Edward Rawson (politician)
Encyclopedia
Edward Rawson served as the first Secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
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Edward Rawson was born in Dorset, England
in 1615. Around 1636 he married his young wife, Rachel Perne, and soon left England for the Americas. He settled in Newbury in 1637. On April 19, 1638, at the age of 23, he was chosen to be Public Notary and Register for that town, and was annually reelected until 1647. Many other public trusts and responsible duties were laid upon him by the people of Newbury. As early as the year 1638, he was one of the deputies to represent the town at the General Court, and was reelected for nearly all the successive years to May 22, 1650, at which time he was chosen Secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which office he continued to hold for thirty-six years, until 1686.
By the time of her death in the year 1677, Rachel Perne had borne twelve children to Edward Rawson. Of the twelve, at least nine have been known to survive until adulthood. Rachel Perne's family was related to the Hooker and Hawley families of New England.
Edward Rawson died in 1693 at the age of 78.
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
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Edward Rawson was born in Dorset, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1615. Around 1636 he married his young wife, Rachel Perne, and soon left England for the Americas. He settled in Newbury in 1637. On April 19, 1638, at the age of 23, he was chosen to be Public Notary and Register for that town, and was annually reelected until 1647. Many other public trusts and responsible duties were laid upon him by the people of Newbury. As early as the year 1638, he was one of the deputies to represent the town at the General Court, and was reelected for nearly all the successive years to May 22, 1650, at which time he was chosen Secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which office he continued to hold for thirty-six years, until 1686.
By the time of her death in the year 1677, Rachel Perne had borne twelve children to Edward Rawson. Of the twelve, at least nine have been known to survive until adulthood. Rachel Perne's family was related to the Hooker and Hawley families of New England.
Edward Rawson died in 1693 at the age of 78.