About the early Dorchester Church

This record seem to prefer the spelling Deeble. There are two references to Deeble here. Robert Deeble signed the original covenant of 23 Aug 1636. In 28 Feb 1642, Goody Deeble signed. Thomas Deeble did not sign.

Dates can be confusing. Please read the discussion on dates for an explanation. I have given the modern dates in [brackets]. The page numbers refer to the Victorian editions of these records, not the original page numbers.

Modern date
30 May 1630		Maverick and Warham chosen as ministers in Plymouth, England
16 Jan 1632		Maverick and Warham sign Dorchester orders
19 March 1632		John Maverick dries gunpowder!
3 Aug 1632		Charlestown meeting mentioning Maverick and Warham
24 May 1634		Last time Maverick and Warham sign Dorchester orders
5 Oct 1634		Rearranging John Warham's lectures
17 Apr 1635		Richard Mather arrives in Boston
3 Feb 1636		Death of John Maverick
1 Apr 1636		Foundation of new Dorchester church rejected by Mather
27 June 1636		Mather gets land in Dorchester
23 Aug 1636		New Dorchester church convenent led by Mather
7 Feb 1642		Granting land to new Dorchester school, signed by Mather and Warham

Source

Page

Roger Clap's memoirs

[30 May 1630 As they had made choice of those two Reverend servants of God, Mr. John Warham and Mr. John Maverick to be their ministers, so they kept a solemn Day of Fasting in the New Hospital in Plymouth, in England, spending it in preaching and praying: where that worthy man of God, Mr. John White, of Dorchester, in Dorset, was present, and preached unto us the word of God, in the fore-part of the day; and in the latter part of the day, as the people did solemnly make choice of, and call those godly ministers to be their officers, so also the Reverend Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick did accept thereof, and expressed the same.

Dorchester town record

1-6

[16 Jan 1632 to 24 May 1634 John Mavericke and John Warham sign various orders for Dorchester. They are running the town, with William Gaylard and William Rockewell. They continue to sign orders until 24 May 1634]

Winthrop's journal

[19 March 1632] Mr. Maverick, one of the ministers of Dorchester, in drying a little powder, (which took fire by the heat of the fire pan,) fired a small barrel of two or three pounds, yet did no other harm but singed his clothes. It was in the new meeting-house, which was thatched, and the thatch only blacked a little.

Winthrop's journal

[3 Aug 1632] A meeting was agreed upon at Charlestown, where were present the governor and deputy, Mr. Nowell, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Welde, Mr. Maverick, and Mr. Warham.

Dorchester town record

[24 May 1634 Last time John Mavericke and John Warham sign orders for Dorchester.]

Winthrop's journal

136

[5 Oct 1634] It being found, that the four lectures did spend too much time, and proved over burdensome to the ministers and people, the ministers, with the advice of the magistrates, and with consent of their congregations, did agree to reduce them to two days, viz., Mr. Cotton at Boston one Thursday, or the 5th day of the week, and Mr. Hooker at Newtown the next 5th day [Thursday], and Mr. Warham at Dorchester one 4th day of the week [Wednesday], and Mr. Welde at Roxbury the next 4th day [Wednesday].

Richard Mather's journal

[Richard Mather] landing at Boston in N.E. on Munday ye 17th April [17 Apr 1635]

Winthrop's journal

174

[3 Feb 1636] Mr. John Maverick, teacher of the church of Dorchester, died, being near sixty years of age. He was a man of a very humble spirit, and faithful in furthering the work of the Lord here, both in the churches and civil state.

Winthrop's journal

177

Mo. 2. 1. [1 Apr 1636] Mr. Mather and others, of Dorchester, intending to begin a new church there, (a great part of the old one being gone to Connecticut,) desired the approbation of the other churches and of the magistrates; and, accordingly, they assembled this day, and, after some of them had given proof of their gifts, they made confession of their faith, which was approved of; but proceeding to manifest the work of God's grace in themselves, the churches, by their elders, and the magistrates, etc., thought them not meet, at present, to be the foundation of a church; and thereupon they were content to forbear to join till further consideration. The reason was, for that most of them (Mr. Mather and one more excepted) had builded their comfort of salvation upon unsound grounds, viz., some upon dreams and ravishes of spirit by fits; others upon the reformation of their lives; others upon duties and performances, etc.; wherein they discovered three special errors: 1. That they had not come to hate sin, because it was filthy, but only left it, because it was hurtful. 2. That, by reason of this, they had never truly closed with Christ, (or rather Christ with them,) but had made use of him only to help the imperfection of their sanctification and duties, and not made him their sanctification, wisdom, etc. 3. They expected to believe by some power of their own, and not only and wholly from Christ.

Dorchester town record

[27 June 1636]
The names of such as are to have meadow in the March by Goodman Grenwayes.
Mr. Mather. 2 acres
Mr. Wareham 2 acres
[This is the first reference to Richard Mather in the town record. The next reference is 18 Mar 1637.]
[It is also a reference to Mr Wareham. If this is John Warham, then perhaps he has not gone to Windsor, Conn. at this point. Or possibly he is still keeping land in Dorchester in case the Windsor colony fails.]

Dorchester church record

Dorchester, the 23th day of the 6th moneth. Anno. 1636. [23 Aug 1636]

Wee whose names are subscribed being called of God to joyne o'selves together in Church Comunion, from or hearts acknowledging or owne unworthines of such a priviledge or of the least of Gods mercyes, & likewise acknowledging or disability to keepe covent wth God or to p'fourme any spirituall duty wch hee calleth us unto, unlesse the Lord Jesus do enable us thereunto by his spirit dwelling in us, Doe in the name of Cht Jesus or Lord and in trust and confidence of his free grace assisting us freely Covent & bind ourselves solemnely in the presence of God himselfe, his holy Angells and all his servants here present that
1. wee will by his grace assisting us endevour constantly to walke togeather as a right ordered Congregacon of Cht. according to all the holy rules of a church-body rightly established, so farre as wee do already know it to bee or duty or shall further undrstand it out of Gods holy word:
2. Promising first & above all to cleave unto him as or chiefe & onley good, and to o r Lord Jesus Cht as or onely spirituall husband and Lord, & or onely high priest & Prophet and King.
3. And for the furthering of us to keepe this blessed Comunion wth God and wth his sonne Jesus Cht and to grow up more fully therein, wee do likewise promise by his grace assisting us, to endevour the establishing amongst or selves of all his holy ordinances wch hee hath appointed for his churches here on earth, and to observe all and every of them in such sort as shall bee most agreeable to his will; opposing to the utmost of or power, whatsoever is contrary thereunto, & bewayling fro or hearts o r owne neglect thereof in former tyme, and our polluting or selves therein wth any sinfull inventions of men.
4. And lastly wee do hereby Covent & p'mise to further to or utmost power, the best spirituall good of each other, and of all and every one that may become members of this Congregacon, by mutuall Instruction reprehension, exhortacon, consolacon, and spirituall watchfulnes over one another for good; and to bee subject in and for the Lord to all the Administracons and Censures of the Congregacon, so farre as the same shall bee guided according to the rules of Gods most holy word.

Of the integrity of or heartes herein, wee call God the searcher of all hearts to witnesse; beseeching him so to blesse us in this and all or Enterprises, as wee shall sincerely endevour by the assistance of his grace to observe this holy Covent and all the braunches of it inviolably for ever ; and where wee shall fayle there to wayte upon the Lord Jesus for pardon and for acceptance and healing for his names sake.

Richard Mather:
Nath: Duncan:
George Minot:
Henry Withington
Thomas Jones
John Pope
John Kingesley.

The names of such as since the constituting or gathering of the church at dorchester have been added to the church and joyned thereunto as members of the same body, by profession of faith and Repentance and taking hould of the Covent before the Congregacon ; viz.

	mr Israel Stoughton : (Esq)		mris Elizabeth Stoughton
	John Gloover : (Esq)		Katharin Mather
	James Bate		Elizabeth withington
	Humfrey Atherton (Esq)		Martha minott
	John Holland		Anne Glover
	John Pierce		Elizabeth Duncan
	Christopher Gibson		Marie Gibson
	John Phillips	X	Joanna Phillips
	William Sumner	X	Marie Sumner
	John Greeneway	X	Mary Greeneway
	Barnabas ffawer
	nathaneel wales	X	Susan wales
	Thomas millett	X	mary millet
	John Smith	X	dorothy Smith
	Raph Tomkins		Judith Holland
	Richard Hawes	X	Anne Hawes
	George Dyer	X	Abigail Dyer
	(Deacon) Edward Clappe	X	Prudence Clappe
	nicholas Clapp	X	Sarah Clappe
	nicholas Upshall	X	Dorothie upsall
	Edward white	X	Martha white
	Augustine Clement	X	Elizabeth Clement
	Alexander miller
	(mr) Oliver Purchase	X	Sarah Purchase
	william Clarke	X	Sarah Clarke
	(Eldr) John wiswall	X	margret wiswall
	Thomas wiswall	X	Elizabeth wiswall
	Gabriel Meade	X	Joanna Meade
	Thomas Dickerman		Elizabeth Kingesley
	Robert Deeble		Purnell Pierce
	Thomas Swifte	X	Elizabeth Swifte
	Joseph ffarneworth	X	Elizabeth ffarneworth
	william Reede
	Joseph wilson		mris Knight
	Jeffrey Turner		Isabell Gill
	John Rigbie	X	Isabell Rigbie
	John Gornehill		Margret Styth
	william Robinson		Rebecca vener
	Richard withington		ffaith withington
	Henry Condliffe		Lydia Horrockes
	nathaneel Houlder		Abigail Cogan
	John maudesley
	mr william Tompson (ministr)		Barbara Clappe
	mr George moxon (ministr)	X	Anne moxon
	mr Samuel Newman (ministr)	X	Sybill Newman
	Michael willyes		Joane willyes
	william Blake	X	Agnes Blake
			Alice Bate
			Lydia Bate
			mary Bate
			Elizabeth Condliffe
			Alice Rickdall
	Thomas Lewis		mary Preston
			Ales Kimberley
			Ales North
			Agnes Lane
			Mary Lovett
	Thomas Clarke	X	mary Knight
			Mris Trowbridge
			Hannah wilkins
			Elizabeth Tilestone
			Judith Smeade
			Susanna Starre
			Constant Starre
			Rachel Bigge
			Patience ffoster
	Nicholas Butler	X	Joyce Butler
			Elizabeth Pitts
			Ursula Greeneway
			Joane Martine
			ffrances Hill
			Andrewes
			Sarah Topley
			Dorothy Barker
			Joane Capin
	John Capinne		Radigan Capin
			Jane Pope
			Ellen Jones
			Susanna Lyon
	Edward Brecke
	Joseph Jewet	X	Mary Jewet
	George Aldridge	X	Catharin Aldridge
	Thomas Hawkins		mary - Hawkins
	Hopestill ffoster		Anne Bishopp
			Thomassin Beton
			Anne Bayly
	Richard williams	X	ffrances williams
	Tho' Touleman		Elizabeth williams
	Henry woodward
			Elizabeth ffarnham
4 da 9 th mo 1639 [4 Nov 1639]
	Henry Kebby		mrs Holman
	Jonas Humphrey		mrs Humphrey
	Richard Baker
			Dinah ffawer
	Richard Sykes		mary Waterhouse
	mr Nehemiah Bourne		mrs Hannah Bourne :
	George Proctor		Proctor
21 da : 10 th mo 1639 [21 Dec 1639]
	mr Jonathan Burre :		mrs ffrances Burre
	George Wickes		Jane Wickes
	mrs Earwinge :
Decimo 4o 12 mo 1639: [14 Feb 1640]
	mr Robert Hawoorth
	mr (Tho) waterhouse	X	mrs waterhouse
	mr John Holman	X	Houchin
	Jeremiah Houchin		mrs Cooper
	Clement Topley		Rebecca Burre

Decimo 9no : 4 mo : 1640 [19 Jun 1640]
	Braue wilkins	X	Elizabeth Drake
	Robert Peerce	X	Anne Peerce
	Robert ffuller		Phebe Sykes
	Rodger Billindge		margaret Anglesey
			mary Cooke
			margaret Lewer
20 of 9 mo 1640 [20 Nov 1640]
	David Seleeke
	John Gill		goodwife Gill
	Tho miller
	Tho Leike
	Tho Davenport
	Sarah Collen
	margaret Bate
	goodwife maudsley
	goodwife Bird
	Henry wright :
16 of 2d mo 1641 [16 Apr 1641]
	Andrew Pitcher
	Mary Brecke
	Widow Jones
	Henry Bridgram
	Dorcas ye blackmore
	Goody Munninges
	Goody Lippincot
	Elizabeth Craine
29 of 8 mo: 1641. [29 Oct 1641]
			Goodwife George
			mrs Patten
			Goodwife willeyes
			Elizabeth Gallet
			Goodwife Whipple
28 of 12 mo 1641. [28 Feb 1642]
	William Pond	X	goody Pond
	nathaniell Howard	X	goody Howard
	goodman Newton :		goody Deeble
			mary withington
27 of 11 mo 42 [27 Jan 1643]
	Tho Burd
	John Pratt
	William Triscott
	William Turner
	John ffrench

	Goodman Ware
2 mo Decimo 7to 43 [17 Apr 1643]
	Richard Eavins
5 : 3 mo 43 [5 May 1643]
	Henry Waye		goody Pratt
	Richard Waye		goody wright
			Goody Eavens
8 1 mo 1644 [8 Mar 1644]
	Joseph Twichell		Goody Billindge
	Richard Hall		mary Davenport
	Tho Trott
	Jasp Rush
	Nicholas Boulton

Dorchester town record

106

7 Feb 1642 [The new school in Dorchester was given Tomsons Island to fund its maintenace and the payment of a schoolmaster. This was signed by 71 people, including Richard Mather and Mr. Warham. A facsimile of the actual signatures is here. This may be John Warham even though he must be in Windsor Conn. by this time. He is, after all, giving up his rights in a piece of land in Dorchester.]