Contents |
Banks states that John came to York at or before 1719 and that he was the son of John and Sarah Gear of Kittery; however, I have been unable to find any connection between these families and the spelling of the names is consistently different in the records. At this point I am skeptical as to John Geerey of York being of the same family as John Geer of Kittery.
The first mention of John Geerey I’ve found is in 1723 when John along with Charles White purchased land in the Bell Marsh section of Brixham in York:
“Arthur Bragdon Senr of York… yeoman… for and in consideration of Fifty pounds paid… by Charles White and John Geerey of the sd York labourers…doth… sell… Thirty one acres lying and being within ye Township of Said York and is Situated upon the head or North east part of ye North-West branch of Said York River so called partly upon the South east side of Said Charles Whites Land and partly upon the Northeast end of sd Whites homesteed or House lott… bounded… upon the South Corner of Said Charles Whites House lott… by ye Town Commons… unto Jonadab Lords Land… Said Arthur Bragdon doth reserve and not Sell with the Said Land one Acre upon each side of a freshet Brook namely ye before Marsh Brook so called where is a Convenient falls for Building a Mill and Damme and the benefit of a Convenient way to pass and repass to and from Said Mill to a convenient landing with a Team… but the other Thirty Acres unto Said Charles White and John Geerey… for ever in eaqual partnership… Said Arthur Bragdon and Sarah his wife have hereunto Set their hands… this Twenty fifth day of June… one Thousand seven hundred & Twenty three…
Arthur Bragdon
In the presence of us
Joseph Sayword
Job Young
His Y Mark
Abraham Preble”.[1]
On 3 Dec. 1724 the General Court ordered that York supply 20 Snow-Shoe Men for an expedition against the French and Indians at their base at Norridgewock and particularly, against the Jesuit missionary, Sebastian Raile who had a price of a thousand livres on his head. Captain Moulton led an attack in the middle of the winter, however, the French and Indians must have had advance warning of the attack and had deserted the settlement. Moulton did find a letter in Fr. Raile’s house from the Governor of New France telling him “to push on the Indians with all imaginable zeal against the English”. Part of this expedition was Capt. Arthur Bragdon’s company from York in which John was a private.[2]
“We John and Abigail Garey of York… in Consideration of eleven Pounds… paid by our Brother Benjamin Tomson… do… make over unto the sd Benja Tomson… all our Right and Title unto all & singular the Lands Meadows Goods Chattels or whatsoever did in any wise… belong unto the Estate of our Father Alexander Tomson late of York Decd… this 19th Day of April in the Year 1726
John Gary his X mark
Abigail Geary her X mark
Witness prtt
Charles White
Bethiah X White
her X Mark
James Smith”[3]
John and Abigail’s family are listed in the York records:
John Garey his Children born in York of Abigail his Wife the Daughter of Alexander Tompson viz
1. John Gary - born Octobr 5. 1721
........................died Febry 11. 1721/22
2. Anna - born April 24. 1723
3. John Garey - born July 5. 1725
4. Abigail Garey - born July 5. 1727
5. Thankful Garey (a Daughter) - born Octobr 5. 1729
6. Elisabeth Garey - born Mrch 21. 1731/2
7. Anna Garey - born July 1. 1734
8. Joseph Garey
................& - both born June 15. 1736
9. Ebenezer Garey - Since both deceased [4]
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
John is 18 degrees from Emeril Lagasse, 21 degrees from Nigella Lawson, 21 degrees from Maggie Beer, 40 degrees from Mary Hunnings, 26 degrees from Joop Braakhekke, 22 degrees from Michael Chow, 21 degrees from Ree Drummond, 22 degrees from Paul Hollywood, 20 degrees from Matty Matheson, 23 degrees from Martha Stewart, 29 degrees from Danny Trejo and 20 degrees from Molly Yeh on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
Categories: Kittery, Maine
Thank you Mary
John GERRY II could not have died on 31 Oct 1720, because all of his children were born after that date.