Jonathan Woodman (1643 - 1706)

Born 8 Nov 1643 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Ann (Hilton) Woodman — married 2 Jul 1668 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 21 Nov 1706 at age 63 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Biography

Jonathan Woodman was born at Newbury, Massachusetts on November 5, 1643, son of Edward Woodman and Joanna Unknown who came from Wiltshire, England and settled at Newbury. ^{[1] [2]}

"Jonathan : woodman: Benjamin Moss & Isaac Brown tooke ye oath of fidellity to this govermt: & James Ardway tooke ye oath of a freeman of this Jurisdiction: ye 26 : of ye 12th mo: 1668".^[3]

On 31 Jan. 1670/1, the selectmen authorized Caleb Moody, John Hale, Benjamin Rolfe, John Webster, Abel Somerby, Nathaniel Clarke, Percivall Lowle, Jonathan Woodman, Daniel Thurston, Benjamin Lowle, and John Swett to build at their own charge "a pew in the south east corner of the meeting house" for the use of their wives and daughters.^[4]

In 1675 Jonathan had a ship building yard at the foot of Woodman's lane, now Kent St., in Newburyport. On 23 Mar. 1675/6 he brought suit at the Court of Admiralty in Boston to recover the money due him for the construction of the ship "Salamander". Capt. Bartholomew Stratton and the other owners of the ship complained about the amount claimed and insisted that the law requiring the inspection of vessels had not been complied with. The court ruled in favor of the defendants and fined Jonathan £10. Jonathan then petitioned the General Court asking to be released from the fine as the master and owners had compelled him to pay £20 for not launching the ship at the time agreed upon. He was unable to find men to replace the two carpenters who had been taken for the country's service. He stated that the ship had been surveyed by a carpenter "as the custom is with us", before she was planked, and stated that the owners had forced him to take up the deck and raise it four feet higher.

"October 17, 1676, In answer to the petition of Jonathan Woodman, humbly desiring the remittment of the fine of tenn pounds imposed on him for not surveying the ship Salamander &c the Court judgeth it meet to grant his request & his fine is remitted accordingly."^[5]

Jonathan deposed in the 1679 trial of Elizabeth Morse for witchcraft: "I met with a white thing like a cat, which did play at my legs, and I did often kick at it, having no weapon in my hand; at last I struck it with my feet against the fence ere I saw Webster's houlse, and there it stopped with a loud cry after the manner of a cat and I see it no more. I further testify, that William Morse of Newberry did owne that he did send for a doctor for his wife the same night and same time that I was troubled with that cat above mentioned, which was some grounds for suspicion." Elizabeth was later reprieved and released.^[6]

In the town rate for 1688 is a listing for "Mr Woodman & Jonathan- Heads 1, Houses 2, Plow Lands 8, Meadow 16, Pastr 4... Oxen 2, Cows 4... 1 yr old 2, Sheep 15... Edwrd Woodman... Houses 1, Plow Lands 4... Pastr. 6, Horses 1... Cows 4... 2 yr old 1, 1 yr old 1, Sheep 15, Hoggs 1".^[7]

I assume that "Mr. Woodman" referred to Edward Sr. and that "Edwrd Woodman" referred to Edward Jr.

"An Accot of wt Mr Jonathan Woodman sinr of Newbury Ships Carpenter declared yesterday to be his mind & will for disposal of his estate… Haverhil November 15: 1706… I will

1st that my son Jonathan Woodman shall have two rods… of his land beyond his barn… I formerly… gave him… I give him sd Jonathan also A Lott of Salt March called the twelve acre lott at Plum Island lying in yt Marsh called the Hundred Acres. I give him also Half my Priveledge Rights lying in ye Comons at Newbury: And Half at my Wood lot in Newbery already laid out to me And half of that Ship Timber I bought at Haverhil this fall in 1706 And a pair of Sters coming three years old.

2nd I give to my Son William Woodman All ye rest of the land wr I have lying to the South-Westward of that land above mentioned given my son Jonathan by deed & joying to ye [ ] bequeathed to him; as above: & so to run up to ye Country Road. I give also to sd William my High marsh of ye great Lott of Marsh at Box Island in Salisbury.

3d I give to my Daughter Hanah Woodman, alias Nazebit, now a widow, Land on ye Road by Merrimack River; joyning to land of William Titcoms; & at ye other end joyning to ye rest of my Homestead, to be laid out a full Acre of convenient breadth. I give her sd Hanah also A Marsh Lot of Salt medow called ye Halfmoon lying at or neer Box Island in Salisbury. I give her sd Hanah also half of my Houshold Stuff now in being.

4th: I give to my Daughter Ruth Woodman One half of my Houshold Stuff having given ye other half to my Daughter Hanah already & above mentioned. I give also Her sd Ruth a lott of Marsh lying at Plum Island, Known & called by ye name of the Cove.

5th I give to my Daughter Sarah, married to John Atkinson junr that part of My Salt Marsh lying at Box Island in Salisbury, which is Low Marsh land, & joyning to ye part of High Marrish which as above I have given to my Son William Woodman at ye place:

6th I give to my Daughter Mary, married to Mr Nicholas Webster a Lot of Medow at Salisbury lying in that wc is commonly called the Town Creek medow.

7th: I will that my Daughters Ruth & Hannah have libertie freely to live in One end of my Dwelling house at Newbery so long as they shall be unmarried, & think good to continue there, that is to say my Daughters Ruth Woodman And Hanah Nazebit.

8th I make & Constitute & appoint my Son Ichabod Woodman to be my Executor…

Lastly, I give & leave with my said Son Ichabod Woodman all ye remainder of my Estate both Real & Personal… this 15 of November… 1706…
The mark & Seal of
Jonathan X Woodman
John White
Thomas Chub
His TC mark
Nathaniel Merrill

An Inventory of the Estate of Mr: Jonathan Woodman Senr late of Newbury Decest, Taken the thirteth day of January 1706/7 And prised as money [not bank notes]

To:one Dwellin Hows, And barn, And six acors of plow-
land adjoynin to sd Hows and barn all at...99=00=00
To: Eleven acors moar of plowland at.........77=00=00
To: Seven lots of Salt marsh at...................106=10=00
To: two oxen, 4 Cows, 1 Hors, all at...........020=00=00
To: 2 ould boats: 1: Cart, & other husbandry
tools &c..........................................................003-08=00
To: Wearing Clothes.....................................016=00=00
To: three guns, a sword, & 1 holbeard......004=00=00
To: two fether beds and furnetuer............018=00=00
To: one flock-bed and being.......................004=00=00
To: 6 pewter platter, and 9 pewtor plates, 1 qt:
pot, 1 bason..................................................002=08=06
To: two Iron potts & 1 kittle of Brass.........002=10=00
To: 1 Warming-pan, 1 brass killit................000=16=00
To: Woodenware, Andirones, Tramils, tonges,
&c...................................................................004=00=00
To: Ship-timber.............................................009=00=00
To: Rights in the Coman lands of Newbury.015=00=00
........................................................................381=12=06…

Edward Poor
William Titcomb"^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Anderson, Robert C. Edward Woodman in: Great Migration 1634-1635, T-Y, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 2011, pp. 412: 516-522 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.)
2. ↑ Vital Records of Newbury Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, The Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, 1911
3. ↑ "History of Newbury"- John Currier, Damrell & Upham, Boston, 1902- Vol. I, p. 178; also Oaths of Freemen in Old Norfolk County- Alonzo Quint, NEHGR- Vol.6, p. 201 (Apr.1852)
4. ↑ "History of Newbury"- John Currier, Damrell & Upham, Boston, 1902- p. 318
5. ↑ "History of Newbury"- John Currier, Damrell & Upham, Boston, 1902- Vol. II, p. 475-6
6. ↑ "Descendants and Ancestors of Lt. Edward Woodman"- Rob Roy, 1998 at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/22493386/woodman-file
7. ↑ "History of Newbury"- John Currier, Damrell & Upham, Boston, 1902- pp. 205-6
8. ↑ Essex County Registry of Probate- Docket No. 30593

• Hoyt, David W. The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts (Providence, Rhode Island, 1897) pp. 366-7, 1027
• Doliber, Donald A., It Happened in Essex County: Rehearsal for Hysteria - Newbury 1680, The Essex Genealogist (Essex Society of Genealogists, Mass., 1981) Vol. 1, Page 74.