THE SPRAGG FAMILY IN AMERICA

It is the tradition in the SPRAGG (Sprague/Spragge/Sragg & etc) family of America that there were three brothers, Joseph, Edward and John Spragg who emigrated simultaneously from England. The date of this event is lost, but it would have been very early, about 1640.

1: John Spragg settled in Rhode Island and it is believed that he used the Sprague spelling. (nothing more on him).

2: Joseph Spragg took up his home in Staten Island, NY , in the city of what became Richmond, NJ. He used the Sprague spelling. The name William Sprague, in 1667 and Joseph Sprague in 1772, are found in the early Staten Island county records. The are undoubtedly the grandsons of the original Joseph Spragg/Sprague who had three sons, Jacob, John and Edward. (nothing more on him).

3: Edward (1) Spragg settled on Long Island, in what became the town of Hempstead, NY.

It is this Edward (1) Spragg who is the start of the Spragg family in America.
FROM THE UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT BY: George D. A. Comoes on the early town of Hempstead, L.I., NY, "THE FIRST 100 SETTLERS OF HEMPSTEAD".
Edward (1) Spragg, the first of the SPRAGG line in this area, first appears on the Hempstead records in 1654 as holding 6 acres of estate. He was at this time married and father of several children. He had a son Edward (2) and it is difficult or impossible to separate the records from the father and the son after the son becomes of age, say about 1664 or 1665. The father was for many years in charge of the herds pastured on the common lands. An agreement was made by Edward (1) Spragg and one William Johnson on Apr 16 1657 for Edward (1) Spragg to" Perform the place of cow keeper". Edward (1) Spragg was granted 1 1/2 acres of land upon the little plains and on Dec 30 1665 he received 22 acres of land on the north side "near ye bevill". Also he received 6 acres of meadowland on Jun 24,1669. Whether these grants were to the father or the son, or to both is not known.

On Jul 12,1677 we have the testimony of Edward (1) Spragg, age about 61 years (Born about 1616) . He testifies that the Indians received their final pay for Hempstead in 1656. " It being the last payment for the town bounds. This was paid in kettles (pots)and trading cloth and wampom and led (lead) and I think sum hatchets and hoes". This testimony was signed by Edward (1) Spragg, (With the spelling Spragg), but other papers were signed with his "MARK".

The first time the senior and junior are used in connection with the father and the son, is in 1694 when Edward Spragg Sr. deeded his rights to "6 gates of fenc" on Cow's Neck to a Thomas Harker. This might be Edward (2) Spragg who by this time was the father of Edward (3) Spragg who was over twenty-one years old, so Edward (2) could therefore properly call himself senior. There is no record that gives the approximate death date for Edward (1) Spragg. Perhaps his last act of record was when on Mar 10,1687 , he conveyed 30acres of woodlands on the north side of the plains to a Benjamin Seaman.
Note:Cow's/Coe's/Cou's neck is called Manhasset, L.I.,Ny today.

On Nov 4,1692 Edward (2) Spragg and his wife Mary, both signed with a "mark", (note that the above Edward (1) signed with his name). They conveyed unto Benjamin Carman a meadow on Coe's Neck the "equell halfe part of a lot containing six acres". (note that later Thomas Spragg married a Mary Carman in Hempstead). This we believe was Edward (2) Spragg and the fact that the land sold was a 1/2 part may indicate that the property of Edward (1) Spragg was divided among two children and as the son William was perhaps deceased before his father, the two would be Edward (2) and John.

(note: A John Spragg was a "Secretary to the Colony" about 1683. Don't know if this is the same John or not. This John Spragg returned to England).

There is no record of the deaths of any of the Edward Spragg's, but if the arrangement of the early family is correct (and due to the lack of definite facts, it is only an arrangement). It would seem that both Edward (1) and Edward (2) were deceased prior to the taking of the 1698 census of Hempstead, NY. On this census is found the family of Edward (3) Spragg with his wife Abigail and three children: Sarah, Jacob, and Edward (4). Also found on this census is Mary Spragg (widow of Edward (2) with three children: John, Thomas and Richard. (the younger children)

End of the Comoes manuscript

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From the Finney Sprague notes
"It is probable that there were only three different Edwards Spragg's in the early years. The Edward (1) was dead before May 2 1702 and he had a son Edward (2) who married before Nov 4 1692 to a Mary and had a son Edward (3)".

Note: Think she was right, but it was Edward (1) who was married to Mary.

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EARLY SPRAGG FAMILY

Edward(1) Spragg, born about 1616 in England, died about 1685 in Hempstead, NY. First appears in Hempstead in 1654, was married about 1642, wife unknown. He emigrated from England about 1640, first to New Haven, Ct. Had sons Edward (2), William and might have had a son John.

Edward( 2) Spragg, born about 1645 in Hempstead, died about 1692/98, in Hempstead. Wife believed to have been a Mary . Children: Edward (3) ,William, John,Thomas,&Richard Note: another list has a Joseph and a Hannah.

Edward(3) Spragg, born about 1666, Hempstead, died 1725 in Hempstead. Wife was Abigail Southard, dau. of Thomas Southard . Children: Edward(4) , Sarah, Jacob, Nehemiah, & Abigail Note: Nehemiah is the start of what is called the Pennsylvania line.

Edward(4) Spragg, born about 1696,Hempstead,died 1785 Hempstead. Wife Margaret Gritman, married 1719 Hempstead. Children: Mary, Phoebe, Thomas, Margaret, Edward(5), William, Elijah, & Samuel

1: Mary Spragg, born about 1723 Hempstead, Married John Smith, Jun 13,1746

2: Phoebe Spragg, born about 1728, Hempstead, Married Daniel Smith

3: Thomas Spragg, Capt, born 1729,Hempstead, Married Mary Carman.     (My Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather and Grandmother) The start of the Canada line of Spragg's.

4: Margaret Spragg, born about 1735,Hempstead. Married Caleb Southard.

5: Edward(5) Spragg, born about 1720,died about 1777/80,Married Phoebe Woods.

6: William Spragg, born about 1731 Hempstead, Married Catherine Manthing.

7: Elijah Spragg, Born May 10 1748,died 1780 Hempstead. Married Hannah Gloden.

8: Samuel Spragg, returned to England and died there.

I wish to thank my brother "Dale Wilken" for his total committment, dedication, and ability on his research of the Spragg Genealogy over the past 35 years.