Alice (Freeman) Parke (abt. 1593 - bef. 1660)

Born about 1593 in Northamptonshire, England

Ancestors

Wife of John Tompson — married about 1614 in England

Wife of Robert Parke — married after 30 May 1644 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died before 14 May 1660 before about age 67 in Connecticut Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Richard Draper [send private message], Jack Wise [send private message], Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message], Joe Cochoit [send private message], John Putnam [send private message], Steven Frank [send private message], and Jenn Howe [send private message]

Alice (Freeman) Parke migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 333) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Birth

Born: About 1593 (say 1585-1595).

No exact birth date has ever been found for Alice Freeman. The date of about 1593 is an estimate based solely on the fact that she was married by 1613 and had her first child born in 1614. See notes on errors below.

Marriages and Children

Married: 1st - John Tompson of Little Preston in the parish of Preston Capes, co. Northampton about 1614 which is the estimated birth date of their first child. He had been previously married to Sarah Mills by whom he had one son, John Tompson. On 11 April 1616, John Tompson and Alice his wife jointly purchased a moiety of the manor of Saxby.^[1][2] This is the earliest actual record of Alice Freeman. He died 6 November 1626 in London.^[2]

Married: 2nd - Robert Parke, as his second wife, shortly after 30 May 1644, possibly in Roxbury, Massachusetts. On this date, a curious order was entered by the clerk of the House of Deputies into the records of the General Court:^[3]

The peticõn of Robert Parke is graunted by y^e whole Courte, and hath libtye to pceed in marriage w^th Alice Tompson w^thout furth^r publishẽ.

No actual record of the marriage has been found, and the location is uncertain. See notes on errors below.

Children of John Tompson by 1st wife Sarah Mills:^[4]

• John Tompson - was named as son and heir in the IPM of his father which also makes clear that Alice Freeman was not his mother. Though heir to his father he did not receive the manor of Saxby as it had been entailed to the heirs of his father by Alice Freeman; Saxby went to his younger half-brother Thomas Tompson. The IPM gives his birth date as 1 October 1610.^[2]

Children of John Tompson and Alice Freeman:^[4][5]

• Margaret Tompson. Born about 1614. Apparently the oldest child and likely born before August 1614 when the parish records at Preston Capes begin.^[5] She married Robert Peake, son of Boniface and Joan (Clarke) Peake, on 31 July 1634 at Cranford St. John, Northamptonshire.^[6]
• Thomas Tompson – was named in the IPM of his father specifically as the son of John and Alice. The IPM gives his birth date as 23 December 1616.^[2] He was baptized on the same date at Preston Capes, Northamptonshire.^[5] He did not travel to New England with his mother and sisters. In several records he is called Thomas Tompson of London, fishmonger. He inherited from his parents a moiety of the manor of Saxby, co. Leicester which was originally purchased for £650 by John and Alice Tompson on 1 April 1616 with a remainder interest to the heirs of John by his wife Alice.^[1] Saxby was originally leased at the time of the 1616 sale to Richard Trist of Mayford for a term of 40 years. This lease was then transferred to Rev. William Spencer by Richard Trist and Thomas Tompson on 23 September 1639. ^{[7] [8]} In May of 1641 all remaining lands in Saxby were leased to William Spencer by Thomas Tompson for the term of 99 years.^[9] Finally, William Spencer assigned this lease and Thomas Tompson outright sold all interest to Robert Richardson of Coston for the sum £700.^[10] Thomas Tompson is last noted living on 2 December 1643, but was dead prior to 27 January 1646 when his brother Samuel, executor of the will of Thomas Tompson of London fishmonger, was in an agreement of general release with Robert Richardson.^[11] On 10 October 1646, a case was settled between Robert Parke and Alice his wife of Wetherfield, in New England and Robert Richardson over the land and the advowson of Saxby, with a quitclaim by Robert Parke and his wife to Robert Richardson.^[12]
• Samuel Tompson – baptized 25 May 1618 at Preston Capes.^[13][5] This baptism was not found/missed in the original research on the family, so this son is usually not the list of children of John and Alice Tompson. He married Elizabeth Dayrell at Shalstone, Bucks on 27 Feb 1639. They had one known child Elizabeth baptised at Preston Capes on 19 Aug 1641. He was the executor of his brother’s will prior to 27 January 1646. In it he is called Samuel Tompson of Preston Parva in parish of Preston Capes, co. Northampton, gent. Like his older brother, he did not travel to New England with his mother.
• Mary Tompson – baptized 14 November 1619 at Preston Capes. Married Joseph Wise on 3 December 1641,and had 12 children. She died 4 August 1693 at Roxbury.
• Dorothy Tompson – baptized 2 July 1621 at Preston Capes; buried 19 October 1621.
• Bridgett Tompson – baptized 11 September 1622 at Preston Capes. She married Capt. George Denison in March 1640 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Almost immediately after their marriage, letters of attorney were sent to London to collect the inheritance of her father. They had two children, Sarah and Hannah, both baptized at Roxbury. Bridget died of ‘fever and consumption’ and was buried at Roxbury in August 1643.
• Dority Tompson – baptized 5 July 1624 at Preston Capes. She married Thomas Parke, the son of her step-father Robert Parke by his first marriage to Martha Chaplin
• Nathaniel Tompson – baptized 16 October 1625 at Preston Capes.
• Martha Tompson – baptized 17 December 1626 at Preston Capes.

Death

Died: Between 24 December 1658 and 14 May 1660.

Precise death dates have been attributed to Alice Freeman in trusted secondary sources; however, they have been shown to be incorrect.^[14] She is last known living when she witnessed a deed in New London, Connecticut on 24 December 1658.^[15] She was almost certainly dead when her husband Robert Parke did not mention her in his will on 14 May 1660.^[16][17] See notes on errors below.

Commentary and Notes

Her brother Thomas Freeman of Cranford, gent. left a will dated 14 August 1637, codicil dated 23 August 1637 and proved September 1637.^[5] In it, he names a large number of family members. This includes his "sister Tompson" and her children Samuel, Nathaniel, Mary, Bridget, Dorothy and Martha; "Thomas Tompson my sisters sonne;" "my kinsman Robert Peake of Achurch" (husband of Margaret Tompson); "my loving brother in lawe William Spenser."

Alice Freeman was a second cousin of Gov. George Wyllys of Connecticut, she being a granddaughter of Ursula Coles and he a grandson of Amy Coles. In 1644, Gov. Wyllys wrote a letter to his son George which outlines some of the family connections:^[18]

The bearer hereof is mr Parke of Weathersfield he borrowed 12ii of me his going hence & is to pay it to you in London, he married my Cosin Thompson, & his sonne Thomas hath married hir Daughter dorothy Tompson. He is come over to receave his sonnes wives pcon & to take some order for what is belonging to his wife when he comes to you or you meete with him I pray you use him very kindly. . . he hath assured a good Estate of Land in wethersfield unto his sonne Thomas & my Cosin dorothy his wife & their heires more than hir pcon deserveth & hath dealt very lovingly wth his wife in what he hath disoposed unto her, acquaint my cosin Spencer herewth I pray you by letter who is to pay the pcon if you see him not in London, & comend me & my wife unto my Cosin Spencer & his wife & tell him I request him to use him kindly & dispatch his business wth as soon as may be for his spedier returne.

Immigration: She immigrated to Roxbury, Massachusetts by 2 April 1640 when she was sued by a Thomas Richardson for a debt "to be paid in England".^[19] This undoubtedly was related to the the sale of Saxby manor which had been sold to Robert Richardson. This was not settled until 1646. Coming with her to New England were daughters Mary, Bridget and Dorothy. Her surviving sons all remained in England.

Disproved Royal Ancestry

A Royal Ancestry was developed and published for Alice Freeman to John, king of England. This was repeated in multiple secondary sources.^[14] This line has been broken in two places. First, it has been shown that Joan de Harley, wife of John de Besford, was not a daughter of Sir Robert de Harley by his wife Joan Corbet.^[20][21] Second, Margaret ferch Llewelyn is no longer considered a granddaughter of John, king of England.

(NOTE: Alice does descend from the Saxon King of England Ethelred II - "The Unready." Gary Boyd Roberts has incorporated this line into his works. One can also assemble it by linking sections of the following lines from Weis, "Ancestral Roots," 8th Edition: 43A, 43, 42, 41, 34.)

Notable Kin

She is called an ur-mother of American genealogy by Gary Boyd Roberts of the NEHGS in his Notable Kin series because of the tremendous number descendants she left, including a large number of notable and important persons. This includes the current royal family of England, as she is the 10th great-grandmother of Diana, princess of Wales. She is often the closest common ancestor for many Americans to the British royal family. She is also an ancestor of the American tycoon families of the Firestones, Fords, McCormicks, Rockefellers, Tiffanys, Whitneys, and J.P Morgan. ^{[22][23][24][25]}

Alice Freeman	line of descent to	Princess Diana
Alice Freeman	m.	John Tompson
Dorothy Tompson	m.	Thomas Parke
Dorothy Parke	m.	Joseph Morgan
Margaret Morgan	m.	Ebenezer Hibbard
Keziah Hibbard	m.	Caleb Bishop
Lucy Bishop	m.	Benjamin Strong
Dr. Joseph Strong	m.	Rebecca Young
Eleanor Strong	m.	John Wood
Ellen Wood	m.	Frank Work
Francis Eleanor Work	m.	Hon. James Boothby Burke Roche
Edmund Maurice Burke Roche	m.	Ruth Sylia Gill
Francis Ruth Burke Roche	m.	Edward John Spencer
Diana Francis Spencer	m.	H.R.H. Charles, prince of Wales

Common Errors to Avoid

Incorrect birth dates: The birth date of Alice Freeman is unknown – no evidence has ever been found which proves a certain date. Specifically, errors removed from this profile and/or commonly found on the internet:

About 1585 – an estimated date, but likely way too early as it presumes she began having children in her 30s.

21 April 1601 at Pulborough, Sussex, England – This record is confusing her with a different Alice Freeman who married John Beauchamp in Pulborough.^[26][27] Regardless, both the date and place are not plausible for a woman having children born in 1614 in Northamptonshire.

Born February 4, 1582/3 in Somer, Suffolk, England – This is an error caused by someone copying dates wrong. It is actually the birth date of Martha Chaplin, first wife of Robert Parke, Alice Freeman’s second husband.

Born 21 April 1605. This date is not possible for her to have been married and having children by 1614.

Born in Preston Capes, Northamptonshire - This is the location where her husband John Tompson is called as from in almost all primary records. However, there is absolutely no reason to think Alice Freeman was born here. The Freemans were seated at Ilchester, her father was called of Cranford, and her mother was from Alwalton - she would not have been born at Preston Capes..

Death date: THE DEATH DATE OF ALICE FREEMAN IS NOT KNOWN. A precise death date was published in generally reliable and well-known secondary sources.^[14] It was an error which is now very wide-spread. There is no evidence she died 11 February 1664/5 - she was likely dead well before this date.

Marriage location: The marriage location is variously given as Roxbury, Massacusetts, and Wethersfield, Connecticut in online sources. Neither location can be said to be true with certainty. Alice Freeman was living in Roxbury, and as it was the Massachusetts General Court which granted their permission for the marriage, it is reasonable to think the marriage occurred in Roxbury, Massachusetts.^[28] However, it is also known that Robert Parke had removed to Wethersfield, Connecticut by 9 April 1640 when he was made a freeman. This seems to make Wethersfield another likely location for the marriage.

LNAB Tompson/Thompson: Almost every single primary record of this family in England spelled the name Tompson, without the 'h' . Tompson is probably a better choice for LNAB. Currently this profile and the children are spelled Thompson, and it is not worth the effort to get all Profile Managers to change the spelling.

Incorrect burial: Sometimes said to buried at Old Whitehall Cemetery, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut. Just like there is no record of her death, there is no record of her burial. In the 1930s, descendants of Robert Parke placed a memorial to the memory of her husband Robert Parke in Whitehall Cemetery, but there is no actual mention of Alice Freeman's burial in any record. It is not known where she was buried.

Misidentification of son: The noted and well-respected genealogist Mary Lovering Holman in her Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens put forward that Thomas Tompson, first son of john and Alice Tompson, was the same as Thomas Thompson of Farmington, Connecticut. ^[29] This is incorrect. Thomas Thompson of Farmington was the son John Thompson and Beatrice Detton of Burford, Shropshire, England; bp. 1 October 1610, m. Ann Welles, d. 25 April 1655 in Farmington.^[30][31] As numerous records at the National Archives demonstrate, Alice Freeman's 2 eldest sons never left England, and Alice's son Thomas Tompson had died by 1646.

Additional Children and Baptisms: Early research on the family missed the baptisms of sons Thomas and Samuel Tompson, though they are to be found in the Preston Capes Parish records. The discovery of a daughter Margaret has recently been proved; she was likely born before the parish records at Preston Capes begins causing her to be missed by early researchers.^[5]

Further Research Notes

A new article has recently been published regarding Alice Freeman:

The American Genealogist 87 (January/April 2015 - pub. Oct. 2015): 209-217. Alice Freeman, Wife of John Tompson of Preston Capes, Northamptonshire, and of Robert Parke of Connecticut: New Information on Her Parents, Siblings, Children, and First Husband. , by Randy A. West.

Sources

Footnotes and citations:

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Feoffment of Saxby, DE1431/128, 1 April 1616.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} The American Genealogist, vol. 14 no. 3 (January 1938):145-146. John Tomson of Little Preston, Northamptonshire, England, by Clarence Almon Torrey.
3. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel B. ed. Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, vol. III: 1644-1657. (Boston, 1854):3.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} The American Genealogist, vol. 13 (July 1936):1-8. Alice (Freeman) Tompson) Parke, by Clarence Almon Torrey.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5} The American Genealogist vol. 87 no. 3 (July/October 2014 - pub. July 2015):209-217. Alice Freeman, Wife of John Tompson of Preston Capes, Northamptonshire, and of Robert Parke of Connecticut: New Information on Her Parents, Siblings, Children, and First Husband, by Randy A. West.
6. ↑ The American Genealogist vol. 87 no. 3 (July/October 2014 - pub. July 2015):204-208. The English Origin of Christopher Peake¹ of Roxbury, Massachusetts, by Randy A. West.
7. ↑ The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Assignment of Saxby, DE1431/134, 23 September 1639.
8. ↑ The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Bond regarding Saxby, DG11/613 15 Charles I, 1639 September 23.
9. ↑ The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Deed to Lead Uses of Fine: Saxby, DE1431/141, 19 October 1641.
10. ↑ The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Sale of Saxby, DE1431/142, 20 October 1641.
11. ↑ The National Archives: Access to Archives online. General Release DE1431/143 27 January 1645/6.
12. ↑ The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Copy of proceedings in court: Parke v Richardson, DE1431/146, 14 October 1646.
13. ↑ Preston Capes Genealogy website: baptism of Samuel Tompson.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2} e.g. Weis, Frederick Lewis. Ancestral Roots of certain American Colonists who came to America before 1700, seventh edition. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999): line 29A.
15. ↑ The American Genealogist vol. 87 (2015): page 216.
16. ↑ The American Genealogist, vol. 14 no. 1 (1937):16, abstract will of Robert Parke. New London (Conn.) Probate Records, by Donald Lines Jacobus.
17. ↑ The Genealogist vol. 4 no. 2 (Fall 1983):173-186. Mary, Wife of the Rev. Richard Blinman of Marshfield, Gloucester, and New London: An Unsolved Problem, by David L. Greene F.A.S.G.
18. ↑ Connecticut Historical Society. Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society, vol. 24 (Hartford, 1924):75. The Wyllys Papers: Correspondence and Documents Chiefly of Descendants of Gov. George Wyllys of Connecticut, 1590-1796.
19. ↑ Lechford. Note-book Kept by Thomas Lechford. (1885): page 308.
20. ↑ The Genealogist, vol. 1 no. 1 (Spring 1980): 27-39 Ravens or Pelicans: Who was Joan de Harley, by John G. Hunt and Henry J. Young.
21. ↑ The Genealogist, vol. 10 no.1 (Spring 1989): 35-72. Another look at Joan de Harley: Will Her Real Descendants Please Rise?, by Paul C. Reed.
22. ↑ Roberts, Gary Boyd. #68 Royal Descents, Notable Kin, and Printed Sources: Notable Descendants of Mrs. Alice Freeman Thompson Parke, RD.
23. ↑ Roberts, Gary Boyd. American Ancestors and Cousins of The Princess of Wales. (1984).
24. ↑ Roberts, Gary Boyd. Notable Kin, vol. 1. (Boston: NEHGS, 1998).
25. ↑ Roberts, Gary Boyd. Notable Kin, vol. 2. (Boston: NEHGS, 1999).
26. ↑ Ferris, Mary Walton. Dawes-Gates ancestral lines : a memorial volume containing the American ancestry of Rufus R. Dawes. (1931):349.
27. ↑ The American Genealogist, vol. 17 no. 1 (July 1940):87-95. Prence Freeman of East Hampton, Conn., by Homer Worthington Brainard.
28. ↑ Roxbury, Norfolk Co. was absorbed by and is now a neighborhood of Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.
29. ↑ Holman, Mary Lovering. Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens and His Wife Frances Helen Miller. (Concord: privately printed, 1948):419-425.
30. ↑ Flagg, Ernest. Genealogical Notes on the Founding of New England. (Hertford, 1926):348-350.
31. ↑ The American Genealogist vol. 32 (1956):128. Recent Books: Review of The Magna CArta Sureties 1215, by Donald Lines Jacobus.

Source list:

• The American Genealogist, vol. 13 (July 1936): pages 1-8. Alice (Freeman) Tompson) Parke, by Clarence Almon Torrey.

• The American Genealogist, vol. 14 no. 1 (1937):16, abstract will of Robert Parke. New London (Conn.) Probate Records, by Donald Lines Jacobus.

• The American Genealogist, vol. 14 no. 3 (January 1938): pages 145-146. "John Tomson of Little Preston, Northamptonshire, England," by Clarence Almon Torrey.

• The American Genealogist, vol. 29 (1952): pages 215-218. "Alice (Freeman) Tompson) Parke," by Robert L. Steenman.

• The American Genealogist, vol. 32 (1956): page 128. Recent Books: Review of The Magna Carta Sureties 1215, by Donald Lines Jacobus.

• The American Genealogist, vol. 87 no. 3 (July/October 2014 - pub. July 2015): pages 204-208. "The English Origin of Christopher Peake¹ of Roxbury, Massachusetts," by Randy A. West.

• The American Genealogist, vol. 87 no. 3 (July/October 2014 - pub. July 2015): pages 209-217. Alice Freeman, Wife of John Tompson of Preston Capes, Northamptonshire, and of Robert Parke of Connecticut: New Information on Her Parents, Siblings, Children, and First Husband, by Randy A. West. AmericanAncestor.org $ link

• The American Genealogist, vol. 88 no. 4 (October 2016):302-309. "New Information on the Edwards Ancestry of Alice¹ Freeman (Tompson) Parke of Roxbury, Massachusetts and Connecticut," by Randy A. West.

• The American Genealogist, vol. 91 no. 2 (April, July October 2019; published April 2020): pages 139-142. "John Tompson¹ of Preston Capes, Northamptonshire, First Husband of Alice (Freeman)(Tompson) Parke of Massachusetts and Connecticut," by Randy A. West.

• Connecticut Historical Society. Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society, vol. 24 (Hartford, 1924):75. The Wyllys Papers: Correspondence and Documents Chiefly of Descendants of Gov. George Wyllys of Connecticut, 1590-1796.

• Ferris, Mary Walton. Dawes-Gates ancestral lines : a memorial volume containing the American ancestry of Rufus R. Dawes. (1931):349.

• Flagg, Ernest. Genealogical Notes on the Founding of New England. (Hertford, 1926):348-350.

• The Genealogist, vol. 10 no.1 (Spring 1989): pages 35-72. Another look at Joan de Harley: Will Her Real Descendants Please Rise?, by Paul C. Reed.

• The Genealogist, vol. 1 no. 1 (Spring 1980): 27-39 Ravens or Pelicans: Who was Joan de Harley, by John G. Hunt and Henry J. Young.

• Holman, Mary Lovering. Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens and His Wife Frances Helen Miller. (Concord: privately printed, 1948).

• McArthur, Selim Walker. McArthur-Barnes Ancestral Lines. (Portland, Me.: Anthoensen Press, 1964):99.

• Metcalfe, Walter C. ed. Visitations of Northamptonshire made in 1564 and 1618-19. (London, 1887):91 Freeman; p. 192 Rudd. Archives.org Copy Google Books Copy

• The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Feoffment of Saxby, DE1431/128, 1 April 1616.

• The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Copy of proceedings in court: Parke v Richardson, DE1431/146, 14 October 1646.

• The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Assignment of Saxby, DE1431/134, 23 September 1639.

• The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Bond regarding Saxby, DG11/613 15 Charles I, 1639 September 23.

• The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Deed to Lead Uses of Fine: Saxby, DE1431/141, 19 October 1641.

• The National Archives: Access to Archives online. Sale of Saxby, DE1431/142, 20 October 1641.

• The National Archives: Access to Archives online. General Release DE1431/143 27 January 1645/6.

• Roberts, Gary Boyd. #68 Royal Descents, Notable Kin, and Printed Sources: Notable Descendants of Mrs. Alice Freeman Thompson Parke, RD.

• Roberts, Gary Boyd. American Ancestors and Cousins of The Princess of Wales. (1984).

• Roberts, Gary Boyd. Notable Kin, vol. 1. (Boston: NEHGS, 1998).

• Roberts, Gary Boyd. Notable Kin, vol. 2. (Boston: NEHGS, 1999).

• Weis, Frederick Lewis. Ancestral Roots of certain American Colonists who came to America before 1700, seventh edition. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999): line 29A.

• Weis, Frederick Lewis. Magna Carta Sureties, 1215, 5th edition. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999): line 163.

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #135745402, information not totally consistent, however this memorial page is undoubtedly for the same person

Acknowledgements (contributors):

• Profile researched and substantially updated by Joe Cochoit in February 2016. Please contact with significant changes.