9. | WATERS Susanna was born on 01 Feb 1648 in Salem, Essex Co., MA (daughter of WATERS Richard and PLASSE Joyce (Rejoice)); died on 21 Dec 1726 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. Notes:
A quaint Ipswich law punished "commoners" for overstepping the bounds
of propriety by daring to wear fine garments which were beyond their
proper rank in life. As early as 1651, the General court of Ipswich
had expressed its "griefe...that intollerable excesse and bravery
hath crept in upon us and especially amongst people of mean
condition, to the dishonor of God, the scandal of its professors, the
consumption of estates and altogether unsuitable to our poverty." It
was later ordered that no person whose visible estate did not exceed
L200, should wear gold or silver lace, or any bone lace above 2s. per
yard, or silk hoods or scarfs. Penalty for each such offense was 10
shillings.
In the year 1675, Ipswich was in a general state of terror over the
string of Indian attacks that became known as King Phillips' War. The
Ipswich General Court saw in such attacks evidence of rebukes from
God Almighty himself, and promptly issued fresh edicts some of the
more flagrant abuses of wearing "finery" and displaying the sin of
pride.
Susanna, the newly wed wife of Benedict, appeared one Sabbath morning
in 1675 meeting house proudly displaying such a silk scarf and hood,
along with a number of other wives of the town. Benedict was duly
fined for the violation of social decorum. The incident implies that
Benedict's estate must have been valued less than L200.
Birth:
1 FEB 1648/1649
Notes:
Married:
FEB 1673/1674
Children:
- 4. PULSIFER Richard was born on 31 May 1675 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died on 09 Feb 1762 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
- PULSIFER William was born on 12 Dec 1676 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
- PULSIFER Susanna was born on 05 Sep 1678 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died before 1689 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
- PULSIFER Joseph was born on 13 Nov 1680 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died on 04 Apr 1711 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (from Judge Samuel Sewell's diary).
- PULSIFER Benjamin was born on 19 May 1683.
- PULSIFER David was born on 25 Sep 1685 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died about Dec 1720 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA.
- PULSIFER Johanna was born on 25 Sep 1687 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
- PULSIFER Jonathan was born on 25 Sep 1687 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA; died on 13 Aug 1763 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
- PULSIFER Susanna was born about 1689 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
- PULSIFER Elizabeth was born about 1690.
- PULSIFER Margaret was born about 14 Feb 1692 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.
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