BAKER, Sarah - I19533

Sarah Baker was born 9 Mar 1641 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts and died 20 Jan 1709 in Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts. She married Captain John Gould 12 Oct 1660 in Ipswich. They had 8 children. One record indicates her as a witness against an injustice.

In 1670, Sarah Baker Gould witnessed the intemperance (in the pulpit) ofthe Minister (Thomas Gilbert) of the Puritan Congregational Church atTopsfield Massachusetts... "He went into the pulpit in a disordered state,which he betrayed by the confusion of his thought and the clipping of hiswords, and especially by forgetting the order of the exercises." The casebecame so bad that at last one of the congregation rose and begged him tostop. Sarah Gould testified against him, and in the following year on 26September 1671, 4 separate "cases" were brought before the town government: Mr. Thomas Gilbert v. Ensign John Gould, for Sary Gould'sdefaming him. Verdict for the defendant. Also an action for assault. Verdict for plaintiff. Fine20s. Also another action of slander, for saying he was a lyingin the pulpit. Verdict for defendant. Ensign John Gould, in behalf of his wife Sarah, v. Mr.Thomas Gilbert. Action of slander. Verdict forplaintiff 40s. In "The Ancestry of Dudley Wildes" by William Goodwin Davis, theincident is described a little differently, as follows (editorialcomments are Davis's):Thomas and Phebe Perkins were among the guests at a Sundaydinner at the house of an earlier parson, Mr. Gilbert, in1670. Mr. Gilbert was a sick man, as good old Joanna Townecharitably realized, but others believed him to have drunk toomuch wine. The matter was aired in court and Phebe Perkinstestified as follows: "there was a cup with wine in it whichwas offered to Mr. Gilbert. He refused to take it at first,but afterward put the cup to his mouth" but she did not knowwhether he drank or not. Three more had the cup besidehimself and after he had dined he drank what was left in thecup. Immediately after dinner he sang a psalm and in readingit she thought his voice was lower than it used to be. Asevidence of drunkeness this would seem to be negligible.Phebe Perkins' sister-in-law, Sarah Gould, wife of Capt. JohnGould, went farther, however. She testified that she andPhebe went into another room after dinner, where Phebe said "Iwonder my Husban would ask him to drinke for I think hee hadnoe need of it. The first time hee toke the Cope I saw himdrinke a good draft." In spite of his wife's testimony thatMr. Gilbert was a sick man, the court admonished him.Sarah Gould continued to gossip and Mr. Gilbert eventuallysued her for slander. In court he asked the judges to"compare her [Sarah's] Oath with the Oath of Goodie Perkins,taken att the same tym, and if they do not clash one againstanother I am much mistaken." We heartily agree.

Sarah also caused difficulties: She accused the minister, Thomas Gilbert, of entering the pulpit drunk. On Sept 26, 1671, 4 cases were heard: 1. Rev Gilbert sued the Goulds for Sary Gould's defaming him. Verdict for the Goulds. 2. Rev Gilbert sued Goulds for saying he was lying in the pulpit. Verdict for the Goulds. 3. He also sued them for assault. Goulds fined 20 shillings. 4. The Goulds sued for slander. Gilbert fined 20 shillings.