Person:Brian Pendleton (1)

Some Descendants of Major Brian PENDLETON First Generation

1. Major Brian PENDLETON was born 1599 in Birmingham, Lancashire, England. He died 1681 in Portsmouth, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire.

   HISTORY OF STONINGTON CT, by Wheeler, page 531.
       He first settled in Watertown, MA and was made freeman there Sept 3, 1634, and was Deputy for six years to the General Court. He moved to Sudbury and helped settle that town, and was selectman for several years. From Sudbury he went to Ipswich. He was a member of the famous artillery company of Boston. He removed to Portsmouth, NH about 1651, and was Deputy there five years. In 1653 he purchased 200 acres of land near Winter Harbor, Saco, ME, and after a few years he returned to Portsmouth, where he made his will, which was prov en April 5, 1681. He was an eminent man in his day, and held the office of captain and major for many years, besides important civil and military offices.

   BRIAN PENDLETON AND HIS DESCENDANTS, 1599-1910, Compiled by Everett Hall Pendleton, Privatley Printed MCMX, found in the DAR Library, Washington, DC. Page 1-77.
       Brian Pendleton was married when he came to this country but we have not found his wife's family name. Her Christian name was Eleanor, as appears in every deed she signed with her husband from 1648 to 1680. She survived the Major for about eight years as on the 28th of July, 1688, Pendleton Fletcher of Saco petitioned Governor Andros for a confirmation of his (Fletcher's) title to lands received from Brian Pendleton, his grandfather. "Also 100 acres given yr petition by his Grnadmother, lately deceased and purchased by her husband of one Jno West, lying upon Saco River, on ye Southward side." This was the land which Brian Pendleton bought of West 15 March 1678/9. York Deeds, 1:80.

   Researching this line is Nancyann Norman at nancn@@exis.net

     Sources: Genealogical and Biographical Record of New London County, Conn., by Beers; Early New England Pendletons; History of Saco and Biddeford (Maine); Wheeler's History of Stonington; Babcock and Allied Families: IGI; Founders of Early American Families; National Society, Daughters of Colonial Wars, Lineage Book V; NEHGR, v7, p357; v8, pp 239-240, & v3, p258; The Great Migration Begins, v1, pages 302, 496 and 564; v2, pages 1015 and 1135; The American Genealogist, Vol. 10, pages 14 and 15; Puritan Village by Sumner Chilton Powell.

     Founders: Brian Pendleton. Watertown, MA, 1634. Sudbury 1638. Ipswich. Portsmouth, NH, 1651. Saco, Maine, 1677. Died Winter Harbor, Maine, by 5 April 1681. Captain of Militia. Major. Deputy. President Maine Province. Associate Justice.
     IGI names five children, the first two being born in London.
     Beers and Wheeler list only two children. Early New England Pendletons lists five children, with four of them probably being born in England. Marriage record at St. Martin's Church, Birmingham, England, reads: "Aprell 22, 1619, Bryene Pendleton et Ellinor Prise." Birth of first child, Nicholas, recorded at same church. He probably died young. Next three probably born in London and the fifth probably in Watertown, Mass. After the birth of Nicholas, the Pendletons are found in 1625 in the Parish of St. Sepulchre's without Newgate in London. That church's records were lost in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
     Brian Pendleton was probably among the original settlers of Watertown, Mass. On Aug. 14, 1634, he was chosen one of three men to "order" the civil affairs of the town--an office which later became known as that of selectman. On Sept. 3, 1634, he was made a freeman. On March 3, 1636, he was chosen as deputy from Watertown to the General Court of Massachusetts. He was several times reelected to both positions. He also was one of the original members of the Military Company of Massachusetts.
     In 1639 he was one of the first settlers of Sudbury, Mass., and in 1640 was appointed to drill the military company there. He also was a selectman and commissioner in Sudsbury. He returned to Watertown in 1646 and again to the General Court. Referred to in Watertown as "Lieut. Pendleton."
     Moved to Topsfield, Mass., in 1648-49 and to Portsmouth (later N.H.) in 1651 where he was appointed an associate justice by the General Court of
   Massachusetts, serving until 1665, when he moved to Winter Harbor, Maine.
     In Portsmouth he was chosen commander of the train band (militia). selectman, town treasurer, and deputy to the General Court, all for several terms, as well as serving in other positions. In fact, Everett Hall Pendleton, in Early New England Pendletons, says he and his son, Capt. James Pendleton, "ran the affairs of Portsmouth."
     In Winter Harbor (Saco), he was a selectman, elected a Burgess to attend the General Court of the Province of Maine, a "surveyor of highways," a justice  for "small causes," and in 1668 was appointed major of the York County regiment and also an associate justice  of the Province of Maine when Maine once more came under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. He later was town clerk, commissioner, and assessor of taxes at Saco. In 1680 he was named deputy president of the Province of Maine.
     Brian Pendleton died during the winter of 1680-81, either in Winter Harbor or Wells, Maine, at the home of his granddaughter, Mary. Two Wells men were  appointed to take the inventory of his estate, indicating he may have died there.
     During his lifetime, Brian gave son James 140 acres of land in Sudbury and also 700 acres in Westerly, Rhode Island, that he had obtained in a business transaction. He also apparently turned over business interests in Portsmouth to James. The major's will left land on the Great Island in Portsmouth to grandsons Pendleton Fletcher and Brian Pendleton, Saco area property to his wife, and housing and land at Wells to Mary and Hannah Pendleton, daughters of James and his first wife. This included "three plantations or lotts."
     The land left to his wife included 640 acres along the Saco River, his house and 300 acres at Cape-Porpus (now Kennebunkport), and "all my several islands  in or near sd. Cape-Porpus."
     The trust deed to the 700 acres of land in Westerly stated that James was to  hold it intact during his lifetime. Afterwards it was to be divided equally amongst James' children by his second wife, except the oldest surviving son should have a double share.
     Wheeler: Brian Pendleton's will is on pages 722 and 723.
     TAG: "Bryene pendelton et Ellinor prise Aprell 22, 1619. (Register of St. Martin's, Birmingham, England, 1554-1653, p. 108). Note. Bryan Pendleton, who came to New England, was born about 1599, by deposition. His son Nicholas, baptized 4 Dec. 1619, at St. Martin's, Birmingham, England, probably died young.
     Babcock and Allied Families: Brian Pendleton, born in England about 1599. Will probated 23 April 1681 in York County Court, Maine. First appears in New England in Watertown, MA, 24 Aug. 1634; removed to Sudbury as an original settler in 1639 and returned to Watertown in 1646. He removed to Ipswich, MA, where he bought land 9 Nov. 1648, and then moved on to Portsmouth, NH, about 1651. In October 1652 he was one of the commissioners sent to Maine to assert the authority of Massachusetts there, although he remained a resident of  Portsmouth. He served as a major in King Phillp's War, but it is uncertain whether he served from Portsmouth or Maine. He was a special magistrate in Winter Harbor, Maine, and an associate justice for York County, Maine, and also headed the York County Court of Pleas. "In the course of his judgeships he  permitted no Quakers to be whipped or witches hanged." [More info on pages 79-81.]
     Colonial Wars: Major Brian Pendleton, born about 1599, died 1681; married Eleanor Price 22 April 1619.
     NEHGR--Article, "Early Settlers of Essex and Old Norfolk" (v7): Brian Pendleton, a witness at York (Maine), 1653. Age about 70 in July 1669. Captain  Brian, Portsmouth (New Hampshire), 1647. Vol. 3, in "Memoir of Charles Frost,"  says he was one of eight men appointed [about 1678] to the provincial council of Maine by the the govenor and council of Massachusetts
     Migration: Bryan Pendleton bought Watertown, Mass., land 6 May 1646 from Nicholas Knapp. Brian Pendleton  was one of the executors named in the 8 April  1647 will of "Margaret How of Water=Towne Widow." Mentioned in 26 May 1646 land transaction, along with Edmond Goodenow, in Sudbury.  Capt. Pendleton mentioned in Kittery, Maine, records, indicating he had property there in 1648. Brian "Pemelton of Saco" (Maine) on 6 June 1667 acknowleged he sold to William Dodge and others, about 1653 or 1654, a 600 acre farm "formerly belong[ing] unto Old  Mr. Thomas Dudley" and "was honestly paid for  it."
     Puritan Village: Three residents of Watertown, Peter Noyes, Brian Pendleton,  "a wealthy London man," and the Rev. Edmund Brown petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts for a town grant below Concord. Noyes was termed an administrator and Pendleton a land speculator who "had enjoyed power in the first few years of Watertown and then fallen out of favor."  The General Court appointed Pendleton captain of the town military company after Sudbury was formed. By 1647 he had returned to Watertown, but despite that departure  he was awarded more Sudbury land in 1658, even though he had left Sudbury some 12 years earlier. Others who had moved away were not awarded new land.  [Perhaps Pendleton was favored because he was a town founder.] Also, he threatened to sue the town in 1647, reason not specified, but the Middlesex County Court shows no record of the case, according to Puritan Village author Powell. [Powell's label of land speculator for Pendletown appears accurate since he moved on to other areas, accumulating more and more land. See above.]   
      NEHGR, v8, pp239-240: Indian War Papers. Reports an Indian attack in Maine in 1675, in which Major Pendleton was asked to help by sending 12 men.
                             *****
      [There are two other books, Brian Pendleton and His Massachusetts and Brian Pendleton and His Descendents, that contain more information but I (LBB) haven't seen them.]
     Batch #: M010721, Source Call #: 919764
     Batch #: 8676708, Sheet #: 52, Source Call #: 1396239

Brian married Eleanor PRICE, daughter of Richard PRICE and Elizabeth CROMWELL, on 22 Apr 1619 in St. Martin's Ch., Birmingham, Warwick, England. Eleanor was born 22 Apr 1599 in St. Martin's, Birmingham, England. She died Jul 1688 in Portsmouth, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire.

   Researching this line is Nancyann Norman at nancn@@exis.net

     See Brian Pendleton notes for marriage date. Several sources list her as
   Brian's wife. An Ancestral File record says she died in 1681. Also gives names
   of parents and birth date and place.

They had the following children:

     2 M i 
   Nicholas PENDLETON.

   Nicholas was christened 4 Dec 1619 in St. Martin's, Birmingham, England.

     Sources: Early New England Pendletons; National Society, Daughters of
   Colonial Wars; TAG, Vol. 10.
     Early Pendletons: Nicholas Pendleton, baptized 4 Dec. 1619, prob. died young.
     Colonial Wars: Nicholas Pendleton, born 4 Dec. 1619, died young.
     TAG: See mention in father's documentation.
     3 F ii 
   Mary PENDLETON was born about 1620/1621 in London, England. She died 1681/1690.

     Sources: Early New England Pendletons; AF; History of Stonington; National
   Society, Daughters of Colonial Wars.
     Early N.E. Pendletons: She married Rev. Seth Fletcher before 1655. Their
   son, Pendleton Fletcher, was captured four times by the Indians. He was adopted
   by Grandfather Brian Pendleton in 1670.
     Colonial Wars: Mary Pendleton, married Rev. Seth Fletcher.
           
   Mary married Seth FLETCHER Rev. before 1655.

     Sources: Early New England Pendletons; AF; History of Stonington; National
   Society, Daughters of Colonial Wars.
     Early N.E. Pendletons: Rev. Seth Fletcher, married before 1655. Their
   son, Pendleton Fletcher, was captured four times by the Indians. He was adopted
   by Grandfather Brian Pendleton in 1670.
     Colonial Wars: Seth Fletcher, married Mary Pendleton.
     4 M iii 
   Joseph PENDLETON was born about 1622 in London, England.

     Sources: Early New England Pendletons; National Society, Daughters of
   Colonial Wars; Ancestral File.
     Early N.E. Pendletons: Joseph Pendleton, born about 1622 and  died without
   issue. He and his brother Caleb lived briefly in Portsmouth, N.H., and then
   vanished.
     AF: Joseph Pendleton, born about 1622 in London, England.
   + 5 M iv Capt. James PENDLETON was born about 1627/1628 and died 29 Nov 1709.
     6 M v 
   Caleb PENDLETON was born about 1630 in Watertown, MA.

    Sources: Early New England Pendletons; Ancestral File; National Society,
   Daughters of Colonial Wars.
    Early N.E. Pendletons: Caleb Pendleton and his brother Joseph lived briefly
   in Portsmouth and Boston and then vanished. Married Judith ________.   Colonial Wars: Caleb Pendleton, married Judith ________.

     An AF record says he was born in Sudbury, Mass., but ENEP says
   father Brian was a founder of Sudbury in 1639, some nine years after Caleb
   was born. The first record of Brian in America was in Watertown on Aug. 14,
   1634, so Caleb probably was born in London.
     7 M vi 
   Nicholas PENDLETON was christened 4 Dec 1619 in London, London, England. He died in his youth.
     8 M vii 
   Joseph PENDLETON was born about 1622 in London, London, England. He died in his youth.
   + 9 M viii Caleb PENDLETON was born about 1630 and died before 9 Aug 1677.
   + 10 F ix Mary PENDLETON was born about 1635 and died about 1690.

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13} Brian Pendleton, in Anderson, Robert Charles; George F. Sanborn; and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635. (Boston, Massachusetts: NEHGS, 1999-2011)
   V:425-428.

   ORIGIN: London [Early Pendletons 10].
   MIGRATION: 1634 (based on election as Watertown selectman on 23 August 1634 [WaTR 1:1]).
   CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Admission to Watertown church prior to 3 September 1634 implied by freemanship.
   FREEMAN: 3 September 1634 (first in a sequence of eleven Watertown men) [MBCR 1:369].
   BIRTH: About 1599 (deposed on 2 July 1669 aged "about seventy years" [Pendleton Descendants 1, citing NPP 121:101]).
   DEATH: Between 3 July 1680 (date of deed [YLR 3:77-78]) and 5 April 1681 (probate of will).

2.   .

   WILL:
   Dated Aug. 9, 1677; proved Apr. 1, 1681:
   Names wife Eleanor;
   grandchild Pendleton Fletcher; son James;
   grandchild James Pendleton Jr.;
   grandchildren Mary & Hannah Pendleton, daughters of son James by first wife;
   grandson Brian Pendleton.
   Overseers: Joshua Moodey & Richard Martyn.
   Witnesses: Joshua Moodey & Ann Moodey.
   Addition to will witnessed by Joseph Dudley & Joshua Moodey.