AFN:8MH7-VK

THE IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR. It is not certain in what year John imigrated to new England. He did come to America before Jan, 2, 1633 (probably in 1932), (his wife and children came in 1635)."The earliest record of John in Plymouth Colony is that of Jan 2, 1933 when he brought suit against Edward Doty there." John came from Evesham, Worcestershire, an ancient town situated on the river Avon, and was one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater, MA, as you will read below.

At the death of his father in August 1624 when he was made executor and charged to settle the estate within six years, paying off the legacies to the other children, while he came into possession of the real estate. As John, his father, was a husbandman with considerable holdings of land and over 200 pounds worth of chattels to dispose of, with his mother dying two years later and leaving property to be looked after, he could hardly have closed up the estate and disposed of his own rights and possessions much before 1630. It seems probable that in that year or the following he emigrated to New England. The following transciption may fittingly complete the English record of the family: "XII Aprilis, 1635 In the Elizabeth and Ann, Mr. Roger Coop bound for New England pr. cert. from the Mayor of Evesham in Co. Worcester and from the minister of the parish of their conformity -- Margery Washborn 49; John Washborne 14, Phillipp Washbourne 11, 2 sonnes."

John’s mother, Martha, died in 1625, and her will was proved 9 May 1620. Between this time and January 1632, he had settled up the family estate, sold out his possessions, emigrated and been living long enough in the New World to have been involved in a civil court case (against Edward Doty).

In 1629, thirty-five families arrived in Plymouth from Leyden, Holland; and in 1630 sixty more came over, while others from England, like the Winslows, and some from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, like Deacon Samuel Edson, joined the old Colony. By 1631 the crowding and livestock had so increased in Plymouth, that owners of stock were obliged to move out of the town, at first for the summer only, and later permanently. Duxbury, the first Plymouth off-shoot, began to be settled in 1632 and was incorporated in 1637.

In 1634, John Washburn purchased from Edward Bumpus "The Eagles Nest," a palisaded homestead with lands beyond Eaglenest Creek. On 3 April 1635, his wife, Margery, and his two sons, John and Philip, received emigration certificates from the mayor of Evesham and permission to sail in the "Elizabeth and Ann," and in due time joined John in Plymouth. Several years later, in 1644, when the population of Duxbury was estimated at over 400, a movement began to be made toward opening up a new inland settlement in what was to be Bridgewater. John Washburn, Sr., and John, Jr., Miles Standish, John Alden, William and John Bradford, Love Brewster, Experience Mitchell, Edmond Chandler, William and John Paybody were among 54 purchasers from Massasoit of the town of Bridgewater, a tract of land extending 7 miles on each side from a certain fixed center. The Company paid for it 7 coats, 1 and 1/2 yards in a coat, 9 hatchets, 8 hoes, 20 knives, 4 moose skins and 10 & 1/2 yards cotton (cloth). The transaction was signed by Massasoit for the Natives, and by Standish, Samuel Nash, and Constance Southworth for the colonists 23 March 1649 after seven years consideration by the Colonial Court, the purchasers, and the Natives.

The Washburns did not move to Bridgewater for many years; John and the two sons were registered in Duxbury ATBA list in 1643 as able to bear arms, in 1946 became a freeman, and John, Sr., as road surveyor in 1649 and 1650.

On 3 June 1662 he was granted what appears to be a double portion of land at Saconnet (Little Compton) by virtue of his being both an ancient freeman and a former servant, though the records do not indicate to whom he was a servant.

John settled in Bridgewater before 1666 where John the father died between 1666 and 1671.

Nothing is known about the death of his wife, Margery. The Duxbury town records and also those of the Church from their beginning until 1666 were consumed in the burning of a dwelling. A few of the first leaves of the Plymouth records were worn off and also lost, so that much early information about the colony and individuals has irretrievably perished.

In 1644, the population of Duxbury, Massachusetts and the surrounding country warranted the development of a new settlement which eventually grew to be Bridgewater, MA, and Experience Mitchell were amoung the firty-four purchasers of landfrom the Indian chief, Massosoit, which was to become the twon ofBridgewater (Massachusetts). This purchase of land comprised "a tract of land described as seven miles on each side from a certain fixed center."

Seth Washburn's Justice of the Peace Book (MD 2:66+)
"My grate grandfather was own of the first Settelers in New England his name was John Washbourn he had two brouthers came over with him one of shear names was Philip and one Setteled in yorck State but I dont know his name. " He died on 4 Aug 1624 in Worcester, England.

Follow-up Notes: The deed made in 1664 proves that John2 Washburn's first wife was the daughter of Experience Mitchell.
The deeds made in 1666 and 1679 prove that John1 Washburn was the father of Philip2 Washburn, of Duxbury and Bridgewater, and that John1, the father, died between these two dates.

The deed made in 1670 proves that John2 Washburn of Bridgewater was formerly of Duxbury, and by the two changes of "Junr" to "senir", indicates that his father died about the time the deed was drawn. Elizabeth (Mitchell) Washburn signed this deed with her husband.