John Sprague

  General Notes:

Lt. John Sprague is not the biological son of John Sprague. He is the illegitimate son of the Rev. Samuel Fuller.

#https://mayflowerdna.org/wiki/index.php/Elizabeth,_wife_of_William_Bassett_(mtDNA)

"Ruth Bassett was born Plymouth abt 1634 and died prob. Plymouth aft 22 Mar 1693. She had a son, John Sprague "Jr." born shortly after her first marriage to John Sprague "Sr." as they were fined on 6 Jun 1655 for having a child born too soon after marriage. However, Y-DNA testing documents this child (John "Jr.") was not fathered by John, but rather by a member of the Fuller family. Rev. Samuel Fuller (II) was the only Fuller living near Duxbury in 1654, so is believed to be the genetic/biological father of John."

#https://www.thefullersociety.org/uploads/3/4/8/8/34885945/march20.pdf

"According to Y-DNA testing, Lt. John Sprague, ca. 1655-1727/8 of Duxbury, MA and Lebanon, CT was the illegitimate son of the Reverend Samuel Fuller." "Of the seven Fuller Men living in New England in 1655 that were old enough to father a child, only Rev. Samuel was living in Plymouth near Duxbury."

"The General Society of Mayflower Descendants is recognizing the results of Mr. Child's research and are accepting that Lt. John Sprague is the illegitimate son of Rev. Samuel Fuller."

#https://sprague.one-name.net/getperson.php?personID=I17314&tree=Sprague


The Sprague Project

Several pages describing DNA analysis of the Sprague and Fuller families follows including an analysis of seven Fuller men. Then:

"Of the seven Fuller men listed above who lived in New England in 1655 and were old enough to father a child only Samuel Fuller (Samuel) of Plymouth was living near Duxbury. The two sons and three grandsons of Edward Fuller were all living in Barnstable. Any of them might have visited Plymouth and could possible be the father of this Ruth's son (and thus these six candidates are all of Mayflower descent), Samuel Fuller is the most likely, since he is the only one living near Ruth Bassett."

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sprague-391

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Christopher Challender Child, Lt. John Sprauge (ca. 1655-1727/8) of Duxbury, Mass., and Lebanon, Conn., an illegitimate son of Samuel Fuller (Samuel)? Mayflower Descendant Vol 67.2:177+ (Summer 2019)

At the General Court at Plymouth on 6 Jun 1655, John Sprague (Francis) and Ruth Bassett (William) of Duxbury were "present[ed] for fornication before they were married..." Comparison of the Y-DNA of descendants of eldest son John to sons Samuel and William and other Sprague children show he was not John Sprague's biological child. Indeed descendants match the Y-DNA haplogroup of the Fullers of Plymouth. Which Fuller male could have fathered Ruth Bassett's eldest child John? Only Samuel Fuller (Samuel) of Plymouth was living near Duxbury.


John married 1st Lydia (last name unknown) who was b. July 18, 1658 (this date is spurious as there is no known source for it - only her death date is known) in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA she died July 18, 1725 in Lebanon, New London Co., CT m. bef Nov 6, 1683 in Duxbury. From the records of the Colony of New Plymouth, "Shurtlif, 6:115. At the Court at Plymouth the sixth of Nov 1683 John and Lydia were after contract were fined five pounds for fornication."

John Sprague was Constable of Duxbury in 1692, and held other public trusts there at various times from 1684 to 1701. He was one of the conspicuous members of the Church in Duxbury.

January 8, 1702-3, John Sprague, "Mariner," and Lydia his wife, of Duxbury, deeded 40 acres of upland with dwelling house and barn standing thereon in Duxbury for 125 pounds to Israel Sylvester of Scituate. His last deed in Duxbury was given January 28, 1703. He removed to Lebanon, CT, probably in the spring of this year and became the owner of much land there.

1705, 1710, 1714. Selectman, Lebanon.

"John Sprague of Duxbury In ye County * * "of New Plymouth, Weaver, being Grandson to Francis Sprague Deed & eldest son of & heir to John Sprague also Deceased both formerly of ye above son County &, Jurisdiction having by Lineal Decent a Real Right " to One half of a purchase of Land Lying In * * Dartmouth * * now in the * occupation of my Uncle Ralf Earle," grantor to "John Earle of said Dartmouth * all my Real and Right title Interest & property In & to the half share of Land having full power & Lawful Authority to Dispose of ye same * * by virtue of Descent from Francis Sprague aforesaid the original purchaser & proprietor * Eleventh day of October Anno Domi 1686.

John Sprague and Lydia Sprague.'* (Bristol Co., Mass., Deeds xxxi, 156.)


He was Constable of Duxbury in 1692, and held other public trusts there at various times from 1684 to 1701. He was one of the conspicuous members of the Church in Duxbury.

1702-3, Jan. 8. John Sprague, "Mariner," and Lydia his wife, of Duxbury deeded 40 acres of upland ___ dwelling house and barn standing thereon in Duxbury for £125 to Israel Sylvester of Scituate. (Plymouth Co. Deeds, V. 103.) His last deed in Duxbury was given Jan. 28, 1702-3. 1703. He removed to Lebanon, Conn., probably in the spring of this year and became the owner of much land there.

1705 1710, 1714. Selectman, Lebanon.
1706 May and Oct.; 1708 May and Oct.; 1709 May and Oct.; 1711, 1713 in May; 1714, 1716, 1718, in Oct.; 1719 May and Oct.; 1720 'May. Rep. from Lebanon to Gen. Court.
1706. He bore the title of Ensign; and of Lieut. in 1710-20.
1712-3 Jan. 8. He deeded to son Benjamin Sprague, land in Lebanon.
1713-4 Jan. 19. He deeded to son John Sprague, 120 acres of land.
1714 Sept. 21. He deeded to George Way, Jr., of Lyme, 100 acres of land.
1715-6 Jan. IS. He deeded to son Samuel Sprague 120 acres of land. (See Lebanon Deeds, ii, 372, 426, 400, 515.)
1715, July 14. John Sprague, Sr., and John Sprague, Jr., agree to liberate Jack, an Indian, slave bought by them, when he has served faithfully 12 years, and give him a colt which they agree to keep free of charge until Jack sees fit to dispose of him. They also give him a ewe sheep, which they agree to keep and her increase for two years. (Ibid, iii, 95.)
1726, July 6. "Will mentions beloved wife, Mrs. Lois Sprague (Able), granddaughter, Mary Way, and son Ephraim Sprague. (Windham Co. Probate, i, 246.)

Lt. John Sprague was a weaver and legislator.

"Sprague Families in America", by Dr. Warren Vincent Sprague, page 12."
Children:
1. Capt. Ephraim Sprague born March 15, 1684/85 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., MA and died November 1754 in Lebanon, CT. He married 1st Deborah Woodworth abt 1728 in Lebanon, CT and 2nd Abigail Calkin in Lebanon, CT and 3rd wife May 1727 in Duxbury, MA and died after 1788 in Dutchess, NY.
2. Benjamin Sprague born July 15, 1686 in Duxbury, MA July 7, 1754 in Lebanon, CT. Married 1st Mary Woodworth December 29, 1707 in Lebanon, CT; 2nd Wife Prudence Minor married January 26, 1725/26 in Stonington, New London, CT and married 3rd Abigail Hodge Tisdale before 1727."
3. Samuel Sprague born December 31, 1688 in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA and died April 6, 1763 in Canaan, Litchfield, CT at age 76.
4. Capt. John Sprague born September 1692 in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA and married February 22, 1710 in Lebanon, New London Co., CT Mary Babcock born abt 1692. John died 1760 in Canaan, Litchfield, CT.
5. Lydia Sprague born 1692 in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA she died March 3, 1762 probably in Sharon, Litchfield, CT at age 70. Married George Way II 19 July 1713 in Lebanon, CT. A daughter Mary M. Way-Murry.
6. Irene Sprague born abt 1701 in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA and baptized 1701 in Plympton, MA, she married July 9, 1723 Aaron Fish who was born abt 1700. Her children 1. Aaron 2. Sarah 3. Samuel 4. Asahel, 5. Zerviah 6. Irene 7. Eunice Bliss
7. Ruth Sprague born September 3, 1704 in Lebanon, New London, CT married November 12, 1724 to Clodus Dillis born 12 November 1700.
8. Ebenezer Sprague born abt 1705 in Lebanon, New London, CT

2nd Wife Lois Abel m. 21 March 1725/6 in Lebanon, CT

  Birth Notes:

John and Ruth Sprague fined 6 Jun 1655 for having a child too soon after their marriage. This suggests John Sprague Jr (biological son of Rev Samuel Fuller) was born in April or May 1655).

John married Lydia before 1683. (Lydia was born about 1658 in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America and died on 18 July 1725 in Lebanon, New London, Connecticut, British Colonial America.)