These research notes are provided as-is and contain supplementary working research.
This page expands an Evidence link in Colonial Braintree community: the findings, sources, and qualifications behind the marked passage.
Evidence
1646 Braintree meadows petition (imaged; Mass. Archives vol. 45)
In 1646 John Gurney was among the signers of a Braintree inhabitants' petition to the General Court against Thomas Gilbert's cattle grazing the petitioners' meadow lots; the imaged document (Massachusetts Archives vol. 45, p. 11, with the answer slip at p. 11a endorsed over Gov. John Winthrop) places John among the town's founding cohort — Martin Sanders, Peter and Richard Brackett, Henry Adams, Samuel Bass, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Albee, John Dassett, James Penniman, and Thomas Meakins.
Date: 1646 (answer slip endorsed "16 3 (46)" over Gov. Winthrop)
Why this conclusion
- Supports Finding Recognised standing in the Braintree communityCo-signing the 1646 meadows petition with the founding cohort is a documented act of town collective action, evidencing standing.
- Supports Finding Braintree residence, c. 1645–1662/3A dated 1646 petition places John among Braintree's inhabitants, an early fixed point in the residence.
Sources
- Massachusetts Archives Collection (Felt Collection), vol. 45, "Lands, 1622–1726." Boston: Massachusetts Archives. Digitized on FamilySearch, film/DGS 007702989., vol. 45, p. 11 (petition) and p. 11a (answer slip); FamilySearch DGS 007702989, image 1403 (ark 3:1:3Q9M-C9Y5-YWYK) and image 1402 (ark 3:1:3Q9M-C9Y5-YWYP)
john gournet [Gurney] among the signers; answer slip "16 3 (46)" / "1646" over "Jo: Winthrop: Gov'r"
Technical details
- Evidence marker:
G13-PM-000112 - Primary research item:
G13-RI-000184 - Graph revision:
244 - Machine-readable JSON:
/assets/g13-graph/marker-bundles/G13-PM-000112.json