Lydia (Goffe) Sprague (abt. 1628 - 1715)

Born about 1628 in England

Wife of John Sprague — married 2 May 1651 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 11 Dec 1715 at about age 87 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

Lydia (Goffe) Sprague immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

This profile is part of the Goff Name Study.

Lydia Goffe was born about 1628 (She was aged 70 or thereabouts in 1698),^[1] presumably in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. She was the daughter of Edward Goffe^[2] and Joyce Frost.

Their family attempted to emigrate to New England in 1634, though due to a storm were delayed. They came to New England the following year when Lydia was about 7 years old.^[3]

On 2 May 1651 (2 (3) 1651) Lydia Goffe married John Sprague at Malden.^[4] They had ten children, seven of which were recorded, born at Malden^[5]"

1. John, b. 9 March 1651/52^[5][6]
2. Lydia, b. ca. Sept 1653; m. 5 July 1670 Deacon John Greenland; d. 20 Jan 1704/05^[6]
3. Jonathan, b. Oct 1656^{[5] [6]}
4. Samuel, b. 21 Feb 1658/59^{[5] [6]}
5. Mary, b. 13 April 1661^[5] ; d. before May 1692? (not mentioned in John's Will)^[6]
6. Edward, b. ca. 1663^[6]
7. Phineas, b. Feb 1665/66^{[5] [6]}
8. Hannah, b. ca. 1668; m./ ca. 1690 Samuel Stowers^[6]
9. Deborah, b. 21 Sept 1670^[5]; m. after 31 May 1692 William Mellens; m. 22 Sept 1694 Samuel Bucknam; d. 17 Aug 1751^[6]
10. Sarah, b. Feb 1672/73^[5]; m. before 31 May 1692 Jonathan Fosdick^[6]

Lydia was named in her father's 1657 will, along with her children John, Lidia, and Jonathan Sprague.^[2]

John's will was written in 1692, naming his wife Lydia, daughters Lydia Greenland, Hannah Stowers, Deborah Sprague, and Sarah Fosdick, and sons John, Phinehas, Samuel, Edward, and Jonathan.^[7]

In a deposition dated 13 September 1698, Lydia's age was given as "70 years or thereabouts".^[1]

On 11 December 1715, Lydia, the wife widow of Captain John Sprague, died at Malden.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Court Files. Case no. 3936, testimony of Lydia Sprague. Digital images of microfilm. FamilySearch, DGS film no. 008293226, image 532 of 542.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Middlesex County, Massachusetts. "Probate Papers," file no. 9283 "Edward Goffe," will of Edward Goffe. Digital images of Microfilm, FamilySearch, DGS film no. 007553467, image 1091 of 1203.
3. ↑ See her father's profile.
4. ↑ Births Marriages and Deaths in the Town of Malden Massachusetts 1649-1850, edited by Deloraine P. Corey. (Cambridge, MA: The City, 1903), p. 236 "Lydia [Goffe], m. John Sprague. Mr. Nowell. 2 (3) 1651", citing c[ounty] c[court] (Internet Archive).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7} Births Marriages and Deaths in the Town of Malden Massachusetts 1649-1850, p. 80 citing c[ounty] c[court] (Internet Archive, the New England Historical and Genealogical Society). Transcript: SPRAGUE
   • John, s of John 9 (1) 1651/2
   • Jonathan, s. John, ––: 8m: 1656
   • Samuel, s. John, 21: 12m: 1658
   • Mary, d. John, 13: 2m: 1661
   • Phineas, s. John, ––: 12m: 1665
   • Deborah, d. John, 21: 7m: 1670
   • Sarah, d. John, ––: 12m: 1672
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9} Chamberlain, George. The Spragues of Malden, Massachusetts (Boston, Mass., 1923). Page 83ff (Internet Archive).
7. ↑ Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Probate Files. File No. 21057 "John Sprague, 1693". Digital images of microfilm. FamilySearch, DGS film no. 007553769, images 429-434 of 1234, also on AmericanAncestors. The will was also transcribed in The Spragues of Malden, Massachusetts, pp. 89-83 (Internet Archive).
8. ↑ Births Marriages and Deaths in the Town of Malden Massachusetts 1649-1850, p. 378 citing p. 179 (Internet Archive

• Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume III, G-H (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003), 92- 99 (Edward Goffe) at 97; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
• Sprague, Frank William. The Brothers Ralph and William Sprague and Some of Their Descendants, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1909) Vol. 63, Page 147.