Thomas Prence facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Prence (or, Thomas Prince）
4th, 8th, & 12th Governor of Plymouth Colony
In office 1634–1635
Preceded by	Edward Winslow
Succeeded by	William Bradford
In office 1638–1639
Preceded by	William Bradford
Succeeded by	William Bradford
In office 1657–1673
Preceded by	William Bradford
Succeeded by	Josiah Winslow
Personal details
Born	c. 1600 Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England
Died	March 29, 1673 Plymouth, Plymouth Colony
Signature

Thomas Prence (born around 1601, died March 29, 1673) was an English colonist. He sailed to Plymouth Colony in November 1621 on a ship called the Fortune. He later helped start the town of Eastham before moving back to Plymouth. Thomas Prence was an important leader in Plymouth Colony for many years. He served as the colony's governor for about twenty years over three different periods.

Early Life in England

Thomas Prence was likely born in Lechlade, a town in Gloucestershire, England, around the year 1600. His parents were Thomas Prince and Elizabeth Tolderby. His family later moved to a part of London called All Hallows Barking. His father was a carriage maker there.

In his will, Thomas Prence's father mentioned his son "now remayninge in New England." This shows that Thomas had already moved across the sea. The family name was spelled "Prince," but after moving, Thomas started spelling it "Prence." He lived in Ratcliff, a small village near London, before deciding to move to the New World.

Life in New England

Thomas Prence arrived in Plymouth Colony in November 1621. He came as a single man on the ship Fortune. In 1623, when land was divided among the colonists, Prence received "one akre of land."

Starting Plymouth Colony

Plymouth Colony was a joint project. It was started by religious separatists (people who wanted to separate from the Church of England) and a group of "merchant adventurers." These merchants paid for much of the colony's setup. In return, they expected to share in any profits the colony made.

By 1626, it was clear that the colony wasn't making much money. The merchants wanted to end their involvement. Thomas Prence was one of eight colony leaders, known as the "Undertakers." They agreed to take on all the colony's debts to the merchants. In exchange, the other colonists gave them control over the local fur trade. By 1633, Prence was wealthy enough to be one of the few men who had to pay more than £1 in taxes.

Challenges and Changes

The Undertakers set up trading posts around New England. They traded with Native Americans for furs, which were sent to England to pay off debts. This business was risky. There was competition from Dutch and French traders. Also, their first shipment of furs was captured by French pirates.

The colony's economy changed after 1630. Many Puritans began moving to the new Massachusetts Bay Colony. These new settlers created a demand for Plymouth's farm products. Before this, Plymouth's crops were mostly for local use.

Because the land in Plymouth wasn't the best for farming, colonists started moving to other places. Thomas Prence was one of them. In 1632, he moved to Duxbury to be near his father-in-law, William Brewster.

Founding Eastham

In 1644, Prence and six other families founded a new settlement. This new town was Eastham on Cape Cod. Prence became one of the largest landowners in the area. His land included parts of what are now Brewster, Harwich, Wellfleet, and all of Truro. The land there was good for farming, and the town grew well under his leadership. Prence lived in Eastham until 1663, when he moved back to Plymouth.

An early Plymouth deed mentioning Governor Thomas Prence and Josiah Winslow.

Colonial Leadership

In 1634, Thomas Prence was elected governor of Plymouth Colony. For the rest of his life, he played a big role in the colony's government. He served as governor or as a member of the council of assistants. He was also the colonial treasurer and president of the Council of War at different times.

His first election happened because the long-time governor, William Bradford, refused to run. The outgoing governor, Edward Winslow, was also getting ready to travel to England. Prence was re-elected in 1638 when Bradford again chose not to run.

Dealing with Other Colonies

Prence was involved in arguments over control of settlements on the Connecticut River. Plymouth had set up a fur trading post there in the early 1630s. This was despite objections from the Dutch, who had their own trading post nearby.

Later, unhappy colonists from the Massachusetts Bay Colony settled in the same area. They wanted to escape what they felt was strict rule. The Plymouth government protested that these settlers were taking land that Plymouth had bought from the local Native Americans.

Prence helped work out an agreement in 1637. Most of the land was bought by the Massachusetts settlers. Plymouth kept its trading post and some smaller plots of land.

Religious Views and Justice

Prence was elected governor for the second time in 1638. At this time, New England was dealing with the effects of a religious disagreement. This led to some people being banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Prence had strong Puritan beliefs, which may have helped him get elected that year.

Prence also had a disagreement with Samuel Gorton, who came to Plymouth. Prence did not like Gorton's religious practices. He made sure Gorton was banished from Plymouth. This was because Gorton broke a law about sheltering strangers without permission. Prence's action was not popular, but those who protested Gorton's banishment were fined.

During his 1638 term, Prence oversaw an important criminal case. It was about the murder of a Native American man. Four white men were involved in the attack. One escaped, but the other three were tried, found guilty, and hanged. Native Americans who attended the trial felt that justice had been served.

In 1645, a request for religious tolerance was given to the colonial council. This idea had wide support in the colony. However, conservative leaders like Prence, Governor Bradford, and Edward Winslow opposed it. They used special rules to stop the colonial assembly from even considering the request.

United Colonies of New England

Plymouth was a member of the United Colonies of New England. This group was formed in 1643 to help most English colonies in New England defend themselves together.

Prence sometimes served as a commissioner, representing Plymouth at the group's meetings. As a commissioner, Prence helped set boundaries between Connecticut and New Netherland. This happened during the 1650 Treaty of Hartford. The Dutch claimed land on the Connecticut River. But the English colonies were growing fast, and both sides wanted to avoid fighting. Prence and the Dutch Governor-General Peter Stuyvesant agreed on a border. This border mostly confirmed English claims to what is now Connecticut and eastern Long Island.

In 1658, Prence was part of a special group to settle a border dispute. This was between Massachusetts and Connecticut. The group decided the border should be on the Mystic River. Connecticut would be to the west, and Massachusetts to the east.

Governor of Plymouth

After Governor Bradford died in 1657, Prence became the most important person in Plymouth. He was unanimously elected to take Bradford's place as governor. He held this position until he died in 1673. People said he was friendly in casual settings. But when he was in court, he was strict and bossy. A person from that time called him the "Terrour to evill doers." He quickly saw anyone who disagreed with him as "evil."

Dealing with Quakers

In 1656, just before Prence became governor, many Quakers started arriving in New England. The strict Puritan leaders of the colonies were worried. They saw the Quakers' religious views as wrong. Massachusetts asked the United Colonies to work together against them. Massachusetts eventually took the harshest actions, even hanging four Quakers for repeatedly breaking banishment laws.

The issue of Quakers came before Plymouth's court soon after Prence became governor in 1657. In June of that year, laws were passed to punish or remove them. For example, anyone refusing to swear loyalty to the King would be fined £5 or whipped. Ships bringing Quakers into the colony were charged money. Quakers were not allowed to vote. They could be banished, and punishments for returning after banishment became harsher. People who let Quakers stay in their homes could also be fined. Plymouth, like Massachusetts, eventually made it a death penalty for returning Quakers. However, this was never actually carried out in Plymouth.

The laws in Plymouth were not very good at keeping Quakers out. Some people in the colony were also against these harsh rules. Humphrey Norton, a Quaker, was arrested for returning after being banished. During his trial, he told Prence, "Thou art like a scolding woman."

By 1660, the colony found a way to live with the Quakers. Most punishments stopped by 1661. Quakers were allowed to stay as long as they didn't disrupt religious services. But they could not vote or take part in government. Everyone in the community also had to pay taxes to support the local Puritan church.

Other Events as Governor

In 1661, Prence was in charge of Plymouth's first witchcraft trial. It was said that he handled the situation fairly.

In 1665, the court ordered that Governor Prence be paid £50 each year. He was also given a house in Plymouth to live in. In 1668, he bought that house from the court for £150.

On April 2, 1667, the Council of War met in Plymouth. They prepared for a possible war with the Dutch and French. The Council included Governor Prence, John Alden, and Major Josiah Winslow. They decided that every military officer should have a formal commission. Towns were told to have a military watch. They also checked that all weapons and ammunition were ready. Plans were made to move women and children to safety. While the Dutch and French were named as enemies, the Native American situation was also on their minds. King Philip's War would happen eight years later in 1675.

Prence was fair in his dealings with Native Americans. A missionary named Thomas Mayhew said he was "gentle and kind" to them. While he was governor, Prence agreed to stop the sale of Native American land for seven years. This policy changed after his death in 1673. His successor, Josiah Winslow, was not friendly to Native Americans. He became a leader in taking advantage of them. Winslow used legal tricks to remove Native Americans from their lands as cheaply as possible.

Family Life

Thomas Prence married four times.

• His first wife was Patience, daughter of William Brewster. They married on August 5, 1624. They had four children: Rebecca, Thomas, Hannah, and Mercy. Patience died in 1634 from a "pestilent fever."
• He then married Mary Collier, daughter of William Collier, on April 1, 1635. They had at least two children, Jane and Mary, before she died around 1644.
• His third wife was Apphia (Quicke) Freeman. They married sometime between 1644 and the 1660s. They had a daughter named Judith Prence, born in May 1645.
• Sometime in the 1660s, Prence married for the fourth and final time. His wife was Mary, who was the widow of Thomas Howes. He had three more children: Judith, Elizabeth, and Sarah. It is not clear which wife was their mother.

Death and Legacy

Thomas Prence died on March 29, 1673. He is buried at Burial Hill, a historic cemetery in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Many Pilgrims are buried there.

Prence was a wealthy man when he died. He left behind over £400 in personal belongings and eleven pieces of land. At least two of these land holdings were 100 acres each.

Notable Descendants

Thomas Prence has thousands of descendants today. Some famous ones include:

• Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819): A US Navy officer and "Hero of Lake Erie" in the War of 1812.
• Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794–1858): A US Navy Commodore who helped open Japan to the West in 1854.
• Linus Carl Pauling (1901-1994): An American chemist and peace activist who won two Nobel Prizes.