Individual Details
John Rolph
(1634 - 1 Oct 1681)
John and Mary were members of early immigrant families. John was born in 1634 in Wiltshire, England and traveled with his parents in 1639 where they were among the first settlers of Newbury. Mary’s parents arrived in Newbury by 1637 where Mary was born in 1642. Mary and John were married in Newbury in 1656 and their first three children were born in Newbury.
It was after the birth of the third child, that Mary became the victim of an attempted sexual assault or something. John was a fisherman and was on a trip to Nantucket in 1663. Prior to leaving on the trip, John arranged for a single woman Betty Webster to stay with Mary and the new young infant. Two English doctors, Henry Greenland and John Conlin, were new in town. The story goes that Mary and Betty were at dinner with Betty’s step-father John Emery. The two doctors were boarding with John Emery and also at the dinner. Betty and Mary were perhaps a little flirtatious with the two doctors. At any rate, a few nights later Dr. Greenland showed up at Mary’s house and Betty let him in. Mary, who had already gone to bed, stayed in bed. While Betty was building up the fire, Greenland took off his clothes and jumped in bed with Mary who immediately fainted. Around this time, a servant John Lessenby came by and attempted to see what was going on; the two women and the doctor all kept quiet for fear of being at risk of their lives (due to Puritanical punishments). But Lessenby snuck through the window and discovered Greenland in the bed with Mary. Lessenby and Mary talked it over and decided it was best to keep in under wraps; the reasoning was they did not want to create an uproar involving this doctor of high standing. But the word got out in a few days. Mary admitted being “enticed into an act of uncleanness” but god had helped her to resist him. One of the older woman in the community wanted John Emery to send Greenland to Court, but Emery said he would just keep a closer eye on him. But the older woman and one other woman pressed the issue and had the matter reported to the Magistrate. Greenland was charged with attempted adultery. He was found guilty and given the choice of a fine or a public whipping (don’t know which he picked). When John Rolfe returned, he sued Greenland for damages. Greenland continued to be something of a troublemaker and he left the town by 1666.
Mary and John relocated to Nantucket soon after theincident in 1663. They had five morechildren there. Around 1670, theyrelocated again to an area of Cambridge (which is now Arlington) and purchasedand operated the old Cook’s Mill which was along Mill Creek. (And they had fourmore children there.) The old mill hadbeen abandoned by the previous owner (a really bad guy Captain George Cooke whowas involved with burning several hundred Irish men, women, and children alivein Wexford, Ireland in 1652). But,anyway, John Rolfe built a new mill on the site which he operated until hisdeath in 1681. Mary and her son Mosescontinued to operate the mill for several more years including laying out plansfor a new mill and dam. You can readmore about the history of the mill and read the gruesome story about GeneralCooke at this site: http://www.oldschwambmill.org/research/new_timeline.html
It was after the birth of the third child, that Mary became the victim of an attempted sexual assault or something. John was a fisherman and was on a trip to Nantucket in 1663. Prior to leaving on the trip, John arranged for a single woman Betty Webster to stay with Mary and the new young infant. Two English doctors, Henry Greenland and John Conlin, were new in town. The story goes that Mary and Betty were at dinner with Betty’s step-father John Emery. The two doctors were boarding with John Emery and also at the dinner. Betty and Mary were perhaps a little flirtatious with the two doctors. At any rate, a few nights later Dr. Greenland showed up at Mary’s house and Betty let him in. Mary, who had already gone to bed, stayed in bed. While Betty was building up the fire, Greenland took off his clothes and jumped in bed with Mary who immediately fainted. Around this time, a servant John Lessenby came by and attempted to see what was going on; the two women and the doctor all kept quiet for fear of being at risk of their lives (due to Puritanical punishments). But Lessenby snuck through the window and discovered Greenland in the bed with Mary. Lessenby and Mary talked it over and decided it was best to keep in under wraps; the reasoning was they did not want to create an uproar involving this doctor of high standing. But the word got out in a few days. Mary admitted being “enticed into an act of uncleanness” but god had helped her to resist him. One of the older woman in the community wanted John Emery to send Greenland to Court, but Emery said he would just keep a closer eye on him. But the older woman and one other woman pressed the issue and had the matter reported to the Magistrate. Greenland was charged with attempted adultery. He was found guilty and given the choice of a fine or a public whipping (don’t know which he picked). When John Rolfe returned, he sued Greenland for damages. Greenland continued to be something of a troublemaker and he left the town by 1666.
Mary and John relocated to Nantucket soon after theincident in 1663. They had five morechildren there. Around 1670, theyrelocated again to an area of Cambridge (which is now Arlington) and purchasedand operated the old Cook’s Mill which was along Mill Creek. (And they had fourmore children there.) The old mill hadbeen abandoned by the previous owner (a really bad guy Captain George Cooke whowas involved with burning several hundred Irish men, women, and children alivein Wexford, Ireland in 1652). But,anyway, John Rolfe built a new mill on the site which he operated until hisdeath in 1681. Mary and her son Mosescontinued to operate the mill for several more years including laying out plansfor a new mill and dam. You can readmore about the history of the mill and read the gruesome story about GeneralCooke at this site: http://www.oldschwambmill.org/research/new_timeline.html
Events
| Birth | 1634 | Wiltshire, England | |||
| Marriage | 4 Dec 1656 | Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay - Mary Scullard | |||
| Death | 1 Oct 1681 | Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay |
Families
| Spouse | Mary Scullard (1641 - 1687) |
| Child | Moses Rolph (1681 - 1746) |
| Child | Henry Rolph (1678 - 1723) |
| Child | Benjamin Rolph (1674 - ) |
| Child | Joseph Rolph (1669 - 1708) |
| Child | John Rolph (1663 - 1696) |
| Child | Rebecca Rolph (1661 - 1751) |
| Child | Mary Rolph (1659 - ) |
| Child | Samuel Rolph (1665 - ) |
| Child | Mary Rolph (1658 - 1658) |
| Child | Hannah Rolph (1671 - 1697) |
| Child | Sarah Rolph (1667 - ) |
| Child | Hester (Esther) Rolph (1676 - 1742) |