Lt. Samuel Sprague

Bef 1632 - 1696  (~ 64 years)

• Name	Samuel Sprague  [1, 2]
  Prefix	Lt.
  Born	Bef 3 Jun 1632	Charlestown, Suffolk Co., MA, USA
  Christened	3 Jun 1632	First Church Of Boston, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA   [2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Military	King Philip's War
  Died	3 Oct 1696	Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA   [1, 3, 4]
  Buried	Bell Rock Cemetery, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA   [1, 5]
  Notes	"The Spragues of Malden, Mass.", by George Walter Chamberlain, page 102.     Lt. Samuel Sprague. The division of his estate who died intestate was made, October 3, 1696.  It mentions his widow Rebecca, eldest son Samuel Sprague, son-in-law John Dexter who married Winifred daughter of the deceased, his son-in-law Ebenezer Austin who married Rebecca, another daughter of the deceased.  Witnesses: Phineas Sprague, Samuel Howard and James Converse. Lt. Samuel Sprague with his sister Mary Sprague made choice of his uncle Richard Sprague of Charlestown for his guardian, 7 October 1651.      He was fined twenty shillings and costs in 1672, for "Enterteyneing persons in his family at unreasonable times". Mr. Corey tells an interesting story illustrative of Mr. Sprague's character. It appears that Thomas Shepherd called Samuel Sprague "a bays villaine" and said, "when ever I see you mye spirit Rises at you and Wherever I meet with you I shal Remember you".  Thomas Mudge, a Malden boy, "did heare Thomas Shepherd: strike Samuel: Sprague two blows". Mr. Sprague struck not back but said: "what dost thou meane to playe the foole:I am Resolved:I"will: not strike". His horse was impressed for military service in King Philip's War in August 1675. He was chosen Sergeant of the Malden Foot Company in 1682, and was appointed on a committee to repair the meeting house, 28 August 1682. Sergeant Samuel Sprague was ordered by the Selectmen of Malden to be a tithingman in the meeting house on the Lord's Day, alternating first in the gallery and then on the floor below, 27 October 1684. Sergeant Samuel Sprague was appointed Lieutenant of the Malden Foot Company of which his brother John was commissioned Captain, 4 June 1685. He resigned this office in 1689. He wrote a letter to Rev. Michael Wigglesworth dated 22 July, 1687, which letter was extant in 1849. He was commissioned "to joyne with the Townes men to make the country rate, in Aug., 1687". He was appointed on a committee to defend the town of Malden from further demands of Rev. Benjamin Blackman, 21 May, 1688.  And was made a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 22 March, 1689/1690. He was elected a selectman of Malden, 2 March, 1680/1681, and again 8 March, 1686/1687, and was chosen moderator of the town meeting, 28 January, 1694/1695. It is stated in the Ralph Sprague Genealogy that his "house in Malden stood on the south side fo the present Pleasant street, east of the river and not far from the Coytmore mill". He was appointed Clerk of the Writs to take account of all Birts and Deaths in and to act in said office according to the order of the President and Council.  Apparently he served from 1686 to 1693. "The Ralph Sprague Genealogy", by E. G. Sprague, page 34      Samuel's home in Malden was on the south side of the present Pleasant St., east of the river and not far from the Coytmore mill.  He must have been a man having good self control and all of the christian graces according to the following incident for "A youth, Thomas Shepherd struck Samuel Sprague two blows, Sprague did not strike back but said, "What dost thou meane to play the foole  I am Resolved: I: wil: not strike;"  although the other dared him with many Reuiling Speeches."  He was appointed town "clarke" of Malden in 1685; selectman many years; took the Freeman's Oath March 22, 1689-90; commissioner to join with other towns in 1687 to make the county tax rate; was Representative and deputy to the General Court from 1681 to 1685; lieutenant of the militia in 1685 and is referred to in the early histories as lieutenant.  In 1652 he sold to his brother John his share of the Ell Pond estate which his father Ralph had bequeathed to him.  His brother Richard willed his estate to Samuel's two sons, Samuel and John in 1703.       His estate was divided for his two sons in 1697. [6]
  Person ID	I42557	Sprague Project
  Last Modified	27 Jul 2015

  
  

  Father	Lt. Ralph Sprague,   b. Abt 1599, Upwey, Dorsetshire, England ,   d. 24 Nov 1650, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA  (Age ~ 51 years)
  Mother	Joanna Warren,   b. 1603,   d. 24 Feb 1679/80, Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA, USA  (Age 77 years)
  Married	15 Aug 1623	Saint George, Fordington, Dorchester, , Dorsetshire, England   [7]
  	From Dottie Middleton, correspondent, note of June 2, 2016 Online Fordington St George parish records show that Joanna and Ralph were married 15 Aug 1623; unfortunately, the online transcript doesn't name their parents.  John Sprague was baptized at St George 23 May 1624 and Jonathan on 27 November 1625. John died in 1692 and is buried in Bell Rock Cemetery, Malden, MA, with about 30 other Spragues.  Some researchers (Sprague database, familysearch, IGI, and Michael Russell, OPC, who wrote "Pilgrims from Fordington The Sprague Family From Fullers to Founding Fathers") say Jonathan died in 1650 in Malden.  Copy-cat "research?"  Access to first-hand documents I haven't found?  I don't know.  In any case, Jonathan has no headstone at Bell Rock Cemetery, and none in Massachusetts that I could find on findagrave.  There is one Sprague headstone at Bell Rock with only the surname; that might or might not be Jonathan, but we don't know.  Further research is needed.  Watkins' noting "no later mention" of Jonathan and speculating that he might have died in childhood is somewhat misleading.  Existing St George parish records do not mention Jonathan after his baptism; however, the 1626 records were very badly water damaged and the 1629 records are missing.
  Family ID	F13579	Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family / Spouse	Rebecca Crawford,   b. 1633, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA ,   d. 8 Jul 1710, Reading (Now Wakefield), Middlesex Co., MA, USA  (Age 77 years)
  Married	23 Aug 1655	Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA   [2, 3, 8]
  	Married by the Deputy Governor Richard Bellinham [6]
  Children	1. Rebecca Sprague,   b. 1657, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA ,   d. 15 Aug 1658, Malden Bridge, Columbia Co., NY, USA  (Age 1 years)   2. Samuel Sprague,   b. 4 May 1660, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA ,   d. Infant + 3. Samuel Sprague, Jr.,   b. 4 May 1662, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA ,   d. 27 Dec 1738, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA  (Age 76 years)   4. Rebecca Sprague,   b. Sep 1666, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA ,   d. Child + 5. John Sprague,   b. Abt 1670, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA ,   d. Between 8 Oct 1696 and 2 Feb 1737/38  (Age ~ 26 years) + 6. Winifred Sprague,   b. 23 Dec 1673, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA ,   d. 5 Dec 1752, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA  (Age 78 years) + 7. Rebecca Sprague,   b. 1675, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA ,   d. 10 Nov 1769, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA  (Age 94 years)
  Last Modified	2 Feb 2013
  Family ID	F16273	Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - Bef 3 Jun 1632 - Charlestown, Suffolk Co., MA, USA Married - 23 Aug 1655 - Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA Died - 3 Oct 1696 - Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA Buried - - Bell Rock Cemetery, Malden, Middlesex Co., MA, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S1223] Correspondent: Buitenhuys, William James (Bill), Bellrock Cemetery records provided in note of December 1st, 2003. [S76] Book: Sprague, Ralph, Genealogy, Sprague, E. G., (Montpelier, VT:The Capital City Press, 1913), page 33. [S76] Book: Sprague, Ralph, Genealogy, Sprague, E. G., (Montpelier, VT:The Capital City Press, 1913), page 32. [S3278] "Malden Burying Ground", October 1855, page 326. [S1201] Correspondent: Layus, Karen Robinson. [S76] Book: Sprague, Ralph, Genealogy, Sprague, E. G., (Montpelier, VT:The Capital City Press, 1913), page 34. [S433] Book: New England Marriages, Torrey, Clarence A., (Baltimore, MD, Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004), page 698. [S433] Book: New England Marriages, Torrey, Clarence A., (Baltimore, MD, Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004), page 696.