| John Cary migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 56) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm |
Please do not merge into this profile or attach parents without careful review of the Disputed Parentage section below. John Cary's parentage and specific date and place of birth have NOT been determined. Please discuss any such changes to this profile first. Thank you.
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In his entry for John Cary of Bridgewater, Savage stated "early his name was writ. Carew; but as the Eng. pronounce that name Cary, spell. soon foll. sound."[1] In fact, with the exception of two 1658 lists of freeman which spell his name "Carre," all of the Plymouth Colony court records prior to 1661 spell his name "Carew." [2] It wasn't until 1661 that Plymouth Colony records started spelling his name Cary or Carey.
In support of Savage's assertion that "Carew" was pronounced like "Cary," the wikipedia article on the Carew family name states that the surname "Carew" (pronounced "Cary") was originally Welsh and was found in Wales and areas in the southwest of England (e.g., Somerset, Devon and Cornwall) where the Welsh settled. This suggests that the fact that John's name was spelled "Carew" for the first 25 years he was in New England and then changed to "Cary" means either (1) that John's last name was originally spelled "Carew" and that he probably originated in Wales or the southwest of England or (2) less likely, that his last name was originally "Cary" or "Carey" but that the early record keepers for the Plymouth Colony were from those areas and were used to spelling the name as "Carew."
There is little doubt that the John Carew of the early Plymouth Colony records was the same person as the John Cary of Bridgewater, as the records are entirely consistent and the Carew spelling was used in several records that undoubtedly related to John Cary of Bridgewater, including the the record that "John Carew and Elizabeth _____ marryed the ____ June, 1644," and a 1656 record that the constable of Bridgewater was "John Carrew."[2]
For convenience, the remainder of this profile refers to him as John Cary.
The origin of John Cary is uncertain, but it is reasonably likely that he came from Somersetshire, near Bristol. Nahum Mitchell in 1840 stated that he was from Somersetshire, England. [3] Savage in 1860 stated that he is "said to have come from neighb. of Bristol, Eng."[1] The 1874 Cary Memorials stated that he came from Somersetshire, near the city of Bristol. [4] Neither Savage nor Mitchell provided sources for their assertion. However, the author of Cary Memorials stated that he had access to a manuscript that was more than 100 years old at the time that was written by one of John Cary's grandson that recounted the story of his grandfather's youth. The manuscript presumably providing the information that John was from Somersetshire, near the city of Bristol and further purportedly said that when John was a youth, he was sent by his father to France to perfect his education, that his father died in his absence, that upon his return to Somersetshire, he had a dispute with his brothers about the distribution of his father's estate, and that a settlement was reached where John received 100 pounds and he sailed to America.[4] It is very probable that the letter existed and the recollection of a grandson is sufficiently close in time to John Cary's lifetime as to be considered a quasi-primary record that is entitled to deference. A Somersetshire origin is also consistent with the fact that, for his first 25 years in New England, John's last name was spelled Carew although pronounced Cary, which, as discussed above, was only common to families in Wales and certain areas in the southwest of England, including Somersetshire.
John Cary's date of birth is uncertain. Based on the fact that he received a grant of land in 1637, he was probably born no later than 1616. The fact that he was married in 1644 suggests that he was probably born after 1614, although he could have been born somewhat earlier. Savage stated that he immigrated at the age of 25 and first set down in 1637, which would mean that he was born about 1612.[1] Cary Memorials did not expressly state John's date of birth, but said that he immigrated in 1634.[4] Perhaps combining Savage's statement that he immigrated at the age of 25 and Cary Memorials statement that he immigrated in 1634, John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim stated that he was born about 1610. [5] Without reliable evidence, however, that date seems somewhat too early, as it would mean that John did not get married until he was 34.
John Cary's parentage has not yet been determined. A number of candidates have been proposed, some of which are disproven and none of which have been proven.
Henry Grosvenor Cary, in his 1907 The Cary Family in America, stated that John Cary was the son of William Cary, who was the mayor of Bristol, England in 1611. As support for that assertion, the author stated that it was in accordance with the statement of "Edward Montagu Cary, of Milton" and also according to Judge Nahum Mitchell.[6] No copy of the statement of Edward Montagu Cary has been found and its contents and basis are unknown. In History of the Early Settlement of Bridgewater, Nahum Mitchell does state that John Cary was from Somersetshire, but makes no reference to his parentage.[3] While it is well established that William Cary, mayor of Bristol, had a son named John, it is almost certain that this profile's John Cary was not he, as there is substantial contrary evidence. (1) A 1700 pedigree for William Cary shows that his son John was the 4th son of William Cary, while James Cary of Charlestown, New England was his 7th son. [7] Since James Cary was baptized in 1600, [8] his older brother John was probably born before 1590, which is at least 20 years before the estimated date of birth of this profile's John Cary. (2) The same 1700 pedigree of William Cary states that his son John Cary married Alice, daughter of Henry Hobson.[7] There is, in fact, a record of the marriage of a John Carye and an Alice Hobsonne, daughter of Henrye Hobsoon at All Saints in Bristol, Gloucestershire on October 23, 1614,[9] which again indicates that John Cary, son of William Cary, mayor of Bristol, was born at least 20 years earlier than this profile's John Cary. (3) Research by Fairfax Harrison shows that John Cary, son of William Cary, mayor of Bristol, was baptized in 1685 and was buried in Bristol in 1661 [10] and thus could not have been this profile's John Cary. (4) The manuscript of the grandson of this profile's John Cary, described in Cary Memorials, (i) does not claim that his father was the mayor of Bristol, which would no doubt have been a point of family pride, and (ii) says that he was from near Bristol, not from Bristol.
Some family genealogies have proposed that John was the son of John Cary (the son of William Cary, mayor of Bristol) and his first wife, Elizabeth Hereford. This parentage is also highly unlikely for several reasons. (1) The only record that shows that John Cary and Elizabeth Hereford had a son named John is the pedigree that was filed with the Heralds' College in 1700 by a grandson of John and Elizabeth. That pedigree shows that John Cary, son of John Cary and Elizabeth Hereford, was "of Hackney" in Middlesex County and died about 1656. [11][12] (2) The manuscript of the grandson of this profile's John Cary, which is described in Cary Memorials, says that he was from near Bristol, not from Bristol.
Another theory that has been proposed by some family genealogists is that John was the son of Walter Cary (who was another son of William Cary, mayor of Bristol) and his wife, Grace Browne. Walter was born in 1588 and died in 1633.[13] His wife Grace died in 1668 and left a will in which she bequeathed to "sonne John Cary if living att the tyme of my decease the summe of five shillings as a small remembrance of my love to him."[14] It has been speculated that the John referenced in the will could by this profile's John Cary because (1) the date of Walter Cary's death in 1633 is consistent with the statement in the manuscript of the grandson of this profile's John Cary, described in Cary Memorials, that John emigrated in 1634 after the death of his father and (2) the suggestion that the reference by Grace in her will to her son John "if living at the time of my decease" meant that Grace did not know if John was alive because he was in living in New England. The arguments against the proposition that Walter and Grace were the parents of this profile's John Cary are that (1) according to the Heralds' College pedigree of 1700, none of the children of Walter and Grace survived,[13] (2) the reference by Grace in her will to her son John "if living at the time of my decease" just recognizes that he could die between the time of her will and her death and, if her son John had emigrated to New England, it would have been typical for her to refer to his being in New England, (3) the evidence connecting this profile's John to Walter and Grace is thin and circumstantial and there were plenty of John Carys and John Carews in the Somerset and Bristol areas and elsewhere who could have been this profile's John Cary, and (4) the parentage does not explain why the surname of this profile's John Cary was spelled "Carew" for the first 25 years he was in New England.
The Visitations of Devon contain a pedigree of Carew of Crowcombe, Somerset that shows that a Sir John Carew died in 1635, leaving three sons, including John Carew, who was the youngest son. [15] The pedigree does not provide any further information on John. The arguments for the proposition that John Carew of Crowcombe was this profile's John Cary are that (1) the Sir John Carew's date of death in 1635 in consistent with this profile's John Cary having a dispute with his brothers regarding his father's estate and emigrating to New England by 1637, (2) the spelling of John Carew's surname is consistent with the spelling of this profile's John Carew in records during his first 25 years in New England, and (3) Crowcombe is in Somersetshire and although not particularly close to Bristol, Bristol is the closest large city. The arguments against the proposition that John Carew of Crowcombe was this profile's John Cary are that (1) Burke's Landed Gentry states that John Carew married Dorothy Hippesley and died without heirs[16] (although other accounts show a Dorothy Hippesley marrying Periam Pole)[17] and (2) the evidence connecting this profile's John to John Carew of Crowcombe is thin and circumstantial and there were plenty of other John Carys and John Carews in the Somerset and Bristol areas and elsewhere who could have been this profile's John Cary.
The date of John's immigration to New England is uncertain. Cary Memorials,[4] John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim[5] and Virkus[18] state that he immigrated about 1634. None of those secondary sources expressly state where the date comes from, but the fact that Cary Memorials relied on a manuscript by John's grandson for information relating to his early life suggests that that manuscript may have referenced that date. No record has been found, however, that establishes John's presence in New England prior to 1637.[2]
The first record of John in New England is a record from the Court of Assistants on October 2, 1637 of the grant to John Carew of 10 acres of land next to the lands granted to Robert Mendall.[2] Neither that record, nor any of the other early Plymouth Colony records, however, provide information to establish where in the Colony the 1637 grant was located or where in the Plymouth Colony John initially settled.
The fact that John recorded in the first book of the Bridgewater town records that his first child was born in Duxbury in 1645[19]establishes that he was a resident there by that date. Savage stated that he settled in Duxbury in 1637,[1] which would mean that his original grant of land was in Duxbury. The claim that the 1637 grant of land was in Duxbury is also made in John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim.[20] Nahum Mitchell, on the other hand, stated that he settled in Duxbury as early as 1639.[3] Unfortunately neither Savage, Mitchell nor the author of John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim provide any supporting evidence or explanation for their assertions.
John and his family appear to have moved from Duxbury to Braintree, Massachusetts Bay Colony (about 20 miles northwest of Duxbury) sometime between 1649 and 1652, based on John's entries in the first book of the Bridgewater town records that suggest that his daughter Elizabeth was born in Duxbury in December 1649 and that state that his son James was born in Braintree in March 1652.[19] The reason for their move to Braintree is unclear, although John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim suggests that it was quite likely "on account of some stress of the times."[20] They appear to have lived in Braintree for at most 5 years (and perhaps considerably less), as John's entry in the first book of the Bridgewater town records for the birth of his daughter Mary in June 1654 states that she was born in Bridgewater (technically, Duxbury New Plantation, as Bridgewater wasn't formed until 1656). [21]
There is no record of John holding any public offices prior to moving to Bridgewater.
Secondary sources consistently show that John married Elizabeth Godfrey in June 1644 and indicate that she was his only wife.[22][3][5] However, the almost 27-year gap between John's marriage in June 1644 and the birth of his last child in February 1670/1 means that, if John only had one wife, she would have to have been only about 18 when she had gotten married and about 45 when her last child was born (or about 17 and about 44, etc.). This suggests that it should be suspected that he had multiple wives. Apart form the 27-year date span, however, the evidence is consistent with the proposition that John Cary had only one wife: Elizabeth Godfrey. A Plymouth Colony Court record establishes that John Cary married a woman named Elizabeth in June 1644.[23] From Francis Godfrey's November 1666/7 will, it is established that John was married to Elizabeth Godfrey at that time, as it refers to refers to "my daughter Elizabeth Cary" and "my son-in-law John Carye Senior." [24] Francis Godfrey's will also included bequests to John Cary's two oldest children of John Cary (John and Elizabeth), which he called his grandchildren.[24] These bequests strongly suggest that Elizabeth Godfrey was the mother of John Cary's oldest children, which supports the proposition that Elizabeth Godfrey was the Elizabeth that John married in June 1644. In addition, the record of the death of John Cary's wife in 1680 states that her first name was Elizabeth,[25] which is consistent with the proposition that she was Elizabeth Godfrey. Therefore, while the almost 27-year gap between his marriage in June 1644 and the February 1670/1 date of birth of his last child suggests the possibility (if not the probability) that he had multiple wives, the other available evidence is consistent with the proposition Elizabeth Godfrey was his only wife.
Torrey suggests that John Cary and Elizabeth Godfrey were probably married in either Duxbury or Braintree.[22] Of the two, Duxbury seems much more likely, since John Cary and Francis Godfrey both probably lived in Duxbury at the time and John's first child was born there.
John and (presumably) Elizabeth had the following children:
In 1645 the Plymouth Colony General Court granted the inhabitants of Duxbury lands to the west of the town for a new plantation.[31] The land was purchased from the Indians by a deed dated 1649 and allocated among 56 original proprietors, which included John Cary.[32] John was one of only 16 proprietors who actually settled in the new Duxbury plantation.[33][34] John and his family moved there by June 1654, as shown by the fact that his daughter Mary was born there.[19] The Duxbury new plantation was incorporated as the town of Bridgewater in 1656.[21] John was one of only 10 original freemen of the town.[35][36] He was appointed as the first constable of the town in 1656[37] and was the only town officer chosen that year.[36] John was also chosen as the first town clerk, an office he held until his death.[33]
John Cary made his will on October 15 of some year. The corner of the page where the year was written is torn off, but based on the fact that he added a codicil on October 31, 1681, he probably initially made his will on October 15, 1681. In his will, he mentions his eldest son John, sons Francis, James, Jonathan, David and Joseph, Francis, James, Jonathan and Joseph, eldest daughters Elizabeth and Mary (eldest daughters), and younger daughters Hannah, Rebecca, Sarah, and Mahetabell. He named his wife his sole executrix and appointed his John to assist her. He added a codicil dated October 31, 1681 in which he increased the bequest of land to his son James. He signed his will "John Cary Senir." The will was witnessed by Thomas Hayward and Joseph Hayward.[38]
The inventory of John Cary's estate was taken by Lt. Hayward and Ensign Hayward on November 4, 1681.[38]
The first Bridgewater town record book contains an entry that states "John Carey senior, inhabytant in the town of Bridgewater deceased the last day of October in the year of our Lord 1680."[25] John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim, however, states that the record of his death says "John Cary Seniour inhabytant in the town of Bridgewater deceased the last day of october in the yeare of our lord 1681."[39] Vital Records of Bridgewater Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 indicates that October 31, 1680 is the date that was in the original records, but also indicates that someone later added the following text to the record book: "John Cary's death according to the record . . . must be a mistake, . . . his death was probably in 1681."[40] Based on the fact that he added a codicil to his will on October 31, 1681 and the inventory of his estate was taken on November 4, 1681, he definitely did not die in 1680 and very probably died on October 31, 1681.
Letters of administration with respect John's estate were granted by the Plymouth Court held on March 7, 1681/2 to his son, Sergeant John Cary.[41]
John's FindAGrave memorial page states that he was buried in the Old Graveyard, which is located in what-is-now East Bridgewater. [42] However, that is incorrect. As The Cary Family in America notes, the Old Graveyard was not opened until 1683, two years after John's burial. According to The Cary Family in America, John was buried in the first Bridgewater cemetery, which had no monuments or inscribed gravestones, was neglected after the Old Graveyard opened, became covered with earth, and ended up under a farm field and a road. [43]
There is a cenotaph for John and certain of his descendants in Ashland Cemetery in what-is-now Brockton, Massachusetts,[44] as well as a memorial monument to him near his homestead (an image of which is attached to this profile) in what-is-now West Bridgewater, Massachusetts which was erected by some of his descendants.[42]
Set forth below are all the Plymouth Colony records prior to 1662 that relate to John that are contained in Shurtleff's Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England:
See also:
This week's featured connections are Redheads: John is 14 degrees from Catherine of Aragón, 14 degrees from Clara Bow, 21 degrees from Julia Gillard, 12 degrees from Nancy Hart, 10 degrees from Rutherford Hayes, 14 degrees from Rita Hayworth, 14 degrees from Leonard Kelly, 17 degrees from Rose Leslie, 16 degrees from Damian Lewis, 14 degrees from Maureen O'Hara, 21 degrees from Jopie Schaft and 31 degrees from Eirik Thorvaldsson on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
Categories: Duxbury, Massachusetts | Bridgewater, Massachusetts | Puritan Great Migration
Not sure if this helps but there is carew family tree in the visitations of cornwall. in which a Sir John Carew died. Sir John Carew of Crowcombe, Somerset page 71
Godfrey's profile reports his birth 1540--he can not be that of immigrant John Cary's father in law. Cary's father in law left a will written in the colonies in 1666. See "Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories," Mayflower Descendant, 17 (1915):155-56; digital images, Hathi Trust
Have posted a comment on Francis Godfrey to learn whether the profile manager would prefer to just sever Godfrey's daughter Elizabeth (who is John Cary's wife), or re-populate Francis Godfrey so that the profile is about the man who wrote the 1666 will.
In any case, the profile of John Cary and his wife, Elizabeth Godfrey require an extensive update. Secondary sources report John Cary and Elizabeth Godfrey married June 1644 at Bridgewater (now Duxbury), Plymouth Colony. (I did not find an overview of this marriage in New England Marriages to 1700.)
Godfrey-_____ ca 1626 or ca 1629 marriage, at England; he is Francis Godfrey (-1669), she is Elizabeth _____; residences as Duxbury/Bridgewater. Works consulted as "Bridgewater 168; Seeley-Vail 106; Hull 271; Fulton Anc. 449; Cary Anc. 82; Bangs 314 Chart; Brett 52; Reg. 7:179; Agar Anc. 5; MD 17:155."
edited by GeneJ X
edited by Bobbie (Madison) Hall
Edited to add,
(1) Intro to George Earnest Bowman, "The Vital Records of Bridgewater, Mass.," Mayflower Descendant, 2 (1900):90; digital images, Hathi Trust, "Bridgewater was originally part of Duxbury, and was incorporated as a separate town 3 June 1656. The first town clerk was John Cary, who kept the records for twenty-five years ..."
The first entries begin with a listing of Cary children. Some are the children of "John Cary Junior" (gives Junior's marriage date), then, on the next page, "The Day And Birth & yeare of John (Cary's) Children ....
(Gotta love first hand information.)
(2) Odd that Sr. doesn't seem to appear in New England Marriages ..., but I suspect Junior does appear (1645-1721), see database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors
edited by GeneJ X
I have a John Gary jr. In Bridgewater with the same children listed. John Gary Jr. his name of John Gary is in the book several times. As you said first hand information is wonderful. If you check out the C s and compare the G s it’s Gary not Cary and there are more than one writer in the first 20 or so pages. Cary and a Allen
edited by Chase Ashley
John Gary jr. NOT JOHN Cary is listed as a landholder in the Bridgwater Massachusetts book he is named several times in the book as John Gary he has 10 children they are all listed on page 9 of the bridgewater book these are also the same children you have listed for John Cary they are not Cary’s they are Gary’s.
Thank you.
You wrote, "John Gary jr. NOT JOHN Cary is listed as a landholder in the Bridgwater Massachusetts ..." Are you able to compile screen shots of the relevant images, so that might all be able to look at the same handwritten materials? If we could post the images to a free-space-page, those might be the reference point for a G2G question regarding the surname as Cary / Gary.
Then separately, are there historical records that would associate John Gary (married Mary Pointing) of Bishops Stortford, Herefordshire, England, with or as the John who was later know of Bridgewater, Plymouth Colony?
edited by Chase Ashley
I too read that as "C."
See separately, Charles Knowles Bolton, "Colonial Handwriting," Essex Antiquarian, 1 (1897):175-176 at 175; digital images, Hathi Trust.
edited by GeneJ X
There is only one Jon Carew (Cary) in The Great Migration Directory. p. 56. who migrated 1637 from Unknown place to Duxbury, Braintree, Bridgewater.
PCR 1:67, 135; 2:79; 8:182, 202. MD 2:90-91, 17:155-56; TAG 78:187-95; Seth C. Cary, "John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim" (Boston 1911) key to titles: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Sources-GMB
Perhaps checking these sources will help to distinguish whether Cary-78 & -535 are the same or different.
edited by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Try the merge once again, M. , it can surely be considered "discussed."
edited by Chase Ashley
edited by Darrell Gabbard II
John is clearly not the son of the parents shown, as he was born before both of them. He needs to be disconnected. Thanks, Vic
Mary Llewellyn was Williams second wife. I think John was the son of William and Elizabeth Goodale.
These Cary's are a confusing bunch!!!
Allan
Welcome aboard!