Francis Doughty (clergyman)

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Francis Doughty (1616 – c. 1670) was an English-American Presbyterian minister.

Doughty was born in Bristol, and was ordained as a priest in the Church of England by William Piers.^[1] He served the parishes of Boxwell, Leighterton and Rangeworthy in Gloucestershire.^[2] In 1635 he got in trouble by referring to Charles I as "Charles by common election and general consent King of England".^[3]

Doughty decided to emigrate to America, going first to Massachusetts, where he probably arrived in 1638.^[4] He pastored churches in Taunton and Cohasset, but was persecuted on account of his beliefs regarding infant baptism.^[5] He had preached that all children of baptized parents were children of Abraham, and therefore ought to be baptized as well.^[6]

Doughty then moved to Long Island, where in 1642, Director of New Netherland Willem Kieft granted him and his associates a large tract of land at Maspeth, "with power to erect a church, and to exercise the Reformed Christian religion which they profess."^[7] The following year, however, war with Indians forced him to relocate to New Amsterdam, where he pastored a church in Flushing for five years.^[5] He came into conflict with Kieft, and Captain John Underhill ordered his church doors to be shut.^[7] Doughty migrated again, and pastored churches in Northampton County, Virginia, Charles County, Maryland, and Rappahannock County, Virginia.^[2] In Virginia he became known for "troublesome but unsuccessful witch-hunting proclivities".^[1]

William Gray Dixon calls Doughty the "Apostle of Presbyterianism in America", and suggests that his character "seems to have well befitted his name.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b Bell, James B. (2013). Empire, Religion and Revolution in Early Virginia, 1607–1786. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 90. ISBN 9781137327925. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
^ ^a ^b Dorman, John Frederick (2004). Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5: Families G-P. Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 134. ISBN 9780806317632. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
^ Parker, Henry Ainsworth (1906). "The Reverend Francis Doughty". Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Volume 10. p. 262. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
^ Parker, "Reverend Francis Doughty," p. 261.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dixon, William Gray (1930). The Romance of the Catholic Presbyterian Church. p. 233.
^ Lechford, Thomas (1642). "Plain Dealing, or Newes from New-England". Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 23. p. 96. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Rev. Francis Doughty". Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 5 (3): 290. 1898. JSTOR 4242057.

External links

Notes for Francis Doughty

[Bell-1] Bell, James B. (2013). Empire, Religion and Revolution in Early Virginia, 1607–1786. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 90. ISBN 9781137327925. Retrieved 10 October 2015.

[Dorman-2] Dorman, John Frederick (2004). Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5: Families G-P. Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 134. ISBN 9780806317632. Retrieved 10 October 2015.

[3] Parker, Henry Ainsworth (1906). "The Reverend Francis Doughty". Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Volume 10. p. 262. Retrieved 10 October 2015.

[4] Parker, "Reverend Francis Doughty," p. 261.

[Dixon-5] Dixon, William Gray (1930). The Romance of the Catholic Presbyterian Church. p. 233.

[6] Lechford, Thomas (1642). "Plain Dealing, or Newes from New-England". Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 23. p. 96. Retrieved 10 October 2015.

[VHS-7] "Rev. Francis Doughty". Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 5 (3): 290. 1898. JSTOR 4242057.

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