William Freeborn (settler)
Encyclopedia
William Freeborn was one of the founding settlers of Portsmouth
on Aquidneck Island
(Rhode Island), having signed the Portsmouth Compact
with 22 other men while still living in Boston. Coming from Maldon
in Essex
, England, he sailed to New England
in 1634 with his wife and two young daughters, settling in Roxbury in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
. He soon moved to Boston where he became interested in the preachings of the dissident ministers John Wheelwright
and Ann Hutchinson, and following their banishment from the colony, he joined many other of their followers in Portsmouth.
In Portsmouth, Freeborn was active in a number of minor civic roles, such as constable, member of the petit jury, and overseer of the poor, and also held the position of Deputy to the General Court for a year. He and his wife both died in 1670, five days apart. They had two daughters and one son, all of whom married and had families. Freeborn became a Quaker, and his death, and that of his wife, are recorded in the Friends' records.
, Essex
, England where they were married at St. Mary on 25 July 1625, William Freeborn and his wife Mary were enrolled to sail to New England
at Ipswich
, Suffolk
on 30 April 1634, with their two daughters Mary and Sarah, and the teenager John "Aldburgh" (Albro). They made the voyage aboard the ship Francis, and upon their arrival first settled at Roxbury, where Freeborn was admitted to the church that year, and where he became a freeman
in early September.
By 1637 Freeborn was in Boston
, when a major theological rift arose in the colony, often called the Antinomian controversy, and he became attracted to the preachings of the dissident ministers John Wheelwright
and Anne Hutchinson
. Following the banishment of these two individuals from the Massachusetts colony, Freeborn and many other followers were disarmed when on 20 November 1637 he and others were ordered to deliver up all guns, pistols, swords, powder and shot because the "opinions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people here in New England."
Scores of the followers of Wheelwright and Hutchinson were ordered out of the Massachusetts colony, but before leaving, a group of them, including Freeborn, signed what is sometimes called the Portsmouth Compact
, establishing a non-sectarian civil government upon the universal consent of the inhabitants, with a Christian focus. Planning initially to settle in New Netherland
, the group was persuaded by Roger Williams
to purchase some land of the Indians on the Narragansett Bay. This they did, settling on the north east end of Aquidneck Island
, and establishing a settlement they called Pocasset, but in 1639 changing the name to Portsmouth
. William Coddington
was elected the first chief magistrate of the settlement, not being called Governor, but instead using the Biblical title of Judge.
Freeborn had arrived in Portsmouth by 13 May 1638 when he was present at a general meeting there. The following year he was granted a lot on the condition that he build there within a year. In 1641 he was made a freeman
of Portsmouth, and the following year he was made Constable of the towns of Portsmouth and Newport. From 1641 to 1655 he held a number of town offices, including member of the town council, overseer and collector for the poor, and member of the petit jury. In 1655 he appeared on a list of freemen for Portsmouth and in 1657 was a Deputy for Portsmouth to the Rhode Island General Court.
Freeborn died on 28 April 1670 according to the Friends' records, but the age of 80 given for him is inflated. His only known wife, Mary, died five days later.
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
on Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island, located in the state of Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The island's official name is Rhode Island, and the common use of name "Aquidneck Island" helps distinguish the island from the state. The total land area is 97.9 km²...
(Rhode Island), having signed the Portsmouth Compact
Portsmouth Compact
The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 that established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island...
with 22 other men while still living in Boston. Coming from Maldon
Maldon, Essex
Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England, he sailed to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
in 1634 with his wife and two young daughters, settling in Roxbury in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
. He soon moved to Boston where he became interested in the preachings of the dissident ministers John Wheelwright
John Wheelwright
John Wheelwright was a clergyman in England and America.-Early life:...
and Ann Hutchinson, and following their banishment from the colony, he joined many other of their followers in Portsmouth.
In Portsmouth, Freeborn was active in a number of minor civic roles, such as constable, member of the petit jury, and overseer of the poor, and also held the position of Deputy to the General Court for a year. He and his wife both died in 1670, five days apart. They had two daughters and one son, all of whom married and had families. Freeborn became a Quaker, and his death, and that of his wife, are recorded in the Friends' records.
Life
Coming from MaldonMaldon, Essex
Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England where they were married at St. Mary on 25 July 1625, William Freeborn and his wife Mary were enrolled to sail to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
at Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
on 30 April 1634, with their two daughters Mary and Sarah, and the teenager John "Aldburgh" (Albro). They made the voyage aboard the ship Francis, and upon their arrival first settled at Roxbury, where Freeborn was admitted to the church that year, and where he became a freeman
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
in early September.
By 1637 Freeborn was in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, when a major theological rift arose in the colony, often called the Antinomian controversy, and he became attracted to the preachings of the dissident ministers John Wheelwright
John Wheelwright
John Wheelwright was a clergyman in England and America.-Early life:...
and Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was one of the most prominent women in colonial America, noted for her strong religious convictions, and for her stand against the staunch religious orthodoxy of 17th century Massachusetts...
. Following the banishment of these two individuals from the Massachusetts colony, Freeborn and many other followers were disarmed when on 20 November 1637 he and others were ordered to deliver up all guns, pistols, swords, powder and shot because the "opinions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people here in New England."
Scores of the followers of Wheelwright and Hutchinson were ordered out of the Massachusetts colony, but before leaving, a group of them, including Freeborn, signed what is sometimes called the Portsmouth Compact
Portsmouth Compact
The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 that established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island...
, establishing a non-sectarian civil government upon the universal consent of the inhabitants, with a Christian focus. Planning initially to settle in New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
, the group was persuaded by Roger Williams
Roger Williams (theologian)
Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...
to purchase some land of the Indians on the Narragansett Bay. This they did, settling on the north east end of Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island, located in the state of Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The island's official name is Rhode Island, and the common use of name "Aquidneck Island" helps distinguish the island from the state. The total land area is 97.9 km²...
, and establishing a settlement they called Pocasset, but in 1639 changing the name to Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
. William Coddington
William Coddington
William Coddington was an early magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and later of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving as the Judge of Portsmouth, Judge of Newport, Governor of Portsmouth and Newport, Deputy Governor of the entire colony, and then Governor of the...
was elected the first chief magistrate of the settlement, not being called Governor, but instead using the Biblical title of Judge.
Freeborn had arrived in Portsmouth by 13 May 1638 when he was present at a general meeting there. The following year he was granted a lot on the condition that he build there within a year. In 1641 he was made a freeman
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
of Portsmouth, and the following year he was made Constable of the towns of Portsmouth and Newport. From 1641 to 1655 he held a number of town offices, including member of the town council, overseer and collector for the poor, and member of the petit jury. In 1655 he appeared on a list of freemen for Portsmouth and in 1657 was a Deputy for Portsmouth to the Rhode Island General Court.
Freeborn died on 28 April 1670 according to the Friends' records, but the age of 80 given for him is inflated. His only known wife, Mary, died five days later.
Family
With his wife Mary, Freeborn had three known children: Mary, who married Clement Weaver; Sarah, who married Nathaniel Browning; and Gideon, who first married Sarah Brownell, and then married Mary (Boomer) Lawton. Gideon served for several years as a Deputy from Portsmouth, and also as Overseer of the Poor.See also
- List of early settlers of Rhode Island
- Colony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsColony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsThe Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original English Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America that, after the American Revolution, became the modern U.S...