Capt. Richard Sprague

  "The Ralph Sprague Genealogy", by E. G. Sprague, page 32

Richard was born in England; came to America in his mother's arms in 1628

He was a sea captain of the pink "Consent," for Nevis and St. Christopher, November 14, 1664. Succeeded to part of his uncle Richard's estate and foreign shipping trade with Barbadoes.

He made his will October 5, 1703, probated the 18th, devising to five sons of Bro. John and two sons of Samuel a farm; to daus.of John; to dau of Samuel; to Winefred Dexter; to Mary Edmands; to the poor of the town; to the ministry; to Mary Everton dau. of bro. Phineas; to sister Clark, wife of Timothy of Boston; £50 to the free school of Charlestown; £400 to Harvard College.

During the Dutch War 1674, he commanded an armed vessel of twelve guns and cruised in Long Island Sound for the protection of the coastwise trade. In 1680-1, March 16, Capt. Richard commanded the 2d train-band of Charlestown. He was Representative in the General Court from Charlestown in 1681 and for several years after. He joined the First Church in Charlestown in 1681. In 1681-2, he recruited as a member of the Artillery Company, and in 1683-4 became first sergeant of the same. He marched with his company into Boston on the memorable 18th of April 1689, and assisted in the revolution against Andros. He was made on of the "Council for the safety of the people and conservation of the peace." which was established for the provisional government of the colony; but when the convention of the colony subsequently chosen, besides taking temporary measures for the public safety, assumed to institute a new government without the sanction of the crown, he, with other leading citizens, protested and appealed to their majesties, William and Mary, believing the action of the convention unconstitutional and contrary to their oaths of allegiance.

He was thereupon deprived of his captaincy, expelled from the House of Representatives for "his contemptuous carriage against the government," and was arranged before the court for "seditious libel." He was however, acquitted of the charge and was elected to represent the town in the General Court until his death. Frothingham in a note, (page 203), cites, as an instance of the expense attending funerals, that of Richard Sprague in 1703. "Among the charges, there for gloves £62 12s; and gloves for Bess negro, 2s 6d; for gloves and hat bands, £3, 2s; for black serge and crape, £2, 16s; for crape to cover the leading staff, halberts, etc., 14s, 1d; for rings, £41, 6s, 1d; for wine, £15, 10d. Total--£147, 16s."

Regarding the same funeral, Sewell writes in his Diary --"October 13, 1703. Capt. Richard Sprague is buried. Mr. Russell, Capt. Hayman, Capt Belcher, Mr. Leverett, Capt. Cary, Capt. Fowl, bearers. Is buried in Mr. Morton's tomb. I was there. Most of the scholars, Joseph for one. My gloves were too little. I gave them him. Governor there." [3]

Links

• The Sprague Project

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GEDCOM Note

Biography

Captain Richard Sprague was born in Fordington, Dorset, England, the son of Ralph Sprague and Joan Warren. He arrived in the American Colonies in his mother's arms in 1628. November 14, 1664 he was the captain of "Consent" for Nevis and St. Christopher, succeeding his uncle Richard's estate and foreign shipping trade with Barbados. He first married Eunice Chester 25 Feb 1672/3 Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts. He second married the widow Catherine Richardson 2 May 1679 in Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts. She was the mother of two sons. Richard commanded an armed vessel of twelve guns and cruised in Long Island Sound for the protection of the coastwise trade during the DutchWar of 1812. 16 March 1680-1, Capt. Richard commanded the 2d train-band of Charlestown.

He joined the First Church in Charlestown in 1681. Richard was a General Court Representative representing Charlestown beginning in 1681. In 1681-2, he recruited as a member of the Artillery Company, and in 1683-4 became first sergeant of the same. He marched with his company into Boston on the memorable 18th of April 1689, and assisted in the revolution against Andros. He was a member of the Massachusetts Colony "Council for the Safety ofthe People and Conservation of the Peace." When the establishment of the Colony was finalized he and others protested that it had been established without the action of the crown, being William and Mary. In response, his captaincy was revoked, expelled from the the House ofRepresentatives, and arraigned for sedition. He was acquitted and elected to represent Charlestown until his death His will was written 5 October 1703 and probated the 18th. Nothing was left to children or a wife, but instead to the sons and daughters ofhis brothers, to Winefred Dexter; to Mary Edmands; to the poor of thetown; to the ministry; to the free school of Charlestown; and to Harvard College. He was buried 13 October1703 in Mr. Morton's tomb at Charlestown, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts.

Sources

<references />

• SPRAGUE, E. W.. The Ralph Sprague Genealogy, Capital City Press,1913, page 32. :: Birth, death, militaryand poltical life
• SPRAGUE, Warren Vincent. Sprague families in America, The Tuttle Co, Rutland VT,, 1913, p.123 :: Parents, siblings, notes Richard had two wives, but no children.
• RICHARD, William.New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Volume IV, 1913, p 1978-1979.:: Section of Amos Richardson names his daughter Catherine and first and second husbands. No children.
• BACON, J. Dean Bacon and Dow P. Bacon. A Gen. of Bacon and Allied Families Ancestors and Relatives of Donald Dewitt Bacon and Lois LaVonne Bacon.Murray & Gee, Culver City, CA. 1958. p. 99 :: Names Catherine'sparents, siblings and two husbands
• JORDAN, John Woolf. Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley Pennsylvania, Volume 2, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913, p. 631. :: Amos Richardson daughter Catherine, and two husbands
• The Sprague Project - profile for Richard Sprague
• The Sprague Project (http://www.sprague-database.org/) (14 Feb 10)
• Source: S5 Abbreviation: Great Migration Begins: Immgrants to New England, 1620-1633 Title: Great Migration Begins:Immgrants to New England, 1620-1633, Vol 1-3 Author: Robert Charles Anderson Publication: Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995. Text: Robert Charles Anderson. Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. CONT Original data: Robert CharlesAnderson. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. Vol. 1-3. Boston, MA, USA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995.
• Stelzer, Alice Plouchard. "The Mysteries Surrounding Mary (Wade)(Chester) Russell (1608-30 Nov 1688)" The Journal of the Cape Cod Genealogical Society (Spring 2013) Vol. 3, No. 1, Page 11.

Research Note

• Parents and siblings : Husband: Ralph Sprague : Wife: Joan Warren: Marriage: Date: 15 Aug 1623, Fordington St. George, Dorsetshire, England : Child: John Sprague : Child: Jonathan Sprague : Child: Richard Sprague : Child: Samuel Sprague : Child: Mary Sprague : Child: Phineas Sprague

GEDCOM Note