Edward Bragg (abt. 1620 - abt. 1708)

Born about 1620 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Elizabeth (Roberts) Bragg — married about 1648 (to 1691) in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died about 1708 at about age 88 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

Edward Bragg was born in England in about 1620, based on his known life history. His parents are not known. There's a record for Edward Bragg, son of Edward Bragg being christened in 2 Jan 1619 in Billingshurst, Sussex, England.^[1]

"Edmund" Bragg is mentioned as servant to Mr. Symonds, Dec. 30, 1642. He purchased a house lot, Feb. 28, 1643, of "William Knowlton, bricklayer, which he bought of John Andrews, who bought the same of Robert Hayes, to whom the freemen of the Town of Ipswich did grant the same, " containing an acre, adjoining other lands of said Knowlton which he bought of William Lampson and William Storey, having a lane leading towards the house of Joseph Medcalf towards the east, and Ipswich river toward the west. He gives "a day's work carting voluntary, besides the rate toward the cart bridge," Nov 19, 1646. He, together with Thomas Low, purchased of Thomas Firman, Oct. 6, 1647, twenty acres of land lying upon the Mile brook toward the south west. He was a commoner, 1664, and a voter in town affairs, 1679.

Edward would purchase almost 10 more acres April 21, 1676 (Ipswich Deeds 4:40) around the same time his name appears on a 1678 legal document listing residents with "rights to commonage". After Samuel Symonds died, administrators of his estate sold to Edward "35 acres adjoining Bragg's house and barn near the northwest corner" February 8, 1679 (Ipswich Deeds 4:306). John Rogers later sold to Edward and his son Timothy 2 acres upland and a half-acre pasture February 1693 (Ipswich Deeds 43:97). Edward grew Flax on half of his property.^[2]

The cellar of the ancient Edward Bragg home is said to be by a lane some 800 feet north of the present day Argilla Farm House.

Edward married Elizabeth Roberts, daughter of John, about 1647, based on the birth year of their first born child, in Ipswich.^[3]

The reason for supposing that the Elizabeth who married Edward Bragg was the Elizabeth daughter of John Roberts is given in Holman's "Ancestry of Charles Stinson Pillsbury and John Sargent Pillsbury".^[2] Elizabeth Roberts is known to have had a sister Janet who married Robert Starkweather. Robert, Janet, and their four children came to Ipswich, and would have been unable to stay in that town without someone vouching for them. Edward Bragg gave bonds to the town, indicating a strong family kinship with the Starkweather family.

Elizabeth and Edward had children, all born in Ipswich:^[2][4]

1. Thomas (1648, age 20 in 1668), married Phebe Reddington on 24 August 1675 and died a week later on 2 September 1675.^[5][6]
2. Mary (ca 1650), married Joseph Eveleth^[7]
3. Timothy (ca 1652), married, first, Lydia Gott^[8]
4. Deborah (1658), married Samuel Searle^[9]

Elizabeth died on 28 May 1691, in Ipswich.^[10]

Edward married, second Sarah, widow of John Reddington, in October 1691.^[11] She survived him.

Edward Bragg of Ipswich made his will 26 Apr 1705, which was proved 23 August 1708 (Probate Records 310:78-80), in which he says, "having given my daughter Deborah Searl's children, my lands and buildings in the town of Rowley to be equally divided among such of them as shall live to the age of 21, I hereby confirm to them said land wich I bought of John Todd, late of Rowley, deceased the said Deborah having deceased since I conveyed said land".^[12]

A codicil was later added to Edward's Will stating that if Timothy died, Edward's estate was to be given to the sons of Timothy: John, Timothy, and Abiel. A later codicil was filed again by Timothy through James Burnam to insure grandchildren Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Edward, and Elizabeth were included.^[2]

Notes

Edward Bragg was supposedly a servant of Henry Halhead, who arrived at Providence Island in 1632. Providence Island is off the coast of Nicaragua and was established by wealthy English investors in 1630. Halhead was sent back to England in 1641, and the English were expelled by the Spanish in 1641. Records are lacking for Edward's presence on the island, or his being a servant of Halhead. For an entertaining biography of Halhead, which makes no mention of any servants of his, see pages 199-210; [2]

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYHZ-S5B : 19 March 2020), Edward Bragg, 1619.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Holman, Mary Lovering, "Ancestry of Charles Stinson Pillsbury and John Sargent Pillsbury", 1938, pages 835-838
3. ↑ 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. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/i/21174/193/426878066
4. ↑ The Essex Antiquarian. Salem, MA: The Essex Antiquarian, 13 vols. 1897-1909. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB96/i/7529/62/0
5. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:M6VF-JY3 : 20 May 2022), Entry for Thomas Bragg, 24 Aug 1675; citing Marriage, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007010724.
6. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:MDRV-L85 : 20 May 2022), Entry for Thomas Bragg, 2 Sep 1675; citing Death, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007010724.
7. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCHH-859 : 28 July 2021), Mary Braye or Bragge in entry for Joseph Eveleth, 1667.
8. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:MDRV-L85 : 20 May 2022), Entry for Thomas Bragg, 2 Sep 1675; citing Death, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007010724.
9. ↑ 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. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/i/21175/1346/426940731
10. ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/i/7725/495/141501038
11. ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/i/7725/55/141489092
12. ↑ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991; Probate Records, Vol 309-310, Book 9-10, 1705-1713; source:Essex County, Massachusetts, Probate Records and Indexes 1638-1916; [1]

• Information supplied by Family member Richard Bragg

• Candlewood, an Ancient Neighborhood in Ipswich

- Thomas Franklin Waters - 1905

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Al Adams for creating Bragg-502 on 7 Dec 13.