 Soon after his arrival in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Nicholas Danforth acquired property in Cambridge , becoming one of the town 's leading citizens and a member of the colony 's general court ( as its assembly was known ) . He died in 1638 , leaving his lands and the care of his younger children to Thomas . In 1643 Danforth was admitted a freeman of the colony , which conferred on him the right to vote and to participate in the colony 's political affairs . 
