William Sanborn Sr (bef. 1624 - 1692)

Born before 29 Jan 1624 in Wells, Somerset, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Moulton) Sanborn — married about 1644 in Hampton, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 18 Nov 1692 after age 68 in Hampton, Province of New Hampshire

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William Sanborn Sr migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 294) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

William Sanborn was baptized at St. Cuthbert, Wells, Somerset, England, 29 January 1623/4, the son of Richard Samborne and his wife, Ann Bachiler.^[1][2][3]

Although there is some question about William’s immigration date, it is thought that William and his brothers, John and Stephen, may have emigrated from England in 1632 along with their grandfather, Reverend Stephen Bachiler. Rev. Bachiler sailed on the ship "William and Francis," which left London, England on 9 March 1632^[4] and “after a tedious passage of eighty-eight days” arrived in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony on 5 June 1632. ^[5] In describing this arrival, Winthrop’s Journal (written contemporaneously) states: “Mr. Welde and old Mr. Batchelor (being aged 71) were, with their families, and many other honest men..."^[6] Since Rev. Bachiler’s actual children were adults at this time, it has been assumed that his “family” meant his grandsons, the Samborne boys, who were documented as being with Rev. Bachiler in 1639 in Hampton, Massachusetts. The fact that there is no record of the Samborne boys prior to 1639 may be due to the fact that they were juveniles for which information is frequently lacking. It is also possible that the Samborne boys came over at a different time. This is issue is currently unresolved.

Rev. Bachiler originally settled at Saugus [now Lynn], Massachusetts Bay Colony where he organized a church. In the winter of 1637/1638, Rev. Bachiler set off for a new settlement: "Another plantation was now in hand at Mattakeese [Yarmouth], six miles beyond Sandwich. The undertaker of this was one Mr. Batchellor, late pastor of Sagus, (since called Lynn), being about seventy-six years of age; yet he walked thither on foot in a very hard season. He and his company, being all poor men, finding the difficulty, gave it over, and others undertook it."^[7] After a failed attempt at settling in Mattakeese: “He then went to Newbury, where, on the 6th of July, 1638, the town made him a grant of land.”^[5] Shortly after, on 6 September 1638, the General Court granted Rev. Bachiler, along with others, grants of land in Winnacunnet. In the summer of 1639, Rev. Bachiler and some other families from Newbury, began the settlement of Winnacunnet which they renamed Hampton.^[8]

On 27 November 1639 in Hampton, William (age 15) was “appointed to ring the bell before meetings on the Lords days & other days, for which he is have 6 d. pr. Lott of eury one hauing a lott within the towne.”^[9]

In June 1640, William was granted a house-lot next to his brother Stephen, southwest of his oldest brother, John.^[9] Throughout the years William acquired more property including 17 acres of upland, 20 acres of meadow and 200 acres of outland.

About 1644, William married Mary Moulton, daughter of John Moulton and Anne Green. They subsequently had eight known children.

William became a freeman on 8 October 1651 and was selectman in Hampton multiple times between 1651 and 1683.^[9]

During the years 1675 to 1676, William served as a soldier in King Philip's War under Major Samuel Appleton.^[10] Major Appleton was commissioned to command a foot company of 100 men and was sent to the frontier along the Connecticut River. On 19 October 1675, his men were involved in a Native American uprising at Hatfield and again on 9 December 1675 in the Narragansett Campaign.^{[11] [12]} According to Bodge, before the Narragansett Campaign: “...the whole army was forced to bivouac in the open air in a driving snowstorm during the night…At daybreak next morning they took up their march over the rough country through the deepening snow, each man carrying his own arms, rations, &c. …arrived about 1 o’clock, P.M., at the borders of the great swamp where the Indians had gathered in great numbers and had built a strong fortification and now awaited the attack…” William is listed under Major Appleton’s company on 10 December 1675 so presumably he was involved in this Narragansett Campaign.^[13] William was still in service on 24 August 1676, when his name appears on a list of families to be credited soldier wages.^[14]

Marriage and Children

Although no marriage record has been found, it is likely William married Mary Moulton around 1644 in Hampton. An imprecise marriage date of 'prior to 23 January 1649' was the date of John Moulton's will that acknowledges a "son" [son-in-law] named Samborn. Clearly, though, the births of William and Mary's children commenced about 1645.^[15]

Their children, all born in Hampton, include:

1. Mary Sanborn, b. about 1645; m. Joseph Dow; d. 21 January 1732/3.^[16] "The widow Mary Dow aged near 95 years died the 21 of January 1732/3."^[17] There is no record for an exact birth date.
2. Mehitabel Sanborn, b. about 1647; m. Daniel Tilton.
3. William Sanborn Jr., b. about 1650; m. Mary Marston; d. 9 October 1744.^[18] "1744 Oct: mr William Samborn Died aged above ninety."^[19] It is incorrectly given as 9 December 1744 in the Genealogy of the Sanborn Family.^[20]
4. Josiah Sanborn, b. about 1652; d. between 28 March 1727 when his will was written and 6 April 1728 when it was probated.
5. Mercy Sanborn, b. 19 July 1660;^[20][18] m. Samuel Cass.
6. Mephibosheth Sanborn, b. 5 November 1663;^[20][18] m. Lydia Leavitt; d. 5 February 1749.^[20][18] "Feb. 5, 1749. Mephibosheth Sanburn aged 88: of Old Age." ^[21]
7. Sarah Sanborn, b. 10 February 1667;^[20][18] m. Samuel Marston; d. 14 April 1738. "The widow Sarah Marston died the 14th day of April 1738 aged about 72 years."^[22] It is incorrectly given as 17 April 1738 in some secondary sources.^[20][18]
8. Stephen Sanborn, b. 4 September 1671;^[20][18] m. Hannah Philbrick; d. 21 June 1750.^[18] "June 21 mr. Stephen Samborn senr died."^[23] It is incorrectly given as 21 July 1750 in the "History of Hampton."^[20]

Disputed Children

• Dinah Sanborn, b. 1664; d. 30 Dec 1698; possibly daughter of John Sanborne, see https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofh02dowj/page/945.

Death and Estate

William died on 18 November 1692 in Hampton.^[24][20]

Only a fragment of William's will is preserved. The part that remains mentions only William's wife and sons and reads as follows:

• "To his wife Mary certain yearly allowances, and one half of his house
• To son Josiah 50 acres ‘in the plaine towards Exeter’ and some salt marsh and commanage
• To son William a share in the great ox common & one cowe….
• To son Mephiboseth, 9 acres near his house, ½ share of commange, 9 acres of upland and 25 acres towards Exeter; also certain other land after my wife’s decease
• To son Steuen my house, barne, orchard, 10 acres of salt marsh, 1/2 share of commonage & c.”^[9][25]

William's daughters may have been mentioned in a part of the will that is no longer extant.

Sources

1. ↑ Citing "St. Cuthbert, Wells, Somerset, parish register, Somerset Archives & Local Studies [image, ancestry.com]," Clifford L. Stott, FASG, "The English Ancestry and Royal Descent of John, Stephen, and William Sanborn/Samborne of Hampton, New Hampshire," The American Genealogist, 92 (2021/2022):1-16 (to be continued), at 2, 7.
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1531-1812 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. William's Baptism in St. Cuthbert Register (Page 55).
3. ↑ FindMyPast. Somerset Baptism Index. St. Cuthbert. Baptisms, marriages & Burials. FindMyPast's Transcription of William's Baptism.
4. ↑ Banks, Charles Edward. ”The Planters of the Commonwealth.” Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 96. Immigration Record.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Lewis, Alonzo. History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts. Boston. J.L. Storey. 1865. Page 139
6. ↑ Winthrop, John. Winthrop's journal: "History of New England," 1630-1649. New York, Schribner: 1908. Pages 80-81.
7. ↑ James Kendall Hosmer, ed., ‘’Winthrop's Journal: History of New England 1630-1649,’’ New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons (1908), 1:266: “Page 266
8. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel B. Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Vol. 1 1628-1641. Massachusetts State Legislature, 1853. Page 236.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3} Sanborn, Victor Channing. (1897). "The First Sanborns of Hampton, NH." Boston: David Clapp & Son. pps. 8,9. Pages 8-9.
10. ↑ “Supplement to the General register of the Society of Colonial Wars,” General Society of Colonial Wars (U.S.); General Society of Colonial Wars (U.S.),1906, Page350
11. ↑ Jewett, I. A., compiler. Memorial of Samuel Appleton, of Ipswich, Massachusetts; with Genealogical Notices of Some of His Descendants. Boston, Massachusetts, 1850
12. ↑ Waters, Thomas Franklin. The Old Bay Road from Saltonstall's Brook and Samuel Appleton's Farm and A Genealogy of the Ipswich Descendants, Ipswich Historical Society, Salem Press, Salem, Massachusetts, 1907
13. ↑ Bodge, George M. (1906). “Soldiers in King Philip's War. Boston: 1891. Pages 106-108
14. ↑ Bodge, George M. (1906). “Soldiers in King Philip's War. Boston: 1891. Page 309
15. ↑ Vital Records from The NEHGS Register. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (Compiled from articles originally published in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.) Reference to John Moulton's Will.
16. ↑ Ancestry.com. Hampton, New Hampshire Vital Records Through 1900. Widow Mary Dow.
17. ↑ Sanborn, George Freeman, Jr., and Sanborn, Melinde Lutz. Vital records of Hampton, New Hampshire : to the end of the year 1900. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1992. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016) Mary Dow's Death.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7} Dow, Joseph. History of the Town of Hampton New Hampshire. 1893.Issue of William and Mary.
19. ↑ Sanborn, George Freeman, Jr., and Sanborn, Melinde Lutz. Vital records of Hampton, New Hampshire : to the end of the year 1900. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1992. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016) William's Death.
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 20.8} Nathan Sanborn, M. D. Genealogy of the Sanborn Family. H W Dutton. Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, 1856. Issue of William & Mary.
21. ↑ Sanborn, George Freeman, Jr., and Sanborn, Melinde Lutz. Vital records of Hampton, New Hampshire : to the end of the year 1900. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1992. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016) Mephibosheth's Death.
22. ↑ Sanborn, George Freeman, Jr., and Sanborn, Melinde Lutz. Vital records of Hampton, New Hampshire: to the end of the year 1900. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1992. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016) Sarah's Death.
23. ↑ Sanborn, George Freeman, Jr., and Sanborn, Melinde Lutz. Vital records of Hampton, New Hampshire: to the end of the year 1900. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1992. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016) Stephen's Death.
24. ↑ New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1654-1969. (From microfilmed records. Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB516/rd/13850/1880/247687376
25. ↑ Batchellor, Albert Stillman. New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers. New Hampshire County, District and Probate Courts. Vol. 31. pps. 374-75; image, Ancestry.com : accessed 7 Aug 2022); William's Will.

See also:

• Clifford L. Stott, FASG, "The English Ancestry and Royal Descent of John, Stephen, and William Sanborn/Samborne of Hampton, New Hampshire," The American Genealogist, 92 (2021/2022):1-16 (to be continued), at 2, 7.