History

John Spofford, 1638 Immigrant to Rowley, Mass.
Born: About 1612 in England

Spouse: Elizabeth Scott
Marriage Date: Before 1647
Marriage Place:

Death Date: About Nov 1, 1678
Death Place:
Burial Place:

Children:

     Elizabeth SPOFFORD (14 FEB 1646/1647 - AFT APR 1724 )
     John SPAFORD (24 OCT 1648 - 22 APR 1696 )
     Thomas SPOFFORD (4 NOV 1650 - 20 JUL 1706 )
     Samuel SPOFFORD (31 JAN 1652/1653 - 1 JAN 1744/1745 )
     Hannah SPOFFORD (1 APR 1654 - 24 APR 1689 )
     Mary SPOFFORD (1 NOV 1656 - BEF 1719 )
     Sarah SPOFFORD (15 JAN 1657/1658 - 15 FEB 1660/1661 )
     Sarah SPOFFORD (24 MAR 1661/1662 - 27 JUL 1706 )
     Francis SPOFFORD (24 SEP 1665 - BEF APR 1724 )

This was the Father of the first generation of Spofford/Spafford in America. He came to America in 1638 and settled between Ipswich and Newbury, Mass. in April 1639. His will was made 8 October1678 and probated (proved) 6 November 1678 (see Essex Deeds, 4 Ips.:222), obviously his death was sometime between these two dates. Records of marriage to Elizabeth Scott were probably destroyed when the house of Rev. Ezekiel Rogers burned in Rowley, Mass. John is undoubtedly buried in Rowley, Mass, but there is no gravestone marker.
According to family tradition, John came from a long line of Spofforths who were religious and sometimes rebellious, in that their beliefs differed from those of the English Church. He came to America from Yorkshire in 1638 with approximately 60 other families who had the same religious convictions, under the leadership of The Rev. Ezekiel Rogers. The group apparently sailed from Hull in the ship "John of London" in the summer of 1638. He was one of the Pilgrim fathers who settled in Massachusetts. The group acquired many holdings in the area of Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts that have been passed down through the years to numerous descendants.
[For the Historical and Genealogical Register.]
MR. DRAKE, - The following anecdote, honorable to our Puritan ancestry, has been handed down by tradition. The writer received it more than fifty years ago from a descendant of Samuel Spofford, son of the hero of my story, and whose great age, ninety years, extending from 1653 to 1743, made him a living link between the first and the last generation, through whom persons well known to the writer might, and doubtless did, receive many interesting narratives of the acts and doings of the first settlers of Rowley. He was contemporary with his father, who came over from England more than thirty years before, and with his nephew, my grandfather, who I well remember, twenty-two years.
During a time of great scarcity of corn, probably from the great drought of 1662, John Spofford, then living with his family at Rowley, and being with his neighbors much pinched by the famine, went all the way to Salem to buy corn.
A ship-load of corn had lately arrived there, but the owner, foreseeing greater scarcity and higher prices, refused to open his store and commence dealing it out. Spofford plead the necessity of himself and his neighbors, but his arguments were unheeded, and he had only the prospect of returning without being able to carry bread to his suffering family. After every plea was exhausted to no effect on the heartless merchant, he sternly cursed him to his face! The merchant astonished to hear such language, had him arrested instantly, and arraigned before a magistrate, for profane cursing and swearing. The accused, nothing daunted, informed the magistrate that he had not cursed the merchant profanely but religiously, and producing a Bible, he read Proverbs xi. 26, He that withholdeth corn the people shall curse him, but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. The authority was deemed decisive, the accused was discharged, and, in accordance with the summary process of those days, the magistrate ordered that the merchant should open his store, and sell him as much corn as he desired at the current price.
This man was afterwards the first settler of Georgetown, in this State, in 1668, and died in 1678 ; and every one of the name in this country may reckon themselves among his descendants.
JEREMIAH SPOFFORD.
Groveland, Aug. 3, 1855.
[NEHGR 9:318]

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOHN SPOFARD, SENIOR
 
I comit my soule into the hands of god who gave it, and my body to the earth, to be decently buried, and as to that estate which the lord hath given, dispose of it as follows after my debts are payd.
Imprimis: -  As for my dear and loving wife, I give to her the lease of the house and lands of Mrs. Prudence Cotton.
  Also I give to her all the household stuff, to be at her disposal, except the arms and ammunition. Also I give to her two cows, and one calfe, also four sheep. I give to her and my son Francis, to be equally divided between, one young horse, also to have the use of four acres of land at the farm during her life. Furthermore, I will that my son Francis his portion be at my wife's disposal till he comes to the age of twenty-one years if
she live so long, for that end that he may be helpful to her to carry on her husbandry work.
Item:  That which I give to my son Francis, is the two young oxen, and the mare and the cart, and all the furniture belonging to husbandry. Also one yearling calf, these to be at my wife's disposal till he be of age above said, and these things, or the worth of them, to be faithfully payed to him. Also I give him the small gun , and four acres of land at great meadows, and what may so fall by virtue of any town grant.
Item:  I give to my son John, two stears coming three years old, and the long fowling piece, and one halfe of the lease of the farm together with twenty pounds stocke I formerly gave him.
Item:  I give to my son Thomas, my vilage lands, and the gray horse and two sheepe, and one spring hog, and one two year old heifer and the great musket.
Item:  I give to my son Samuel, the other halfe of the lease of the farm and two young steers, one that come three year old and one that come four year old and one spring hog, and about ten pound stock I have already given him.
Item:  I give to my daughter Elizabeth one two year old heifer and two sheep.
Item:  I give to Hannah one cow, one three year old heifer, and two sheep.
Item:  I give to my daughter Mary one cow and one calf and two sheep.
Item:  I give to my daughter Sarah, one cow and one calf and two sheep.
Item:  I also appoint my louing wife and my son Thomas to be joint executors of this my last will, and my children to be payd at marriage or at coming one and twenty years old, and if any die before, their portion to be divided among the rest.
In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal 8th 8th month,
     (Oct. 7TH) 1678.
                                                                       JOHN SPOFARD.
Signed, sealed and delivered
in presence of us,
       John Johnson,
       Philip Nelson.

  In court held at Ipswich, 6th. 9th. Month, 1678, this will proved to be the last will and testament of John Spaford, by the oaths of Philip Nelson and John Johnson.


Downloadable PDF of "Family Record of the Descendants of John Spofford and Elizabeth, his Wife..." Courtesy of Google Books (you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Some Other References:
Early Settlers of Rowley, Mass., Blodgett & Jewett, Picton Press, 1933;
Rowley, Mass, Vital Records;
Ipswich, Mass. Vital Records;
"The Essex Antiquarian", Vol I - XIII. (Numerous mentions)

Other Links

"Who Was the Father of John Spofford, the 1638 Immigrant to Massachusetts?" Interesting theories...