ABRAHAM & REBECCA (UNKNOWN) PIERCE, BIOGRAPHICAL ITEMS

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

The origin of Abraham Pierce has not yet been determined. He probably was about 18 when he emigrated from England to the Plymouth Colony in New England on the ship "Anne," which arrived at Plymouth in 1623.

Robert Charles Anderson, in "The Great Migration Begins," reports that "In the 1623 Plymouth division of land, he was one of the two servants of Mr. (John) Pierce who received an acre of land apiece as passengers on the Anne." Yet "The Great Migration Begins" does not include a record for a John

Pierce, Peirce, or Pearse who arrived in Plymouth in 1623 on the "Anne." Perhaps this John Pierce (a relative of Abraham?) returned to England.

In the 1627 Plymouth division of cattle, "Abraham Peirce" was the twelfth person in the third company. He was the thirty-first person on the list of Purchasers On 20 Jan 1627 Abraham Pierce sold to Capt. Miles Standish two shares in a red cow for two ewe lambs. In the 25 March 1633 and 27 March 1634 Plymouth tax lists, he was assessed 9s.

He was listed on the 1633 list of Plymouth freemen, between those admitted on 1 Jan 1632/3 and those admitted on 1 Jan 1633/4. Abraham Pierce served on the Coroner's jury in Feb., 1635/6.

Abraham Pierce was married to Rebecca, maiden name unknown, probably in about 1637 in Plymouth.

Likely he moved to Duxbury, Massachusetts soon after his marriage. On 5 Dec 1637, Abraham Pierce sold to Josuah Pratt a house and garden place in Plymouth. He was on the Plymouth section of the 1639 list of Plymouth Colony freemen, then his name was deleted and added to the Duxbury section.

He sold 40 acres of upland and meadow on the south side of the North River to Thomas King on 8 Jun 1643. Prior to 31 Jul 1646, he exchanged a lot of land with Joseph Rogers at Stony Brook, and on 13 Jun 1660 three acres of meadow were granted to Abraham Pierce, Sr., lying on the north side of the brook at Namassakesett. There also were other land transactions in which he was involved.

An interesting entry concerning Abraham Pierce was made on 2 Mar 1651/2, when he was presented for "slothful and negligent spending of the Sabbath and not frequenting the public assembly." He was warned to amend and was excused.

He had died by 3 Jun 1673, when his son "Abraham Peirse, Junior" was made administrator of his estate. It is believed that his wife Rebecca did not survive him, since her son made no acknowledgment of or provision for her dower. Perhaps she died as early as 1650, when her sister took over the care of the infant daughter, Alice.

SOURCE: "The Great Migration Begins: Immigration to New England 1620 - 1633," compiled by Robert Charles Anderson, Vol 3, Pages 1466 - 1469 (New England Historic Genealogical Society: Boston, MA: 1995). FHL #974 w2.