General Notes

REFN: 1064AN
REFN: P1064
The Great Migration Begins
Sketches
PRESERVED PURITAN
JOHN WOOD BURY
ORIGIN: Somersetshire
MIGRATION: 1624
FIRST RESIDENCE: Cape Ann
REMOVES: Salem 1626
RETURN TRIPS: To England in 1627 to explain to those interested, financial
ly and otherwise, the condition, needs and prospects of the settlement, a
nd return to New England in 1628
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: "John Woodberye" was on a list of Salem church membe
rs compiled in late 1636, with the later notation "dead" [ SChR 5].
FREEMAN: Requested 19 October 1630 and admitted 18 May 1631 [ MBCR 1:79, 3
66].
EDUCATION: Signed his name [ STR 1:46]. His many offices and his freque
nt duties in surveying land indicate education above the norm.
OFFICES: Deputy for Salem to Massachusetts Bay General Court, 6 May 163
5, 2 September 1635, 12 March 1637/8, 6 September 1638, 13 March 1638/9 [M
BCR 1:145, 156, 220, 236, 250; STR 1:85]. Colony assessor, 12 March 1637
/8 [MBCR 1:225]. Colony committee to value livestock, 13 May 1640 [MBCR 1:
295].
Essex petit jury, 24 June 1636, 28 March 1637, 27 June 1637, 3 Octob
er 1637, 26 November 1637, 27 March 1638 (foreman), 26 June 1638 (foreman
), 25 September 1638, 31 March 1640, 29 September 1640, 30 March 164
1, 29 June 1641 [ EQC 1:3, 5-9, 17, 21, 26, 28].
Salem constable, 28 September 1630 [MBCR 1:76]. Selectman, 1636-41 [S
TR 1:34, 47, 68, 87, 105, 109]. Lotlayer, 1635, 1636, 1637 [STR 1:10, 28
]. Assessor, 1637, 1638 [STR 1:57, 95].
ESTATE: Capt. Trask, John Woodbury, Mr. Conant, Peter Palfrey and John Bal
ch were each granted two-hundred acre farms at the head of Bass Rive
r, 25 January 1635[/6] [STR 1:12]. John Woodbury was granted one acre of m
arsh on 25 December 1637, based on a household of six [STR 1:103]. He w
as granted five acres of meadow on 7 May 1638 [STR 1:96].
The will of John Woodbury was proved 27 June 1643, but not recorded. Ex
ecutrix, widow Ann Woodbury, brought in an inventory on 20 February 1643[/
4] [ EPR 1:21].
BIRTH: By about 1583 based on estimated date of first marriage.
DEATH: At January 1641/2 term of Salem Court called as a Salem grandjurym
an and noted "absent, now dead" [EQC 1:33].
MARRIAGE: (1) By about 1608 _____ _____; she is not seen in any reco
rd in England or New England.
(2) By 1636 (and by about 1629 if she was the mother of children born f
rom that date) Agnes _____. "Agnes Woodbery" was on the list of Salem chur
ch members compiled in late 1636 [SChR 6]. She died at Salem on 14 Februa
ry 1672[/3].
CHILDREN:
With first wife
i   HUMPHREY, b. about 1608 (deposed as "Umpher Wodbery" aged sixt
y-one years, 25 September 1668 [EQC 4:47]); m. by 1637 Elizabeth Hunter (h
ad a household of three in the Salem 1637 land grant [STR 1:102]) [  TAG 4
0:80-81].
With second wife
ii   JOHN, b. say 1629; m. by 1654 Elizabeth _____ (eldest chi
ld b. Salem 15 August 1654).
iii   HANNAH, bp. Salem 25 December 1636 [SChR 16]; m. Salem 26 Ap
ril 1658 Cornelius Baker.
iv   ABIGAIL, bp. Salem 12 November 1637 [SChR 16]; m. Salem 12 Oc
tober 1657 John Hill.
v   PETER, bp. Salem 19 September 1640 [SChR 18]; m. (1) Beverly [
blank] September [1666 or earlier] Abigail Batchelder, daughter of John Ba
tchelder [  Dawes-Gates 2:98]; m. (2) Beverly [blank] July 1667 Sarah Dodg
e, daughter of Richard Dodge [Dawes-Gates 2:317].
ASSOCIATIONS: William Woodbury, brother of John, followed him to New Engla
nd by 1636 [STR 1:26], and records for William have been found in South Pe
therton, Somersetshire [Dawes-Gates 2:829-38;  EIHC 24:1-42]. John Woodbu
ry has not been found in the South Petherton records, but if he was not fr
om that parish, he must certainly have been from that part of Somersetshir
e.
COMMENTS: In a deposition made on 16 February 1680 Humphrey Woodbury recal
led that "when I lived in Somersetshire in England ... my father, John Woo
dbury, since deceased, did about 56 years ago remove to New E[ngland] a
nd there I travelled with hi