William Gerrish (abt. 1621 - 1687)

Born about 1621 in England

Husband of Joanna (Lowell) Gerrish — married 17 Apr 1645 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Ann (Parker) Gerrish — married 1676 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 9 Aug 1687 at about age 66 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts

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Biography

Captain William Gerrish (c 1621–1687) of Newbury was an early settler of Massachusetts who served in the Frontier wars.

William may have been baptised on 24 February 1622/3 in Rowde, Wiltshire to John Gerish, clothier, and his wife, Abigail Gerish née Wilkins,^[1] widow of Edward Baynton, gent, of Durlett Farm,^[2][3] a distant relative of Sir Edward Baynton MP via his grandfather, Robert Baynton, gent, of Durlett.^[4][5] It has also been asserted that William was born on 20 August 1617 (or 17 August 1620) in Bristol,^[6] although that is called into question by the fact that William reported himself to be 64 years old when he was deposed in Essex in 1685, yielding an estimated birth year of 1621,^[7][8] one year off from his potential baptism at Rowde.^[1]

Willam married Joanna, widow of John Oliver, on 17 April 1645.^[9] Together they had:

• John, born on 15 May 1645 in Newbury;^[10]
• Abigail, born 10 May 1647 in Newbury;^[6]
• William, born 6 June 1648 in Newbury;^[11]
• Joseph, born 23 March 1649 in Newbury;^[12]
• Elizabeth, born 20 September 1654 in Newbury.^[13]
• Benjamin, born 13 January 1651 in Newbury;^[14]
• Moses, born 9 May 1656 in Newbury;^[15]
• Mary, born 1 April 1658 in Newbury;^[16]
• Ann, born 18 October 1660 in Newbury;^[6] and
• Judith, born 10 September 1662 in Newbury.^[6]

Joanna passed away on 14 June 1677 in Newbury.^[17]

According to James Savage, William moved to Boston the next year and married Ann, widow of John Manning, with whom he had Henry Gerrish.^[6] Although a primary source cannot be located for their marriage, there is a birth record for a Henry Gerrish son of William and Ann Gerrish born in Boston on 18 August 1676.^[18] That would, however, be one year before the passing of Joanna.^[17]

William passed away on 9 August 1687 in Salem.^[19]

Research Notes

Torrey's New England Marriages: GERRISH, William1 (-1687) & 1/wf Joanna (LOWELL) OLLIVER (-Jun 1677, ae 58 y), w John; 17 Apr 1645; Newbury/Boston/Salem (Lowell according to Mrs. Bartlett); {Reg. 7:36, 59, 67:105; NYGBR 43:300; EIHC 1:213, 5:27, 27:29, 40:216, 51:76; Davis: Anc. of Phoe

GERRISH, William1 (-1687) & 2/wf Ann (PARKER) [MANNING], w John; aft Jun 1677; Boston {Evans (1940) 76; Reg. 50:221, 106:23; Suffolk Co. Prob. ,1628; EIHC 5:27; Cushing (ms) 189; Manning 981; Lowell 9; Greenleaf Anc. 79; Gen. Bulletin 1, Supp.; Kittery 44

Possible Origins:

• It is possible that William is the same William Gerish who was baptised on 24 Feburary 1622/3 in Rowde to John and Abigail Gerish^[1] for the following reasons:
  • William named his first son John,^[10] which was John's name and the name of one of his sons;^[20]
  • William is said by Savage to have named one of his daughters Abigail,^[6] which was Abigail's name and the name of one of John and Abigail's daughters;^[21]
  • William named one of his sons Benjamin,^[14] the same name John and Abigail gave one of their sons;^[22]
  • William named one of his daughters Mary,^[16] the same name John and Abigail gave one of their daughters;^[23]
  • William named one of his daughters Elizabeth,^[13] the same name John gave one of his daughters;^[24]
  • William is said by Savage to have named one of his daughters Ann,^[6] the same name John gave one of his daughters;^[25]
  • John passed away in 1638,^[26] which corresponds well with William's decision to leave to Massachusetts (reportedly) around 1640;^[6]
  • Neither a burial record nor a marriage record can be found in Rowde or Bromham (where John later moved) for a William Gerish born 1622/3; and
  • Although it is typically asserted that William was born in 1617 in Bristol,^[6] there are no known primary or otherwise contemporary sources that yield that birth year or birth place, whereas, when deposed in Essex in 1685, William reported his age as 64, yielding a birth year of 1621.^[7][8]
• If it is the case that William was baptised on 24 Feburary 1622/3 to John and Abigail then his profile should be merged with William Gerish, with his last name at birth being Gerish rather than Gerrish as that was the dominant spelling in that parish at that time.
• Primary sources could not be located for the births of Abigail, Ann and Judith.
• A primary source could not be located for William's alleged marriage to Ann Manning.
• It has been asserted that William married Ann Manning a year after the passing of his spouse in 1677^[6] and yet he is also said to have had a son named Henry with Ann in 1676.^[18] One of those claims may be incorrect or it may be that Henry's date of birth was mistranscribed by a clerk.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "Wiltshire Baptisms Index 1530-1917", FindMyPast. First name(s): Wm; Last name: Girish; Baptism year: 1622; Baptism date: 24 Feb 1622; Father's first name(s): John; Mother's first name(s): Abigail; Place: Rowde; County: Wiltshire; Country: England. https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FWILT%2FBAP%2F15381866%2F0022701.
2. ↑ "Wiltshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812", database, Ancestry (Ancestry Record 61187 #1717350 : accessed 18 December 2023) [requires subscription], Edward Baynton married Abigaila Wilkins on 21 February 1612 in Seend, Wiltshire, England.
3. ↑ Wiltshire, England, Wills and Probate, 1530-1858", database with images, Ancestry (Ancestry Record 61333 #113406 : accessed 18 December 2023) [requires subscription], will of Edward Baynton of Durlett Farm Rowde Wiltshire, England, probated in 1616; citing Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre; Chippenham, Wiltshire, England; Wiltshire Wills and Probates; Reference Number: P3/B/132.
4. ↑ WG Davis, The Ancestry of Abel Lunt, 1769-1806, of Newbury, Massachusetts, The Anthoensen Press, Portland, 1963, p 233.
5. ↑ "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858", database with images, Ancestry (Ancestry Record 5111 #892103 : accessed 22 December 2023) [requires subscription], will of Edwardi Bayntun of Bromhm, Wiltshire, England, probated on 21 May 1545; citing TNA Prob. 11 Piece 30.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9} J Savage, A genealogical dictionary of the first settlers of New England, Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1861, 2:244, accessed 13 January 2024.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Massachusetts Archives; Columbia Point, MA, USA; Index to the Deponent Records of the County of Essex, Massachusetts; Volume: 9; Page: 475. Name: William Gerrish; Age: 64; Birth Year: abt 1621; Deposition Year: 1685; Deposition Place: Essex, Massachusetts, USA. Ancestry Record 5342 #1920.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} ML Sanborn, Ages from court records, 1636-1700 Essex, Middlesex, and Suffolk counties, Massachusetts, Genealogical Publishing, Baltimore, 2003, 1:85, citing court record in EQC 9:475 that gives William Gerrish's age as 64 in 1685.
9. ↑ "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988", database, Ancestry (Ancestry Record 2495 #7519437 : accessed 13 January 2024) [requires subscription], William Gerrish married Joanna on 17 April 1645 in Newbury, Massachusetts, USA.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: John Gerrish; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 15 May 1645; Birth Place: Newbury, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #7530232.
11. ↑ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: William Gerrish; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 6 Jun 1648; Birth Place: Newbury, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #7443189.
12. ↑ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Joseph Gerrish; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 23 Mar 1649; Birth Place: Newbury, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #7506947.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Elizabeth Gerrish; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 20 Sep 1654; Birth Place: Newbury, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Gerrish; Mother: S Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #80474142.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Benjamin Gerrish; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 13 Jan 1651; Birth Place: Newbury, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #5385180.
15. ↑ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Moses Gerrish; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 9 May 1656; Birth Place: Newbury, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #7443765.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1} Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Mary Gerrish; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 1 Apr 1658; Birth Place: Newbury, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #7443919.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Mrs Joanna Gerrish; Record Type: Death; Death Date: 14 Jun. 1677; Death Place: Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA; Spouse: William Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #4953741.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Henry Gerrish; Record Type: Birth; Birth Date: 18 Aug 1676; Birth Place: Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Father: William Gerrish; Mother: Ann Gerrish. Ancestry Record 2495 #44570917.
19. ↑ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: William Gerrish; Record Type: Death; Death Date: 9 Aug. 1687; Death Place: Salem, Massachusetts, USA. Ancestry Record 2495 #80710884.
20. ↑ "Wiltshire Baptisms Index 1530-1917", FindMyPast. First name(s): John; Last name: Girish; Baptism year: 1620; Baptism date: 25 Oct 1620; Father's first name(s): John; Mother's first name(s): Abigail; Place: Rowde; County: Wiltshire; Country: England; Notes: GYRRISH in Reg : GIRISH in BT. https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FWILT%2FBAP%2F15381866%2F0022687.
21. ↑ "Wiltshire Baptisms Index 1530-1917", FindMyPast. First name(s): Abigail; Last name: Girrish; Baptism year: 1624; Baptism date: 03 Apr 1624; Father's first name(s): John; Mother's first name(s): Abigail; Place: Rowde; County: Wiltshire; Country: England. https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FWILT%2FBAP%2F15381866%2F0022731.
22. ↑ "Wiltshire Baptisms Index 1530-1917", FindMyPast. First name(s): Beniamin; Last name: Gerish; Baptism year: 1631; Baptism date: 02 Nov 1631; Father's first name(s): John; Father's last name: Gerish; Mother's first name(s): Abigail; Place: Bromham; County: Wiltshire; Country: England. https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FWILT%2FBAPS%2FBH%2F2044130.
23. ↑ "Wiltshire Baptisms Index 1530-1917", FindMyPast. First name(s): Mary; Last name: Gyrish; Baptism year: 1627; Baptism date: 20 Jun 1627; Father's first name(s): John; Mother's first name(s): Abigail; Place: Rowde; County: Wiltshire; Country: England. https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FWILT%2FBAP%2F15381866%2F0022772.
24. ↑ "Wiltshire Baptisms Index 1530-1917", FindMyPast. First name(s): Elizabeth; Last name: Gerish; Baptism year: 1613; Baptism date: 09 May 1613; Father's first name(s): John; Father's last name: Gerish; Residence: Stafferton; Place: Trowbridge, St James; County: Wiltshire; Country: England. https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FWILT%2FBAPS%2FBH%2F0835992.
25. ↑ "Wiltshire Baptisms Index 1530-1917", FindMyPast. First name(s): Anne; Last name: Gerish; Baptism year: 1635; Baptism date: 03 Oct 1635; Father's first name(s): John; Mother's first name(s): Abigail; Place: Bromham; County: Wiltshire; Country: England. https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FWILT%2FBAP%2F15381866%2F0009400.
26. ↑ "Wiltshire Burials Index 1538-1990", FindMyPast. First name(s): John; Last name: Gerish; Burial year: 1638; Burial date: 02 Sep 1638; Place: Bromham; County: Wiltshire; Country: England. https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FWILT%2FBURS%2FBH%2F1463270.

See also:

• GF Dow, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, The Essex Institute, Salem, 1912, 2:7.
• Biographical sketches of representative citizens of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, Graves & Steinbarger, Boston, 1901.
• JJ Currier, History of Newbury, Mass, Damrell & Upham, Boston, 1902.
• J Farmer, A genealogical register of the first settlers of New England, Carter, Andrews & Co, Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1829.
• Proprietors records, 1635-1828, Newbury, Massachusetts, n.d., 1:49.
• DR Lowell, The historic genealogy of the Lowells of America from 1639-1899, The Tuttle Co, Rutland, 1899, p 8.
• General register of the Society of Colonial Wars, Constitution of the General Society, New York, 1902.
• Vital records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, The Essex Institute, Salem, 1916, p 278.
• EB Crane, Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts, The Lewis Publishing Company, New York, 1907, v 2.