George
Partridge was born say 1613, in England; his exact origins aren’t known. He is
my 9th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’
side of the family. His last name is also seen as Patrich and a variety of
other spellings.
George Partridge immigrated by
1635. He was one of the original purchasers of Middleborough, Massachusetts but
raised his family in Duxbury where he lived the rest of his days. He is called
tailor, husbandman, yeoman, and planter in records. He presumably knew how to
read as his inventory included books and a Bible. He signed his deeds and will
by his mark.
In
November 1638 George married Sarah Tracy at Plymouth, Mass. Sarah was the
daughter of Stephen and Typhossa (Lee) Tracy (also spelled Tracey and Trace)
who were part of the Pilgrim congregation at Leiden, Holland, and came to
America on the Anne in 1623. Sarah
may have been born in England close to the time her family set sail in 1623 but
I haven’t seen any proof of this.
Sarah’s
father signed a Power of Attorney in 1654, mentioning several children by name
and "the rest of my five children.” Sarah is not mentioned by name but she
was listed in the 1627 livestock division with her father and sister Rebecca.
George
and Sarah had 10 children, order uncertain:
Sarah,
b. 1639, married Samuel Allen who fought in King Phillip’s War; they lived in
East Bridgewater
Tryphosa,
m. Samuel West of Plymouth
Elizabeth,
m. James Allen of Martha’s Vineyard
Ruth,
m. Ralph Thacher of Martha’s Vineyard
Marcy,
m. Nathaniel Skiffe
Rebecca,
m. ____ Fisher
Lydia,
born before 1660, m. William Brewster of Duxbury, grandson of Mayflower passenger of the same name
Mercy,
m. Samuel Coburn
John, born 29 November 165_ (possibly 1655), m. 1st Hannah Seabury, 2nd Mary ____, widow of Wrestling Brewster
James,
m. Mary Stetson
I descend from Lydia. Most of the
children’s births are not recorded, but Sarah (Tracy) Partridge’s will lists
bequests to eight daughters and two sons by name, so I’m assuming she wrote
them by birth order.
He may have been brother or
cousin of Rev. Ralph Partridge, as they both appeared in Duxbury at about the
same time, but Robert Charles Anderson finds no proof of a blood relationship. He
found the detailed will of Gervase Partridge of London that named his brother
Ralph Patrich, as well as Ralph's children Mary Marshall and Elizabeth
Thatcher. He named other brothers and sisters and children of those siblings,
but no George appears as a brother or nephew. Since two of George's daughters
married in Dedham, this may indicate a connection with the Partridge family of
Medfield.
 |
Partridge House Once Owned by Ralph and later George; maybe original part of the house from 17th c?
source: Lamont Healy |
From Plymouth Colony Court
records we see the first mention of George : 2 March 1635/6, "At the same Court, A Jury of twelve
being impaniled and charged in the moneth of ffebr foregoing to enquire after
the death of John Deacon in the behalfe of our Soveraigne Lord the king. gave
in their verdict as followeth in their owne words and under their hands, viz "Having
searched the dead body we finde not any blowes or wounds or any other bodily
hurt. We finde that bodily weakenes caused by long fasting & wearines by
going to & fro wth extream cold of the season were the causes of his death.
"Their names were John Jenny
John Cooke Will Basset Joseph Rogers William Hoskins, Thomas Cushman George
Partridge Stephen Tracy Abraham Peirce Richard Cluffe Tho. Clarke Phineas Pratt.
George served on multiple coroner's
juries, petit juries and grand juries. He was on the Plymouth Colony committee
to lay out a highway in 1647 and 1650. He was the surveyor of highways in 1668,
1677 and 1681. He was on Duxbury section of 1643 Plymouth Colony list of men
able to bear arms.
He took the oath of fidelity at
Duxbury in 1639; was propounded as a Plymouth freeman on 3 March 1645/6; was added
to the end of the 1639 list and was on the 1658, 1670 and early 1684 Colony's
lists of freemen.
George was involved in multiple
land transactions:
2 Oct 1637, 20 acres granted to
him at Greene's Harbor Path. 2 July 1638, he requested a parcel of land about
the Island Creek Pond, if he leave his former grant. On 7 August 1638 he was
granted those 30 acres. 15 August 1639 John Cooke the younger sold to George
Patrich of Duxborrow, tailor, 20 acre lot on the Duxborrow side. On 2 November
1640 he was granted 30 acres with some meadow to it "by his father's"
at the North River (this would actually be his father-in-law Stephen Tracy who
received land grant on the same day also at the North River). On 9 October 1645 Mr. Robte (sic) Hicks sold
him marsh meadow lying from a little brook behind a parcel of land sold to Mr.
Ralph Patrich as well as a swamp running from the marsh to a well to George for
ten years to be used for grazing and mowing. On 2 June 1646 Georg Partrich sold
to John Lewes of Scituate all that his farm being 30 acres of upland with about
3 acres of marsh meadow on the south side of the North River. On 20 August 1647
John Maynard of Boston sold to George Partrich of Duxborough all his upland and
meadow in Duxborough adjoining George's land, about 20 acres. On 28 July 1649 Gorg Partridge of Duxbery
tailor sold to Sgt William Mericke and John Vobes a small parcel of upland of
about 5 acres at Poulder Point (maybe Powder Point?). On 14 March 1648/49 Mr. John Howland sold to
Georg Partridg of Duxborrow, tailor, three acres of meadow ground at Mosquito
Hole in Duxborrow.
On 21 June 1652, John Banges of
Eastham sold to Gorge Partrich of Duxborrow, tailor, a parcel of land of 40
acres of upland in Duxburrow near Island Creek. On 4 October 1652 Willam
Merricke of Eastham sold to Gorge Partrich of Duxburrow all land granted to him
at Duxburrow, at Satuckquett. In an undated document Gorge Partrich was granted
lot three "lying near unto Namassakett. On 20 May 1665 the town of Duxbury
granted him 50 acres about Mill Creek near Namassakeesit. On 17 November 1668
George Patridge of Duxborough, planter, sold to Thomas King Jr of Scituate all
land granted to him at Duxborough at or about Mille Brook near Namassakiesset
containing 50 acres. On 12 May 1666,
town of Duxbury laid out to George Partridge 40 acres on the west side of the
book that runs out of Island Creek Pond, beginning at the mouth of the
pond.
On 7 July 1668, Thomas Andrews
made motion at court on behalf of Gorge Victory and Gorg Partrich to give them
land from a former grant as ancient servants, 60 acres of land between the line
of the colony and John Hanmore's lot, principally to the westward of the old
path leading from Bridgewater to Weymouth.
On 13 March 1671/?2 Gorge Partrich of Duxburough husbandman with consent
of wife Sarah sold 60 acres within bounds of New Plymouth near foot road from
Weymouth to Bridgewater to Thomas Andrews of Hingham. On 22 October 1672 Constant Southworth
ordered the recording the lands granted unto Gorge Partrich of Duxburow as an
old servant being 60 acres lying between Weymouth and Bridgewater.
As he grew older, he deeded land
to his sons and son-in-law:
8 April 1680 George Partridge of
Duxborough with consent of wife Sarah deed to son John Partridge one whole
purchase of land in Bridgewater excepting one 6 acre lot and 10 acres he had
sold. Included 1 50 acre lot on south side of Unketeteaset River and on the
eastward of Pyping Hill and on the west side of Samuel Allen's land deeded to
him by George, his father-in-law and one lot of meadow in the Great Meadow
between Goodman Mitchell and Moses Simmons and one lot of meadow lying in
Coster's Kitchen and any other lands laid forth as belonging to his
purchase.
On 1 April 1684 Georg Partridg of
Duxbury, planter, deeded to Samuel West of Duxbury, house carpenter, part of a
parcel of land near Matatapoose Pond and Indian Head River Pond adjoining to
Jones River Pond purchased from the Indian Sachem Josias Chickatabutt alias
Wompiattuck by Major Winslow and commonly called Major's Purchase.
On 13 February 1688/89, George
Partridge and Sarah his wife of Duxborow deed to son James Partridge half of
all their housing and lands in Duxbury and after their decease the other half,
40 acres of land where house stands, abutting Plymouth Bay on the salt water
and 40 acres lying near Island Creek, and 40 acres on the side of the book that
runs out of Island Creek Pond and one island of sedge which he purchased from
Abraham Samson and five acres of meadow. On 6 Feb 1691/?2, George Partridge of
Duxborough deeded to well beloved sons John and James Partridge both of
Duxborough, all of his whole share and part of lands both divided and undivided
in Middleborough and also of and in the tract of land and cedar swamp called by
the name of Major's Purchase.
Lamont “Monty” Healy has done a
wonderful series of articles on the early settlers of Duxbury for the Duxbury Clipper newspaper. His article on John Washburn mentions
that when Rev. Ralph Partridge died, his 150 acres in Duxbury went to his
daughter Elizabeth. She deeded some of that land, including the homestead, to George
Partridge. His great-grandson, also named George Partridge, eventually
inherited the land and he served in the Revolutionary War. One of the very
special things about Monty’s articles is that he researched deeds to find the
locations of family homesteads and published maps he made showing the location
of these early homesteads. The farm belonging to the Partridge family (couldn’t
resist writing that at least once) is located between Partridge Road and
Washington Street. You can see some of Monty’s work at https://duxburyspilgrimsandtheirland.wordpress.com/.
George Partridge died between February
1691/?92 when he acknowledged a deed and
October 1695, when his inventory was taken. He is called a yeoman of Duxborough
in his 26 June 1682 will which was sealed 29 June 1682 and proved 16 October
1695. Left to his beloved wife Sarah Partridge all of his cattle and household
stuff for her own proper use during her natural life on condition that his wife
do as much for daughter Mercy as they have done of the rest of daughters already
married and that she give granddaughter Bethyah Allin as much as she in
prudence shall think fit and if any part of my moveables remain at my wife's
decease my will is that it be disposed of by her amongst children as she thinks
fit. To eldest son John Partridge at my
decease half my uplands and half my meadow lands lying and being at
Middleborough and six pounds. To son
James Partridge the other and remaining half of uplands and meadows in
Middleborough and all houses and lands uplands and meadow lands in Duxborough
and also the island at the glade at his mother's decease, if James will live in
the house with his mother quietly during her life. Wife Sarah to be executrix.
In case that any estate belonging unto me beyond the sea should be brought over
hither before my wife's decease my will is that she should dispose of amongst
children according to her discretion.
The inventory of George
Partridge's estate was taken 16 October 1695, totaling 89 pounds, 7 shillings,
with no real estate included.
Sarah Partrich died between 28
November 1702, when she wrote her will, and 6 October 1708 when her estate was
probated. (Plymouth, Mass. Prob. Recs, 2:131-2). A
summary of her will:
• I bequeath to my
eight daughters, Sarah Allien [Allen], Triphosa West, Elizabeth Allien [Allen],
Ruth Thatcher, Mary Scif [Skiff], Rebeckah Fisher, Lidia Bruister [Brewster],
Mercy Coburn [or Colburn], all my linen great & small and woolen wearing
clothes to be equally divided between them all, three of my daughters before
named being deceased [i.e., Triphosa, Mary & Rebecca] my meaning is that
their children should have their mother's part & that equally divided
amongst them.
• All my money which
I die possessed of or which is owing to me should be equally divided amongst my
ten children, it understood that the children of those that are deceased should
have their mothers' part.
• Son John to have my
great bible as a gift of his father after my decease.
• Ye sheep at ye
vineyard [i.e., Martha's Vineyard] are my son [in-law] James Allein's by
bargain.
• My son James
Partridge to be executor.
• My son [in-law]
Bruister & my son John Partridge to be Overseers.
The inventory of Sarah Partridg
of Duxbury, deceased, taken 18 Oct 1708, was untotaled and included no real
estate (PPR 2:132).
George and Sarah’s burial location
is not known.
There is a 1916 book on the
family I have not read by George Henry Partridge, Partridge
Genealogy: Descendants of George Partridge of Duxbury, Massachusetts.
Sources
Not Listed Above:
Eugene Stratton, Plymouth Colony, Its History and People,
1986
William Henry Jennings, According to A Genealogical History of the
Jennings Families in England and America Fourth to eighth generation A Genealogical History of the Jennings
Families in England and America
(Fourth
to eighth generation), 1899
Charles Edward Bank, The History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol III,
1911
Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration: Immigrants to New England
1634-35, Vol. V, M-P, 2007
