Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 4
1639-03-25
Our Company wantinge some officers, haue accordinge to their liberty, made choice of some, whom, they desired me to propound to the Court or Counsell. They were willinge to expresse their loue and likinge to Sargeant French and Sargeant Howlett proposinge the former for Leiuetenant, the other for Ensigne, yet esteeminge the Counsell better able to judge, they agreed Likewise to propound 2 Gentlemen against their 2 Sargeants viz. Mr. Whittingham for Leiuetenant and Mr. John Hubbard for Ensigne, willingly referringe it to the wisdome of the Counsell to appoint 2 of the 4, yet they were desirous that the Counsell might vnderstand that the major part of them did rather desire the 2 Sargeants tho they did willingly refer themselfes to the Counsell The Sargeants did modestly refuse professinge themselfes ready to doe their best services in the places they now hold, wherein I confess they are more vsefull, then I Suppose they would be in other. The Gentlemen are not freemen yet of good report and esteeme. your wisdomes will easily determine the matter. Consideringe Carpenters worke not for respect I desire you would be pleased to intreate Mr. Salton107stall or my Brother Bradstreete to install them in their places if you shall judge any of them meete. I will not further trouble you but present my service and remayne Your Worships to be Commanded
W. 1. 126. Daniel Dennison was one of the earliest inhabitants of Cambridge. He subsequently moved to Ipswich. He was for eleven years deputy from that town to the General Court, and for the last twenty-nine years of his life he was an Assistant. For eleven years (including the period of King Philip's War) he was Major General of the colony's forces. Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge (Boston, 1877), 534.