Maurice Trufant

Various spellings. Trouant. Settled on Trouant Island (still recognized by that spelling) Birth date 1616 in England not verified. Deed signed by Myles Standish has Maurice/Morris's mark only indicating he could not read nor write. Town clerks apparently controlled the spelling through all the war records; Truvant,Trufhent,Trufont,Trufunt,Truphant (which is phonetically close.)

1. MAURICE/MORRIS1 TRUFANT was born 1606, and died October 16, 1685 in Marshfield, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He married JANE/MARY October 16, 1639 in Plymouth Colony or Marshfield.

Notes for MAURICE/MORRIS TRUFANT:

Trufant/Troufant/Truphant/Truant/Trouant/Trewant are some of the different spellings.

Individual: Truant, Morris

County/State: Plymouth Co., MA

Location: Duxborrow

Page #: 256

Year: 1643

Book at LDS - Morris & Jane (-1678+); 16 Oct 1639; Plymouth Colony/?Duxbury/Marshfield

Book at LDS - Maurice Truant, Trouant, at Duxbury, Mass., 1643, removed Marshfield, Mass., died April 21, 1685

The Great Migration Begins, by Robert Chas. Anderson, pages 1838, 1839 & 1840: Origin: unknown, Migration: 1630, 1st residence: Massachusetts Bay, Removes: Duxbury by 1639, Marshfield 1650.

Freeman: In Duxbury list of those who took oath of fidelity in 1639 (PCR 8:182). Admitted freeman 1 June 1658 (PCR 3:136). In Marshfield section of lists of freemen dated 1658, 29 May 1670 and early 1683/84 (PCR 5:277, 8:210,207).

Education: Morris Truant made his odd circular mark to his 1647 deed.

Offices: Duxbury highway surveyor, 2 June 1646 (PCR 2:102). Marshfield constable, 4 June 1650 (PCR 2:153). Coroner's jury, 14 December 1652 (PCR 3:28). Refused to serve on grand jury, 3 June 1657 (PCR 3:115).

In Duxbury section of 1643 Plymouth list of men able to bear arms (PCR 8:189).

Estate: On 28 March 1642 Francis Sprague sold two acres of marsh meadow at Wood Island to Morris Truant (PCR 12:78). On 16 September 1645 Morris Truant and Solomon Lenner of Duxborrow acknowledged that they had "mutually exchanged their now dwelling houses and upland and meadow" (PCR 12:113).

On 4 March 1647/48 "Morris Truante inhabitant of the town of Duxborrow and Jane my wife" sold to John Washburne their right to all the planting land between John Irish and John Alden, and in two parcels of meadowland adjoining Phillipe Delanoy and others (PCR 12:153-54). On 9 April 1650 Jacob Cooke of Plymouth sold to "Moris Truant of Marshfield" one hundred acres of upland and meadow at the North River (PCR 12:185).

In 1654 "by virtue of an order of court bearing date some three years since...Captaine Myles Standish and Mr. Alden were deputed by the court to determine of certain bounds of marsh in controversy" between "Morish Truant" and "Richard Garrett" (MD 8:130-31, citing PCLR 2:1:127: see also PCR 2:149-50).

No later than 1664 some member of the Vinal family of Scituate had purchased from Morris Truant "a parcel of meadow...lying on the southerly side of the North River" (MD 34:163, citing PCLR 3:1:26).

In his will dated 31 December 1678 and proved 28 October 1685, "Morris Truant of Marshfield...aged about seventy-two years" bequeathed to "my son John" cattle and furniture: to "my son Joseph ten shilling which with lands, cattle & other estate which I have already give him I judge a sufficient portion for him", to "each of my five daughters five shillings" (Mary, Jane, Elizabeth, Mehitable, and Hannah: residue to "my loving wife Jane during the time of her natural life, & immediately after the decease of my said wife, I give & bequeath my dwelling house & my other houses & all my land both uplands & meadows unto my above said son John Treuant," he to pay to "my two youngest daughters Mehetable & Hannah" L5 apiece; wife Jane to be executrix (PCPR 4:2:105).

The inventory of the estate of Morris Truant, taken 16 May 1685, totalled L338 6s., including "housing and lands in Marshfield" valued at L240 (PCPR 4:2:105).

Birth: about 1606 (deposed aged sixty-one years in 1668 (SJC#857); aged about seventy-two on 31 December 1678 (PCPR 4:2:104).

Death: Marshfield 21 April 1685 (Mar VR 17).

Marriage: Plymouth 16 October 1639 Jane (blank) (PCR 1:134); she was living on 31 December 1678 (husband's will).

Children: 1 Mary, b say 1644; m. Marshfield 24 January 1664/5 Richard Child (Mar VR5).

      2 Joseph, b say 1649; m. Marshfield 6 January 1674/5 Hannah Barnes

3 Jane, b say 1652; named in father's will of 31 December 1678, apparently married, but husband not identified.
4 John, b. about 1655 (d. 11 April 1730, aged 75 (MarVR397); m Silence____, b. about 1643
(d. 26 February 1718, aged 75 (Mar VR 397).
5 Elizabeth, b. say 1657; named in father's will of 31 December 1678, apparently married but
husband not identified.
6 Mehitable, b. say 1659; m. Marshfield 23 September 1691 John Daggett (MarVR19).
7 Hannah, b. say 1662; m. Marshfield 11 January 1682/3 Jonathan Eames (MarVR 16).
Comments: on 22 March 1630/31 "Morris Trowent" was "whipped for stealing three pigs of Mr. Ralfe Glover's" (MBCR 1:85). On 2 January 1636/37 he was clearing land in Plymouth Colony for Nathaniel Bowman, probably as his servant (PCR 1:49). On 28 October 1645 "Nathaniell Bowman complains against Morris Truant, in action of trespass upon the case, to the damage of L4" (PCR7:41), and on 3 March 1645/46 "Nathaniell Bowman is awarded to pay s. to Morris Truant for not prosecuting his action against him" (PCR 2:95). (Pope claimed that Truant resided in Dorchester in his early years in New England, the associations noted above the Ralph Glover and Nathaniel Bowman suggest that he more likely lived in the Charlestown-Cambridge-Watertown area.)

On 7 June 1651 Thomas Tilden and Morris Truant successfully sued Joseph Tilden for L5 in damages (PCR7:54). On 7 October 1651 Joseph Tilden unsuccessfully sued Morris Truant (PCR 7:56). on 5 July 1671 "Moris Truant" sued Thomas Summers for debt, and was awarded the debt plus court costs (PCR 7:166).

The daughters of Morris Truant are apparently named in birth order in his will, and the two youngest, who were unmarried at the time of the will, were given larger bequests than the other three. This would indicate that daughters Jane and Elizabeth were already married in 1678. The ages estimated for these daughters are very crude approximations.

Genealogical Dictionary of first settlers of New England by James Savage page 334: Truant or Trouant, Joseph, perhaps son of Maurice, Marshfield, m. 6 January 1675, was drown on enter Plymouth harbor, a 23 February 1684. Maurice, Duxbury 1643, had possib. first been at Watertown, and in 1631, was fined for stealing pig's meat of Ralph Glover; perhaps only a youthful peccadillo; in few yrs. removed to Marshfield. There had family of who. I think, were Joseph; perhaps Hannah, wh. m. 11 Jan. 1682, Jonathan Eames; and also Mehitable, wh. m. 3 Sept. 1691, John Daggett; and he d. 21 Apr. 1685.

Pioneers of Massachusetts by Charles Henry Pope, page 462: Truant, Trouant - Morris, Dorchester, 1630, (Col. Rec.) Duxbury, atba. 1643: town officer. Removed to Marshfield about 1647: constable 1650. He m. 16 Oct. 1639, Jane ___. He died April 21, 1685. Will dated 31 Dec. 1678, probate October 20, 1685, beq. to wife, Jane; ch. John, Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth, Mehitable, and Hannah.

Plymouth Colony Records #249: 1647 Bradford Goun - A Deed appointed to bee Recorded.

March the 4th 1647. Bee it Knowne vnto all men by these psents That I Moris Truante Inhabitant of the Towne of Duxborrow and Jaane my wife haue for diuers Reasons and vpon good Conciderations sould to John Washburne Inhabitant of the same Towne to him and To his heaires for euer all the Right title (Enterest wee the aforsaid pties haue in our lands housses out housses as in manor (form following.

Imprimes all the planting land lying between John Irishes (John Aldens Inhabitants of the same Towns which quantity of land is twenty acars bee it more or les; Together with another pcell of planting land as is suppossed to bee about the sum of eight acars bee it more or les; The same land likwise adioyning to the lands of the aforsaid John Alden a hieway parting them at the Corner of theire land next a swampe;

Wee doe likwise sell all our Right (Enterest to the aforsaid John Washburne To him and to his heaires for euer, in our meadow lands which lyeth in two pcells the pcell adioyning to the lands of Phillipe Delanoy Constant Southworth John Irish. The other pcell lying at a place bssually Called Ducke hill (adioyning to the same The said Moris Truent doth promise his wife Jaane shall acknowlidg according to order the sale of the said lands ( ( y the said Moris (jaane shall at any time giue vnto the said John Washburne or his heaires (further ( more ample assurance of the said land being Required; in Wittnes wherof wee have set to our hands the day (yeare aboue written.

                    The mark of Moris Truant. before mee Miles Standish the day (yeare                      aboue written.