Individual Details

James Torrey was in Scituate circa 1640. Some sources claim a few years earlier, 1637. He purchased a house and lot in 1643 from John Stockbridge. His house stood 10 rods south of the gate that leads to Hobart's landing, (since called the Neal field). The freemen also granted him a considerable tract of land south-west of his house lot. He was a man of great usefulness and respectability. On July 18, 1653 he was chosen as "Towne Clarke of the Towne of Scituate." He was a "clothier," and built a "clothing mill" in 1653, a little higher up from another mill on the same brook. It was probably a fulling mill for the dressing and fulling of the cloth woven by the women of the homes.
He was admitted a freeman to the colony and commissioned lieutenant of the Scituate military company on June 8, 1655. He was a representative to the Plymouth General Court many terms and on important committees; a member of the Council to aid the Major General in plannng the defense of the colony against the Indian foes; and appointed a local magistrate, to adminsister oaths, take testimony, begin suits, marry persons, etc.
James met with a fatal accident while attending to his duty. As lieutenant of the militia he was called upon by the governor of Plimouth to prepare the powder and ammunition in a great hurry for an expected engagement with the Dutch. He went into the house of Goodman Tucker where the magazine of the Town was, which was but two barrels of powder and opened one. He was drying some of the powder abroad upon boards and doors when by some accident the powder was fired, both that in the house and that abroad. The house was blown up and broken in pieces, a woman of the house, Goodwife Ticknor miserably burnt and a little child also was sadly burnt and buried amongst the rubbish and timber. The Lieutenant was sadly burnt especially on his breast, face, hands and arms, yet he lived till the next day, dying July 6, 1665.

Birth	Abt 1612/13	Combe St Nicholas, Somerset, England, United Kingdom
Immigration	1637	Massachusetts, United States
Marriage	2 Nov 1643	Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts, British America - Anne Hatch
Death	6 Jul 1665	Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts, British America

Spouse	Anne Hatch (1626 - 1691)
Child	Deacon James Torrey (1644 - 1719)
Child	William Torrey (1646 - )
Child	Joseph Torrey (1648 - 1714)
Child	Damaris Torrey (1651 - 1717)
Child	Jonathan Torrey (1654 - 1718)
Child	Mary Torrey (1656 - )
Child	Josiah Torrey (1658 - 1722)
Child	Sarah Torrey (1660 - 1722)
Child	Joanna Torrey (1663 - )
Child	Bethiah Torrey (1665 - )

Father	Philip Torrey (1585 - 1621)
Mother	Alice Richards (1584 - 1634)
Sibling	Anna Torrey (1605 - )
Sibling	Captain William Torrey (1608 - 1690)
Sibling	Philip Torrey (1614 - 1686)
Sibling	Sarah Torrey (1616 - )
Sibling	Mary \ Marie Torrey (1618 - 1634)
Sibling	Lieut. Joseph Torrey (1621 - 1675)
Sibling	Naomi Torrey ( - )