Richard Sarson, Jr.

Biography

Children: Mehetible Sarson (1665), Samuel (1667), in Edgartown Massachusetts.

Jane married first, Thomas Mayhew in 1647, married second, Richard Sarson.

Richard married into Gov. Mayhew's family, & served as Governor's Ass't, remaining on the bench 30 years. His father, a tailor, embarked from London, on the "Elizabeth & Ann" aged 28, in May 1635, establishing in Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts.

There were at least two children born to Richard Sarson and his wife Jane, namely Samuel, b. about 1667 and Mehitable who married Thomas Lothrop of Barnstable. If other children were born they died young, and the name became extinct with Samuel, whose children were daughters that grew to marriageable age. The name, however, is perpetuated in the small island in Sanchacantackett, opposite the opening or "gut" as expressed in the inventory of his estate, and is erroneously called on the charts "Sasons Island."[1][2]
Matthew Mayhew in his book recounted that Richard Sarson, with Capt. Thomas Daggett (both being justices of the Peace), experienced on an island a woman who was immobilized. The sachems there sent for Powaws from Martha’s Vineyard, and they decided that the woman had been inhabited by an Englishman who had been drowned in the adjacent sound. They “caught” the spirit in a deer blanket and told the woman to move to Martha’s Vineyard or else the spirit would inhabit her again. Apparently the woman was able to move again. Matthew Mayhew also says that during the “Unhappy war between the English and the Indians” (King Philip’s War), about 1675, “an evil spirit possessed too many of our English, whereby they suffered themselves to be unreasonably exasperated against all Indians; of such, there were some on these Islands (Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket) who could hardly be so moderated by Mr. Mayhew, and others in government with him, to be restrained from rising to assay the disarming of the Indians; for whole satisfaction Capt. Richard Sarson Esq. was ordered with a small party (the Indians being on these islands twenty to one, having arms) to treat the Indians on the west end of Martha’s Vineyard, who were mostly to be doubted; he returns with the ensuing answer: that the delivering of their arms would expose them to the will of the Indians engaged in the present war, who were not less theirs than the enemies of the English; that they had never given occasion of the distrust insinuated; if in anything not hazarding their safety, they could give any satisfaction for the proof of their fidelity they would willingly attend what should reasonably be demanded from them, but they were unwilling to deliver their arms, unless the English would propose some mean for their safety and livelihood; with this return they drew a writing in their own language… that they resolved to assist the English on the islands against their enemies… the Government resolved, and accordingly improved them as a guard, furnishing them with suitable ammunition and found them to be faithful… this was the effect of bringing the Gospel of peace among them, viz. a peace-bringing Gospel.”

Richard Sarson's Will

Richard Sarson died sometime before October 23, 1703, intestate, when administration of his estate was granted to Mrs. Anne Sarson, widow of his son Samuel, and Mr. Thomas Lothrop, the husband of Mehitable Sarson, only daughter of Richard.

An inventory of his personal effects amounted to; £5-1-0, and his real estate was appraised on June 20, 1704, as follows:

An house lot at Edgartown, formerly called Searles lot with a dividend adjoining, with 4 acres of upland & 3 of swamp adjoining £30 — o — o
One lot at planting field £24 — o — o
A share of meadow, a lot on the Neck, with a whole common on Chappaquiddick
A hundred acres of land more or less near Cutteshmoo Spring
A small island in Sanchacantucket Pond, near the gut
One share and a half in Pocatapaces Neck
One share in Commons throughout the township except Chappaquiddic
One half share of lands in Commons in the Old Purchase £163-0-0
It is to be understood that there being several small allotments supposed to belong to the said estate the apprisement thereof is deferred by reason of uncertainty until it be better known.
The homestead had been deeded to his son Samuel in 1699, and so does not appear in the estate. It is not known when Mrs. Jane (Paine) Mayhew-Sarson died, nor is there any record of the settlement of her estate. By the curious ante-nuptial document of 1664 she gave to her children her personal and real property, including the Paine homestead, whose northern boundary is the present Main street, and extending from the harbor to Pease Point way.

The following is a copy of this deed of gift:

To Matthew I give 5 pounds, which is in my fathers hand, and the hors colt: — and the half lot, which was betwixt my mother and me, with all the privileges thereto belonging,
I give unto Thomas; and the cow called by the name of young brown,
I give unto John, and if any of these three die single, it shall be given to Jerusha and Jedida, unless I shall see occasion to dispose of it otherwise.
This in case this match go on betwixt Richard & I.
That which is written in this paper I, Jane Mayhew, of the Vineyard, widow, did freely give unto my children, as I have expressed in this writing bearing date this 20th of December 1664: for the confirmation hereof and of all and every of the said gifts and also to testify the premises to whom it may concern, I have hereunto set my hand, the day and year above said. This writing is not to be in force except she marrieth with Richard Sarson. Witness hereunto JANE MAYHEW.' Thomas Mayhew John Cotton

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sarson-25

Richard Sarson (abt. 1637 - abt. 1703)

Richard Sarson
Born about 1637 in Edgartown, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap [uncertain]
Son of Richard Sarson and [mother unknown]
[sibling%28s%29 unknown]
Husband of Jane (Unknown) Sarson — married after 20 Dec 1664 in Martha's Vinyard, Chilmark, Dukes, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap [uncertain]
DESCENDANTS descendants
Father of Samuel Sarson and Mehitable (Sarson) Lothrop
Died about 23 Oct 1703 at about age 66 in Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap [uncertain]
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Profile last modified 8 Feb 2022 | Created 8 Feb 2014
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Biography

Children: Mehetible Sarson (1665), Samuel (1667), in Edgartown Massachusetts.

Jane married first, Thomas Mayhew in 1647, married second, Richard Sarson.

Richard married into Gov. Mayhew's family, & served as Governor's Ass't, remaining on the bench 30 years. His father, a tailor, embarked from London, on the "Elizabeth & Ann" aged 28, in May 1635, establishing in Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts.

There were at least two children born to Richard Sarson and his wife Jane, namely Samuel, b. about 1667 and Mehitable who married Thomas Lothrop of Barnstable. If other children were born they died young, and the name became extinct with Samuel, whose children were daughters that grew to marriageable age. The name, however, is perpetuated in the small island in Sanchacantackett, opposite the opening or "gut" as expressed in the inventory of his estate, and is erroneously called on the charts "Sasons Island."[1][2]
Matthew Mayhew in his book recounted that Richard Sarson, with Capt. Thomas Daggett (both being justices of the Peace), experienced on an island a woman who was immobilized. The sachems there sent for Powaws from Martha’s Vineyard, and they decided that the woman had been inhabited by an Englishman who had been drowned in the adjacent sound. They “caught” the spirit in a deer blanket and told the woman to move to Martha’s Vineyard or else the spirit would inhabit her again. Apparently the woman was able to move again. Matthew Mayhew also says that during the “Unhappy war between the English and the Indians” (King Philip’s War), about 1675, “an evil spirit possessed too many of our English, whereby they suffered themselves to be unreasonably exasperated against all Indians; of such, there were some on these Islands (Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket) who could hardly be so moderated by Mr. Mayhew, and others in government with him, to be restrained from rising to assay the disarming of the Indians; for whole satisfaction Capt. Richard Sarson Esq. was ordered with a small party (the Indians being on these islands twenty to one, having arms) to treat the Indians on the west end of Martha’s Vineyard, who were mostly to be doubted; he returns with the ensuing answer: that the delivering of their arms would expose them to the will of the Indians engaged in the present war, who were not less theirs than the enemies of the English; that they had never given occasion of the distrust insinuated; if in anything not hazarding their safety, they could give any satisfaction for the proof of their fidelity they would willingly attend what should reasonably be demanded from them, but they were unwilling to deliver their arms, unless the English would propose some mean for their safety and livelihood; with this return they drew a writing in their own language… that they resolved to assist the English on the islands against their enemies… the Government resolved, and accordingly improved them as a guard, furnishing them with suitable ammunition and found them to be faithful… this was the effect of bringing the Gospel of peace among them, viz. a peace-bringing Gospel.”

Richard Sarson's Will

Richard Sarson died sometime before October 23, 1703, intestate, when administration of his estate was granted to Mrs. Anne Sarson, widow of his son Samuel, and Mr. Thomas Lothrop, the husband of Mehitable Sarson, only daughter of Richard.

An inventory of his personal effects amounted to; £5-1-0, and his real estate was appraised on June 20, 1704, as follows:

An house lot at Edgartown, formerly called Searles lot with a dividend adjoining, with 4 acres of upland & 3 of swamp adjoining £30 — o — o
One lot at planting field £24 — o — o
A share of meadow, a lot on the Neck, with a whole common on Chappaquiddick
A hundred acres of land more or less near Cutteshmoo Spring
A small island in Sanchacantucket Pond, near the gut
One share and a half in Pocatapaces Neck
One share in Commons throughout the township except Chappaquiddic
One half share of lands in Commons in the Old Purchase £163-0-0
It is to be understood that there being several small allotments supposed to belong to the said estate the apprisement thereof is deferred by reason of uncertainty until it be better known.
The homestead had been deeded to his son Samuel in 1699, and so does not appear in the estate. It is not known when Mrs. Jane (Paine) Mayhew-Sarson died, nor is there any record of the settlement of her estate. By the curious ante-nuptial document of 1664 she gave to her children her personal and real property, including the Paine homestead, whose northern boundary is the present Main street, and extending from the harbor to Pease Point way.

The following is a copy of this deed of gift:

To Matthew I give 5 pounds, which is in my fathers hand, and the hors colt: — and the half lot, which was betwixt my mother and me, with all the privileges thereto belonging,
I give unto Thomas; and the cow called by the name of young brown,
I give unto John, and if any of these three die single, it shall be given to Jerusha and Jedida, unless I shall see occasion to dispose of it otherwise.
This in case this match go on betwixt Richard & I.
That which is written in this paper I, Jane Mayhew, of the Vineyard, widow, did freely give unto my children, as I have expressed in this writing bearing date this 20th of December 1664: for the confirmation hereof and of all and every of the said gifts and also to testify the premises to whom it may concern, I have hereunto set my hand, the day and year above said. This writing is not to be in force except she marrieth with Richard Sarson. Witness hereunto JANE MAYHEW.' Thomas Mayhew John Cotton

Sources

↑ Banks, volume 2, page 108
↑ Banks, volume 3, page 430 -- note: there appear to be copyright restrictions on this volume; nevertheless, a copy is available for download
See also:

Banks, Charles. The History of Martha's Vineyard (G.H. Dean, Boston, 1911)
"Ancestral File," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/MW18-FK2 : accessed 2014-02-08), entry for Richard SARSON.