier.
II. The CHRONOLOGICAL Records
The entire data found in the records of the General Court of the MBC as well as those kept for Newe Towne (and the Proprietors' Records) will be given in chronological order. The following abbreviations will be used:
MBC: Records of the General Court of the MBC.
NR: Newe Towne (Cambridge) Records, including those known as the "Proprietors' Records".
HL: The History of Lynn (generally by Lewis & Newhall).
Before listing the actions and dates from 1629 to 1640, we will include a page from the Newe Towne records showing entries made in the handwriting of William Spencer who served as Town Clerk from 1632 to 1635. The record shows land grants to certain individuals ranging from two to six acres or less.
1632
Early 1632-NR: There were eight inhabitants at Newe Towne, including William Spencer.
7 January 1632-NR:"Palings" (fences) were ordered for all property owners. William Spencer was assigned 12 rods; Thomas Spencer assigned 2 rods.
9 May 1632-MBC: Mr. William Spencer and Mr. Lockwood represented Newe Towne at the General Court meeting. In all, eight "plantations" were represented by two delegates each.
1633
2 March 1633-NR: Granted William Spencer the swamp on the other side of the creek.
5 August 1633-NR: Lots granted for "cowyards". William Spencer given 3 "roods", or about 3/4 acre. Thomas Spencer given 1 rood (1/4 acre).
1634
5 February 1634-NR: An order to survey the townlands by a committee of five, including William Spencer, who was to maintain a book of records.
4 March 1634-MBC: General Court meets at Boston. William Spencer (Newe Towne), John Spencer (Ipswich), and Timothy Tomlins (Lynn). John Spencer legally elected as "Deputy" from Ipswich. Capt. Mason present (probably the leader of the militia in the Pequot War of 1637).
14 May 1634-MBC: General Court meets at Boston. Mr. Spencer and Mr. Edward Tomlins in attendance (probably representing Lynn).
1 Sept. 1634-NR: William Spencer's page of notes made for this date has been used to illustrate his handwriting. Also, on this date, William and "George St" were to measure out the lots granted by the Towne. This is the first indication of many of the surveys undertaken by William, not only in Newe Towne, but also to establish boundaries for many of the adjacent towns such as Watertowne and Charlestowne.
The date of 1 September 1634 is most important for another reason. Under the Heading of Lots granted on the west side of the river we find Michael1 Spencer for four acres and Garrard1 Spencer for four acres. This is the first mention of the two younger Spencer brothers in New England. Michael was 23 years old and Garrard 20. Usually we associate their names with Lynn. Now we can feel confident that Newe Towne was the focus for all four brothers at least during the first few years after their arrival in New England. Actually, the history of Lynn (Paige) states that "Jarrett" Spencer came to Lynn in 1637 and was granted the privilege by the General Court of operating a ferry in 1639.
1635
4 January 1635-NR: Eight "Townsmen" attended a meeting in Newe Towne, including William Spencer. It was ordered that there shall be a foot bridge made over the creek at the end of Spring street and a causeway... Thomas Hosmer and William Spencer to see it is done at public charge.
8. February 1635-NR: Meeting of Townsmen. Nine present, including William Spencer and Mr. Andrews. William Spencer and John Bridge were to hire men to fence one acre for the dry cattell to lye in nights. Included in the record this date is a list of men who had houses in the town and in other sections. The term "house" probably included a dwelling or any other type of structure on the same property. For example, the Governor, John Haynes, had six "houses" in town. William Spencer had two houses in town, while Thomas Spencer had only one. W ill i a m also had two houses in the "Westend", which perhaps meant "West Field". It may significant that there is no mention of the Tomlins brothers or of the younger Spencer siblings (Michael and Garrard).
4 March 1635-MBC: Mr. Spencer and Ephraim Childe named to assist a committee of three in determining the boundary between Watertowne and Newe Towne. Also, William Spencer was on a committee of nine to go aboard any friendly ship at anchor after 24 hours, "take notice of what commodities she has to sell, confer about the prices ... to buy all such commodities as they shall judge to be useful for the country ... which goods being so bought, shall be laid up by the said merchants in some maggasen (warehouse?) near to where the said ship anchors; and the said merchants shall at any time during the space of 20 days after the said goods are landed ... sell to any inhabitant within this jurisdiction such commodities as he needs, after profit, and not above..." (This is the only instance in which we see William Spencer in a completely different role than was customary for him under the General Court. There is no indication in later records as to whether he actually participated in this commercial arrangement).
21 April 1635-NR: William Spencer and George Steele were directed to measure all the meadow ground undivided belonging to the Newe Towne. After measuring and deciding on each man's proportion, Spencer and Steele were to see that stakes were set to mark the boundaries. William was allotted 2 1/2 acres of the meadow. His brother Thomas received one acre.
1 May 1635-NR: This record included a description of property owned by each propietor in Newe Towne. William Spencer "in the town one dwelling house with other outhouses and a garden and backside about one roode" (one quarter acre, or about 11,000 square feet). "John Pratt southeast Spring street on the southwest Creek Lane northwest." (See town map of 1635 for Newe Towne). Thomas Spencer in the Towne one house with a garden plot and backside about one roode John Haynes Esqr on the southeast Long southwest Creek Lane northwest Spring street southeast.
6 May 1635-MBC: Mr. Spencer and Timothy Tomlins on a committee of thirteen (Jury?) "to consider the act of Mr. Endicott, in defacing the col's (colony?) and to report to the Court how far they consider it censureable." (It seems likely that Mr. Endicott had sent an unfavorable letter to England regarding the governance of the MBC).
20 August 1635-NR: Townsmen ordered that William Spencer and George Steele "should measure all the meadow ground belonging to Newe Towne. And when it is measured and decided to every man his proportion, they are to measure every man's generally and cause stakes to be set at each end and to have three pence the acre for same." There follows a list of 71 names with the acres specified for each. The range is from 6 acres down to one-half acre, with most getting one or two acres. William Spencer had 2 1/2 acres and Thomas one acre. William Andrews had 2 1/2 acres.
2 September 1635-MBC: General Court meets at Newe Towne. There were 28 Deputies (Townsmen) present, including Mr. John Spencer (Ipswich) and Edward Tomlins (Lynn).
5 October 1635-NR: Record shows William Spencer owns land in the "Old Field".
10 October 1635-NR: Record shows Michael Spencer "on the south side the river about four acres." (This is the second reference to Michael in the Newe Towne records). Also, the record shows a list of owners in several areas, including "the Great Marsh, 55 acres more or less, William Spencer northwest, Charles River southwest, and John Steele northeast." (The Great Marsh or Swamp lay just north of the "Fresh Pond" which is still on modern maps in what is now part of West and North Cambridge. It was approximately two miles from the center of old Newe Towne).
October 1635-NR: (exact date not given). "Edmond Anger bought of Thomas Spencer one house with garden plot and backside, about one roode. Mrs. Clover southeast ... southwest, Creek Jane northwest, Spring street northeast." (This is a significant entry. Possibly it indicates that Thomas may have had a connection with the first group of Hooker's congregation which went to Hartford late in 1635. In Love's History of Hartford, he states that Thomas Spencer "probably" removed from Newe Towne in 1637. However, Love further states "who were the brave pioneers of Hartford in 1635? When did they remove to Sukiaug (Hartford) and where did they build their huts? No attempt ever has been made to answer these questions in detail. Love adds that many houses were empty at Newe Towne on 5 October 1635."
In Winthrop's journal under the date of 15 October 1635 he said: "About sixty men, women and little children went by land toward Connecticut with their cows, horses, and swine." (Although a group from Dorchester went to Windsor that year, Love believes Winthrop was making reference to the Hartford emigrants).
23 November 1635-NR: The records states "at a general meeting of the whole was then chosen to order business of the whole Towne for the year following..." (Nine members were chosen, including William Spencer and William Andrews, the latter also designated Constable). "It is further ordered that the Towne book shall be at William Spencer's house."
7 December 1635-NR: William Spencer and four others met in the Towne session. It appears in this instance that William was acting as one of the five Townsmen to conduct the business of Newe Towne. William Spencer and Mr. Bambrigg were ordered to view the fence at Pyne Swamp and judge if its height meets the required standard.
December 1635-NR: Garard Spencer on the west side of four acres. (This is the second reference to Gerard in the Newe Towne records, the first having been in September of 1634. However, his brother Michael Spencer is not mentioned at this time.).
1636
3 March 1636-MBC: The General Court was held at Newe Towne. There were 27 representatives, including Mr. William Spencer (Newe Towne) and Mr. John Spencer (Ipswich).
Mr. Hutchingson and Mr. William Spencer are deputed to take the accounts of Mr. Simkins and to return the same into the next Court.
Also, William Spencer and two others "deputed to set out the bounds of the new plantation above Charles River, against all other townes that join upon it al... so, they are to view the meadows about Blue Hills to in form the next General Court to what townes it may most conveniently be laid (assigned?)."
Also, a plantation was authorized at Wenicummett (now Hampton, NH, ten miles south of Portsmouth). Mr. Dumer and Mr. John Spencer "shall have power to press men to build a house forthwith, in some convenient place..." (This order authorized a settlement much farther north than the Bay Company had reached up to this time. It was more than 40 miles from Newe Towne "as the crow flies" and probably at least 50 miles over the primitive roads of that day).
At the meeting of 3 March 1636, the General Court issued an important policy declaration regarding the governance of the new towns on the Connecticut River, but seemingly aimed at Hartford. The Court named seven "overseers" for Connecticut who were to act like the General Court of MBC in legislative, judicial, and executive functions. One of the seven was William Phelpes, an ancestor of Eunice Phelps, who was to marry John5 Spencer (1758-1832) of Suffield, Connecticut.
13 April 1636-MBC: William Spencer and two others issued a statement on the boundaries of Newe Towne and Roxbury (to the south). They also issued another statement setting the boundaries for the meadow ground by the Naponset River near Blue Hills. These lines related to Dorchester, Mt. Wollaston (Quincy) and Boston.
23 April 1636-NR: "Mr. Spencer and Thomas Hosmer are to make a sufficient pale (fence) and gate over the highway over against their ground before the 20th day present month upon pain of ten shillings apiece." (This is the last reference to William Spencer in the "Propietors' Records" of Newe Towne).
28 April 1636-MBC: A statement issued setting the bounds between Boston and Charlestowne which is signed by William Spencer, Abraham Palmer, and William Cheesebrough.
25 May 1636-MBC: General Court held at Boston. John Spencer (Newbury) in attendance.
"Mr. William Spencer and two others to take a perfect account of Nicholas Simpkins and to report to the Court in one month.
A committee of 13 was set up (including William Spencer) to establish valuations of properties and tax levies for each town under the jurisdiction of the Court. A deadline of June 15 was set for the report.
8 September 1636-MBC: General Court meets at Boston. Thirty "Deputies" (Townsmen) in attendance, including Mr. William Spencer (Newe Towne), Mr. John Spencer (Ipswich) and Mr. Tymothy Tomlins (Lynn).
A committee of three including William Spencer is "chosen to examine the accounts of all such persons as the country owes money ... and such debts as are owing to the country and report to the Court.
The committee set up to review the accounts of Nicholas Simpkins made its report to the Court. Simpkins owed 44 pounds to the "country".
27 October 1636-MBC: "Newe Towne presented a book of their records under the hands of William Andrews constable, John Benjamin, and William Spencer."
7 December 1636-MBC: General Court meets at Boston. Twenty three Deputies in attendance, but William Spencer was absent. Mr. John Spencer of Ipswich was present.
1637
9 March 1637-MB: General Court sets up committee of seven, including William Spencer, to hear complaints of soldiers who had been in the expedition to Block Island. It was to meet at Boston every fifth day of the week for four weeks. The committee was to make recompense to any soldiers who suffered losses. (The Block Island expedition of August 1637 was aimed at the Pequot Indians who had murdered some whites. The settlers destroyed much Indian property (canoes, wigwams, crops) and killed one Indian. The same expedition attacked the Indians at New London and killed 13).
The Court ruled that "no person shall henceforth be chosen to any office in the Commonwealth but such as is a Freeman."
The Court noted certain dangers from the Indians (Pequot War). A security system was established with watches. Trainband (militia) officers were appointed by all towns, including the following for Newe Towne: Mr. George Cooke, captain; Mr. William Spencer, leiftenant; Mr. Sam Shepard, ensign. For Newbury, Mr. John Spencer, captain.
18 April 1637-MBC: General Court meets at Boston. Thirty one Deputies were in attendance, including Leift. Spencer and Timothy Tomlins. This was a special meeting for prosecuting the war against the "Pecoits". One hundred and sixty men were to serve from all the towns, including 9 from Newe Towne, 17 from Ipswich, 8 from Newbury. Boston was listed for 26. The Court provided funds for an expedition.
17 May 1637-MBC: General Court meets at Newe Towne. Thirty two Deputies present, including Mr. William Spencer and Timothy Tomlins. Mr. John Spencer is discharged from being Captain at Newbury and Edward Bodman (?) is chosen Leiftenant at Newbury.
August 1637-MBC: No list of Deputies at this meeting of the Court.
Capt. Jeanison and Leift. William Spencer "appointed to view Shaushin and consider whether it be fit for a plantation, and if not, to certify what they think may be fit for Capt. Patrick. (The Shasheen River is about twelve miles northwest of Cambridge between Burlington and Bedford).
The Court assesses 400 pounds in taxes from 13 towns. Several representatives from the towns agree to a local tax rate, including Mr. Tymothy Tomlins (for Saugus).
19 September 1637-MBC: "George Spencer, who received fish of ... William Brumfield, was censured to make double restitution and to be whipped." (The relationship of George Spencer to the other Newe Towne Spencers is not known).
27 September 1637-MBC: The General Court meets at Newe Towne. Twenty seven Deputies present, including William Spencer and Tymothy Tomlins. A day of public thanksgiving was ordered for the subduing of the "Pecoits".
2 November 1637-MBC: The General Court meets at Newe Towne. Thirty one Deputies present, including Tymothy Tomlins. There was no mention of a Spencer being present.
20 November 1637-MBC: A committee of three, including Mr. Spencer, "shall take a view of the places upon the river (Concord), and shall set out a place ... for 50 or 60 families." (This was in response to a petition from Watertowne for more meadow space). "Those that are to view the place which Mr. Spencer desireth and if it be convenient, to certify the Court."
This same date the General Court issued an order listing fifty eight men of Boston to be disarmed, as well as names for Salem, Newbury, Roxbury, Ipswich, and Charlestowne. Mr. John Spencer of Newbury was on this list. This order was aimed at the supporters of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson.
The General Court set up a committee of thirteen to take order for a college at Newe Towne. (This is the first reference to Harvard College).
(There were no references to the Spencers in the "Proprietors' Records of Cambridge" for the year 1637 and none in the "Town Records of Cambridge, 1630-1703.")
Undated 1637-HL: "Jarrett" Spencer came to Lynn in 1637 and was admitted as a Freeman the same year. Before 1660, he removed to Haddam, Connecticut. (The Lynn historian made no mention of the fact that Gerard1 Spencer was resident in Hartford for a short time before he went on to Haddam).
In 1637, a large number of people removed from Lynn and commenced a new settlement at Sandwich.
1638
March 1638-HL: At Lynn, a committee appointed to divide the lands completed their task. The allotments had a wide range, but usually were 30 to 60 acres. Only a small number of men exceeded 100 acres and several were as low as 10 acres.
One of the three largest landowners was Thomas Willis, husband of Mary Tomlins, who had 500 acres. Edward Tomlins had 220 acres. Timothy Tomlins had 80 acres.
The Spencer brothers, Michael1 and "Jarrett"1, each had 30 acres. Here we see that the Tomlins families were several notches above the Spencer brothers in respect to land ownership. Also, it is clear that the Tomlins brothers were very active in several commercial enterprises including liquor sales, milling, and the fishing industry.
12 March 1638-MBC: The General Court was held at Newe Towne. Thirty Deputies were present, including Mr. William Spencer and Mr. Tymothy Tomlins. At this meeting, the Court ordered that all towns under its jurisdiction compile a compendium of local laws. The central committee of seven members, including Mr. William Spencer, was to make a summary of these laws "adding yet to the same or detracting therefrom" and to present a report to the Court.
Also at this meeting, the Court set up a large committee of 29 persons, including Mr. William Spencer, and many other leaders, to study "diverse complaints made concerning oppression in wages, in prices of commodities, in smiths' works, in excessive prices for the work of draughts and teams and the like..."
2 May 1638-MBC: The General Court was held at Newe Towne.
Thirty two Deputies were in attendance, including Tymothy Tomlins. There was no mention of William Spencer being present as a Deputy.
Although not present at this session of the Court, the record shows Mr. William Spencer "was granted 300 acres of ground beyond Concord on the Alewife River."
"It was ordered that Newe Towne henceforward is to be called Cambridge."
5 June 1638-MBC: The General Court met at Cambridge. No Deputies were listed. Mr. Willard and Mr. Spencer were added to the committee about Mr. Gurlin's land. (This is the next to last reference to William Spencer in the MBC records).
(There were no references to William Spencer in the Town Records of Cambridge for the year 1638).
1639
13 March 1639-MBC: The General Court met at Boston. Thirty three Deputies were present, including Timothy Tomlins.
At this session, William Spencer and three others "... shall be called the Military Company of the Massachusetts. There followed a list of six detailed guidelines under which the Military Company would operate. One of the provisions allocated 1,000 acres of land ...for the use of the present company." Also, the Court made sure the Company would always be subject to the "civil government and jurisdiction..."
This record of 13 March 1639 was the last mention of any of the Spencer siblings in Volume I of the "Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1628-1641".
Undated Entries in "Proprietors' Records". Probably 1639-NR:
"Symon Crosby bought of William Spencer one house with three acres of ground at the west ende the waye to Watertowne northeast. Robert Holme north. Mr. Cook south." (This entry probably refers to a building (house?) about a mile west of the center of Newe Towne near the Great Swamp).
Also under the Symon Crosby purchase: "Bought an acre of ground of Mr. George Cooke ... the end to the Great Creek to the east. The west end of it Anttonie Colebie ground. The north upon ... which he bought of William Spencer. The south upon the Ox Marsh." (The Ox Marsh area was on the south edge of the central part of Newe Towne. Hence, it appears William Spencer owned this land just beyond the south side of the center of Newe Towne).
Also, Symon Crosby "bought of Antonie Coleby one house and two acres of land more or less. Butted on the east with his one land: William Spencer. Upon the east Mr. Beniamine... South upon the Ox Marsh, and north Joseph Lake (?). (This area appears also to be just on the south side of central city next to the Ox Marsh).
(The foregoing items are the only entries for 1639(?) in the "Propietors' Records of Cambridge" with reference to the Spencers).
Undated 1639-HL: The General Court authorized Garrett Spencer to operate a ferry at Lynn for two years. In the same year, however, the General Court allowed the town of Saugus 50 pounds to build a bridge over the Saugus River. The bridge may have been the reason for the limited period in which the ferry would operate.
III. The SIGNIFICANCE of The Chronological Record FOR The FOUR Spencer BROTHERS
A number of conclusions and hypotheses may be derived from a study of the chronological records for the Four Spencer Brothers in early New England, including the following:
1. The evidence is very strong that all Four Spencer Brothers were at Newe Towne (Cambridge) at least by 1631 and they could have been there in 1630, the year in which the first contingent of vessels, in the Winthrop Fleet reached the shores of New England.
2. William1 Spencer (1601-1640), oldest of the Spencer Brothers, looms large in the history of the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Company (MBC) and Newe Towne (Cambridge), although he never attained the rank of "Assistant" on the Court which acted as the legislative, judicial, and executive arm of the Commonwealth.. On the other hand, William did serve for many years as a "Deputy" to the Court, representing Newe Towne at most of the meetings of the Court in the 1630s.
3. William Spencer definitely served as a "Townsman" in Newe Towne, a small select group of half dozen or so members who conducted the affairs of the Towne a few years after its founding. In the earliest years, the town affairs were conducted by all the Freemen at monthly sessions.
4. During nearly a decade of service for the General Court and for Newe Towne, William Spencer carried out an enormous number of assignments, most of which required a wide assortment of capabilities and talents. He was especially adept at keeping official records and at surveying boundaries of many towns under the control of the MBC. He was also involved in business affairs, especially in regard to imports which were unloaded from ships in Boston Harbor and in the sale of the commodities from the same source. It seems unlikely he was much involved in direct agricultural operations because he owned almost no "plowland" suitable for raising crops. He did own 55 acres at the "West End" of Newe Towne which was mainly in the "Great Swamp" area. The land record of 1635 lists William with two and one half acres probably in the "Old Field" west of town.
5. None of the other three Spencer brothers ever seemed to own much land at Newe Towne. Thomas is shown with one acre, probably of plowland. Michael was listed with four acres on the south side of the River. In 1635, Gerard was listed with four acres on the west side. Thus, at this date, none of the Four Brothers apparently owned any sizeable acreage at Newe Towne suitable for cop tillage. On the other hand, Newe Towne had a record in the early years for doling out only small allotments of land. Perhaps this is one of the factors which induced many settlers to move on to other locations such as Hartford and Lynn.
6. During his relatively short life (by modern standards), William Spencer was married to Agnes Harris who bore three children between 1633 and 1636. In her second marriage to William Edwards, Agnes became the ancestress of half dozen men and women who became famous in American history.
7. William Spencer was believed to be a close associate of the Rev. Thomas Hooker who along with many followers laid the foundation of Hartford in 1635 and 1636. William, however, remained at Cambridge until nearly the end of the decade. This raised a question C the degree of loyalty which he might have had to the spiritual leader.
8. William Spencer also possessed some military skills. He was a charter member of "The Ancient and Honorable Military Company of Massachusetts".This organization dated back to the reign of Henry VII (1509-1547) in England and was the forerunner of militia organizations in the U.S.
9. The first mention of William Spencer's youngest two brothers, Gerard and Michael, occurred on 1 September 1634 when each was granted four acres of land at Newe Towne. Eventually, both brothers moved on to become residents of Lynn. We are not sure of the exact date when the two youngest brothers came to New England. In the History of Lynn (Lewis and Newhall), Gerard came to the town in 1637.
10. William Spencer was a primary surveyor for determining the early boundaries of Newe Towne, Watertowne, Charlestowne, and other towns under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Bay Company.
11. The first mention of Thomas1 Spencer was in January of 1632 when the "paling" (fence) list was published. This is almost certain proof that William's next younger brother (like William) came to New England at least by 1631.
12. All four Spencer Brothers were elected to the status of "Freeman" in the Bay Commonwealth, although at different years in the decade. This signified the prior attainment of church membership in the Puritan framework.
13. William was well acquainted with John Spencer of Newbury (or Ipswich) who was a frequent participant at the meetings of the General Court. John apparently was not a close relative of the Four Brothers. Eventually, John Spencer of Newbury returned to England after falling into disfavor with the General Court because of his association with dissendent religious factions such as those led by Mrs. Hutchinson and others.
14. There is hardly any indication that Thomas1 Spencer played any significant role in the public affairs of Newe Towne or of the General Court of Massachusetts. He was six years younger than his brother William and would have been 24 years of age in 1631 when the brothers seem most likely to have arrived in New England. At that time, William was thirty years of age. It seems quite apparent that William was well educated for his time as demonstrated by the many administrative roles he played in the early life of the Commonwealth. William and Thomas differed widely in their interests as well as capabilities. In the long run, however, perhaps Thomas had a greater influence on history because of his military experience in the Pequot War as well as being the father of a large number of twelve children. Because of his large family, Thomas has many hundreds (perhaps thousands) of descendants in the U.S. and elsewhere.
15. Thomas1 Spencer probably emigrated to Hartford either with the first or second group of Hooker's settlers (1635 and 1636). The records at Newe Towne indicate that he sold his town property to Edmond Angier in October of 1635. In Love's history of Hartford, the author designates 1637 as the year when Thomas Spencer removed to that city. At the same time, Love admits there is no accurate record of the first group of emigrants in 1635. In John Winthrop's journal under the date of 15 October 1635, he notes about sixty men, women, and little children went by land toward Connecticut. It is believed this statement referred to the disciples of Rev. Hooker.
16. Michael1 and Gerard1 Spencer almost certainly moved to Lynn by 1637. In March of 1638, the land allotments at Lynn showed that each brother owned 30 acres. One might infer that they left Cambridge because of the small acreage which had been available there for several years. The 30 acres at Lynn was modest compared to the property owned by Edward and Timothy Tomlins who owned 220 acres and 80 acres respectively at Lynn in 1638.
17. The year 1638 yielded signs of impending change for William1 Spencer who since 1631 had been prominent in the affairs of Newe Towne (now Cambridge) and the General Court of the Commonwealth. In the May and June meetings of the Court in 1638, his name did not appear as a Deputy from Cambridge. Most remarkably, however, William was granted 300 acres by the Court beyond Concord along the Alewife River. This was at least 20 miles from Cambridge and not conceivably of any practical use for William at that time. Is it possible that William was planning to follow Thomas to Hartford in 1638 and that the General Court hoped this large land grant might be an inducement to hold him at Cambridge? It is an interesting hypothesis. William had undertaken scores of tasks for
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1611 - Bef 1653 (~ 42 years)
