FRENCH: Rooted in History, The Winthrop Fleet

Winthrop Fleet

Massachusetts Bay Company was joint stock trading company chartered by the English Crown in 1629 to establish a colony in New England. John Winthrop and his fleet of eleven ships brought over 700, mostly puritan, passengers from England to settle in Boston, Salem, and other cities around Massachusetts Bay. The ships were Arbella, Ambrose, Talbot, Jewl, Charlse, Mayflower (not 1620 vessel), Hopewell, William and Francis, Whale, Success, and Trial. This wave of colonization was known as first The Great Migration.

Banks, Charles Edward. The planters of the commonwealth; a study on emigrants and emigration in colonial times: to which are added lists of passengers to Boston and to the Bay Colony; the ships which brought them; their English homes, and the places of their settlement in Massachusetts. 1620-1640. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1930. Page 71.

Banks, Charles Edward (1854-1931). The Winthrop fleet of 1630; an account of the vessels, the voyage, the passengers, and their English homes from original authorities.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1930. Page 71.

10th Great Grandparents

Smith Branch

Thomas French Sr

Thomas William French Sr and wife Susan Riddlesdale are my immigrant ancestors. They are believed to have arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony on 13 Jun 1630 landing at Salem, Essex, British Colonial America.

Thomas William French Sr was born 11 Oct 1584 in Bury, Addington, Suffolk, England. The translated motto on the French crest means I would rather die than be disgraced. Thomas French Sr died before the probate of his will on 5th Nov 1639 in Ipswich, Essex, MA Bay, British Colonial America. 

Thomas and Susan Riddlesdale are believed to have been married 5 Sep 1608 in Assington, Suffolk, England. Susan was born circa 1584 and Christened on 20 Apr 1584 in Boxford, Assington, Suffolk, England. She died 28 Sep 1658 in Ipswich, Essex, MA Bay, British Colonial America.

The Essex Institute, 1911-1975; Salem, MA, USA; Records and files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, (9 volumes); Vol II, page 118.

 

Thomas French Sr died circa 1639 before probate will on 5th Nov 1639 in Ipswich, Essex, MA Bay, BCA. 

Children of Thomas and Susan Riddlesdale

Thomas French, Jr (1608-1680), immigrated with parents ~ m. Mary, surname believed to be Scudamore.

Alice (1610-1666), immigrated with parents

Sarah (1611-Unk), possibly died in infancy

Samuel (1613-Unk), possibly died in infancy

Dorcas (1614-1687), immigrated with parents

Susan (1616-1631) , immigrated with parents

Anne (1617-1631), immigrated with parents

Margaret (1619-1653), not showing on record

Sarah (1621-1621), died in infancy

John (1622-1697), immigrated with parents

Mary (1625-1697), immigrated with parents

Richard (1625-1625), died in infancy

Thomas French Jr

Thomas French Jr came to America with his parents and siblings with the Winthrop Fleet in 1630; however, the Great Migration Begins has his arrival in 1632. Thomas was born 27 Nov 1608 in Assington, Suffolk, England and died 8 Aug 1680 in Ipswich, Essex, MA. 

Thomas was believed to be a tailor. His first residence was in Boston. He joined Boston church in 1632, later he moved to Ipswich. He became a freeman on 6 Nov 1632, and he was able to sign his will along with other Ipswich historical documents. Thomas served in the militia during Pequot war, (1636-1638).

Anderson, Robert Charles. New England, The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1633.  Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1996-2001. Vol 1 A-F. Pages 703-705.

On 21 Jun 1637, John along with others in the town of Ipswich signed a petition in against John Winthrop Jr's removal from their town. John French's signature is the last in the left row. Anthony Colby, also, signed this document on the right side column.

Waters, Thomas Franklin. Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Boston: The Ipswich Historical Society, 1905. Page 54, among others.

Mary (surname possibly Scudamore) was believed to be born circa 1598 in Tedgewood, Upton Bishop, Herefordshire, England. It is unknown when she immigrated. Mary died 6 May 1681 in Ipswich, Essex, MA. 

Vital Records of Ipswich Massachusetts: to the end of the year 1849. Salem, Mass.: Higginson Book Co., 1990.

Children of Ensign Thomas French Jr and Mary Scudamore

Mary (1632-1632)

Mary French II (1634-1684) ~ m. Robert Smith

John (1635-1706)

Thomas III (1636-1710)

Sarah (1638-1680)

Samuel (1639-1688).  There is an account where "Ensign Thomas French and Thomas French Jr were sureties on the bond of Samuel French when young Samuel was charged with a misdemeanor with Lydia Brown, at court 26 Mar 1667 [EQC 3:398]."

Anderson, Robert Charles. New England, The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1633. Vol 1 A-F. Boston: New England Historical and genealogical society, 1996-2001. Page 705. Print or available on Ancestry.com.

Ephriam (1634-1716)

Descendants of Thomas French Sr and Susan Riddlesdale

Thomas French Jr ~ m. Mary Scudamore

Mary French ~ m. Robert Smith

Samuel Smith Sr ~ m. Rebekah Curtis

Asael Smith ~ m. Mary Duty

Joseph Smith Sr ~ m. Lucy Mack 

Hyrum Smith ~ m. Mary Fielding 

Joseph Fielding Smith ~ m. Edna Lambson (4th wife)

Edna Melissa Smith ~ m. John Fife Bowman

John Hyrum Bowman ~ m. Rosetta Ellen Jackson

* For privacy reasons I have not listed my parents

COLBY: Rooted in History, The Winthrop Fleet

10th Great Grandparents

Mack-Smith Branches

Anthony Colby

Winthrop Fleet

Massachusetts Bay Company was joint stock trading company chartered by the English Crown in 1629 to establish a colony in New England. John Winthrop and his fleet of eleven ships brought over 700, mostly puritan, passengers from England to settle in Boston, Salem, and other cities around Massachusetts Bay. The ships were Arbella, Ambrose, Talbot, Jewl, Charlse, Mayflower (not 1620 vessel), Hopewell, William and Francis, Whale, Success, and Trial. This wave of colonization was known as first The Great Migration.

Banks, Charles Edward. The planters of the commonwealth; a study on emigrants and emigration in colonial times: to which are added lists of passengers to Boston and to the Bay Colony; the ships which brought them; their English homes, and the places of their settlement in Massachusetts. 1620-1640. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1930. Page 69.

Banks, Charles Edward (1854-1931). The Winthrop fleet of 1630; an account of the vessels, the voyage, the passengers, and their English homes from original authorities.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1930. Page 65.

Anthony Colby

Anthony Colby was born circa 1605 and Christened on 8 Sep 1605 in Horbling, Lincolnshire, England to Thomas Colby (1567-1625) and Anne Jackson (1574-1625). 

Anthony married circa 1633 to widow Susanna, (her surname believed to be Haddon). Susanna was born circa 1610 in England. Susanna married a third time to William Whitridge in 1663, three years after Anthony's death. William Whitridge, who died in 1669. Susanna died destitute in/around 8 Jul 1689. 

Anthony came to Massachusetts Bay Colony as part of the Winthrop in 1630. He first settled in Boston, then moved to Cambridge 1632, Ipswich 1637, Salisbury 1640, and in 1654 Anthony became a founding father of town of Amesbury, Massachusetts where his home still stands today. 

It was recorded that Anthony joined the Boston church, most likely Puritan because Quakers and Catholics were persecuted and banished from the Colony--even helping Quakers was cause for fine or punishment. This happened to Thomas Macy. Anthony Colby purchased Macy's house in Amesbury circa 1654.

Anthony was most likely educated because he could sign his name on various Colonial documents. He owned a sawmill and became a freeman 14 May 1634. Anthony served on several grand juries.

Anderson, Robert Charles. New England, The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1633. Vol 1 A-F. Pages 413-416. Print or available on Ancestry.com.

Hoyt, David 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. Pages 103-104, also see index.

 

The 1654 Macy-Colby House still remains in possession of the Colby family as a museum, supported by an endowment after a descendant named Moses Colby struck gold during California gold rush.  

Children of Anthony Colby and Susanna 

John (1633-1674)

Sarah Colby (1634-1663) ~ m. Orlando Bagley Sr 

Colby stillbirth (1637-1637)

Samuel (1638-1716)

Isaac (1640-1684)

Rebecca (1634-1672)

Mary (1647-1716)

Thomas (1651-1691)

Descendants of Anthony Colby

Sarah Colby ~ m. Orlando Bagley Sr

Sarah Bagley ~ m. John Mack

Jonathan Mack ~ m. Sarah Bennett

Ebenezer Mack ~ m. Hannah Huntley

Solomon Mack ~ m. Lydia Gates

Lucy Mack ~ m. Joseph Smith Sr

Hyrum Smith ~ m. Mary Fielding

Joseph Fielding Smith ~ m. Edna Lambson (4th living wife)

Edna Melissa Smith ~ m. John Fife Bowman

John Hyrum Bowman ~ m. Rosetta Ellen Jackson

* I have not included my parents for privacy reasons

GOULD: Rooted in History, The Salem Witch Trials

10th Great Grandparents

Smith Branch

Zaccheus Gould

Zaccheus Gould is my immigrant ancestor. Although, he did not directly participate in witchcraft accusations his children were directly related to these events. 

Zaccheus was born 1 Oct 1589 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England to Richard Gould of Bovington, England. 

He married circa 1617 to Phebe Deacon in England. She was Christened on 3 Apr 1697 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England and died 20 Sep 1663 in Topsfield, Essex, MA, BCA.

 

Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004. Page 315.

Vital records of Topsfield, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Topsfield, Mass: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903.

Zaccheus immigrated with wife and five children circa 1638. The first recording of him is buying land from his brother in 1639. It is, also, recorded that he purchased land before 1652 in Boxford, MA as recorded in History of Boxford, pg 21. He is one of the founders of  Topsfield. The Gould family is mentioned throughout the book as it weaves their business and land dealings in the towns of Boxford, Salem, and Topsfield.  

Perley, Sidney. History of  Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts from the Earliest Settlement Known to the Present Time: A Period of about Two Hundred and Thirty Years. Boxford, MASS: Published by the Author, 1880.

 

Occupation: Businessman, landowner and farmer. Zaccheus petitioned the court to incorporate the lands around his home to become the village of Topsfield MA. Zaccheus put up a portion of his land to bring in a minister for Topsfield. 

He was fined 3 shillings for associating with Quakers.

Zaccheus died 30 Mar 1668 in Topsfield, Essex, MA and an obelisk memorial stands in his honor in Pine Grove Cemetery. 

The Gould family was influential in the political dealings of the town of Topsfield and there is too many specific notations to be made therefore the reference below takes you to the index to search as warranted. 

Dow, George Francis. History of Topsfield Massachusetts. Topsfield Historical Society, 1940. 

Gould, Benjamin Apthrop Gould. The Family of Zaccheus Gould of Topsfield. Lynn, Mass: Thos. P. Nichols, 1895.

 

Children of Zaccheus Gould and Phebe Deacon

 

Phebe (1620-1686)

Mary (1621-1686) ~ m. John Reddington * She accused Sarah Wildes of witchcraft on several occasions. 

Martha (1623-1699) 

Priscilla (1628-1663) ~ m. John Wild (2nd wife, Sarah, was hung in Salem)

John Gould (1635-1710) ~ m. Sarah Baker * testified against Sarah Wildes

9th Great Grandparents

Smith Branch

John Gould

Born 21 Jun  1635 in Buckinghamshire, England, John immigrated with his parents and sisters when he was about three years old.

He married Sarah Baker on 14 Oct 1660 in Ipswich, Essex, MA and died 26 Jan 1710 in Topsfield, Massacusetts.  

Vital records of Topsfield, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Topsfield, Mass: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903. 

John testified against Sarah Wilds/Wildes, mostly based on statements from his sister Mary Reddington, who died several years prior; but, hostilities against John Wild, Sarah's husband, and the Goulds had been going on for decades. 

One of the reasons the Gould's disliked Sarah was due to the fact that Sarah (Averill) married Mary and John's former brother-in-law, John Wild, within a few months after their sister's death. 

Priscilla Gould was about fourteen years old when she married John Wild in 1642. She bore him eight children. Unfortunately, Priscilla died on 16 Apr 1663. John married Sarah in November of that same year. Mary had called Sarah a witch on several occasions through the years, prompting John Wild to threaten Mary's  husband (John Reddington) with a law suit for slander should Mary not cease.

John Gould, most likely, harbored animosity against the John Wild because, in 1686, John Wild and three other men (John Howe, Isaac Cummings, and Ephraim How) swore written testimony that John Gould blasphemed against the Crown of England. On 5 Aug 1686, John Gould was stripped of his title of Captain in the militia and was sent to Boston, where he was tried and sent to prison for treason. John was released from prison a few months later and, eventually, his military title, along with his position in the community, was restored.

Massachusetts Historical Society. Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Borwn, 1838. Series III, Vol , VII, pages 150-154.

John Gould's testimony in his own words: 

Dow, George Frances. The History of Topsfield. Topsfield, Mass: Topsfield Historical Society, 1895. Chapter 19: The Witchcraft Delusion, pages 320-342.  

 

Peterson-Towne, Abbie and Marietta Clark. "Topsfield and the Witchcraft Delusion", pages 23-143. Historical Collections of Topsfield. Topsfield Historical Society, 1908, Vol 13. 

Children of John Gould and Sarah Baker

John (1662-1724)

Sarah (1664-1723)

Thomas (1666-1752)

Samuel (1669-1724)

Zaccheus Gould (1672-1739) ~ m. Elizabeth Curtis * see Curtis

Priscilla (1674-1715)

Joseph (1677-1753)

Mary (1681-1689)

Children of Zaccheus Gould and Elizabeth Curtis

Elizabeth (1702-1742)

Mary (1704-1789)

Priscilla Gould (1707-1744) ~ m. Samuel Smith Jr * son of Samuel Smith Sr 

John (1709-1778)

Sarah (1711-1743)

Abigail (1715-1798)

Zaccheus (1717-1793)

Eleazar (1720-1798)

Susannah (1722-1773)

Descendants of Zaccheus Gould and Phebe Deacon 

John Gould ~ m. Sarah Baker

Zaccheus Gould ~ m. Elizabeth Curtis

Priscilla Gould ~ m. Samuel Smith Jr

Asael Smith, Revolutionary Soldier ~ m. Mary Duty

Joseph Smith Sr ~ m. Lucy Mack, Mayflower descendant

Hyrum Smith ~ m. Mary Fielding 

Joseph Fielding Smith ~ m. Edna Lambson (4th living wife)

Edna Melissa Smith ~ m. John Fife Bowman

John Hyrum Bowman ~ m. Rosetta Ellen Jackson

• Did not list parents for privacy reasons