Robert POND (1592 – 1637) was Alex’s 11th Great Grandfather, one of 2,048 in this generation of the Shaw line.
Pond – Coat of Arms
Robert Pond was born in 1592 in Groton, Suffolk, England. His parents were William POND and Judith GORDON. He married Mary Margaret HAWKINS in 1616 in Groton, Suffolk, England. He came with brother John, his wife and children to Dorchester, Mass, in the Winthrop Fleet in 1630. Robert died 20 Dec 1637 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
John was sent back to England by Winthrop for more provisions. Winthrop afterward sent his love to William Pond, who had been one of his neighbors in England. In a letter from Governor John Winthrop in Massachusetts to his oldest son back in Groton, England, soon after their arrival in America, he directs his son to tell “old Pond” that both his sons are well and remember their duty.
It appears that Robert and Mary Pond had at least a couple of children (William & Robert) that they left in England, and who came to America before 1641, maybe with Rev. Richard Mather.
Mary Margaret Hawkins was born 1596 in Groton, Suffolk, England. After Robert died she married Edward SHEPARD on 1649 in Cambridge, Mass. Edward was also her son Daniel’s father-in-law.
It appears that Robert and Mary Pond had at least a couple of children (William & Robert) that they left in England, and who came to America before 1641, maybe with Rev. Mather.
Children of Robert and Mary:
| Name | Born | Married | Departed | |
| 1. | Samuel Pond | 1617 Groton, Suffolk, England |
Sarah Ware 18 Nov 1642 Windsor, CT |
14 Mar 1654 Windsor, Hartford, CT |
| 2. | Sgt. William Pond | 1620 Groton, England |
Mary Dyer 1641 Dorchester |
4 Apr 1690 Dorchester, Suffolk, Mass. |
| 3. | Jonathan Pond | 1622 Groton, England | ||
| 4. | Mary Pond | 1624 Groton, England |
John Blackman Dorchester, Mass |
Aug 1656 Dorchester, Mass. |
| 5. | Robert Pond | 1626 Groton, England |
Mary Bull 1656 Dorchester, Mass |
1662 Dorchester, Mass. |
| 6. | Daniel POND | 1630 Dorchester, Mass |
Abigail SHEPARD 30 Mar 1652 Dedham, Mass. |
4 Feb 1696/97 in Dedham, Mass |
Robert was a carpenter.
It is known that Robert and Mary Pond had a daughter Mary, who was eleven years old at the time that her mother joined the church at Cambridge, and who afterwards married John Blackman. There is evidence, too, that the widow carried with her to Cambridge two other children, Jonathan and Sarah, though it seems difficult to reconcile dates and facts with this hypothesis, unless the transcript of the court paper relating to Jonathan’s estate, on page 3:38 of the N. E. Genealogical Register for 1853, errs in the age of Sarah.
Robert Pond’s House Built Before 1637
Robert Pond’s house stood on Cottage Street at the junction of Humphreys and Franklin, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, until 1873 when it was removed to widen the street. Jonathan Bridgham lived in the house all of his 99 years and therefore it was also called the Bridgham House. [Drawing from – The Memorial History of Boston, 1630-1880, edited by Justin Winsor; Boston: Ticknor and Company, 1880. Vol. 1] Here’s what the street corner looks like today.
Back of house in 1870’s known in Dorchester as the Bridgham house. First owned by Robert Pond who died in 1637.
CHILDREN
1. Samuel Pond
Samuel’s wife Sarah Ware was born Jan 1617 in Buckinghamshire, England. Her parents were William Ware (1591 – Cork, Ireland – ) and Elizabeth [__?__]. Her paternal grandparents were Sir John Ware (1565 Yorkshire, England – 1625 Cork, Ireland) and Mary Owen (1570 in Pembrokeshire, Wales – Cork, Cork, Ireland) After Samuel died, Sarah married 6 Jun 1655 in Branford, New Haven, CT to John Linsley. Sarah died 6 Jul 1665 in Guilford, New Haven, CT.
“The English have been in Ireland, both as peaceful settlers and conquerors, since the 12th century, but it wasn’t until the rule of King Henry VIII that English interference took a major role.” The King decided to send Protestants to “plant” or colonize Ireland in order to subdue and rule the country. Additionally, non-conforming Protestants often went to Ireland in order to worship as they chose with minimal interference from the Anglican Church of England. “According to the History of Bandon, in 1585 a group of well-to-do men from Somersetshire County, England were granted acreage on the condition they bring over settlers to work the land.
The name “Ware” was among the first group, as they had been early converts to Protestantism. This is most likely the date John Ware arrived in Ireland, followed later by his younger brother James.” From a handwritten pedigree chart among the Crookshank papers in the British Genealogical Library in London, it shows Christopher Ware had two sons. The eldest son, John, settled in County Cork, Ireland and married Mary Owen. Their descendants were known as the Wares of Woodfort; Woodford Manor being located in the Parish of Kilshanick, Barony of Duhallow and County of Cork.” John’s wife, Mary Owen, was from one of the most powerful and ancient families of South Pembrokeshire, Wales – known as the Owen family of Orielton. Her mother (Isabella Griffith) was the daughter of Sir William Griffith of Penrhyn; a branch of the Tudor family.
2. Sgt. William Pond
William’s wife Mary Dyer was born 1636 in England. Her parents were George Dyer and Abigail [__?__]. Mary died 16 Feb 1711 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Mass.
William and his wife were admitted to the church in Dorchester 28 Feb 1641/42. William contracted to lay the ground-sills of the meeting house in 1655, had a grant of land in 1656, and was a rater (tax assessor) in 1662, 1667, and 1675. He was a constable in 1659 and was called Sergeant Pond in some records, so may have been an officer in the militia.
4. Mary Pond
Mary’s husband John Blackman was born 1625 in Dorchester, Norfolk, England. His parents were William Blackman and Sarah Carver. John died 28 Apr 1675 in Dorchester, Mass
5. Robert Pond
Robert’s wife Mary Bull was born 1630 in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. Her parents were William Bull and Blythe [__?__]. Mary died 1719 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Mass
6. Daniel POND (See his page)
Sources:
C. E. Banks, “The Planters of the Commonwealth; Passengers and Ships,” p. 80.
http://mjgen.com/metcalf/pond.html
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hwbradley/findex3c.htm#POND
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I notice you show Sarah Ware being born in Guilford CT in 1617. This is 3 years before Mayflower; Guilford wasn’t settled until 1639. Do you know where this data came from? It is obviously an error, but I see it reproduced in several online databases.
I have been trying to find out Sarah Ware’s parents, and you show her father as William Ware. That’s new information to me — do you know the source? Many thanks.
Hi Ron,
Thanks for the catch. Like so many others, I copied Sarah’s birth info without scrutiny.
I found an interesting back story for Sarah. No sources other than Ancestry.com postings however. Many sites say Sarah’s father William Ware died in Connecticut, but since none provide further details, I discount that theory. On the other hand, Sarah must have made her way to America somehow.
Here’s what I found:
Samuel’s wife Sarah Ware was born Jan 1617 in Buckinghamshire, England. Her parents were William Ware (1591 – Cork, Ireland – ) and Elizabeth [__?__]. Her paternal grandparents were Sir John Ware (1565 Yorkshire, England – 1625 Cork, Ireland) and Mary Owen (1570 in Pembrokeshire, Wales – Cork, Cork, Ireland) After Samuel died, Sarah married 6 Jun 1655 in Branford, New Haven, CT to John Linsley. Sarah died 6 Jul 1665 in Guilford, New Haven, CT.
“The English have been in Ireland, both as peaceful settlers and conquerors, since the 12th century, but it wasn’t until the rule of King Henry VIII that English interference took a major role.” The King decided to send Protestants to “plant” or colonize Ireland in order to subdue and rule the country. Additionally, non-conforming Protestants often went to Ireland in order to worship as they chose with minimal interference from the Anglican Church of England. “According to the History of Bandon, in 1585 a group of well-to-do men from Somersetshire County, England were granted acreage on the condition they bring over settlers to work the land.
The name “Ware” was among the first group, as they had been early converts to Protestantism. This is most likely the date John Ware arrived in Ireland, followed later by his younger brother James.” From a handwritten pedigree chart among the Crookshank papers in the British Genealogical Library in London, it shows Christopher Ware had two sons. The eldest son, John, settled in County Cork, Ireland and married Mary Owen. Their descendants were known as the Wares of Woodfort; Woodford Manor being located in the Parish of Kilshanick, Barony of Duhallow and County of Cork.” John’s wife, Mary Owen, was from one of the most powerful and ancient families of South Pembrokeshire, Wales – known as the Owen family of Orielton. Her mother (Isabella Griffith) was the daughter of Sir William Griffith of Penrhyn; a branch of the Tudor family.
Comments removed at author’s request
Sorry, I meant the “New England Historical and Genealogical Register”.
No relation to SAMUEL POND. Let’s not make the all too common error of confounding the identity of several individuals simply because they share the same first and last name. William Weare of Dorchester, MA, shoemaker; & wife Elizabeth Prentiss, deceased 1681, aged 90, names in her will daughter Sarah GRANT, wife of Edward Grant, shipwright, and Elizabeth Gill, wife of John GiLL, mariner, Sarah Grant and the rest have gravestones at Copp’s Hill, Boston MA.
Check out the Farber Gravestone Collection online- an archive of New England Gravestone photos. No other word but STUNNING describes the photographic genius of this collection.
markeminer:
Please remove my comments about Sarah Ware. Apparently they are in error and leaving them on the website might cause bad genealogical data to be disseminated. Thanks. Ron Walker
Comments removed per your request
I’m so confused. According to records found elsewhere, Mary Pond married John Blackman abt. 1650 (although records conflict) and she died (according to your work here) in Aug. 1656. Is there documentation of her death? Then (I think), John Blackman remarried a Sarah (possibly Dickerman), anywhere from 1655 to as late 1670. I found a birth record for a son John Blackman, b. 10 Aug 1656 in Dorchester, “sonne of John”. I also found birth records for all the other sons, but nothing for the girls including the daughter of interest, Rebeckah who was supposedly ‘baptized’ on 5 Apr 1668. Without some solid records and documentation, I don’t know if Mary or Sarah was Rebeckah’s birth mother. Google produced two works…one on Geni, with Sarah as the birth mother of everyone and one on Wikitree who has Mary Pond as the mother of everyone. Can you help me?