Saturday, January 23, 2021

#52Ancestors: John BRUNDAGE - c.1593-1639

The second post in the year-long challenge, #52Ancestors by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow. Today I am sharing from the LEWIS-RICE lines: John BRUNDAGE, from Aldeburgh Suffolk England to Connecticut, before 1635. A very early settler who died only a few years after arrival. This map, with all the red dots for the homes in the village at bottom on the coast, is from 1588. 

The surname BRUNDAGE can be found spelled various ways: more often as BRUNDISH,  sometimes as BRUNDWISHE. However it is spelled, this is a relatively uncomman surname, a Suffolk origin surname. Burn [stream] & edisc [pasture], and that ending of -sc is often sounded like an -sh or a soft-g sound. Where is a linguist... 

John BRUNDAGE is the 8th great-grandfather to my ex-husband, 9th to our children and their first cousin, and is 10th to our grandchildren. Because I am searching so far back, with few records surviving, the findings are suspect, although seem fairly probable. 

There is a baptism recorded [transcribed] for John BRUNDWISHE, in the Suffolk Baptism Index [1538-1911, on FindMyPast]. It states he was born in 1592, and baptised 09 Jun 1592, in Aldeburgh Suffolk England. His parents are listed as Richard BRUNDAGE and Alice. Alice's surname of WRIGHT was found online in a history, but is not proven. 

I have found only two children of Richard and Alice BRUNDAGE, born in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England: Anne, bap 6 Sep 1590; no further research done to date; and John [ancestor], bap 9 Jun 1592, d. bef 27 Oct 1639 Wethersfield Hartford CT; m. est. 1621-26 to Rachel Hubbard

John & Rachel emigrated between 1633-1636 to Connecticut, settling in Wethersfield, Hartford, CT. He was apparently a tanner, bringing his tools with him. Their first two children were born in Suffolk, the other 3 were born in Connecticut. Their children are as follows:

    1.  Mary [ancestor], bap 10 Dec 1628, d. 15 Sep 1684, Rye Westchester
          New York; m. abt 1645 to Francis PURDY; 4 sons, 1 daughter known.
    2.  daughter, bap est 1632, d. bef 1648
    3.  John [jr], b abt/before 1636, CT, d. bef Oct 1697, Rye NY; m. Hannah;
           1 dau known, Ruth.
    4.  Bethia, b. est 1637
    5.  Posthume, b. after Oct 1639 Fairfield, CT; m. John Winter of
           Westchester NY

From the probate and note of Rachel, it seems that John died of suicide around October 1639, leaving Rachel with an unborn child, plus 4 others under 11 years of age. A challenge. The inventory taken totalled £304 6s, which would have certainly supported them for a time

A family friend Anthony Willson seems to have been guardian of the children, although I have not yet found court records. And by 5 Aug 1642, Rachel and Anthony married in Fairfield, CT. 

The PURDY family above comes down to a British Loyalist grandson, whose adult children settled in the Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario region after leaving New York.

             === / === / === / === / === / === / === 

If these are your ancestors, I am happy to share what little I have on these ancestors. And if there are errors, please do let me know, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below and I will get back to you either by email or in the Comments. I appreciate the opportunity to correct any issues in these family trees.

Blogger - or my computer - is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented!  You truly make my day!!

No comments:

Welcome!

Family, friends, and others - I hope you enjoy these pages about our ancestors and their lives. Genealogy has become somewhat of an obsession, more than a hobby, and definitely a wonderful mystery to dig into and discover. Enjoy my writing, and contact me at celia.winky at gmail dot com if you have anything to add to the stories. ... Celia Lewis