The Minor Family of Somerset

Sources: Pioneers of Ma. Charles Henty Pope: Heritage Books, Bow
ie.
DavidL Beckwith:
John and Mary (Gawkroger) Prescott lived for a time in Sowerby
,where five of their children were born, three of whom were bro
ught to New England, two buried in Sowerby. In 1638 they were l
iving on the island of Barbados, owning more than ten acres of l
and.
John Prescott was a blackSmith inWatertown. In the first inven
tory of land in Watertown, he had a homestead of three acres bou
nded by Richard Browne and Richard Beers. He also held 6 ofupl
and bounded by Edward How and Samuel Hosier, one of plowland i
n lot 63of the Further Plain, on of meadow in lot 55 of the Rem
ote Meadow, 25 of upland on lot 29 of Division 1 and 90 of uplan
d in Division 9. He bought a house and land in Lancaster o
n 5 Oct 1647. He took an oath of fidelity in 1652 and petitione
d the General Court on 19 June 1650. He was a Freeman in 1669
.He finished his mill and began to grind corn on 23 May 1654
. He was appointed one of six prudential managers for the tow
n of Lancaster in 1653 by the General Court. His will was date
d 8 October 1673 and proved 4 April 1682. He bequeathed to hi
s wife, sons John, Jonathan and Jonas; to James Sawyer hisgrand
son and servant; to daughters Mary, Sarah and Lydia,; and to gra
ndchild Martha Ruge.