Dorcas (Oxenbridge) Hunt (1619 - 1655)

Born 1619 in England

Ancestors

Died 1655 at about age 36 in England

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Biography

Dorcus Oxenbridge was the daughter of Dr. Daniel Oxenbridge and Katherine Harby.^[1]

She married Rev. Edmund Hunt, rector of Uplyme, Devon on 10 June 1641.^[2][3] Note that he is often said to be the same as Edmund Hunt of Duxbury, Massachusetts; however, this is impossible as their timelines overlap in such a way that they cannot be the same man.^[4] He matriculated to Exeter College in 1631, and was ordained in 1635. He was installed as the rector of Uplyme on 29 March 1639.^[5][6]

The will of her father dated December 1641 gives "three hundred pounds for which I stand bound unto my son-in-law Mr. Edmond Hunt for his wife's portion." The will of her mother gives "daughter Hunt" "my ring that is set with pearls and all my own wearing clothes."^[7] She and her husband were also named named in the will of her brother, Daniel Oxenbridge, dated 1 Feb 1643.^[8]

Disputed Marriage

She is often said to have married Edmund Hunt of Duxbury. However, her marriage record clearly shows she Rev. Edmund Hunt, rector of Uplyme, Devon who cannot be the same person as the New England immigrant.^[9]

It is important to first note that there are no colonial records which give the name of the wife of Edmund Hunt - her name is not even known to be Dorcas.

The belief that she is Dorcas Oxenbridge is based on a marriage record where Edmund Hunt married Dorcas Oxenbridge in 1641 in London. The will of Daniel Oxenbridge in December 1641 includes: "To son Daniel all my part and share in the Tyune Farm, he to pay and discharge the sum of three hundred pounds for which I stand bound unto my son-in-law Mr. Edmond Hunt for his wife's portion," Katherine's will, proved 5 November 1651, states: "I give to the Plantation of New England Ten pounds for to buy books for the Indians to learn to read. ... To my daughter Hunt my ring that is set with pearls and all my own wearing clothes," It is certain that Daniel Oxenbridge had a daughter Dorcas who married Edmund Hunt. However, her husband is not the same as the immigrant to New England.

A look at the actual marriage license and marriage record reveals more information:^[9]

Marriage licence:

Die pr[e]d[icti] [8 Junij 1641]

w[hi]ch day appeared p[er]sonally Edmund Hunt of the p[ar]ish of Upline in the County of Devon Clarke and a bachiller aged about 37 yeares & alleadgeth that hee intendeth to marry w[i]th Dorcas Oxenbridge of the p[ar]ish of St Bennett Sherhogg London Spinster aged about 22 yeares and w[i]th the consent of her father Daniell Oxenbridge … and desired licence to be m[ar]ried in the p[ar]ish church of St Stephens Coleman London.

Signature: Edmund Hunte

[Bride misindexed Brenbridge]^[10]

Marriage in London parish register:

1641 Jun 10, Edmond Hunt and Dorcas Oxenbridge married the 10th of June 1641.^[11]

So, the Edmund Hunt who married Dorcus Oxenbridge was a clerk from Uplyme, Devon, whose career can be traced:

Edmund Hunt, son of Philip, of Newton, Devon, pleb. Exeter College, matriculated 2 December 1631, aged 17; perhaps rector of Uplyme, Devon, 1639.^[12]

Edmund Hunt received his ordination on 20 December 1635, and was installed as the rector of Uplyme on 29 March 1639.^[13]

The timelines of Edmund Hunt of Duxbury and Rev. Edmund Hunt of Uplyme overlap in such a way that they cannot be the same person. Edmund Hunt was granted land in Duxbury on 4 August 1634, and was currently living in Duxbury on 8 February 1635/6. He appeared in the Duxbury in 1637, 1639 and 1642. There is no indication that he ever returned to England or that he was a member of the clergy. His son Samuel was born about 1640 (aged 17 in 1657), which is also not consistent with a marriage in June 1641.

Sources

1. ↑ Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families
2. ↑ London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812: City of London, St Stephen, Coleman Street, 1636-1717. (Ancestry.com online database).Image 49 of 65.
3. ↑ London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812: City of London, St Stephen, Coleman Street, 1636-1717. Image 77 of 195.
4. ↑ Soc.genealogy.medieval Discussion Group. "Correction: Edmund Hunt of Duxbury, Plymouth Colony". (First post Nathan Murphy, 17 July 2017). Google Groups link.
5. ↑ Foster, Joseph. Alumni Oxonienses: The Members of the University of Oxford, 1500-1714: Their parentage birthplace, and year of birth, with a record of their degrees. (London, 1891): page 770.
6. ↑ The Clergy Database. Hunt, Edmund (1635 - 1639); CCEd Person ID: 98286.
7. ↑ NEHGR, volume 44 no. 1 (1890): pages 83-85. "Genealogical Gleanings in England: Oxenbridge Wills."
8. ↑ NEHGR, vol. 53 (1899): pages 116-118. "Will of Daniel Oxenbridge."
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Soc.genealogy.medieval Discussion Group. "Correction: Edmund Hunt of Duxbury, Plymouth Colony". (First post Nathan Murphy, 17 July 2017). Google Groups link.
10. ↑ London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812: City of London, St Stephen, Coleman Street, 1636-1717. (Ancestry.com online database).Image 49 of 65.
11. ↑ London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812: City of London, St Stephen, Coleman Street, 1636-1717. Image 77 of 195.
12. ↑ Foster. Alumni Oxonienses, 1500-1714. (1891): page 770.
13. ↑ The Clergy Database. Hunt, Edmund (1635 - 1639); CCEd Person ID: 98286.

• Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study In Colonial And Medieval Families, in 5 vols. (Salt Lake City, Utah, 2013): vol. IV page 299-300.

• Soc.genealogy.medieval Discussion Group. "Correction: Edmund Hunt of Duxbury, Plymouth Colony". (First post Nathan Murphy, 17 July 2017). Google Groups link.

• The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume 44 no. 1 (January 1890): pages 83-85. "Genealogical Gleanings in England: Oxenbridge Wills" AmericanAncestors.org link.

• The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume 53 no. 1 (January 1899): pages 116-117. "Will of Daniel Oxenbridge."

• London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812: City of London, St Stephen, Coleman Street, 1636-1717. (Ancestry.com online database). Image 49 of 65.

• London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812: City of London, St Stephen, Coleman Street, 1636-1717. Image 77 of 195.

• Foster, Joseph. Alumni Oxonienses: The Members of the University of Oxford, 1500-1714: Their parentage birthplace, and year of birth, with a record of their degrees. (London, 1891): page 770.

• Richardson, D. (2011). "15. Daniel Oxenbridge," in Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 2nd ed, III, pp. 293. Kimball G. Everingham, Ed. Salt Lake City, Utah. see, #15, Daniel Oxenbridge.