General Notes

One of the first settlers of Dorchester, and a man of unusual business ability, and many of his descendants have been prominent in business, military and professional circles.

"THOMAS NEWBURY, 4th son [of Richard] (6th ch.), b. Yarcombe, 10 Nov. 1594, to America Apr. 1634, to Dorchester, Mass., where d. Dec. 1635; m. (1) ca. 1619, Joan, b. ca. 1600, dau. of Christopher Dabinott of Yarcombe, d. Eng. ca. 1629; m. (2) ca. [date missing] a Jane, who may have been Jane Dabinott, cousin of his (1) wife.  She m. (2) 1637, as (2) wife, Rev. John Warham of Norwalk, Conn., where she d. 3 Apr. 1655 (J. Gardner Bartlett, *Newberry Genealogy* (Boston, 1914, p 35-44)."
   --- Frederick Lewis Weis & Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr, *Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America before 1700*, 7th Edition, Baltimore MD (Genealogical Publishing Co) 1992, p 227 (Line 253)

"THOMAS [NEWBERRY/NEWBURY], Dorchester, may have come in the Mary and John 1630, freem. 3 Sept. 1634, rep. 1635, was engag. to go with Warham and most of his congreg. to plant Windsor, but d. bef. the migrat. by his will of 1 Dec. 1635, of wh. abstr. is in Geneal. Reg. VII. 29 [sic---lines may be missing here] leav. large prop. of wh. #200 [# = pounds] to w. Jane, beside what she brot. at m. and residue equally to childr. exc. that the three youngest ds, should ea. have #50 less than the others [daughters are mentioned below, but no sons, although Savage says under Benjamin NEWBERRY, which see, that he, Benjamin, is son of Thomas NEWBERRY of Dorchester --- perhaps missing lines contained names of other children]. Instead of #50, as I had read some yrs. bef. Mr. Trask, who usually is a careful copier of the old writings, gives 50s.  in that abstr. wh. might, in case of some petty estate, seem large enough. This may have affected his eyesight, as the fact of great prop. on my reexamination, wh. led to conforming my first transcript, possib. may have influenced me to judge, that so rich a man would not make so poor a differ. betw. his ds.  The inv. tak. Jan. foll. (includ. ld. in Eng. at #300) was of #1520, 4, 7. Sarah m. 8 Nov. 1640, Henry Wolcott; Mary m. 13 June 1644, Daniel Clarke; Rebecca was sec. w. of Rev. John Russell of Hadley; and Hannah m. Rev. Thomas Hanford, and d. early."
   ---James Savage, *A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England*, vol. 3, 1861, p. 269.

"THOMAS NEWBERRY was one of the earliest settlers and largest landed proprietors of Dorchester, Mass., receiving from the General Court, in March, 1634, one hundred acres of land at Neponset, and many other grants from the proprietors of the town.  He was made a freeman September 3, 1634, and was chosen a Deputy or Representative in 1635.  He became interested in the Connecticut settlement, and disposed of all his estate in Dorchester, with the intention of removing to Windsor, Conn., with the Rev. Mr. Warham and his party.  He died, however, before the departure of this company. in December, 1635, or January, 1636. (Stiles's *History of Windsor*.)  He had been in Windsor a short time before, preparing for removal, and his lands were recorded to his children in 1640.  His widow, Jane, and children, made the journey to the new settlement, and she became the second wife of Rev. John Warham (perhaps before the migration to Windsor), and died in Norwalk, Conn., April 23, 1645.
   --- William F J Boardman, *The Ancestry of William Francis Joseph Boardman, Hartford, Connecticut*, 1906, p 314

"THOMAS NEWBERRY (1636), from Dorchester, after making preparations here, returned to Dorchester to bring his family, and died there, 1636, leaving three sons and four daughters.  His widow married the Rev. John Warham; his lands were not recorded to him, but directly to his children under date of 1640.  His son Joseph had a lot granted, ten rods wide.  A part of this lot, with a frame standing thereon (a few rods south of the present residence of David Rowland), was sold to Mr. Warham, 1644, and Joseph removed.  His attorneys sold his lands for him, 1653. John had land granted, but he soon disappears.  Captain Benjamin married Mary, daughter of Matthew Allen, 1646. He had two sons and seven daughters.  He bought the Roger Williams place."
   --- Jabez H. Hayden, "Early Windsor Families," in *The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884*, ed J Hammond Trumbull, v. 2, 1886, p 555

"NEWBERRY, NEWBURY,  THOMAS.  Bapt. Yarcombe, co. Devon. Eng., 10 Nov 1594. Apparently came on the "Recovery" 1634.  d. Dec 1635.  Deputy. *Descendants of Thomas Newberry* 1914, *Newberry genealogy* 1975; (ancient anc claimed); N.G.S.  Q. 71:171."
   Meredith B Colket, *Founders of Early American Families*, Cleveland OH 1985, p 219

"Thomas Newberry -- Bpt. 11 Nov. 1594, Yarcombe, Devon.  He died suddenly in December, 1635, in Dorchester, MA, as he was preparing to move to Windsor, CT. He married (1) Jane Dabinot, a. 1619 (b.a. 1600), dau. of Christopher Dabinot (See Search series Vol. 11, p. 98) of Yarcombe, Devon and Charstock, Marshwood, and Upway, Dorset.  Will of Christopher Dabinot, 1 July 1637 (PCC 112 Goare). Christopher;s estate was between 2,000 and 6,000 pounds, so Thomas Newberry evidently enhanced his fortune by his marriage.  Jane died about 1629, leaving five small children.  (P) Thomas married (2) Jane (Dabinot?), about 1630, perhaps the cousin of his first wife and dau. of John and Joan Dabinot of Chardstock, Dorset. John Dabinot wrote his will in 1624, bequeathing 150 pounds to his dau., Jane, when she married with the consent of her mother and his overseers, Christopher Dabinot and Thomas Newberry.  Jane Dabinot was batpized 12 June 1611, Chardstock, Dorset.  Perhaps Thomas "consented" she should marry himself, soon after he became a widower with five children, ages 10,8,6,4, and 1.  She married (2) Rev. John Warham, 1637, as his second wife and died, 23 Apr. 1655, Norwalk, CT.  (P) In 1626 Thomas was living in Marshwood, Dorset, 7 miles N. of Lyme Regis, on an estate called "Coweleyes". In 1625 this property belonged to his father-in-law, Christopher Dabinot, on a 99 year lease for lives, with remainder of term to Joseph Newberry (b. 1620) and Benjamin Newberry (b. 1624), sons of Thomas. (P) Thomas Newberry apparently continued at Marshwood (Marshwood Vale) until he siled forr New England.  There are two conflicting records on when he sailed.  William Whiteway of Dorchester, Dorset, an associate of Rev. John White, kept a diary (now in the British Museum, London), which states that "1634 April 17, Mr. Newburgh of Marshwood Vale and many others set sail from Weymouth towards New England." This agrees with the first appearance of Thomas Newberry in the Dorchester, MA records on 1 Sept. 1634.  (P) However, Thomas Newberry's name also appears on the passenger list of the "Recovery" of London, which sailed from Weymouth, Dorset, 31 March 1634.  This ship carried other people associated with the "Mary & John" group of 1630, including Jonathqan Gillett and Stephen Terry, returning to New England with their new wives.  (See search series Vol. 2, p. 112).  (P) By 1635 Thomas Newberry had acquired a large, 400 acre farm, one mile in length two-thirds of a mile wide, an area now in the city of Quincy, MA.  He soon became one of the most prominent citizens of Dorchester and in 1634 he was one of the ten men chosen to order the affairs of the Dorchester plantation.  (P) He wrote his will, 12 Oct. 1635, and died soon after.  The inventory of his estate was taken, 28 Jan.  1636, and it totaled 1520 pounds.  Only one out of one hundred early settlers possessed such wealth at that time.  The most valuable items in his inventory were his Dorchester farm and livestock -- 693 pounds, land in England -- 300 pounds, meadows nad livestock in Dorchester -- 270 pounds.  He left 200 pounds to his wife and all her "household stuff she brought with her at her marriage".
  The remainder of his estate was to be divided equally among his seven children.  (P) Thomas Newberry's widow, Jane, married (2) Rev. John Warham, in 1637, whose first wife died in late 1634, and they both moved to Windsor with all of the Newberry Children."
   --- Burton Spear, * ... Mary & John 1630*, v 17, 1992, p 106-107

{ This is another Thomas Newberry: "Newbury, Thomas, Windsor---died in 1688 [seems an error; see Boardman below]. Children, Hannah, 8, Thomas 6, Joseph 4, and Benjamin one year old.  He married Ann Ford in 1676.  Benjamin, of Windsor, married Mary Allyn in '46 and had nine children."
   ---R R Hinman, *Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut*, Hartford (E Gleason) 1846, No. 3, p. 154 }

"*Mr. Thomas Newberry*, of Dorchester, Mass.  bap. Nov. 10, 1594; son of *Richard and Grace (Matthew) Newberry* of Yarcombe, Devon, England, Gent. m. about 1619, *Joane Dabinott*.  d. probably in Dec. 1636. ... (P) He was one of the richest men among the colonists and a merchant; he had an excellent education and was engaged in legal study in London during several terms of the Court of Chancery. .....  In 1626, he occupied an estate called "Coweleyes" in Marshwood, co. Dorset.  He turned Puritan when a young man and sailed for New England in April, 1634.  His first appearance on the records of New England is as a grantee of lands in Dorchester, Mass., Sept. 1, 1634; he subsequently received several other large grants of land there. His name invariably appears on the records with the prefix "Mr." for he was ofthe highest social standing.  He joined the church in Dorchester soon after his arrival and on Sept. 3, 1634, was admitted a Freeman of Mass., and immediately became prominent in public affairs, being chosen Selectman Oct. 28, 1634, when it was "agreed that their shall be Tenn men chosen to order all the affayres of the Plantation, to continue for one yeare & to meete monethly according to the order Oct: 9, 1633."  On Mar. 4, 1634-5 and May 6, 1635, he was Deputy for Dorchester to the General Court.  On May 6, he was "chosen overseer of the worke att Castle Ileland, in the roome of Roger Ludlowe, Esq., etc.  At the session of July 8, he was appointed one of a committee of two "to sett out the bounds betwixte Wessaguscus & Barecove." He was an active leader in the project for the settling of Windsor but died before its accomplishment; he had, however, visited the site of the new town and his widow and children went there after his death.  He had married a second wife namerd *Jane ----- *.  After his death, this wife, *Jane* (by whom he had Rebecca, whom. Rev. John Russell as his second wife; Hannah, who m. Rev. Thomas Hanford, and a dau. b. about 1635, who d. y.), became the wife of *Rev. John Warham*."
   --- Ernest Flagg, *Genealogical Notes on the Founding of New England*, Hartford CT, 1926, p 281

"THOMAS NEWBERRY, GENT.  (Richard Newberye, Newberowe, or Newburgh, Gent.; Richard Newberowe or Newburgh, Gent.; Walter Newborough or Newburgh, Gent.; Thomas Newborough or Newburgh, Esq.; John Newburgh, Esq.; John Newburgh, Esq.; John Newburgh, Esq., Sir Thomas Newburgh, Knt.; Sir Robert de Newburgh, Knt.; John de Newburgh; Henry de Newburgh; Robert de Newburgh; Robert de Newburgh; Roger de Newburgh; Robert de Newburgh; Henry de Newburgh, Earl of Warwick; Roger de Beaumont, Sire du Ponteaudemer; Humphrey de Veulles, Sire du Ponteaudemer; Touroude, Sire du Ponteaudemer; Torf, Seigneur de Torville), was baptized at Yarcombe, co. Devon, England, 10 Nov. 1594, fourth son of Richard and Grace (Matthew) Newberye, Newberowe, or Newburgh, Gent.  He evidently obtained an excellent education for his times, as in the next mention that has been found of him (the suit in chancery in 1623 of William Councell vs. Richard Newberye, Gent., his father, account of which has been given on page 23), it appears that Thomas Newberry had engaged in legal study in London, during several terms of the Court of Chancery.  (Chancery Proceedings, Series 2, 342-65.) He has next been found as an overseer of the will of his first wife's uncle, John Dabinott of Chardstock, co. Dorset, dated 1 Nov. 1624, being given a gold ring for his expected services.  (P.C.C., 30 Clarke.) Two years later he appears in Marshwood, co. Dorset (then a chapelry of the parish of Whitchurch Canonicorum), where he occupied an estate called "Coweleyes", the lease of which for nine-nine years from 1625 was the property of his father-in-law Christopher Dabinott for life with remainder of the term to Joseph and Benjamin Newberry, sons of Thomas Newberry. (See "Newberry vs. Hayne" in Chancery Proceedings, Six Clerks Series, Collins 546-48, details of this suit being hereafter given on pages 47-50 in the account of Joseph Newberry.)  In 1626 and 1628/9 he had children baptized at Whitchurch Canonicorum; and in 1628, as "Thomas Newberye", he is listed in a subsidy of 4 Charles I., being assessed 21s. 4d. on goods in Marshwood of value of L4. (Lay Subsidies, Dorset, 105-317.)  In his early manhood the wave of Puitanism swept over England with continually increasing force; and it is evident that Thomas Newberry when a young man embraced the Puritan faith of the founders of New England.
   "Mr. Newberry apparently continued in Marshwood (also called Marshwood Vale) until April 1634, when he sailed for New England, as is disclosed by the diary of William Whiteway of Dorchester, co. Dorset, England, who has been previously mentioned as an associated of Rev. John White, Rev. Walter Newburgh, cousin of Thomas Newberry, and many others, in the company of "Dorchester Adventurers" whose operations in connection with New England culminated in the sailing from Plymouth, England, in March 1630, of the ship *Mary and John* with a party of colonists from Somerset, Dorset, and Devon, who founded Dorchester, Mass.  ... This original diary of William Whiteway is now preserved in the Manuscript Department (Egerton Mss., p 201) of the British Museaum, London, and extends from 1618 to 1534. Several meetings of the associates of the "Dorchester Adventurers" are mentioned; and one of the last entries in the diary is as follows, quoted verbatim:  "1634 April 17.  Mr. Newburgh of Marthwood [sic] Vale and many others set saile from Waimouth towards New England".  This record agrees perfectly with the arrival of Thomas Newberry in New England, where his first appearance on records is as a grantee of lands in Dorchester, Mass., 1 Sept. 1634. (Records of Dorchester, printed vol., p. 7.)  Mr. Whiteway was a man of education, large estate, and prominent position in county affairs, and his spelling of the name "Newburgh" (pronounced "Newberowe" or "Newberry") indicates an intimate acquaintance with the family and consequent knowledge of the ancient spelling of the name used by the chief representatives of the family.
   "Soon after his arrival in Dorchester, Mass., Thomas Newberry purchased for a dwelling a house formerly built there by Mr. William Pyncheon, and received grants of land .....
   "Soon after his arrival in Dorchester, Mass., Thomas Newberry evidently joined the church there, as on 3 Sept. 1634, he was admitted a freeman of Massachusetts, church membership at that time being requisite for a freeman. (Records of Massachusetts, printed vol. 1, p. 369.)  He immediately became prominent in public affairs, being chosen first selectman on 28 Oct. 1634, when it was "agreed that their shall be Tenn men chosen to order all the affayres of the Plantation, to continue for one yeere, & to meete monethly according to the order [of] Oct: 8: 1633", etc.; and on 2 Nov. 1635, "Mr Newbery" appears among "The names of such as are chosen for ordering the affayres of the Plantation, November 1635, to continue for halfe a yeere". (Dorchester Records, printed vol., pp. 7, 13.)  On 4 March 1634/5 and 6 May and 8 July 1635, he was a deputy for Dorchester to the General Court of Massachusetts, held at "Newe Towne" (now Cambridge).  (Records of Massachusetts, printed vol. 1, pp. 135, 145, 149.)  At the session on 6 May he was "chosen overseer of the worke att Castle Ileland, in the roome of Roger Ludlower, Esq., & it is ordered that hee shall have the same power to presse carts for such allowance as hee thinks meete".  (Ibid., p. 147.) This work doubtless concerned the fortifications there.  At the session of 8 July "Mr Neweberry & William Phelpes were appoyncted [sic] to sett out the bounds betwixte Weeaguscus & Barecove [Weymouth and Hingham)".  (Ibid., p. 149.) Mr. Newberry was one of the active leaders in the project of settling Windsor, Conn., but died suddenly, probably in December 1635, before he had completed arrangements to remove thither with his family.
   "On account of his high social position, Thomas Newberry is invariably termed "Mr." in all records of him found in New England, and his superior education, large wealth, and natural abilities would have assured him a very prominent part in early New England history, if he had not been prematurely cut off by death.  Judging from his inventory, he evidently brought with him from England a large stock of goods, intending to trade as an importing merchant; but he also was a planter and like nearly all the early settlers engaged in farming. The inventory of his estate totalled over L1500, a very large estate for New England at that time, probably not over one pioneer colonist in a hundred possessing so much property.  Of honorable descent, he worthily sustained an estimable position in the community, performing well his part during a limited time, in laying the foundations of a new nation, and becoming the progenitor of an American family which while small in numbers, has always been one of worth and distinction.
   "A short time before his death, Mr. Newberry made his will [dated 12 Oct 1635} .....  [a copy of the will and an inventory of goods omitted here]  .....
   "After the death of Mr. Newberry, his widow and children removed to Windsor, Conn., where his children were granted lands for his rights in that plantation, which were recorded 10 Oct. 1640.  (Windsor Land Records, vol. 1, pp. 2-7.) .....
   "Thomas Newberry married first, about 1619, JOANE DABINOTT, born about 1600, daughter of Christopher Dabinott of Yarcombe, co. Devon, and Chardstock, Marshwood, and Upway, co. Dorset.  This marriage is proved by the will of Christopher Dabinott of Upway, co. Dorset, dated 1 July 1637, which gave L50 each to Joseph, Benjamin, John, Sarah, and Mary Newbery [sic] "children of Thomas Newbery and Joane his wife my daughter, deceased".  (P.C.C., 112 Goare.) The marriage is further established by evidence in the suit of Joseph Newberry vs. Gideon Hayne in Chancery Proceedings, Six Clerks Series, Collins 546-48, details of which are given later on pages 47-50 in account of Joseph Newberry; from this suit it also appears that Christopher Dabinott was a man of wealth, leaving an estate variously claimed to be worth from L2000 to L6000, so Thomas Newberry evidently much enhanced his fortunes by this marriage to Joane Dabinott. She died in England about 1629, leaving three sons and two daughters. (See Dabinott Pedigree in Appendix [here under DABINOTT names].)
   "He married second, about 1630, JANE -----, by whom he had three daughters. Her maiden name and parentage have not been established; but perhaps she was Jane Dabinott of Chardstock, the will of said John Dabinott in 1624 bequeathing L150 to his daughter Jane when married with the consent of her mother and his overseers Christopher Dabinott and Thomas Newberry; perhaps the latter "consented" she should marry himself. (See Dabinott Pedigree in Appendix [here under DABINOTT names.)  Jane the second wife of Thomas Newberry came with him to Dorchester, Mass., in 1634, and shortly after his death removed with the Newberry children to Windsor, Conn., where she married secondly, in 1637, as his second wife, REV. JOHN WARHAM, and died at Norwalk, Conn., 23 Apr. 1655.  This marriage is proved by a lease for four years made 1 May 1639 by William Gaylard, as agent for John Warham pastor of the church of Windsor, Conn., and Jane his wife executrix of the will of Thomas Newbery, Gent., deceased, to Richard Wright, husbandman, of the farm of the said Thomas Newberry on the Southerly side of the Neponset River. (Lechford's Note Book, printed vol., pp. 124-126.)
   "[An aside in smaller type:] Rev. John Warham, born about 1595, was a family of gentry of Dorset and Devon, and was a graduate of St. Mary Hall, Oxford University, B.A. 14 Nov. 1614, and M.A, 18 May 1618, and on 23 May 1619 was ordained at Silverton, co. Devon, by the Bishop of Exeter.  Later he preached in the City of Exeter, and having embraced the Puritan doctrines came to New England in the *Mary and John* in the Spring of 1630 as one of the ministers of the party of colonists who founded Dorchester, Mass., where he served six years. In 1636 he joined in the settlement of Windsor, Conn., where he was pastor for thirty-four years until his death, 1 Apr. 1670. According to Cotton Mather, Mr. Warham was an energetic minister and vigorous preacher, and although "as pious a man as most that were out of Heaven, yet Satan often threw him into those deadly pangs of melancholy that made him despair of ever getting thither".  (Mather's Magnalia, vol. 1, pp. 441-2.)  Several early New England ministers were similarly afflicted, doubtless from being steeped in the dismal theology of the period.  His first wife, whom he married in England, died at Dorchester, Mass., about December 1634; by his second wife Mrs. Jane Newberry, he had four daughters, the youngest of whom was grandmother of the celebrated Calvinist theologian, Rev. Jonathan Edwards. Mrs.  Jane Newberry-Warham died at Norwalk, Conn., 23 Apr. 1645; and Mr. Warham married third, 9 Oct. 1662, ABIGAIL BRANKER, the widow of John Branker of Windsor.  [End of aside about Warham]
   "Children of Thomas and Joane (Dabinott) Newberry, born in England: .....
   --- J Gardner Bartlett, *Newberry Genealogy*, Boston, 1914, p 35-46

"NEWBERRY, THOMAS (1594-1635) -- Of Yarcombe, Devon and Dorchester, MA. He came on the "Revoery of London" in 1634 with his second wife.  He m. (1) Jane [often said to have been JOAN] Dabinott a. 1619, daughter of Christopher Dabinott (1564-1637) and granddaughter of Thomas Dabinott and Rawlin ----- of Chardstock. Thomas had another son, John Dabinott of Chardstock, who had a daughter, also Jane Dabinott (b. 1611) who is believed to have married Thomas Newberry a. 1630, as his second wife. Thomas had five children by his first wife (1620-1629) and three by his second (1631-1635).  His widow m. (2) Rev. John Warham a. 1627 and had another five children (1637-1644).  So the last three children of Thomas Newberry and the last five children of Rev. John Warham had a common Dabinott ancestry. (Ref: Search Series, Vol. 17, pp. 103-110 and pp. 164-174)"
   --- Burton W Spear, * ... Mary & John 1630 ... *. v 18, 1992, p 164


Alt Death: 1 Dec 1636 Windsor, Hartford, CT