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Elizabeth (Cross) Nelson (1636 - 1694)

Elizabeth Nelson formerly Cross
Born in Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap [uncertain]
Ancestors ancestors
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died at age 57 in Ipswich, Essex County, Province of Massachusetts Baymap
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Profile last modified | Created 3 Jan 2011
This page has been accessed 902 times.

Contents

Biography

This profile is part of the Chebacco Parish, Massachusetts One Place Study.

NOTE: The Elizabeth Cross, born in 1636, who married William Nelson in 1659 and died in 1694 is not the Elizabeth (last name at birth unknown), born ca. 1651, who married Deacon Seth Story and died in 1736.

Birth and Parentage

According to a deposition on 5 Dec 1693, by Robert Cross, Sr., of Ipswich in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, Elizabeth Cross was born on 4 Aug 1636, the first child of himself and his wife, Anna (no birth name provided), after their marriage, on 20 Aug 1635.[1] He did not mention the place where Elizabeth had been born.

Robert Cross, Sr. was one of the original proprietors of Ipswich (1635) and served in the Pequot War.[2]

The children of Robert Cross, Sr., (age 70 in 1682) mentioned in the deposition of 1693 and in other papers related to that case were:

  • Elizabeth Cross, born 4 Aug 1636, married William Nelson
  • Mary Cross, born 14 Jun 1640, married Ephraim Herrick of Salem
  • Martha Cross, born 15 Mar 1643 (1644?), married William Dirkee on 20 Dec 1664, in Ipswich[3]
  • Robert Cross, Jr., age 52 in 1695; married Martha Tredwell on 19 Feb 1664 (1665?), in Ipswich[4]
  • Stephen Cross, age 48 in 1695; married Elizabeth ( ______ ), according to a deed of 1674, conveying land to Stephen, the transaction to take place after Robert, Sr.'s own death.[5]

In addition, Lt. John Andrews, "brother" (brother-in-law?) of Robert Cross, Sr., age 72 in 1693, and Walter Fairchild, age 62, gave a deposition on behalf of Mary Cross Herrick.[6] The ages provided in 1695 yield a calculated birth year for Robert Cross, Jr. of ca. 1642-3 and for Stephen Cross of ca. 1647.

If Lt. John Andrews was Robert Cross, Sr.'s brother-in-law, then it is possible that Robert married an Anna Andrews.

Marriage and Family

Elizabeth, the daughter of Robert Cross, Sr., married William Nelson by 1659.[7] Torrey places the marriage in Ipswich.[8]

Children, born in Ipswich[9]:

  1. William, 1 March 1659.
  2. Robert, 12 December 1661.

Death

Elizabeth Cross Nelson died 26 Jun 1694, in Ipswich.[10]

William Nelson

William does not appear in Essex County land records. He appears many times in Essex County court records, as witness and defendant[11]:

  • 2 May 1661, fined for drunkenness.
  • 23 November 1663, acknowledged judgments to Edward Bragg of Ipswich and Mathew Moores of Newbury.
  • 5 May 1664, convicted of stealing beef from Thomas Bishop, sentenced to pay 12 shillings to Bishop, the beef returned, and to sit in the stocks one hour.
  • 30 March 1669, sued by Thomas Wells for slander.
  • 25 March 1673, sued by Francis Wainwright for a debt.
  • 24 June 1673, the selectmen of Ipswich, having made complaint of William Nelson and another man, who had been warned to leave the town, addressed the court and a prosecutor appointed. (How or even if this case was resolved is unknown.)
  • 30 March 1675, sued by Faith Law, administratrix of the estate of William Law, for a debt.

The last mention of William Nelson in Essex court could pertain to William, Sr. or Jr.:

  • 28 September 1680, for raping Mehitabel Avis, ordered to be severely whipped. 9 July 1680, William was complained of by Abraham Martyne for raping his kinswoman, Mehitabel Avis, under ten years old. Committed to prison 16 July 1680. Bound with John Andrews, Sr., William Butler, William Durkee and Thomas Marshal, sureties.

Footnotes

  1. Titus, "Note: Robert Cross, Sr.," p. 201.
  2. Pope, Pioneers, p. 124.
  3. "Crose, Martha, and William Dirkye:" Massachusetts Vital Records Project, Ipswich - Marriages, p. 118 (accessed 16 Apr 2017)
  4. "Crose, Robert, and Martha Tredwell:" Massachusetts Vital Records Project, Ipswich - Marriages, p. 118 (accessed 16 Apr 2017)
  5. Pope, Pioneers, p. 124.
  6. Titus, "Note: Robert Cross, Sr.," p. 202.
  7. Anderson, Robert Charles. "Robert Cross." The Great Migration Begins
  8. Torrey, New England Marriages Prior to 1700, v. 2, p. 1084 (accessed 16 Apr 2017). Torrey's references: Davis: Anc. of Phoebe Tilton 131; Cross Anc. 41; Paul Anc. 242; Pope, Pioneers, p. 124; Titus, "Note: Robert Cross, Sr.," pp. 201-2 (accessed 16 Apr 2017).
  9. Vital Records of Ipswich Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, Vol. I, Births. Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1910. Page 273.
  10. Ancestry.com. OneWorldTree [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc. http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=6676093&pid=-1250178171
  11. Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1636-1686 (The Essex Institute, 1911-1975). 2: 281; 3: 97, 150; 4: 104; 5: 137, 198; 6: 13; 8: 15.

Sources

  • Anderson, Robert Charles. "Robert Cross." The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633. 3 vols., Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995.
  • Pope, Charles Henry. The Pioneers of Massachusetts, a Descriptive List, Drawn from Records of the Colonies, Towns and Churches, and other Contemporaneous Documents, Boston, Massachusetts: Published by Charles H. Pope, 1900.
  • Titus, Anson, "Note: Robert Cross, Sr., of Ipswich, Mass.," The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (1914) vol. 68, pp. 201-2.
  • Torrey, Clarence Almon. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. (subscription required)
  • Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, Volume I: Births, Published by The Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts: Newcomb & Gauss, Printers, 1910.
  • Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, Volume II: Marriages and Deaths, Published by The Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts: Newcomb & Gauss, Printers, 1910.
  • Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1636-1686 (The Essex Institute, 1911-1975)

(Records Files Quarterly Courts)





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Comments: 3

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The merge between Unknown-389719 (previously Cross-541), Elizabeth Unknown Story, and Cross-163, Elizabeth Cross Nelson, has been rejected, since research has shown they are not the same person. See the discussion on Unknown-389719.
posted by Susan Anderson
Cross-541 and Cross-163 are not ready to be merged because: I do believe this is the same person, however, dates need to be confirmed before a merge
posted by Ann (Thompson) Johnson
Cross-541 and Cross-163 appear to represent the same person because: Same name and same married name, same parents. Dates differ a lot, though. Sources would help resolve this situation!
posted by Ellen Smith

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Categories: Ipswich, Massachusetts | Chebacco Parish, Massachusetts One Place Study