John William Sprague Sr. (1755 - 1846)

Born 1755 in Berwick, York, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 21 Mar 1846 at about age 91 in North Head, Grand Manan Village, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada

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Biography

John Sprague of Cherryfield, Me, Sussex, Kings Co., NB and Grand Manan, Charlotte Co., NB is buried a mile or two south of his farm in the north side of Dock Branch near the east coast. The stone marking his grave was dug by Buchanan Charles, President of the Grand Manan Historical Society. John Sprague of Narraguagus, ME, private in Capt. Francis Shaw, Jr's Co.; enlisted September 11, 1775; service 3 months, 3 weeks, 6 days; company stationed at Gouldsborough No. 4, Narraguagus River and Pleasant River, for defense of sea coast. He was of township No. 4. Private in Capt. Reuben Dyer's co.; enlisted May 26, 1777, discharged July 23, 1777; service 1 month, 27 days; company raised between Mt. Desert and Machias for expedition against Saint John, NS, Canada; also Corporal in Capt. Henry Dyer's detachment from Col, Benjamin Foster's (Lincoln Co.) regt entered service Sept. 16, 1777, discharged September 30, 1777, service 14 days; company marched to Machias at sundry times when British ships lay in that harbor. Corporal in detachment under Lieut. John bohannan belonging to Col. Foster's (Lincoln Co.) regt.; entered service Dec. 17, 1778, discharged December 19, 1778, service 3 days; detachment called out by Lieut. Col. Campbell in defnes of Stat stores on board the "Merry Sheet" from Boston, bound to garrison at Machias. Roll dated Narraguagus. Coporal in Capt. John Hall's company, Col. Benjamin Foster's (Lincoln Co.) regt.; service from August 7, 1779 to Sept. 7, 1779, service 1 month on Penobscot Expedition; company marched on expedition to Majorbagaduce August 7, 1779, by order of General Lovel. 1782, April 10, John Sprague, Yeoman, for 48 pounds gave a quit claim deed to his lands on the west side of Narraguagus River in Cherryfield to John Small, Jr. He and his brother William with their families and mother, Love Sprague, then moved to Kings Co., NB, Canada. He resided in Kings County for 18 years, then moved to Grand Manan Island in Charlotte Co., NB. Memorial No. 293, written by him November 4, 1806, states he went to the island in April 1800 and settled at Swallow Tail, (a projection of land on the N.E. coast), that he had a house, barn, fish house, 8 sheep, a wife, three sons and two daughters and asks for a grant of his place. He received Lot 15, containing 225 acres, including all the North Head Peninsula east of a line from Fish Head to Net Point. In several deeds of John Sprague, Sr., of Grand Manan, his wife's name appears as Sarah. His last deed, dated 1843, is signed by her and is given to his son, John Sprague, Jr. The latter's wife in several deeds given by him, signed as "Mary".

Birth

Date: 1755

Place: Cherryfield, Washington, ME

Death

Date: 21 MAR 1846

Place: Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick

Burial

Place: Drake's Dock, Grand Manan, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada.^[1]

Note

Note: Memorials or original petitions written by the applicants themselves in Kings Co., New Brunswick, Canada, copied from Crown Land records by Mrs. Lillian Maxwell, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Memorial 131. In a petition John Sprague stated that he was from Massachusetts Bay, that he had been robbed by Demagogues and came to New Brunswick a little before the peace, with his wife, 3 children and old mother. He asked and received a grant of 200 acres near lot No. 49 in Hawser's survey, north of Baxter's grant on the Kennebecasis River * * * * south by lands granted to the Loyalists.

1785. Memorial 332. John Sprague wrote that he had a house, barn, and 3 acres cleared. Had been on the land 3 years, dated 1785. Memorial 396. William Sprague, widow Love Sprague and others, ask for survey of their grant on the Kennebecasis River. 1786. Memorial 672. William Sprague, John Sprague, widow Love Sprague, and other inhabitants of Sussex, ask for land on Salmon River.

1792. Memorial 705. William Sprague, John Sprague, Love Sprague, John Sprague, Jr., and others ask for an order of survey for land for a grist mill on Salmon River, containing 600 acres.

1795. Memorial 780. William Sprague had been on his land 12 years and wants a grant of it.

1798. Memorial 788. John Sprague, Jr., asks for 400 acres on the upper part of Sussex.

1799. Memorial 987. William Sprague, Sr., William Sprague, Jr., and George Sprague ask for 900 acres southeast of the Graves application and Thomas Taylor, and for 300 acres northeast of the same in the parish of Sussex.

1814. January 20, 1816, William Spragg (Sprague) drowned at Sussex Vale.

"Supplement to Sprague Families in America", by Dr. Warren Vincent Sprague, page 182.

John Sprague of Cherryfield, Me, Sussex, Kings Co., NB and Grand Manan, Charlotte Co., NB is buried a mile or two south of his farm in the north side of Dock Branch near the east coast. The stone marking his grave was dug by Buchanan Charles, President of the Grand Manan Historical Society.

John Sprague of Narraguagus, ME, private in Capt. Francis Shaw, Jr's Co.; enlisted September 11, 1775; service 3 months, 3 weeks, 6 days; company stationed at Gouldsborough No. 4, Narraguagus River and Pleasant River, for defense of sea coast. He was of township No. 4. Private in Capt. Reuben Dyer's co.; enlisted May 26, 1777, discharged July 23, 1777; service 1 month, 27 days; company raised between Mt. Desert and Machias for expedition against Saint John, NS, Canada; also Corporal in Capt. Henry Dyer's detachment from Col, Benjamin Foster's (Lincoln Co.) regt entered service Sept. 16, 1777, discharged September 30, 1777, service 14 days; company marched to Machias at sundry times when British ships lay in that harbor. Corporal in detachment under Lieut. John bohannan belonging to Col. Foster's (Lincoln Co.) regt.; entered service Dec. 17, 1778, discharged December 19, 1778, service 3 days; detachment called out by Lieut. Col. Campbell in defnes of Stat stores on board the "Merry Sheet" from Boston, bound to garrison at Machias. Roll dated Narraguagus. Coporal in Capt. John Hall's company, Col. Benjamin Foster's (Lincoln Co.) regt.; service from August 7, 1779 to Sept. 7, 1779, service 1 month on Penobscot Expedition; company marched on expedition to Majorbagaduce August 7, 1779, by order of General Lovel.

1782, April 10, John Sprague, Yeoman, for 48 pounds gave a quit claim deed to his lands on the west side of Narraguagus River in Cherryfield to John Small, Jr. He and his brother William with their families and mother, Love Sprague, then moved to Kings Co., NB, Canada. He resided in Kings County for 18 years, then moved to Grand Manan Island in Charlotte Co., NB. Memorial No. 293, written by him November 4, 1806, states he went to the island in April 1800 and settled at Swallow Tail, (a projection of land on the N.E. coast), that he had a house, barn, fish house, 8 sheep, a wife, three sons and two daughters and asks for a grant of his place. He received Lot 15, containing 225 acres, including all the North Head Peninsula east of a line from Fish Head to Net Point. In several deeds of JohnSprague, Sr., of Grand Manan, his wife's name appears as Sarah. His last deed, dated 1843, is signed by her and is given to his son, John Sprague, Jr. The latter's wife in several deeds given by him,signed as "Mary".

From Karen Small, correspondent.

John Sprague and family moved to Sussex and then to Gran Manan in 1779.

From Helen Gibson, correspondent, note of August 9th, 2002, from the Grantbook Database.

Sprague, John

Volume: E, page 228, Grant number 560

Original province of registration: New Brunswick

Nova Scotia registration date:

New Brunswick registration date: 1810/11/24

Accompanying plan: n

Acreage: 225 acres

Place and County: Grand Manan Island, Charlotte

County

Comments: 36 others, reconveyed to crown 1970/05/15

file 694

From Gerald Robert Vincent, correspondent, note of February 14, 2003

John Sprague of Narragaugus, Maine.

1755, Sept. 11: Enlisted as a private in Captain Francis Shaw Jr.,'s Company; served three months, three weeks, and six days - his company was stationed at Gouldsborough No. 4, Narragaugus River and Pleasant River, for defense of the seacoast. He was of Township No. 4.

1777, May 26: Enlisted as a private in Captain Dyer's Company; served one month, twenty-seven days. The Company was raised between Mt. Desert and Machias for an expedition against St. John, NS.

1777, Sept 16: Enlisted as a Corporal in Captain Henry Dyer's Company, a detachment from from Colonel Benjamin Foster's (Lincoln County) Regiment, service 14 days. The Company marched to Machias at sundry times when British ships lay in the harbour.

1778, Dec. 17: Corporal in a detachment under Lieutenant John Bohannan belonging to Colonel Foster's (Lincoln County) regiment. Served three days. Detachment called out by Lt. Col. Campbell in defenseof state stores on board the "Merry Sheet" from Boston, bound for the garrison at Machias. The Muster Roll was dated at Narragaugus.

1779, Aug. 7: Corporal in Captain John Hall's Company of Colonel Foster's (Lincoln County) Regiment. Served one month on the Penobscot Expedition - the Company marched to Majorbagaduce by order of General Lovell.

Vide: - Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors

1782, Apr. 10: John Sprague, Yeoman, for 48 Pounds gives a quit claim deed to his lands on the west side of the Narragaugus River in Cherryfield to John Small, Jr.

Ref: - Lincoln SS No. 4, Vol. I, p330. Washington County, Maine, Deeds.

John Sprague and his brother William with their families and with their Mother, Love Sprague, then moved to King's County, NB. John resided in King's County for 18 years, and then removed to Grand Manan Island in Charlotte County, NB.

1785: Memorial 131: In a petition John Sprague stated that he was from Massachusetts Bay, that he had been robbed by Demagogues and came to New Brunswick a little before the Peace with his wife, threechildren, and old mother. He asked for and received a grant of 200 acres near Lot No. 49 in Hawser's Survey, north of Baxter's Grant on the Kennebecasis River, (and bounded on the) south by lands granted to the Loyalists.

In another Memorial, No. 332, John Sprague affirmed that he had a house, barn, and three acres cleared. He had then been on the land for three years.

1799: John Sprague, Jr., asks for 400 acres on the upper part of Sussex.

Vide: also under William5 Sprague (Terah4, Wiliam 3, John 2, Francis1) Memorials 396, 672,705, and

788.)

1806, Nov. 4: Memorial No. 293: John Sprague affirms that he went to Grand Manan in April, 1800 and settled at Swallow Tail (a projection of land on the NE coast) that he had a house, barn, fish house, eight sheep, a wife, three sons and two daughters and asks for a grant (of land?).

John Sprague died in the spring of 1846 at the age of 91. He is buried a mile or two south of his old farm, on the north side of Dock Branch near the east coast. The Stone marking his grave was recovered from the earth by Buchanan Charles, sometime President of The Grand Manan Historical Society.

The Memorials abstracted here are from copies made of Crown Records by Mrs. Lillian Maxwell of Fredericton, NB. and quoted by Dr. W. V. Sprague in his 1941 addendum to his earlier work, The Sprague Families in America, first published in 1913. [3]

Sources

• http://sprague-database.org/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I41612&tree=SpragueProject

• http://kencarrico.tripod.com/johnsprague.html

• https://kencarrico.tripod.com/johnsprague.html

• WikiTree profile Sprague-1641 created through the import of Annette.ged on Nov 17, 2011 by Annette Jacobs. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Annette and others.

1. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (no image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #216105370 (accessed 18 June 2023)
   Memorial page for Pvt John W. Sprague Sr. (1755-21 Mar 1846), citing Drake's Dock, Grand Manan, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada; Maintained by Kenneth Alton Clark (contributor 48010214).