Daniel Cole 1615-1694, England to Eastham, Mass., and His Wife Ruth Collier

Daniel Cole was baptized Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire, on 26 December 1614, the youngest of seven sons of John and Frances (Gardyner) Cole. Two of his brothers died in early childhood. His father John was a farmer and horse breeder. [Cole]

In 1629 Daniel, with his mother Frances and brothers Nathaniel, Zachary, Job, and John, were named as heirs of John Cole’s estate at Weedon Bec. Nathaniel was to inherit his father’s land lease and was to pay his brothers each a specific sum of money, including £60 to Daniel when he reached age 24. [Cole]

Daniel’s brother Zaccheus/Zachary was an apprentice to grocer William Langham, who had been an apprentice to William Collier of Southwark, Surrey. Zaccheus was in his mid-20s and living in London when died of the plague in 1630 and named his mother Frances, brothers Nathaniel, John and Daniel Cole, and loving friend William Collier in his will. Daniel’s brother, Job, became an apprentice to William Collier, who was a grocer and brewer. [Cole]

In 1633 William Collier, his wife Jane, and their daughters migrated to Plymouth Colony. [Anderson] With them were at least two of the Cole brothers, Job and John, who were among those referred to as “Collier’s men” in records.

Daniel stayed behind in England to learn the tailor trade but followed his brothers to Plymouth Colony by 6 April 1640, when he was granted 50 acres of land at Duxbury. It was near his brother Job’s land. [Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth 1:144, hereafter “Shurtleff’] Daniell Cole was admitted a freeman at Plymouth Colony on 4 June 1645. [Shurtleff 2:84].

Daniel’s brother Job Cole married Rebecca Collier, William’s daughter. His brother John Cole died in his 20s, unmarried, likely close to 7 January 1637/8 when his undated will was proven. John’s will mentions brothers Job and Daniel, sister Rebecca [Job’s wife], and Elizabeth Collier (Job’s sister-in-law). The wording about Daniel’s inheritance is that his share had to be delivered to him and if he had already died, then his share should go to Job—this seems to indicate Daniel was still in England. [Roser]

About 1643 Daniel Cole married Ruth Collier whose sister was married to Job Cole. Their first child John was born in July 1644, likely at Duxbury. No marriage record has been found. This was an advantageous match for Daniel. Aside from the strong connection between the two families, his new father-in-law was among the wealthiest and most important men in the colony whose daughters would inherit his estate as he had no surviving sons. Ruth and Daniel are my 11th great-grandparents. 

For years the identity of Daniel Cole’s wife Ruth was not known with certainty, but genealogist William Cole published proof that she was Ruth Collier, baptized St. Saviour, Southwark, England, 5 August 1627, daughter of William and Jane (Yates) (Clarke) Collier. One piece of evidence is a 16 October 1659 Plymouth Colony deed, William Collier referred to Daniel Cole as his son-in-law. The only other Daniel Cole in the area was Job’s son, too young to be getting married.

I also descend from Ruth’s sisters Mary who married Thomas Prence (future Governor of the Colon),  Sarah who married Love Brewster (son of Mayflower passenger William Brewster), and Elizabeth who married Constant Southworth (Gov. Bradford’s step-son).

On 6 June 1642 the court established new bounds for Marshfield, “provided that Mr. Starr, Job Cole, Daniell Cole, William Bassett, John Mynard, etc. shall not by Marshfield men be rated or assessed to any public charges until they or any of them come to inhabit and do close with Marshfield men.” [Shurtleff 2:42]  It is often written that Daniel moved to Marshfield by June 1642, but his property was impacted by the re-drawing the boundary. 

Daniel and Job Cole were on the 1643 list of men able to bear arms at Yarmouth, so perhaps they lived there briefly. [Shurtleff 8:194] He and Job were at Eastham (also called Nauset) in the mid- to late-1640s, as part of the second group of settlers there and this is where he and Ruth remained. He and his brother Job must have been very close as they always were neighbors, which must have been nice for sisters Ruth and Rebecca.

On 8 June 1649, Daniell Cole of “Nawset”acknowledged before the court that he has given up all his right, title, and interest to his land in Marshfield, being about 50 acres, belonging to Edmond Weston the administrator of the estate of Thomas Howell, and that he is fully satisfied for the said lands. [Shurtleff 12:175] The acreage matches his land grant at Duxbury, which became part of Marshfield as written above. At the 9 June 1650 court, the sale of the 50 acres at Marshfield by Daniell Cole of Nawsett, tailor, to Edmond Weston of Duxburrow, by deed dated 8 June 1649, is again mentioned. It states the land was bounded by the head of the cove and that of William Bassett, who was Daniel’s neighbor in his original Duxbury grant, adding to the proof that Daniel didn’t physically move to Marshfield. Edmond Weston deeded this land to John Barker in 1650. [Shurtleff, 12:187]

Ruth and Daniel had 11 children. Although Esther/Hester, Thomas, and William's births were not recorded, but they are mentioned in their father’s estate settlement. The rest were recorded at Eastham [Eastham/Orleans Vital Records in MD 5:23, MD 6:204, MD 14:196, MD 17:201] but at least John would have been born Duxbury or Yarmouth; Israel’s birth was recorded in the Eastham section of Plymouth Colony Vital Records [MD 17:70].

1. John born, probably Yarmouth or Duxbury, 15 July 1644; m. Ruth Snow, daughter of Mayflower passenger Constance Hopkins 

2. Timothy born, possibly Eastham, 15 September 1646; wife’s name is not known with certainty

3. Hepsibah born Eastham 16 April 1649; m. 1) George Crispe; 2) Daniel Doane

4. Ruth born Eastham 15 April 1651; m. 1) John Young; 2) Jonathan Bangs

5. Israel born Eastham 8 January 1653; m. Mary (Paine) Rogers a granddaughter of Constance Hopkins

6. James born Eastham December 1655; m. Hannah Childs

7. Mary born Eastham 10 March 1658/9; m. Joshua Hopkins, son of Mayflower passenger Giles Hopkins

8. Hester/Esther born about 1661; m. Medad Atwood

9. William born Eastham 15 September 1663; m. Mary Snow a granddaughter of Constance Hopkins

10. Daniel born September 1666; m. Mercy Fuller a granddaughter of Mayflower passenger Samuel Fuller

11. Thomas born about 1669; m. Lydia Remick  

All of the children reached adulthood and married; all but one (Daniel) had children. Daniel lived to see the births of 35 of his 56 grandchildren, as well as two of his 225 great-children. [Roser] I descend from Daniel and Ruth’s son Timothy who fought in King Philip’s War.

Daniel was an active and respected citizen, holding positions intended for trustworthy people of importance. He served as Deputy to the General Court, representing Eastham for a number of years. He was a Selectman, Eastham’s first Town Clerk, inspector of shot & lead, and constable. He also was appointed to purchase, on behalf of Gov. Thomas Prence, a place at Plain Dealing in Plymouth which had been selected for the residence of the Governor. He was a member of the grand inquest to hear the indictment against Alice Bishop who was charged with murdering her daughter Martha and was on the coroner's jury who found that Daniel Doane's child accidentally drowned in a well. Mr. Cole, Mr. Thomas Prence, and Mr. John Freeman were appointed by the town to encourage the English and the Indians to kill the wolves. [Roser] Daniel had some education, based on the positions he held and that his inventory included books.

Daniel was a tailor and a farmer. He ran a tavern as on 10 June 1661 the court granted him liberty to "drawe and sell stronge waters and wine att Eastham, provided that hee bee alwaies furnished with good wine for the supply of those that are in need amongst them." [Shurtleff 3:220] Only men of character were allowed to sell liquor at this time. It was a lucrative business, and large amounts were consumed, so men of less character would water the liquor down, something the government wanted to avoid. [Echeverria]

On 2 June 1644 the court was notified that a group of men purchased land at Nauset from the Indian Mattaquason. [Jeremy D Bangs, The Town Records of Eastham, 2012, p. 43] Governor Bradford appointed a committee to explore the possibility of moving the Colony’s capital from Plymouth to Nauset (later known as Eastham), but it was deemed inadequate. 

In a 16 October 1659 deed, William Collier of Duxbury gave to his son-in-law Daniel Cole of Eastham, all his Purchase land at Sawtuckett, Namscekett and Paomett on Cape Cod, and the appurtenances appertaining thereunto, as of wood commons and the grant of blubber, serving use for his [William’s] horses to pasture on the land during his lifetime. [MD 14:89]

In 1666 Daniel received 20 acres close to the Truro/Wellfleet town line that was his brother Job’s, plus four acres of meadow at the turning of Herring River “at the opening of the marsh that goeth to the sea.” Also in that year he received two grants of land along the bay shore of Bound Brook Island—of 20 and 10 acres. [Echeverria]

On 2 July 1667, the court granted liberty to Daniell Cole to look out for a parcel of land to accommodate him and his children, and to purchase it by order from the court. [Shurtleff 4:160]

Daniel Cole is on the 1670 list of 24 Eastham freeman. His brother Job is there as well. [Shurtleff 5:278] Daniel and Job Cole are also on the 1689 list of 30 Eastham freeman. [Shurtleff 9:208]

Ruth and Daniel died just six days apart. 

“Ruth Cole with wife of Daniel Cole dyed the fifteenth day of December: in the year 1694: in the sixty seaventh year of her age.” [Eastham/Orleans VR in MD 6:204]

“Daniel Cole dyed the one and twentyeth day of December in the year 1694 in the eigtyeth year of his age.” [Eastham/Orleans VR in MD 6:204]

They are likely buried at Cove Burying Ground, Eastham, but without a surviving gravestone.

Daniel died intestate. His children desired that their brother Israel Cole should be appointed administrator of the estate; he was appointed 3 January 1694/5. On 15 January 1694/5, Daniel’s children agreed to the settlement of his estate: John Cole, Timothy Cole, Israel Cole, James Cole, William Cole, Daniel Cole, Thomas Cole, Daniel Doane and his wife Hepsibah, John Young and his wife Ruth, Joshua Hopkins and his wife Mary, and Medad Atwood and his wife Hester. 

Thomas Cole was to have his father’s homestead, including dwelling house, barn, outhouses, orchard, and meadow. The rest was divided as such: John Cole  £13, 8s, Timothy Cole £9, Israel Cole £9, James Cole £9, William Cole £9, Daniel Cole £9, Thomas Cole £9, Hipsibah Doan £12, 19s, Ruth Young £12, 19s, Mary Hopkins £12, 19s, and Hester Atwood £12, 19s. Some children had already been given land by their father during his lifetime, and all the brothers were to have right of common to all of their father’s land at Eastham. [MD 6:204 and MD 23:67]

An untotaled inventory of Daniel Cole of Eastham’s estate was taken by Samuel Freeman Jr and Samuel Paine on 24 December 1694. Israel Cole made oath to it on 15 January 1694/5; no real estate is included. It included quite a number of farm animals (cows, a steer, calves, horses, sheep, swine, fowl), farm implements, foodstuffs such as Indian and English corn, household items, an hour glass, bullets & powder, women and men’s clothing, two looking glasses, a Bible and other books, many yards of fabric (including silk, a luxury item that was primarily used by the elite) indicating his occupation as a tailor, [Barnstable County Probate Records, 1:120-4]

Sources:

Susan E. Roser, Early Descendants of Daniel Cole of Eastham, Massachusetts, Friends of the Pilgrims Series Vol. 2, 2010

John G. Hunt, The American Genealogist, “Origins of Three Early Plymouth Families Cole, Collier and Clarke,” 42:119

Josiah Paine, Early Settlers of Eastham, Book 2, Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy, No. 32,  1916

William E. Cole, The Mayflower Descendant, “The English Origins of Job, John, Daniel, and Ruth Cole,” 69:30 (2021)

Durand Echeverria, History of Billingsgate: Before Wellfleet as Wellfleet, 1991

Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer, editors, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, 12 volumes 

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1995

Mayflower Ancestor: George Soule born about 1595-1599; died 1679, of England, Plymouth, Duxbury, Mass.

George Soule was born about 1595-1599 in England. His origins are unknown. He came to Plymouth on the Mayflower as a servant to Edward Winslow. He was a signer of the Mayflower Compact, indicating he was at least 21 years of age and that he was a servant would indicate he was under 25. [Johnson 2009] Note that I have not yet submitted this line to the Mayflower Society for approval. 

Professional genealogist Caleb Johnson has searched for George Soule's origins. One possibility is Eckington, Worcestershire but nothing definitive found. [Johnson 2009] There is a hypothesis that George was Walloon and his original name would have been de Soale. Since he came on the Mayflower as Edward Winslow's servant, that relationship must have been established in Leiden and several people named Soule or deSoale are recorded in Leiden Walloon Church. [Bangs]

George married Mary Becket/Buckett by 1626 at Plymouth. They were not married at the time of the 1623 land division when George received land on the south side of the brook to the baywards and “Marie” Buckett received land adjoining Joseph Rogers on the other side of town towards Eel River.  [Mayflower Descendant 1:227] They were married before the 1627 Plymouth division of cattle when George Sowle, Mary Sowle and Zakariah Sowle were the 11th, 12th and 13th persons in the ninth company. [PCR 12:12]

The Soule House at Plimoth/Patuxet 

Mary arrived Plymouth on the Anne in 1623. Her identification as the Mary who married George Soule  is based on her known presence in Plymouth in 1623, on George being unmarried that year, on her disappearance from the records thereafter, on George having a wife named Mary in the 1627 division, and on there being no other known Mary to assign as his wife. [Stratton] 

Mary’s origins are unknown, although Caleb Johnson has been researching possibilities. She was born about 1605. Since she was a young, single woman when she came to Plymouth, perhaps she was a servant to Mrs. Elizabeth Warren who was on the same voyage. [Johnson 2013] George and Mary are my 10th great-grandparents on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

The Soule family lived near Eel River in Plymouth, perhaps on the land Mary was granted in 1623. The family moved to Duxbury as early as 1642 when he is named on a committee there. [Wakefield] They settled on a large tract of land on Powder Point. It is possible he chose this area to be close to two other Wallonians—Philip Delano and Edward Bumpus, also my ancestors. [Healy] There’s some theories that Mary was also a Walloon and the French spelling of her last name would be Bouquet. [Throop]

A map depicting the settlement of Duxbury in 1637 shows the home of George and Mary Soule as near the ocean, at what is now Baker Avenue. His closest neighbor was Henry Sampson. He received the 100 acre Powder Point land in the 1627 land division. It stretched from the point west to about the location of the King Caesar House, encompassing almost the whole point. [Healy] It was near Back River and they Bay. [Fish]

George Soule was on the 1643 Duxbury list of men able to bear arms. He is on the 29 May 1670 list of freemen of “Duxburrow.” [PCR 5:275] Duxbury was the first town organized after Plymouth and other original settlers were William Brewster and his sons Wrestling and Love, Philip Delano, Moses Simmons, John Alden, and Myles Standish. [Willison]

That George was a servant is based on Of Plimoth Plantation written by Governor William Bradford. In 1651 Bradford summed up the group headed by Winslow, saying that one of the servants died, "but his man, George Soule, is still living, and hath eight children.” [Bradford 444]

Mary and George had nine children, although none of their births are recorded: 

1. Zachariah was born by 1627, probably at Plymouth; he married Margaret (—?—); died in the Canadian Expedition in 1663 [Healy]

2. John born about 1632 at Plymouth; married 1st Rebecca Simmons about 1655; married 2nd Esther Delano; died before 14 Nov 1707 at Duxbury

3. Nathaniel born about 1636; married Rose (—?—) before 1681; died before 12 October 1699 at Dartmouth

4. George born about 1639 probably at Duxbury; married Deborah (—?—); died Dartmouth about 1704

5. Susanna born about 1640 probably at Duxbury; married Francis West before 1660; died after 1684 probably at Kingstown, Rhode Island

6. Mary born about 1642 probably at Duxbury; married John Peterson before 1667; died after 1720 at Plymouth 

7. Elizabeth born about 1644 probably Duxbury; married Francis Walker 1667-1668; died about 1701 at Middleborough, Massachusetts

8. Patience born about 1646 probably Duxbury; married John Haskell January 1667; died 11 March 1706 at Middleborough

9. Benjamin born about 1652 at Duxbury; killed 26 March 1676 fighting in King Philip’s War 

Zachariah and Benjamin are the only children not named in George’s will as they predeceased him. I descend from John whom I wrote about here.

While George was an upstanding citizen, some of his children were less law-abiding or conforming:

• Nathaniel was punished while a single man for fathering a child with an unnamed Indian woman. 
• On 5 March 1667/8 George Soule Sr. stood surety, with his son John, for the good behavior of his son Nathaniel Soule who had verbally abused Mr. John Holmes, teacher of the church at Duxburrow. [PCR 4:178]
• John was found guilty of lying, in one case about the Indians, for which he was whipped.  [Healy]
• George Jr became a Quaker and refused to report for muster and training and was fined a cow and a heifer. [Healy]
• Elizabeth was punished twice for fornication—after being found guilty with Nathaniel Church, grandson of Pilgrim Richard Warren, she sued for £200 and was awarded £10; her second offense was with Francis Walker, whom she later married, and she was sent to the whipping post. [Healy]

George had some formal education as he signed documents, owned books and served in the important position of Deputy to the Plymouth Court in 1642, 1653, and 1654. [PCR 2:45, 3:31, 44, 49] 

He was a volunteer for the 1637 Pequot War, but Plymouth troops were not needed. [PCR 1:60] He served on various survey teams and committees, once on a committee to develop an order to control the disorderly smoking of tobacco. [PCR 2:108] He served on a grand jury twice in 1643  [PCR 2:53, 56], juries in 1656 and 1663 [PCR 3:102, 7:108] and Petit jury in 1647 [PCR 2:117]. In addition to his public service, George kept a farm as indicated by the account of his estate.

When a servant came out of servitude he would be given an individual lot of land, and in 1661 the court provided for a collective purchase of lands at Saconnett for former servants. In general, the earlier one arrived at Plymouth, the easier it was to get free land grants. [Stratton]

George Soule was assessed 9 shillings in the Plymouth tax lists of 25 March 1633 and 27 March 1634. [PCR 1:10, 27] He was on the list of purchasers who took on the colony’s debt. [PCR 2:177]

On 1 July 1633 George was granted “mow[—]  for a cow near his dwelling house.” [PCR 1:15] On 20 March 1636/7 he was allowed the hay ground where he got hay the year before. [PCR 1:56] On 4 December 1637 George Soule was granted a garden place on Ducksborrow side. [PCR 1:69] On 7 May 1638 one acre of land was granted to George Soule "at the watering place" in lieu of another acre which was taken from him for other use, and also two acres of stony marsh at Powder Point were granted to him. [PCR 1:83)] On 13 July 1639 George Soule sold to Robert Hicks two acres at the watering place on the south side of Plymouth. [PCR 12:45] On 2 Nov 1640 he was granted "the meadow he desires" at Green's Harbor. [PCR 1:165] On 4 May 1658 George Soule was granted five acres of meadow. [PCR 3:134] 

On 22 Jan 1658 and 17 July 1668 George Soule gave his Dartmouth property to his sons Nathaniel and George as a single undivided share. [PCLR 3:123, 245]

On 23 July 1668 George Soule, with "consent of my wife Mary," gave land to Francis Walker "husband to my daughter Elizabeth.” [MD 27:39-40, citing PCLR 3:126]  On 26 Jan 1668[/9]George Soule of Duxbury deeded to "Patience Haskall his true and natural daughter and unto John Haskall her husband" his half share of land at Namassakett. [MD 27:40, citing PCLR 3:153] On 12 March 1668[/9] George Soule of Duxbury, husbandman, deeded to "my daughter Elizabeth wife unto Francis Walkere" half his share of land at Namascutt. [MD 27:40-41, citing PLR 10:2:327]

Mary died in Dec 1676 at Duxbury or Plymouth [based on information given in George’s estate account].

George died between 20 Sept 1677, when he wrote a codicil to his will, and 5 March 1679/80, when his will was proved. Likely his death was closer to the latter date.

Bequests in the 11 August 1677 will of  “Gorge Soule senir”:

• Two sons Nathaniel and Gorge already given “All my lands in the Township of Dartmouth.”
• Had already gifted daughters Elizabeth and Patience “all my lands in the Township of Middleberry.”
• Daughters Sussannah and Mary twelve pence a piece to be payed by executor.
• “And forasmuch as my Eldest son John Soule and his family hath in my extreame old age and weaknes bin tender and carefull of mee and very healpfull to mee; and is likely soe to be while it shall please God to continew my life heer therfore I give and bequeath unto my said son John Soule all the Remainder of my housing and lands whatsoever to him his heires and Assignes for ever.”
• I Give and bequeath unto my son John Soule all my Goods And Chattles whatsoever.

Son John was to be sole Executor. Witnesses were Nathaniel Thomas and Deborah Thomas. [Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories, Volume IV, Part I, page 50]

George must have grown concerned that there would be a dispute among his children about his land after his death as he wrote a codicil to his will on 20 September 1677.  He “heerby further Declare that it is my will that if my son John Soule above named or his heires or Assignes or any of them shall att any time Disturbe my Daughter Patience or her heires or Assignes or any of them in peacable Posession or Injoyment of the lands I have Given her att Namassakett allies Middleberry and Recover the same from her or her heires or Assignes or any of them That then my Gift to my son John Soule shall shalbe voyd; and that then my will is my Daughter Patience shall have all my lands att Duxburrey And shee shalbe my sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament And enter into my housing lands and meddowes att Duxburrow.”

Witnesses were again Nathaniel Thomas and Deborah Thomas.

An inventory of the estate of “Gorge Soule of Duxburrow” totaled £40 19 shillings and was taken 22 January 1679/80 by Edward Southworth and Thomas Delano. It was presented by John Soule at court on 5 March 1679/80. It included dwelling house, orchard, barn, and upland,  meadow land, bed & bedding, wearing clothes, chest, chair, gun, lumber, sheers, trammel, wedge, and books. He had already deeded much of his land to his children prior to this, as noted in his will.

An account of the estate includes expenses of plowing wheat and peas, reaping rye and peas, bringing in hay, 30 yards of canvas, buttons & silk, making a stone wall about the orchard, funeral charges, and more. I’m curious what the canvas was for—a windmill or sails for a boat? It also included “for Diett and tendance since my mother Died which was three yeer the Last December except some smale time my sister Patience dressed his victualls.” This indicates George had been in failing health for more than three years, cared for by his wife prior to her death, then by his son John and his wife Esther, was well as his daughter Patience. 

There is a replacement/memorial stone for George Soule at the old Standish Cemetery in Duxbury on the corner of Chestnut Street and Pilgrim By Way. 

Sources: 

Robert S. Wakefield, Mayflower Families in Progress, George Soule of the Mayflower and His Descendants for Four Generations, “pink book” published by the GSMD, 1999

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1995

Eugene Stratton, Plymouth Colony, Its History and People, 1986

Caleb H. Johnson, The Mayflower Quarterly, "The Hunt for the English Origins of George Soule," Sept 2009

Jeremy Dupertuis Bangs, Strangers and Pilgrims, Travelers and Sojourners, Leiden and the Foundations of Plymouth Plantation, GSMD, 2009

George F. Willison, Saints and Strangers, 1945

William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, 2006 edition edited by Caleb H. Johnson

Lamont “Monty” Healy, Duxbury Clipper, “George Soule and Powder Point,” 2 part series, March 2013

Henry A. Fish, Duxbury Ancient & Modern, 2012  Revised Edition of the 1925 edition

Justin Winsor, History of the Town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, with Genealogical Registers, 1849

Louise Walsh Throop, The Mayflower Quarterly, “Pilgrim George Soule: Update on His Possible Ancestry,” June 2008

Caleb H. Johnson, The Mayflower Quarterly, “Research Into the Possible English Origins of Mary Buckett Wife of Mayflower Passenger George Soule,” December 2013

The Pilgrim Hall Museum has transcriptions of records pertaining to George Soule: http://www.pilgrimhall.org/soulegeorgerecords.htm.

For information on the Soule Kindred In America Society: http://www.soulekindred.org/.