Person:John Gage (1)

Origins

"Duane Marshall Gage presents evidence of a John Gage baptized 21 April 1606 at Kersey, Suffolk, son of John and Jane (Lufkin) Gage, who were of Boxford, Suffolk [John Gage of Ipswich, His English Ancestry, And Some American Descendants (Decorah, Iowa, 1983), cited … as Gage Gen, p. 17]. This is the right name, the right age, and a likely location, but does not constitute proof; further exploration of this lead would be worthwhile." Alexander Sessions deposed on 27 March 1669 that "Goodman Kingsborough's son said [the swine by the riverside] were his uncle Gage's hogs," suggesting that Henry Kingsbury had married a sister of Gage, or vice versa, or that the two men had married sisters [EQC 4:117; NEHGR 54:260]. Whatever the solution it supports the suggested origin of Gage in southwestern Suffolk, as that was the origin of Henry Kingsbury.^[1]

New England

John Gage arrived in Boston probably some time in 1630, and was admitted to the Boston Church as member #50, which would have been late that year. ^[3] He was a freeman 4 Mar 1633/34. ^[4] On 1 April 1633 John Gage was one of those permitted to accompany John Winthrop Jr. to Agawam [Ipswich] to begin a new plantation ^[5] He received several grants of land at Ipswich, and appears in various land records over the next few decades.

In his will, undated but proved 25 March 1673, John Gage "daily waiting for my change" appointed "my sons Samuell, Daniell, Nathaniell, Jonatton and Josiah Gage" joint executors, and bequeathed to "my beloved wife Sarah Gag" one cow and "what household goods was her own during her life and to dispose of at her death"; residue of household goods for her during her life and at her death to "return to my children" except "my wearing cloths and my chest and all that is in it, and a great kettle and a cowel" to be distributed immediately to children; to "her one third part of all the corn that shall be mine at my decease"; "my five sons above mentioned" to pay to "my wife Sara Gag" 20s. apiece every year, half in grain, the other half in corn, this in exchange for her dower right of thirds; to "my sons" the lands already laid out to them and the island "which is not yet laid out to be equally divided amongst them, my grandson to have an equal share with each of them"; residue equally divided amongst my sons [EPR 2:333-34].

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10} John Gage, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995)
   II:719-722.

   ORIGIN: Unknown.
   MIGRATION: 1630.
   CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Admitted to Boston church as member #50, which would be late in 1630 [BChR 14]. On 10 September 1643 "Our brethren John Gage and Thomas Howlett having now for sundry years inhabited at Ipswich and desiring letters of dismission to the church there have the same granted unto them with the church's consent by their silence" [BChR 39].
   FREEMAN: 4 March 1633/4 [MBCR 1:368].
   BIRTH: About 1605 (deposed 27 September 1659 "aged about fifty years" [EQC 2:169]; deposed in early 1662 "aged about fifty-eight years" [EQC 2:365]).
   DEATH: Bradford 24 March 1672/3.
   MARRIAGE: (1) By about 1638 Amy _____; she died at Ipswich in June 1658.
   (2) Ipswich 7 November 1658 Sarah (_____) Keyes, widow of Robert Keyes; she died Newbury 7 July 1681.

2. ↑ Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital records of Bradford, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Topsfield, Mass.: Topsfield Historical Society, 1907)
   313.

   Gage, John, Sergt., (died) Mar. 24, 1672-3.

3. ↑ Great Migration, citing Boston Church Records 14
4. ↑ Great Migration, citing MBCR 1:368
5. ↑ Great Migration, citing MBCR 1:103