John HOWE

                   John Howe of Sudbury was one of the petitioners in 1657 for thegrantwhich constituted Marlborough.  He was son of John Howe, supposed tobethe John Howe, Esz, who came from Warwickshire in England and who wasadescendant of John Howe himself the son of John of Hodinhullandconnected with the family of Sir Charles Howe of Lancaster, in thereignof Charles I. John Howe resided first perhaps at Wat. and afterwards at Sudbury,wherehe was in 1639.  He was admitted freeman in 1640.  He died atMarlborough1687 and his wife Mary died about eh same time.  In 1642 hewas selectmanin Sudbury and in 1655 was appointed by the pastor andselectmen to seeto the restraining of youth on the Lord's day.  Accordingto tradition,he was the first white inhabitant, who settled on the newgrant.  He cameto Marlborough about 1657 and built him a cabin a littleto the east ofthe Indian Planting Field whiere his descendants lived formanygenerations.  His place was situated some 100 rods from SpringHillMeeting House, a little to the east of the present road from SpringHillto Feltenville - recently occupied by the late Edward Rice.Hisproximity to the Indian Plantation brought him in direct contact withthenaties; but by his kindness, he gained the confidence and good willofhis savage neighbors who accordinglky, not only respected his rightsbutin many cases made him the umpire in cases of difficultiesamongthemselves.  In a case where a pumpkin vine sprang up within thepremisesof one Indian and the fruit ripened upon the premises of another,thedispute which arose between them as to the ownership of the pumpkin,wasreferred to him; and inspired with the wisdom of a send Colomon,hecalled for a knife and severed the fruit giving a moiety to each.Thisstruck the parties as the perfection of justice and fixedtheimpoartiality of the judge on an immutablebasis. Nor was a sense of his justice and impartiality confided in by theIndiansalone.  When in 1662, Thomas Danforth, Esq. made a demand uponthe Colonyfor a further compensation for his services, the Court orderedthat he"shall have granted him so much land as old Goodman Rice andGoodman Howe, of Marlborough, shall judge to be worth 10 pound and theyare impoweredto bound the same to him. John Howe opened the first public house in the place.  About 1670, wefindhis petiton for a renewal of his license and he speaks as though hehadbeen some time engaged in the business. The descendants of John Howe were very numerous;  though a portion oftheHowes of Marlborough were of another family.  John Howe's willproved1689 mentions wife Mary, sons Samuel, Isaac, Josiah, Thomas, andEleazerand daughters Sarah War, Mary Wetherby and John Jowe, Jr, a son ofsonJohn, deceased.  His property was inventoried at L 511.  He gaveThomas"the horse he troops on." Check date year of death - I had1687

From Pioneers of Massachusetts (Carlsbad) John, Sudbury from May 13,1640Town Officer 1657.  He petitioned 30 Sep 1662 to be excusedfromtraining because he was aged, thick of hearing and had 3 soldiers inthefamily.  Wife Mary

Pioneers of Massachusetts has John dying on 28 May 1680 which isrecorded.Will dated 24 Jay and probated 15 Jun 1680 beq to wife; chlSamuel, Isaac,Josiah, Thomas, Eleazer, Sarah Ward, Mary Witherby;grandchildren John,son of John
                  

                   The Howes were among the very first settlers of Marlboroughfurnishingvast numbers of emigrants for other and more westerntowns. In 1692, Elizabeth was in Lancaster at the house of Peter Joslin,whomarried her sister, when Indians attacked the house, murdered thefamilyand carried her into captivity, where she remained three or fouryears,when she was ransomed by the Government and restored to herfriends.When she was captured, she was about to be married; herintended,considering her lost to him forever, resolved never to marry;but on herreturn repented of his folly.  They moved to Shrewsbury, wherehe died in1742.  She died at age 89 on Aug. 18, 1764.  It is said thatshe neverfully recovered from the fright of her capture.