Ca 1627 Constance married
Nicholas Snow (1703) , son of
Nicholas Snow (676) (ca 1578-6 May 1630) &
Elizabeth Rowelles, in Plymouth, MA.
Born ca 1599/1600 in London, England. Nicholas was baptized in St Leonards, Shoreditch, London, 25 Jan 1599/1600. Nicholas died in Eastham, MA on 15 Nov 1676.148 Occupation: carpenter.
“Nicholas Snow, one of the first seven who settled at Nausett [Eastham], was a man of sterlng worth and very prominent in the settlement. He came over from England, a passenger in the Ann, in the latter part of July, 1623, and at first located in the township of Plymouth, where he soon married. The Ann brought over many of the near relatives of the Pilgrims, besides quite a number of other passengers to settle with them, among whom might be mentioned Thomas Clarke, Anthony Anable, Edward Bangs, Experience Michell and George Morton. The settlers of Plymouth at the arrival of Nicholas Snow and other passengers of the Ann, were sadly destitute, not only of apparel, but of food to eat. The new comers were ‘diversely affected’ to behold ‘their low and poor condition.’ ‘The best dish,’ says Bradford, the renowned leader of that settlement, ‘that could present their friends with was a lobster or a piece of fish without bread or anything else but a cup of fair spring water.’ Bradford farther says, ‘Some of the passengers wished themselves in England again; others fell aweeping, fancying their own misery in whhat they saw now in others; some pitying the distress they saw their friends had been long in and still were under; in a word, all were full of sadness.’ In this ship it may be well to state, came Mrs. Alice Southworth, to become the renowned leader, and they were married shortly after.
“What were the feelings of the subject of this sketch upon knowing the sufferings of those poor ragged and half-fed Pilgrims, we are not told, but from what we can gather relative to the character of the man, we are led to believe he regretted their condition, cheerfullly lent them a helping hand and prayed for better times, which, according to both Bradford and Morton, came at harvest time.
“Nicholas Snow, not long after his arrival, became acquainted with Miss ‘Constanta’ or Constance, an elder daughter of Mr. stephen Hopkins, who had but a few years before braved the dangers of the Atlantic in the Mayflower and escaped the first winter’s distress, and took her for his wife, who, before 1650, had borne him twelve children, all then alive. The date of his marriage does not appear; but he was married before 1627, as by the record of the division of the cattle, May 22nd, he and his wife Constance received their share, they belonging to Mr. Stephen Hopkins’ company, which was composed of thirteen persons. In 1633 he was a freeman and a tax payer in Plymouth. The following year, with Edward Bangs, he was appointed to lay out roads in Plymouth. In 1636, he was one of the arbitrators to settle the difficulty between Joseph Beadle and Edward Dowty. In 1638, he was one of the jurors appointed to investigate the cause of the death of John England, a lad found dead on Plymouth flats. In 1640, he was one of the surveyors of highways at Plymouth. In 1645, with Gov. Prence, Josiah Cooke and others, he removed to Nausett; and when that place became a municipality, to him was assigned the duties of town clerk, an office he held until about 1773, when his son Mark succeeded him. He was surveyor of highways at Eastham in 1647; a deputy to the Colony court in 1648, also 1650-52-57. He was a selectman in 1668-71-72-74-75. He also held other offices in town. His death occurred at Eastham, according to the records of that town, November 15th, 1676. His will bears the date November 14th, 1676. It was witnessed by his pastor, Mr. Samuel Treat, and his son-in-law, Thomas Paine, Sen. His wife, Constance, survived him and died in October, 1677. The settlement of the estate he entrusted to his fellow townsmen, Deacon Samuel Freeman and John Mayo. He remembered the Eastham church and left a small sum towards furninshing ‘the furniture of the table of the Lord with pewter or otherwise.’
“The children of Mr. Snow are not recorded, and consequently the names cannot all be given. Gov. Bradford says he had twelve children in 1650, all alive. He mentions no daughters in his will, though it is certain he had several then alive. His sons mentioned were Mark, Joseph, Stephen, John and Jabez. He was a large landowner. He had land in Harwich, Eastham and Truro. Mark, Joseph and Stephen came into possession of his landed estate in Harwich, then Satucket; John, of that in Paomet, now Truro, and Jabes of that in Eastham, including the homestead. His ‘moveable goods,’ at his wife’s decease, he ordered divided among all his children equally. His residence was in that part now Eastham, not far from Gov. Prence’s homestead, as far as it can be ascertained form the records. He undoubtedly was buried in the old yard at Eastham, though no stone with inscription marks the place. His son Mark, who married Gov. Prence’s daughter Jane, and his son-in-law, Mr. Thomas Paine, were distinguished men in their day. The descendants of Mr. Nicholas Snow are numerous, and an effort by them shoud be made to erect a monument to his memory in the old yard, that the future generations may know where their Pilgrim ancestor lies buried.”95
The will of Nicholas Snow of Eastham, dated 14 Nov 1676, proved 5 Mar 1676/7, named his wife Constant, sons Jabez, Mark, Joseph, Steven, and John. His son John was given all his lands at “Paomett” (Truro), with “all my right and title or privilige there.” Executors: Deacon Samuel Freeman and John Mayo. (The Mayflower Descendant, vol. 3: 167-74.)