Philip Verin

Philip Verin, whose ancestry is unknown (or not traced here), was born at Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, about 1580.¹ He died at Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts, before 3 October 1649 when his widow sold her farm.^1,2

Philip married Dorcas (…), whose ancestry is unknown (or not traced here), at Salisbury, about 1605.^1,3

Philip Verin and his family set sail about 6 April 1635 from Southampton, England on the James of London, a ship of 300 tons carrying passengers and cattle. On the passenger list were Edmund Batter, maltster; Joshua Verin, roper; Thomas Antram, weaver; George Smythe, taylor; Philip Verin, roper; and John Greene, surgeon. All these were called "late of New Sarum." There were "53 men, yuths, boyes, besides wives and children of divers of them," so we believe the Verin wives and children came also at that time.

The ship arrived 3 June, and except for Greene, these families settled at Salem, Massachusetts.^1,4

He was elected freeman, 2 Sep 1635, and thereafter served in several offices in the town:

As implied by freemanship, he must have been a member of the Salem church before 2 Sep 1635, and was on a list of Salem church members made in late 1636. On 7 Jul 1644, he was made a tithingman.

17 Apr 1637, he had "liberty to cut 3 loads of hay grass near to Lawrence Leeche's provided that he burn all the marshes thereabout. 11 Oct 1640, the town ordered that he (or any other) "shall make the fence that leadeth to the bridge of one side from the bridge to the highway that is by Richard Norman's house & that the town will pay him."

He sued Joseph Pope, 25 Jun 1639. "Referred to Mr Hathorne and Mr. Sharpe to audit the account."

In separate cases, Robert Cotta sued both Dorcas Verrin and Phillip Verrin Jr. for "slander for perjury." Both were referred to Mr. Hathorne and the elders, Mr. Norris and Mr. Sharpe, 12 Jul 1642. Jacob Varney testified that Phillip Verin Jr. and Michael Shaflen charged Robert Cotta with removing a bound stake. Michael Shaflen testified that Francis Weston removed it. 28 Feb 1642/3, Robert Cotta was presented for removing a bound stake."

Robert Veren, the eldest son had died by 1639, and his widow had married Francis Perry, and the relationship between the Veren's and the Perry's was anything but smooth:

In the Salem land grant, 1636, he was granted 160 acres in the freeman's lands; 11 Sep 1637, "Mr. Verrin is to have his farm of 160 acres next to Mr. Clarke on the north side, laying down his former, and in the division of marsh and meadow at Salem, 25 Dec 1637, "Mr. Verine" was granted one acre for a household of six.²

3 October 1649, "Dorcas Verrin hath sold her farm with the houses thereon with 20 acres of land formerly part of Mr. Batter's farm thereto adjoining and 160 acres near Cedar Pond" for £35 to Francis Perry. 28 Feb 1649/50, "Dorcas Verrin of Salem widow" sold to "Michaell Shafflyn of the same, tailor, twenty and five acres of land lying on the east side of Mr. Downing's farm."

29 Mar 1655, "Dorcas Veren, widow, & Hilliard Veren the son of Phillip Veren deceased of Salem" for "10 ewes, a ram and 20 pounds of wood," sold to "William Lord Senior of the same one dwelling house & outhouse, one acre of land lying in Salem town, next to the land of Francis Lawes on the west, together with one acre of land in the field near Henry Reinolds, together with ten acres of meadow lying in the farm that was lately belonging to Phillip Veren Senior deceased, together with certain goods agreed upon & mentioned in a schedule now in the said house."

His will, which has not survived, was not proved by witnesses, but was allowed with the consent of "all legatees in the country whose names were subscribed to it."⁶