Individual Details
Jenkin Davis
(1610 - 1661)
Jenkin came to New England as a servant of John Humfrey.
Jenkin Davis, Daniel Fairfield, and John Hudson had all been indentured servants of John Humfrey. These three became involved in a criminal matter related to two of Humfrey's daughters. Daniel Fairfield has been referred to as "the most notorious sexual offender in the early history of New England." In 1641, the three men were in court for "wanton dalliance" with the two girls. This arose when Humfrey had taken a trip to England and left his two daughters in the care of Fairfield who was by that time married. The abuse of the girls appears to have occurred over a period of time. Winthrop's history described the offenses in this way:
The two girls had visited Fairfield's house, and were by him abused very often, especially upon the Lord's days and lecture days, by agitation and effusion of seed, and after by entering the body of the elder, as it seemed; for upon search she was found to have been forced . . .
Another man, Jenkin Davis, was said to have "abuse[d] the elder of these girls ... but constantly denied any entrance to her body . . . . "
Of the third man accused, John Hudson, Winthrop reported:
he did abuse her [Dorcas] many times, so as she was grown capable of man's fellowship, and took pleasure in it.
Fairfield, who was found to be most at fault, received seven years in prison and was then expelled from the colony.
Source: Winthrop's Journal
Jenkin Davis, Daniel Fairfield, and John Hudson had all been indentured servants of John Humfrey. These three became involved in a criminal matter related to two of Humfrey's daughters. Daniel Fairfield has been referred to as "the most notorious sexual offender in the early history of New England." In 1641, the three men were in court for "wanton dalliance" with the two girls. This arose when Humfrey had taken a trip to England and left his two daughters in the care of Fairfield who was by that time married. The abuse of the girls appears to have occurred over a period of time. Winthrop's history described the offenses in this way:
The two girls had visited Fairfield's house, and were by him abused very often, especially upon the Lord's days and lecture days, by agitation and effusion of seed, and after by entering the body of the elder, as it seemed; for upon search she was found to have been forced . . .
Another man, Jenkin Davis, was said to have "abuse[d] the elder of these girls ... but constantly denied any entrance to her body . . . . "
Of the third man accused, John Hudson, Winthrop reported:
he did abuse her [Dorcas] many times, so as she was grown capable of man's fellowship, and took pleasure in it.
Fairfield, who was found to be most at fault, received seven years in prison and was then expelled from the colony.
Source: Winthrop's Journal
Events
| Birth | 1610 | Dorsetshire, England | |||
| Immigration | 1634 | Lynn, Essex, Massacusetts Bay | |||
| Marriage | Abt 1636 | Lynn, Essex, Massacusetts Bay - Mary | |||
| Death | 1661 | Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay |  |  |
Families
| Spouse | Mary ( - 1682) |
| Child | Mary Davis (1637 - 1732) |
| Child | John Davis (1636 - 1703) |
Notes
Death
His will was probated 25 March 1662. As part of the probate of the estate, Thomas Ivory makes a petition on behalf of Jenkin Davis's widow Mary Davice seeking financial consideration from the estate due to needing to care for the widow Mary Davice.Endnotes
1. Death recod, Essex County, Lynn for , .