Bray Wilkins (1611 - 1702)

Born 1611 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Hannah (Way) Wilkins — married 1634 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 1 Jan 1702 at about age 91 in Middleton, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Bray Wilkins migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 3, p. 1991) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Birth and Origins

Born: About 1611.

Died in his 92^nd year.

His origins and parents are not known. ^{[1][2] [3]}He is often said to have come from Wales, however there is no evidence of any kind to support this. As a settler of Lynn, Massachusetts, he was most likely born somewhere in England.

Internet suggestions that he came from Wales, Brecknock County and was "a descendant of Lord John Wilkins, who belonged to a family that traced their lineage back to 1090 and had borne many honorable titles. Lord John who married sister of Oliver Cromwell" is complete fantasy with no supporting evidence.

He is believed to have emigrated in 1633.^[2] He took the Freeman's Oath in Massachusetts on May 14, 1634.^[4][5][6]

He lived in Lynn, Mass in 1634 and Salem, Mass in 1654.^[7]It is believed that he could read and write (see photo of signature). He held several public offices including Salem Tithing Man in June 1678, Lynn Constable in June 1656, Grand Jury in 1658-9, Petit Jury 1657.^[2]

He died on Jan. 12, 1702^[8] in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts at the age of 92 and lived to see grandchildren and great-grand children. His will was probated Jan. 26, 1702.^[9] His wife survived him and was co-executor of his estate with son, Benjamin.

Land Transactions

He was a landowner. Land transactions included:^[2]

-Oct. 1636 received 6 acres of upland

-Jan. 1637 received 1 acre on the neck provided he remain in the plantation

-Jan. 1638 received 9 acres near Richard Rockett

-March 1659 bought 700 acres in Salem with partner, John Gingeon/Gingell, from Richard Bellingham

-Nov. 1662 sold (with John Gingeon) 130 acres to Daniel Denison

-March 1673 Bray and Gingell deeded 1/3 of the above 700 acres to Aaron Way and William Ireland

-Feb. 1680 deeded parcels of land to his sons Samuel, Thomas, Henry and Benjamin

-Sept. 1696 deeded 3 acres of meadow to son-in-law Phillip Knight

- Will, proved Jan. 1702, bequeathed property to wife; and sons Benjamin, Henry, Samuel, Thomas; daughters Margaret and Lydia; grandsons John Wilkins and Bray Wilkins

Legal Matters

Bray Wilkins' name is listed in several legal records.^[2]

-July 1657, John Hathorne of Lynn was "admonished for contemptuous words against authority spoken to Bray Wilkins, constable of Lynn, while executing his office".

-March 1663 Bray Wilkins was accused of stealing hay and many neighbors came forward to depose in the matter

-June 1666, neighbor Nathaniel Putnam deposed that Bray's home had burned in 1664 and several neighbors were trying to help him financially, but legal issues with property entangled to Gov. Richard Bellingham, complicated matters

-March 1670 Bray Wilkins and others refused to contribute to the building of a new Meetinghouse in Salem

-June 1680 Bray was deposed in a land matter involving Thomas Putnam

Children

He married Hannah Way, daughter of Henry Way about 1636^[2] and they had seven^[2] children. (Note: some sources show his wife as Hannah Gingell/Gengell,^[10][11] sister of his business partner, John Gingell.)

Children of Bray Wilkins and Hannah Way: ^[2] (Note: William Caroll Hill's book "The Family of Bray Wilkins: 'Patriarch of WIll's Hill' of Salem", published in 1943 shows an eighth child, James Wilkins.^[12] But a 1984 article in the American Genealogist by David L. Greene refutes this.^[13]

1. Samuel Wilkins 1636–1688; m. Jane _____
2. John Wilkins 1642–1672, m. Mary _____
3. Lydia Wilkins 1644–1701, m. John Nichols
4. Thomas Wilkins 1646–1717, m. Hannah Nichols
5. Margaret Wilkins Knight 1648–1751, m. Phillip Knight
6. Henry Wilkins 1651–1737, m. Rebecca Baxter, Ruth Fuller
7. Benjamin Wilkins 1655–1715, m. Priscilla Baxter

Salem Witch Trials

"John Willard, one of those executed for witchcraft at Salem in 1692, was called a grandson of Bray Wilkins; in 1984, David L. Greene demonstrated that Willard had married Margaret Wilkins, daughter of Thomas Wilkins, who was one of the sons of Bray Wilkins..."^[2]

Death and Will

Died: He died on Jan. 12, 1702^[14] in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts at the age of 92 and lived to see grandchildren and great-grand children. His will was probated Jan. 26, 1702.^[15] His wife survived him and was co-executor of his estate with son, Benjamin.

Will: Bray Wilkins' will, executed 9 January 1697 (probated 26 January 1702) left his well-beloved wife Anna Wilkins his house, barn, and orchard with all the movable estate for her life; required his son Benjamin Wilkins if he lived to take care of his aged mother; to son Benjamin Bray left his home lot after Anna's death, plus 30 acres; to son Henry the lot of land at the head of the 50 acres of land he had given to his sons Samuel and Henry Wilkins; to son Benjamin the lot of land that ran over "walnut tree so called"; to grandson John Wilkins 10 acres of a lot of land on the north side of pout pond brook, the rest of the lot to son Thomas Wilkins; to daughter Margaret Knight, wife of Phillip Knight, 3 acres of meadow "laying in the tongue of pout pond meadow," the remainder of the meadow to son Benjamin Wilkins; to daughter Lydia Nicholls, wife of John Nicholls, 40s; to son Benjamin Wilkins "all my meadow laying in Andover meadow"; to grandson Bray Wilkins "all my meadow laying in beachy meadow"; to grandson Samuel Wilkins "one of my best coats for him to have quickly after my decease"; all the rest of his wearing apparel to be equally divided among sons Thomas, Henry, and Benjamin; to son Benjamin Wilkins various household items and farm equipment; to daughter Margaret Knight his feather bed; remainder of bedding to be divided between two daughters Lydia Nicholls and Margaret Knight.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ The family of Bray Wilkins : "Patriarch of Will's Hill"...p. 4,
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8} "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England," 1620-1633, p. 1991.
3. ↑ The American Genealogist, vol. 60 (1984):1-18 and 101-113.
4. ↑ The Winthrop Society: Descendants of the Great Migration. Names of such as took the Oath of Freemen -- 18 May 1631. (Link via Wayback Machine, capture date : 22 Mar 2022.)
5. ↑ Massachusetts Applications of Freemen, 1630-91
6. ↑ List of Freemen, Massachusetts Bay Colony, from 1630 to 1691, by Henry Franklin Andrews. https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028814304#page/n37/mode/2up
7. ↑ A genealogical register of the first settlers of New England ... by John Farmer, p. 317
8. ↑ Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
9. ↑ Massachusetts, Essex County, Probate Records
10. ↑ U.S. New England Marriages Prior to 1700
11. ↑ The family of Bray Wilkins : "Patriarch of Will's Hill"...p. 4,
12. ↑ Hill, William Carol (b. 1875). The family of Bray Wilkins : "Patriarch of Will's Hill", of Salem. Published: Milford, N.H. : Cabinet Press, 1943. http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89062464656;view=1up;seq=19
13. ↑ Greene, David L., "Bray Wilkins of Salem Village MA and his children." The American Genealogist, vol. 60 (1984), pages 1-18 and 101-113.
14. ↑ Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
15. ↑ Massachusetts, Essex County, Probate Records
16. ↑ "Family of Bray Wilkins", p. 10, http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89062464656;view=1up;seq=34

See Also:

• "Bray Wilkins of Salem Village MA and his children," by David L. Greene. The American Genealogist, vol. 60 (1984), pages 1-18 and 101-113.
• The family of Bray Wilkins : "Patriarch of Will's Hill", of Salem, by William Carol Hill, b. 1875. Published: Milford, N.H. : Cabinet Press, 1943. http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89062464656;view=1up;seq=19
• Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire: a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation; comp. under the editorial supervision of Ezra S. Stearns...assisted by William F. Whitcher...and Edward E. Parker... Vol. 1, p. 34. http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yale.39002001058339;view=1up;seq=80
• A genealogical register of the first settlers of New England ... by John Farmer, 1789-1838, page 317. Published 1829, Carter, Andrews and Co., Lancester, Mass., p. 317. pages.https://archive.org/stream/agenealogicalre01farmgoog#page/n340/mode/2up
• The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, by Robert Charles Anderson, 1995. Vol. III, pages 1991-1994. American Ancestors (subscription)
• List of Freemen, Massachusetts Bay Colony, from 1630 to 1691, by Henry Franklin Andrews. Pub.1906, Exira Print Co., Exira, Iowa. https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028814304#page/n37/mode/2up
• Massachusetts Applications of Freemen, 1630-91, [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Paige, Lucius R.. List of Freemen of Massachusetts. Boston, MA, USA: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1849, C. R., Vol. I. pp. 79, 112.
• Massachusetts, Essex County, Probate Records; Probate Records, Wilkins, A-Willford, N, 1828-1991, Author: Massachusetts. Supreme Judicial Court (Essex County); Source Information: Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
• Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
• U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2012. Original data: Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004, p. 816. This work, compiled over a period of thirty years from about 2,000 books and manuscripts, is a comprehensive listing of the 37,000 married couples who lived in New England between 1620 and 1700.
• Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive - http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/home.html
• wiki Salem Witch Trials: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_witch_trials
• Title: Church Book Belonging to Salem Village [electronic resource]- Author: Samuel Parris Editor: Benjamin C. Ray -Transcribed by: Benjamin C. Ray and Maruta L. Ray - Publisher: University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Virginia - http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/villgchurchrcrd.html

Acknowledgement

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