Female Heir of Mayflower Passenger Sells Myles Standish Co-owned Wampanoag Land in Mass 1670!

With this 1670 deed, Sarah Warren conveyed a half share in land in Dartmouth to William Gifford in exchange for £30 in silver. Before his death, her husband Nathaniel Warren had sold half of his interest in the land to Richard Kirby Sr. in December 1662 for £25. Nathaniel Warren purchased the share from Thomas Morton in January 1661.

Thomas Morton had been one of thirty-six original purchasers (including William Bradford, Myles Standish, and Nathaniel Warren's widowed mother Elizabeth Warren) of the tract of land known as Old Dartmouth from Wampanoag sachems Ousa Mequin and his son and successor Wamsutta in 1652. In return for the extensive tract of land (~104,000 acres), the Wampanoag received "thirty yards of cloth, eight moose-skins, fifteen axes, fifteen hoes, fifteen pairs of breeches, eight blankets, two kettles, one clock, two pounds in wampum, eight pair stockings, eight pair shoes, one iron pot, and ten shillings." Each of the purchasers received one share, except for four who equally divided two shares. Each full share entitled the owner to claim a portion of the common land, and each share would have included at least 1,500 acres of land.

In May 1683, William Gifford conveyed the same land to his sons Robert Gifford (ca. 1656-1730) and Christopher Gifford (ca. 1658-1748).

[MAYFLOWER.] Sarah Walker Warren, Manuscript Document Signed with Mark, Deed to William Gifford, November 10, 1670, Plymouth Colony. 2 pp., 8.125" x 12.75". Several small holes or tears on folds, but no significant loss of text; general toning.

Excerpt
"Know all men by these presents that I Sarah Warren of the Towne of Plymouth in the Jurisdicttion of Plymouth in New England in America widdow, the Relict of Nathaniel Warren deceased being Invested with full power to make sale of such lands as occation might Require, as the said Nathaniel died posesed off as doth more fully appear by his Last Will and testament bearing date the 29th day of June Anno Domi 1667 doe therefore acknowledge that for and in consideration of the sume of thirty pounds of Currant Silver mony of New England to mee satisfied and payed, by William Gifford of the Towne of Sandwich in the Jurisdicttion aforesd Tayler I have freely and absolutely bargained allianated and sold enfeofed and confeirmed and by these presents doe bargaine allianate sell efeof and confeirme from mee the said Sarah Warren and my heires to him the sd William Gifford and his heires and assignes forever The one half of a [?] Share or portion of Land comonly Called Acushenah Coaksett and places adjacent in and within the Township of Dartmouth in the Jurisdiction of Plymouth aforesaid: viz the one halfe in deale of that Share Right and portion of Land in the Township and places aforenamed which my husband Nathaniel Warren Rem deceased bought of Thomas Morton of Plymouth aforesaid the other half whereof my sd husband sold to Richard Kerbey Senir of Sandwich aforsd which sd share lott portion Right and Interest in the said land belonged unto him the sd Thomas Morton as being one of the purchasers soe called, whoe purchased the whole Tract of Land of the Township of Dartmouth off Woosamequen and Wamsutta Indians Sachems deceased; as appeareth by a deed of sale under theire hand and seal bearing date the twentyninth day of November Anno dom: 1652...."

Sarah Walker Warren (1622-1700) was born in Surrey, England. In 1645, she married Nathaniel Warren (1624-1667), who was one of the first children born in the Plymouth Colony in January 1624. His father Richard Warren (1578-1628) arrived in the New World aboard the Mayflower in 1620 and signed the Mayflower Compact in November 1620. Nathaniel Warren's mother Elizabeth Warren (1583-1673) and five older sisters arrived aboard the Ann in 1623. Nathaniel and Sarah Warren had twelve children.

William Gifford (ca. 1615-1687) was born in England and was a member of the Society of Friends. He prospered and became a large landowner. Gifford migrated to the Plymouth Colony after 1643 and was a member of the Grand Inquest (an early grand jury) at Plymouth in 1650. Five years later, he was among the first proprietors of the Monmouth Patent in New Jersey. He lived in Sandwich and owned land there and in Falmouth and Dartmouth. Because of his Quaker faith, he refused to take the oath of fidelity to the government and to England and was fined £5 in 1658 for his refusal. He was convicted and fined again in 1660 for the same offense. He was identified as a "taylor" in deeds from 1670. He served as a surveyor of highways in Sandwich in 1677 and live there until his death.

Thomas Morton Jr. was the son of Thomas Morton who came to the Plymouth Colony in 1621 and a nephew of George Morton, who arrived in 1623. Thomas Morton Jr. also arrived in 1623 on the Ann and became a member of the Plymouth Colony. In 1652, he was one of the 34 purchasers of a tract that became the township of Dartmouth in 1664.

Richard Kirby Sr. (1604-1688/89) was born in England and married Jane Vallence about 1630, with whom he had at least eight children. They migrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony by 1636. The following year, he moved to Cape Cod and began the settlement of the town of Sandwich. He was one of the first members of the Puritan Church of Sandwich. In 1651, he was charged with failing to attend public worship. After 1660, he moved to Dartmouth, Massachusetts, where in 1670 he purchased the ½ interest in Thomas Morton's share of land in Dartmouth. In 1683, he purchased additional land in Dartmouth from Zechariah Jenkins.

Ousa Mequin / Massasoit (ca. 1581-1661) was the sachem of the Wampanoag confederacy, and "Massasoit" means "Great Sachem." Weakened by a series of epidemics, Massasoit's people were vulnerable to attacks by the Narragansetts. He formed an alliance with the colonists in the Plymouth Colony for defense, and his assistance allowed the colonists to avoid starvation in the early years of settlement. In 1621, he sent Tisquantum / Squanto (ca. 1585-1622) to live among the colonists. He formed personal and political ties with leaders William Bradford, Myles Standish, Edward Winslow, and others. When Massasoit became ill in 1623, the colonists returned his kindness through Edward Winslow, who nursed him back to health.

Wamsutta / Alexander Pokanoket (ca. 1634-1662) was born of royal blood as the oldest son of Massasoit Ousa Mequin of the Pokanoket tribe and Wampanoag nation. He was the older brother of Metacomet / King Philip (16-1676). When his father died, Wamsutta became the sachem and continued the peace policies established by his father. He sold Wampanoag lands to colonists other than those of the Plymouth Colony and brought the Wampanoag considerable power, though doing so aroused the suspicions of the Plymouth colonists. In 1662, they accused him of independently negotiating land sales and marched him to Plymouth at gunpoint. He died of a "sudden illness" before returning home. His brother Metacomet succeeded him as sachem, and Wamsutta's sudden death contributed to the outbreak of King Philip's War in 1675.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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