Wayne, thank you for your reply. I may not have made myself clear initially. I want to track Nicholas Christopher back in time to his Ancestors. I have no idea where Nicholas came from before he arrived in America. The other family researchers I work with say he came from England, but there is no proof of that. The only fact that makes me “sense” he came from England is that the Irish and Scottish Christopher lines over here do not match our YDNA profile.
The first record I can find of him over here is in a court case from June 1695 where he is judged to be 12 years old which would put his year of birth around 1683. At that time, 1695, he was recorded as a Servant of John Burkett who in 1689 - 90 traveled to England and married a Jane Abbott in Shoreditch, Middlesex, England. It is possible they brought Nicholas back with them on their return. Otherwise, we are left with the lore that he was a run away or a stow away. All ship arrivals and passenger list from this time are no longer available.
Next record I find of him here is a 1701 court record where he has “Fugitively absented himself from his Master, John Evans” and is given an extra year of servitude upon his return.
However, when he does return on 7 Dec 1704 the court case is recorded as such:
“” On this day Nicholas Christopher presented himself to this court and acknowledged that he was willing to serve his Master or assignees till the last day of October next in consideration that the said, Peter Evans, acquitting the said Nicholas of service that was due unto him for his running away and giving him a good suite of Kerby Cloaths, a shirt, a pair of new shoes and stockings and hat at the expiration of said term.””
To me, that sounds like he was sent to an apprenticeship or school rather than having run away, I can find no other deals from masters to their servants in any court records.
From the next year on he is married, has his first few sons, and is buying and selling land for various amounts of Tobacco. He is recorded as dealing with some of the area’s most prominent families, and indeed his children marry into them. This does not fit into what we would expect from a run away or a stow away.
I need help from someone who understands the counties of England and how to search for a record of Christopher’s in southern England.
Thank you
David M. Christopher
