THE PRIDE FAMILY
This family has been a real challenge for me. I have promised myself that I
will learn more about the Prides at a future date. There are scattered bits of
information about them in the New England Genealogical Register and various state
and town records. Since the only Pride name I had to go on was Abigail, I could
not know whether the references I found were to our lineage. When I found the
little story about Abner Pride and the Prince, I believed that Abner was Abigail's
father, since she and Barna named one of their sons "Abner". After I broke the
barrier by finding that Abner married Abigail Kingsbury, and they moved to Vermont,
I was able to establish the line which I have confirmed but which is all too devoid
of dates and information.
I. JOHN PRIDE
The earliest record that I have found states that John was in Salem, Mass.
in 1636. He was granted twenty acres there in 1636. He had half an acre at
Winter Harbor and six acres on Darby Fort Side Mar.20, 19636, but I do not
know whether these were included in the original twenty. He was at town
meeting 1637. John's contribution to the community at Salem was as a potter
and brickmaker.
The Pride family seems to have been our most nautical. The Salem History by
Perley gives the following account: "Mordecai Crawford and John Pride mort-
gaged Cap't Crawford's barque, pledging half of the barque Cap't Pride
usually goeth in, and half of the produce of the fishing voyage." I do not
know whether this reference is to John or to his son.
John married Elizabeth ---, probably in England. He died in Salem before
1647.
II. JOHN PRIDE, Jr., of Salem, m. Jane Lovering of Beverly, Mass.
I do not have any dates for him.
Issue:
1. John, b. 1680, m. Hannah ---, of York Co., Maine
2. William, m. Hannah Thorndyke
3. Peter, m. a Thistle
4. Joseph, m. Elizabeth Bond
III. WILLIAM PRIDE b. in Salem, Mass., m. Hannah Thorndyke of Beverly, Mass. He
commanded the ketch "Blossom", wt. 175 tons. He is referred to as Captain
William.
IV. MICAJAH PRIDE of Norwich, Conn. I do not know whether his parents moved to
Connecticut with him. I found the following on microfilm, Norwich, Conn.,
records: "Micajah Pride and Ester Richards married together on ye 10th of
August, 1742." Micajah died Dec. 22, 1759.
V. ABNER PRIDE
This was also on microfilm: "Abner, ye son of Micajah Pride and wife Ester,
born Dec. ye 3rd. 1744." (One source said that Abner was born Jan. 4, 1745.)
He married Abigail Kingsbury July 16, 1766. They were both of Norwich,
Conn., but moved to East Brookfield, Vermont. According to the story, Abner
was a cobbler. Found in Vol. 2, Historical and Genealogical Register of
Vermont, Hemenway:
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The Story of Abner Pride
During the visit of the Prince of Wales to this country, not many years after
the close of the Revolutionary War, that bigoted scion of royalty (the Prince
of Wales) passed through Vermont enroute to Canada. In Northern Brookfield,
Vermont, resided Abner Pride, a shoemaker by trade. His house was a long
way from any other. It was frequently made a stopping place for travellers.
The Prince stopped here and asked for refreshments. When about to leave, he
stepped up to Mrs. Pride, and, with saucy freedom, kissed her. Observing her
resentment, he remarked soothingly: "Oh, never mind. You can tell your
people that you had the honor of being kissed by an English Prince."
Mr. Pride, from his work at the bench, had witnessed the scene. Hearing
these words, he rose indignantly, and with a kick more forcible than grace-
ful, ejected the impertinent Prince from the door, sending after him the
mocking farewell: "Oh, never mind. You can now go home and tell your people
that have had the honor of being kicked out of the door by a cobbler from
Vermont."
After Abigail's death Abner married again. His second wife was Jane Smith
who died Mar. 1, 1812. Abner died Sept. 21, 1813. He was buried in east
Brookfield, Vermont.
Issue of Abigail and Abner:
1. Amasa b. May 6, 1777, in Norwich Conn. He lived in East Brookfield,
Vt., and finally moved to Waterbury, Vt., where he was one of the first
settlers, and "He was the first successful merchant of Waterbury."
There is more about him in Hemenway's History of Vermont. He is referred
to in some of our family letters. He died Aug. 16, 1822
2. Abigail
VI. ABIGAIL PRIDE b. June 17, ----, in Norwich, and moved to Vermont with her
parents. Abigail married a young merchant, Barna Bigelow, Sept. 18, 1794.
She died June 20, 1808. Abigail was known as "Nabby". Even her death notice
reads, "Nabby Pride Bigelow, wife, Brookfield, white, housekeeper died
June 20, 1808." Abigail died only a month after her mother's death.
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