Thomas Prence
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Thomas Prence (1599 - March 29, 1673) was a co-founder of Eastham, Massachusetts, a political leader in both the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies, and governor of Plymouth (1634, 1638, and 1657 - 1673).
Born in England (one source says Lechlade, Gloucestershire), Prence came to the American colonies on the Fortune, arriving on November 9, 1621. During his time as governor, he was notable for his especial hatred of heretics, particularly Quakers. He also despised the ignorant, making a concerted effort to raise more money for schools in order to insure that future generations would be better educated. Prence is credited for giving Metacomet his English name "Philip."
Prence married three times; first to Patience Brewster, passenger of the Anne and native of Scrooby, on August 5, 1624. They had four children:
- Thomas Prence;
- Rebecca Prence, who married Edmund Freeman, had two children, and died in Sandwich, Massachusetts;
- Mercy Prence, who married John Freeman, had eleven children, and settled in Eastham, Massachusetts;
- and Hannah Prence, who married Nathaniel Mayo, had six children, and died in Eastham.
Prence next married Mary Collier (b. 1612) on April 1, 1635. Mary was English, a native of St. Olave parish, Southwark. She and Thomas had five children:
- Jane Prence (November 1, 1637 - 1712) who married Mark Snow, son of Constance Hopkins, they had eight children;
- Sarah Prence;
- Mary Prence;
- Elizabeth Prence;
- and Judith Prence.
Lastly, Prence married Apphia Quick in December, 1662. It is unknown whether they had any children.
Prence died March 29, 1673, in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
