| Notes |
- William Blake (1) was the emigrant ancestor of George F. Blake,ofWorcester, Massachusetts. His father was William Blake, ofPitminster,England, where he was baptized July 10, 1594. He marriedthere, September23, 1617, Agnes Band, widow, whose maiden name has notbeen ascertained.Some recent investigations however, suggest that shemay have been thewidow of Richard Band and daughter of Hugh Thorne, ofPitminster,baptized January 12, 1594. In the same parish in Englandfour of thechildren of William Blake were baptized, but from 1624 to1636 his placeof residence is unknown. It is believed that he came toAmerica in thefall of 1635 or early in 1636 and remained at Dorchesteror Roxbury.making the acquaintance there of William Pynchon and otherswho wereconsidering a plan of settlement in the Connecticut valley. Atany ratehe was with Pynchon and his associates on May 14 and 16, 1636,when theydrew up and signed the articles of association at Agawam,nowSpringfield, and he was one of five to assign the lots and manageaffairsof the colony. He drew land there but apparently decided toreturn toDorchester and settle. He drew land in South Boston in March,1637-8. Hewas made a freeman of the colony March 14, 1638-9. He was aman ofintegrity and ability. He was constable in 1641, selectman in1645-7 and1651 on the committee to build the new meeting house. In1656 he waselected town clerk and "clerk of the writs for the countyof Suffolk,"and these offices he held till within six weeks of hisdeath, whichoccurred October 25, 1663. He was also the clerk of thetrain band. Inhis will he made a bequest for the repairing of theburying ground. Soonafter his death his widow Agnes removed to Boston,probably to live withher son, John, or her only daughter, Anne Leager.She died in Dorchester.His estate was appraised at two hundred andtwenty-four pounds. Hischildren were: John, baptized baptized atPitminster, September 6. 1620,died at Boston, January 25, 1688-9;Anne. baptized at Pitminster, August30, 1618, died at Boston, July 12,1681, in the sixty-third year of herage; William, baptized atPitminster, September 6, 1620, died at Milton,Massachusetts, September3, 1703, at the age of eighty-three years;James, baptized atPitminster, April 27, 1624, died at Dorchester, June28, 1700, agedseventy-six years; Edward, supposed to be the youngestchild, died atMilton, Massachusetts, September 3, 1692.
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1594 - 1663 (69 years)
