AS COMPILED BY F. A. PRINCE, WITH A FEW EXTRACTS TAKEN FROM "SOME MATERIAL FOR A GENEALOGY BY E. PUTNAM, FROM "HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF ESSEX INSTITUTE," VOL. XXVII.
It is merely conjecture that Richard and Robert Prince were brothers,
yet such may be the case. It has also been supposed that Rebecca
Prince, who married Capt. John Putnam, the next door neighbor of Robert
Prince, may have been a sister of Robert. This is more than probable
from evidence in possession of the writer. She was called "step-daughter"
of John Gedney, which serves to still more complicate the family relations
in this case.
I. ROBERT PRINCE, b. ; died at Salem village, now Danvers, Mass., June 4, 1674; will dated May 24, 1674; proved June 30, 1674. Mentions sons, James and Joseph. Daughter, Elizabeth. Wife, Sarah, to be executrix. Thomas and John Putnam), Overseers. Robert married April 5, 1662, Sarah Warren of Watertown; ; she died in jail, May 1692. She married second, Alexander Osborne, an Irishman, whose conduct in attempting to hold the property occupied by his wife after her sons became of age, is not to his credit. A lawsuit was needed before the property was recovered. Sarah Osborne was accused of being a witch by the "afflicted girls." Her second marriage was unhappy and so depressed her that her mind, dwelling upon that and her changed fortunes, became unbalanced, and on the 29th of February warrants were issued for her arrest. She was convicted and sentenced to death, was committed to prison and heavily chained. Frail in body an feeble in mind she yet had strength enough to maintain her innocence of the charge made against her, and from March 7th to may 10th she languished in boston jail, when death, more considerate than man, released her from her bonds. She was a woman of excellent character, only marred by the fact of her marriage with a man whom she had hired to carry on the place. The gossip excited by this act told against her at the trial.
The house built by Robert Prince is still standing ( see illustration ) with many changes on Spring Avenue, now Danvers, Mass., formerly Salem Village. It is owned by St. John's Roman Catholic college and is used as a farm house. It remained in the Prince family until 1800. The original grant was that made to William Pester, but was afterward the property of Capt. William Trask who sold to Robert Prince in 1659. This grant contained about 150 acres, and lay, all of it, westerly of Summer street, and northerly of what is now Maple street, over toward the Newburyport turnpike. Robert Prince also owned land on the westerly side of the Ipswich river.
For Further information concerning Robert Prince, his grant, and his widow, Sarah Osborne, the reader is referred to the work of Hon . C. W. Upham, or "Salem Witchcraft in Outline." by Mrs. C. E. Upham.
CHILDREN
II JAMES (3), b. in Salem village, Aug. 15, 1668,
d. 1724, in. previous to 1693, Sarah Rea, widow of Jacob Phillips
by whom she had a daughter, Silence Phillips, baptized at same
time as her mother, Sept. 17, 1693, and who married Dr.
Amos Putnam, of Danvers. James Prince was a farmer and lived on the homestead
In the division of their father's estate, James had the eastern and Joseph
the western part. The dividing line was Beaver brook, which enters
a larger brook, called Whipple's brook, near where is now the house of
Mr. Giulford, on Nichols street. The will of James Prince was proved
April 3, 1724. All of the real estate was given to sons James and
David. Jonathan received £,100; to daughters, Charity, Sarah
Reding and Rebecca, £4O each; James had the homestead and orchard
in front. In 1720 James and Joseph Prince had joined in deeding to
their sons, David and Robert, a forty acre farm near Ipswich river, which
had belonged to their father, and the title of which was in controversy
at the time James made his will, Aug. 20, 1723.
Children.
II. JOSEPH (5), b. in Salem village; m. June 3, 1698, Elizabeth Robinson, who was bapt. July 9, 1704. Joseph had the western part of his father's farm in the division made May 21, 1696.
Children
III. JAMES (9), b. in Salem village; bapt, Jan 12, 1700; m. Dec. 2, 1730, Hannah, daughter of John (John John) and Hannah Putnam, b. May 7, 1707; d. June 19, 1798, ( gravestone ). He d. in in 1775; his will is dated April 1, 1774; proved May 6, 1776. James Prince styled himself a yeoman and lived on the homestead. He was prominent in parish and town affairs, and was the first treasurer of Danvers. Both he and his wife were buried at the Prince lot at Beaver brook.
Children.
III. DAVID (10), b. in Salem village; bapt there Jan. 31, 1702; m. there Dec. 3, 1721, Phebe Fuller. David Prince removed to Sutton and died there.
Children.
.
III. DOCTOR JONATHAN (11), b. in Salem village; bapt there July 20, 1707; m. first, Abigail Rogers, of Billerica; m. second, Mary Porter, daughter of Joseph Porter, administrator on the estate of Mary Prince, widow, intestate, July 12, 1782. He died in Salem village, May 1753.. His will was dated May 6, and proved May 28, 1753.
Doctor Jonathan Prince was one of the earliest resident
physicians in Danvers, perhaps the first. Judge Holton studied medicine with him. He lived on the westerly side of Hathorne's hill, where now stands a grove of pines, and .near the sight of the Peabody barn, burnt in July, 1891. The house was moved about 1845 to the corner of Hobart and Forrest streets, and is still standing.
Child by First Wife.
Children by Second Wife.
III. ROBERT (12), son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Robinson) Prince, b. in Salem village, Dec. 29, 1700; bapt. Oct. 22, 1704; m. first, Phebe Symonds; m. second, previous to 1747, Mary _______. July 22, 1720, he received his father's share in a forty acre farm near Ipswich river. In 1747 he sold all his land in Danvers and Middleton to James Jeffrey. He then removed with his family to Killingly, Conn., (North Parish) which Is now Thompson. Book 5 of Killingly Land Records contains cords of deeds from 1745 to 1754. Page 114 gives the original land purchase of Robert Prince.
I, John Ruwee, have received to my full satIsfaction, 1000 pounds, in bills of credit, of Robert Prince, of .Salem, in the County of Essex, in the Province of the .Massachusetts Bay, in New England, for a certain tract of land, bounded and described as follows, containing by estimation 100 acres be the same more or lees, &c., &c., &c. Signed, sealed and delivered this 7th day of April, in the 21st year of the reign of our SovereIgn Lord George the second of Great Britain, Anno Domini 1748.
| In presence of
Solomon Prince Joseph Cady |
}{ | Recorded April 7th, 1748
Joseph Cady, Town Clerk |
Also in same book, page 115, find that he bought 200 acres of Job Ruwee,
for 200 pounds, In bills of credit, at the time he bought the above, and
which, it is believed, joined so that it made a farm of 300 acres. Recorded
by Joseph Cady, Town Clerk. In presence of Solomon Prince and Joseph Cady.
Larned's History of Windham County, Vol. I, page 534, says: "Robert Prince, the same year, (1752) bought land east side of the same river, (French or Stony river) of John Stone."
Killingly Land Records, years 1754 to 1759, contain the following deed in book 6, page 63:
Levi Sylvester sold to Robert Prince for 750 pounds, in bills of credit, of the old tenor, a piece of land containing by estimation 22 acres, be the same more or less, with .dwelling house and barn standing thereon, beginning at a white tree, standing on side hill of John Stone's farm, and near Nathaniel Crosby's line, &c., &c. Signed, sealed and delivered this 34th day of March, in the 28th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Second. Anno. Domini 1755.
Also in same book, page 66, is --- John Stone sold a piece of land, containing by estimation 4 acres, more or less, for 18 pounds, in bills of credit, of the old tenor, paid by Robert Prince, and was at the north-west corner bound of John Stone's farm, and south-west corner bound of Levi White's land. Signed, sealed and delivered this 10th day of January, 1755, and in the 28th year of his reign, George the Second.
| In presence of | { | David Prince,
Jacob Dresser. |
Note: In Killingly, at a Town meeting legally called, on the first Tuesday of December, 1757, "Voted," that Joseph Haskell, Robert Prince and Captain Michael Adams, be a committee on the road from Asa Converse's and Joseph _______ , toward Thompson meeting house, and make a report at an adjourned meeting.
Book 7, KIllingly Records, covering years 1759 to 1768, find deed thus:---
I Robert Prince, do sell and confirm unto Joseph Prince and unto his heirs,
&c., forever a certain tract of land, containing by estimation
50 acres, be the same more or less, and that I have received to my full
satisfaction, 66 pounds, 14 shillings and 4 pence for the same. The land
is bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a white oak staddle in
corner of the lard of the heirs of
Isaac Bowen, thence northerly on line of P. Bason Stone's line, thence
easterly bordering on line of P. Stone's line, westerly to a fordway in
a river, called Stony river, &c., &c. Signed, sealed and delivered
this 18th day of November,. 1757.
In presence of: Solomon Prince.
Book 8, Killingly Records, 1768 to 1772, page 65, find thus: --- I, Robert Prince, for and in consideration of the love and good will and affection I have and do bear toward my son, Ebenezer Prince, have given; granted, and do by these presents freely, fully and absolutely give and grant unto him and his heirs forever, a tract of land, containing by estimation 60 acres. Land formerly belonged to William Richard. Bounded easterly to Nathaniel Crosby's northwest corner bound, &c., &c. Signed, sealed and delivered this 26th day of February, 1768.
| In presence of | { | Solomon Ormsbee
Mary (her X mark ) Ormsbee |
Note: For a more complete and detailed record of the above deeds, consult
Killingly Land Records, books 5, 6, 7, 8, at Town Clerk's office, Danielson,
Conn.
Children by First Wile.
Above born in Salem village.
Children by Second Wife.
Note: Many Danvers families removed to Windham County, Connecticut, during the first half of the Eighteenth century, the above family coming with others, and settled in Pomfret, Thompson, Brooklyn and Killingly.
III. JOSEPH (15), b. in Salem village; bapt there Oct. 22, 1704; m. about 1749, Elizabeth Rollins, of Souhegan West, (Amherst) N.H. He died In Amherst, Nov. 28, 1789. Joseph Prince is said by the Historian of Amherst to have been one of the proprietors of Narraganasett, No. 3, in the right of his uncle, Richard Prince. The only Richard Prince who served in the Narraganasett campaign was Richard, son of Richard of Salem, who may have been his father's cousin.
.There is some room for doubt concerning the Prince pedigree as given In the History of Amherst.
Children Born at Amherst.
Note: For further particulars of this family see History of Amherst, N. H., by Daniel F. Secomb.
III. SOLOMON (17), b. 1707; bapt. Mar. 30, 1707. .Removed to Salem,
and thence to North Parish, of Killingly, (now Thompson). Lived at the
present North Grosvenor Dale, in Thompson, Windham Co., Conn.,
near his brother Robert. He was "cordwainer." He died . Feb. 1767.
Note: In the Spring of '894,
the skeleton and grave-stone were unearthed in digging a cellar at above
place, for the new house of Samuel Stone, Esq. Solomon was buried in a
private lot, it is supposed, by the side of his brother Robert.
.Following is an Inventory of Solomon Prince, "deceased estate," as found on page 65, Book 1764 to 1778, of Pomfret, Conn., Probate Records. An Inventory of the Estate of Solomon Prince, deceased, as appraised by Solomon Ormsbee and Stephen Crosby.
| Is a Bed and Bedding, | £ 2 | 10s. |
| Is a Hat, | 15 | |
| Is a Hoe and Ax, | 17 | |
| 2 Books, | 6 | |
| 2 Noats and Cash, | 199 | 2. |
| Is a Pot and Kettle, Hammer,
Pincers, and 2 pairs Gloves, |
12 | |
| ----------------------------- | ------- | ----- |
| Total, Mar. ye 10th, 1767, | £210. |
| Solomon Ormsbee,
Stephen Crosby, April 7th, 1767. |
} | Appraisers
Under Oath. |
III. ABEL (19), bapt. in Salem village, Apr. 8, 1711 m. July 31, 1735, Hannah Eaton.
Children.
63. Elizabeth, bapt. June 8, 1740.
64. Anna, bapt. June 8, 1'740; m. John Goodale, of Danvers; published
Mar. 15, 1760.
65. Hannah bapt. Aug. 26, 1741.
III. WILLIAM (22). 11th child of Joseph and Elizabeth (Robinson) Prince,
b. in Salem village; bapt. there Sept. 8, 1717. Removed to Pomfret, Conn.,.,
near hIs other brothers, where he married Mary Holland, dau. of Joseph
and Elizabeth Holland. He lived In Pomfret (that part which is now Brooklyn)
until after 1757, as he was until this date one of the Mortlake Society
of this place. (This old Mortlake Society's records commence In the year
1731, and are in the possession of Charles G. Williams, of Brooklyn.) On
Sept. 19,1755, WIlliam Prince was chosen society collector for Mortlake
Society, and June so, 1756, was elected member of Pomfret Library. On Jan.
6, 1757, WillIam Prince was chosen one of the committee to take care of
the school money. Soon after this, between 1757 and 1760, he moved to what
was called the North Parish of New London, now Montville, Conn.. His wife,
Mary, united with the Congregational Church there, under the pastorate
of the Rev. David Jewett, about 1765. She died there April 18, 1799, aged
77 years. Inscription on gravestone: Mary Williams, whose first husband
was William Prince, died April 18, 1799, aged 77 years, 4 months." William
Prince died there (Montville) Feb. 21, 1773, in the 56th year of his age;
buried in old churchyard on Raymond Hill, Montville. After the death of
William Prince, Feb. 21, 1'773, his widow (Mary) soon after married, second,
Rev. David Jewett, who had been pastor at the above place for a number
of years. Jewett's first wife, "Patience" died Nov. 14, 1'773. He died
June 6, 1783.
There is no record of the marriage of the Rev. David Jewett to his second wife. Soon after Rev. Mr. Jewett's death, Ms widow, Mary (Holland) (Prince) Jewett, marred, third, Mar. 17, 1785, WIlliam Williams. She died as above stated, and was buried beside of her first husband, William Prince, in Raymond Hill cemetery, Montville, Ct. Williams Prince was a large landholder in Montville, and at one time owned the farm on which Captain Jerome W. Williams now lives ('896). He became greatly entangled by debt and was obliged to make an assignment of his property, which left him much Impoverished at his death. Elizabeth Holland, the mother of Mary, (his wife) died at Montville, Aug. 23, 1762, aged 64 years. Joseph, the father, died Nov. 18, 1762, in the 68th year of his age. Both were members of the Jewett Church.
Children.
66. Joseph, b. Apr. 15, 1748; d.
67: Eunice, b. Jan. 3, 1750; d.
68. William, b. Mar. 6, 1753; d. Lived In Montville, Conn.
69. Luce, b. Oct. 21, 1755; d.
70. Elizabeth, b. Mar. 12, 1760, In Montville.
Note: First four children born In Pomfret, m found In Pomfret records.
The history of the Raymond famIly (Henry A. Baker) contains the following:
"Joshua Raymond, b. about 1753 m. first. Mary Raymond, who died the first year of their marriage without issue. He then m. Elizabeth Prince, b. Mar. 12, 1760, dau. of William Prince. and (Mary Holland). They had ten children, seven daughters and three sons. Elizabeth died Jan. 2 1844 at Montville, age 83 years, 9 months, 20 days."
III. TIMOTHY (24). b, In Salem village; bapt. Aug. 12, 1722. d.
in Brooklyn, Conn., July 6, 1798, In the 77th year of his age (g.s.)