Sandwich is the oldest town on Cape Cod. On 3 Apr 1637 a grant was made to Mr Edmund Freeman and nine previous residents of Saugus (Lynn):
Henry Feake | Thomas Tupper | John Carmen |
Richard Chadwell | William Wood | George Knott |
William Almy | Edward Dillingham | Thomas Dexter |
Soon arrived:
George Allen | George Buitt | Nathaniel Fish |
Thomas Armitage | Thomas Burge | John Friend |
Anthony Besse | Thomas Butler | Peter Gaunt |
Mr Blakemore | Thomas Chillingsworth | Andrew Hallett |
George Bliss | Edmund Clarke | Thomas Hampton |
Thomas Boardman | George Cole | William Harlow |
Robert Bodfish | John Dingley | William Hedge |
Richard Bourne | Henry Ewer | Joseph Helway |
William Braybrook | John Fish | William Hursts |
John Briggs | Jonathan Fish | John Joyce |
Richard Kirby | Mr Potter | John Wing |
John King | James Skiffe | Mr Winsor |
Thomas Landers | George Slawson | Mr Wollaston |
Mr Leveridge | Michael Turner | Anthony Wright |
John Miller | John Vincent | Nicholas Wright |
William Newland | Richard Wade | Peter Wright |
Benjamin Nye | Thomas Willis |
The Rev William Leveridge was the pastor at Sandwich.
On 6 Mar 1638 the Court of Assistants chose Mr John Vincent to be constable and it was ordered that Capt Standish and Mr John Alden should go to Sandwich 'with all convenient speede' to set forth the bounds.
The townsman of Sandwich were apparently more liberal than their neighbours to the north and on 31 Aug 1639 the Court rebuked Sandwich for allowing people 'unfit for church society' into the town. On 3 Oct 1637 the Court appointed Mr Thomas Prence and Capt Standish to determine the 'differences and controversies' in Sandwich.
On 16 Apr 1640 the townsmen of Sandwich and Mr Prence agreed to a committee to view and allocate meadow, considering the 'estate & quallyty' of every person. The committee consisted of Mr Edmund Freeman, Mr Henry Feake, Mr Edward Dillingham, Richard Chadwell, John Carmen, Mr John Vincent, Richard Bourne, George Allen, Robert Bodfish and George Holloway.
The people allocated meadow and the acres received:
George Allen 6-1/2 | George Buitt 1 | Nathaniel Fish 1-1/2 |
Thomas Armitage 6-1/2 | Thomas Burge 7-1/2 | John Friend 0? |
Anthony Besse 1 | Thomas Butler 2 | Peter Gaunt 4 |
Mr Blakemore 3 | Ths. Chillingsworth 2-1/2 | Andrew Hallett 7-1/2 |
George Bliss 1-1/2 | Edmund Clarke 2 | Mr Wolleston 13**** |
Thomas Boardman 3 | George Cole 1* | William Harlow 4 |
Robert Bodfish 5 | John Dingley 5-1/2 | Mr Edge 14 |
Richard Bourne 7 | George Knott 4 | Joseph Holloway 15 |
William Braybrook 1 | John Fish 1 | William Hurst 3 |
Mr Willis 4 | Jonathan Fish 2 | John Joyce 2-1/2 |
Richard Kirby 4 | Mr Potter 10 | Mr Dillingham 8 |
Mr Almy 8-1/2 | James Skiffe 4 | Joseph Winsor 1 |
Thomas Landers 1 | George Slawson 2 | Mr Wood 8 |
Mr Leverich 5 | Michael Turner 3 | Anthony Wright 2 |
John Miller 1 | John Vincent 7 | Nicholas Wright 2-1/2 |
William Newland 6** | Richard Wade 3 | Peter Wright 2-1/2 |
Benjamin Nye 20 | Mr Ed Freeman 42 | Richard Chadwell 15 |
John Carmen 28 | Mr Henry Feake 20 ***** | Thomas Tupper 6-1/2 |
Mr Ths. Dexter 26*** | John Briggs 7-7/8 | John Winge 6 |
Henry ? 1 |
*to be considered further when he brings his estate;
**to be added to
***if
he comes to live here, plus 6 for his mill
****if he come to live here and
brings his estate
*****plus one for his house
On 3 Jun 1640 the Court allocated John Kerman a messuage, 15 acres of upland and 16 acres of marsh meadow in Sandwich.
Some of the inhabitants of Sandwich had religious differences with the authorities. Ralph Allen and Richard Kirby were summoned at the 7 Oct 1651 Court to answer for their 'deriding, wild speeches' about God's word. They were bound over to the next Court and ordered to post bonds of £10 and £20, respectively. William Bassett the younger, Thomas Dexter, Sr. and Thomas Landers were also to appear and ordered to post bonds of £10 each. [Ref] Ralph Allen, Sr. and his wife, William Allen, Richard Kirby, Peter Gaunt, Rose Newland, Edmund Freeman, Sr. Goodwife Turner and widow Knott were all presented tot he Court for disobeying an 8 Jun 1651 order to attend public worship.