BACHILER, Stephen (c.1561–1656)

Stephen Bachiler graduated BA from St John's College, Oxford, on 3 February 1585/6. From 1587 he was rector of Wherwell, Hampshire, but lost this living in 1605 during James I's campaign for greater conformity. Bachiler may have been in Holland for a time (by the early 1630s his son was a minister at Gorcum). By 1614 Bachiler was within two miles of Wherwell again, at Newton Stacey: Sir Robert Paine later complained that some of his tenants, misled by Bachiler, a ‘notorious’ nonconformist, had demolished a chapel there. c. 1630 Bachiler became involved with a group of London merchants, the ‘Company of Husbandmen’ or ‘Plough Company’, who wanted to develop a patent at Saco, Maine. Richard Dummer* of North Stoneham, Hampshire, who was related to Bachiler by marriage, was also part of this enterprise. Bachiler seems to have been living near Dummer, at South Stoneham, immediately before he left England. The Plough Company sent over two groups of settlers, in the Plough (1631) and the William & Francis (1632). Bachiler and his wife travelled with the second group. At some point his daughters Deborah and Theodate, and his grandson Stephen Sanborn*, also came to New England.