Person:Robert Pond (1)

POND Robert¹ was from County Suffolk, England. Settled in Dorchester, Mass., about 1632, though not found in the list of Dr. Harris; was there to partake, 1636, in division of Cow Common. He died 1637. The inventory of his estate was taken 27 Dec. 1637. A chest of carpenter's tools and pump tools are mentioned. Mary and William Pond petitioned the Court for administration of the estate, and it was ordered 10 May 1648. His widow married in 1649 or 1650, Edward Shepard of Cambridge, who conveyed 24 Feb. 1650/1 to John Blackman, son-in-law to the late Robert Pond, one half the house and lands which Widow Pond had owned. In the memoirs by Rev. Mr. Mitchell written in 1658, we find this extract. "Mary now wife of Edward Shepard was dismissed hither from Church at Dorchester and is in full communion with us. Her daughter Mary Pond, baptized at Dorchester was eleven years old at her mothers joyning with us (1643)." Mrs. Mary Pond lived at Cambridge, she being widow of Robert Pond, who died in 1637; it is also probable that she brought other children with her to Cambridge and that Daniel Pond who married Abigail Shepard (daughter of Edward Shepard) was her son.

(I) Robert Pond and his wife Mary were early arrivals at Dorchester, Massachusetts. They had sons Daniel and Robert. The latter settled in Milton. Mary survived her husband and was married a second time to Edward Shepard, of Cambridge.

link The Great Migration Project updates why Robert Pond was no included in the Great Migration Directory [cut-off 1640]. The inventory date of 27 Dec 1637 is clearly incorrect. 10 May 1648 his widow and a son petition the court for admin and the court orders to bring inventory, the widow remarried in 1649 and 1650. The inventory includes land bought from Mrs. Frances Burre widow of Jonathan Burr who did not arrive in New England until 1639 and died 1641. Robert Pond must have arrived 1641 when he purhchased this land from his widow. The logical explanation was the inventory date was 27 Dec 1648.

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