John SPRAGUE

                   See notes for historical infromation

The Sprague Family: From Dorset, to Massachusetts & Gibraltar", byJoanWatkins, 1992, correspondent.Even before Ralph died, his eldest son John was following in hisfather'sfootsteps, concerning himself with the community and building upvariousenterprises. England at that time was recovering from the Civil War,andCromwell had become Protector. Religion and the unsettled estate hadencouragedmore and more families to look to New England for a better way oflife. In 1651John married Lydia Goffe. Like John, she too had been born in England,andtravelled to New England with her father arriving in 1635.In 1653 John was made Freeman of the Massachusetts Colony and laterappointed tobe one of a committee of three to lay out the county's highwaysbetween newtowns Redding (now Wakefield) and Winnesmett (now Chelsea and Rivers).He joinedthe Malden Militia, first as an Ensign in 1654, then promoted toLieutenant in1664. Finally he was commissioned Captain and remained with the FootCompany ofMalden from 1685-89. During his lifetime he was also chosen SelectmanforMalden, then Representative in the General Court 1685-89 and Moderatorand Clerkof the Writs in 1687. John and Lydia lived in a property known asPound Farm,Malden (now Melrose). The house stood near Barrett's Mound on thesoutherly sideof Maple Street. They had ten children: John, Lydia, Jonathan (born1656)Samuel, Mary, Edward, Phineas, Deborah, Hannah and Sarah. It isthought thatMary died in infancy. Captain John as he was known, had a long lifeand was amuch respected citizen. He died in 1692 and was buried in the BellRockCemetery.