Esdras Reade (abt. 1600 - 1680)

Born about 1600 in Sutton, Mallet, Somerset, England [uncertain]

Husband of Elizabeth Watson — married 18 Oct 1621 (to about 10 Oct 1629) in St. Michael's Crooked Lane, London, England

Husband of Sarah (Dickinson) Reade — married 22 Feb 1631 in St Katherine by the Tower, Middlesex, England

Descendants

Died 27 Jul 1680 at about age 80 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Esdras Reade migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 279) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Birth

Esdras Reade, tailor of London and Boston, was born about 1600 based on a 1657 deposition in which he gave his age as "about 57 years".^[1] Although this age differs from his gravestone engraving by about 5 years it is probably more accurate as it was his own testimony in court.

His parents were Esdras Reade and Bathsheba (Unknown), proven by a suit he brought against his uncle John 18 Oct 1833^[1] His father and uncle both lived at Sutton Mallet in the parish of Moorlinch, Somersetshire as did his grandmother so that was his likely origin as well.

Sutton Mallett parish records are available online at familysearch.org but can only be viewed on-site at a Family History center. Searches on freereg.org.uk and findmypast.co.uk have not uncovered his baptism yet.

Died 27 JUL 1680. Boston MA. ^[2][3] Deacon

Buried Copp's Hill Burying Ground, Boston MA.^[3]

Occupation: Taylor^[4]

Marriage 18 OCT 1621. St. Michael's Crooked Lane, London, England. ^[5][6]

Marriage 22 FEB 1630/31. Saint Katherine's by the Tower, London, England. ^[3]

Research Notes

• This profile originally included information from a 1915 unsourced family biography by Axel Hayford Reed which stated incorrectly that Esdras Read was the son of Thomas Read of Brocket Hall, England. Multiple paragraphs were copied completely from that source which have been removed to avoid copyright issues.^[7]

• Genealogical Dictionary of New England: ESDRAS, Salem 1639, had Bethia, b. a. 1637; and Obadiah, 1639; both bapt. there, 31 May 1640, b. by w. prob. named Alice; was freem. 2 June 1641, rem. to Wenham, of wh. he was rep. 1648 and 51, and with his min. rem. 1655 to Chelmsford.

• William H. Whitmore, The Graveyards of Boston: First Volume, Copp's Hill Epitaphs (Albany, N.Y., 1878), p. 4, no. 71 - Here lyeth buried ye body of Esdras Reade, aged 85 years decd July ye 27, 1680. no. 72 - Sarah.

........... to Esdras ..... aged .... decd Ma... 16..... Too bad Sarah's stone was in bad shape way back then, but at least her name survived. The e after y and d after dec should be raised.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} The Reade Record (Reade Historical & Genealogical Assoc., Old State House, Boston, Massachusetts, 1917) no. 10, Page 7. Also see Reade Record no. 5.
2. ↑ Parsons, Gerald J., F.A.S.G. , Ancestry Chart No. 351
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Charles French Read, Esq. of Boston, "NEHGR 60 (1906)," Estras Reade: https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/new-england-historical-and-genealogical-register/image?volumeId=11609&pageName=139&rId=23553932, pg. 139.
4. ↑ NEHGR 60 (1906) Charles French Read, Esq. of Boston, pg.137
5. ↑ NEHGR 140(1986):180, One Less Wife for Estras of Boston, Mass., John B. Threlfall, Madison, Wisconsin
6. ↑ London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1624/31281_a102063-00025/7698063?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/5877578/person/6968218611/facts/citation/24178856383/edit/record
7. ↑ Genealogical record of the Reads, Reeds, the Bisbees, the Bradfords of the United States of America in the line of Esdras Read of Boston and England, 1635-1915. Thomas Besbedge or Bisbee of Scituate, Mass., and England, 1634 to 1915. Governor William Bradford of Plymouth, Mass., and England, 1620 to 1915. And their connections, with biographical sketches, illustrations, military services, etc., etc., etc by Reed, Axel Hayford, b. 1835 Publication date 1915 p.15

• https://www.geni.com/people/Esdras-Read-Jr/6000000000900674419
• Find A Grave: Memorial #13410096

• "In a deposition found in the Middlesex Court Files, under date of Dec. 29, 1657, Esdras gives his age as "about 57 years." ..."