Matthew Boomer (Jr.) 1668-1735

Matthew Boomer jr. (my 7th great grandfather), was, like his father of the same name, a deviant character. Born on September 26, 1668, in Pawtuxet, Providence (Rhode Island) he grew up amongst the Puritan settlers. (Thank you to one of my unnamed readers, “W”, for the correction of that it was not “Pawtucket” but the easily confused “Pawtuxet”!)

The problem in researching Matthew Boomer is finding which Matthew the documents make reference to. Of coarse the dates can give some indication, but at the point when Matthew Boomer jr. has become a teenager it is much more difficult to judge as age is rarely mentioned. In many cases there is little distinction made, and often researchers fall prey to labeling Matthew sr. as the more deviant (see this document as an example). It is easy to see why the two have been often confused- as each had many run ins with the law.

The task of distinguishing father from son is easiest when records title the son “Matthew jr.” This occurs in the Plymouth Colony Archives, where a court trial between Matthew jr. (aged 17 at the time) and a man named John Brandon is outlined:

Wheras John Brandon, of Freetown, complains against Mathew Boomer, Junior, of said town, for that he, the said Boomer, hath sundry times beat him, the said Brandon, [and] giuen out threatning speaches against him, in soe much that, as he saith, he goeth in fear of his life of him, [and] more especially in behalfe of himselfe [and] Mary, his wife; she complains against the said Boomane, that att sundry times he hath attempted to abuse her, the said Mary, attempting by force to lye with her, [and] for other laciuious cariages towards her. These, et cetera.

1. The jury find the prisoner att the barr guilty of the breach of the Kings peace in striking of John Brandon. Secondly. Also, by breaking the Sabboth by sufering his Indian seruants to hunt on the Saboth day. Thirdly. Guilty of liciuiou carriages to Mary Brandon.

Mathew Boomer, Junior, conuict of Saboth breaking, breach of the peace, [and] laciuious carriages with Mary Brandon.

The Court orders said Boomer to pay for Saboth breaking twenty shillings fine to the country; for his breach of peace, ten shilings; [and] for his laciuious carriage with Mary Brandon, the Court orders him, the said Boomer, to pay four pounds fine to the country, [and] charges of prosecution. (March, 1685/1686 (PCR 6:178))

This Matthew jr.’s case appears far more serious than the charges of damages and riots in his father’s time. Matthew jr. appears to be a threatening man: his words clearly made John Brandon fearful, and the charge of “lascivious carriage” means quite literally “attempted rape”.  All of these charges were made when he was merely about 17 years of age.

Two years after this incident, Matthew jr. met Hannah Church, whom he married on June 27th, 1688 in Freetown. The connection between the Boomers and the Churches adds more excitement to the history of this family, as the Churches were a power family in Fall River, Massachusetts. Hannah’s uncle, Colonel Benjamin Church, was one of the first (of eight men) to settle the area in 1680, granted land from the first associates who were conveyed the land in a deed signed by Grand Sachem Wamsutta and his wife. This settlement in 1680 (called the Pocasset Purchase, and then later, the town of Tiverton) was divided into 30 shares. The Colonel and his brother, (Hannah’s father) Caleb Church, bought 26 1/2 of the 30 shares, owning most of Tiverton (see more about this history). This made Hannah Church a rather wealthy woman for Matthew Boomer to marry: something that seems somewhat unlikely.

The couple had nine children whom I am aware of:

Matthew Boomer (b. September 1689), Lydia Boomer (December 3, 1690-November 3, 1761), Hannah Jencks (November 16, 1692-December 18, 1718), Mercy Luther (March 16, 1694-February 1, 1772), Deborah Mason (May 1, 1696-May 28, 1767), Caleb Boomer– my 6th great-grandfather (March 16, 1698- October 15, 1770), Ruth Salisbury (May 31, 1700- November 4, 1742), Joshua Boomer (October 8, 1743- February 1, 1772), Mary Elsbury (1705 – November 3, 1761).

There is record later of Matthew Jr. attempting to gain land from Hannah’s father through the court. In the record from 1724 (below), his son Joshua acts as his attorney. Caleb Church, as we know was a wealthy landowner, and it appears (to no surprise) that he likely did not favor the Boomers.