Free Research > D > Danforth > Family StoryUse the free genealogy search to quickly discover your family history or share your own! Escape from Knighthood!
Came to the United States aboard the Griffin.
On March 3,1635-36 Nicholas, along with others was out the bounds of the new plantation above the Charles River (Concord.) The committee reported April 13, 1636. In September following he was appointed to a similar duty, "to measure and set the bounds of Roxberry. On November 20, 1637 he was called to "take order for a colledge at Newetowne" . He was also one of the eleven men (one per town), whom the Court by its vote of March 12, 1637 was "allowed to sell wine and strong water." "No man else to sell by retail without a license from the counsell" So great was the pressure upon the government to provide places where these articles could be bought, and there were so many abuses of the retail traffic, that they sought to place the traffic in the hands of their first citizens." The records of the Court show that on May 2, 1638, another man was appointed to attend to the Dedham and Dorchester business "Instead of Mr. Danforth who is dead." See Danforth file for an historical essay entitled - Early Contributions of the Danforth Family in New England published 1991 by Framingham, Massachussetts Historical Society, for mor information. Cotton Mather, a friend of Nicholas Danforth's wrote of the circumstances that preceded Nicholas Danforth's discision to move to the Massachussetts Bay Colony. Charles I was the unpopular King of England (1625-1649) and the country was deeply in debt. To raise money, he offered to sell peerage. All people with an annual income of 40 pounds or more were "invited" to purchase a knighthood for a considerable sum of money. If they refused, they would be required to pay a substantial penalty. Nicholas would have been in that class to which an offer was nade. Since he was not knighted, we can assume he escaped the fine by migrating to Massachussetts.
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