John Shaw, US 1626

Their Children:

1. John b. abt 1622 at England; thought to have returned to England after selling land to brother-in-law Stephen Bryant in 1651.

2. Abigail b. abt 1624 at England; m. abt 1646 Stephen Bryant; d. 24 October 1694 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA, aged 70 years.

3. James b. abt 1626 at England, MA; m. 24 December 1652 Mary Mitchell at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA

4. Jonathan b. 1631 at Plymouth, Plymouth

John Shaw must have come on one of the first ships for he first appeared in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA in the 1627 division of cattle. He was the leader of the sixth lot. He was also called one of the purchasers or old timers. The family came over later. He was a freeman in 1633 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. He was part of the group that cut a passage from Green's Harbor to Plymouth Bay before 1 July 1633. He was a highway surveyor for Plymouth, MA in 1643 and 1644. In 1645 John Shaw is one of eight men who went out against the Narragansetts.

"John Winslow sold to John Shaw "all his arable land that is lying in that tract of land that is commonly called Knave's Acre otherwise named Woodbee"; part of the consideration was "all the meadow ground that butteth at the upper end of the said arable land" on 8-Jul-1630. In 1633 John Shaw amongst those admitted as a freeman before January 1, 1632/33 at Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. He is found on the tax list at Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, assessed 18s on 25-Mar-1633. He is found on the tax list at Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, assessed 9s on 27-Mar-1634. He was "allowed to enlarge at the end of his lot lying at Black Brooke" on 14-Jan-1636/37. He was one of three men "to have enlargement of lands abutting above their lots at Playne Dealing, to the nothward", and these are probably the same lots referred to on Apr. 2, 1638 and Feb. 4, 1638/39 on 2-Oct-1637."

On 22nd July 1648 John Shaw was part of a trial for Alice Bishop, for the murder of her child. She was found guilty and was sentenced to death by hanging. She was most likely the first woman in the area who was convicted of murder and hung. The second colonist, for John Billington had been hung for murder several years before.

"These sheweth, that on Jul the 22cond, 1648, wee, whosse names are vnderwritten, were sworne by Mr Bradford, gouerner, to make inquiry of the death of the child of Allis Bishop, the wife of Richard Bishope. Wee declare, yt coming into the house of the said Richard Bishope, wee saw at the foot of a ladder wh leadeth into an vpper chamer, much blood; and going vp all of vs into the chamber, wee found a woman child, of about foure yeares of age, lying in her shifte vppon her left cheeke, with her throat cut with diuers gashes crose wayes, the wind pipe cut and stuke into the throat downward, and a bloody knife lying by the side of the child, with wh knife all of vs judg, and the said Allis hath confessed to fiue of vs at one time, yt shee murdered the child with the said knife. John Howland, James Cole, James Hurst, Gyells Rickard, Robert Lee, Richard Sparrow, John Shawe, Thomas Pope, Francis Cooke, Francis Billington, John Cooke, William Nelson,

Rachell, the wife of Joepth Ramsden, aged about 23 yeares, being examined, saith that coming to the house of Richard Bishope vppon an erand, the wife of the said Richard Bishope requested her to goe fetch her som buttermilke at Goodwife Winslows, and gaue her a ketle for that purpose, and she went and did it; and before shee wente, shee saw the child lyinge abed asleep, to her best deserning, and the woman was as well as shee hath knowne her att any time; but when shee came shee found her sad and dumpish; shee asked her what blood was that shee saw at the ladders foot; shee pointed vnto the chamber, and bid her looke, but shee perseiued shee had kiled her child, and being afraid, shee refused, and ran and tould her father and mother. Morouer, shee saith the reason yt moued her to thinke shee had kiled her child was yt when shee saw the blood shee looked on the bedd, and the child was not there.

Taken vppon oath by mee, WILLIAM BRADFORD,

The day and year aboue written.

At a Court of Asistants holden at New Plymouth, the first of Aguste, 1648, before Mr Bradford, Gouer, Mr Coliar, Captain Miles Standish, and Mr William Thomas, gent, Assistants, the sd Allice, being examined, confessed shee did comite the afforsaid murther, and is sory for it. 4th October 1648 (PCR 2:134) Att this Court, Allice Bishope, the wife of Richard Bishope, of New Plymouth, was indited for felonius murther by her comited, vppon Martha Clark, her owne child, the frute of her owne body.

The names of the grand inquest that went of triall of the aforsaid bill of inditmetn, weer these:-- John Dunham, Sen, John Barker, Isaake Weels, Josepth Colman, Mr Thomas Burne, John Allin, Robert Finny, Thomas Bordman, Henery Wood, James Bursell, Ephraim Hickes, Josepth Tory, James Walker, Micaell Blackwell, James Wyat, Daniell Cole. Loue Brewster,

These found the bill a trew bill.

The petty jurys names taht went vppon her tryall were these:-- Josias Winslow, Seni, Gyells Rickard, Thomas Shillingsworth, John Shaw, Sen, Anthony Snowe, Steuen Wood, Richard Sparrow, William Mericke, Gabriell Fallowell, William Brete, Joshua Prat, John Willis, Thes found the said Allice Bishope guilty of the said fellonius murthering of Martha Clarke aforsaid; and so shee had the sentence of death pronounced against her, viz, to bee taken from the place where shee was to the place from whence she came, and thence to the place of execution, and ther to be hanged by the necke vntell her body is dead, which acordingly was executed.

On 28 December 1653, John purchased from John Winslow a two acre parcel of marsh meadow in Green Harbor Marsh. Marshfield, Plymouth, MA. Also that same year John and Alice agreed to raise Benjamin Savory, son of Thomas and Annis Savory.

Plymouth Colony Deeds.

John Shaw and Alice his wife to live with them untell hee bee one and twenty yeares of age hee beinge nine yeares old in march next Next ensuing in consideration heerof the aforsaid John Shaw is to pay to the aforsaid Thomas Savory thirty shillings prsent paied; And when the aforsaid Beniamine Savory is one and twenty yeares of age the aforsaid John Shaw is to give him five pounds or a Cow to the worth of five pounds; But if incase that the aforsaid John Shaw or Alice Shaw his wife one or both of them should Decease before the said Beniamines terme of yeares bee expired; the said Beniamine Savory is to stay and serve out his time with Jonathan Shaw the sonne of the aforsaid John Shaw and the said Jonathan Shaw is to pforme all the conditions above mencioned; And likewise the said Jonathan Shaw is to teach him his learning writing and reading within the tearme of yeares above mencioned; And when his time is expired the said Jonathan Shaw is to give him two suites of apparrell and likewise the said Jonathan Shaw is to teach the said Beniamine Savory whatsoever trade the said Jonathan Shaw can Doe; And in Witnesse heerunto wee have enterchangably sett to our hands the Day and yeare above written

In the prsence of John Staw his marke

Robert Lee Alice Shaw her marke

Robert Barker his marke

Jonathan Shaw Willam Spooner his marke

Thomas Savory Annis Savory her marke

[On inner margin of page.]

Jonathan Shaw is cleared of any engagement unto Benjamine Savory; by mutuall Concent of all the psons concerned in these Covenants that are now alive with the approbation of the majestrates att the court held att Plymouth the 4th march 1657

John Shaw deeded land to Jonathan:

John Shaw Sr. of Plymouth deeded to "my son Jonathan Shaw all that my house and land I am now possessed of and live upon in the township of Plymouth aforesaid containing twenty and five acres of upland...provided...I reserve and intrest in my orchard during my life and decease to be my said son Jonathan's...reserve unto my self liberty to employ or improve some small spot of upland for the planting of tobacco...during my life...[also] unto my said son Jonathan all my meadow land fresh or salt in any place belonging to me, in particular three acres of marsh meadow bought of Mr. John Winslow...and six acres more or less of fresh meadow lying on the south arm of Joanes River...one quarter part of my purchase land...

On 31 December 1656, John deeded land to his son James:

John Shaw Sr. of Plymouth, planter, deeded to his son Sergeant James Shaw of New Plymouth one half of his land at Cushena, unless John Shaw son of the said John Shaw Senior "shall come within the term of four years beginning from the first of March 1657/58" then John Shaw Jr. should have on half of the land given to James Shaw, i.e., one quarter part of the whole on 26-Mar-1658.

John also deeded land to his son-in-law Stephen Bryant:

John Shaw Sr. of Plymouth deeded to "my son-in-law Stephen Bryant of Plymouth...all that my whole share of land allotted unto me near unto Namassakett...also...another portion of land the south side of the Smelt River...be it forty acres more or less." To the one fourth part of my said lot at Cushena I give unto my son-in-law Stephen Bryant...also my purpose and will is that my daughter Abigail Bryant after my decease shall have my bed and all the furniture thereunto belonging, as also my chest and whatsoever else doth any ways appertain to me" on 26-Mar-1658.

He resided at Middleboro, Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1662, one of the first settlers there.

On 30th January 1663/64 John Shaw, Sr. gave his son-in-law Stephen Bryant land at Namassakett and Rehoboth, and he gave one-half of his land at Cushena to his son James, and one-fourth of the same land each to his son Jonathan Shaw and his son-in-law Stephen Bryant; he gave his daughter Abigail Bryant his furniture after his death (MD 10:35). On 22nd March 1663/64 George Watson and John Shaw, Sr. are granted a lot on Puncateesett Necke (Ply. Town Recs. 1:67).

Generation Two:

Jonathan Shaw- b. abt 1631 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m(1). 22 January 1656 Phebe Watson at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m(2). August 1683 Persis Dunham at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; d. bef. 30 July 1701 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. aged 72 years.

M(1) Children:

1. Phebe b. February 1657 at Middleboro, Plymouth, MA; m. John Morton; d. 11 June 1686. aged 29 years

2. Lydia b. abt 1660 at Middleboro, Plymouth, MA; m. 4 April 1689 Nicholas Shaw at Eastham, Barnstable, MA

3. Hannah b. abt 1661 at Carver, Plymouth, MA; m. 5 August 1678 Thomas Paine at Eastham, Barnstable, MA; d. 24 July 1713, aged 51 years.

4. Jonathan b. 1633 at Carver, Plymouth, MA; m. 29 December 1687 Mehitable Pratt at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; d. 18 January 1729 at Plympton, Plymouth, MA, aged 66 years.

5. Mary b. abt 1665 at Carver, Plymouth, MA; m. 11 January 1688 Eleazer Ring at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; d. 28 November 1730, aged 64 years.

6. George b. abt 1667 at Carver, Plymouth, MA; m. 8 January 1690 Constance Doane at Eastham, Barnstable, MA; d. 2 May 1720 at Eastham, Barnstable, MA, aged 53 years.

7. Benjamin b. abt 1672 at Carver, Plymouth, MA 8. Benoni b. abt 1672 at Carver, Plymouth, MA

Jonathan Shaw was the first permanent resident of the now town of Carver. His house at Lakenham, north side, was there as early as 1660. The exact location was on the site of the present Sturtevant house south of the Green. (The present house was built about 1750 and traditionally it is known as the third house built on that site. The Shaw's residence was known to stand midway between Plymouth and Middleboro. By 1700 the Shaws and the Watsons held possession in the west section of Carver. Before moving to now Carver, Plymouth, MA, John was one of many who received forty year grants of various dimensions along the South Meadow River, and he also received a land grant at Lakenham (as mentioned above).

"Deacon Jonathan Shaw with John Waterman, were appointed the first Deacons of the Plympton Church and are ordained to that office on Sunday 27th November 1698. The First Church of Plympton (now Carver), Plymouth, Massachusetts, New England was located on the North side of the Lakenham Cemetery. The Plympton townspeople had a disagreement about the distance between the church and the location of their homes. The Plympton townspeople decided to let the First Lakenham Church go to "shambles" because it was to far south for them to walk and so a second Church was built at the location where the present day Lakenham Green is."

Middleborough Town Hall Municipal Records of Deeds, Page 201

An agreement made the 19th daye of of May 1697 between John Soule, Zack Howland and Jacob Tomson agents for the proprietors of the lands purchased by Benjamine Church and John Tomson:

On the part: and Jonathan Shaw Seniour of the town of Plymouth on the other part: Whereas the said Jonathan Shaw produced a deed of purchase of Tispoquen the Black Sachem: and the two aforesaid purchases seeming to enterfere the one upon the other: we have mutually agreed that the bounds between the two said purchases shall be as we have now run the same: that is to say: from the place where the old Indian path crosseth Mehuchet brook: ranging due south by a range of marked trees unto two small cedar trees marked by the northerly side of a pond: and so cross the pond to a small pine tree marked by the Southerly side of said pond: and from said pine tree ranging northeast by a rang of marked trees unto a red oak marked on four sides with stones about it near the range of the outside of the aforesaid purchase purchased by Benjamine Church and John Tomsom.

This agreement was signed John Soule - X

and Sealed by John Soule, Zack Howland - X

Zack Howland and Jacob Jacob Tomson - X

Tomson the day above said Jonathan Shaw - X

Witness: John Wadsworth Joseph Vaughan

This agreement was signed and sealed by Jonathan Shaw Senior the sixth day of December 1699:

Witness:

William Shurtleff

Joseph Vaughan

Jonathan Shaw, Sr, Esquire

Will was proved 25 September 1701. Inventory was taken on 30 July 1701

Lakenham Historic District

Carver, Plymouth, MA

Picture Credit

Google Maps