John Rowe, II

In 1820 George Wainwright married Mary Rowe of East Gloucester and settled there. Many New Englanders with the Rowe surname today can claim a single immigrant ancestor, John Row, who came to Gloucester Massachusetts sometime after 1642. His family, originating in Tavistock, Devon England, had a long, noble and well-documented history dating back to Sir Everhard de Rowe, a thirteenth century contemporary of Richard the Lionhearted. John may have lived briefly in Dedham Massachusetts and, after that in Salem Massachusetts. Upon arriving in Gloucester, John took possession of several acres of land in the Farms section of East Gloucester, near what is today known as Good Harbor Beach. John was not very happy with his situation in this desolate area and said so publicly. In April 1656, he was charged with profanity and presented to the Essex Quarterly Court for punishment:

"John Row of Gloster being presented for saying if his wife weere of his mind he would sett his house on fire & Run away by ye light and ye divill shoud take ye farms & Speaking ye same a second time added that he would live noe longer among such a company of hell hounds : The prssnmt was acknowledged in a writing presented to this Court. Sentence of Court is that he shall pay a fine of 20s Alsoe to make a Confession at ye next towne meeting at Gloster of ye words spoken by him, wch if he refuse shall appeare at ye next Court in Salem & pay 2s 6d fees of Court."

In 1640, John married Bridget Jeggles of Salem. The Jeggles were an early family of Salem shipwrights about whom little is known. The original settler, William Jeggles, died in 1659. By Bridget, John Row had two sons:

1. John and
2. Hugh.

Each son had a large family and became prominent in town. Elder John resided at his farm until his death in 1661. His wife afterward married William Collman of Gloucester, and died in 1680.

John Row's first son, John, was born in about 1640. Being the eldest, he inherited most of the families' lands and estate, and lived at the Farms until his death in 1700. In 1663, John Jr. married Mary Dickisson, daughter of John and Mary Dickisson of Salisbury Massachusetts. They had nine children before Mary died in 1684, seven of whom lived to maturity. John married, second, Sarah Reddington who died in 1700. By her he had four additional children, only one of whom lived to maturity.

The fourth son of John Jr. and Mary was Stephen, born in 1675. He married Martha Low daughter of John Low and Sarah Thorndick of Ipswich and granddaughter of Thomas Low, one of the first settlers of that town. The couple had ten children before Martha died in 1718. In 1721 Stephen married Elizabeth Corney and had an additional four children before he died in 1731. Elizabeth was nearly one hundred years old when she died in 1785.

John Row, second surviving son of Stephen and Martha, was a Lieutenant in the expedition against the French at Crown Point in 1755. His son, John, was a sergeant under his command. and later commanded one of the Gloucester Companies that fought at Bunker Hill. Home on furlough in 1776, he took part in an attack on a British vessel off Cape Ann and was taken as a prisoner of war to New York. He later became a Major of the Militia and died at Ballston Spa, New York in 1801. His body was returned to the family estate in Rockport where he was buried.

Thomas Row, youngest son of Stephen and Martha, remained at The Farms through his life. With his first wife, Rebecca Tarr, he had four children. Rebecca died around 1750, and he next married Sarah Harris, daughter of Thomas Harris and Sarah Norwood of Ipswich. The Harris family was an early one in Ipswich and Rowley Massachusetts. .The immigrant ancestor, Thomas Harris, established the first ferry service between Winisimet (Chelsea) and Boston in 1631. Thomas and Sarah had eight more children. Thomas died in 1790, leaving the family estate to his son William who died in 1856.

In 1772 Daniel Row, second son of Thomas and Sarah, married Mary Elwell, recent widow of James Brown and had five children. Mary was the daughter of David Elwell and Mary Graham of Gloucester, and the great-great-granddaughter of Robert Elwell, one of the original settlers of Gloucester. Robert was known to have been a resident of Dorchester Massachusetts in 1634, and came to Gloucester shortly afterwards. He was granted land around what is now Stage Point, as well as on Eastern Point where he lived. He was Selectman from 1649-1675, and a Commissioner of Small Causes in 1651. He died in 1683. Mary Graham was the daughter of Andrew Grimes and Mary Davis. Andrew came to Gloucester around 1730.

Daniel Rowe, son of Daniel and Mary, was born about 1781, though no record of his birth exists in the Gloucester Vital Records.. He served as a Private in Capt. David Elwell's Company during the War of 1812, and was present during the engagement with the British at Bearskin Neck. In 1797, Daniel married Polly Knutsford, daughter of Stephen Knutsfordand Mary Andrews. The Andrews were an ancient Cape Ann family that owned a large tract of land in Rockport around what is now called Andrews Point. Daniel and Polly died within hours of one another on 13 November 1842 and are buried together at the old parish burial ground in Rockport.

Daniel Rowe and Polly Knutsford had six children. Their second, Mary Rowe, married George Wainwrightin 1820. http://wainwrightfamily.org/rowe.html ____________________________________________________________

JOHN ROWE was born in 1607 at Tavistock, England. He came to America between 1620 and 1640 and landed in the Salem, Mass. area. He was married in 1640 to BRIDGET JEGGLES (JIGGLES or JEEPLES) daughter of WILLIAM and MARY JEGGLES of Salem who lived near where the Hotel Hawthorne is now (1995). Bridget was born 10 June 1616 at England. He came to Gloucester, Mass. before 1651 and was the first settler at the Farms (Joppa). He bought land there in 1651 of Thomas Drake into whose possession it passed from Nicholas Norton of Weymouth, who bought it of William Vinson, to whom it was sold by George Norton, the original grantee. The Registry of Deeds in Salem, Mass. Vol. 1, No. 81, p. 201, lists a deed of land bought by "John Roe of Gloster" from Wm. Vinson of "Gloster, pottmaker" who in consideration of 16 pounds sell unto John Roe, of the said Gloster, my farme lying in Gloster, which I bought of George Norton, and given by the towne to the sd Norton namely forty acres of upland and twelve acres of salt marsh altogether-lying neere little good harbor......."Vinson signed it with his mark the 28th day of the 10th month 1651.

He was the first settler on this remote and lonely spot. a dense forest surrounded him, separting him on one side from the ocean, which was not far distant, and on the other from his townsmen, most of whom were more than two miles off. He did not, however, find repose in this retired place, and seems far from satisfied with his farm. On the 26 June 1656, he was presented in court for " saying if his wife was off his mind he would set his house on fire and run away by ye light and ye devil should take ye farme and speaking the same a second time added he would live no longer among such a company of hellhounds". For thus relieving his mind he was find twenty shillings and ordered to make a confession at the next town meeting in Gloucester. He continued there, nevertheless, till death relieved him from a earthly trouble. He died 9 March 1662. His widow Bridget married William Coleman on 14 Nov. 1662. She died 2 May 1680 or 1690.

http://files.usgwarchives.net/me/massmaine/rowe/rowe.txt

IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR John Rowe settled in a remote section of Cape Ann known as "The Farms" just above the marshes behind Little Good Harbor Beach. John arrived in the colonies prior to 1640. It is believed that he may have originally been a settler in Duxbury. The following notation from Duxbury records states that town was "ordered to give satisfaction to John Rowe for the water overflowing his property, which would indicate he was living near a newly built grist mill where a pond was made." John moved from the Duxbury area to Salem (Danvers), where he married Bidgett Jeggles in 1640. FromSalem John then moved to Gloucester, where he purchased land from William Vinson. The deed of the land originated with George Norton who transfered the property to Vinson. On Oct 28, 1651 the transfer from Vinson to Rowe took place. "...in consideration of sixteene pounds...sell unto John Roe, of ye said Gloster, my farm lying in Gloster....forty acres of upland & twelve acres of salt marsh altogether, lying neere little good harbor..." The land was surrounded by dense forest. A half mile away was the ocean and the townsmens homes were about two miles away. The forest sheltered the home. The original home was described as being a log cabin. This was later replaced by a gamble roofed cottage. John kept cows, oxen, pigs and one ass on the land. He grew crops of wheat, rye and indian corn. This area was also known as Joppa, located on the "mainland back between Little Good Harbor and Brier Neck." In 1651 the area was termed "a lonely place, deep in a trackless wilderness". John apparently was at odds with members of the community. He lived with his family "in deep forest and there might he have died unwept, unhonored and unsung had he not achieved enduring fame by declaring in 1656 that if his wife were of his mind, he would set his house on fire and run away by 'ye light and ye devil should take ye farm'. He again stated the same and added that he would no longer live among 'such a company of hell hounds'." It is believed that John was referring to the church preacher and practices. There is some thought however, that he may have been refering to his sons. The Quarterly Court fined John 20 shillings and ordered him to confess publically at the next public hearing. The fine was levied on June 26, 1656. The offense was not mentioned. John was an outspoken man about his religious views and may reflect why he left England. This outspokeness may also have lead to his leaving Salem. In September of 1653 he was again brought befor the quarterly court for "affronting the Rev. Mr. William Perkins in the time of his preaching of the word in Public." Apparently the Rev. Perkins was not well liked by his community as others were similarly brought before the court. It was said that the Reverend "was fitter to be a lady's chamberman than to be on the pulpit." John died in Gloucester at the age of 54. His will was written October 15, 1661 and proved on June 24, 1662. He left an estate of 205 puonds, 16 shillings, 10 pence. The inventory mentions "one ass, a wheelbara, peas 14 bushells, a bar skin, cotton stockens, three cowes, two drye cowes, and one old cowe. Bridgett, his wife, remarried seven months after John's death.