Thomas Gilbert (bef. 1611 - 1680)

Born before 16 Feb 1611 in Yardley, Worcestershire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Kenricke) Gilbert — married 5 Feb 1639 in Yardley, Worcestershire, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Unknown) Gilbert — married before 1651 in England

Husband of Mary (Unknown) Gilbert — married before 1653 in England

Descendants

Died Mar 1680 after age 69 in Stetchford, Yardley, Worcestershire, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chris Gilbert [send private message]

Research Notes

By Chris Gilbert: This Thomas is not now believed to be the Thomas Gilbert who appears in land records of Windsor, Connecticut by 24 January 1644/5.^[1]

It is likely he is the same Thomas who was buried at Yardley in 1680 and left a Will naming his wife and children as detailed below, but it is not totally conclusive that they are the same person. His father Thomas emigrated and lived in Connecticut and a Thomas Gilbert is mentioned as follows in his 1659 probate:

"To Jonathan Thomas Ezekel & John Gilberd Three pownds seuenten shillings & Ten pence apeice & to Sarah Jenkins Thre pownds seuenteen & Thre pence: to be payd when they shal come and demande it of The sayd Jonathan Gilbert & John gilbert: This acot & distribution of the estate was accepted & ordered by the Court to be recorded Feb: 6t 1663:"^[2]

It is noted that Thomas was the eldest son but brothers Jonathan and John were the ones entrusted to pay the bequests.

Gilbert DNA Project information

Biography

This profile is part of the Gilbert Name Study.

Thomas was baptised at Yardley in Worcestershire on 16 Feb 1611. The Yardley Church Register entry is:"Thomas Gilbert the son of Thomas Gilbert was baptized the 16 day of Februarie 1611."^[3][4]

Thomas Gilbert married Mary Kenricke at Yardley on 5 Feb 1638/39.^[5]

A Thomas Gilbert was married at All Saints Church, West Bromwich, Staffordshire (less than ten miles northwest of Yardley) on 17 Sep 1639 to Mary James.^[6]

Prior to finding the marriage to Mary Kenricke, it has been argued that the Thomas married at West Bromwich was this Thomas, to tie up with daughter Mary Gilbert baptised at Yardley on 12 Dec 1641 with his wife named as Mary Gilbert; however, the Thomas and Mary at West Bromwich had a daughter Abigail baptised there in the same month on 5 Dec 1641.

The baptism of a daughter Rebecca Gilbert at Yardley on 11 Jan 1650 to a Thomas and Elizabeth Gilbert confuses things ^[7]. It may be that the 2 Mary Gilberts shown as his wives are the same person, as a burial prior to 1651 has not be found, but this is speculative and more sources are needed.

The Will of Thomas Gilbert Yeoman of Stetchford in the parish of Yardley in the County of Worcester was made on the 25 Feb 1679 (= 1679/80) and probated on 25 Jun 1680, an inventory having been made on 12 Mar.^[8] In order, it mentions:

Daughter Mary Gilbert

Daughter Elizabeth the wife of William Flavell and their 2 children Abraham and Elizabeth Flavell.

Daughter Sarah the wife of Robert Joanes.

Three eldest children of daughter Rebecca the wife of Joseph Bissel.

Two eldest children of son Thomas Gilbert.

Wife Mary Gilbert

Youngest son Ezekiel Gilbert as sole executor.

Thomas Gilbert was buried at Yardley on 5 Mar 1679/80.^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ Richardson,Douglas. "The English Origin of Thomas(1) Gilbert of Braintree, Mass., and Wethersfield, Conn. With a Note of Lydia Gilbert, Executed for Witchcraft in 1654." TAG Vol. 67 (July 1992), pp. 161-166).The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .); https://www.americanancestors.org/DB283/i/12962/163/24672234 (Free link [not functioning 20 Mar. 2021]: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~dmasilm/genealogy/gilbert.htm)
2. ↑ Inventory, probate and estate distribution are from: Records of The Particular Court of Connecticut, 1639-1663, Hartford: Connecticut Historical Society, 1928. (p 204.)
3. ↑ Image of Church Register baptism entry on Ancestry.co.uk
4. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NGS9-NLV : 11 February 2018, Thomas Gilbert Or Gylberte, 16 Feb 1611); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 246,688.
5. ↑ From the Bishop's Transcripts for Yardley transcription by Jan Pick and published online on the ACOCKS GREEN HISTORY SOCIETY Website "A true coppie of the names of all such persons as have been baptized married or buried within the parish of Yardley from Wigorn in the year of our lord God 1638 taken out of the Register books of the said parishe of Yardley in names followinge:" Includes: "Thomas Gilbert & Mary Kenricke were married the 5 day of February"
6. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5V6-62M : 10 February 2018), Thomas Gilbard and Mary James, 17 Sep 1639; citing All Saints,West Bromwich,Stafford,England, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 0873647 IT 5, 497347, 497348, 497349.
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Anglican Parish Records. Birmingham, England: Library of Birmingham.
8. ↑ Image of Will obtained by Chris Gilbert from Worcestershire Archives on 22 Nov 2019
9. ↑ Image of Church Register burial entry on Ancestry.co.uk