GOOCH, John
Abt 1600 - Aft 1667 (> 67 years)
Set As Default Person 
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Name GOOCH, John Birth Abt 1600 Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England 
Gender Male Differentiator Great Migration, Immigrant Great Migration Yes; John lived on "Gooch's Neck" on the northeast shore of the Cape Neddick River near the mouth which he acquired by grant from Oliver Godfrey about 1639 Web Address https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gooch-237 Death Aft 7 May 1667 Wells, York, Maine, USA Person ID I19853 My Genealogy Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
Family HAMMOND, Ruth, b. Abt 1600, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England d. 1675, Wells, York, Maine, USA (Age 75 years) Marriage 1622 Gloucestershire, England Children 1. GOOCH, Frances, b. Bef 1618, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England d. 1669, York, York, Maine, USA (Age > 51 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]2. GOOCH, Ruth, b. Abt 1623, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England d. 1664, York, York, Maine, USA (Age 41 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]3. GOOCH, John, b. 1623, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England d. 7 May 1697, Wells, York, Maine, USA (Age 74 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]4. GOOCH, Elizabeth, b. 1629, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England d. Abt 1680 (Age 51 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]5. GOOCH, James, b. 1631, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England d. 24 Sep 1676, Wells, York, Maine, USA (Age 45 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]Family ID F13579 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
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Event Map 
Birth - Abt 1600 - Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England 
Marriage - 1622 - Gloucestershire, England 
Death - Aft 7 May 1667 - Wells, York, Maine, USA = Link to Google Earth
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Photos 
Plaque commemorating the founders of Wells, Maine
External Links 
WikiTree: John Gooch (1600-1667) John and Ruth (Hammond) Gooch, originally from Slymbridge, Gloucestershire, England, were married in 1622. They had five children, all born in Slymbridge, Gloucestershire. Seeking new opportunities, the family emigrated to New England by 1639, settling on "Gooch's Neck" on the northeast shore of the Cape Neddick River, in what is now present-day Maine. John also owned property near the Meeting House and at the Little River. On 19 June 1640 he headed a committee for settling the government in York/Agamenticus.Around 1641, the Gooch family became embroiled in a scandal. Court records from York, Maine, reveal that Ruth Gooch was involved in an affair with George Burdett, a Puritan minister known for his controversial lifestyle and conflicts with the Massachusetts Bay authorities. The court fined Burdett £20 for "deflowering Ruth, wife of John Gooch of Agamenticus," and Ruth was found guilty of adultery. Her punishment, as per the court's decision, was to stand publicly in a white sheet, without other clothing, in the congregation at Agamenticus on two Sabbath days and one day at the General Court. A witness claimed to have heard John Gooch express a desire to shoot Mr. Burdett, though Ruth reportedly dissuaded him.Specifically, the court record reads: "For deflowering Ruth, wife of John Gooch of Agamenticus aforesaid," George Burdett was fined £20. The wife, Ruth, was found guilty "By the Grand Inquest, of adultery with Mr. George Burdett" and "is censured by this court, that six weeks after she is delivered of child, she shall stand in a white sheet, without other clothing, publickly in the congregation at Agamenticus two several sabbath days, and likewise one day at this General Court when she shall be thereunto called by one or all of the counsellors of this Province, according to his Majesty's laws in that case provided." A witness in the case testified that he heard "John Gouch say that he was minded to shoote Mr. Burdett, but that his wife persuaded him to the contrary, and he thought that John Gouch carryed a pistoll in his pockett to shoote Mr. Burdett."The mentioned child was never born. Considering that it is estimated that Ruth was born in 1600, she would have been 40 or 41 at this time, rather old for childbirth, so perhaps she lost it. In 1655, John and Ruth had moved permanently to Wells, Maine. It is possible that they were distancing themselves from this scandal. Despite this tumultuous period, Ruth and John continued to live together until John's death sometime after May 7, 1667 when he made his will.As for Rev. George Burdett, apart from the incident with Ruth Gooch and at approximately the same time, he fathered a child with Mary, the wife of George Puddington. The child's name was Sarah, born in1641. Correspondence from Thomas Gorges to John Winthrop describes Burdett's reprehensible behavior, and by 1641, Burdett left for England, eventually settling in Ireland where he spent the rest of his life. Interestingly, John and Ruth's daughter Ruth died in 1664 and her husband Peter Weare married as his second wide Mary Puddington, a daughter of George and Mary Puddington.
We are descended on the Wright (Tucker) line through two of John and Ruth's daughters: Ruth and Frances.
Albums 
Great Migration (119)
The "Great Migration," as defined by the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), encompasses the English Puritan migration to New England from 1620 to 1640. This movement primarily involved English Puritans who relocated in family units, driven by a quest for religious freedom and the aspiration to establish a Puritan commonwealth. These migrants originated from various regions of England and settled in areas that now form Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, including the Plymouth Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
An individual's inclusion in the Great Migration Study Project requires evidence of migration to New England within the specified period of 1620 to 1640. The project's objective is to compile biographical and genealogical profiles of all immigrants who arrived in New England during these two decades. The NEHGS has produced extensive volumes and directories, providing details about the lives of these immigrants. This collection presents research on many ancestors who were part of this significant historical migration.
You may be shocked by how many there are. Even I was at first. However, most of these Great Migration ancestors are my 9th and 10th great-grandparents, and in some cases 11th and 12th, and with the number of great-grandparents doubling with each generation, the possibilities quickly become immense. We have a total of 1024 sets of 9th great-grandparents and 2048 sets of 10th great-grandparents. This makes finding so many Great Migration ancestors more understandable.Founding Families of Wells (3)
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Notes - John and Ruth (Hammond) Gooch, originally from Slymbridge, Gloucestershire, England, were married in 1622. They had five children, all born in Slymbridge, Gloucestershire. Seeking new opportunities, the family emigrated to New England by 1639, settling on "Gooch's Neck" on the northeast shore of the Cape Neddick River, in what is now present-day Maine. John also owned property near the Meeting House and at the Little River. On 19 June 1640 he headed a committee for settling the government in York/Agamenticus.
Around 1641, the Gooch family became embroiled in a scandal. Court records from York, Maine, reveal that Ruth Gooch was involved in an affair with George Burdett, a Puritan minister known for his controversial lifestyle and conflicts with the Massachusetts Bay authorities. The court fined Burdett £20 for "deflowering Ruth, wife of John Gooch of Agamenticus," and Ruth was found guilty of adultery. Her punishment, as per the court's decision, was to stand publicly in a white sheet, without other clothing, in the congregation at Agamenticus on two Sabbath days and one day at the General Court. A witness claimed to have heard John Gooch express a desire to shoot Mr. Burdett, though Ruth reportedly dissuaded him.
Specifically, the court record reads: "For deflowering Ruth, wife of John Gooch of Agamenticus aforesaid," George Burdett was fined £20. The wife, Ruth, was found guilty "By the Grand Inquest, of adultery with Mr. George Burdett" and "is censured by this court, that six weeks after she is delivered of child, she shall stand in a white sheet, without other clothing, publickly in the congregation at Agamenticus two several sabbath days, and likewise one day at this General Court when she shall be thereunto called by one or all of the counsellors of this Province, according to his Majesty's laws in that case provided." A witness in the case testified that he heard "John Gouch say that he was minded to shoote Mr. Burdett, but that his wife persuaded him to the contrary, and he thought that John Gouch carryed a pistoll in his pockett to shoote Mr. Burdett."
The mentioned child was never born. Considering that it is estimated that Ruth was born in 1600, she would have been 40 or 41 at this time, rather old for childbirth, so perhaps she lost it. In 1655, John and Ruth had moved permanently to Wells, Maine. It is possible that they were distancing themselves from this scandal. Despite this tumultuous period, Ruth and John continued to live together until John's death sometime after May 7, 1667 when he made his will.
As for Rev. George Burdett, apart from the incident with Ruth Gooch and at approximately the same time, he fathered a child with Mary, the wife of George Puddington. The child's name was Sarah, born in1641. Correspondence from Thomas Gorges to John Winthrop describes Burdett's reprehensible behavior, and by 1641, Burdett left for England, eventually settling in Ireland where he spent the rest of his life. Interestingly, John and Ruth's daughter Ruth died in 1664 and her husband Peter Weare married as his second wide Mary Puddington, a daughter of George and Mary Puddington.
- John and Ruth (Hammond) Gooch, originally from Slymbridge, Gloucestershire, England, were married in 1622. They had five children, all born in Slymbridge, Gloucestershire. Seeking new opportunities, the family emigrated to New England by 1639, settling on "Gooch's Neck" on the northeast shore of the Cape Neddick River, in what is now present-day Maine. John also owned property near the Meeting House and at the Little River. On 19 June 1640 he headed a committee for settling the government in York/Agamenticus.