RFN121
BIOGRAPHY
Notes
See "The Grantees & Settlement of Hampton, New Hampsh ire," complied by Victor Sanborn
(first appearing in Essex Insititute Historical Collections in October, 1917) at p. 19 providing that:
13. WILLIAM SARGENT [William Sergant]. At Ipswich 1633, Newbury 1635, Salisbury 1639, Amesbury 16 55-75. He and Thomas Bradbury married sisters, daughters of John Perkins of Ipswich. Sargent's first wife, Elizabeth Perkins, is said to have been b orn in 1618.
Concerning Sargent's own age there is some dispute. One account says he was born in 1598, and another says the year of his
birth was 1 602. There seems no reliable testimony as to what part of England he came from , though the author of the Sargent Record (1899) believes he came from the Wes t of England.73 In his will, dated 14 March, 1671-2, and proved at Salem in 16 75, he calls himself a
"seaman".74 The exact date of his death is not given on the town records, but he was living on 1 July, 1673,75 and dead before 14
Ap ril, 1675,76 when his will was proved. William Sargent never lived at Hampton, removing to Salisbury, and finally settling in that part
which became Amesbur y. For his descendants, vide Hoyt's Salisbury and Amesbury Families, Vol. I, p p. 310-4; and Sargent Record (1899).
Information obtained from Pedigree Charts compiled by Joanna Baxter
Curtis and on file Yates Publishing, PO Box 67, Ste vensville, MT
59870.
The following interesting bit of family history we take from an issue of the Salisbury (Massachusetts.) Villager (1876): "Wednesday night the Riverside Lodge of this village made public their installation of officers in Sargent Hall, after which friends and invited guests partook of a bountiful supper. The Sargents are a numerous family in this town, and are large owners of real and personal estate. William Sargent, one of twelve men who settled in Ipswich, in 1633, subsequently went to Newbury, and thence to Amesbury in 1643, where he died in about 1675, aged seventy-three. He was the founder of the family name in this town.
Excerpt from "William Sargent and His Descendants in America" ...He came to America on the Ship Lion in 1633 with John Winthrop and his company of Puritans and landed at Massachusetts, possibly Charlestown. They began a common type of living, with all working together for a common purpose, but not to the point of common money affairs. t hey each worked at his original tade, that they had followed in England, and began to build a new life in America. William married after he reached America, and had many children, among which was Thomas and the line that we follow down to our Sargeant... Ms. Norma M. Hutson
Anderson's GMB
According to the "Sargent Record" by E. E. Sargent (1899), William died in Amesbury,Massachusetts. and is buried there at the "Ferry". Elizabeth arrived in America aboard the ship Lion in the spring of 1631. The writer states that william and Elizabeth were both in Agawam (Ipswich) prior to 1633 and that they probably married there in 1633. there is apparently no record of the marriage. The Sargent Record says william married Joanna Rowell Sept. 18, 1670.
William Sargent found in:
Passenger and Immigration Index, 1500s-1900s
Place: Massachusetts Year: 1633
Primary immigrant: Sargent, William
Permanent entry number: 7954269
Accession number: 994529
Source publication code: 1262
Source publication page number: 254
Source publication: COLKET, MAREDITH B., JR. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants from Europe, 1607-1657. Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, 1975. 366p.
Source annotation: Date and place of settlement or date and place of arrival. Names not restricted to the Order of Founders and Patriots of America.
Source: Passenger and Immigration Lists Index
William "Sargeant" sued Mr. William Hook of Salisbury for 56s. in corn 26 December 1643
The inventory of the estate of "Willi. Sargent, Senr.," taken 8 April 1675 by Thomas Sargent and John Weed, totalled £196, of which the real estate totalled £137 10s., including "housing & lands about the house & orchard on both sides [of] the country way," £85; "half the lot in the tide meadows, £16; "a Higledee Pigledee lot in the salt marsh" £25; "a lot lying in ... Lyons Mouth," £5 10s.; "a lot in the great swamp," £2; "a lot in ... Bugmore," £4
In his will, dated 24 March 1670/1 and proved 13 April 1675, "William Sargent of the town of Emsbery," seaman, "being in pritty good health of body..." bequeathed to "my grandchild William Challis" £5; to "my grandchildren: Elizabeth, Lidia, Mary and Phillip Watson Challis" each of them 20s.; to "my grandchildren Dorethie, & Elizabeth Colby" each 20s; to "my grandchild William Sargent" 30s.; to "my daughter Elizabeth the wife of Samuel Colby" £5; residue to "my daughter Sarah" and if she die without children, the housing and lands to be equally divided to "my four children hereafter named i.e.: my sons Thomas & William: & my daughters: Mary and Elizabeth"; "my son Thomas Sargent and my daughter Sarah Sargent" executors; loving "brother-in-law Mr. Tho: Bradbury" and esteemed friend Major Robert Pike, overseers
William's burial place is located on Rocky Hill Road in Amesbury, Massachusetts at least I presume it's Amesbury - could be Merrimac though. Merrimac is the next town to the West of Amesbury.
WILLIAM SARGENT
ORIGIN: Unknown
MIGRATION: 1632
FIRST RESIDENCE: Ipswich
REMOVES: Newbury, Hampton, Salisbury, Amesbury
OCCUPATION: Seaman.
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Admission to a Massachusetts Bay church prior to 22 May 1639 implied by freemanship.
FREEMAN: 22 May 1639 (as "Mr. Willi[am] Sergent") [MBCR 1:375].
EDUCATION: Signed his name to his will and to deeds.
OFFICES: Essex grand jury, 13 April 1652 [EQC 1:251]. Petit jury, 8 April 1662, 24 June 1662, 13 April 1669, 12 April 1670 [EQC 1:377, 385, 4:128, 235]. [Some of this service may belong to William Sargent of Gloucester.]
Sworn clerk of the train band of Salisbury on 8 April 1651 [EQC 1:223].
ESTATE: "It is ordered that no person whatsoever shall go to plant or inhabit at Aggawam, without leave from the court, except those that are already gone, viz. ... "Willm Srjeant" [MBCR 1:103]. In a grant at Ipswich in 1634, William Sargent received twelve acres of land [ITR].
"Willi[am] Sergant" was in the list of petitioners, mostly Newbury men, headed by STEPHEN BACHILER, who on 6 September 1638 were granted "liberty to begin a plantation at Winnacunnet [Hampton]" [MBCR 1:236]. "Will[iam] Sargent" was in the section of married men in the list of first comers to Hampton [GDMNH 55].
On 7 November 1644 John Severans of Salisbury, planter, sold to William Sargent of Salisbury, planter, twenty acres of upland in Salisbury on the west side of Powwos river [NLR 3:5].
On 25 March 1647 Anthony "Colebie" of Salisbury, planter, deeded to William Sargent of Salisbury, seaman, a dwelling house and house lot in Salisbury between Jarred Haddon and Henry Browne [NLR 1:19].
On 16 December 1652, William Sargent of Salisbury sold to John Browne of Hampton, the meadow and upland adjacent to Aquilla Chase and widow "Bristos" [NLR 1:21]. On 15 April 1659 William Sargent of Salisbury sold to John Woodin of Salisbury upland in Salisbury near the "Pawwaus River above the falls" [NLR 1:84].
On 1 November 1666, William Sargent of Salisbury, seaman, gave for "natural affection" to his son Thomas Sargent thirty acres of upland in Salisbury abutting the Merrimack River [NLR 2:157]. On 22 October 1669, William Sargent of Amesbury gave for "natural affection and other considerations" to his "beloved son Thomas Sargent" six acres of marsh granted to him by Salisbury, and a sweepage lot of salt marsh in Salisbury at a place called "ye beache" being lot number 8 containing three acres and four rods, being half the lot of marsh between two islands called "Barnss Iland" and "Ware Iland" [NLR 2:153]. On 9 October 1669 William Sargent of Amesbury, planter, gave for "natural affection and other considerations" to his "beloved son William Sargent" a great lot of upland containing two hundred acres in Amesbury, a lot of upland in ox common containing eight acres, a lot of upland west of the great pond containing forty acres, a lot of upland in "burchin meadow hill" containing forty-five acres "which I bought of Edward Goe"; the last division of three acres in the pond meadow (all the foregoing in Amesbury); and half his first division of the higledee pigledee lots of salt marsh in Salisbury [NLR 2:153].
On 4 March 1670/1 William Sargent of Amesbury, seaman, sold for £2 10s. to William Sargent Jr. of Amesbury, planter, two acres of upland at the Indian ground in Amesbury; wife Johana Sargent made her mark to this deed [NLR 2:201]. On 23 April 1672 William Sargent of Amesbury, yeoman, sold to Isaac Green of Hampton 2 acres of salt marsh called Hall's farm [NLR 3:25]. On 1 July 1673 William Sargent Sr. of Amesbury, with the consent of his wife, "Janna," sold to Thomas Wells of Amesbury ninety-five rods of land in Amesbury, part of his houselot [NLR 3:5]. On 1 October 1673 "William Sergent ... of Almsberry in Norfolke senior and mariner" mortgaged to Nathaniel Williams of Suffolk County eight acres of upland in Amesbury that Sergeant had by exchange with Richard Currier [ILR 3:284]. On 24 February 1673[/4] William Sargent Sr. of Amesbury, seaman, sold to Caleb Moody of Newbury, maltster, for £5 1s. "my second division higledee pigledee" lot of salt marsh containing three acres in Salisbury [NLR 2:312].
Among parcels sold by William Sargent Jr. on 18 October 1696 to Henry Deering, was a great lot of upland given by his grandfather [unnamed] to his father William Sergeant, "containing by estimation 200 acres in Amesbury amongst the great lots" [ELR 10:58].
In his will, dated 24 March 1670/1 and proved 13 April 1675, "William Sargent of the town of Emsbery," seaman, "being in pritty good health of body..." bequeathed to "my grandchild William Challis" £5; to "my grandchildren: Elizabeth, Lidia, Mary and Phillip Watson Challis" each of them 20s.; to "my grandchildren Dorethie, & Elizabeth Colby" each 20s; to "my grandchild William Sargent" 30s.; to "my daughter Elizabeth the wife of Samuel Colby" £5; residue to "my daughter Sarah" and if she die without children, the housing and lands to be equally divided to "my four children hereafter named i.e.: my sons Thomas & William: & my daughters: Mary and Elizabeth"; "my son Thomas Sargent and my daughter Sarah Sargent" executors; loving "brother-in-law Mr. Tho: Bradbury" and esteemed friend Major Robert Pike, overseers [EPR 2:438-39].
The inventory of the estate of "Willi. Sargent, Senr.," taken 8 April 1675 by Thomas Sergeant and John Weed, totalled £196, of which the real estate totalled £137 10s., including "housing & lands about the house & orchard on both sides [of] the country way," £85; "half the lot in the tide meadows, £16; "a Higledee Pigledee lot in the salt marsh" £25; "a lot lying in ... Lyons Mouth," £5 10s.; "a lot in the great swamp," £2; "a lot in ... Bugmore," £4 [EPR 2:440].
Unmarried daughter Sarah chose to have her "loving brother" Thomas act in her behalf as executor, 14 April 1675 [NLR 3:11].
Although William had married his last wife, Joanna, just a few months before he wrote his will, and she survived him, she was not mentioned, strongly implying that there was a pre-nuptial agreement (of which no record can now be found).
BIRTH: By about 1611 based on estimated date of marriage.
DEATH: Amesbury after 24 February 1673[/4] [NLR 2:312] and before 8 April 1675 (inventory).
MARRIAGE: (1) By about 1636 Elizabeth Perkins, daughter of JOHN PERKINS.
(2) Amesbury 18 September 1670 Joanna (Pinder) Rowell, born about 1621 (aged 14 in 1635 [Hotten 59]), daughter of Henry and Mary Pinder, widow of Valentine Rowell. She married (3) Amesbury 26 October 1676 Richard Currier and she died Amesbury October 1690 [Pillsbury Anc 119].
Excerpted Biography of William Sargent
c. 1606 - 1675
William Sargent, described as an able seaman, was born 28 June 1606 in Bath, Somerset, England. He came to America on the Ship Lion in 1633 with John Winthrop, Governor of the new colony, and his company of Puritans. The flotilla was comprised of 4 ships with four hundred people who set out to the new continent on April 7, 1630. The immigrants were mostly Puritians and were carefully selected by Winthrop. He and his party arrived two months later in Salem, Massachusetts. The settlers could scarcely believe their eye's as the land was a total wilderness; except for a few huts and clearings made by previous settlers. The thought's of having to clear the land in order to raise crops and supply themselves in the coming winter was frightening. With food provisions running low, and many suffering from malnutrition, scores of the new settlers refused to get off the ships and decided to sail back to England immediately. Those who landed faced what seemed to be an insurmountable task. Through faith in God, perseverance, hard work, and the leadership of John Winthrop, William Sargent along with 800 of 1000 new settlers survived the first winter by carving caves in the hillsides and digging holes in the ground. When spring arrived another 200 would return to England.
The colony was moved away from Salem, someplace where they would have room to build houses and raise crops. The colony settled largely in Charlestown, Cambridge, Boston, Watertown, Roxbury and Dorchester. William Sargent took his family north where they would settle in Ipswich, Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts. Elizabeth, who would become the wife of William Sargent, arrived in America aboard the ship Lion in the spring of 1631. William and Elizabeth were both in Agawam (Ipswich) prior to 1633. William Sargent was one of the first to plant at Ipswich, Massachusetts. It is believed they married there in 1633. There is apparently no record of the marriage.
In a grant at Ipswich in 1634, William Sargent received twelve acres of land [ITR].
"Willi[am] Sergant" was in the list of petitioners, mostly Newbury men, headed by STEPHEN BACHILER, who on 6 September 1638 were granted "liberty to begin a plantation at Winnacunnet [Hampton]" [MBCR 1:236]. "Will[iam] Sargent" was in the section of married men in the list of first comers to Hampton [GDMNH 55].William Sargent was admitted to the Massachusetts Bay Church before May 22, 1639. Also he is recognized as one of the founders of Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts.
William "Sargeant" sued Mr. William Hook of Salisbury for 56s. in corn 26 December 1643
The inventory of the estate of "Willi. Sargent, Senr.," taken 8 April 1675 by Thomas Sargent and John Weed, totalled £196, of which the real estate totalled £137 10s., including "housing & lands about the house & orchard on both sides [of] the country way," £85; "half the lot in the tide meadows, £16; "a Higledee Pigledee lot in the salt marsh" £25; "a lot lying in ... Lyons Mouth," £5 10s.; "a lot in the great swamp," £2; "a lot in ... Bugmore," £4
On 7 November 1644 John Severans of Salisbury, planter, sold to William Sargent of Salisbury, planter, twenty acres of upland in Salisbury on the west side of Powwos river [NLR 3:5]. On 25 March 1647 Anthony "Colebie" of Salisbury, planter, deeded to William Sargent of Salisbury, seaman, a dwelling house and house lot in Salisbury between Jarred Haddon and Henry Browne [NLR 1:19]
On 16 December 1652, William Sargent of Salisbury sold to John Browne of Hampton, the meadow and upland adjacent to Aquilla Chase and widow "Bristos" [NLR 1:21]. On 15 April 1659 he also sold to John Woodin of Salisbury upland in Salisbury near the "Pawwaus River above the falls" [NLR 1:84].
On 1 November 1666, William Sargent of Salisbury, seaman, gave for "natural affection" to his son Thomas Sargent thirty acres of upland in Salisbury abutting the Merrimack River [NLR 2:157].
In 1669, hard words were exchanged between the Sargent's and their near neighbors, the Martins. Either William Sr. or Jr. was sued for slander by George Martin, who claimed Sargent had called his wife a witch 13 April 1669 [EQC 4:129]. Martin sued Thomas Sargent for saying that his son George Martin was a bastard and that Richard Martin was Goodwife Martin's imp [EQC 4:129].
On 22 October 1669, William Sargent of Amesbury gave for "natural affection and other considerations" to his "beloved son Thomas Sargent: " Six acres of marsh granted to him by Salisbury, and a sweepage lot of salt marsh in Salisbury at a place called "ye beache" being lot number 8 containing three acres and four rods, being half the lot of marsh between two islands called "Barnss Iland" and "Ware Iland" [NLR 2:153]. On 9 October 1669 William Sargent of Amesbury, planter, gave for "natural affection and other considerations" to his "beloved son William Sargent": a great lot of upland containing two hundred acres in Amesbury, a lot of upland in ox common containing eight acres, a lot of upland west of the great pond containing forty acres, a lot of upland in "burchin meadow hill" containing forty-five acres "which I bought of Edward Goe"; the last division of three acres in the pond meadow (all the foregoing in Amesbury); and half his first division of the higledee pigledee lots of salt marsh in Salisbury [NLR 2:153].
In his will, dated 24 March 1670/1 and proved 13 April 1675, "William Sargent of the town of Emsbery," seaman, "being in pritty good health of body..." bequeathed to "my grandchild William Challis" £5; to "my grandchildren: Elizabeth, Lidia, Mary and Phillip Watson Challis" each of them 20s.; to "my grandchildren Dorethie, & Elizabeth Colby" each 20s; to "my grandchild William Sargent" 30s.; to "my daughter Elizabeth the wife of Samuel Colby" £5; residue to "my daughter Sarah" and if she die without children, the housing and lands to be equally divided to "my four children hereafter named i.e.: my sons Thomas & William: & my daughters: Mary and Elizabeth"; "my son Thomas Sargent and my daughter Sarah Sargent" executors; loving "brother-in-law Mr. Tho: Bradbury" and esteemed friend Major Robert Pike, overseers.
[EPR 2:438-39].
On 4 March 1670/1 William Sargent of Amesbury, seaman, sold for £2 10s. to William Sargent Jr. of Amesbury, planter, two acres of upland at the Indian ground in Amesbury. The Sargent Record says Wlliam married Joanna Rowell Sept. 18, 1670. Her mark to this deed [NLR 2:201]. On 23 April 1672 William Sargent of Amesbury, yeoman, sold to Isaac Green of Hampton 2 acres of salt marsh called Hall's farm [NLR 3:25]. On 1 July 1673 William Sargent Sr. of Amesbury, with the consent of his wife, "Janna," sold to Thomas Wells of Amesbury ninety-five rods of land in Amesbury, part of his houselot [NLR 3:5]. On 1 October 1673 "William Sergent ... of Almsberry in Norfolke senior and mariner" mortgaged to Nathaniel Williams of Suffolk County eight acres of upland in Amesbury that Sergeant had by exchange with Richard Currier [ILR 3:284]. On 24 February 1673[/4] William Sargent Sr. of Amesbury, seaman, sold to Caleb Moody of Newbury, maltster, for £5 1s. "my second division higledee pigledee" lot of salt marsh containing three acres in Salisbury [NLR 2:312].
Among parcels sold by William Sargent Jr. on 18 October 1696 to Henry Deering, was a great lot of upland given by his grandfather [unnamed] to his father William Sergeant, "containing by estimation 200
In 1672 William Sargent and Joanna his wife sued Christopher Osgood for debt due part of the estate of Joanna's late husband, Valentine Rowell [EQC 5:20].
The inventory of the estate of "Willi. Sargent, Senr.," taken 8 April 1675 by Thomas Sergeant and John Weed, totalled £196, of which the real estate totalled £137 10s., including "housing & lands about the house & orchard on both sides [of] the country way," £85; "half the lot in the tide meadows, £16; "a Higledee Pigledee lot in the salt marsh" £25; "a lot lying in ... Lyons Mouth," £5 10s.; "a lot in the great swamp," £2; "a lot in ... Bugmore," £4 [EPR 2:440]. Unmarried daughter Sarah chose to have her "loving brother" Thomas act in her behalf as executor, 14 April 1675 [NLR 3:11]. Although William had married his last wife, Joanna, just a few months before he wrote his will, and she survived him, she was not mentioned, implying there was a pre-nuptial agreement (of which no record can now be found).
The following was taken from an issue of the Salisbury (Massachusetts.) Villager (1876): "Wednesday night the Riverside Lodge of this village made public their installation of officers in Sargent Hall, after which friends and invited guests partook of a bountiful supper. The Sargents are a numerous family in this town, and are large owners of real and personal estate. William Sargent, one of twelve men who settled in Ipswich, in 1633, subsequently went to Newbury, and thence to Amesbury in 1643. William Sargent died in 1675 in Amesbury,Massachusetts. He is buried there at the "Ferry". William's burial place is located on Rocky Hill Road near Amesbury, Massachusetts. He was the founder of the family name in this town.