Sarah Coombs

SARAH PRIEST was born about 1614, at Leyden, Holland. She was the younger daughter of Degory Priest and Sarah (Allerton) (Vincent) Priest. Her father Degory Priest had come to New England on the Mayflower but died shortly thereafter.

Sarah and her sister Mary Priest emigrated from Leyden/Leiden with their mother Sarah (Allerton) (Vincent) (Priest) and their step father Godbert Godbertson, and half-brother, Samuel Godbertson, in 1623 as passengers on the Anne. Godbert Godbertson and his wife, Sarah, received six acres in the Plymouth division of that year. This land grant was based on the family consisting of Godbert, his wife Sarah, their son Samuel, Sarah's deceased husband Degory Priest and her two daughters, Sarah and Mary Priest. In 1627 Sarah Priest was named in the second company, along with her family members in the cattle division at Plymouth. Sarah married John Combs about 1632. In 1633/4: John Coomb exchanged 30 acres near the high cliff, possessed in the 'right of Sarah, his wife' for 30 acres near 'Wynsloes stand. He assumed the remaining time of William Spooner, as servant to John Holmes on 1 July 1637. On 24 Jun 1639, John Comb mortgaged his dwelling house and 20 acres, which came by his wife, to Thomas Prence. On 24 June1639 John Coomb mortgaged his dwelling house and 20 acres, 'which came by his wife', to Thomas Prence.

The court confirmed, 3 Aug 1640, that Godbert Gobertson had, prior to his death in 1633, given 2 acres of upland to his sons-in-law, John Coombs and Phineas Pratt in the marriages to his step daughters. John and Phineas sold the 2 acres above mentioned on 5 Aug 1640.

The last record of John Coombs at Plymouth Colony was on November 5, 1644, when he sued Thomas Morton. For reasons that are not known, possibly the demise of her husband, who had been disenfranchised for excessive drinking, and had been defendant for debts owed in several court cases, Sarah traveled to England about 1645/6 and left her two sons, John and Francis Coombs, in the care of their servant, William Spooner, who had agreed to their maintenance.

William Spooner appeared before the Governor, 15 Oct. 1646, 'to save the town harmless' for the children left with him by Mrs. Coombs. On October 27, 1646, Sarah's uncle Isaac Allerton, gave his son-in-law Thomas Cushman, power of attorney to collect debts on the estate of Godbert Godbertson due from John Coombs and others.

On 1 Aug 1648, the court ordered that William Spooner keep the children of Mrs. Coombs in his care and 'not dispose of them in the future' without further orders from the court. The same day the court also ordered that Thomas Cushman should have certain proportions for that year, of corn, rye, fruit and hemp 'due unto Mis Coombe'.

It is believed that Sarah never returned to Massachusetts Colony, either having died on the voyage, or in England.

Children of John Coombs and Sarah Priest:

1. JOHN COOMBS born about 1633; married Elizabeth (?Royal) Barlow at Boston on 24 Feb. 1661/2.
2. FRANCIS COOMBS born about 1635; married first by 1673 Deborah Morton; married second by 1678, widow Mary (Barker) Pratt [2]; died at Middleborough, Massachusetts on 31 Dec. 1682.

They had no other children

Came to America on the Anne in 1623.

References

• Townsend, Wakefield and Stoner, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations Descendants of the Pilgrims Who Landed in Plymouth Massachusetts December 1620 Volume 8 Degory Priest 2nd ed. (GSMD 2008)
• Robert Charles Anderson, The Pilgrim Migration: Immigrants to Plymouth Colony, 1620-1633 (Boston 2004) 382+

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New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series, Volume IV ;

William Spooner, the immigrant ancestor, was of Colchester, England, and apprenticed himself, March 27, 1637, to John Holmes, of New Plymouth, in America, gentleman. He was probably a brother of Thomas Spooner, of Salem, Massachusetts, thought to be son of John and Ann Spooner, who in 1616 were living at Leyden, Holland, where Ann, widow of John, was living in 1630; in 1637 Ann Spooner, mother of Thomas and William Spooner, was in Salem in 1637. William Spooner, as apprentice, was transferred to John Coombs, of Plymouth, July 1, 1637.

1637 - "Whereas Wm. Spooner of Colchester, in the County of Essex, by his Indenture bearing date the 27th day of March 1637, etc. hath put himself apprentice with John Holmes of New Plymouth in America, Gent, from the first day of May next after the date of said Indenture, unto the end of a term of six years, etc., now the said John Holmes with the consent of Wm. Spooner bath the first day of July assigned and set over the said Wm. Spooner unto John Coombs of New Plymouth aforesaid Gent. for all the residue of his unexpired term, to serve the said John Coombs. And the said John Coombs in the end of his said term shall give the said Wm. Spooner one comely suit of apparel for Holy days and one for working days, and twelve bushels of Indian Wheat, and a good serviceable musket, bandileers, and sword, fit for service."

1945 - William Spooner became guardiam of John Coombs and Sarahs' children

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Came to America on the Anne ship in 1623.

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John Coombs arrive in Plymouth before October 12, 1630, at which time he bought a house and garden plot from Ralph Wallen. John married Sarah Priest circa 1631 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, British Colony. She had two sons, John Coombs, born circa 1632, and Francis Coombs, born circa 1635. Her husband is thought to have died before October 15, 1646. Sarah placed her children in the care of William Spooner, when she left Plymouth for England on or before October 15, 1646. She is known to be living in England on August 1, 1648. Sarah Coombs did not return. William Spooner was ordered by the court to keep the boys on August 1, 1648, and not to turn them over to anyone else without a court order.

Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Volume Eight Family of Degory Priest, Published by: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1994

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At the time of Sarah Priest birth, the location was called Leyden, Holland.

Biological father 'Priest'; Step-father: Cuthbert Cuthbertson

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@R353280766@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

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Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=155199807&pi...

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@R353280766@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

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Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=155199807&pi...

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