Clement Coldham

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1623

Notes:

Like his father, he was a miller; he was also a farmer, a constable, a member of Boston's Ancient Artillery Company, and, according to James G. Dempsey (citation details below), an indefatigable "self-appointed overseer of Gloucester townspeople and their morals." Dempsey's article cited below devotes nearly two pages of tiny type to accounts of Clement Coldham snooping on his neighbors, complaining against them, testifying in court to their perfidiousness, accusing them of disloyalty to the King, suing them for slander, and occasionally being himself admonished in court for telling lies. At one point, he even spied on his own brother-in-law -- from the records of the Essex quarterly court, 30 Sep 1673, "John Pearce and Elizabeth his wife for uncleanness before marriage to be whipped or pay fine of 20 nobles. Clement Coldum aged about 50 years deposed on September 10 last on hearing John Pearce was accustomed to take widow Stanard to his house at night and seen to go away in the morning he went to the house and looked in the window...called Deacon Stevens and both saw enough to complain."

Despite everything we know about human misbehavior in late 17th-century Essex County, most notably the Salem "witchcraft" madness of 1692, the fact that Clement Coldham lived to a prosperous old age instead of being stuffed down a well is a testimony to the equanimity and moderation of these early settlers.

Clement married Mary Peirce before 1647. Mary (daughter of John Peirce and Elizabeth Trull) was born before 26 Dec 1625; was christened on 26 Dec 1625 in St. Edmund, Norwich, Norfolk, England; died on 26 Jan 1704 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elizabeth married Francis Norwood on 15 Oct 1663 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. Francis died on 4 Mar 1709 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married Samuel Sargent on 24 May 1689 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. Samuel (son of William Sargent and Abigail Clark) was born on 22 Mar 1660 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; died after 1745 in Hogskin Cove, now Hodgkin Cove, near Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Samuel married Mary Emerson on 7 Mar 1713 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]