TORREY, William, colonist, born in Combe, St. Nicholas, Somersetshire, England, in 1590; died in Weymouth, Massachusetts, about 1675. He was descended from an eminent English family, and carefully educated. He emigrated to this country in 1632 with his brother James, who settled in Scituate. William went to Weymouth, took an active part in the affairs of the colony, became a magistrate, and captain of the train-band, which at that time was the highest local military office, and for many years represented the town in the general court, where, owing to his accomplishments as a pen-man, he was always either clerk or secretary. He was also a member of all the town educational and literary committees, and in the latter capacity was appointed to examine and report on John Eliot's Indian Bible. He is the author of a work on the millennium entitled "A Discourse Concerning Futurities," which was published, with a biographical notice of him, by Thomas Prince (1757).--His son, Samuel, clergyman, born in England in 1631; died in Weymouth, Massachusetts, 10 April, 1707, was educated at Harvard, but left before taking his degree, studied theology, and in 1656 became pastor of the church at Weymouth, which post he held for fifty-one years. He preached the election sermon in 1674, 1683, and 1689, and was a "person of such deep and extensive views that the governor and council would send for him to come fifteen miles to aid them with his advice and wise observations." He declined the presidency of Harvard in 1686, but for many years was a fellow of the corporation.