Bond, William 1625-1695

William Bond (1625-1695) was to arrive in New England and reside in Watertown, Massachusetts. This was the area known as the “Massachusetts Bay Colony”.

On February 7, 1650, at the age of 25, he was to marry Sarah Briscoe, the daughter of Nathaniel Briscoe****. After having their eight children, she died in the year 1692. William then took Elizabeth Nevinson as his second wife. She was a daughter of John Nevinson.

William was often representative in the colonial days, in the Council of Safety during the Insurrection Against Andros, and the first Speaker of the House after the New Charter. He was known as a man of great energy.

William resided in Watertown Massachusetts and is said to have been an educated merchant. He lived for seventy years and died in 1695.

Children of William and Sarah Bond were: Jonas (1664-727)**, Elizabeth (1656-1729)**, William (1650-1724)**, Thomas (1654-1704), Sarah (1661-?)**, John (1652-)**, Mary (?-1699)**, Nathaniel (1659-1659)**, and Nathaniel (1660-?)**.

A family tree is to show the families of several of these children, but this writing will continue with son Thomas.

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Additional Information by Scott R. Bond

Notes for William BOND Capt.I.
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William Bond
r24 Bond Genealogies of Watertown

His first marriage is the earliest mention of him in the town records. There is, however, a deposition on the files of the county court, which renders it very probable, that he came to America at a very early age, in 1630, with Deacon Ephraim Child, and which greatly strenghtens the presumption that Elizabeth, wife of Dea. Child, was a sister of his father. Shed had lived several years with her second husband without having children; and the presumption is, that when shen was about to embark for America, her brother, Thomas Bond, who was filling his own house with sons, gave his third son, William, to his sister to supply a void, of which she would be the more sensible in her new abode. [see Dea. E. Child.] The following is the deposition: "Wiliam Bond, ages about 55 years Testifieth yt I ye deponent lived at the lower end of Watertowne next Cambridge fiftee years agoe [not fifteen, as is evident from the context]; and was well acquainted with the land yt belongs to widdow Thatcher, which was formerly Deacon Ephraim Childs, and also with ye lott was old goodman Warrens: which joyned to said Decon Childs, between which two lots ye way now in controversie is contended for; and I ye deponent cannot remember yt ever thare any allowed way thare, but ye two lotts afore spoken of weare Improved closs to one another and no footway, I ever _____ of; or any other way yt was ever
granted by ye town. Sworn 20, 10, 1681."

He purchased a farm, originally settled by Capt. William Jennison, who sold it to Rev. John Knowles. After the return of Mr. Knowles to England, and while he resided at Bristol, he executed a deed, dated Mar. 15 1654/5, conveying his estate in Watertown, for the sum of 200 pounds, to William Bond, in the possession of whose descendants it remained more than 170 years. It is now owned by John P. Cushing, Esq., of Watertown, whose taste and princely liberality have made it one of the most elegant residences in New England.

He received, at different times, numerous offices and appointments of trust. He was often employed in taking Inventories, writing Wills and Deeds, and settling estates. He was Selectman, Town Clerk, a Captain*, a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Council of Safety in 1689; often represented Watertown, and was elected Speaker of the General Court in 1691, '92, '93, and '95, being the first speaker elected under the new Royal Charter, which united the colonies of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay into one colony. He was admitted freeman, Oct 11, 1682, and to the church, f.c., Mar. 27, 1687. Oct. 7, 1679, he was appointed by the County Court, according to a law then in force, on a committee, consisting of Capt. Thomas Prentice, Mr. William Bond, and Dea. John Stone, to rebuild Lancaster, which had been destroyed by Indians. [See Willard's History of Lancaster, Worcester Mag. II., 294.] June 10, 1686, he was appointed by the President and Council of Mass., on a committee with general powers to order and regulate all matters concerning the settlement of Worcester. [Lincoln's History of Worcester, p. 33.]

*In 1676, he was, says Mr. Felt, a lieut. of a company of horse. As he was, about this period, repeatedly appointed on the same commission, with Capt. Thomas Prentice, of Newton, on distant duty, perhaps he was Lieut. under that distinguished commander of horse. In 1692, those parts of Watertown, which subsequently became the towns of Watertown, Waltham, and Weston, were designated as the precincts of Capt. Bond's Company, of Captain Garfield's Company, and Lieut. Jones's Company.

*** William Bond, of Watertown, Mass., 1649, third son of Thomas, of Bury St. Edwards, in County Suffolk, baptized there, Sept. 3, 1625, at St. James' Church, came probaly, in 1630, in the fleet with Winthrop. He married, Feb. 7, 1650, Sarah, daughter of Nathaniel Briscoe. He was often representative in the colonial days, in the counsel of safety during the insurrection against Andros, and first speaker of the House after the new Chapter. He was a man of great energy. His second wife was Elizabeth, widow of John Nevinson. His children were William 1650, John 1652, Thomas, Elizabeth, Nathaniel, Sarah, Jonas, Mary.

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** Don Weymouth
http://www.weymouthtech.com/Genealogy/ps02/ps02_362.htm

http://www.weymouthtech.com/Genealogy

119 Winthrop Lane, Holden, MA 01520
603-687-0268
don@weymouthtech.com

*** Whittemore, “Genealogical Guide to the Early Settlers of America”.

**** correct spelling Biscoe