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Lt. Edward Woodman
chr.27 Dec 1606 Corsham, Wiltshire, England
d.Bet 1688 and 1694 Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States
Family tree▼ (edit)
m. 30 Jun 1600
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m. 1628
Facts and Events
The gravestone, erected long after his death ... reads: In memory of His brother Archelaus is on the passenger list of the James of London; Edward came at some point in 1635. served in Newbury's first board of Selectmen, then called "the seven men" Edward Woodman appears on the first known list of the settlers of Newbury, compiled in 1642, as does his brother Archelaus -- they were among the original 91 grantees. The Woodmans of Buxton ME, pp 3-5: In 1855, Mr. Joshua Coffin, of Newbury, prepared and caused to be printed for me, "A list of some of the descendants of Mr. Edward Woodman," the immigrant ancestor. I follow his list for the names of the children of Edward,1 Joshua,2 and Benjamin3; adding, however, such facts as I have elsewhere obtained, and especially noticing any discrepancies that there may be between his list and the information which I have derived from other sources. EDWARD.1 MR. COFFIN prefaced his list with the following statement: "The town of Newbury, Mass., was settled and incorporated in 1635. In that year came Mr. Edward Woodman, his wife Joanna, and Archelaus Woodman, to Newbury, where they resided till their death. Archelaus came from a place called Christian Malford, a parish in Wiltshire, in the North-west part of the county, about six miles from Malmesbury, the chief town of that part of the country. He came passenger in the ship James, of London, which sailed from Southampton for New England in April, 1635. His name may be found in Vol. VII. of the Third Series of the Mass. Historical Society's Collections, page 319. He is there called Hercules Woodman. A few weeks later than the James came the Abigail, bringing a Richard Woodman, only 9 years old. Whether Mr. Edward Woodman, who was probably brother to Archelaus Woodman, came in the James or Abigail, or some other vessel, no record informs us. Both of them came to Newbury at the same time. Richard died in Lynn in 1647, aged 21. Archelaus, in 1635, is styled a 'mercer.' His first wife, Elizabeth, died 17th December, 1677. His second wife, Dorothy Chapman, whom he married 12th November, 1678, died in 1706. In the Newbury records he is styled Lieutenant, and died 14th October, 1702, aged about 90. He left no children. Of the ninety-one grantees who settled Newbury, fifteen were entitled to the appellation of 'Mr.' One of these fifteen was Mr. Edward Woodman. He was a man of influence, decision and energy, and opposed with great zeal the attempt made by the Rev. Thomas Parker to change the mode of church government from Congregationalism to something like Presbyterianism. [See History of Newbury, under the years 1669, 1670, &c.] Mr. Woodman was a deputy to the General Court in 1636, '37, '39 and '43. In 1638, '41, '45 and '46, he was one of the three commissioners to end small causes in Newbury, and at various times held other offices of profit and trust in town and State. Among his other commissions he had one from the State, 'to see people marry,' of which, in 1681, he thus speaks: 'An unprofitable commission; I quickly laid aside the worke, which has cost me many a bottle of sacke and liquor, where friends and acquaintances have been concerned.' He and his wife Joanna were living in February, 1687-8. She was then 74. He died prior to 1694. His age is not known." He was mistaken if he meant to say that Lieut. Archelaus1 had no children. From a deed made by Archelaus1 to Archelaus Adams, dated Jan. 6, 1698-9, it appears that this Adams was his grandson, and that he had other grandchildren. From the will of John Brocklebank, of Rowley, dated Nov. 30, 1665, it appears that his wife Sarah was a daughter of Archelaus1 Woodman. They were married Sept. 26, 1657. Mr. Brocklebank, at his death (April, 1666), left two children, daughters. The birth of the children of Archelaus1 is not recorded in the Newbury records. Mr. Coffin says that he was about 90 when he died, in 1702, and that he and Edward1 came to Newbury in 1635. If Mr. Coffin states his age correctly when he died, then he was born about 1612, and came to this country when he was about 23 years of age. In 1678 he took the oath of allegiance, and is then stated to have been 60 years old, which makes his birth to have been in or about 1618, and his age 17 when he arrived in New England. It thus appears that he had two daughters married. As there is no record found of the birth of his children, I infer that they were few in number, consisting perhaps of two daughters only. There is no evidence that he had any male children. It is probable that all the male children born in Newbury were either sons or descendants of Edward.1 Mr. Coffin says that Archelaus1 came from Christian Malford in England, which is probably correct, though I have not found his authority for the statement. His birth is not found recorded at Christian Malford, for "the registers" there "were all destroyed by lightning at the period required till 1702." Mr. Edward1 Woodman probably came from Corsham, a village in Wiltshire, about eleven miles from Christian Malford. There is on record (Vol. XIV. p. 57) in the Registry of Deeds, a long deed and agreement between Lieut. Archelaus1 and his grandson above mentioned; from which, by tracing down the title to the present day, one may be able to determine, perhaps, where his house stood. The deed is dated Jan. 6, 1698-9. On the 25th of March, 1681, Edward1 conveyed to his son Jonathan, "my now dwellinghouse, houses and barns and orchard and pasture and all my plow land lying by and adjoining to the said houses, as also all the plow lands upon the northwest side of the street lying upon the westward side of my house, the said street being vulgarly called the new street." The consideration for this conveyance was "natural and fatherly love and affection" and "twenty pounds which is yearly to be paid during the time of my own and my wife's natural life." This was in his old age, and was evidently an arrangement under which he and his wife were to have a home with and be provided for by their son Jonathan during their lives. He disposed of his property before his death, for there was no will proved and no letters of administration taken. Where his dwelling-house thus conveyed was situated I do not know; but a mortgage made by Jonathan2 in 1695, conveys "all my housing and land and orchard where I now dwell in Newbury." One of the bounds mentioned in the mortgage is "Woodman's lane," a name which is not yet entirely forgotten in Newburyport; within the limits of which town Edward1 and Archelaus1 both dwelt, as I suppose. I am inclined to the belief that the premises so mortgaged, covered the same or a portion of the same property which was given to him by his father, and that the "new street" and "Woodman's lane" were identical. If so, Edward1 lived in 1681, and probably for years before and at the time of his death, in what was afterwards and for a long time known as "Woodman's lane." The place where his house stood may, perhaps, be ascertained very nearly by any one who will trace Jonathan's title down to the present day.(*) He was one of the first selectmen of Newbury, having been elected in 1636, and his name heads the list as given. by Mr. Coffin. Thereafter, for many years, he was one of the leading men in town. In Coffin's History of Newbury, p. 73, he is called "a man of talents, influence, firmness and decision." I have not ascertained the date of his death nor the place of his burial. He was probably buried in the grave-yard opposite the old Coffin mansion, in Newburyport. The children of Edward,1 according to Coffin's list, were:
This list is correct, so far as I know. Edward and John, it seems, were born before their father came to this country. The date of Joshua's birth is not found in the town records, nor of Mary or Jonathan. The date of Sarah's birth in the records in 1641. It was doubtless 1641-2. He is not known to have had any trade. In a deed dated in 1687, he is styled husbandman. Of his personal appearance nothing is known. (*)Since writing the above, I have learned that Woodman's Lane is now known in Newburyport as Kent Street. (+)1668, in Coffin's list, is misplaced, but here placed correctly. was usually styled "Mr.," denoting a good position in the community -- only 15 of the original 91 grantees of Newbury were entitled to be called "Mr." in 1636. was licensed to sell strong drink was "conspicuous and active in the affairs of the Newbury Church;" "active in church agitation" applied to aid the magistrates in the execution of court decrees Lieutenant in a company sent against the Pequods served as Selectman of Newbury led the opposition to the Rev. Thomas Parker's attempt to change the church government; Rev. Parker wanted to change the church government from Congregationalism to something akin to Presbyterianism. He and his wife Joanna were members of the church in Newbury took the Oath of Allegiance, giving his age as 60 years was commissioned by the state to "see people marry."; In that period in Massachusetts, people were not married by ministers in the church. Edward wrote in 1681: "An unprofitable commission; I quickly laid aside the worke, which has cost me many a bottle of sacke and liquor, where friends and acquaintances have been concerned." In 1681 deeded land to son Sgt. Jonathan Woodman on Woodman's Lane in Newbury; "My now dwelling-house, houses and barns and orchard and pasture, and all my plow land lying by and adjoining to the said houses, as also all the plow lands upon the northwest side of the street lying upon the westward side of my house, the said street being vulgarly called the Newstreet." The consideration for this conveyance was "natural and fatherly love and affection" and "twenty pounds which is yearly to be paid during the time of my own and my wife's natural life." This street is now called Kent Street in Newbury. Seven Hundred Ancestors, p 90: Edward Woodman, bapt. Dec.27, 1606, was one of the 91 grantees who settled Newbury, Massachusetts. He and his younger brother, Archelaus, settled in Newbury in 1635. He married Joanna Salway of Malford in Wiltshire, England. She was born in 1614. On May 25, 1636 Edward became a freeman and was a deputy in the general court in 1636, 1637, 1639 and 1643. In 1638, 1641, 1645 and 1646 he was one of three commissioners to end small causes in Newbury. He held other local and state offices at various times and is not known to have had a trade. In a deed dated 1687 he is referred to as a "husbandman" and was a man of decision, influence and energy. On Jan.12, 1637/8 he was licensed to sell strong drink. He died at Newbury in 1694 and his wife died there in 1687. The children of Edward and Joanna Salway Woodman were: Pope, Pioneers in Massachusetts, p.513 Edward, mercer, merchant, of Malford, Eng. came in the James April 5, 1635; settled at Newbury frm. May 25, 1636. Licensed to sell wine and strong water 12 March, 1637. App. to aid the magistrates in execution of court decrees 6 (7) 1638. Deputy, town officer; active in church agitation. Wife Joanna. Either he or son Edward arranged with John Hull of Newbury for payment of an annuity. [Es. Files.] Ch. Edward, John, Joshua, Mary, (m. John Brown,) Sarah b. 12 Jan. 1641, (m. John Kent, Jr.,) Jonathan b. 5 Nov. 1643, Ruth b. 28 March, 1646, (m. Benjamin Lowell). Ancestors of Raymond James Lowell Edward Woodman came from Southhampton, England 3 June 1635 in the ship "James" of London, England. Edward was a wealthy and prominent man. He and his brother Archelaus came over together and settled at Newbury, MA. (D. R. Lowell. 1899. The Historic Genealogy of the Lowells of America from 1639-1899) D. R. Lowell (1899) showed seven children for Edward and Joanna. Edward Woodman moved to New England and settled at Newbury about 1635, where he was admitted a freeman on 25 May 1636. He was conspicuous and active in the affairs of the Newbury Church, and was usually styled "Mr.", thereby indicating his good position in the community. On 8 September 1636 he was chosen the deputy from Newbury to the General Court, and was thereafter frequently the deputy from that town. On March 17, 1637 he was a lieutenant of the Newbury company; on 6 September 1638 he was a commissioner to end small causes; and thereafter he frequently held these offices. On 12 January 1637/38 he was licensed to sell strong drink. As his name last appears in the Colonial records on 11 May 1670 as the deputy from Newbury, he evidently died not long afterwards. (Moriarty, G. A. English Origins of New England Families)
Allan's Genealogical Index: John Woodman, Genealogy & History of the Descendants of Edward Woodman (1995); bapt. 27 Dec 1606, Corsham, England; d. 11 May 1670, Newbury, MA; ancestor of Robert Frost References
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