Person:James Ordway (2)

came to Dover, NH as 12 y.o. servant in 1641/2. By 1647 James had a house lot with 6 acres of land in town and 6 acres of pasture. Moved to Newbury in 1848. By year 1661 was in the second seat on the northwest in the Newbury church. Served as surveyor, fence viewer, juyman, tythingman. died age 92 yrs. James initially settled in Dover, NH, then moved to Newbury, MA, where the first mention of him is when he and Ann were married. He was given the liberties of commonage and acknowledged for freehold in February, 1665; was listed as a freeman in April 1668 and took the Oath of Allegiance in Newbury in 1678. He had many involvements with the court including: testifying (and financially supporting) on several occasions for John Godfrey who was at one point put on trial for witchcraft; Testifying that he had heard John Emery and his wife exhort Goodwife Rolfe not to carry herself 'so lovingly and fondly towards' the notorious Mr. Greenland; required to pay part of the court sentence for his minister who had a long-standing conflict with his assistant; and losing a case involving a dispute over a seating arrangement in the church pews. He served in the militia with Captain Gerrish. He was sufficiently respected in town that he was assigned a pew at the front, or towards the front, of the church.