Transcript:Colonial Society of Massachusetts. Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts/v10p261

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The Rev. HENRY A. PARKER read the following paper on --

THE REVEREND FRANCIS DOUGHTY.

The Rev. Francis Doughty came to the Bay Colony probably in 1638 and is first known in America as an inhabitant of Dorchester.¹ He was the son of Francis Doughty, merchant, at one time an alderman of Bristol, England, who made his will 16 May, 1634, ² he being then of Hampsteed in the parish of Oldsbury, Gloucestershire.³ His son, the emigrant, signs the will as witness "Fr: Doughtie, minst'," and this is the earliest record that has been found of him. He was neither of Oxford nor of Dublin University. In 1634 he was married and had three children, Mary, Francis, and Elias, who, as also his wife Bridget,⁴ were afterwards with him here. The day before he made his will, Alderman Doughty executed a deed of trust of his farm at Hampsteed for

¹ " Me Franciscu Doughty De Dorcestria in N. A. plantator' tener' &c. Henrico Webb in quingentia libris etc Dat 29.5.1639. Coram Johe Winthrop & meipo" (T. Lechford's Note-Book, p. 137).

² The will of Alderman Doughty mentions, besides son Francis and daughter Elizabeth, Spencer Achley, son of daughter Frances; John Dauyes, son of daughter Margaret; and Mary, Francis, and Eliah [Elias], children of son Francis (H. F. Waters, Genealogical Gleanings in England, i. 820). Alderman Doughty had also a son Jacob, who died about 1634 (Lechford's Note- Book, 1867, p. 110), and a brother Robert Doughty who died not later than 1637, leaving a widow Margaret (Ibid. p. 88). There was a John Doughty at Bristol, successively sheriff (1606), alderman, mayor, and member of Parliament (1628), who was probably the John Doughty, one of the patentees of the London and Bristol Adventurers for Colonizing Newfoundland (1610). This man, presumably a relative, died in 1628 or 1629. Doughty or Doughtie was not a Gloucestershire family. It is asserted in Bolton's History of the County of Westchester, New York, that the refugee was descended from " the Doughtys or Douteys of Easher Surrey, and Boston, Lincolnshire, England, descended from an English Saxon house of Dohteg, before the conquest" (ii. 414). Mr. Bolton is not critical in such matters. The family names would perhaps point to descent from Doughtys of Hanworth, County Norfolk; it is clearly not a Gloucestershire family.

³ A farme called Hamsted farme . . . worth 20001 at the least" (Lechford's Note-Book, p. 111). There is Oldbury-on-the-Hill on the east border of Gloucestershire, and Oldbury-on-Severn, each with its Roman camp.

⁴ It is not expressly stated that Elizabeth Cole's "sister" is her sister-in-law and her brother Francis' wife, but so it seems.