Capt Herbert PELHAM, Esq.

1601 - 1674  (73 years)

• Name	Herbert PELHAM  [1, 2, 3]
  	Came to New England, 1639/40; first Treasurer of Harvard College, 1643; Commissioner of the United Colonies, 1645 [1] As early as 1629 Herbert Pelham agreed to invest in the Winthrop project of colonization with his father-in-law, and invested some L3,000 in the venture. The two families embarked from Gravesend, but Thomas Waldegrave and his wife went ashore at Deal in Kent before leaving English waters because of her illness. Herbert Pelham appears to have sailed from Gravesend with his family sometime between September 1639 and December 1640, and his wife died during the crossing. Shortly after arrival in New England he married for the second time to Elizabeth (Bosvile) Harlakeden, widow, with two daughters, of Roger Harlakenden, and daughter of Geoffrey Bosvile, Esq., of Gunthwaite, co. York, by Margaret, daughter of Edward Greville, Knt., of Harold Park. Essex. After marriage they lived in the Harlakenden household at Cambridge. He cleared large farms south of the river on Harlakenden property in Lexington and Bedford, and in Cambridge. At the request of Thomas Waldegrave, he returned to England in the winter of 1641, and having come to an agreement concerning his first wife's property, he returned to New England and took a prominent part in the affairs of the community. He was first Treasurer of Harvard College in 1643, and Commissioner of the United Colonies in 1645. He was active with the Society for promoting and Propagating the Gospel in New England. He returned to England in the 'Supply' on 9 Nov 1646, and resided at Bures, Essex, on property inherited through his first wife. On 25 Aug 1659 letters to administer the estate of Elizabeth Pelham, late of Ferriers, in Bures, Essex, were granted to her husband Herbert. [2] He was not educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, nor was he a lawyer as stated in earlier biographies. However, he was called a gentleman who owned considerable land. Herbert Pelham agreed as early as 1629 to invest in the Winthrop project of colonization with his father-in-law, Thomas Waldegrave, and invested some 3,000 pounds in the venture. The two families embarked from Gravesend (Kent), but Thomas Waldegrave and his wife went ashore at Deal in Kent before leaving English waters because of her illness. Herbert Pelham appears to have sailed from Gravesend with his family sometime between Sep 1639 and Dec 1640. His wife Jemima died during the crossing. He settled in Cambridge, and lived on the same estate that was previously occupied by Governor Thomas Dudley. His house burned down a year later. A few acres of his land were called Pelham's Island. After his marriage to Elizabeth, they lived in the Harlakenden household at Cambridge. He cleared large farms south of the river on Harlakenden property in Lexington ad Bedford, and in Cambridge. He became a freeman in may 1645. "He also was the first Treasurer of Harvard College, chosen Dec. 27, 1643, and the second person named in the act incorporating the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians in 1649". He was styled as "a man of courteous behaviour, humble and heavenly-minded." He was a the Ancient and Honorable Artillery (1638) and is registered on the Roll of Arms (#43). He returned to England in the ship Supply on 9 Nov 1646, and resided at Bures, Essex until his death, on the property inherited through his first wife Jemima. His will dated 1 Jan 1673/4 was proved 30 Mar 1675/6, [3]
  Prefix	Capt
  Suffix	Esq.
  Birth	1601	Boston, co. Lincs   [1, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Fact	Will dated 1 Jan 1672/3 and proved 30 Mar 1676   [2]
  Death	29 Jun 1674	Bures, co. Essex   [3]
  Burial	1 Jul 1674	Bures, co. Suffolk   [1, 2]
  Person ID	I73972	Main Tree
  Last Modified	26 Aug 2020

  
  

  Father	Sir Herbert 'the younger' PELHAM, Esq.,   b. Abt 1580   d. 20 Jul 1624, Boston, co, Lincoln (Age 44 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Penelope WEST,   b. 9 Sep 1582, Wherwell, co. Hamps d. 1619, Warbleton, co. Sussex (Age 36 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Marriage	Abt 1599  [1]
  Family ID	F29519	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Jemima WALDEGRAVE,   b. 1606, Bures-ad-Montem, co. Essex d. Between Sep 1639 and Dec 1640, Died during the crossing (Age 33 years)
  Marriage	13 Oct 1626	With License   [2]
  Children	1. Waldegrave PELHAM,   b. 1627, Bures, co. Essex d. 12 Nov 1699, Bures, co. Essex (Age 72 years)  [Birth]   2. Herbert PELHAM,   b. 1629, Bures, co. Essex d. Aug 1629, Bures, co. Essex (Age 0 years)  [Birth]   3. Jemima PELHAM,   b. 1630, Bures, co. Essex d. 20 Aug 1657, Bures, co. Essex (Age 27 years)  [Birth]   4. Nathaniel PELHAM,   b. 1631/2, Bures, co. Essex d. 1657, lost at Sea (Age 25 years)  [Birth]   5. Penelope PELHAM,   b. 25 Apr 1633, Bures, co. Essex d. 07 Dec 1703, Marshfield, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA (Age 70 years)  [Birth]   6. Margaret PELHAM,   b. 1634, Bures, co. Essex  [Birth]   7. Katherine PELHAM,   b. 1635/6, Bures, co. Essex  [Birth]   8. Elizabeth PELHAM,   b. 1638, Bures, co. Essex  [Birth]
  Family ID	F29993	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	26 Aug 2020

  
  

  Family 2	Elizabeth BOSVILE,   b. 1617, Gunthwaite, co. West York d. Bef 25 Aug 1659, Bures, co. Essex (Age 42 years)
  Marriage	1639/40  [1, 3]
  Children	1. Mary PELHAM,   b. 12 Nov 1640, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts d. England  [Birth]   2. Frances PELHAM,   b. 9 Nov 1643, Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts  [Birth]   3. Herbert PELHAM,   b. 3 Oct 1645, Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts d. Dec 1645, Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachuetts (Age 0 years)  [Birth] + 4. Capt Edward PELHAM, Gent.,   b. 1652/3, Bures, co. Essex d. 20 Sep 1730, Newport, Rhode Island (Age 77 years)  [Birth]   5. William PELHAM,   b. 1654, Bures, co. Essex d. England  [Birth]   6. Henry PELHAM,   b. 1655/6, Bures, co. Essex  [Birth]
  Family ID	F29994	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	26 Aug 2020

  
  

• Event Map

  Marriage - 13 Oct 1626 - With License  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S5840] Frederick Lewis Weis, Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonist Who Came to America before 1700. [S5008] David Faris, "Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists", (Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.). [S11979] Marston Watson, Royal Families Americans of Royal and Noble Ancestry Vol. IV Pelham-Avery-West.