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THOMAS ENSIGN (bp. 1599–1663/4)
ELIZABETH WILDER (b. say 1618)
Thomas Ensign was baptized in April 1599 in Rye, county Sussux, England. [1] He died between 16 July 1663 and 17 February 1633/4. He married first Anne (Hannah) Wyborne on 27 April 1629 in Cranbrook, county Kent. [2] She probably died during or shortly after the birh of her daugher Hannah in Scituate. [2] He married second Elizabeth Wilder on 17 January 1638/9. [3]
Elizabeth was the daughter of the widow Martha Wilder. [4] She was born say 1618. [1] Her mother, the widow Wilder died on 20 April 1652 and was buried on 22 April. [5]
Thomas went to New England in 1638 with his wife and sons Thomas and John and settled in Scituate. [2][4] He was a proprietor of Scituate and a deacon; he never became a freeman, despite being propounded five times. [2]
Thomas was on the grand inquest jury on 7 June 1642. [3]
The 5 March 1638/9 court noted that Thomas Ensign was to be named a freeman at the next court. [39] He was also propounded to take up his freedom and 1 December 1640, 5 June 1651 and 3 June 1652. He is listed with those desiring to become freemen on 8 June 1655. [3]
On 8 June 1642 James Cudworth, gentleman of Barnstable, sold his house that was currently occupied by Thomas Ensign, planter of Scituate, to Thomas, along with an outhouse and five acres of upland. [6]
Thomas Ensign of Scituate made his will on 16 July 1663 and it was proved on 9 June 1664. He left his wife Elizabeth his house and other property. He left his son John real estate, after his wife's decease. He left his daughter Hannah his colt and a "great old bible that was my father's." He left Hannah's son Thomas Shepherd a cow. He left his daughter Sarah a colt and ten pounds. He mentions Sarah's daughter Sarah Underwood. [7]
Inventory on his estate was taken on 17 February 1633/4. [1]
Children of Thomas Ensign and Anne Wyborne:
i. Hannah Ensign was baptized on 11 September 1631 in Biddenton, county Kent. [2] She was buried on 5 November 1631 in Cranbrook. [2]
ii. Thomas Ensign was baptized on 4 November 1632 in Biddenton. [2] He was buried on 15 January 1632/3. [2]
iii. Thomas Ensign was baptized on 26 March 1634 in Biddenton. He died in 1657 in England. [4]
Thomas came to New England with his parents, but later returned to England. [2]
Thomas Ensign of Cranbrook made his will on 3 September 1657. He heirs were his father Thomas Ensign in New England, his brother John and sisters Hannah and Sarah. [4][7]
iv. John Ensign was baptized on 3 April 1636 in Cranbrook. [2]
John came to New England with his parents. [2] He probably died young and is not the John who was killed in the Indian fight. [2]
v. Hannah Ensign was probably born in 1638. She was baptized on 6 July 1640 in Hingham. [2] She died on 14 March 1697/8, age 59, in Malden. [2] She married Thomas Shepard, the son of Ralph and Thankslord (Perkins) Shepard, on 19 November 1658 in Malden. [2] Thomas was probably born about 1635/7 and he died on 29 September 1719 in Milton. [2] He married second Joanna Unknown. [2]
Children of Thomas Ensign and Elizabeth Wilder:
vi. John Ensign was born say 1642. [2] He was killed in an Indian fight on 26 March 1676. [7] He had an unknown wife. [2]
John chose James Cudworth to be his guardian on 4 August 1658. [2]
On 5 July 1676 [the date is incorrect; perhaps it shoul be 5 March], "being to goe forth in the present Expedition against the barbarous Natives," John made his will. He mentioned his dear mother Elizabeth; his daughter Hannah Ensign; his sister Hannah Shepard and her son Thomas Shepard; his sister Hannah Wade, and her children Jacob, Silence and Joseph; his sister Sarah Wade. [2]
In March 1676 a company of 50 to 60 men was raised under Captain Michael Pierce of Scituate, and on 26 March they set off for Rehoboth. Unfortunately, they encountered a a group of about a thousand Narragansett soldiers and most of them, including John and his brother-in-law Joseph Wade were killed. [2]
vii. Sarah Ensign was born say 1650. [2] She married first Joseph Wade. [2] She married second Thomas Mann. [2] Thomas was born on 15 August 1650 in Scituate. [7] He was the son of Richard Mann. [2] He died between 13 February 1723/4, when he made his will, and 12 July 1732, when it was proved. [2]
Sarah was convicted of "whoredom aggrevated with diverse cercomstances" on 3 October 1665, and was sentenced to be whipped. On the same date her mother sued Thomas Summers for 500 pounds for "inticing and drawing away her daughter unseasonably, and by unlawful means, against her will, and abusing her daughter." The jury awarded her 50 shillings and the cost of the suit. [2]
Thomas Mann was badly wounded in the Indian fight that his wife's first husband and brother were killed in. [2]
Thomas and Sarah named one of their children Ensign Mann, probably after Sarah's brother John, the last surviving male in the family and who left her a bequest in his will. [2]
viii. Hannah Ensign was born say 1652. She married Thomas Wade.
The English Ancestry of Thomas Ensign's Father, Thomas Ensign
The name "Ensign" (with variants such as Ensing, Ensyng, or Insyng) is extremely rare and comes from the manor of Ensinge in Chilham, county Kent. A detailed description of this family is found in Reed [1].
A John Ensing was living in 1478 in Robertsbridge, Salehurst, county Sussex. He was possibly the father of Thomas Ensing, gentleman of Winchelsea, county Sussex, who died say 1538. This Thomas was the Member of Parliament for Winchelsea in 1529. This Parliament was addressed by Thomas More and attended by Henry VIII; it disolved Henry's marriage and made him the head of the Church of England. [1] This Thomas was possibly the father or grandfather of the Thomas Ensign who was the father of the immigrant.
Thomas Ensing, the father of the immigrant, was born say 1571. [1] He was buried on 2 February 1631/2 in Hove, county Sussex. [1] He married Constance, thd daughter of David Pilcher of Battle, county Sussex, on 27 May 1594. [1] She was buried on 21 February 1624/5 in Rye. [1]
Thomas Ensign made his will on 14 December 1631; it was probated by his son James on 27 March 1632. He left 20 shillings to the poor of Rye. He left his son Thomas Ensign ten pounds. He left his son David Ensign five pounds, his "grogaine" gown and his best cloke, lying at his Cousin Bigg's in Cranbrook. He left his daughter Mary five pounds, her son Thomas Couchman three pounds and her daughters Contance and Elizabeth Couchman 20 shillings. He left his daughter Constance Ensign five pounds. He left his son James Ensign all the rest of his lands and goods and named him his executor with the proviso that if his brother Thomas paid him 120 pounds within a year of his death then James was to give him the land that he bought from Anne Wyborne before she married Thomas. He named his friend Mr. Smallhope Bigg his overseer. [8]
Children of Thomas Ensign and Constance Pilcher:
i. John Ensing was baptized on 8 June 1595 in Rye. [1] He died in January 1620/1. [1] He married Margaret, the daughter of William Powell, on 12 October 1620 in St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, county Surrey. [1] She married second Henry Robrough, minister, on 13 May 1622 in St. Mary Magdalen. [1]
ii. Mary Ensing was born say 1597. [1] She married Robert Couchman. [4] He married second Katherine (Bottinge) Dorley on 24 March 1641/2 in Cranbrook. [4] Katherine was the widow of Henry Dorley. [4]
iii. Thomas Ensign was baptized in April 1599 in Rye. He died between 16 July 1633 and 17 February 1633/4. He married first Anne Wyborne. He mrried second Elizabeth Wilder.
iv. Edward Ensing was baptized on 10 May 1601 in Rye. [1] He died by 5 January 1620/1. [1]
v. David Ensing was baptized on 3 June 1603 in Rye. [1] He attended Emmanual College, University of Cambridge, where he received his B.A. in 1625/6, his M.A. in 1629 and was a Fellow in 1629. [1] He was rector of Preston, county Northants. [1]
vi. James Ensign was baptized on 1 June 1606 in Rye. [1] He died in 1670 in Hartford, Connecticut. [4] He married Sarah Elson. [4] She died in May 1676 in Hartford. [4]
James arrive in New England in 1634. [4] He was a freeman on 4 March 1634/5. [4] He moved to Hartford in 1635/6. [4]
vii. Constance Ensing was baptized on 13 November 1608 in Rye. [1] She was buried on 15 June 1632 in Hove, county Sussex. [1] She marrried Edward Fowle of Weeks in Hove on 6 June 1631 in Glynde, county Sussex. [1]
It is probably a scribe's error that she is called Constance Ensing in her father's will. [1]
The English Ancestry of Thomas Ensign's Mother, Constance Pilcher [1]
The Pilcher Ancestry is discussed in detail In Reed [1]
Thomas Pylcher (d. before 1524) |
Elizabeth Finch m(2) David Lewys |
John Haye of Robertsbridge, Salehurst, co. Sussex |
Sir Nicholas Tufton (d. 1538) of Narthiam, co. Sussex |
Margaret Hever of Cranbrook |
| | Luke Pylcher (say 1501–c. 1547) of Battle, co. Sussex, m. Alice Unknown |
| William Haye (d. 1538) of Robertsbridge |
| Joan Tufton |
||
| David Pilcher (say 1526–c. 1576) of Battle |
| Unknown Haye |
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| Constance Pilcher |
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References:
1. Paul C. Reed, "The English Ensigns," The American Genealogist 75 (2000): 1–15, 130–44.
2. Robert E. Bowman, "Ensigns Revisited," The American Genealogist 73 (1998): 241–55.
3. Nathaniel Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth: Court Orders, vols. 1–2, 1633–1644, vol. 3, 1651–1661 (Boston, William White, 1855), vol. 1: 116–7; vol. 2:3, 41, 167; vol. 3: 8,78; 108.
4. Douglas Richardson, "Further Data on the English Origins of the Ensign Family,"The American Genealogist 60 (1984): 97–100.
5. "The Hobart Journal," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 121 (1967): 24.
6. "Great Migration 1634–1635, C–F," database with images, AmericanAncestors, p. 253.
7. Eugene A. Stratton, "Mann-Ensign Notes," The American Genealogist 61 (1985): 46–49.
8. Douglas Richardson, "The Ensign Family of Scituate, MA and Hartford, CT," The American Genealogist 56 (1980): 219–20.
©a. buiter
30-Jul-2020