| Jeremiah Norcross migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 241) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm |
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There is a probable baptism record for a Jeremie Norcrosse on 5 May 1588 at All Saints, Priston, Somerset, England. That record would indicate he was the son of George Norcross instead of Thomas Norcross, as shown in several online genealogies.[1][2] The last name Norcross appears with a variety of spellings and was often the victim of bad transcriptions. But the image of the original document is quite compelling.
The Records of London's Livery Companies show a George Norcrosse, Master Clothworker like Jeremie who could be his father or a close relative.[3] Furthermore, a George Norcross was appointed twice, in 1604 and 1606, as curate to Publow Chapel in Stanton Drew, also Somerset, 7 miles away from Priston, where Jeremiah was baptized.[4]
Jeremiah married Audrie Smythe, widow, in 1611 at St. Luke's parish in Chelsea, London, England.[5] Her maiden name is currently unknown. Jeremiah mentioned his wife's son, John Smith, in his first will, dated 1654. From that information it can be inferred that Audrie's first husband had Smith as his last name. No record of that first marriage could be found to present.
Adrean had a son, John Smith from a previous marriage. No records of his birth could be identified, since the father's name is yet unknown.
Adrean and Jeremiah had at least four children:
There has been some controversy concerning Anna (Norcross) Davis. Some online genealogies show her as being one of their daughters. Jeremiah mentioned her in his first will, dated 1654, as "my brother's daughter", which should be sufficient to assuage any doubts on the matter.
Despite Jeremiah and Adrean's marriage taking place at St Luke's parish, in Chelsea, London, the couple seems to have moved later on to the parish of All Hallows, Bread Street, near the tower of London. Their son Richard's baptism is chronologically the first record of their presence in that parish. No records of Sarah's and Nathaniel's birth have been found to date. It is possible that the family belonged to another parish between the couple's marriage at St. Luke's in 1611 and Richard's baptism in 1621.
Jeremiah seems to have been a Master Clothworker in London, England. His name appears several times on the Records of London's Livery Companies, which list apprentices, freemen and masters of various trades between 1400 and 1900. Jeremiah was first recorded as a new freeman in 1609.[11] His master was Samuel Williams. No other information was entered about either of them on this record. However, if Jeremiah finished his apprenticeship n 1609 it would probably have started around 1602, when he was about 14 years old.
In 1611 Jeremiah was already listed as a Master, taking on an apprentice from Somerset, England.[12] Between 1611 and 1641 he had several apprentices, including a Tobias Norcross, possibly a relative, son of Egidil (Giles?) Norcross, deceased by then. Tobias started his apprenticeship in 1625.[13] Egidil is said to have been from Dier, Beckington, Somerset, England. Tobias finished his apprenticeship and became a freeman in 1632 - all recorded apprenticeships under Jeremiah lasted 7 or 8 years.[14] Between 1639 and 1641 three of Jeremiah's apprentices became freemen. After 1641 there are no more records for Jeremiah as a Master clothworker, which could indicate that he left to the New World shortly after that, If that was the case, then he would probably still have at least one, maybe two apprentices under his responsibility: Johes Miles, from Kent, England, who started his apprenticeship in 1637 [15] and Thomas Hole, from Hampshire, England, who started his apprenticeship in 1635 [16] It is, therefore, a possibility that Jeremiah would have taken at least one apprentice/indentured servant with the family when they moved to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The records of the parish of All Hallows, Bread Street, London show further evidence of Jeremiah being a clothworker and lists his name alongside one of his servants, possibly apprentice. Among the burial records is Morris Whitacre, servant to Mr. Norcross, Clothworker buried 15 September 1625.[17] The same parish records show the baptism of his son Richard, the baptism and burial of his daughter Mary, the bans and marriage records of his daughter Sarah and his niece Anna.[18]
It is not known precisely when Jeremiah and Adrean migrated to New England. Anderson estimated their arrival in Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, to have happened in 1639.[19] Furthermore, according to Susan Hardman Moore, they would have arrived with their son Nathaniel, who had recently graduated from the University of Cambridge, as well as two additional children, Richard and Sarah.[20]
There is plenty of evidence that Richard and Nathaniel moved to the New World with their parents. The same cannot be said about Sarah. She was giving birth to children in England until at least 1643 and her husband seems to have been buried in Staffordshire, England, same county where he was born.[21][22] Therefore, it would seem that Sarah and her husband Francis Masey did not accompany the Norcross family, remaining in England instead.
As for when the Norcross family immigrated to the New World, according to the records of London's Livery Companies it would be plausible they would have crossed the Atlantic in or after 1641. Nevertheless, a record from a Quarter Court held at Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in December 1st 1640 seems to indicate that Jeremiah was already a resident in the colony by then:[23]
Mr Collens, Mr Sparhauke & Goo : Bridge are desired to heare businesses betwen John Smyth & his father, Jeremy Norcros, & examine accounts, & settle things if they can; if not, to make report to the Courte if there bee cause./
It does not seem plausible that the Boston Court would see fit to intervene in their "business" if one of them was still in England. It seems likely they both resided in new England by then.
Jeremiah settled in Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colony around 1640, with his family. He seems to have been a prosperous landowner. According to the First Inventory of lands, grants and possessions dating from early 1642 in the Watertown Records Jeremiah had been granted 250 acres for farming and another parcel of 38.5 acres. He also purchased several parcels of land varying in size between 2 and 35 acres of meadows, plowland and upland, Including a "homestall" comprising 26 acres bought from John Page, Robert Tuck, Richard Amler and Jacob Segar. By 1642 Jeremiah owned a total of 446.5 acres.[24] In 1644, when the Second Inventory was made, his 250 acres of farmland were no longer mentioned, but 2 more acres of land were added to his holdings totaling 198.5 acres at that point. [25]
There is a record of a "Norcros", no given name, been made freeman in Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, dated February 1652.[26] It has been generally believed that the record would refer to Jeremiah Norcross. It seems late taking into account that he already owned land ten years before that. Nevertheless, since Nathaniel became a freeman in May 1643[27] and Richard in May 1652[26], Jeremiah would seem to be the more logical choice. He was also chosen to be constable in a meeting of Selectmen in 1653.[28].
In 1654 Jeremiah made a will "before going to sea", with the intention of returning to "Old England", which he did with wife Adrean.[29] Some authors speculate that he intended to just visit his family in England.[30] Given Jeremiah's and Adrean's age - he would be in his mid-60s and Adrean could be about the same age or older - it's doubtful they had plans to return to Watertown. They immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony around the time the English Civil War (1642-1651) was brewing and returned to England just after it ended. It could be a coincidence, but it could also be that Jeremiah moved to the New World with his family to escape the civil and political unrest which ensued with the conflicts and returned when he deemed England safe again for his family.
Jeremiah died in Little Walsigham, Norfolk, England, on 8 December 1656.[31] When his second will was proved in London, Jeremiah was referred to as "Jeremiah of Walsingham, Norfolk", which would also indicate that he was residing with or near his son Nathaniel, who at the time was vicar of Little Walsigham, Norfolk, England. Adrean's obit record can be found on the same page, less than a month after her husband's on 3 January 1656/7.
Jeremiah left two wills, the first one dated 15 September, 1654 and proved on 6 October 1657, at the Massachusetts Bay Colony.[29][32]
He travelled to England and when he got sick he decided to write a second will which did not invalidate the first one but rather complemented it. The second will was dated 30 September 1656 and was proved on 5 April 1658, in London, England. [33]
His inventory is dated 16 September 1657 and recorded at Middlesex.[34]
Have added "needs research" maintenance category. For guidance, see the helpful comment posted by Matthew Fletcher.
Prior Version/Disputed Parentage. This profile used to be connected to Thomas Norcross and Mary Chappell as parents. Since no sources could be found to support that and a baptism source was found with a different father, those two profiles were disconnected from this one and a new father was attached to the profile.
Directory. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640: A Concise Compendium (Boston, Massachusetts : New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015), 241--Jeremiah Norcross, as "London; 1639; Watertown; returned permanently to England by 1656"; works consulted as "WaTR 1:5; WaBOP 20; MBCR 1:311; CaBOP 115-16, 121; Rodgers 1:288-90; Waters 1041; NYGBR 40:183-84; TAG 61:18-31; Granberry 283-84; Abandoning 219-21."
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N > Norcross > Jeremiah Norcross
Categories: Puritan Great Migration Project Needs Research | Puritan Great Migration | PGM Beyond New England
edited by GeneJ X
Reference--Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640: A Concise Compendium (Boston, Massachusetts : New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015), 241.
Any assistance you are able to provide is appreciated.--Gene
Norcross, Jeremiah: London; 1639; Watertown; returned permanently to England by 1656 [WaTR 1:5; WaBOP 20; MBCR 1:311; CaBOP 115-16, 121; Rodgers 1:288-90; Waters 1041; NYGBR 40:183-84; TAG 61:18-31; Granberry 283-84; Abandoning 219-21].
Hope this is helpful.
Dear Ann, Thank you for your enquiry concerning Jeremiah Norcross, and please accept my apologies for the extended delay in responding. If you haven’t already had a look at ROLLCO – the online membership database – it is worth doing so. I searched for Norcr* to capture variations in spelling: https://www.londonroll.org/search/?vb=lr&vw=ps&st=0&rf=company%3Aclw%7Csurname%3Anorcr%2A%7Cyear_start%3A1400%7Cyear_finish%3A1900&sb=event_year&sa=0 The freedom date for the first entry, Jeremias Norcro, would fit with your research. Unfortunately, our apprenticeship records do not begin until 1606, so don’t include him as apprenticeships usually lasted for seven years, and those are the records which often include the father’s name.
A search of our information files has revealed a previous enquiry concerning the Norcross name, from someone working on a Norcross family tree project in Canada, although the link given to the website no longer works. Aside from Jeremiah, the only other name we found was Tobias Norcrosse, made Free by apprenticeship to Jeremie Norcrosse. He had been bound for seven years on 10 March 1625/6 when he was described as the son of Egidius [ie Giles] Norcrosse of Beckington, Somerset, deceased.
Further information supplied by the enquirer is as follows: The Norcross family came originally from Ribchester, Lancashire. In the period 1560-1640 one Norcross branch headed by Thomas Norcross resided in London and a few records of that family are in the All Hallows, Bread Street, parish registers. We have been told that Thomas and his eldest son, John, were members of the Haberdashers’ Company. A second son, Jeremiah, is indicated in the parish registers as a Clothworker.
You may also be interested to learn that Jeremiah was given £10 by The Clothworkers’ Company in 1639 towards travel to New England.
I hope this information is useful to your research. Kind regards, Hannah Dunmow Archivist The Clothworkers’ Company
I know little about the PGM but I know a great deal about London of the period. It was almost universal for male citizens of London (it's been estimated as 95%+) to have gone through the apprenticeship system. The emergence of a mercantile class and the huge opportunities for overseas trade meant that most of the cash-rich men in England were London citizens and their sons would have been duly apprenticed along with the sons of fishmongers or cobblers. Furthermore the Clothworkers was one of the richest livery companies, one of the "Great Twelve", and would have a reasonably high apprentice fee. Nowadays we would associate the garment industry with low-paid work but Jeremiah must have come from a reasonable prosperous background. Just because he was apprenticed to a member of the Clothworkers it does not necessarily imply he was doing menial labour or that the business was poorly paid. The fact that he trained a number of apprentices soon after becoming a Freeman of the company suggests he was successful and could easily have made a small fortune in 20 years, certainly enough to buy land in Massachusetts. As for sending his son to Cambridge you can see rank of the fathers of Cambridge students and while many are indeed "gentlemen" you will also find many were yeoman farmers or citizens of London.
The objective facts are that a Jeremie Norcross was baptised in Priston in 1588 and a "Jeremias Norcro" became a Freeman of the Clothworkers in 1609. It was extremely common for apprenticeships to end at the age of 21 so this fits perfectly. It would be strange for someone born in 1585 to not complete their apprenticeship until 1609, particularly for a Londoner. My own very minor contribution to this profile was the discovery that his very first apprentice, in 1611, was from a couple of miles from Priston. These are tiny places in Somerset with a few hundred inhabitants. It's very hard to maintain that the Priston baptism and the London clothworker are not the same person.
If Nick, or anyone else, wants to maintain that the immigrant was a different man, presumably the son of Thomas, then it's time to produce some evidence. Where is this 1585 All Hallows birth? I can't locate it.
edited by Matthew Fletcher
Thank you for all of your work on this family.
I'm in awe of the amazing work and collaboration on this profile. I find a ton of associations, but wonder if we have found the glue.
Do we have any direct evidence linking the adult, Jeremy--who immigrated to New England and then returned to England--with the now linked father, George? Ala, have we discovered any direct evidence that the "Jeremie Norcrosse on 5 May 1588 at All Saints, Priston, Somerset, England" is the same person who immigrated to New England?
I adopted George's orphaned profile. It does not seem we were able to follow him to the discovery of his death or probate.
There is so much work here. My apologies if I have overlooked what should have been obvious.--Gene
'I have had a look in our digitised records of Bindings and Freedoms that cover our membership. I don’t find any record for Thomas or indeed any of the Norcross family. So he was certainly not one of our members.
Online the ROLLCO Database, of some Livery Company records, shows The Clothworkers Company did have quite a few members of a Norcross family as their members. I don’t see one called Thomas however.'
Thanks so much for looking into this Ann!
Oops, sorry! You were talking about the haberdashers. I meant the clothworkers. Let me look again at the ROLLCO website. I remember looking at the haberdashers names, but can't remember what I found there.
edited by Marcia (Bonnet) Benjamin
I did check the ROLLCO guilds again. They only seem to appear as part of the clothworkers guild.
https://www.clothworkers.co.uk/
Ann
edited by Marcia (Bonnet) Benjamin
edited by Nick Marks
Ann
I shall write to the Clothworkers company who very likely have records of Jeremiah. If in the meantime you find a baptism for him that would settle the doubt.
Regards, Ann
Regards, Ann
edited by Nick Marks
While all of our work is subject to review, refinement, etc., Marcia has done a lot of good work on this profile. You've demonstrated your own commitment to the work as well.
Hoping only to be helpful, might your work and arguments form the basis of a free space page? Such an approach would provide you the space and organizational framework to layout both your sources and arguments.
Thank you for supporting WikiTree.--Gene, lover of all things, WikiTree, but especially partial to free space pages ...
edited by GeneJ X
Ann
Ann
update on 07.10.22: detached Thomas Norcross and Mary Chappell as parents and attached George Norcross as father, as per baptism record found.
edited by Marcia (Bonnet) Benjamin
Ann
Wife, Sarah Norcross daughter of Jeremiah Norcross and Audrey Smith Married 30 NOv 1631 at All Hallows Bread Street Profession Hot presser, citizen and stationer Will: PCC 1663 Died 7 April 1663 and what looks like Captain buried at St Mary Aldermary
Mary bap 23 Feb 1633 Rebecca bap 15 Jan 1635 Matthew 8 Dec 1637 buried 2 Aug 1641 Samuel 3 March 1638 Henry 8 March 1639 William 23 May 1641 Frances 8 Dec 1643 Francis 5 Jan 1646 buried 7 Jan 1646 Sarah buried 2 April 1635
Ann
Jeremaih Norcross Wife Audrey Smith Married 1611 at Chelsea , Middlesex Profession Clothworker Chldren: Richard bap 16 Dec 1621 Mary , bapt. 5 Sep 1626 buried 7 September 1626 Sarah married Francis Massey Anna married Samuel Davis
Ann
edited by Ann Browning
Ann
edited by Ann Browning
Ann
Ann
edited by Ann Browning
Ann
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBOR%2FBIL%2FSOG30%2F0178&parentid=GBPRS%2FBIL%2F00171046
Ann
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBOR%2FBIL%2FSOG30%2F0211&parentid=GBPRS%2FBIL%2F00171303
Ann
edited by Ann Browning
edit: I note that "my friend Charles Chaddock of Newe England" is mentioned in the will of Jeremiah Norcross... but that in no way implies that his wife's surname was "Chadwick."
edited by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
One of the sources is The Great Migration Directory, so Jeremiah and his wife Adrean and son Nathaniel are all eligible to be in the Puritan Great Migration Project. I'll add the project box.
Will of Jeremiah Norcross of Watertown, Massachusetts
To my brother's daughter Anna Davis, the wife of Samuel Davis a like ewe sheep (in specie) and to her daughter Hannah her eldest child one like ewe sheep.
In witness whereof I set to my hand and seal this 15th day of September 1654.
Descendants of Thomas Norcross (*)
Generation No. 2
4.Jeremiah2 Norcross (Thomas Norcross1 (*)) was born 1595 in London, England, and died 1657 in Watertown, Middlesex Co. Massachusetts.He married Adrean Smith 1638-1639 in Watertown, Middlesex Co. Massachusetts. Notes for Jeremiah Norcross: Information from: Genealogical Dictionary; First Settlers of New England. pp. 142,286 Jeremiah: A.B. from University of Cambridge. Will: 9/15/1654; Children of Jeremiah Norcross and Adrean Smith are: 7 i. Nathaniel3 Norcross.
8 ii. Richard Norcross.
9 iii. Sarah Norcross.She married Francis Macy.
10 iv. Mary Norcross.
11 v. John Smith.
[ JMS- I believe that John SMITH was his stepson.]