Richard PRATT (1615 – 1691) was Alex’s 11th Great Grandfather, one of 4,096 in this generation of the Shaw line.

Immigrant Ancestor – Pratt Coat of Arms

Richard Pratt was baptized on 29 June 1615 at All Saints Church, Malden, Essex, England. He was the son of John PRATT and Elizabeth WEBB. He emigrated on the “Expedition“, arriving in Malden, Mass about 1636. He married Mary [__?__] about 1642. Richard died 8 May 1691 in Malden, Mass.

All Saints Church, Malden, Essex, England The precise date of the building of All Saints’ Church is not recorded, but that it existed in 1180   It is built of flint and stone and is one of the most interesting churches in the county having an equilaterally triangular tower which is quite unique.

Mary [__?__] was born in 1617 in Malden, Essex, England.

Children of Richard and Mary:

“The surname Pratt occurs among the earliest English family records, before the year 1200, and indicates the family came with the Normans to England. John Pratt (or de Pratellis, or de Pratis, as then generally spelled), held the manor of Patrickborne ( Merton Bridge and Pelham Hundred) in 1200. Four brothers – John, William, Engebraw and Peter de Pratellis – figured prominently in the reigns of Richard I and John, all living in 1201. John was a favorite minister. In 1191 William and Peter both made a gallant record in the Crusade. John Pratt was in parliament from Beverly, 1298 and 1305. Before the year 1300 the family was well known and widely scattered through England, and the shortened form of the name Pratt was the common spelling. The other forms – Pratte, Pradt, Praed, Prate, Praer, and Prayers – are also found. The surname means meadow, and was a place-name before it became a surname.”

Richard’s father John Pratt, of Malden, Essex, England, late alderman of that borough town, died July 30, 1619, leaving twenty pounds to his minister, Mr. Hunsden, of the parish of All Saints, ten pounds to the minister of St. Mary’s parish, and ten pounds each to the poor of the parishes of All Saints, St. Mary’s and St. Peter’s. The remainder of his property he devised and bequeathed chiefly to kinsmen, and in amount it was a goodly sum.

A Richard Pratt was listed as “[Regi]ster of the names of all ye Passinger wch Passed from at Port of London for on whole yeare Endinge at Xmas 1635.” A Richard Pratt, age 18, was aboard the ship Expedition that sailed from Gravesend, England for Barbados on November 20, 1635.
Richard’s will, dated May 8, 1691, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Wills:

I, Richard Pratt, senr. of Malden to wife Mary, dwelling house etc. in Malden; mentions son John, son Thomas; and to my three daughters now living my daughter Mary the wife of Thomas Skinner, my daughter Elizabeth wife of Gershom Hawkes, and my daughter Martha wife of John Pratt, grandchild James Hovey son of daughter Hannah Hwards [sic?]; wife Mary and son Thomas Pratt executors. The will was proved on October 6. The inventory included a house valued at twenty pounds and four acres of land.

According to Savage: “Richard, Charlestown, b. it is said, youngest of nine ch. to John of Malden in Co. Essex, and there bapt. 29 June 1615, by w. Mary, had Mary, b. 7 or 30 Sept. 1643; Thomas, 5 Mar. or May 1646; Mercy, 15 June 1650, d. young; John, 1655; Elizabeth; Martha, 1663; and Hannah. He lived on Malden side, and d. 1691. Mary m. Thomas Skinner; Elizabeth m. Gershom Hawkes; Martha m. 18 Nov. 1686, John Pratt; and Hannah on slight report is call. w. of a Hovey.” The John Pratt who married Martha Pratt “it may be, that this long liv. John was s. of Phineas, and that his w. Martha was d. of Richard Pratt. The decision is not easy upon Geneal. Reg. IX. 325.” Another source states that John Pratt was the son of Thomas Pratt.

Towns of New England and old England, Ireland and Scotland … connecting links between cities and towns in New England and those of the same name in England, Ireland and Scotland: containing narratives, descriptions, and many views, some done from old prints; also much matter pertaining …, Part 2 Authors State Street Trust Company (Boston, Mass.), Allan Forbes Publisher G. P. Putnam’s sons, 1921

WE believe we can do no better than reproduce a letter written by Hon. Charles L. Dean, Mayor of Malden, Massachusetts, to His Worship Edward A. Fitch, Mayor of Maldon, Essex, England, in reply to one received from Mr. Fitch on the occasion of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of our Malden. With this letter from the English official came a short account of his old borough, with a request for information in regard to our Malden. This letter runs as follows:—

“Malden, Mass. May 13, 1899. Dear Sir;—

Your valued communication of April 22nd duly received, also a copy of your book entitled Maldon and the Blackwater. I appreciate your kindness and am grateful for the trouble you have taken. I regret that you will not be able to be with us on our birthday, but you may be assured that the people of Malden in New England will not forget the old mother on the Blackwater at that time.

Our historian has given me the following items of information in regard to the old settlers and I hope that you may be able to trace some of them as coming directly from your borough.

A leader in the settlement of our town was Joseph Hills, who was married at Burstead Magna, Billericay, in 1624. He was of your parish of All Saints in 1631, and the births of his children are recorded there. In 1638 he came to New England with others. His son-in-law, John Wayte, who was a leading man here, was from Wethersfield, Essex. Another of our early settlers, Richard Pratt, is said to have been a son of John Pratt of your borough, where he was baptized in 1615. The authority for this statement is not known. Salmon, History of Essex, 424, says that John Pratt, an alderman of Maldon, was buried in All Saints in 1619. Thomas Ruck, an early landholder but not a settler, is said to have come from Maldon.

It may interest you to know that out of the little settlement of 1649, which was named Maldon (now changed to Malden) have grown three cities with an aggregate population of about seventy thousand people.

Again expressing our regret that you will not be able to be present at our anniversary exercises, I am, with kind regards,

Very truly Yours,
Charles L. Dean, Mayor.”

CHILDREN

1. Mary PRATT (See Thomas SKINNER II ‘s page)

2. Thomas Pratt

Thomas’ wife Alice [__?__] was born about 1650 in Charlestown, Suffolk, Mass. Alice died in 1718.

The children of John and Alice were: Richard; John, settled in Attleboro; Mary, married Ephraim Grover of Norton, Mass.; Sarah, married _?_ Perkins; Thomas, born 1700; Hannah, married Richard Skinner. Richard was the son of Hannah’s Aunt, Mary Pratt.

4. John Pratt

John’s wife Ann Dexter was born 1635 in Boston, Suffolk, Mass. Her parents were Richard Dexter and Bridget [__?__]. Ann died 1 Jul 1695 in Charlestown Mass

John was a mariner. He was a soldier of King Philip’s war, serving under Captain William Turner and took part in the Turner Falls Fight May 19, 1676,. at Hadley, and for his service in that war his son Thomas about sixty years afterward had land granted him in Bernardston, Mass. John Pratt died before June 22, 1708, and his wife Mary died July 17, 1710, having borne him ten children: John, Thomas, Ebenezer, Joseph,. William, Caleb, Joshua, Mary, Hannah and Abigail.

His widow and son Thomas were administrators appointed June 22. 1708. The inventory, dated June 28, 1708. amounted to 227 pounds, and the estate was divided February 19, 1711/12. John’s children were: John, died October 1704, age twenty-one (gravestone at Malden); Thomas, probably of Rumney Marsh, had a slave Ginne, baptized at Malden, as of Chelsea, 1750; Ebenezer, boatman, moved to Boston; Joseph; William; Caleb; Joshua; Mary, born March 6, 1696; Hannah; Abigail. Five of the children were minors in 1708.

5. Elizabeth Pratt

Elizabeth’s husband Gershom Hawkes was born 12 Aug 1659 in Hadley, Hampshire, Mass. His parents were John Hawkes and Elizabeth Browne. Gershom died after 1717. A Gershom Hawkes died 26 Mar 1681 in Summerville, South Carolina, but I can’t find supporting evidence of a move between colonies.

Matthew Hawke and John Hawkes are sometimes reported to be brothers of Adam Hawkes, however, there is no known documentation of this. —-Adam Hawkes Family Association

John Hawks came to Dorchester, MA, 1630 in Winthrop’s fleet and then moved to Windsor, CT, in 1640 as one of the founders. Ecclesiastical orthodoxy led him, along with his wife Elizabeth Browne, to move to Hadley, MA, in 1659 again as one of the founders. Adam Hawkes of Saugus was apparently a brother and the two came to New England together. John Hawks/Hawkes was born in England and died 30 Jun 1662 in Hadley, MA.

John’s wife, Elizabeth Browne, was a niece of Nathaniel Ward, an original settler of Hartford, CT. Nathaniel Ward was the son of Edward Ward of Little Wrathing, Suffolk Co., England. On 9 Jan 1620, Edward made his will, proved at Ipswich 7 Mar 1620. He provided for his wife Judith and his children Nathaniel, Edward, Lydia, Mary, Rebecca and Susan.

Susan Browne, widow of Robert Browne of Ipswich, made her will 22 Mar 1626, proved 24 April 1627. She remembered her mother Judith and both of her sisters, Rebecca Ward and Mary Cutting, as well as “Elizabeth Browne, daughter of my brother-in-law William Browne.” As Lydia Ward was the fourth sister, it was she who married William Browne and their daughter Elizabeth was the niece of Nathaniel Ward (of Hartford). Elizabeth Browne married John Hawks in about 1642.

John & Elizabeth’s children were all born in Windsor. At a meeting held at Nathaniel Ward’s house in Hartford, 18 Apr 1659, John was among those present who signed the agreement to remove from Connecticut to Massachusetts. They moved to Hadley, MA, around 1660. John died suddenly and was buried 30 June 1662 in the Hadley Cemetery. Elizabeth married Robert Hinsdale as his second wife about 1668.

The marriage was an unhappy one and they soon parted, and she returned to her home in Hadley. At a court held 30 Mar 1674 they were “presented for living assunder contrary to law,” also charged “with lacivious and wanton carrage.” On examination Elizabeth refused to answer, and it appears that she was cleared of any wrongdoing. Robert Hinsdale said he “did it as being her head and having the rule of her in the pointe and that he did it for her correction of her disorder towards him.” Although he was a respected man in the community, the court held he had “broken the perfect rule of divine law and the law of the Colony in the intent if not in the letter in the first livinig assunder,” and ordered him “whipped ten stripes on the naked body;” and imposed a fine for which his sons became responsible and which the court refused to remit after his tragic death. They moved to Pocumtuck (Deerfield), MA, where descendents of both were already living. Robert was killed, along with three of his sons, with Captain Thomas Lathrop, on 18 September 1675 in the ambush at Bloody Brook, MA.

Elizabeth married Thomas Dibble of Windsor, CT, on 25 June 1683 and she died in Windsor on 20 Sept 1689.

6. Martha Pratt

Martha’s husband John Pratt was born 29 May 1664 in Malden, Suffolk, Mass. His parents were Thomas Pratt and Elizabeth [__?__] or Mary Andrews.   His grandparents were William Pratt (1609 – 1670) and Elizabeth Clark (1622-1678). I can find no evidence that Martha and John were related. John died 15 Nov 1742 in Suffolk, Mass

7. Hannah Pratt

Hannah’s husband Joseph Hovey was born 1653 in Ipswich, Essex, Mass. His parents were Daniel Hovey and Abigail Andrews. His grandparents were Robert ANDREWS and Elizabeth [__?__]. Joseph died in May 1690 in Ipswich, Essex, Mass

Sources:

http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/b-_p.htm

http://danneman-family.com/p62.htm#i4873

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hutch/EGGLESTON/Skinner.htm

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=21033527&st=1

http://www.vansteenwyk.com/FamilyTree/Genealogy/p19.html#I01526