George Partridge's Will and His Origins

Question

Has anyone else wondered about the tagline on the will of George Partridge about possessions from overseas? Sounds like his family back in England HAD stuff and monies, or he would not have bothered with the notation. 

Have the roots of all the Partridges of Kent been discovered to the point of exclusion of this location?  Also, have the boundaries of Kent moved very much during the 1500-1600s.  Did the Kent Partridges ever leave the roost of the county?  

I have read that the committee believes that Ralph Partridge is not connected to George by blood, but I think that is too blanket a statement.  It reminds me of the Thomas and MIles Standish controversy.  Surely with a common surname and the fact they both moved to New England indicate they might have known each other, and possibly are distant cousins?  Was Ralph's family well-heeled, or middle class?

Still, the will addendum, witnessed by a Standish no less, begs the question were George's parents from money?  Was George an only son?

Hmmm?????

Answer 1

Interesting speculation. Although George is an identified immigrant ancestor on both sides of my family, I've never thought about his possible origins....

If he could have been an heir to any property in England, his name might show up in an English probate record. Typically all children would be mentioned, not just the eldest son, and there would be some consideration for each of them. Also, sometimes the heirs were nieces and nephews of a testator who had no living issue. Records could be in UK National Archives, or someone with Ancestry.uk access could look for probate files for the name Partridge.  Note that there also is a chance of his being mentioned in a probate record for a maternal line...

Ralph Partridge was a minister of the Church of England,  indicating that his family was sufficiently well off to allow him to get extended education.

Answer 2

Ralph Partridge studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He is in John Venn, Alumni Cantabrigienses:

https://archive.org/details/p1alumnicantabri03univuoft/page/316/mode/2up?view=theater

PARTRIDGE  or  PARTRICH,  RALPH.  Matric.  sizar  from Trinity,  c.  1595.  S.  of  Thomas,  clerk.  Bapt.  at  Sutton Valence,  Kent,  Apr.  12,  1579-  B.A.  1599-1600;  M.A.  1603. P.C.  of  Sutton-by-Dover,  Kent,  1619-25-  Went  to  New England,  1637.  Pastor  at  Duxbury  and  Sandwich,  Mass,  till 1658.  Physician  as  well  as  preacher.  Cotton  Mather  refers to  him  as:  'one  who  bore  the  name  as  well  as  the  state  of a  hunted  partridge,  who  distressed  by  ecclesiastical  setters had  no  defence  neither  of  beak  nor  claw,  but  a  flight  over the  ocean,  and  took  covert  in  the  town  of  Duxbury.  Died 1658.  (Felt,  291;  J.G.  Bartlett.)

Answer 3

I have seen a profile on Ancestry that labels George from a family in Buckinghamshire, but as of yet I cannot read through the profile sources to gain perspective.  On FamilySearch, George is listed as some kind of nephew or first cousin, so this is not in alignment with the current consensus.

One thing is for sure.  There is a lot of bad information out there.

I know I am late in the game, but what about ship records?  How can there be nothing on the English side of the ocean to connect George and his wife to a boat?

Answer 4

Ralph may be his half brother father appears to have married twice,

Details on profile

Ann

Comments

The second marriage for Thomas isn’t new news and this family seem to have been pretty well researched in the past.

The eldest son, Gervase, left a will in 1647, in which he appears to name all his brothers (full & half) & their kids. This includes deceased half-brother James; and the daughters of Ralph who were born over seas. Which begs the question, why no George? 

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D858663

Sorry if I am being a bit thick, but is the statement that George was from Kent a sourced piece of information? I can’t seem to find a source for the statement.

 Is George ‘from Kent’ because Ralph is from Kent? 

I know they are both in the same place, with the same surname, but this is not unknown, and there are instances of immigrants with the exact same first and second names in the same place, who do not appear to be connected. 

Is George Partridge from Kent?

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Aaargh, just noticed the alumni info is for Ralph not George. Big mistake by me, shouldn’t do things when tiredANN

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I’m rocking quietly in a corner now!

Ann

Answer 5

Five things:

1.)  I agree that "knowing" George is from Kent is not substantiated.  Has anyone looked in Buckinghamshire previously for Partridges?

2.)   From Venn Alumni Records of Cambridge:

          George  PARTRIDGE

          Approx. lifespan: 1564–1662

         Matric. pens. from Peterhouse 1582:04ET:

3.)  Was the Patridge line always in Kent, or was Kent a "recent," within two generations, move?  

4.)  Has anyone searched for siblings of Thomas Partridge?

5.)  Lastly, I read the remarks of Cotton Mather about Ralph and all I can say is, "OUCH!"  Is he implying that Ralph had to leave England for professional reasons?

Comments

Regarding #5:

A number of the "Puritan Great Migration" emigrants (but by no means all) left England because their religious beliefs/practices were contrary to the orthodoxy of the established church of England. They fled to avoid persecution and to find a place where they could practice their faith as they saw fit.