History of Samuel and Elizabeth Packard follows:

History of Samuel and Elizabeth Packard follows:

SAMUEL PACKARD (1612-1694)

ELIZABETH ______

Samuel Packard was born about 1612 in Windham, England. He was born and raised on a farm called “Coleman’s” in the village of Stonham Aspal in Suffolk County England. He was baptized 17 Sep 1612 Stonham, Aspal, Suffolk, England. Because he was the fourth son and not the first-born son and heir to his father’s farm, from birth he was destined to be landless. After his marriage to Elizabeth and the birth of his first child, Mary, in England, he remedied his landlessness by traveling to Ipswich and boarding the ship Diligent bound for Boston. In 1638 America there was land for the taking.

Samuel Packard with his wife, Elizabeth, and a daughter left Ipswich on the ship Diligent on June 1638. There were 133 passengers. They arrived in Boston Harbor on August 10, 1638. They immediately went to Hingham. They were in Hingham in 1652, when his daughter Deliverance was baptized. The family then moved to Weymouth where Samuel was a Selectman from 1654 to 1664 and some of his children were born in Weymouth. Then they settled in Bridgewater, Massachusetts about 1664 where he was appointed Constable. Samuel purchased land in Bridgewater before August 1662. He was Collector of Minister’s Rates in 1670, Surveyor of Highways in 1672, and Constable again in 1674. In 1671 Samuel was licensed to keep an ordinary (tavern) which he had in 1670. Since Samuel signed with a mark, this suggests that he could not write. This may be why some early records show the name as Packer.

Records show Samuel owned a grant of land in 1638 at Hingham. He and his family lived in Weymouth, where he was a Selectman, from 1654 to 1664 and at least two of his children were born there. He was still in Hingham in 1652 when his daughter, Deliverance, was baptized, but must have moved soon thereafter. In about 1660 he removed with his wife Elizabeth and twelve children (Elizabeth, Samuel Jr., Zaccheus, Thomas, John, Nathaniel, Mary Hannah, Israel, Jael, Deborah, and Deliverance) to Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Samuel was not an original proprietor of Bridgewater, who were all from Duxbury, but he purchased land from them before August 1662, when he was appointed to a group to lay out highways. He was an active member of the town, being Collector of Minister’s Rates in 1670, Surveyor of Highways in 1672, and Constable again in 1674. He was licensed to keep an “ordinary” (tavern) in 1671. He was assed a 20s fine for selling liquor to the Indians, but was freed from paying that fine in 1673. He was allotted ten acres of woodland in 1686.

He died on 11 July 1684 in Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. His will was dated 29 October 1684. Samuel named his wife, Elizabeth Packard; eldest son Samuel Packard; sons Zaccheus Packard, John Packard, and Nathaniel Packard; grandchild Israel Alger; daughters Mary Phillips wife of Richard Phillips, Hannah Randall wife of Thomas Randall, Jael Smith wife of John Smith, Deborah Washburn wife of Samuel Washburn and Deliverance Washburn wife of Thomas Washburn; grandchild Deliverance Alger; and grandchildren Samuel Packard, Daniel Packard son of Samuel Packard, Israel Packard son of Zaccheus Packard and Caleb Phillips son of Caleb Phillips. It named wife Elizabeth Packard and son Samuel Packard as executors. The will was signed by mark and witnessed. The will mentioned no real estate and totaled #133, 6s, 6d.

In 1682 he with four sons was named among 80 Proprietors of Bridgewater. Bridgewater was taken from Duxbury and deeded to Miles Standish, Constant Southworth, and Samuel Nash in 1649.

All of Samuel’s sons are said to have served as soldiers in the Indian Wars of 1675 and 1676. There is a discrepancy in the records for Samuel’s death date. Some show it to be 7 April 184, however his last Will was dated 29 October 1684. Others list his death date as 7 November 1684. Elizabeth remarried after Samuel’s death to John Washburn, 1685/6.

Elizabeth:

Samuel married Elizabeth; born probably Suffolk, England; died after 27 Oct 1694. She married 2nd after 7 Nov 1684 (1st husband’s death) and before 27 Oct 1681 (2nd husband’s will) as his 2nd wife John Washburn; baptized 26 November 1620, Bengeworth, Worcester, England; died 12 Nov 1686 Bridgewater. (Note: there is no evidence to support the often repeated conjecture that her surname was “Stream.” Elizabeth’s surname does not appear in any records and “Stream” was not a usual surname in East Angila.)

They traveled to America June 1638 and arrived in Boston 10 August 1638. The family was said on the passenger list to be “from Windham” in Norfolk. This is undoubtedly an error. Windham was probably a gathering place for the ship Diligent.

Children of Samuel and Elizabeth Packard:

1.Mary born about 1637 probably England; md. Richard Phillips ca 1656.

2.Elizabeth baptized 19 July 1646 Hingham; md. Thomas Alger 1665.

3.Samuel baptized 19 July 1646 Hingham; md. Elizabeth Lathrop ca. 1675.

4.Hannah baptized 19 July 1646 Hingham; md. (1) Clement Briggs ca 1667 (2) Thomas Randall ca 1671.

5.Israel baptized 19 July 1646 Hingham; named a militia trooper 1671; no further record. It is often supposed that he was killed in King Philip’s War, but this is belied by the claim that no one from Bridgewater died in that war. (Note: We believe he was married and the father to our ancestor “Abigail Packard – 1700-1778.”)

6.Jael born about 1647 probably Hingham; md. (1) Jones ca 1665, (2) John Smith 1672.

7.Deborah born about 1648 probably Hingham; md. Samuel Washburn ca. 1676.

8.Zaccheus baptized 20 Apr 1651 Hingham; md. Sarah Howard ca. 1678.

9.Jane baptized 20 Apr 1651 Hingham; probably died young.

10.Abigail baptized 20 Apr 1851 Hingham; probably died young.

11.Deliverance baptized 11 June 1652 Hingham; md. Thomas Washburn ca. 1680.

12.Thomas born about 1653 probably Hingham; md. had son “Joseph.”

13.John born Weymouth 20 July 1655; md Judith Winslow 1688.

14.Nathaniel born about 1657 probably Weymouth; md. Lydia Smith ca. 1682.