John VINCENT (1608 – 1663) was Alex’s 11th Great Grandfather; one of 4,096 in this generation of the Shaw line.

Vincent Coat of Arms

John Vincent was born about 1608 in England. His parentage is quite uncertain. It has been alleged that he was the child of Sarah Allerton and her first husband, John Vincent.  If so, he was left behind in Europe and came to New England on his own as an adult.  He married Hannah SMITH. John died 1663 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Mass.

Hannah Smith’s origins are not known.    The given and maiden names of his wife is unknown.  However, in the Yarmouth Vital Records are the cryptic entries on October 1676 and 5 December 1683 of a “Miss Vincent” dying.  These could be unmarried daughters or one may be the wife of John Vincent. [Yarmouth VRs, p. 125]

Children of  John and Hannah:

Legendary Mayflower Roots

The faulty research [or the undocumented leap] is that this John Vincent is the son of another John Vincent and Sarah Allerton, daughter of Edward ALLERTON and sister of Isaac ALLERTON of the Mayflower.  Sarah Allerton’s first husband John Vincent was born about 1590 in: London, Middlesex, England. He and Sarah married about 1608 in Leiden. John died about 1610 at: Leiden, Zuid-Holland.  Some researchers have given John and Sarah a son John, but no documentation has been found, and suggest Sarah brought 5 children with her in 1623 – the only children documented are Mary Priest, Sarah Priest and Samuel Cuthbertson

In Leiden on 4 Nov 1611, Degory Priest of London married Sarah Vincent, widow of Jan Vincent of London. [Mayflower Descendant 7:129-30].  Together they have two daughters. Priest dies on 1 Jan 1620/21 and news of that event is conveyed back to Leiden where his widow remarries in November 1621 to Godbert Godbertson [sometimes transliterated as  Cuthbert Cuthbertson].  All four, that is, Sarah, Godbert and her two daughters, arrive in Plymouth in 1623 on the Anne. Both Godbert and Sarah die “without will” before 24 Oct 1633 when their inventory was spoken of. [Plymouth Colony Records 1:11-13].  Eventually their estate was settled on 3 Aug 1640 to John Combe and Phineas Pratt who had married the two daughters of Digory and Sarah (Allerton) Priest.

No mention of John Vincent, the man of Sandwich, is ever made in connection with Sarah (Allerton) (Vincent) (Priest) Godbertson, whether in Plymouth or Leiden records.  One would have to believe that the younger John Vincent was left in England and Sarah went to Leiden alone.  After all the intensive research done on Mayflower families I find it hard to believe that not one record has surfaced that ties the two together in some way.  Unlike some theories, here the timeline works.  A woman born in 1575 has a son in 1600 and then two more daughters in 1613 and 1615 (when she is about forty) and no more children.  Isaac Allerton’s birth year is ca. 1586 based on his own deposition and it all holds together.

However, John Vincent is a much more common name than you would think.  A search in the IGI for parish records (not patron submissions) shows four John Vincents born in London between 1600 and 1610.  If you include all of England and reduce the birth years to 1600 to 1604, there are still 14 John Vincents.  Certainly the John Vincent of Sandwich was a man of some social importance.  He is a leader of Sandwich from the beginning and given the honorific “Mr.” in town records.  Further research is needed in England to find his origins.  However, for now, his connection with Sarah Allerton is based solely on her marriage record as a widow of John Vincent.  Intriguing? Yes.  Evidence?  No.  Certainly not anywhere close to being a reasonable determination of a relationship.

John Vincent Bio

Genealogical notes of Barnstable families Vol 1, p 68: The Indian title to the lands in Sandwich was purchased by William Bradford and his partners of the old Plymouth Company in 1637, for £16, 19 shillings, payable “in commodities,” and Jan 24, 1647/48, they assigned their rights to Edmund FREEMAN, and on the 26th of February following, he assigned the same to George Allen, John VINCENT, William Newland, Robert Botfish. Anthony Wright and Richard Bourne, a committee of the proprietors of the town of Sandwich.

John Vincent was of Saugus (today’s Lynn), Essex, MA by 1636 but was granted lands in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA.  His Duxbury land abutted the lands of Thomas Burgess and William BASSETT, both early settlers of Sandwich. He was made freeman in 1637.  In 1638, he was appointed Constable in Sandwich.

 6 March 1638 — Mr. John Vincent is elected constible of Sandith. and was sworne to searue in the said office from this Court to the end of the next government, vis, for a yeare and a quarter .”

By 1639 John sold the Duxbury land to Thomas Weybourne, and that same year was appointed Deputy to Plymouth Court from Sandwich. Also in 1639, he was appointed to go to Yarmouth to aid in establishing land rights.  He was also listed in the 1643 roster of persons between the age of 16 and 60 who were liable to bear arms.

John Vincent was in Sandwich as late as 1658 when he married for the second time but the moved to Yarmouth, Barnstable, MA.“

Children

John’s children in order of their marriages and therefore extrapolated births are: (i) Elizabeth m. Sandwich, 8 November 1648 [poss. confused with the next record; first child born in 1649], Thomas Dexter (Jr.) and born say 1625; (ii) Mary m. Sandwich 8 November 1648 [Sandwich VRs, p. 8] Benjamin Hammond, and born say 1627; (iii) Sarah m. 8 July 1653 at Barnstable [Mayflower Descendant 4:223] William Dexter [brother of Thomas above] and born say 1631; and (iv) Henry m. 15 December 1657 at Sandwich [Sandwich VRs, p. 15], Mary Matthews, and born say 1634.  The dating of the children is important because you need to be able to date the parents.  Based on the above information we can say that John Vincent was married about 1624 and was likely born about 1600.

1. Elizabeth VINCENT (See Thomas DEXTER Jr.‘s page)

Ensign Thomas Dexter married, Nov. 8, 1648, Mary or Elizabeth Vincent. The record of the marriage is mutilated, but this seems to be its true reading. In early times Mary and
Elizabeth were considered synonymous or interchangeable.

2. Sarah Vincent

Sarah’s husband William Dexter was born about 1630 in England His parents were Thomas DEXTER Sr and Mary HARPER. William died 1694 in Rochester, Plymouth, Mass.

William came to America with his father, and was in Barnstable in 1650. He lived on one of the two farms that his father bought. He took oath in Barnstable in 1657. He removed to Rochester, Mass. about 1679 and died there in 1694.

He was one of a party of thirty, which included such men as William Bradford, Kenelem Winslow, Thomas Hinckley and Rev. Samuel Arnold, who became the grantees of the town of Rochester.

Williamm died intestate, and his estate was settled by mutual agreement between the widow Sarah and her children, Stephen, Phillip, James, Thomas, John, and Benjamin Dexter, and her daughter Mary, wife of Moses Barlow. James, Thomas and John, had the Rochester lands, and Stephen, Phillip and Benjamin, the Barnstable estate. In the division of the meadows in 1694 William had 3 acres assigned him by the committee of the town, which was reduced to two by the arbitrators in 1697. Stephen and Phillip, the only children of William of sufficient age, were assigned 2 acres each. In 1703 Phillip had removed to Falmouth, and Stephen was the only one of the name who remained in town. He had 48 shares alloted to him in the division of the common lands, considerably more than the average, showing him to be a man of good estate.

Children of William and Elizabeth

i Mary Dexter, b. 11 Aug 1649 or Jan 1654 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass.; d. 1729 Mass; m. Moses Barlow. Removed to Rochester.

ii Stephen Dexter. b. Jan 1654 or May 1657 Barnstable, Mass; d. 1729 Barnstable, Barnstable, Mass, probate 17 Mar 1729/30. m. 27 Apr 1696 to Ann Saunders. Stephen and Ann had ten children born between 1696 and 1714.

Stephen spent his whole life in Barnstable and made his home on the farm which was originally his grandfather Thomas’, at Dexter lane. West Barnstable. In 1703 he was the only one of the name left in Barnstable.

iii Philip Dexter, b. Sep 1659 Barstable, Barnstable, Mass; d. 10 Jun 1741 Falmouth, Barnstable, Mass. m. Alice Allen; d.1741 Philip and Alice had nine children.

At the time of their marriage, Philip and Alice moved to Falmouth, where they spent the remainder of their life. He was miller there many years. At one time he was complained of for’ charging’ too high. But as he was the only miller, the people were dependent upon him. A committee was sent to consult with him. but the record does not reveal the result, but at a later period he was paid by the town £30 for his part of the mill and the land that the pond covered, so it may be that the matter was settled in that way. In 1712 he and Thomas Bowerman were appointed to lay out land of the ”New Purchase” into lots, etc. He was selectman, and also town clerk.

iv James Dexter, b. May 1662 Barnstable, Mass,; d. 15 Jul 1694 or 15 Jul 1697 Rochester, Mass; m. Rochester, Mass to Mary Tobey. James and Mary had three children born in Rochester.

James went to Rochester with his father. In 1712, after the death of the father, Mary, the daughter, being- a minor over 14, chose Jabez Dexter (a kinsman) for guardian. and Deborah chose Samuel Hunt for her guardian.

v. Thomas Dexter, b. Jul 1665; d. 31 July, 1744.; m1. 17 Jul 1695 to Mary Miller and had by her one sone; m2. 1702 to Sarah C. March No issue.

The son must have died before his father, for he is not mentioned in his will, and he leaves most of his property to Constant Dexter, who had been brouuht up by him. He gave land to Mary Sherman, wife of William Sherman, who was a daughter of his brother John, lie also gave land to Rose, or Rest, Dexter daughter of his brother John. He gave £3 each to the four daughters of his brother John and to the two daughters of his brother Benjamin. He gave £5 to the church, and all the balance to Constant Dexter, son of his brother Benjamin.

vi John Dexter, b. Aug 1668 Barnstable, Barnstable, Mass; d. 31 Jul 1744 Rochester, Plymouth, Mass; m. 1702 to Sarah [__?__] ( – 21 Jan 1755). John and Sarah had seven children born between 1703 and 1724 all born at Rochester. John and Sarah had eleven children.

John was called yeoman in 1690. He sold land to Samuel Arnold and John Hammond, and in 1714 to James Winslow, and in 1716 to Thomas Dexter.

vii Benjamin Dexter, b. 16 Feb 1670 Barnstable, Mass; d. 18 May 1732 Rochester, Mass.; m. Sarah Arnold Sarah’s father was Rev. Samuel Arnold, who who was the second minister at Rochester, and also one of the grantees of the town. Her grandfather, Rev. Samuel Arnold, was third minister of Marshfield. Benjamin and Sarah had eleven children, all born in Rochester between 1697 and 1718.

Benjamin removed to Rochester with his father. He was a farmer and sold land in 1693 to Moses Barlow, in 1699 to John Hammond, in 1723 to Edward Winslow, in 1715 to John Corning. All of this land was inherited from his father.

Benjamin’s estate was valued at £1,047. At his death, his son James Dexter was made guardian of the two young children, Seth and Joanna.

3. Henry Vincent

Henry’s wife Mary Matthews’ origin is not known.

Child of Henry and Mary:

i. John Vincent b. 1685 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Mass.; m. 2 Nov 1710 in Harwich, Mass. to Hannah Sears (b. 1 Jul 1685 in Harwich, Barnstable, Mass -d. Harwich or Dennis ) John and Hannah had six children born between 1712 and 1732.

4. Mary Vincent

Mary’s husband Benjamin Hammond was born in 1621 in London, England. His parents were William HAMMOND and Elizabeth PAYNE. . He went to Sandwich, and there in 1650 married Mary Vincent.    Nothing is known as to his whereabouts from his arrival in Boston, in 1634, to his marriage to Mary Vincent in 1650, except that he was at Yarmouth in 1643.

There is some mention  in Otis book (on Barnstable): Vol 2, p 67:

‘It is reported that he [Benjamin Hammond – also not of Barnstable] married in 1650 Mary, daughter of Mr. John Vincent of Sandwich. This date is uncertain, for there was a Mary Hammon in Yarmouth in 1648. As there was only one family in town, I thence infer that she was the wife of Benjamin…. list of children: Samuel, who married Mary Hathaway of Dartmouth… John born Nov. 22, 1663, and his wife Mary Arnold… Nathan who married a Dexter, Benjamin. He had also three daughters, two died young, and one named Rose…This list of his children is imperfect. The William named in the following extract from the Boston Journal, was perhaps his oldest son… William Hamilton, born in Scotland…settled on Cape Cod…RI…died in CT in 1746…’

Children of Benjamin and Mary:

i. Mary Hammond, b. Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass; d. young.

ii. Samuel Hammond, b. in 1655 Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass; d. m. Mary Hathaway of Darthmouth

iii. John Hammond , b. 22 Nov 1663 Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass; d. 19 Apr 1749, O. S.; m. Mary Arnold

iv. Nathan Hammond b. in 1670 Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass; d. m. [__?__] Dexter

v. Benjamin Hammond, b. Nov. 1673.Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass; d. 29 Mar 1747.

vi. Rose Hammond, b. Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass;d. 20 Nov 1676.

Sources:

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=42990213

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/18000960/person/640836905/story/9e1fc8ca-0e3a-45a0-b10e-59358c7529b9?src=search

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=gungazo&id=I03323

Genealogical notes of Barnstable families  Being a reprint of the Amos Otis Papers originally published in the Barnstable Patriot in 1861; Revised by Charles  F. Swift Largely made from notes made by the author (1888)