Person:Alexander Gordon (38)

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Alexander Gordon (1635 in Aberdeen Scotland – 1697), fought as a Royalist and was captured by Oliver Cromwell's army at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651 at the end of the English Civil War. He was imprisoned at Tothill Field outside London over the winter of 1651–1652. He was transported to the New World in 1652 and entered into indentured servitude. His later victory over servitude became the legal precedent in Massachusetts.

The Alexander Gordon line is the earliest Gordon family in the New World according to the Gordon Genealogy DNA Project, and descends from Adam de Gordoun through Sir William Gordon 1265 Laird of Strathbogie (now Huntly).

Along with many other Scottish prisoners, he sailed on the ship "Liberty", commanded by Capt. James Allen to Boston, and was confined at Watertown as a prisoner of war.

For a year or more Alexander remained with John Cloyes, a boatswain, or mate, of the vessel living in Cambridge on the road to Watertown—near the site of Cambridge Hospital today.

While there he formed an acquaintance with Samuel Stratton of Watertown, with whom he made a six-year contract on 25 April 1653, as an apprentice, to learn the art of husbandry. This contract should have ended in 1659, but after a year's work without pay, Cloyes sold Alexander, like chattel, to Samuel Stratton in Watertown as a "husbandry apprentice."

The term apprentice was used in name only. As news of the first consignment spread, further consignments of this virtually free workforce were shipped to America and used in the towns of Massachusetts and adjacent provinces. These "apprentices" were sold to planters and mill owners; the usual term of service was six years.

Those who engaged in such traffic obscured it with the euphemism "apprenticeship." The idea was that this label would encourage the masters not to drive their helpless servants to the point of ill treatment.

On 3 November 1663, through the kindness of a resident of Cambridge, Alexander appealed again to the court in Massachusetts and was released from his contract. His six-year contract with Samuel Stratton ended on paper in 1659. But Alexander was forced to continue working until November 1663 when he won his freedom in a landmark court case in Massachusetts.

Alexander made his way to New Hampshire, where in the company of other Scots ex-prisoners, he helped found the town of Exeter. He found employment at the sawmill of Nicholas Lisson.

At 28, Alexander Gordon married the owner's daughter, Mary Lisson (19) and became the forefather of the extensive Gordon family in New England.

Notable New Hampshire Gordons descending from Alexander include U.S. Representative for New Hampshire William Gordon, Rhode Island State Representative Daniel P. Gordon Jr., and founder of Gordon College (Massachusetts), Adoniram Judson Gordon.

Alexander Gordon died in 1697.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Alexander Gordon (pioneer), in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} 1 Alexander Gordon, in Noyes, Sybil; Charles Thornton Libby; and Walter Goodwin Davis. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. (Portland, Maine: Southworth Press, 1928-1939)
   273.

   Gordon, Alexander, Exeter. A Scotch pris. of war at Tuthill Fields, London, he was redeemed there by Danl. Stone of Cambridge, and came to N. E. with John Cloyes under verbal agreem., working his passage with Capt. John Allen. Cloyes's sale of him to Saml. Stratton 15 Oct. 1652, aft. a yr.'s work without compensa., resulted in his appeal to the ct. in Feb. 1653-4 [Mass. Hist. Soc. Proc. 61.25]. His hist. unkn. for 10 yrs., he was mar. to Mary Lissen (2) bef. 10 Oct. 1664, when he had an Exeter gr. adj. land given him by his fa. Lissen. Deposed twice in 1678, ± 40. … Adm. 15 Aug. 1697 to s. John wid. Mary renounc. Ch: Elizabeth, b. 23 Feb. 1664, m. 26 May 1686 Thos. Emerson of Haverh.; both k. by Ind. with 2 [actually 3] of their 5 ch. 15 Mar. 1696-7. Nicholas, b. 23 Mar. 1665-6. Mary, b. 22 May 1668, m. Nicholas Smith. John, b. 26 Oct. 1670. James, b. 22 July 1673. Lists 67, 376b (1698). M. 7 Aug. 1700 Abiel Redman (John), who was gr. adm. 7 Dec. 1714, and m. 2d Moses Kimmin (2). 5 sons. Alexander, b. 1 Dec. 1675, m. (ct. 14 Sept. 1699) Sarah Sewall (Edward). …. Wid. Sarah, exec. of his will (not found), deeded to Wm. Graves 25 Mar. 1729-30 half a lot owned in common with Graves; liv. a wid. 1732. 7 or m. ch. Thomas, b. 1678, m 1st in Haverh. 22 Nov. 1699 Elizabeth Harriman (Matthew), 7 ch., 6 rec. Haverh.; m. 2d aft. 10 Apr. 1709 Rebecca Heard (2), 5 ch. liv. 1756. …. Will 1757-1761, names 10 ch. Daniel, b. 1682, blacksmith, m. in Haverh. 15 Sept. 1708 Margaret Harriman. Liv. Kingston and app. sold out there 1717. …. Of 5 ch. rec. 1709-1716, 2 m. in Haverh. Wid. or dau. Margaret m. 17 Feb. 1736 Saml. Bradstreet, both of Suncook.