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Valentine Prentice married Alice Bredda at Chelmsford, England, in 1626 and were members there at least through the birth of their third child, Geremiah, on 9 Apr 1630.

Research by Prentice Stanley, one of Valentine's descendants, has uncovered information that indicates Valentine and Alice may have been Puritan followers of Thomas Hooker who wanted a greater reformation of the Church of England than that established by Elizabeth, in order to further purify it from elababorate ceremonies and forms.

Thomas Hooker (1586-1647) was an English Puritan pastor and preacher and one of the builders of colonial New England. After preaching briefly in the parish of Esther in Surrey, England, Hooker about 1626 became a lecturer at St. Mary, Chelmsford, Essex Co., England, Hooker's popular presentation of Puritan ideas aroused church officials, and he came under attack in 1629, eventually fleeing to Holland in 1630, and later emigrating to MA in 1633. (Ref: Encycl. Britannica, v. 6, pg. 46; Encycl. Americana (1990), v. 14, pg. 362.)

John Eliot was a son of Bennet and Lettese (Agger) Eliot and was born in Widford, Herts., England in 1604 and baptised Aug. 5, 1604 in the Parish Church, Widford. His father held lands in both Hertfordshire and Essex. His parents early imparted to him religious instruction. On March 20, 1619, John Eliot was entered as a pensioner at Jesus College in Cambridge where he was graduated in 1622 with the degree of a Bachelor of Arts. By 1630, Eliot had come under the spiritual influence of Thomas Hooker. Eliot taught in Hooker's school and lived in his home in Little Baddow in Essex. (Ref: Encycl. Britannica, v. 4, pg. 451; Encycl. Americana (1990), v. 10, pg. 239; History of the First Church in Roxbury, Mass., 1630-1904, pgs. 17-38)

It is unclear what Eliot did after Hooker moved to Holland in 1630, but one could reasonable infer that Eliot, as a close associate of Hooker, continued to be associated with Puritan activities at Chelmsford.

When the Mass. Bay Colony formed and established Boston in 1630, Eliot decided to relocate, and he booked passage aboard the "Lyon", taking many more of the Chelmsford congregation with him in 1631. It would be reasonable to infer that it was because of Eliot's decision to relocate that Valentine Prentice and his family decided to join with Eliot and accompany him aboard the "Lyon."

Eliot settled in Boston, and about 6 months later relocated to Roxbury, MA. Valentine and his family initially settled in Boston, but shortly thereafter also moved to Roxbury where he was a member of Eliot's church.

A much more detailed account of Valentine Prentice's life and roots may be found in our new Prentice book.

If you have any additional information about any of the folks mentioned above, please contact us at dewald@prenticenet.com..