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Descendants of William Spooner

Generation No. 1

1. WILLIAM³ SPOONER (JOHN², JAMES¹) was born Bet. 1620 - 1622 in Of Colchester, England ¹, and died March 1683/84 in Dartmouth, Bristol co., MA ². He married (1) ELIZABETH PARTRIDGE. She died April 28, 1648 ³. He married (2) HANNAH PRATT March 18, 1651/52 in Plymouth , Plymouth co., MA³, daughter of JOSHUA PRATT and BATHSHEBA FAY. She was born 1630 in Plymouth, Plymouth co., MA ⁴, and died 1684 in Plymouth , Plymouth co., MA ⁵.

Notes for WILLIAM SPOONER:
WILLIAM SPOONER The earliest record that we have relating to William Spooner, is the assignment of articles indenturing him by John Holmes to John Coombs, as is seen in Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. XII, p. 19, as follows:

"Whereas, William Spooner of Colchester, in the County of Essex by this Indenture, bearing date the twenty-seaventh day of March Anno Dmi., 1637, in the thirteenth year of his Magisty's Raigne, hath put himself apprentice with John Holmes, of New Plymouth, in America, gent. from the first day of May next after the date of the said Indenture unto thend terme of six yeares thence ensuing with diuers other couenant both pts to be pformed eich to other by the Indent it doth more plainly appear. Now the said John Holmes with the consent likeinge of the said William Spooner hath the first day of July assigned and set ouer the said William Spooner unto John Coombs of New Plymouth, aforesd gent. for all the residue of his terme vnexpired to serue the sd John Coomes, and the sd John Coomes in then of his said terme shall giue the said William Spooner one comely suit of apparell for holy days and one suit for working days, and twelve bushells of Indian Wheate, and a good seruiceable muskett, bandaliers and sord fitt for service."

It thus appears that William Spooner began life in America as an apprentice to a Mr. John Coombs, a well-to-do citizen of New Plymouth. His age at the time of his indenture is unknown, but it is natural to suppose that he was then in his minority.

William Spooner then, "of Colchester, in the county of Essex, " (England or Massachusetts?), arrived in the New Plymouth settlement early in the year 1637. Whence he came, whether with Ann Spooner from Leyden, whether direct from the mother country, or whether - which we think the most probable - from the little embryo town of Colchester, Massachusetts Colony, is not known. Let this much be said, however, that considering his youth, (he probably was not more than sixteen or seventeen years old at the time of his indenture), and considering also the fact that a Mr. Ann Spooner (doubtless from Leyden, Holland) was in Salem in 1637, it is more than probable that william made the journey to America with Ann Spooner and Thomas Spooner, whom we suppose to have been his mother and brother, and that, on their arrivalin this country, the family separated, Ann and Thomas settling tin Salem, and William seeking his fortune first in the little Colchester settlement and subsequently in New Plymouth.

Of Willaim Spooner's life after his apprenticeship to Mr. Coombs, we have, from the records, a tolerably well connected account. From the various orders of the Court, we conclude that he was a faithful and competent steward, entrusted with the administration of his master's estate and the custody of his children. These were no common marks of confidence, especially amoung the early New England settlers, with whom sturdy self-reliance was one of the first and greatest of virtues.

In the list of August, 1643, William Spooner is mentioned as one "of all the males that are able to beare arms, from xvi years old to 60 years with in the several townships." He was proponded to take up his freedom, June 7, 1653," and was "sworn and admitted June 6, 1654," and at the same time was appointed Surveyor of Highways. He also served on the "Grand Enquest" 1657 and 1666.

He continued to reside in Plymouth until about 1660, when he removed to the new settlement at Acushnet in the Dartmouth purchase. Here he held lands in his own name and an interest in the purchase, which were confirmed to him and to his heirs in their proprietory rights by his will. His lands and the grants made to his sons and grandson, were situated near The-Head-of-the-River, somewhat to the north and east, thence to the south on the east side of the river Acushnet; a small portion of the inheritance of his son, John, was the West or New Bedford side of the Acushnet, and they held land on Sconticut Neck and at Nasquatucket.

It is traditionally claimed, (and this claim seems to be well founded,) that William and his sons built the first mill within Dartmouth bounds, which was located in what is now Acushnet village.

William Spooner's educational advantages in the way of "book learning," ect., were certainly very limited. His will, in common with many of the instruments executed by the early colonists, bears the "mark" of illiteracy.

Source: Records of William Spooner of Plymouth, MA & his descendants Thomas Spooner, 1883

Child of WILLIAM SPOONER and ELIZABETH PARTRIDGE is:

JOHN⁴ SPOONER, b. 1644, Plymouth , Plymouth, MA; d. Aft. 1734.

Children of WILLIAM SPOONER and HANNAH PRATT are:

3.	ii.	EBENEZER⁴ SPOONER, b. 1666, Dartmouth, Bristol co., MA; d. February 05, 1717/18.
4.	iii.	SARAH SPOONER, b. October 05, 1653, Plymouth, Plymouth co., MA; d. Aft. 1720.
5.	iv.	SAMUEL SPOONER, b. January 14, 1654/55, Plymouth, Plymouth co., MA; d. 1739.
6.	v.	MARTHA SPOONER, d. Aft. March 25, 1717.
7.	vi.	LT. WILLIAM SPOONER, b. Plymouth , Plymouth, MA; d. Aft. October 27, 1735.
8.	vii.	ISAAC SPOONER, b. Plymouth , Plymouth, MA; d. December 27, 1709.
9.	viii.	HANNAH SPOONER, b. Plymouth , Plymouth, MA.
	ix.	MERCY SPOONER, b. Plymouth , Plymouth, MA ⁶.

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