Thomas Goodaire (abt. 1620 - bef. 1693)

Born about 1620 in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England [uncertain]

Husband of Jane (Bradford) Goodaire — married 8 Apr 1666 in Balby Monthly Meeting, Yorkshire, England

Died before 11 May 1693 before about age 73 in Selby, Yorkshire, England

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Biography

Thomas was a Friend (Quaker)

The origins of Thomas Goodaire (Goodyear), among the early Quaker missionaries and preachers known as the Valiant Sixty, are unknown. Clues taken by various scholars of the Journal of George Fox suggest that he was born about 1620 and is perhaps from Wakefield, Yorkshire where George Fox first met him. In his Journal, George Fox states that Thomas Goodaire, along with James Naylor and William Dewsbury, were 'convinced' in 1651.^[1]

Joseph Besse details a number of incidents, imprisonments and fines involving Thomas Goodaire:^[2]

• In 1652 he was imprisoned for ten months in Yorkshire for saying the Justice of the Peace was a swearer and a liar.

• At Worcestershire in 1655 he was imprisoned for speaking to the priest Richard Baxter after he had ended his serman at Worcester. He was imprisoned again, along with Thomas Chandler, for asking the priest (likely the same Baxter) a question in the steeple-house in Kidderminster.

• On 28 Sep 1659 for preaching in a meeting at Upper-Ealington, Warwickshire he was brought before a Deputy Lieutenant who asked him to take the Oath of Allegiance. His refusal to swear the oath landed him in Warwick goal along with Thomas Cooke who it seems volunteered to accompany him. A second refusal to take the oath saw them both returned to prison under sentence of premunire. After being in prison some time, they appealed to the justices for hardship and that 'there was a just Judge in Heaven who beheld their innocent cause.' The reply from the Justices was, 'We shall exercise the Power we have on Earth against you, and when you shall come to Heaven you may take your turn to exercise your Power there.' They then continued in prison about eleven years.

• In 1670, soon after he was released from prison in Warwickshire, he was fined in Yorkshire for his "Absence from the National Worship."

Thomas (at the time "of Fuilstone", Yorkshire) married, perhaps while in prison, Jane Bradford, daughter of William Bradford deceased, on 8 Apr 1666. The marriage is recorded in Balby Monthly Meeting, York.^[3] To this marriage were born two known daughters, neither of which survived to adulthood, Elizabeth (1669-1670) and Jane (1670-1689).

Thomas' wife Jane died in March 1689 and was buried at Summercroft on 9 Mar 1689^[4][5] less than two months after their daughter Jane was there buried.

Thomas passed away in May 1693 at Selby, Yorkshire and was buried 11 May 1693 at Somercroft (Summercroft), Yorkshire.^[6]

Children

• Elizabeth - b 4 Jan 1669^[7] - buried 21 Jun 1670^[8]
• Jane - b 26 Feb 1670^[9] - burial 27 Jan 1689 at Summercroft, Selby, Yorkshire.^[4]

Written Works

A true relation what sentence was passed upon the servants of the Lord by one who is in commission to do justice, called by the world Sir William Walter, with the consent of the rest of those called justices, that sat upon the bench with him at that time, because we could not swear for conscience sake, but abide in the doctrine of Christ, who saith swear not at all (1660)

A plain testimony to the ancient truth and work of God and against the corruption of the clergy, and their upholders. (1691)

Research Notes

Thomas may be the "eldest brother Thomas Goodaire" referred to in the 1657 will of James Goodaire of Wragby, Yorkshire, yeoman: Thomas was left a "close of meadow" at Wraxby.^[10] James was baptised at Ackworth, Yorkshire in 1623.^[11] There were though a number of other Goodaire/Goodyear families in the area.^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Journal of George Fox, 8th Edition, Friends Tract Association, London, 1891, p 79, p 106
2. ↑ Besse, Joseph, A collection of the sufferings of the people called Quakers, London, Hinde, 1753. I:763; II:60, 90, 137
3. ↑ General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. Records of the General Register Office, Government Social Survey Department, and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England. Piece 1115: Monthly Meeting of Balby (comprising Sheffield, Doncaster, etc): Marriages (1655-1837); & Piece 1376: Monthly Meeting of Balby (Sheffield, Doncaster) (1646-1729, 1646-1729)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. Records of the General Register Office, Government Social Survey Department, and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England. Piece 1120: Monthly Meeting of York (1651-1776, 1651-1775)
5. ↑ England & Wales, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Marriages 1578-1841, YORKSHIRE: Monthly Meeting of Balby (comprising Sheffield, Doncaster, etc): Marriages, RG6/1115, FindMyPast and accompanying image
6. ↑ General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. Records of the General Register Office, Government Social Survey Department, and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England. Piece 1183: Monthly Meeting of York, Register Book for Selby (1652-1787, 1652-1781) & Piece 1120: Monthly Meeting of York (1651-1776, 1651-1775)
7. ↑ General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. Records of the General Register Office, Government Social Survey Department, and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England. Piece 1114: Monthly Meeting of Balby (Sheffield, Doncaster) (1646-1807, 1646-1776)
8. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQQK-P2K : 11 December 2014), Elizabeth Goodair, 21 Mar 1670, Burial; citing p. 125, York, Yorkshire, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London.
9. ↑ General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. Records of the General Register Office, Government Social Survey Department, and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England. Piece 1376: Monthly Meeting of Balby (Sheffield, Doncaster) (1646-1729, 1646-1729)
10. ↑ Will of James Goodaire, Yeoman of Wragby, Yorkshire, proved 2 December 1657, the National Archives, PROB 11/271/125, National Archives catalogue entry
11. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J34F-N3X : 23 March 2020), James Goodaire, 1623
12. ↑ Search on FindMyPast. See all Richard Hoare, Balby Beginnings. The Launching of Quakerism, Balby Monthly Meeting in association with Sessions of York, 2002, p. 105, Appendix C

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q16239699, en:Wikipedia