Rev. John Knowles

From: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/new-york/biographical-sketch-of-rev-...

Rev. John Knowles, immigrant ancestor, was born in Lincolnshire, England, and educated at Magdalen College. He came to New England about 1636 and was admitted to the church as a studyent in Lynn, August 25, 1639; was dismissed to the church at Watertown and ordained colleague pastor, November 10, 1640; was a godly man and prime scholar; was selected to accompany Mr. William Thompson to Virginia in the effort to plant churches of the New England type there. He returned from Virginia to Watertown and finally to England. He sold land to the Iron Works Company at Lynn, October 24, 1651. He was living in Bristol, England, March 30, 1655, when he sold more land at Lynn. He married Elizabeth. Children: Richard (according to good authority), mentioned elsewhere; Mary, born April 9, 1641; Elizabeth, May 15, 1643; Hannah, married Benjamin Eyres.

Savage's _Genealogical Dictionary_ says the following about Rev. Knowles:

[KNOWLES,] JOHN, Watertown, the sec. min. of that town, was b. in Lincolnsh. bred at Magdalen Coll. Cambridge, where he was matric. a pensioner July 1620, sign. without final s. had his B. A. Jan. 1623, O. S. and M. A. 1627, with last letter, and was chos. a fellow of Catharine Hall, 9 July 1627, tho. Mather says, of Emanuel in his common heedless way. He was not prob. a sett. min. bef. com. over to us in Aug. 1638; he join. with the ch. at Boston 15 Aug. of next yr. hav. m. prob. in Eng. the wid. of Ephraim Davis; in Mar. foll. was dism. to go to aid Phillips at W. and there was ord. 9 Dec. 1640 as pastor, went on a mission, 1642, to Virginia, back next yr. was freem. 1650, and next yr. went home, and for some time preach. at Bristol, was silenc. by the act of 1662, and dur. the plague of London, 1665, was there with w. Elizabeth. On the d. of Presid. Chauncey, 1672, he was propos. to succeed him as head of Harv. Coll. tho. in Mather's Hist. we should not look to discov. any thing like it, for that writer is very sparing of his facts in the chap. devot. to this life, III. 216, and in the first classis insert. him without bapt. name. He had at W. by w. Elizabeth Mary, b. 9 Apr. 1641; Elizabeth 16 May 1643; and Hannah, wh. are found to be his ch. the first two by a gift in will of Edward How to ea. and Hannah, by her petit. aft. com. back hither in 1681. calls hers. his ch. represent. injury by desert. of her and her ch. by h. Benjamin Eyre, and pray. for divorce, 17 Nov. 1685. He d. 10 Nov. 1685, at gr. age.

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notes

From http://www.chrisman.org/pedigree/out38.htm

Richard Knowles Birth: 1615 England Death: 1670/1675 Eastham,Massachusetts

Parentage: As far as I know, unsolved. One source claimed he was the son of John Knowles b. 1 Nov 1596, d. 1685, m. bef 1614 Elizabeth, and Grandson of William and Grace (Clavell) Knowles. That same source gave his birthdate as 17 Sep 1617, but had no sources listed.

From https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Knowles-163

Left bequests to his son Samuel, and da. Anne (wife of Benjamin Eyre) and Martha (wife of Thomas Impey).

???

References

• “Another possible marriage for Elizabeth Willis, wife of Rev. John Knowles of Watertown.” < soc.genealogy.medieval >