FREETHY, William

Abt 1612 - 1688  (76 years)

 Set As Default Person

• Name	FREETHY, William  [1, 2, 3]
  Birth	Abt 1612	England   [1, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Arrival	1635	Maine, USA   [2]
  Departure	1635  [3]
  Differentiator	The Great Migration; Immigrant; First families of NH
  Great Migration	https://www.americanancestors.org/DB115/rd/7373/583/235162647
  Web Address	https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Freethy-8
  Occupation	Fisherman
  Residence	Richmond Island, Cumberland, Maine, USA   [3]
  Residence	1652	York, York, Maine, USA   [3]
  Death	1688	USA   [3]
  Person ID	I9145	My Genealogy | Laviolette Ancestry, Laviolette Ancestry
  Last Modified	4 Feb 2024

  
  

  Family	UNKNOWN, Elizabeth,   b. 1618, Cornwall, England d. 1688, York, York, Maine, USA (Age 70 years)
  Marriage	1641	Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA   [1]
  Children	+ 1. FREETHY, Elizabeth,   b. 26 Mar 1648, York, York, Maine, USA d. 19 Apr 1720, Berwick, York, Maine, USA (Age 72 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F6960	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Feb 2024

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - Abt 1612 - England Arrival - 1635 - Maine, USA Residence - - Richmond Island, Cumberland, Maine, USA Marriage - 1641 - Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA Residence - 1652 - York, York, Maine, USA Death - 1688 - USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  
  

  Documents		Great Migration William Freethy (1612-1688)
  		Great Migration: William Freethy (1612-1688) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB115/rd/7373/583/235162647 It is believed that William arrived on the ship Speedwell in 1635. In the early years of his settlement, William found himself on Richmond Island, off the coast of Maine. Here, he was involved in a notable mutiny. The crux of the problem was a dispute over payment: the crew members were upset because Winter wouldn't issue them bills for additional money they believed they were owed beyond their agreed shares. This disagreement led to a serious conflict, with some crew members, believing they were mistreated, deciding to leave the plantation. They planned to start fishing on their own, heading westward, though their exact destination was unknown. The mutineers included Lander, suspected to be the ringleader, along with William Ham, Oliver Clarke, John Bellin, William Freethy, and John Simmons - six men in total. William married Elizabeth in Portsmouth in 1640 and then later moved to York where he was a ferryman. William and Elizabeth found themselves in court several times for offenses such as profaning the Sabbath, refusing to lead an "orderly" life, fighting, and drinking. We are descended from the Freethy's through the Laviolette (Shorey) line.

  
  

  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.

  
  

• Notes

  William Freethy, born around 1612, embarked on a journey to the New World that would significantly shape his life and legacy. It is believed that he arrived on the ship Speedwell in 1635, joining the wave of English settlers seeking new opportunities in America. In the early years of his settlement, William found himself on Richmond Island, off the coast of Maine. Here, he was involved in a notable mutiny, a reflection of the challenging and often harsh conditions faced by early colonists in these remote outposts. In 1636, John Winter, who managed Robert Trelawny's fishing operations in Maine, encountered a challenging situation with his crew. He wrote to Trelawny on June 28, 1636, detailing the issues. The crux of the problem was a dispute over payment: the crew members were upset because Winter wouldn't issue them bills for additional money they believed they were owed beyond their agreed shares. Winter himself was unsure if this additional payment had been made. This disagreement led to a serious conflict, with some crew members, believing they were treated unfairly, deciding to leave the plantation. They planned to start fishing on their own, heading westward, though their exact destination was unknown. The mutineers included Lander, suspected to be the ringleader, along with William Ham, Oliver Clarke, John Bellin, William Freethyy, and John Simmons - six men in total. Their return to Trelawny's service was uncertain. After his time on Richmond Island, William moved to Portsmouth, where he married Elizabeth in about 1640. Later, as s a ferryman in York, Maine, he played a crucial role in providing transportation across waterways, facilitating the movement of people and goods, and contributing to the local economy. William Freethy and his wife Elizabeth experienced a series of legal troubles spanning several years, primarily in Portsmouth, where they moved in 1640. Their encounters with the law began with William's indictment by the Saco grand jury for profaning the Sabbath by carrying boards, a violation of His Majesty's law, resulting in a fine of 20 shillings. Further issues arose in August 1643 when William was accused of neglecting religious ordinances and refusing to lead an orderly life among his neighbors. This was followed by another incident in September 1645, where he faced a fine for engaging in a fight. William's legal troubles continued into the latter part of the 1660s. On October 19, 1667, a grand jury member, James Grant, reported that William was drunk. Acknowledging this offense, William was fined five shillings. Despite these challenges, William and Elizabeth were granted land by the town of York on March 18, 1671/72. In the same year, Elizabeth faced her own legal issues. On July 1, 1671, she was convicted of defaming Mrs. Rishworth and excessive drinking. The court fined her 30 shillings for these offenses. However, either due to refusal or neglect on William's part to pay the fine, Elizabeth was subjected to a harsher punishment of fifteen stripes.

  
  

• Sources

  [S1706] Heritage Consulting, Millennium File, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2003;). [S1691] Ancestry.com, U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Place: Maine; Year: 1620-1650; Page Number: 15. [S1685] Ancestry.com, New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2013;). New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635