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Richard Knowles (abt. 1614 - aft. 1670)

Richard Knowles
Born about in Englandmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 15 Aug 1639 in Plymouthmap
Descendants descendants
Died after after about age 56 in Plymouth Colonymap [uncertain]
Profile last modified | Created 19 Oct 2010
This page has been accessed 10,304 times.
The Puritan Great Migration.
Richard Knowles migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 199)
Join: Puritan Great Migration Project
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Uncertain Origins

The theory that Richard is the son of John appears in secondary sources, however this is not supported by any facts.[1] [2] He has been disconnected from Rev. John Knowles as his father.

Biography

Richard first appeared in Plymouth records with a land grant in 1638-9.[3] [4] [1] In 1653, he was in command of a barque at Eastham[3] [1] In 1669-70 he was a surveyor of highways.[3] [4] [1]

On August 15, 1639 he married Ruth Bower in Plymouth, Massachusetts,[5][3] daughter of George and Barbara Bower of Plymouth and sister of Rev. John Bower.[4] [1] [6]

Children:

  1. John[3], born in Plymouth, who married Apphia Bangs[4] [1]
  2. Mary (aka Mercy), born in Plymouth; who married Ephraim Doane[3] [4] [1] [7]
  3. James[3], born in Cambridge 17 Nov. 1648; who died unmarried in Plymouth before 10 Oct. 1678[4] [1]
  4. Ruth, born probably at Plymouth; who married Joseph Collins[4] [1]
  5. Samuel, born at Plymouth 17 Sept. 1651[3], who married Mercy Freeman[4] [1] [8]
  6. Mehitable, born probably at Eastham 20 May 1653[3], who married George Brown[4] [1]
  7. Barbara, born at Eastham 28 Sept. 1656[3], who married Thomas Mayo[4] [1]

These records do not show information about his death.[3] He was surveyor of the highways in 1670, and he was not noted in the estates of his son John or James, who passed away in 1675 and 1678,[4] [1] so this profile shows he likely died after 1670 and before 1675.

  • Note: some secondary sources indicate he died in 1682, which is an error referring to the death of James Knowles, son of John of Hampton, NH[1]

Sources

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 The Knowles Family of Eastham, Mass by Charles Thorton Libby, published in Volume 79, page 286 of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.)
  2. Roger Thompson, ‘Knowles, John (c.1606–1685)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Cape Cod Library of Local History and Genealogy, Vol. I by Leonard H Smith; Publisher: Baltimore, MD : Genealogical Pub. Co., ©1992. Book 2, Early Settlers of Eastham by Josiah Paine of Harwich. See page 445 for Richard Knowles. Accessed at Ancestry.com June 24, 2019
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 The Knowles Family of Eastham Massachusetts: Charles Thornton Libby, Esq, Porltand, Maine by Libby, Charles Thornton, 1861-1948, compiler; Publication date 1926; Publisher [Boston]
  5. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850, Plymouth - V1, Page 654 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016), which states RICHARD KNOWLES and RUTH BOWER married 15 Aug. 1639
  6. Torrey's New England Marriages to 1700, Volume 2, page 909. (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, which states KNOWLES, Richard & Ruth BOWERS/BOWER; 15 Aug 1639; ?Plymouth {Smith-Bryant 123, 187; Reg. 6:168, 21:213, 79:288, 86:96; MD 5:23, 13:85; Hall-Baldwin 28; Linnell-Snow 13, 46; Newell Anc. 101; Cape Cod Lib. 32:1; Harris (,12) 17; Ludington-Saltus 93, 143; Treat 266; Brewster 23; Doane 30}
  7. Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine; by Little, George Thomas, 1857-1915, ed; Burrage, Henry S. (Henry Sweetser), 1837-1926; Stubbs, Albert Roscoe; Publication date 1909; Publisher New York, Lewis historical Pub. Co. See page 398 for Ephraim Doane
  8. Mayflower Families Fifth Generation Descendants, 1700-1880 Brewster, William (MPIF Patience), starting on page 78, several children of Mercy Freeman and Samuel Knowles are outlined, as 5th generation Mayflower descendants through their mother. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017). From Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Descendants of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth, Mass., December 1620. Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1975-2015.

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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Richard by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Richard:

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Comments: 11

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Find a Grave has Richard Knowles death as 3 Jun 1675. But no source.

Here is the link: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51532176/richard-knowles

posted by [Living McCurdy]
He is Fred Temple Knowles, fred dot knowles at cox dot net. He apparently has a documented link to Rev. John Knowles. I haven't verified it, just reporting what he claims.
posted by James Rugh
I agree with Joe. If documentation is provided, I would love to see what he has.
James, only if he has solid evidence for his parents which are apparently not proven.
posted by Joe Cochoit
I have been in contact with a Fred T. Knowles, who has amassed a remarkable amount of information on the Knowles/Knollys line, going back to the 1200s and even further for other branches. Would you be interested in his research? Contact me for details.
posted by James Rugh
I don't see Plymouth listed on the MassVR link?
posted by Chris Hoyt
Massachusetts Vital Records Is under Knowles in Plymouth
posted by Andrea (Stawski) Pack
Is it possible this Nathanaël Knowles baptizing a child in Anloo, Drenthe, the Netherlands is related to this family somehow ? (Noticed some Nathaniel Knowles men in this lineage so just adding it here just in case ...

Baptized Richardus, born Anloo on 4 April, 1674, baptized on 5 April 1674, son of Nathanaël Knowles and Maria Sibelii Source: Alle Drenten Anloo, 5-4-1674, Collectie Xerokopieen DTOB, boek 1 (doopboek, 1673-1768), pagina 003

Deceased: Richardus Knowles, son of Nath. Knowles and Maria Sibelii; died 29-6-1693; buried at Anloo. Other named relatives: Adolphus Sibelii (grandfather), occupation: reverent/minister (Predikant) at Warfum. Source: Drenths Archief Collectie Xerokopieen DTB, boek 5 (overlijdens- en lidmatenboek, 1681-1842), pagina 0258

Deceased: Maria Sibelii; died 6-7-1700; buried at Anloo. NB: husband: registrator.Drenths Archief Anloo, 6-7-1700, Collectie Xerokopieen DTB, boek 5 (overlijdens- en lidmatenboek, 1681-1842), pagina 0264

posted by Bea (Timmerman) Wijma
Hi Bea,

The links you gave back in 2016 seem to be broken now. Here is the family group you asked about, on another site:

https://www.uitdeoudekoektrommel.com/stambomen/index.php?route=%2Fstambomen%2Ftree%2Ffamilie%2Ffamily%2FF341%2FNathanael-Knouwels-Maria-Sibelius

Regarding your Richard b. Anloo, it would appear he's named in honor of his paternal grandfather, Richard b. in England, but apparently residing in the United Dutch Republic while fl. 1630-1652. He is sued repeatedly for money, sometimes non-trivial sums (hundred pounds etc) indicating he is merchant-cooper working with other peoples' capital etc.

This is the right time for Knowles to be in Netherlands. Queen Elizabeth's favorite/lover Leicester had earlier de facto ruled the country for a time, after the 1585 treaty of Nonsuch, when she was herself offered by the Dutch the novel title General Of The(ir) Provinces... but she declined. The history of the world could have been very different, so many ways and so many times. This is one of them. There is also later Knollys himself fleeing Mary.

However, given "your" Knowles are coopers and shopkeepers by class, it may be difficult to place them unless can trace sources of capital and other business relationships to ID their origins. The best clue is probably origin place and rough birth year of ~1601.

"Mogelijk wordt hier Kington (Herefordshire) of Kineton (Warwickshire) mee bedoeld."

"Huwelijksinschrijving Amsterdam (den 27 Augustij 1630): Dirck Knawles van Kyntuyn(?), out 29 Jaeren, hantschoenmaecker, woonende tot Groningen ende Francijntie Perin van Vlissingen, out 20 Jaeren, geassis(teer)t met Cathalijn Jonas haer moeder, woonende opde S?s ter buijten"

The Dutch research speculating on Kington and Kineton could have included Kinton, Shrops, though it appears to be wrong part of the country for cross-channel trade:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinton,_Shropshire

For this reason and allowing international phonetic liberties (seems appropriate in this era when spelling and dialects were so inconsistent) perhaps also consider Kingsdown, Dover:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsdown%2C_Dover

posted by Isaac Taylor
Note also that the Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley, was having sex with and later forced to marry Francis Knollys's widowed daughter, Lettice. Which infuriated the Queen, who had been keeping him favorited in apartments next her own bedroom, at one time. Later, Leicester went to war in the Netherlands without her (the Queen's) permission, which bankrupted him. While there is probably no connection between these middle class Knowles in Holland and those Knollys, it will be a fun research project.

I am no expert in the Knollys pedigrees, but there are many reasons for ferocious Puritans and cryptic recusants to have hidden or refugee origins in the 1550-1650 century. It was really "easy" to get executed or disgraced in that era, for believing or saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Even Rev. John Knowles did so, repeatedly in his life, including while on mission from Massachusetts to Virginia!

posted by Isaac Taylor
A lot more on immediate Dutch descendents here:

https://www.uitdeoudekoektrommel.com/familieverhaal/richard-knowles-en-francijntie-perin/

Note also this fascinating morsel:

"De genoemde Engelse koopmannen in de notariële akten zijn stuk voor stuk lid van de Sociëteit der Engelse Merchant Avonturiers, zo blijkt na onderzoek. Duidelijk wordt ook, dat Richard handel drijft mét of vóór de Merchant Avonturiers. Het is zelfs niet ondenkbaar dat hij lid is van deze broederschap, waarin onderlinge steun en hulp in een hoog vaandel staat, en waarbij men een beroep op elkaar doet voor bijvoorbeeld het innen van tegoeden.

De ‘Sociëteit der Merchands Avonturiers van de Engelse natie’ (Fellowship of the Merchant Adventurers of England) is naar alle waarschijnlijkheid het eerste grote handelslichaam in Midden- en West-Europa. De Fellowship, een streng nationale gilde bestaande uit vrije Engelse kooplieden, varen geheel op eigen risico op de kusten van het (Europese) vasteland om handel te drijven. Deze broederschap komt samen om zaken te doen en te bidden en is betrokken bij tal van liefdadigheidsdoelen. Het zijn ook de Merchant Adventurers, die investeren in de onderneming van de Mayflower; het schip waarmee puriteinse Engelse kolonisten, beter bekend als de Pilgrim Fathers, naar Amerika varen om daar een nieuw leven te beginnen, vrij van religieuze vervolging."

posted by Isaac Taylor