William Barstow (abt. 1612 - 1669)

Born about 1612 in England

Husband of Anna (Hubbard) Prince — married 8 May 1638 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 1 Jan 1669 at about age 57 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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William Barstow migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 1, p. 174) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Disputed Origins and Associations

Origins unknown. Bond found the baptism at Shelf, Halifax, Yorkshire, 17 Nov 1600, of a Michael Barstow, son of Matthew Barstow [Bond 677]; Matthew Wood found the baptism at Halifax, 6 Jan 1600/1, of a Michael Barstow, son of Michael Barstow of Northowram [NYGBR 121:98]. Given the size of this parish and the multiplicity of Barstow families therein, further research needs to be undertaken before we can identify the parents of Michael Barstow and his brothers.)^[1][2] There are also baptisms of Michaels (son of Michael) on 17 Feb 1599 and 18 Jan 1600 at St. john the Baptist in Halifax.^[3]

The origins and parents of the Barstow brothers is unknown.

No son Jeremiah Barstow. This association is confused and has been disputed by WikiTree collaborators. Profile of linked son, Jeremiah (Barstow-348) reports that after he "was killed by the Indians with Capt. Pierce at Rehoboth in 1676," his wife, Lydia married (2) Richard Standlake. This same information is apparent on the profile of Jeremiah Barstow (Barstow-218), son of John Barstow and Hannah. Barstow-348 should be severed from parents William and Anna and then merged into Barstow-218.

No son John Barstow. This association is confused and has been disputed by WikiTree collaborators. In William Barstow's child list appears entry, "John Barstow- m. 16 Jan. 1678 Scituate, Lydia Hatch (b. 7 Jan. 1654/5 Scituate, d. after 1702), d. after 1702"--but it was John^2 Barstow (John^1) who married Lydia Hatch. Anderson, Sanborn and Sanborn (1999) reported no such son John born to William and Anna Barstow. Profile of linked son, John Barstow (Barstow-345), should be severed and then merged with Barstow-11.

Biography

William Barstow was born about 1612.^[4] He married at Dedham, 8 July 1638, Anna Hubbard.^[5] She married (2) 1670, Elder John Prence (born about 1611, married (1) by 1638, Alice Honor, died Hull, 6 August 1676), died after 23 June 1674. William Barstow died Dedham, 1 January 1668/9.^[6]

According to Deane, "William Barstow was a brother of Michael Barstow, a representative of Watertown 1653. He settled for a time at Dedham, where Joseph his son was born, and probably John also. He was a freeman in Scituate in 1649. He house was about one hundred rods north-west of Hanover corners, on the east side of the Plymouth road. He built 'Barstow's Bridge', 1656."^[7]

On 19 September 1635 “Wm Beeresto” aged 23 and “Geo Beersto” aged 21 were enrolled at London on the Truelove as passengers for New England.^[8] On 7 June 1636 “Willi Bayrstow censured to be whipped 6 strokes apiece for drunkenness.”^[9] On 29 Aug. 1636 William attended the Dedham town meetings when they were held in Watertown and he signed the town covenant.^[10]

William was a carpenter and shipbuilder and settled initially at Dedham, where on 23 Mar. 1636/7 he was on a committee to provide timber for a shed for swine and on 14 July 1641 on the committee to lay out the bounds of the town of Dedham.^[11] He was granted 3 acres of swamp on 11 May 1637 and 6 acres of meadow on 28 July 1638.^[12] On 11 Aug. 1637 the town of Dedham let “Willm Bearstowe lay out some part of his lot… for his brother George Bearstowe and that the town shall confer on him some more ground for an addition thereunto.”^[13] On 18 Oct. 1639 “Willm Bearestowe & Willm Hudson… for felling trees in our town near unto Mr Stoughtons farm” The selectmen of Dedham determined at their meeting on 29 Nov. that “it was done by misunderstanding of some things & the men poor & confessing their fault. It is ordered that they shall lose only their labor & so the rails & posts with the residue of the trees whatsoever so felled shall rest in the power of the town to be otherwise disposed of”.^[14] On 10 July 1642 “Willm Bearestowwe complaining of his 8 acre houselot, it was viewed and found to be very defective in the one half of the same by a multitude of stones, wherefore we order & grant unto the said Willm eight acres of upland between the corners of the great Naponset Swamp about southwest from our town.”^[15] He was granted another 8 acres of upland on 6 Feb. 1642/3 and 3 acres of woodland on 4 Feb. 1644/5. In 1648 “Rich Wheeler & John Farington, having bought Will Bearstow’s grant of 8 acres, request an addition thereto from the town.”^[16]

He then moved to Hingham by 1645 and to Scituate (that part of town that became Hanover in 1727) by 1649. His house was about one hundred rods northwest of Hanover corners on the east side of the Plymouth road, about 40 rods back of the site of the Second Congregational Church on Oakland Avenue. Its cellar hole was still visible in 1937.^[17] He built ‘Barsto’s bridge’, the first bridge over North River as on 5 Oct. 1656 “Willam Barstow, of Scittuate covenanteth and engageth to make a good and sufficient bridge over the North River, a little above the third herring brook.” He was also hired by the town to make repairs to the bridge.^[18] He received from the colony £12 for its construction.^[19] On 3 June 1657 “Willam Barstow is allowed by the Court to draw and sell wine, beer, and strong waters for passengers that come and go over the bridge he hath lately made.”^[20]

William was admitted a freeman in Plymouth Colony on 1 June 1658.(6) He was on the jury on 4 June 1657, 1 June 1658, 1 Mar. 1663/4 and 3 June 1668.^[21]

On 2 Oct. 1650 John Turner, the elder, sued “Willam Besto… for carrying away of hay”, however, William won the case.^[22]

On 9 June 1653 Charles Chauncy sued William for £1,000 for slander concerning the complaint against Chauncy in regards to George Barstow’s death: “William Barstow of Scituate acknowledged that whereas a suit hath been commenced against me, the said Willam Barstow, by Mr Charles Chauncy, pastor of the church of Christ at Scittuate, for slandering him, the said Mr. Chauncy, in saying that he was the cause of the death of my brother, Gorge Barstow, late deceased; and also in saying that he, the said Mr. Chauncy, sent his bulls abroad to the church at Cambridge, whereby my said brother was hindered from communion with the said church, which was the cause of my brother’s death, through excessive grief; in all which expressions and saying I do humbly and freely acknowledge that I have done the said Mr. Chauncy manifest wrong”. The court awarded Charles £100 and costs of court, however, he retained on the costs of the suit.^[23]

On 16 May 1666 “William Baarstow of Scituate, planter… do… sell… to Joseph Barstow my eldest son… a part of my upland and a part of my meadow which I have in the township of Scittuate which I lately purchased of Robert Stetson, that part or parcel of upland which I the said William Barstow had given to my said son Joseph Barstow upon which he the said Joseph Barstow have alreadyd built a dwelling house.”^[24]

Looks like William was told by the town to get his inn fixed up on 5 June 1666:

“whereas there is a great neglect in both Willam Barstow and Robert Barker in not keeping of an ordinary fit for the entertaining of straingers, the Court have ordered, that Willam Barstow shall make competent provision for strangers for their entertainment and refreshment for this year.”^[25]

Also at that meeting he was the highway surveyor for Scituate and again on 2 June 1667.^[26] He also was a member of the committee to lay out land on 5 Oct. 1663 and helped in “the running of the line betwixt the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts and Plymouth” for which he was paid on 8 June 1664.^[27]

He was probably neglecting his innkeeper duties due to his carpentry duties as on 31 Oct. 1666:

“Mr Joseph Tilden and Willam Barstow complained against John Palmer, Junior, for purloining and pilfering of a parcel of boards from the saw mill.”^[28]

The Plymouth Court on 2 July 1667 “granted unto Willam Barstow that he shallhave a parcel of land ordered and laid out unto him lying to the westwards of Cornet Studsons grant in reference to satisfaction for his pains, &c in the country business”. On 7 July 1668 this grant was ordered to be “forty acres of arable land or at the utmost but fifty”.^[29]

An Inventory of the estate of Willam Berstow deceased taken by us whose names are underwritten

Impr in 2 yoake of oxen..................................16-00-00
Item in two Cowes...........................................06-00-00
Item in one bull................................................03-00-00
Item in [  ? ] steeres?......................................01-15-00
Item in 2 Calves................................................02-15-00
Item in one horse.............................................04-10-00
Item in 1 horse.................................................03-10-00
Item in 1 horse.................................................02-10-00
Item in 1 mare..................................................02-15-00
Item in one Colt................................................01-10-00
Item in 1 sow....................................................00-10-00
Item in 5 swine.................................................03-00-00
Item in 5 swine.................................................01-15-00
Item in a bed and bolster and two pillows...03-10-00
Item in a ffeatherbed bolster and a pillow...00-15-00
Item in 1 [  ? ].................................................01-00-00
Item in three coverings...................................01-05-00
Item in sheets and other linnen.....................02-04-00
Item in 2 smal palls?........................................01-00-00
Item in brasse 1 pound...................................01-06-00
Item in pewter..................................................01-00-00
Item in three table boards 2 [  ? ].................02-02-00
Item in three Chists.........................................01-02-00
Item in 4 Chayres, saddle pillion [  ? ] bridle horse
harnis.................................................................02-10-00
Item in [  ? ]....................................................02-14-00
Item in three spinning wheeles 1 [  ? ] 2 pairs of
cards..................................................................00-15-00
Item 1 cow hyde and 5 deare skins...............01-04-00
Item in planks and boards..............................05-03-00
Item in rye upon the ground..........................01-04-00
Item in New Cloth............................................01-14-00
Item in [  ? ] two Canoos...............................05-15-00
Item in a Rapier and gun [  ? ] and a barrel.01-04-00
Item in 2 baggs.................................................00-06-00
Item in 4 axes 2 sythes & a bill hook.............00-16-00
Item in 2 plowshares and a Coulter? & 3 Chaines
[  ? ] and Coggs?............................................01-12-00
Item in cart wheels and an old Tumberill? & 2
yoakes...............................................................01-18-00
Item in paile keeles trayes barrels with other old
lumber...............................................................02-08-00
Item in debts hopefull.....................................18-13-04
Item in debts [  ? ]...........................................11-02-08
The Acoumts of the debts of William Barstow deceased which appears [  ? ] amounts to 52£=18=6

Robert Studson?
Joseph Silvester

This Inventory was Sworn to by the widdow Barstow Aprill the fifth 1669…"^[30]

On 5 Apr. 1669 “Joseph Barstow of Scituate… planter & son & heir of William Barstow of Scituate… deceased… to Joseph Silvester of Scituate two parcels of upland being by estimation fourteen acres… inasmuch as my honored father William Berstow lately deceased did in his lifetime… for & in consideration of the natural affection & fatherly love & goodwill which he had & did bear unto his son-in-law Joseph Silvester of Scituate… tailor… give & bequeath unto him the said Joseph Silvester” the two parcels of land.^[31]

In June 1669 “Joseph Barstow of Scittuate… planter… whereas my honored father Willam Barstow deceased in his lifetime did declare and manifest himself, that the said Joseph Barstow and my brother Willam Barstow should after his decease have and enjoy and possess the land which he then was seized of & in his own possession, but dying suddenly was prevented of settling the same in so particular a manner as he intended, nevertheless I the said Joseph Barstow do not intend or desire to infringe my said brother Willam Barstow, of the least right or interest of what my father ever to my knowledge intended him… therefore I the said Joseph Barstow grant to the said Willam Barstow… all that dwelling house barn and outhousing which my father Willam Barstow was possessed of at the time of his decease lying and being in Scittuate… and near unto the third herring brook with twenty acres of upland… belonging to the said house… and one other parcel of upland containing ten acres… and one parcel of marsh or meadow land being nine acres with the reservation of the aforesaid housing, orcharding and lands for the sole use and benefit and behoof of Anna Berstow, mother of the said Joseph and William, until the said Willam shall attain to the age of twenty and one years and of her dower rights for her natural life."^[32]

On 23 June 1674 William’s brother Michael gave to “Hannah Barstow alias Prince, one great Bible and the debt due to me in my book which her first husband William Barstow was indebted to me.”^[33]

Children

1. Joseph Barstow- b. 6 June 1639, bpt. 25 Apr. 1641 Dedham, m. 16 May 1666 Hingham, Susanna Lincoln (b. 16 Aug. 1646 Hingham, d. 31 Jan. 1730 Scituate), d. 17 Apr. 1712 Scituate
2. John Barstow- m. 16 Jan. 1678 Scituate, Lydia Hatch (b. 7 Jan. 1654/5 Scituate, d. after 1702), d. after 1702
3. Mary Barstow- b. 28 Dec. 1641, bpt. 2 Jan. 1641/2 Dedham, m.c.1664 Joseph Sylvester (b. 12 Apr. 1638 Weymouth, d.c.1715 Scituate), d. 16 Nov. 1708 Scituate
4. Patience Barstow- b. 3 Dec. 1643, bpt. 9 June 1644 Dedham, m.1. by 27 July 1664 (20) Moses Simmons (d. 28 Mar. 1675/6 Duxbury), 2. 21 Feb. 1677/8 Marshfield, Samuel Baker (m.1. Ellen Winslow, d. 1699)
5. Sarah Barstow- bpt. Dec. 1645 Hingham, m. Nathaniel Church (d. before 29 Oct. 1689 Scituate), d. after 4 Nov. 1717
6. Rebecca Barstow- bpt. 5 Mar. 1647/8 Hingham, d. after 1674
7. Deborah Barstow- bpt. 18 Aug. 1650 Scituate, m. 9 Nov. 1670 Watertown, Philip Shattuck (m.2. Rebecca Chamberlin, d. 26 June 1722 Watertown), d. 24 Nov. 1679 Watertown
8. William Barstow- bpt. 3 Oct. 1652 Scituate, m.c.1676 Martha ______ (d. 13 Aug. 1711 Scituate)
9. Martha Barstow- bpt. 22 Apr. 1655 Scituate, m. 9 Dec. 1674 Sandwich, Samuel Prence (bpt. 19 Aug. 1649 Hingham, d. 3 July 1728 Middleboro, MA), d. 18 Dec. 1684 Hull

Sources

1. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume 1, A-B (1999), 171-74 (Michael Barstow), at 173; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
2. ↑ Bond 677 p. 677 of Genealogies of the families and descendants of the early settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, including Waltham and Weston : to which is appended the early history of the town. by Henry Bond (1860)
3. ↑ Search at https://www.freereg.org.uk
4. ↑ Citing "Hotten 131," Robert C, Anderson, George F. Sanborn, and Melinde L. Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635 Vol.1: A-B (1999), 174-180 (William Barstow), at 177; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
5. ↑ Citing "DeVR 126," Robert C, Anderson, George F. Sanborn, and Melinde L. Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635 Vol.1: A-B (1999), 174-180 (William Barstow), at 177; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
6. ↑ Citing "DeVR 11," Robert C, Anderson, George F. Sanborn, and Melinde L. Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635 Vol.1: A-B (1999), 174-180 (William Barstow), at 177; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
7. ↑ Arthur Hitchcock Radasch, Barstow-Bestow Genealogy: Descendants of John and George Barstow (1964). [1]
8. ↑ Citing "Hotten 131," Robert C, Anderson, George F. Sanborn, and Melinde L. Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635 Vol.1: A-B (1999), 174-180 (William Barstow), at 179; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
9. ↑ Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay: 1628–1686- Nathaniel Shurtleff, Ed., Boston, 1853- Vol. I, p. 176
10. ↑ Dedham (Mass.), Carlos Slafter, and Don Gleason Hill, The early records of the town of Dedham, Massachusetts ..., 6 vols. (Dedham, Mass., Dedham Transcript Press, 1886-99) 3:3, 21; digital images, Hathi Trust.
11. ↑ Dedham Town Records- Vol. I, pp. 28, 79
12. ↑ Dedham Town Records- Vol. I, pp. 31, 46
13. ↑ Dedham Town Records- Vol. I, p. 34
14. ↑ Dedham Town Records- Vol. I, pp. 60, 62
15. ↑ Dedham Town Records- Vol. I, p. 86
16. ↑ Dedham Town Records- Vol. I, pp. 96, 110, 151, 177
17. ↑ History and Genealogy of the Briggs Family, 1254-1937- Vernon Briggs, 1938
18. ↑ | History of Scituate, Massachusetts, from Its First Settlement to 1831- Samuel Deane, Loring & Co., Boston, 1831 quoting Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Vol. III, p. 108; see also pp. 123, 192; IV, pp. 41, 68-9
19. ↑ History and Genealogy of the Briggs Family, 1254-1937- Vernon Briggs, 1938
20. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Vol. III, p. 118
21. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Vol. III, p. 135; Vol. IV, pp. 50, 187; Vol. VII, p. 83
22. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Vol. VII, p. 51; see also pp. 80, 107
23. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Vol. VII, p. 65; Vol. III, pp. 35-6
24. ↑ Plymouth Colony Deeds- Vol. III, p. 115
25. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Nathaniel Shurtleff & David Pulsifer, Eds., Boston, 1855- Vol. IV, p. 129
26. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Vol. IV, pp. 123, 149
27. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Vol. IV, pp. 46, 63, 99
28. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Nathaniel Shurtleff & David Pulsifer, Eds., Boston, 1855- Vol. IV, pp. 137-8
29. ↑ Records of the Colony of New Plymouth- Vol. IV, pp. 160, 188
30. ↑ Plymouth Colony Probate Records- Vol. II, pt. 2, fol. 56; FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-VQS1 : 8 March 2023), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 263 of 616; State Archives, Boston.
31. ↑ Plymouth Colony Deeds- Vol. VI, pp. 82-3
32. ↑ Plymouth Colony Deeds- Vol. IV, pp. 97-9
33. ↑ Middlesex County Registry of Deeds- Vol. IV, pp. 168-9

• History of Scituate, Massachusetts, from its First Settlement to 1831, Samuel Deane, (Boston: James Loring), 218.

• Pane-Joyce Genealogy, David Pane-Joyce.

• Robert C, Anderson, George F. Sanborn, and Melinde L. Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635 Vol.1: A-B (1999), 174-180 (William Barstow); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.

• Vital Records for Dedham, Hingham, Scituate, Middleboro, Watertown, Marshfield, Duxbury, Hull, Weymouth- available at the Mass. Archives- Columbia Point

• The William Barstow Family: Genealogy of the Descendants of William Barstow- Arthur Radasch, n.p., 1966- available at NEHGS

• The Wives of Michael Barstow and Richard Carver of Watertown, Massachusetts and the Identity of the Wives of William Randall of Scituate and William Perry of Marshfield- Robert Anderson, NEHGR- Vol. 146, pp. 230-234 (July 1994)

• Peter Wayne Johnson, Brøderbund Software, Inc., World Family Tree Vol. 3, Ed. 1, (Release date: February 9, 1996), "CD-ROM," Tree #5779, Date of Import: Feb 12, 2000. (1996), "Electronic," Date of Import: Feb 13, 2000.

• Cynthia Ann Crawford Jacobs, Brøderbund Software, Inc., World Family Tree Vol. 2, Ed. 1, (Release date: November 29, 1995), "CD-ROM," Tree #0309, Date of Import: Feb 12, 2000. (1995), "Electronic," Date of Import: Feb 13, 2000.
  • citation note: Four brother of this name came early to New England and settled at Cambridge, Watertown and Dedham. These were George, Michael, John and William. Of but two, George and William have we been able to learn when and how they came. We find that, on the 20th Sept. 1635, William Barstow, age 23, and George, age 21, embarked for new England in the Truelove, John Gibbs, Master. The place from which they came is not given, but they were probably of Yorkshire.
  • citation note: William, the fourth brother, was in Dedham in 1636, and signed the Petition for the incorporation of that town under the name of Contentment (Mid. Prob. Rec. vol. 9, pp. 225-7.) The 16 d. 12 mo. 1642, grants of "upland ground fit for improvement with the plough," were made to him, and to his brother George. He was a freeman in Scituate 1649 and the first settler, of whom we have record, on the present territory of Hanover. He died leaving no will, and his widow, Anne, administer on his Estate (Col. Rec., 3, 56.). In his brothers will, mention is made of "8 children of his brother William".