Person:William Torrey (1)

From Ancestry World Tree formerly at [1]

The eldest son of Phillip, he was named executor of his mother's will. He married Anges, daughter of Joseph Combe but she died less than a year later.

He married secondly, Jane Haviland, who was buried in England in 1639. His third wife was Elizabeth Fry. Along with his two sons and his wife Elizabeth, and his three brothers and his wife's brother George Fry, he emigrated to America in 1640, possibly on the ship Hopewell. He was admitted as a freeman May 18,1642; a representative 1642-1650. In 1641 he was elected a member of the Royal Artillery of Boston and soon became a Lieutenant. He was clerk of the House of Representatives and recorder of deeds.

His signature is literally on hundreds of documents. The title of Captain of the Militia was prefixed to his name soon after 1655. He was said to be a good penman and skilled in Latin.

Charles Henry Pope's "Pioneers of Massachusetts" says this: William, from Combe St. Nicholas , Somerset, came in 1640, settled at Weymouth. Captain, commissioner, town officer, deputy. A good penman and skilled in the Latin tongue,usually clerk of the deputies. His son Samuel, who came with him, became pastor of the church of Weymouth in 1664. He had life-lease of ground in Bristol, called The Torreys, in possession of John Hollister, whose will refers to it Sept. 12, 1690. [Reg. Xl, 62] children:

Naomi, b. 2 (10) 1641 [ 13 (10) 1640] Mary, b. 3 (10) 1642 [Aug. 4, 1642] Mycajah, b. 12 (8) 1643 [12 (10) 1643] Angel, b. June 4, 1657.

Will dated 15 Nay, 1686, prob. July 2, 1691, beq. to sons Samuel, William, Micajah; to wife and her sons Josiah and Angel; to gr. dau. Hayward.

Captain William Torrey is the ancestor of nearly two-thirds of the Torreys now living. (In 1860 - 1870?) He owned 124 acres of land in Weymouth in 1648 and subsequently 100 acres more. The house where he lived was near what is now called Sampson's Cove, though formerly was called Torrey'sCove.

He was an unusually capable man and Weymouth records show that all business of importance was transacted under his leadership. In 1641 he was elected a member of the Royal Artillery of Boston and soon after a Lieutenant. Hewas Deputy (member of the legislature) from 1642 - 1650; Clerk of the House of Deputies (a very responsible position); and Recorder of Deeds. His signature appears hundreds of times on the early records. The title of Captain (of militia) was preferred (proffered ?) to his name soon after 1665. He was elected member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston in 1641.

There is in the Boston Public Library a book written by Capt. Torrey entitled"A Discourse in Futurities of Things to Come" bearing the statement, "written with his own hand in the seventy-ninth year of his age and in the year of our Lord sixteen eighty seven." It was published in 1757 with a preface by Rev. Mr. Prince, pastor of the Old South Church in Boston, and it is said to have supplied almost all of the arguments of the Millerites of our day. (Note that it is difficult to date the time of ‘our day', but it may be ca. 1860. TheMillerites was a religious movement started in 1840 that officially became the Seventh Day Adventist Church in 1863.)

Upon the death of his brother James Torrey 2, of Scituate in 1665, Capt. William became guardian of two of his children, Jonathan and Mary, who grew up in William's family at Weymouth and were erroneously called his children by early genealogists. It is very singular

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Stott, Clifford L. "Humphrey Blake (1494?-1558) and his Descendants in New England and South Carolina: Blake, Richards, Selleck, Torrey, and Wolcott", in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   Vol. 164:63.

   William Torrey (Alice Richards, Alice Blake, John, Humphrey), bp Combe St. Nicholas, Somerset, 21 Dec 1608 [citing Bishop's Transcripts of Combe St. Nicholas]. m1. Combe St. Nicholas 17 Mar 1627/30, Agnes Combe (bp there 4 Jan 1608/9, dau of Joseph; d. bef 14 Feb 1630/1]. m2 abt 1631 Jane Haviland (bp at Bristol, Gloucestershire, 2 Aug 1612; bur at Combe St. Nicholas 27 Apr 1639]. m3 Unknown, mentioned but not named in his will, claimed to be Elizabeth Fry, sister of George Fry of Combe St. Nicholas and Weymouth.