1. WILLIAM-

m.1. ELIZABETH PERKINS (d. before Oct. 1669)
2. Joanna _____ (m.1. Valentine Rowell)
will 1670

We currently know nothing of William’s English origins. Anderson notes that he migrated to New England in 1632, but gives no specifics of his migration. He was an educated man. While no books are listed in his inventory, he did sign his name to his will, deeds and other documents. He was made a Freeman on 22 May 1639 as “Mr. Willi[am] Sergent”. In order to have taken the Oath of Freeman, he must have been a member of a church in a settlement in the Massachusetts Bay Colony(1).

William first settled in Ipswich where he received a 12 acre grant in 1634(2). While there, the General Court issued this edict: “It is ordered that no person whatsoever shall go to plant or inhabit at Aggawam, without leave from the court, except those that are already gone, viz: ... Willm Srjeant”(3). By 1638, he had moved to Newbury as “Willli[am] Sergant” was amongst the list of mostly Newbury men headed by Stephen Bachiler, who on 6 September 1638 were granted “liberty to begin a plantation at Winnacunnet (Hampton)”(4). “Will[iam] Sargent” was listed in the section of married men on the list of first comers to Hampton, NH (5). He stayed in Hampton for about six years before moving to Salisbury by 1644 and finally settled in Amesbury between 1666 and 1669(6). William and his son Thomas were on a July 1667 list of those with meeting house seats in Amesbury. His name is on a list of the original inhabitants of Salisbury from a town meeting held on 3 Feb. 1650/1.

On 7 November 1644, John Severans of Salisbury, planter, sold to William Sargent of Salisbury, planter, twenty acres of upland in Salisbury on the west side of the Powwow river(7). On 25 March 1647, Anthony “Colebie” of Salisbury, planter, deeded to William Sargent of Salisbury, seaman, a dwelling house and house lot in Salisbury between Jarred Haddon and Henry Browne(8). William Sargent of Salisbury, seaman, sold to Samuel Fellows of Salisbury on 25 Mar. 1648/9 a dwelling house and land. On 16 December 1652, William sold to John Browne of Hampton, the meadow and upland adjacent to Aquilla chase and widow “Bristos”.(9) William sold the upland in Salisbury "near the Pawwaus River above the falls” to John Wooding of Salisbury on 15 Apr. 1659.(10) On 1 November 1666, William Sargent of Salisbury, seaman, gave for “natural effection” to his son Thomas Sargent thirty acres of upland in Salisbury on the Merrimack River(11). He deeded more land to his "beloved son Thomas Sargent" for “natural affection and other considerations” on 22 Oct. 1669 including the six acres of marsh granted to him by the town of Salisbury, and a sweepage lot of salt marsh in Salisbury at a place called “ye beache” being lot number 8 containing three acres and four rods, being half the lot of marsh between two islands called “Barnss Iland” and “Ware Iland”. Two weeks prior on 9 October 1669 William Sargent of Amesbury, planter, gave for “natural afection and other considerations” to his “beloved son William Sargent” a great lot of upland containing two hundred acres in Amesbury, a lot of upland in ox common containing eight acres, a lot of upland west of the great pond containing forty acres, a lot of upland in “urchin meadow hill” containing forty-five acres “which I bought of Edward Goe”, the last division of three acres in the pond meadow (all in Amesbury) and half his first division of the higledee pigledee lots of salt marsh in Salisbury.(12) William of Amesbury, seaman, sold two acres of upland at the Indian ground in Amesbury to his son William Jr. of Amesbury, planter, for £2 10s on 4 Mar. 1670/1. Johana Sargent also signed this deed with her mark.(13)

On 23 Apr. 1672 William Sargent of Amesbury, yeoman, sold to Isaac Green of Hampton two acres of salt marsh called Hall’s farm.(14) In the following year on 1 July he sold, with the consent of his wife "Janna", part of his houselot consisting of 95 rods of land in Amesbury, to Thomas Wells of Amesbury.(15) On 1 Oct. 1673 “William Sergent ... of Almsberry in Norfolke senior and mariner” mortgaged to Nathaniel Williams of Suffolk County eight acres of upland in Amesbury that William had by exchange with Richard Currier.(16) On 24 February 1673/4 William Sargent Sr. of Amesbury, seaman, sold to Caleb Moody of Newbury, maltser, for £5 1s “my second division higledee pigledee” lot of salt marsh containing three acres in Salibury.(17)

Among parcels sold by William Sargent Jr on 18 October 1696 to Henry Deeering, was a great lot of upland given by his grandfather [who is unnamed... shoot!] to his father William Sergeant, “containing by estimation 200 acres in Amesbury amongst the great lots”.(18) As no other Sargent was in the area at the time, I suspect the unnamed grandfather was John Perkins, however, no grant to John of such a lot has been found. If this unnamed grandfather was his mother's father then one would expect that she would have signed the transfer of property to him in 1669. This implies that Elizabeth had died by this date.

William served on the Essex Grand Jury on 13 April 1652 and the Jury to End Small Causes on 8 April 1662, 24 June 1662, 13 April 1669 and 12 April 1670. He was also sworn as Clerk of the Train Band of Salibury, Essex co., MA on 8 April 1651.(19)

William was also placed in other positions of trust as on 28 Sept. 1652, he was granted administration on the estate of Thomas Wathen. Theophilus Shatswell of Haverhill named “my Brother Wilyam Sargent” and “my Kinsman Lefttenent Philip challis” as overseers in his will of 20 June 1663. On 3 May 1665, William Sargent Sr. and Lt. Phillip Challes took inventory on the estate of William Delle.(20)

William also had his share of court cases... which seems so common at the time. He sued Mr. William Hook of Salisbury for 56s. “in corn” on 26 Dec. 1643.(21) William also acknowledged the Ipswich Court’s judgment in favor of Mr. Jonathan Wade and Mr. William Payne on 26 Sept. 1648.(22) Michael Spencer sued him at a court in Salem for detaining corn and other goods on 2 Jan. 1650.(23) William sued Samuel Buswell at the 12 Apr. 1653 court at Salisbury over a cow that was killed by a beast of Samuel's. In addition, there was an ongoing dispute between the Sargent family and their neighbors the Martins. George Martin sued one of the William Sargents (the court records are unclear as to whether it was William, Sr. or Jr.) for slander on 13 Apr. 1669 accusing him of calling Martin’s wife “a witch” (not something you took lightly in 17th century New England!). He also sued Thomas Sargent for saying that George Martin, Jr. was a bastard and that “Richard Martin was Goodwife Martin’s imp”(24). Finally, in 1672, William Sargent and Joanna his wife sued Christopher Osgood for debt due part of the estate of Joanna’s late husband, Valentine Rowell.(25)

“ESTATE OF WILLIAM SARGENT, SR. OF AMESBURY.

In the name of God Amen the 24 day of Marche: 1670-71 I William Sargent of ye town of Emsbery in ye County of Norfolk Massechusets in Newengland: Seaman: being in preitty good health of body, & of sound, & pfect memorie (praise bee giuen to god for ye same) & knowing ye vncertenty of this life on earth, & being desierous to settle things in order doe make this my last will & Testamt in manner, & forme following: That is to say.

First & principally I comend my soule to Allmighty God my Creator assueredly beleiuing yt I shall receiue full pardon & free remission of all my sinns & be saved by ye prcious death & meritts of my blessed Savior & Redeemer Christ Jesus, & my body to ye earth from whence it was taken to bee buried in such decent & Christian manner as to my Executors, hereafter named shalbe thought meet & convenient: and as touching such worldly estate as ye lord in mercy hath lent mee my will & meaning is ye same shalbee imployed & bestowed as hereafter by this my will is expressed, And first I doe revoke, renounce frustrate & make voyd all wills by mee formerly made & declare & appoint this my last will & Testamt

Item I giue & bequeath : to my grandchild William Challis fiue pound: & to my grand childeren: Elizabeth, Lidia: Mary: & Phillip watson Challis to eache of them twenty shillings:

Item I giue vnto my grandchild William Sargent thirty shilling

Itt I giue & bequeath vnto my Daughter Elizabeth ye wyfe of Samll Colby fiue pound: Item I giue all ye remaynder of my estate (these my legasies: & my funerall Charges being first payd) vnto my daughter Sarah both howsing & lands: chattells & other moueables wtsoever; alwayes pvided that if she die, wthout childeren: that then ye howsing & lands to bee equally divided: vnto my fower Childeren herafter named i.e.: my sons Thomas & William: & my daughters: Mary and Elizabeth:

Item I do constitute ordaine & appoint my sone Thomas Sargent, & my daughter Sarah Sargent, Executors vnto this my will & Testamt: & doe make my loueing brother in law mr Tho: Bradbury: & my Esteemed friend Major Robert Pike, my overseers, to take care that this my will may bee pformed according to ye true intent & meaning therof:

William Sargent (SEAL)
Witness: Tho. Bradbury, Mary (her MB mark) Bradbury, John Bradbury

Proved in Salisbury court Apr. 13, 1675 by Tho. Bradbury and Jno. Bradbury to be the last will of Wm. Sargent, Sen."(26)

"Inventory (of the estate of Willi. Sargent, Senr: copy) taken by Thomas Sargent and John Weed.

(housing & lands about ye : copy) house (& oarchyard on both sides ye Contrey way: copy)...... 85li.
(Halfe ye lott in ye tide: copy) meadows................................................................................. 16li
(A higledee pigledee lot in ye salt marsh: copy)........................................................................ 25li
(A lot lying in a place: copy) commonly called ye Lyons mouth............................................ 5li. 10s
(A lot in ye great Swamp: copy)............................................................................................... 2li
(A lott in a place commonly called: copy) Bugmore.................................................................... 4li
(a payer of Oxen: copy)................................................................................................... 12li. 10s
(Two Cowes & a Calfe....................................................................................................... 7li. 6s
mare & a two ye ar old horse............................................................................................. 3li. 10s
Two 3 ye ar old heiffers..................................................................................................... 6li. 10s
eighteen sheep & Lambs: copy)................................................................................................ 6li
(five Swine: copy)............................................................................................................ 2li. 15s
(A cheyn & wedges, tenant saw &: copy), severall other Iron things....................................... 2li. 5s
(2 Iron potts, 2 tramells: copy), spit, dripin pan, (frying pan, 2 kettles: copy), warming pan & (other Iron things: copy)..................................................................................................................... 2li. 10s
(4 peuter platters wth: copy), other peuter things & Tin.............................................................. 1li
(Earthen ware & wooden platers: copy) & dishes & trayes.......................................................... 3s
(hogshead barrels, tubs: copy), Celers wth other wooden things................................................. 12s
(table, Cubard & seats: copy) belonging to ye house.............................................................. 1li. 5s
(bed, bedstead, 2 sheets: copy), 4 blankets, rug & curtin............................................................ 7 li
(bed, bedstead & curtains: copy), truckle bed & beaden...............................................................3li
(3 chests, bible, sheep shears &: copy) other (small: copy) things................................................ 15s
(woolen yarne: copy)................................................................................................................ 5s
(lace, Incle & cot: copy) ten yarne...................................................................................... 1li. 10s
total.................................................................................................................................... 196li.

(Inventory taken as it was given in by Tho. Sargent 8:2m:1675 by us. John Weed.

The following came to our knowledge after the apprizement: one sheet, Tow yarn 5 pound, one payle, two ston juggs, smoothing Iron, Carpett, firkin of soap, one blankett, one pillow.
Attested in Salisbury court Apr. 13 1675 by Tho. Sargent: copy)

Sarah Sargent (her SS mark) of Eamsbery, maiden, was, by her father, William Sargent of Eamsbery, lately deceased, appointed executrix of his will with her brother Tho: Sargent, which will was proved in court at Salisbury April 13, 1675, and she now appoints her said brother to act for her as said executrix, April 14, 1675.

Witness: Tho. Bradbury and John Bradbury.
Acknowledged May 10, 1675 before Robert Pike, Commissioner.(27)

Anderson states that “…Although William had married his last wife, Joanna, just a few months before he wrote his will, and she survived him, she was not mentioned, strongly implying that there was a pre-nuptial agreement (of which no record can now be found)…’’(28)

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