Robert PEASE – The Former (1630 – 1717)  was Alex’s 10th Great Grandfather;  one of 2,048 in this generation of the Miner line.

Robert Pease – The Former was christened in Apr 1630 in Great Baddow, Essex, England.  His parents were Robert PEASE and Lydia WEST.   In 1634, at the age of 4, he traveled to Salem with his father Robert and his Uncle John. His father came to New England in the ship Francis, John CUTTING [our ancestor], master, sailing from Ipswich, England the last of Apr 1634. The ship landed at Boston, MA without the loss of a single passenger. In addition to his Robert, the father Robert was accompanied by his brother John, a Miss Clark, aged fifteen, who was the daughter of a fellow passenger, and a Miss Greene, aged fifteen, perhaps a servant.  His wife Marie and other family members including Robert’s brother John probably came on a later ship.   Robert married Sarah [SEDGWICK?] before 1660.  He died after 1717.

After his father died, at the age of 15 Robert Pease was apprentised for five years to Thomas Root, to learn the trade of a weaver of woolen and linen

Sarah [Sedgwick?] was born about 1630, perhaps in Salem, Mass.  Her parents were probably not  Major General Robert Sedgwick and Joanna Blake because Robert’s daughter Sarah married Governor John Leverettt about 1644 in Charlestown, Suffolk, Mass   Some sources state her parents were Richard Goodale and Catherine Killim, but their Sarah married someone else.  Sarah was living in 1704.

Major General Robert Sedgwick (c. 1611 – 1656)  settled at Charlestown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1635, where he became a successful merchant and for many years represented the town in the General Court. He was active in organizing the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, of which he became captain in 1640. In 1652 he was appointed commander of all the Massachusetts militia. He built Castle William, the first fort at Boston, and Oliver Cromwell promoted him to major general, making him the first Major General of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. With John Winthrop, Jr. and others, he established in 1643-1644 the first ironworks in North America.

Under authority from Cromwell, in July 1654 Sedgwick raided Acadia by conquering the French at Fort Pentagouet, Maine; Fort La Tour at the mouth of the St. John River; and Port Royal. In 1655 he accompanied the expedition which captured Jamaica. Just before his death there, Cromwell gave him sole command as the first Governor General of Jamaica. He died on May 24, 1656, and was buried halfway up the canyon to Spanish Town from Ocho Rios in a small Christopher Wren-styled chapel. Sedgwick, Maine, was named in his honor.

 Both Robert and his wife Sarah suffered imprisonment in 1692 when they were suspected of witchcraft.

Children of Robert and Sarah:

Great Baddow Parish Register: Robert the sonne of Robert Pease and his wife Bap. April 1630 Robert was a minor when his father died in 1644 at the age of 37.  By order of the court he was to remain with his mother for a year after which he could apply for permission to learn a trade. At the age of 15 was apprenticed to Thomas Root of Salem for a term of five years.  When his term expired in 1650 he remained in Salem, records of 1652 and 1655 show he was an inhabitant of that town.

Robert Pease Apprenticeship From A genealogical and historical record of the descendants of John Pease, Sen

Robert was bound out by the court on December 31, 1645 “upon motion and consent by both parties, to Thomas Root, to learn the trade of a weaver of woolen and linen.” He was sometimes made keeper of the town herd and must have been engaged as a herdsman during his apprenticeship, for in 1704 he testified that he had been a “keeper of several lots of creatures, as neat cattle and goats, on the lands belonging to the inhabitants of Salem above 60 years agone.”

1655 – “He was employed to keep one hundred cows, being part of the town drove, and to have help so that he may attend worship every third Sabbath.

1656 – He appears in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. where his uncle had taken up residence in 1644.

He evidently returned to Salem before 1660 (Banks), where he appears in 1667 with the birth of the first of his five children.

He was with the Salem Company during King Philips War of 1675/76.

Both he and his wife suffered imprisonment in 1692 when they were suspected of witchcraft.

His wife was living in 1704 and he was living in 1713 when he was dismissed from the church in Salem to aid in forming the first church at what is now Peabody, MA.

Robert Pease Homestead

Witch Trials

Robert’s wife Sarah was caught up in 1692 in the hysteria we know as The Salem Witch Trials. She was accused and imprisoned but never tried, having been released after the hysteria died down. Although testimony was brought against her again on August 5th, Sarah Pease escaped the condemnation of the judges, who sentenced 15 people to the gallows in September. By the late fall of that year the tide of hysteria had abated, and sympathy was turning from the “victims” to the accused. Sarah survived the winter and was released in May of 1693, after suffering a year in jail.

Sarah was accused on Monday, May 23, 1692 of  “sundry acts of Witchcraft committed on the bodys of Mary Warren, Abigaile Williams and Elizabeth Hubbard.”  She was accused along with Benjamin Proctor and Mary DeRich.  A warrant for her arrest was issued and she was arrested that day.  The following day was set aside for examinations and the proceedings were recorded by Nathaniel Cary of Charlestown.   He and Mrs. Cary had come to observe and to face Mrs. Cary’s accuser, Abigail Williams.  He writes of the prisoners, one of whom surely was Sarah Pease:

The Prisoners were called in one by one, and as they came in were cried out of, etc. The prisoner was placed about 7 or 8 foot from the Justices, and the Accusers between the Justices and them;  the Prisoner was ordered to stand right before the Justices, with an Officer appointed to hold each hand, least they should therewith afflict them, and the Prisoners Eyes must be constantly on the Justices; for if they look’d on the afflicted, they would either fall into their Fits, or cry out of being hurt by them;  after Examination of the Prisoners, who it was afflicted these Girls, etc., they were put upon saying the Lords Prayer, as a tryal of their guilt; after the afflicted seem’d to be out of their Fits, they would look steadfastly on some one person, and frequently not speak; and then the Justices said they were struck dumb, and after a little time would speak again;  then the Justices said to the Accusers, “which of you will go and touch the Prisoner at the Bar?” then the most couragious would adventure, but before they made three steps would ordinarily fall down as in a Fit;    the Justices ordered that they should be taken up and carried to the Prisoner, that she might touch them; and as soon as they were touched by the accused, the Justices would say, they are well, before I could discern any alteration…

On May 23, 1692

“Lt. Nathaniell Ingersall and Thomas Rayment both of Salem Village yeoman Complained on behalfe of theire Majest’s, against Benjamin procter the son of John Proctoer of Salem Farmes, and Mary Derich the wife of Michall Derich and daughter of William Basset of Lyn and sarah pease the wife of Robert pease of Salem weaver for Sundry acts of Witchcraft by them Committed on the bodys of mary Warren Abigaile Williams and Eliz Hubbard &c of Salem Village, whereby great hurt is donne them therefore Craves Justice”.[3/655]

On the same day a warrant for arrest was issued.

“To the Marshall of Essex or dept or Constables in Salem. You are in theire Majest’s names hereby required to apprehend and forthwith bring before us Benjamin procter the son of John Procter of Salem farmes and Mary Derich the wife of mic’l Derich of Salem farmes husbandman, and Sarah pease the wife of Robert Pease of Salem Weaver who all stand charged of having Committed Sundry acts of Witchcraft on the Bodys of Mary Warren Abigail Williams and Eliz. Hubbert of Salem Village whereby great hurt is donne them In order to theire examination Relating the abovesaid premises and hereof you are not to faile Dated Salem May the 23’d. 1692″. Singed by John Hathorne, Jonathan Corwin.[3/655-6]

George Herrick, Marshall of Essex, appointed John Putnam to be his deputy to serve this warrant.  A separate arrest warrant was made out the same day for Sarah Pease for acts of witchcraft against Mary Warren.

“I heave aprehended the parson mensioned within this warrant and heave broghte hir”, signed by Peter Osgood Constable in Salem May the 23: 1692.[3/639]

Sarah was accused several other times:

“the testomeny of John derech [John DeRich was the future son-in-law of our ancestor John FOSTER Sr.  See Foster’s page for the story of how young John was coerced to testify to save his own skin. ] Eaged about sixten years testefieth and sayeth that gils Cory also Came to me and afflicted me this 5 of September as wel be fore as after he al so Came a bout the 20 of oges and told me that he wanted som platers for he was gowen to afeast he told me that he had a good mind to ask my dame but he sayd that she wouled not let him have them so he took the platers and cared them a way being gown a bout half a oure with them then he brot them a gaine gowen a way and sayd no thing. “also Sary pese afliceth me at several times she Came to me af the fast day last at Salem She pinched me then and i have not sene har sencs”.[3/245]

“John Doritch aged 16 years or thereabouts Testifieth and Saith. That John Small and his wife Anne both deceased and formerly of the Towne of Salem doth both appear to this Deponent and told him that they would tare him to peices if he did not goe and Declare to Mr. Harthorne that George Jacobs senior: Did kill them: and likewise that Mary Warrens mother did appeare to this Deponent this day with a white man and told him that goodwife Parker and Oliver did kill her: and Likewise Core Procter and his wife: Sarah Procter Joseph Procter and John Procter did all afflict this deponent and do continually every day sense he hath began to be afflicted: and would have him this deponent to sett his hand to a Booke but this deponent told them he would not: Likewise Phillip English and his wife Mary doth appear to this deponent and afflict him and all the aboves’d persons Thretten to tare this Deponent in peices if he doth not Signe to a Booke: Likewise Goodwife Pease and Hobs and her daughter Abigail doth Afflict him and thretten the same: and Likewise a woman appeares to this Deponent who lives at Boston at the Uper end of the Towne whose name is Mary: she goes in black clothes hath: but one Eye: with a Crooked Neck and she saith there is none in Boston like her, she did afflict this deponent but saith she will not any more, nor tell him her name”.[3/482-3]

Children

Information about Robert Pease’s children is scattered; no one source has information about all the sons and daughters in law.  I wonder if that’s related to the early death of Robert’s parents or his apprenticeship at the age of 15.  Maybe it’s related the persecution of Robert and his wife Sarah during the witch trials.

2. Elizabeth Pease

I can find no birth, parents or death for Thomas Venney, though I did find this list of children. If Elizabeth’s 1662 birth is correct, she would have been too old to be these children’s mother (age 45 thru 57 at their births).

Children of Elizabeth and Thomas

i. Elizabeth Venney b: 16 Nov 1704 in Marblehead, Essex Co., MA

ii. Mary Venney b: 14 Jul 1707 in Marblehead, Essex Co., MA

iii. John Venney b: 30 Jul 1713 in Marblehead, Essex Co., MA

iv. Jane Venney b: 14 Mar 1715 in Marblehead, Essex Co., MA

v. Thomas Venney b: 07 Jun 1719 in Marblehead, Essex Co., MA

3. Deliverance Pease

Deliverance’s husband Jonathan Crisp was born29 Jan 1639/40 in Watertown, Mass,. His parents were Benjamin CRISPE and Bridget [__?__]. He first married Joanna [_?_] in 1663 in Watertown. Jonathan died before 25 Oct 1680 in Watertown when his father administered his estate.

4. Mary Pease

Mary’s husband Alexander Electious Reynolds was born in 1653 in Middleboro, MA. Alexander died on 19 Jun 1738 in Middleboro, MA.  There was a doubt whether Alexander Electious married this Mary or her first cousin Mary Pease, daughter of John PEASE born 5 Apr 1667, but this analysis “The Three Mary Peases of Salem, Massachusetts” by Ian Watson proves that Alexander Electious married this Mary.

Electious Reynolds was an early resident of Middleborough in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, being there by 1693 as evidenced by the birth of his son Benjamin.

12 Oct 1725 – The church in Middleborough was formed. Electious Reynolds and Richard Waste were among the first members.

22 Sep 1738 Electious Reynolds (obviously the son), Isaac Reynolds, and Ephraim Reynolds were among ten signers of a document that indicated they lived in the westerly precinct of Middleboro and that they were of the Baptist faith and so we can surmise the same about Electious the ancestor. “Electious Reynolds Senr Deceased June the 19th: 1738 In the eighty fifth year of his age”.  [4/15:24]

It is not known who Electious’ parents were, nor whether he was born in this country or England, but it seems highly likely that he came from Salem, MA prior to living in Middleboro. There was a man there whose name was similar and who disappeared from the Salem records several years before Electious appeared in the Middleboro records. He is found in the Essex County records in three lists of country rate, i.e. tax, payers as Electious Ranalls;[10:3/380] Alextius Renholds;[10:3/386] and Allextius Rennolds.[10:3/389] He also testified as Eleckieas Ronalls in a case against Thomas Maule sworn April 18, 1682 in which he was called “about twenty-five years”.[10:8/341]

24 Mar 1682/83 – He gave testimony as Alexius Reinolds, age 25.[10:9/55] This man married in Salem (as Allexander Renalds) to Mary Pease on 16 July 1686. Both of these records originated in the Essex County Quarterly Court Records. The couple appears to have had a son James born in nearby Manchester, MA 15 Jan 1687, the father being one Eleksha Renals.

There was a Henry Renalls in Salem by 1642 who was the right age to be Electious’ father, especially given that he was the only other Reynolds in town for some time. However it seems like he and his wife Sarah were childless. Another possibility for his parents, if Electious was from the Plymouth area, would be William Reynolds who was a resident of Plymouth by the 1630’s. He married there Aug. 30, 1638 Alice Kitson. He was in Duxbury in February 1636 and had a grant of land there. Soon after, the government allowed him to build. In 1637/38 William was presented in court for being “drunk at Mr. Hopkins his house, that he lay under the table vomiting in a beastly manner and was taken up between two”. He was one of John Howland’s crew on shipboard in the Kennebeck River which was attacked and two of the crew were killed after a dispute with contending traders.[1] He is probably the William Reynolds whose children had land laid out to them in Saconett after his decease.  If Electious can be shown to have had land in this area, it would be grounds for connecting him with William.

An Ellexander Reynolds appears on a 1734 list of grantees of Narragansett Township No. 4, which later became Greenwich, MA. This town no longer exists, having been flooded as part of the Quabbin Resevoir project. He was listed as living in Middleboro at the time (1734) and received the grant for services during King Phillip’s War. Since no one of this name can be found in town at any time and Bodge had difficulty reading the record, it would thus seem likely that the actual name of the grantee was Electious Reynolds. This grant was for land promised in 1676 to the soldiers assembled on Dedham Plain as they prepared to attack King Phillip’s fort. If they took the fort, they were promised land in addition to their wages.

5. Robert PEASE “The Latter” (See his page)

6. Isaac Pease

Isaac’s wife Elizabeth Thomas was born May 1675 in Salem, Essex, Mass. Her parents were George Thomas (1650 – 1710) and Mary Graves (1648 – ). Elizabeth died in 1745 in Peabody, Essex, Mass.

8. Nathaniel Pease

Nathaniel’s wife Elizabeth Ashley was born about 1677 in of Salem, Essex, Massachusetts.

Sources:

Ancestry.com

http://www.spicerweb.org/genealogy/pease/peaseregisterlegacy.aspx#c6002

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mroman/pease.htm

http://www.spicerweb.org/genealogy/pease/sarahwitch.aspx

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mroman/reynolde.htm

http://www.ianwatson.org/three_mary_peases.pdf

http://bloodlinesofsalem.org/Sarah_Pease.pdf