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James Draper
chr.28 Jul 1622 Heptonstall, Yorkshire, England
d.13 Jul 1697 Roxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States
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m. 29 Aug 1603
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m. 21 Apr 1646
Facts and Events
James’ ancestry is documented through an affidavit sworn out by his son John [Torrey demonstrated that his grandfather was William Draper and his great-grandfather was Thomas Draper, both of Heptonstall]: "John Draper, of Dedham, aged eighty-two years or thereabouts, under oath declares that he hath often heard his father and mother say, that the deponent's grandfather's name was Thomas Draper, who lived in Heptonstall Brige or Bridge, in Yorkshire, and was a clothier by trade, and had sons, Thomas, John, William, and James - the deponent's father. The three former died in England, never came to this country, and two sisters, Mary and Martha, who also died there. The deponent's mother's surname was Stansfield, dau. of Gideon Stansfield, alias Standfast, of the same place in Yorkshire, near the said Bridge, blacksmith by trade, who only had one son, that had not the use of speech, and the deponent's said mother, Meriam, and Abigail, who came together into this country, and who left their said father, Gideon, in Yorkshire, and who had estate there, but the deponent knows not what became thereof." New England, Provonce of Massachusetts Bay, Suffolk, SS. Roxbury, Mass., 25th April, 1742. "Then John Draper made solemn oath to the truth of the above declaration by him subscribed, before Wm. Dudley, Justice of the Peace for said Province." Unfortunately, this is not a strictly accurate account. The wills of Drapers in Heptonsall show Thomas Draper died in 1603 and had children Grace, Abraham, Thomas and William. William’s will was made in 1634 and mentions children Thomas, John, William, James, Mary and Martha, in addition to Sara, Susan and Grace. Although James Draper is found in history as one of the original proprietors of the Town of Lancaster, there is no evidence that he ever lived there. His first residence was in Roxbury, and there Sarah, Susanna and James, his first American children, were born. He built a substantial house there that stood until the 1870s. He then moved into the next Town of Dedham, where his sons John, Moses and Daniel were born. He probably then returned to his first home in Roxbury, where his youngest children, Patience and Jonathan, were born, and where he and his wife died and are buried. He was made a Freeman of Roxbury in 1690. James was also for a short time in Charlestown, Mass., for we find him notified in 1676, and that he sold to Jonathan Carey part of an orchard there in 1672. Deed recorded 1684. He and his wife are buried in a common grave in Roxbury Cemetery. Reference: Draper, Thomas Waln-Morgan. The Drapers in America. References
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