He was proposed to be admitted a freeman 3 June 1652, and was admitted 3 May following. His name rarely occurs in the records. He was a grand juror in 1653 and 1662, and a surveyor of highways in 1674.
He became a member of Mr. Lothrop’s church 29 April 1643. He appears to have been very exact in his religious duties, causing his children to be baptized on the Sabbath next following the day of their birth. His son Joseph was born on Sunday 25 January 1651 Old Style and was carried two miles to the church and baptized the same day. He was one of the very few against whom no complaint was ever made, a fact which speaks well for his character as a man and a citizen.
There is no record of his marriage, death, or settlement of his estate. He was living in 1686, but died before 1697.
Two distinct stories have been advanced to identify his wife. The more credible states that she was Martha Wilder, born about 1620 in Shiplake, Oxfordshire, England (Ref.2). The less credible story says that she was a Wampanoag Indian named Mary Hyanno, a great-granddaughter of the famed Canonicus (Ref 3). While such unions happened it is doubtful that it would have escaped notice till this late date.
Children:
Mary born 1640, baptized
6 May 1643
Martha born 1642, baptized
6 May 1643
Priscilla born 10 Mar 1643/4,
married John Hall 1660 and their decent is continued.
Sarah born 28 Mar 1646, married
John Hamlin
Abigail born 18 Dec 1647,
married Allen Nichols and had nine children.
Hannah born 16 Nov 1649
Joseph born 25 Jan
1651/2, married 3 Dec 1676 Martha Taylor
Hester born 2 Oct 1653, baptized
the same day
Lydia born the end of Sep
1655
Rebecca born Sep 1657, married
William Hunter in 1670 according to a probably erroneous record
James born end of July 1660,
admitted townsman 1683, but does not appear on the list of 1703 so was
either dead or removed by then.
References:
1. Genealogical Notes of
Barnstable Families, Being a Reprint of Amos Otis Papers, Originally Published
in the Barnstable Patriot, Revised by C. F. Swift, Volumn I,
1888, page 52 through 55.
2. Thomas Cooper of Springfield,
Gateway Press, Baltimore, 1987, page 43
3. Bearse-Bears-Barss Family,
Genealogy of Augustine Bearse and Princess Mary Hyanno, Franklin Bearse,
no publication data given.
As noted above, their son Joseph was born on Sunday. At one time people believed that the period of gestation was exactly nine months, so a birth on Sunday implied less than godly thoughts on the Sunday nine months earlier. This belief was denounced when a minister’s wife gave birth to twins on a Sunday!