by: RPARIS
My 8th-time-maternal great-grandfather (Robert Reynolds)'s line, appears to go back to as far as 1475, to East Burgholt, Suffolk, England. For this I cannot begin to vouch, but following the Reynolds family in Ancestry.com it's a direct shot.
Mary (Reynolds) Sanger's parents were married, it is said, in East Aylesford, Kent, England, in 1611.
Her father Robert was 26, born abt. 1586, and her mother, Mary Pulleyne, was abt. 11, having been born in abt. 1600. Mary's grandparents were George Reynolds and Tomasyn Church.
Mary, was christened in the amazing church at Barfreston, Kent on December 27, 1629.
It must have been beautiful, but incredibly Cold.
Robert Reynolds, his wife Mary, five daughters, and one son sailed to the new World, on the Wintrop Fleet of 1630.
The Fleet was made up of four ships, and a slew of well-to-do passengers: Gov John Winthrop, Gov Dudley, Sir Richard Saltonstall, Thomas Mayhew, Josiah Winslow, Gov John Endicott, Gov. William Coddington, William Pynchon, William Phelps, John Abell, John Wilson, Jehu Burr - Aaron Burr's ancestor.
Robert Reynolds was trained as a cordwainer, and literate at that. He must have made a pretty penny shoeing the aristococracy as they crossed the Atlantic, and when he arrived in Salem, and quickly removed to Boston.
He got a big parcel of land in Boston, then flirted with some more land in Watertown, MA nearby, but the Church there rejected him, but it is where his daughter Mary and her husband Richard Sanger were to settle. Robert also flirted with Connecticut.
Richard Sanger came on the Confidence, in June of 1638 as an 18 year old. He was listed as Servant of Edward Goodenow (Dick's ancestor). He and some 13 others became the first settlers of Sudbury, Mass.
Richard Sanger was asked to take the Oath of Loyalty as a citizen of Sudbury in 1645 a mere seven years after arrival as "a servant." And in August 1645, he w as awarded the necessary land, lumber, and equipment in exchange for agreement to serve as the town's Blacksmith for 4 years.
He apears to have held to the bargain for exactly 4 years before removing to Watertown, and marrying a girl from Boston: Mary Reynolds.
So Richard Sanger, begins his adult life in America with four years as a Blacksmith in the newly populated Sudbury, Massachusettts.
Richard's marriage date hasn't been pinned down exactly, but 1649, to Mary Reynolds, in Boston, is reasonable. Esp. since their first child, Mary Sanger was born in Watertown in Sept of 1650. Richard takes over the land once owned by Thomas Mayhew, the first Governor of Martha's Vineyard. (John Mayhew, 6th great grandson of Thomas, and Richard Sanger, 5th great grandson of Richard become best-friends in Hong Kong 270 years later, and bring my grandparents to the Vineyard.)
Between 1650 and his death in 1691 Richard Sanger appears to have lead a normal life in watertown. His 6 children produced 39 grand children and they would produce 95 great-grand children. Mary Reynolds Sanger had some 29 nieces and nephews.
It is said of the Sangers, that Richard with two of his sons, and 3 others, guarded the Watertown Mill during King Phillips War. (excuse my somewhat Norman Rockwell rendition of this horrible war).
Robert Reynolds lands in Boston, along Milk Street, near South Church, went to his son Nathaniel, and was let by Josiah Franklin, and was the house where Benjamin Franklin was born: January 17, 1706.
So while Mary finds herself penniless, her brother is still collecting rents.
– “agreed with Samuel Jenison to keep the widow Sanger senr: with Conueniant meat Drink & washing while the next town meeting for the granting of a Town rate: for two shillings & sixpence per week.” 17 March 1706/7 – “agreed…to Provide the Widow Sanger fier wood for one week for one shilling & six pense.” 24 March 1706/7 – “Mr. Caleb Church and Daniell Benjamin agreed to supply the widow Sanger with Provision and to be allowed for their satisfaction eighteen pence pr weeke for one month, whill further order.” Feb 16 1707/8 – “ordered that the town Treasurer doe pay out of the money granted for the support of the poore 1707 for Provision & fier wood for old widow Sanger. To Corp: Daniel Benjamin 03lb : 17—06 and the fd Daniel Benjamin to keep her till the first of March next ensuing for 3lb 17sh 6 p.” 3 Jan 1708/9 – “the Selectmen taking into consideration the needy Condition of the Aged widow Sanger the selectmen agreed with George Robinson to take said widow Sanger home to his house forthwith & to provide for her Sufficient meat drink washing and lodging conueient for one in her old age for the term of one year next in suing the date here of and said Robinson to be paid by the town for his so providing: the sum of five pounds, said sum to be paid quarterly.”
Feb 6 1709/10 –“to pay to George Robinson the sum of five pounds for his taking care of and providing for the old widow Sanger for the term of one year last past which year expired Jan 3 1709/10. March 10 1709/10 –“ordered that the Town Treasurer do pay to George Robinson the sum of one pound and ten shillings. If said Robinson do keep the Old widow Sanger until the third of April next ensuing.” Feb 12 1710/11 –“to disburse to the Widow Rebecca Sanger the sum of one pound and ten shillings for the support of her Mother in Law the old Widow Sanger to support her un til the tenth of April ensuing…” March 23 1710/11 –“pay to the Widow Rebecca Sanger the sum of 10 shillings. She support her aged Mother until the: 10th. Of this Instant which will compleat the term of one month for the above said ten shillings.”15 Feb 1713/4 – “pay George Robinson for supporting of the Widow Sanger the sum of ten shillings in case said Robinson do accept there of in full of what is due to him from the town.”
How is it that Mary has so many off-spring and grand-offspring, and nieces and nephews, and yet none of them volounteer to take her in?
How is it that she is a legatee in her father's and brother's will and yet has no funds, shortly after?
Perhaps she was mad, mean, a gambler, had alzheimers, or smelled bad... no excuse.
And, how has this been missed by Sanger-family chroniclers till now?
The Sanger Harvard ancestors begin in 1771, and are proudly referred to in the class bios as direct descendents of the Blacksmith Richard Sanger.