Note: There is currently no documentation to show that the William Bundy of Wiltshire, England is the William Bundy of Maryland. Researcher Vivian Mayo Bundy states the relationship is not proven. For more discussion follow the threads top right of the profile page.
In less than six months after arriving in Rhode Island in 1663, William Bundy sold the land (200 acres purchased in May 1663) in Oct 1663 and was among the first emigrants from New England to settle in North Carolina.
William is found on the list of inhabitants of Albemarle County (NC) 1663-64 as receiving 170 acres of land for transporting himself, Elizabeth his wife, and Mary Bundy his daughter."
The Bundys settled on plantations reaching out from both banks of Little River, that forms a natural boundary between Pasquotank County and Perquimans County, NC. Albemarle County was abolished in 1689 when each of the four precincts, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Currituck, and Chowan became a county.
William Bundy was a cordwainer by trade. William Bundy was a member of the first Quaker organization in Perquimans Precinct which met at the home of the members. William's wife, Elizabeth, whom he probably married before coming to Carolina, died March 4, 1677. Seven years later at a quarterly meeting held at the home of Christopher Nicholson, William Bundy and Mary Pearre, widow of John Pearre and daughter of Joseph Scott, published their intention of marriage. They were married at her home "Desember 15, 1683."[1][2]
Vivian Mayo makes reference in her beginning pages that William was a Quaker when he came to this country. However, there is no evidence of this and there was little or no Quaker influence in SW England until the mid and late 1600's after William had left. There is the reference of the sale of William & Elizabeth's property in R.I. to Jariah Bull, "the fearless Quaker." In addition if you read Mayo's notes, it is stated that William and Elizabeth might have been converted when Edmundson visited the Colony in 1672.
William Bundy is recorded as being a witness at several weddings in 1680. His signature appeared on a remonstrance dated September 25, 1679, which was addressed to the Duke of Albemarle by the Quakers, most of whom had been inhabitants of Carolina since 1663. The court records show that he assigned to Mary Scott all his interests to an Indian named Sanders, April 6, 1680. He served as one of the justices at a court held for the Precinct of Perquimans at the home of Mary Scott, the first Monday in January, 1690-1. In every precinct the court consisted of a judge and four justices. To be an eligible candidate for justice, a man must have been an inhabitant of the precinct and own 300 acres of land.
He is listed among the Quakers who were sentenced and imprisoned for refusing to bear arms, serving a six months' term in 1680.[3]
NCPedia lists the year of the 170 acre land grant as 1669 however which source was used for this is unclear.
The following originally appeared in the biography of this profile but as his parentage is nowhere documented the following is family lore:
" The Bundy family is of French descent, originally spelling their name Bundeie. According to the family tradition, their ancestors were among the French Huguenots driven out of France by the Catholic persecutions who settled in Wales. About the middle of the 17th century some of the more venturesome sailed from Pembroke, Wales, for America. Members of the family residing in Worcestershire in southwest England adopted as the family crest, a hand, holding an eagle's leg and had as their motto, Certum pete finem." (Aim at a sure end.)" The Bundy Family Line
The Wiltshire and Swindon local history center at Chippenham has a record of a William Bundy's baptism entry in the Downton register. His parents are noted as Nicholas and Tomson Bundy. There is also a brother Nicholas, baptism date 31 Aug 1636. There is also a Susanna Bundy, daughter of Nich Bundy, baptism entry 07 Dec 1634 (mother's name not given). As stated elsewhere, there is no documentation that the William Bundy of Downtown is the William Bundy who arrives in Maryland.
Page 31 of V. Mayo's book (Reference of N.C. Genealogy Vol. I pp.18-19).[This reference to the North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register Vol I appears to be in error. Checking other volumes or similarly titled works. There is no reference to William Bundy on the cited pages.]
"Batchelor-Williams..." by Lyle Williams; "Dict. of NC Biog." Vol. A -C 1979-WS Powell;
"Perquimans Co., NC, Births, Deaths & Recs., 1659-1820"; "History of Perquimans" by Winslow;
"Some Ancestors & Desc. of Joseph & Naomi (Dicks) Newby"; Soc. of Friends, Pasq. MM, Pasq., NC , p. 95-7, 131, 134; NC Will Abstracts, 1690-1760;
"One Ladd's Family " by Ruth Small;
"Wm. & Eliz. Bundy of RI and NC" by V. Mayo Bundy p. 38, Vol. 1, NC,
North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register
Misc. items taken from loose papers among the records of Albemarle Co. at Edenton: Rent Roll of Land in Albemarle Co. Names of parties and the ir residence, without date, but prior to 1700: William Bundy, Pascotank, 130 acres.
BUNDY RECORDS recorded in History of Perquimans Co, NC 1931 Winslow pg 327-329
Findagrave memorial William Bundy
"North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8F4-RHF : Bundy in entry for William Bundy and ... Scott, Dec 1683; citing Perquimans, North Carolina, reference p5; FHL microfilm 370,662.
http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=prs%2fwilt%2fbaps%2fbh%2f1041420
Miscellaneous large documents produced by various researchers of this family line:
Sharp, The Bundy Family Line [1]
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William is 21 degrees from Zendaya Coleman, 26 degrees from Sting Sumner, 15 degrees from Josh Brolin, 17 degrees from Timothée Chalamet, 18 degrees from José Ferrer, 14 degrees from Frank Herbert, 16 degrees from Richard Jordan, 16 degrees from David Lynch, 18 degrees from Virginia Madsen, 16 degrees from Charlotte Rampling, 25 degrees from Patrick Stewart and 21 degrees from Denis Villeneuve on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
That said, there does appear to be a second "Eliz Bundy." See Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers Vol 1 pg 531 where a Col Peter Ashton claims headright 12 Oct 1665 for 10 tranports including "Eliz Bundy." The bio on this page states William received her headright but that statement has no citation.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57158689/family_memorial-bundy
It seems that a demonstrable link between the William Bundy born in Wiltshire and the William Bundy who arrived in Rhode Island is lacking.