John READ was a resident of the East Anglia area of England and according to family tradition, as well as written sources came to these shores as part of the Winthrop Fleet of 1630.History of the Town of Surrey (N.H. by Frank Burnside Kingsbury, p. 823.

He came first to Weymouth and was there in 1634, in Dorchester by 1638, then to Braintree and in 1643-44 settled at Rehoboth. His wife Sarah is shown as the daughter of William LESSIE of Blyborough in Suffolk, England. Early History of Boston by Aspinwall, p.11and The History of Swanzey, N.H. by Benjamin Read, p. 430.

He lived at Mt. Washington (the ancient name for Braintree) and probably was granted the title of Freeman there, as it was given 13 May 1640. Pioneers of Massachusetts by Charles Henry Pope, p. 380.

John READ was with that group of settlers in the Congregation of Rev. Samuel NEWMAN who moved with his flock first from Weymouth and finally ended up in Seekonk (Rehoboth) where they were the founders of the Town. John READ is shown as gaining lot #3 of the 58 at the first town meeting on 24 October 1643 and on a list as #58 when the following year the Town distributed the woodland between the plain and the town.  He is also shown as #4 on a list of inhabitants.  The members shown in Rehoboth would be those families whose children would marry those of John and Sarah READ. The History of Bristol County MA compiled by D. Hamilton Hurd, Chapter XXXIII., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth by Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, M.D., p.209 and New England Marriages before 1700, by Torrey, p. 614, 615.

During King Philips War (1675-1677) Thomas and Israel, sons of John Sr. would serve as soldiers from Rehoboth. His son, John Jr. was killed along with eight others at Camp Swamp March 26th 1676 by a large force of Indians. Torrey, p. 614 and Soldiers in King Philip's War, by Bodges, p. 463, 464.

In addition, monies or materials for the cause would be furnished by John READ, Sr. as well as by Thomas READ and the widow Rachel Read (of John, Jr,). In one raid by the Indians, a third of the town was set to flames. From The History of Bristol County MA compiled by D. Hamilton Hurd, Chapter XXXIV.

By 1684 we begin to see his sons in Town Lists, but John Read, Sr. is not shown. His stone was still standing some years ago in the Old Seekonk burying grounds. There is some questions as to whether he died in 1683 or 85 and part of the problem is his disappearance from the town records in 1683 and the changing of the year from March back to January. Soon the family would slowly begin to scatter with one line going into the New Hampshire area.
Submitted by Donald W. Read of Grove, Oklahoma.

The Children of John READ and Sarah LESSIE were.
1. William,  m. Ruth CROOKE.
2. Abigail.
3. Ezekiel, twin d. as inf.
3. Zachariah, twin d. as inf.
5. Samuel,  b. abt. 1635,  m. Hopestill HOLBROOK.
6. John,  b. 1640,  m. Rachel ??.
7. Thomas,  b. 1641,  m. 1st. Elizabeth CLARK,  m. 2nd. Hannah PERRIN.
8. Moses,  b. 1650,  m. Rebecca FITCH.
9. Mary,  b. 1652.
10. Elizabeth,  b. 1654.
11. Daniel,  b. 1655,  m. Hannah PECK.
12. Israel,  b.1657,  m. Rebecca RUGGLES.
13. Mehitable,  m. Abiah CARPENTER.

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