Sarah (surname unknown) Parkhurst

Biography

Sarah lived with her husband John Parkhurst in Ipswich, in Suffolk in eastern England, where he worked as a clothier. His will of March 1610 made detailed provision for her future as a widow. She was to receive the household furnishings and utensils—bedding, brass, pewter, linen, and woolen goods—together with an income of £8 a year for the rest of her life, payable in two installments each year.

The arrangement separated her support from the business that John left to their son George. It also made provision for younger children still awaiting adulthood or marriage. Sarah's household was therefore being reorganized around both her continuing needs and the children's futures. John's will was proved in June 1611. Sarah's maiden surname has not been established.

The identification of Sarah as the mother of George Parkhurst, the later New England immigrant, remains provisional.