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Prence, Thomas [aka: , Governor]
b. 1601 Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England
d. 29 MAR 1673
Parents:
Father: Prince, Thomas
Family:
Marriage:5 AUG 1624 Plymouth, MA
Spouse: Brewster, Patience
b. 1600 England
d. 1634 Eastham, MA of smallpox
Parents:
Father: Brewster, William
Mother: Mary,
Family History:
Thomas immigrated aboard Fortune in 1621. 1623 Division of Land. 1627 Division of Cattle. Thomas Prince of All Saints Barking, London, carriage maker, in his will, dated 31 July, probated 14 Aug. 1630, beq. to "my son Thomas Prence now in New England" a silver bowl and a seal ring of gold, to be delivered to him at his next return; also beq. to dau. Rebecca, wife of Thomas Dipple, citizen and merchant tailor, of London, etc. "Bradford, Allerton and Standish, to whom the trade monopoly (of Plymouth) had been granted, took in five others--John Alden and John Howland..., William Brewster and Edward Winslow, and Thomas Prence--another young man who at twenty-one had come over on the FORTUNE. Three years later he married Patience Brewster shortly after she reached Plymouth on the ANNE." Of the eight Plymouth Undertakers, who seemed to be the most important men in the colony in 1627, Prence was the only one who had not arrived on the Mayflower. In 1632, 1633, 1635 through 1637, and 1639 through 1656 he served as Assistant to the Governor. From March 1, 1634 to March 1635, June 5, 1638 through March 1639, and June 3, 1657 through April 8, 1673 he served as Governor. From January 1, 1637 to 1640 he was Treasurer. In 1637 he was also President of the Council of War, and negotiated with the Massachusetts men who unjustly demanded much of the land on the Connecticut River that Plymouth had purchased from the Indians, and in 1638 presided over the court as Governor when the momentous decision was made to execute the white men who had murdered an Indian. On 28 February 1639/40 William Honeywell was to be released from his indenture to Mr. Thomas Prence in return for setting, planting, and weeding Mr. Prence's crops, promising not to loiter or work for others, and Honeywell would have one-half the crop at harvest. Thomas Atkinson would provide room and board and would be paid by Prence until settlement at harvest. October 10, 1643 "This Court was called upon occation of the insurrection of the Indians agst the Dutch and English there and have plotted to cutt off the English and to beginn wth the Dutch, many of whom they have already cutt off. It is concluded and agreed upon by the Court, that thirty men according to our p'porcon wth the confederates, shalbe forthwth made ready for the warr and be sufficiently p'vided wth armes compleate & other p'visions and to be in continuall readynes to go forth wth the confederates when they shalbe called. The rule wch was thought most equall for number of p'sons in every towneship was to take one of a score in every towneship…It is ordered and agreed upon by the Court that the comittees of every towneship do speedyly make their number of men ready and furnished wth sufficient armes and p'vision and send their names to the Govr & counsell of warr hereafter named wth all convenyent speed and a cattalogue of their armes. The counsell of warr elected & authorized by the Court are…Mr. Thomas Prence…It is ordered and concluded upon by the Court that the counsell of warr shall have full power to order all things concerning the gen'all warrs for the Gov'ment, especially in these p'ticulars following, viz.:-- That the counsell of warr shall have full power to yssue out warrants to presse such a number of men in every towne as by p'porcon the said towne is to set forth; and also to yssue forth warrants to the said townes for armes & p'vision for them, and so for a greater or lesser number or p'porcon as occation shall require according to the number of p'sons and rates now agreed upon in this Court for eich towneship. That when complaint is made to the counsell of warr either by the officers or souldiers of any offences donn in tyme of service, the said counsell of warr shall have full power to heare & determine & punish such offenders. The armes wch shalbe accounted sufficient for the furnishing of a souldier are these: A muskett, either firelock or matchcock, so that they p'vide match wth all, a paire of bandeliers, or a pouch for po'der and bulletts, a sword and a belt, a worme & scowrer, a rest & a knapsack. That the counsell of warr shall have full power to choose a treasurer or treasurers for the p'sent service to make p'vision for them, and shall give an account to the countrey of their receipts and payments when they shalbe required. That the losse of armes wch shall happen in this expedition shalbe borne by the countrey according to their…p'porcons. That all the armes wch shalbe used in this expedition shalbe valued by the counsell of warr and a record of them taken and to whom they are deliv'ed by one thereunto appoynted. That the comittees do send a list of their souldiers names wth their armes to the counsell of warr to Plymouth on Munday the XXIII of this instant Octobr or before. That the counsell of warr shall have full power to make choyce of a leader that shall leade this company, and one to goe wth him for counsell. That every souldier shall have XVIII.s. p. month & dyett & pillage. That every souldier shall have a months p'vision sent wth him, viz.: for every souldier XXXlb of biskett, XIIlb of pork or XXlb of beefe, and half a bushell of peas or meale; and that every towne p'vide according to this p'porcon for so many men as they are to send forth. That the leader of this company shall have fourty shillings p. month, and the serjeant XXXs p. month. It is ordered by the Court that if the townesmen of Yarmouth cannot p'sently agree to appoynt a place for defence of themselves, their wives and children, in case of a suddaine assault, that then the Court doth order and appoynt…Anthony Thacher…wth the constable, to appoynt a place and forthwth to cause the same to be fortyfyed wth all speede. In 1644 he relocated to Eastham and completed building his house 2 years later. In 1645, 1650 and 1653 through 1658 he also served as Commissioner for the United Colonies. In summary of the "Cost of the Expedition against the Narraganset Indians in 1645: The barrell of powder the soldiers spent and delivered to diverse of the townes, was not accounted for, not 300 lb. Of leade which Mr. Prence bought, not the bullets the soldiers had forth which was not returned, nor…5 shilling Mr. Prence paid for casting shot and canvas bags for to put bread and provisions in…" He was of a conservative nature, as is shown by his siding with William Bradford and Edward Winslow in the 1645 Vassall controversy, and by his actions against the Quakers. On June 2, 1646 "The Counsell of Warr chosen & nominated by Court for this ensuing yeare: …Mr. Thomas Prence…It is enacted by the Court, that these or any three of them meeting together, shall have power and authoryty to make orders for matters of warr and to yssue forth warrants &c.; but if but two of them do meete, then to have the consent and approbacon of the Gov. in what they doe; and that when these do so meete together, they shall have power to choose such p'sons to their counsell and assistance as they shall think good (if they please) so they exceed not the number of foure p'sons, and if any man shall refuse to doe the service when they are so warned or called thereunto, that then such p'son or p'sons shalbe fyned as the counsell of warr shall think meete so it exceede not fourty shillings to the colonies use; and that these shall have power to determine in any offence concerneing warr either donn before this day or after, before thend of this ensuing yeare, and for all p'sons as well strangers as our selves for any thing donn wth in this gov'ment and shall have power to choose a p'sident amongst themsewles and to make orders about such thinges as shalbe needfull. In 1661 Thomas presided over the court in the very sane and reasonable handling of Plymouth's first witchcraft trial. In 1665 as compensation for having required Prence, as governor, to reside in Plymouth, the court ordered that he would be paid £50 per year as long as he remained governor, and he was given a house in the Plain Dealing area of Plymouth as a residence which in 1668, at his request, the court sold to him for £150. From 1670 through 1672 he also served as Commissioner for the United Colonies. His farm at Eastham contained many acres and was situated northwest of Towne Cove. It is said that his farm comprised the "richest land" in the place. He also owned land in Harwich and Truro, besides tracts at Tonset. His tracts at Sauquatucket, now Brewster, which came to him by grant, on the account of having been a "purchaser or Old Comer", he sold to his son-in-law Major John Freeman, in 1672. The Plymouth church records, in expressing Mr. Prence's character and his amiable and pleasant conversation, depart from their usual course by an indication of his personal appearance, from which it may be supposed that it was particularly dignified and striking. He was excellently qualified for the office of Governor. He had a countenance full of majesty, and therein, as well as otherwise, was a terror to evil doers. He was the leading advocate for a free school system in the Colony and fought tirelessly until that was established. He engaged in many land transactions, and he died a wealthy man, leaving a personal estate in excess of £400 and some eleven tracts of land, at least two of them containing 100 acres each. He prepared his will March 13, 1673. His will was probated 5 June, 1673, beq. to wife Mary goods that were hers before marriage; to his seven daus. Hannah Marcye, Jane Marsh, Jane, wife of Mark Snow, Mary Tracye, Sary Howes, Elizabeth Howland and Sary Howes, Elizabeth Howland and Judith Barker; to gr. ch. Theophilus Mayo and Susanna Prence, dau. of his son Thomas, deceased; to son John Freeman. Bro. Thomas Clarke to be a help to the wife. Thomas PRENCE heirs, directly or through their attornies, sold land of his estate June 10, 1676; Susanna Prence, single woman, at Catherine Gate neare the Tower in London; Capt John Freeman in behalf of his wife Marcye; Jonathan Sparrow and his wife Hannah; Nicholas Snow and his wife Jane; Jeremiah Howes and Sarah his wife; John Tracy and Mary his wife; and the widow Mary Prence.

Children:

Family:
Spouse: Collier, Mary
Children:

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Copyright 2001 Richard Joseph Bucknum