Person:John Pearce (44)

On 7 October 1681, William Manchester of Punkatest in New Plymouth, yeoman, sold land for 16 pounds paid by John Pearce of Portsmouth. The land was one fourth part of a 30th part of land at Pocassett bounded north and west by the freemen's lots near the fall river, and west by the Bay or sound that runs between the land and Rohode Island, and south partly by a line set at a great rock on which is a cedar bush marked near the way that leads to Punkatest, and east to a pond at Dartmouth Town bounds and west to Suppowett Creek's mouth and partly by Dartmouth bounds, and north up into the woods to Middlebury town bounds and Quitquissett pond. All of this land was purchased, with others, from Agents of the Colony of Plymouth by deed of feofment dated March 1679/80. The deed was signed by William and Mary Manchester, with witnesses John Sanford, William Coggeshall and Joseph Tripp ("Rhode Island Land Evidences, Volume I, 1648-1696, Abstracts," published by Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1970, page 141).

On 31 December 1681, Thomas Manchester Junior, blacksmith of Portsmouth, sold land for 15 pounds Sterling money of New England paid by John Pearce of Portsmouth, yeoman. The land was one fourth part of a one thirtieth part of land at Pocasset bounded northward and westward by the freemens lots near the fall river and westward by the bay or sound that runs between this land and Rhode Island, south partly by a line set at a great rock on which is a marked cedar bush near the way that leads to Punkatest, eastward to a pond at Dartmouth town bounds, and westward to Suppowett Creek's mouth and partly by Dartmouth bounds and Quitquesset pond, excepted out of this sale Suppowet Neck and Meadows belonging to the Punkatest proprietors and land granted by Plymouth to Captain Richard Morris, and so much which I bought of William Manchester who with others lately purchased by Plymouth Deed dated 5 March 1679/80. The deed was signed by Thomas Manchester, and was witnessed by John Sanford and Mary Sanford ("Rhode Island Land Evidences, Volume I, 1648-1696, Abstracts," published by Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1970, page 144).

John Pearce's will was dated 23 September 1689 and was proved on 26 April 1692 in Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island. The will names wife Mary Pearce, sons John Pearce Jr. and Daniel Pearce, daughter Mary Pearce now wife of John or Robert Hill, and mulatto boy Daniel Pearce. John Smith and Jeremiah Smith were named overseers.

1. ↑ Testimony 7 May 1673 - Rebecca Cornell Murder Trial --
   John Pearce of the Towne of Portsmouth Aged 41 yeares or there abouts being According to Law Engaged, Testifieth, that since the Decease of Mrs Rebeca Cornell, this Deponent being at the house ...