William Ruscoe (abt. 1594 - bef. 1682)

Born about 1594 in Billericay, Great Burstead, Essex, England [uncertain]

Husband of Rebecca (Unknown) Ruscoe — married before 1620 (to about 1635) in England

Descendants

Died before 15 Dec 1682 before about age 88 in Jamaica, Long Island, New York

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William Ruscoe migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 6, p. 117) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

William Ruscoe immigrated to New England between 1621 and 1640 and later departed for Jamaica, Long Island, Province of New York

William Ruscoe and various spellings: Rusco, Roscoe

Note: "Ruscoe" is the spelling used by Robert C Anderson in his Great Migration series. As part of the Puritan Great Migration Project, we defer to Anderson in questions of spelling.

Uncertain Origin

William was born c. 1594 (aged 41 on 13 April 1635) at Billericay, Great Burstead, Essex, England.^[1] The minister at Billericay, co. Essex certified that William was not a subsidy man.

His birth place, exact birth date, and parents are unknown. William was probably related to Roger Ruscoe of Sawbridgeworth, possibly a brother, according to George Seymour and "probably closely related," according to Robert Anderson.^[2] Another close associate, and possible relative, was Richard Seymour who married Mercy Ruscoe, the daughter of Roger Ruscoe, at Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.^[1]

The profiles for Ian Rusco and Hannah Unknown have been disconnected as parents (no evidence).

Immigration

William and his wife Rebecca sailed aboard the Increase in 1635 with four of their children (Sarah aged 9, Mary or "Marie," aged 7, Samuel aged 5, and William aged 1).^[3] Sons, Nathaniel and John, were not listed as passengers aboard the Increase, but we have records of their presence in the colonies.^[1] The family settled first at Cambridge but removed to Hartford, Connecticut by 1639.^[1] From there, Norwalk, Connecticut in 1654 and finally Jamaica, Long Island, New York in 1665.^[1]

Marriages

William married twice.

• William married by about 1620, as his 1st, to Rebecca Unknown.^[2] She died in late 1635 or early 1636.^[1]

• He married between 5 Oct 1635 and 24 Mar 1635/6, as his 2nd, to Hester (Unknown) Muste, widow of Edward Muste.^[1] She was mentioned in William's will.

Positions and Property

William was the prisonkeeper at Hartford as evidenced by the town record allowing him on 9 March 1647/8 payment of 40 shillings for keeping the prisoners.^[1]

William sold most of his Norwalk land to Thomas Benedict, and in turn purchased some of Thomas Benedict's property in Jamaica, Long Island in about late 1665 or early 1666. William then removed to Jamaica in March 1665/6^[4]

Death and Legacy

William wrote his will on 5 August 1680 as William Ruscoe "of Jemeca in the North Rydeing of Yorkeshire of Long Island," and it was proved on 13, 14, or 15 December 1682.^[1]

Children

Children with his first wife, Rebecca:^[1]

1. Nathaniel Ruscoe, b say 1620; m Joanna Corlet
2. John Ruscoe, b say 1624; m Rebecca Beebe
3. Sarah Ruscoe, b c. 1626; m 1) Henry Cole, 2) Robert Bull (?)^[5]
4. Mary Ruscoe, b c. 1628; m Hugh Wells
5. Samuel Ruscoe, baptized 15 Sep 1629 in Wethersfield, Essex, England. ^[6]
6. William Ruscoe, b. In Billerica, Essex, England, baptized 26 Nov 1634 in nearby Great Burstead. ^[7]

Children with his second wife, Hester:^[1]

1. Ruth Ruscoe, b say 1645; m 12 Mar 1665 to John Bayliss
2. Samuel Ruscoe , b 12 Mar 1647/8; m Mercy (Unknown).

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10} Anderson, Robert Charles, (1995) "William Ruscoe" Featured name." Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. AmericanAncestors.org NEHGS (Vol R-S, Pages 118-24).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Seymour, George D., (1917) "The English Home and Ancestry of Richard Seamer of Semer of Hartford, Conn." The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 71. AmericanAncestors.org NEHGS (Vol 71, Pages 104-15).
3. ↑ Drake, Samuel Gardner, (1860) Result of Some Researches Among the British Archives for Information Relative to the Founders of New England ... Boston: NEHGR Archive.org (Page 22).
4. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles, The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635, Volume 6, p 123, citing Norwalk Town Records, Vol 1, pp 36-37 and Jamaica Town Records Vol. 1, pp. 221-223 (exchange) and pp. 34-35 (removal)
5. ↑ Although the marriage to Robert Bull is reported by Seymour, but there is no evidence, according to Anderson.
6. ↑ West, Randy A., "Baptisms in England of Two Children of William Ruscoe of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York", in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 176 (Spring 2022), p. 164. West cites the baptismal record in a bishop`s transcript he viewed at FHL DGS 4,946,426, image 444,for a Samuel, son of William Rescue and Rebecca
7. ↑ West, Randy A., "Baptisms in England of Two Children of William Ruscoe of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York", in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 176 (Spring 2022), p. 164, citing the parish register of St. Mary Magdelene, Great Burstead, Essex, viewed by the author at essexarchivesonline.ck.uk, image 22

See also:

• Adams, Sherman W., (1904) The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut ... Archive.org (Vol 1, Part 1, Page 294 - Re: John Ruscoe).
• American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI); A catalogue of the names of the first Puritan settlers of the colony of Connecticut; Connecticut, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890;
• Barbour, Lucius Barnes, 1982, Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore, Maryland and Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Inc., Glastonbury, Connecticut p. 488.
• Hull, Robert W., (2003) "Mr. John (2) Rusco, Proprietor of Norwalk, Rebecca (3) Beebe Rusco, Mother of (some of not all) of his Children, and his Daughters." Connecticut Nutmegger, Vol 36. AmericanAncestors.org NEHGS (Vol 36, Pages 2-22).
• Mac, Linda, (6 May 2009) William Ruscoe Find A Grave Memorial # 36802010.
• The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884.
• New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999.