John Prescott

Not the same as John Prescott

John Prescott was a founder of Lancaster, Massachusetts. He was born around 1605 in England and died 20 Dec, 1681 in Lancaster, Massachusetts. He is buried in Old Settlers Burial Yard, Lancaster, Worcester Co, Massachusetts.

Family

Parents unknown.

Marriage: To Mary Gawkroger alias Platts (bp February 07, 1613 d. 20 Oct, 1688) Apr 11 1629 (ALT date: 21 Jan,1629) in , Sowerby, Yorkshire, England. She was probably the daughter of Abraham Gawkroger alias Platts and his wife, Martha Riley.

Note: An early history of the family by Almira Larkin White misidentified her with her cousin Mary Gawkroger alias Platts, the daughter of James and Martha (Ainsworth) Gawkroger, baptized on 19 March 1606/7. This was repeated in White's Ancestry of John Barber White. Closer examination of the parish records revealed several other possible Mary Gawkrogers; the daughter of Abraham Gawkroger alias Platts and Martha Riley is the only one who fit all the known facts of John Prescott's wife including her deposed age.

John and Mary Prescott had eight known children. The first five of their children were born in England except their child Hannah, who was probably born in Barbados, West Indies, 1639. They were:

1. Mary Marie Prescott b. Feb 24, 1630, d. Feb 23, 1718 married Thomas Sawyer
2. Martha Prescott+ b. Mar 11, 1632, d. Jan 24, 1656 married John Rugg
3. John Prescott Jr.+ b. Apr 1, 1635 married Sarah
4. Sarah Prescott b. 1637 married 1 Richard Wheeler, 2 Joseph Rice)
5. Hannah Prescott b. 1639 married John Rugg widower of Martha
6. Captain Jonathan Prescott+ b. circa 1643, d. Dec 5, 1721 married 1 Dorothy Heald, 2 Elizabeth Hoar, 3 Rebecca Wheeler, 4 Ruth Brown
7. Lydia Prescott b. Aug 15, 1641 married 1 Jonas Fairbanks, 2 Elias Barron Jr
8. Captain Jonas Prescott+ b. Jun 30, 1648, d. Dec 31, 1723 married Mary Loker

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On John Prescott. Posted on May 18, 2012 by J. R. Theriault <link>

John Prescott is important to Harvard history in that he built the first permanent building in present-day Harvard. In doing so, he essentially defined the starting point of the historical time-line for Harvard. In 1668, John probably with the help of some of his sons and his friends, built a grist mill on the Old Mill Pond in south Groton, now present-day northern Harvard. The mill was a wedding gift to his son, Jonas who operated the mill to serve the people of Groton and later the early settlers in Harvard. (See our ‘Assets‘ page for more on the Old Mill Pond.)

John was the founder of Lancaster and founder of Worcester County. There are many stories about John Prescott but the following caught my attention. So, I thought that we would reprint it here with the permission of the original blogger.

__________________

John Prescott, Founder of Lancaster, Massachusetts

The skies they were ashen and sober; The leaves they were withering and sere- It was night in the lonesome October

…Edgar Allan Poe Ulalume: A Ballad

The Old Settlers Burial Ground is the oldest burial ground in Lancaster. It is located far off the main road behind Middle Cemetery; it is pretty much hidden from view and can be accessed only by foot and wandering through the woods for a bit. I’d like to thank my online friend, Kat, for taking the time on her vacation to visit the old cemetery and take these pictures for me. Try to imagine how active this old place must be on Samhain Eve.

To visit the “Old Burying Ground”, one must go to the Middle Cemetery, just south of the Nashua River bridge on Route 70. At the far northeast corner of that cemetery, a path enters the woods between two evergreens. The path goes to railroad tracks and 20 paces north continues east to the “Old Burying Ground.”

On the 250th anniversary of Lancaster’s founding, a memorial stone was erected at his gravesite, which reads as follows:

Here With his children about him lies John Prescott Founder of Lancaster and first settlerof Worcester County Born at Standish Lancashire England Died at Lancaster Massachusetts Dec. 1681 Inspired by the love of liberty and the fear of God This stout hearted pioneer Forsaking the pleasant vales of England And encountered [sic] wild beast and savage To secure freedom For himself and his posterity His faith and virtues have been inherited by many descendants Who in every generation have well served the state In war, in literature, at the bar, in the pulpit, in public life, And in Christian homes. ___________________

Will https://www.geneamusings.com/2010/03/amanuensis-monday-will-of-john...

John Prescott (1604-1681) died testate as a resident of Lancaster, Massachusetts. He left a long will and a large estate. The will reads (transcribed from Middlesex County (MA) Probate Records, Probate Packet #18,076, on FHL Microfilm 0,421,496, which includes the original handwritten will, not a probate court copy.):

"These presents witnesseth yt John Prescott of Lancaster in the County of Midlesex in New England Blaksmith: being under the sensible decayes of nature and the infirmities of old age & at present under a great deale of anguish and paine, but of a good and sound memorie at the writing hereof being moved upon considerations aforesaid together with the advis of Christian freinds to set his house in order in reference to the dispose of those outward good things the Lord in mercy hath betrusted him with, therefore I the said John Prescott doth hereby declare his Last will and Testament to be as followeth.

"Firstly and cheifly Comitting and Comending his Soule to almightie God that gave it him and his body to the Comon burying place here in Lancaster, and after his body being orderly and decently buryed and the Charge theirof defrayed together with all due debts discharged the Rest of his Lands and Estate to be disposed of as followeth: First in Reference to the Comfortable being of his loving wife during the time of her naturall Life; it is his will that his said wife have that End of the house where he and shee now dwelleth togather, with halfe the pasture and halfe the fruit of the aple trees and all the goods in the house, togather with two Cowes sp that shee shall Chuse & meddow sufisiant for wintring of them, out of the medowes sp ever shee shall chuse the said winter provision for the two cowes to be Equally and seasonably provided by his two sons John and Jonathan, and what this may fall short in Reference to convenient food and Cloathing and other nesesaries for her Comfort in sickness and health, to be Equaly provided by the aforesaid John and Jonathan out of the estate.

"And at the death of his aforesaid loving wife it is his will that the said Cowes and household goods be equally devided between his two sons aforesaid and the other part of the dwelling house outhousing pasture and orchard togather with the tenn acres of house lott lying on Georges Hill which was purchased of Daniell Gains to be equally devided between the said John and Jonathan and alsoe that part of the house and outhousing which is convenient for the two Cowes and their winter provision pasture and orchard willed to his Loving wife during her Life, at her death to be equaly devided alsoe between the said John and Jonathan, and furthermore it is his will that John Prescott his Eldest son have the Intervaile Land at Johns Jumpe, the Corne mille and all the land belonging to it and halfe the saw mills and halfe the Land belonging to it and all the house and barne their erected, and alsoe the house and farme at Washacomb Pond and all the Land their purchased from the Indians and halfe the medowes in all devisions in the towne acept sum litle part at Bar hill which after willed to James Sawyer, and one halfe of the Comon Right in the towne, and in reference to Second Devision land that part of it which lyeth at Danforths farme both upland and intervaile is willed to Jonathan and sixtie acres of that part at washacom litle pond to James Sawyer and halfe of sum brushie land capable of being made meadow at the side of the great pine plain to be within the said James Sawyers sixtie acres: and all the Rest of the second devision land both upland and Intervaile to be equaly devided between John Prescott and Jonathan aformentioned; and Jonathan Prescott his second son to have the Ry feild and all the Intervaile Lott at Nashaway River that part which he hath in posesion and the other part joyning to the high way and alsoe his part of second devision land aforementioned and also one halfe of all the medowes in all devisions in the towne not willed to John Prescot and Jams Sawyer aforementioned; and also the other halfe of the saw mill and Land belonging to it and it is to be understood that all timber on the land belonging to both Corne Mill and Saw mill be Comon to the use of the Saw mill: And in reference to his third son Jonas Prescott, it is hereby declared that he hath Received a full Childs portion at nonecoicus in a Corne mill and lands and other goods.

"And James Sawyer his granchild and servant it is his will that he have the sixtie acres of upland aforementioned and the two peices of medow at Bare hill one being part of his Second devision the upper most part on the brook and the other being part of his third devision lying on the brook below parkers medow & sum Intervaile Land lying upon Nashaway River purchased of Goodman Allen; Provided the said James Sawyer carie it beter than he did to his Granfather in his time and carie for as becoms an aprentice untill he be one and twentie years of age unto ye Executors of this will namly John Prescott and Jonathan Prescott who are alsoe herby engaged to pforme unto the said James what was promised by his said granfather, which was to Endevor to learne him the art and trade of a blaksmith, And in case the said James doe not pforme on his part as is afore expresed to the satisfaction of the overseers of this will, or otherwise if he doe not acept of the Land aforementioned, then the said Land and medow to be equally devided between the said John and Jonathan, And in Reference to his three Daughters namly Mary, Sara and Lydia they to have and Receive evrie of them five pounds to be paid to them by the Executors to Evrie one of them fifty shillings by the yeare two years after the death of theire father to be paid out of the movables and Martha Rug his grandchild to have a cow at the chois of her grandmother.

"And it is the Expres will and Charge of the testator to his wife and all his Children that they Labor and Endevor to preserve love and unitie among themselves and the upholding of Church and Comon welth, And to the End that this his Last will and testament may be truly prformed in all the parts of it, the said testator hath and herby doth constitut and apoint his two sons namly John Prescott and Jonathan Prescott Joynt Executors of this his Last will, And for the prevention of after trouble among those that survive about the dispose of the Estate according to his will, he hath hereby Chosen desired and apoynted the Reverend Mr. Joseph Rowlandson Deacon Sumner and Ralph Houghton overseers of this his will: unto whom all ye parties concerned in this his will in all dificult Cases are to Repaire and that nothing be done without their Consent and aprobation.

"And furthermore in Reference to the movabls it is his will that his son John have his anvill and after the debts and Legasies aforementioned be truly paid and fully discharged by the Executors and the spesiall trust pformed unto my wife during her life and at her death in respect of sicknes funerall expences, the Remainder of the movabls to be equally devided betwene my two sons John and Jonathan aformentioned. And for a further and fuller Declaration and Confirmation of this will to be the Last will and testament of the afornamed John Prescott he hath hereunto putt his hand and Seale this 8 of the Eight month one thousand six hundred Seaventie three.

"Signed, Sealed, & owned to be ................ Jno Prescott & seale the Last will and testamt ................................. his mark of the testator afornamed in the presents of Joseph Rowlandson Roger Sumner Ralph Houghton"

"Apr. 4, 1682: Roger Sumner, Ralph Houghton appearing in Court md oath to ye abovesd will ......................................... Jonathan Remington Cler"

disproven ancestry

Based on extensive professional research, it was disproven that Ralph Prescott (1569-1609) was the father of John Prescott (1601-1681). It's likely that our ancestor John was somehow related to this family, but Ralph's actual son John died in England without issue.

General Note

There appears to be bad info on the internet connecting this John back a long ways to Standish, etc. Reliable sources invalidate such a line.

Family Notes

John Prescott had a numerous family of descendants, many of whom have been persons of great ability and distinction. His great-grandson, Colonel William Prescott, was chief in command at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Another descendant was William H. Prescott, the famous historian of the 'Conquest of Mexico,' 'Conquest of Peru.'

John and Mary were in Watertown, MA in 1640 and moved from there to the Nashaway Plantation in 1643 which was later to become Lancaster. Jonas was born here before Lancaster was incorporated so his birth was registered in Groton. There is a son Joseph in some records (probable there was no son & his existence is due to clerks error in early history of Concord MA). There may have been two other children who died in infancy in England.

Of John Prescott's ancestry much has been written but not all with proof. He was of a Lancashire family.

Mary's alias "Platts" appears to come from English lands by that name that passed down through the Gawkroger family.

Her father was (in the sixth generation) a descendant of the John Gawkroger whose name occurs in Yorkshire records 1447-1505, and who, on the 10th of August 1487, surrendered certain land called Platts to a grandson and namesake, John, son of Richard. Holders of the land down through the succeeding generations were styled, as was the custom of the country, Platts, but in court documents Gawkroger alias Platts. Except legally, the names could be used interchangeably. I

Biography

• from Narrative on John Prescott from the Sawyer Family Website

John Prescott left England to avoid persecution. In 1638 he landed at Barbadoes, where he bought land. In 1640 he came to New England and settled in Watertown. In 1643, with Thomas King and others, he purchased 'Nashaway' (a part of which is now Lancaster), and became one of the earliest settlers.

Nourse, in his 'Annals of Lancaster' says the town would have been named 'Prescott' had its founder been a freeman; but he had never given public adhesion to the established church covenant, and was therefore incapable of voting or holding office. In 1669, however, he was admitted freeman. He was a farmer, blacksmith and millwright.

John Prescott was a heroic figure in the early history of Lancaster and Groton. He brought with him a metallic coat of mail, which he sometimes wore when dealing with the savages; this served to impress them, as his force, capacity and judgment did his white neighbors. Nourse calls him an 'ideal pioneer' a 'true builder of the nation.'

He distinquished himself for bravery and leadership in the Indian Wars. He served in the garrison at Lancaster and in the defense of the town against the Indians on August 21, 1675 and February 10, 1676.

At the time of his death, in 1683, his family had become one of the wealthiest and most influential in Massachusetts.

Gravesite

Original grave marker:

JOHN

PRESCOTT
DECASED

Memorial stone erected long time aft John Prescott's death:

Here with his children about him lies John Prescott founder of Lancaster and first settler of Worcester County born at Standish, Lancashire, England died at Lancaster, Massachusetts, Ded 1681. Inspired by the Love of Liberty and the Fear of God, this stout-hearted pioneer forsaking the pleasant vales of England took up his abode in the unbroken forest and encountered wild beast and savage to secure freedom for himself and his posterity his faith and virtues have been inherited by many descendants who in every generation have well served the State in war, in Literature, at the Bar, in the Pulpit, in Public Life and in Christian Homes.

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Weblinks

• John Prescott 1605-1681
• http://www.mybalefamily.com/FamilyTree/Prescott-p/p890.htm#i219
• An Original American

Sources

• New England Ancestry of Dana Converse Backus, Compiled by Mary E.N. Backus, New England Ancestry of Dana Converse Backus, (Printed for Private Distribution, Newcomb & Gauss Co., Printers, Salem, MA, 1949). http://www.familytreemaker.com/_glc_/1603/
• William Prescott's 1870 "Prescott Memorial."

Comments

• FLW LINE 34. John Prescott was naturalized; Blacksmith - Made his own armor. He Inputs on this line from John UP are found in F.L. Weiss' 'Sixty Colonists who came to America' book.
• Learned the trade of blacksmith in Shevington from kinsman, Richard. Worked as a blacksmith in Sowerby, Parish of Halifax, Yorkshire, England. Emigrated first to Barbados, then to America about 1636. Settled in Lancaster in 1640. Survived the Indian massacre of 1676.
• First had land in Watertown, MA, but later assumed leadership in the Nashaway Plantation in (now) Worcester Co., MA.
• Arrived about 1640 to Watertown, MA. One of the founding fathers of Lancaster, MA. Descendants were published in The Prescott Memorial up to about 1870.
• John Prescott, the father of Mary--and possibly Robert, who is also listed on rolls of Barbados church and Christ Church in Va., along with Mary Elizabeth Prescott Weeks, Thomas Weeks, and Hobs (Hobbs)Weekes-was the founder of Lancaster, Mass.
• Possibly was the one who sailed from Sowerby, Yorkshire, England.
• According to some sources, John came from England to Barbados in 1638, 'thence' to Watertown in 1640. Given information on the Sawyer family, it would seem that John and Mary had children in England, prior to coming to the colonies. IF Mary was actually born in Sowerby, this helps to cement the family connection to Ralph and the line back to the Royals.