Soper, Joseph

From the Compendium----------------------------------JOSEPHSOPER(Boston, Massachusetts)Shortly after the Puritans arrived on the''Mayflower'' to found thePlymouth Colony in Massachusetts, the Soperscame to Colonial America.King James I had died in 1625, and was followedby Charles I, whoreigned from 1625, until his execution in 1649. JosephSoper came tothese shores between 1634-1636. He was a "mariner,householder, and asea captain", according to a paper of Guy E. Soper, ofOrland, Maine.Captain Joseph Soper settled in Massachusetts, and on May8, 1656, wasunited in marriage to Elizabeth Alcocke, of Dedham, England,thedaughter of Thomas and Margery Alcocke. Governor John Endicottperformedthe ceremony. Joseph died intestate on December 23, 1678. MosesBradfordand Nathaniel Greenwood appraised the estate at 95:18:6.Elizabeth wasappointed administrix of the estate. She later married aman by the nameof Helman.Joseph and Elizabeth Soper had some eightchildren: Joseph(1)(1659-1660): John (1661-1713); Elizabeth (1664- ):Joseph (2) (1665-); Thomas (1668- ); Samuel (1670-1713); Mary (1)(1673-1676); and Mary(2)(1676- ).There is substantial confusion in thenames, birthdates, lineage, andnumber of the children of Joseph andElizabeth Soper. Some sources donot list John as a son. Others do notlist Elizabeth. Some list two sonsnamed Joseph, the first born in 1657,who died in 1660, and a secondborn-in 1665. Some list two daughtersnamed Mary, the first born in1673, who died in 1676, and the second bornin 1676. Some researcherstrace lineage back through Samuel, son ofJoseph and Elizabeth. Otherresearchers with the same lineage trace theirancestry back throughJohn, the older son of Joseph and Elizabeth. Anyreader, therefore, musthold all data suspect unless it is primary sourcedata. In this paper wehave followed the lineage suggested by William M.Pierce in, "OldHancock County Families".John Soper (1661-1713), acordwainer, of Hull, Massachusetts, listed bysome researchers as the sonof Joseph Soper ( -1678), immigrant, andomitted by other researchers,married Mary , about 1684. Mary''s familyname, according to Mormonmicrofilm, was Hunt. Others list it as Filman.Children reportedlyinclude: Samuel (1685-1713); Joseph (1688- ) (nodata); Elizabeth(1691-1727); John (1693/4-1742); Benjamin (1697-c1750);Isaac (1699- )(no data); Mary (1701/2- ); Justus (1704-1780); Sarah(1707- ); Nicholas(1709- ) (no data); and Consider/Considder Soper(1712- ). John Sopermoved from Boston, Massachusetts, to Hull,Massachusetts, about1685.Samuel Soper (1685-1713), of Hull, Massachusetts, in 1708, inBoston,Massachusetts, married Mary Lyon, of Dorchester, Massachusetts.Mary wasbaptised in 1686. The wedding ceremony was performed by theRev.Benjamin Wordsworth. Children included: Samuel Soper (1709-1749)andElkanon Soper (1711- ). Samuel Soper moved from Hull, Massachusetts,toBoston, Massachusetts, about 1708.Samuel Soper (1709-1749), ofWest Brookfield, Massachusetts, wasborn in Boston, Massachusetts, anddied in Taunton, Massachusetts. In1731, in West Bridgewater,Massachusetts, he married Esther Littlefield(1714-1792), who was born inBraintree, Massachusetts, and died inTaunton, Massashusetts. Childrenincluded: Edmund (1731-1776); Hannah(Pettingail) (1733- ); Asa(1734-1775); Samuel (1736-1807); Esther(Briggs) (1738- ),Oliver{1719/40- ); Amasa (1742-1818); Salter (1744-); Sarah(1745-1749);James (l747-1749); and Silence (Simmons) (1749/50-) Estherreportedly married (2) Seth Briggs, after the death of Samuelin 1?49.Samuel Soper moved to Bridgewater, Massachusetts, probably fromBoston,Massachusetts.