Surname Saturday ~ DAVIS of Watertown, Boston and Chelsea, Massachusetts

DAVIS

I’ve written about the DAVIS family of Cambridge, Concord and Barnstable Massachusetts, begun by the immigrant Dolor Davis (about 1583 – 1672), and I’ve written about James Davis (about 1583 – 1678/9) who settled in Haverhill, Massachusetts.  Today’s blog post is my third DAVIS family, headed by Samuel Davis (about 1615 – 1672), my 9^th great grandfather.

Samuel Davis is my 9^th great grandfather, who married his wife, Anna Norcross, on 20 November 1631 at Allhallows,  London, England [The Registers of All Hallows, Bread Street and St. John the Evangelist, Friday Street, London, England, page 107].  This church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. 

Samuel and Anna settled first at Watertown, and later on 31 May 1646 the Watertown church wrote him a letter to transfer to the Boston church.  He later settled at Rumney Marsh, now Chelsea, north of Boston.  His will is dated 2 May 1672 [Suffolk County Probate Docket 598, Volume VII, page 219 and 236] and was probated 4 July 1672.  It mentions his wife, Anna, daughter Hannah Griggs, daughter Abigail Townsend,  son Gerhom Davis, daughter Mary Townsend (my 8^th great grandmother), daughter Priscilla and grandchild Hannah Griggs. 

Mary Davis married Thomas Townsend on 30 October 1661 at the Old North Church (2^nd Church) in Boston’s North End.  Thomas was described as a “husbandman” (an archaic term for a farmer or small landowner), and left a will proved at Lynn, Massachusetts on 22 July 1700.  They had thirteen children!

Some DAVIS resources:

The Ancestry of Dr. J. P. Guilford, by Joan S. Guilford, Orange, CA: 1990, Volume II, pages 288-293.

An old book but mostly accurate, Davis Families of Early Roxbury and Boston, by Samuel Forbes Rockwell, Boston: Andover Press, 1932.

Dolor Davis (about 1583 – 1672) of Cambridge, Concord and Barnstable, Massachusetts

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/07/surname-saturday-davis-of-cambridge.html 

James Davis (about 1583- 1678/9)  of Haverhill, Massachusetts

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/07/surname-saturday-davis-of-haverhill.html

NORCROSS Surname Saturday blog post

http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/02/surname-saturday-norcross-of-cambridge.html

TOWNSEND Surname Saturday blog post

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/05/surname-saturday-townsend-of-lynn.html

My DAVIS genealogy:

Generation 1:  Samuel Davis, born about 1615 in England, died between 2 May and 4 July 1672 in Massachusetts; married on 30 November 1631 at the All Hallows Church in London, England to Anna Norcross, daughter of John Norcross.  Nine children

Generation 2: Mary Davis, baptized on 31 May 1646 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, died after 1700; married on 30 October 1661 in the Second Church (Old North), Boston, Massachusetts to Thomas Townsend, son of Thomas Townsend and Mary Newgate.  He was born about 1636 and died before 22 July 1700 in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Generation 3: Susannah Townsend m. Daniel Hitchings

Generation 4: Daniel Hitchings m. Hannah Ingalls

Generation 5:  Abijah Hitchings m. Mary Gardner

Generation 6:  Abijah Hitchings m. Mary Cloutman

Generation 7: Abijah Hitchings m. Eliza Ann Treadwell

Generation 8:  Abijah Franklin Hitchings m. Hannah Eliza Lewis

Generation 9: Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

Generation 10: Gertrude Matilda Hitchings m. Stanley Elmer Allen (my grandparents)

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ DAVIS of Watertown, Boston and Chelsea, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted February 18, 2017,  (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/02/surname-saturday-davis-of-watertown.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ NORCROSS of Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge, Massachusetts

John Norcross, my 10^th great grandfather, is one of those rare Great Migration ancestors who came to New England, but returned to England.  I have very few who returned – Rev. Stephen Batchelder, Rev. John Mayhew and a handful of others.  The rest, of course stayed, and that is where my story begins, in New England.

John Norcross, the son of Thomas Norcross and Mary Chappell was a London merchant, and a member of the Haberdashers Company.  Records show that Thomas Norcross was a merchant in London, too, and also a member of the Haberdashers guild, and he was freed from his apprenticeship in 1579. This allows his birthdate to be calculated at about 1560. A Thomas Norcross (it is unknown if it is the same one) lived on Fleet Street and died in 1617, and was buried at St. Dunstan’s.  He left money to the Ribchester Church in Lancashire.  There have been members of the Norcross family living in Ribchester since the thirteenth century according to the records at St. Wilfred’s parish in Ribchester.

John Norcross and his brother, Jeremiah, came to New England in 1638.  John bought 22 acres in Cambridge and lived there until 1642.  His brother Jeremiah bought land in Watertown.  John’s wife is unknown, but he had two children, Anna and Thomas.  Anna, my 9^th great grandmother, was married in London to Samuel Davis.  They probably came to New England with her father,  and remained here when he returned to England.  There is no evidence of the son Thomas living in Massachusetts, but he died in Ribchester, Lancashire, England in 1662, one of his sons, William Norcross, became a Quaker and immigrated back to the New World and settled in Buck’s County, Pennsylvania. 

Anna’s Uncle Jeremiah Norcross lived in Watertown on land next to Nathaniel Foote (my 10th great grandfather on my paternal side).  Jeremiah’s  last will mentioned Anna [Middlesex 1: 117]:

"In the name and by the help of my Lord Jesus Christ, I Jeremiah Norcrosse being well in my body and mind (thanks be to God) but going to sea do make my last will and testament.

First, I give my soul into the hand of the father of spirits who gave it to me, and my body to the elements to be committed for a time out of which it was made in sure and certain hope ( with the word of him who cannot lie) of my resurrection of both soul and body together unto everlasting life purchased by the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

And for such worldly Estate as the Lord hath lent me and left me, my will is that they be appraised when I am dead and divided into three equal parts.

The first third I give to my beloved wife Adrean Norcrosse.

The second third I give unto my children Nathaniel, Richard and Sarah Massy, the wife of Francis Massy, assigning my eldest son, Nathaniel as his due a double portion.  Nevertheless for as much as Sarah my daughter had a full share (and more as it now falleth out) of my Estate, I will that, that shall be in full of her portion.

And of the last third of my Estate I give as followeth, I give and bequeath unto my daughter the wife of my son Richard, one ewe sheep, and her daughter, my grandchild, a like ewe sheep, and to the wife of my wife's son John Smith one like ewe sheep.  To my brother's daughter Anna Davis, the wife of Samuel Davis a like ewe sheep (in specie) and to her daughter Hannah her eldest child one like ewe sheep and unto the poor members of Jesus Christ in Watertown, I give two ewe sheep to be delivered into the pastors and deacons hands to breed as a stock, the males to be sold at the fittest season to give to the poor as they need and the females to be kept for the purpose of breeding.

As a testimony of my love to my Lord for all his love to me I give (as a cup of cold water wishing I had better for them) unto his ministers Mr. Sherman, Mr. Symes, Mr. Mather, each of them twenty shillings.

And for my grandchildren in Old England, if the Lord brings me or if goods I have with me I shall distribute myself or appoint.  I will and ordain my son Richard Norcrosse my sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament and I entreat my brother Charles Chadwick to be overseer and help unto him, and I do give him as a small token of my love, twenty shillings, and pronounce this to be my last will and Testament, revoking all other Wills heretofore made.  In witness whereof I set to my hand and seal this 15th day of September 1654.”

Some NORCROSS resources:

The English Norcross Family and Some Descendants of William Norcross 1699 to America, edited by Elsie M. Cameron, 1954 [at NEHGS call number CS71 .N83 1954] 

The Ancestry of Dr. J. P. Guilford, by Joan S. Guilford, Orange, CA: 1990, Volume II, pages 288-293

My NORCROSS genealogy:

Generation 1: Thomas Norcross, born about 1560, probably in Ribchester, Lancashire, England, died 1617 in St. Dunstan’s, London, England; married Mary Chapell, daughter of William Chapell and Elizabeth Bedel.  She died 1603 in St. Dunstan’s.  At least three children

Generation 2: John Norcross, born about 1583 in London, died 1657; married unknown.  At least two children.

Generation 3:  Anna Norcross, born about 1615 in England; married on 30 November 1631 at Allhallow’s, Bread Street, London, England to Samuel Davis.  He was born about 1615 and died between 2 May and 4 July 1672 in Braintree, Massachusetts.  Ten children.

Generation 4:  Mary Davis m. Thomas Townsend

Generation 5: Susannah Townsend m. Daniel Hitchings

Generation 6:  Daniel Hitchings m. Hannah Ingalls

Generation 7: Abijah Hitchings m. Mary Gardner

Generation 8:  Abijah Hitchings m. Mary Cloutman

Generation 9:  Abijah Hitchings m. Eliza Ann Treadwell

Generation 10:  Abijah Franklin Hitchings m. Hannah Eliza Lewis

Generation 11:  Arthur Treadwell Hitchings m. Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

Generation 12:  Gertrude Matilda Hitchings m. Stanley Elmer Allen (my grandfather)

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ NORCROSS of Cambridge, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted February 11, 2017, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/02/surname-saturday-norcross-of-cambridge.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ NORCROSS of England and Braintree, Massachusetts

The Haberdashers' Company Coat of Arms
"Serve and Obey"

NORCROSS

My Norcross ancestors start out with several generations of members of the Haberdashers’ Company in England.  They dealt in men’s furnishings and clothing.  Thomas Norcross, my 11th great grandfather, was born at Dilworth, Ribchester, Lancashire, England.   He had three sons: John, Jeremiah and Thomas, and they lived in St. Dunstan’s parish in London, and all were members of the Haberdashers' Company.  Thomas died in 1617 and is buried at St. Dunstans.  

Two sons went to Massachusetts – Jeremiah and John.  John was the eldest, and was my 10^th great grandfather.  He bought 22 acres of land in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but then sold it and returned to England in 1642.  He died in London in 1657.  He had two children, Anna, my 9^th great grandmother, stayed in Massachusetts with her husband, Samuel Davis.   Her brother Thomas died in England in 1662 and was buried at Ribchester, Lanashire, he was a linen manufacturer, as well as a member of the Haberdashers' Company. 

My 10^th great grand uncle, Jeremiah Norcross, came to Massachusetts and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts.  His second wife was Adrian (Unknown) (Smith) (Bland) Norcross.  Adrian is my 11^th great grandmother with her Smith marriage.  Her son, John Smith alias Bland, grew up with the Smith surname and was named in his stepfather’s will  as John Smith.   He left Watertown and went to the island of Martha’s Vineyard where he was known by the name Bland.   His son, Francis Smith, my 9^th great grandfather, passed on the Smith name, but his sister, Anabel, went by the name Bland when she married William Barsham about 1635 in the Watertown records.  This is something to remember when tracing this family!

My NORCROSS genealogy:

Generation 1:  Thomas Norcross, died 1617 at St. Dunstan’s, London, England; married Mary Chappell.

Generation 2:  John Norcross, born 1583 in London, died after 1642 in England

Generation 3: Anna Norcross,  born about 1615 in England; married on 30 November 1631 at Allhallows on Bread Street in London to Samuel Davis.  He was born about 1615 and died between 2 May and 4 July 1672 in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts

Generation 4:  Mary Davis married Thomas Townsend

Generation 5: Susannah Townsend married Daniel Hitchings

Generation 6:  Daniel Hitchings married Hannah Ingalls

Generation 7:  Abijah Hitchings married Mary Gardner

Generation 8:  Abijah Hitchings married Mary Cloutman

Generation 9:  Abijah Hitchings married Eliza Ann Treadwell

Generation 10: Abijah Franklin Hitchings married Hannah Eliza Lewis

Generation 11:  Arthur Treadwell Hitchings married Florence Etta Hoogerzeil

Generation 12:  Gertrude Matilda Hitchings married Stanley Elmer Allen (my grandparents)

* My lineage from Adrian (Bland) (Smith) Norcross (also my ancestress in this lineage, as well as a step ancestress!):

Generation 1:  Adrian Unknown married first to Unknown Smith.  Adrian also married second to Unknown Bland, and third to Jeremiah Norcross (brother of John Norcross above).

Generation 2:  John Smith, born about 1572 in England, died about 6 January 1668 on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.  He went by the alias John BLAND.  He married Isabella Drake about 1604.  She was the daughter of William Drake and Joan Merrills.

UPDATE - 6 October 2015 - Francis Smith is not a son of John Smith and Isabella Drake [See Great Migration, Volume VI, pages 391 - 394]

Generation 3:  Francis Smith, born about 1604 in Colchester, Essex, England, died 20 March 1650 in Reading, Massachusetts; married Alice Unknown

Generation 4:  Hannah Smith, born about 1638 in Watertown, Massachusetts, died 6 May 1666 in Reading; married on 15 November 1659 in Reading to George Lillie.  Four children.

Generation 5: John Lillie married Hannah Bassett

Generation 6: Phebe Lilley married Noah Eaton

Generation 7: Katherine Eaton married John Emerson

Generation 8: Romanus Emerson married Jemima Burnham

Generation 9:  George Emerson married Mary Esther Younger

Generation 10: Mary Katherine Emerson married George E. Batchelder

Generation 11: Carrie Maude Batchelder married Joseph Elmer Allen

Generation 12: Stanley Elmer Allen married Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

The Haberdashers Company guild is still around!  See this link:
http://www.haberdashers.co.uk/home.php  

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ NORCROSS of England and Braintree, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted June  13, 2015
( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/06/surname-saturday-norcross-of-england.html : accessed [access date]).