m. Jun 1644
Facts and Events
John Cary was born near Bristol, Somersetshire, England about 1610. He was sent to France to be educated and while there, his father died. On returning home, he differed with his brothers on estate settlement. He compromised by receiving 100 pounds and sailed to America in 1634. He and others purchased from Massasoit, chief of Pockanocket Indians 14 square miles (what is now Bridgewater, Mass.) The tract was known as Satucket. He first joined Plymouth colony, then made his home in Duxbury, Mass., then Bridgewater. In 1644, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Francis and Elizabeth Godfrey (who was a bridge builder and carpenter. In 1643 his name is on muster roll of Duxbury company commanded by Captail Miles Standish. He moved to Bridgewater where he died in 1669. It is thought the name Godfrey comes from the Duke of Bouillon, the crusader.) John Cary's lot is 1/4 mile east of the Town House. Bridgewater was incorporated in 1856. John was first town clerk. From the 1906 address by Rev. Seth C. Cary of Dorchester at the 250th anniversary of Bridgewater : John Cary performed duties of constable which was at that time 'second only to that of governor! He was the only officer in the town whose duty it was to execute the laws, and his power was almost absolute. He could arrest on suspicion, without precept, a power scarcely allowed at the present day to the chief magistrate. The grave of John Cary in unknown. British book on Devon Cary's says John couldn't have been from aforementioned line because he was a farmer and Devon Cary's were merchants! A monument to John Cary stands in Bridgewater:
(This is on a plaque in Bridgewater, Mass.)
Near this spot was the home of John Cary. Born in Somerset, England. He became in 1651 an original proprietor and honored settler on the river. Was clerk of the plantation, When the town of Bridgewater was incorporated in 1656. He was elected constable, the first and only officer of that year. Was town clerk until his death in 1681 Tradition says He was the first teacher of Latin in Plymouth Colony This tablet is erected by his descendants in memory of their historic and noble ancestor
Note: 1577 - One of Devonshire Cary's was among the first Englishmen to set foot in Amerca. George Cary, a musician with Sir Frances Drake.
It is said that John Cary, Bridgewater, came from Bristol, England at age 25 and set down first, 1637, at Duxbury. Other places he lived were Duxbury, Braintree, Bridgewater, and West Bridgewater.
Title: Mayflower Families through five generations, V. 14: Family of Myles Standish Author: edited by Robert S. Wakefield, compiled by Russell L. Warner Publication: General Society of Mayflower Descendants; Plymouth, 1997 Repository: Note: Personal library Media: Book Page: p. 15, 16 Title: History of North Bridgewater Author: King, Bradford Publication: Kingsman, Bradford. Boston, Massachusetts, 1866 Note: This book contains the history of North Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from it's earliest settlement to the present time, that focuses on the family registries. Repository: Media: Book Page: p. 463
CARY.-John Cary (from Somersetshire, Eng.) settled in Duxbury as early as 1639: he m. Elizabeth, D. of Francis Godfrey, 1644, and was an original proprietor, and among the first settlers of W. B., and the first Town Clerk: he d. 1681; his w. d. 1680: he had John at Duxbury 1645, Francis 1647, Elizabeth 1649, James at Braintree 1652, Mary at Bridgewater 1654, Jonathan 1656, David 1658, Hannah 1661, Joseph 1663, Rebecca 1665, Sarah 1667, Mehitabel 1670. - Elizabeth m. Dea. William Brett Jr.- Rebecca m. Samuel Allen Jr. 1685.-David went to Bristol and Joseph to Windham, Ct.
THE CARY FAMILY The first of this name in this country was John Cary, who came from Somersetshire, England, and settled in Duxbury, Mass., in 1639; married Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Godfrey, in 1644, and had twelve children. He was one of the first to emigrate from Duxbury to Bridgewater; his house was a quarter of a mile east of the meeting-house in West Bridgewater. He was the first town clerk of the town of Bridgewater. Sources:
1. Author: Nahum Mitchell Publication: 1840, pp. 130, 131
2. Author: Bradford Kingman Publication: Boston, 1866,Page 463
Yet another version:
"John Cary was born near Bristol, Somersetshire, England, about 1610; came to America about 1634, joined the Plymouth Colony, and made his home at Duxbury, where he had a farm. In 1644 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Francis and Elizabeth Godfrey (who was a carpenter and bridge builder, and in August 1643, we find his name on the muster-roll of the Duxbury Company commanded by Capt. Myles Standish; he removed to Bridgewater where he died in 1681; it is thought that the name Godfrey comes from the Duke of Bouillon, the Crusader)." "John, as a youth, was sent to France to expand his education. While there his father died. Upon returning to Somerset, England, a dispute arose with his brothers concerning the settlement of the estate. John accepted 100 pounds and soon after booked passage to America." "Concerning John Cary, Moses Cary has this: 'Mr. Cary was one of the Proprietors (of Bridgewater), and one of the first settlers, and was very useful among them. The town was incorporated in 1656. Mr. Cary was the first Town Clerk and continued in that office a great number of years. At first they settled near and around where the Town House now stands in West Bridgewater. Mr. Cary's lot was about 1/4 of a mile east of the Town House and on the farm where Dr. Reed lived; and there he spent the remainder of his days, and brought up a great family of children. He had six sons and six daughters. They all lived to grow up and have families, and all took to good courses so that it was the saying of some 'that there were 12 of 'em and never a Judas among them' ". "Judge Mitchell, in his description of Bridgewater, speaking of the first settlers, says: "Mr. Cary was among the most respectable of them and his family one of the most influential in the town." Educated in France; From England to Plymouth, 1634: Settled in Duxbury, 1637; Braintree, 1611; Constable of Bridgewater, MA, 1656; Town Clerk, 1657; Selectman, 1667-79. "The Cary Family---The first of this name in this country was John Cary who came from Somersetshire, England, and settled in Duxbury, MA in 1639, Married Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Godfrey, in 1644, and had 12 children. He was one of the first to emigrate from Duxbury to Bridgewater. His house was a quarter of a mile east of the meeting house in West Bridgewater. He was the 1st Town Clerk of Bridgewater." "The parents of John Cary, the Plymouth Pilgrim, have yet to be positively identified. Most theories have been disproved. He was not the son of John Cary and Elizabeth Hereford. Their son John was married in 1613 (when the Pilgrim was about 3 years old) and died in Hackney , Middlesex, England, before 1665. Proof is found in the pedigree submitted by their grandson John Cary, the famous London and Virginia merchant, to the Earl Marshall of England which resulted in confirmation of his right to bear the arms of the noble Carys of Devon (ref. College of Arms, Book of Grants IV) Copies of those documents are filed in the British Library (Stowe MS 670, folio 229 and in the Society of Genealogists Library, London. John the Pilgrim was not the son of Elizabeth and William Cary who was Mayor of Bristol in 1621. That theory was proposed by Henry Grosvenor Cary in his ' The Cary Family in America' and is disproved by the Heralds College pedigree of the Bristol Carys. The son of Elizabeth and William Cary was the John Cary who married Elizabeth Hereford (see above)." David Carey