The English Ancestry of Deacon Edward Convers and His Nephew, Allen Convers, Great Migration Emigrants to the Massachusetts Bay Colony

(by Harold B. Whitmore, continued from home page)

More than twenty years ago the Petersons, in an article in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register ³, pointed out that no credible evidence to support the noble ancestry in Hill’s genealogy had been found, and drew our attention to Putnam’s work. Their research also provided surnames for Edward’s wife, Sarah Parker and his grandmother, Joan Fuller, the wife of John Convers "of Stanford Rivers". The article on Edward Converse in The Great Migration Begins⁴ confirms this, and assigns Edward’s origins and the birth of his first children to the parish of South Weald. Subsequent studies and research, especially that published by Douglas Richardson in 1999⁵, have added to our knowledge of Edward’s family.

The County of Essex, located in the east of England, is part of a section known as East Anglia, made up of the counties of Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Lincolnshire. While, by comparison with other parts of England, the area is largely rural today, in the early seventeenth century it was one of the most densely populated parts of the country.

The Protestant Reformation of England, which began during the reign of King Henry VIII (1509-1547), flourished in East Anglia. The Marian martyrs—those executed during the brief counter reformation of Queen Mary’s reign (1553-1558)—came mostly from East Anglia, some from the parish of Great Burstead, where Edward was married.

During the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603), almost half the Puritan clergy in England came from Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. It has been estimated that during the 1580’s there were 88 Puritan ministers in 78 cures in Essex, more than in any other county in England⁶. In the reign of Charles I {1625-1649), Archbishop Laud complained that East Anglia “was the throbbing heart of heresy in England⁷.” It was in southwest Essex and times of Henry VII, Elizabeth I, James I and Charles I, that the yeoman ancestors of Edward Convers, the immigrant to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, plowed their fields and raised their families.

Historically Essex was divided into “hundreds” and the hundreds into parishes. The parish of Navestock, where both Edward’s father and grandfather owned a “house and land” is located in Ongar Hundred, and is still today a largely rural area, about 18 miles northeast of London, with a total population of just over 500. It is located outside of the M25 beltway around the metropolitan area, but, as it has no major highways, it has not become a bedroom community. Edward’s father also owned lands in the parish of Stanford Rivers which adjoins Navestock to the north and a house and lands in that of Fyfield is to the northeast.

The church of St. Thomas the Apostle is in the north of the parish of Navestock, and was built in the 11th or 12th century, and considerably enlarged in the 13th century. It was here that Edward the immigrant was baptized in 1588. His grandfather, John Convers, describes himself as “of Stanford Rivers, Essex, yeoman” in his will, but his children were baptized in Navestock. Edward’s father, Allen Convers, describes himself as “of South Weald in the County of Essex, yeoman,” but also left a house and land in Navestock, lands in Stanford Rivers and a house and lands in Fyfield in his will. Edward and his older siblings were baptized in Navestock, while his younger siblings were baptized in South Weald at the Church of St. Paul.

What was then the small village of Brentwood is located in the south east of the parish of South Weald, and a major roadway from London to the coast passed through Brentwood.

St. Thomas the Apostle, where Edward Convers was baptized

It is evident, from the will of his uncle, John Convers, that Edward and his brother-in-law, John Sheldon, husband of his sister, Joan, lived in this village. In Edward’s day there was a chapel of the Parish Church of St. Peter (?) in Brentwood, established to serve pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. It is quite possible that Edward’s children were actually baptized in this chapel and their baptisms recorded in the register of the parish church. His second marriage and the baptism of his daughter Mary might have taken place in the chapel and never have been recorded in the parish registers.

The early generations in England and America (1565 – 1663)

Generation One

1. MARGARET_1 (_____) CONVERS, widow, died at Navestock, Essex, England, 1565/6, leaving a will, an abstract of which reads as follows:

In the name of God, Amen. The tenth day of December in the yeare of our Lord God 1565. I Margaret Convers, widdowe, of the parishe Navestocke, beying sick in bodye butt sode of mind and memory _____. Item, I will to Richard Convers my sone a litell brasse poott and a old huche. To John my sonnes chylderyn every one of them iiijd. And to Richards sonne iiijd. To John my sonne the hangyngs in the hall and a kneadinge trowth. To the poore manes boxe xxd. The residue to Annys my daughter hole executor and John my sonne to be myne overseere. Thes beying witnes Richard Sabborne and George Watton. Proved 1 Feb. 1565-6 by Agnes Comberes the executrix named. Inventory iiijl. vjs. viijd. [Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s, London, Book B., fo. 75⁸]

Her children, named in her will, all living in December 1565, were:

i. JOHN_2 CONVERS

ii. RICHARD CONVERS

iii. ANNYS (OR AGNES) CONVERS

Generation Two

2. JOHN_2 CONVERS (Margaret_1) was probably born at Navestock, say 1525⁹. He married JOAN FULLER, daughter of Edward Fuller, of Stanford Rivers, say 1555¹º. Joan was coheir with her sister, Thomasine (Fuller) Somner, wife of William Somner, and may have brought lands in Stanford Rivers, Dagenham and Chigwell into the family. John died before 5 October 1574 (will proved), leaving a will dated 6 August 1574, an abstract of which reads as follows:

Will of John Cumbers* of Stanforde Rivers, co. Essex, yeoman. Dated 6 August, 1574. I bequeath my body to be entered within the churchyard of Stamforde Rivers aforesaid. I give to the poor of Stamforde Rivers, 2s. I will that Joan my wife shall enjoy all my copyhold lands in Navestocke during the term of ten years upon consideration she shall bring up my children in the fear of god, at the end of which term they shall remain to Allyn Cumbers my son, and after his entrance he shall pay unto Thomas Combes my son, 40 s., to Anthony as much the second year following, and as much in successive years to John, Geffery and William severally. If any of my said sons die before his part be due to him, his part shall remain to John [and] Alline only. I give to my daftr Jane at her marriage or age of 21, also a cupboard lying in the parlor, a cradle and a new morter. Item. to my son Allyne a great brass pot now in my house at Navestocke. I will that my wife shall pay each of my sons, 20s. at their age of 21. I bequeath to the poor of Navestoke 3s 4d. Residuary legatee: my wife. Exors: William Sommer [the husband of his wife’s sister] of Harlow, yeoman and Joane my wife. Overseer: Richard Dewset of Northwilde. Witn: Rob. Dowse. Morgane Williams, curate ther. Proved 5 October 1574 by the executors named. Arch. Essex, Gyll, 54.

*Indexed as John Combers als Convers¹¹

Children of John_2 and Joan (Fuller) Convers, all but the eldest, Allen, baptized at Navestock, were as follows:

3. i. ALLEN_3 CONVERS, b. say 1556, m. JOANNA _____ circa 1585, m. ELIZABETH PAMER.

ii. JANE (OR JOAN) CONVERS, bp. 10 Jan. 1558 (“Joane Convers was Christened….”)¹² mentioned (my daftr Jane) in the will of her father above

4. iii. THOMAS CONVERS, bp. Navestock, 31 May 1560; m. JOAN OWEN.

5. iv. ANTHONY CONVERS, bp. 18 Oct 1662; m. CLEMENCE SPADY.

6. v. JOHN CONVERS, bp. 5 May 1566.

7. vi. JEFFERY CONVERS, bp. 16 Jan. 1568; m. JOANE CAWELL.

8. vii. WILLIAM CONVERS, bp. 18 Feb. 1570; m. 1st ELIZABETH _____; m. 2nd WINIFREDA SAMFORD.

Generation Three

   3. ALLEN_3 CONVERS  (John_2, Margaret_1) was probably born in Essex, say 155613.   He probably died in December 1636, as his will was probated 3 January 1636-7. He married, first, JOANNA _____ circa 1585 14. She was buried at Navestock 22 June 1603 as “Joana wife of Allen of Weald 15.”  He married, second, ELIZABETH PAMER at South Weald 28 November 1602 16. His will, dated 3 January 1636-7, read as follows:

Allen Convers of Southweald in the County of Essex yeoman, 3 January 1636, proved at Brentwood 23 June 1639. To the poor of the Upland of Southweald the sum of twenty shillings to be paid to the overseers of the said parish &c. To Elizabeth my wife all my house and land in Navestock and Stanford Ryvers, for term of her natural life, and after her decease to my son Gabriel Convers and to his heirs for ever. To Elizabeth my wife, all my house & land in in Fyfield alias Fyfed for the term of her natural life, and after her decease to my son Daniel and to his heirs forever according to a deed of feoffinent. To my son Andrew the sum of four pounds year for the term of five years, to be paid unto him by my son Daniel, the first payment to begin at the second feat of St. Michael the Archangel next after my decease, and so from year to year until the term of five years be expired. I give and bequeath to Richard Convers, my son, other four pounds a year, &c., to be paid unto him by my son Daniel in manner & form as aforesaid. wills (England): Archdeaconry of Essex, Archdeaconry of Colchester, . . . , preserved in the Essex Record Office, Chelmsford, seven volumes, 1982–1991). To Anne Shelton, my daughter, the sum of forty shillings a year &c, &c. To Hester Skynner my daughter other forty shillings a year &c.. Item I give & bequeath to Edward my son the sum of five shillings to be paid unto him by my executrix. To my son Daniel five shillings. To my son Andrew five pounds, to be paid him within two years after my decease. To Richard my son the sum of ten pounds, to be paid within two years &c. To Richard & Gabriel my sons one great brass pot and one caldron between them and to take them after the decease of Elizabeth my wife. Other personal property to daughter Hester Skynner. All the rest of my said goods, not bequeathed nor given away, to Elizabeth my wife whom I make executrix &c., to pay such legacies as I have bequeath and given away and to see my body buried in a decent and comely manner. 
Wit: Samuel Luckin, Thomas Osborne. Whitehead, 56. [Registry of 
Archdeaconry of Essex.]17

Known children of Allen_3 Convers and Joanna _____ were as follows:
8. i. ALLEN_4 CONVERS, bp. Navestock, 28 Feb. 1586; m. SARAH KNIGHT.
9. ii. EDWARD CONVERS, bp. Navestock m. 1st SARAH PARKER; m. 2nd Sarah _____; m. 3rd JOANNA (WARREN) SPRAGUE.
iii. ANDREW CONVERS.

10. iv. ANNE CONVERS, bp. South Weald, 20 Jun. 1599, m. JOHN SHELTON.
v. RICHARD CONVERS was mentioned in his father’s will. He does not appear in the parish registers of either Navestock or South Weald, and his mother is assumed to be Joanna.

Children of Allen_3 Convers and Elizabeth Pamer, all baptized at South Weald:

i. SUSAN_4 CONVERS, bp. 18 Mar. 1603-4¹⁸; probably died before the writing of her father’s will (1636), as she is not mentioned in it.

ii. GABRIEL CONVERS, bp. 24 Mar. 1604.

iii. DANIEL CONVERS, bp. 18 Feb. 1609-10¹⁹.

iv. HESTER CONVERS, bp. 26 Apr 1612 ²⁰; m. South Weald, 28 Oct. 1635, WILLIAM SKINNER.

4. THOMAS_3 CONVERS (John², Margaret¹) was baptized at Navestock, 31 May, 1560²¹. He died before 10 December 1627, the date of probate of his brother, John Convers(6) will. We know that he married and had children, as John’s will leaves a bequest to the “children of my brother Thomas Convers, deceased.” He may be the Thomas Convers who married Jane Owen in London in 1595 ²², and may have resided there.

5. ANTHONY_CONVERS (John², Margaret¹) was baptized at Navestock, October 1562 ²³. He married CLEMENCE SPADY? on 29 January 1587 at the Church of St. Margaret, Stanford Rivers, Essex, England. He died in January 1622 at Stanford Rivers, Essex, England, at age 59.

Children of Anthony Convers and Clemence Spady? were as follows:

i. JOHN_4 CONVERS bp. at Navestock 26 Jan. 1588²⁴ and d. before Apr 1621;²⁵ m.North Ockenden, Essex, 1613, MARY JARLING.

ii. EDWARD CONVERS, bp. Stanford Rivers, 28 Feb. 1590.²⁶

iii. JANE CONVERS, bp. Stanford Rivers, 20 Oct. 1595;²⁷ m. Stanford Rivers, 14 Jan 1618, DANIEL LAZELBED (BY?)²⁸

iv. ALLEN CONVERS, bp. Stanford Rivers, 5 Dec. 1602²⁹; m. Shenfield, 1635,ELIZABETH BORAM.³⁰

v. BENJAMIN CONVERS, bp. Stanford Rivers, 21 Oct. 1620³¹.

vi. WILLIAM CONVERS, b.before 24 Apr 1621.³²

6. JOHN_3 CONVERS (John², Margaret¹) was baptized at Navestock.

7. JEFFERY_3 CONVERS (John², Margaret¹) was baptized at Navestock and died at Stanford Rivers before 30 July 1612, the date of probate of his will, at age 44. He married at the Church of St. Margaret, Stanford Rivers, on 25 September 1597 JOANE CAWELL. His will reads as follows:

Will of Jeffre Convers of Stanfurde Rivers. Dated 8 Julye 1612, I give to Jeffrye, my son, 5li at his age of 21. To John, my son, 5li , at 21, and the like sums to my son William, my daughters Jone and Mary, and the child now to be born to me, at their several ages of 21. To my son Jeffre, my joined bedstead with the head and tester, after my wife’s decease.
Residuary legatee and executrix: my wife Jone.
Overseers: Allen Convers of South wealde, my brother, and Richard Westwode of Stanforde Rivers. The mark of Jeffre Convers. Witn: Antony Convers, John Abell. (Marks.) Proved 30 July 1512 [sic] by William Thwaits, notary public, proxy for Margaret, the relict and executrix named (sic), Arch. Essex, File 1612, no. 26.³³

Children of Jeffery_3 Convers and Joane Cawell, all baptized at Stanford Rivers:

i. JOANE_4 CONVERS, bp.
ii. JEFFERY CONVERS, bp.
iii. MARIE CONVERS, bp.; m. Stanford Rivers, 30 Jan 1717, ISAAC THON.
iv. JOHN CONVERS, bp.
v. NICHOLAS CONVERS, bp. m. Great Burstead, 6 Jul 1616, SARAH HALLIBRED.
vi. WILLIAM CONVERS, bp.
vii. LOVE CONVERS, bp. and buried at Stanford Rivers Jul 1611.
viii. ANNE CONVERS, bp. and buried at Stanford Rivers Jun 1611.
ix. HELEN CONVERS, bp.

8. WILLIAM_3 CONVERS (John², Margaret¹) was baptized at Navestock³⁴. He married first, at the Church of St. Margaret, Stanford Rivers. on 17 December 1599, ELIZABETH _____.³⁵. He married second, at the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, Navestock, on 22 June 1607, WINIFREDA SAMFORD,³⁶,daughter of Edward Samford. He died at Stanford Rivers in 1632.³⁷

Child of William_3 Convers and Elizabeth _____ was:

i. ALYCE_4 CONVERS.

Children of William_3 Convers and Winifreda Samford, all baptized at Stanford Rivers, were as follows:

i. MARGARET_4 CONVERS, bp.
ii. WILLIAM CONVERS d. at Stanford Rivers, Sep 1625 at age 14.
iii. JOHN CONVERS

Generation Four
8. ALLEN_4 CONVERS JR. (Allen3, John2, Margaret1) was baptized at Navestock,28 February 1586, and was buried there 24 April 1639. He married at Doddinghurst, 7 January 1611-12, SARAH KNIGHT, daughter of John and Ann Knight. She was baptized at Doddinghurst 8 January 1589-90, and buried at South Weald, 5 December 1626.



Children of Allen_4 Convers Jr. and Sarah Knight, all baptized in South Weald, were as follows:
11. i. THEOPHILUS5 CONVERS, bap. 13 Mar. 1613-14; m. 1st ELIZABETH (_____); m. 2nd MARGERY (_____) HURRALL
12. ii. ALLEN CONVERS, bp.18 Aug. 1616; m. ELIZABETH (_____).
iii. AARON CONVERS, bp, 2 Feb.1618-19; d. 1618-19 at South Weald.
iv. ABRAHAM CONVERS, bp.7 Jan. 1619-20; d. 1620 at South Weald.
v. SARAH CONVERS, bp. 17 Apr, 1621; probably immigrated to the Mass. Bay Colony with her brother Allen, and m. _____ SMITH before 1659. She d. after 1659 in Massachusetts.

9. DEACON EDWARD_4 CONVERS (Allen3, John2, Margaret1) was baptized at Navestock and died at Woburn, Massachusetts on 10 August 1663, at age 74.38 He married first at Great Burstead, Barstable Hundred, Essex, on 29 June 1614,
SARAH PARKER, daughter of John Parker.39 She was buried at South Weald, June 1625. He married second, in England, between 1625 and 1630, SARAH _____ .40 She died_____. He married third at Woburn, Massachusetts on 9 September 1662, JOANNA (WARREN) SPRAGUE, widow of Ralph Sprague. She died______.  Edward and Sarah his wife, and his children Josiah, James and Mary immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony with the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, at the beginning of the Great Migration.



Edward’s descendants are well documented in the Converse Genealogy [Note 2]:
i. JOSIAH_5 CONVERS, bp. South Weald, 30 Oct. 1618; m. Woburn, Mass., 26 Mar 1651, ESTHER CHAMPNEY.
ii. JAMES CONVERS, bp. (as John) South Weald 29 Nov. 1620; m. 1st Windham County, Conn., 24 Oct 1643, ANNA LONG; m. 2nd Cambridge, Mass., 22 Aug. 1691, ANNA SPARHAWK COOPER. He died on 10 May 1715 at age 94.
iii. SARAH CONVERS, bap. South Weald 2 June 1623, and buried at South Weald, 30 Dec. 1623.41
iv. MARY CONVERS, b. abt. 1625.

Child of Deacon Edward_4 Convers and Sarah _____ was: 
v. SAMUEL_5 CONVERS, bap. Charlestown, Mass., 12 Mar. 1637-38; m. JUDITH CARTER. (First Converse born in America)

There were no children of Deacon Edward_3 Convers and Joanna (Warren) Sprague.



10. ANN_4 CONVERS (Allen3, John2, Margaret1) was baptized at South Weald, 20 January 1599-1600.42 She married JOHN SHELTON at the Church of St. Antolin, Budge Row, London, 9 March 1626-7).43


11. JEFFERY_4 CONVERS (Jeffery3, John2, Margaret1), married say 162944, MERCY _____.
Children of Jeffery_4 Convers and Mercy _____ , all baptized at Stanford Rivers:
i. MERCY_5 CONVERS
ii. JEFFERY CONVERS
iii. WILLIAM CONVERS


12. NICHOLAS_4 CONVERS (Jeffery3, John2, Margaret1) married, at Great Burstead, on 6 July 1616, SARA HALLIBRED.
  
Children of Nicholas_4 Convers and Sara Hallibred, both baptized at Great Burstead, were as follows:
i. MARGARET_5 CONVERS
ii. MARTHA CONVERS

St. Peter’s Church, South Weald, where some of Edward Convers’ and Sarah Parker’s children were likely baptized.

Generation Five
13. THEOPHILUS_5 CONVERS (Allen4, Allen3, John2, Margaret1) was baptized at South Weald, 13 March 1613-14. He married first at South Weald, 25 September 1644, ELIZABETH (_____). He married second at South Weald, 6 October 1688, MARGERY (_____) HURRALL.

Children of Theophilus_5 Convers and Elizabeth (_____) all baptized at South Weald, were as follows:
i. JOHN_6 CONVERS
ii. JAPHET CONVERS
iii. JAMES CONVERS

There were no children of Theophilus_5 Convers and Margery (_____) Hurrall.


14. ALLEN_5 CONVERS (Allen4, Allen3, John2, Margaret1) was baptized at South Weald, 13 March 1613-14. He probably married at Woburn, Massachusets about 1641, ELIZABETH (_____). He died at Woburn, Massachusetts, 19 April 1679.

Children of Allen_5 Converse and Elizabeth (_____) all born at Woburn,
Massachusetts Bay Colony, were as follows:
i. ZACHARIAH_6 CONVERS, b. 11 Oct. 1642; d. Woburn 22 Jan. 1679.
ii. ELIZABETH CONVERS, b. 7 Mar. 1645; d. Woburn 2 Aug. 1661.
iii. SARAH CONVERS, b. 11 Jul. 1647; d. 22 Apr 1679.
iv. JOSEPH CONVERS, b. 31 May 1649; d. before 14 Apr 1679.
v. MARY CONVERS, b. 26 Sep. 1651; d. Woburn, 10 Nov. 1651.
vi. THEOPHILUS CONVERS, b. 21 Sept. 1652; d. Woburn, 28 Sept. 1652.
vii. SAMUEL CONVERS was born on 20 Sept. 1653; d. Woburn, 25 Oct. 1699.
viii. MARY CONVERS, b. 26 Nov 1655, and d. 1686; m. Billerica, Mass., 30 Jun 1685 JACOB FRENCH.
ix. HANNAH CONVERS, b. on 13 Mar 1660 and d. Woburn 23 Mar. 1679; m. Woburn, 27 Dec. 1677, NATHANIEL PIERCE.
  

Ruins_of_St._Thomas_a_Becket_chapel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1528751.jpg

The ruins of St. Thomas a Becket Chapel in Brentwood, Essex, England, where Edward Convers and his second wife, Sarah were probably married. The chapel was founded in c.1221 by the Augustinian Abbey of St Osyth, and stood within the small town established by the abbey alongside the Colchester to London road. It was intended as a chapel of ease, for the use of the inhabitants of the town and for travellers and pilgrims on the route to Canterbury.

Footnotes

¹ (Boston: Alfred Mudge & Son, Printers, 1887).
² (Boston: Eben Putnam, 1905). Hereinafter cited as “Converse Genealogy.”
³ Arnold P. G. and Carolyn Bryant Peterson, “Edward Converse of Woburn, Massachusetts: Notes on his Birthplace and Ancestry,” Register, 146 [1992]:130-132. Hereinafter cited as “Edward Converse.”
⁴ Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins : Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633 (3 Volumes) (Boston: The New England Historic and Genealogical Society, 1996), 459-463. Hereinafter cited as Great Migration.
⁵ Douglas Richardson, “The English Origin and Ancestry of the Parker Brothers of Massachusetts and their Probable Aunt, Sarah Parker, Wife of Edward Converse,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 153 (January, 1999). Hereinafter cited as “Parker Brothers.”
⁶ David Hackett Fischer, Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways in America (New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), p. 47, note 16, citing Allen, In English Ways.
⁷ Ibid., p. 47.
⁸ This will was abstracted by Eben Putnam, and the abstract published in Converse, The Converse Family, p. 876. While most of the family’s holdings in Essex, the parishes of South Weald, Stanford Rivers, Fyfield, etc., were part of the Archdeaconry of Essex for probate purposes, Navestock was a peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s, London. This may account for the stated residence of later wills, as proving them in the Archdeaconry of Essex may have been more convenient.
⁹ Assumption, based on marriage at age 30 and death at about age 50. His birth was almost certainly before the beginning of baptismal registers at Navestock in 1538.
¹⁰ Will of Edward Fuller, will no. 252, pp. 98-99. Edward Fuller of Stanford Rivers. 4 December 1573. To be buried in North Weald Bassett Churchyard. To my daughter Hawks' children which are four, Edward 10 pounds at 26 or marriage and Alice, Elizabeth and Margaret each 10 pounds at 20 or marriage. if three of them die before, two parts to the survivor and the other two parts to be equally divided among my son Cumbors children; which 40 pounds to be paid out of my land at Dagenham called Chesbrough and at Chigwell in the occupancy of Thomas Dowset. To Thomas Hurd of Stanford 40s. To Edward son of Thomas Dowset of Chigwell 3 pounds and 2 milch chine of his own that be in my pasture and also another cow of mine at my executors discretion. To my brother Henry Fuller my black mare and to my son [inlaw] William Sommer my black colt, in consideration of which I will that they each give Joan Cumbers my daughter 40 s. To Thomas Dorset, a boy in my house and Edward the son of William Dowset, each a bullock of 1 year old when my executors think it fittest for them. To Dorothy Pepper 5 s., Robert Dwoset of Stanford and Thomas his son, 3 s 4d apiece. To the poor folk of Stanford 20 s., North Weald Basset 10 s, and harlow 13 s. 4 d. To my god children 2 s. apiece. To Goerge Saxeforth 20 s. I will that at the time of my burial there be spent in meat and drink 40 s. To Elizabeth Hawkes 10 pounds more at 20 or marriage. The rest of my goods to my daughters Joan Cumbers and Thomasine Somner equally divided. I appoint my two sons William Somner and John Cumbers executors and my brother Henry and my cousin Andrew Fuller overseers, and for their pains 10 s apiece. Witnesses William Atkinson pastor of Stanford [Rivers] Thomas Heard of Stanfored Rivers husbandman. Proved 8 January1573/4. (Note: This will was included in Peterson, “Edward Converse” [Note 2], 132.
¹¹ J. Henry Lea, “Genealogical Gleanings Among the English Archives,” in the NEHG Register, v. 59 (April 1905), p. 174. An abstract also appears in Emmison, Essex Wills (England), Volume 3, 1571-1577, will 298, p. 119. Wills of the County of Essex (England),Volume 2, 1565–1571 (Online database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003), (Orig. Pub. by National Genealogical Society, Washington, D.C. F. G. Emmison, Essex.
¹² Navestock Parish Register, Essex Records Office, D/P 148/1/1. Her father is not named in her baptismal record in the register. Hereinafter cited as Navestock PR.
¹³ Allen was mentioned in the will of his father (Allyn Cumbers my son, see above) and was not yet aged 21 at the time. The will suggests that he is the eldest son, and his birth date is estimated as two years before that of his sister Jane, who was baptized at Navestock 10 Jan. 1558.
¹⁴ Assumption, based on the assumed birth date of their son, Allen.
¹⁵ Navestock PR.
¹⁶ South Weald Parish Register, Essex Records Office, D/P 128/1/2, Allin Combers and Eliz. Pamer. Hereinafter referenced as South Weald PR.
¹⁷ Probate File, Essex Record Office, Chelmsford. File D/AEW, Allen Convers, probated 16 January 1627/28. The will was dated 3 January 1636-7, and he probably died before the end of December. The abstract of this will is from Converse Genealogy, p. 860, reprinted from Genealogical Gleanings in England by Henry F. Waters.
¹⁸ South Weald PR. Susan Combers, dau to Allen.
¹⁹ South Weald PR. Daniell Combers, the sonne of Allan Combers.
²⁰ South Weald PR. Hester Combers, daughter to Allan Combers.
²¹
²² Boyd’s Marriage Index, London diocese.
²³ Navestock PR, Anthonie the Sonne of John Convers was Christened….
²⁴
²⁵ Assumption, based on the fact that his younger brother is called “eldest son” in their father’s will.
²⁶ “Extract of Stanford Register, baptisms,” in Converse Genealogy [Note 1], 2:871.
²⁷
²⁸
²⁹
³⁰
³¹
³² He was named in his father’s will.
³³ J. Henry Lea, “Genealogical Gleanings Among the English Archives,” The New England Historic and Genealogical Register, : 174 (April 1905).
³⁴
³⁵
³⁶
³⁷
³⁸
³⁹
⁴⁰
⁴¹ South Weald PR, Sarah Combers daughter to Edward Combers was buried ye 30 day of December [1623]
⁴² South Weald PR., Anne Combers d. to Allin Combers.
⁴³ Joseph Lemuel Chester and Geo. J. Armytage, editors, The Parish Registers of St. Antholin, Budge Row, London (London: The Harleian Society, 1883), p. 61; John Sheton & Ann Cumbers marr. by Mr. Peeters.
⁴⁴