Vicar George Phillips

Occupation Details
- George's occupation was Vicar in services.
  - Occupation Notes
    - According to "The Roads Taken":
      
      George matriculated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in April 1610 and graduated as B.A. in 1613 and received the degree of M.A. in 1617. "He gave early indications of deep piety, uncommon talents, and love of learning, and at the University distinguished himself by his remarkable progress in learning, especially in the theological studies for which he manifested an early partiality" (source of quote not provided).[1/9] He took orders in the Church of England and served for some years as vicar at Boxtead, Essex though the length of his service is uncertain, owing to the loss of the parish registers Rev. George, his wife, and two children (Samuel and Elizabeth), arrived in New England, at the Massachusetts Bay Colony (near Boston), aboard one of the eleven ships of the Winthrop Fleet. They departed from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. The first five ships sailed on April 8, 1630; they arrived in Salem June 13 and days following. The remaining ships sailed in May and arrived in July. courtesy Lyle Phillips, descendant and family researcher...... Dear Mr. Phillips - Thanks for your message! Rev. George Phillips (c1593-1644) of Watertown was mentioned by Winthrop in his journal of the Atlantic crossing, 1630, therefore was one of the few who can definitely be placed aboard the Arbella (there are no passenger lists). Another George Phillips (c1590-1678) was of Dorchester, and the Phillips name was quite common back then. More information is available at our Web site, especially our .../journal1.htm page. Thanks for your interest in the Winthrop Society! > Very best regards, > John Beardsley > Secretary > The Winthrop Society "The Arabella and her consorts experienced a varied and stormy passage and on the 8th of June there came a wild pigeon into the ship. It was not until the 76th day that they came to anchor, on the 12th of June 1630, old style. " "The men of quality occupied the round house. They were Governor Winthrop, Sir Richard Saltonstall Deputy Governor Thomas Dudley, Coddington, Bradstreet, Nowell, the Reverend George Phillips, and Charles Fiennes, brother of Lady Arbella. For seventy-five days the ship sailed westward through gales, cold, fog and fair weather. Winthrop gives a novel cure for sea-sickness. He says the wind was north, a stiff gale with fair weather. In the afternoon less wind, and our people began to grow well again. Our children and others, that were sick and lay groaning in the cabins, we fetched out, and having stretched a rope from the steerage to the mainmast, we made them stand, some on one side and some on the other, and sway it up and down till they were warm , and by this means they soon grew well and merry." "All the passengers on the Arbella were not saints. On April 3, Winthrop wrote: After supper, we discovered some notorious lewd persons of our Company, who in time of our fast had committed theft, and done other villainies, for which we have caused them to be very severely punished. No one on the Arbella could have taken a bath or washed linen during the trip. The only water for such luxuries was what the ocean supplied, and the means for heating that was lacking. The ladies who occupied the great cabin were packed at night like sardines in a box. In some of the other vessels an epidemic of smallpox broke out, but the Arbella came through fairly free from illness. On June 12, 1630, the ship anchored off Salem. Governor Endicott came on board and took the ladies and gentlemen to the shore. Winthrop wrote: "We supped with a good venison pasty and good beer and at night we returned to our ship but some of the women stayed behind. In the meantime most of our people went on shore, which lay very near us, and gathered stores of fine strawberries." How welcome strawberries must have been to the passengers surfeited with salt meat." More on George Phillips and Governor Winthrop... George & family arrived at Salem June 12th. Before the final embarkation which had been considerably delayed, Gov. Winthrop says in a letter to his son John Winthrop, "From aboard the Arabella, riding before Yarmouth, April 5, 1630. Yesterday we kept a fast aboard our ship and in the Talbot. Mr. Phillips exercised with us the whole day, and gave very good content to all the company, as he doth in all his exercises, so as we have much cause to bless God for him". George was one of the seven signers of 'The Humble Request', which is dated April 7, on the eve of sailing, and which was printed that same year. There seems to be some ground for believing that George Phillips drafted this noble statement. George's wife died soon after arrival in Salem and was buried by the side of Lady Arabella Johnson, both, evidently, being unable to endure the hardship and exposure incident to a tedious ocean passage. He soon located in Watertown, and without delay settled over the church in that place which was called together in July. At the Court of Assistants, 23 Aug 1630, it was "ordered that Mr. Phillips shall have allowed to him 3 hogsheads of meale, 1 hogsh of malte, 4 bushells of Indian corn, 1 bushel of oatmeale, halfe an hundred of salte fish". Another statement from the same source says, "Mr. Phillips hath 30 ac of land graunted him vpp Charles Ryver on the South side". His first residence was burnt before the close of the year. His later house was "opposite the ancient burial ground, back from the road". "He was the earliest advocate of the Congregational order and discipline. His views were for a long time regarded as novel, suspicious, and extreme, and he, with his ruling elder, Mr. Richard Brown, stood almost unaided and alone, until the arrival of Mr. John Cotton, in maintaining what was and still is, the Congregationalism of New England. It is not now easy to estimate the extent and importance of the influence of Mr. Phillips in giving form and character to the civil and ecclesiastical institutions of New England" (source of quote not provided). Note that a picture is available on the CD version of this family tree, of the flagship Arabella, or at least of the reproduction built according to original plans, in 1930, 300 years after the original sailing. Also on the CD is a picture of the plaque in Watertwon commemorating its founding (1630-1930), and referring specifically to Rev George Phillips. Reverend George Phillips had been Minister at the parish church in Sudbury, Suffolk County, England, in 1630, before departing for America. Several of the congregation came to America with him (Savage, op. cit., volume 2). Prior to that, he had served at a church in Keston, Kent, England, where his daughter Elizabeth was born in 1628 (Savage) In America, George Phillips became minister of the Congregational Church in Watertown. The great-great granddaughter of (the first Mass. Governor) John Winthrop, (Puritan emigrant from England, namesake of the Winthrop Fleet), Mary Winthrop (1724- 1794) married John Phillips (1715-1797) , the great grandson of Reverend George Phillips, as recorded in this family tree. George Phillips took the Freeman's Oath as described below, courtesy the Mayflower web site... Massachusetts Bay Colony Oath of Freeman 1631-2 Names of such as took the Oath of Freemen - 18 May, 1631. George Phillips From the Winthrop archives... Phillips, Rev. George Watertown A native of Raynham, co. Norfolk, but at time of emigration was preaching at Boxford, Suffolk. Died 1 July 1644 (M.C.R., I, 73). Phillips, _____ Wife of Rev. George Phillips. She was daughter of Richard Sergeant. Died 1630 (Dudley Letter). Phillips, Samuel Son of Rev. George Phillips (Bond).
      Phillips, Abigail Daughter of Rev. George Phillips (Bond). Phillips, Elizabeth Daughter of Rev. George Phillips (Bond).
      
      Robert Charles Anderson. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633 [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Original data: Robert Charles Anderson. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, vols. 1-3. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995.
      GEORGE PHILLIPS
      ORIGIN: Boxted, Essex MIGRATION: 1630 FIRST RESIDENCE: Watertown OCCUPATION: Minister. At the first meeting of the Court of Assistants in New England, on 23 August 1630, the first order of business was the maintenance of the ministers of Boston and Watertown, JOHN WILSON and George Phillips; a house was built for each ("Sir Rich[ard] Saltonstall undertook to see it done at his plantation for Mr. Phillips") and Phillips was to receive provisions and cash equal to £40 per annum "to begin the first of September next" [MBCR 1:73]. On 21 November 1642 the Watertown town accounts showed £33 6s. 8d. due "to George Phillips pastor for half year" [WaTR 9]. CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Founding member of Watertown church. FREEMAN: Requested 19 October 1630 (as "Mr. George Phillips") and admitted 18 May 1631 [MBCR 1:80, 366]. EDUCATION: Admitted sizar, Caius College, Cambridge, 10 April 1610, aged 17, son of Christopher Phillips of South Rainham, Norfolk; A.B., 1613-4; A.M. 1617 [Venn 3:355; Morison 395-96]. Books in his inventory were valued at £71 9s. 9d. His wife bequeathed "all the Latin, Greek and Hebrew books now in the house" to eldest child Samuel. OFFICES: Colony committee on wages and prices, 12 March 1637/8 [MBCR 1:223]. Harvard College Board of Overseers, 1642 [Morison 327]. ESTATE: On 7 November 1632 "Mr. Phillips" had thirty acres of land granted him up Charles River [MBCR 1:102]. On 20 December 1642 the town of Watertown levied a rate to include payment of £33 6s. 8d. due "George Phillips pastor for half year due January 1" [WaTR 1:9]. Granted eight acres in the Great Dividend in Watertown, 25 July 1636 [WaBOP 4]. Granted thirty acres in the Remote Meadows, 26 June 1637 [WaBOP 10]. Granted twelve acres at the townplot, 9 April 1638 [WaBOP 11]. In the Inventory of Grants George Phillips held eight parcels: homestall of twelve acres; seven acres of upland; homestall of five acres; forty acres of plowland in the Hither Plain; thirty acres of Remote Meadows; eight acres of upland in the Great Dividends; fifteen acres of upland on the meeting house common; and thirty acres of meadow [WaBOP 69-70]. In the Inventory of Possessions he held one parcel: three acres of upland [WaBOP 115]. (His Composite Inventory does not survive, but was probably on one of the first two pages of the inventory volume, now missing [WaBOP 17].) In his nuncupative will, taken 1 July 1644 and proved 6 September 1644, George Phillips, pastor of Watertown, bequeathed "to my wife the thirds of all mine estates"; "the remainder to be divided amongst my children, Samuel the eldest to have a double portion, & the rest to have equally alike." "Presently, after his wife putting him in mind of the bond in Elder Howe's hand, he called Samuel to him & told him he had given him a double portion, & bade him let the bond alone & give it into your mother when you come to age, but if you take that you shall have no more" [SPR 1:33]. The inventory of George Phillips was taken 22 July 1644 and totalled £553 2s. 9d., including real estate valued at £301: "the dwelling house, a barn, other outhousing with fifteen acres of land," £120; "the old dwelling house with twelve acres of land," £20; "thirty acres of meadow," £100; "forty acres of plowland," £35; "eighty acres of dividend," £10; "thirty acres of remote meadow," £6; and "three hundred acres of [sic] for a farm," £10 [SPR 2:21-22]. On 12 November 1644 the court ordered "that they think it just & meet that Mrs. Philips make over so much estate as shall secure £100 to Samuel & Elisabeth Philips, grandchildren of Richard Sergent, or otherwise give bond with sureties [to] the content & satisfaction of Capt. Cooke, Mr. Sparhauke, & John Bridge, who are entrusted in the business by the Court" [MBCR 2:80]. On 28 November 1648 the town agreed that Mrs. Phillips was to be freed of all rates "to town and ministry during the pleasure of the town" [WaTR 1:16]. In her will, dated 20 October 1674 and proved 4 October 1681, Elizabeth Phillips bequeathed to "my son Sam[ue]ll Phillips all my Latin & Greek & Hebrew books that is now in the house"; to Job Bishop one shilling; to "James Barnard which married my daughter Abiel" one shilling; residue to "my three sons, namely Zorobabel Phillips & Jonathan Phillips & Theophilus Phillips to be equally divided between those three, but in case my son Zorobabel should die without children lawfully begotten by his own body," his share to be divided between his brothers Jonathan and Theophilus Phillips, who are to be executors of this will [MPR 5:357]. BIRTH: About 1593, son of Christopher Phillips of South Rainham, Norfolk [MHSP 63:194; Venn 3:355]. DEATH: Watertown 1 July 1644 (date of nuncupative will). He was buried at Watertown on 2 July 1644 [WJ 2:209]. "He laboured under many bodily infirmities: but was especially liable unto the cholic; the extremity of one fit whereof, was the wind which carried him afore it, into the haven of eternal rest" [Magnalia 1:379]. MARRIAGE: (1) By about 1626 _____ Sergeant, daughter of Richard Sergeant [MBCR 2:80]; she died during the winter of 1630-1 [Dudley 72]. (She was apparently half-sister of JOHN HAYWARD [Bond 873-74]. (2) Elizabeth (_____) Welden, widow of ROBERT WELDEN ; she died at Watertown on 27 January 1681 [WaVR 1:49]. CHILDREN:
      With first wife
      i SAMUEL, b. about 1626; Harvard College 1650 [Sibley 1:221-28]; m. in October 1651 Sarah Appleton, daughter of Samuel Appleton [MBCR 3:249; Sibley 1:226; Phoebe Tilton Anc 77 (which has the year of marriage wrong)].
      ii ELIZABETH, b. say 1628; m. by 1651 Job Bishop of Ipswich [Bond 874, citing MLR 1:67-68].
      With second wife
      iii ZOROBABEL, b. Watertown 5 April 1632 [WaVR 1:3]; m. (1) after 1662 Ann (Cooper) White, daughter of John Cooper and widow of John White [TAG 64:199, citing SoTR 5:233]; apparently m. (2) in 1686 or 1687 Martha (Tapping) Herrick, daughter of Thomas Tapping and widow of James Herrick [Thomas W. Cooper, The Records of the Court of Sessions of Suffolk County in the Province of New York, 1670-1688 (Bowie, Maryland, 1993), pp. 200b-201, 299-300; TG 5:50 (which has inverted the sequence of Zorobabel's marriages)].
      iv JONATHAN, b. Watertown 16 March 1633[/4] [WaVR 1:3]; m. Watertown 26 January 1680/1 Sarah Holland [WaVR 1:49; NEHGR 110:276-81].
      v THEOPHILUS, b. Watertown 28 May 1636 [WaVR 1:4]; m. (1) Watertown 3 November 1666 Bethiah Keedell [WaVR 1:29]; m. (2) Watertown 21 November 1677 Mary Bennet [WaVR 44].
      vi ANNABEL, bur. Watertown 17 April 1638, aged 4 months [WaVR 1:6].
      vii EPHRAIM, b. Watertown March 1639/40 [WaVR 1:8]; d. Watertown 12 June 1640 [WaVR 1:8].
      viii OBADIAH, bur. Watertown 5 April 1641 [WaVR 1:9].
      ix ABIGAIL, b. say 1643; m. Watertown 8 October 1666 James Barnard [WaVR 1:28].
      COMMENTS: On 4 November 1629 John Maidstone of Boxted, Essex, wrote to his uncle John Winthrop "in the behalf of our minister, Mr. Philips, who is fully resolved, to undertake the same with you" (i.e., the planned migration to New England the following year) [WP 2:164-65]. In his accounting of 4 September 1634, John Winthrop stated that "I disbursed also for the transportation of Mr. Phillips & his family, which was to be borne by the general, till he should be chosen to some particular congregation" [MBCR 1:131]. Mather erred in placing George Phillips as minister at Boxford in England; the correct location of his ministry before migration was Boxted in Essex, the home also of EDWARD HOWE of Watertown. On 11 December 1656 "Jonothan Phillips appearing by the appointment of the seven [selectmen] to give answer of his loose living, it was ordered that some way should be thought of to acquaint Mrs. Phillips that except she undertake for her son as to have him under government, or otherwise to dispose of him to some such place or way, that may enable the town to give answer to the law, when it shall be called for" [WaTR 1:49]. BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: Cotton Mather included a lengthy sketch of the life of George Phillips in his compilation of ministers' biographies [Magnalia 1:375-79]. Prince relied heavily on this in his briefer account [Prince 375-77]. Bond also provided lengthy notes on George Phillips, based on new research [Bond 404-05, 872-76], and there are entries for George Phillips in both the Dictionary of National Biography and Dictionary of American Biography. In 1930 Henry Wilder Foote prepared a fuller treatment of Phillips's life [MHSP 63:193-227].
      
      From Edward Howe entry:
      Boxted was the parish where Rev. GEORGE PHILLIPS was minister just before his departure for New England, and Edward Howe is his only parishioner known to have come with him. In 1645 the widow of George Phillips and the widow of Edward Howe became entangled in a dispute over a judgment against the estate of Phillips [MBCR 2:102, 3:27].

Vicar George Phillips

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