Sussman-Laabs

John Washburn, born in Bengeworth, Worcestershire, England, in 1620, sailed to New England with his mother and brother in 1635, and settled first in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony. He married Elizabeth Mitchell, daughter of Experience and Jane (Cooke) Mitchell, of Duxbury, on 6 Dec. 1645 in Plymouth Colony. She was born in ca. 1628 in Plymouth Colony, a granddaughter of Francis1 Cooke, who came to New England in 1620 on the “Mayflower,” and Hester1 (Mahieu) Cooke, and possibly of Thomas and Margaret (Williams) Mitchell, of Cambridge, England, and Amsterdam, Holland. Experience Mitchell and Jane Cooke had both sailed to New England in 1623 on the “Anne.”

In 1638 Abraham Sampson was presented to the court “for striking and abusing John Washburn the younger in the meeting house on the Lord’s day.”

When the Narragansett War broke out in 1645, the town of Duxbury sent John Washburn in August 1645 as one of its representatives to help fight the Indians, along with Sgt. Samuel Nash, William Brewster, William Clark, Nathaniel Chandler, and Edward Hall, for 17 days.

John Washburn was made a freeman in Plymouth Colony on 6 June 1654, and he was elected constable of Duxbury on 7 June 1659. On 29 July 1661 Experience Mitchell acknowledged that he had given his son‑in‑law, John Washburn, some land between the brook and the Stony River, which John Washburn had in turn sold to Mr. William Bradford.

John Washburn and his father joined with several residents of Duxbury in the formation of the new town of Bridgewater in 1645. The names of John Washburn and John Washburn, Jr., are among the original proprietors of Bridgewater, which was incorporated into a town in 1656. In Dec. 1683 the purchasers of Bridgewater met, and laid out lots on the outside of Bridgewater, which became North Bridgewater, now Brockton, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, and South Bridgewater. John Washburn received 2 lots in East Bridgewater, 1 lot in West Bridgewater, and 1 lot in South Bridgewater.

Elizabeth (Mitchell) Washburn died by ca. 1685, and John Washburn remarried to Elizabeth Packard, widow of Samuel1 Packard, of Bridgewater, in ca. 1685.

John Washburn died testate on 12 Nov. 1686 in Bridgewater. His will was dated 30 Oct. 1686, his inventory taken on 19 Nov. 1686, and his will probated on 8 June 1687. His will mentioned his wife, Elizabeth; brother Phillip Washburn, to be taken care of by his son John Washburn; sons John, Thomas, Joseph, Samuel, Jonathan, Benjamin, and youngest son, James Washburn, a minor; daughter Mary; daughter Elizabeth and her husband; daughter Jane; daughter Sarah, a minor; and brother Edward Mitchell.

On 1 Apr. 1700 the heirs of John Washburn, of Bridgewater, namely James Washburn, John Washburn, Thomas Washburn, Joseph Washburn, Samuel Washburn, Jonathan Washburn, Samuel Kinsley and wife Mary, widow Elizabeth Selee, and John Ames and wife Sarah, sold land in Bristol Co., MA, to John Rogers. Elizabeth (Packard) Washburn died sometime after 1687, but presumably by 1700. (maltbyfamily.net)

The Will of John Washburn, of Bridgewater, Colony of New Plymouth (1686): *

These are to Publish and Declare to all to whome it may concerne that I John Washbourne Senr of Bridgwater in the Colony of New Plimouth being through the mercy of God of sound judgment and memory Do ordaine and make my last will and Testament in maner Following Vizt. Into the hands of God I commend my spirit Believingly resigning up my soul into the Everlasting arms of Gods mercy my Body to be Decently inburied at the Discresion of my Executor: And for my outward Estate I do will that after all my just Debts and funerall Expenses be fully paid my Lands and other movables be Disposed of as followeth:

Impris I Give to my wife Elizabeth Washbourne one Bed one Boulster one pillow two pair of sheets one Blanket one Coverlet two chests Six bushels of Indian Corne one bushell of Barley Farther with Respect to money which was my wives part whereof I have already laid out for her we are agreed that I should Returne to her two pounds and ten shillings which I have already Done.

I Give to my Son John four score acres of upland in the place where he hath already Built and what shall be found wanting of the fourscore acres in the said place shall be made up to him on the Easterly side of my Land next the South Brooke more I Give to him a lot of meadow in Cousters Kitchen lying between the lots of Samuel and james: More two Lots of Meadow Lying in the Great Meadow above the Great Island More I Give to him a whole purchase Right in the undivided lands. Further my Will is that my son John take Care of my Brother Phillip to provide for him and on that Consideration, I farther Give to my Son John half a purchase Right in my undivided lands and half a fifty acre Lot not yet laid out Further I Give to him the Improvement of a Lot of Meadow in the Great meadow Lying next to John Ames During my Brothers Life and after my Brothers Decease the one half of the lot Shall be to my son James and my Son John shall Enjoy the other half. To my son Thomas I have already Given twenty acres of upland which he hath Exchanged for Land where he hath built More I have Given him a Lot of meadow in Cousters Kitchen lying on the outside Northerly. I have also Given him half a purchase Right in the undivided lands of all which Lands I have formerly Given him Deed:

To my Son Joseph I have Given twenty acres of Land lying at Satucket pond and a lot of meadow lying at Black Brooke I have otherwise Done for him according to my abillity And my will is that he therewith Rest Contented.

To my Son Samuel I Give thirty five acres of Land in the place where he hath already Built and a Lot at Quatitequat joyning to his Great lot there. More I Give half a purchase Right in the undivided Lands. Also a lot of meadow Lying up poore meadow River and joyning to his own lot there more a lot of meadow in Cousters Kitchen lying on the outside Southerly. Further I Give to him thirty acres of Land joyning to his Land where he hath built And also a Steere Calf.

To my son Jonathan I Give fifty acres of Land Lying on the outside of my land next the South Brooke and if he should Come to settle upon it within the space of two years after the Date of this my Will he shall Enjoy it as his own otherwise my sons John Samuel Benjamin and James Shall Enjoy the Land being Equally Divided betweene them Each of them paying to my son Jonathan fifty shillings in common pay more I Give to my son Jonathan a Lot of meadow lying in the Great Meadow joyning to a lot of Goodman Turners.

Also half a purchase Right in the undivided lands.

To my son Benjamin I Give fifty acres of Land which formerly was my fathers lot Also a lot of meadow lying up Satucket River and joyning to a lot of Samuel Wadsworths and half a purchase Right in the undivided lands. Also two young steeres a yong horse a cow a Bed an an iron pot.

To my Younger son James when he shall Come to age I Give the land which Lyeth between my son John and my son Benjamin butting on the River and Runing in Length till it meet with the Butt of my son Samuels Land with my dwelling house and all out housing thereunto belonging Also a Lot of meadow in Cousters Kitchen joyning to a lot of Benjamin Willis. and half a purchase Right in the undivided Lands. a fifth acre lot lying near Bear Swamp I Give to my two sons John and Samuel to be Equally Divided between them. A lot of meadow lying in the mouth of Black Brooke I Give to my three sons Samuel Jonathan and Benjamin to be Equally Divided between them: to my Daughter Mary I Give ten acres of Land to be laid out: and one Cow. To my Daughter Elizabeth I Give ye mare which they have in keeping and ten acres of Land already layd out to my Son in Law her husband. To my two Daughters Mary and Elizabeth I Give twenty acres of land Lyding Down the Town River on the northerly side and joyning to the Lands of William Brett to be Equally Divided. To my Daughter Jane I Give twenty acres of Land Lying down Satucket River on the Easterly Side and joyning to the lands of Samuel Allen: further I Give to her one Cow one heiffer a bed and an iron pot: To my Daughter Sarah I Give twenty acres of Land joyning to my Son Samuels Land near his house.

Further all my Right and Interest in the lands Called the Majors purchase or in any other Lands without the four mile my Will is that it shall be Equally Divided between my sons John Thomas Samuel Jonathan Benjamin and james. My two old oxen I Leave in the hands of my two sons John and Samuel to be sold when fit for sale and four pounds of the money to be Disposed of for my Son Benjamin towards his building. I Leave on the Land which I intend to my son James: one horse two oxen one Bull two Cows with all the Furniture for husbandry to be Improved for the benifit of my two yonger Children James and Sarah and my Will is that when these Children come to age the principle be Divided between them. By principle I Intend the horse oxen and other Cattell with the tooles and Furniture afore mentioned. For my Trustees and overseers I Do nominate my kind friend Mr John Thomson of Middleborough and my Brother Edward Mitchel I Do nominate and ordaine my two sons John and Samuel Executors of this my last Will and Testament Revoking all other Wills and Testaments whatsoever. Witness my hand and seal October 30th 1686:

Signed and Delivered in John Washbourne

The presence of his: Joh mark (Seal)

Thomas Hayward

Joseph Alden

This Instrument being Exhibited unto the Inferior Court of Common Pleas held at Plimouth the Eighth Day of june 1687 By John Washbourne therein named Executor Thomas Hayward and Joseph Alden the Witnesses above named personally appearing made oath before the said Court that the Testator John Washbourne Deceased in their presence Did signe seal and Declare this Instrument to be his Last Will and Testament and that he then was of a Disposing mind and understanding to the best of their judgments.

                                                                                                            Attest Nathaniel Thomas Clerk

Memorandum.

That John Ames senr of Bridgwater appeared before the Inferior Court of Common pleas held at Plimouth Sept 19th 1687 and made oath that he was present with the other witnesses within named head the within named John Washbourne Deceased Declare this Instrument to which his hand and seal is put to be his last Will & Testament and that he then was of a Disposing mind and understanding to the best of his judgment.

                                                                                                            Nathaniel Thomas Clerk

An Inventory of the Goods and Chattels of John Washburne of the Town of Bridgwater deceased ye 12th day of November 1686 ___ which is as followeth: …

(The total value of the inventory was £142, 8 s.)

A true and fair prisall of the Estate of John Washburne according to our best judgment Taken by us ye 19th Day of november 1686.

As Witness our hands

John Field

John Leonard

• Transcribed by John A. Maltby from Plymouth County Probate Vol. 1, p. 84-86, from FHL microfilm #0550708, and compared with the transcription made by George Ernest Bowman and published in The Mayflower Descendant, Vol. 15, pp. 248-251.