The Rounds Family of Rehobeth

FIRST GENERATION

JOHN1 ROUND, b. possibly ca. 1645, d. 7 Oct. 1716 at Swansea, MA (date o f death stated on his Inventory, below).

He m., probably ca. 1665/8, possibly in England, ELIZABETH , d. after 7 O ct. 1716 (she appeared shortly after that in Court with son John2 to pr esent her husband's Will and Inventory) . Elizabeth was apparently mot her of all the children, since John's1 Will named her and son John2, "w ith his mother," as Executors; and John2 was probably at least the seco nd child, if not the first.

One tradition has is that John1 Round came from the Isle of Wight, on t he English Channel off the southern coast of England. Another traditio n states that he originated in Wales. Extensive research has been unab le to verify which tradition, if either, is correct. We are thus compe lled to say that we know no more about his origin than that he probably c ame from some place in the British Isles.

The very first record there is of John1 Round in America was when his n ame appeared on the quit claim Deed given by Major William Bradford, so n of Gov. William Bradford, to the inhabitants of the Town of Swansea, M A, dated 23 July 1689. This quit claim Deed was printed by Richard LeB aron Bowen in his monumental 4 volume work on Rehoboth [Richard LeBaron B owen, Early Re hoboth, 4 Vols. (Rehoboth, MA, 1945) Vol. I, pp. 60-63; h ereinafter referred to as "Bowen"] . The Deed contains about 100 names , arranged in six columns. The fifth column, entitled "The names of su ch as are Inhabitants or possess estate by gift or Purchase," is a list o f twenty-seven names, the fifteenth of which is "John Round." Evidence i ndicates that only owners of property were listed on the quit claim Dee d.

Swansea, Massachusetts came into existence in the early spring of 1668, a r esult of a squabble between the Baptists and Congregationalists in the C hurch of Christ at Rehoboth. The Plymouth Colony Court, on 30 Oct. 166 7, set off Wannamoisett, a part of Rehoboth, with other lands, as the n ew Township of Swansea. It was here that various Rehobothites resumed t heir Baptist form of worship after they had been prevented for some mon ths from such practices in Rehoboth. Early Swansea often was given the a pt title: " The Baptist Township of Swansea." It contained the first B aptist Church in Massachusetts, the fourth in all of the early American c olonies (three already existed in Rhode Island). The name "Swansea" wa s reputedly selected because its first Baptist Pastor, the Rev. John My les, had served a congregation in Swansea, Wales, prior to immigrating t o New England. Some of the members of that congregation in Wales came w ith him to New England (Bowen, Vol. 2, Ch. II).

The very appearance of John1 Round in early Swansea suggests he was of B aptist persuasion. The Baptist Church was to play an important part in t he lives of many of his descendants.

John1 Round's name does not appear on the original list of those admitt ed to be "Inhabitants of Swansea,it or on subsequent lists of purchaser s or on tax rolls. Extensive research has not uncovered a single menti on of his name anyplace in the American Colonies prior to the 1689 quit c laim Deed. This is said, notwithstanding the fact that in 1935 Ramon M eyers Tingley presented reputed parents of this John1 Round, as well as a l ist of the reputed children of that earlier John Round [Ramon Meyers Ti ngley, Some Ancestral Lines, (1935), P. 314]. Tingley claimed that John a nd Ruth Round, parents of the John1 Round who is the subject of this pr esent work, were first in Yarmouth, MA prior to moving to Rehoboth and t hen to Swansea.

However, very extensive research has not been able to locate a single r ecord to validate Tingley's claims. Robert S. Wakefield, F.A.S.G., an e xpert on the early Plymouth Colony, has dealt with Tingley's statements a nd essentially concluded they are undocumented fiction (Rober t S. Wake field, "Round Family - Fact or Fiction," TAG, (1978),
p. 37). This compiler concurs with Wakefield's conclusions.

In addition, a long-standing tradition has been perpetuated by Theron W oodward [Theron Woodward, "Rounds Genealogy," unpub. 6-page typescript M s (1905) on deposit with Newberry Library , Chicago; hereinafter referr ed to as "Woodward"]; by the Rev. Nathan Round Nichols (P. 10) ; and by F . A. Virkus (F. A. Virkus, A Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. I II, P. 266) to the effect that: "John Round and all of his family, exce pt one son, were killed by the Indians in the Massacre of Swansea durin g King Philip's War in 1675." This tradition infers that the parents an d siblings of Johnl Round were thus all slaughtered by King Philip's wa rriors.

The compiler has devoted lengthy research to this tradition, has discov ered the actual names of those who were massacred in Swansea that 24th d ay of June in 1675 (the first day King Philip's War broke out), and the re is not one Round on the list of victims. There was only that one mas sacre in Swansea during the entire King Philip's War. The results of th is research have been published by the compiler in an article to which t he reader is referred.
see below;
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H. L. Peter Rounds, "Round Family - Fact or Fiction II," TAG, 57 (198 1), P. 179

During King Philip's War "the Massacre of Swansea" has led to an intere sting tradition among Round family descendants. My first introduction t o genealogy was triggered in 1979 by a letter from Mr. J. Roy Dodge, T own Clerk and Town Historian of La Fayette, New York, who wrote in par t: "John Round and all of his family, except one son (John), were kille d in the Massacre of Swansea in 1675 In King Philip's War." Mr. Dodge s tated that this item had been imparted to him some years earlier by a n ow deceased descendant of the branch of the Swansea/Rehobeth Round or R ounds family which first settled in LaFayette in 1792.
I was intrigued by this bit of ancient lore and commenced a historica l search to document the date, circumstances and persons involved. One o f the first resources discovered was a statement by the late F. A. Virk us, (The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy 3: 266): "John Roun d (d. 1716) of Swansea, Mass; son of emigrant who with all others of t he family was killed in Massacre of Swansea, 1675"
Subsequent searching revealed a published genealogy (Nathan Round Nic hols, "Round-Rounds Ge nealogy" 1928).
In it (p. 10) Nichols included a quotation under the first generation, a n follows; "Tradition says this family came from the Isle of Wight and d escended from one who escaped the Swansea Massacre 1675". In his Introd uction he stated that this tradition had been put in an unpublished man uscript on the Round family by Theron R Woodward, deposited in the Newb erry Library in Chicago.
These sources seemed to confirm the validity of Mr. Dodge's informati on, but I was not satisfied until it could be documented from early sou rces. Extensive research into numerous ancient historical accounts of S wansea during King Philip's War revealed that this war had its very beg inning in Swansea. Thursday, 24 June 1675 was the opening day of the b loodshed which came to be known as King Philip's War. On that day a gr oup of six to nine persons (depending on the account) from Swansea were m assacred, mutilated and decapitated by King Philip's warriors.
Personal correspondence with the foremost living expert on King Phili p's War, Dr. Douglas E . Leach (author of, Flintlock and Tomahawk), was c onducted. Dr. Leach confirmed what the ancient histories had all indica ted, that on only one day during that entire war was any group of Swans ea residents massacred.However, the names of the victims were nowhere l isted in any of the sources. Yet the tradition would suggest that the u nnamed victims included the entire Round family, except one.
Additional research provided the answer in footnotes in Richard LeBar on Bowen's "Early Rehoboth", Vol. 3. This meticulous Swansea/Rehoboth h istorian noted: "On 24 June 1675, the following nine burials are record ed at Swansea: Gershom Cobb, Joseph Lewis, John Salisbury, John Jones, J ohn Fall, Nehemiah Allen, Robert Jones, William Lohun and William Salis bury" (p. 48) , "These eight heads on poles were probably those of Gers hom Cobb, Joseph Lewis, John Salisbury, William Salisbury, John Jones, J ohn Fall, Nehemiah Allen and Robert Jones, who were killed at Swansea o n 24 June and their decapitated and mutilated bodies buried there that d ay (Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. VIII, p. 64).
By these words, a long-perpetuated "tradition"' was demonstrated to be p ure myth. There is not one Round family member among those buried the d ay of the Massacre of Swansea. Therefore, the statements in V irkus, Ni chols and Woodward should be labelled for what they are: Fiction.
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Other than the 1689 quit claim Deed mentioned, there is one other refer ence to John1 Round in early Swansea records. In noting "The Bounds of a H ighway Laid Out March ye 13:1703," the description in Swansea records c ommences: "Beginning at John Rounds Southwest Corner of hi s home lot.. ." (Swansea Proprietors' Records, Book for 1667-1730. p. 214: on LDS #9 03, 396) . The only recorded evidence there is about John's1 wife, Eli zabeth, and the names of their children, comes from His Will and Invent ory, found in Bristol Co., Mass. Probate Records ( hereinafter referre d to as BMPR). There were no recorded Deeds for John1 in Bristol Co. L and Records (hereinafter referred to as BMD), though we know that in hi s Will, Johnl left "a homsted housen Lands," valued at 100 Pounds (see I nventory below)
.
In summary, John1 Round was a yeoman of reasonably average means; a Bap tist by religious preference and a resident of the Town of Swansea at l east as early as 1689 until his death on 7 Oct. 1716.

WILL (Exec. 16 Oct. 1710, Prob. Oct. 1716 - BMPR 3:299):
In the Name of God amen
"The Sixteenth Day of october in the yeare of our Lord one thousand sev en hundred and ten : I John Round of the town of Swanzey in the County o f bristol in the province of masachusets bay in New England yeoman: bei ng weak of body but of perfect mind and memory praised be th e almighty g od for the same: Thearefore Calling into mind the motallity of my body: a nd Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Dye: Doe make and o rdaine this my last Will and t estament (that is to say) principally an d first of all I give and Recomend my soule into the hands of god that g ave it; and for my body I commend it to the earth to be buried-in a Chr stian like and Decent manner: at the Discretion of my executrix & other s heare after named not hing Doubting but at the Generall Resurrection I S hall receive the Same againe by the mighty power of god: and as touchin g such worldly Estate wheare with it hath pleased god to bless me in th is Life: I give Devise and Dispose of the same in manner and form follo wing (viz) " Impris
I give and bequeath all that my homsted housen Lands scittuate Lying an d being within the township of Swanzey afore Sd: unto my beloved wife E lizabeth with all my movables to her During her naturall Life, or her r emaining my widow and after her Decease or removal by marrig : I give t o my son John Round and to his heirs and assigns for Ever all the afore S d homested housen Lands orchards fences and as it is theare bounded bot h improved and un improved Lands: after my Sd wifes Decease or removall a s afore Sd: and Doe will that my Son John Round hi s heirs and assignes s hall pay or cause to be paid unto my son Richard Round and George Round t he Sum of five
pounds to each of them: after my wifes Decease or removal as afore Sd." Imprim
I give to my five Daughters Elizabeth bowen wife of Joseph bowen: Ruth M ason wife of benjami n mason: Sarah bozworth wife of Jonathan bozworth: J udeth Round: Susanah Reed wife of John Reed: all my movable estate afte r my wifes Decease: to be equally Devided amongst them and Likwise I co nstitute and make and ordaine my beloved wife Elizabeth to be my execut rix and my son John Round to be my executor with his mother: of this my L ast Will and testament and all an d singular my mesuage Lands or Teneme nts by them freely to be possessed as afore Sd: and I Doe hearby utterl y Disallow revoake and Disannul all and every other and former testamen ts wills and Leggeces requests and executors by me in any Wayes before t his time named: willed and bequeathed: Ratifiing and Confirming this an d no othere to be my Last will and Testament In Wi tness whearof I the S d John Round hath heare unto sett my hand and seale: the day and yeare a b ove written & c

SIGNUM John ( X ) Round

Signed sealed published pronounced
and Declared by the Sd John Round
to be his Last Will and testament
in the presents of us the subscribers
John West Henry West
William West

It is unfortunate that Nichols' book, in presenting this Will, mistaken ly omitted the last sentence of the second paragraph, referring to sons R ichard2 and George2 (p. 194). Ever since , ancestor-searchers have be en uncertain about the parentage of these two sons. Some people h ave e ven assumed Nichols "invented" them.

INVENTORY (BMPR 3:301):

"The Inventory of the estate of John Round Late of Swansey who Deceased t he seventh Day of october 1716 (is as followeth)
- (viz)
To money and Debts----------------------------- 03-17-06
To waring apparril-------------------------------- 08-18-00
To the best bead and furniture-------------------12-00-00
To a small bead and furniture-------------------- 06-00-00
to 2 pr of sheet 3 pillow casses------------------ 02-05-00
To Table lining--------------------------------------00-12-00
To Pewter platter basons poringers spoons-----03-00-00
To 1 bras Kittle skillet and warming pans-------03-00-00
To 1 tongs boll and old Iron----------------------- 01-10-00
To 1 box Iron and 2 heaters 1 candlestick--------00-06-00
To earthen warr and wooden warr----------------00-10-00
To 2 chests and one box----------------------------01-00-00
To 1 Looking glass---------------------------------- 00-05-00
To 2 Tables------------------------------------------ 00-09-00
To 4 Cheires and two sieves-----------------------00-11-00
To 1 Jugg 1 bottle 1 sugar pott and turriol-------00-05-00
To 1 gunn---------------------------------------------00-15-00
To 1 ladle--------------------------------------------- 00-08-00
To 2 spinning wheels and 1 Churn----------------00-12-00
To 3 barrills of flour and 1 empty barril----------01-06-00
To 8 geese---------------------------------------------00-12-00
To 2 pr of wool cards------------------------------- 00-03-00
To 1 pott of butter---------------------------------- 00-11-00
To sundry small Cheeses--------------------------- 01-00-00
To wooll and yearne-------------------------------- 00-06-00
To the house and homsted------------------------ 100-00-00
To 2 cows 1 heaffer I Calfe-------------------------11-05-00
------------------------------------------------Total - 163-06-06
Prizers
Samuell Bullock
John West
Richard Hardinge

Bristol SS
before the Honble Nathanl Byfield Esqr Judge of the probate of will & c a ppeared Elizabeth Round & John Round & made oath that the above written i nventory contains the whole of ye Estate that the Sd John Round Dyed se ized of & that when more Comes to their knoledge they will reveal it th at it may be of Record therewith.
Byfield

1
Birth: ABT 1645
Death: 7 OCT 1716 in Swansea, Bristol, MA