Unknown Mann (1470)

Born 1470 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England

Husband of Unknown (UNKNOWN) Mann — married 1492 in England

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England

The Mann Family of Doncaster and Scrooby

We do not know the identity of the person represented by this profile or of his wife. We only know that he had at least five children born in the early 16th century living in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. These children were:

1. William Mann
2. Annis Mann
3. Isabel Mann
4. Christopher Mann born say 1500 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, Will dated 11 Oct 1558 proved 13 Jan 1558 in Yorkshire, England, burial in Scrooby. He married Alice and had Avery, John and Christian (Mann) Ioys.
5. Maude MANN b: say 1513 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, died After 11 OCT 1558 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, married William Brewster of Doncaster.

Based on the estimated age of of Maude Mann above we have entered some possible dates of birth for these children on their profiles. However, we have no specific knowledge about when they were born. We only know the approximate death date for Christopher. On some un-sourced trees on the Internet you may find the father is named John. There is absolutely no evidence regarding his name or where he came from.

There is only one primary source that identifies this Mann family group of Doncaster and Scrooby and that is the will of Christopher Mann dated 1584 published by John G Hunt in NEHGR Volume 124 p 253 in 1970.^[1] This was a follow-up article to his previously published treatment of this family published in 1965 in TAG Volume 41 p 1-5^[2] In 2014 the General Society of Mayflower Descendants published the latest research on Elder William Brewster and they called these two articles the current state of research on this topic.^[3] In his will dated 11 Oct 1558, proved Jan 13 1558, Christopher Mann names his wife Alice and his children Avery, John, John and Christian Ioys. (Note he lists two sons named John). He names his siblings William, Annis, Isabel and Maude Brewster. He named William Watson but does not state his relationship to him. Of the women named he does not name spouses and only two of them have married names: his daughter Christian Iolys and his sister Maude Brewster above. The three Witnesses are familiar to us: William Bruister (sic) John Simkinson and Thomas Simkinson (John Simkinson being the first husband of Mary Smythe, the mother of the Mayflower passenger).^[2] Nowhere in this document do the names of a father John Mann or grandfather Baseling Mann appear. There is no primary source naming a John Mann or Baseling Mann in Scrooby. They appear to be pure fantasy. John G Hunt has been so determined for so many decades to try to stretch this family back as far in time as possible that if there was even a hint that there was a John Mann anywhere in the area he would have published it by now. He’s not a person who backs away from controversy and he doesn’t mind offering speculation.

Moreover, there is no evidence aside from geography that these families are related in anyway to the Cornwall family. That is wild conjecture without any evidence whatsoever. Therefore I am removing Unknown Cornwall as mother of Maude.

Nor is there evidence that her sister Isabel married William Watson. William Watson was named in the will of her brother Christopher but that doesn't imply he married his sister Isabel specifically.

This is the family of a very important historical character and it should be as accurate as possible. A whole list of children and parents are getting copied to GENI, Wikitree, Familysearch, Ancestry and Werelate, etc. and there is no evidence to support their existence. We should raise the bar. If we include a name or a profile in the family tree of the only college educated Mayflower Passenger then we had better pony up a solid source to back up that name or profile.

Maude Mann the sister of Chistopher Mann, William Mann, Annis Mann and Isabel Mann married at an unknown place by about 1534 to William Brewster of Doncaster.^[1] Doncaster is seven miles North of Scrooby. Nothing is known about the birth or death dates of Maude Mann and William Brewster of Doncaster. We do know Maude was living when she was named in her brother Christopher's will dated 11 OCT 1558. A William Brewster was witness to the same instrument on 13 Jan 1558 but it isn't clear if this was William Brewster of Doncaster or his son William Brewster of Scrooby. John G Hunt believes it was the son.

The will of Maude's brother Christopher is not only helpful in determining her maiden name it also helps us elucidate the identity of the mother of William Brewster the Mayflower passenger, Mary Smythe. Christopher's will was witnessed by John Symkinson who was the first husband of Mary Smythe, the mother of Thomas Sinkinson of Hull by her first husband and the mother of William Brewster the Mayflower passenger by her second husband William Brewster of Scrooby.^[2]

The Will of Christopher Mann

Taken from Footnote 5 of NEHGR Volume 124 p 253 in 1970:^[1]

"Will of Christopher Mann, dated 11 Oct. 1558, Proved Jan 13. following (York P&E court, vol 15, pt 3, fo. 186) : "my bodie to be buried within the church or courtyard of St. James in Scrowbie... to my daughter Christian ioys [?wys] 3/6/8... to Wm. Watson xl s... to Isabel my sister 6/8... to my sister Maude Bruister 6/8... to my brother Wm. Man 6/8... Alice my wife... Avery and John and John my children [!]." Witnesses: Mr. Thomas Simkinson, Willam Bruister [!] and John Simkinson."

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} John G Hunt "The Mother of Elder William Brewster of the Mayflower" in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1970) Volume 124 p 250-254 link to article at AmericanAncestors
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} John G Hunt, "New Light on the Brewsters of Scrooby and New England" in The American Genealogist (Demorest, Habersham, Georgia, United States: D.L. Jacobus, 1965) Vol 41 p 1-5 link
3. ↑ Merrick, Barbara Lambert, and E. Virginia Hunt. William Brewster of the Mayflower: and his descendants for four generations. (Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2014), p 1-2, 2014. The GSMD "Silver Book"