The Gye Family:

Several of the families being discussed in this series of posts have ties to the Plantagenet family, namely King Henry II and King John. Mary Gye is a common descendant of both Henry and John. Families of note: Baynton, Prowse, Dowrish, Farringdon, Affeton, Cockworthy, FitzRoger, Wood/Wode, and Gye. I will delve into the Royal lines in a later post.

The Gye Family:

First Generation

 

1.  John Gye was born circa 1495 in Ilsinngton, Devonshire, England.¹ He died on 14 Aug 1536 at the age of 41 in Higher Dodderidge [or Prowse], Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.²

John Gye and Mary Prowse were married before 1516 in Higher Dodderidge [or Prowse], Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.² Mary Prowse, daughter of Thomas Prowse and Joan Baynton, was born circa 1500 in Higher Dodderidge [or Prowse], Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.²

 

John Gye and Mary Prowse had the following child:

 

              2              i.   Robert Gye, born ca 1531, Higher Dodderidge [or Prowse], Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England; married Grace Dowrish, ca 1555, Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England; died 1604–29 Sep 1608, Higher Dodderidge [or Prowse] Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.

 

 

Second Generation

 

2.  Robert Gye (John-1) was born circa 1531 in Higher Dodderidge [or Prowse], Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.² He died in 1604–29 Sep 1608 at the age of 73 in Higher Dodderidge [or Prowse] Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.²

Robert Gye and Grace Dowrish were married circa 1555 in Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.² Grace Dowrish^2–3, daughter of Thomas Dowrish and Anne Farringdon, was born circa 1538 in Dowrish, Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.² estimate She died circa 1580–1582 at the age of 42 in Higher Dodderidge [or Prowse], Sandford Parish, Devonshire, England.³ Sorting out the vital statistics for Grace Dowrish is, at best, a serious challenge. Few, if any, verified sources exist for her. The birth, marriage and death year estimates vary considerably.
The easiest to estimate is her death. Most online and print sources give her death as 1604 or "before 1604." Robert Gye, Grace's husband, following her sudden death, placed their youngest daughter, Mary, in the care of Rev. Radford Maverick when she was very young. Mary was born about 1580, therefore Grace must have died during the early 1580s, not around 1604.

The marriage year most commonly given for Grace and Robert Gye is 1555. 1554, 1558, 1563 and 1565 also appear with the occasional year from the 1570s. Considering Mary, born about 1580, was the youngest of eleven children, the marriage must have taken place before 1560, even with the possibility of a multiple birth or two. Unfortunately, no birth records have been cited for any of the other Gye children. Grace was the second wife of Robert Gye.

The year of birth for Grace ranges from 1535 to 1555. If Grace and Robert did marry in 1555, then Medieval customs come into play. The average age for marriage among those women without noble blood was 22. Grace was, through her mother, 15 generations in descent from Henry II. Since she was noble descent, it is possible that Grace married at a younger age. Robert Gye [descended from King John] was born about 1531, so 24 at the time of his 2nd marriage. If Grace was, say, 17 when they were married, that would place her birth around 1538. Another factor to consider is the birth order of Grace's five siblings. It is known that her brother Walter was the eldest son and heir, but which of the children was the eldest is not known.

Robert Gye and Grace Dowrish had the following child:

 

              3              i.   Mary Gye, born abt 1580, Awliscombe, Devonshire, England; married Reverend John Maverick, 28 Oct 1600, Islington, Devonshire, England; died aft 9 Oct 1666, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.

 

Third Generation 

3.  Mary Gye (Robert-2, John-1) was born about 1580 in Awliscombe, Devonshire, England.^2,4 She died after 9 Oct 1666 at the age of 86 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.^2,4–5 Mary Gye was the youngest of Robert and Grace [Dowrish] Gye's eleven children. Following her mother's sudden death, Mary was given to the care of Rev. Radford Maverick, who raised the girl and provided for her education. Maveick presided at the marriage of Mary to his nephew John in 1600.
Many sources are unclear about the date of Grace Dowrish Gye's death. Some say she died "before 1604," others "in 1604." Mary's father placed her in the care of Radford Maverick at a very early age. It is most likely that Grace died while Mary was still in infancy, probably around 1580-1582.

Mary Gye and Reverend John Maverick were married on 28 Oct 1600 in Islington, Devonshire, England.^2,4,6 Reverend John Maverick⁶, son of Peter Maverick and Dorothy Tucke, was born in Dec 1578 in Awliscombe, Devonshire, England.^4,6 He was baptized on 28 Dec 1578 in Awliscombe, Devonshire, England.⁶ He died on 3 Feb 1635/6 at the age of 57 in Dorchester, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.^4,6 John Maverick was born in Awliscombe, Devonshire, England in 1578. He entered Exeter College at Oxford on 24 October 1595. He was described as aged 18, a clergyman's son. John received his B.A. degree on 8 July 1599 and his Master's degree on 7 July 1603. He had already been ordained at Exeter as deacon and priest on 29 July 1597.
It is possible that he was curate to his Uncle Radford at Ilsington since he was married there in 1600. His bride, Mary Gye, had been entrusted to the care of Radford Maverick at an early age by her father.

Reverend Maverick was inducted at Silverton, Devonshire to the rectory of Beaworthy, Devonshire on 30 August 1615 and remained there until he resigned shortly before emigrating to New England. During March 1629/30 John was chosen one of the teachers of the Puritan church that was organized at Plymouth, England. On 29 March 1629/30, John, Mary and their children boarded the Mary and John [part of the Winthrop fleet] for New England and arrived 30 May 1630.
Maverick took the oath as freeman on 18 May 1631 and served as minister at Dorchester until his death in 1635/6. Mary was still living in October of 1666.

John Maverick and Mary Gye had the following children:

 

                              i.   Samuel Maverick⁷ was born circa 1602 in Devonshire, England.^7–8 He died after 1669 at the age of 67 in New York City, New York.^7–8 Samuel preceded the rest of his family to New England, arriving on the Katherine in 1624. He settled at Winnissimet [Chelsea], Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. A devout Episcopalian, he grew discontented with the neighboring Puritan influence and returned to England to express his displeasure. Samuel arrived during the country's Civil War, so it took time to be heard. He returned in 1664 as a King's Commissioner with a charge from Charles II to settle affairs in New England and reduce Dutch presence in New Netherland. Maverick was influential in making New Netherland the colony of New York. He took up residence in New York City, where he died between 1669 and 1676. 

              4             ii.   Elias Maverick Sr., born abt 1604, Devonshire, England; married Anna Harris, ca 1634, Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; died 8 Sep 1684, Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.

                            iii.   Mary Maverick was born in Nov 1606 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.^7–8 She was baptized on 30 Nov 1606 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷ She was buried on 6 Mar 1606/7 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷

                            iv.   Aaron Maverick⁷ was born circa Mar 1607/8 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷ He was baptized on 6 Mar 1607/8 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷ Aaron did not go to America with the rest of the family. Whether he died before 1630 or chose to remain in England is not known.

                             v.   Mary Maverick was born circa Jan 1609/10 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷ She was baptized on 6 Jan 1609/10 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷ She died after 1658 at the age of 48 in Barbados.⁷

                            vi.   Moses Maverick⁷ was born in Mar 1611–Jun 1611 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁸ He was baptized on 3 Nov 1611 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷ He died on 28 Jan 1685/6 at the age of 74 in Marblehead, Essex Co., Massachusetts.⁸ Moses settled in Dorchester with his family, then moved to Salem and finally to Marblehead in 1635.

                           vii.   Abigail Maverick was born circa Mar 1613/4 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷ She was baptized on 20 Mar 1613/4 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England.⁷

                          viii.   Antipas Maverick⁷ was born circa 1619 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England?.⁷ He died on 2 Jul 1678 at the age of 59 in at sea.^7,9 Antipas moved to Kittery, York Co., Maine in 1652. He later resided in Exeter, Strafford Co., New Hampshire and on the Isle of Shoals off the New Hampshire coast, where he was a merchant. In 1678 Antipas fell out of a boat while intoxicated and drowned.

                            ix.   John Maverick Jr.⁷ was born circa 1621 in South Huish, Dorsetshire, England?.⁷ John Maverick, Jr. became a sailor and migrated to Barbados and finally South Carolina. There he became a member of the first colonial parliament.
John was the ancestor of Samuel Augustus Maverick who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence in March 1836. Samuel was also noted for not following the tradition of branding his cattle. As a result, unbranded cattle became known as "mavericks."

 

Sources:

        1. "Selected Families and Individuals", database, Hal Bradley, Bradley, Collette, Gillespie & Opp Ancestry (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hbradley/index.htm#TOC : accessed 20 August 2011), "Gye," Gye-Prowse family; submitted 1997–2010 by Hal Bradley, [contact information for private use].

        2. Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families (Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, 2004), p. 369-370 [Gye].

        3. John G. Hunt, "The Ancestry of Mary Gye: Wife of the Rev. John Maverick," article, NEHGS, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.com : accessed 5 August 2011), Mary Gye/Grace Dowrish; citing prior publication in NEHGS Register (October 1961).

        4. Simmons Family, Roy W. Simmons online [http://www.storycapsule.com/simmons/familytree/pedigree.php], accessed 29 Oct 2009.

        5. Elizabeth French, "Genealogical Research in England: Maverick," article, NEHGS, Americanancestors.org (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 5 August 2011), Mary Gye; citing prior publication in NEHGS Register (April 1915).

        6. French, "Genealogical Research in England," John Maverick [p. 153-154].

        7. "The Reverend John Maverick, Sr.", database, Kristin Carole Hall, Genealogy of Kristin Carole Hall (http://kristinhall.org/fambly/Maverick/JohnMaverick.html : accessed 4 August 2011), "The Reverend John Maverick, Sr.," Maverick family; submitted 1992–2004 by Kristin Carole Hall, [contact information for private use].

        8. French, "Genealogical Research in England," Children of John Maverick [p. 154-156].

        9. French, "Genealogical Research in England," Antipas Maverick.