Surname Saturday ~ WILKES of Salem, Massachusetts

WILKES

In Essex County, Massachusetts there was a WILKES family, and a WILKINS family and a WILKINSON family.  When researching these families, besides keeping all these families separate in your record keeping, you have to deal with a plethora  of Interesting spelling variations.  Just remembering that these surnames were distinct families is very helpful.   There are no WILKES compiled genealogy books, nor any recent articles on this family.

Thomas Wilkes was the first generation of this family to live in Salem, Massachusetts.   He was a shipwright, and granted ten acres in the area of Salem known as North Field in 1656.  His house lot was on the North River.  It is lot #17 on the map above. 

from The Probate Records of Essex County, by George Francis Dow, 1916, pages 381-383:

"Estate of Thomas Wilkes of Salem.

Administration on the estate of Tho. Wilkes, that he had in this country, granted June 24, 1662 to Mr. Edmond Batter. An inventory, amounting to lOOli. 6s. 11 l-2d., was presented to this court. Salem Quarterly Court Records, vol. 4, page 98.

Inventory of the estate of Thomas Wilks, deceased, that was found in Boston in November, 1661, by John Wiswall and John Lake: Aparell and small things, 71i. ; 1 small pcell of goods as p. Invoys, 2li.; 10 p. small stockings, 6s. 8d. ; 6 1-4 linnen & woolen, 12s.; 5 yds. 1-2 Red cloath, Hi. 2s.; 9 yd. 1-2 gray Carsy, 21i. 7s. 6d. ; gloves, laces & silke, 7s. 6d. ; 3 grosse & 9 doz. buttons, Coat, 12s. 9d. ; 2 grosse, 8 doz. brest buttons, 9s.; 2 yds. Coifing stuffe, 3s. 4d. ; 13 yds. 1-4 shage at 3s. 4d. p., 2li. 4s. 2d.; 14 yds. Course woolen cloath at 3s. p., 21i. 2s. ; 28 p. gloves, Hi. ; 1 great Bible, 6s. ; 3 peeces Sardge at 4li. 5s. p., 12li. 15s. ; 16 yds. 1-2 duble Beys, 4li. 2s. 6d. ; 24 yds. Browne Lynen, 5li. 4s. ; 1 Coverled, 18s. & old Carpet, 3s. 6d., Hi. Is.; 1 old Satinnisco gowne, Hi. 6s.; Incle mancster & some ode things, 2s. 6d. ; packing cloath & Cord, 2s.; 19 yds. Carsy at 5s. 4d. p., 5li. Is. 4d. ; 14 yd. rlaninge, Hi. 16s.; hatte and Case, 8s.; 1 Child Blanket, silv. lace, Hi. 10s.; Chest, boxe, &c, 2 stone Juggs, lis.; 3 hhds. Suger, Neate, 15 C. 3qt. Hi., 151i. 15s. 3d.; 14 Gallon Rum at 3s. p., 21i. 2s. ; total, 701i. Inventory of goods in Salem, taken in December, 1661, by Walter Price and Hillyard Yeren: One pcell goods of small wares, 31i. Is. 3d.; 1 pcell Ironmonger's wares, &c, 2li. 10s. lid.; 1 pcell small wares, Hi. 4s. Id.; 1 pcell small wares, 2li. lOd. ; 1 friing pane, 2s.; 25 yds. Course Carsy at 4s. p., 5li. ; 14 yds. tickinge at 3s. p., 2li. 9s. ; 7li. old Iron & kitle, Hi. 7s. lid. ; 141i. peper, 28s., 2 grosse, 5 doz. hooks & eyes, 5d., Hi. 13s.; thimbles & nails, 3s. 7 l-2d.; 150li. Cotton, 3li. 15s.; 2701L Buckets, 31i. 7s. 6d.; 1 pcell small wares, 3li. lis. 10d.; total, 301i. 6s. 11 l-2d. Essex Co. Quarterly Court Files, vol. 8, leaf 28.

Court 25 : 9 : 1662 ordered Mr. Edmond Batter, administrator to send only 401i. of the estate to England to the widow, and to keep the remainder until the court takes further order. Salem Quarterly Court Records, vol. 4, page 106.

The request of Robert, son of Tho. Wilkes, deceased, made 26: 4: 1666, that he might have the estate of said Wilkes, which amounted to about 301i., in the hands of Mr. Edmund Batter, administrator, who held it for said Robert until he became of age, delivered to him for his own use. Court understanding that he was now of age and able to improve it, ordered that it be delivered to him. Salem Quarterly Court Records, vol. 4, page 165.

Robert Wilkes' receipt to Mr. Edmond Batter, dated 18: 10: 1666, for 361i., in full of what was due him from his father's estate. Witness: Hillyard Veren, jr., and Hillyard Veren, sr. Entered in the court records by Hillyard Veren, cleric. Salem Quarterly Court Records, vol. 4, page 178”

Thomas Wilke's wife, Mary Weekes, was the sister to Robert Weekes, a Salem merchant.  His will made his nephew, Isaac Woodbury the executor, and gave Mary, wife of Isaac and their children all his property. 

In the second generation I descend from Thomas's daughter, Mary, who married Isaac Woodbury. Thomas's son, Robert Wilkes was born about 1645 and died at sea in 1677.  According to the Essex Registry of Deeds, book 4, leaf 130, he was taken sick while on a voyage from Bristol to New England and died on the voyage.  He left a will that granted his house and land to his wife Mary for her life, and then to his neice Mary Woodbury.  He was a shipwright and he left his shop and the lot it sat on to his nephew Robert Woodberry, who was only five years old. Robert Woodberry became a mariner, and owned the shop and lot until 1707. [Essex Antiquarian, Volume 9, 1905, page 40]

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Generation 1:  Thomas Wilkes, born about 1620, died 1661 in Salem, Massachusetts;  married to Mary Weekes, two known children, Mary and Robert Wilkes.

Generation 2: Mary Wilkes , born September 1651 in Salem, died 19 December 1702 in Beverly, Massachusetts; married on 9 October 1671 in Beverly to Isaac Woodbury, son of Humphrey Woodbury and Elizabeth Hunter.  He was born 24 February 1643/44 in Salem and died 11 March 1725 in Beverly.  Seven children.

Generation 3: Robert Woodbury m. Mary West

Generation 4: Robert Woodbury m. Priscilla Ellingwood

Generation 5: Robert Woodbury m. Hannah Preston

Generation 6: Molly Woodbury m. Westley Burnham

Generation 7: Henry Burnham m. Sally Poland

Generation 8: Sarah Ann Burnham m. Samuel Mears

Generation 9: Sarah Burnham Mears m. Joseph Gilman Allen

Generation 10: Joseph Elmer Allen m. Carrie Maude Batchelder

Generation 11: Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~WILKES of Salem, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy,  posted October 3, 2015 ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/10/surname-saturday-wiilkes-of-salem.html : accessed [access date]).