Nathaniel Soule1

M, b. circa 1638, d. before 10 September 1702
FatherGeorge Soule b. c 1600, d. b 22 Jan 1679/80
MotherMary Becket d. 1677
     Nathaniel was born circa 1638 at the Plymouth Colony. Nathaniel married Rose Thorn in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. As his wife bore the same name as the first wife of Capt. Miles Standish and she had a son Miles, genealogists have believed there was some close relationship between the two families.

Nathaniel was in court while living in Duxbury with a criminal reputation. In 1667, he was fined £20 for publicly scandalizing his minister, Rev. John Holmes, and he acknowledged his maliciousness in so doing; but he escaped the stocks, which was part of the awarded penalty, and the disgrace and embarrassment of public exposure, through the intercession of the minister. Neither fear of the penalties imposed by the court nor the public spectacle of exposure at the stocks in the market-place, restrained him and he fell from grace a second time, for in 1671 he was fined £5 and publicly whipped "for telling several lies which tended greatly to the hurt of the Colony."

in I674—he was again brought to the whipping post and publicly flagelated as punishment for committing adultery with an Indian woman; and was ordered to pay "ten bushels of Indian corn" towards the keeping of the child.


settled on the lands received from his father in an undivided condition and lived there alongside of his brother, George, for many years. He * his brother were engaged in navigation and owned fishing craft in which they went to the "Banks" and brought home handsome "fares" for sale or family supplies. They were often absent for a considerable time, and taking advantage of a hegira the Slocumbs committed trespass upon their lands; and .when George and Nathaniel returned from their fishing, they found their estate entered upon and occupied. This action resulted in court proceedings and the Soules were given a round sum as damages—L150.

In the record of the survey and partition of their lands through the petition of their heirs the names of George and Nathaniel are of frequent occurrence and were associated with such expressions as "Our late honored father."

The following speaks for itself: "Nathaniel and Jacob, sons of Nathaniel Soule, late of Dartmouth, deceased, and William Soule and Nathan Soule, sons of George Soule, late of said Dartmouth, and brothers to the said Nathaniel and Joseph Devol, son-in-law of said George Soule, agree to divide the lands in Dartmouth which belonged to our fathers, Nathaniel and George Soule aforesaid—and is all the divided lands belonging to their share of land given them by their father George Soule, late of Dartmouth, deceased—by deed of gift." The county records give the boundaries and landmarks pertaining to each lot assigned to the sons of George and Nathaniel and the full names of the direct heirs. On 11 August 1677, his father left him & his brother, George, all his lands in the Township of Dartmouth. Nathaniel departed this life before 10 September 1702 in Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts. His estate was divided among his heirs on 10 September 1702.

Family

Rose Thorn

Citations

  1. [S848] G. T. Ridlon, A Contribution to the history, biography, and genealogy of the Soule families, pages 207-208.