Thomas MOWRY [Parents] was born on 26 Mar 1578 in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom. He was christened on 26 Mar 1578 in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom. Thomas married Elizabeth.

Extracted

Elizabeth was born about 1590 in England, United Kingdom. Elizabeth married Thomas MOWRY.

John JOHNSON [Parents] [scrapbook] was born in BET 1580 AND 1590 in England, United Kingdom. He died ¹ on 30 Sep 1659 in Roxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. He was buried in Oct 1659. John married ^{2, 3, 4} Mary HEATH ⁵ on 21 Sep 1613 in Ware, Hertford, England, United Kingdom.

Other marriages:

SCUDDER, Margery
FAWER, Grace

Extracted marriage date (to Margery)

4026. John Johnson425, born 1590 in Kent, England; died September 30, 1659 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He married 4027. Mary Heath September 21, 1613 in Ware, Hertfordshire, England.

4027. Mary Heath, born in Ware, Hertfordshire, England. She was the daughter of
8054. William Heath and
8055. Unknown.

JOHN JOHNSON'S name was made famous one morning in February, 1645, at Roxbury, Mass., by the seventeen barrels of powder stored in his house blowing it to atoms. He was the "surveyor-general of all ye armyes," and, when Ann Hutchinson was taken into custody because of her religious opinions, the General Court ordered that the arms and ammunition of all her Roxbury adherents should be delivered into the custody of John Johnson. This was in 1637, and Governor Winthrop has described what followed: "John Johnson, having built a fair house in the midst of the town, with divers barns and other out-buildings, it fell on fire (February 6, 1645) in the day-time (no man knowing by what occasion), and there being in it seventeen barrels of the country's powder and many arms, all was suddenly burnt and blown up to the value of 400 or 500. Wherein a special providence of God appeared, for he being from home, the people came together to help and many were in the house, no man thinking of the powder till one of the company put them in mind of it whereupon they all withdrew and soon after the powder took fire and blew up all about it and shook the houses in Boston and Cambridge so as men thought it had been an earthquake and carried great pieces of timber a good way off and some rags and such light things beyond Boston meeting house."

John Johnson came to America in the "Arabella," in 1630, with Governor Winthrop's party, from Groton, Suffolk County, England. He settled at Roxbury, where he was soon appointed constable, and in 1631 was admitted freeman. In 1639, having paid ten shillings to the company, he was "freed from training." In 1640 he was "freed from training without any pay," because of his other services. He kept a tavern on Roxbury street, where many public meetings were held, and was a very industrious and faithful man in his place." He represented Roxbury in the General Court fourteen years, and was a member of the church when it was first organized. He died September 29, 1659, at Roxbury. His wife was Margery ((???)). His homestead was on the southwest corner of Washington and Ball streets, Boston, then Roxbury

The following was taken from the "Johnson Family History"  (Prepared by Clarence J. Webster of The Times editorial staff.) JSMB book area 929.273 A1 8599

            The Johnsons came to this country during the wave of immigration from England
        to the Massachusetts colonies in the 1620s. Charles I came to the throne in 1625.
        autocratic, dominating and imbued with the traditional Stuart belief in the divine
        right of kings, he placed in the statue books law after law which was severe and
        oppressive

             Charles enacted without a vote of parliament of law requiring a new royal
        grant which would raise taxes throughout the country sharply. In Lincolnshire
        in eastern England's agricultural section the cry of protest was especially
        sharp. Here lived such well to do families as the Dudleys, the Winthrops, the
        Harrises. Here lived too Isaac Johnson, one of the wealthiest men in all Eng-
        land, who a short time before had married Lady Arbella Tyne, daughter of the
        Earl of Lincoln. And on a section of Isaac Johnson's expansive estate lived
        and worked the youthful John Johnson with his fast growing family. John Johnson
        was a distant relative of Isaac Johnson (the existing records do not indicate
        the exact relationship).

            These Lincolnshire families were deeply aroused. Men met quietly at the
        home of John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley and discussed their future course. To
        continue to live in an England where an autocratic ruler could exact steadily
        increasing tribute seemed unbearable. Talk arose of a journey to America.  Al-
        ready word had come of men and women who were making their way in this new land
        despite the many hardships.. By the spring of 1626 the decision was made. A
        ship, the "James", was purchased and made ready. Some 200 persons were to make
        the trip. or The Arbella (formerly Eagle), The Talbot(f), The Ambrose, The Jewel left
        from Southhampton  3/29/1630 + 7 other vessels later

        JOHN JOHNSON
             John Johnson was 26 years of age when he came to america in 1626. With
        him was his wife, Margery, and his two sons, Isaac, who was seven, and Humphrey,
        who was four. There were three daughters also in the family but they remained
        in England. The trip on the "James" took .better than two months and it was mid
        summer before the now colonists sighted the Massachusetts coast, On the "James"
        with John Johnson and his family were the leaders of the new colony, John Winthrop
        and Thomas Dudley. Isaac Johnson, the wealthy land owner, made the trip and it
        was he without question who influenced John Johnson to attempt the journey.
        These men, workers of the soil and representatives of England‘s rising middle
        class, came to America principally because they saw their property and future
        threatened by a dominating king, The question of religious freedom which sent
        so many of their fellow colonists to Massachusetts both before and after this
        time was not apparently a paramount issue with them.

             Upon arrival in America there was a difference of opinion as to the best
        place to build the colony. The result of this dispute was the development of
        two settlements, one at Charlestown and the other at Roxbury. John Winthrop,
        Thomas Dudley, Thomas Harris, John Johnson and about ho others chose Roxbury.
        Their choice was wise. Roxbury had a spring where fresh water was available
        while the drinking supply at Charleston was far from good. Moreover Roxbury
        built on one of the hills which now forms a part of the city of Boston was far
        easier to protect. In following years the death of scores of Charleston resi-
        dents from disease and from Indian attacks proved the wisdom of these settlers
        of Roxbury.

             John Johnson, ambitious and energetic, set to work at once to clear land
        for a farm. Records show that he grew corn and potatoes on his farm and raised
        pigs and goats. The goats probably furnished milk for his family. In October,
        1630 he applied for admission as a freeman in the colony and in May of the fol-
        lowing year he was accepted. To become a freeman, a candidate must own land and
        must be a member in good standing in the Congregational church. All freemen in
        the colony could vote and participate in the affairs of the colony. During these
        years the colony was growing and by 1635 Roxbury was as large as Charlestown,
        Plymouth and the other Massachusetts settlements.

            John Johnson during these years was recognized as one of the strong and able
        members of the colony. He was young, but these Massachusetts colonies were filled
        with youth. John Winthrop, the governor, was only 40. In l634 John Johnson was
        named a Roxbury representative to the general court of the colony. This was an
        honor which he held for over 20 years. In the early 1633s, too, he became an
        important member of the artillery company of the colony. Service in the army
        was imperative of every man for danger from Indian attack was great even in
        this early year.

            In 1638 John Johnson rose to the important post of surveyor general of
        arms and ammunition. This office gave him full charge of the colony's store
        of army and ammunition. It necessitated the building of a larger home for his
        family and the barrels of powder and the hundred or so muskets were kept in the
        upper floor of the house. The story is told that in 1644 John Johnson's house
        caught fire under mysterious circumstances, The family escaped before the pow-
        der exploded totally destroying the home. Contemporary accounts of the happening
        say that the cause was never determined but that the best observation was that
        colonial officials had not paid for the powder fully. It was the custom of the
        day for every colonist to contribute to the store of powder to be used in defense
        of the settlement. The assumption is that John Johnson whose duty it was to col-
        lect the ammunition and keep it in his house had not been careful enough to see
        that all of the colonists had received in exchange for the powder a share of
        grain or food from the colony's stores.

            The years passed and the Massachusetts settlements grew larger until there
        were about 2,000 persons residing in the various towns. Immigration slowed up,
        however, in the 1640s and 1650s because various oppressive civil and reJigious
        decrees were repealed.

            On June 9, 1655 John Johnson's wife, Margery, died. Not long after he
        married Grace Tawer, the widow of Barbabas Tawer who had been a neighbor.

            John Johnson died on September 30, 1659 at the age of 59 years.
            Histories and accounts of his day call him a man of "undaunted spirit".

            He was apparently a man of large physical build because his strength and his
            fighting prowess are noted.

The following is from Robert Anderson's "The Great Migration Begins: immigrants To New England 1620-1633":

JOHN JOHNSON

ORIGIN:  Ware, Hertfordshire
MIGRATION:  1630
FIRST RESIDENCE:  Roxbury

OCCUPATION:  Quartermaster.  On 8 September 1642 John Johnson was assigned the duty of distributing the gunpowder to the major towns in the colony "taking into serious consideration the present danger of each plantation by the desperate plots & conspiracies of the heathen" [MBCR 2:26].  On 7 March 1643/4 Richard Davenport, Captain of the Fort of the Massachusetts at Castle Island, was instructed to demand at any time from John Johnson, surveyor general, for every soldier one sufficient musket, sword, rest and pair of bandilers with two fathom of match for each musket [MBCR 2:65].  He signed a report of the committee concerning the rebuilding of the castle and batteries on Castle Island, 20 July 1652 [MA Arch 67:102].
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP:  "John Johnson" was #9 on Eliot's list among the first comers to the Roxbury Church, without comment [RChR 74].
FREEMAN:  Requested 19 October 1630 and admitted 18 May 1631 [MBCR 1:80, 366].
EDUCATION:  His inventory included "two Bibles, one psalm book and eight books more, £1 5s.," but he made his mark to his will.
OFFICES:  Deputy for Roxbury to General Court, 1634-57 [MBCR 1:117, 135, 145, 164, 173, 178, 185, 192, 194, 204, 220, 227, 235, 319, 2:22, 55, 145, 186, 238, 265, 3:9, 39, 44, 62, 105, 121, 147, 183, 220, 259, 297, 422].  Committee to view ground and set bounds for Charlestown and Newton, 7 November 1632 [MBCR 1:101].  Committee to put a cart bridge over Muddy River, 6 August 1633 [MBCR 1:107].  Committee to purchase lands for the Indians "to live in an orderly way amongst us", 4 November 1646 [MBCR 2:166].  Arbiter in Saltonstall vs. Watertown, 27 October 1647 [MBCR 2:201].  Paymaster for the building of Boston prison, 17 October 1649 [MBCR 2:282, 288].  Committee to properly supply ministers, 6 May 1657 [MBCR 3:423-24].  Committee to settle impotent aged persons or vagrants, 14 May 1645 [MBCR 3:15], and numerous other committee appointments.
Coroner's jury, 28 September 1630 [MBCR 1:77].  Roxbury constable, 19 October 1630 [MBCR 1:79].

Admitted to Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, 1638 [HAHAC 1:66-67].  Surveyor General of Arms and Ammunition, 8 September 1642 [MBCR 2:26, 3:147].  Committee to review colony defenses, 26 May 1647 [MBCR 2:197, 228].
ESTATE:  On 1 April 1634 he paid 20s. toward the building of the seafort [MBCR 1:113].

In the earliest list of Roxbury inhabitants, about 1642, John Johnson's valuation of £15 12s. and £6 8s., with six goats and four kids, was one of the highest in the town [RBOP 4-5].

In the Roxbury land inventory in the early 1650s John Johnson held thirteen parcels, six of which had been granted to him by the town: "his house, barn and house lot on the back side of his orchard, together with liberty to enclose the swamp and brook," eight acres; three acres of marsh; twenty acres of mowing ground; ten acres of woodland; four acres by Rocky Swamp; one hundred and ten acres and one quarter in the last division, first and third allotments; fifty-one and a half acres in the thousand acres near Dedham, bought of Edward Porter and John Pettit; six acres bought of James Morgan; sixteen acres and a half bought of Richard Goad; an acre and a quarter lately the land of Thomas Lamb; three acres of woodland lately the land of John Stebbins; four acres of fresh meadow "lately bought of John Parepoynt"; and thirteen acres and twenty rods of land, wood and pasture bought of Thomas Gardner [RBOP 16-17].

He took in a servant, Samuel Hefford, for three years on 1 December 1640 [MBCR 1:311].  He deposed 7 September 1642 that he had sold three acres of meadow to John Sams [SLR 1:37].

John Johnson was granted £40 "for his service done the country diverse years past" on 14 May 1645 [MBCR 2:99, 103].  On 7 October 1646 he petitioned with others for the land formerly granted them between Dedham, Watertown and Sudbury; Johnson was to receive four hundred and thirty-six acres [MBCR 2:163, 184].  On 18 October 1648, John Johnson and others were to receive lands formerly granted between Andover and Redding "in the place whereabouts the bridge should be built" [MBCR 2:256].  He sold one hundred acres to Richard Parker, 24 May 1650 [MA Arch 45:17].  On 22 June 1652, John Johnson received land in Roxbury from Thomas and Dorothy Hawley [MA Arch 67:102].

In May 1656, John Johnson and Eleazer Fawer were instructed by the General Court to divide the estate of Barnabus Fawer equally so that Johnson's third wife, Grace (Negus) Fawer, and her son Eleazer Fawer received half each [MBCR 3:402].

On 6 May 1657, "Mr. John Johnson having been long serviceable to the country in the place of surveyor general, for which he hath never had any satisfaction, which this Court considering of, think meet to grant him three hundred acres in any place where he can find it" [MBCR 3:430].  Within the year, Johnson had sold this land to Mr. William Parks [MBCR 4:1:354].

In his will, dated 30 September 1659 and proved 15 October 1659, "John Johnson of Roxbury" bequeathed to "my beloved wife" my dwelling house and certain lands "I have already given" during her natural life according to a deed, also £60 for her household furniture "which house and lands, after my wife's decease, I give unto my five children to be equally divided, my eldest son having a double portion"; to "my two grandchildren who have lived with me, Elizabeth Johnson and Mehittabel Johnson" £5 each; to "my sons Isaak Johnson & Robert Pepper" confirm the parcel of lands of fifty-five acres in the third division "I have formerly given" them; residue to "my five children equally divided, my eldest son having a double portion"; sons Isaac Johnson & Robert Pepper executors; "my dear brethren Elder Heath and Deacon Park" overseers; "If my children should disagree in any thing I do order them to choose one man more, to these my overseers, & stand to their determination" [SPR Case #218].

The inventory of "John Johnson late of Roxbury" was presented 15 October 1659 and totalled £623 1s. 6d., of which more than £350 was real estate: "20 acres of meadow," £80; "the house and land about it," £190; "one lot near Stoney River let to John Peairepoint for years," £40; "in the Great Lots one pasture of about twenty acres," £40; and "about ten acres of land near the Great Lots and twelve acres bought of Thomas Garner," £[blot].  Among the many domestic luxuries in this inventory were a considerable number of linens, cushions, rugs and blankets.  His personal military accoutrements included "two fowling pieces and one cutlass, £2" [SPR Case #218].

In her will, dated 21 December 1671 and proved 29 December 1671, "Grace Jonson" "very weak in body" bequeathed to "my two brothers Jonathan and Benjamin" all my estate equally divided; "my brother Jonathan Negus" executor; "they shall give to them that was helpful to me in my sickness" [SPR 7:175].

BIRTH:  By about 1588 based on date of first marriage.
DEATH:  Roxbury 30 September 1659 ("John Johnson, Surveyor General of all the arms, died & was buried the day following" [RChR 176].)
MARRIAGE:  (1) Ware, Hertfordshire, 21 September 1613, Mary Heath; she was buried at Ware 15 May 1629.
 (2) By 1633 Margery _____.  "Margery Johnston [sic] the wife of John Johnson" was #90 on Eliot's list and probably came to New England in the spring of 1633 [RChR 79].  "Margery Johnson, the wife of John Johnson," was buried at Roxbury 9 June 1655 [RChR 176].
 (3)  By 1656 Grace (Negus) Fawer, widow of Barnabas Fawer [MBCR 3:402]; she died after 21 December 1671 (date of will) and before 29 December 1671 (probate of will).
CHILDREN:
i  MARY, bp. Ware 31 July 1614; m. (1) by 1636 ROGER MOWRY; m. (2) Rehoboth 16 March 1673/4 John Kingsley.
ii  ISAAC, bp. Ware End, Great Amwell 11 February 1615/6; m. Roxbury 20 January 1636/7 Elizabeth Porter [NEHGR 148:45].
iii  JOHN, bp. Ware End, Great Amwell 8 April 1618; bur. Ware 8 July 1627.
iv  ELIZABETH, bp. Ware End, Great Amwell 22 August 1619; m. Roxbury 14 March 1642/3 Robert Pepper.
v  HUMPHREY, bp. Ware End, Great Amwell 5 November 1620; m. (1) Roxbury 20 March 1641/2 Ellen Cheney; m. (2) Roxbury 6 December 1678 Abigail (Stansfield) May, widow of Samuel May.
vi  JOSEPH, bp. Ware End, Great Amwell 20 April 1622; bur. there [blank] May 1622.
vii  SUSAN, bp. Ware End, Great Amwell 16 July 1623; bur. at Ware 16 August 1629.
viii  SARAH, bp. Ware 12 November 1624; bp. Ware 12 November 1624; m. (1) by 1647 Hugh Burt (possibly Hannah below was his wife); m. (2) by July 1653 William Bartram (child b. before April 1654).
ix  JOSEPH, bp. Ware 6 March 1626/7; bur. Ware 30 March 1627.
x  HANNAH, bp. Ware 23 March 1627/8; no further record unless she is the wife of Hugh Burt, above.
ASSOCIATIONS:   John Johnson's first wife, Mary Heath, was sister to WILLIAM HEATH and Isaac Heath of Roxbury.

While there is no doubt that one of the five children named by John Johnson in his will was at one time the wife of Hugh Burt, it is not certain which daughter, Sarah or Hannah, she might have been.  Sarah is the more likely candidate, and if it was she, then she went on to marry William Bartram.  This difficult and unsolved problem has been discussed by Helen S. Ullmann and by Dean Crawford Smith and Melinde Lutz Sanborn [TEG 6:178-84; Angell Anc 390; see also NEHGR 149:230-39].

COMMENTS:   John Johnson was the confidant of powerful men, filled an important position in the affairs of the early colony and in the development of its defenses, and was involved as an overseer, attorney, witness and appraiser in the affairs of many of his neighbors [Lechford 60, 207, 255, 294; SPR Case #43, 83, 96, 134, 196; SLR 1:30, 107, 137, 215, 238 327 2:237-38, 341; MA Arch 15B:151].  He owned a considerable estate at his death.  With all these advantages, he kept a low profile in his personal life and never achieved a consistent rank of "Mr."

John Johnson was freed from training, paying 10s. a year to the company, 31 October 1639, and the following year was freed entirely, in "regard of other public service without any pay to the company" [MBCR 1:282, 315].  This implied that he was not yet sixty years old in 1640.

A great tragedy to the Johnson family as well as the town of Roxbury, occurred when John Johnson's house, with a substantial supply of the colony's gunpowder therein, caught fire and burned in March of 1645. Many of the major diarists of the time recorded the event:

John Johnson, the surveyor general of ammunition, a very industrious and faithful man in his place, having built a fair house in the midst of the town, with diverse barns and other outhouses, it fell on fire in the daytime, no man knowing by what occasion, and there being in it seventeen barrels of the country's powder, and many arms, all was suddenly burnt and blown up, to the value of four or five hundred pounds, wherein a special providence of God appeared, for he, being from home, the people came together to help and many were in the house, no man thinking of the powder till one of the company put them in mind of it, whereupon they all withdrew, and soon after the powder took fire and blew up all about it, and shook the houses in Boston and Cambridge, so as men thought it had been an earthquake [WJ 2:259].
Eliot remarked,

In this fire were strange preservations of God's providence to the neighbors & town, for the wind at first stood to carry the fire to other houses, but suddenly turned & carried it from all other houses, only carrying it to the barns and outhousing thereby, & it was a fierce wind, & thereby drove the vehement heat from the neighbor houses [RChR 188].

At the General Court 14 May 1645, John Johnson moved that copies be made of important documents that had "very hardly escaped" the fire [MBCR 3:13].
Assistant Governor, Thomas Dudley, was a close associate of John Johnson's, and Dudley bequeathed to "John Johnson, surveyor general of the Arms and one of his beloved friends" £5 if he lived two years after Dudley's death, and asked that Johnson and the others should "do for me and mine as I would have done for them & theirs in the like case" [SPR Case #129].

Pope, for no apparent reason, credited John Johnson with a son John who "came to Roxbury" and was an "efficient citizen."

BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE:  John Johnson has been frequently treated in print by excellent genealogists.  In 1948 Mary Lovering Holman produced an account that would be the standard for many years [Stevens-Miller Anc 318-22].  In 1992 Douglas Richardson and the team of Dean Crawford Smith and Melinde Lutz Sanborn simultaneously and independently discovered the English origin of John Johnson and published useful information on his family and his many connections with other early New England immigrants [NEHGR 146:261-78; Angell Anc 377-91].

Mary HEATH [Parents] ¹ was christened ^{2, 3} on 24 Mar 1593/1594 in Ware, Hertford, England, United Kingdom. She was buried ^{4, 5} on 15 May 1629 in Ware, Hertford, England, United Kingdom. Mary married ^{6, 7, 8} John JOHNSON on 21 Sep 1613 in Ware, Hertford, England, United Kingdom.

Mary Heath, was sister to William Heath and Isaac Heath of Roxbury.

John KINGSLEY. John married ^{1, 2} Mary JOHNSON on 16 Mar 1673/1674 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States.

John had a will ³ on 2 Sep 1677 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States. His will was probated ⁴ on 5 Mar 1678/1679 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States.

Mary JOHNSON [Parents] [scrapbook] ¹ was christened ^{2, 3} on 31 Jul 1614 in Ware, Hertford, England, United Kingdom. She was buried ⁴ on 29 Jan 1679 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States. Mary married ^{5, 6} John KINGSLEY on 16 Mar 1673/1674 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States.

Other marriages:

MOWRY, Roger

Peter BULKELEY [Parents] [scrapbook] ^{1, 2} was born in 1405. Peter married Nicola BIRD ^{3, 4}.

Peter Bulkeley, a scion of the Bulkeleys of Bulkeley, co. Cheshire, held- Haughton, co. Cheshire, in right of his wife Nichola daughter of Thomas le Bird. Letters Patent granting annuity of 100 shillings to Peter de Bulkeley of Halghton by King Richard II 28 Sept. 1390.

Nicola BIRD [Parents] ^{1, 2} was born in 1405. Nicola married Peter BULKELEY ^{3, 4}.

Thomas Le BIRD ¹.

Robert BULKELEY [Parents] [scrapbook] ¹ was born in 1326. Robert married Agnes CHEDLE.

From here back, this line has not been proven.

Agnes CHEDLE was born in 1328. Agnes married Robert BULKELEY ¹.

Thomas BELCHER [Parents] was born in 1578 in Wardend, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom. He died on 20 Mar 1620 in Aston Parish, Warwick, England, United Kingdom. Thomas married Deborah HUNT in of, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom.

Deborah HUNT [Parents] was born in 1582 in Wardend, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom. Deborah married Thomas BELCHER in of, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom.

Robert RAINSFORD Esquire [Parents] ^{1, 2} was christened ³ on 7 Feb 1566/1567 in Epping, Essex, England, United Kingdom. He died ^{4, 5} on 15 Apr 1629 in Staverton, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom. Robert married ^{6, 7} Mary KIRTON ^{8, 9, 10} on 14 Dec 1602 in Croyden, Surrey, England, United Kingdom.

Robert had a will ¹¹ on 10 Oct 1628 in Staverton, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom.

Other marriages:

POPE, Georgina

ROBERT RAYNSFORD (Richard, George, John, William, Henry), Esquire, of Staverton, co. Northampton, was baptized at Epping, cc. Essex, 7 February 1566/7 and died at Staverton, 15 April 1629.
He was twice married according to the pedigrees, first to GEORGINA POPE, daughter of John Pope, Esq., of Wroxton, Co. Oxen, by his wife Elizabeth Brockett (Oxfordshire Visitations, 15 1-2). Georgina was baptized at Wroxton, 3 January 1563/4 (letter from R. E. L. Walker, incumbent, who states her marriage is not recorded there nor are there any Raynsford entries in this period).
Robert married second at Croydon, 14 December 1602 Mary KIRTON (Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica 4 11837]: 93; confirmed by letter of A. 0. Meakin, Chief Librarian of the Central Library, Croydon, which holds transcripts of the parish registers). The Kirton pedigree presented by Baker shows she was daughter of Thomas Kirton of Thorpe Mandeville, cc. Northampton, whose marriage to Marie Sadler is recorded in the London parish of St. Andrew Undershaft on 19 February 1559/60 (microfilm of parish register, no. MS 4107 at Guild-hail Library, London). Mary Kirton was a granddaughter of two Aldermen of London, Stephen Kirton and John Sadler (The Aldermen of London. [London, 1913], 2:30, 110, 345), great-granddaughter of a Sheriff of the city, Nicholas Leveson, and was both niece and great-niece of Lord Mayors: Sir Nicholas Woodruff and Sir William Hewett. Her baptism is not among those of children recorded to her parents at St. Andrew Undershaft between 1560 and 1567 or at Thorpe Mandeville between 1573 and 1577, but the. pedigrees show she was mother of Robert s children as listed below, and she was alive on 20 April 1634 when named in the will of her son John Raynsford as "my loving mother Mary Raynsford, widow" (PCC 105 Seager).
Robert Raynsford of Staverton, Esquire, made his will 10 October 1628 and it was proved by his son John 1 May 1629 (PCC 39 Ridley). To wife Mary he left life interest in the Staverton property with reversion at death to eldest son John, a half-part of his tithes and duties in the County of Warwick to be held in common with eldest son John, and various movables. Second son Richard was left £40 yearly during the life of his mother, to be paid by brother John, and third son Edward was to have

Edward Raynsford of Boston 237

£100 when twenty-one. A legacy of £300 was left to youngest daughter Anne, £200 to be paid when she was twenty-one and the remaining £100 when she was twenty-two. To "ungratious daughter Jane Awbery" he left 3 shillings, 2 pence, to be paid "within three months, on demand," and he named son John as executor. Witnessed by Gee: Addams, Henry [Bassindinefl, [his mark], Matthew Home.

Printed from NEHG Register, Volume 139, July 1985,© New England Historic Genealogical Society & Broderbund Software, Inc., Banner Blue Division, May 22, 2001

Mary KIRTON [Parents] ^{1, 2, 3} was born about 1564 in Thorp Mandeville, Northampton, England, United Kingdom. She died about 1629. Mary married ^{4, 5} Robert RAINSFORD Esquire ^{6, 7} on 14 Dec 1602 in Croyden, Surrey, England, United Kingdom.

Edward RAINSFORD [Parents] ¹ was christened ^{2, 3} on 10 Sep 1609 in Staverton, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom. He died ⁴ on 16 Aug 1680 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. Edward married ⁵ Mary in BY 1632 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States.

Edward had a will ⁶ on 3 Aug 1680 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. His will was probated ⁷ on 28 Aug 1680 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States.

Other marriages:

DILLEE, Ellizabeth

The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1633
Robert Charles Anderson

EDWARD RAINSFORD

ORIGIN:  London
MIGRATION:  1630
FIRST RESIDENCE:  Boston
RETURN TRIPS:  Travelled to England and returned 1635 on the Abigail [Hotten 93]

OCCUPATION:  Fisherman.  On 14 October 1657 "Edw[ard] Rainsford" headed a list of thirteen "fishermen, humbly desiring that they may be exempted from trainings during the time of the fishing season, &c., the Court grants their request" [MBCR 4:1:312].  Merchant.  The inventory of Edward Rainsford demonstrates that he had branched out from his fishing activities.  He owned portions of several vessels, he owned a lighter, and he owned a warehouse "with privileges," presumably meaning dockside rights, indicating that he was trading with the ships that arrived in Boston harbor, and was reselling the merchandise which he obtained in this way.
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP:  "Edward Ransford" was admitted to Boston church as member #62, which would be in the winter of 1630-1 [BChR 13].  Deacon in the year 1666 and 1667 [BChR 347].  On 12 February 1668[/9] Edward Ransford and Jacob Eliot were dismissed as deacons "for setting their hands with other brethren to desire their dismission from the church because the church had chosen Mr. Davenport for their pastor" [BChR 62].  Rainsford then became ruling elder of the Third Church of Boston at its formation in May of 1669 [Worthley 63].
FREEMAN:  17 April 1637 (as "Edward Rainsfoard") [MBCR 1:373].
EDUCATION:  On 12 August 1636 Edward Ransforde and other of the richer inhabitants of Boston gave 5s. for the maintenance of the free school master [BTR 1:160].  He signed his deeds, as did his second wife Elizabeth.  His inventory included "books" valued at £5.
OFFICES:  Petit jury, 1 December 1640 [MBCR 1:312].

Committee to lay the planting ground at Long Island, 24 February 1639[/40] [BTR 1:51].  Committee to draw instructions for the selectmen, 11 March 1660/1 [BTR 2:1].  Committee to set a rate, 17 March 1661/2 [BTR 2:6].  Selectman, 1662-70, 1672 [BTR 2:6-52, 68]. Committee to study the common and wasteland, 21 April 1673 [BTR 2:75-76, 86].  Committee to draw up instructions for the Deputies of the General Court, 14 May 1677 [BTR 2:110].
ESTATE:  In the 1645 Boston Book of Possessions Edward Rainsford held one house and garden bordered by the cove on the south [BBOP 34].

On 9 April 1649 "Ed[ward] Rainsford" was one of the many men who agreed to pay 6d. an acre for their land on Long Island for the use of the school [BTR 1:95].  On 22 February 1657[/8] "Ed[ward] Rainsford" was let a piece of ground behind his garden at 2s. per year [BTR 1:142].

On 4 March 1671/2 "Edward Raynsford, fisherman," and Lt. Richard Cooke of Boston, merchant, deeded back to Peter Gee his dwelling house and lands [SLR 7:134, 9:97].

On 15 October 1674 "Elder Edward Rainsford of Boston" deeded to James Brading of Boston, ironmonger, one acre on Long Island in Massachusetts Bay called "Lug's Lot."  Elizabeth released her dower [SLR 9:301].

On 4 August 1676 Edward Rainsford and Elizabeth his wife deeded for "natural love, goodwill & affection" to "our loving sons John Raynsford, David Raynsford and Solomon Raynsford" a parcel of land and beach at the southerly end of the town [SLR 9:373].

On 15 November 1675 Elder Edward Rainsford exchanged small parcels of land with the town [BTR 2:98].

In his will, dated 3 August 1680 and proved 28 August 1680, "Edward Raynsford Senior of Boston in New England, merchant, being sick and weak of body," bequeathed to "my loving and dear wife Elizabeth Raynsford" the use of all real and personal estate during her life; "my said dear wife shall have liberty" to give away by will the full sum of £100; "my dear wife may if she see cause before her decease give some part of my estate to such of my children that shall be in necessity for their present relief, which shall be deducted out of that child or children's portion"; "I hereby forgive my daughter Mary Parcyfull the debt of £10 more or less that her husband now oweth unto me, and also I give unto my said daughter Mary Parcyfull the sum of £10 to be paid unto her in goods"; to "my grandchildren, namely Jonathan, Dorothy and Mary, all children of my son Jonathan Raynsford deceased, the sum of £50 apiece to be paid unto them" at twenty-one, but if "my said grandchildren Dorothy & Mary do not carry themselves dutifully to their grandmother and take her and their Aunt Gording's advice in disposing of themselves in marriage that then such of them that so refuseth to do shall forfeit their legacy"; to "my son Solomon Raynsford ... all the land that I formerly laid out to him for an houselot"; to "my son David Raynsford ... all that piece of land which I formerly laid out to him"; "my son Edward Raynsford shall have that house that was my son Nathan Raynsford's, with all the land that belongs to it, he paying to my executrix £350"; after "my said wife's decease the full remainder of all my real and personal estate ... shall be equally divided amongst my children hereafter named, viz., John Raynsford, David Raynsford, Solomon Raynsford, Edward Raynsford, and Ramus Belchar, Elizabeth Greenough, & Anna Hough, and that if any of my children die before my said wife then my will is that their children shall enjoy the legacy hereby bequeathed to such child or children"; "if any of my said children die before my executrix childless, then the legacy hereby bequeathed unto them shall be equally divided amongst my grandchildren, that is to say the children of the children that have been born to me by my now wife"; "my said dear wife Elizabeth Raynsford the sole executrix";  "my loving friends Mr. Edward Willis and Mr. John Hayward both of said Boston" overseers [SPR 6:330-32].

The inventory of the estate of "Elder Edward Raynsford late of Boston deceased" was taken 3 September 1680 and totalled £1638 7s. 11d., including £810 in real estate: "dwelling house, barn, with the land as enclosed," £260; "house and land late belonging to Nathan Raynsford deceased," £300; "land upon Raynsford's Island," £10; "land upon Long Island," £10; and "a warehouse with privileges bought of John Phillips," £230 [SPR 9:20-21].  The warehouse shop had fish, but it also had dry goods such as thread, gloves, buttons and cloth.  The inventory also showed that Rainsford owned much shipping: "three-sixteenth part of the ship [blank], Jeremy Cushen, commander," £150; "one-fourth of the ketch Mary, Jno. Gardner, commander," £100; "one-fourth of the ketch Swallow, Benj[ami]n Pickman, commander," £100; "one-sixteenth of ship Sarah, Tho[mas] Tuck, commander," £30; and a "lighter and canoe," £12.  The inventory showed that Rainsford also possessed "1 negro boy Nat [and] 1 negro girl Nancee," valued at £40.

In her will, dated 13 November 1688 and proved 14 February 1688/9, "Elizabeth Raynsford relict of Edward Raynsford of Boston deceased" bequeathed to "my grandchild Atherton Haugh" 40s.; to "my grandchild Nathan Raynsford, Solomon Raynsford his son," 40s.; to "my grandchild Newman Greenough" 40s.; to "my daughter Belcher the ten pounds which formerly I lent to her" and some moveables; to "my grandchild Susanna Raynsford daughter of my son John deceased" £5; to "my grandchild Edward Raynsford son of David Raynsford" a silver cup; to "my countryman Tillee" 20s.; to "my husband's daughter Mary Persevere" 40s.; residue of £140 (after legacies are paid) to "be equally divided among my own children now living and born of my body"; "my sons David Raynsford and Solomon Raynsford" to be joint executors [SPR 10:454-56].

BIRTH:  Baptized Staverton, Northamptonshire, 10 September 1609, son of Robert and Mary (Kirton) Rainsford [NEHGR 139:238, 296].  (On 29 December 1671 Edward Rainsford deposed that he was aged "about sixty years" [SPR 7:177]; at his death he was seventy-one years old [King's Chapel 37].)
DEATH:  Boston 16 August 1680 ("Here lies the body of Mr. Edward Raynsford Senior, aged 71 years, departed this life Anno Domini 1682 [sic]" [King's Chapel 37]; 16 August 1680: "Elder Edward Rainsford died, being old and full of days" [Hull 247]; from the Hobart Journal we learn that on 17 August 1680 "Mr. Ransford ruling elder to the Third Church in Boston [was] buried" [NEHGR 121:206]).
MARRIAGE:  (1) _____ _____.  "Wife of Edward Rainsford died" Boston June 1632 (no doubt as a result of the birth of her twins) [BVR 1].

(2) By 1633 Elizabeth _____.  On 15 December 1633 "Elizabeth Ransford the wife of our brother Edward Ransford" was admitted to Boston church" [BChR 17]; she died at Boston on 16 November 1688 (16 November 1688: "Mrs. Rainsford, the aged Mother, dies" [Sewall 184]; "Here lyeth buried the body of Elizabeth Raynsford aged 81 years deceased the 16 day of November 1688" [King's Chapel 38]).

ASSOCIATIONS:  In his will Edward Rainsford mentions that his grandchildren Dorothy and Mary Rainsford, daughters of his son Jonathan Rainsford, should mind their "Aunt Gording"; in her will Edward Rainsford's widow makes a bequest to "my countryman Tillee." Neither of these persons has been identified.

COMMENTS:  On 8 February 1635[/6] Owen Roe wrote from London to Governor John Winthrop asking him to "help forward that Mr. Ransford may be accommodated with lands for a farm to keep my cattle, that so my stock may be preserved" [WP 3:226].  In January 1637[/8] "Edward Raynsford" at Boston made out a bill of exchange to "his loving master Mr. Owen Roe at the sign of the Three Golden Keys in Cheape Syde" [WP 4:6].

"Edw[ar]d Rainsfoard" was one of the Wheelwright supporters ordered disarmed, 20 November 1637 [MBCR 1:211].  On about 22 November 1637 he acknowledged his error in signing the petition in favor of Wheelwright [WP 3:514].

John Tey bequeathed £2 to "Mr. Raynsford" and 10s. to John, Mr. Rainsford's man [Suffolk Wills 3].  Christovell Gallop named him overseer of her will 24 July 1655 [Suffolk Wills 60].  Thomas Snow of Boston called Edward Rainsford and other men his "beloved brethren" and asked them to be overseers of his will 10 November 1668 [Suffolk Wills 342].

BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE:  In 1985 James A. Rasmussen carefully presented the correct English ancestry of Edward Rainsford, followed by accounts of the immigrant and his sons [NEHGR 139:225-38, 296-315].

In 2000 Douglas Richardson proposed for this immigrant a line of descent from Henry III [NEHGR 154:219-26].

NEHGR Vol. 161:260
THE LONDON APPRENTICESHIP OF EDWARD¹ RAINSFORD OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Leslie Mahier

The English ancestry of Edward¹ Rainsford of Boston is known from a letter written in England by John Hull, a member of the Third Church in Boston, dated March 1676, which mentions "Judge Rainsford, brother to him of Boston." The parish registers of Staverton, Northamptonshire, show that Judge Richard Rainsford did indeed have a brother named Edward of the appropriate age baptized there. Based upon this, James A. Rasmussen presented several genera­tions of Edward's ancestors, most of whom were gentry families.W More recently, Douglas Richardson presented evidence for Rainsford's apparent descent from King Henry III [²]

A note in the Winthrop Papers dated January 1 637[/8] mentions Edward's "loving master Mr. Owen Roe at the sign of the Three Golden Keys in Cheape Syde" in London.131 While reviewing records of the Haberdashers Company of London, I came across Edward Rainsford's apprenticeship to Owen Rowe in June 1626:[4]

Edrus Raynsford fihius Robti Raynsford de Staverton in Corn Northton Armiger poss Owen Rowe civi et habersd London pro termino octo Annor a festo Penticosti ult dat ix die

Besides confirming Edward's parentage, this record also explains his emigra­tion to New England. Owen Rowe was a Puritan interested in the colonization of Massachusetts. He never emigrated, though he owned a house in Mount Wollaston, and wrote letters to John Winthrop. He served in the Parliamentary forces in the English Civil War. He signed the death warrant for King Charles I, for which he was later convicted, and he died in prison in 1661.[5]

Leslie Mahler, FASG, is a resident of San Jose, Calif, who has written many articles ident~'ing the English ancestry of American colonists. He may be contacted at lmahler@att.net.

¹James A. Rasmussen, "Edward Raynsford of Boston: English Ancestry and American Descendants," Register 139 (1985):225-38, 296-315. The letter by John Hull is cited at 226.
²Douglas Richardson, "Plantagenet Ancestry of Edward1 Rainsford (1609-1680) of Boston," Register 154 (2000):219-26.
³Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620- 1633, 3 vols. (Boston: NEHGS, 1995), 3:1547, citing Winthrop Papers, 1498-1654, 6 vols., (Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 1929-92), 4:6.
4Apprenticeship Register for the Haberdashers Company of London [FHL 1,551,159].
5Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 60 vols. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 47:1003-04 (reference pointed out by John Brandon of Columbia, South Carolina). See also "Absentee Landlords," Great Migration Newsletter 15:2 (2006):9-1 0, 16.

Mary died ¹ in Jun 1632 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. Mary married ² Edward RAINSFORD ³ in BY 1632 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States.

Thomas ARNOLD [Parents] [scrapbook] ^{1, 2} was born about 1550 in Northover, Somerset, England, United Kingdom. He died on 24 Jan 1622 in Ilchester, Somerset, England, United Kingdom. He was buried on 26 Jan 1622. Thomas married ³ Mrs ARNOLD about 1595.

Mrs ARNOLD. Mrs ARNOLD married ¹ Thomas ARNOLD about 1595.

Surname may be Peak. This would be the Mother In Law of William Arnold who married Christian Peak daughter of Thomas Peak.