William SPRAGUE

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: 17 Mar 1708, Chosen "Surveyor of Highways"
• Death: 25 Nov 1712, Drowned, by the upsetting of a whale boat

Family/Spouse: Grace WADSWORTH. Grace (daughter of Deacon John WADSWORTH and Abigail ANDREWS) died between 13 Jan 1748 and 03 Apr 1758. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Zerviah SPRAGUE was born on 10 Dec 1704 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

John married Ruth BASSETT in 1655. Ruth (daughter of William BASSETT and Elizabeth ?) died on 26 Mar 1676 in King Philip's War. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
They resided for a time in Marshfield, as the birth of their daughter Ruth is recorded there.

This John, more likely than John of William, was a Counsellor of Sir Edmund Andros, mentioned in Hutch, i, 354. He was slain in Pierce's fierce fight at Pawtucket in Philip's War, march 26, 1676. His estate was appraised in 1676 and was sworn to by the widow Ruth sprague. She afterwards married ? Thomas. (Plymouth Co., Mass., Probate.) (Ref. Sprague Memorial; Winsor's Duxbury; Doggett's Attleboro; Dux. V. Rec)

Notes:

Name:
Francis Sprague came in the 'good ship Anne" which sailed from London, England, and arrived at Plymouth, July, 1623. he was one of those "passengers" who, as Morton writes, "seeing the low and poor conditions of those that were before them, were much daunted and dismayed, and according to their divers humors, were diversely affected. Some wished themselves in England again; others fell to weeping, fancying their own misery in what they saw in others; other some pitying the distress they saw their friends had long been in, and still were under. In a word, all were full of sadness; only some of their old friends rejoiced to see the, and it was no worse with them, for they could not expect it should be better, and now hoped they should enjoy better days together. And truly it was no marvel they should be thus affected, for they were in a low condition, both in respect of food and clothing at that time." Governor Bradford, in allusion to the passengers who came in the Anne and the James, says: "The best dish we could present them with, is a lobster, or a piece of fish, without bread, or any thing else but a cup of fair spring water; and the long continuance of this diet, with our labors abroad, has somewhat abated the freshness of our complexion; but God Gives us health." (New England's Memorial, Davis' edition, p. 102, and Young's Chronicles of the Pilgrims p. 353.)

He m. in England, Lydia, who with their daughter came with him.

1623, Autumn He shared in the division of lands with those who came in the Anne.

1627, At the division of cattle he gives the names of his children as Ann and Mary.

1627, July. Signed an agreement with William Bradford and others pertaining to the carrying on of the fur trade. (Gen. Gleanings from England, 1901.)

1632/3, jan. 2 Was taxed at Plymouth, being assessed for 18 shillings.

1632 About this date he settled in the N.E. part of Duxbury, near the Nook, so called.

1637 June 17 Admitted Freeman of the Colony

1637 Licensed to sell spirituous liquors

1640 Owned land on North River

1644, Apr. 1 Deeded to his son-in-law William Lawrence 50 acres on South river.

1645 Was one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater, but he nor any of his family came to reside there, says Mitchell. He was one of the original purchasers of Dartmouth.

1659, Oct. 26 Deeded land to his son-in-law Ralph Earle of Rhode Island.

1666 Was an Inn Holder up to this date and owned considerable property. Mr. Sprague did not adhere strictly to the enactments of the civil code of the Puritan Fathers and was several times brought before the Court for what they considered departures from the strict line of duty. His ardent temperament and great independence of mind did not fully accord with the principles of the Puritans, but considered from the present standards of estimating the characters of men, he must have been a person of worth and great respectability. We know that he was the head of a most honorable and respected family of descendants. Further mention is made of him in "the Pilgrim Republic", 1888, Goodwin, pp. 362, 596.

1669 His son John succeeded to his business of "keeping an Ordinary" or tavern, where spirituous liquors were sold, and it is presumed that his death occurred shortly before.

1662 the court admonished good wife Tubbs (his dau. Mercy) for "mixing dancing"; she left her husband and in 1668 the court granted him a divorce. they had a son, William Tubbs, Jr., who m. 1691, Judith, wid. of Isaac Baker. (Ref. Savage's Gen. Dict.; Sprague Memorial, 1947, Soule.)'

Frances married Lydia ?. Lydia was born in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Elizabeth ?. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]