John Blethen (bef. 1639 - aft. 1704)

Born before 1639 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Jane Marks — married 10 May 1674 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died after 8 Nov 1704 after age 65 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts

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Biography

John Blethen was born before 1639,^[1] probably in England or Wales. He and his family were members of the Society of Friends, and he was likely among the earliest Quaker emigrants to New England.^[2]

The first record of his presence in New England is the record of a deed dated 28 September 1659, in which "Danyel Sothwick of Salem" conveyed a house and land in Salem to "Jon Blethin of Lynn."^[3] Daniel Southwick was also a Quaker, and he may have conveyed the land to John after his father had been banished from the colony to protect it from seizure.^[4] John acquired another one acre tract adjoining this property from John Burnell on 16 June 1664.^[5] John built a house on that property and lived there for the rest of his life.^[6]

As a Quaker in the Massachusetts Bay Colony of the 1660s, John was persecuted for his religious beliefs. The Salem court records reflect repeated punishments inflicted upon him, including a flogging and repeated imprisonments.^[7]

On 10 May 1674, John married Jane Marks/Le Marcom/Markes in Salem.^[8]

He died during the winter of 1704-5 in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony.^[9]

Children

Children of John Blethen and Jane Marks/Markes/Le Marcom include:^[9]

1. John, b. 14 Mar 1676/7, m. Mary, widow of Samuel Robinson, 29 Jul 1701
2. Jane, b. 20 Feb 1678
3. Elizabeth, b. 29 Aug 1680
4. Sarah, b. 31 Oct 1684
5. Abigail, b. 2 May 1686
6. Hannah

Last Will and Testament

John made his will on 8 November 1704 in Salem, and the will was proven on 19 February 1704/5.^[10] Col. Blethen provides the following transcription:^[11]

In the name of God, Amen. I, John Blithen, sr. of Salem in ye County of Essex in N.E. doe make & ordaine this my Last Will and do Admit being sick & weak in body but sound & of perfect memory and of a Disposing mind, First & principally I resign my soul into ye hands of Almighty God that gave it and my Body I recommend to ye Earth to be Decently buryed by ye Discretion of my Executor here named and as for my worldly estate which ye Lord hath Lent me I give dispose in manner & form following; Item I give unto my well beloved wife Jane Blithen the one half of my Real Estate during her natural Life & after her decease to my Son John Blithen & his heirs for ever- Item I give unto my Son John Blithen the other Halfe of my Real Estate after my decease to be to him & his heirs forever. Item I give unto my five daughters namely Jane, Elizabeth, Sarah, Abigaile, & Hannah, seven pounds a piece to be pd by my son or such as by Improvement the Estate shall produce within one year after my decease to them of my daughters yt are of age and to you which are not within one year after they Come to age. Item I give unto my said Wife the whole of my movable Goods or Estate during her widowhood but If she should be married & change her Condition then the said movable goods to be Equally Divided between her & my son John. Item I appoint my Loving wife & my son John Blithen Joynt Executors of this my Last will & that they pay Equally between them all my Just Debts & funeral Charges Revoking all other former wills here to fore made or done. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto put my hand & seale this Eighth day of November 1704.

Witnesses present

John Loomes

John Trask, junr

George Locker

Feb. 19, 1704

John Blithen (seal) Essex ss

Before the Hon'ble John Appleton esq, Judge of Ye probates of Wills &c In sd County. John Loomes John Trask junr, George Locker all of Salem personally appeared & made oath They were present & saw Jno Blithen of sd salem do sign & seale the above Instrument & Declare it to be his Last Will & Testament & wn he so Did he was of a disposing mind to the best of yr Discerning yet yy all sett yr hands as witnesses in his presence. Upon wh this will is proved & approved & allowed being presented by Jn Blithen one of the Executors In sd will named.

Attest Dan'l Rogers Reg.

Sources

1. ↑ Estimate based on the 1659 land transaction, indicating he was at least 21 by 1659.
2. ↑ Col. Alden Joseph Blethen, Genealogy of the Blethen Family, (Seattle, Wash.: Col. Alden Joseph Blethen, 1911), 5-9 & 13-17.
3. ↑ Essex Registry of Deeds, Book 1, p. 184; digital images, FamilySearch, "Deeds, v. 1-3 1639-1658," (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99ZZ-BZ8S : accessed 14 Jun 2021); FHL microfilm 866,015; DGS 7,462,653.
4. ↑ Sydney Perley, "Part of Salem in 1700. No. 9.," The Essex Antiquarian 6 (1902): 148-155, at 153-54.
5. ↑ Essex Registry of Deeds, Book 2, p. 273; digital images, FamilySearch, "Deeds, v. 1-3 1639-1658," (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99ZZ-BZ8S : accessed 14 Jun 2021); FHL microfilm 866,015; DGS 7,462,653.
6. ↑ The Essex Antiquarian, 6:154.
7. ↑ Joseph B. Felt, The Annals of Salem, From Its First Settlement (Salem, Mass.: W& S.B. Ives, 1827), 227 (26 Jun 1666: "Some of the Friends were fined £10. Josiah and Daniel Southwick and John Blevin, refusing to pay a fine of £1 apiece, were ordered to be whipped."); 235 (24 Nov 1668: "Some of the Friends were fined £8 10. Samuel Shattock, John Blevin, Josiah Southwick and Joshua Buffum were committed to prison for not paying their fines."); 237 (29 June 1669: "Some of the Friends were fined £9 10. John Blevin and Robert Gray of them were imprisoned for not giving security.").
8. ↑ Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, 6 vols. (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1916-25), 3:116 (John Blethin and Jane Markes, May 10, 1674).
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Sidney Perley, The History of Salem, Massachusetts, 3 vols. (Salem, Mass.: S. Perley, 1924-28), 3:14-15 fn. 2.
10. ↑ Blethen, Genealogy of the Blethen Family, 13.
11. ↑ Blethen, Genealogy of the Blethen Family, 10-11.

See also:

• Robert P. Blevins, "The Blevins Men of New York and New England: The First Blevins Settlers in the New World," (typescript, 2020); images, WikiTree, Robert P Blevins Publications.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHLY-3VJ : 10 February 2018), John Blethin, 14 Mar 1676; citing Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, ; FHL microfilm 877,468.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDQ-24B : 10 February 2018), John Blethin, 14 Mar 1676; citing SALEM,ESSEX,MASSACHUSETTS, ; FHL microfilm 874,031, 874,032, 874,033.