Richard Porter

4/31/2021 edit.

The name of Richard Porter's parents (and birth location in England) are unproven.

Richard, the husband was born about 1612 based on the age at immigration. He might be the Richard Porter, son of Richard Porter, who was baptised on 30 Aug 1612 in Cranborne, Dorset, England, but this is yet to be proven as of 4/31/2021.

Also, he and his wife had only 4 known children. John (m. Deliverance Byrum), Ruth (m. Thomas Balley Jr,), Thomas (m. Sarah Vining), and Mary (m. John Bicknell). The only birth date of the children uncovered was Ruth (b. Weymouth 3 Oct 1639), and the other children are then placed based on making assumptions about ages at marriage. There are major problems with the widely circulated dates of the children in relationship to known chronology of Richard Porter, and the 3 Oct 1639 is derived from a list that groups birth from 1633 to 1643. Refer to the attached pdf doc of The Great Migration Profile in the Media or Source tab.

The info below the line was not edited 4/21/2021 and although it appears mostly correct, the information on the wife, parents, and children's birthdates listed below are not proven (refer to the pdf).
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1. Name: Richard Porter 1
2. Sex: M
3. Birth: in England
4. Death: BET 1688 AND 1689 in Weymouth, Norfolk, Ma
5. Note: 1. RICHARD PORTER, husbandman, came in Rev. Joseph Hull's Company, sailing from Weymouth in Dorset, on or near 20 Mar. 1634-35. He was one of the twenty-one families "to sit down at %Vcssaguscus," 8 July, 1635. He was made a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 18 May, 1653. (Register, 3: 192.) He died at Weymouth between 25 Dec. 1688, and 6 Mar. 1688-89. He made his will at Weymouth, 25 Dec. 1688, and the inventory of his estate was taken 6 Mar. 1688-89. To his grandchild Thomas Porter, only

Marriage 1 Spouse Unknown

Children

  1. Has Children Mary Porter

2. Has Children John Porter , Sergt. b: in Of Weymouth, Norfolk, Ma
3. Has Children Thomas Porter
4. Has Children Ruth Porter b: 3 OCT 1639
Sources:

  1. Title: Genealogies of the Early Families of Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts

Author: George Walter Chamberlain, M.S.
Publication: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore: Reprint, 1984
Note: Originally Published as volumes 3 & 4 of History of Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, Boston, 1923
Repository:
Note: Frank Dyer
Media: Book
Page: 485

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In the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 25, page 13, is a "list of passengers at Weymouth, England, March 30, 1635, bound for New England," in which is the name of Richard Porter. In this list, also, are the names of other men who settled at Weymouth, some of whose descendants of the same names continue there until this day. Reverend Joseph Hull, minister; Massachiel Barnard, of Badcomb, in the county of Somerset; John Whitmarsh, William Reed, of Badcomb; Zechary Bicknell, Henry Kingman, Thomas Holbrook, Robert Lovell and others.

"July 8, 1635, the General Court granted leave to Mr. Hull, a minister, and twenty-one families to sit down at Wessaguscus.

September 2nd, 1635, the General Court changed the name of Wessaguscus [Wessagusset] to Weymouth, so named, no doubt, for Weymouth, England. During the late war, the selectmen had occasion to look up the incorporation of the town, and found no other authority to act as a town, than this.

For two hundred and forty-three years, Weymouth has been the only ancient town in Massachusetts, with possibly one exception, which has preserved its original boundaries. Nothing has been added, nothing taken away. Long may the old town continue before it is cut up into insignificance. In July of 1635 the Reverend Joseph Hull and 21 families, numbering nearly 100 persons, arrived from Weymouth, England, and were given permission by the General Court to settle in Wessagusset. On September 2, 1635 Wessagusset was incorporated as a Town and the name was changed to Weymouth.

The town records of Weymouth, prior to 1648, are very meagre. In that year and in 1654, 1661, 1663, and 1668, grants of land were made to Richard Porter. For many years he was continually in office as selectman, constable, and upon committees; he was a member of the original church, and the name of "brother Richard Porter" often occurs on the old records. He lived not far from where the meeting house on the North Parish, in Weymouth, now stands; probably between there and the old burial ground. In 1651 a road was laid out between Richard Porter's meadow and Stephen French's land. In 1663 the town voted "that the flats upon the back river shall be let out for town's use for the ensuing year, for the thatching of houses, and this to be done by the selectmen. By flats we understand all these flats on this side of river, beginning at Snooke's Marsh until you come to the upper end of Richard Porter's marsh." In 1673 Abiah Whitman and Thomas Hunt, were appointed fence viewers for "middle of the town so far as the brook that runs by Richard Porters house." In 1661 brother Richard Porter, John Rane, John Bicknell, Stephen French, and John Porter, chosen committee to repair meeting house. "Bro. Bicknell, for making the meeting house tite, 3 pounds."

The name of his wife was probably Ruth, and he was probably married after arriving in this country. On Boston records is the following birth : "Ruth, daughter of Richard Porter, born in Weymouth, October 3, 1630. He died between December 25, 1688, the date of his will, and March 6, 1689, the date of the inventory of his estate.

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Settled in Weymouth, 1635?

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Birth: 1612, England Death: 1688 Plymouth County Massachusetts, USA

Born about 1612 (assuming the age on the passenger list was intended for 23, which would be consistent with the estimated date of marriage). Husbandsman who came to Plymouth Colony in 1635 on the "Marygould" & settled in Weymouth. (on 20 Mar 1634/5, "Rich[ard] Porter, husbandman," aged 3 [sic], was enrolled at Weymouth as a passenger for New England on the Marygould.) Died between 25 Dec 1688 (date of will) & 6 Mar 1688/9 (date of inventory). Married by about 1635, ____ ____. She was apparently deceased before the date of her husband's will. Source: Anderson's Great Migration Study Project. Their child: Mary (Porter) Bicknell.

Family links:

Spouse:

 Wife Porter

Children:

 Mary Porter Bicknell (1634 - 1682)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Unknown

Created by: Linda Mac Record added: May 21, 2009 Find A Grave Memorial# 37339654

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Name[1] Richard Porter Gender Male Birth? 1611 Dorchester, Dorset, England

Marriage ABT 1634 Of Weymouth, Norfolk, Mass., USAto Ruth

Immigration[1][3] 20 Mar 1634/5 Massachusetts Bay Colony

Alt Marriage BEF 1639 to Ruth

Death[1] bet 25 Dec 1688 and 6 Mar 1688/89 Weymouth, Norfolk, MA, USAbased on date of will inventory

Spouse and Children (edit)

   H.  Richard Porter1611 - bet 1688

   W.  RuthABT 1615 - BEF 1688

m. ABT 1634

Children of Richard Porter and Ruth:

• Mary Porter1635 - AFT 1682
• Ruth Porter1637 - 1717

*    Sgt John Porter1637 - 1717

* Ruth Porter1639 - BEF 1661

*    Thomas Porter1641 - 1672

* Mary Porterabt 1643 - aft 1689

References

   ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chamberlain, George Walter. History of Weymouth, Massachusetts. (Weymouth, Massachusetts: Weymouth Historical Society, under direction of the town, 1923), 4:485.

Richard Porter, husbandman, came in Rev. Joseph Hull's Company, sailing from Weymouth in Dorset, on or near 20 Mar. 1634-35. He was one of the twenty-one families "to sit down at Wessaguscus," 8 July, 1635. He was made a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 18 May, 1653. (Register, 3:192.) He died at Weymouth between 25 Dec. 1688, and 6 Mar. 1688-89. He made his will at Weymouth, 25 Dec. 1688, and the inventory of his estate was taken 6 Mar. 1688-89. To his grandchild Thomas Porter, only son of his son Thomas Porter, deceased, he gave his dwelling house, barn, orchard and land adjoining, and other lands at 21 years. If said grandchild die before 21 the estate to go to his grandchild Ruth Richards on conditions, or to his son John. To his grandchild Samuel Bayley two acres on King Oak Hill. To his daughter Mary Bicknell £10. Remainder of estate to his son John Porter. His friends James Lovell, Sr., and Thomas Reed, overseers. Witnesses: Abiah Whitman, Zachariah Bicknell and Stephen French, Sr. (Porter Genealogy, 8, 9.)
He was granted one of the great lots "on the east side of Fresh Pond" 2 Feb. 1651-52, and ten acres in the first Division and thirty acres in the Second Division, 14 Dec. 1663. (Weymouth Land Grants, 281, 282, 284.)

     Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862), 3:462.

"RICHARD, Weymouth, had Ruth, b. 3 Oct. 1639; was freem. 1653."

   ↑ More Passengers for New England, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society), XXV:13-15, Jan 1871.

Richard Porter is listed as the last passenger on list of passenger's who embarked from England in Hull's Company. He is identified as a "husband" vs. "husbandman" and the number 3 is listed afterwards. Obviously, he was not age 3. The number might stand for an age of 3x years or three people in his party.
http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Richard_Porter_(1)

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