Individual Details

"The genealogical value of the will of John Webb (1624-1625) can hardly be overestimated, mentioning, as he does, wife Dorothy and brethren in law Thomas Manning and William Plasse. It is just this mention of William Plasse which settles the problem of the maternal ancestry of our Richard Waters of Salem. In the Manning pedigree (Harl. MS. 1548) we see that two of the daughters of George Manning of Downe were Dorathea ux. Joh?is Webb and Phebe us. jacobi Wates. now James Waters of London left a widow Phebe and a son Richard. William Plasse, a gunsmith, married this widow Phebe. A William Plasee, gunsmith, came to Salem and also a Richard Waters. At the death of William Plasse this Richard Waters called himself son in law (i.e. stepson) of the deceased. In 1879 I found the will of James Waters on London and published a very meagre abstract of it (Gleanings &c. by Emmerton and Waters, Essex Institute, Salem, mass., pp. 121-3). A larger abstract here follows."

According to "Pioneers of MA" by Pope, he came to Salem, N.E. where he had his home from about 1636. He was a gunsmith. He became a Freeman (citizen) 22 May 1639. He was a proprietor. He deeded land to his daughter Mary and her husband, Clement English, in 1673. He signed his will 16 July 1676 and it was probated 28 Sept 1677.

It has also been said that Phebe (Waters) Plasse and William Plasse came to Salem, MA in 1637 and that her son Richard probably came to New England with them at that time.

He was on the List of Freeman for the Massachusetts Bay Colony dated 22 May, 1639 as "Richr Waters".

Records of the marriage of Richard Waters to Joyce Plasse have not been found but it is believed that Richard married Joyce (or Rejoice) Plasse, the daughter of William Plasse, Richard's step-father.

In New England Marriages Prior to 1700 by Torrey it states:
"Waters, Richard (1604-1677) & Joyce?/Rejoice? [Plasse?] (-1687+); b 1630; Salem"

At the death of William Plasse, Richard Waters calls himself a son-in-law of the deceased. The document where he calls himself a son-in-law of the deceased is now extant in the Court House at Salem, Massachusetts. However, in the usage of the time, the term son-in-law often was used to mean step-son, so this might not be any indication that Richard Waters was married to the daughter of William Plasse.

On 26 April 1626 he was admitted into the freedom of the Ironmongers Company by patrimony and took his oath.

In 1637, he had 10 acres of land granted him. He seems first to have lived near the head of Broad Street, but must early have removed to Salem Neck near Cat Cove, where he conveyed building lots to several of his children, forming a hamlet afterwards known as Watertown, and which remained among his descendants until the middle of the last century.

A copy of the text of his will and an inventory of his estate are on file.

Details to be entered from "Ancestry of the Waters Family of Marietta, Ohio".

William Plasse was a gunsmith to whom the town of Salem granted, in 1637, for him and his wife the house formerly of Mr. Conant, with a half acre of land attached, etc. - and in 1643 appointed a committee to provide for him a convenient room to work in and to set a forge, etc. He died in 1646 and his estate was administered by Thomas Wickes or Weeks, whose wife Alice (afterwards wife of Nicholas Potter) and two children, Hannah, wife of John Pickman, and Bethia wife of John Archer, are afterwards found in occupancy of the real estate. The gunsmith’s tools were said to be in the possession of Richard Waters, who calls himself a son-in-law of the deceased. Mr. Waters seems first to have lived near the head of Broad street, but much very early have removed to the neck near Cat Cove, where he conveyed building lots to two or three of his children, forming a hamlet afterwards known as Watertown and which remained among his descendants until the middle of the last century. His will, written with his own hand (a beautiful specimen of penmanship) was made 16 July, 1676, and proved 28-9 mo 1677. He mentions wife Joyce, sons James, John, Ezekiel and William, and daughters Abigail Punchard, Mary English, Susanna Pulcifer and Hannah Striker.

"I am indebted to the Revd Charles H. Pope for the following extracts taken by him last year from the Parish Registers of St. Botolph?s: - . . .
Richard, son, bapt. March 3, 1604."

The marriage between Hugh Manning and a daughter of William Brandon would lead to a royal ancestry for "Richard Waters (1604) & Joyce Plasse (Mass.)* [An asterisk (*) means that the line is considered by scholars to be possibly or probably correct but not proven. . . .Note: #5 [Margaret Brandon] is likely but unproven as the mother of #4 [John Manning]. this link is based on the visitation pedigree of the Manning family. Gary Boyd Roberts accepts this line. "

"Richard Waters of Salem, whose remarkable English ancestry includes almost certainly a sister of the poet Chaucer."

"One of Whitfield’s second cousins, moreover, was the immigrant Richard Waters of Salem, also a Chaucer and Arden descendant, and ancestor of the presidential Talfts of Cincinnati (twice over, via Waterses, Holmans, and Torreys), of President Coolidge, and (via Pulsiphers, Stevenses, and Osgoods) President Erskine Hamilton Childers of Ireland (see chapter 11), plus Endicotts, Peabodys and Eliots (see chapter 9)."

"Waters, Watters, Richard, bapt. at St. Botolph Aldersgate, London, Eng., March 3, 1604, son of James Waters, citizen and ironmonger, and his wife. Phebe, dau. of Mr. George Manning, gent. of Downe, Kent. James W. was bur. Feb. 2, 1617, and the widow m. 2, Feb. 23, 1618, William Plasse, gunmaker; they came to Salem, N.E. where Richard had his home from about 1636. He was a gunsmith. Frm. 22 May, 1639. Propr. He deeded land to dau. Mary and her husband, Clement English, in 1673. His wife Joyce, was adm. chh. 23 (3) 1641."

"He signed his will 16 July, 1676; it was prob. 28 (9) 1677; he beq. to wife Joyce and ch. William, Ezekiel, John, James, Martha, Abigail Punchard, Mary English, Susanna PUlsifer and Hannah Striker."

"Richard Waters, bpt. St. Botolph Aldersgate, London, Engl., 3 Mar 1604, s/o James Water, citizen and ironmonger, and his wife Phebe, d/o Mr. George Manning, gent. of Downe, Kent. Richard d. Salem, Mass., summer of 1677; m. in England Joyce/Rejoice ?Plasse, who d. Salem after 1687 (Torrey sv Richard WAters; Pope, p. 481)."

"James Waters, father of Richard, was bur. 2 Feb 1617, and his widow m/2 23 Feb 1618/19 William Plasse, gunmaker, who d. Salem 15 Apr. 1646. They came to Salem, Mass., where Richard had his home from about 1636. Like his step-father, Richard was a gunsmith; he was freeman 22 May 1639. He deeded land to daughter Mary and her husband, Clemet English, in 1673. His wife Joyce was admitted to the church 23 (3) 1641 [23 May 1641].
Richard Waters made his will 16 Jul 1676; it was probated 28 (9) 1677 [28 Nov 1677]. He bequeathed to wife Joyce and children: William, Ezekiel, John, James, Martha, Abigail Punchard, Mary English, Susanna Pulsifer and Hannah Striker. The inventory of his estate was taken 25:7:1677 [25 Sept 1677] and amounted to £132.08.05 after debts were subtracted." [Full text of will to be entered]

"I Richard Waters being ancient and also weak of body yet of good & perfect memory blessed be God do make this my last Will & Testament the 16 Day of July 1676 Impr after all my real Debts be truly paid out of my estate with what charge doth arise about my Funeral, I do will & Bequeath my whole Estate that God hath giue me in this world to say House & Lands chattels, goods, Debts or what ever Estate I haue or of right belongs to mee, movable and unmovable, To Joyce my beloued Wife for her to haue and to hold after my decease during the time of her naturall Life for her necessary use & Comfort, and for that end whilst she remaine a widow to haue Liberty for her necessity to sell any pt of the sd Estate first of the movable and afterward to ye house & land is need require (provided it be with the aduise and assistance of my ouerseers hereafter named,) but in case she be married then to haue no power to sell allinate or dispose of any of ye sd estate but to keep the housing in tenantable repair and the movables from damage to be disposed of as followeth. . . . Allso my will is that the rest of my children viz Abigail punchard Mary English Susana Pulsiver and Hanah Striker who neither of them hate had any pt. or portion of my estate already as my fore mentioned Children have had, shall hate the rest of my estate that shall be left at my son Williams decease, the Legacies The Legacies to my other Children being paid or deducted out as aforesd to be equally decided between them be the Estate more or less it being likely that what is left then will be most in the house & Ground. . . . I appoynt Joyce my sd beloued Wife to be my sole Executris.
Richard Walters (SEAL)
Witness: Hilliard veren, sr. John Swinnerton.
Proved in Dalem court 28:9:1677 [28 Nov 1677].
(The Probate Records of Essex County, pp. 183-4) " ,

"John Talby to Walter Price - (1:55) John Talby of Salem has sold unto Walter Price for 6 pounds, a 10-acre lot in the South field, which was formerly Richard walters?. "

"Richard Waters to Walter Price - (1:62) Richard Waters of Salem (gunsmith) sold to Walter Price for 6 punds, one 10-acre lot in the South field in Salem, lying between lands of said Walter and Richard Moore, as by deed dated the 25th of the 11th month 1653 appeareth. Recorded: the 13th of the 7th month 1654."

Birth	3 Mar 1604	London Aldersgate, Middlesex, England
Marriage	Abt 1630	Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts - Rejoice Plaise
Death	16 Jul 1676	Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts

Spouse	Rejoice Plaise (1608 - 1687)
Child	James Waters (1638 - 1704)

Father	James Waters (1568 - 1617)
Mother	Phebe Manning (1572 - 1642)