Jane (Unknown) Barlow (abt. 1615 - 1693)

Born about 1615 in England [uncertain]

Wife of Anthony Bessey — married about 1638 in Sandwich, Plymouth Colony

Wife of George Barlow — married before Feb 1662 in Sandwich, Plymouth Colony

Descendants

Died 22 Aug 1693 at about age 78 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Jane (Unknown) Barlow migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Parentage; Date and Place of Birth

Jane's parents and maiden name are not known. Some family trees claim that she was the daughter of Anthony Annable who arrived in Plymouth in 1623. However, there is no reliable source that supports that claim or even the proposition that Anthony Annable had a daughter named Jane. The list of Anthony Annable's children in Anderson's Great Migration profile of him does not include a child named Jane.^[1] Anderson apparently found no reliable evidence from which to deduce the maiden of Anthony Bessey's wife and, in his profile for him, lists her simply as "Jane ________."^[2]

Anderson provides no information about Jane's date or place of birth. Based on her first husband's birth date (1609) and the birth of her first child (1639), 1615 seems like a reasonable estimate. It is very likely Jane was born in England.

Arrival

The date and location of Jane's arrival in the New World is currently unknown. Based on her estimated date of marriage, she must have arrived before 1639.

First Marriage and Children

Jane married Anthony Besse (also seen as Bessey) by about 1639 in Sandwich.^[2] Anthony had emigrated from England to the New England in 1635,^[3][2] and initially settled at Lynn,^[2] before removing to Sandwich in 1637.^[2]

Children of Jane and Anthony Besse:

1. Dorcas, b. say 1639, m. about 1663 John Presbury in Sandwich, d. before March 1679 in Saco, Maine (see sources in Dorcas's profile)
2. Ann, b. say 1641, m. by 1662 Andrew Hallett^[2]
3. Nehemiah, b. about 1643, m. by 1680 Mary Ransom^[2]
4. Mary, b. say 1645, living but unmarried as of 4 March 1661/2^[2]
5. Jane, b. say 1647^[2]
6. David, b. Sandwich 23 May 1649, living as of 10 February 1656/7^[2]
7. Elizabeth, b. say 1654, m. by 1674 Joseph Botfish^[2]
8. Rebecca, b. about summer 1657, m. 17 February 1670(/1?) William Hunter in Barnstable^[2]

Second Marriage and Children

Anthony passed away between February 1656/7 (date of will) and June of 1657 (probate of will).^[2] Jane married, second, George Barlow, Sheriff of Sandwich sometime before 10 January or February 1661/2,^[2] based on a court record dated "x uary the 10th, 1661" involving Mary Bessey and Dorcas Bessey and their father-in-law George Barlow.^[4] Based on her will,^[5][6] Jane had at least two more children with George Barlow:

Children of Jane and George Barlow:

1. John Barlow
2. Nathan Barlow

There may have been other children, but they are not referenced in Anderson, and will require further research and sourcing.

Death

Jane died on August 22, 1693 at Sandwich, Massachusetts.^[5][6]

Will; Estate

Jane's will Is dated 6 August 1693, and was proved 5 October 1693. It provides as follows:^[5][6][7]

Jane Barlow of Sandwich bequeathed to

• my son John Barlow ... my dwelling house and all my land on which stands and land adjacent ... together with my great iron kettle and the money that he owes me;
• my son Nathan Barlow forty shillings in money and my featherbed and the iron kettle that he now hath of mine;
• my son Nehemiah Bessie one cow;
• Alce Hunter and Rebeckah Hunter the daughters of my daughter Rebeckah Hunter one cow apiece;
• my three daughters viz: Anna Hallett, Elizabeth Bodfish, and Rebeckah Hunter all my wearing clothes and the rest of my estate to be divided between them.

Stephen Skeffe Esq. to be executor

Jane's estate totaled 38 pounds, with no real estate mentioned.^[5][6]

Sources

1. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, "Great Migration Begins Vol 1 A-B", Entry for Anthony Annable, pp. 47-50. At Ancestry.com
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13} Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration Vol 1 A-B, Entry for Anthony Bessey, pp. 266-270. At Ancestry.com
3. ↑ Hotten, James Camden. The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; Emigrants; Religious Exiles; Political Rebels; Serving Men Sold for a Term of Years; Apprentices; Children Stolen; Maidens Pressed, And Others Who Went from Great Britain to the American Plantations 1600-1700. 1874. p 127. At Archive.org
4. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel B. Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Court Orders: Vol. IV, 1661-1668. 1855. p 7. At Archive.org
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Probate Records of Barnstable County, Vol 1, pp 105-7 (copy of 86-7 from original). At Ancestry.com
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} Abstracts of Barnstable County, Mass., Probate Records, The Mayflower Descendant, Vol XIX, pp 44-45. At americanancestors.org. (by $ubscription) Also available free on Google Books.
7. ↑ "Probate records v. 1-3 1686-1747" database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YB-N9TC : 18 April 2024), Film# 00770540, Barnstable, Massachusetts, image 55-56, Vol 1, Page 86-87.

See also:

• New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.
• "The Notorious George Barlow - Part 3," Poor Irish & Pilgrims.com
• Barclay, Mrs. John E., Ann (Besse) Hallet, Step-Mother of Abigail (Hallet) Alden, The American Genealogist (1950) Vol. 26, Page 193. Link to page at americanancestors.org.