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Thomas Prence

Thomas Prence

Male 1599 - 1673  (73 years)


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  • Name Thomas Prence  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15] 
    Birth 6 Aug 1599  Gloucestershire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19] 
    Gender Male 
    FSID 9MWV-FM6 
    Burial 1673  Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Death 29 Mar 1673  Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39] 
    Person ID I2379  footsteps
    Last Modified 27 Nov 2025 

    Father Thomas Prence, IV,   b. 29 Jan 1574, Gloucestershire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Aug 1630, London, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 56 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother Elizabeth Todlerby,   b. 1577, Gloucestershire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Aug 1630, Berkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 53 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Marriage Jan 1597  Gloucestershire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Age at Marriage Thomas was 23 years - Elizabeth was ~ 20 years and 1 month. 
    Family ID F2271  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Patience Brewster,   b. Abt 1600, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Dec 1634, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 34 years) 
    Marriage 5 Aug 1624  Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Age at Marriage Thomas was 25 years - Patience was ~ 24 years and 8 months. 
    Children 
    +1. Mercy Prence,   b. 1631, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Sep 1711, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    +2. Jane Prence,   b. 1 Nov 1637, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Bef 28 Jun 1712 (Age < 74 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F309  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 27 Nov 2025 

  • Notes 
    • Thomas Prence, governor of Massachusetts, whose name is also written Prince, but not by himself, was born in 1600 at Lechlade in Gloucestershire, where his family had been settled for some generations. His father was a puritan, and emigrated to Leyden while Thomas was still young. In November 1621 Thomas arrived at New Plymouth, with several distinquished colonists, in either the Fortune or the Anne. He brought a considerable fortune with him, and rapidly became a prominent citizen, though he always had a distaste for public office.

      Having become a member of the court of assistants, Prence was elected to succeed Winslow as governor of Massachusetts in 1634, but resigned the following year on removing his residence to Duxbury. In 1637 he did good service to the state in raising a corps to assist Connecticute against the Pecquot Indians, and in 1638 was urged to become governor again; he reluctantly consented, making it a condition that the law requiring residence at New Plymouth should be relaxed in his favour. At the end of the year he retired, but devoted himself to promoting the welfare of the colony. In 1641 he and others obtained a grant and founded a new settlement at Nansett or Easthams. In 1650 he establed the Cape Cod fisheries. In 1654 he was authorized by the court of assistants to constitute a new government in the settlement at Kennebec.

      In 1657, on the death of Bradford, Prence was again chosen governor, and so remained until his death, through a period troubled by wars with the Indians and internal quarrels with the quakers. Besides being gover nor, he was at one time treasurer, and on various occasions a commissioner, for the united colonies. But his great work was the appropriation, despite much opposition, of public revenue to the support of grammar schools. He governed the colony with firmness and prudence, evincing energy, judgement, integrity and religious zeal.
      Thomas Prence, governor of Massachusetts, whose name is also written Prince, but not by himself, was born in 1600 at Lechlade in Gloucestershire, where his family had been settled for some generations. His father was a puritan, and emigrated to L eyden while Thomas was still young. In November 1621 Thomas arrived at New Plymouth, with several distinquished colonists, in either the Fortune or the Anne. He brought a considerable fortune with him, and rapidly became a prominent citizen, tho ugh he always had a distaste for public office.

      Having become a member of the court of assistants, Prence was elected to succeed Winslow as governor of Massachusetts in 1634, but resigned the following year on removing his residence to Duxbury. In 1637 he did good service to the state in raisi ng a corps to assist Connecticute against the Pecquot Indians, and in 1638 was urged to become governor again; he reluctantly consented, making it a condition that the law requiring residence at New Plymouth should be relaxed in his favour. At th e end of the year he retired, but devoted himself to promoting the welfare of the colony. In 1641 he and others obtained a grant and founded a new settlement at Nansett or Easthams. In 1650 he establed the Cape Cod fisheries. In 1654 he was auth orized by the court of assistants to constitute a new government in the settlement at Kennebec.

      In 1657, on the death of Bradford, Prence was again chosen governor, and so remained until his death, through a period troubled by wars with the Indians and internal quarrels with the quakers. Besides being gover nor, he was at one time treasurer , and on various occasions a commissioner, for the united colonies. But his great work was the appropriation, despite much opposition, of public revenue to the support of grammar schools. He governed the colony with firmness and prudence, evinci ng energy, judgement, integrity and religious zeal.

  • Photos
    Thomas Prence b1600    		Thomas Prence b1600

  • Sources 
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      Record for John Crow

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