John Warren

John, a cardmaker like his father, was baptized in Nayland on August 1, 1585. In the 1629 Visitation of Nayland, Archdeaconry of Sudbury, Diocese of Norwich, John Warren was the first in a list of seven men from that parish who were presented "for not kneeling at the communion", a common Puritan offense.

By about 1615, he married Margaret Bayley, widow of William Fowle and daughter of William Bayly and Ann (____). Margaret was born about 1587 in Westbury, Gloucestershire. In 1630, John and Margaret were among those who joined the exodus to America. They settled in Watertown, Massachusetts where John was made freeman May 18, 1631.

John didn't care much for church, here, either. Even though he was a member of the Watertown Puritan church, he was frequently cited for failing to attend public worship. John Coolidge and John Whitney testified that John Warren and Thomas Arnold "did absent themselves from the public ordinances, more than 4 times before their presentment". Mr. Jeremiah Norcross and David Fiske deposed in court that John Warren and Thomas Arnold had absented themselves from the public ordinances on the Lord's Days both at Watertown and elsewhere. John pleaded that he had been absent elsewhere on six of the Sabbaths in question, but on April 4, 1654, he was still fined 5s. for each absence: 5 shillings = 3 pounds and 10 shillings. One genealogist speculates that John was a Baptist. He was certainly sympathetic to Quakers. On March 14, 1658/9, John Warren was warned for not attending public worship, "but old Warren is not to be found in town." On May 27, 1661 the houses of "old Warren and Goodman [William] Hammond" were ordered to be searched for Quakers. Despite his lack of conviction for the established church and his leanings toward the Quaker faith, John never gave up or lost his church membership. He may have kept his membership to avoid losing some privileges such as voting, etc.

John was chosen Watertown selectman on [November?] 30, 1635 and December 6, 1639. He and Abraham Browne were appointed to lay out highways and see that they were repaired, November 14, 1635 and on a committee to divide land, January 10, 1647/8.

In the grants of Beaverbrook Plowlands and Remote Meadows John Warren received thirteen acres, but his immediate family at this time comprised six individuals (himself, wife and four children); this implies wealth well above the average, and this is borne out by the size of his homestall and Farm grants. His homestall of twelve acres in 1642 was bounded west by highway, east by William Hammond, north by John Biscoe, and south by Isaac Sterne. In 1654 John Warren Sr. gave Hugh Mason six pounds of peas and wheat and nine pounds of powder for the town so that Mason would make fireworks at the general training in Cambridge. John was granted sixty acres in Great Dividend, July 25, 1636; thirteen acres in Beaverbrook Plowlands, February 28, 1637/8; thirteen acres in Remote Meadows, June 26, 1637; and a 162 acre Farm, May 10, 1642.

In the Inventory of Grants John Warren held ten parcels; homestall of twelve acres; nine acres of upland; three acres of meadow; thirteen acres of plowland in the Further Plain; thirteen acres of meadow in the Remote Meadows; sixteen acres and a half of upland beyond the Further Plain; sixty acres of upland in the Great Dividend; one acre and a half of meadow in Ward's Meadow; one acre and a half of meadow near the Little Plain; and two acres of marsh. In the Composite Inventory he held eight parcels: homestall of twelve acres; nine acres of upland; three acres of meadow; thirteen acres of plowland in the Further Plain; thirteen acres of meadow in the Remote Meadows; sixteen acres and a half of upland beyond the Further Plain; sixty acres of upland in the Great Dividend; and a Farm of one hundred sixty-two acres. On December 30, 1662, the town of Watertown ordered that a ten or twelve acre parcel of land be laid out to Daniel Warren "in satisfaction of some land that John Warren his father bought of the town."

John died at Watertown December 13, 1667, aged 82. In his will, dated November 30, 1667 and proved December 16, 1667, John Warren Sr. "being aged & weake in body" bequeathed to "my son Daniell Warren the p[ar]cell of land that he now lives on being about the quantity of sixteen acres with all the apurtenances"; to "my son John Warren & my son Daniel Warren my dividend and all my remote meadow with another p[ar]cell of remote land...in Watertown...[to] my two sons equally"; to "my son Daniell Warren my best flock bed with my green rug...and two of my four pewter platters"; to "my daughter-in-law Mary Warren wife to my son Daniell one pewter porringer"; to "my daughter Mary Begalow a p[ar]cell of remote land being the quantity of 16 acres...already in her possession"; to "my duaghter Mary Begalow one small pewter dish"; to "my daughter Elizabeth Knape plow land lying on the further plain in Watertown w[hi]ch her husband James Knape hath formerly been possessed of"; to "my aforesaid daughter Elizebeth a book called the plaine man's pathway to heaven"; to "my grandchild Daniel Warren Son to my son Daniell Warren one of my cows"; to "my grandchild Mary Begalow a lined box that was my wife's"; to "Michael Bloyse daughter to Richard Bloyse deceased one pewter plate"; to "all of my grand children to each of them the sum of 2s. 6d."; residue "to my beloved son John Warren making and ordaining him my whole and sole executor." The inventory of the estate of "John Warren Senior late deceased of Watertown" was taken 13 Dec 1667 and was untotaled, but included £123 in real estate: "one tenement of houses and ten acres of upland and three acres of meadow £60"; "sixteen acres of waste land £8"; "sixty acres of divident land £15"; "thirteen acres of meadow £10"; "farm land one hundred and fifty acres #30." Inventory of the estate was taken December 16, 1667 by John Coolidge, Henry Bright, and Henry Freeman and amounted to £167.4.0. Among the interesting things found in his inventory were "one musket, one sword, one halberd," valued under 15s. and "one silver spoon, two Bibles and other books", valued at £1 10.

I'd be happy to exchange family information.
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See lineage of Warren Family

Read the Biography of John's great grandfather, Robert Warren

Read the Biography of John's grandfather, John Warren

Read the Biography of John's father, John "the Middle" Warren

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