Tuesday, June 28, 2011

RICHARD SNOW 1608-1677

[Ancestral Link: Marguerite Anderson (Miller), daughter of Hannah Anderson (Anderson), daughter of Mary Margaret Edmiston (Anderson), daughter of Martha Jane Snow (Edmiston), daughter of Gardner Snow, son of James Snow, son of Zerrubbabel Snow, son of John Snow, son of Zerubbabel Snow, son of John Snow, son of Richard Snow.]

SNOW FAMILYRichard Snow* was an early resident of Woburn, though not one of the group who signed the "Town Orders" in December 1640. But before September 8, 1645, he had brought to the town his wife Avis** as well as their two older sons, John and James, for on that date he was included in the list of those who were taxed there, in a rate for the country" (colony tax) which was that town’s earliest extant tax list. He received land from the town in 1647-8—perhaps also earlier. His home lay to the west of the homestead of Joseph Carter (Thomas).

There is no slightest hint of a derogatory nature found relative to Richard or to his family, but on the other hand there is almost nothing of any sort recorded of his life. He evidently took no part in official or public life; no proof is seen of church membership or of the acquirement of freemanship—indeed the vital records even fail to show his death - yet indirect proof is found that he was neither an irreligious nor a careless man, and be careful attention much information about his character may be deduced. As to his religious views, it must be recounted that the General Court had ruled that when a town lacked a pastor they must not allow preaching by a lay brother without going through the procedure of getting the opinion and approval of the elders of four nearby churches, or the permission of the County Court. This was especially hampering to sparsely settled communities; and in the earliest days of Woburn itself, they tried for about two years before they got their pastor, The Rev. Thomas Carter, who was so well liked. But the Woburn men felt, as to the principle of the matter, that in any given town the church organization which had examined and accepted its own members was in a better position to judge of their qualifications than any outsiders would be. So, though the inhibition did not pertain to these men of Woburn since they already had a pastor, they had the courage of their convictions to a sufficient extent to prepare, impersonally, a very lengthy petition to the General Court, couched in the most deferential terms, but explaining how their opinions differed from the decision of the court. Twenty-nine Woburn men signed that petition on August 30, 1653, and Richard Snow was one of them. It required real moral fibre, and a courage of high degree to put one’s name to what amounted to a formal criticism of the highest court in the land, for principle’s sake alone, and Richard possessed those qualities. Incidentally, this petition for a rescinding of the earlier ruling was not granted, but the document itself has been referred to ever since as the "Woburn Memorial for Christian Liberty" and its signers are called "the bold petitioners."

In the next place, as early as 1642, the very year Woburn was incorporated, the General Court, with careful concern for the religious education of the children and youths of the colony, had passed a law "that all masters of families do once a week (at the least) catechize their children and servants in the grounds and principles of religion", adding that if they are unable to teach thus themselves, the said masters should procure instruction by some one else, so that the young people might be able to answer the questions on the catechism when they were examined by the selectmen or others. This same requirement obtained down through the years. Add to this obligatory religious instruction, the courageous independence of the petition referred to above and the fact that at his death Richard Snow owned two Bibles "and other sermon books" and the trend of his character seems fairly well established. He was undoubtedly hard working and thrifty for when one of the original settlers, George Farley, was removing to Billerica, Richard on November 19, 1656, was able to buy that man’s home and twenty acres of land. This purchase seems to have included Farley’s right to the undivided town land for in a distribution of common lands and timber made as late as 1668, Richard received a share, though, as has been stated, he was not an original proprietor. He must have been either ailing or injured in his later life for in 1659 he was dismissed or relieved from ordinary trainings*** "in consideration of his insufficiency to bear arms". So we have the picture of a man of unusual moral courage, of careful attention to military duty, until unknown circumstances prevented, of thoughtful provision for his wife and family as will be shown by his will, with an estate of over 188 pounds at death and with the record of having reared four sons who lived useful, honorable lives. The three older sons married and reared families while his youngest son Zachariah died without issue, either a bachelor or a widower, for his estate was divided among his brother, nephews and nieces. This Zachariah was one of the thirteen Woburn men in Capt. Davenport’s Company, with John Carter, at the Great Swamp Fight (see Carter, p. 149), was wounded there and endured that dreadful all-night march back to Wickford (see Upham, p. 627) either staggering wearily through the storm or carried by his comrades-according to the location and severity of his wound. Many years later when land grants were being made to survivors or their heirs, a reminder of this service is seen in the fact that a claim was made by the husband of a granddaughter of James Snow, nephew of him who served, and land in Narragansett Township No 6, later Templeton, Massachusetts, was granted on the record of Zachariah.

Richard Snow died at Woburn on or before May 5, 1677, having made his will on January 30, 1676. It was witnessed by Francis Wyman, Allen Converse and his son Zachariah Converse and was probated on June 19, 1677. It made the widow Avis and son Zachariah the executors. It gave to John Snow "the parcel of land that his house now standeth one and one parcel of meddow that he hath now in possession". It gave land to the three other sons and added:

"I do require that my sons equally do pay to my beloved wife twenty bushels of corne (grain) yearly as followeth; five bushels of wheat and five of ry: and five bushels of barley; and five bushels of Indian corne: and the keeping of two cowes summer and winter yearly; and foure cords of wood yearly. . .).
The inventory of the estate of Richard taken May 5, 1677, showed a valuation of over 188 pounds.

The children of Richard and Avis(---) Snow, the last three born at Woburn, were:
John, see following.
James, born about. 1642; died not later than 1711, probably at Lancaster; married by 1670-1, and had sic children; removed 1704 to Lancaster.
Daniel, born February 4, 1645; died July 18, 1646.
Samuel, born May 28, 1647; died June 15, 1686; married 1st by 1669 Sarah Wildon (John) and Hannah (James?) who died June 15, 1686; married 2 August 9, 1686, Sarah Parker called daughter of John and Joanna Parker of Cambridge.
Zachariah, born March 29, 1649; died at Woburn April 14, 1711.

John Snow (Richard) was born about 1640 at an unknown place and spent his life from early childhood until his death, on November 25, 1706, in Woburn. He married there by 1667 Mary Greene and in 1671 had occasion to sign a receipt to her uncle Capt. John Carter for her share of her fathers’s estate. He had received during his father’s life, and doubtless at the time of his marriage, land to live upon and meadow and this property was confirmed to him by his father’s will in January, 1676. He, in common with his three brothers, was bound to provide food and fuel for their mother. Search in published material has revealed no details of the life of John. He, as well as his father, was evidently one of the pioneers who performed their daily work so unobtrusively that it attracted no comment, did not stand out noticeable, yet such men were the backbone of the colony. So the only way we can approximate an understanding of the conditions he faced is through study of the history of Woburn during the period of his life, with the addition of a few incidents.

Apparently the purveying of sensational tales, regardless of authenticity, is not exclusively a modern fault for about 1660 it reported in England.

"That 18 Turksman of war (on) the 24 of Jan’y 1659-60 landed at a town (referring to Clarlestown, mother of Woburn) three miles from Boston, killed 40, took Mr. Sims minister prisoner, wounded him, killed his wife and three of his little children, carried him away with 57 more, burnt the Town, carried them to Argier (Algiers?) their loss amounting to 12,000 pounds—the Turk demanding 8,000 pounds ransom to be paid within seven months".

The only discrepancies in the above tale are that Turkish men of war did not raid or burn Charlestown, the Rev. Symmes and others were not kidnapped or held for ransom, none of his family were killed and his children were all adult by 1659-60 instead of being "little". When Josselyn visited the colony and reported this wild English tale to the pioneers it must have created a sensation!

The tragic losses by fire in those days, when every necessity cost such a burden of effort, seem most appallingly heavy, and to our modern minds the methods of fighting fire seem needlessly crude. In this connection, we find a ruling of 1661 which would have had its bearing on every one of our Woburn families, for it was "Ordered that Thomas Brigden, sr., deliver the town buckets to any person. . .upon notice of fire within the town; provided the said Brigden was searched for or awakened and the church visited.
In October, 1667, twenty-five citizens of Woburn petitioned the General Court "May it please this honorable court to vouchsafe some help to our town of Woburn in dividing a lump of this wilderness earth"; and "The selectmen mette the 5.day of Octob. 1674, and agreed on the 15 day of this instant mo. To goe throo the Towne, and ecsamin the familys about Catichising."

Richard Snow would have experienced the earlier anxieties over the threatened loss of their charter and John would have felt the injustice of Andros’ regime in the greatly increased taxes, the threatened loss of their lands and other strictures.

About 1686 a farmer of Woburn was called to account for his wife’s extravagance in dress. He answered, "That he thought it no sin for his wife to wear a silk hood and silk neck (neckerchief?); and he desired to see an example before him!" probably meaning that if it was to be considered a sin, he desired proof of the claim.

Kindly treatment of the aged or infirm is frequently seen in the Woburn records, in the remitting of taxes, in the restoration of land forfeited for non-payment of taxes, or in actual furnishing of food and clothing in cases of need.

Of the seven children of John Snow, at least four married and reared families of well behaved children. Ebenezer died in young manhood; Nathaniel was probably crippled or ailing for he received his small share of his father’s property in money rather than in land which the other sons shared. At the age of fifty-one, Mary was still unmarried; the life of Timonthy was spent in Woburn, where he served the military company as sergeant from 1716 until 1737; Hannah with her husband had removed about 1715 to Killingly, Connecticut, (where some of her Snow relatives later followed her) and the two older sons removed to New Hampshire, John, who became an ensign, settling permanently in what is now Hudson in that state and becoming one of the most useful men of the town until his death in 1735. Zerubbabel evidently lived for a time near Concord, New Hampshire, but apparently returned to Woburn before his death.

An interesting tale is told of an experience of his which gave its name to Snow Pond in Concord Township, east of the Merrimack River. Zerubbabel was out hunting and was treed by a pack of wolves just at night. "He fired away at them all the balls he had, and then cut off buttons from his coat and discharged them; but the wolves kept round the tree till broad daylight next morning, when they went off and he escaped," and the nearby pond was given his name.

John Snow died intestate in November, 1706, and on April 12, 1707, his widow and children signed an agreement as to the disposition of his property. At his death his estate owed 16 pounds to his eldest son John and 12 pounds to Timothy as though they might have helped to maintain the family. John Cutler signed the agreement in behalf of his wife Hannah. By this document, the widow Mary was to use for life all the household stuff and one-third part of the other movables, housing and lands; John was to retain the home and over twenty acres already in his hands on condition that he pay 12 pounds to Timothy and 3 pounds to his sister, Hannah Cutler. In view of their payment of certain amounts to the other heirs, Zerubbabel and Timothy were to divide between them, the remainder of the housing and lands, including the widow’s third after her death. The description of land includes reference to the Hungry-plain field.

The children of John and Mary (Greene)Snow all born in Woburn were
John born May 13, 1668; received share of estate of uncle Zachariah; died at Hudson, New Hampshire March 21, 1735, called 68-4-3; married at Chelmsford February 13, 1693-4, Sarah Stevens (John and Elizabeth (Hildreth), sister of the man his cousin, Sarah (Samuel) married.

Zerubbabel, born May 14, 1672; with Samuel Snow he was administrator of estate of Zachariah; died at Woburn November 20, 1733; married there September 22, 1697, Jemima Cutler (James).

Timothy, born February 16, 1674-5; received share of estate of uncle Zachariah; died at Woburn November 20, 1747-8, aged 73-4; married there January 16, 1705-6, Lydia Pierce (Samuel, Thomas, Thomas).

Hannah, born June 6, 1677; she received a share of estate of uncle Zachariah; died at an unknown date; married February 6, 1700-1, at Woburn John Cutler. It was probably she who married 2ndly at Killingly Novmber 2, 1736, Deacon Eleazer Bateman.

Mary, born August 4,1680, unmarried in 1711 when she shared in the estate of he uncle Zachariah.

Ebenezer, born October 6, 1682; died February 11, 1704, probably unmarried.

Nathaniel, born November 17, 1684; shared in the estate of his uncle Zachariah in 1711.

*As to the origin of this family in England, nothing has been proved, but suggestion has been made that possibly a man named Richard Snow who was born in the parish of Barnstaple in col. Devon, England, in 1608, may have been he; and possibly one of this name, aged twenty-eight who on November 20, 1635, received "license to go beyond the seas" along with two hundred and five other men, embarking on the "Expedition" for the Barbadoes, may have been our ancestor. It is well known that frequently emigrants who sailed for the Barbadoes presently continued their journey to New England, and it is a fact that on the "Expedition" there sailed also one William Greene, and that our own Richard Snow and our William Greene both appeared early at Woburn and that members of their families intermarried. These fellow voyagers may have been our ancestors.

** This name has frequently, but erroneously, been printed as "Annis".

*** Others who signed were Francis Kendall, John Tidd, and the three Parker brothers Abraham, James, and John, brothers of our Jacob.

****Until 1686 military service in the colony was required of all able bodied men from the age of sixteen upward." "Men of sixty were always found drilling in the ranks and men of seventy-six and even older were active in the ordinary training." In England it had been the practice to enlist men in the train band at sixteen and to dismiss them at sixty, and in 1689 that plan came into effect in the colony. The officers often served much later in life.
found on ancestry.com


Family
Family of Richard Snow and Annis Barrat
Richard Snow was born 21 December 1608 in Barnstaple, Devon, England and died 5 May 1677 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

Wife Annis Barrat was born about 1616 in England, and died after 1677 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts. They were married about 1637 in Middlesex, Massachusetts.

Their children were:
1- John Snow born 16 September 1638 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, and died 25 November 1706 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
+Mary Greene born 20 January 1645 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married about 1667 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts

2- James Snow born about 1642 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, and died 28 January 1708 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
+Sarah Jaquith born about 1648; married about 1670 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts

3- Daniel Snow born 4 February 1645 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, and died 18 July 1646 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts

4- Samuel Snow born 28 May 1647 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, and died 28 November 1717 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
+Sarah Wilson born about 1648; married September 1669 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 15 June 1686 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
*2nd Wife of Samuel Snow:
+Sarah Parker born about 1660 in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married 9 August 1686 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 28 January 1695 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts

5- Zachariah Snow born 29 March 1649 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 14 April 1711 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Notes for Zachariah Snow:
- Zachariah was wounded in the Swamp or Narragansett fight with the Indians 19 December 1675. His homestead in Wyman Lane was sold after his death, in July 1711, to Benjamin Wyman, a tanner.

Notes for Richard Snow:
- Richard Snow was a passenger on the Expedition which left London for America in 1635.- Genealogical Dictionary of New England Settlers, Vol. 4, p. 138: "Richard Snow, Woburn, had Daniel, born 4 February 1645, died soon; Samuel, 28 May 1647; and Zechariah, 29 March 1649."

- Pioneers of Massachusetts: "Richard Snow, Woburn, proprietor 1645. Children Daniel born February 4, 1644-5, died July 18, 1646, Samuel born May 28, 1647, Zachariah born March 29, 1649. He died 5 May, 1677. Will dated 30 (11) 1676, probate 19 June, 1677, bequests to wife Annis and sons John, James, Samuel and Zachary. Genealogy in Reg. XLVII, 81."

- Genealogical Notices of the Earliest Inhabitants of Woburn and Their Families The History of Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from the grant of its territory to Charlestown, in 1640, to the year 1860, Sewall, Samuel, 1785-1868. - "Richard Snow was the earliest inhabitant of Woburn bearing his name. He was taxed there in the Rate for the Country, assessed 8 September 1645, which was the first tax in Woburn on Record. In 1647/8 land was granted him by the town. He bought, November 19, 1656, a house and 20 acres of land of George Farley, one of the original inhabitants of Woburn, then recently removed to Billerica and in the general distribution of common lands and timber, made in 1668, he had a due proportion assigned him in the "fifth Eighth." He seems to have been an industrious, striving husbandman, and to have maintained a respectable rank in society, but not being ambitious of honor and distinction, he never attained to any considerable office either in the church or town. He died November 9, *1711. (Torrey has p.691-692: Richard Snow who died *1677 and wife Anis or Avis; Woburn. Also: Daniel Snow and 1st wife Rachel Jones who died 1715 aged 36; was married August 5, 1696; Woburn. James Smith (born 1642; died ?) and Sarah Jaquith; Woburn. John Smith who died 1706 and Mary Green; Woburn/Lexington. John Smith, 1668-1735 and wife Sarah Stevens married February 13, 1693 or 1694; Woburn/Chelmsford. Samuel Smith (1647-*1717) and 1st wife, Sarah Wilson who died 1686 or 1688; Woburn. Samuel Smith (1647-1717) and 2nd wife, Sarah Parker (1660-1695) married August 9, 1686; Woburn. Samuel Snow, (1670-?) Abigail Jones (1675-?); Woburn to Ashford, Connecticut. Zerubbabel Smith (1672-1733) and Jemima Cutler who died 1734, married September 22, 1697; Woburn. end Torrey). Besides John and James Snow, sons apparently his, born before he came to Woburn to reside, he had born to him afterwards: Daniel born February 4, 1644/5 died July 18, 1646. Samuel born May 28, 1647. Zechariah born March 29, 1649 - was wounded in the Swamp or Narragansett fight with the Indians December 19, 1675 and died April 14, 1711. His (Zechariah's) homestead in Wyman Lane was sold after his death, July 1711, to Benjamin Wyman, a tanner.
found on ancestry.com


Some notes on Richard Snow and his familyRichard Snow was from Barnstable, England, the Parish Register having ‘Richard Snow, son of Patrick Snow, baptized December 21, 1608’ (though Nora Snow raises questions in her 1939 book, suggesting that Patrick might have been Richard’s grandfather). Richard embarked on the expedition of Mr. Peter Blackler to the Barbados when he was 28 years old (20 November 1635). He was examined by the minister of the town of Gravesend regarding his conforming to the beliefs of the Church of England prior to his sailing. Sometime after his 28th year, he courted and married Avis (Ann, Anis?), last name unknown (though some references have conjectured that her last name was "Barratt"). He settled in Woburn, Massachusetts, and was the earliest inhabitant there bearing his name (he was not one of the group who signed the "Town Orders" in December, 1640, but he had brought his wife Avis and his two oldest sons, John and James, there by September, 1645). He was listed among taxpayers there in 1645, the first tax in Woburn on record and only two years after the county was formed. In 1647-8 the town granted him land there. There is nothing derogatory about him in the records, but there is also no indication that he took any part in public life, though in August 1653 Richard, along with 28 others, signed a petition indicating to the General Court that the local inhabitants were better qualified to select a minister than outsiders. This was an act of some courage at the time, indicating a willingness to make a formal criticism of the highest court of the land for principle’s sake (this petition, even though not accepted by the court, was referred to as the ‘Woburn Memorial for Christian Liberty’ and its signers called ‘the bold petitioners’). It can be inferred that Richard was thrifty, for in November 1656, when a neighbor moved to Billerica, Richard was able to buy that man’s home and 20 acres of land. This may have included rights to a distribution of common land and timber made in 1668 when Richard received a share. In 1659 Richard was dismissed from military training due to his inability to bear arms. This seems to indicate that he was ailing or injured in later life since the pattern was that all able bodied men from 16 upward were drilling in the ranks (the age limit of 60 came into being in 1689). He seemed to have been an industrious, thriving ‘husbandman’ and to have maintained a respectable rank in society, but didn’t hold office either in the church or the town. In May, 1677 the will of Richard Snow was presented to court by Zachariah Snow, Executor. His will and the inventory of his property after his death (including a total of 118 acres of land and 188 pounds, and indicating provision for his widow) are quoted in the first reference below and refers to his wife Avis and youngest son Zachary (executors), and John, James, Samuell (sic) heirs along with Zachary and Avis. Among the personal possessions left were two Bibles and ‘other sermon books’ (these, along with the general requirements for families to conduct religious instruction at home seem to indicate that Richard was probably a religious man). In 1687 Richard’s son Samuel sold ‘the one half part of my father Richard Snow, late of Woburn, his house lot É’ Richard’s youngest son, Zachariah, was one of 13 men in Capt. Davenport’s Company at the Great Swamp Fight in December 1675. He was wounded there and endured a very hard all-night march back to Wickford.[Sewall, The History of Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, 1868, pp.640f.]
found on ancestry.com


IMMIGRATION OF RICHARD SNOW 1608-1677Richard sailed on 20 November 1635 from Gravesend England for Barbados on the ship Expedition. According to the shipping list he was 28 years old at the time of his immigration. His wife Annis Barrat was also a passenger on that ship and that they married in Barbados before sailing on to the Colonies in America.
found on ancestry.com


THE WILL OF RICHARD SNOW - 1677
In June 1677, the Will of Richard Snow was presented to the Court of Woubourne in the county of Middlesex in the Massachusetts colony in New England. Altho weake in body yet perfect in sences do make this will and testament to dispose of that little estate the lord hath bestowed on mee; i do make my beloved wife Anis Snow and my youngest son Zachary Snow to be my Executores. I do bequeath to my eldest son John Snow one parcell of meddow that he hath now in possession : It : to my son James Snow I do bequeath one parcell of land in hungry plain feill halfe my land there that is to say halfe my broke up land from the end of the broke up land to run with a straight line to the swampe and halfe my lott att the Cedar swampe; and one parcel of meadow called hart hole; and one parcell of meddow in mapple meddow from a point of upland in the meddow with a straight line to the river; and a third part of my devision of timber and a third of what is to be layd out: It: to my son Samuell Snow I do bequeath hafe my land joyning to my house and hafe the swampe with all the conveniencyes: and two akers of meddow on the other side of mapple meddow river: and a third part of my devision of timber: and a third part of what is to be layd out: and halfe my meddow at Steprocke: and the rest of my land att hungry plain to be equally devided between my son Samuell and my son Zachary: It: I do require that my sons equally do pay to my beloved wife twenty bushells of corne yearly as followeth: five bushells of wheat and five of ry: and five bushells of barley: and five bushells of Indian corne: and the keeping of two cowes summer and winter yearly; and foure cords of wood yearly and after my funerall and my legacyes thus bestowed: I make my beloved wife Anis and my son Zachary my executores this 30th. of the elevent month 1676: unto which we have sett out hands
Witness our hands RICHARD SNOW
his X mark
Francis Wyman
Allen Convers
Zachariah Convers
found on ancestry.com


A Family History Of The Snows 1517-2001A Richard Snow was on the list of passengers of the ship "Expedition" that sailed from England on 20 November 1635. The ship's records also show him to be 28 years old at the time of sailing. Also a Richard Snow was taxed as a business proprietor in 1645 in Woburn, Massachusetts. It is assumed that these are one in the same person since there is no record of any other Richard arriving soon enough to be in business and taxed by the year 1645.
found on ancestry.com

Richard Snow, the ancestor of Erastus Snow, is known to have been a resident of Woburn, Massachusetts, as early as 1656, and he may have settled there some years previous to that date. The fact that the birth to him of a son, Daniel, is recorded there as having occurred on the 4th of February, 1644-5, would indicate that he was residing there then, but a local historian thinks he was not in Woburn so early. John and James, who were undoubtedly his sons, though no record of their birth as such appears at Woburn, are supposed to have been before he settled there. That they were older than Daniel is indicated by the date of their marriage. In 1659 Richard Snow was relieved from military duty on account of infirmity, and in June, 1667, his will was proved. It was attested by Francis Wyman and Allen Converse. A Richard Snow embarked in the ship Expedition, from Gravesend, England, on the 20th of November, 1635, with a large number of other passengers, bound for Barbados. He was then aged twenty-eight years. As is well known, a great many immigrants who finally settled in New England, sailed for, and for a time sojourned in Barbados. A number of persons who were fellow passengers of this Richard Snow, are later found in New England, and it is not at all improbable that he is the person who settled in Woburn; if so, he was born in 1607. The name of his wife is unknown.
Ancestry of Erastus Snow

RICHARD SNOW FAMILY.It is probable that Richard Snow was a native of Barnstable, England. In the parish register of that place is to be found the following:

Richard, son of Patrick Snow, baptized December 21, 1608. The Richard Snow who sailed from Gravesend for Barbados, November 20, 1656, has his age given in the shipping list as 28, in which case he would have been born previously to November, 1608.

The marriage of Patrick Snow to Marie Sweete is given in the same register as having taken place on June 26, 1600. Several other Richard Snows and also some by the name of Nicholas are mentioned in the Barnstable register.

NOTE— All localities named in the following record are in Massachusetts unless otherwise indicated.
THE FAMILY OF RICHARD SNOW OF WOBURN.
•In "Hottens Original Lists", page 141, and "Drake's Founders of New England," page 113, appears the following:— It is a list of the ship's company of the "Expedition" which sailed from Gravesend, 22 miles from London, November 20, 1635.

"20 Novembris, 1635. The underwritten names are to be transported to the Barbadoes, imbarqued in the "Expedition", Peter Blackler, Master. The men have taken the oaths of allegiance and supremacie, and have been examined by the minister of the town of Gravesend touching their conformities, to the orders and discipline of the Church of England die et ano prd." In the above mentioned list of names appears that of Richard Snow.

His age is given as 28 years in this document. There is no record to positively show that he is the Richard Snow who settled in Woburn, but no other Riohard Snow is found to have emigrated to New England at about this time. His age also corresponds with the probable age of Richard Snow of Woburn who died in 1677 when this Richard Snow would have been about 70 years old. In 1659 Richard Snow is dismissed from ordinary training in consideration of his insufficiency to bear arms. (Middlesex County court Record*.)

It will be noticed that the Ship Expedition's papers make the destination of this voyage as Barbados. This is in the British West Indies. A comparison of the names in her list of passengers with arrivals at about that time at Boston, shows that many of her passengers went from Barbados to Boston very soon after their arrival at their destination according to the ship's papers.

There is a hiatus of 10 years between the sailing of Richard Snow from London and the first record of Richard Snow in Woburn. In the meantime, he had married and had two children. He was the earliest inhabitant of Wobum bearing his name. He was taxed there in the Rate of the County, assessed September 8, 1645, which was the first tax in Woburn upon record.

In 1647-8 land was granted him by the town. He bought November 19, 1656, a house and twenty acres of land owned by George Parley, one of the original inhabitants of Woburn, then recently removed to Billerica; and in the general distribution of common lands and timber, made in 1668, he had a due proportion assigned to him in the "fifth eighth". He seems to have been an industrious, thriving husbandman, and to have maintained a respectable rank in society, but not being ambitious of honor and distinction, he never attained any considerable office either in the church or the town.

He died May 5, 1677. His will, dated January 30, 1676, probated June 19, 1677, bequeaths to wife Anis, and sons John, James, Samuel and Zachary.
The Richard Snow Family, complied by George Burwell Snow

1 comment:

  1. Hello! My name is Michael Foster and my great-grandmother was named Sara Vivian Snow. Twenty years ago I was given a complete family tree that dated back to a Petricius Snow in 1513. The family tree was researched by my great Uncle, a medical doctor living in Oregon. I decided to go online, today, and finally see if I could find anything regarding my ancestors. I typed in Richard Snow born 1608 and and your article popped up. Thank up for posting it! If you are ever interested please drop me a line and we can compare family notes!

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