Saturday, July 29, 2017

Sometimes ancestors can be traced back too far!!

Sometimes I think tracking ancestors back to their country of origin is sufficient. This is especially the case when ancestors arrived in America early, say during the 1600s. At that point in history you are dealing with England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Flanders, regions of France that were predominantly Protestant, Switzerland, and various German States. There were a few from other parts of Europe, indentured servants and slaves from West Africa, and a handful of other places.

My focus here is on the British Isles. With immigrant families arriving before 1650, tracing those families back can be tricky and frustrating. I am currently working on three families [Jermy, Coningsby and Boteler] and a fourth [Meautis] already posted.

In time, we are looking at roughly 1066 to the early 1600s. Patronymics were predominate in many places [Wales and The Netherlands, for example] Place names and occupational names were frequent. Spelling was relatively unimportant to the surname, since many were illiterate or semi-literate. "Final spelling" of surnames was 300-400 years away - no matter what your great-aunt said about the spelling of your surname! Latin, Old English, French, German and other spelling variations might have popped up.

The names of females in the family were not recorded with the accuracy of males. You might find a wife listed as "daughter of ______" more often than not. Likewise, you may only get a given name; a problem that has stayed with us well into the 19th century.

Sorting out which of three wives your 7x great-grandfather belonged to could also be an issue. Males and female given names tended to be very repetitive: Thomas, John, William, Henry, Elizabeth, Margaret, Mary, Anne, etc. Sorting out four John LeSeurs born between 1350 and 1360 to three Thomas LeSeurs and one William LeSeur, can be a challenge.

One ancestor may have been of major importance in the parish, town or shire. His son left little or no mark. That can compound the situation.

Poor record keeping can play a role in tracing ancestors. Sometimes you are more likely to find a burial only. Marriages can be misleading. An ancestor might have married at 14, 15 or younger back in the 1300s. You have to know your customs and geography. Marriages were likely to be about joining families, lands or alliances rather than romance. Boy marries girl two farms over wasn't so common before the 1600s.

Then there are the researchers. Mr. Smith may have one slant on the family, while Professor Jones has another and Ms. Hall, PhD yet another.

Sometimes just knowing that your Virginia ancestors were Huguenots and arrived from Calais about 1680 is enough. Then again, there's the hunt to find out more. Curse you genealogy! 

Friday, July 28, 2017

Meautis Family - Part 2

Fourth Generation
 
4.  Sir Henry Meautis45 (Peter-3, Philip-2, John-1) was born in Feb 1539 in West Ham, Essex, England.6 Child baptized in Feb 1539. He died circa 1588 at the age of 49 in West Ham, Essex, England.6 Henry was the son of Peter Meautys and Jane Astley. He had two brothers [Thomas and Hercules] and a sister [Frances].

The National Archives Prob 11/45/221 and the Jermy site give Henry's birth as about 1525 or 1526. This would make his mother about 8 or 9 at his birth and over ten years before his parents' marriage. It is noted in Sir Peter's bio, that he and Jane had a child baptized in February 1539, either Henry or Frances. This date would be close to the two year mark after the wedding and fitting the birth of the eldest child.

Henry sold the site of Stratford Abbey, with 240 acres and the Abbey mills to Sir John Nulls in 1633.
[Newham Docs by Banfi, Westham [p. 245-272], Daniel Lysons, 1797, www.banfi.com/newhamdocs/lysons1html.]
Anne Jermy6, daughter of John Jermy and Margaret Tay/Tey, was born circa 1530 in Brightwell, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom.6
 
Henry Meautis and Anne Jermy had the following child:
 
5 i. Thomas Meautis, born ca 1572, West Ham, Essex, England; married Elizabeth Coningsby, ca 1590, Westham, Essex, England; died 1614, West Ham, Essex, England.
 
 
Fifth Generation
 
5.  Thomas Meautis (Henry-4, Peter-3, Philip-2, John-1) was born circa 1572 in West Ham, Essex, England.7 He died in 1614 at the age of 42 in West Ham, Essex, England.1 Thomas Meautis was Clerk of the Privy Council. He was a "confidential friend and secretary" to Sir Francis Bacon.
Thomas Meautis and Elizabeth Coningsby1 were married circa 1590 in Westham, Essex, England.1 Elizabeth Coningsby1, daughter of Henry Coningsby and Elizabeth Boteler, was born circa 1574 in Grimston, Norfolk, England.8 She died in Aug 1641 at the age of 67 in prob. Westham, Essex, England.1 She was buried on 19 Aug 1641 in prob. Westham, Essex, England.1
 
Thomas Meautis and Elizabeth Coningsby had the following child:
 
6 i. Frances Meautis, born ca 1596, West Ham, Essex, England; married Sir John Thorowgood, bef 1613, England; died ca 1650, West Ham, Essex, England.
 
 
Sixth Generation
 
6.  Frances Meautis (Thomas-5, Henry-4, Peter-3, Philip-2, John-1) was born circa 1596 in West Ham, Essex, England.9 She died circa 1650 at the age of 54 in West Ham, Essex, England.9
Frances Meautis and Sir John Thorowgood were married before 1613 in England.910 Sir John Thorowgood910, son of William Thorowgood and Anne Edwards, was born circa 1586 in Grimston, Norfolk, England.910 He died circa 1664 at the age of 78 in Kensington, Middlesex, England.910 Sir John Thorowgood was born about 1586 in Grimston, Norfolkshire to William Thorowgood and Anne Edwards.

John was Secretary to the Earl of Pembrooke. He was inservice to the Duke of Buckingham, Gentleman Petitioner to King Chsrles I. Thorowgood was knighted by Charles I at his coronationation in Scotland in 1630. Sir John took part in the Civil War on the side of Parliament. He was a member of the Privy Council under Charles II. John resided at Kensington, Middlesex.

He married Frances, daughter of Thomas Meautis, Esquire, of West Ham, Essex before 1613.

John was named overseer of his brother Adam's will dated 17 February 1639/40. Adam became a prominent settler in Lynnhaven Parish, Lower Norfolk Co., Virginia after serving as an indentured servant. He would go on to transprt 105 persons to Virginia and amass land holdings of over 5000 acres thanks to those 105 headrights. Among those whom he transported to Virginia was Thomas Keeling, the future husband of his niece Anne.

Sir John Thorowgood died in 1664.
 
John Thorowgood and Frances Meautis had the following child:
 
7 i. Ann Thorowgood, born ca 1613, Hertfordshire, England; married Thomas Keeling, ca 1634–1635, England; married William Jermy, ca 1665, Lower Norfolk Co., Virginia, British America; married Robert Bray, aft 1666, Lower Norfolk Co., Virginia, British America; died ca 16 Jan 1687, Lower Norfolk Co., Virginia, British America.
 
Sources:
1. Nina Green, "The National Archives Prob 11/45/221," database, Nina Green, Oxford Authorship Site (www.oxford-shakespeare.com/PROB_11_45_221.pdf: accessed ), ; citing National Archives of Britain.
        2. Green, Oxford Authorship Site, Peter Meautis.
        3. "Jane Meutas," article, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Meutas : accessed 25 July 2017), Jane Astley - Peter Meutas.
        4. John Millman, "The Genealogy of the Jermy Family," database, John Millman, The Tripartite Website (myweb.tiscali.co.uk/tripartite/jermyhomepage.htm: accessed 20 August 2016), Jermy family.
        5. Green, Oxford Authorship Site, Meautys family.
        6. Green, Oxford Authorship Site, Meautys Family.
        7. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [LDS], "Ancestral File," database, FamilySearch (www,familysearch.org : accessed 25 July 2017), Thomas Meautis birth; submission 2011.
        8. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [LDS], "Ancestral File," database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 25 July 2017), Eliz. Coningsby birth; submission 2011.
        9. "Ancestry Family Trees", database, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 September 2016), "Ridley Branches," Thorowgood family; submitted 2007 by jridley47, [contact information for private use].
        10. William Weish Harrison, Harrison, Waples & Allied Families: Being the ancestry of George Leib Harrison of Philadelphia & and his wife Sarah Ann Waples (Philadelphia: author, 1910), 130-132; digital images, Ancestry, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : T 10 September 2016; Thorowgood section.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Meautis Family - Part 1

Researching the Meautis line has been a real challenge! The Coningsby and Boteler lines that will follow were an equal challenge!
 
First Generation
  
1.  Sir John Meautis1 died on 24 Sep 1522–15 Jan 1523 in England.1 He was born in Duchy of Normandy.1 Sir John Meautis was a Norman by birth. He arrived in England with King Henry VII about 1490. Meautis served as French secretary to King Henry VII and then Henry VIII from 1491 until his death in 1522. Sir John was a Knight of Windsor and Clerk of Counsel.

John was named target of rioters in the play "The Book of Sir Thomas More."

Meautis married three times according to his will. He mentioned his late wives Agnes and Jane. John also made bequesta to his third wife Lettice Lucas, wife of Sir Thomas, Solicitor General to Henry VIII. It is not known for sure whether Agnes or Jane was the mother of his son and heir, Philip, preceded him in death.
 
John Meautis had the following child:
 
2 i. Philip Meautis, died 8 Nov 1510.
 
Second Generation
 
2.  Philip Meautis1 (John-1) died on 8 Nov 1510.1 TNA PROB 11/21/4 Philip was the son of John Meautis. He married Elizabeth Foxley of Blakeley in Northamptonshire. He is also recorded as "Thomas Meautis" on p. 77 of the Visitation of Essex.

Philip died 8 November 1510 in Kensington Parish, London. His passage was noted in
Kensington Picturesque and Historical by W.J. Loftie, p. 187 [archives.com]:

The Kensington Church [St. Mary Abbot] was destroyed in 1696 and the majority of the old monuments with it. A few were preserved in the pages of Weaver, Bowack and Strype.
"Here under lyeth Philip Meawtis the son and heir of John Meawtis oone of the Secretaries to the King Henry the Seventh and Henry the Eighth. Clerk of his Counsel and oone of the Knights of Windsor. Whyche Philip decesseyd the Eight of November MDX on whose Soul Jesu have mercy. Amen"
Elizabeth Foxley1 was born in Blakeley, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom.1
 
Philip Meautis and Elizabeth Foxley had the following child:
 
3 i. Sir Peter Meautis, born England; married Lady Jane Astley, 1537, England; married Jane Angersley, ca 1552, Westham, Essex, England; died 17 Jul 1562–7 Sep 1562, Dieppe, Haute Normandie.
 
Third Generation
 
3.  Sir Peter Meautis23 (Philip-2, John-1) died on 17 Jul 1562–7 Sep 1562 in Dieppe, Haute Normandie.2 He was buried on 8 Sep 1562 in Westham, Essex, England.2 He was born in England.2 Sir Peter Meautis was a soldier and courtier from the reigns of Henry VIII to Elizabeth I. He was the son of Philip Meautis and grandson of John Meautis, French secretary to Henry VII and VIII [1492-1522].

Philip held numerous posts during his lifetime.
1536: He helped put down the Pilgrimage of Grace [uprising against Henry VIII's break with the Roman Catholic Church.
1536: Appointed gentleman of the privy chamber.
1536: Master of Bethlam Hospital.
1537: Comptroller of the mint.
1537: Overseer of artillery.
1540: Keeper of Wanstead Park.
1540: One of dignitaries who met with Anne of Cleeves at Calais.
1544: 18 May - Knighted at Edinburgh, Scotland.
1545: Governor of Gurnsey; at Castle Cornet, oversaw the building of Mewtas Bullwark.
1546: By this time, Chancellor of the tenths of the householder.

Peter was described as a man of action, tall, strong, with fair hair, a long beard. He was an expert with small arms and a follower of Thomas Cromwell.
Meautis was married twice. He married first, in 1537 to Jane Astley, a lady of the queen's privy chamber. By 1552, he was married to Jane Angersley[?].

Meautis and Jane Astley were granted lands in Westham, Essex in 1539. To this was added the adjacent manor of Bretts in 1540. Peter and Jane had four children: Henry, Frances [who became gentlewoman of the chamber to Elizabeth I and wife of Henry, Viscount Howard of Bindon], Thomas and Hercules.

Peter's will was dated 17 July 1652 and proved 7 September 1562. He was buried 8 September 1562.
Sir Peter Meautis and Lady Jane Astley were married in 1537 in England.3 Lady Jane Astley3 was born circa 1517 in England.3 She died circa 1551 at the age of 34 in Westham, Essex, England.3 Jane Astley was a lady of the queen's privy chamber to Jane Seymour. She married Peter Meautis in 1537 and bore him four children. Jane died about 1551.

Jane was the subject of a sketch by Hans Holbein the Younger during the 1530s. The sketch is part of the Royal Collection.
 
Peter Meautis and Jane Astley had the following child:
 
4 i. Sir Henry Meautis, born Feb 1539, West Ham, Essex, England; died ca 1588, West Ham, Essex, England.
 
Sir Peter Meautis and Jane Angersley were married circa 1552 in Westham, Essex, England.3 Jane Angersley3 died in 1577 in Bretts, Essex, England.3 She was born in England.3

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Newspaper items: Family history tidbits

Newspapers can be a big help in genealogy research. Ancestry, Find My Past and a few other sites offer access [limited with certain newspapers] to "historical newspapers."

In addition to the usual marriage and death notices, newspapers can offer birth notices, social news, advertisements, and other bits of information on our ancestors.

A recent search of online newspapers has turned up some interesting items on members of my family.

Shelbyville Daily Democrat [IN];
6 Dec 1902: Announcement that Dr. James Crail was elected a delegate to the Sons of Union Veterans State Encampment at Rising Sum, IN for July 1902.

24 Jan 1905: A buggy accident caused minor injuries to Dr. James Crail. Horse was retrieved and buggy wrecked.

25 Feb 1907: A baby daughter was born to Mr. & Mrs. Harry Crail of Shelbyville on the 24th.

10 Feb 1908: Announcement that Dr. James Crail was taking a job in Chicago as Veterinary Inspector.

29 Jan 1910: Announcement that Mrs. Catherine Crail was ill at home.

Greensburg Saturday Review [IN]: 5 Mar 1907: Morris Crail, 3 yr. old son of Mr. & Mrs. Harry Crail, was found to have a soup bean lodged in his ear. It was removed successfully. [notice in 13 other papers]

Peru Republican [IN]: 8 Nov 1901: Death of Mrs. William Brenner, 42, from lockjaw. Survived by mother Catherine Crail, 2 brothers, sister & husband.

Kokomo Saturday Tribune [IN]: 5 Jan 1884: "The Dead of 1883, Interment in city last year.": 27 May 1883 - James M. Simmons, Camden, 79 years, Bright's Disease. 13 May 1883: Twin sons of Nathaniel Simmons, Camden. [believe Nathaniel is an error, should have been Samuel]

Shelbyville Friday Republican [IN]: 7 Jan 1902: James Crail installed as Chaplain of Frank Talbert Camp #45, Sons of Union Veterans.

Manilla Mail [IN] 19 Nov 1903: Advertisement for Dr. James Crail, Veterinary Surgeon, Shelbyville. Quick service by automobile. Office - 96 E. Washington St. Phones - old 213, new 294. Graduate Ontario Veterinary College. Manufacturer of Crail's Indigestive Powder, cures unthriftiness, hide bound, starting coat, loss of energy, etc. [presumably for animals]

Greensburg Standard & Greensburg News [IN] 1 Aug 1902: Announcement of marriage between Harry Crail & Pearl E. Malloy. Groom works at Lincoln Carriage Factory. 

Friday, July 21, 2017

Some notes on the Twiss and Very families

I didn't feel the following items warranted a complete new update on the Very family or a full update on the Twiss family. They do however flesh out the families a bit, so were worth a post for any Very or Twiss descendants.

The info is from The Peabod Story - Events in Peabody's History 1626 - 1972 [John A. Wells, Essex Institute, Salem, MA, 1972]

p. 75: The Humphrey Grant was divided in the early 1700s when the part owned by James Menzies was sold to Joseph Douty and Peter Twiss. The Douty  and Twiss families were members of the first South Church established in Peabody in 1711. The Twiss family occupied the old Collins house on Lake Street.

p. 81: The old Mansfield House, built in 1680, was occupied by Peter Twiss at one time.

p. 82: The 160 acre Philip Verrin farm [now the Peabody Industrial Park area] was later owned by the Very and Nurse families, among others. Samuel Very divided the land amongst his heirs with son Benjamin receiving the land near Cedar Pond and daughter Elizabeth [John] Nurse receiving 40 acres in 1686.

p. 98: Samuel Very was a mariner and came to the area in 1634 with his mother, widow Bridget Very, who married Edward Giles. Samuel Very married Alice Woodis. They had 12 children. Samuel died in 1683. Giles owned 50 acres adjoining Samuel Very's property. Bridget gave 10 acres of this tract to son Eleazer Giles after Edward's death in 1649.

p. 144: Peter Twiss, Jr. owned land in Stones Plain which he sold with the frame of a house to Jonathan Southwick in 1735. He also owned land near Suntaug Lake in West Peabody purchased from Joseph Douty in 1723.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Very/Verry Family Update

First Generation
  
1.  Thomas Very/Verry12 was born in 1593–1600 in Salisbury, Wiltshire or Kent, England.1,3 alternate birthplace: Salisbury, Wiltshire, England He died on 29 Oct 1631 at the age of 38 in Strood, Kent, England.1,3 Thomas Very was born in either Salisbury, Wiltshire, England or Kent, England as early as 1593 and as late as 1600. He married Bridget Scudder between 1616 and 1621, probably in Kent. They had six children: Samuel, Thomas, Mary, Bridget, Francis and Temperence.

The Very family most likely fell victim to some epidemic that swept through England during the early 1630s. Temperence died 29 September 1631 at 17 months; Thomas died on 29 October 1631 in his 30s; Bridget died on 30 October 1632, aged 5. Francis also died about this time. All were buried in Strood, Kent, England.

The three surviving children [Samuel, Thomas and Mary] and the widowed Bridget left for New England by 1834 with other members of Bridget's family.
Thomas Very/Verry and Bridget Scudder were married circa 1621 in probably Kent, England.1 Bridget Scudder1,48 was born circa 1591–1600 in Kent, England.1,6 She died in Apr 1679–30 Nov 1680 at the age of 88 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1,4,6 Bridget, per Our Sussex Roots website, was the daughter of Henry Scudder and Elizabeth Hale. Her birth was given as 1591. The birth of her first husband, Thomas Very, was born about 1600, with some sources claiming 1593. Edward Giles, Bridget's second husband, has a birth year offered between 1600 and 1610.

Henry Scudder, Sr. [c1559-1595] had eight children. His three sons were Thomas, Henry and John. He also had a daughter, Bridget. Rev.Henry, Jr. [c1585-1652] named his 2nd wife Joyce and children: Jane [Russell], Martha [Jacob], Bridget [Graile] and Elizabeth [Tombes, dec'd], granddaughter, Elizabeth Tombes, brother Thomas Scudder, his sons and daughter Elizabeth, now in New England, cousin Bridget Giles, now in New England, cousins John Scudder and Elizabeth Lathrop now in New England.

John and Elizabeth were probably the children of John Scudder and Elizabeth Stoughton. It is clear from Henry's will that Bridget was related to him. She may have been the daughter of Henry's brother Thomas. It has also been suggested that she was the child of one of Henry's daughters: Bridget, Elizabeth, Alice, Martha or Jane. From the wording of the will, it would seem that Bridget was not a sister to John and Elizabeth.

Bridget's birth has been given as early as 1591 and as late as "about 1600."
Her eldest son, Samuel Very was born about 1622. Her youngest child, John Giles was born in 1645. If Bridget was born in 1591, she would have been about 31 when Samuel was born and 54 at the birth of John. Starting a family at 30 and bearing children into her mid-50s is, at best, highly unlikely. A 1600 birth would set her childbearing at a range of 22 years to 45 years. Considering that John would have been the only child born after Bridget's 40th birthday, the later birth is much more plausible and in line with the estimated births of husbands Thomas Very [c1600] and Edward Giles [c1604-1610].
Her first marriage was to Thomas Very, who died in Strood, Kent, England in 1631. They had at least five children. The youngest of the five was born eight months after Thomas died.

Bridget probably sailed for America with her relatives, John Scudder and Elizabeth Scudder, who married Samuel Lathrop, about 1635. She was named as a "cousin," along with John and Elizabeth, in Rev. Henry Scudder's will of 12 February 1651 [proved 31 May 1652].

The
History of Salem [p. 1] claims that Bridget married Edward Giles before leaving England and arrived in New England in 1634, but the following item
from the Salem court records clearly shows they met in Salem.

Edward Giles was fined 40 shillings for "knowing his wife carnally before marriage" on 6 October 1635. There is some debate whether Bridget's daughter Mary was the offspring of Thomas Very or Edward Giles. Mary   could have been the result of this "premarital liaison."

The births of the Giles children were as follows: Mehitable [1637], Remember [1639], Eleazer [1640] and John [1645].

Giles died about 1650.

Bridget made her will on 14 January 1668/9 and was probated 30 November 1680. In the will Briget Giles of Salem names the following heirs and bequests: sons Samuel and Thomas Very [20 shillings each], daughter Mary Cutler, wife of Thomas of Redinge [40 shillings], granddaughter Bridget Very, daughter of Thomas [one cow due when she becomes 18 or gets married], son Eliazer Giles [a 10 acres lot and her meadow land], John Giles [all remaining property]. John Giles named administrator. Witnesses: John and James Brown.

Daughters Mehitabel and Remember Giles were not named in the will. Presumably, the had predeceased their mother.
Thomas Very/Verry and Bridget Scudder had the following children:
 
2 i. Samuel Very/Verry, born 6 Oct 1622, Strood, Kent, England; married Alice Woodis, ca 1650, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died 3 Jan 1683–20 Mar 1683/4, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.
3 ii. Mary Very/Verry, born ca 1624, Strood, Kent, England; married Thomas Cutler, 19 Mar 1660, Reading, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.
4 iii. Thomas Very/Verry, born ca 1625, Strood, Kent, England; married Hannah Giles, 6 Jul 1650, Gloucester, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died 28 Mar 1694, Gloucester, Essex Co., Massachusetts.
iv. Bridget Very/Verry was born on 1 Apr 1627 in Strood, Kent, England.1 She died on 30 Oct 1632 at the age of 5 in Strood, Kent, England.1
v. Francis Very/Verry died between 18 Jan 1629 and 1633 at the age of 0 in Strood, Kent, England.9 He was born on 18 Jan 1629 in Strood, Kent, England.1 probably died young
vi. Temperence Very/Verry was born on 20 Feb 1630/1 in Strood, Kent, England.1 She died on 29 Sep 1631 at the age of 0 in Strood, Kent, England.1
 
Second Generation
 
2.  Samuel Very/Verry8,1011 (Thomas-1) was born on 6 Oct 1622 in Strood, Kent, England.1 He died on 3 Jan 1683–20 Mar 1683/4 at the age of 60 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.1 The birth date given for Samuel Very, 6 October 1622, seems to be in error. His 1683/4 will gives his age as 64, placing his birth about 1619. This is the year given in most sources. [The 1622 birth is recorded in Gloucester to a Samuel Very, son of John.] Samuel's birthplace is also given as Salisbury, Wiltshire, England in the majority of sources..

Samuel Very probably arrived in New England with his mother, Bridget and siblings before 1635. He first appeared in Salem records when he was charged with trespass during the February 1648/9 Quarterly Court. Samuel purchased a 171 acre farm in Salem in 1656 from Dorchester's Richard Way. He took the oath of allegiance in 1678. Very died during the winter of 1683/4.

Samuel Very, aged about 64, made his will 3 January 1683/4 at Salem. He left to his wife Alice the bulk of his property and dwelling house for her use during her lifetime. Son Benjamin would inherit the house and all property "within the stone fences" after Alice's death. Should Benjamin die before age 21, the property would go to son Samuel. The two sons were to pay their sisters, Hannah and Mary, £10 each. If one should die the other would receive £20. Sons John and Jonathan were to receive a specified share of their father's property. Son Thomas was to inherit property in addition to that he already held. The remainder of the Very property was to go to sons Isaac and Joseph upon their mother's decease.  The will was recorded on 20 March 1683/4.

On 20 March 1683/4, Alice Very, widow and executrix of Samuel's will, presented the will for propate. There was an objection made that three of the children, Samuel Very, Elizabeth Nurse and Sarah Cooke, were not mentioned in the will. Alice promised that Elizabeth and Sarah would receive shares equal to those of their sisters, providing their husbands would make no trouble. Alice also reached agreement with son Samuel.
Samuel Very/Verry and Alice Woodis were married circa 1650 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1 Alice Woodis, daughter of John Woodis and Frances [Woodis], was born circa 1630 in England [?].1 She died after 1716 at the age of 86 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
 
Samuel Very/Verry and Alice Woodis had the following children:
 
5 i. Samuel Very/Verry, born ca 1651, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Abigail Archer, ca 1682/3, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America; died ca 1697, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.
6 ii. Sarah Very/Verry, born ca 1653, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married James Cooke, Massachusetts Bay, British North America.
7 iii. Elizabeth Very/Verry, born 1 Dec 1655, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married John Nurse/Nourse, 17 Aug 1677, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died aft 1723, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.
8 iv. Thomas Very/Verry, born ca 1657, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Elizabeth Proctor, 28 Mar 1681, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America; died 1717, Marblehead, Essex Co., Massachusetts.
9 v. John Very/Verry, born 1 May 1659, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Hannah [Very].
vi. Joseph Very/Verry was born on 25 Jun 1661 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1 He died in 1663 at the age of 2 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
10 vii. Isaac Very/Verry, born 14 Jun 1663, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Mary [Very].
viii. Joseph Very/Verry was born on 13 Nov 1664 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1 He died in 1694 at the age of 30 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
11 ix. Hannah Very/Verry, born 22 Jan 1666, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married William Beans, 1695, Massachusetts Bay, British America.
12 x. Benjamin Very/Verry, born ca 1668, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Jemima Newhall, 9 Jun 1698, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America; died aft 1730, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts?.
13 xi. Mary Very/Verry, born 21 Mar 1668, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Jonathan Marsh, 20 May 1697, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America; died Windham Co., Connecticut, British North America.
14 xii. Jonathan Very/Verry, born ca 1670, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Mary Symonds.
 
3.  Mary Very/Verry12 (Thomas-1) was born circa 1624 in Strood, Kent, England.12 She was born circa 1635 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.8,13 alternate, if daughter of Edward Giles Mary has been identified as the daughter of both Thomas Very and Edward Giles. Mary is mentioned in her mother's 1668 will after Samuel and Thomas Very and before Thomas' daughter, Bridget. The Giles children are named after the Very children.

In
New England Families: Genealogical and Memoial, Vol. IV [p. 1995], the entry on Thomas Cutler identifies Mary as a Giles. It also states that Thomas was born about 1633, rather than 1623. The entry also claims she married a Very on 7 Dec 1683. This, along with a marriage to Matthew Smith on 20 June 1684. Find a Grave has an entry for Smith and his wife, both born well after Mary. Mary Cutler's will was dated 14 January 1679.

Mary's children were born between 1660 and 1670, with the youngest born in 1677. If she had been born in 1624, Mary would have been 36 at the birth of her eldest child and 43. If born about 1635, then her age would have been 25 and 32.  
Mary Very/Verry and Thomas Cutler were married on 19 Mar 1660 in Reading, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.14 Thomas Cutler was born circa 1623 in England. He died on 7 Dec 1683 at the age of 60 in Reading, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.
 
4.  Thomas Very/Verry (Thomas-1) was born circa 1625 in Strood, Kent, England.1 He died on 28 Mar 1694 at the age of 69 in Gloucester, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1,15
Thomas Very/Verry and Hannah Giles were married on 6 Jul 1650 in Gloucester, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1 Hannah Giles1,8,16 was born circa 1626 in England.1 She died on 25 Aug 1683 at the age of 57 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.1,8 It is possibly that Hannah was a daughter of Edward Giles from a previous marriage. The History of Salem [p.1] identifies her as husband Thomas Very's step-sister.
  
Third Generation
 
5.  Samuel Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born circa 1651 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1 He died circa 1697 at the age of 46 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
Samuel Very/Verry and Abigail Archer were married circa 1682/3 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.17 [Torrey, p.767] Abigail Archer was born in 1668 in Massachusetts Bay, British America. She died after 1697 at the age of 29 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.
  
6.  Sarah Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born circa 1653 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
Sarah Very/Verry and James Cooke were married in Massachusetts Bay, British North America.17 James Cooke was born circa 1653 in Massachusetts Bay, British America.
 
7.  Elizabeth Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born on 1 Dec 1655 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.18 She died after 1723 at the age of 68 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1820 alt. death year: 1684
Elizabeth Very/Verry and John Nurse/Nourse were married on 17 Aug 1677 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.18 John Nurse/Nourse, son of Francis Nurse/Nourse and Rebecca Towne, was born circa 1645 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.18 He died circa 1 Dec 1719 at the age of 74 in Salem Village, Essex Co., Massachusetts.18
 
John Nurse/Nourse and Elizabeth Very/Verry had the following child:
 
15 i. Sarah Nurse/Nourse, born 10 Nov 1680, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; married Peter Twiss Jr., 20 Dec 1699, Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died aft 29 Sep 1757, Danvers, Eseex Co., Massachusetts.
 
8.  Thomas Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born circa 1657 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1 He died in 1717 at the age of 60 in Marblehead, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
Thomas Very/Verry and Elizabeth Proctor were married on 28 Mar 1681 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.17 Elizabeth Proctor was born circa 1663 in Massachusetts Bay, British America.
 
9.  John Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born on 1 May 1659 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
 
John Very/Verry and Hannah [Very] were married.17 Hannah [Very] was born circa 1659 in Massachusetts Bay, British America.
 
10.  Isaac Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born on 14 Jun 1663 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
 
Isaac Very/Verry and Mary [Very] were married.17 Mary [Very] was born circa 1663 in Massachusetts Bay, British America.
 
11.  Hannah Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born on 22 Jan 1666 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
Hannah Very/Verry and William Beans were married in 1695 in Massachusetts Bay, British America.17 William Beans was born circa 1666 in Massachusetts Bay, British America.
 
12.  Benjamin Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born circa 1668 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1 He died after 1730 at the age of 62 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts?.1
Benjamin Very/Verry and Jemima Newhall were married on 9 Jun 1698 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.17 Jemima Newhall was born in 1678 in Massachusetts Bay, British America. She died after 1725 at the age of 47 in Massachusetts Bay, British America.
 
13.  Mary Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born on 21 Mar 1668 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1 She died in Windham Co., Connecticut, British North America.1
Mary Very/Verry and Jonathan Marsh were married on 20 May 1697 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America.17 Jonathan Marsh was born on 14 Apr 1672 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America. He died circa 1750 at the age of 78 in Windham Co., Connecticut, British America.
 
14.  Jonathan Very/Verry (Samuel-2, Thomas-1) was born circa 1670 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts.1
 
Jonathan Very/Verry and Mary Symonds were married.17 Mary Symonds was born on 1 Nov 1662 in Massachusetts Bay, British America.
 
Sources:
1. Norris Taylor, "Bridget [____] Very, b. 1600 to Salem," e-mail message from [e-mail for private use] ([street address for private use]), to Vere Family Genealogy Forum, 14 August 1999.
        2. Harry _______, "Ancestors of Comfort Scudder," database, Harry_______, Our Sussex Roots (http://oursussexroots.com/scudder: accessed 27 January 2016), Bridget Scudder Very; citing AceNet.
        3. _______, Our Sussex Roots, Line of Bridget Scudder.
        4. Louis Effingham DeForrest, Our Colonial & Continental Ancestors: The Ancestry of Mr. & Mrs. Louis William Dommerich (New York, NY: DeForrest Pub., n.d.), p. 204; digital images, The Generations Network, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 June 2011.
        5. Norris Taylor, Norris Taylor Genealogy Page (http://ntgen.tripod.com/bw/very_index.html : accessed 30 June 2011), Bridget (______) Very info.
        6. _______, Our Sussex Roots, Bridget Scudder - Very info.
        7. Essex County, Massachusetts, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts V8: 55-56, Will of Bridget Giles of Salem, Bridget Giles will, 14 January 1680; Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT.
        8. Sidney Perley, The History of Salem, Massachusetts, Vol. III [1671 -1716] (Salem, MA: Sidney Perley, 1928), 1-5.
        9. Taylor, "Bridget [____] Very, b. 1600 to Salem," e-mail to GenForum: Vere, 14 August 1999.
        10. DeForrest, Our Colonial & Continental Ancestors, p. 205.
        11. Essex County, Massachusetts, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, Dec 1683, p. 159-161.
        12. Essex County, Massachusetts, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 8:55-56.
        13. Taylor, "Bridget [_______] Very, b. 1600 to Salem," e-mail to Vere Family Genforum, 14 August 1999.
        14. Taylor, "Bridget(_______) Very: b. 1600, to Salem," e-mail to Very Family Genforum, 14 August 1990.
        15. DeForrest, Our Colonial & Continental Ancestors, p. 204.
        16. Taylor, Norris Taylor Genealogy Page, Hannah Giles father.
        17. Taylor, "Bridget [_______] Very, b. 1600 to Salem," e-mail to Vere Family GenForum, 14 August 1999.
        18. "Rebecca Nurse Ancestry", database, genealogy.com, Famous Folks (http://www.genealogy.com/famousfolks/rebeccan/d0/i0000004.htm : accessed 1 January 2011), Francis & Rebecca Towne Nurse family; undocumented and unnamed family tree submitted unk by unk, [contact information for private use].
        19. DeForrest, Our Colonial & Continental Ancestors, p. 206.
        20. Stephanie J. Walker, rootsweb, Phipps Family Pages (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~walkersj/ : accessed 11 June 2011), Elizabeth [Very] Nurse death