52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 52: DEACON GREGORY STONE OF CAMBRIDGE PT1

And so  I've come to my last ancestor for this year's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, 9x great grandfather Deacon Gregory Stone of Cambridge, Ma.  Here's the entry in William Richard Cutter's Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume 4:

Gregory Stone, immigrant ancestor, came to America with his family, in the "Defence," which sailed from London early in July, 1635, and arrived, presumably at Boston, in October of the same year. He had as fellow passengers Rev. Thomas Shepard and his associate, who were fleeing religious intolerance at home. On the voyage they were exposed to greater danger than that found by most of the colonists, for their ship had  "a bottom too decayed and feeble indeed for such a voyage so that a perilous leak endangered her safety on the way hither." In the same year his brother Simon came with his family on the ship "Increase," also from London.

(II)Deacon Gregory Stone, born in England, about 1590, baptized at Great Bromley, Essex county, England, April 19, 1592, died at Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 30, 1672. He settled first at Watertown as early as 1636, but soon removed to Cambridge, of which he was a proprietor in 1637. He was admitted a freeman May 25, 1636, with his brother Simon, both of Watertown. His farm at Cambridge was noted for high state of cultivation and excellent orchards. It is the site of the present Botanic Gardens of Harvard College. He was deacon of the Cambridge Church thirty-four years, deputy to the general court, and local magistrate. He deposed September 18, 1658, that he was aged about sixty-seven years. He died November 30, 1672, aged eighty-two. His will was proved December 14, 1672. The widow died June 24, 1674. He married in Nayland, England, July 20, 1617, Margaret Garrad, baptized at Nayland, December 5, 1597, and buried there August 4, 1628. Stone married second, in England, Lydia Cooper, widow, born in England and died in Cambridge, June 24, 1674. His second wife had by her first marriage a son John Cooper, who married Anne Sparhawk, and a daughter Lydia, who married David Fisk. Children: i. John, baptized July 31, 1618, in England; settled in Framingham; ancestor of the main families of Worcester county of this name. 2. Dr. Daniel, baptized August 15, 1620; resided in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 3. David, baptized September 22, 1622; resided in Cambridge. 4. Elizabeth, baptized October 3, 1624, buried at Nayland, England. 5. Elizabeth, baptized March 6, 1628: married Anthony Potter, of Ipswich. 6. Samuel, mentioned below. 7. Sarah, baptized February 8, 1632: married July 12, 1653, Joseph Merriam, of Concord; she died April 8, 1704. -p1889

Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume 4  Lewis historical publishing Company, N Y. N.Y. 1908


But this wasn't the only place I found online with details of Gregory's life, and I found something very interesting about Gregory on another website.

To be continued.