Richard Ingram (1600-1683) England to Northampton, MA Internet Errors

This one in a series of internet errors I've come across in relation to Great Migration Immigrants to New England. 

The origins of Richard Ingram of Northampton, Massachusetts are unknown. 

He is not the son of Arthur Ingram and Jane Mallory or Arthur Ingram and Lady Eleanor Slingsby.

Richard was born about 1600, probably in England. He married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth___ and his second the widow Jane Rockwell Baker. He first is found in Salem (Marblehead) then made moves to Reheboth before ending up in Northampton in Hampshire County. Elizabeth is not Elizabeth Wignall as shown by Robert Charles Anderson of the Great Migration Project, nor was he married in Barrowby in 1628. 

See his wikitree page for more information.

This is from Ingram researcher Larry Chesebro (do check out his webpage for further info):

Richard's ancestry simply is unknown and all claims to his Royal ancestry cannot be accepted! He's NOT the son of Jane Mallory and Arthur Ingram, esq. Neither is he the son of Jane Mallory, daughter of Sir William Mallory and wife of Thomas Lascelles.

I, as many others, have tried to link Richard to Sir Arthur Ingram, II born ca 1598 and Eleanor Slingsby through Sir Arthur Ingram, I and Jane Mallory, and even directly, but cannot! My research has found Ingram, Mallory and Slingsby records eliminating their families as ancestors of Richard. I have maintained our information for the rich Slingsby and Mallory history and because both families have other links to the Chesebro' family. And, there is always the possibility that Sir Arthur's father, Sir Arthur, II, or grandfather, Hugh, could be related in some other way than directly to Richard.

My extensive and documented data is online at http://chesebro.net where you can search for Hugh Ingram in the Family Files and then view tree information for the Ingram/Ingraham descendants and their Slingsby and Mallory connections with their tree information.

______________________________________________________________________________

Photo by Johannes Plenio - Just because it's beautiful

Captain Nicholas Simpkins of London, England and Boston, Massachusetts (1600-1654) Internet Errors

This is a short blurb, which will be one of many about errors I've come across while checking on the Puritan Great Migration feed for Wikitree. The subject is Captain Nicholas Simpkins. According to his featured bio in RCA's Great Migration series, Nicholas arrived in Boston by 1635. He was from London, where he married Isabel Saule. Isabel's father was a tailor as was Nicholas. It is possible that he was an apprentice, but that is not proven. 

On the internet, Nicholas is said to be from Burcote, Northamptonshire, son of Nicholas Simpkins and Katherine Ann Harris. Katherine is said to have been from Gloucestershire. 

None of these claims are accompanied by sources. A red flag is the distance between Burcote and Gloucestershire. 

Nicholas and Isabel had four children, three daughters and one son. Efam was baptised at St. Gabriel in London, the church were her parents were married. She is not mentioned further. Other children were daughters Deborah and Rebecca and son Pilgrim. 

Sources:

Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.

https://www.americanancestors.org/DB397/i/12124/333/23901413

William Pillsbury and his wife Dorothy Crosby of Dorchester and Newbury

 

English Origins

William Pillsbury, name spelled variously, is possibly from Leek, Staffordshire. Two genealogies published in the late 19th/ early 20th centuries on the family offered two wills, one for a Thomas Pillsbury of Leek who died in 1622 and a William of Heaton whose will was probated in 1640. Both of these men had sons named William that were born about 1605. Heaton and Leek are only 5 miles apart and it's possible that the two were related. One nod in William's favor is that he was a husbandman and Thomas a blacksmith. As William the immigrant was also a husbandman seems to fit more closely. 

That being said, neither Mary Lovering Holman, noted genealogist of the Pillsbury Family, nor Robert Charles Anderson, confirm any ancestry for William. There is nothing, other than the rarity of the name, to tie William to either man. 

William's possible mother, is dependent on the father. If William Pilsbury of Heaton was the father then  his mother was Agnes (Stodderd) Pilsbury. If Thomas Pilsburie of Leek was the father his mother was Elizabeth (Unknown) Pilsburie. If the father of this profile is neither William Pilsberie of Heaton nor Thomas Pilsburie of Leek, then his mother is unknown.

William's age is based on a 1676 deposition in which he said he was about 71 years old. 

Coming to America

William's name is first found in the records of New England when he and Dorothy Crosby appeared before the Quarterly Court in Boston on 1 June 1641. Both were bound for their good behavior. He was

'enjoined to work with Goodman Wisswell two days of the week and Goodman one day in the week for five years. Their bond was set at ￡10.00.

They next appeared in court on 29 July 1641, this time a married couple. He was censured to be whipped for defiling his masters house as was she. Clearly, both William and Dorothy were indentured servants, in separate houses, and have gotten themselves into a romantic relationship. Their marriage was not recorded, so where exactly they were living is unknown. Their daughter, Dorothy, was born in Dorchester, so it is possible that that is where they resided at the time. 

Children

Deborah, b. April 16, 1642 in Dorchester, m. _______ Ewens

Job, b. October 16, 1643 in Dorchester, m. April 5, 1677 Katherine Gavett in Newbury d. September 10, 1716 in Newbury

Moses, b. about 1645, m. March 1668 Susanna Worth, d. before November 3, 1701 (probate of will)

Abel, b. 1652 in Newbury, m. about 1675 Mary _______, d. before 1697

Caleb, b. January 28, 1653/4 in Newbury, never married, d. July 4, 1680 in Newbury

William, b. July 27, 1656 in Newbury, m. December 13, 1677 Mary Kenny, d. October 28, 1734 in Salisbury. 

Experience, b. April 10, 1658 in Newbury, d. August 4, 1708 in Newbury

Increase, b. October 10, 1660 in Newbury, d. 1690 (drowned off Cape Breton, N.S. in Sir William Phips' expedition)

Thankful, b. April 22, 1662 in Newbury, living and unmarried in 1686

Life in Massachusetts

It is not know for who or for how long William was indentured, but he seems to have been a free man when next he is mentioned in the Dorchester town records in 1648. In 1651 William purchased the home lot of Edward Rawson of Newbury. From 1653 onward, William's name appears in the Newbury records where he bought and sold land. He was a yeoman/husbandman or planter. In otherwords, he was a farmer.

William became a freeman of the Massachusetts Colony in 1668.

William Pillsbury of Newbury wrote his will on 22 April 1686. He named in his will, wife Dorothy, children: Job, Moses, Abel, William, Increase, married daughter Deborah Ewens, Experience and Thankful. William died on 19 June 1686 and buried the next day. His death was noted by diarist Samuel Sewall. 

Sabbath-day Morn. Goodman Pilsbury was buried just after the ringing of the second Bell. Grave dugg over night. Mr. Richardson Preached from I Cor. 3, 21.22, going something out of 's Order by reason of the occasion, and singling out those Words Or Death.

The inventory of William's estate was taken on July 7, 1686 by his son Job and was appraised at over £317, including £190 in land, £45 in livestock, and £12 for a man servant.

His will was probated on September 10, 1686.

Dorothy Crosby was born about 1622 in England. Nothing is known about her ancestry. Her death, after that of her husband, was not recorded. 

My ancestor is their son William who married Mary Kinne, daughter of Henry and Ann Kinne.

Henry Robie of Castle Donington and Hampton, New Hampshire

English Origins

Henry Robie is believed to the son of Thomas and Mary Coxon Robie of Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England. If so, he was baptized on 12 February 1618. His family ancestry can be reliable traced for several generations and the family name is found in local records for centuries. 

Coming to America

The ship and date of sailing are unknown, but Henry's name is found in the Dorchester records by 1639. He didn't stay long in Massachusetts and by 1640 he was in Exeter, New Hampshire and later by 1650, he removed to Hampton, where he spent the remainder of his life. Like all upstanding citizens, Henry performed his civic duties, he acted as constable for the year 1661 and was chosen to be a selectman in 1656. He served as a justice of the peace for many years as well as that of judge of the court of sessions. 

Exeter was known as a lumber town and while there, Henry joined in the building of a sawmill. Later in life he was an innkeeper. 

Family

Henry married three times. [1] Ruth Moore who died 5 May 1673

                                            [2] Elizabeth (Philbrick)(Chase) Garland who died 11 Feb 1677

                                            [3] Sarah (Unknown) who died 23 Jan 1703 

Children: Mary, b. abt. 1644, m. 1663, Samuel Folsom, named in fathers will

                Thomas b. 1 March 1645/6, d. 1689 Falmouth

                 John b. 2 Feb 1648 my ancestor

                 Judith had an illegitimate child, named in fathers will

                 Ruth b. 3 March 1654, named in father's will

                 Deliverance b. 22 March 1657, m. Nathaniel Haseltine, not in father's will

                 Samuel b. 4 August 1659

                 Icabod b. 26 November 1664

                 Sarah b. 19 April 1679, not named in father's will

Life in Exeter and Hampton

Much of what we know about Henry Roby comes from the records of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County of which Exeter and Hampton were a part. I'm not sure when I last saw a name mentioned quite so many times as our Henry. Beginning in 1643 his name is found year in year out. He took the oath of fidelity in 1648. The following year he was made Clerk of the Market, and in 1650 he was a sworn commissioner for Exeter. 

Henry was sued by his neighbor and sued them in return. He once sued the very contentious Edward Colcord for suing him too much. Henry was also in court representing clients as their attorney. He was the town attorney for Hampton for several years. 

Henry seems to have been something of a hot head and was admonished in court in 1664 for reproaching the minister in reviling speeches concerning the ordinance of baptism. At the time there was huge dissent over the act of baptism, which caused hard feelings on both sides. Henry's wife, Elizabeth was ordered to be sent to jail in Boston for her 'contemptuous carriages' in court. She apologized and avoid prison. 

In 1647 in Exeter, Henry was fined for 'drawing wine and beer without a license'. In 1670 in Hampton he was granted a license, which was renew for many years. The court ruled he could keep an Ordinary but was bound not to let the town's children and servants 'lie tippling in his house'. This order was reinforced in 1679 when the court reminded him that the Ordinary was for travelers only, no townfolk could be served. Henry apparently like to serve himself. He was excommunicated from the church of Hampton by Rev. Moody for being a common drunkard. 

Henry's daughter Judith found her way into the court records when she had a child out of wedlock. The court ordered John Young, the father, to pay maintenance for the child. Apparently the couple never married and the Robys were often in court seeking payment. 

Henry died in 1688. The Reverend Cotton said of him, 'he would not have so honorable a burial as an ass'. This seems to be the case and it is said that 'when dead, his body was taken and thrown in a hole near the great rock in the rear of the old meeting house sometime in the night'. This was to avoid his creditors putting a lien on the body. 

Henry left a lengthy will and codicil. The inventory was extensive and include a 'looking glass that was bought in England'. He was evidently a successful businessman, despite his drinking. 

Sources: 

https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20170119/life-of-early-hampton-settler-henry-roby

http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/history/church/congregational/churchmanual/congo_1.htm

Ancestry of Henry Robie of Castle Donington and Hampton, New Hampshire

 

Henry Roby/Robie was an English immigrant who came to New England by the year 1639 making him part of the Great Puritan Migration. It is said that he was the Henry Roby baptized in Castle Donington, Leicestershire on 12 February 1618, the son of Thomas and Mary (Coxen) Robie. His ancestry has been traced back to the 15th century. The name Robie can be found in local records as far back as the 13th century, but there is not enough to trace his lineage that far. 

*John b. about 1455 d. about 1515, wife unknown

        *Thomas b. about 1500, m. Elizabeth Swaine abt. 1530, bur. 5 December 1552

            *Thomas b. 12 April 1536, styled a yeoman, m. 25 Nov. 1569 Joanne Cowley, d/o George Cowley (she d. 10 Oct. 1579), m. (2) 20 Feb 1582/3 Mary Gatley, he d. 12 Sep. 1588

                *Thomas b. 20 April 1576, m. 29 Nov 1606 Mary Coxen b. 20 April 1586 she d. 26 April             1641,  he died 27 March 1653.

Castle Donington is a small market town in the midlands. It was awarded it's market by King Edward I in the 13th century. The parish church is St. Edward King and Marytr, this ancient structure was begun in the 12th century and added to over the years. 

**Photos from Geograph.org 

The house is called the Key Roby house and was built by a Thomas Roby in 1636.

Henry Ambrose of Kersey, Suffolk; Immigrant to New England

English Origins

According to a 1992 article in the New Hampshire Genealogical Record. Henry Ambrose, immigrant to New England hailed from Kersey, Suffolk. Kersey is a scant 10 or so miles from Groton, home of John Winthrop, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Coincidence? I think not, and it's interesting to note, than another ancestor, John Gage, is likely the boy baptized in Kersey in 1605.

Kersey is a sleepy little village, once famous for its Kersey woollen cloth. Today, its famous for the houses that Henry Ambrose saw on a daily basis. 

Henry was born in 1613, baptized in the ancient church of St Marys.

New England

It is not known when he sailed for America but he was recorded in Hampton, New Hampshire in 1640. A carpenter by trade, Henry went where there was business. At some point, either before or after sailing, he married a woman named Susanna. In 1647 Henry sold his house and house lot to the Reverend Wheelwright, but it is believed he purchased another home as he remained in Hampton until 1649.

In 1650 Henry is recorded as living in Salisbury. In 1654 he was in Boston. 1656 Charlestown and finally back to Boston, where he died in 1658. 

Henry served on the Gran Jury as well as the Jury of Trial at various Quarterly Courts.

Family

Henry and Susanna had a relatively small family with large gaps between some of the children. Were there miscarriages in between?  

Ebenezer b. about 1640 probably in Hampton

Samuel bapt. 25 July 1641 Hampton

Henry b. June 1649

Abigail bp. 28 Dec 1654

Henry died in Boston. His inventory reveals his home to be typical of the time. Two stories with two rooms on each floor, plus a cellar. In the Great Chamber was found a long table with six stools and three chairs, a chest and sideboard and a second small table. The Great Lower Room was filled with a bed, a trundle bed, a table, kettle, cupboard with books and pewter. The Kitchen  had yet another table and chairs plus all the accouterments you'd need to prepare food. The rooms upstairs appear to have been used for storage. All in all his estate was valued at 337£.

Susanna

Susanna remained a widow for several years after Henry's death. She married in Salisbury on 2 October 1663 to John Severence. His wife, Abigail, died in 1658, same year as Henry, giving birth to her eleventh child. John ran several ordinarys (taverns) and was likely in need of a wife and mother for his children. He died in 1682, leaving Susanna a widow for the second time. She was still alive in 1692.

My Ancestry

I am descended from his son Henry who also married a woman, a widow, named Susanna.

Simon Thompson (1610-1675) of Ipswich, Massachusetts

Photo by Johannes Plenio from Pexels

english origins

Simon Thompson/Symon Tompson was born about 1610 based on his age (about 50) given at a deposition in 1660. This would give his a birth year of around 1610. Simon likely married and began his family in England. His ancestry in unknown. The name of his first wife is unknown. 

Simon and his unknown wife were the parents of two known children, both daughters: 

1. Mary/Mercy; who married Isaiah Wood in January of 1653. She was likely born about 1633 in       England. 

2. Sarah; who married Abraham Fitts in 1655 and was likely born in England in 1635. 

Simon is known to have been in Ipswich in 1638 when he was recorded as having received 20 acres of meadow and upland at the New Meadow. He later bought additional land and houses. He is recorded as being a rope-maker who lived near Rocky Hill. In 1640 he was named a 'Cowkeeper'. His name began appearing in court records as a juror in 1646. We know from 1652 court record that Simon had an apprentice. In 1654 he took a neighbor, John Leigh, to court for impounding his calves and won. John Leigh's name appears frequently in the records, he was not a nice person. 

His first wife died by 1656 and Simon remarried. His second wife was Rachel Glover, probably the sister of Henry Short's wife Sarah Glover. He (Henry Short) refers to his wife in a deal with Simon and the use of Sarah's inheritance.

In 1657, in response to orders by the General Council to get a handle on bad behavior during Sunday service, Simon was appointed to keep 'a watchful eye upon the youth'.

In 1660, Simon accused John Leigh of killing one of his pigs, at the same time a second man accused Leigh of killing his ox. 

In March of 1662, a woman named Mary Shefield charged that Mercy Thompson Wood's husband, Isaiah, had lured her into his barn and had his way with her. She claimed her child was the result. He, of course denied it. Other witnesses claimed it was that no good John Leigh who was really the father. But, another young woman, Mary Powell, also testified that Isaiah Wood was a cad and had put the moves on her as well. Mary Shefield was whipped for fornication. Isaiah was put in jail and ordered to pay 3d. a week for the upkeep of the child until a later court hearing. 

Simon and Abraham Fitts stood in surety to Isaiah Wood. In April of 1664, Simon was in court with Isaiah and he was ordered to pay 18d. a week for his child by Mary Shefield. 

In 1665, Abraham Fitts, took Simon to court, claiming he owned him  £40 which was promised if Abraham and Sarah Thompson Fitts moved from Salisbury to Ipswich. The case was pretty complicated and in the end Simon won. 

In 1666, Simon made his mark on an inventory he took for probate, he could not write his name. In 1668, three siblings, Joseph, Sarah and Rachel Brabrook, petitioned the court that Henry Short and Simon Thompson become their guardians. 

In 1672, Simon was in court to stand bond for his grandson Simon Wood who was charged with stealing a gallon of wine along with a second man. The wine was consumed and somehow a poor sheep got involved and found itself butchered. Simon was found guilty along with a host of others and was sentenced to be whipped  or pay a fine. 

death

Simon Thompson wrote his will in 1675. He named his wife Rachel, his grandchildren Mary, Simon, Samuel, William, Thomas, and Joanna Wood, grandson Abraham Fitts, and his daughter Mary Wood. Joanna Wood and Sarah Fitts are mentioned in an addendum presented to the probate court.  The inventory was taken of 20 November 1675. His total estate was valued at over £926, quite a sum. The will was presented to the probate court in March of 1676. 

It seems clear that he had no sons, at least none that lived to adulthood. Only his daughter, Mary/Mercy, was alive at the time of his death. He contracted his son-in-law Abraham Fitts to pay him an annuity of £6 per annum, which led to the court fight which he won.

See this blog article on Abraham Fitts, husband of Sarah Thompson.

Sources:

* https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.35112104150257?urlappend=%3Bseq=217  (link to Hathi Trust edition of Records and Files of the Quarterly Court of Essex. year 1660 page 201)

* Great Migration Newsletter, V.1-20.(Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2018.)

https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1567/i/21161/28/426837696

* New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.

https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/i/21176/1510/426906735

* Great Migration 1634-1635, T-Y. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VII, T-Y, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.

https://www.americanancestors.org/DB496/i/13260/546/235845437

*Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)

https://www.americanancestors.org/DB515/rd/13880/27525-co1/248366452

*Waters, Thomas Franklin, 1851-1919, John Wise, Sarah Goodhue, and Ipswich Historical Society. Ipswich In the Massachusetts Bay Colony ... Ipswich, Mass.: The Ipswich historical society, 190517.

Abraham Fitts (c.1630-1692) of Salisbury and Ipswich, Massachusetts

Photo by Johannes Plenio from Pexels

Abraham Fitts was born about 1630 in England in the years just prior to his father's immigration to New England. Although many claim the family originated in Fitts-Ford, Devon, there is nothing that would substantiate this claim.

Abraham's father and uncle arrived in Massachusetts by about 1639. His father, Robert Fitts settled in Salisbury and uncle, Richard Fitts in Ipswich. The two towns were about 13 miles apart. Abraham was his father's only surviving child. On the 1st of May 1655, Abraham married Sarah, the daughter of Simon Thompson of Ipswich. The pair initially settled in Salisbury. According to court testimony, Simon convinced Abraham and Sarah to resettle in Ipswich. He said he would pay Abraham the sum of  £40 if they did so.

In the 1664 court case, Abraham testifies to the promise which Simon denied. His attorney is the case was his uncle Robert Lord, brother of his mother Grace Lord Fitts. Simon claimed to have given Abraham cattle, sheep and the rent free use of some land in place of the money. Simon produced an agreement in which Abraham promised to pay for half the cost of the house, which Simon had purchased from Humphrey Griffin. Abraham agreed to pay Simon £5 per year in rent for the rest of Simon's life and then £4 per year to Rachel, Sarah's mother if she still lived. Later that year, Simon was released from militia training, which usually occurred when a man was about 60 years of age. Simon was clearly using Abraham as his retirement plan. Abraham lost his case.

Abraham and Sarah had three children:

1. Sarah b. 21 Feb 1657 d. 14 June 1660
2. Abraham d. 1714
3. Robert b. 30 March 1660 d. 15 June 1661

Sarah died 5 June 1664. Abraham married  7 Jan 1668 to the widow Rebecca Birdley. He had three more children with her.

4. Robert b. 28 May 1670 d. young
5. Richard b. 26 Feb 1672
6. Isaac 3 July 1675

Abraham took the Freedmans oath in 1674. The following year he was impressed for the Narragansett Expedition. This was part of King Philip's War which nearly wiped the English from the face of the North American continent.

Abraham appeared in the courts;
1660: deposed in a case involving John Lee and his abuse of other men's cattle. Simon Thompson also testified against John Lee saying Lee threatened him with a hoe. Lee sound's like a nasty fellow as most the town seems to have testified against him.
1664: his case against his father-in-law
1667: His mother Grace to Edward Gove, a tenant to court for payment. Abraham testified. This is interesting to see a female as the plaintiff.

Abraham died on 27 March 1692 leaving behind his widow Rebecca and two living children, Abraham and Sarah. Abraham made provisions for Rebecca in his will, including her widow's thirds. His estate was divided between his son and Sarah's husband, William Baker. His estate was inventoried and valued at £267.

I am descended from Sarah Fitts Baker.

See this post on Abraham's father Robert Fitts
See this post on William Baker, husband of Sarah Fitts
See this post on Simon Thompson, his father-in-law



Sources:

Hoyt, David Webster, 1833-1921. The Old Families of Salisbury And Amesbury, Massachusetts: With Some Related Families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich And Hampton. Providence, R.I.: [Snow & Farnham, printers], 1897-1917.

Massachusetts. County Court (Essex Co.), and George Francis Dow. Records And Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. Salem, Mass.: Essex institute, 1911-1975.

Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)

https://www.americanancestors.org/DB515/rd/13765/9528-co1/245235519

Robert Fitts of Ipswich and Salisbury, Massachusetts (1600-1665)

Photo by Johannes Plenio from Pexels

english origins
Robert Fitts immigrated to New England in the late 1630s, the exact year and ship are unknown. We think he came with his brother Richard. According the genealogist James Hill Fitts, the brothers hailed from Fitz Ford, Tavistock, Devon in England, based he said on family tradition. Cutter offers an unsourced pedigree, but I can find no proof of it. [1] I don't think there is any genealogical proof to make a claim of descending from the Fitts/Fitz family of Tavistock in Devon, England. 

Robert was married in England to Grace Lord, the sister of Robert Lord. There is speculation that he was the Robert Fitts on the manifest for the William and John which sailed in 1635 to Barbados but there is nothing that would make us believe that this is the same man. There was also a Robert Fitt who immigrated to Virginia by 1650, again not the same man. [2] In any case Robert and Richard were in New England by 1639. [3] Richard settled in Newbury. 

new england

Robert received land in Salisbury in the first division and again in 1640. He was taxed in 1650 and 1652. He signed the agreement in 1654 which set Amesbury off as a separate town and left Salisbury for Ipswich in 1658. He also owned a share in Plum Island. 

He died in Ipswich on 9 May 1665. Robert left Grace his widow and one child, a son named Abraham. [4] 

Richard Fitt of Newbury died childless and left his entire estate to Abraham, son of Robert. 

According to Cutter, Robert was first married to a woman named Anne Barnes. In his will Roberts describes his land as that 'he purchased of his brother William Barnes.'

See this post on his son: Abraham Fitts

______________________________________________

This is an interesting story about a member of the Fitz Family of Fitz Ford, Tavistock, Devon. Sir John Fitz. 

Sources:

[1] Fitts, J. Hill. (1869). Genealogy of the Fitts or Fitz family in America. Clinton: Printed by WM.J. Coulter.

[2]The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.)

https://www.americanancestors.org/DB202/i/11636/355/242458728

[3] Cutter, William Richard, Genealogical and Personal Memoirs: Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts Vol. 1, (New York: Lewis Publishing Co., 1908) 465.

[4] Hoyt, D. Webster. The old families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts: with some related families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich and Hampton. (Providence, R.I.: Snow & Farnham, printers, 1897) 

Nullis Credite: John Foss of Rye, NH vs. Wrestling Brewster, An old fashioned forgery

john foss in the records
Last week I was looking at the early court records of New Hampshire for my ancestor John Foss. John Foss is believed to have come to New Hampshire by 1660 when he married Mary Berry, daughter of William and Jane Berry. With this in mind I was really surprised to see an entry on page one of the records that said: "Wrestling Brewster Pltiffe John Foss case defered." [1]These early entries have no date but they are followed by items dated 1637. Naturally, I was intrigued, who was this John Foss, was he related to the John Foss I was trying to trace? And I have to tell ya, I love, love, love the name Wrestling Brewster, what a handle that was. Classic Puritan, that one, the only name I love more is Hatevil Nutter. But, back to my story.

Now, I happen to know that these early court records can be seen in the Rockingham County, New Hampshire land deeds. [2] I look up the record and there it is in the middle of the page.

wrestlin' brewster
So, who was this Wrestling Brewster. Well he was born in Leiden, Holland to William Brewster. At age 6 he was a passenger on the Mayflower and settled with his family in the Plymouth Colony. He died between 1627 and 1644. [3] Hum, this is getting interesting. Why was the son of a prominent separatist, a pilgrim father no less, why was he in New Hampshire. The hunt leads me to an old text, published in 1859, called Rambles about Portsmouth, by, get this, Charles W. Brewster. In this book, which is volume 1, he tells the story of Mary Brewster who lost her scalp during an Indian attack on the families living near Portsmouth. She was the wife of John Brewster, who was, he said,  the grandson of Wrestling Brewster and great grandson of Elder William Brewster.[4] Apparently Mary survived the attack; the wound to her skull was covered by a silver plate and she wore a wig. But, that's another story.

Now this Brewster did some more rambling around Portsmouth and wrote a second volume which he published about ten years later. This second volume contains a bio of the Sherbourne Family. Brewster copied "verbatim a handsomely written old family record, written on velum," that was complied by Mary Sherborne Sloper, the mother of Mary Sloper Brewster, the scalpee of the earlier story. The Brewster family is not mentioned in this family history. [5]

cracks appear
In 1863 a short article appeared in volume 17 of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. The article was written by Charles Wentworth. He had seen the "old family record" and reprinted it for the register. But, this time, the Brewster family was prominent in the family history. He had some doubts about some of the names he was reading. According to this version, John Brewster b. 20 June 1631, had a sister named Love Luecretia Brewster, b. 1633. Love Lucretia married a Sherborne and had a son William Brewster Sherborne. Wentworth seems to accept most of the family history, but he knows that in the early 1600s middle names were not seen in England or in the colonies. In fact middle names did not become prominent until the mid 1800s. Despite the raising of a small red flag, the provenance of the slightly altered family history seems to have been accepted. [6]

accusations
In 1907 this family history was once again printed in the Register, but this time it actually included the marriage of Wrestling Brewster. By then, the family history had been accepted by some genealogist who did not question it's authenticity, the information was even included in a book on the "life and times of Elder Brewster." The Register submitter in 1907 was the son of that ramblin' man Charlie Brewster. He was posting the history again in response to an accusation by James Savage of forgery. Savage basically called out the history as a fabrication. Wrestling Brewster was never in Portsmouth and never married or had children there. Love Lucretia never existed. [7] Lewis Brewster speculated that Savage could be wrong, but he wasn't.

truth and lies
So how to explain the entry for Wrestling Brewster in the  New Hampshire records. The answer is again, forgery. It seems that the brother of Charles Brewster,  Dr. George Gaines Brewster was the forger. He made the false entry into the records and went so far as to make up and enter a fake deed. It is believed that he actually scratched out original content and replaced it with his own. That could have been someone's brickwall, gone off the velum. George rewrote 'the family history' to include the Brewsters. [8] Jeez, and this guy was a card carrying member of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society.

believers and deceivers
Why'd did he do it? I think George suffered from a condition called, by me, ancestry inflation. This genealogical disease comes in two forms, the believer and the deceiver. The believer, believes that their ancestors were more prestigious than they actually were. Instead of a farmer, they were a gentleman, or an aristocrat. This may be something they heard from great grandma or read on another believers tree on ancestry. The deceiver, actively works to make a false connection to someone who is not their ancestor. This includes men like George Brewster who added and changed entries to an irreplaceable and invaluable document for his own personal sense of inflation.

nullis credite
The problems caused by believers and deceivers range from mild amusement to chronic genealogical headaches. Generally the deceivers infect the believers and propagate the misinformation. How do you protect yourself from them, I prescribe a dose of  my new 2016 motto: Nullis Credite. Trust No One. That's right, I said no one. This can be a tough pill to swallow. It means you have to do your own research! But, it might also be the shot in the arm that you need to get it right. Happy Hunting!

Sources:
[1] Nathaniel Bouton, Isaac Weare Hammond, Albert Stillman Batchellor, Henry Harrison Metcalf, Otis Grant Hammond, New Hampshire Court Records 1640-1692, Court Papers 1652-1668, State Series Volume 40, (Concord: State of New Hampshire, 1867), digital images, Archive (https://www.archive.org : accessed 3 January 2016).

[2] Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Land Deeds, Vol. 1, p. 1, entry for Wrestling Brewster and John Foss, database with images, Rockingham County Register of Deeds (http://www.nhdeeds.com/rockingham/RoIndex.html : accessed 3 January 2016).

[3] Caleb Johnson, "Wrestling Brewster," Caleb Johnson's Mayflower History (http://mayflowerhistory.com/brewster-wrestling/ : 1994-2015).

[4] Charles W. Brewster, Rambles About Portsmouth, Vol. 1, (Portsmouth: C. W. Brewster and Son, 1859), 71-71, digital images, Archive (https://www.archive.org).

[5] Charles W. Brewster, Rambles around Portsmouth, Vol. 2, (Portsmouth: Lewis W. Brewster, 1869), 51, digital images, Archive (https://www.archive.com).

[6] John Wentworth, "Sherbourne, Sloper, Brewster, Knight, Langdon, Lear," New England Genealogical and Historical Register, Boston, New England Genealogical and Historical Society, 17, (1863) 252, American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : accessed 4 January 2016).

[7] James Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, (Boston:Little Brown and Company, 1860) 247, Archive (https://www.archive.org : accessed 4 January 2016).

[8] Noyes, Sybil I., Charles Thornton Libby, and Walter Goodwin Davis,Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, (Baltimore: Genealogical Pub., 1972). 

Edmund Barlow England to Charlestown, Massachusetts

english origins
Edmund Barlow is one of those mystery men who just suddenly appear in the records of Massachusetts. No prior information for him can be found which is very frustrating to anyone trying to trace his ancestry. Now, you will see on the web and ancestry.com that Edmund Barlow was born on 1 Oct 1626 in Bolton, Lancashire.[1] I have looked for some kind of proof that would authenticate this birth date but so far I have had no luck. A search of the British website freereg.org for Edmund Barlow born between 1615 and 1630 brings up about 10 results. I wish I knew why they chose to go with the 1626 Edmund. For now, my confidence level in this information is not high, so I'm going to stick with unknown origins for Edmund.

coming to america
Well, here's another question we can't answer about Edmund. When did he arrive in Massachusetts? Don't know, I'm afraid. His name appears in a court record in 1653. The case involves his in laws the Pembertons. So we know at least he was in Massachusetts by the early 1650s. [2]

occupation
Edmund and at least two of his son were mariners by trade. This information comes from the 1685 land grant to his son Thomas, in which he gives his occupation as mariner. [3] This may explain why Edmund did not have much land as he earned his living at sea. In fact, it seems that what land he had, he got from his father in Law, James Pemberton in his will. [4]

The choice of going to sea seems to have been a dangerous occupation. Both of Edmund's sons who became mariners died in foreign places. Edmund Jr. is said to have died in Suriname and Thomas was buried in Barbados. [5]

children of mary and edmund
None of the births for the children of mary and edmund were recorded. Neither Mary nor Edmund were members of the Church. So, the exact dates of their births is not known.

1. Mary b. abt. 1652, m. John Chadwick ancestors, she died 1724.
2. Edmund b. abt. 1655, d. 1695 in Suriname, his father probated his estate.
3. James, b. abt. 1659, mentioned in Grandfather's will, d. in Connecticut March 1690.
4. Thomas, b. abt. 1665, buried in Barbados in 1691.
5. Elizabeth b. abt. 1665, m. James Whiting
6. Sarah b. abt. 1670, m. Thomas Grover
7. Deborah b. abt. 1676, m. James Hovey, d. in Connecticut 1749.

rip
Edmund outlived his three sons, dying himself in 1697. At least two of his daughters lived long lives. Mary Pemberton Barlow died after her husband, but her death was not recorded.

This has been a pretty boring bio. Unfortunately I can't find anything interesting about Edmund, there's just not much written about him. Maybe I'll have better luck with the Chadwicks.

Sources/ Citations

1. Edson Barlow, "Edmund Barlow of Malden Massachusetts," Barlow Genealogy 1998-2004, (www.barlowgenealogy.com : accessed 21 November 2015).

2. Middlesex County, MA: Abstracts of Court Files, 1649–1675. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003), (Unpublished abstracts by Thomas Bellows Wyman, "Abstract of Middlesex court files from 1649," n.d.) Court case involving Ed(ward) Barlow and his In laws James and Mary Pemberton.

3. "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986,"  digital images, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-36170-4898-72?cc=2106411 : accessed 21 November 2015), Middlesex > Deeds 1684-1693 vol 9-11 > image 238 of 741; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts.

4. "Middlesex County Probate Files, 1648-1871," digital images, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 November 2015), James Pemberton, 1662.

5. Thomas B. Wyman, "The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, 1629-1818," (Boston : D. Clapp, 1879), digital copy, Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org : accessed 21 November 2015), 59.

"Middlesex County Probate Files, 1648-1871," digital images, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 November 2015), Edmund Barlow, 1697.

William Longfellow of Horsforth, England and Newbury, Massachusetts

William Longfellow was  baptized in the village of Horsforth in the county of Yorkshire in the year 1650. By the time of his birth the large scale migration of Puritan immigrants to Massachusetts had slowed. Oliver Cromwell and his Roundheads ruled England. With Cromwell's death and the restoration of the monarchy, interest in Massachusetts was renewed. While no one knows exactly when William immigrated, it is pretty clear that he was not a staunch Puritan, and was probably not immigrating for any religious reasons.  In the court records he shows himself to be a man who liked to drink and eat but did not like to pay his debts. He may have been a 17th century 'good-time Charlie'.Here is what I know about William Longfellow.

english origins
William Longfellow's ancestry has been traced to an area in the West Riding of Yorkshire, just to the north and west of the city of Leeds.  The Longfellow name can be found in records as far back as the 1400s. He was named for his father, William Longfellow who was a well to do Draper, clothes maker, who resided in the village of Horsforth.  William Jr. seems not to have trained in his father's profession. His mother was Elizabeth Thornton. He was their oldest child and the only one who immigrated.  The actual year of his immigration is not known, but he was in Massachusetts by 1676 when his name began appearing in town and court records.

newbury
No one seems to know for sure when William arrived in Massachusetts. He was definitely in the town of Newbury by 1676 when his name was included on a list for the town tax rate. I have read that William ran a store at the falls on Parker River, but I am not sure where that information comes from and I haven't seen anything in the records which would confirm it. If anyone knows more about this, please let me know.

One interesting thing I did stumble across on americanancestors.org was a copy of a deed written in 1675. The sellers of the land, Merry's Island in Maine, were Robart and Mary Thornton. One of the witnesses was William Lowfellow. If you read my last post about William Longellow's ancestors you might remember that one of the candidates for fathering William's mother, Elizabeth Thornton, was a Robart Thornton. Could this be Elizabeth's parents or maybe a brother?  Is the name Lowfellow really Longfellow.  That would be really cool to find that one out.

court records
The best source for information about William Longfellow is the court records of Essex County. William seems to have always been in some sort of a pickle.  His name began to crop up in 1676 and from then on, he was often in court.  Because of the frequency of his court appearances after 1676, it makes me think that his arrival might have been closer to 1675 than 1670.  I don't see how he could have keep himself out of trouble for so long!

a very crazy butt 
In September of 1677 William Longfellow faced Hugh Marsh in court. The case is a bit convoluted but here's the story.  William Chandler arrived at the home of Mr. Henry Sewall on 8 September 1676. He was there to get two casks of wine for Hugh Marsh, one was a Passado wine and the other wine was called Fayall. The casks were located in the lean-to of the house.  William Chandler said that William Longfellow was there when he arrived and said that he was was drawing wine out of one of the casks with a funnel. Longfellow said that he was getting wine for his upcoming wedding. They loaded one of the casks onto the back of Chandler's wagon without difficulty. The second cask, from which Longfellow was removing wine was described as a 'very crazy butt'. Together they got the cask on the edge of the wagon, but because it was so wonky the 'head flew out' and some of the wine was spilled.  The wine flowed into the house through the lean-to all the way to the fireplace. William Chandler testified that the wine was down about 9 inches, but that it was in 'pipes' and not 'butts'. William Longfellow then roped in Joshua Richardson as a witness, saying that if the 'wine was lost' in the house it was his but it was lost outside it was the Marshes. Which I interpret to mean, any damage done inside the lean-to was the responsibility of Longfellow and any damage done outside was the responsibility of Hugh Marsh. The wine eventually made its way to the Marsh home.  Hugh Marsh then measured the volume of wine and found it not to his liking.  He then sued William for the cost of the missing wine.

sued by his father-in-law
William was back in court in November of 1677, this time he was being sued by his father-in-law. He was apparently supposed to pay a debt by bill of exchange to a man in Boston, England, which he failed to do. Henry was suing him to recover the debt.  A writ had been served to William in October by the marshal of Ipswich, he had taken a slave and three cows from William to cover the cost of a debt.  The slave, whose name was not mentioned, stated that Mr. Henry Sewall had sold him to William Longfellow.

At this same court, 16 year old Mary Williams, a servant of Hugh March, testified that William came to her master's house and called for "wine, beer, victuals, cider and sometimes rum". Mr. March must have been running an inn or an ordinary.  Anyway, it seems William had run up quite a tab and had not paid a penny for two years. Later in the November session Hugh March sued William Chandler, the man who dropped the wine cask. Hugh accused him of carelessly staving a butt of Passado wine. Chandler was apparently a cooper.  Several men who were there when the cask was dropped testified that they had warned him not to lift the cask the way he was doing at the time as they felt it would burst, but he said he had handled many a cask of wine and knew what he was doing. Obviously, he was wrong.

In late 1677 the court verdict was against William in both the lawsuit brought by Henry Sewall and Hugh March.  Because he was unable to pay his debts to Henry, the court made him his servant for seven years.

land rights
A year later William was back in court but this time he was doing the suing.  He had been given land in Rowly from his wife's grandfather Henry Sewall Sr. and he felt that the Rowley lot layers had shortchanged him some land, or gate rights, in the cow common.  This case dragged out for quite some time, but eventually William won.

While this case played out William was in court accusing Mr. Nehemiah Jewett of "violently seizing his money under pretense of executing his office of marshal's deputy.  The court found in his favor and ordered his money returned.

more court cases
In Sept. of 1679 William was in court for fighting. November saw him back in court suing Pennell Titcombe for debt. This debt had to do with a 1676 agreement between Willliam Longfellow and Pennell concerning the building and ownership of a  ship called Beginning which was built at Newbury Falls by John Haseltine. William lost this court case and Pennell Ticombe was awarded William's gate rights in the town of Rowley.
The same rights he had just sued the lot layers of Rowley to get.

In 1681 he was in court making a very public and very humiliating confession of killing a neighbor's steer, butchering it and burying the hide and remains. He and a friend hatched a plan to capture and kill  a neighbors steer, presumably for the meat. William confessed to the crime before he was arrested, he probably knew it was coming.  He claimed in his confession that he was "frequently and earnestly solicited to do what he did".  He said that he was told not to tell of the crime but that the weight of his guilt forced him to confess. Sure it did.

1683 saw William in court yet again.  He had captured a mare who was loose in John Moore's pasture.  The mare. The rightful owner was suing to get his mare and colt back.  William claimed he had put a 'klodg' on the mare's hoof.  William, of course, lost.

marriage and family
On 10 November 1676, William married Ann Longfellow.  The date of their marriage is often said to be in 1678, but if he was getting wine for his wedding in September 1676, it would make sense if he was getting married in a couple of months, rather than two years later.

Ann was the daughter of Henry Sewall Jr. of Newbury.  She was born on 3 September 1662. She was a very young bride, only 14 at the time of her wedding. What was Henry thinking?  Was he indulging a daughter, was William handsome and charming? Did William love her, or did he love the fact that her father was wealthy?  Hum, we will never know, but that doesn't stop me from wondering.

Ann gave birth to their first child, a boy named William, on 25 November 1679. They would have at least 5 children.  In the Diary of Samuel Sewall, Vol. 1 it is said that there were two more children who died before 1692, if there were their names were not recorded in the Newbury town records.

1. William, b. 25 November 1679
2. Stephen b. 10 January 1681, d. young
3. Ann b. 3 October 1683
4. Stephen b. 22 September 1685
5. Elizabeth b. 3 July 1688
6. Nathan b. 5 February 1689/90

letter home
In 1680 Samuel Sewall wrote a letter to his brother Stephen, who lived in England.  He asked Stephen to tell William Longfellow's father that he has a son, a "fine, lively child".  He also says to tell William Sr. that his son has a a very good piece of land and wants a little stock to manage it.  He tells his brother that their father, Henry Sewall has already spent almost 100 pounds to get William out of debt. I think he was thinking it was time someone else footed the bill for William Longfellow, like maybe his own father!

In a diary entry dated 3 December 1685, Samuel Sewall, records that 'Brother Longfellow' came in.  He states that his presence was some 'exercise' for him as William was so ill conditioned and outwardly shabby. And this was not the first time he has seen him so.  He says that he appeared like that at either his father's funeral, in 1683 or at Johnny's.  Samuel had a son named John who died in 1678 and he was probably speaking of his father-in-law, John Hull who died in 1683.  William's appearance, he said, humbled him.

return to england
In September 1687 William's brother Nathan died in Horsforth, England. William returned to England shortly after getting word of his brother's death, probably no sooner than the beginning of 1688 given how long it would take for a letter to arrive, William to decide to return, and waiting for a ship that was sailing for England. It has been surmised that he was hoping to gain from Nathan's death in some fashion.  I think he just went back hoping to score some money off his old man.  He would have  been his father's only male heir and maybe he thought he could get some of his inheritance a little bit early.  We don't know how long he was gone, but I imagine it was for several months at the very least. It would seem he returned home empty handed.

quebec
On 20 August 1690 Major General Sir William Phips set sail from Hull, Massachusetts to take Quebec for the English Crown.  He had fought successfully in Acadia earlier in the year and there was hope for greater glory. He had 34 ships and 2300 men, mostly farmers. The venture was financed by the sale of bonds, bonds that would be repaid with the expected plunder of the city.  The ships sailed up the St. Lawrence Seaway and anchored in the Quebec Basin on October 16th.  The battle is a disaster for Massachusetts. Although only about 30 men died in the battle, it is believed that as many as 1000 died from illness, many of them from smallpox. On October 25, Phips had had enough and the fleet sails for home. One ship was lost at sea on that return voyage. The remaining ships returned and brought back a smallpox epidemic with them.

Poor William Longfellow, both literally and figuratively poor,  had enlisted with this expedition. He was 40 years old. Was he hoping to profit himself from the plunder, was he hoping to be given land for his service?Whatever hopes and dreams he had drowned with him when his ship was lost at sea on the return voyage. He left behind a 28 year old wife with six small children. The youngest child, Nathan, was just a baby.  Did Ann mourn his loss or was she relieved that he was gone? I bet her father and brothers felt well rid of him.

When he died, William's estate was valued at 127 pounds.  His debts totaled over 226 pounds. As late as 1756 claims were still being made against his estate for from men and women and their heirs to whom he owed money.

my next blog post will be about Ann and her marriage to Henry Short.

Longfellow Ancestry Links
English Ancestry of William Longfellow of Newbury

Sources:
Farnham, Russell, C. "The Longfellow Family", The Essex Genealogist, Vol. 15, pg. 18-23

Memoirs and Services of Three Generations. General Joseph Cilley, First New Hampshire Line. War of the Revolution. Jonathan Longfellow, Father of Sarah, Wife of General Joseph Cilley. Colonel Joseph Cilley, U.S. Senator and Officer in the War of 1812. Honorable Jonathan Cilley, Member of Congress from Maine. Commander Greenleaf Cilley, War with Mexico and War of 1861. General Jonathan P. Cilley, First Maine Cavalry, War of the Rebellion. Reprint from the Courier-gazette. Rockland, Me.: n.p., 1909. Print.

Records and Files of the Quarterly Court of Essex

Tucker, Spencer, Almanac of American Military History, Vol. 1, pg. 101-102

Diary of Samuel Sewall

R