Marshfield, Massachusetts

Marshfield is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Massachusetts's South Shore. The population was 24,324 at the 2000 census.

History of Marshfield
Marshfield is an early Pilgrim town created by settlers from nearby Plymouth_Colony, originally part of the "New Colony of New Plimoth in New England," which was established in 1620. Marshfield retains some of its historic character throughout its several quaint villages.

Marshfield was first established as a separate settlement in 1632 by Edward Winslow, a Mayflower Pilgrim who became a governor of Plymouth Colony. Edward Winslow was the third signatory to the Mayflower Compact. He became a negotiator and diplomat for the Colony in its dealings with the Native Americans and with the British. Edward Winslow established the first church and the first school in the town, near the cemetery which today still bears the Winslow name.

Governor Edward Winslow made a major contribution to the success of Plimoth Plantation by returning to England to obtain cattle for the Colony. Cattle farming was introduced into Marshfield at the inception of its settlement and became a major industry for the town for the next 300 years. Governor Bradford described the first land grants in the Town as being made for tillage and cattle.

A commercial fishing enterprise was established in Marshfield by 1623, by William Green, who later married a granddaughter of Pilgrim Richard Warren. The area was originally referred to as "Green's Harbor." When the area was formally set off as a town, it was named "Rexhame." Later, the name of the town was changed to "Marshfield." It is believed that the name "Marshfield" was taken from a Welsh town by that name. The town has extensive acreage of salt water tidal marshes along its three rivers: the Green Harbor River, the South River and the North River.

Marshfield was officially set off from Plimoth Plantation as a separate "town" in 1640. Much of the land in Marshfield was originally granted to Pilgrims, their family members or to the investors in the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth.

According to the List of Freemen of 1643, the earliest settlers in Marshfield, in addition to Edward Winslow, included his brothers Kenelm Winslow and Josiah Winslow. The list also included Thomas Bourne, Robert Waterman, John Dingley, Thomas Chillingsworth, John Russell, Edward Buckley, William Thomas and Nathaniel Thomas. (The two Thomas families were not related.)

The list of those who took the Oath of Fidelity in the Town in 1657 included: John Adams, John Booth, John Howland,Jr. Thomas Dogget, Samuel Baker, Robert Latham, Joseph Rose, Edward Bumpas,Jr., John Branch, James Dougherty, Robert Parker, Edmund Hincksman, Richard Sylvester, Thomas Tilden, Francis Crocker, John Thomas, Abraham Jackson, John Thomas, John Rogers,Jr., John Walker, George Vaughan, William Foard,Jr., William Maycomber, Richard French, Ralph Chapman, John Bumpas and Grigory Flecnam.

Prominent Settlers

 * Peregrine White - first anglo child born in New England.