John Cross (1644)

Born 1644 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

John Cross was allegedly born in 1644 to Robert Cross and Ann (Jordan) Cross.^[1] Since this is all speculation and a dubious family tradition. John is being disconnected, from these parents.

He allegedly married Ruth Swan^[1], b. 1652, but she under the name of Ruth Swan married John Hartshorne in 1672, which doesn't give her much time to have two children, or she married very young.

Note the source^[1] lists also other children of Robert and Ann (Jordan) Cross, who were not named in the Great Migration Sketch on Robert Cross. Namely: Nathaniel b. 1649, Peter (1653-1737) and George b. 1654. It is not adequately sourced. Peter Cross listed in the source may be Peter Cross d. 1737

Ancestry Trees state variously he died 1697 or 1704. He married Ruth Swan, Dorothy Swan, Dorothy Ruth Swan, or Sarah Swan, a daughter of Robert Swan and Elizabeth Acie. Marriages to these daughters are accounted for.

I've searched Massachusetts for a death, a probate record or a marriage for a John Cross anytime between 1644 and 1744. I searched birth records in Ipswich for children of any John Cross.

I found the two deaths we know about John Cross d. 1640 and John Cross died about 1651. Both were older men.

Apparently barking up the wrong tree B-404

Cross, (Rev.) Roselle Theodore. My children's ancestors; data concerning about four hundred New England ancestors of the children of Roselle Theodore Cross and his wife Emma Asenath (Bridgman) Cross; also names of many ancestors in England, and descendants of Mr. and Mrs. Cross's grandparents, Theodore and Susannah (Jackson) Cross, Samuel and Lois (Temple) Murdock, Noah and Asenath (Judd) Bridgman, Jacob and Lydia (Slack) Daggett; Twinsburg, Ohio: by Roselle Theodore Cross, 1913. p. 176-179

"A Genealogical Puzzle" "The Problem concerns the Cross family of Essex Co., Mass. Near Methuen, on the Merrimack, is the old Cross homestead, now in the suburbs of the city of Lawrence. ... built about 1670 ... eight generations of Crosses have lived there." Two brothers born there William (m. Mary Favoli/Frayle 9 Apr 1706) and John (m. Sarah Peacock 15 April 1708), their descendants are well known and researched by several extended family members of the current author.

The theory espoused by Mrs. L.F. Cross [Lerona (French) Cross] and believed by the author. William and John were sons of John Cross and his wife Ruth, daughter of Robert Swan (Richard¹). John Cross was son of Robert Cross of Ipswich and wife Ann or Hannah Cross, daughter of Stephen Jordan.

They theorize:

One) that there is room for two more children of this Robert Cross. John (first settler of Methuen) and George (who went to Newbury). There is a family tradition, that the first Methuen settler was John, his sons William and John were born there, and the elder John had a brother George. That John and George were sons of Robert Cross, Sr, that they came from the Charlenge Crosses in Somersetshire, England and that the Charlenge Crosses also claimed as relations Sir Robert Cross, knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

Two) Prebbles and Crosses intermarried. A Prebble genealogists claims that George was son of Robert of Ipswich.

Three) "Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony" p. 100 a conglomerate list of those males resident in 1678, George Cross, Ralph Cross, Robert Cross, Stephen Cross.

Four) A 1756 letter from Stephen Cross of Newburyport, speaks of his "relative" Moses Cross. Moses was from the Methuen branch.

Then regarding Ruth Swan:

One) That Ruth Swan married first John Cross; had William and John; that husband John died; she remarried John Hartshorne, the clerk using her maiden name; young John Cross was raised by her brother Robert Swan Jr.; she died 12 Dec 1690.

Two) "Robert Swan Jr., deeded to John Cross, brother of William, a parcel of land ... "for ye love that I have for and do bear to my cousin or nephew, John Cross.: Cousin was then sometimes used in the sense of nephew." Eight days earlier he deeded a similar parcel to William, for the sum of £20.

Three) We know Ruth Hartshorne was daughter of Robert Swan Sr and sister of Robert Swan Jr.

Four) Swans and Crosses lived next door.

The cons are also presented, many of which will automatically occur to the reader. The full article is at archive

Records for the children of "John?"

• William Cross m. Mary Fraile, 9 Apr 1706 p. 79^[2] No death record in Haverhill or Methuen that fits. No children b. in Haverhill.
• John Cross m. Sarah Peocok 15 Apr. 1708 p. 79,^[2] No death record in Haverhill or Methuen that fits
  • Sarah b. 16 Mar 1708/9^[3]
  • John b. 22 Sep 1711^[3]
  • Thomas b. 22 Mar 1713/4^[3]
  • Moses b. 3 Apr 1716^[3]
  • Aaron b. 29 Oct 1718^[3]
  • Asa b. 4 Mar 1722/3^[3]
  • Elizabeth b. 18 Oct 1725^[3]

The theory is that William and John were children of Ruth before she married John Hartshorne in Sep 1672. So say Wm and John b. 1670, & 1672. They would have been 36 when they married. Old, but not impossible.

Is there perhaps a skipped generation?

Wikitree profile Cross-3201 claims that the John Cross who married Sarah Peacock, was son of Stephen (Robert¹), but there doesn't seem to be a brother William.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} D.E. Wilson; The Messenger Family of New England: Being Some of the Descendants of the English Immigrant Edward Messenger (1617-1688); New England; 1999; page 63/64
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Haverhill Vital Records Vol II. Marriages and Deaths
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} Vital records of Haverhill, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849 Vol I Births. Topsfield, Mass., Topsfield historical society, 1910/1 p. 80

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Acknowledgements

This person was created through the import of Weaver.ged on 03 January 2011.