Robert Codman migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 70) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm
Christopher Codman was attached here without any sourcing and has been removed until proper sourcing is located.
Biography
Robert Codman immigrated to New England between 1621 and 1640 and later departed for Edgar Towne, Martha's Vineyard, Province of New York.
Robert Codman (also recorded as Codnam or Quodnam) was probably born sometime in 1610-1616. His date of birth is estimated based on (i) the fact that he received a grant of land in 1637 and was thus at least 21 at the time, and (ii) the fact that he was presumably married about 1640 (based on a son being baptized in 1641). Robert Codman was a mariner. [1]
1637: Robert was of Salem, Massachusetts [1], with his mother, where he received a land grant of 12 acres. [2][3]
1639: Removed to Salisbury where he was a proprietor of 10 acres on the Merrimack River. [2]
1641: Received land in Salisbury, Massachusetts [1]
Robert presumably died at Edgartown; Charles Edward Banks places his death "probably before" 1676, "when Stephen Codman, his son and heir, drew a lot in the division of common land"[2]. David W. Hoyt's Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, citing James Savage's Genealogical Dictionary of New England[4], states that the death occurred in 1678[1].
Children
Benjamin, baptized on November 14, 1641, Salem; perhaps died before 1678. [1]
James, born on April 15, 1644 ; perhaps died before 1678. [1]
Thomas Patrick Hughes's 1888 American Ancestry (see Sources, with snippet link) notes that Robert Codman, father of Stephen, was "received as an inhabitant" of Salem on the 5th of December, 1637 – a date previously but inaccurately shown as his date of birth in the now-merged profile Codman-158 – and that he subsequently removed to Salisbury. This implies that he was over 21 on that date; his birth, presumably in England, therefore necessarily occurred prior to 1617.
FreeReg UK (which has transcribed a limited percentage of English parish records) shows only one Robert Codman – including possible spelling variations, per Soundex – born in England between 1610 and 1616; he was born at Pentney, in Norfolk, in October of 1610 to parents Walter and Dority [sic] Codman.[7] No further records are found for him at Pentney, or elsewhere, which would be consistent with his having emigrated; but considerable further research would be necessary to prove (or refute) the notion that he is the Robert Codman found at Salem, with his mother, in 1637. If any Salem record exists that identifies his mother by given name based on her assignment of a land grant in 1637, this might either strongly support (if her name was Dorothy, or any reasonable variation thereof) or dismiss (if it was not) a Pentney birth hypothesis. Pentney, less than ten miles from the Norfolk coast at The Wash, would seem a convenient birthplace for a mariner.
In the same time period, FamilySearch shows only a Robert Cadman [sic] born at Denby, Derbyshire, in November of 1614, a son of Richard; the mother is not named,[8] making this potentially a more difficult possibility to evaluate. As with the Norfolk man, no later records are found for this Robert.
Banks's History of Martha's Vineyard offers the speculation – because the earliest spelling of the surname was "Codnam" rather than "Codman" – that its origin lay with the Codenham family, of Suffolk[9]; and NEHGS shows (in an index-only record) the marriage of a Robert Codnam to Elizabeth Greene at Woolverstone, Suffolk, on 31 May 1631,[10]. This is likely the same Robert Codenham shown as father of a son John baptized at Wolverstone in 1635[11]; we have however no clear indication on this side of the Atlantic that Robert Codman of Salem had a first marriage before his say 1640 marriage in Massachusetts Bay, nor is he known to have arrived at Salem with any offspring: in fact, he appears there first with his mother – not with any evident wife – by 1637, although NEHGS cites Torrey as unclear or uncertain on this point (he places Robert's marriage "by 1641 by 1637?").
Further speculation might be prompted by Banks's terse mention that there was a John Codman – origins and relationships unknown – in Salem in 1638, at about the same time as Robert[12]. As we do not have an actual marriage record for Robert after his appearance at Salem, this opens the door a bit for the hypothesis that he might in fact be the Robert Codenham married at Woolverstone in 1631 – explaining the absence of a marriage record at Salem or Salisbury –, that his unknown wife might indeed be Elizabeth (Greene) Codman, and that they and their young son John emigrated together from Woolverstone... explaining why no further records are found for any of them in Suffolk. However, the John Codman noted by Banks appears to have been an adult in 1638: Anderson's Great Migration Directory notes that the only record of him is of a court appearance[13], which undermines the possibility that he was a son of the Woolverstone man.
Sources
↑ 1.001.011.021.031.041.051.061.071.081.091.10 Hoyt, David W., The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts, with some related families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich and Hampton, Part I, Snow & Farnham, Printers, Providence, Rhode Island 1897, p. 102: 380
↑ 2.02.12.22.3 Banks, Charles Edward. The History of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts: Volume II: Town Annals, George H. Dean, Boston, Massachusetts, 1911, p. 59-62
↑ Marriage at Falmouth, 1679, NEHGS: "Abigail and Thomas Hatch, 22 Jul 1679" -- Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016); https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/i/13928/146/251725929 (subscription)
↑Thomas Hatch of Barnstable & some of his descendants; the descent of Alice Gertrude Hatch and her husband, Charles Lathrop Pack, from Thomas Hatch and allied families, by Pack, Charles Lathrop, Newark, N.J., Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey, 1930; https://archive.org/details/thomashatchofbar00pack/page/76/mode/2up
↑ "England, Derbyshire, Church of England Parish Registers, 1537-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KBDT-ZL8 : 30 November 2017), Robert Cadman, 13 Nov 1614; citing 13 Nov 1614; citing Christening, Denby, Denby, Derbyshire, England, Derbyshire Record Office, England; FHL microfilm 1,041,445 [with image of handwritten record].
↑ England: Marriages, 1538-1973. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (Original index: England Marriages, 1538-1973. FamilySearch, 2014.); https://www.americanancestors.org/DB544/rd/318976819 (subscription)
↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NB46-DF9 : 11 February 2018, Robert Codenham in entry for John Codenham, 12 Apr 1635); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 919,639.
↑ “Codman, John: Unknown; 1637; Massachusetts Bay (court appearance only) [EQC 1:7].” -- Excerpt From The Great Migration Directory, Robert Charles Anderson, FASG. Page 70.
Marriage (NEHGS): "CODMAN, Robert (-1678) (called "bro" by John STEVENS 1646) & ____ ____; by 1641 by 1637?; Salem/Salisbury/Hartford/ Saybrook/Edgartown {Swift (1955) 113; Reg. 57:112; Salisbury 895, 1009; Sv. 1:416; Martha's Vineyard 3:95; Essex Ant. 1:148, 9:134; Codman" -- 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; https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/i/21174/340/426881192 (subscription)
American Ancestry: Giving Name and Descent, in the Male Line, of Americans Whose Ancestors Settled in the United States Previous to the Declaration of Independence, Volume 3, by Thomas Patrick Hughes, Frank Munsell, 1888 - Albany (N.Y.), p. 134; [1].
Codman-158 and Codman-12 appear to represent the same person because: As just added in Research Notes for Codman-158: Thomas Patrick Hughes's 1888 American Ancestors (see Codman-158 Sources; snippet link now added) notes that Robert Codman, father of Stephen, was received as an inhabitant of Salem on the 5th of December, 1637 – the date previously, but incorrectly, shown in -158 as his approximate date of birth. This actually implies that he was _over 21_ on that date; his birth, presumably in England, was therefore _prior to 1617_.
This change in his estimated birthdate helps to substantiate that this is the same man as the Robert Codman of Codman-12... whose profile's list of children already shows him as the father of a son Stephen, though no link has as yet been offered to a profile for Stephen. The profile of Codman-12 further shows him as having been given a grant of land at Salem in December of 1637. And both profiles refer to Robert's early removal from Salem to Salisbury.
These profiles are plainly of the same man, who is among my 8th great grandfathers. Please merge.
Henry GREENE was the patriarch of the previously cited GREENE family of Woolverstone, Suffolk, England. He first appeared at Woolverstone parish in 1608; and christened seven children in the parish church by 1630. The family departed after the 1631 marriage of Elizabeth GREENE and Robert CODNAM. There are no other "GREENE" christenings or marriages at Woolverstone Parish in the period 1539-1700.
FamilySearch has the following christenings of Henry GREENE's offspring at Woolverstone, Suffolk, England:
Elizabeth, christened 23 October 1608
Catherine, christened 29 April 1610
Dorcas, christened 27 December 1616
Marie, christened 30 September 1619
Philip, christened 16 May 1623
Nathaniel, christened 27 September 1626
Ruth, christened 21 November 1630
Also, the 30 May 1631 marriage of Elizabeth GREENE and Robert CODNAM at Woolverstone, Suffolk.
Jeanie M. Roberts (jeaniesgenealogy.com) claims descent from John Stephens (or STEVENS), proprietor of Salisbury, Massachusetts. Jeanie cites John STEVENS' June, 1639 marriage to Catherine ________. This could be Catherine GREENE, christened 1610, shown above. (John STEVENS was born circa 1611.) This would explain why John STEPENS called Robert CODNAM "his brother." The relationship may result from their wives being sisters; making them brothers-in-law.
The origin of the "brother" reference is a 1646 court case in Essex Quarterly Court. On 3 July 1646, this court was held at Salem and John STEPHENS was deposed in the case of Mr. Sam. Winsley of Salisbury & Mr. Trist. Coffin of Haverhill v. Richard Ayre (also Aree) of Salisbury. STEPHENS stated "that he went to his brother CODNAM to inquire …" etc. Richard Aree, Robert CODNAM and Nathaniel GREENE were also deposed! Perhaps the latter was also a "brother" of STEVENS and CODNAM; and the same as Nathaniel GREENE christened at Woolverstone Parish in 1626.
SOURCE: Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Massachusetts, Volume 1, published by Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1911, pp. 96, 100. See also pp. 98, 115. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
In Salem's distribution of marsh and meadow lands (circa 1638) Widow GREENE appears with 2 in her household. [Perhaps: Widow GREENE + Catherine GREENE, about age 28] Robert CODNAM appears next on the roll, with 4 in his household. [Perhaps: Robert CODNAM; Elizabeth, his wife: Nathanial GREENE, about age 12; and another GREENE sibling OR John CODNAM, Robert and Elizabeth's son christened in England.]
Widow GREENE was received into full communion by the Salem Church on 24 March 1639.
SOURCE: Pierce, Richard D., editor of The Records of the First Church in Salem Massachusetts 1629-1736, Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1974, p.8. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
A Susan GREENE, widow, is defendant in a 1641 court case in Essex Quarterly Court held at Salem on March 30th. Suit is brought by Mathew Williams; and John Woodbury was to "end the business." Woodbury, one of the founding communicants of Salem Church, died before this matter could be settled. On 12 July 1642, the matter (concerning a 5-acre lot bought by and on complaint of Mathew Williams of Marblehead) was referred to Peter Palfrey and Jeffrey Massy, also founders of the Salem Church. Interpretation: Widow GREENE sold her 5-acre lot to Mathew Williams.
So, it appears that Susan GREENE may be the widow GREENE, perhaps the "mother" or mother-in-law of Robert CODNAM, as suggested by Robert's request of Salem Town for his mother to have 5 acres.
SOURCE: Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Massachusetts, Volume 1, as above, pages 26 and 42.
ARRIVAL IN AMERICA. At the Salem Towne meeting of 12 July 1637 [12th of the 5th month 1637] Thomas Edwards, Henery Skiry, Robert Codnam and Thomas Venner were received into that jurisdiction and the Towne of Salem received them for inhabitants. This is the first mention of Robert Codnam in Salem records. Henry Skerry was examined by the outport commission at Yarmouth, Norfolk on 11 April 1637, prior to boarding either the John and Dorothy of Ipswich, Master William Andrewes Sr., of Ipswich; or the Rose of Yarmouth, Master William Andrewes Jr., son of the preceding. These two vessels embarked at the Norfolk port of Yarmouth, bound for New England, with seven of the families on board specifying Boston or nearby Charlestown as their destination. A third vessel, the Marey Anne of Yarmouth, Master William Goose, departed Yarmouth at the same time. Five families and two single persons on the Marey Anne specified Salem as their destination. Master William Goose possessed 50 acres of land in Salem at that time. About 179 passengers for New England are listed in the Yarmouth examinations of these vessels. (Banks, Planters of the Commonwealth, adds 14 more!) There were also passengers allegedly passing into Holland, but their names are not listed. When the three vessels arrived in Boston on 20 June 1637, Governor Winthrop noted in his diary, "Three ships arrived here from Ipswich, with three hundred and sixty passengers." So, the passengers to Holland may have continued on; or the ships may have boarded additional passengers at Ipswich before departing England. It is not known if any of these vessels might have continued on to Salem; however, Gov. Winthrop journeyed to Saugus (Lynn), Salem, and Ipswich, from June 23rd and returning by June 28th. A passenger from the ship Marey Anne was received into the Salem Church on 3 July 1637; and William Goose was received into Salem Church on 6 August 1637. Henry Skerry was the first passenger to appear at Salem Town meetings; and other passengers followed during the months of July and August, 1637. Since Robert Codnam was allegedly a seaman, it is possible that he was a mariner aboard the ship which carried Henry Skerry to America.
SOURCE: Hotten, John Camden, editor of The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; etc., 1600-1700, etc., John Camden Hotten, London, 1874, Reprinted by Empire State Book Co., New York, pp. 289-295. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
SOURCE: Essex Institute, Historical Collections, Volume IX. 1868. - Second Series, Volume I, "Town Records of Salem, Massachusets, Volume I, 1634-1659." Page 51. (Available on-line at www.noblenet.org.)
SOURCE: Hosmer, Kendall James, LL.D., Winthrop's Journal "History of New England" 1630-1649, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1908, pp.222-3. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
SOURCE: Banks, Charles Edward, The Planters of the Commonwealth, The Riverside Press for Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1930, pp.181-7. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
Surname Etymology: Charles Edward Banks [History of Martha's Vineyard, etc., page 59] suggests the surname may derive from the Suffolk parish of Codenham; situated about 13 miles from Woolverstone Parish and about 8 miles north of the port of Ipswich. (See Wikipedia entry as "Coddenham") The hamlet of CODDENHAM GREEN can be found there!
Sources: Recommend the following two sources…
1 - Banks, Charles Edward, Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England 1620-1650, Elijah Ellsworth Brownell, B.E.E.,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvanis, 1937, p. 152. (Available on line through hathitrust.org.)
2 - Banks, Charles Edward, editor of Able Men of Suffolk 1638, Transcribed from the original in the Public Record Office, London, England, in the
State Papers Domestic of Charles I,
Volume 411, 1931, p. 287. (Available on line through hathitrust.org.)
Origin: Suggest the possibility that Robert Codnam emigrated from Culpho Parish, Suffolk, England, based on Banks reference, source #1 [Banks, Topo. Dictionary, p. 152].
Parentage: Further suggest possibility that Robert Codnum, 1638 constable of Culpho Parish, is a suitable candidate for the father of the Salem emigrant, based on Banks' reference, source #2 [Banks, Able Men of Suffolk 1638, p. 287.] The only other use of this orthography in the surname is John Codnum of Nacton Parish, shown on page 48 of source #2. This is consistent with a December 1637 lawsuit against one John Codman in Salem court; and 1635 christening of John Codenham at Woolverstone. Nacton Parish is about 8 miles distant from Culpho Parish. The surname MAYHUE (ref. patentees of Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard) is found in Culpho Parish, Otley Parish, and Clopton Parish - all within the "Half Hundred of Carleford" in County Suffolk. Clopton and Otley also contain the surname HALL (ref. Robert Codnam's agent, or attorney, Samuel HALL.) Note: persons listed in the Suffolk certificates do not include: 1) Disabled persons; 2) Persons under age 16 or over age 60; or 3) Persons already serving the parish in the local trained band. (These three restrictions do NOT apply to constable Roberte Codnum; because he is not one of the eleven able-bodied men listed in Culpho parish. His name appears to validate the certificate; because he conducted the survey.) Note of caution. If widow GREENE is the mother of the Salem emigrant, then the constable of Culpho is in question. (She can't be a widow in 1637 if the constable is living in 1638.) IF widow GREENE is the mother-in-law of the Salem emigrant, then the constable is a good candidate. Needs further investigation.
Surname Etymology: Original surname may have been COTTINGHAM, derived from the place where a person came from, such as Cottingham Parish. [See Bardsley's "A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames", page 208.] Bardsley has no entries for Codenham, Codnam, or Codman!
Cottingham is both a parish near Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and, in Northampton near Rockingham. For example, FamilySearch shows:
Robert COTTINGHAM, son of Nic. COTTINGHAM, christened 17 October 1611 at Barton upon Humber Parish, Lincolnshire, England. (This parish
is on the Humber River, which flows to the North Sea; giving a mariner access to the southern coast of Suffolk.) Probably deserves investigation.
Phonetic corruption of COTTINGHAM replaces "TT" with "D" and "ING" with "EN"; which leads to the example in the research notes:
John CODENHAM, son of Robert CODENHAM christened 12 April 1635 at Woolverstone, Suffolk. [Woolverstone is a parish on the River Orwell.
Upstream from Woolverstone is the City of Ipswich - an embarkation point for many 17th century vessels bound for New England!]
Further corruption of CODENHAM occurs by omission of "E" and "H"; which results in CODNAM. Since "NAM" is an unusual surname ending, it is natural to "fix it" by writing "MAN". This may explain the confusion in some of the early New England records.
Re: Marriage of Robert Codnam to Elizabeth Greene in Woolverstone Parish, Suffolk, England... On 25 Dec. 1637, Widow Greene requested "accommodation" from the Town of Salem. On that same day ( 25 December 1637) it was decided that the common marsh and meadow lands of Salem, Massachusetts would be divided, as recorded in Salem Town Records. (The actual distribution appears in Salem Town Records; and was probably published after 29 January 1637/8, when Widow Greene received her 5 acre grant.) The record of common marsh and meadow distribution shows Robert Codnam with a household of four. Next on that list (after Robert) is Widow Greene with a household of two. Widow Greene's request (to be received as an inhabitant of Salem) can be traced back to Salem Town Meeting of 12 July 1637 when Robert Codnam was received, and granted 5 acres; and his "mother" was granted 5 acres IF she was received as an inhabitant. Widow Greene's 5 acres were finally granted on 29 January 1638. This might suggest that Widow Greene is the mother-in-law of Robert Codnam; consistent with the Woolverstone marriage citation... Caution: the four members of Robert Codnam's household might be Robert plus three indentured servants, which was common with early emigrants.
For an example of an in-law referenced as a parent, see John Sanders of Salem, whose will of 28 October 1643 called Joseph Grafton "my father." Research revealed that Joseph's daughter, Elizabeth Grafton, was the wife of John Sanders; hence, Joseph Grafton was actually the father-in-law of Sanders. SOURCE: Belknap, Henry Wyckoff. The Grafton Family of Salem, Essex Institute, Salem, Mass. 1928, p. 4. (Available on-line at Google Archive.) It appears more certain that Susan GREENE may be the mother-in-law of Robert Codnam.
Vineyard history gets a bit complex. The MA Society of Mayflower Descendants notes that Thomas Mayhew owned the place "privately" for a time; this is why he was apparently able to declare himself "Governor" prior to the time he had authority granted, from England, for the title. Banks's History of Martha's Vineyard notes however that as late as 1662, Vineyard lawsuits were filed at Plymouth; nonetheless, the Colony evidently did not exercise governmental control over the island.
By 1676, however, the Vineyard would certainly have been under the control of New York. (It was ceded to Massachusetts Bay in, if memory serves, 1691.)
Charles Edward Banks describes the 1671 meeting at which Edgartown was established -- renamed from the previous Great Harbor -- under the authority of Governor Lovelace of New York. [Ironically, Banks points out, the prince thus honored by the naming had, unknown to the gathering in NY, died about a month previous.]
I'd like to revise the list of (known and presumed) children to match the list -- with sources and online links -- that I have now added to his wife's profile ( Unknown (Unknown) Codman), which I've adopted; these are direct ancestors. Any objections? (Sources include the ones already shown in this profile, but also several additions; and there is an additional [presumed] daughter, Abigail.)
Ive added a source confirming the 1637 land grants and his mother (just referred to as his mother), which certainly indicates he arrived without a father. I'm disconnecting Christopher
FamilySearch shows 49 trees featuring Christopher Codman, about half a dozen connecting him to Robert; only two offer sources. The first appears to be based on misreading a RI marriage record that is actually from the mid-1700s; the second refers to a Salem arrival in 1637, but I cannot locate the claimed passenger list said to be from Ancestry. Recommend disconnecting.
Have been blocked trying to add a version of this info to the bio; can someone else try? --
The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts, by David W. Hoyt, Providence, R. I., 1897, Snow & Farnham, Printers, offers this limited entry:
Robert Codman, "seaman," Salem 1637, recd. land in Salisbury in 1641; rem. to Hartford, Ct., ab. 1650; to Saybrook in 1654; afterwards to Edgartown, where he d. 1678 (Savage). He ap. Samuel Hall of S. his attorney or agent in 1650. Children :
Benjamin, 2 bp. Nov. 14, 1641, Salem; perhaps d. bef. 1678. James, 2 b. April 15, 1644[S] ; perhaps d. bef. 1678. Joseph, 2 b. ; dead in Dec, 1678. Stephen, 2 b. ; liv. in Roxbury, "mariner," in 1678; possibly of Charlestown ab. 1680, where children are rec. (See Savage.)
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This change in his estimated birthdate helps to substantiate that this is the same man as the Robert Codman of Codman-12... whose profile's list of children already shows him as the father of a son Stephen, though no link has as yet been offered to a profile for Stephen. The profile of Codman-12 further shows him as having been given a grant of land at Salem in December of 1637. And both profiles refer to Robert's early removal from Salem to Salisbury.
These profiles are plainly of the same man, who is among my 8th great grandfathers. Please merge.
FamilySearch has the following christenings of Henry GREENE's offspring at Woolverstone, Suffolk, England: Elizabeth, christened 23 October 1608 Catherine, christened 29 April 1610 Dorcas, christened 27 December 1616 Marie, christened 30 September 1619 Philip, christened 16 May 1623 Nathaniel, christened 27 September 1626 Ruth, christened 21 November 1630
Also, the 30 May 1631 marriage of Elizabeth GREENE and Robert CODNAM at Woolverstone, Suffolk.
Jeanie M. Roberts (jeaniesgenealogy.com) claims descent from John Stephens (or STEVENS), proprietor of Salisbury, Massachusetts. Jeanie cites John STEVENS' June, 1639 marriage to Catherine ________. This could be Catherine GREENE, christened 1610, shown above. (John STEVENS was born circa 1611.) This would explain why John STEPENS called Robert CODNAM "his brother." The relationship may result from their wives being sisters; making them brothers-in-law.
The origin of the "brother" reference is a 1646 court case in Essex Quarterly Court. On 3 July 1646, this court was held at Salem and John STEPHENS was deposed in the case of Mr. Sam. Winsley of Salisbury & Mr. Trist. Coffin of Haverhill v. Richard Ayre (also Aree) of Salisbury. STEPHENS stated "that he went to his brother CODNAM to inquire …" etc. Richard Aree, Robert CODNAM and Nathaniel GREENE were also deposed! Perhaps the latter was also a "brother" of STEVENS and CODNAM; and the same as Nathaniel GREENE christened at Woolverstone Parish in 1626.
SOURCE: Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Massachusetts, Volume 1, published by Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1911, pp. 96, 100. See also pp. 98, 115. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
In Salem's distribution of marsh and meadow lands (circa 1638) Widow GREENE appears with 2 in her household. [Perhaps: Widow GREENE + Catherine GREENE, about age 28] Robert CODNAM appears next on the roll, with 4 in his household. [Perhaps: Robert CODNAM; Elizabeth, his wife: Nathanial GREENE, about age 12; and another GREENE sibling OR John CODNAM, Robert and Elizabeth's son christened in England.]
Widow GREENE was received into full communion by the Salem Church on 24 March 1639.
SOURCE: Pierce, Richard D., editor of The Records of the First Church in Salem Massachusetts 1629-1736, Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1974, p.8. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
A Susan GREENE, widow, is defendant in a 1641 court case in Essex Quarterly Court held at Salem on March 30th. Suit is brought by Mathew Williams; and John Woodbury was to "end the business." Woodbury, one of the founding communicants of Salem Church, died before this matter could be settled. On 12 July 1642, the matter (concerning a 5-acre lot bought by and on complaint of Mathew Williams of Marblehead) was referred to Peter Palfrey and Jeffrey Massy, also founders of the Salem Church. Interpretation: Widow GREENE sold her 5-acre lot to Mathew Williams.
So, it appears that Susan GREENE may be the widow GREENE, perhaps the "mother" or mother-in-law of Robert CODNAM, as suggested by Robert's request of Salem Town for his mother to have 5 acres.
SOURCE: Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Massachusetts, Volume 1, as above, pages 26 and 42.
edited by Gary Gerlach
SOURCE: Hotten, John Camden, editor of The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; etc., 1600-1700, etc., John Camden Hotten, London, 1874, Reprinted by Empire State Book Co., New York, pp. 289-295. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
SOURCE: Essex Institute, Historical Collections, Volume IX. 1868. - Second Series, Volume I, "Town Records of Salem, Massachusets, Volume I, 1634-1659." Page 51. (Available on-line at www.noblenet.org.)
SOURCE: Hosmer, Kendall James, LL.D., Winthrop's Journal "History of New England" 1630-1649, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1908, pp.222-3. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
SOURCE: Banks, Charles Edward, The Planters of the Commonwealth, The Riverside Press for Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1930, pp.181-7. (Available on-line at Google Archive.)
edited by Gary Gerlach
Sources: Recommend the following two sources…
Philadelphia, Pennsylvanis, 1937, p. 152. (Available on line through hathitrust.org.)
State Papers Domestic of Charles I, Volume 411, 1931, p. 287. (Available on line through hathitrust.org.)
Origin: Suggest the possibility that Robert Codnam emigrated from Culpho Parish, Suffolk, England, based on Banks reference, source #1 [Banks, Topo. Dictionary, p. 152].
Parentage: Further suggest possibility that Robert Codnum, 1638 constable of Culpho Parish, is a suitable candidate for the father of the Salem emigrant, based on Banks' reference, source #2 [Banks, Able Men of Suffolk 1638, p. 287.] The only other use of this orthography in the surname is John Codnum of Nacton Parish, shown on page 48 of source #2. This is consistent with a December 1637 lawsuit against one John Codman in Salem court; and 1635 christening of John Codenham at Woolverstone. Nacton Parish is about 8 miles distant from Culpho Parish. The surname MAYHUE (ref. patentees of Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard) is found in Culpho Parish, Otley Parish, and Clopton Parish - all within the "Half Hundred of Carleford" in County Suffolk. Clopton and Otley also contain the surname HALL (ref. Robert Codnam's agent, or attorney, Samuel HALL.) Note: persons listed in the Suffolk certificates do not include: 1) Disabled persons; 2) Persons under age 16 or over age 60; or 3) Persons already serving the parish in the local trained band. (These three restrictions do NOT apply to constable Roberte Codnum; because he is not one of the eleven able-bodied men listed in Culpho parish. His name appears to validate the certificate; because he conducted the survey.) Note of caution. If widow GREENE is the mother of the Salem emigrant, then the constable of Culpho is in question. (She can't be a widow in 1637 if the constable is living in 1638.) IF widow GREENE is the mother-in-law of the Salem emigrant, then the constable is a good candidate. Needs further investigation.
edited by Gary Gerlach
Cottingham is both a parish near Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and, in Northampton near Rockingham. For example, FamilySearch shows: Robert COTTINGHAM, son of Nic. COTTINGHAM, christened 17 October 1611 at Barton upon Humber Parish, Lincolnshire, England. (This parish is on the Humber River, which flows to the North Sea; giving a mariner access to the southern coast of Suffolk.) Probably deserves investigation.
Phonetic corruption of COTTINGHAM replaces "TT" with "D" and "ING" with "EN"; which leads to the example in the research notes: John CODENHAM, son of Robert CODENHAM christened 12 April 1635 at Woolverstone, Suffolk. [Woolverstone is a parish on the River Orwell. Upstream from Woolverstone is the City of Ipswich - an embarkation point for many 17th century vessels bound for New England!]
Further corruption of CODENHAM occurs by omission of "E" and "H"; which results in CODNAM. Since "NAM" is an unusual surname ending, it is natural to "fix it" by writing "MAN". This may explain the confusion in some of the early New England records.
For an example of an in-law referenced as a parent, see John Sanders of Salem, whose will of 28 October 1643 called Joseph Grafton "my father." Research revealed that Joseph's daughter, Elizabeth Grafton, was the wife of John Sanders; hence, Joseph Grafton was actually the father-in-law of Sanders. SOURCE: Belknap, Henry Wyckoff. The Grafton Family of Salem, Essex Institute, Salem, Mass. 1928, p. 4. (Available on-line at Google Archive.) It appears more certain that Susan GREENE may be the mother-in-law of Robert Codnam.
edited by Gary Gerlach
Also fixed a bracket issue with the PGM Beyond sticker.
By 1676, however, the Vineyard would certainly have been under the control of New York. (It was ceded to Massachusetts Bay in, if memory serves, 1691.)
Charles Edward Banks describes the 1671 meeting at which Edgartown was established -- renamed from the previous Great Harbor -- under the authority of Governor Lovelace of New York. [Ironically, Banks points out, the prince thus honored by the naming had, unknown to the gathering in NY, died about a month previous.]
The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts, by David W. Hoyt, Providence, R. I., 1897, Snow & Farnham, Printers, offers this limited entry:
Robert Codman, "seaman," Salem 1637, recd. land in Salisbury in 1641; rem. to Hartford, Ct., ab. 1650; to Saybrook in 1654; afterwards to Edgartown, where he d. 1678 (Savage). He ap. Samuel Hall of S. his attorney or agent in 1650. Children :
Benjamin, 2 bp. Nov. 14, 1641, Salem; perhaps d. bef. 1678. James, 2 b. April 15, 1644[S] ; perhaps d. bef. 1678. Joseph, 2 b. ; dead in Dec, 1678. Stephen, 2 b. ; liv. in Roxbury, "mariner," in 1678; possibly of Charlestown ab. 1680, where children are rec. (See Savage.)