52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES: No. 6, SO FAR AWAY...

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog, but based on Themes. Last week, it was Plowing Through.  This week's theme is So Far Away.  I think that John COX,  my 11th great-grandfather, is likely one of the most distant ancestors I've found to date.  Many details have come from The Pardee Genealogy by Donald Lines Jacobus, plus from records filmed at Family Search.

It appears John COX was born about 1550, likely in the Pitminster region of Somerset in the southwest of England.  Cox is sometimes seen as Coxe and other variants.  For an interesting write-up of the Cox surname, click here.  

On the 20 Jan 1576/7, in Pitminster, at the St Mary & St Andrew church, John married Alice WALSBEER (variously seen as Walsbrow, Walsheer).  The various spellings seem to indicate the trials of transcribing a messy handwriting.  I have not looked for other surnames in parish registers to see what I might make of a register listing. Not all registers have been put online as yet. 

John & Alice appear to have had the following children (as seen in baptism records in the Pitminster church:

  1.  Margaret, bap 4 Oct 1577, bur 15 Sep 1596.
  2.  Elizabeth, bap 24 Jan 1580
  3.  Grace, bap 24 Mar 1582, bur, 5 Oct 1606.
  4.  Anstice [ancestor], bap 25 Jun 1587; m. 3 May 1614 to Anthony PARDEE; 7 children

The area around Pitminster is farming and the woolen trade, and it is possible that the Cox family were involved in some fashion in the trade.

The Pardee Genealogy book states that John COX died about 15 Oct 1607 in Pitminster, but he was already widowed at that time.  Alice may well have had other births than the four seen above, registered in Pitminster - as note the 5 year gap between #3 - 4 children.  

Somehow, John's death in his mid-50s seems too early.  Certainly that was not unusual, because of epidemics, accidents, and the like. But to think that several of his daughters died as young women, is definitely sad.  I have not found more information on the 2nd daughter, Elizabeth.  It is possible she married, and I will look for more details of her, if possible.  

It is quite remarkable to be able to know anything at all about an ancestor from the mid-1500s in England.  I look forward to continuing my searches for more details of this family.  

If you know anything more about the family or region, do please share that information with me, and if you have corrections - I am thrilled to correct my work on my ancestors.  You can add your information in the Comments section below, or via calewis at telus.net.  Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. 

52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS: #4, George PARDEE

Following the challenge of writing 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, issued by Amy Johnson Crow, here is my 4th installment.

George PARDEE, my 9th great-grandfather on my maternal lines, is an early settler in New Haven, Connecticut.  He was baptised 19 Feb 1622/3 in Pitminster, Somerset, England, so likely he was born perhaps a month before this date. His parents were Anthony PARDEE & Anstice COXE; George is the only emigrant from this family. He was the 6th of their 7 children, the second boy in this family.

Taken from The Pardee Genealogy by Donald Lines Jacobus, (New Haven, New Haven co., CT, USA: New Haven Historical Society, 1927),  p.20, here is a copy made of the baptism certificate:
The date on the sheepskin parchment of the church register of St. Andrew and St. Mary, Pitminster, shows it was difficult to read the specific day - either the 13th or 19th of Feb 1623, son of Anthonie Pardee.   This particular church register apparently dates back to 1545.   Note this book is available on Ancestry, and can be read chapter by chapter.  A wonderful genealogy history - I got lost in it some months ago!

George was educated and expected to follow his father as a curate, and studied Latin.  However, he immigrated to the New Haven area about 1644, and began a 5 year apprenticeship to a tailor, Francis Brown/Broone.  Other families from Pitminster area were the Trowbridge and Treat families, both of whom figure prominently in my ancestor lines.  By 1650, as an educated man, George was the Schoolmaster at Hopkins School in New Haven.  In 20 Oct 1650, he married (1) Martha MILES, and they had 5 children - 4 living past infancy.   Our ancestor line goes through their 4th child Mary.
  Children by 1st wife:
     John, b. 20 Aug 1651, d abt 28 Jun 1653
     John, b. 2 Dec 1653, d. 1683
     George, b. 15 Jan 1655, d. 22 Nov 1723
     *Mary, b. 18 Feb 1657/8, d bef 1686, m. Joshua HOTCHKISS (3 children)
     Elisabeth, b. 10 Jun 1660
  Children by 2nd wife:
     Joseph, b. 27 Apr 1664, d. aft 1742
     Rebecca, b. 18 Apr 1666, d. 14 Jun 1731
     Sarah, b. 2 Feb 1667/8, d. abt 1756
     Hannah, b. 7 Jul 1672

Martha died in 1662, and he married (2) Katherine (or Rebekah - or they may have been the same person) Lane in 29 Dec 1662 in New Haven.  George & Katherine/Rebekah had 4 more children as listed above.

About the time of this 2nd marriage, George became a Rector of the Hopkins Grammar School in New Haven.

Interestingly, about the same time as George was a Rector, he also was issued a licence for an "ordinary" - i.e., an innkeeper.

A memorial tablet put up by a descendant of his states:
In memory of George Pardee / 1630-1700 / Farmer, Ferryman and Teacher / of Latin and Good Manners / Who first owned this land / and of  / William Bradley Pardee /  1821 - 1893 // This tablet is placed under the will of / William S. Pardee / Their Loyal Descendant

We know that George died 14 Apr 1700 in New Haven, and that apparently his 2nd wife had died before this time.  It is not certain if Rebekah and Katherine are the same person.

If you have more information on this first immigrant, George PARDEE, I would be very happy to learn more. You may contact me at calewis at telus dot net, or leave a comment below.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - George PARDEE, b. bef. 19 Feb 1622/23

My ex-husband's line goes back to the early New Haven CT settlers, including such surnames as PARDEE, TROWBRIDGE, HOTCHKISS, TREAT, and others. George PARDEE is my children's paternal 10th great-grandfather.

Here is the christening record for the (abt 1644) Immigrant, George PARDEE, with note below:

Baptism date:
    13th or 19th Feb 1623,     Georg,      father Anthonie (Anthony) Pardee

Note typed below the certificate states:

    The carefully prepared sheepskin parchment church register of St. Andrew and St. Mary, Pitminster, from which the above record of baptism was taken, dates back to 1545.
   This certificate was furnished by the present Vicar, the Rev. Alfred Hawken.

And as you can see on the right side of the image, this certificate can be found on page 20 of The Pardee Genealogy, Donald Lines Jacobus, 1927, New Haven Society, New Haven CT.