John Newby (1647 - 1691)

Born 1647 in Moorehouse, Durham, England

Ancestors

Husband of Grace (Edmundson) Newby — married 26 Feb 1674 in Dublin, Ireland

Descendants

Died May 1691 at about age 44 in Dublin, Ireland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Lamar Ross [send private message]

Biography

John was a Friend (Quaker)

John Newby was a Quaker. He was born in Morehouse, Durham, in 1647 to parents Ralph and Dorothy. ^[1] His brother Marke Newby's family list states that the family moved to Ireland in 1662. ^[2]

He and his brother first appear in the Quaker sufferings in 1671, when they kept their shops open on Christmas day and had them mobbed as a result. ^[3]

John Newby of Corne Market for opening his shop in the like manner on the said day had his house besett several times that day with a rude company of men and boys who by their violence damnified him as followeth in breaking his windows seven shillings a looking-glass six shillings an earthen vessell one shilling in taking away two barrells and a cheese eight shillings all amounting to twenty two shillings and besides the said John was imprisoned two daies by the Mayor John Jolly

He married Grace Edmundson in a Quaker ceremony in Dublin on 26d 12mo (Feb) 1673/4. ^[4] The couple had four children born between 1676 and1683. ^[5]

However, it appears that his marriage to Grace Edmonson was not his first. In 1680, like most adult Quakers in Ireland, he gave testimony against tithes, ^[6] but his testimony contained some unusual information

John Newby my testimony is that I never paid tithes or any other maintenance to the profits either directly or indirectly (except my first marrage by the profits) and thatt itt is my belief that as I have my mind stayd upon the Lord I shall be preserved from itt for the time to Come for itt is my belief they are the heirling sheppards whose care is only for the fleece and not the flock - the 28th of the 7m 1680 Grace my wife is of the same mind with me.

Perhaps it was this statement in his testimony which led him to present a paper condemning himself for his disorderly first marriage. This was presented to the Dublin meeting in 1682/3. ^[7]

Whereas I understand that some Reflections are cast upon Truth and Friends concering my proceedings in my former Marriage with Margaret Bright at which time I was I was unacquainted with the proceedings of Friends yet was not satisfyed in myself in what I did but rather judged my Marriage that it was contrary to the witness of God in my own conscience to go to a priest to be marryed, so that I desire and advise all, that not any may take liberty in those things which I can truly say as in the sight of God I have undergone trouble for since the doing viz my being marryed by a priest which I do Condemn but as for my yoaking myself to one that was not a Friend that Engagement was Contracted before I was Convinced now for cleansing of Truth and cleansing of my self so far as I did against Convincement I do now give this under my hand at Dublin the 14th of the 11thm 1682 - John Newby;

His excuse, that he went ahead with his marriage to a non-Quaker because he had already engaged to do so before being convinced, seems like a fairly good one, although one wonders how happy the marriage was when he was yoaked to someone who was not a Friend. Presumably this first marriage had taken place about or just before 1671 - the occasion of his first appearence in the sufferings. And presumably his first wife had died before 1673/4 when he married again.

John Newby died in Dublin in 1691. ^[8] He died intestate. An order for administration of his estate was granted in the prerogative court of Armagh on 29 June 1691. ^[9] He was described as a tailor. ^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ “Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Births,” database with images, FindMyPast (https://www.findmypast.ie/transcript?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FBIRTH%2F40316 : accessed 09 September 2019), birth of John Newby in Moorhouse Durham in 1647, father: Ralph, mother: Dorothy; citing Register of births, DUBLIN, 1859, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
2. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM11M-1%2F0039&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FBIRTH%2F1380 : accessed 18 August 2019), immigration of Mark Newby to Ireland in 1662; citing Wicklow MM Family lists 1677-1800 and sufferings, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
3. ↑ "Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Yearly Meeting Sufferings," image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id : accessed 05 March 2024), sufferings of John Newby of Corne Market City of Dublin for the year of 1671, citing YM Sufferings c. 1665-1693, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives ref YM G1.
4. ↑ “Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Marriages,” database with images, FindMyPast (https://www.findmypast.ie/transcript?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMARR%2F10373G : accessed 09 September 2019), marriage of John Newby and Grace Edmundson daughter of Thomas and Anne Edmundson in Dublin on 26d 12mo (Feb) 1673 (1674); citing Register of marriages, DUBLIN, 1859, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
5. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id : accessed 05 March 2024), Family list of John Newby and Grace Edmundson; citing Leinster QM births, marriages & burials 1650-99 (approx.). Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
6. ↑ "Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Yearly Meeting Sufferings," image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id : accessed 05 March 2024), Testimony against tithes of John Newby City of Dublin dated 28 7m (September)1680, citing YM Sufferings: testimonies against and sufferings incurred for tithes c. 1669-1777, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives ref YM G4.
7. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Congregational Records, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id : accessed 05 March 2024), minutes dated 14d 11mo (Jan) 1682 (1683), Testimony of John Newby against his own disorderly marriage; citing Dublin disownments.1662-1756, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
8. ↑ “Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Deaths,” database with images, FindMyPast (https://www.findmypast.ie/transcript?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FBURS%2F35819 : accessed 09 September 2019), death of John Newby in 3mo (May) 1691, buried in Dublin; citing Register of deaths, DUBLIN, 1859, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.
9. ↑ "Betham Genealogical Abstracts"
   Archive: National Archives of Ireland
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 5 March 2024)
   John Newby, tailor, Dublin, administration 29 Jun 1691; Notebook: Betham's Genealogical Abstracts. Prerog. Admons. (Int.) M. 1786-99. N. 1616-1708; Series description: v. 34 "M" 1722-1746 v. 35 "M" 1747-1765 v. 36 "M" 1765-1786 v. 37 "N" 1616-1719 v. 38 "N" 1617-1799 "O" 1617-1713 v. 39 "O" 1727-1799 "P" 1595-1661 v. 40 "P" 1661-1738 v. 41 "P" 1738-1790 v. 42 "P" 1791-1799 "Q" 1616-1799; Source: Admn; Collection: Genealogical abstracts of records of the Prerogative Court of Armagh.
10. ↑ Diocesan and Prerogative wills 1595-1858, National Archives of Ireland (http://census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/dw/IRE_DIOC_007246588_00512.pdf : accessed 5 March 2024) Letters of administration, John Newby of Dublin, Tailor, Prerogative Court 1691.