My 10th-great-grandfather, Gov. Thomas Prence, was born c. 1600, and died 29 March 1673 in Plymouth Colony. He married (as his first wife) 5 August 1624 in Plymouth, Patience Brewster, who was born c. 1600 and died before 12 December 1634 in Plymouth, daughter of William & Mary (—) Brewster.
On the Fortune, Thomas arrived from All Saints Barking, London, at Plymouth in 1621, and Patience arrived in Plymouth on the Anne in July of 1623, a young woman of 20 years. Theirs was the ninth marriage performed in Plymouth. Patience probably died (of a “pestilent fever” that was taking many lives) before Thomas became Governor of Plymouth Colony in 1634, an office he also occupied in 1638 and from 1657-1672.
Thomas married (as his second wife) 1 April 1653 in Plymouth, Mary Collier, who was baptized 18 February 1612 in Southwark, England, and died c. 1643, daughter of William & Jane (Clark) Collier. By 1637 they had moved to Duxbury. In 1644, probably after Mary’s death, Thomas moved to Eastham, out on Cape Cod.
Thomas married (as his third wife and as her second husband) before 1662, Apphia (Quick) Freeman, who died before 1 August 1668, daughter of William Quick, and divorced ex-wife of Samuel Freeman. Between this marriage and the next Thomas moved back to Plymouth in 1665.
Thomas married (as his fourth wife and as her second husband) between 26 February 1664/65 and 1 August 1668, Mary (—) Howes, who died 9 December 1695, widow of Thomas Howes.
Thomas owned many books and two Bibles, at one time valued at about £14. The following is from Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer, eds., 12 volumes in 10 (Boston 1855-1861):
Thomas Prence, Esquire, Governor of the jurisdiction of New Plymouth, died the 29th of March, 1673, and was interred the 8th of April following. After he had served God in the office of Governor sixteen years, or near thereunto, he finished his course in the 73 year of his life. He was a worthy gentleman, very pious, and very able for his office, and faithful in the discharge thereof, studious of peace, a wellwiller to all that feared God, and a terror to the wicked. His death was much lamented, and his body honorably buried at Plymouth the day and year above mentioned.
Patience & Thomas were the parents of four children:
1. Rebecca Prence, baptized 22 May 1627 in Plymouth, died before 18 July 1651 in Sandwich, Massachusetts. She married (as his first wife) 22 April 1646 in Sandwich, Edmund Freeman, who was baptized 26 November 1620 at Billingshurst, England, and died 29 March 1673, son of Edmund & Bennett (Hodsoll) Freeman.
2. Thomas Prence, baptized 22 May 1627 in Plymouth, died c. 1670 in England. He married c. 1654, Susanna (—). Because this Thomas had no sons there were no male decendants to carry on the Prence name.
3. Hannah Prence (my 9th-great-grandmother), born c. 1629 in Plymouth, died before 23 November 1698 in Eastham, Massachusetts. She married (as her first husband) 13 February 1650 in Eastham, Nathaniel Mayo, who was born c. 1621, and died after 19 December 1661 in Eastham, son of John Mayo.
Hannah married (as her second husband and as his second wife) after 5 June 1667, Capt. Jonathan Sparrow (my 9th-great-grandfather), who was born c. 1629, and died 21 March 1707 in Eastham, son of Richard & Pandora (—) Sparrow, and widower of Rebecca (Bangs) Sparrow.
4. Mercy Prence (my 9th-great-grandmother), born c. 1631 in Plymouth, died 28 September 1711 in Eastham. She married 13 February 1650 in Eastham, Maj. John Freeman, who was baptized 28 January 1627 in Billingshurst, England, and died 28 October 1719 in Eastham, son of Edmund & Bennett (Hodsoll) Freeman.
Thomas was the father of three daughters who were mentioned in his will. The identity of their mother(s) is unclear:
1. Sarah Prence (my 9th-great-grandmother), died 3 March 1707 in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. She married c. 1656, her step-brother, Jeremiah Howes, who was born c. 1637 at sea, and died 9 December 1708 in Yarmouth, son of Thomas & Mary (—) Howes.
2. Judith Prence, died c. 1738 in Duxbury, Massachusetts. She married (as her first husband) 28 December 1665 in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Isaac Barker, who was born c. 1642, and died 31 January 1689 in Duxbury, son of Robert & Lucy (—) Barker.
Judith married (as her second husband and as his second wife) c. 1693, William Tubbs, who was born c. 1655, and died 15 August 1718 in Pembroke, Massachusetts, son of William & Mercy (Sprague) Tubbs, and widower of Hannah (—) Tubbs.
3. Elizabeth Prence. She married 9 December 1667 in Marshfield, Massachusetts, Arthur Howland, who was born c. 1642, and died before 15 December 1726 in Marshfield, son of Arthur & Margaret (—) Howland.
Mary Collier & Thomas were the parents of two daughters:
1. Jane Prence, born 1 November 1637 in Duxbury, died before 28 June 1712 in Harwich, Massachusetts. She married (as his second wife) 9 January 1661 in Eastham, Capt. Mark Snow, who was born 9 May 1628 in Plymouth, and died 9 January 1695 in Eastham, son of Nicholas & Constance (Hopkins) Snow, and widower of Anna (Cook) Snow.
2. Mary Prence, born c. 1639, died c. 1697. She married c. 1661, Lt. John Tracy, who was born c. 1632, and died 30 May 1718 in Windham, Connecticut, son of Stephen & Tryphosa (Lee) Tracy.
Last Revised: 5 October 2024