Individual Details
(1599 - 29 Mar 1673)
Thomas Prence came to Plymouth on the "Fortune" in November of 1621 at the age of twenty-two, and from the beginning seemed to have taken a leading role in Plymouth affairs. Of the eight Plymouth Undertakers, who seemed to be the most important men in the colony in 1627, Prence was the only one who had not arrived on the Mayflower. He became governor in 1634, and was elected an Assistant in 1635,and from then on he was either an Assistant or governor every year for the rest of his life. He also served as treasurer, as president of the Council of War, and in various other capacities. With the death of Bradford in 1657, Prence became without doubt the most important and influential man in the colony. He was of a conservative nature, as is shown by his siding with Bradford and Winslow in the 1645 Vassall controversy, and by his actions against the Quakers. He was involved in several law suits which were decided in his favor, such as 1650, when Strong Fumell of Boston submitted a written humble apology to the court for having evily slandered Mr. Prence after the latter sued him for 200 pounds damage. In1665 as compensation for having required Prence, as governor, to reside in Plymouth, the court ordered that he would be paid 50 pounds per yearas long as he remained governor, and he was given a house in the Plain Dealing area of Plymouth as a residence (in 1668, at his request, the court sold him that house for 150 pounds). He engaged in many land transactions, and he died a wealthy man,leaving a personal estate in excess 400 pounds and some eleven tracts ofland, at least two of them containing 100 acres each. He was no doubt chagrined over Arthur Howland's eventually successful suit for the hand of his daughter Elizabeth, and he probably was not happy over the marriage of two of his daughters to sons of Edmond Freeman. The mention in his will of his deceased son Thomas' daughter Susanna Prence would indicate that he died without surviving male issue in the Prence line. His reputation for intolerance, particularly toward the Quakers, hasclouded over his extensive service to the colony. He presided over thecourt in the very sane and reasonable handling of Plymouth's first witchcraft trial in 1661. He dealt in a humane way with the Indians, and missionary Thomas Mayhew wrote of his "gentle and kind dealing" with them, and he also presided over the court as governor in 1638 when the momentous decision was made to execute the white men who had murdered an Indian. He showed wisdom in 1637 when he negotiated with the Massachusetts men who unjustly demanded much of the land on the Connecticut River that Plymouth had purchased from the Indians and he advocated and brought about a free school system in the colony. "Thomas Prence Esquire Govr: of the Jurisdiction of New Plymouth Died the 29th of March 1673 and was Interred the 8th of Aprill following; after hee had served God in the office of Govr: sixteen yeares or neare therunto hee finished his Course in the 73 yeare of his life; hee was a worthy Gentleman very pious; and very able for his office and faithfull in the Discharge therof studious of peace a welwiller to all that feared god; and a terrour to the wicked, his; Death was much lamented, and his body honorably buryed att Plymouth the Day and yeare abovemensioned" (Plym. Col. B. M. B., p. 39). "Governor Prence arrived at Plymouth Colony in 1621 on the 'Fortune'. Of the eight 'Plymouth Undertakers, who seemed to be the most important men in the colony in 1627, Prence was the only one who has not arrived on the 'Mayflower'. He became Governor in 1634 and was elected an Assistant in 1635. From then on he was either an Assistant or Governor every year until his death in 1673. He also served as treasurer, as president of the Council of War, etc. With the death of Bradford in 1657, Prence became, without doubt, 'the most important and influential man in the Colony'." "In 1644 he moved to Eastham. He was later induced to move back to Plym outh by a gift of a large farm, 'Plain Dealing'. In 1665, as compensation for having required Prence, as Governor, to reside in Plymouth, the court ordered that he would be paid 50 pounds per year as long as he remained Governor. In addition, he was given a house in the Plain Dealing area of Plymouth as a residence and in 1668, at his request, the court sold him that house for 150 pounds. He engaged in many land transactions and he died a wealthy man, leaving a person estate in excess of 400 pounds and some eleven tracts of land, at least two of them containing 100 acres each." "Prence was of a conservative nature and it is said that his reputation for intolerance, particularly toward the Quakers, has clouded over his extensive service to the Colony. It is said he presided over the court in a very sane and reasonable handling of Plymouth's first witchcraft trial in 1661, and that he dealt with the Indians in a humane way." Text of his will to be entered, as well as details of his inventory. "Establishing the probable date of marriage for Apphia and Thomas Prence has significant implications for the parentage of Prence's last three children. Apphia is last seen as a Freeman 1 July 1644, about a year before the birth of Prence's seventh child, and at the end of a six-year heatus in the birthdates of his children. She is called "Mrs. Freeman" as late as 15 October 1646 in a deed where she appears as an abutter, but this does not necessarily imply that she had not remarried by this date, since it was not unusual for archaic ounds to be used in this sort of description." Details to be entered., "Mr. Thomas Prence, gentleman, d. 29 Mch 1673 ae. 72: 'a wellwiller to all that feared God and a terrour to the wicked.' He came to Plymouth in the Fortune in Nov 1621, removed to Duxbury 1635, to Eastham 1644, and later returned to Plymouth. Governor of the Colony of New Plymouth for about sixteen years." "It has been asserted that he was subsequently married [after Mary Collier] , but there appears no conclusive proof of the fact. The assertion rests upon two significant declarations which are are yet inexplicable. First, the declaration of Gov. Prence in 1662 and 1671 that Samuel Freeman of Eastham was his 'beloved son-in-law', and secondly, upon the injunction of Captain Thomas Howes of Yarmouth, i 1676, upon going forth in the expedition to the Narraganset country to fight the Indians, to allow 'Mother Prence to enjoy without molestation, during her natural life, the house she now lives in.' The births of the children of Gov. Prenc, by his wives Patience and Mary, are not recorded either at Plymouth or Eastham." Change Date: 20 APR 1999 Father: Thomas PRENCE b: ABT 1575 in Leclade, CG, England Mother: Elizabeth TOLDERBY b: ABT 1577 in Lechlade, CG, England Marriage 1 Patience BREWSTER Married: 5 AUG 1624 in Plymouth, MA 5 4 Marriage 2 Mary COLLIER b: bef 18 Feb 1611/1612 in Southwark, CS, England Marriage 3 Apphia QUICK Marriage 4 Mary b: ABT 1603 in England Married: 1668 12 Sources: Text: Dudley G. Brown, Sr.'s Pedigree Charts, 4524 Forest Wood Trail, Sarasota, FL. Text: Information supplied by Dave Wilma (DavidWilma@@aol.com) accessed by GENDEX. Type: Book Author: Robert Charles Anderson Periodical: The Great Migration Begins Publication: (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995) Type: Periodical Author: Josiah Paine Title: Early Settlers of Eastham Periodical: Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy, No. 32 & 33 Type: Book Author: Henry James Young Periodical: George Eldridge, Hydrographer and Eliza Jane his wife; Their Ancestors and their Descendants Publication: (Carlisle, PA: privately printed, 1982) Type: Periodical Author: [Anonymous] Title: Thomas Prence Periodical: The Mayflower Quarterly Date: (August, 1967) Text: Pedigree Chart from Nancy D. Adams, 1526 Pelican Point Drive, Sarasota, FL 34231-6792. Type: Periodical Author: James W. Hawes Title: Thomas Howes of Yarmouth, Mass., and some of his Descendants Perio dical: Cape Cod Library of Local History & Genealogy, No. 31 Type: Book Author: Charles A. Collier Periodical: The Story of our Branch of the Collier Family Publication: (Santa Barbara, CA: Privately printed, 1975) Type: Book Author: Justin Winsor Periodical: History of the Town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, with Genealogical Registers Publication: (Boston: Crosby & Nichols, 1849) Type: Periodical Author: Robert S. Wakefield Title: The Children of William Collier Periodical: The American Genealogist Date: (October, 1973) Type: Book Periodical: Bassett-Preston Ancestry
Events
| Birth | 1599 | Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England | | | |
| Christen | 1600 | England | | | |
| Religion | 1620 | Puritan | | | |
| Immigration | Nov 1621 | on the ship Fortune - Plymouth Colony | | | |
| Marriage | 5 Aug 1624 | Plymouth, Massachusetts, British America - Patience BREWSTER | | | |
| Occupation | 1635 | Chosen Governor | | | |
| Title (Nobility) | 1658 | Governor of New Plymouth | | | |
| Will | 13 Mar 1673 | Codicil dated Mar 28, 1673., | | | |
| Death | 29 Mar 1673 | Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts | | | |
| Burial | 8 Apr 1673 | Burial Hill, Plymouth, Massachusetts | | | |
Families