Individual Details
John Symonds
(9 Oct 1594 - Sep 1671)
John Symonds.
He was of Salem. He perhaps came from England in 1637. Pope inclined to the opinion that this John Symonds, of Salem, was in fact a son of Governor Samuel Symonds of Ipswich, but the proof is not apparent.
Felt in his "Annas of Salem" does not intimate that he was a son of the governor and makes little mention of him.
It is said he lived in England much of his time which accounts for the absence of information concerning him.
The name of his 1st wife was Mary ________, who was admitted to the church in Salem in 1638. After her death he married (2) Elizabeth________________.
Mr Symonds died in Salem, before 19 Sept 1671, the date his will was admitted to probate.
His children: Samuel Baptised 4 Nov 1638
Catherine, who married Jacob Townw of Topsfield, was the gt-gt-grandfather of Simeon Towne, a grantee in Mangerville, Nova Scotia (now New Brunswick)
Ruth, who married Job Swinnerton of Salem on 19 July 1658. He was the maternal ancestor of the Whipple family of Nova Scotia.
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John Symonds migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1620-1640).
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John was baptised October 10, 1594 at North Walsham, Norfolkshire, Eng., 5 1/2 miles west of the coastal town of Walcott where he married his first wife, Ruth Foxe, May 1, 1624.[1] His children by Ruth were baptised at St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, a coastal port about 21 miles SSE of North Walsham.
The baptisms of the children of John Symonds and his wife Ruth appear in the parish register of St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, County Norfolk, England as follows:[2]
1625 John, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 30 March.
1626 Edmund, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 31 December.
1628 Mary, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 18 May.
1630 Catherine, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 18 April.
1630 Ruth, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 20 February [1630/1].
1633 James, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 19 May.
We know that this John Symonds whose children were baptized in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk is the same as the John Symonds who settled in Salem, Massachusetts because of an entry in the diary of Rev. William Bentley (1759-1819) who was called to be a pastor of the Second Congregational Church in Salem, Massachusetts in 1784. According to this diary entry from December 28, 1791 (pp. 262-263 in the original diary):
"In looking over the papers of Mr John Symonds who died aged 100 years, I find the following history of his G. Grandfather, who came to America. Henry Skerry aet 83, & Nath : Felton, aet 69 depose, that they were neighbors of John Simonds, Joiner, in Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk in England, about fifty years before, it being then 1685. And then they knew his son James Symonds & that John Symonds died at Salem, New England to which he removed in 1670, & that he expected Lands would fall to him in Norwich, Norfolk. John Symonds married Ruth Fox in Yarmouth. James Symonds, Son of John married 1661."[3]
Moved to Salem in 1636. Granted land near North River. He was a joiner and cooper. Was a freeman in 1637. Was excused from ordinary military training in 1648 for lameness. Served as grand juror in 1657. In Salem, he lived on North Street where the Upland School was located.
Will dated August 16, 1671. Proved September 19, 1671.[4]
The family may be related to John and Francis Symonds, Deputy-Governor when Maine was a part of Massachusetts. John's mother was related to Governor Winthrop through marriage. Symonds family descends from Adam Fitzsimon, second son of Simon, Lord of Saint Sever in Normandy (died in 1090 and buried in Church of St. Sever) and who held land in Norfolkshire and Hertshire.
Will
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts Massachusetts County Couty (Essex County) Pages 443-445 "Will and inventory of John Simonds, deceased, were proved and allowed, and Samuell Symonds renounced his executorship in court.
The court having ordered that the way laid out from Salem to Andiver should be altered in case that another way could be found to the acceptance of Andiver men, Wm. Hathorne,J George Corwin,J Thomas PutnamJ and Henry Bartholmew,J for the town of Salem, met the Andiver men, 1 : 10 : 1671, Worshipful Mr. Broadstreete being also present. They viewed the way and all approved of it, provided the town of Salem before this present court declare that they have performed the order of the court, that is, that the bridge and way is fully completed.
Will of John Symonds, J dated 16 : 6 : 1671, and proved by Mr. Hen. Bartholmew and John Swinerton, 19 : 7 : 1671, in Salem court: "I Give to my loving wife Elizabeth Symonds my house Orchard and out houseing and all my Land & my Bed & beding and such vessels and houshold stuffe as shee shall have ocation to use dureing her naturall life and also Twenty pound to be paid her five pound a year by my son James Symonds beginning the date from the day of my death It. I giue my sonne James Symonds at my wiues decease my dwelling house out houseing Orchard together with all my Land and I do assigne my servant John Pease to him dureing the term of time expressed in the Indenture paying forty pound in four year ten pound p anum, five p anam to my wife for four year as aforesd, and fiue pound p anam for four years unto my son Sam1 and my Daughter Kathren fifty shillings p anam to each of them pvided he soe longe Hue if not soe long as he shall liue to serue him and noe longer I give the Children of my Deceased Daughter Ruth Swinnerton Twenty pound equally to be divided amongst them and to be paide in part of my movable estate in convenient time after my decease. " I giue al the rest of my Estate to my Sonne Samuel Symonds & my daughter Kathren Town equally to be divided between them in convenient time after my decease except my bed & houshold stuffe giuen my wife during her natural life as aforesd which at her decease my will is shall equally be divided between them two also I giue my son Samuell one oxx now in his hands I giue to Jon. Swinerton one sad cullerd Cloth Cote." James Symonds and Samuell Symonds, executors; Major Hathren and Mr. Bartholmew, overseers, whom he entreats to "take care of my wife whoe is in an ill condition. Further I give all my workinge tooles belonging to my trade to my son James Simons." Wit: Henry Bartholmew,* John Swinnerton* and Samuel Inguls.*
Inventory of the estate of John Symonds, appraised by John Kitchin* and John Pickering:* His housing and Land, 230li.; Joyners Tools benches and lare, 5li. 5s. 6d.; 2 Bedsteds almost finished, 3li.; 3 stools and one halfe of a Box, 12s. 6d.; 1-2 Grindstone & windless & a Small grindstone, 5s.; Timber, planke & board, 5li. 12s.; Two beds, a bolster & a p of sheets, a p of blankets, a bed steed & matt that lay in the Chamber, 5li.; Tubs, 4s., and part of a Chest and 4 Bush. corn, 18s. 6d.; His wearing Clothes, 6li. 5s.; 2 yds. & 3-4 of sad colored cloth, 22s. 6d., and a Table cloth, Hi. 12s. 6d.; 3 Hollond pillow-beers, 15s. and a p of sheets, 2li. 5s.; 3 p of old sheets, 30s. and 3 corse pillowbeers, Hi. 15s.; 3 smal peeces of Cloth, 8s. and 1 Doz. of napkins, 1 Towil, Hi.; a Feather bed, 2 bolsters, 3 pillows, a rugg, 4 blankets, one p of sheets, Curtains & Bedstead, 10li.; 2 pound of woolen yarn & som linen yarn & a hat brush, 8s.; 1 great Kettle, 20s. and 3 Iron pots & 2 p of pot hooks, 2li. 7s.; 1 Churmn, 3 payls with Iron bayls & 5 Trayes, 13s.; a frying pan, 5s., & a warminge pan, 12s.; a fire pan & Grid Iron, 2s. a ps. of a hawke & a driping pan, 4s.; 2 brass puding pans and 3 tinen Lamps, 3s. 6d.; an Iron Trivit, 4 glass bottles and a spitt, 8s.; 3 Earthen pots, and 2 panns, 3s.; 2 Jarrs, 1 Sieve and a pitcher, 2s. 6d.; a broken posnet & a Cod line, 2s.; 3 new pewter platters and a bell mettle Skillet, Hi. 2s.; 4 old pewter platters, a poringer & 2 plates, 8s.; 2 old quart pots, a bason & a Chamber pot, 7s.; a beer bowle, a beaker, a wine Cup & a Grater, 4s.; a lattin sarce pan & Tunnil, 4 wooden dishes & 4 Spoons, 2s. 8d.; a Lanthorne, 2 Doz. Trenchers, a platter & a chafeing dish, 4s.; Two wooden Bowls and a ladle, 1s.; a choping knife & 3 brass Candlesticks, 13s.; 3 Chests, 3 Boxes and a wooden Tunnil, 14s.; 5 Barrils and a halfe baril, a buttor tub & 4 Keelers, 13s.; a halfe bushel & a p of Scales, 2s.; 2 Tables, a fourm & Chayers, 16s.; 32 Cheeses, buttor & meat, Hi.; Apples growinge in the orchard, 15s.; 2 old Bibles, a Booke of Doct. Prestons works and a booke of Mr. Rogers works & a psalm booke, 18s.; one firelock musket, Hi. 6s.; one firelock Musquet, worme & Scowerer, Hi. 4s.; Sword, belt, powder & bullets, 8s.; 2 Tobacco boxes and a drest Calfe skin, 2s. 6d.; a meal Sack & a litle bagge, 4s.; a five shilinge peece of gold & a 6d. in Silver, 5s. 6d.; a Vice and an old Hatchet, 10s.; nayles, 10d., a Howe, 2s., and an Ax, 6s. 10d.; A Mattock, 5s. and halfe a plow chayne, 8s.; an old Sithe, old Iron & a p of Jemmils, 5s.; a Reap hook, 9d., 2 hoops, 2 boxes & an ex pin, 11s. 9d.; a p of pitchfork Tynes, 5 Wedges & old Iron, 12s.; one halfe of a Crosscut Saw & an ex pin, 5s.; four lode of Hay in the Yarde, 4li.; Salt Marsh Grass growinge, Hi.; 2 Cows and a Cow Calfe, 7li. 10s.; Two Hoggs & 2 pigs, 3li. 12s.; Indean Corne that grew on the Land, 3li. 10s.; 20 Bushels of pease, 4li.; Timber in the Woods, Hi. 2s.; a p of woosted Stockings, 7s.; Debts due to the Estate, 24li. 10s. 7d.; total, 342li. 14s. 10d. Also "an apprentice of 17 years old who hath 3 year and 9 moneths and 2 weekes to serve." Estate is debtor for appraising the estate, 8s.; for reckoning with the Creditors, etc.,"
Sources
1- Parish Records of Walcot, Registers, PD 517/1, Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DQ, United Kingdom
2- George Andrews Moriarty, "John Symonds of Salem, Mass (Notes)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 96 (1942): 205.
3- William Bentley, The Diary of William Bentley, D.D., Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts, vol. 1, April, 1784-December, 1792 (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1905), 329.
4- For a transcription of the will of John Symonds, see The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 4: 1667-1671 (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914): 443-444.
Bentley, William. The Diary of William Bentley, D.D., Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts(Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., 1905) Vol. 1, Page 329
Farrow, Charles. "The Elusive Symonds Family." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 2 (April-May-June 2012): 34-37.
Farrow, Charles. "The Walcott Connection." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 1 (January-February-March 2012): 12-18.
Moriarty, George Andrews. "John Symonds of Salem, Mass (Notes)." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 96 (1942): 205.
Parish Records of Walcot, Registers: Baptisms, 1559-1794; marriages, 1558-1643, 1649-1752; and burials, 1558-1644, 1647-1812, PD 517/1, Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DQ, United Kingdom]
The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 4: 1667-1671. Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914.]
Essex Institute Historical Collections (Salem, Massachusetts) Vol. 2, No. 2, April, 1860, Page 70
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On 17 Jul 2017 at 23:58 GMT Daniel Symonds wrote:
John Symonds was born in 1594 and arrived in Salem approx 1634. Our family has no relation to Dept Gov. Samuel Symonds (or Harlakenden Symonds) who settled in Ipswich. We are not related to John Winthrop. Totally different family. To my best knowledge, Gov. Symonds left no male issue in America.
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Parish Records of North Walsham, Norfolk, accessed at FindMyPast.com on 1 May 2016, include two entries for baptisms that could be the man who married Ruth in 1624:
1594 - "John(?) fil John(?) Symonds Jun, bapt. 9 dio October" (Image of parish register). The first names of father and son are both difficult to discern, but the names both begin with "Jo".
John, sonne of Thomas Symonds, baptized 5 October 1600 at North Walsham, Norfolk.(Transcription of record and record image).
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Farrow, Charles. "The Elusive Symonds Family." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 2 (April-May-June 2012): 34-37:
THE ELUSIVE SYMONDS FAMILY By Charles Farrow Consulting Genealogist Towne Family AssociationIn the last issue we looked at the Foxe family of Walcott as an interestingdiversion from the main line, the Symonds family, variously spelled. Inadvertently,in my listing of the children of John and Ruth Symonds, I missed outpoor Ruth, baptized in St. Nicholas at Great Yarmouth on February 26, 1631/2[what we would now call 1632]. My apologies to her. Whilst thinking aboutJohn and Ruth Symonds, it should also be noted that son Edmund, who wasbaptized on December 31, 1626, did not live very long, being buried on January29, 1626/7, at St. Nicholas Church. So that means when John and Ruthleft Great Yarmouth for America they took with them sons John and Jamesand daughters Mary, Catherine and Ruth. Do we know what happened tothem all, apart from Catherine? It would be interesting know if this family hasbeen researched in the U.S.It has to be admitted at the outset that trying to untangle the Symonds familiesin Norfolk is not an easy task, and I regret that this article is going to readrather differently to the previous ones. There is of course nothing to indicatethat John Symonds was a Great Yarmouth man, and the fact that he married aWalcott girl perhaps indicates that he was not. There is no Symonds family inWalcott; but the nearest town is North Walsham, and there was a Symondsfamily there. My researches have therefore been concentrated on GreatYarmouth and North Walsham.The parish registers of St. Nicholas Church in Great Yarmouth are the startingpoint. Since John Symonds married at Walcott in 1624, [see About Towne,Vol. XXXII, No. 1] one would expect him to be in his mid-twenties, giving us arange of 1595—1605 as most likely. There are two sets of baptisms occurringin this period, one of which has a son John in 1600 which looks a perfectmatch. This is what we find between 1590 and 1605:BaptismsMay 24, 1591: Chrystyan, daughter of Thomas & Elizabethe SymondesFebruary 25, 1592/3: Elizabethe, daughter of John & Cyceley SymondesApril 8, 1593: Benjamyn, son of Thomas & Elizabethe SymondesSeptember 16, 1593: Willyam, son of John Kyrthen [sic] SymondesMarch 30, 1595: Chrystyan, daughter of Thomas & Elizabethe SymondesMarch 23, 1596/7: Jone, daughter of John & Cycely SymondesApril 10, 1597: Mary, daughter of Thomas & Elizabethe SymonsMarch 27, 1599: Martha, daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth SymondesNovember 1, 1599: Francys, daughter of John & Cysseley SymonsJune 30, 1600: John, son of Thomas Elyzabeth SymonsSeptember 25, 1605: Martha, daughter of John & Mary SimonsContinued on next page“Trying tountangle theSymondsfamilies inNorfolk is not aneasy task.” ABOUT TOWNE Vol. XXXII, No. 2- 35 -BurialsJuly 16, 1592: Grace SymondesNovember 9, 1593: Robert SymondesMay 3, 1595: Dorothe SymonsJanuary 12, 1595/6: James SymonsMarch 16, 1596/7: John SymonsMarch 25, 1597: Jone SymondesApril 23, 1597: Martha SymondesJune 30, 1600: John SymonsThis last burial rather throws a spanner in the works, especially as no differenceis being made between adults and infants. It seems quite likely that littleJohn was baptized as he was dying, thus eliminating the only John baptismin Great Yarmouth. Moreover, from other evidence it becomes clear thatJohn with the wife Cyceley worked as a rough mason and did not have a sonJohn. John Symondes had married Cicily Somes at Caister Church on August24, 1592.What else can we look at to help? To trade in Great Yarmouth and take apprentices,one needed to be admitted a freeman. In order to qualify for this,one had three possibilities. Sons of freemen who were born after their fatherhad been made a freeman were entitled to become freemen themselves atage 21. Those who were apprenticed to a freeman were entitled to apply tobe admitted when they had satisfactorily completed their term and were age21 or more. Finally, if one had enough money, one could purchase freedomof the borough. These records show that in 1621 a John Symons, apprenticeof John Symons, grocer, was admitted a freeman. No relationship is recorded,so we have nothing to go on. Moreover, there is no record that John Symons,grocer, was admitted a freeman himself, but it may be the records aredefective.It is most likely that the John Symons who is admitted in 1621 is the man ofthis name who marries Mary Stevenson by license at St. Nicholas Church onAugust 27, 1627. We know who this man is, since his family entered theirpedigree when the herald’s visitation was made in 1664. The College of Armssince 1484 have been responsible for governing the use of coats of arms byfamilies and individuals. The college is run by the heralds, and one of theirduties was to hold a visitation in every county to ascertain who was entitledto use a coat of arms. The date of the visitation was to be advertised in theporch of each parish church, with a summons to all those who claimed a rightto a coat of arms to appear before the herald and produce evidence of thatright. Very few visitations were actually held; but in 1664, following the Restorationof Charles II in 1660, it was decided that a full visitation should beheld. John Symons who married in 1627 was already dead; but it would seemthat his son Nathaniel attended the visitation, and his claim to use the Symondscoat of arms was allowed, his pedigree being entered in the recordsmade by Sir Edward Bysshe, the herald responsible. This pedigree shows thatContinued from previous pageContinued on next page“This last burialthrows aspanner in theworks….Whatelse can we lookat to help?” ABOUT TOWNE Vol. XXXII, No. 2- 36 -John Symons was the son of William Symonds, youngest son of Richard Symondsof Suffield who died in 1606. William clearly went to Norwich for trade.John Symondes the grocer is an important man, and for this reason his will isof particular significance. He made his will on October 8, 1624; and it shows hehad a wife, Mary, who was given a life interest in his properties; sons John,Thomas, Benjamin and Samuel; daughters Hannah, Mary, Elizabeth and Rachell;and a brother, William, in Norwich, who had a son, John. The will was proved inNorwich Archdeaconry Court on December 14, 1624. Of particular significanceis his brother William with his son John. John is given property in Great Yarmouth,and from this bequest it seems certain John is the apprentice and theman who married Mary Stevenson. When we look at the herald’s visitation pedigree,we see that William had brothers Thomas and John.There is a second will which clearly belongs to this family. Martha Simonds ofGreat Yarmouth, singlewoman, made her will on September 3, 1623, and herprincipal legacies are given to her aunt Elizabeth Bardwell, uncle William Simondsof Norwich, uncle John Simonds, brother Richard Simonds, sisters ChristianTennant, Sara Simonds and Rachell Simonds, aunt Anne Beckham, and JohnSimonds and Richard Simonds, both hosiers of Great Yarmouth, no relationshipbeing given. The will was proved by the uncle William and aunt Elizabeth inNorwich Archdeaconry Court on February 2, 1623/4. Uncle John must be thegrocer of Great Yarmouth, since her uncle William is in Norwich. As Martha isdaughter of neither of them, this points to her being daughter of the thirdbrother, Thomas. Could she be the Martha baptized at St. Nicholas on MarchContinued from previous pageContinued on next pageAll Saints Church, Walcott,Norfolk. JohnSymonds and RuthFoxe married here onMay 1, 1624. Theirdaughter Catharinemarried Jacob Towne,son of William and Joanna,in Topsfield, MA,on June 26, 1657. ABOUT TOWNE Vol. XXXII, No. 2- 37 -27, 1599? There is certainly a daughter, Chrystyan, as well, although no son,Richard, nor daughters, Sara and Rachell, are recorded here. However, sinceThomas did not marry in Great Yarmouth, there may be earlier baptismselsewhere.When we turn to North Walsham, we find the following entries in the parishregisters:BaptismsOctober 9, 1594: John son of John Symondes JuniorJanuary 22, 1598/9: Margaret daughter of Thomas SymondesOctober 5, 1600: John son of Thomas SymondesApril 3, 1603: Mary daughter of Thomas SymondesOctober 24, 1605: Thomas son of Thomas SymondesApril 19, 1607: Thomas son of Thomas SymondesBurialsJanuary 21, 1599/1600: John Symondes the elderApril 12, 1605: Margaret daughter of Thomas SymondesNovember 5, 1605: Thomas son of Thomas SymondesSo we have two potential John Symondes who could have married at Walcott,near North Walsham, in 1624. Certainly the second one seems the more likely;but we should recall that John and Ruth did not choose to name a sonThomas, which one might have expected if his father was Thomas. Moreover,at Honing, quite close to North Walsham, a John Simondes marries KatherineWiggon on November 4, 1633, and they have a son Thomas amongstother children. Unfortunately, the registers of Honing only survive from1630, so we have no way of knowing if John was baptized there. However,despite the fact that he would have been 33 when he married, this does seema more likely marriage for the second John. That leaves the earlier John, whoin May 1624 would have been five months short of his thirtieth birthday. Thisis not unusual, so perhaps we have the most plausible John here in NorthWalsham. Certainly a search of the parishes immediately adjoining Walcott—Bacton, Happisburgh, Ridlington, East Ruston and Witton—has failed to producea baptism.There will be no article in the next About Towne as I will be too heavily committedwith the reunion tour. However, I will resume in the December issue,and who knows what may emerge. Continued from previous pageManuscript sources used in the Norfolk Record OfficeGreat Yarmouth Parish Registers PD 28/1North Walsham Parish Registers PD 711/1Caister Parish Registers PD 450/1Bacton Parish Registers PD 62/1Happisburgh Parish Registers PD 516/1Ridlington Parish Registers PD 64/1East Ruston Parish Registers PD 38/1Walcott Parish Registers PD 517/1Witton Parish Registers PD 70/1Norwich Archdeaconry Wills:John Symondes ANW 1624 W162 197Martha Simonds ANW 1623 W222 305Norfolk Archdeaconry Wills:Richard Symondes ANF 1604 – 6 W319Printed sourcesA Calendar of the Freemen of Great Yarmouth 1429– 807published by the Norfolk & Norwich Archaeological SocietyThe Visitation of Norfolk 1664 made by Sir Edward ByssheVol. 2 pp. 212–213 Norfolk Record Society Vol. 5.“John Symondesthe grocer is animportant man,and for thisreason his willis of particularsignificance.” ABOUT TOWNE Vol. XXXII, No. 2- 38 -TOWNE COUSIN HONOR
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Farrow, Charles. "The Walcott Connection." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 1 (January-February-March 2012): 12-18:
THE WALCOTT CONNECTIONBy Charles Farrow, Consulting Genealogist, Towne Family AssociationHaving devoted several articles to the Estey family and their relations in South Suffolk, it is time toturn our attention to another of William and Joanna Towne’s children: Jacob. On our forthcoming TFAreunion tour a number of the group are descended from Jacob, so it is appropriate to learn as much aspossible about his wife’s family before the tour.Jacob married Catharine Symonds on June 26, 1657, in Topsfield, MA. Catharine’s parents, John andRuth Symonds, lived in Salem, where John had received twenty acres of land in 1636. Like the Townefamily, John and Ruth had come from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, probably about 1635. In St.Nicholas parish church in Great Yarmouth they had baptized their five children: John on March 30, 1625;Edmund on December 31, 1626; Mary on May 18, 1628; Katteren [Catharine] on April 18, 1630; andJames on May 19, 1633. The spelling of their surname in the register varies between Symons, Symondesand Simons, which is usual at this time. However, unlike William Towne and Joanna Blessing, they hadnot married in St. Nicholas but at All Saints church in Ruth’s home parish of Walcott.Walcott lies some twenty miles from Great Yarmouth, right against the coast, and is ever diminishing asthe North Sea eats away the low sandy cliffs. All Saints church must once have been much further fromthe sea than it is now. Here in this imposing church on May 1, 1624, John Symonds married Ruth Fox.Ruth was the daughter of John and Katherine Fox, whose family had been here for several generations.When planning our forthcoming TFA tour, I decided that, although the Symonds family had no obviousconnection with Walcott, since this is where John Symonds had married we ought to include it. I soondiscovered, as I had with the Andrews family in Suffolk,that John had married into an interesting familywho had left a mark on the area. The Fox family leftwills and also owned lands both in Walcott and adjoiningHappisburgh and Ridlington. Generations ofFoxes have been buried in the churchyard. Althoughthere are no visible memorials now, the Fox connectionmakes this as much a family church to the descendantsof Jacob and Catharine as Freston is to theEsteys.Ruth’s parents, John and Katherine Fox, had a largefamily of eleven children, of whom Ruth was theeighth. John Fox[e] married Catherine [or Katherine,Katheryne, Catharine, Catheryne—ed.] Crickemer incontinued on next pageAll Saints, Walcott, where Jacob Towne’s wife’s parents marriedin 1624. Simon Knott of www.norfolkchurches.co.uk saysof the church: “All Saints was rebuilt in the early 15thcentury….Thetower was rebuilt as well, giving a building at oncecrisp and ancient. I love the way the tower stair turret is set ata diagonal to the tower.”Photo credit: www.norfolkchurches.co.ukABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 113All Saints church on November 1, 1588. Their first child, Margaret, was baptized there on August 23,1589, and buried the following day. What must be their next child, Mary, was baptized June 25, 1591,but the parents are recorded as John and Betterys Foxe. Since there is no other sign of a Betterys marriedto a John Fox, this must be the vicar’s mistake. Martha is baptized February 13, 1593, daughter ofJohn and Catherine Foxe; John baptized February 14, 1594, and buried on December 1, 1609; Lydia baptizedSeptember 20, 1596, and buried April 3, 1597; and Daniell baptized April 9, 1598, all with the motherCatherine or Catheryne. On the baptism of Ruth on January 10, 1602, the spelling changes to Katheryneand remains thus for the baptisms of Lidia on June 14, 1603, and Jane, baptized January 6, 1607, andburied February 17, 1607. There are no more baptisms here, but from John’s will, below, we know theyhad a son Moses. There is no sign of his baptism in adjoining parishes, so it seems likely that for somereason he was never baptized. All the indications are that the family remained in Walcott, at least untilRuth married in 1624. Certainly her sister Martha was married here September 7, 1620, to James Balie.Catherine must have predeceased her husband, although I have been unable to locate her burial. JohnFox himself died at East Ruston but was buried at Walcott on August 1, 1630. It seems probable that hehad gone to live with his daughter Mary and son-in-law Bartram Flight. John left the following will whichwas proved in Norfolk Archdeaconry Court. [As with all past wills, try reading the document aloud if thespelling is confusing—ed.]Will of John FoxeIn the name of God Amen the seconde day of August in the Sixt yeare of the Raigne of ourSoveraigne lord Charles by the grace of God of Ingland Scotland Frannce & IrelandKinge Defender of the faith &c. in Ano Dni 1630:I John Foxe of Eastruston in the Countie of Norffolk yeoman beinge wholl in mynde & ingood & perfitt Remembrance thankes be given to God: revokeinge all other wills and testamentesby me formerly made: Doe make & ordayne this my last will & testament in manner &forme followingeFirst I give & bequeath my Soull unto allmightie God and to Jesus Christ his onely sonn &my onely Saviour by & through whose death & passion I steadfastly beleave to have forgivenesof my Sinnes in the world to Come And my bodie to be buried where my executors or one ofthem shall thinke good in hope of a Joyefull Resurrection to eternall life at the last daye.Item I give and bequeath unto Mosses Foxe my youngest sonn And to his heires for ever: myTenement in Ridlington and all my landes in Ridlington both free & Copie hold; except twoAcres & three Roodes which I have heretofore by feofement Conveyed to my sonn Daynell:Item I give & bequeath more unto my sonn Mosses Foxe Onehalfe Acre of Copie hold landeof the manor of Happesbrough [Happisburgh] layeinge & beinge in Walcott to him & his heiresfor ever And I will & my mynde is that Mosses Foxe my sonn shall enter & have this mytenement & landes bequeathed him at the full Ende and tearme of fower yeares next after mycontinued from previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 114deceesse to be accomplished: And not before:Item I will & my mynde is that Mosses Foxe my sonn & his heires or Assignes shall paye orCause to be paid out of this my tenement & landes before bequeathed him: unto Susanna Forstermy daughter five poundes of good & lawfull mony of Ingland within three yeares next enseueingeafter he shall or may Come to the tenement & landes bequeathed unto him aforesaid ator in the parishe church portch of Ridlington.Item I will & my mynde is also that Mosses Foxe my sonn his heires or assignes shall pay orCause to be paid out of this my tenement & landes before bequeathed him unto Ruth Symonsmy daughter five poundes of lawfull mony of Ingland within fower yeares next enseueinge afterhe shall or may Come to the said tenement & landes before bequeathed unto him at or in theparishe Church portch of Ridlington:Provided alwayes and I will & my mynd is that if Mosses Foxe my sonne or his heires shallmake default in payment of the said guiftes of five poundes a peece unto my two daughtersSusanna & Ruth or to either of them Contrari to my true intent & meaneinge above mentioned& specified: That then I will & my mynde is that my said Daughters or either of them to whomthe default is made shall have full power to enter into the said tenement & landes bequeathed tomy sonne Mosses Foxe And this same premisses to have hold & Injoye the use & Revationthereof quietly & peaceably without the lett suit or molestaton of the said Mosses Foxe mysonn or his heires or assignes untill they or either of them to whom the default is made shalbefully satisfied & paid the foresaid guifte bequeathed unto them makeinge no strop nor wast in& upon the said premisses: provided further and I will and if Mosses Foxe my sonn shallhappen to departe out of this present life before he doe accomplishe the time in which the tenement& landes bequeathed unto him as aforsaid shalbe expiered: not haveinge issue of his bodilawfully begotten: That then I will & my mind is that the said tenement & landes bequeathedunto Mosses Foxe my sonn I give & bequeath unto my fower daughters vizatt Mary MarthaSusanna & Ruth & to their heires for ever to be equally devided betwixt them Any thingeto the Contrary in wise not with standinge.Item I give & bequeath unto Daynell Foxe my eldest sonn & to his assignes the use & occupationof all my tenement & landes layeinge in Ridlington & Walcot which I have given untoMosses Foxe my sonn for the time & tearme of fower yeares next & imediatly after my deceassemakeinge no strop nor wast in & upon the said premisses and to keepe & mayntayne thecontinued from previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 115said houses in Reasonable Reparacons dureinge the said tearme And upon Conditionpayeinge or Cause to be paid unto my executors hereafter named the some of Twentie poundesof lawfull mony of Ingland in manner & forme followinge vizott in & upon the feast day of StMichall the Archangell which shalbe next after my deceasse Tenn poundes at or in the parishechurch portch of Eastruston And upon the feast day of St Michall the archangleCome twelvemonth after my deceasse other Tenn poundes of lawfull mony of Ingland at or inthe parishe church portch of Eastruston: in full discharge & lewe of the use & Reversion orReversions of my tenement & landes aforesaid for fower yeares next enseueinge after my deceasse:Provided alwayes & I will if Daynell Foxe my sonn or his assignes shall make defaultof payment of the said Twentie poundes or Any parte or parcell thereof at the dayes & placeabove mentioned for the use & Revertion or Revertions of this my tenement & landes bequeathedmy sonn Daynell for fower yeares as aforesaid: That then I will my executors hereafternamed shall presently after such default of payment of either of the somes aforesaid of Tennpowndes: enter into the said tenement & landes bequeathed unto my sonn Daynell for foweryeares: And all the same premisses have & hold the use & Revertion or Revertions to them &their assignes makeinge no strop nor wast upon the said premisses & to kepe & mayntayne thesaid howses in Reasonable Reparcons dureinge the Residue of the time & tearme of foweryeares after my deceasse as aforesaid And then I will if it shall so happen Daynell Foxe mysonn & his assignes shalbe quit expelled frustrat & void of this my guift of the use & Revertionor Revertions of this my tenement & landes for the tearme aforesaid bequeathed & givenhim and to have no further use & enterest thereof: Any thinge to the Contrari in Any wise notwith standinge:Item I will give & bequeath three powndes to be bestowed & distributed at my buriall by myneexecutors hereafter named or one of them at their discretion.Item I give twentie shillings for sermons One to be preached in Ridlington Church and another in Walcott Church And the Rest in Eastruston Church to be performed & preachedwithin two yeares next after my deceasse to provid a preacher at the choyse of myne executors orof one of them which may fittest for the occasion suplied:Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Martha Balye five powndes of lawfull mony ofIngland to be paid by myne executors upon the feast day of St Michall the Archangle Cometwelvemonth after my deceasse at or in the parishe church portch of Eastruston.continued from previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 116Item I give & bequeath unto all my daughters Children and to my sonn Daynells Childrenwhich are now borne 3s 4d [3 shillings 4 pence] a peece to be paid by myne executors hereafternamed within fower yeares next enseueing after my deceasse:Item I give unto Deborea Farfaxe tenn shillings of lawfull English mony to be paid by myneexecutors upon the feast day of St Michall the archangell Come twelvemonth after my deceasse.Item all my other goodes Cattells & Chattells or houshold stufe whatsoever unbequeathed Igive & bequeath unto Mosses Foxe my sonn & unto Bartram Flight my sonn in lawe whom Imake & ordayne my Soall executors of this my last will & testament they to take my debts &paye my debts & legasies as I have formerly in this my will appointed them And to bringe mybodie decently in the Christian buriall to the EarthAnd in wittnes this is my last will & testament Contayned in tuo sheetes of paper I have subcribedmy hand & sette my Seall the day & yeare first above written And published these presenteto be my last will & testament in the presence of William Ward & James Thaxter JohnFoxeDelivered in the presence of William Ward & James Thaxter.Approved at Norwich 20th August 1630 and administration granted to Bartram Flight one ofthe executors, power reserved to Moses Fox.To determine who John Foxe was, we need to go back to an earlier namesake whose life came to an endin 1559. John Foxe was laid to rest in Walcott Churchyard on April 3, 1559, but fortunately he had madehis will in January. It was proved in Norwich Consistory Court.Will of the elder John FoxeIn the name of God Amen I John Foxe of Walkate beyng of hole mynd & perfyt Remembrancelauded be God the xvi day of January in the yere of our lord God A thowsand vC lviii[1558, what we would now call 1559 since we start the year on January 1 rather than March 25]make this my testament & last wyll in manner and forme folowingFyrst I bequethe my sowle to Almyghtye God to our ladye saynt Marye and to all the blessedCompanye of heaven & my bodye to be buryed in the Churche yard of Walkate AforesaydAnd I bequethe to the high Aulter therfore my tythe negligently forgotten xiid [12 pence]And to the Reparacon of the same Churche vi s viii d [6 shillings 8 pence].Item I gyve & bequethe to William Foxe my sonn all that my mesuage [house] with the Apcontinuedfrom previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 117purtennces in the whych I dwell in at the makyng herof to gether with all my londes tenementespastures & medowes groundes Scytuate lying and beyng in Walkate aforeseyd Rydlyngtonand Happysburgh To have and to houlde to hym his heyres & Assignes for ever.Item I gyve Thomas Ward one Styrke [young bull] Colour Red.The Resydew of my goodes not bequethed I gyve & put to the order of myn executores whom Ido Ordeyne and make William Foxe my sayd sonn And I Ordeyne and make John Calloweof Hasppysburghe Supervisor of this my testament and last will bequething to him for his labourvi s viii d [6 shillings 8 pence].These beyng wynes Edmund Cooke John Ward and Thomas Short with other.Approved at Norwich 11th April 1559 by the Executor.From this will we see that William, presumably the only living child, inherits the house and lands in Walcott,Ridlington and Happisburgh. By a happy chance the parish registers of Walcott start in 1558, andone of the first marriages recorded is that of William Foxe to Mary Cooke on June 13, 1559. It is oftenthe case that shortly after the death of a parent, a son or daughter marries. William was now a propertyowner and in a position to offer a bride a home and support, and he appears to have wasted no time.The first child ascribed in the parish registers is not baptized until 1564. But the first baptisms in this registerdo not record the names of the parents, so it seems almost certain that Alys Foxe baptized January20, 1559/60, and John Foxe baptized December 18, 1561, are children of William and Mary. Of thosethat follow, all have both parents’ names attached: Annes baptized March 21, 1563/4; Christabell onMarch 10, 1565/6; Laurence baptized February 9, 1567/8, and buried May 7, 1568; a second Laurencebaptized on June 26, 1569, and buried April 2, 1579; Katheryne on September 11, 1571; and finally Margaret,baptized June 14, 1573, and buried May 30, 1579. Margaret was actually born after William’sdeath, since his burial was March 24, 1572/3.Unlike his father John, William did not make a will, indicating that he died very suddenly, without timeeven to make a spoken (nuncupative) will. Therefore his widow Mary had to apply for letters of administration[court-appointed authority to administer an estate-ed.] from Norwich Consistory Court, and thiswas granted to her at Norwich on March 28, 1573. If the John Foxe baptized in 1561 is their child, thenas the eldest son he would have inherited the house and lands of his father in the absence of a will. Hewould not have been able to take possession of them until he was 21, in 1582, but we have no way ofknowing whether his mother or another relative took charge of them during his minority. No manorcourt records have survived from this period for Happisburgh, Ridlington or Walcott. However, from thefact that the wills of the two Johns show they both held lands in these places, it is not unreasonable tomake them grandfather and grandson.If we revert to the elder John Foxe, from the fact that he names no other children in his will and mentionsno wife, it would appear that his wife had died early in the marriage and that any other childrenhad died young. Son William was clearly of age when John made his will, since he was appointed thesole executor and subsequently proved the will. One can therefore postulate that he was born in the1530s and that his father John was born sometime after 1500.continued from previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 118There were earlier members of the Fox family in Walcott: we have wills for John Foxe, 1465; LawrenceFox, 1538; and the latter’s widow, Margaret, 1542. However, in the absence of manor court records it isimpossible to make a link. In view of the elder John’s desire to have a son Lawrence, I had hoped thatLawrence and Margaret were his parents, but on reading their wills it became clear they had only threedaughters. There is no mention of John Fox, although he did witness the will of Lawrence, which indicateshe was in some way related. Manuscript sources consulted at Norfolk Record OfficeWalcott Parish Registers PD 517/1Norwich Consistory Court WillsNCC 1465 John Foxe 54 CobaldNCC 1542 Margaret Fox 158, 159 Deynes & 75, 76 ThyrkyllNCC 1559 John Fox 145 ColmanNorfolk Archdeaconry WillsANF 1538 Lawrence Foxe 201 GilliorANF 1630 John Fox W 39
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wiki trees
John Symonds (1594 - 1671)
John
Symonds
Born 9 Oct 1594
in North Walsham, Norfolk, England
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown][sibling(s) unknown]Husband of Ruth (Fox) Symonds
— married 1 May 1624 in Walcott, Norfolkshire, ENGLANDHusband of Elizabeth (Fox) Symonds
— married 1637 in Salem, Massachusetts Bay ColonyDESCENDANTS Father of Edmund Symonds, Katteren (Symonds) Towne, Ruth (Symonds) Swinnerton, James Symonds, Samuel Symonds and Robert SimonsDied Sep 1671
in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
Profile managers: Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message] and John Putnam [send private message]Profile last modified 27 May 2021 | Created 12 Oct 2011This page has been accessed 2,719 times.
John Symonds migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1620-1640).
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Contents
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1 Biography
1.1 Will
2 Sources
3 Research Notes
Biography
John was baptised October 10, 1594 at North Walsham, Norfolkshire, Eng., 5 1/2 miles west of the coastal town of Walcott where he married his first wife, Ruth Foxe, May 1, 1624.[1] His children by Ruth were baptised at St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, a coastal port about 21 miles SSE of North Walsham.
The baptisms of the children of John Symonds and his wife Ruth appear in the parish register of St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, County Norfolk, England as follows:[2]
1625 John, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 30 March.
1626 Edmund, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 31 December.
1628 Mary, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 18 May.
1630 Catherine, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 18 April.
1630 Ruth, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 20 February [1630/1].
1633 James, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 19 May.
We know that this John Symonds whose children were baptized in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk is the same as the John Symonds who settled in Salem, Massachusetts because of an entry in the diary of Rev. William Bentley (1759-1819) who was called to be a pastor of the Second Congregational Church in Salem, Massachusetts in 1784. According to this diary entry from December 28, 1791 (pp. 262-263 in the original diary):
"In looking over the papers of Mr John Symonds who died aged 100 years, I find the following history of his G. Grandfather, who came to America. Henry Skerry aet 83, & Nath : Felton, aet 69 depose, that they were neighbors of John Simonds, Joiner, in Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk in England, about fifty years before, it being then 1685. And then they knew his son James Symonds & that John Symonds died at Salem, New England to which he removed in 1670, & that he expected Lands would fall to him in Norwich, Norfolk. John Symonds married Ruth Fox in Yarmouth. James Symonds, Son of John married 1661."[3]
Moved to Salem in 1636. Granted land near North River. He was a joiner and cooper. Was a freeman in 1637. Was excused from ordinary military training in 1648 for lameness. Served as grand juror in 1657. In Salem, he lived on North Street where the Upland School was located.
Will dated August 16, 1671. Proved September 19, 1671.[4]
The family may be related to John and Francis Symonds, Deputy-Governor when Maine was a part of Massachusetts. John's mother was related to Governor Winthrop through marriage. Symonds family descends from Adam Fitzsimon, second son of Simon, Lord of Saint Sever in Normandy (died in 1090 and buried in Church of St. Sever) and who held land in Norfolkshire and Hertshire.
Will
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts Massachusetts County Couty (Essex County) Pages 443-445 "Will and inventory of John Simonds, deceased, were proved and allowed, and Samuell Symonds renounced his executorship in court.
The court having ordered that the way laid out from Salem to Andiver should be altered in case that another way could be found to the acceptance of Andiver men, Wm. Hathorne,J George Corwin,J Thomas PutnamJ and Henry Bartholmew,J for the town of Salem, met the Andiver men, 1 : 10 : 1671, Worshipful Mr. Broadstreete being also present. They viewed the way and all approved of it, provided the town of Salem before this present court declare that they have performed the order of the court, that is, that the bridge and way is fully completed.
Will of John Symonds, J dated 16 : 6 : 1671, and proved by Mr. Hen. Bartholmew and John Swinerton, 19 : 7 : 1671, in Salem court: "I Give to my loving wife Elizabeth Symonds my house Orchard and out houseing and all my Land & my Bed & beding and such vessels and houshold stuffe as shee shall have ocation to use dureing her naturall life and also Twenty pound to be paid her five pound a year by my son James Symonds beginning the date from the day of my death It. I giue my sonne James Symonds at my wiues decease my dwelling house out houseing Orchard together with all my Land and I do assigne my servant John Pease to him dureing the term of time expressed in the Indenture paying forty pound in four year ten pound p anum, five p anam to my wife for four year as aforesd, and fiue pound p anam for four years unto my son Sam1 and my Daughter Kathren fifty shillings p anam to each of them pvided he soe longe Hue if not soe long as he shall liue to serue him and noe longer I give the Children of my Deceased Daughter Ruth Swinnerton Twenty pound equally to be divided amongst them and to be paide in part of my movable estate in convenient time after my decease. " I giue al the rest of my Estate to my Sonne Samuel Symonds & my daughter Kathren Town equally to be divided between them in convenient time after my decease except my bed & houshold stuffe giuen my wife during her natural life as aforesd which at her decease my will is shall equally be divided between them two also I giue my son Samuell one oxx now in his hands I giue to Jon. Swinerton one sad cullerd Cloth Cote." James Symonds and Samuell Symonds, executors; Major Hathren and Mr. Bartholmew, overseers, whom he entreats to "take care of my wife whoe is in an ill condition. Further I give all my workinge tooles belonging to my trade to my son James Simons." Wit: Henry Bartholmew,* John Swinnerton* and Samuel Inguls.*
Inventory of the estate of John Symonds, appraised by John Kitchin* and John Pickering:* His housing and Land, 230li.; Joyners Tools benches and lare, 5li. 5s. 6d.; 2 Bedsteds almost finished, 3li.; 3 stools and one halfe of a Box, 12s. 6d.; 1-2 Grindstone & windless & a Small grindstone, 5s.; Timber, planke & board, 5li. 12s.; Two beds, a bolster & a p of sheets, a p of blankets, a bed steed & matt that lay in the Chamber, 5li.; Tubs, 4s., and part of a Chest and 4 Bush. corn, 18s. 6d.; His wearing Clothes, 6li. 5s.; 2 yds. & 3-4 of sad colored cloth, 22s. 6d., and a Table cloth, Hi. 12s. 6d.; 3 Hollond pillow-beers, 15s. and a p of sheets, 2li. 5s.; 3 p of old sheets, 30s. and 3 corse pillowbeers, Hi. 15s.; 3 smal peeces of Cloth, 8s. and 1 Doz. of napkins, 1 Towil, Hi.; a Feather bed, 2 bolsters, 3 pillows, a rugg, 4 blankets, one p of sheets, Curtains & Bedstead, 10li.; 2 pound of woolen yarn & som linen yarn & a hat brush, 8s.; 1 great Kettle, 20s. and 3 Iron pots & 2 p of pot hooks, 2li. 7s.; 1 Churmn, 3 payls with Iron bayls & 5 Trayes, 13s.; a frying pan, 5s., & a warminge pan, 12s.; a fire pan & Grid Iron, 2s. a ps. of a hawke & a driping pan, 4s.; 2 brass puding pans and 3 tinen Lamps, 3s. 6d.; an Iron Trivit, 4 glass bottles and a spitt, 8s.; 3 Earthen pots, and 2 panns, 3s.; 2 Jarrs, 1 Sieve and a pitcher, 2s. 6d.; a broken posnet & a Cod line, 2s.; 3 new pewter platters and a bell mettle Skillet, Hi. 2s.; 4 old pewter platters, a poringer & 2 plates, 8s.; 2 old quart pots, a bason & a Chamber pot, 7s.; a beer bowle, a beaker, a wine Cup & a Grater, 4s.; a lattin sarce pan & Tunnil, 4 wooden dishes & 4 Spoons, 2s. 8d.; a Lanthorne, 2 Doz. Trenchers, a platter & a chafeing dish, 4s.; Two wooden Bowls and a ladle, 1s.; a choping knife & 3 brass Candlesticks, 13s.; 3 Chests, 3 Boxes and a wooden Tunnil, 14s.; 5 Barrils and a halfe baril, a buttor tub & 4 Keelers, 13s.; a halfe bushel & a p of Scales, 2s.; 2 Tables, a fourm & Chayers, 16s.; 32 Cheeses, buttor & meat, Hi.; Apples growinge in the orchard, 15s.; 2 old Bibles, a Booke of Doct. Prestons works and a booke of Mr. Rogers works & a psalm booke, 18s.; one firelock musket, Hi. 6s.; one firelock Musquet, worme & Scowerer, Hi. 4s.; Sword, belt, powder & bullets, 8s.; 2 Tobacco boxes and a drest Calfe skin, 2s. 6d.; a meal Sack & a litle bagge, 4s.; a five shilinge peece of gold & a 6d. in Silver, 5s. 6d.; a Vice and an old Hatchet, 10s.; nayles, 10d., a Howe, 2s., and an Ax, 6s. 10d.; A Mattock, 5s. and halfe a plow chayne, 8s.; an old Sithe, old Iron & a p of Jemmils, 5s.; a Reap hook, 9d., 2 hoops, 2 boxes & an ex pin, 11s. 9d.; a p of pitchfork Tynes, 5 Wedges & old Iron, 12s.; one halfe of a Crosscut Saw & an ex pin, 5s.; four lode of Hay in the Yarde, 4li.; Salt Marsh Grass growinge, Hi.; 2 Cows and a Cow Calfe, 7li. 10s.; Two Hoggs & 2 pigs, 3li. 12s.; Indean Corne that grew on the Land, 3li. 10s.; 20 Bushels of pease, 4li.; Timber in the Woods, Hi. 2s.; a p of woosted Stockings, 7s.; Debts due to the Estate, 24li. 10s. 7d.; total, 342li. 14s. 10d. Also "an apprentice of 17 years old who hath 3 year and 9 moneths and 2 weekes to serve." Estate is debtor for appraising the estate, 8s.; for reckoning with the Creditors, etc.,"
Sources
↑ Parish Records of Walcot, Registers, PD 517/1, Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DQ, United Kingdom
↑ George Andrews Moriarty, "John Symonds of Salem, Mass (Notes)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 96 (1942): 205.
↑ William Bentley, The Diary of William Bentley, D.D., Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts, vol. 1, April, 1784-December, 1792 (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1905), 329.
↑ For a transcription of the will of John Symonds, see The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 4: 1667-1671 (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914): 443-444.
Bentley, William. The Diary of William Bentley, D.D., Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts (Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., 1905) Vol. 1, Page 329
Farrow, Charles. "The Elusive Symonds Family." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 2 (April-May-June 2012): 34-37.
Farrow, Charles. "The Walcott Connection." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 1 (January-February-March 2012): 12-18.
Moriarty, George Andrews. "John Symonds of Salem, Mass (Notes)." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 96 (1942): 205.
Parish Records of Walcot, Registers: Baptisms, 1559-1794; marriages, 1558-1643, 1649-1752; and burials, 1558-1644, 1647-1812, PD 517/1, Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DQ, United Kingdom]
Perley, Sidney. The History of Salem, Massachusetts. Vol. 1, 1626-1637. Salem, Mass.: published by author, 1924.
The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 4: 1667-1671. Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914.]
Essex Institute Historical Collections (Salem, Massachusetts) Vol. 2, No. 2, April, 1860, Page 70
See also:
New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. [1]John SYMONDSMarriage 1625Location Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United StatesOriginal Text SYMONDS, John & 1/wf Ruth [FOX]; by 1625; Salem Reg. 96:205; Wildes Anc. 129Spouse Ruth FOXVolume Name Volume 2 Page 1376
New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. [2]John SYMONDSMarriage 1638Location Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United StatesOriginal Text SYMONDS, John (-1671) & 2/wf Elizabeth [?BLOTE]; by 1630?, by 1638; Salem Salem 1:392; Sv. 4:245; Pope's Pioneers 445; Salisbury Fam. 602; Essex Ant. 4:96, 7:46; Holman Ms: Symonds 1; Bancroft (1902) (ms) 1; Wildes Anc. 129Spouse Elizabeth BLOTEVolume Name Volume 2 Page 137
Research Notes
Parish Records of North Walsham, Norfolk, accessed at FindMyPast.com on 1 May 2016, include two entries for baptisms that could be the man who married Ruth in 1624:
1594 - "John(?) fil John(?) Symonds Jun, bapt. 9 dio October" (Image of parish register). The first names of father and son are both difficult to discern, but the names both begin with "Jo".
John, sonne of Thomas Symonds, baptized 5 October 1600 at North Walsham, Norfolk.(Transcription of record and record image).
comment.Daniel SymondsJohn Symonds was born in 1594 and arrived in Salem approx 1634. Our family has no relation to Dept Gov. Samuel Symonds (or Harlakenden Symonds) who settled in Ipswich. We are not related to John Winthrop. Totally different family. To my best knowledge, Gov. Symonds left no male issue in America.posted Jul 17, 2017 by Daniel Symonds Ellen SmithSeeing no objection to the proposal to distinguish Symonds-234 and Symonds-137, I moved most of the children, the wives, and the will information from Symonds-137 to Symonds-234.posted Aug 26, 2016 by Ellen Smith Ellen SmithSymonds-234 and Symonds-137 are not ready to be merged because: These two profiles clearly are intended to represent the same New England immigrant settler, but the information about the earlier parts of their lives (in England) clearly belongs to two completely different people, born two decades apart in different locations in England.
It appears to me that Symonds-234 is the immigrant. He was from Norfolk. I've found two baptism records that could be him, and I can't tell why the 1594 record apparently was thought to be him, instead of the 1600 record. Symonds-137 seems to be a different person who may have remained in England.
Would there be consensus for moving the information about the will from Symonds-137 and to Symonds-234 and disconnecting Symonds-137 from the family links that belong to the New England immigrant settler?
posted May 01, 2016 by Ellen Smith
He was of Salem. He perhaps came from England in 1637. Pope inclined to the opinion that this John Symonds, of Salem, was in fact a son of Governor Samuel Symonds of Ipswich, but the proof is not apparent.
Felt in his "Annas of Salem" does not intimate that he was a son of the governor and makes little mention of him.
It is said he lived in England much of his time which accounts for the absence of information concerning him.
The name of his 1st wife was Mary ________, who was admitted to the church in Salem in 1638. After her death he married (2) Elizabeth________________.
Mr Symonds died in Salem, before 19 Sept 1671, the date his will was admitted to probate.
His children: Samuel Baptised 4 Nov 1638
Catherine, who married Jacob Townw of Topsfield, was the gt-gt-grandfather of Simeon Towne, a grantee in Mangerville, Nova Scotia (now New Brunswick)
Ruth, who married Job Swinnerton of Salem on 19 July 1658. He was the maternal ancestor of the Whipple family of Nova Scotia.
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John Symonds migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1620-1640).
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John was baptised October 10, 1594 at North Walsham, Norfolkshire, Eng., 5 1/2 miles west of the coastal town of Walcott where he married his first wife, Ruth Foxe, May 1, 1624.[1] His children by Ruth were baptised at St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, a coastal port about 21 miles SSE of North Walsham.
The baptisms of the children of John Symonds and his wife Ruth appear in the parish register of St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, County Norfolk, England as follows:[2]
1625 John, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 30 March.
1626 Edmund, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 31 December.
1628 Mary, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 18 May.
1630 Catherine, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 18 April.
1630 Ruth, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 20 February [1630/1].
1633 James, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 19 May.
We know that this John Symonds whose children were baptized in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk is the same as the John Symonds who settled in Salem, Massachusetts because of an entry in the diary of Rev. William Bentley (1759-1819) who was called to be a pastor of the Second Congregational Church in Salem, Massachusetts in 1784. According to this diary entry from December 28, 1791 (pp. 262-263 in the original diary):
"In looking over the papers of Mr John Symonds who died aged 100 years, I find the following history of his G. Grandfather, who came to America. Henry Skerry aet 83, & Nath : Felton, aet 69 depose, that they were neighbors of John Simonds, Joiner, in Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk in England, about fifty years before, it being then 1685. And then they knew his son James Symonds & that John Symonds died at Salem, New England to which he removed in 1670, & that he expected Lands would fall to him in Norwich, Norfolk. John Symonds married Ruth Fox in Yarmouth. James Symonds, Son of John married 1661."[3]
Moved to Salem in 1636. Granted land near North River. He was a joiner and cooper. Was a freeman in 1637. Was excused from ordinary military training in 1648 for lameness. Served as grand juror in 1657. In Salem, he lived on North Street where the Upland School was located.
Will dated August 16, 1671. Proved September 19, 1671.[4]
The family may be related to John and Francis Symonds, Deputy-Governor when Maine was a part of Massachusetts. John's mother was related to Governor Winthrop through marriage. Symonds family descends from Adam Fitzsimon, second son of Simon, Lord of Saint Sever in Normandy (died in 1090 and buried in Church of St. Sever) and who held land in Norfolkshire and Hertshire.
Will
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts Massachusetts County Couty (Essex County) Pages 443-445 "Will and inventory of John Simonds, deceased, were proved and allowed, and Samuell Symonds renounced his executorship in court.
The court having ordered that the way laid out from Salem to Andiver should be altered in case that another way could be found to the acceptance of Andiver men, Wm. Hathorne,J George Corwin,J Thomas PutnamJ and Henry Bartholmew,J for the town of Salem, met the Andiver men, 1 : 10 : 1671, Worshipful Mr. Broadstreete being also present. They viewed the way and all approved of it, provided the town of Salem before this present court declare that they have performed the order of the court, that is, that the bridge and way is fully completed.
Will of John Symonds, J dated 16 : 6 : 1671, and proved by Mr. Hen. Bartholmew and John Swinerton, 19 : 7 : 1671, in Salem court: "I Give to my loving wife Elizabeth Symonds my house Orchard and out houseing and all my Land & my Bed & beding and such vessels and houshold stuffe as shee shall have ocation to use dureing her naturall life and also Twenty pound to be paid her five pound a year by my son James Symonds beginning the date from the day of my death It. I giue my sonne James Symonds at my wiues decease my dwelling house out houseing Orchard together with all my Land and I do assigne my servant John Pease to him dureing the term of time expressed in the Indenture paying forty pound in four year ten pound p anum, five p anam to my wife for four year as aforesd, and fiue pound p anam for four years unto my son Sam1 and my Daughter Kathren fifty shillings p anam to each of them pvided he soe longe Hue if not soe long as he shall liue to serue him and noe longer I give the Children of my Deceased Daughter Ruth Swinnerton Twenty pound equally to be divided amongst them and to be paide in part of my movable estate in convenient time after my decease. " I giue al the rest of my Estate to my Sonne Samuel Symonds & my daughter Kathren Town equally to be divided between them in convenient time after my decease except my bed & houshold stuffe giuen my wife during her natural life as aforesd which at her decease my will is shall equally be divided between them two also I giue my son Samuell one oxx now in his hands I giue to Jon. Swinerton one sad cullerd Cloth Cote." James Symonds and Samuell Symonds, executors; Major Hathren and Mr. Bartholmew, overseers, whom he entreats to "take care of my wife whoe is in an ill condition. Further I give all my workinge tooles belonging to my trade to my son James Simons." Wit: Henry Bartholmew,* John Swinnerton* and Samuel Inguls.*
Inventory of the estate of John Symonds, appraised by John Kitchin* and John Pickering:* His housing and Land, 230li.; Joyners Tools benches and lare, 5li. 5s. 6d.; 2 Bedsteds almost finished, 3li.; 3 stools and one halfe of a Box, 12s. 6d.; 1-2 Grindstone & windless & a Small grindstone, 5s.; Timber, planke & board, 5li. 12s.; Two beds, a bolster & a p of sheets, a p of blankets, a bed steed & matt that lay in the Chamber, 5li.; Tubs, 4s., and part of a Chest and 4 Bush. corn, 18s. 6d.; His wearing Clothes, 6li. 5s.; 2 yds. & 3-4 of sad colored cloth, 22s. 6d., and a Table cloth, Hi. 12s. 6d.; 3 Hollond pillow-beers, 15s. and a p of sheets, 2li. 5s.; 3 p of old sheets, 30s. and 3 corse pillowbeers, Hi. 15s.; 3 smal peeces of Cloth, 8s. and 1 Doz. of napkins, 1 Towil, Hi.; a Feather bed, 2 bolsters, 3 pillows, a rugg, 4 blankets, one p of sheets, Curtains & Bedstead, 10li.; 2 pound of woolen yarn & som linen yarn & a hat brush, 8s.; 1 great Kettle, 20s. and 3 Iron pots & 2 p of pot hooks, 2li. 7s.; 1 Churmn, 3 payls with Iron bayls & 5 Trayes, 13s.; a frying pan, 5s., & a warminge pan, 12s.; a fire pan & Grid Iron, 2s. a ps. of a hawke & a driping pan, 4s.; 2 brass puding pans and 3 tinen Lamps, 3s. 6d.; an Iron Trivit, 4 glass bottles and a spitt, 8s.; 3 Earthen pots, and 2 panns, 3s.; 2 Jarrs, 1 Sieve and a pitcher, 2s. 6d.; a broken posnet & a Cod line, 2s.; 3 new pewter platters and a bell mettle Skillet, Hi. 2s.; 4 old pewter platters, a poringer & 2 plates, 8s.; 2 old quart pots, a bason & a Chamber pot, 7s.; a beer bowle, a beaker, a wine Cup & a Grater, 4s.; a lattin sarce pan & Tunnil, 4 wooden dishes & 4 Spoons, 2s. 8d.; a Lanthorne, 2 Doz. Trenchers, a platter & a chafeing dish, 4s.; Two wooden Bowls and a ladle, 1s.; a choping knife & 3 brass Candlesticks, 13s.; 3 Chests, 3 Boxes and a wooden Tunnil, 14s.; 5 Barrils and a halfe baril, a buttor tub & 4 Keelers, 13s.; a halfe bushel & a p of Scales, 2s.; 2 Tables, a fourm & Chayers, 16s.; 32 Cheeses, buttor & meat, Hi.; Apples growinge in the orchard, 15s.; 2 old Bibles, a Booke of Doct. Prestons works and a booke of Mr. Rogers works & a psalm booke, 18s.; one firelock musket, Hi. 6s.; one firelock Musquet, worme & Scowerer, Hi. 4s.; Sword, belt, powder & bullets, 8s.; 2 Tobacco boxes and a drest Calfe skin, 2s. 6d.; a meal Sack & a litle bagge, 4s.; a five shilinge peece of gold & a 6d. in Silver, 5s. 6d.; a Vice and an old Hatchet, 10s.; nayles, 10d., a Howe, 2s., and an Ax, 6s. 10d.; A Mattock, 5s. and halfe a plow chayne, 8s.; an old Sithe, old Iron & a p of Jemmils, 5s.; a Reap hook, 9d., 2 hoops, 2 boxes & an ex pin, 11s. 9d.; a p of pitchfork Tynes, 5 Wedges & old Iron, 12s.; one halfe of a Crosscut Saw & an ex pin, 5s.; four lode of Hay in the Yarde, 4li.; Salt Marsh Grass growinge, Hi.; 2 Cows and a Cow Calfe, 7li. 10s.; Two Hoggs & 2 pigs, 3li. 12s.; Indean Corne that grew on the Land, 3li. 10s.; 20 Bushels of pease, 4li.; Timber in the Woods, Hi. 2s.; a p of woosted Stockings, 7s.; Debts due to the Estate, 24li. 10s. 7d.; total, 342li. 14s. 10d. Also "an apprentice of 17 years old who hath 3 year and 9 moneths and 2 weekes to serve." Estate is debtor for appraising the estate, 8s.; for reckoning with the Creditors, etc.,"
Sources
1- Parish Records of Walcot, Registers, PD 517/1, Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DQ, United Kingdom
2- George Andrews Moriarty, "John Symonds of Salem, Mass (Notes)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 96 (1942): 205.
3- William Bentley, The Diary of William Bentley, D.D., Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts, vol. 1, April, 1784-December, 1792 (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1905), 329.
4- For a transcription of the will of John Symonds, see The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 4: 1667-1671 (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914): 443-444.
Bentley, William. The Diary of William Bentley, D.D., Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts(Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., 1905) Vol. 1, Page 329
Farrow, Charles. "The Elusive Symonds Family." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 2 (April-May-June 2012): 34-37.
Farrow, Charles. "The Walcott Connection." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 1 (January-February-March 2012): 12-18.
Moriarty, George Andrews. "John Symonds of Salem, Mass (Notes)." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 96 (1942): 205.
Parish Records of Walcot, Registers: Baptisms, 1559-1794; marriages, 1558-1643, 1649-1752; and burials, 1558-1644, 1647-1812, PD 517/1, Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DQ, United Kingdom]
The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 4: 1667-1671. Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914.]
Essex Institute Historical Collections (Salem, Massachusetts) Vol. 2, No. 2, April, 1860, Page 70
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On 17 Jul 2017 at 23:58 GMT Daniel Symonds wrote:
John Symonds was born in 1594 and arrived in Salem approx 1634. Our family has no relation to Dept Gov. Samuel Symonds (or Harlakenden Symonds) who settled in Ipswich. We are not related to John Winthrop. Totally different family. To my best knowledge, Gov. Symonds left no male issue in America.
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Parish Records of North Walsham, Norfolk, accessed at FindMyPast.com on 1 May 2016, include two entries for baptisms that could be the man who married Ruth in 1624:
1594 - "John(?) fil John(?) Symonds Jun, bapt. 9 dio October" (Image of parish register). The first names of father and son are both difficult to discern, but the names both begin with "Jo".
John, sonne of Thomas Symonds, baptized 5 October 1600 at North Walsham, Norfolk.(Transcription of record and record image).
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Farrow, Charles. "The Elusive Symonds Family." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 2 (April-May-June 2012): 34-37:
THE ELUSIVE SYMONDS FAMILY By Charles Farrow Consulting Genealogist Towne Family AssociationIn the last issue we looked at the Foxe family of Walcott as an interestingdiversion from the main line, the Symonds family, variously spelled. Inadvertently,in my listing of the children of John and Ruth Symonds, I missed outpoor Ruth, baptized in St. Nicholas at Great Yarmouth on February 26, 1631/2[what we would now call 1632]. My apologies to her. Whilst thinking aboutJohn and Ruth Symonds, it should also be noted that son Edmund, who wasbaptized on December 31, 1626, did not live very long, being buried on January29, 1626/7, at St. Nicholas Church. So that means when John and Ruthleft Great Yarmouth for America they took with them sons John and Jamesand daughters Mary, Catherine and Ruth. Do we know what happened tothem all, apart from Catherine? It would be interesting know if this family hasbeen researched in the U.S.It has to be admitted at the outset that trying to untangle the Symonds familiesin Norfolk is not an easy task, and I regret that this article is going to readrather differently to the previous ones. There is of course nothing to indicatethat John Symonds was a Great Yarmouth man, and the fact that he married aWalcott girl perhaps indicates that he was not. There is no Symonds family inWalcott; but the nearest town is North Walsham, and there was a Symondsfamily there. My researches have therefore been concentrated on GreatYarmouth and North Walsham.The parish registers of St. Nicholas Church in Great Yarmouth are the startingpoint. Since John Symonds married at Walcott in 1624, [see About Towne,Vol. XXXII, No. 1] one would expect him to be in his mid-twenties, giving us arange of 1595—1605 as most likely. There are two sets of baptisms occurringin this period, one of which has a son John in 1600 which looks a perfectmatch. This is what we find between 1590 and 1605:BaptismsMay 24, 1591: Chrystyan, daughter of Thomas & Elizabethe SymondesFebruary 25, 1592/3: Elizabethe, daughter of John & Cyceley SymondesApril 8, 1593: Benjamyn, son of Thomas & Elizabethe SymondesSeptember 16, 1593: Willyam, son of John Kyrthen [sic] SymondesMarch 30, 1595: Chrystyan, daughter of Thomas & Elizabethe SymondesMarch 23, 1596/7: Jone, daughter of John & Cycely SymondesApril 10, 1597: Mary, daughter of Thomas & Elizabethe SymonsMarch 27, 1599: Martha, daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth SymondesNovember 1, 1599: Francys, daughter of John & Cysseley SymonsJune 30, 1600: John, son of Thomas Elyzabeth SymonsSeptember 25, 1605: Martha, daughter of John & Mary SimonsContinued on next page“Trying tountangle theSymondsfamilies inNorfolk is not aneasy task.” ABOUT TOWNE Vol. XXXII, No. 2- 35 -BurialsJuly 16, 1592: Grace SymondesNovember 9, 1593: Robert SymondesMay 3, 1595: Dorothe SymonsJanuary 12, 1595/6: James SymonsMarch 16, 1596/7: John SymonsMarch 25, 1597: Jone SymondesApril 23, 1597: Martha SymondesJune 30, 1600: John SymonsThis last burial rather throws a spanner in the works, especially as no differenceis being made between adults and infants. It seems quite likely that littleJohn was baptized as he was dying, thus eliminating the only John baptismin Great Yarmouth. Moreover, from other evidence it becomes clear thatJohn with the wife Cyceley worked as a rough mason and did not have a sonJohn. John Symondes had married Cicily Somes at Caister Church on August24, 1592.What else can we look at to help? To trade in Great Yarmouth and take apprentices,one needed to be admitted a freeman. In order to qualify for this,one had three possibilities. Sons of freemen who were born after their fatherhad been made a freeman were entitled to become freemen themselves atage 21. Those who were apprenticed to a freeman were entitled to apply tobe admitted when they had satisfactorily completed their term and were age21 or more. Finally, if one had enough money, one could purchase freedomof the borough. These records show that in 1621 a John Symons, apprenticeof John Symons, grocer, was admitted a freeman. No relationship is recorded,so we have nothing to go on. Moreover, there is no record that John Symons,grocer, was admitted a freeman himself, but it may be the records aredefective.It is most likely that the John Symons who is admitted in 1621 is the man ofthis name who marries Mary Stevenson by license at St. Nicholas Church onAugust 27, 1627. We know who this man is, since his family entered theirpedigree when the herald’s visitation was made in 1664. The College of Armssince 1484 have been responsible for governing the use of coats of arms byfamilies and individuals. The college is run by the heralds, and one of theirduties was to hold a visitation in every county to ascertain who was entitledto use a coat of arms. The date of the visitation was to be advertised in theporch of each parish church, with a summons to all those who claimed a rightto a coat of arms to appear before the herald and produce evidence of thatright. Very few visitations were actually held; but in 1664, following the Restorationof Charles II in 1660, it was decided that a full visitation should beheld. John Symons who married in 1627 was already dead; but it would seemthat his son Nathaniel attended the visitation, and his claim to use the Symondscoat of arms was allowed, his pedigree being entered in the recordsmade by Sir Edward Bysshe, the herald responsible. This pedigree shows thatContinued from previous pageContinued on next page“This last burialthrows aspanner in theworks….Whatelse can we lookat to help?” ABOUT TOWNE Vol. XXXII, No. 2- 36 -John Symons was the son of William Symonds, youngest son of Richard Symondsof Suffield who died in 1606. William clearly went to Norwich for trade.John Symondes the grocer is an important man, and for this reason his will isof particular significance. He made his will on October 8, 1624; and it shows hehad a wife, Mary, who was given a life interest in his properties; sons John,Thomas, Benjamin and Samuel; daughters Hannah, Mary, Elizabeth and Rachell;and a brother, William, in Norwich, who had a son, John. The will was proved inNorwich Archdeaconry Court on December 14, 1624. Of particular significanceis his brother William with his son John. John is given property in Great Yarmouth,and from this bequest it seems certain John is the apprentice and theman who married Mary Stevenson. When we look at the herald’s visitation pedigree,we see that William had brothers Thomas and John.There is a second will which clearly belongs to this family. Martha Simonds ofGreat Yarmouth, singlewoman, made her will on September 3, 1623, and herprincipal legacies are given to her aunt Elizabeth Bardwell, uncle William Simondsof Norwich, uncle John Simonds, brother Richard Simonds, sisters ChristianTennant, Sara Simonds and Rachell Simonds, aunt Anne Beckham, and JohnSimonds and Richard Simonds, both hosiers of Great Yarmouth, no relationshipbeing given. The will was proved by the uncle William and aunt Elizabeth inNorwich Archdeaconry Court on February 2, 1623/4. Uncle John must be thegrocer of Great Yarmouth, since her uncle William is in Norwich. As Martha isdaughter of neither of them, this points to her being daughter of the thirdbrother, Thomas. Could she be the Martha baptized at St. Nicholas on MarchContinued from previous pageContinued on next pageAll Saints Church, Walcott,Norfolk. JohnSymonds and RuthFoxe married here onMay 1, 1624. Theirdaughter Catharinemarried Jacob Towne,son of William and Joanna,in Topsfield, MA,on June 26, 1657. ABOUT TOWNE Vol. XXXII, No. 2- 37 -27, 1599? There is certainly a daughter, Chrystyan, as well, although no son,Richard, nor daughters, Sara and Rachell, are recorded here. However, sinceThomas did not marry in Great Yarmouth, there may be earlier baptismselsewhere.When we turn to North Walsham, we find the following entries in the parishregisters:BaptismsOctober 9, 1594: John son of John Symondes JuniorJanuary 22, 1598/9: Margaret daughter of Thomas SymondesOctober 5, 1600: John son of Thomas SymondesApril 3, 1603: Mary daughter of Thomas SymondesOctober 24, 1605: Thomas son of Thomas SymondesApril 19, 1607: Thomas son of Thomas SymondesBurialsJanuary 21, 1599/1600: John Symondes the elderApril 12, 1605: Margaret daughter of Thomas SymondesNovember 5, 1605: Thomas son of Thomas SymondesSo we have two potential John Symondes who could have married at Walcott,near North Walsham, in 1624. Certainly the second one seems the more likely;but we should recall that John and Ruth did not choose to name a sonThomas, which one might have expected if his father was Thomas. Moreover,at Honing, quite close to North Walsham, a John Simondes marries KatherineWiggon on November 4, 1633, and they have a son Thomas amongstother children. Unfortunately, the registers of Honing only survive from1630, so we have no way of knowing if John was baptized there. However,despite the fact that he would have been 33 when he married, this does seema more likely marriage for the second John. That leaves the earlier John, whoin May 1624 would have been five months short of his thirtieth birthday. Thisis not unusual, so perhaps we have the most plausible John here in NorthWalsham. Certainly a search of the parishes immediately adjoining Walcott—Bacton, Happisburgh, Ridlington, East Ruston and Witton—has failed to producea baptism.There will be no article in the next About Towne as I will be too heavily committedwith the reunion tour. However, I will resume in the December issue,and who knows what may emerge. Continued from previous pageManuscript sources used in the Norfolk Record OfficeGreat Yarmouth Parish Registers PD 28/1North Walsham Parish Registers PD 711/1Caister Parish Registers PD 450/1Bacton Parish Registers PD 62/1Happisburgh Parish Registers PD 516/1Ridlington Parish Registers PD 64/1East Ruston Parish Registers PD 38/1Walcott Parish Registers PD 517/1Witton Parish Registers PD 70/1Norwich Archdeaconry Wills:John Symondes ANW 1624 W162 197Martha Simonds ANW 1623 W222 305Norfolk Archdeaconry Wills:Richard Symondes ANF 1604 – 6 W319Printed sourcesA Calendar of the Freemen of Great Yarmouth 1429– 807published by the Norfolk & Norwich Archaeological SocietyThe Visitation of Norfolk 1664 made by Sir Edward ByssheVol. 2 pp. 212–213 Norfolk Record Society Vol. 5.“John Symondesthe grocer is animportant man,and for thisreason his willis of particularsignificance.” ABOUT TOWNE Vol. XXXII, No. 2- 38 -TOWNE COUSIN HONOR
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Farrow, Charles. "The Walcott Connection." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 1 (January-February-March 2012): 12-18:
THE WALCOTT CONNECTIONBy Charles Farrow, Consulting Genealogist, Towne Family AssociationHaving devoted several articles to the Estey family and their relations in South Suffolk, it is time toturn our attention to another of William and Joanna Towne’s children: Jacob. On our forthcoming TFAreunion tour a number of the group are descended from Jacob, so it is appropriate to learn as much aspossible about his wife’s family before the tour.Jacob married Catharine Symonds on June 26, 1657, in Topsfield, MA. Catharine’s parents, John andRuth Symonds, lived in Salem, where John had received twenty acres of land in 1636. Like the Townefamily, John and Ruth had come from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, probably about 1635. In St.Nicholas parish church in Great Yarmouth they had baptized their five children: John on March 30, 1625;Edmund on December 31, 1626; Mary on May 18, 1628; Katteren [Catharine] on April 18, 1630; andJames on May 19, 1633. The spelling of their surname in the register varies between Symons, Symondesand Simons, which is usual at this time. However, unlike William Towne and Joanna Blessing, they hadnot married in St. Nicholas but at All Saints church in Ruth’s home parish of Walcott.Walcott lies some twenty miles from Great Yarmouth, right against the coast, and is ever diminishing asthe North Sea eats away the low sandy cliffs. All Saints church must once have been much further fromthe sea than it is now. Here in this imposing church on May 1, 1624, John Symonds married Ruth Fox.Ruth was the daughter of John and Katherine Fox, whose family had been here for several generations.When planning our forthcoming TFA tour, I decided that, although the Symonds family had no obviousconnection with Walcott, since this is where John Symonds had married we ought to include it. I soondiscovered, as I had with the Andrews family in Suffolk,that John had married into an interesting familywho had left a mark on the area. The Fox family leftwills and also owned lands both in Walcott and adjoiningHappisburgh and Ridlington. Generations ofFoxes have been buried in the churchyard. Althoughthere are no visible memorials now, the Fox connectionmakes this as much a family church to the descendantsof Jacob and Catharine as Freston is to theEsteys.Ruth’s parents, John and Katherine Fox, had a largefamily of eleven children, of whom Ruth was theeighth. John Fox[e] married Catherine [or Katherine,Katheryne, Catharine, Catheryne—ed.] Crickemer incontinued on next pageAll Saints, Walcott, where Jacob Towne’s wife’s parents marriedin 1624. Simon Knott of www.norfolkchurches.co.uk saysof the church: “All Saints was rebuilt in the early 15thcentury….Thetower was rebuilt as well, giving a building at oncecrisp and ancient. I love the way the tower stair turret is set ata diagonal to the tower.”Photo credit: www.norfolkchurches.co.ukABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 113All Saints church on November 1, 1588. Their first child, Margaret, was baptized there on August 23,1589, and buried the following day. What must be their next child, Mary, was baptized June 25, 1591,but the parents are recorded as John and Betterys Foxe. Since there is no other sign of a Betterys marriedto a John Fox, this must be the vicar’s mistake. Martha is baptized February 13, 1593, daughter ofJohn and Catherine Foxe; John baptized February 14, 1594, and buried on December 1, 1609; Lydia baptizedSeptember 20, 1596, and buried April 3, 1597; and Daniell baptized April 9, 1598, all with the motherCatherine or Catheryne. On the baptism of Ruth on January 10, 1602, the spelling changes to Katheryneand remains thus for the baptisms of Lidia on June 14, 1603, and Jane, baptized January 6, 1607, andburied February 17, 1607. There are no more baptisms here, but from John’s will, below, we know theyhad a son Moses. There is no sign of his baptism in adjoining parishes, so it seems likely that for somereason he was never baptized. All the indications are that the family remained in Walcott, at least untilRuth married in 1624. Certainly her sister Martha was married here September 7, 1620, to James Balie.Catherine must have predeceased her husband, although I have been unable to locate her burial. JohnFox himself died at East Ruston but was buried at Walcott on August 1, 1630. It seems probable that hehad gone to live with his daughter Mary and son-in-law Bartram Flight. John left the following will whichwas proved in Norfolk Archdeaconry Court. [As with all past wills, try reading the document aloud if thespelling is confusing—ed.]Will of John FoxeIn the name of God Amen the seconde day of August in the Sixt yeare of the Raigne of ourSoveraigne lord Charles by the grace of God of Ingland Scotland Frannce & IrelandKinge Defender of the faith &c. in Ano Dni 1630:I John Foxe of Eastruston in the Countie of Norffolk yeoman beinge wholl in mynde & ingood & perfitt Remembrance thankes be given to God: revokeinge all other wills and testamentesby me formerly made: Doe make & ordayne this my last will & testament in manner &forme followingeFirst I give & bequeath my Soull unto allmightie God and to Jesus Christ his onely sonn &my onely Saviour by & through whose death & passion I steadfastly beleave to have forgivenesof my Sinnes in the world to Come And my bodie to be buried where my executors or one ofthem shall thinke good in hope of a Joyefull Resurrection to eternall life at the last daye.Item I give and bequeath unto Mosses Foxe my youngest sonn And to his heires for ever: myTenement in Ridlington and all my landes in Ridlington both free & Copie hold; except twoAcres & three Roodes which I have heretofore by feofement Conveyed to my sonn Daynell:Item I give & bequeath more unto my sonn Mosses Foxe Onehalfe Acre of Copie hold landeof the manor of Happesbrough [Happisburgh] layeinge & beinge in Walcott to him & his heiresfor ever And I will & my mynde is that Mosses Foxe my sonn shall enter & have this mytenement & landes bequeathed him at the full Ende and tearme of fower yeares next after mycontinued from previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 114deceesse to be accomplished: And not before:Item I will & my mynde is that Mosses Foxe my sonn & his heires or Assignes shall paye orCause to be paid out of this my tenement & landes before bequeathed him: unto Susanna Forstermy daughter five poundes of good & lawfull mony of Ingland within three yeares next enseueingeafter he shall or may Come to the tenement & landes bequeathed unto him aforesaid ator in the parishe church portch of Ridlington.Item I will & my mynde is also that Mosses Foxe my sonn his heires or assignes shall pay orCause to be paid out of this my tenement & landes before bequeathed him unto Ruth Symonsmy daughter five poundes of lawfull mony of Ingland within fower yeares next enseueinge afterhe shall or may Come to the said tenement & landes before bequeathed unto him at or in theparishe Church portch of Ridlington:Provided alwayes and I will & my mynd is that if Mosses Foxe my sonne or his heires shallmake default in payment of the said guiftes of five poundes a peece unto my two daughtersSusanna & Ruth or to either of them Contrari to my true intent & meaneinge above mentioned& specified: That then I will & my mynde is that my said Daughters or either of them to whomthe default is made shall have full power to enter into the said tenement & landes bequeathed tomy sonne Mosses Foxe And this same premisses to have hold & Injoye the use & Revationthereof quietly & peaceably without the lett suit or molestaton of the said Mosses Foxe mysonn or his heires or assignes untill they or either of them to whom the default is made shalbefully satisfied & paid the foresaid guifte bequeathed unto them makeinge no strop nor wast in& upon the said premisses: provided further and I will and if Mosses Foxe my sonn shallhappen to departe out of this present life before he doe accomplishe the time in which the tenement& landes bequeathed unto him as aforsaid shalbe expiered: not haveinge issue of his bodilawfully begotten: That then I will & my mind is that the said tenement & landes bequeathedunto Mosses Foxe my sonn I give & bequeath unto my fower daughters vizatt Mary MarthaSusanna & Ruth & to their heires for ever to be equally devided betwixt them Any thingeto the Contrary in wise not with standinge.Item I give & bequeath unto Daynell Foxe my eldest sonn & to his assignes the use & occupationof all my tenement & landes layeinge in Ridlington & Walcot which I have given untoMosses Foxe my sonn for the time & tearme of fower yeares next & imediatly after my deceassemakeinge no strop nor wast in & upon the said premisses and to keepe & mayntayne thecontinued from previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 115said houses in Reasonable Reparacons dureinge the said tearme And upon Conditionpayeinge or Cause to be paid unto my executors hereafter named the some of Twentie poundesof lawfull mony of Ingland in manner & forme followinge vizott in & upon the feast day of StMichall the Archangell which shalbe next after my deceasse Tenn poundes at or in the parishechurch portch of Eastruston And upon the feast day of St Michall the archangleCome twelvemonth after my deceasse other Tenn poundes of lawfull mony of Ingland at or inthe parishe church portch of Eastruston: in full discharge & lewe of the use & Reversion orReversions of my tenement & landes aforesaid for fower yeares next enseueinge after my deceasse:Provided alwayes & I will if Daynell Foxe my sonn or his assignes shall make defaultof payment of the said Twentie poundes or Any parte or parcell thereof at the dayes & placeabove mentioned for the use & Revertion or Revertions of this my tenement & landes bequeathedmy sonn Daynell for fower yeares as aforesaid: That then I will my executors hereafternamed shall presently after such default of payment of either of the somes aforesaid of Tennpowndes: enter into the said tenement & landes bequeathed unto my sonn Daynell for foweryeares: And all the same premisses have & hold the use & Revertion or Revertions to them &their assignes makeinge no strop nor wast upon the said premisses & to kepe & mayntayne thesaid howses in Reasonable Reparcons dureinge the Residue of the time & tearme of foweryeares after my deceasse as aforesaid And then I will if it shall so happen Daynell Foxe mysonn & his assignes shalbe quit expelled frustrat & void of this my guift of the use & Revertionor Revertions of this my tenement & landes for the tearme aforesaid bequeathed & givenhim and to have no further use & enterest thereof: Any thinge to the Contrari in Any wise notwith standinge:Item I will give & bequeath three powndes to be bestowed & distributed at my buriall by myneexecutors hereafter named or one of them at their discretion.Item I give twentie shillings for sermons One to be preached in Ridlington Church and another in Walcott Church And the Rest in Eastruston Church to be performed & preachedwithin two yeares next after my deceasse to provid a preacher at the choyse of myne executors orof one of them which may fittest for the occasion suplied:Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Martha Balye five powndes of lawfull mony ofIngland to be paid by myne executors upon the feast day of St Michall the Archangle Cometwelvemonth after my deceasse at or in the parishe church portch of Eastruston.continued from previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 116Item I give & bequeath unto all my daughters Children and to my sonn Daynells Childrenwhich are now borne 3s 4d [3 shillings 4 pence] a peece to be paid by myne executors hereafternamed within fower yeares next enseueing after my deceasse:Item I give unto Deborea Farfaxe tenn shillings of lawfull English mony to be paid by myneexecutors upon the feast day of St Michall the archangell Come twelvemonth after my deceasse.Item all my other goodes Cattells & Chattells or houshold stufe whatsoever unbequeathed Igive & bequeath unto Mosses Foxe my sonn & unto Bartram Flight my sonn in lawe whom Imake & ordayne my Soall executors of this my last will & testament they to take my debts &paye my debts & legasies as I have formerly in this my will appointed them And to bringe mybodie decently in the Christian buriall to the EarthAnd in wittnes this is my last will & testament Contayned in tuo sheetes of paper I have subcribedmy hand & sette my Seall the day & yeare first above written And published these presenteto be my last will & testament in the presence of William Ward & James Thaxter JohnFoxeDelivered in the presence of William Ward & James Thaxter.Approved at Norwich 20th August 1630 and administration granted to Bartram Flight one ofthe executors, power reserved to Moses Fox.To determine who John Foxe was, we need to go back to an earlier namesake whose life came to an endin 1559. John Foxe was laid to rest in Walcott Churchyard on April 3, 1559, but fortunately he had madehis will in January. It was proved in Norwich Consistory Court.Will of the elder John FoxeIn the name of God Amen I John Foxe of Walkate beyng of hole mynd & perfyt Remembrancelauded be God the xvi day of January in the yere of our lord God A thowsand vC lviii[1558, what we would now call 1559 since we start the year on January 1 rather than March 25]make this my testament & last wyll in manner and forme folowingFyrst I bequethe my sowle to Almyghtye God to our ladye saynt Marye and to all the blessedCompanye of heaven & my bodye to be buryed in the Churche yard of Walkate AforesaydAnd I bequethe to the high Aulter therfore my tythe negligently forgotten xiid [12 pence]And to the Reparacon of the same Churche vi s viii d [6 shillings 8 pence].Item I gyve & bequethe to William Foxe my sonn all that my mesuage [house] with the Apcontinuedfrom previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 117purtennces in the whych I dwell in at the makyng herof to gether with all my londes tenementespastures & medowes groundes Scytuate lying and beyng in Walkate aforeseyd Rydlyngtonand Happysburgh To have and to houlde to hym his heyres & Assignes for ever.Item I gyve Thomas Ward one Styrke [young bull] Colour Red.The Resydew of my goodes not bequethed I gyve & put to the order of myn executores whom Ido Ordeyne and make William Foxe my sayd sonn And I Ordeyne and make John Calloweof Hasppysburghe Supervisor of this my testament and last will bequething to him for his labourvi s viii d [6 shillings 8 pence].These beyng wynes Edmund Cooke John Ward and Thomas Short with other.Approved at Norwich 11th April 1559 by the Executor.From this will we see that William, presumably the only living child, inherits the house and lands in Walcott,Ridlington and Happisburgh. By a happy chance the parish registers of Walcott start in 1558, andone of the first marriages recorded is that of William Foxe to Mary Cooke on June 13, 1559. It is oftenthe case that shortly after the death of a parent, a son or daughter marries. William was now a propertyowner and in a position to offer a bride a home and support, and he appears to have wasted no time.The first child ascribed in the parish registers is not baptized until 1564. But the first baptisms in this registerdo not record the names of the parents, so it seems almost certain that Alys Foxe baptized January20, 1559/60, and John Foxe baptized December 18, 1561, are children of William and Mary. Of thosethat follow, all have both parents’ names attached: Annes baptized March 21, 1563/4; Christabell onMarch 10, 1565/6; Laurence baptized February 9, 1567/8, and buried May 7, 1568; a second Laurencebaptized on June 26, 1569, and buried April 2, 1579; Katheryne on September 11, 1571; and finally Margaret,baptized June 14, 1573, and buried May 30, 1579. Margaret was actually born after William’sdeath, since his burial was March 24, 1572/3.Unlike his father John, William did not make a will, indicating that he died very suddenly, without timeeven to make a spoken (nuncupative) will. Therefore his widow Mary had to apply for letters of administration[court-appointed authority to administer an estate-ed.] from Norwich Consistory Court, and thiswas granted to her at Norwich on March 28, 1573. If the John Foxe baptized in 1561 is their child, thenas the eldest son he would have inherited the house and lands of his father in the absence of a will. Hewould not have been able to take possession of them until he was 21, in 1582, but we have no way ofknowing whether his mother or another relative took charge of them during his minority. No manorcourt records have survived from this period for Happisburgh, Ridlington or Walcott. However, from thefact that the wills of the two Johns show they both held lands in these places, it is not unreasonable tomake them grandfather and grandson.If we revert to the elder John Foxe, from the fact that he names no other children in his will and mentionsno wife, it would appear that his wife had died early in the marriage and that any other childrenhad died young. Son William was clearly of age when John made his will, since he was appointed thesole executor and subsequently proved the will. One can therefore postulate that he was born in the1530s and that his father John was born sometime after 1500.continued from previous pagecontinued on next pageABOUT TOWNE VOL. XXXII, No. 118There were earlier members of the Fox family in Walcott: we have wills for John Foxe, 1465; LawrenceFox, 1538; and the latter’s widow, Margaret, 1542. However, in the absence of manor court records it isimpossible to make a link. In view of the elder John’s desire to have a son Lawrence, I had hoped thatLawrence and Margaret were his parents, but on reading their wills it became clear they had only threedaughters. There is no mention of John Fox, although he did witness the will of Lawrence, which indicateshe was in some way related. Manuscript sources consulted at Norfolk Record OfficeWalcott Parish Registers PD 517/1Norwich Consistory Court WillsNCC 1465 John Foxe 54 CobaldNCC 1542 Margaret Fox 158, 159 Deynes & 75, 76 ThyrkyllNCC 1559 John Fox 145 ColmanNorfolk Archdeaconry WillsANF 1538 Lawrence Foxe 201 GilliorANF 1630 John Fox W 39
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wiki trees
John Symonds (1594 - 1671)
John
Symonds
Born 9 Oct 1594
in North Walsham, Norfolk, England
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown][sibling(s) unknown]Husband of Ruth (Fox) Symonds
— married 1 May 1624 in Walcott, Norfolkshire, ENGLANDHusband of Elizabeth (Fox) Symonds
— married 1637 in Salem, Massachusetts Bay ColonyDESCENDANTS Father of Edmund Symonds, Katteren (Symonds) Towne, Ruth (Symonds) Swinnerton, James Symonds, Samuel Symonds and Robert SimonsDied Sep 1671
in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
Profile managers: Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message] and John Putnam [send private message]Profile last modified 27 May 2021 | Created 12 Oct 2011This page has been accessed 2,719 times.
John Symonds migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1620-1640).
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Contents
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1 Biography
1.1 Will
2 Sources
3 Research Notes
Biography
John was baptised October 10, 1594 at North Walsham, Norfolkshire, Eng., 5 1/2 miles west of the coastal town of Walcott where he married his first wife, Ruth Foxe, May 1, 1624.[1] His children by Ruth were baptised at St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, a coastal port about 21 miles SSE of North Walsham.
The baptisms of the children of John Symonds and his wife Ruth appear in the parish register of St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, County Norfolk, England as follows:[2]
1625 John, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 30 March.
1626 Edmund, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 31 December.
1628 Mary, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 18 May.
1630 Catherine, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 18 April.
1630 Ruth, daughter of John and Ruth Symonds, 20 February [1630/1].
1633 James, son of John and Ruth Symonds, 19 May.
We know that this John Symonds whose children were baptized in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk is the same as the John Symonds who settled in Salem, Massachusetts because of an entry in the diary of Rev. William Bentley (1759-1819) who was called to be a pastor of the Second Congregational Church in Salem, Massachusetts in 1784. According to this diary entry from December 28, 1791 (pp. 262-263 in the original diary):
"In looking over the papers of Mr John Symonds who died aged 100 years, I find the following history of his G. Grandfather, who came to America. Henry Skerry aet 83, & Nath : Felton, aet 69 depose, that they were neighbors of John Simonds, Joiner, in Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk in England, about fifty years before, it being then 1685. And then they knew his son James Symonds & that John Symonds died at Salem, New England to which he removed in 1670, & that he expected Lands would fall to him in Norwich, Norfolk. John Symonds married Ruth Fox in Yarmouth. James Symonds, Son of John married 1661."[3]
Moved to Salem in 1636. Granted land near North River. He was a joiner and cooper. Was a freeman in 1637. Was excused from ordinary military training in 1648 for lameness. Served as grand juror in 1657. In Salem, he lived on North Street where the Upland School was located.
Will dated August 16, 1671. Proved September 19, 1671.[4]
The family may be related to John and Francis Symonds, Deputy-Governor when Maine was a part of Massachusetts. John's mother was related to Governor Winthrop through marriage. Symonds family descends from Adam Fitzsimon, second son of Simon, Lord of Saint Sever in Normandy (died in 1090 and buried in Church of St. Sever) and who held land in Norfolkshire and Hertshire.
Will
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts Massachusetts County Couty (Essex County) Pages 443-445 "Will and inventory of John Simonds, deceased, were proved and allowed, and Samuell Symonds renounced his executorship in court.
The court having ordered that the way laid out from Salem to Andiver should be altered in case that another way could be found to the acceptance of Andiver men, Wm. Hathorne,J George Corwin,J Thomas PutnamJ and Henry Bartholmew,J for the town of Salem, met the Andiver men, 1 : 10 : 1671, Worshipful Mr. Broadstreete being also present. They viewed the way and all approved of it, provided the town of Salem before this present court declare that they have performed the order of the court, that is, that the bridge and way is fully completed.
Will of John Symonds, J dated 16 : 6 : 1671, and proved by Mr. Hen. Bartholmew and John Swinerton, 19 : 7 : 1671, in Salem court: "I Give to my loving wife Elizabeth Symonds my house Orchard and out houseing and all my Land & my Bed & beding and such vessels and houshold stuffe as shee shall have ocation to use dureing her naturall life and also Twenty pound to be paid her five pound a year by my son James Symonds beginning the date from the day of my death It. I giue my sonne James Symonds at my wiues decease my dwelling house out houseing Orchard together with all my Land and I do assigne my servant John Pease to him dureing the term of time expressed in the Indenture paying forty pound in four year ten pound p anum, five p anam to my wife for four year as aforesd, and fiue pound p anam for four years unto my son Sam1 and my Daughter Kathren fifty shillings p anam to each of them pvided he soe longe Hue if not soe long as he shall liue to serue him and noe longer I give the Children of my Deceased Daughter Ruth Swinnerton Twenty pound equally to be divided amongst them and to be paide in part of my movable estate in convenient time after my decease. " I giue al the rest of my Estate to my Sonne Samuel Symonds & my daughter Kathren Town equally to be divided between them in convenient time after my decease except my bed & houshold stuffe giuen my wife during her natural life as aforesd which at her decease my will is shall equally be divided between them two also I giue my son Samuell one oxx now in his hands I giue to Jon. Swinerton one sad cullerd Cloth Cote." James Symonds and Samuell Symonds, executors; Major Hathren and Mr. Bartholmew, overseers, whom he entreats to "take care of my wife whoe is in an ill condition. Further I give all my workinge tooles belonging to my trade to my son James Simons." Wit: Henry Bartholmew,* John Swinnerton* and Samuel Inguls.*
Inventory of the estate of John Symonds, appraised by John Kitchin* and John Pickering:* His housing and Land, 230li.; Joyners Tools benches and lare, 5li. 5s. 6d.; 2 Bedsteds almost finished, 3li.; 3 stools and one halfe of a Box, 12s. 6d.; 1-2 Grindstone & windless & a Small grindstone, 5s.; Timber, planke & board, 5li. 12s.; Two beds, a bolster & a p of sheets, a p of blankets, a bed steed & matt that lay in the Chamber, 5li.; Tubs, 4s., and part of a Chest and 4 Bush. corn, 18s. 6d.; His wearing Clothes, 6li. 5s.; 2 yds. & 3-4 of sad colored cloth, 22s. 6d., and a Table cloth, Hi. 12s. 6d.; 3 Hollond pillow-beers, 15s. and a p of sheets, 2li. 5s.; 3 p of old sheets, 30s. and 3 corse pillowbeers, Hi. 15s.; 3 smal peeces of Cloth, 8s. and 1 Doz. of napkins, 1 Towil, Hi.; a Feather bed, 2 bolsters, 3 pillows, a rugg, 4 blankets, one p of sheets, Curtains & Bedstead, 10li.; 2 pound of woolen yarn & som linen yarn & a hat brush, 8s.; 1 great Kettle, 20s. and 3 Iron pots & 2 p of pot hooks, 2li. 7s.; 1 Churmn, 3 payls with Iron bayls & 5 Trayes, 13s.; a frying pan, 5s., & a warminge pan, 12s.; a fire pan & Grid Iron, 2s. a ps. of a hawke & a driping pan, 4s.; 2 brass puding pans and 3 tinen Lamps, 3s. 6d.; an Iron Trivit, 4 glass bottles and a spitt, 8s.; 3 Earthen pots, and 2 panns, 3s.; 2 Jarrs, 1 Sieve and a pitcher, 2s. 6d.; a broken posnet & a Cod line, 2s.; 3 new pewter platters and a bell mettle Skillet, Hi. 2s.; 4 old pewter platters, a poringer & 2 plates, 8s.; 2 old quart pots, a bason & a Chamber pot, 7s.; a beer bowle, a beaker, a wine Cup & a Grater, 4s.; a lattin sarce pan & Tunnil, 4 wooden dishes & 4 Spoons, 2s. 8d.; a Lanthorne, 2 Doz. Trenchers, a platter & a chafeing dish, 4s.; Two wooden Bowls and a ladle, 1s.; a choping knife & 3 brass Candlesticks, 13s.; 3 Chests, 3 Boxes and a wooden Tunnil, 14s.; 5 Barrils and a halfe baril, a buttor tub & 4 Keelers, 13s.; a halfe bushel & a p of Scales, 2s.; 2 Tables, a fourm & Chayers, 16s.; 32 Cheeses, buttor & meat, Hi.; Apples growinge in the orchard, 15s.; 2 old Bibles, a Booke of Doct. Prestons works and a booke of Mr. Rogers works & a psalm booke, 18s.; one firelock musket, Hi. 6s.; one firelock Musquet, worme & Scowerer, Hi. 4s.; Sword, belt, powder & bullets, 8s.; 2 Tobacco boxes and a drest Calfe skin, 2s. 6d.; a meal Sack & a litle bagge, 4s.; a five shilinge peece of gold & a 6d. in Silver, 5s. 6d.; a Vice and an old Hatchet, 10s.; nayles, 10d., a Howe, 2s., and an Ax, 6s. 10d.; A Mattock, 5s. and halfe a plow chayne, 8s.; an old Sithe, old Iron & a p of Jemmils, 5s.; a Reap hook, 9d., 2 hoops, 2 boxes & an ex pin, 11s. 9d.; a p of pitchfork Tynes, 5 Wedges & old Iron, 12s.; one halfe of a Crosscut Saw & an ex pin, 5s.; four lode of Hay in the Yarde, 4li.; Salt Marsh Grass growinge, Hi.; 2 Cows and a Cow Calfe, 7li. 10s.; Two Hoggs & 2 pigs, 3li. 12s.; Indean Corne that grew on the Land, 3li. 10s.; 20 Bushels of pease, 4li.; Timber in the Woods, Hi. 2s.; a p of woosted Stockings, 7s.; Debts due to the Estate, 24li. 10s. 7d.; total, 342li. 14s. 10d. Also "an apprentice of 17 years old who hath 3 year and 9 moneths and 2 weekes to serve." Estate is debtor for appraising the estate, 8s.; for reckoning with the Creditors, etc.,"
Sources
↑ Parish Records of Walcot, Registers, PD 517/1, Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DQ, United Kingdom
↑ George Andrews Moriarty, "John Symonds of Salem, Mass (Notes)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 96 (1942): 205.
↑ William Bentley, The Diary of William Bentley, D.D., Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts, vol. 1, April, 1784-December, 1792 (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1905), 329.
↑ For a transcription of the will of John Symonds, see The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 4: 1667-1671 (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914): 443-444.
Bentley, William. The Diary of William Bentley, D.D., Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts (Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., 1905) Vol. 1, Page 329
Farrow, Charles. "The Elusive Symonds Family." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 2 (April-May-June 2012): 34-37.
Farrow, Charles. "The Walcott Connection." About Towne (The Quarterly Newsletter of the Towne Family Association) 32, no. 1 (January-February-March 2012): 12-18.
Moriarty, George Andrews. "John Symonds of Salem, Mass (Notes)." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 96 (1942): 205.
Parish Records of Walcot, Registers: Baptisms, 1559-1794; marriages, 1558-1643, 1649-1752; and burials, 1558-1644, 1647-1812, PD 517/1, Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DQ, United Kingdom]
Perley, Sidney. The History of Salem, Massachusetts. Vol. 1, 1626-1637. Salem, Mass.: published by author, 1924.
The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 4: 1667-1671. Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1914.]
Essex Institute Historical Collections (Salem, Massachusetts) Vol. 2, No. 2, April, 1860, Page 70
See also:
New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. [1]John SYMONDSMarriage 1625Location Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United StatesOriginal Text SYMONDS, John & 1/wf Ruth [FOX]; by 1625; Salem Reg. 96:205; Wildes Anc. 129Spouse Ruth FOXVolume Name Volume 2 Page 1376
New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. [2]John SYMONDSMarriage 1638Location Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United StatesOriginal Text SYMONDS, John (-1671) & 2/wf Elizabeth [?BLOTE]; by 1630?, by 1638; Salem Salem 1:392; Sv. 4:245; Pope's Pioneers 445; Salisbury Fam. 602; Essex Ant. 4:96, 7:46; Holman Ms: Symonds 1; Bancroft (1902) (ms) 1; Wildes Anc. 129Spouse Elizabeth BLOTEVolume Name Volume 2 Page 137
Research Notes
Parish Records of North Walsham, Norfolk, accessed at FindMyPast.com on 1 May 2016, include two entries for baptisms that could be the man who married Ruth in 1624:
1594 - "John(?) fil John(?) Symonds Jun, bapt. 9 dio October" (Image of parish register). The first names of father and son are both difficult to discern, but the names both begin with "Jo".
John, sonne of Thomas Symonds, baptized 5 October 1600 at North Walsham, Norfolk.(Transcription of record and record image).
comment.Daniel SymondsJohn Symonds was born in 1594 and arrived in Salem approx 1634. Our family has no relation to Dept Gov. Samuel Symonds (or Harlakenden Symonds) who settled in Ipswich. We are not related to John Winthrop. Totally different family. To my best knowledge, Gov. Symonds left no male issue in America.posted Jul 17, 2017 by Daniel Symonds Ellen SmithSeeing no objection to the proposal to distinguish Symonds-234 and Symonds-137, I moved most of the children, the wives, and the will information from Symonds-137 to Symonds-234.posted Aug 26, 2016 by Ellen Smith Ellen SmithSymonds-234 and Symonds-137 are not ready to be merged because: These two profiles clearly are intended to represent the same New England immigrant settler, but the information about the earlier parts of their lives (in England) clearly belongs to two completely different people, born two decades apart in different locations in England.
It appears to me that Symonds-234 is the immigrant. He was from Norfolk. I've found two baptism records that could be him, and I can't tell why the 1594 record apparently was thought to be him, instead of the 1600 record. Symonds-137 seems to be a different person who may have remained in England.
Would there be consensus for moving the information about the will from Symonds-137 and to Symonds-234 and disconnecting Symonds-137 from the family links that belong to the New England immigrant settler?
posted May 01, 2016 by Ellen Smith
Events
| Birth | 9 Oct 1594 | North Walsham, Norfolk, England | |||
| Marriage | 1 May 1624 | Walcott, Norfolk, England - Ruth Fox | |||
| Marriage | 1637 | Salem, Massachusetts Bay, British America - Elizabeth Fox | |||
| Death | Sep 1671 | Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British America |
Families
| Spouse | Elizabeth Fox (1602 - ) |
| Child | Samuel Symonds (1638 - 1722) |
| Child | Catherine Symonds ( - ) |
| Spouse | Ruth Fox (1601 - 1635) |
| Child | Edward Symonds ( - ) |
| Child | Katteren Symonds ( - ) |
| Child | Ruth Symonds ( - ) |
| Child | Kames Symonds ( - ) |