Thomas Prence

Governor of Plymouth Colony in 1634 and 1638, and every year from 1657 until his death in 1673 (compiled). He came from Lechlade, Gloucestershire, and London on the Fortune in 1621, not the Mayflower. His father was “a carriage maker” of All Hallows Barking, London, whose will mentioned “my son Thomas Prence now remayninge in New England in parts beyond the seas” (Wikipedia; the will itself and its date were not seen). He married (1) in 1624 Patience Brewster, a daughter of Elder William Brewster, who died in 1634; (2) on 1 Apr 1635 Mary Collier, daughter of William Collier of Duxbury; (3) by 8 Dec 1662 Apphia (Quicke) Freeman; and (4) by 1 Aug 1668 Mary, widow of Thomas Howes of Yarmouth, who died 9 Dec 1695 (Elliot, MD 6:230-235). A founder of Eastham.

His daughters’ marriages: Rebecca to Edmund Freeman Jr., 22 Apr 1646 (PCR 2:98); Mercy to John Freeman, son of Edmund Freeman of Sandwich, and Hannah to Nathaniel Mayo, both 13 Feb 1649/50 (PCR 8:27); Jane to Mark Snow, 9 Jan 1660/1 (PCR 8:28); Judith to Isaac Barker, 28 Dec 1665 (PCR 8:30-31). The will also names Mary Tracy and Sarah Howes. His daughter Hannah’s husband Nathaniel Mayo was the uncle of Daniel Mayo (b. 1664).

On 5 March 1666/7, at a court held “Before Thomas Prence, Gov.,” Arthur Howland Jr. was fined £5 “for inveigling of Mistris Elizabeth Prence and makeing motion of marriage to her, and prosecuting the same contrary to her parrents likeing” (PCR 4:140). On 2 July 1667 he promised to “wholly desist” (PCR 4:159). Prence’s will of 1673 names “my Daughter Elizabeth howland.”

The Quaker writer George Bishop says Prence declared “That in thy conscience they were such a people that deserved to be destroyed, they, their wives, their children, their houses and lands, without pity or mercy” (New England Judged, 1703 ed., p. 139). Bishop also reports an Indian proverb, “All one a thief as Governor Prince,” referring to the seizure of Quaker goods (p. 248). Bishop is a hostile, partisan source.

His will (MD 3:204) lists his daughters as “hannah Marcye Jane Mary Elizabeth, Sarah and Judith,” and leaves “to my Daughter Sarah howes my bigest beer bowle.” His codicil of 28 March 1673 was marked, not signed: “by Reason of the shakeing of his hand, hee Could not write his Name but made those markes.” He left John Freeman “Speeds Cronicle and Wilsons Dictionary … Simpsons history of the Church and Newmans Concordance.” His inventory lists “100 of Psalme bookes,” “1 silver Tobacco box” and “1 paire of ffringed Gloves wrought with Gould and silver” (MD 3:205-209).

Two contemporary descriptions at his death. The colony death record calls him “a worthy Gentleman very pious; and very able for his office and faithfull in the Discharge therof studious of peace a welwiiler to all that feared god ; and a terrour to the wicked” (Plym. Col. B.M.B. p. 39, printed MD 3:203). The church record says “he had a countenance full of majesty & therein as well as otherwise was a Terrour to evill doers, he was very amiable & pleasant in his whole conversation” (Plymouth Church Records 1:147).

Open questions

• Which wife was the mother of which daughters? Stratton gives Mary Collier only Jane and Mary; the Plimoth Plantation sketch says it is not certain who was the mother of Judith, Elizabeth and Sarah.
• His father’s will (All Hallows Barking, London) has not been seen.