This cleaned up information that was shared by schlebek01 on 28 Jul 2025 – it has not been verified.
Introduction
This report examines the life of John Barker, an early settler of Plymouth Colony who resided in Duxbury and later Marshfield, Massachusetts, and died in 1652. The goal is to distinguish documented facts from later genealogical tradition and to present the evidence in accordance with accepted historical standards.
Origins and English Ancestry
John Barker is frequently identified in later genealogical compilations as the son of Sir Robert Barker and Catherine Ackworth, and as a descendant of Randulph de Calverhall of England (circa 1200). However, no primary evidence has been found in either English or colonial records to substantiate this lineage. These claims appear in secondary sources and compiled genealogies and should therefore be regarded as unproven.¹
Immigration and Early Settlement
It is generally stated that John Barker and his brother Robert arrived in Plymouth Colony about 1628. While no surviving passenger list confirms this date, Barker appears in colony records by the early 1630s, supporting the likelihood of immigration during this period.²
Tradition holds that the Barker brothers explored beyond Plymouth and settled near Herring Brook, in present-day Pembroke, after traveling by boat along the coast and entering the North River. This pattern is consistent with known expansion from Plymouth into surrounding settlements during the 1630s.³
Residence in Duxbury and Occupation
By 1637, Barker resided in the area set off as the town of Duxbury. He is identified in records as a brick mason, indicating a skilled trade uncommon but valuable in the colony.⁴
A Plymouth Colony court record documents an apprenticeship agreement between John Barker and William Barden. Barker agreed to teach Barden the trade of bricklaying, with compensation at the completion of service consisting of “20 bushels of corn, two suits of apparel, and a ewe goat’s lamb.”⁵
Move to Marshfield and Ferry Operation
By 1638, Barker had removed to Marshfield, where he purchased and operated a ferry at Jones River (now the North River). He entered into a covenant to maintain the ferry at a rate of two pence per person until a bridge should be constructed.⁶
Such ferry operations were essential to early colonial infrastructure and were often privately maintained under agreement with local authorities.
Military and Civic Activity
In 1643, Barker was listed as a member of the Marshfield Military Company under Lt. Nathaniel Thomas, reflecting his participation in the colony’s militia system.⁷
In 1648, Barker was involved in a boundary dispute with a neighbor. The Plymouth court appointed John Alden and Myles Standish to mediate the disagreement, demonstrating both the seriousness of the matter and Barker’s standing in the community.⁸
On 5 June 1651, Barker was admitted as a freeman of Plymouth Colony, granting him full civic privileges.⁹
Death and Estate
John Barker died by drowning on 14 December 1652 while at his ferry. His estate was inventoried at £131, indicating a moderate level of wealth for the period.¹⁰
Marriage and Family
John Barker married, about 1632, Ann Williams, identified as the daughter of John and Ann Williams. Documentation of her parentage is incomplete, and her mother’s maiden name remains unknown.¹¹
Conclusion
John Barker was an early Plymouth Colony settler whose life is reasonably well documented in colonial records, particularly regarding his occupation, civic activity, and residence in Duxbury and Marshfield. While later genealogical traditions assign him noble English ancestry, such claims remain unverified. The primary records instead portray him as a skilled tradesman, landholder, ferry operator, and active member of his community.
Footnotes
Savage, Genealogical Dictionary, s.v. “Barker.”
A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Boston, 1860–1862), s.v. “Barker”; see also Colonial Families of the United States (New York, 1907), both of which include unverified lineage claims.
Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England (Boston, 1855–1861), passim.
History of the Town of Duxbury, Massachusetts (Boston, 1849), 245–250.
Shurtleff, Records of New Plymouth, and Winsor, History of Duxbury.
Shurtleff, Records of New Plymouth, court orders (apprenticeship agreement).
Ibid.; Winsor, History of Duxbury.
Colonial Families of the United States, citing militia lists of 1643.
Shurtleff, Records of New Plymouth, court proceedings, 1648.
Ibid., freemen list, 5 June 1651.
Plymouth Colony probate records; see also Mayflower Descendant for abstracts of early Plymouth estates.