Sarah Sawyer

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: say 1692; the Rev. Nathaniel Whitman.

Notes:

Birth:
She was a twin.

Other Events and Attributes:

• History: 1676; After the attack of 1676, he was one of the petitioners to the General Court for relief.
• Moved to: Abt 1677, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Thomas was one of the first settlers to return to Lancaster after the destruction of 1676.
• Military: 1704, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; His house became a garrison and he its commander.
• History: 1705; He was captured by Indians in 1705 and was taken to Canada along with his son, Elias, and John Bigelow. Thomas was supposedly tied to a stake for torture when a friar brandished a key and threatened the Indians with opening the door to Purgatory and casting them into the eternal fires. This was probably on request by the French Governor who wished Thomas' skill in building a mill on the Chambly River. There he and his son helped build the first mill in exchange for their freedom.

Notes:

Birth:
His birth was recorded as 2 (5) 1649.

Name:

Thomas married Sarah Fairbanks on 11 Oct 1670 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Sarah was born on 9 Dec 1645 in Dedham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; was christened on 4 Jul 1647 in Dedham, Essex, England; died on 02 Mar 1671/72 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Father: John Fairbanks (1618-1684)
Mother: Sarah Fiske (____-1683)

Her birth was recorded as 9 (10) 1645.

Died:
Her death was recorded as 2 (1) 1671/72.

Notes:

Married:
Their marriage date was recorded as 11 (8) 1670.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Moved To: 1635, Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts
• Residence: 1645, Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts
• Moved to: 1647, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; He was on of the original settlers of Lancaster.
• Proprietor: 1648, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts
• Occupation: 1648, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts; He was a blacksmith.
• History: 1705; While his son, Thomas, was held captive, he and his wife stayed with his son's daughter, Mary.
• Will: 6 Mar 1705/06, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts
• Probate/Proved: 12 Apr 1720, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Notes:

Name:

Thomas married Mary Prescott on 2 Jul 1648 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Mary (daughter of John Prescott and Mary Platts) was christened on 24 Feb 1629/30 in Sowerby, Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England; died in Apr 1716 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:

Other Events and Attributes:

• History: birth to 1629, Shevington, Standish Parish, Lancashire, England
• History: 1629 to Abt 1638, Sowerby, Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England
• Immigration: Abt 1638, Barbadoes
• Immigration: 1640; They arrived in Boston fro the Barbadoes, and settled in Watertown.
• History: 1641 to 1643, Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
• History: 1643 to 1676, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts
• History: 1676 to 1679, Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
• History: 1679 to death, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts
• History: 1893; At the 250th anniversary of the founding of Lancaster, a memorial stone was erected at his grave site. It reads as follows: 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 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 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

Notes:

Name:
   

History:
He was mentioned in his father's will of 7 November 1608.

History:
In 1629 he moved to Sowerby.

History:
He was probably a Cromwellian soldier and brought to the new world with him a helmet and coat of chain mail. Caleb Butler, in his History of Groton gives this story: "John was a sturdy, strong man of stern countenance, and whenever he had any difficulty with the Indians, he would clothe himself with his coat of mail, helmet, cuirass, and gorget, which gave him a fierce and frightful appearance. They having once stolen from him a horse, he put on his armour and pursued them; and in a short time overtook the party. They were surprised to see him alone, and a chief approached him with uplifted tomahawk. John told him to strike, which he did, and finding the blow made no impression on his cap, he was much astonished, and asked John to let him put it on, and then strike on his head, as he had done on John's. The helmet being too small for the chief's head, the stroke settled it down to his ears, scraping off the skin of both sides of his head. They gave him up his horse, thinking him to be a supernatural being."

History:
About 1643, he moved to Lancaster upon its founding.

In 1652, John took the Oath of Fidelity.

In 1657, he built a saw mill above his grist mill.

In 1667, he contracted with the town of Groton to build them a grist mill in exchange for 520 acres of land. He did so on a site, now in the bounds of Harvard. He placed his son, Jonas in charge, and later deeded the lands and mill to Jonas.

In 1667, he was elected a Selectman.

On 19 May 1669, he became a freeman.

In 1673, he made his will.

History:
He moved to Concord after Lancaster's destruction.

History:
In 1679, he returned to Lancaster.

On 4 April 1682, hi swill was probated.

Died:
Potter (1887) gives his death as 1683.

John married Mary Platts on 21 Jan 1628/29 in Wygan, Lancashire, England. Mary (daughter of Abraham Gawkroger Platts) was born in Wygan, Lancashire, England; died after 1678 in Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: Abt 1638, Barbadoes
• Immigration: 1640; They arrived in Boston fro the Barbadoes, and settled in Watertown.
• History: 1676 to 1679, Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Notes:

Birth: She may have been born in Sowerby, York, England.

Name:


History:
She moved to Concord after Lancaster's destruction.

In 1678, she deposed giving her age as 66 years.

Notes:

Weis (1682) says they were married at Sowerby Parish on 15 March 1607.